Title
Approval of the 2023 Land Use and Environment Committee Work Plan
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Land Use and Environment Committee recommends approving the proposed 2023 Committee Work Plan.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the proposed 2023 Committee Work Plan.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve the proposed 2023 Committee Work Plan.
Staff Contact:
Leonard Bauer, Director, Community Planning and Development, 360.753.8206
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar Item
Background and Analysis:
The LUEC annually recommends a program of work items to consider that year. The recommended 2023 LUEC work program is attached. It contains items carried over from LUEC’s 2022 work program, and items included on the initial draft work programs for City staff and the Olympia Planning Commission.
Climate Analysis:
(Note: This is a high-level summary of all the agenda items on the 2023 LUEC Work Program. A more detailed analysis will be completed for each of the agenda items when they come before the LUEC.)
The majority of the agenda items in the proposed 2023 LUEC work program include actions intended to specifically support climate action strategies. Many of the items focus on the transportation and land use sector by seeking and promoting ways for the City to accommodate future growth in denser land use patterns. Such patterns increase opportunities for residents to live closer to jobs and services, promoting non-automobile travel modes such as walking, biking and transit. These patterns also reduce urban sprawl, preserving forest and agriculture outside the current city boundaries.
Other agenda items support the buildings and energy; water and waste; and agriculture, forests, and urban tree canopy sectors. They do this through increased energy efficiency and electrification of buildings, diverting solid waste from landfills, preserving and enhancing urban tree canopy, and supporting small urban agriculture. In addition, climate adaptation actions are supported through the sea level rise plan.
The agenda items are policy discussions regarding a potential range of strategies and actions. Decisions to go further along the range toward stronger support of climate actions is possible for each item. However, each of those decisions also may have other implications for cost of development of housing, vehicle transportation congestion, economic development, and other community priorities.
Equity Analysis:
(Note: This is a high-level summary of all the agenda items on the 2023 LUEC Work Program. A more detailed analysis will be completed for each of the agenda items when they come before the LUEC.)
Proposed agenda items will generally benefit existing and new residents and businesses with increased property values, opportunities to be closer to jobs and services with concurrent opportunities for reduced transportation costs, increased housing supply and variety, new programs to enhance homes' energy efficiency, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, preserved tree canopy, and opportunities for urban agriculture bringing local food options.
Some residents may be burdened by additional construction near their home, likely increases in property taxes, and potentially more occupied on-street parking.
There are existing income, race, and homeowner/renter disparities between neighborhoods that could be exacerbated by some of the agenda items. To avoid this, intentional examination of these possibilities must be included, as well as specific actions to prevent or reverse those disparities. Such examination could include public investment in specific housing types and infrastructure within areas that are currently lower-income, as well as provisions within new building regulations that provide flexibility or relief from certain requirements for lower-cost housing.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The agenda items on the Committee’s work program are typically of interest to all neighborhoods and the entire community.
Options:
1. Approve the proposed 2023 LUEC work program.
2. Amend the proposed 2023 LUEC work program and approve the amended version.
3. Do not approve the proposed 2023 LUEC work program and return to LUEC for further consideration.
Financial Impact:
Staff work on all items on the draft 2023 LUEC work program is included in the City’s adopted 2023 budget. Policy decisions on individual work program items may have additional financial impacts that will be identified during LUEC consideration of those items.
Attachments:
Draft Land Use and Environment Committee 2023 Work Plan