Title
Deliberations and Recommendation on Trillium Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezone
Body
Issue:
Whether or not the City should approve the applicant's request to change the land use designation of a 79.31-acre parcel of land on the south side of Morse-Merryman Road (see Vicinity Map, Attachment 1) from the existing Neighborhood Village designation to R6-12 (6-12 residential units per acre, the applicant's preferred option) or R4-8 (4-8 residential units per acre, the applicant's alternative and secondary proposal), and make a corresponding change to the City's zoning map. (See Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map, Attachment 2, and Zoning Map, Attachment 3.) This request is part of the City's annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment docketing process (set forth in Chapter 18.59 Olympia Municipal Code, and mandated by the Washington State Growth Management Act ), and is separate from the City of Olympia's "Imagine Olympia" comprehensive plan update process.
Director's Recommendation:
Move to recommend to the City Council that the applicant's alternative Comprehensive Plan amendment and rezone request to redesignate and rezone the site to Residential 4-8 be APPROVED.
Staff Contact:
David Nemens, Associate Planner, (360) 753-8062
Presenter(s):
David Nemens, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Development
Andy Haub, Engineering and Planning Supervisor, (360) 570-3795
Background:
The site was the subject of a Master Plan application under the current Neighborhood Village zoning. The Master Plan was denied by the City Council. Relevant Olympia Hearing Examiner Decisions include:
"Findings, Conclusions and Decision of the Hearing Examiner of the City of Olympia on Remand of Motions for Reconsideration" dated April 26, 2011.
"Findings, Conclusions and Decision of the Hearing Examiner of the City of Olympia on Motions for Reconsideration and Clarification" dated December 6, 2010.
"Findings, Conclusions and Recommendation of the Hearing Examiner of the City of Olympia" dated October 28, 2010."
The applicant, SSHI, LLC (doing business as DR Horton), requests changes to the City's Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and the City's Zoning Map as described under "Issue" (above). This is a privately-initiated, site-specific comprehensive plan amendment / rezone request being made pursuant to the City Council's approved annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment docket.
Staff briefed the Planning Commission on the Trillium request on April 2, 2012. The Commission held a public hearing on the request on August 20, 2012. The Commission will deliberate on the request tonight, and make a recommendation to the City Council. The Council may hold its own public hearing, and will take action on the request before the end of the year.
Consistency with Comprehensive Plan Amendment / Rezone Criteria
Applicable criteria for the approval of Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Rezones include the following. A staff response to these criteria is attached to this staff report, (Attachment 4).
OMC 18.05.050 General Standards [Villages and Centers]
A. Project Approval or Redesignation
2. Rezoning. Land in a NC, NV, UV, COSC, or district may be rezoned to a residential district (see Chapter 18.58, Rezones and Text Amendments) upon demonstration that the site is not viable for the designated uses due to site conditions, infrastructure or street capacity or - in the case of multiple ownerships - land assembly problems.
OMC 18.59.040: Final review and evaluation [comprehensive plan amendment docket]
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?
OMC 18.59.050: Decision criteria for rezone requests
A. The rezone is consistent with an approved amendment to the future land use map.
B. The rezone is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; and
C. The rezone will maintain the public health, safety, or welfare; and
D. The rezone is warranted in order to achieve consistency with the Comprehensive Plan, or because of a need for additional property in the proposed land use district classification, or because the proposed zoning classification is appropriate for reasonable development of the subject property; and
E. The rezone will not be materially detrimental to uses or property in the immediate vicinity of the subject property.
Environmental (SEPA) Review: On August 16, 2012 the City issued a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) on the City's 2012 Comprehensive Plan Amendment docket. The Draft SEIS supplements the Environmental Impact Statement published by the City for the Comprehensive Plan in 1994. The Draft SEIS contains an analysis of the Trillium request. Comments on the Draft SEIS may be submitted by email to Cari Hornbein, chornbei@ci.olympia.wa.us <mailto:chornbei@ci.olympia.wa.us>, by mail to SEPA Official, Community Planning and Development Department, PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507, or delivered to City Hall, 601 4th Avenue East, Olympia, WA 98501. The Final SEIS will be issued in October. Comments on the Draft SEIS will be accepted until 5:00 PM Monday, September 17, 2012.
Public Notice:
Notice of the September 10, 2012 special meeting of the Olympia Planning Commission was provided in a manner consistent with public notice for all special Planning Commission meetings.
Public Comment:
The written record of the August 20, 2012 public hearing was left open until 5:00 PM Friday, August 24, for the submission of additional written testimony. Copies of the written testimony were transmitted to the Planning Commission on August 30, 2012.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Storm drainage, traffic, schools, and neighborhood character are addressed in the attachments.
Options:
The Planning Commission may recommend that the City Council take any of the following actions with regard to the requested Trillium comprehensive plan amendment and rezone request:
1. Amend the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use map, and the zoning map, to redesignate the site as Residential 6-12 or R 4-8 (i.e., approve the applicant's primary or secondary request).
2. Do not amend the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use map or the zoning map, leaving the Trillium site designated Neighborhood Village. (i.e., deny the applicant's request).
3. Amend the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use map, and the zoning map, to redesignate the site to some other designation or combination of designations.
Financial Impact: None. Applicant paid an application fee of $3,440 for review and a decision regarding this annual Comprehensive Plan amendment.