HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/10/2006 Adjourned Meeting 205
ADJOURNED MEETING /STUDY SESSION
OCTOBER 10, 2006 - 8:00 A.M. - 9:30 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - YAKIMA CITY HALL
1. Roll CaII
Present:
Council: Mayor Pro Tem Neil McClure, presiding, Council Members Ron
Bonlender, Micah Cawley (present after 8:10 a.m.), Norm Johnson (present
after 8:30), Bill Lover, and Susan Whitman
Staff: City Manager Zais, City Attorney Paolella and City Clerk Moore
Absent: Dave Edler (excused)
2. Study Session — Presentation of Draft Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan
Doug Maples, Planning and Code Enforcement Manager, presented the highlights of
the update to the Yakima Urban Area Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan
(Comp Plan) provides guidance for future regulations and provides an improved land
use decision - making process with public participation. Bruce Benson, Planning
Supervisor, explained that the State's agency for Community Trade and Economic
Development (CTED), has oversight for our Comp Plan. They are the final agency to
verify that we meet requirements of the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Consultant Reid Shockey advised that the formal joint hearing with Yakima County is
to be held on November 14, 2006. This document is the policy for the community in
terms of land use, transportation, environmental protections and many more topics. It
is not hard and fast law; it is policy. Whenever someone comes before the City with a
development' issue, rezone, class 3 permit, request to amend the land use map, etc.,
the Comp Plan is reviewed to determine if the request is consistent with our policy of
how our community is to be developed. It is the result of the Growth Management Act
(GMA) adopted 20 years ago. We adopted a plan in 1997 that took planning through
the year 2015. Every 10 years it must be updated. This current plan goes through the
year 2025. Updating the land use map is a major issue and is always of public
interest. The consultants worked closely with the City's Streets and Traffic Division
because the Transportation Plan must be updated with the Comp Plan. The two plans
are integrated as required by law. The Transportation Plan will also be presented on
November 14. There are several land use designations that are either outdated or
have been controversial due to a lack of clarity. The plan calls for changes in certain
land use categories and also recommends new designations be added, e.g. the
addition of a regional commercial designation. A third major category is the institution
designation on the land use map. We have three institutions (the two hospitals and
the community college), that are assets to our community, and it is the City's policy to
help them grow and thrive. Each is located near residential areas and, as they grow,
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ADJOURNED MEETING — COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
OCTOBER 10, 2006
the surrounding neighbors are concerned how that growth will affect them. The Comp
Plan is currently under review by the Regional Planning Commission (RPC). There
have been several workshops with them and with the public. There is an Action Plan
in Chapter 2, where the RPC will define their priorities and what steps to take next.
Those next steps will be the City Council's decision.
Bill Cook, Director of Community and Economic Development, noted that the purpose
of this meeting is to get Council input before the document is finalized. Areas focused
on in the plan are: 1) encouraging large mixed -use regional economic development
sites in appropriate places along 1 -82; 2) understanding of neighborhood preservation;
and 3) creating an opportunity for institutional facility master planning.
In response to a Council question, Mr. Shockey advised that under GMA there is an
annual amendment process (docketing) where Council, staff, and the public, can
submit requests to change the plan. Council also has the ability to reopen and amend
into the plan. Implementing measures, such as ordinances, can be done as a follow
on to the plan at any time.
Joan Davenport, Traffic Engineer, explained that the Comp Plan and the
Transportation Plan have had separate public processes. They have received a
number of public comments with the majority of them on the need to amend our street
standards in Title 12. The Comp Plan does not contain much detail on Title 12. She
then discussed 32 Avenue being reclassified to a neighborhood collector and not a
minor arterial, which is explained in the Transportation plan.
Council Member Johnson asked if the Comp Plan could lay the groundwork for impact
fees? Mr. Maples said it lays the foundation, but does not indicate we will impose
impact fees. Council asked a number of specific questions about where items such as
lot coverage and light spillage would be handled. Mr. Maples explained that would be
in the zoning regulations.
John Hodkinson of the Regional Planning Commission explained that the Comp Plan
document is at an overview level. The goal is to open the door for innovation and not
require absolutes. Mr. Shockey referred to the action step matrix and noted that it will
become very important as work on the plan concludes.
Mr. Maples explained that we have received some criticism on the Comp Plan
amendment process. If someone wanted to change the designation on their property,
they would go through the Comp Plan process and then a separate rezone process
taking 18 months to two years to complete. This document allows for future land use
and rezone to be coupled together, thereby cutting six months to a year off that
timeframe.
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ADJOURNED MEETING — COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
OCTOBER 10, 2006
3. Audience comments
No one came forward to speak.
4. Adjournment
BONLENDER MOVED AND LOVER SECONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried
by unanimous voice vote; Edler absent.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
C? O CIL ME : R DATE
kriOk -#/
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK NEIL McCLURE, MAYOR PRO TEM
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City
Clerk's Office
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