Good evening everyone.
Uh hope you all had a happy new year.
It's good to see everybody.
We're going to call the January 8th
Planning Policy Commission to order and
it is currently
6:32 p.m. Today's meeting is a hybrid
meeting. The Planning Policy Commission
is in person, but staff or members of
the public may be attending virtually or
in person.
Uh Kristen, do we have a quorum this
evening?
>> Yes, we do.
>> All right. And we'll just make a quick
mention that Commissioner Crass is
joining us online. Uh, Vice Chair
Patterson,
Commissioner Matthews, and Commissioner
Mulberu all have excused absences.
Correct.
Mulberu is going to try and join us
online.
>> Okay. We'll see if she shows up. We're
going to begin this evening with the
approval of minutes. And these go way
back, way back before Thanksgiving.
So, if you can remember, this was the
meeting for November 13th. Um, we're
looking for any corrections or concerns
you may have about that meeting.
>> Commissioner Er,
>> I have one very minor uh typo correction
on page three, the third paragraph down
that begins, Commissioner Adair. The
last part of that paragraph, it says,
"And the city that the city if
interested,
I think it should be that the city is
interested."
Just one letter.
>> We can make that correction.
>> Thanks. Thank you, Commissioner Oler.
Thank you for reading your packet.
Okay. Are there any other qu uh
concerns?
All right. Seeing none,
uh those meeting minutes are approved.
With those minor corrections, we're
going to move on to our public comment.
And right now, we are holding a general
public comment for topics pertaining to
the commission as a whole. Has anyone
signed up this evening to make comment?
Yes, Melissa Navaro has signed up to
speak.
>> Oh,
okay.
>> Then no.
>> All right. Um
Okay. How about online? Anybody online?
Okay,
nobody would like to speak this evening,
so we will skip some boilerplate there.
We're going to move along to regular
business and tonight our regular
business is the 2026 docket of proposed
comprehensive plan amendments.
Uh, this is our first item of regular
business and Kate, I'm probably going to
get this wrong. Kate Kaney
Kany Kate Kany
>> our principal planner will be presenting
this evening. So Kate Kaney please go
ahead when you're ready.
>> Okay. Give me just one moment to open up
my presentation. Get situated.
Is that in the right mode? It is. Great.
Okay. Um, thank you all very much. Uh,
this is my first presentation in front
of uh, this commission and again my name
is Kate Kaney. Uh, last name kind of
remind or sorry sounds like rainy lot of
letters but that's pretty much it. Um, I
have been here for two months as is
principal planner and uh, it has been
just a really wonderful experience so
far. I'm very happy to be here tonight.
Um I am here to talk to you about the uh
2026 docket of proposed comprehensive
plan amendments. Um
next slide. Uh and it this tonight is
really just anformational briefing. Um
two main items. Uh first an overview of
the docket process. Uh many of you may
have gone through this already but I
wanted to provide that overview for
those of you who are not familiar and
for the public. Um and then also review
of the proposed amendments. So tonight
is not about approving anything. It's
really a learning and discussion
session.
So as you uh listen to the discussion
tonight and you're thinking through the
next steps, your ultimate recommendation
on these proposals, um here are some
considerations. Um are there amendments
proposed in the docket that are not
relevant or necessary? Um, are there any
additions, deletions, or amendments the
commission would like to recommend? Um,
this slide will pop up at the end right
before your discussion. Um, so we're
interested in hearing from you. Thought
that would just kind of help you frame
uh your thinking. So, the first thing
I'd like to do is start with some
background on the overall amendment
process. So uh the state growth
management act um requires comprehensive
plans to manage growth and there's also
a requirement for uh the public to be
able to make uh proposals to amend that
comprehensive plan and there are
procedures therefore that uh there is
direction on and many cities call that a
docket process docketing process as is.
So the state also allows amendments once
a year. Some cities do the annual
amendment like Isiziqua, some do uh
bianual processes, but we are here in
this annual process kicking it off
tonight. In terms of review, um the city
establishes procedures for docketing in
the municipal code and it includes
criteria for amending the comprehensive
plan and we'll go through that criteria
part of this presentation. So, I'm going
to go through what the process is as it
is uh stated in the code. Um, basically,
it's um a two-year process where uh the
comprehensive plan is opened up for the
public to provide amendments, but you
must have your application in by
September uh in the year before the
amendments are actually adopted. Um
staff works to assemble uh the proposals
from the public, privately initiated
amendments. um also gathering uh ideas
and proposals from um city staff. Uh and
in the actual year of the amendments uh
that would or sorry the adoption of the
amendment so we're calling it year two
in this slide um the code requires a
public hearing by the end of January and
uh that is uh held by the planning comm
planning policy commission um and the uh
public hearing will be at your next
meeting which is January 22nd and that
is when we will be requesting a
recommendation from the commission to be
forwarded to council. So uh at this
point in time uh this again is
anformational review public hearing will
be your next meeting. Um then your
recommendation will go to the planning
development and environment committee PP
that standing committee. Um they will
review and make a recommendation to the
full council and then uh full council
will take action on a final docket which
will be further considered over the
year.
