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Home My WebLink About09-26-18 YPC MinutesCity of Yakima Planning Commission (YPC) City Hall Council Chambers Meeting Minutes of September 26, 2018 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, Jacob Liddicoat, Robert McCormick, Philip Ostriem YPC Members Absent: Bill Cook, Leanne Hughes -Mickel (both excused) Staff Present: Joseph Calhoun, Planning Manager; Sara Watkins, Senior Assistant City Attorney; Trevor Martin, Associate Planner; Eric Crowell, Associate Planner; Lisa Maxey, Planning Specialist Council Liaison: Jason White, District 2 (absent) Others: Sign -in sheet in file Staff Announcements - Planning Manager Joseph Calhoun announced that staff is requesting City Council to set the date for the public for this year's Comprehensive Plan Amendment and concurrent Rezone requests, which a potential date of November 6, 2018. He also made known that the Planning Commission will hold a hearing on October 10, 2018, on the proposed text amendments related to uses and definitions of hotel, motel, and extended stay hotel/motels. Audience Participation - None noted. Approval of Meeting Minutes of September 12 2018 - It was motioned by Vice -Chair Rose and seconded by Commissioner Liddicoat to approve the meeting minutes of September 12, 2018. The motion carried unanimously. Public Hearina: Datal Properties RZ#009-18 & SEPA#018-18 - Associate Planner Eric Crowell presented staff's findings of fact, conclusions, and recommendation on this non -project rezone request which includes a conceptual site plan showing a potential use of this property in the future if the rezone is approved for a "drive-through beverage shop." Crowell clarified that the current proposal is for the rezone only and not for the approval of this specific use, and that a beverage shop would be required to go through a separate land use review process in order to be approved. Discussion took place on traffic -related concerns that could occur once the property is developed. Crowell noted that the Traffic Engineering comments state that access on 56f Ave. should be as far south as practical with consideration of the location of existing driveways on the adjacent parcel and across the street. Bill Hordan of Hordan Planning Services (applicant) voiced his support of staff's findings and recommendation. The Commission discussed possibly requiring the applicant to merge the two parcels in this request. Commission members and staff also discussed site design standards that may be required when a new development goes in to make it compatible with the surrounding properties including fencing, building height limitations, setback requirements, and traffic considerations. -1- It was motioned by Commissioner Liddicoat and seconded by Vice -Chair Rose to recommend approval of the proposed rezone from Single -Family Residential (R-1) to Large Convenience Center (LCC) to the Yakima City Council. It was amended by Liddicoat and seconded by Rose to include a condition of approval that the two subject properties be merged. Calhoun inserted that the requirement of a merger may be premature as this is a non -project rezone and there is currently a house on each lot. The motion failed unanimously. It was motioned by Commissioner Liddicoat and seconded by Vice -Chair Rose to recommend approval of the proposed rezone from Single -Family Residential (R-1) to Large Convenience Center (LCC) as presented. The motion carried unanimously. Continued Public Hearing: West Valley Nursing Homes Inc. CPA#0054.8 & RZ#006- 18 - Associate Planner Trevor Martin presented staff's findings of fact, conclusions, and recommendation on this proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment and concurrent Rezone request which proposes to remove the existing development agreement on the property which limits property use to multi -family senior living and senior care residential facilities and proposes to retain the current future land use designation of Mixed Residential and current zoning of Multi -Family Residential (R-3). Martin clarified that the applicant has since amended the request to remove a small portion of land around neighboring property owned by James Johnson from the request to promote compatibility between existing land uses. The Commission discussed concerns raised by the public in 2012 when this property first went through the process to be rezoned to R-3 and amended to have a future land use designation of Mixed Residential. The main concern mentioned was lack of compatibility of R-3 zoning with the existing neighborhood. It was noted that minimal comments have been received on this proposal in comparison to the proposal in 2012. Bill Hordan (applicant) explained that senior housing, skilled nursing facilities, etc. have become harder to finance which is one reason why they are requesting to rescind the development agreement so other housing options may be explored. Hordan informed the Commission that they have had ongoing discussions with James Johnson, property owner to the northeast of this proposal, who was amenable to having a buffer of R-1 zoning around his property to help mitigate compatibility concerns, which is the reason for the application amendment. Hordan also expressed the need for additional R-3 zoned properties in the city. Senior Assistant City Attorney Sara Watkins clarified that the Planning Commission's motion on a recommendation to Council may address both the development agreement element of the request and the proposed comprehensive plan amendment and concurrent rezone change; however, an ordinance cannot have more than one subject so the issues would be separated at the City Council level. Staff clarified that if the Planning Commission recommends that the development agreement be revoked and the comprehensive plan amendment and concurrent rezone requests which have been modified to exclude a portion of land around the Johnson property as shown on the amended map in the application be approved, and City Council approves the recommendation and adopts ordinances accordingly, the area around the Johnson property would default back to R-1 zoning and a future land use -2- designation of Low Density Residential on account of the development agreement being terminated and due to it being excluded from the rest of the land that is part of the comprehensive plan amendment and rezone request. It was motioned by Commissioner Liddicoat and seconded by Commissioner McCormick to recommend approval of the request to retain the future land use designation of Mixed Residential and zoning of Multi -Family Residential (R-3) with the exception of the hashed area shown on the applicant's revised map, and recommend that the existing development agreement be terminated, thus reverting the aforementioned "hashed" portion of land back to R-1 zoning with a future land use designation of Low Density Residential. The motion carried unanimously. Study Session: Hote otel and Extended Stay Hotel/Motel Uses and Definitions - Discussion took place regarding parking in in the Central Business District (CBD) and whether the level of review for hotel/motel or extended stay hotel/motel should be increased due to limited parking. Several hotels were named that exist in the downtown area and have parking on site. Calhoun clarified that if the business chooses to provide parking on site, though not required in the CBD zoning district, it would have to meet the standards of the code. The Commission had consensus to remove the language in the "hotel" and "motel" draft definitions that references a percentage of rooms that must be designated for "short-term" stays. The Commission also agreed to have the "Extended Stay Hotel/ Motel" draft definition state, "Extended Stay Hotel/ Motel means a hotel or motel that rents rooms to the public for longer stays, which are more than 30 consecutive days. This definition does not include other defined uses including, but not limited to, a boarding house or multi -family dwelling." Lastly, to finalize the draft of the proposed text amendments in preparation of the upcoming public hearing, the Commission had consensus to add "Extended Stay Hotel/Motel" to the same line as the "Motels and Hotels" in Yakima Municipal Code § 15.04.030 - Table 4-1 Permitted Land Uses so that extended stay hotels/ motels would be allowed in the same zoning districts and permitted through the same levels of review as motels and hotels as dictated in the table. Other Business - Commissioner Liddicoat suggested that staff's response to public comments consisting of project -related matters on non -project rezones include a description of the land use review and public notice procedures for a project -specific request that may follow after the non -project rezone and how the public can be informed and involved in the project -level land use review process. Calhoun assured that this can be accomplished and reflected in the staff reports. Adjourn - A motion to adjourn to October 10, 2018 was passed with unanimous vote. This meeting adjourned at 4:53 p.m. �r IV Chair c: man Byers Date This meeting was filmed by YPAC. Minutes for this meeting submitted by: Lisa Maxey, Planning Specialist. -3-