Title
Deliberations and Recommendation on Trillium Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezone (Case #11-0152, 12-0001)
Body
Issue:
Whether or not the City should change the land use designation of a 79.31-acre parcel of land (the "Trillium" property) 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.)
Director's Recommendation:
Move to recommend to the City Council that the applicant's alternative Comprehensive Plan amendment/rezone request to redesignate/rezone the site to Residential 4-8 be approved.
Staff Contact:
David Nemens, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Development, (360) 753-8062
Presenter(s):
David Nemens, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Development, (360) 753-8062
Andy Haub, Stormwater Engineering and Planning Supervisor, (360) 570-3795
Dave Smith, Project Engineer (Traffic and Transportation), (360) 753-8496
Background and Analysis:
The applicant, SSHI, LLC (doing business as D.R. Horton), requests changes to the City's Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and the City's Zoning Map for the Trillium property as described under "Issue" (above). This is a privately-initiated, site-specific Comprehensive Plan Amendment/rezone request being made pursuant to the City's annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment docketing process, as set forth in Chapter 18.59 Olympia Municipal Code (and mandated by the Washington State Growth Management Act).
Staff briefed the Planning Commission on this request on April 2, 2012. The Commission held a public hearing on the request on August 20, 2012. The Commission began its deliberations on the request on September 10, 2012; the Commission is scheduled to finish its deliberations and adopt a recommendation to the City Council tonight. The Council may hold its own public hearing, and is expected to take action on the request before the end of the year.
The Trillium property was the site 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."
Attachment 4 is a staff response to some of the questions and concerns identified by the Planning Commission during its September 10, 2012 deliberations, and by some members of the public who testified at the August 20 public hearing. (It is not intended to be a comprehensive response to all public comments; that will be provided as part of the Final SEIS.) Topics addressed in Attachment 4 include why certain comprehensive plan designation/zoning alternatives were included and others not included in the Draft SEIS, and how the staff arrived at its recommendation of the
R4-8 designation/zoning.
Consistency with Comprehensive Plan Amendment / Rezone Criteria:
An analysis of applicable code criteria for approval of Comprehensive Plan Amendments and Rezones appears as Attachment 5 to this staff report.
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 for the Comprehensive Plan in 1994. The Draft SEIS contains an analysis of the Trillium request. Comments on the Draft SEIS were accepted until 5:00 p.m., Monday, September 17, 2012. The City will issue a Final SEIS, incorporating responses to the comments received, in late October.
Public Notice:
Notice of the October 22, 2012 meeting of the Olympia Planning Commission was provided in a manner consistent with public notice for Planning Commission meetings.
Public Comment:
The written record of the August 20, 2012 public hearing was left open until 5:00 p.m., 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. Written comments on the Draft SEIS were accepted until September 17, 2012; these comment letters and emails will be reproduced in the Final SEIS. Additional public testimony or SEIS comments will not be taken at the October 22 Planning Commission hearing.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Storm drainage, flooding, traffic, transit availability, school capacity, and neighborhood character were the most frequently raised community interests.
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 Trillium property as Residential 6-12 or Residential 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 property 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 Trillium property to some other designation or combination of designations.
Financial Impact:
None. Applicant paid an application fee of $3,440 for review and a decision of this annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Rezone request.