So what happens after that final docket
is established by council? Well, staff
uh does the research necessary and
analysis and develops uh the text
amendments, actual language for the
comprehensive plan or uh amendments to
the uh maps in the comprehensive plan,
specifically the land use map. Uh the
next step is to allow public review. Um
and another public hearing is held by
the uh PPC and the commissioners would
make a recommendation on the final
amendment uh that would again go to PE
and then council action is required by
the end of the year. So that is the
overall process.
So I mentioned that there is uh criteria
um that is established in the code for
review for assessing evaluating um some
proposals. Specifically uh the code uh
states that staff must evaluate all
privately initiated amendment petitions
to determine compliance with this review
uh criteria established in chapter 18104
of the mun municipal code. Um, not only
though are privately initiated
amendments considered for for u
appropriateness for the comprehensive
plan, but the growth management act
requires that all proposed amendments to
your comprehensive plan are consistent
with the vision adopted in that
comprehensive plan and those existing
policies. So staff is well aware of that
as we move through uh working with uh
within our department and within other
departments to make sure that proposals
are appropriated.
So now I want to go through what the
criteria actually is in case you are
interested. Um we have only city
initiated proposals this year but um
again this is valuable for just general
um awareness. Um so there's two sets of
criteria. Um either a proposal must meet
one of the criteria you see in ABC here.
Um if a proposal is specific to a site
maybe changing the land use designation
in the land use map uh the property
needs to be suitable for the type of
development desired and the change must
conform with uh adjacent land uses. Um
criterion B is that state law or a legal
order is requiring the change and
sometimes there are technical errors in
the comprehensive plan that that can be
addressed. So that also follows in this
set of criteria. The second set of
criteria
um has four uh criterion. So um the
proposed amendment uh must meet all of
the following. That the amendment
addresses a uh matter that's
appropriately addressed through uh the
comp plan. Uh it demonstrates public
benefit and enhances the public health,
safety, and welfare in the city. Excuse
me.
um that the proposal does not raise
issues more appropriately addressed uh
through a city program. That the
proposal uh significantly um sorry that
the proposal addresses uh significant
changes in circumstances and conditions
uh uh since the last time the
comprehensive plan was amendment and
also that it is consistent with the
comprehensive plan and uh the regional
and state goals and policies. That's
really consistent with anything as I
mentioned before. So those are the
criteria that are in the code. Thought
you all would find that um helpful
thinking through things. Um just in
summary um as I said before all of the
proposals this year are city initiated.
We received none from the public and
again GMA does require that any change
to the comprehensive plan is consistent
um not only within the comprehensive
plan but also with you know the regional
and state uh planning and requirements.
Okay. So now I want to turn to the
actual proposed docket and the list of
proposals. So we do not intend you to
read this list. This is just a copy of
the docket that was uh provided to you
in your packet that is now um on the
city's website. And there are five
proposals. I'm going to go ahead and go
through each of the proposals uh to give
you an understanding of uh what changes
are identified. So this first proposal
um talks about um land use designations
and the goal of these proposals are to
ensure that land use designations are
consistent not only within the
comprehensive plan but also with the
development regulations that the city
has. And I'm going to go ahead and just
go to this next slide which is the land
use map that is in the comprehensive
plan. Um that also shows that there are
nine land use designations. Hard to
read. They're on the left. you don't I
mean it's it's really just the colors
that I'm wanting you to pay attention to
um to understand that um land use maps
are very important tools. They identify
or they illustrate the city's vision
that is in the comprehensive plan. They
talk about or they they identify where
and how the city is going to grow in
certain areas. So for example, the red
um mixeduse land use designation you can
see in this area that is the city's main
mixeduse center, the city's regional
growth center within central Isiqua
planning area. Um and the other uh eight
designations also identify the type of
growth that is anticipated in a certain
location. These land use designations
are um are important to the zoning in a
city because by state law, by the GMA,
your development regulations must
implement the comprehensive plan. And so
this is really if you are looking at a
comprehensive plan, land use map and
your zoning map, you can see how they
implement each other. So the proposals
um identified in the first docket item
are really about just strengthening uh
that consistency between the
comprehensive plan and land use
designations and the development
regulations specifically zoning.
