Title
Zoning Code Text Amendment related to drive-through facilities within the Briggs Village Public Hearing
Recommended Action
Hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the zoning regulations regarding drive-through facilities within the Briggs Urban Village, and if the Commission has sufficient information, deliberate and formulate a recommendation to the City Council.
Report
Issue:
The City is required to have the Planning Commission review and hold a public hearing on all zoning code amendments. The Planning Commission is being asked to recommend that City Council adopt the proposed zoning code amendments proposed.
Staff Contact:
Nicole Floyd, AICP, Senior Planner, Community Planning & Development, 360.570.3768
Presenter(s):
Nicole Floyd, AICP, Senior Planner, Community Planning & Development
Background and Analysis:
The Briggs Village Master Plan was adopted in 2003 and has been envisioned as a dense mixed use urban village. While residential development has occurred, the commercial (retail and office) uses have not been built-out as envisioned. To address this, amendments to the Master Plan were adopted in 2014 modifying specific standards related to the commercial core of the Village. While these amendments have spurred some multi-family development in the core, commercial development has not occurred.
The applicant acquired the property in 2015 and has been actively marketing the commercially zoned areas since. The applicant believes that the current limitations on ancillary drive-through lanes have been a key factor as to why the commercial core remains undeveloped today. Currently only banks are allowed to have a drive-through lane, and the applicant believes that this has deterred a variety of development opportunities for businesses such as pharmacies, small scale restaurants, and coffee shops. The proposed amendments would allow for a broader range of uses to have ancillary drive-through lanes in certain areas of the Briggs Village outside the planned central square.
In order to maintain the strong emphasis on the pedestrian environment within the code, the revisions proposed increase the development and design standards related to drive-through lanes. Drive-through lanes would only be permitted in association with businesses that primarily engage in providing services to walk-in customers.
Additionally, any new drive-through lane would be required to be accessed from existing interior parking areas and to be designed so that dedicated pedestrian access to the entry is maintained from the primary street. These provisions are intended to significantly limit the potential locations for drive-through lanes and ensure they would remain within areas already dedicated to automobiles.
In sum, these revisions are intended to help encourage the development that has long been anticipated, while maintain the underlying design intent within the master plan.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The notice of Planning Commission Public Hearing has been sent to all known residents and property owners within the Briggs Village. Additionally, a meeting of interested parties was held on October 27, 2017.
Options:
1. Recommend adoption of the draft amendments to City Council as proposed.
2. Recommend adoption of the draft amendments to City Council with revisions.
3. Recommend denial of the draft amendments to City Council.
Financial Impact:
No specific impact to the City has been identified; however, should the revision encourage commercial growth within the village associated tax revenues are likely.
Attachment(s):
Proposed Text Amendment
Letter of Support