HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-23-13 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC)
City Hall Council Chambers
Meeting Minutes of January 23, 2013
Call to Order
Chairman Shoval called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm.
Roll Call
YPC Members Present: Chairman Ben Shoval, Co -Chair Bill Cook, Scott Clark, Al
Rose, Ron Anderson, Dave Fonfara
YPC Members Absent: Paul Stelzer (excused)
Staff Present: Jeff Peters, Associate Planner; Steve Osguthorpe, Director
Others:
Election of Chairman and Vice -Chair for the Yakima Planning Commission
Scott Clark nominated Ben Shoval to continue serving as the chair of the Planning
Commission. Due to term limitations, Mr. Shoval could not be appointed for another
term since he has already served two consecutive terms, per the adopted Planning
Commission bylaws. Bill Cook then nominated Dave Fonfara to chair the Planning
Commission; Mr. Fonfara declined the nomination. Al Rose nominated Ron Anderson;
Mr. Anderson also declined the nomination. The Planning Commission requested staff
to provide additional information to amend the by-laws to allow appointment of the
current chairman to more than two terms. Staff will draft an amendment to the by-laws
and present it at the next meeting. The amendment will then be recommended to City
Council for approval. Following a lengthy discussion regarding the term limitations of
chairman and vice-chairman, Mr. Anderson made a motion, seconded by Mr. Rose, to
table the nomination so staff can provide additional information to amend the by-laws.
Motion carried by unanimous vote. For the time being, the Planning Commission
agreed to defer election of chairman and vice-chairman.
Adoption of Minutes for November 14 2012 and November 28,201
Mr. Rose made a motion, seconded by Mr. Anderson, to accept the minutes of
November 14, 2012 and November 28, 2012. Motion carried by unanimous vote.
Audience Participation
No audience participation noted.
Shoreline Master Plan Update
Mr. Peters introduced The Watershed Company, the firm that the city has contracted
with to obtain assistance in updating the Shoreline Master Program (SMP). He provided
a brief overview of the consultant selection process. Amy Summe and Lisa Grueter,
along with subcontractor Berk, will focus on the following tasks to accomplish the SMP
update process: The tasks primarily include:
To convert Yakima County's Regional SMP into a City -specific SMP traditional
"stand-alone" format, and fill in any noted gaps with standard WAC -based
language as appropriate.
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• To customize the SMP and develop a prioritized list of City -specific conditions
and vision as guided by City and in consultation with Department of Ecology.
The consultant will work with the City's GIS staff to prepare an updated map of
City shoreline jurisdiction and environment designations.
• The consultant will prepare an addendum to Yakima County's Cumulative
Impacts Analysis (CIA) that addresses the modified standards as noted in Task 2.
• The consultant will supplement the County's Restoration Plan with local input
mostly related city -specific projects or programs such as the Yakima Greenway,
the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Department of Transportation.
• Prepare a Shoreline Master Program Submittal Checklist to the Department of
Ecology.
• Attend public meetings as requested by City staff.
• Conduct a gap analysis to look at the gap with the city's other environmental
regulations.
He provided a draft outline of the suggested goals and policies with edits and
comments submitted by BERK. He then described the major highlights provided by
Ms. Grueter and explained how the goals and policies would be incorporated into the
city's Comprehensive Plan and the Shoreline Master Program.
Brief discussion ensued regarding the pros and cons of pre -designating areas that are
not in the city's jurisdiction but have the potential to be annexed in the future. City staff
suggested not pre -designating due to further analysis required. The conversation
continued to include exemptions to the shoreline permitting process for requests such
as those made by the Department of Transportation to clear and maintain vegetation
along the highways near the Yakima River and Naches River.
He noted the following changes (per the consultant's suggestions): prohibiting animal
feedlot operations in the City's shoreline jurisdiction, currently none are in operation;
allowing piers and docks for water -dependent uses and public access.
Mr. Peters reported the items for next meeting's discussion would include
environmental designations, examining the matrix table, and administrative provisions.
An overview of the timeframe was reviewed and explained to the Commission.
Other Business
Per the Commissions request, Mr. Osguthorpe detailed his past work experience,
professional development, and proposed contributions to the city of Yakima.
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This meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m. to February 13, 2013.
"rim Chairman Ben Shoval Date
This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Rosalinda Ibarra, Planning Technician