HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-09-17 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers
Meeting Minutes of August 9, 2017
Call to Order
Chairwoman Patricia Byers called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
Roll Call
YPC Members Present: Chairwoman Patricia Byers, Vice -Chair Al Rose, Bill Cook,
Peter Marinace, Jacob Liddicoat, Rob McCormick
YPC Members Absent:
Staff Present: Joseph Calhoun, Planning Manager; Lisa Maxey, Planning
Specialist; Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Others: Sign -in sheet in file
Staff Announcements
Planning Manager Joseph Calhoun announced that the next Planning Commission
meeting on August 23rd will include a public hearing for a preliminary long plat, adding
that packets will be made available. Calhoun also mentioned that there is still a vacant
seat on the Planning Commission and encouraged Commissioners to let anyone
interested in being on the Commission know to apply in the City Clerk's office.
Audience Participation
None noted.
Approval of Meeting Minutes of July 1212017
It was motioned by Vice -Chair Rose and seconded by Commissioner Liddicoat to
approve the minutes of July 12, 2017.
Discussion on New Mate Legislation RegLarding RegardingFinal Plat Approval
Calhoun introduced the newly effective legislation which added to the allowable process
for approval of final long plats. He explained that the current process for final long plat
approval consists of the City Council holding a public meeting and making the final
decision. He contrasted that the new legislation allows for the Planning Commission or
staff to be the final reviewer and signature authority for the final plat. Calhoun offered to
the Commission the advantages of giving staff this authority, including the opportunity
to save time and money.
This new legislation was brought to the attention of the Neighborhood and Community
Building Committee (NCBC) in July of this year, Calhoun stated, at which time it was
motioned to proceed with this as a legislative item. Calhoun communicated that the
process for the proposed text amendment to Yakima Municipal Code (YMC) Title 14 will
include public notice, a hearing before the Planning Commission, and the formation of a
recommendation by the Planning Commission to forward to City Council for their final
consideration.
Further discussion took place on the effects that this change would have on the process.
It was clarified that notification of the City Council public meeting for the final plat is
currently not provided to property owners within 300 feet of the site as the public
comment process takes place during the preliminary plat process, though a member of
the public could request that the Planning Division notify them of the final plat public
meeting. Discussion ensued regarding whether disagreements on the final plat from
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neighboring property owners has been an issue, to which staff answered that this has not
been an occurrence in recent proposals. Commissioner Cook suggested that it may be
appropriate to emphasize to the public that their input during the preliminary plat
process is their only opportunity to do so, as the final approval will be done
administratively.
Calhoun informed the Commission that this issue will likely be coming back to the
Planning Commission in September to review the proposed changes to YMC Title 14.
Other Business
Commissioner Cook brought up a topic of conversation from a previous Planning
Commission meeting which was to have someone from Yakima County come to a
Planning Commission meeting to discuss flooding issues. Calhoun stated that new FEMA
flood maps are estimated to be available in late September of this year, which would be
an opportune time to initiate this discussion.
Audience member Joe Walsh of the Central Washington Home Builders Association
replied to an earlier point of discussion related to the lack of opportunity for public input
during the final plat process. He stressed that the purpose of the final plat approval
process is to determine completion of the conditions imposed on the plat which is an
administrative function, not for the public to determine. Walsh then read a letter of
support from Bill Hordan of Hordan Planning Services for changing the city's final long
plat approval process to enable final plats to be approved administratively.
Adjourn
A motion to adjourn to August 23, 2017 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting
adjourned at 3:21 p.m.
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Date
This rfiecting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Planning Specialist.
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