Title
Debrief of OPC Annual Retreat and Next Steps
Report
Issue:
Discuss communication protocols and short, medium and ongoing actions that could implement the Planning Commission's ideas from the annual retreat on June 21, 2014. This will also include discussion of the current OPC Work Plan, and what is scheduled for the next 5-8 months.
Staff Contact:
Amy Buckler, Associate Planner, abuckler@ci.olympia.wa.us, 360.570.5847
Presenter(s):
Kendra Dahlen, Retreat Facilitator, The Athena Group, 360.754.1954 x2
Amy Buckler
Background and Analysis:
The Planning Commission's annual retreat was held on June 21, 2014. The two topics were downtown planning & development, and effective communications between each other, staff and the community.
DOWNTOWN NEXT STEPS
A next step for downtown - briefings on various related topics - is generally scheduled to begin at the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015. These briefings may also be of interest to the City Council and community; thus potentially could be planned in conjunction with the Council to help inform their scoping of the downtown plan. It may be appropriate to pitch a proposal for briefing(s) related to these issues at a future joint meeting with the City Council.
In response to a request from Chair Brown, the Council will schedule a joint meeting with the Planning Commission this fall, to focus on 2015 work plan issues. Scheduling has been referred to the Council's agenda setting group: the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Manager. Staff will notify the Commission when this is scheduled.
The draft Comprehensive Plan includes a policy which outlines the minimum topics to address in a downtown plan: PL 17.1: Adopt a Downtown Plan addressing - at minimum - housing, public spaces, parking management, rehabilitation and redevelopment, architecture and cultural resources, building skyline and views, and relationships to the Port peninsula and Capitol Campus.
Staff is working on preparing the 74 prio...
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