Title
Capital Mall Triangle Subarea Plan - Deliberations
Recommended Action
Move to approve and forward to Council
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend approval of the Capital Mall Triangle Subarea Plan to Council.
Staff Contact:
David Ginther, Senior Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8335
Presenter(s):
David Ginther, Senior Planner
Background and Analysis:
In 2014, the Olympia Comprehensive Plan was updated following significant public outreach and multiple public participation opportunities. The adopted plan contains a vision for the Capital Mall area to:
1. Eventually transition to a high-density mixed-use neighborhood where people can walk, bike, or take the bus to obtain goods, services, and entertainment.
2. Keep the subarea a regional draw for the retailers and other businesses.
The main purpose of the Capital Mall Triangle planning project is to determine how to facilitate the development that is envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan but has not occurred.
The planning project has two major components: a Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a subarea plan. Both the Final EIS and the final draft subarea plan have been written based on community input collected over the past two years and have been released for the public. Both documents and their appendices are available for download on the project webpage (see attachments for link).
Implementation actions will occur after the final subarea plan is adopted. This includes a planned action ordinance, which will incorporate the mitigation identified in the Final EIS, and allow proposed development consistent with the subarea plan and EIS to move forward with a streamlined project-level environmental review process.
Climate Analysis:
The planning project will result in long-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It will facilitate development of high-density residential housing in a core urban area that is designated in the City’s comprehensive plan for high-density housing mixed with commercial and other services. Development of this style of housing in this location will result in a number of benefits in regards to climate impacts including the following: reducing sprawl; providing needed housing in close proximity to goods, services, and jobs; providing more efficient housing that consumes less energy, less drinking water, and produces less wastewater; construction of a more efficient transportation network with more connections and more opportunities for active forms of travel; and a reduction in vehicle miles traveled.
Equity Analysis:
The community will benefit from additional housing being developed. There is significant nationwide data which shows that increasing the housing supply has a positive impact on the cost of renting or buying housing. The additional inventory of housing will help to address the high demand and provide much needed housing for the additional residents expected in the next 20 years. Both those seeking low-income housing as well as market rate housing will benefit from additional housing options.
Businesses in general will benefit from additional residents (potential customers) located in close proximity to their establishments. Smaller businesses could be impacted by rising property values and higher commercial rents within the subarea. This could occur as the area develops and becomes a more desirable location in which to live and conduct business. The subarea plan provides several recommendations on methods to mitigate potential impacts to the business community including economic displacement.
Residents of adjacent neighborhoods, future residents of the subarea, employees, and customers will benefit from new transportation connections into and through the subarea. These multi-modal connections will be constructed and funded as new development occurs within the subarea. Along with associated safety improvements, these connections will provide easier and safer access into and through the subarea for all modes of travel, including active forms of travel such as walking, rolling, and biking. Community members without vehicles will benefit from improved transit efficiency and service. The subarea plan recommends coordinating with and supporting future Intercity Transit planning for the area.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The project has received close to 300 written comments from the community focused mainly on 1) transportation connections and safety; 2) housing, development, and community amenities; and 3) environmental issues.
Extensive outreach has been conducted for the project using multiple methods and a variety of participation opportunities have been offered. There have been 5 community meetings, five stakeholder work group meetings, three business focused meetings, 19 presentations for organizations, and 17 interviews with neighborhood associations and business and property owners. Outreach efforts also included 27,182 emails, 11 E-news publications, 14 Parties of Record email announcements, and 7,259 Letters to property owners, business owners, and residents inside and near the triangle. The Olympian newspaper and social media were also used to notify the community. See the attached “Public Outreach” document for additional details.
Options:
1. Recommend approval to Council as proposed.
2. Recommend approval to Council with revisions.
3. Recommend Council not approve the subarea plan.
Financial Impact:
The project is funded by a $250,000 Transit Oriented Development and Implementation grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The City of Olympia has supplemented the project with an additional $83,529.
Attachments:
Public Outreach
Project Webpage