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Home My WebLink About08-03-15 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers Meeting Minutes of August 3, 2015 Call to Order Chairman Dave Fonfara called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll Call YPC Members Present: Chairman Dave Fonfara, Vice -Chair Scott Clark, Bill Cook, Al Rose, Patricia Byers, Ron Anderson, Carmen Mendez YPC Members Absent: Staff Present: Valerie Smith, Senior Planner; Jeff Peters, Supervising Planner Others: Sign -in sheet in file Staff Announcements Supervising Planner Jeff Peters announced that the Commission has been provided a copy of the Airport and Compatible Land -Use Guidebook from WSDOT in preparation for the upcoming Planning Commission public hearing on the Airport Safety Overlay. Additionally, he announced that the 2015 text amendment proposals will come before the Commission for their initial review at the next regularly scheduled meeting on Augusts 1201. Study Session: 2015 Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments Senior Planner Valerie Smith provided a brief overview of project CPA#001-15 - Elves Family Investments. Chairman Fonfara asked if the scheduled demolition of the abandoned house on this property is contingent on the decision regarding this Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment (CPA) proposal. Chairman Fonfara proceeded to point out that the abandoned house has issues related to fire and health concerns. Commissioner Cook added in that the two circumstances may not be related if there are fire and health concerns, as these concerns would provoke the order to demolish the house regardless of the CPA proposal. Jeff Peters mentioned that the applicant had previously indicated that they may want to retain the house and attempt to revamp it after purchasing the property but decided against the idea after submitting their application based on the state of the house. Commissioner Rose asked if the parcel in the proposal to be used as a parking lot will remain separate from the parcel the business is located on. Peters answered that a merger will be required at the time an application is submitted for redevelopment of the lot. Valerie Smith passed around photos taken at her site visit for the Commission to view. Jeff Peters provided a brief overview of project CPA#007-15 - Cottonwood Partners LLC. Commissioner Rose commented that there will be an extensive amount of pipeline necessary for development of the property and discussed possible sewer complications. Commissioner Cook asked for clarification on building in the floodplain. Peters commented that no buildings can be constructed in the floodway but a Critical Area - 1 - Review must be done to build in the floodplain and must follow development regulations for building in the floodplain. Chairman Fonfara brought up traffic safety concerns, referring to the part of Ahtanum Road in which the speed limit is 50 miles per hour. Peters responded that traffic impacts will be analyzed and can be mitigated through the process of the SEPA review. Commissioner Byers questioned if there are any plans for an extension of Occidental Road. Peters responded that the proposal shows Occidental being extended to Sorenson Road and South 36th Avenue. Audience Member Linda Curlee expressed to the Commission that she will be severely impacted by the proposal and indicated that she is concerned that Occidental Road cannot support the increase in traffic that would be caused by the proposal. She also commented on the unwanted change in atmosphere and mentioned that sewers will have to go across the back of her property. She commented on the land's location in the floodplain and asked about rainwater and paving of Occidental Road. Peters responded that storm water requirements will need to be met and paving will be addressed when a project proposal is submitted for development of the property. Tom Durant, representing Cottonwood Partners LLC, shared the background for why they are proposing the rezone. Linda Curlee informed the Commission and staff that her and her neighbors were requested to go to a FEMA meeting last year after a study of the area was conducted. Jeff Peters provided a brief overview of project CPA#008-15 - Chelminar Association Inc. Commissioner Clark asked if this project will bring about a spot -zoning issue to which Peters indicated that it will not. Valerie Smith went over uses that would be allowed on this property if the proposal to rezone the property to B-1 were approved. Audience member Jack Staples informed the Commission and staff that the building on the property is currently being used by a fraternal organization but added that the organization is slowing the use of the building. Tom Durant, representing Chelminar Association, explained the reasoning behind this proposal. Commissioner Mendez asked Tom Durant if he thought the lot could be converted to use for residential homes. Durant responded that he didn't think it was feasible. Commissioner Mendez asked Durant if he thought that the building as it stands currently could be used for professional offices. Durant answered that he thinks the building is closer to meeting the standard of a professional office than the standards of a house. Audience member Anne LoPinto discussed the profit margin for leaving the property as R-1 and brought up that not all property owners in the Summitview Country Condo Association adjacent to the lot in the proposal received notice of the CPA proposal. Peters responded that the representative of the condo association was provided notice and explained that the mailing list corresponds with records of the Yakima County Assessor's Office. Audience member Nancy Kenmotsu described the environment of the neighborhood and expressed her desire for the neighborhood to remain the same. Audience Member Brad Card commented on the condition of Chestnut Avenue and the traffic flow. He also expressed that he wants the neighborhood to remain the same. Diane Lindstrom asked what the age of the building on site is and asked why the property can't be divided into two residential lots. She added that the value of surrounding properties will drop and questioned the logic of the location of the rezone. Peters addressed Diane Lindstrom's question regarding the logic of the location. Nancy -2- Kenmotsu indicated that she has seen other office spaces for lease in the area and dictated that no businesses are located 40th Avenue to 48th Avenue on Chestnut Avenue. Audience member Joyce Gaidies shared her past experiences living in the neighborhood and being invaded by businesses, stating that these situations have caused neighbors to leave the area. Another audience member named Jerry voiced that they would like to see the neighborhood remain the same. Tom Durant, referring back to a question from Diane Lindstrom, commented that the building on the property has been there since 1950. Chairman Fonfara asked if a hearing date for the CPAs has been set. Peters indicated that the hearing will most likely be in late September and that the hearings may end up being on multiple dates. He included that all parties of record will receive a notice of public hearing and that land use signs will be posted along with a legal ad published in the newspaper informing the public of the hearings. Adjourn A motion to adjourn to August 12, 2015 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Chairman Dave Fonfara Date This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Department Assistant II _3