Title
Approval of Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments for 2015 and Copper Trail Rezone
Recommended Action
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Move to approve the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments as revised during the Commission review process (See attached letter from Commission Chair Carole Richmond) as well as approve the associated proposed Cooper Trail Rezone.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve each and all proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Map as recommended by the Planning Commission and direct City staff to prepare and present implementing ordinances for approval by the Council.
Report
Issue:
The Growth Management Act provides that the City of Olympia can amend its Comprehensive Plan once each year. Pursuant to the procedures set forth in Olympia Municipal Code 18.59.030, this year the City Council forwarded three proposals to the Planning Commission for review, public hearing and recommendation to the Council. These proposals included an update of the Waste ReSources (solid waste) section of the Plan, a set of revisions of the Transportation system maps, and the ‘Copper Trail’ property-owner’s proposal to amend both the Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map with regard to property along Capital Mall Drive.
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development Department, 360.753.8597
Presenter:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner
Background and Analysis:
On April 21, 2015, the City Council referred a set of three proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments and one zoning map amendment to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation. These proposals were:
1. An update of certain aspects of the Waste ReSources (solid waste) section of the Plan
2. An update and refinement of the Transportation 2030 Maps with regard to certain local streets
3. Amendment of the Future Land Use Map for a portion of the Copper Trail property bordering Capital Mall Drive SW along with a concurrent review of a zoning map amendment within this area. (Olympia Municipal Code 18.58.020 provides for concurrent review of rezones associated with a proposed Comprehensive Plan amendment.)
The first two amendments were initiated by City staff. The last is proposed by the private property owner, Inland Capital Mall LLC (also known as Inland Group and Inland Construction). On June 15, 2015, the Planning Commission received a pre-hearing briefing regarding these proposals. On August 3, 2015, the Commission held a duly-noticed public hearing regarding these proposals. Written comments were forwarded to the Commission and considered during deliberations on August 17, 2015. At that meeting the Commission requested that the Chair draft a letter consistent with their discussion with final Commission review to occur on September 21. On September 17, the City’s SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) official issued a ‘Determination of Non-significance’ for this set of Plan amendments and the related Copper Trail rezone. On September 21, the Commission recommended approval of the proposed amendments as described below and as set forth in the attached letter from the Commission’s Chair.
Planning Commission and Staff Recommendation
The Planning Commission and City staff recommend that the Council approve:
• Amendment of the Waste ReSources section of the Plan as proposed by the solid waste utility staff. A bill-format version of the proposed amendments is attached.
• Amendment of the Transportation maps of the Plan as proposed by transportation division staff, except that new generic text be added to the map instead of changing the map specifically with regard to the vicinity of the Friendly Village Mobile Home Park site. Map excerpts reflecting the proposed amendments are attached - in general these relate to the location, status and classification of certain existing and future local streets. The exception is an alternative acceptable to the Park owner (see attached letter) and transportation staff and supported by the Commission.
• Amendment of the Future Land Use Map in the vicinity of the Copper Trail site along Capital Mall Drive. The specific map amendment attached is an alternative proposed by City staff and supported by the Commission without objection from the applicant.
• Amendment of the Zoning Map with regard to the Copper Trail site as proposed by the applicant/owner. This amendment would change the zoning of two parcels from ‘Multi-family 24 units per acre’ to ‘Professional Office - Residential Multi-family.’ See attached map for specific property.
More information regarding all of these proposals is attached to this report. In particular, the Friendly Village owner noted that this was the only site where new streets were proposed within an already developed property. The resulting proposed text to be added to the Transportation Plan maps in lieu of the Friendly Village area map change would read, “Future development will provide a street network and connections to adjacent streets and parcels consistent with the City of Olympia Engineering Design and Development Standards.”
Public Comments
Except for the issue raised by the Friendly Village Mobile Home Park owner, all public comments were related to the proposed reclassification of Ninth Avenue SE between Boulevard Road and Chambers Street from ‘local access street’ to ‘neighborhood collector.’ Note that this is the same Plan amendment previously proposed by the Medela Rezone applicant but not adopted in 2014 when Thurston County denied the related request to change the adjacent zoning. City staff proposed this same change in 2015 because review of the former proposal led City staff to conclude that due to limited access to the area a reclassification was appropriate regardless of whether the zoning in the area was changed. (Note: The Medela Rezone applicant has also renewed the zoning amendment request - that proposal is scheduled for Council review at a later meeting.)
Comments regarding this proposal included both support and objection. The issues raised ranged from added traffic on Ninth Avenue, to change of use of the existing right-of-way, to potential inadequacy of other elements of the transportation system in the vicinity. Council members are encouraged to review the attached record of these comments. Note that this proposal is limited to amendment of the Transportation map to reclassify the street. The classification provides guidance regarding the form of any future street improvements, but the specific form and timing of any improvements would be guided by future analysis evaluating safety issues, traffic capacity and development patterns in the area.
Standard of Review
Chapter 18.59 of the Olympia Municipal Code provides what the Council’s decision regarding Comprehensive Plan amendments “should” address:
1. Does the proposed amendment or revision maintain consistency with other plan elements or development regulations? If not, are amendments or revisions to other plan elements or regulations necessary to maintain consistency with the current final docket that will be considered by the Planning Commission and the City Council?
2. Is the proposed amendment or rezone consistent with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan?
3. Is the proposed amendment or revision consistent with the county-wide planning policies?
4. Does the proposed amendment or rezone comply with the requirements of the GMA?
For rezone requests - in this instance the Copper Trail proposal - to be considered are whether:
A. The rezone is consistent with either the Comprehensive Plan including the Plan’s Future Land Use map as described in Olympia Municipal Code 18.59.055 or with a concurrently approved amendment to the Plan.
B. The rezone will maintain the public health, safety, or welfare.
C. The rezone is consistent with other development regulations that implement the comprehensive plan.
D. The rezone will result in a district that is compatible with adjoining zoning districts; this may include providing a transition zone between potentially incompatible designations.
E. Public facilities and services existing and planned for the area are adequate and likely to be available to serve potential development allowed by the proposed zone.
Any rezone must conform with items A, B, and C. In the opinion of City staff, the record supports that the amendments recommended by the Planning Commission comply with all of the above criteria.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Extensive applicant and public comments were received by the staff and Planning Commission. All substantive written comments received are attached, as are related excerpts from the Planning Commission minutes, including the Commission’s public hearing. Interested parties of record were provided notice of this Council meeting.
Options:
Pursuant to Olympia Municipal Code 18.59.060, the City Council may:
1. Adopt the amendments as recommended by the Planning Commission
2. Modify and adopt each amendment
3. Reject any or all of the amendments,
4. Defer the amendments to a later date, or
5. Schedule a public hearing regarding one or more of the proposed amendments. (As noted above, the Olympia Planning Commission previously held a public hearing on August 3, 2015.)
Financial Impact:
Review of the proposal amendments was part of standard budget; as set forth in related materials, no substantial fiscal impacts are anticipated from these amendments.