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Planning Policy Commission Auto captions

Thursday, October 13, 2022

6:30 PM · 2h 21m · Council Chambers, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA
Section
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
2a
Minutes of September 29, 2022
packet pp.3–7
Staff report:
MINUTES SPECIAL MEETING - PLANNING POLICY COMMISSION 6:30 p.m. - Thursday, September 29, 2022
2b
Minutes of October 3, 2022
packet pp.9–10
Staff report:
MINUTES PLANNING POLICY COMMISSION 6:00 p.m. - Thursday, October 3, 2022
5. REPORTS
5a
Council Update
Christen Leeson, Senior Planner
6. OTHER BUSINESS / ANNOUNCEMENTS
6a
Upcoming Schedule
packet pp.81–83
Staff report:
Page 82 of 83 Staff Support: Christen Leeson Staff Support: Stephen Padua
0:13 welcome and good evening
0:15 um I would like to call the October 13th
0:17 planning policy commission meeting to
0:19 order at 6 34 pm
0:21 tonight's meeting is a hybrid meeting
0:23 the planning policy commission is in
0:26 person but staff are members of the
0:28 public may be attending virtually or in
0:29 person and so welcome to everyone who's
0:32 here it's great to see so many faces
0:33 both on our
0:35 dice is that the right word days as well
0:38 as in the in the crowd here so great to
0:40 have
0:41 so much interest
0:43 um and so in terms of attendance Kristen
0:45 do we have a quorum tonight
0:48 yes we do perfect
0:50 okay so our first item of business is to
0:53 take action to approve the minutes for
0:55 the September 29th meeting
0:57 are there any corrections to the draft
0:59 minutes provided in the agenda packet
1:02 okay so hearing none the minutes are
1:04 approved
1:06 our next item of business is public
1:08 comment
1:11 um so I'll just provide some brief
1:12 guidelines for public comments and we'll
1:14 have actually multiple sessions of
1:15 public comment tonight the first is just
1:17 general public comment
1:19 tonight comments at tonight's meeting
1:21 may be made in person or virtually for
1:24 all who would like to speak during
1:25 public comments speak clearly and pause
1:27 frequently state your name each time
1:30 before speaking if you're attending
1:32 virtually by computer or by phone and
1:34 would like to speak during public
1:35 comments in addition to what I just
1:38 mentioned please mute your microphone
1:39 when not speaking
1:41 if you're having technical issues try
1:43 joining the meeting using a different
1:44 device such as a smartphone or a tablet
1:46 or use the call and information in the
1:48 meeting invite to call into the meeting
1:50 public comments are an important part of
1:52 the public process we take them
1:54 seriously and we Factor them into the
1:56 decisions that we make
1:58 comments may be general or related to
2:00 the topics we're discussing tonight
2:02 please note that comments are limited to
2:04 five minutes
2:05 Jared has anyone signed up to make
2:07 General Public comments
2:09 we have one person signed up to make a
2:11 general audience comment uh we have Ken
2:16 Ken go ahead
2:19 and press
2:21 okay
2:27 there okay
2:28 thank you hello my name is Ken koenigs
2:31 Mark and I'm uh representing Our Savior
2:33 Lutheran church tonight which is at 7 45
2:35 Front Street South we are one of the
2:38 requests for a rezone and we think we
2:42 hope you're all aware of our partnership
2:44 effort with the Issaquah food and
2:46 clothing bank
2:47 uh to relocate their operation from
2:50 right over here to our church property
2:54 and to provide a new and better facility
2:57 on our site we're hopeful that deal will
3:00 be sealed very soon their board is
3:03 meeting to discuss it within the next
3:05 week or two weeks and we hope to have a
3:07 decision and I would add that in a
3:11 review of their conceptual plan with
3:13 Doug yormick from the city there were no
3:16 issues identified environmental or
3:19 otherwise that would prohibit their
3:21 concept from being done
3:23 so a rezone request is based on this
3:27 partnership and in support of future
3:29 potential to do more than that to
3:32 perhaps become a house a housing a
3:35 hosting for a hub of Social Services not
3:39 just maybe the food bank but like the
3:41 together Center in Redmond a variety of
3:44 Social Services co-located on one
3:46 property
3:48 able to provide a host of services to
3:51 those most in need in our community and
3:53 the rezone would enable that it may also
3:57 be needed for the food bank project
3:59 because of the current height limit that
4:02 affects our current zoning but is
4:04 increased with a multi-family zoning
4:07 applied and as you might imagine a food
4:10 bank has high ceilings and where
4:12 Warehouse type stacking and the extra
4:17 ceiling limit may be needed
4:21 we're neither a developer or a landowner
4:24 seeking a rezone simply for purposes of
4:27 increasing the development value of our
4:29 property if anybody knows my record in
4:32 the city they would know that I am
4:34 usually on the other side of these kind
4:36 of issues but in this case for the
4:39 common good for the benefit of the city
4:41 for those most in need I do believe a
4:44 rezone is Justified and very beneficial
4:50 so we're a church seeking a rezone to
4:52 better better provide Community benefits
4:54 and needed services for those most in
4:56 need which we as a church are already
