← Back to City Council Digest

Planning Policy Commission Auto captions

Thursday, July 25, 2019

6:30 PM · 54m 47s · Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA
Topic tracked across meetings:
Comprehensive Plan Amendments AB 9202 8/20
Section
1. CALL TO ORDER
1a
Commission Membership
packet pp.3
Staff report:
Planning Policy Commission About Staff Liaison Created in 1983, this commission serves as a Trish Heinonen, Planning Manager policy advisory body to the Mayor and provides Email guidance and direction for Issaquah’s future growth through continued review and improvement to the Regular Members City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and related 2020 – Ron Faul land use documents. 2020 – Joan Probala 2022 – Joy Lewis Membership 2022 – Janice Carle The Planning Policy Commission is comprised of 2022 – Bill Rinehart seven regular members, with four-year terms; and 2022 – Jason Voiss several alternates, with two-year terms. All 2023 – Randy Harrison members are appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by the City Council. Terms expire Alternate Members April 30 of the year listed. For more information, 2020 – Tom Haskins see IMC 18.03. 2020 – Robin Beukers 2020 – Vacant 2020 – Vacant
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
2a
Minutes of July 11, 2019
packet pp.5–8
Staff report:
APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 07-11-19 Planning Policy Commission Minutes Page [0000] CITY OF ISSAQUAH Planning Policy Commission 6:30 PM Council Chambers July 11, 2019 MINUTES 135 E. Sunset Way
3. REGULAR BUSINESS
3a
Public Meeting - Amendments to Issaquah's Comprehensive Plan: Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Element (Goals & Policies Only), (I)
Jennifer Fink, Park Planner Chante Floreani, Park Planner & Project Administrator · packet pp.9–42
Topics: Land UseParks
Staff report:
On June 14, 2018 the Planning Policy Commission (PPC) met to address the Parks Strategic Plan's Goals & Policies (Chapter 5) and hold a public hearing. The Commission
4. OTHER BUSINESS / ANNOUNCEMENTS
4a
Upcoming Schedule
packet pp.43
Staff report:
OTHER BUSINESS / ANNOUNCEMENTS a) 2019 PPC Schedule (tentative) (updated 7/16/19) All meetings located in Council Chambers unless noted January 2019 September 2019 1/10/19 Cancelled 9/5/19 Public Hearing: Olde Town Code Amendments 1/24/19 Public Hearings: a) Comp Plan 2019 Docket 9/12/19 Open House: Olde Town Architectural Standards/Design Guidelines b) Code amendment: Wireless Communication Facilities Also: Comments from the Mayor 9/26/19 Introduction: Sign Code Update • Comp Plan Amendments: Capital Facilities Element • Land Use Element re: Tree Canopy/policies February 2019 • Public meeting (not a hearing): Comp Plan Amendments: Community 2/14/19 Facilities rezones Continued Public Hearing: Code amendment: Wireless Facilities Introduction: Comp Plan Amendments: Treasures
0:25 again about Parks and Recreation I would
0:31 like to welcome the park board members
0:36 that are here tonight so that we can get
0:39 their input and to thank Ron for being a
0:43 member of the the task force that went
0:52 through the plan and made great changes
0:57 to us so I want to thank but all of them
0:59 that that was responsible for that
1:01 before we start we do as normal have to
1:04 approve the minutes for the last meeting
1:07 and so I need a motion to approve the
1:11 minutes of the July 11th meeting I'd
1:17 like to make a motion to approve the
1:19 minutes of the Planning Policy
1:20 Commission being on July 11 2019 do I
1:24 have a second we have two seconds so I
1:30 guess it's pretty good discussion I
1:34 assume you read the minutes and you have
1:37 no questions or discussions about the
1:39 minutes done hearing none I'll call for
1:43 the question all those in favor of
1:45 approval of the July 11th minutes please
1:50 say aye opposed anybody abstaining
2:00 hearing that none I will the minutes are
2:05 approved now we're gonna go right into
2:08 discussion on the park plan just as a
2:11 reminder we spent several meetings last
2:15 year discussing the strategic plan and
2:19 the park board plan and we approved we
2:23 voted to approve the plan but we did
2:28 little caveat and asked them to come
2:31 back a year later and specify really
2:36 three or four things that we asked them
2:37 to improve upon and so that's what we're
2:39 going to discuss tonight we're not going
2:42 to prove the plan itself because it's
2:45 already been approved by the City
2:47 Council we're just looking at updating
2:49 what has been approved and our concerns
2:53 that we've boys last year so with that
2:57 we are going to have the liaison the
3:03 city liaison to the park board Jennifer
3:06 give us an update at what's going on so
3:08 anyway thank you very much Joan and
3:11 thank you planning policy commission for
3:14 having us and thank you Brad for being
3:16 here before we get going on our
3:20 presentation I first want to let you
3:24 know the packet that was handed out
3:26 tonight
3:27 as you all know when you go through a
3:29 revision process there are times where
3:32 you get multiple versions of a cop
3:33 document
3:35 unfortunately an older copy was included
3:37 in your meeting packet what was sent out
3:40 earlier today and it's before you is the
3:43 final version we will walk through later
3:44 what was missing those what was missing
3:48 was included in your packet in the track
3:51 changes so if you did go through that
3:52 you will notice those items but there's
3:56 one item that will specify on here when
3:59 as we go through so I just wanted to
4:01 extend my apologies to the Commission
4:02 for that makes up we were out of town
4:05 and not able to get it to you sooner so
4:07 our sincere apologies I am here tonight
4:10 with my coworker Shawn TEI Floriani also
4:13 Park planner and project administrator
4:15 and as you Joan so nicely said we were
4:18 here last year in June going through the
4:23 park strategic plan update that was a