>> So there would do you mind if I jumped
in for just one second just for a little
planning 101 and I think most of you
have heard this before but I just want
to make sure. Um so the land use
designations the nine of them that we
have we have 35 different zoning
districts. Okay. And the land use
designations themselves are like
umbrellas and each one contains so our
low density residential contains
different single family zones that we
have. So it has conservancy residential,
single family estate, single family
suburbans, uh small lot and duplex. has
all of those under there and those are
all supposed to sort of eventually meet
the purpose of these individual zones,
meet this vision of that designation. So
that's I just wanted to make sure uh
that you all knew kind of how that
worked.
>> Yeah. And that's a great segue into
going back to the slide because you can
see the table um to the right of um the
screen. And that table um was
inadvertently not included in the last
comprehensive plan amendment process.
And we wanted to reinsert it to ensure
clarity around which of those zones
implements which of the land use
designations. Additionally, part of this
amendment is to um describe and define
the land use designations. Right now,
the zoning code, which had that big
update, the title 18 update a few years
ago, um did a great job of clarifying
the purpose of each zone. So, we just
want to clarify um and provide more
policy basis for those zoning
descriptions by also having land use
descriptions at that higher kind of
policy level. So, that's really what uh
this first proposal is.
I could talk about these little
planneries things all day, so I will
stop. But um the second proposed
amendment is one that was um actually
proposed as part of the 2025 docket and
then it was removed from the docket
because it was really a big lift for
staff and there weren't the resources in
the city at the time to fully uh be able
to do the research and implement um the
changes uh envisioned. So, this proposal
would clarify the names of the
lowdensity and multi multifamily land
use and zoning designations to ensure
compliance with the state's middle
housing requirements. As Kristen shared,
you can see the lowdensity residential
land use designation is implemented by
multiple zones, many of which have
single family in the title. But because
of the middle housing amendments from a
couple of years ago that allowed not
only single family uses in these zones
but also uh duplex, multipplex and other
middle housing types. Um it is felt that
it is not uh clear uh you know for for
folks and and for the the sense of the
code um that these zones are actually
capable of handling uh single family or
middle housing uh uses. So this
amendment is taking a look at you know
what's the right way to name these land
use designations and these zones so it
makes more sense in terms of uh what is
allowed what what the zones are capable
of. So that's the research and analysis
that will uh be undertaken to implement
this proposal.
Okay. So amendment number three out of
five. Um this amendment would update the
central Isiqua regional growth center
policies as necessary. So just for some
wayf finding if you look at the map um
the uh you see isqua and the purple area
that boundary is for central Isiqua as
identified in the central Isiqua plan
and within the central Isiqua plan or
planning area in the green is this the
city's designated regional growth center
kind of the urban core. So that reg uh
regional growth center RGC um was
designated by Puget Sound Regional
Council. Um it uh is an important
designation because it allows the city
to be eligible for federal
transportation funds and for significant
investments like the light rail that is
coming to Isiqua. So um Pugettown
Regional Council PSRC um did some work
on the way to updating their vision
2050. You may all be aware of that in
advance of the the major periodic
updates of the comprehensive plans that
were required throughout the region.
Isqua adopted uh that in 2024 along with
with many other cities in Puget Sound.
Um and as part of the um process of of
moving through that update, uh PSRC
uh revised some of the requirements for
the RGC's and now they're going through
a redesation process for the 30 existing
regional growth centers um that were
designated, you know, years ago, uh
including Isopas. Um there are some
newer RGC's that that used the new
updated uh requirements and now they
want um all of the RGC's to similarly
show that that we're going to align with
that vision from from PSRC's vision
2050. So uh actually uh we met with some
PSRC staff and um just talked through uh
some of the changes. Um I think we noted
in your memo that what was discussed was
ensuring that the targets for how much
growth the regional growth center is
going to take align with the um
population and growth uh population and
job targets in the comprehensive plan
that were um adopted as part of the 2024
update and uh look at some other data
ensure that um what was in vision 2050
matches with um what is in the
comprehensive plan uh again that isqua
adopted. So uh that process uh uh is
upcoming in this proposal where we would
go and and do the research uh do the
math and make sure the policies and data
are working with the new uh vision 2050
framework for regional growth centers.
