Title
2021 Annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments - Briefing
Recommended Action
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
Discussion on the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendments.
Staff Contact:
Joyce Phillips, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3722
Presenter(s):
Joyce Phillips, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
Under the Growth Management Act, local governments are generally allowed to amend Comprehensive Plans once a year. Olympia has a process to allow for such amendments, as outlined in Chapter 18.59 of the Olympia Municipal Code (OMC).
Plan Amendments are considered in a two-step process and based on the review and evaluation criteria for each step. The first step is known as the preliminary or screening review. In the first step the City Council considers the proposals and determines which will advance to the final review stage, which includes a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
This year, there are three parts to a City of Olympia proposal to amend the Plan (See Attachment 2 for the application materials):
• Part A: Text amendments requested by the Public Works Department regarding transportation concurrency.
• Part B: Text and transportation map amendments requested by the Public Works Department regarding future street connections in the southeast portion of Olympia, in and near the area known as “LBA Woods”.
• Part C: Text amendments requested by Council to improve language around equity and inclusion.
Notice of the proposal was published in The Olympian; routed to all Recognized Neighborhood Associations; sent to Tribal, State, Regional, and Local jurisdictions; and routed to other city departments in April. Public comments are attached (Attachment 3).
Environmental review of the proposed amendments was conducted, and the City issued a Determination of Nonsignificance (DNS) on the proposal on June 3, 2021.
The Community Planning and Development Department staff have reviewed the city application and have prepared responses to the Final Review and Evaluation Criteria included in OMC Section 18.59.040(B). Staff responses are included in the Review Response document (Attachment 4).
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
At the time of writing the staff report, several public comments have been received. All of these comments to-date (see Attachment 3) are specific to Part B of the city application and are in support of removing the text about the extension of Log Cabin Road between Boulevard and Wiggins Roads and taking the future street connections shown in the area of LBA Woods off of the Transportation 2030 Maps included in the Transportation Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan. Staff anticipates more written public comments will be received prior to the public hearing and that public testimony will be made at the public hearing, primarily regarding Part B of the proposal. All written comment provided before the public hearing will be provided to the Planning Commission for its consideration before making a recommendation to City Council.
Options:
None - Information Only.
Financial Impact:
Staff time necessary to process annual Comprehensive Plan Amendments are covered by the Community Planning and Development Department’s base budget.
Attachments:
Webpage
Application Materials
Public Comments
Review Response