4:26 process that took us about a year and a
4:28 half had a lot of community engagement
4:30 input with the park board as the
4:32 steering committee and had a lot
4:34 and got here and council adopted that
4:36 plan in July when we came to you last
4:40 June the Planning Policy Commission
4:45 issued your findings of fact that really
4:48 to discuss three main items as part of
4:51 this one was a general reorganization of
4:54 the goals and policies that tracked
4:55 issues identified by the public as areas
4:57 of concern and facilitates ease of use
5:00 by the public stronger language around
5:03 wayfinding and signage that is the
5:06 former policy number and formulated
5:09 scope for green Issaquah including
5:11 habitat restoration open space wildlife
5:16 in riparian corridors of maintenance of
5:19 not just weeds and tree canopy included
5:23 in your packet are the original goals
5:26 and policies that were in the park
5:27 strategic plan our track changes version
5:31 and a clean version which I handed out
5:33 to you tonight and so those are the
5:35 three main documents and we'll be
5:37 talking about our processes that we went
5:40 through in doing so after the Planning
5:42 Policy Commission issued their findings
5:45 effect we went to City Council and they
5:48 adopted the park strategic plan and
5:50 provided two directives that we were
5:52 returned to you within one year and
5:54 initiate a green Issaquah urban forest
5:57 program within one year in the 2019
6:00 parks and recreations work plan
6:03 including a citywide tree canopy
6:05 analysis that work is currently underway
6:08 so when we look at what the PPC's
6:11 purview really is items a and B are
6:16 being addressed really in the goals and
6:19 policies that are before you tonight
6:20 item C is being addressed as a work plan
6:23 item as perk city council directive at
6:30 the beginning of this year we created
6:32 the park board created an ad hoc
6:34 committee to address the changes as
6:37 recommended by you the PPC
6:40 in that committee there were three park
6:42 board members Brad book who is here with
6:44 us tonight he's our Park Board Chair
6:46 Jonathan Richardson Chris Kovac and
6:49 Planning Policy commission member Ron
6:52 fall over the five we met five times
6:58 over six or five five times over a
7:03 two-month period each meeting was a
7:05 minimum of two hours plus homework was
7:09 given sorry guys
7:10 and each park board member or an ad-hoc
7:13 committee members spent about 15 hours
7:16 or more of their own time in this effort
7:19 of reorganization so I want to extend a
7:22 great thank you to them for their hard
7:23 work in this effort in our meetings our
7:27 first meeting
7:28 first and second meeting was more of
7:30 just a general overview kind of a
7:32 breaking things down into some buckets
7:34 and groupings we did identify two new
7:38 goals in that kind of buckets and
7:39 groupings list the second third and
7:43 fourth meeting so we really got down
7:44 into the nitty gritties of each policy
7:47 language wording and then our fifth
7:49 meeting was really going over the
7:52 complete package and looking at it as a
7:57 full synthesis for the meetings and as
8:00 part of this I will hand this over to
8:05 Shantae Floriani who is going to start
8:08 walking us through the reorganization
8:11 we're just going to give you a
8:12 high-level effort of what we went
8:15 through so you understand the thought so
8:18 what that I'm here's Shantae nice to
8:23 meet you all
8:24 so yeah as Jennifer said I will walk you
8:27 through sort of our process for
8:29 modifying other goals and policies so
8:32 this image that you see on the screen is
8:35 a basically a screenshot from how we
8:37 started to organize all of the goals and
8:41 subsequent policies and the first thing
8:44 we did for tracking is we actually
8:47 numbered
8:49 policy so that we could track it
8:51 throughout the process as we go through
8:53 all the area
8:55 and then what this does what this shows
8:57 is what we call buckets as goals and
9:00 then and then grouping so identifying
9:04 policies that have like categories or
9:07 themes and and grouping those together
9:09 and seeing which bucket they fall into
9:12 that the best fit with it with overall
9:16 document so some policies may have
9:20 repetitive language but our housed in
9:22 the appropriate goal in sub category
9:25 fulfills for example art may be
9:28 mentioned in two different areas and in
9:32 this process we identified two new goals
9:37 so we went from a total of six goals to
9:40 eight and those two new goals were
9:46 connectivity and environmental
9:49 preservation the subsequent policies
9:52 under the new goals were existing and
9:54 were just rearranged under these new
9:56 gold buckets so I could just read you
9:58 the two new goals so connectivity which
10:01 is goal C Connect parks neighborhoods
10:03 business districts schools and other
10:05 activity areas together through an
10:07 integrated system of trails and open
10:09 spaces and then the other ethical
10:13 environmental preservation which is goal
10:15 e reserve enhance and protect a
10:19 coordinated system of parks and public
10:21 open spaces to preserve the city's
10:23 natural character sustain its urban
10:25 forest resources and enhance its natural
10:28 systems wildlife habitat and wildlife
10:30 corridors as a legacy for future
10:32 generations
10:43 so in this process we also identified
10:47 gaps that and then in that process we
10:52 found five new policies that were added
10:58 and you can see here so we have a policy
11:03 c9 which is a connectivity goal C 9 and
11:07 C 10 are both connectivity goals he was
11:10 a planning and design considerations
11:12 Arab site policy
11:13 excuse me and she is under gold is under
11:19 the partnership scold and again so the
11:25 detail of each policy was reviewed for
11:26 appropriate placement sentence structure
11:29 tense and repetitions so as part of the