So number four in terms of the proposed
amendments um were updates identified by
park staff um to ensure alignment with
the 2024 park system plan update. Um one
of the proposed changes is to change all
the references in the comprehensive plan
from parks plan or whatever it is to the
park system plan. So there are some just
nomenclature changes uh that they want
to get uh uh to be consistent across
documents. Um, another is, um, uh, to
change the name of the green necklace,
uh, park and open space concept from the
Isqua central plan to the Creeks to
Peaks citywide, um, trail, uh, name that
was adopted through that park system
plan update. Um and lastly uh well the
one that I can recall anyway is uh
ensuring that the level of service
standards for parks facilities um is
consistent across um the parks plan and
the comprehensive plan and there may be
others that Kristen do you want to
share?
>> You know I was just going to clarify
that one a little bit. Right now uh
level of service for parks is measured
on quantity and number of people you
know per number of parks per number of
people and the parks department has
changed that in their park system plan
to do quality over in quality of the
parks rather than quantity. So we're
going to find out a little bit more
about that as well. Yeah.
Thank you.
Okay. The uh final proposal on the
docket is um sort of a placeholder for
potential amendments identified through
this year's ISUA climate action plan
update process, the IAAP. I know um
Stacy uh the sustainability manager was
here uh maybe in the November meeting or
before that to share uh what was
happening with the IAAP update and we've
been in close contact in case any of the
proposals in that strategic functional
plan uh would ne necessitate any changes
to policy. So it's kind of this
iterative process and we will let you
know um if anything emerges from that
process. So that was an overview of the
five proposals on the docket again all
city initiated. Um now I will talk
through some dates, a few more logistics
and then open the floor to the
commission. So um immediate next steps
as I mentioned at your next meeting on
January 22nd there will be a public
hearing. We will ask the commission for
their recommendation on the proposals.
Uh the PTE review will be on February
3rd. They will also provide a
recommendation to full counsel and full
counsel um is set to act uh to finalize
the docket of proposals for further
consideration on February 23rd.
So here's that consideration slide again
um just to help you prepare for
discussion um of the proposals I just
shared with you. Um are is there
anything you thought was not relevant or
necessary? Um any refinements? again
having discussion now thinking through
for the recommendation that we will ask
of you at your next meeting uh is the
intent of uh bringing up that slide. Um
and a reminder in terms of your
recommendation
um on January 22nd uh the recommendation
uh will be regarding not the final
amendment that's done but uh regarding a
proposal to be examined throughout the
process um over the next several months.
Um it is not a re recommendation again
regarding the amendment themselves and
uh you can of course recommend to keep
things as is delete things um suggest
moving them to another year uh or adding
to any proposals.
So this is basically the last slide. I'm
just going to leave it up as you um have
any questions or discussion uh that
you'd like to have on the presentation.
Well, thank you, Planner Kaney. That was
great. Wonderful presentation.
Okay, let's open it up for the
commissioners. And yes, I see you,
Commissioner Crass as well. So, just
give me a a hand if you do have anything
to say. Uh, Commissioner Adair, is that
a microphone that's on? Please go ahead.
>> Yeah. Hi, just a followup question.
Could you repeat the Puget Sound
Regional Council information again for
me because it kind of went by fast.
Let me hit the right button. Yes, of
course. Um, so, uh, Pugettown Regional
Council designated, uh, regional growth
centers, um, over a decade ago. Um, and
the purpose of the regional growth
center was to identify locations across
the Puget Sound region that would take
the most growth. um that uh
acknowledging that they would take the
most growth uh the PSRC opens up those
areas for um certain um funding that
they get through the federal government
for transportation and other things. Um
and also they identify a um preferred
development pattern around um clustering
uh population supporting them with
walkable transit oriented um
transportation modes. Um the focus of
the vision 2050 update was to ensure
equitable uh equity was a a
considered thing in the policies in
different cities. And as part of that
designation process, um cities back in
the day were required to show yes, we
meet your requirements for how big we
are or what kind of development uh
regulations we have for walkable,
pedestrian oriented, transit oriented
development, etc. So in 2018, PS PSRC
updated the RGC framework because
they've been getting a lot of petitions
from other cities to uh be part of uh
the RGC uh funding process and they
wanted to be eligible and there were
there was a lot of growth and in these
centers across the region. Um and then
in vision 2050 um additional policies
were uh developed and right now uh PSRC
is going to all of the um 30 RGC's that
that were the initial uh initially
allowed and saying okay we we need you
to make sure that um you meet the new
requirements. A lot of work in Isqua and
other places was done in our periodic
updates, our major comprehensive plan
updates, but there are some additional
things that PSRC is meeting with all the
cities about to to make sure that um the
designation is appropriate. So, we're in
that process right now.
>> You're welcome.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Dair. Um any
other comments for planner Keaney?
