Title
General Scope and Timeline for Associated Downtown Strategy Development Code Updates and Upcoming Public Process for Viewshed Analysis
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive the update and provide guidance on next steps. Specifically, provide staff a ‘green list’ to begin analysis of what appear to be high priority viewsheds within the community (List B, attachment # 2) and provide feedback on downtown design standards .
Report
Issue:
The scope for the Downtown Strategy includes recommended updates to development standards, including a digital viewshed analysis. The general timeline and scope for these efforts is presented.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Senior Planner, Community Planning & Development, abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us <mailto:abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us>, 360.580.5847
Presenter(s):
Amy Buckler
Leonard Bauer, Deputy Director, Community Planning & Development
Background and Analysis:
DEVELOPMENT CODE UPDATES:
The scope of work for the Downtown Strategy (DTS) includes recommended updates to the City’s development and design standards consistent with the ultimate Downtown Strategy. It also includes consideration of State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) exemptions and related SEPA code updates and recommended updates to scenic view protections. A general scope and timeline for these efforts is described in Attachment #1.
As part of the DTS work, MAKERS will review, suggest refinements and illustrate design standards that apply to buildings, sites and rights-of-way in downtown. They will also produce illustrations that provide clarity about the desired character of the built environment downtown. Design standard updates may apply to new construction, existing and historic structures in downtown, and apply to codes in both Title 18 and the Engineering Design & Development Standards (EDDS).
VIEWSHED ANALYSIS:
The scope of work for the DTS includes a viewshed analysis leading to a recommendation for updating the City’s view protection standards and related building heights. Attachment #2 describes the proposed public and analytical process for this, including a list of:
A) Viewsheds unlikely to be blocked by new development, thus not recommended for further analysis by MAKERS as part of the DTS;
B) Five viewsheds that could potentially be impacted and that come up repeatedly, thus are being recommended for analysis by MAKERS at this time. (Staff is asking the Committee for a ‘green light’ to begin analysis of these viewsheds immediately (in March)); and
C) Five viewsheds that probably should be looked at, but we will wait until end of March to confirm the remaining (up to 5) viewsheds for MAKERS to analyze.
Attachments #3 & 4 include photographs of the viewsheds above.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Results from a preliminary dot exercise at Workshop #1 (November 21, 2015) are attachment #4
The public can learn more about the Downtown Strategy at olympiawa.gov/DTS <http://olympiawa.gov/community/downtown-olympia/downtown-strategy.aspx>
Financial Impact:
$250,000 has been budgeted to form a Downtown Strategy. Additional funds for implementation steps may be appropriated, subject to annual budget decisions.