Title
2024 Land Use and Environment Committee Work Plan
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Approve the 2024 Land Use and Environment Committee Work Plan recommendation and forward to the City Council for approval.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the 2024 Land Use and Environment Committee Work Plan recommendation and forward to the City Council for approval.
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Director, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
Leonard Bauer, Director, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
The Committee annually sets a program of work items to consider that year. A draft 2024 LUEC work program is attached. It contains items carried over from LUEC’s 2023 work program, and items included on the initial draft work programs for City staff and the Olympia Planning Commission.
Climate Analysis:
(Note: This is a high-level summary of all the agenda items on the 2024 LUEC Work Program. A more detailed analysis will be completed for each of the agenda items when they come before the LUEC.)
The majority of the agenda items in the proposed 2024 LUEC work program include actions intended to specifically support climate action strategies. Many of the items focus on the transportation and land use sector by seeking and promoting ways for the City to accommodate future growth in denser land use patterns. Such patterns increase opportunities for residents to live closer to jobs and services, promoting non-automobile travel modes such as walking, biking and transit. These patterns also reduce urban sprawl, preserving forest and agriculture outside the current city boundaries.
Other agenda items support the buildings, energy, and agriculture sectors. They do this through increased energy efficiency and electrification of buildings, and supporting small urban agriculture. In addition, climate adaptation actions are supported through the sea level rise plan.
The agenda items are policy discussions regarding a potential range of strategies and actions. Decisions to go further along the range toward stronger support of climate actions is possible for each item. However, each of those decisions also may have other implications for cost of development of housing, vehicle transportation congestion, economic development, and other community priorities.
Equity Analysis:
(Note: This is a high-level summary of all the agenda items on the 2024 LUEC Work Program. A more detailed analysis will be completed for each of the agenda items when they come before the LUEC.)
Proposed agenda items will generally benefit existing and new residents and businesses with increased property values, greater stability in rental housing, opportunities to be closer to jobs and services with concurrent opportunities for reduced transportation costs, increased housing supply and variety, new programs to enhance homes' energy efficiency, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and opportunities for urban agriculture bringing local food options.
Some residents may be burdened by additional construction near their home, likely increases in property taxes, and potentially more occupied on-street parking.
There are existing income, race, and homeowner/renter disparities between neighborhoods that could be exacerbated by some of the agenda items. To avoid this, intentional examination of these possibilities must be included, as well as specific actions to prevent or reverse those disparities. Such examination could include public investment in specific housing types and infrastructure within areas that are currently lower-income, as well as provisions within new building regulations that provide flexibility or relief from certain requirements for lower-cost housing.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The agenda items on the Committee’s work program are typically of interest to all neighborhoods and the entire community.
Financial Impact:
Staff work on all items on the draft 2024 LUEC work program is included in the City’s adopted 2024 budget. Individual work program items may have additional financial impacts that will be identified during LUEC consideration of those items.
Options:
1. Recommend City Council approval of the proposed 2024 LUEC work program.
2. Direct changes to the proposed 2024 LUEC work program and recommend the revised version for City Council approval.
3. Direct changes to the proposed 2024 work program and schedule for additional review at the Committee’s next meeting.
Attachments:
Draft 2024 LUEC Work Program