11:38 findings effect to be we just wanted to
11:42 point out the added language or stronger
11:46 language around signage and wayfinding I
11:49 was specifically requested by the
11:51 Planning Policy Commission and so you
11:57 can see the added goal here there's two
12:00 other verbs are youth policy there's two
12:03 other policies that are in under signage
12:06 they were existing we just pulled them
12:08 out as two separate policies for added
12:11 clarity
12:23 so as Jennifer handed out you can see
12:27 generally the new organization new
12:30 format and a new format was too freaking
12:36 for clarity and to fall it to fit within
12:39 the park strategic plan and better for a
12:45 better user experience and facilitate
12:47 ease of use by the public
12:49 so just so again in that process of
12:54 reviewing the goals and policies the
12:57 language was simplified to remove
12:58 redundancy and to add clarity we
13:05 all the comments were public comments
13:07 received during the parts park strategic
13:09 plan adoption process were reviewed and
13:12 taken into consideration by the ad hoc
13:14 committee in the revised goals and
13:16 policies before you and then here I'll
13:24 just walk through the version correction
13:27 that we handed out to you tonight the
13:29 you can see the items light with red
13:32 lines next to them they were not
13:37 included in the packet and in your
13:40 handout they are in your handout tonight
13:43 but they were in the track changes
13:46 version so all of these were existing
13:52 there was just d12
13:56 which is at the bottom of this screen
13:57 here was the only new policy the other
14:01 item the other policies in red were
14:03 existing and then same with these d 13
14:10 and d 14 were existing policies that
14:14 were just broken into two from the
14:17 original
14:25 and then goal viii with again an
14:35 existing policy that was emitted from
14:40 what we had given to you in the packet
14:51 with that I will pass it back over to
14:54 Jennifer to conclude so just a comment I
14:58 really appreciate the way it's broken
15:02 out and the green color I'm sure the
15:05 green is appropriate for trees and all
15:08 the other thoughts stuff that you're
15:09 working on I think it's a lot easier to
15:12 read and really appreciate all the work
15:15 you did to do that
15:24 so in advance of the planning policy
15:27 Commission meeting we did receive a
15:30 public comment and just wanted to bring
15:33 to your attention we feel those items
15:37 have been addressed in the items before
15:40 you one of the questions was to create
15:44 include language that describes
15:45 consistent and easily understandable
15:47 public process we do have existing
15:50 policy in the packet before you D one
15:54 that states ensure that parks are
15:56 designed utilizing a thoughtful planning
15:58 process that includes community
15:59 engagement creates a sense of place and
16:02 integrates landscape art buffers
16:03 waterways corridors trails parks
16:05 courtyards and plazas also as part of
16:09 the city's public and transparent
16:11 process we do also have a community
16:14 engagement public engagement toolkit
16:16 that we use whenever we take on a new
16:18 project or we engage with the community
16:21 that is used on a regular basis the
16:25 second item that was comment that was
16:28 received as to please include a policy
16:31 that parks will create a process and
16:33 criteria for partnerships with
16:35 for-profit business should they be
16:37 included within our park system this is
16:40 somewhat addressed in two ways
16:42 Gold G really addresses extensive types
16:46 of partnerships that may come before the
16:48 city and proposals and also in the park
16:51 strategic plan when this was before you
16:55 you may remember we set up a toolkit
16:58 that is used so when there is a new idea
17:02 that comes through it's a two-step to
17:05 acquit tool kit excuse me it's been a
17:07 long day the first one page is really
17:11 the vetting to see if it's a viable
17:13 project or not and then the second phase
17:16 of the toolkit this is a checklist and
17:19 then the second page will talks about
17:22 project prioritization and how it fits
17:24 with our existing projects just because
17:27 it may be a new shiny opportunity
17:29 doesn't mean it's necessarily something
17:31 that we need to pursue right away and
17:34 see how it fits with all of our other
17:36 projects so we feel that too has been
17:38 addressed within the park strategic plan
17:41 has adopted in within existing policy so
17:46 just to sum up the process that we went
17:50 through we the ad-hoc committee met in
17:53 February and March of this year we did
17:56 in April send the draft goals and
18:01 policies to a reader team it is the same
18:03 reader team that was utilized in the
18:06 park strategic plan adoption process
18:08 because they were already familiar we
18:10 sent those to the people and there's a
18:12 list of the reader team members we did
18:16 receive some comments back but most of
18:17 them were about planning at large and
18:19 not specific to the goals and policies
18:21 themselves the stig go before the park
18:25 board in April for review as a draft and
18:28 in May they made a recommendation and
18:31 tonight here we are before you the
18:34 planning policy commission and pending
18:36 your determination tonight we will take
18:39 this to City Council at a date yet to be
18:41 determined
18:45 just to sum up
18:47 [Music]
18:49 first I would like to ask if the park
18:52 board since we do have a couple of
18:55 committee members I would like to invite
18:56 them if they would like to say a word or
18:58 two before we wrap up about the process
19:01 and the engagement that happened as part
19:05 of this in the effort put forth if they
19:07 wanted to add any additional comments
19:09 Brad or Ron why don't we start with you
19:18 do you have any great words of wisdom
