HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-26-16 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers
Meeting Minutes of October 26, 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, Tom
Trepanier, Peter Marinace
YPC Members Absent: Al Rose, Bill Cook, Gavin Keefe (all excused)
Staff Present: Joan Davenport, Planning Manager; Joseph Calhoun, Senior
Planner; Jeff Peters, Supervising Planner; Lisa Maxey,
Department Assistant; Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City
Attorney
Others: Sign -in sheet in file
Staff Announcements
None noted.
Audience Participation
Cathy Franklin described disputes she has had with the "Dress 4 Less" store located at
502 W Nob Hill Blvd. She explained that the business has been causing trash go onto her
property, has caused issues relating to access and parking for her property, and has
displayed nude and inappropriately dressed mannequins outside the store.
Veronica Rodriguez also spoke to the issue of the mannequins displayed outside the
store, and highlighted her concerns for the children who have to pass by them regularly.
2016 Text Amendments Public Hearin
Supervising Planner Jeff Peters provided the staff report for the 2016 Text Amendments
project (TXT#001-16). Joan Davenport, Community Development Director, explained to
the Planning Commission that the City Council will be conducting a study session on
November 31rd and will decide at that time whether they would like the Planning
Commission to consider fee increases for land use application into the text amendment
proposals. Therefore, Commissioner Byers made a motion to continue this public hearing
to Wednesday November 9, 2016. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Discussion on Outdoor Product Displays
Jeff Peters announced that flyers and notices were distributed to the Yakima Greater
Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and other interested parties
and businesses, advertising this discussion. Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney,
went over options the Planning Commission has for regulating outdoor displays.
Audience member Shannon Bird expressed her frustrations with mannequins blocking
access to neighboring businesses like hers, as well as the volume and the nakedness of
the mannequins. She provided pictures to the Commission demonstrating these
problems and printed sections of the Yakima Municipal Code where outdoor product
displays could possibly be regulated.
Audience members Serena Plant and Michele Taylor also reiterated concerns with these
mannequins being displayed outside.
Audience member Lynn Opiella requested that the Planning Commission look at how
other cities are regulating outdoor product displays.
Audience member Cathy Franklin spoke regarding the general image and reputation of
the city of Yakima, and how that is being affected by these outdoor displays.
Commission members began discussion on what they feel is appropriate for the
Commission to regulate in this matter.
Audience member Hadia Abbas Nazer, a board member of the Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce, reported that she did not receive notification of this meeting and therefore
could not disseminate the meeting information to other parties for their attendance and
comments back to the Commission. Shannon Bird reported that she and her neighboring
businesses did receive notification.
Sara Watkins reported that the Planning Commission does not have jurisdiction to make
changes to Title 5, where the Outside Promotional Sales section is located in the Yakima
Municipal Code. She informed the Commission of the option for them to recommend to
have the Economic Development Committee to review this issue instead so they could
regulate it through Title 5.
There was general discussion between staff, the Commission, and audience member
Cathy Franklin on how City Code Enforcement handles complaints for situations like the
ones mentioned during this agenda item.
Commissioner Trepanier made a motion to discontinue discussion related to regulating
outdoor product displays and to recommend to the City Council that the Planning
Commission is not fit to regulate this issue. The motion was seconded and carried
unanimously.
Jeff Peters announced that during this meeting Assistant Planner Eric Crowell
transmitted to him a copy of the notice and flyer that was delivered to the Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce and it included a note indicating that those items were hand
delivered.
Discussion on Draft Sign Code Amendments
Sara Watkins went over her memo entitled "Optional Language for Sign Code
Amendments." Chairman Clark read into the record an email from Commissioner Cook
to Commissioner Byers to be shared with the rest of the Commission regarding the topic
of portable and trailer signs. Discussion ensued regarding portable and trailer signs, sign
walkers, digital signs, and sign illumination. The Commission had consensus for staff to
copy the language in YMC 15.08.040 (11), which is currently the language for temporary
signs, and incorporate it into the proposed portable signs section. The Commission also
had consensus to change the time limitations in the proposed section for sign walkers
from "daylight hours" to "dawn to dusk," (or similar language), to add trailer signs to
the prohibited sign section, and to incorporate language into the draft for digital signs
and sign illumination as presented in Sara's memo. The Planning Commission requested
to see these changes made to the draft at their next meeting.
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Com rehensive Plan 2040 U date: Housing,Natural Environment & Utilities Draft Elements
Senior Planner Joseph Calhoun summarized the background information, goals, and
policies for the Housing, Natural Environment, and Utilities draft elements for the
Comprehensive Plan 2040 update that were provided to the Commission for their review
and comments.
Other Business
None noted.
AAjourn
A motion to adjourn to November 9, 2016 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting
adjourned at 5:06 p.m.
Chairman Scott Clark
Date
This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Department Assistant II
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