I just had a quick uh point of
clarification. You mentioned adding to
the amendments. I didn't think we could
do that. I thought we could either
recommend them or, you know, possibly
ask for something to be taken out, but I
thought I heard you mention we could add
and I didn't think that we could do
that.
>> I think um [clears throat] your
recommendation could request additions
at this point after the final docket is
established and adopted by council.
Those are the proposals.
>> Okay.
>> That's my understanding of it. Kristen,
do you
>> That's my understanding as well. Yes.
>> So, when you say council adoption,
you're talking about February, not later
in the year.
>> That's right.
>> Okay.
>> The final docket adoption. Thank you for
that.
>> Thank you. That was really it for me.
Commissioner Crass, anything you'd like
to add?
>> I'm good. Thanks.
>> Okay. Hope you're feeling better.
Uh, anybody else going once, going
twice?
Okay, unscathed. Uh, thank you, Planner
Kaney. Appreciate the presentation. That
was great. And, uh, also looking at it
holistically, it's helpful for
everybody.
All right.
Well, it's going to be a quick meeting.
Uh, we're going to move on to reports
this evening and we are looking for city
council updates from either Kate or
Kristen.
>> I only have one. It's a little quiet at
the end of the year, but on I think we
told you back in September, we went to
city council. They asked us to go and
talk with them to have them prioritize
work program for us uh especially
regarding housing in this year. But then
there was an election. So, we are going
to go back to city council now on March
9th. And one of the reasons that we
haven't done the calendar yet is because
we're not fully sure about what our work
program is. So, we're going to go back
to city council on March 9th to find my
to, you know, talk about our priorities
and then we will get that calendar to
you. But, you might want to tune in that
night and just see what the discussion
looks like and see what you're in for.
But I do think there will be fi quite a
few code amendments coming your way.
>> We love code.
>> So what's that mean till March?
>> We do have other So those are for the
bigger amendments. We do have other
smaller amendments that are coming to
you in the meantime.
>> Okay. No time off.
>> No.
>> Good.
>> Good. Hopefully everybody had plenty of
time off over the holidays.
All right. Thank you, Kristen. Um, any
other updates as far as the city? I know
we have a new administration. Anything
else?
>> Uh, new administration. So, that's
that's been fun. Um, truly it has. Um,
let's see. Yes. I just found out
typically applications for different
boards and commissions don't go out
until February this year. They're going
to go out January 16th. So, keep your
eyes open for those applications.
Um
Stacy will be coming back to talk to you
Stacy Vine McKinstry on the IAAP
on in on February 26th
and then
Thomas Valdz is also going to come back
to you February or March to talk about
light rail. We have criteria a set of
criteria that has been established that
he wants to talk with you all about.
He's making the rounds. I have a
question for you too because we are
going to be talking so much about
housing this year.
I don't know how many of you have
actually received the housing 101 class
and would you all be interested in
having a housing 101? Okay, that's a
unanimous. All right, so we will plan on
doing that in January, February. Great
for you. Okay, great. That's all I have.
Thank you. Okay, thank you.
Moving along to end this evening.
Finally, any other business or
announcements
from our commissioners, from staff,
anything? Any crazy holiday stories?
Nothing. Oh, Commissioner Dare has one.
Okay, please.
at the bottom of my hill. I don't know
if you guys heard me say this, a mine
shaft exploded from all the rain and it
created a massive sinkhole in my
neighbor's yard. It was really crazy.
And now we have the federal engineers
coming in. So that's an adventure.
And now I'm also panicked. I'm like, is
there a mine under my home? And I don't
know.
But that's all. That was my crazy story.
>> That is pretty crazy.
Huh. Wow.
>> Luckily, their koiish survived because
it went through their koi pond. So, if
you're wondering, everything was okay
with the fish.
>> Wow.
>> Wow. Um, I guess I just have one
question. How is the city doing as far
as cleanup from the the excessive amount
of rain? I know Newport was washed out.
The major damage to the city or
infrastructure.
>> No, I know. salmon. I I remember reading
about that an article about just their
concern with all that runoff and water.
>> And then Gibson Hall, which is one of
our community spaces that we use. I know
that it flooded a bit. So, there's going
to have to be some repair work there.
Otherwise, I haven't heard of anything.
Have you heard of anything, Kate? Yeah,
they did. They just renovated that so
that we could open and use it for the
community. I don't think it's going to
be a lot of work, but there was some
damage done.
an excessive amount of
just really hasn't stopped. Okay. Well,
thank you for the crazy story. Thank you
for the update. Um, okay. Going once,
going twice. Any anything else? Anything
for the good of the order?
All right. Well, we will adjourn this
meeting of the planning policy
commission at 7:05 p.m. Thank you.