19:21 I think words of wisdom are already
19:28 included in this document was a good
19:31 team effort to buy some of the concerns
19:36 that PPC had last year likely I don't
19:40 know how comfortable we were initially
19:42 when we adopted this within the park
19:45 strategic plan a lot of our efforts were
19:48 in different portions of it so I'm glad
19:50 that this got rework it gets a lot
19:54 easier to read better organized a rid of
19:57 a lot of the wordiness implications I
20:00 don't I'm pretty happy with it it wasn't
20:03 necessarily an exciting process but one
20:06 to go through it was really good to have
20:08 Ron there with us if insight about how
20:11 you might look at things they're doing
20:13 it back to you really the heavy lifting
20:16 was done by Jennifer and Shonte walk
20:21 committee we were there more of an
20:22 advisory than to redo everything when I
20:25 give a big shout out to those two for
20:27 all the Whoopie question I think we're
20:40 the topics that we really that it was
20:43 the organization because there was a lot
20:45 of feedback that the original document
20:47 was hard to organize our hearts who
20:49 understand because a lot of people got
20:50 tripped up on the way was organized and
20:54 it may have spoken well to one type of
20:56 audience but the other three or four
21:00 audio and three out of four audiences
21:01 looked at it and didn't understand it so
21:04 spent a lot of effort reorganizing it I
21:07 think that's really the key and then we
21:10 went through we didn't wordsmith it but
21:12 we went through from a high level and
21:14 said this policy looks like we need to
21:17 maybe add a policy or add a section here
21:21 and say you know what we need to were
21:23 missing this area like an e canopy and
21:26 so on there was a lot of work who I
21:32 liked working with Brad it was great
21:34 working with the park support and I
21:36 think he for the invite that was awesome
21:38 you guys did do most of the heavy
21:40 lifting we were just kind of there for
21:42 an advisory do you appreciate the invite
21:45 to PPC and so I think this is a great
21:50 document and
21:51 like to feedback and I'm ready to
21:54 approve it the one thing that I really
21:58 liked was the part that it's more
22:03 readable I like the fact that you
22:05 separated some of the wordy language I
22:08 think it makes it more accessible not
22:12 easy to read or anybody who wants to go
22:17 into the park plan so that part of it I
22:19 really like I like the way you organized
22:22 that the goals and changed because they
22:24 did meet four criteria and by separating
22:29 them into two really makes it easy to
22:33 read I really appreciate that that's a
22:35 good positive one more thing and
22:41 actually Jeff points this out in some of
22:44 the discussions that we had is it was
22:46 difficult for us to not spend more time
22:49 than we already did when this because
22:51 word smithing is very time consuming and
22:55 so we had to kind of watch ourselves and
22:59 not try and we do everything that was
23:02 not the intent of this project it was
23:04 all designed for reorganization purposes
23:09 to minimize some of the duplications and
23:12 make it easier but just something to
23:15 point out is is that this will be
23:19 something in the next update you just
23:23 took my next date no I did
23:26 that will the wordsmithing will be
23:28 something that will be more intense
23:31 later process than when there's strew
23:34 and you'll be able to tell what the
23:36 timing of that is so the park strategic
23:39 plan it gets updated every four years we
23:41 do this for two reasons one to help
23:44 update the park element of the
23:46 comprehensive plan as well as stay
23:49 eligible for recreation and conservation
23:51 office funding so we will start this
23:55 process and probably for less than four
23:58 years now we will get the ball rolling
24:01 and during that we will be addressing
24:02 some other issues that were discussed in
24:04 this document like level of service and
24:07 doing a more thorough update of the
24:09 goals and policies as Brad mentioned you
24:11 know we did this was an exercise of
24:13 reorganization but where we did find
24:16 gaps where we did find a new goal to
24:19 house some underlying policies were
24:21 needed we did take those liberties in
24:24 addressing this so we tried to stay
24:26 within the guise of what was our
24:28 direction was and clean things up as
24:31 best we could knowing there is going to
24:33 be a full update in the next future the
24:36 next update about four years in the
24:42 Brad's point one of the things that we
24:43 really did work on was removing a lot of
24:47 duplication there was a significant
24:49 amount of duplication across different
24:51 goals and so what we did was that's how
24:53 we came up with some of the other goals
24:54 we he moved the goals from one area to
25:00 another subject and the goals he just
25:12 reworded some of the goals that they
25:13 were more broad but I think helps make
25:17 it a lot more did help with the
25:20 readability to build on that bran is
25:23 some of the phrasing there had been so
25:26 many updates of some of the goals and
25:27 policies that when we went through we go
25:31 back a slider to here what we did is we
25:36 have
25:36 you know your general topics or
25:39 subcategories underneath a goal but we
25:42 also put the most important part of the
25:44 goal or keywords at the front and kind
25:46 of switched how some of the goals were
25:49 worded or consistency between all of
25:53 them so you know create and implement
25:56 performance levels implement and
25:59 actionable and short comprehensive plan
26:01 goals and those we highlighted for quick
26:03 cueing in the old update we did have
26:06 titles on each of the policies and we
26:10 took those off and really the new
26:13 subcategories really address some of
26:15 that as well we spent a lot of time not
