Title
Approval of an Ordinance Revising Zoning of the LOTT Wastewater Treatment Facility and Associated Maps, and Other Housekeeping Changes that Reflect Prior Council Actions
Recommended Action
Planning Commission Recommendation:
Approve the LOTT zoning map amendment as proposed. (On February 26, 2015, the Land Use and Environment Committee was briefed regarding this and other Comprehensive-Plan-implementing code amendments; however the Committee did not issue a formal recommendation.)
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve attached ordinance on second reading.
Report
Issue:
To ensure consistency between the City’s development regulations and the updated Comprehensive Plan adopted in December of 2014, a variety of code amendments have been proposed by City staff. This particular amendment would change the land use zoning of the site of the LOTT Alliance (Lacey-Olympia-Tumwater-Thurston) wastewater treatment plant in downtown Olympia from “Industrial” to “Urban Waterfront” consistent with the updated Plan’s Future Land Use Map. This zoning map amendment also includes a number of other miscellaneous ‘clean-up’ changes to the map as described below.
Staff Contact:
Todd Stamm, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development Department, 360.753.8597
Presenter:
Consent agenda item - not applicable.
Background and Analysis:
The background and analysis have not changed from first reading on July 21, 2015.
From early in the 1960s until 1981, generally all of the peninsula north of State Avenue between East and West Bays was in a 'Heavy Industry' zone. In 1981 the City created a new 'Central Waterfront' zone (now termed Urban Waterfront) and applied it to lands along East Bay and generally south of what is now Market Street. However, two blocks including the LOTT wastewater treatment plant remained in the Industrial category. In 1995 the City expanded the Urban Waterfront zone to the north beyond Market Street to include what is now the Farmer's Market, Batdorf and Bronson coffee roasters, and adjoining land. As a result, the LOTT industrial zone is now surrounded on all sides by Urban Waterfront zoning and by light industrial, retail, marine services, the Hands-on-Children museum, and similar uses.
Washington's Growth Management Act requires that development regulations must be "consistent with and implement the comprehensive plan." RCW 36.70A.040. The recently adopted update of Olympia’s Comprehensive Plan changed the future land use designation of the LOTT wastewater treatment plant site from “Industrial” to "Urban Waterfront." The proposed ordinance (attached) would make a similar change to the development code’s Zoning Map. LOTT Alliance’s ‘no objection’ position is set forth in the attached letter.
The Plan describes Urban Waterfront as, "Consistent with the State's Shoreline Management Act, this designation provides for a compatible mix of commercial, light industrial, limited heavy industrial, and multifamily residential uses along the waterfront." In contrast, the Industrial District "is intended to provide for the continuation and development of heavy manufacturing industries in locations where they will be compatible with other similar uses, and which do not negatively impact adjacent land uses."
Nine acres of the LOTT site are currently in the Industrial zoning category, while the remainder is designated as Urban Waterfront. Both the Industrial and Urban Waterfront zones provide for wastewater treatment plants as permitted uses. The existing facility - although originally located entirely within the Industrial zone - now spans the zoning line and extends into the Urban Waterfront category. The attached summary, which was produced for a neighborhood informational meeting, provides more details comparing the building size and land use limitations of the two zones. In the City staff's opinion, the continuing designation of this portion of the treatment plant as 'Industrial' could lead to a misimpression that in the near future it may be converted to industrial uses - such a misunderstanding could 'chill' development of neighboring properties for uses not compatible with heavy industry.
The criteria for evaluating a rezone are set forth in Olympia Municipal Code 18.59.050 and 18.59.055. In summary, they require that: (a) Any rezone be consistent with the Plan’s Future Land Use Map; (b) The rezone maintain the public health, safety, or welfare; (c) The rezone be consistent with other development regulations; (d) The rezone be compatible with neighboring zoning; and (e) Public facilities be adequate for the new zone. These criteria provide that both Urban Waterfront and Urban Waterfront-Housing zones are consistent with the Urban Waterfront land use category. Following a public hearing on June 16, 2014, the Planning Commission deliberated; found that the proposal conformed to the Plan and the criteria of the code, and on July 7 recommended approval of this rezone.
Accompanying Revisions of the Zoning Map
Any amendment of the City’s “Official Zoning Map” requires an ordinance and action of the Council. Such actions are not without administrative costs. As a result, over time the City has accumulated a set of other Zoning Map changes that staff proposes to make concurrently with this rezone. The staff proposes that in addition to the LOTT rezone, the Official Zoning Map be revised as follows:
Street Names: The version of the Zoning Map adopted in 2013 included few street names. The map would be revised to correct this oversight and improve ease of use by adding many more street names to the Map.
Annexations: The city limits shown on the Zoning Map would be revised to reflect the recent annexations of the three ‘unincorporated islands’ by the City.
WSECU Rezone: This rezone of the south half of Block 62 of Sylvester’s Addition from Urban Residential to Downtown Business was prospectively granted over ten years ago. This is the site of the Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) offices at 330 Union Avenue SE. A 2003 development agreement with WSECU resulting from a rezone request from the property owner provided that if this office building was built as proposed, the City would rezone this site. The office building was constructed as agreed. This map change would implement this agreement.
‘Village’ Approvals: To provide appropriate notice to the general public, Olympia’s development code provides that the “master plan” approvals of urban and neighborhood villages granted by City Council are to be noted on the Zoning Map. This amendment would add notes regarding approvals and modifications previously granted for Woodbury Crossing, the Village at Mill Pond, and Briggs Village developments.
Planned Residential Developments: Similarly to ‘villages,’ Olympia’s code provides that the lot-by-lot limitations imposed on mixed-residential “planned residential developments” approved by the Council are to be referenced on the Zoning Map. This amendment would add those notes with regard to the Grass Lake Village (a ‘village’ in name, but not by zoning) and Bayhill residential subdivisions on the north side of Harrison Avenue which were approved in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
Design Review map: The City’s land use zoning is also the background of the ‘Official Design Review Map’ of the City, which displays the design review districts and corridors. Thus this ordinance also provides for updating the ‘zoning layer’ in the background of that Map.
These changes are administrative, clerical and ‘house-keeping’ in nature and thus have not been subject to further public review independent of the original actions described above. Upon final approval of the attached ordinance, the Mayor would be presented with copies of both the Zoning Map and a revised Design Review Map (which has the zoning as an underlying layer) for signature consistent with the ordinance.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Public interest has been limited to the comments from the LOTT Alliance (attached) and other supportive public comments.
Options:
1. Approve ordinance on second reading as proposed.
2. Direct revision of proposed ordinance.
3. Refer to Land Use and Environment Committee for review.
4. Decline to amend Zoning Map.
Financial Impact:
None anticipated.