HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-01-16 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers
Meeting Minutes of June 1, 2016
Call to Order
Chairman Scott Clark called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
Roll Call
YPC Members Present: Chairman Scott Clark, Vice -Chair Patricia Byers, Al Rose,
Bill Cook, Gavin Keefe
YPC Members Absent: Peter Marinace
Staff Present: Jeff Peters, Supervising Planner; Valerie Smith, Senior
Planner; Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney; Lisa
Maxey, Department Assistant
Others: Sign -in sheet in file
Staff Announcements
None noted
Audience Participation
None noted
Approval of Meeting Minutes of May 11 2016 May 24, 2016, and May 25,
2016,
Commissioner Rose made a motion to approve the meeting minutes of May 11th, May
24th, and May 25, 2016. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Continued Study Session on 1-502 Marijuana Regulation
Supervising Planner Jeff Peters announced that the draft ordinance has been distributed
to the Planning Commission, along with maps showing eligible areas for marijuana
related business with the parcel colors corresponding to the zoning district map.
Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney, explained further the details of the draft
ordinance. She added that she contacted Ellensburg's city attorney who reported that no
enforcement issues have resulted thus far and added that she has reached out to other
jurisdictions and is waiting for a response.
Commissioner Byers listed elements that she would like the Commission to discuss and
see addressed in the ordinance if appropriate, such as distance between marijuana
retailers, distance of marijuana related businesses from correction facilities, rehab centers,
and other facilities of the like; mitigation for odor produced from the manufacturing of
marijuana, and prohibiting drive-thru facilities and mobile sales of marijuana.
Peters informed the Commission that two public comments have been distributed to
them including one from the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency and one from a member
of the public.
Discussion ensued regarding the number of licenses of marijuana manufacturers and
producers, and notification requirements for the applicant. Commissioner Keefe brought
up discussion regarding the purpose of separation requirements between marijuana
retail stores. Other discussion took place relating to hours of operation of marijuana retail
stores regulated by the state and situations where the land use is residential but the
zoning is not.
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The Commission then reviewed zoning district definitions and came to the decision to
include the LCC, CBD, GC, B-2, and RD zoning districts as appropriate for marijuana
retail. The Commission then decided to leave the M-1 and M-2 zoning districts as the
appropriate zones for marijuana processing and manufacturing. Discussion took place
on how the buffer might apply to the Greenway. Commissioner Byers requested that at
the next meeting staff provide a map of the 1,000 foot buffer to match the draft ordinance.
Chairman Clark requested a map of a 500 foot buffer.
The Commission and staff discussed the difficulty of buffering marijuana related
businesses from churches and state law proximity rules for liquor stores being buffered
from various facilities including churches, correctional facilities, and rehab centers.
Senior Planner Valerie Smith added that correctional facilities, treatment centers for drug
and alcohol rehabilitation, group homes, halfway houses, and the like are class 3 uses in
the land use table. The group talked about the purpose of neighborhood cooperatives and
returned to the topic of the 500 foot separation between marijuana retail stores. The
Commission had consensus to reinforce in the ordinance that no marijuana retail use can
be in the same building that has a different use, unless there is a fully separating wall
between the businesses. They also agreed to include in the ordinance that there cannot be
mobile sales, drive-thru facilities, or any exterior method of sale. Peters suggested that
the ordinance also address that producers and processors must mitigate odor.
Commissioner Cook asked if any conditions need to be required of the processors in
accordance with waste water procedures, to which Peters commented that he will consult
with the waste water division. Commissioner Clark asked in regards to state regulations
for marijuana business being conducted within the public view, to which Sara Watkins
responded that she will look into this and bring back information at the next meeting.
Peters briefed the Commission on Type 2 and Type 3 review notice procedures. Chairman
Clark voiced his desire to not designate any marijuana related uses as Type 3 reviews.
Commissioner Cook suggested that a Type 2 review may be appropriate for processing
or production uses locating within 100 feet of a residential use.
The Commission tabled the item and went onto the next item on the agenda set aside for
public comment. Audience member Eric Larson commented on the importance of
avoiding clustering which comes as a result of imposing too many limitations on
locations. He also spoke of the difficulty of obtaining land for marijuana retail stores. He
then went on to describe the difference between producers and processors and informed
the Commission that no more producers can be licensed per state law, and that a listing
of marijuana licenses is available online. Commissioner Keefe reiterated how highly
regulated marijuana retail stores are.
Other Business
Peters informed the Commission that a revised timeline for I-502 marijuana regulation
has been distributed to the Commission, in which the date of issuance of the SEPA DNS
was modified. He reaffirmed that the public hearing will be on June 16t" at 5:30 p.m. in
the City Hall Council Chambers.
Adjourn
A motion to adjourn to June 8, 2016 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting
adjourned at 5:02 p.m.
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Cha irmin -ScowCtR. ; °! M f'<.� Date
This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Department Assistant II
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