26:19 so much word smithing but making sure
26:21 they all read in the same language and
26:24 sentence formatting which also helped
26:27 with a lot of that duplication and
26:29 repetition and bits and pieces here and
26:32 there so this is a much leaner cleaner
26:34 meaner version of the goals and policies
26:36 I when you look at this it's more when
26:41 you're talking about word smithing and
26:43 it's important to make it easily to read
26:45 and understand about that I think what's
26:48 in it is more important than being
26:52 concerned about what word goes where how
26:55 if it's an N or an is or whatever I
26:58 think you've covered every possible I
27:02 mean I when I read it I couldn't imagine
27:06 anything else in it so I'm sure there is
27:08 but I really think you've covered just
27:13 about everything and that's what's
27:14 important to me is what's in it
27:17 good job well thank you the ad hoc
27:21 committee put in a lot of efforts I
27:23 thank them as well well it's nice when
27:26 you end up with a good product that you
27:29 can say I'm proud of this and I think
27:32 with everything we went through getting
27:35 it and the meetings we had before you
27:38 even started this I think it's come a
27:41 long way and I think it's kind of like
27:43 how I would write something very you
27:47 know this is the garden you put things
27:49 underneath it it makes sense and I'm
27:52 thinking of myself as a normal person
27:54 not a you know a data person or or
27:58 somebody that wants more specific
28:05 somebody so he was the first one here so
28:08 anyway so is there are there any
28:11 questions
28:12 Randy do you have any questions I know
28:14 some was a lot of
28:23 you can't they can't hear you that so I
28:27 I'm not sure that I should take up any
28:30 time because the I'm still learning I
28:33 what this process or this commission is
28:36 about so and though it's that I made I
28:37 think or if it's done it's so I don't
28:41 think there's any percentage of me bring
28:42 you about except for one thing in the
28:46 list of rats to the park there were two
28:52 things cited noxious weed in the
28:56 coincidence couldn't have been more
28:58 ironic because our community our
29:02 neighborhood is in the process of
29:06 identifying potential for catastrophic
29:10 well I I would just suggest that perhaps
29:16 one word I'd be added if it's after the
29:22 study it's considered to be relevant
29:24 over here in addition to noxious weeds
29:29 it's a species fire
29:36 works
29:41 that we just we have a very serious
29:50 party to the dress
29:55 if I can go back to item C here which
30:00 was also part of the council direction
30:03 as part of our work plan we are
30:04 currently under contract with for Terra
30:06 to start an urban forest management
30:09 program and also working and green
30:14 Issaquah program for the city where
30:19 Terra is going to be going out and
30:20 having a subcontractor take a look at
30:22 all of our facilities creating a report
30:24 looking at some of the threats within
30:27 each acre of our park space hopefully
30:30 here soon and so the greenest Quandt
30:33 initiative is really going to house a
30:35 lot of different the urban forest
30:38 management program excuse me it's going
30:40 to house a lot of different things the
30:41 green Issaquah initiative the tree
30:43 canopy update and i think some of the
30:45 information that's learned there will
30:46 also help to feed that information as
30:49 far as future fire because that is a
30:51 weakness I think citywide as far as our
30:54 preparedness yeah a wildlife wildlife
31:10 yeah oh as fires no my point is that the
31:15 simple addition of that word for people
31:17 that do read it I think cause people go
31:20 huh yeah most I wasn't that it's just an
31:32 awareness
31:34 ask questions and I think I think from a
31:37 planning perspective and a parks manager
31:40 and steward I think let's see what comes
31:43 out of our green Issaquah initiative and
31:45 what that might help us set the stage
31:47 for a larger citywide conversation about
31:50 fire management especially in some of
31:52 our resources because that's a whole
31:53 nother set of planning that we're not
31:55 quite prepared for to do but it is very
31:59 important I agree anyway anybody else I
32:04 thought you guys did a fantastic job
32:07 someone who wasn't here in June of last
32:09 year to watch this thing conceived it
32:11 was very easy to read so a big THANK YOU
32:14 to the ad hoc committee and as well as
32:17 the staff and I think it's all been said
32:19 but the organization well very easy to
32:24 follow
32:25 hey thank you 30 seconds I would
32:29 actually agree with the whole wildfire I
32:31 know we're going to work on it but the
32:32 important side and I am in agreement
32:35 with that I think it's very so thank you
32:37 for bringing up and I'm also new to the
32:45 document and I did find it well
32:47 organized I watched the way you had
32:48 parsed everything out it was really
32:50 impressed with the work that had been
32:51 done I think one thing that might help
32:53 is a header section like an executive
32:57 summary
32:58 this is the goals and the subheadings
33:01 not little points so that kind of like a
33:04 table of contents great suggestion what
33:12 are the next step for this document so
33:14 it goes to council and then this becomes
33:16 the strategic are the the parts
33:19 strategic plan the one that he currently
33:21 holding is now outdated so the policies
33:25 within it will be outdated so we will
33:28 update those and then two in the next
33:31 update of the comprehensive plans Park
33:34 element these same goals and policies go
33:36 into that so that's why there's somewhat
33:38 of a higher level policy than some other
33:41 design standards and stuff yeah so those
33:45 are the next steps and then again in
33:47 yeah four years we will be doing a lot
33:50 deeper dive into the goals and policies
