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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/18/2007 MINUTESMinutes for City of Bremerton Planning Commission Special Meeting September 18, 2007 L Call to Order The meeting was called to order by Chairman Cockburn at 5:1 II. Roll Call Those present were: Chairman Cockburn, Commissioner Kennedy, Commissioner Kosusko, Commissioner Mosiman, Commissioner Streissguth, and Commissioner Wheeler. Commissioner Hoell was excused. Quorum certified. Also present: Andrea Spencer, Geoff Wentlandt, and Pam Ransier (DCD staff). III. Approval of Agenda Chairman Cockburn introduced the agenda. It was agreed by general consensus to approve the agenda as presented. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the Regular Meeting held on August 21, 2007 were presented for approval by Commissioner Cockburn. A motion was made by Commissioner Kennedy and seconded by Commissioner Streissguth to approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of August 21, 2007 as presented. Called for a vote: Commissioner Kennedy: Yes; Commissioner Kosusko: Yes; Commissioner Mosiman: Yes; Commissioner Streissguth: Yes; Commissioner Wheeler: Yes; Chairman Cockburn: Yes. The motion carried. A. VL Public Meeting Call To The Public (public comments on any item not on tonight's agenda). Commissioner Cockburn asked if there were any comments from citizens. Seeing none, he closed this portion of the meeting. B. 1. Public Hearing — 2007 Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan: Geoff Wentlandt, City Planner, presented the 2007 amendments to the Comprehensive Plan: 1. Re- designate industrial and city utility land south of Werner Road to low- density residential; 2. Include updates for sub -area plans on page LU -24; 3. Correct the map showing the city limits and UGA boundaries and include clarifying language on page LU -25; and 4. Update language to match current code ( "housekeeping "). Planning Commission Meeting September 18, 2007 Page 1 of 4 Chairman Cockburn asked if there were any comments from the public on this item. Jeff Pantier, Hatton Godat Pantier (engineering /planning firm): "I think that staff did an excellent job of putting this package together; accurately described our request to the City. We've been working with the City staff, and then through the public hearing process, on our West Hills development project which is about a 600 unit residential sub - division that received preliminary plat approval late last year, I believe it was. Maybe it was early '07 several months ago. Since that time, we've developed grading plans and we're actually just about ready, within the next couple of weeks, to submit our civil engineering permits for the first 300 lots or so within that development. Through the process, what we found is that, there is a demand for expanding this project such that we looked at the property to the west of West Hills which is the subject of the Comprehensive Plan .amendment tonight. With approval of the Comprehensive Plan amendment will enable us to make a grander project out of West Hills. Through the process, we did start with a commercial district or commercial area in the north end of the property adjacent to Werner Road of about seven acres. And then, in reading through and working with staff, found that the neighborhood business district is maybe more compatible with what we're doing up there. In looking at that and some of the uses that are permitted within the neighborhood business district, we felt that maybe it would be more compatible to down -size the size of that neighborhood business district seven acres is awfully large for that type of use. We support the one acre size for the neighborhood business district and the Comprehensive Plan amendment to move toward a zoning that would be low- density residential on the balance. I'd be happy to take any questions. Thank you." Chairman Cockburn asked if there were any further comments from the public on this item. Seeing none, he closed the Public Hearing. Commissioner Kosusko asked for more discussion regarding the neighborhood business proposed for this site and whether or not a one -acre business area would be large enough for a residential project of this size (600 - 800+ units). Geoff explained that the land use was determined by the Comprehensive Plan's definition of a Neighborhood Center which needs a minimum of 5,000 residents to support it; this project would not meet that minimum number. Chairman Cockburn expressed concern regarding the low capacity of the Werner Road and how it could support an additional 600 800+ residential units. Andrea said that the original plat had the residents entering and exiting the development via the southeast corner; by including the additional land, residents could utilize Werner Road and the southeast corner, thus disbursing the amount of traffic on each road. Geoff added that there is a project in the Transportation Improvement Program to upgrade Werner Road. Commissioner Kennedy asked if the change in land use designation would affect the City's requirement to maintain a certain number of types of land use designations. Geoff assured the commissioners there was plenty of industrial land in the Port Blakely area of the city and the change in land use near Werner Road would not jeopardize the City's requirement. Chairman Cockburn asked if the property to be traded for City Utility Lands off Werner Road would be identified before this item went to City Council. Andrea said they would. Commissioner Streissguth asked where, in the documentation provided by staff, was Public Works' agreement to the property. Andrea explained that there was a signatory page in the Planning Commission Meeting September 18, 2007 Page 2 of 4 application with the signature of Phil Williams, Director of Public Works, agreeing to the terms. Amendment #2: No discussion. Amendment #3: Commissioner Streissguth asked for clarification on the term "Potential Future UGAs ". Geoff explained that Bremerton and Kitsap County had worked together to create a template for associating Urban Growth Areas. A formal request has been made to Kitsap County to associate Central Kitsap and Gorst to Bremerton; SKIA and ULID6 are set for review at a future date. Amendment #4: Commissioner Kosusko asked to change the language from "six to eight stories maximum" to "eight stories maximum ". Commissioner Streissguth asked for additional language in Amendment #1 to provide a larger area for commercial /retail in the West Hills development to service the residents and wondered if that could be included in the platting process. Geoff said that language could be included in the Findings of Fact as well as in the Comprehensive Plan during this amendment cycle as a candidate for a Neighborhood Center /Reserve Center. Andrea suggested having staff work with the project applicant to find a better location for retail /commercial and reword the findings before presenting the amendments to City Council toward the end of the year. Commissioners Kennedy, Mosiman, and Wheeler agreed that Neighborhood Business is an appropriate designation A motion was made by Commissioner Streissguth and seconded by Commissioner Kennedy to move forward to City Council the adoption of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan amendment document as shown on Attachment I, based on the Findings and Conclusions presented in Attachment II with revisions to the language in Revised Amendment 1 (gold packet) to reflect the need for neighborhood amenities in the West Hills development and to change the height restrictions in Amendment 4C to read "eight stories maximum . . :.. Called for a vote: Commissioner Kennedy: Yes; Commissioner Kosusko: Yes; Commissioner Mosiman: Yes; Commissioner Streissguth: Yes; Commissioner Wheeler: Yes; Chairman Cockburn: Yes. The motion carried. Chairman Cockburn closed the Public Meeting. VI. Business Meeting A. Chairman's Report: None. B. Director's Report: The Planning Commission will be attending a joint session with the Parks Commission to review the Parks & Open Space Plan. The meeting will be at 5:30 PM on September 25, 2007, in the Mayor's conference room on the 6 floor of the Norm Dicks Government Center. The October Planning Commission meeting will be on October 23, 2007 instead of October 16, 2007. C. Old Business: Planning Commission Bylaws was continued to the next meeting. Planning Commission Meeting September 18, 2007 Page 3 of 4 D. New Business: None. VII. Adjournment Meeting was adjourned at 6:06 p.m. The next Special Meeting is scheduled for October 23, 2007. Respectfully submitted by: Andrea Spencer, Executive Secretary Approved by: John Cockburn, Chairman Planning Commission Meeting September 18, 2007 Page 4 of 4