Title
Agenda Item:
Ordinance Adopting the 2012 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket
Body
Issue:
Council provided direction on four of the five proposals on the 2012 Comprehensive Plan Amendment docket. The Medela proposal was not deliberated on by Council due to an appeal to the SEPA determination issued by Thurston County. Council may review and determine whether to affirm preliminary action by approving the proposed ordinance on first reading.
Commission Recommendation:
The Planning Commission has made recommendations on all five proposed amendments. Recommendations on the Parks, Arts, and Recreation, French Loop and Butler Cove, South Olympia and Chambers, and Medela proposals were provided to Council for the November 5, 2012 meeting. The Medela recommendation was provided prior to the SEPA appeal. A recommendation regarding the Trillium proposal was provided to Council on November 20, 2012.
City Manager's Recommendation:
Move to approve the proposed ordinance on first reading and forward to second reading, and table the Medela rezone proposal until the SEPA appeal at the County is resolved.
Staff Contacts:
Stacey Ray, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8046
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.5847
David Nemens, Associate Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8062
Jonathon Turlove, Associate Planner, Parks, Arts, and Recreation, 360.753.8068
Presenter(s):
This item is on the Consent Agenda.
Background and Analysis:
The City Council annually reviews proposals for amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Proposals are submitted by private applicants or City or County staff and collectively they are referred to as the annual 'docket.' Once approved by Council, the annual document is forwarded to the Planning Commission for review.
The 2012 docket originally included five proposals; however, the proposal known as 'Medela' was not deliberated on by Council because the SEPA determination issued by Thurston County had been appealed. The four remaining proposals are:
1. Trillium. An amendment proposed by DR Horton to change the allowed number of housing units and mix of development types for a 79.31-acre parcel of land on the south side of Morse-Merryman Road;
2. Parks, Arts, and Recreation. An amendment proposed by City staff to the Parks and Open Space Chapter of the existing Comprehensive Plan;
3. French Loop Road and Butler Cove. An amendment proposed by Thurston County to reconsider the UGA boundary and zoning in the unincorporated French Loop Road and Butler Cove study area; and
4. South Olympia and Chambers. An amendment proposed by Thurston County to reconsider the UGA boundary and zoning in the unincorporated South Olympia and Chambers study area.
On November 5, 2012, Council received staff briefings on all five proposals. For Trillium and Medela, the Council also received briefings from either the applicant or the applicants' representatives. Following the briefings, Council had an opportunity to ask clarifying questions and receive public testimony for each proposal.
On November 5, 2012, Council provided the following direction to staff for three of the five proposals:
1. Parks, Arts, and Recreation: Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance to adopt the proposed revisions to the Parks, Arts, and Recreation Chapter of the existing Comprehensive Plan to make the chapter consistent with the 2010 Parks, Arts, and Recreation Plan.
2. French Loop and Butler Cove: Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance to adopt that:
a. Keeps the French Loop and Butler Cove study area in the Urban Growth Area (UGA)
b. Changes the zoning of the east and west portions of the study area to R4 (4 residential units per acre)
c. Changes the zoning for the center portion of the study area to R1/5 (1 residential unit per every 5 acres)
d. Does not adopt text changes to R1/5, as currently defined by Thurston County
3. South Olympia and Chambers: Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance to adopt that:
a. The South Olympia and Chambers study area remains in the UGA
b. The zoning for the entire South Olympia and Chambers study area is changed to R-4CB (4 residential units per acre-Chambers Basin)
Trillium. The Planning Commission was unable to achieve a majority vote on a motion regarding the Trillium proposal during their deliberations on October 22, 2012. Council directed the Commission to revisit Trillium at their November 19 meeting and adopt a majority recommendation. The Commission provided a written recommendation to Council on November 20 that the City's Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and its Official Zoning Map are revised to redesignate the Trillium property to a split designation, with R-4CB on the eastern one-half (divided by a straight line connecting the northeast corner of the site to the southwest corner of the site) and R4-8 on the western half.
After having received the Commission's recommendation and holding deliberations, Council approved a motion directing staff to prepare an ordinance that the City's Future Land Use Map and its Official Zoning Map are revised to redesignate the Trillium property from Neighborhood Village (NV) to Residential 4-8 units per acre (R4-8).
Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map Correction. In addition to changes to the Future Land Use and Zoning Maps directed by Council this year, the maps accompanying the proposed ordinance also reflect a correction related to an amendment that was part of the 2011 annual update process. In 2011, the Council directed that all of that area in residential zoning south of Highway 101 along Kaiser Road be changed from 'Residential 4-units per acre' to 'Residential Low Impact.' Unfortunately, due to a clerical error the maps subsequently approved by Council only reflected this change in a portion of the area. To correct this error, the Future Land Use and Zoning maps accompanying this staff report revise the designation for the whole area consistent with Council's action in 2011. (See Attachment 7 from 2011 illustrating the area in question.) This revision ensures the maps accurately reflect Council's prior actions as well as those directed this year.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There was a public hearing held on the five amendment proposals, and Council heard from interested parties regarding neighborhood and community interests.
Options:
Following the Council's direction on Trillium, a single ordinance was prepared that reflects the four Comprehensive Plan proposed amendments on which Council provided direction as noted above. Regarding the prepared ordinance, Council may:
A) Move to approve adoption of the proposed ordinance and table the Medela rezone proposal until the SEPA appeal at the County is fully resolved.
B) Move to not approve adoption of the proposed ordinance.
C) Move to direct staff to make revisions to the proposed ordinance, and return December 11, 2012, with a draft for review.
Financial Impact:
No specific financial impact analysis has been completed for the proposed amendments.