33:52 as part of the park strategic plan
33:55 update I think we'll learn a lot in the
33:57 next four years
33:58 I would agree Jennifer said is council
34:03 will adopt them and then you will it'll
34:07 roll into the comp plan that you guys
34:09 will have the public hearing on I think
34:11 in October so it'll be the same ones
34:13 that you're already looking at but it'll
34:15 be part of the comp plan like you've
34:17 already seen the land-use element last
34:18 time it'll be part of that sort of
34:21 layered cake that worth feeding you so
34:23 that you don't get the whole thing at
34:24 the end so this will come back to you
34:33 so do we have to recommend that it goes
34:36 far the way it's written that'd be great
34:38 so we got we recommend by having a
34:43 somebody makes the motion before I did
34:46 know I need somebody to make a motion
34:50 before it it to counsel okay make a
35:00 motion to forward the goals and policies
35:02 as is to City Council would you like to
35:06 add the two things that have been added
35:09 or do you just want to assume that I
35:13 would like to add the two new goals all
35:17 see you know the goals will be in there
35:20 I mean Janice and Rob and Mandy had
35:23 brought up two things that your
35:25 suggestions are they do they need to be
35:30 addressed as that it's the matter of
35:33 formatting it sounds like the fire thing
35:35 we're waiting to see if that's going to
35:37 be addressed and I think there's there's
35:40 two ways we can address that we can wait
35:42 and do it it include it in the next
35:44 update wait and see how what the green
35:49 Issaquah in urban forest management plan
35:51 comes forth with and address it in the
35:54 next update or we can add that to a
35:57 policy now if you so choose I would just
35:59 like direction as to which policy you
36:01 would like it added to
36:09 about four years so Jennifer if we add
36:14 it to a policy today about the fire
36:18 would that make it more helpful for you
36:21 to go to for Tara and say we have a I
36:28 have to if I'm going to follow the right
36:29 there's a motion on the floor
36:36 exactly discussion for it so except in
36:40 four years right the motion we will have
36:44 a discussion after we have a second on
36:46 the motion I just wanted to know if you
36:48 wanted to add that my father you just
36:50 want to go and say I think we as his
36:53 recommendation for a table of contents
36:55 you so Jesus okay it's not a substance
36:59 of change in any way it's really just
37:02 convenience or formatting purposes okay
37:05 I just want to make everybody have their
37:08 they're saying so if you want to add
37:11 that there's a motion on the floor we're
37:15 in a second I'll second
37:19 and now we can open up for discussion
37:23 anybody want to have any further I guess
37:26 I should have probably mentioned that I
37:28 believe that Eastside Fire and Rescue is
37:31 in the process of doing a specific
37:35 examination of this not the Park area
37:39 but some of the residential areas as a
37:41 result of some concerns that have been
37:42 expressed by citizens and Eastside Fire
37:44 and Rescue is apparently from what I
37:48 have learned from them already done a
37:51 study on this subject and leave that
37:54 there is it is not an existential threat
37:56 so my concern excuse me when I suggested
38:01 using the word wildfire
38:07 in there along with other threats to the
38:11 to the park system it's because this is
38:15 this is an issue today that most of us
38:19 are not aware of again I wasn't and and
38:23 it's so I'm if if it's going to be
38:27 dressed in the terms of policy and
38:30 planning with a plan to do that and you
38:35 know that's fine but I just think it's
38:36 going to be overtaken by discussion soon
38:42 between the city and East Side Fire and
38:45 Rescue okay so you don't want to make an
38:47 amendment to that - I don't know what I
38:50 would make an amendment so I if we're
38:53 not going to put them if we can't put
38:54 the word in there as a another threat
38:59 it's just one word and then I'm just see
39:02 where it goes
39:09 motion to add the word and say well I
39:15 would make so I'm sorry we're still we
39:17 haven't voted on no this is discussion I
39:20 would like to in addition to
39:22 Commissioner Carl's recommendation also
39:27 a recommendation that the word wildfire
39:31 he identified as a one right there as
39:36 one of the threats
39:37 ooh Park that has to be taken into
39:40 consideration so there's that amendment
39:44 on the floor that's been seconded so if
39:46 you want to add that you can add an
39:49 amendment there's a motion separate
39:54 amendment yes there has to be approved
39:57 before then that that it will go into
39:59 the amendment there reserves right I
40:04 move that the word wildfire included in
40:09 the list of present lists of two items
40:13 that are identified as habitat
40:17 restoration open space
40:22 it's beef so these time you know I let
40:29 me so let me fall back in the groove
40:31 here I when I read that I was under the
40:33 impression that that was listening
40:36 specific threats to arc lamp partners it
40:43 doesn't use the word threat and it's
40:46 certainly part of habitat restoration so
40:48 I'm not sure that that was the place for
40:49 it so if I could just clarify okay I
40:53 know there's a motion on the floor so I
40:55 just wanted a point of clarification
40:57 last year when we came before the PPC
40:59 finding of fact was issued and these
41:02 were the three items included in that
41:04 finding of rag nice okay so okay so
41:12 we're back to the original motion any
41:15 other discussion I'll call for the vote
41:20 all those in favor of sending it this on
41:25 to the City Council with a suggestion
41:27 that there is a table of contents in the
41:30 beginning of the man may I okay all
41:36 right opposed hearing none we are
41:42 recommending it to go forward to City
41:44 Council as it is written
41:51 I think there are any other things that
41:56 you would like to up there I wanted to
41:59 ask Jen and um can you give us any
42:03 update on the tree canopy even just
42:06 squinty little but certainly as part of
42:09 the urban forest management plan we have
42:12 been tasked with doing a tree canopy
42:20 assessment that work has been contracted
42:23 and we have a draft plan before us we
42:26 are meeting with city administration
42:27 next week to review the document and
42:30 determine a path for presenting it to
42:35 Council so on so and the exciting part
42:39 for you all is there's goals and
42:41 policies in the Comprehensive Plan now
42:42 on the tree canopy in the land-use
42:44 element and they're the what the study
42:47 finds out will be integrated you know if
42:51 some of the numbers change or if we want
42:52 some of the numbers to change or if we
42:54 want something to change based on the
42:56 new study we'll get to we'll get to talk
43:00 about that so I'm really excited about
43:02 what the results are going to be so I
43:04 wanted you to be excited that that's
43:06 coming soon I can tell you it works
43:07 underway I have a question yes so when
43:11 you're looking at the tree canopy and
43:13 you're deciding how big it is you take
43:16 the hillsides and use that as the tree
43:20 canopy it is a balance it with you know
43:24 the rest of the area that's really good
43:27 question so our consultant team uses GIS
43:30 lidar a bunch of variations and it's
43:34 done citywide so it does include open
43:36 space built environment vacant lands
43:38 roads you name it every open waters are
43:41 taking a look at and there's areas that
43:44 are determined that our plantable and
43:46 non plantable areas and so those are
43:48 being assessed as well as there is a
43:50 comparison piece to the last study that
43:53 was conducted in 2012 so there will be a
43:56 piece
43:57 that which will likely lead to any
44:00 future policy conversations you may want
44:02 to have or may not want to have so more
44:06 to come on that but it's a really
44:08 fascinating GIS and as part of this work
44:11 the consultant also provided an online
44:14 tool that will have for a three year
44:16 period of time where you can go in and
44:19 see our tree canopy look at it
44:21 interactively as well as look at other
44:23 cities who have done it as well so all
44:26 is 50%
44:27 I believe it's 51 51 Randy madam chair
44:36 there's something that I had noted since
44:38 you brought the ill sides that I have
44:40 seen city map and that one of the
44:45 Development Commission means I don't
44:46 have any recollection of how or why I
44:48 came up but it specifically shows
44:52 portions of squawk Mountain that are
44:55 still owned a single-family residential
44:59 and it came up because there's
45:03 apparently a lot of the top squark
45:06 mountain that is zoned single-family
45:08 residential as it now so can we I think
45:12 that Matt that availability whether it's
45:14 just a link say here's the map or
45:16 whether we can see it if other
45:18 commissioners agree with me I was I
45:20 think I think the reaction I could
45:22 appropriately described as a surprise it
45:28 was a mess the zoning map or do you mean
45:30 the vacant parcels that are left it was
45:33 i we just got the thing in the mail on
45:37 the city that showed all of the
45:41 basically it said there can't be any
45:44 development because here's all the land
45:46 that is zoned as single-family
45:48 residential it's the whole mouth side
45:50 right but what I was referring to was a
45:53 colored map that showed
45:55 specific like a profile if you would of
46:00 a smart mount that showed areas in leave
46:05 his green that were owned single-family
46:08 residential that had not been there just
46:10 trees now they're open space park it's
46:13 not not parks that's the point they're
46:15 not so it's still privately owned and
46:17 could be developed yeah because it's
46:19 bacon okay so so far I look for specific
46:23 family residential okay but single
46:28 family I get yeah right yeah
46:30 so the point is that when it comes to
46:33 tree canopy and profile on the hilltops
46:35 and I think that's what the discussion
46:36 was when we were looking at something
46:38 one of the our buildings and so the
46:41 whole question was the code that says
46:43 you can't block the view of the
46:45 mountains of I have stories ever it is
46:49 right but I think it was in that context
46:52 that there was a map and it was
46:54 illustration that showed how much of the
46:57 mountain was still undeveloped but zone
47:00 single-family residential right because
47:02 I can tell you the whole thing is zone
47:04 single-family except for the cemetery
47:06 and you know the little park that the
47:10 cemetery and the same thing but the
47:12 higher up but we could certainly make a
47:14 map of what's vacant I okay that'd be
47:18 great
47:18 I think it would be interesting to us
47:19 but I think it's I think the way it was
47:21 brought up and I could be wrong because
47:22 it was a while back and I can you see it
47:25 sounds like something Lucy would have
47:26 presented I don't remember
47:29 okay if I could and I it's probably on
47:32 the city website somewhere I look for
47:35 I'm the last guy it narrows it down
47:37 somewhat rain but I know we could make a
47:39 map of the vacant land that's left on I
47:43 think because a lot of its crew in
47:44 critical areas though because it's strip
47:46 slope so you couldn't even though it's
47:48 vacant it's not developable because it's
47:50 steep but we could certainly figure that
47:52 out and that's a key point it's sewn
47:55 single-family residential it's
47:56 undeveloped it's in private ownership
47:58 but it probably couldn't be developed
48:00 because of the slopes correct but
48:02 there's still some of it it isn't that
48:04 way so it's just it's just a
48:07 it's tuck into so I think when you're
48:10 doing your canopy listen that's the
48:14 thing is if it's still zoned
48:16 single-family and it can be developed
48:21 then you can't count that necessarily
48:24 those trees as part of the tree canopy
48:26 yeah you could count them today you can
48:29 count it today and then in the next
48:30 update it should it be developed and
48:32 let's say all the trees were taken down
48:34 then it would be addressed in the next
48:35 update and the good news for squawk
48:37 Mountain is so much of it as steep slope
48:39 that hopefully the trees are gonna still
48:41 be there because they can't be they
48:43 shouldn't be removed because they're in
48:45 critical area well I just think it you
48:47 can look at it that well that might be
48:54 developed and if it is then you're gonna
48:58 have to put trees someplace else to make
49:01 them under that 51% and it's just
49:03 something that you know you can't wait
49:05 until somebody comes in and tears down
49:07 the tree is you and still maintain your
49:10 51% you have to make plans of what you
49:14 might want it should be a discussion
49:16 right and I think part of the policies
49:18 that we put together we the PBC is
49:20 talking about city property that we can
49:23 start planting now that are available
49:25 for planting now because we don't have
49:27 control over the private areas I
49:29 understand but it can be developed the
49:34 private areas can be developed and so
49:37 you're gonna have to look at what can we
49:39 do if that happen or it can be acquired
49:41 by for more or that open space for
49:44 stability I think that's that would be
49:48 the ultimate terrible outcome is just to
49:51 say okay this much is still zone
49:53 single-family residential as much and
49:57 this percentage of that is in critical
50:00 areas
50:01 we don't really have to worry about that
50:03 then there's this territory that is not
50:09 critical but its own single-family
50:11 residence be a good thing for us to have
50:13 justice upon and and and for the city I
50:16 mean for the policy planning policy
50:18 thing we could we could at some point in
50:21 the future if this if this comes up and
50:23 we've got a lot of development pressure
50:25 that's going to continue forever and
50:27 ever we could
50:30 recommend that this be considered her
50:33 annexation or acquisition for open space
50:39 I think would awareness of that Widow
50:42 would allow us to look at future policy
50:45 so not to spoil anything but I think a
50:49 lot of your questions when this comes
50:50 forward will be answered in the document
50:53 and the worker and the interactive tool
50:55 I think yeah I think a lot of these
50:56 questions will be addressed we just
50:59 aren't ready to unveil the draft at this
51:02 time ahead of giving an update to
51:04 administration are you familiar with
51:06 that doctor that map there was that
51:08 illustration that I'm talking about
51:10 I have saw it one time it made a
51:12 difference
51:13 yeah if you still have it I'm gonna go
51:17 on a search to okay for it I would go
51:20 right over to Lucy and say Lucy Randy's
51:22 got this map in his head and if we can't
51:24 find it we'll make a new one and we'll
51:26 get it to be close to what it is that
51:28 you're thinking yeah should be shown I
51:31 think that there's another enough
51:33 planners looking at fine I just think
51:39 it's a very it's a good little thing for
51:42 us they have Frank that we can refer to
51:43 it if if and I should say when that
51:46 comes up as a policy issue remaining
51:49 issue right and if I think of it
51:51 tomorrow I'll send out the policy that
51:53 is on the urban tree the tree canopy so
51:55 you all can see what's covered and
51:57 what's not covered and so be thinking of
51:59 when the the new study comes out what
52:02 you'd want to address with this is
52:06 something like this is going to be
52:07 available to the public you don't need
52:11 to go look for it
52:12 okay but I just think it's something
52:14 that wouldn't good for us to have a good
52:16 yeah yeah and it goes to council in
52:19 September did I see I don't know that's
52:22 part of our conversation with
52:23 administration next week is what the
52:25 future path for that so not like I
52:27 thought I saw it on Tisha's calendar for
52:29 September but that might just think
52:30 there's a placeholder look at that
52:32 yeah we need to talk about that my no
52:34 sorry
52:35 oh it's all in firing minds want to know
52:39 so your next stay tuned and come up in a
52:42 planning policy Commission meeting so
52:45 hey it just says that we are interested
52:50 in creating something good for the city
52:54 okay so anything else nothing else when
52:57 we start a conversation on I think from
53:00 me thank you thank you I don't have a
53:04 packet I gave my packet away so I'm
53:06 gonna oh all town codominance this is
53:11 gonna be exciting because you guys just
53:13 finished the plan last year and it got
53:15 adopted so it's gonna be fun to actually
53:18 start implementing that the plan that
53:21 you just did so that's going to be
53:23 exciting and do I have just a straw poll
53:27 RSVP and who might be here on August I
53:32 have one too I
53:35 you'll be Joan okay Tom I think I'll be
53:38 tentative a strong tentative strong okay
53:41 and Ron will you be biking somewhere
53:46 tonight I did for two months okay okay
53:52 no worries then we'll put you as a
53:54 strong tentative for August and
53:58 September okay and Randy yes yes you'll
54:01 be there a strong yes you'll be there
54:03 excellent we got a quorum then thank you
54:05 and if you have any questions or
54:08 thoughts feel free to email me anytime
54:10 I'm always there so hearing no other
54:14 input close the meeting at 7:27 thank
54:20 you
54:25 you
54:28 you
54:30 you
54:36 you

Attendance

Council / Members (3)
Thomas Haskins
Alt. Brad Book Commissioners Not Present (Excused): Joy Lewis Bill Rinehart Robin Beukers
Alt