4:58 doing and we partner with the food bank
5:01 to the degree we can now in food drives
5:04 and uh
5:05 preparation for school year and so on
5:07 but a rezone would give us greater
5:10 opportunity to do much more tomorrow
5:12 this is all directly supportive of the
5:15 goals of the city's Human Services
5:18 strategic plan which does Envision
5:20 hopefully a hub of social services at
5:23 one site
5:24 hopefully close to the downtown core we
5:27 fit the bill perfectly but this can only
5:30 happen with a rezone
5:33 all these are laudable reasons for a
5:35 rezone but I want to also emphasize how
5:38 legitimate logical and practical
5:41 justifiable a rezone is simply based on
5:44 the map including included in your
5:46 pre-meeting packet
5:48 if you didn't see that it shows that our
5:51 property seeking a rezone is an isolated
5:55 island of single-family zoning
5:58 surrounded by multi-family high in the
6:01 dark brown
6:03 multi-family medium in the hash brown
6:07 it's out of place it's it abuts Ingy
6:09 Johnson Park but if you then look at
6:12 what the rezone would accomplish
6:14 it completes the picture as it should be
6:17 that should be multi-family like
6:20 everything else around 75 percent of the
6:22 property and it is in keeping with the
6:25 character and nature of the neighborhood
6:27 that already exists
6:34 we urge PPC to follow the staff
6:37 recommendation which is to approve the
6:40 rezone that will again benefit the goals
6:45 of the food bank the city and our church
6:48 to bring something that benefits the
6:50 least in our community and to help them
6:53 as much as we can in meeting their needs
6:56 as well as the goals of the city thank
6:59 you
7:01 okay thank you Jared is there anyone
7:04 else who would like to speak
7:08 just giving a second for online
7:09 listeners no one else has raised a hand
7:11 at this time okay
7:14 wait a second
7:16 and then we've been joined by chair
7:17 voice virtually so I will pass it over
7:20 to him to introduce our next item
7:23 on the agenda
7:29 and we can't we can't hear you Jason you
7:31 might be muted foreign
7:34 can you hear me now yes
7:37 thank you everybody for bearing with me
7:39 it's been so long since I've had to do
7:41 this that uh I didn't realize the event
7:44 password was anyway so I have been
7:47 fighting fighting with my Mac and I
7:49 finally got in through the back door
7:52 um thank you Vice chair I appreciate
7:54 that as you can all tell I have an
7:57 unrelenting cold which is the right
8:00 reason I am not there with you this
8:01 evening you might even be able to hear
8:03 it in my voice
8:05 um so in the interest of Everybody's
8:06 Health decided to stay home
8:10 but um I do want to thank Vice chair
8:12 Bader for for taking the torch and
8:15 running with it
8:16 um sometimes these live hybrid events
8:18 can be kind of funny
8:20 so we have moved along from public
8:22 comments so the next item on the agenda
8:24 is our regular business
8:26 it is the public hearing regarding the
8:28 proposed 2022 comprehensive plan and
8:31 zoning map amendments
8:34 tonight staff will be presenting
8:36 proposed redesignations and rezones
8:39 following each presentation PPC will be
8:42 asking clarifying questions and then the
8:44 public will have an opportunity to
8:46 comment on the proposal
8:48 and then the PPC will deliberate and
8:50 vote
8:52 before we begin the public hearing I
8:55 would like to State the fact that in the
8:57 interest of maintaining an appearance of
9:00 fairness and due to the proximity of
9:02 where I live in regards to two rezones
9:06 I will be recusing myself from the
9:08 Wildwood and the Our Savior Lutheran
9:11 Church reasons this evening I'll be
9:14 handing it over to Vice chair Bader and
9:16 in the interest of a seamless meeting
9:18 I'm going to pass it off to her for the
9:21 Newport rezone as well but I will be
9:23 participating in that vote
9:26 so having said that I will now pass it
9:28 off to Vice chair Bader
9:30 great thanks so much Jason
9:33 um and just to be clear for our
9:34 commissioners um commissioner Kennedy
9:37 you'll vote in all three votes tonight
9:39 commissioner Longoria you'll vote on the
9:42 Wildwood as well as our Savior Lutheran
9:45 Church
9:46 um rezone proposals
9:48 um once Jason recuses himself so just to
9:51 be clear what's going to happen there
9:54 okay so
9:56 um let's let's kick this off um so we'll
9:57 start with the Newport area rezone and
10:00 um Kristen go ahead with your
10:01 presentation whenever you're ready
10:12 all right good evening so I'm I'm going
10:15 to do a little background information
10:17 first before we start
10:19 the discussion of the individual rezones
10:22 because we do have some new members with
10:25 us here tonight and it's
10:27 it's just always good to do so we are
10:30 talking and I'm Kristen Leeson senior
10:31 planner with the community Planning and
10:33 Development Department
10:34 so we are talking about the 2022
10:37 proposed Conference of plan and zoning
10:39 map amendments
10:41 the purpose tonight is for we will
10:43 present and then the planning polyp we
10:45 will take public comment and then the
10:47 planning policy commission will
10:48 deliberate and provide recommendations
10:50 on the proposed amendments
10:53 our process tonight's going to be a
10:55 little bit different but not too
10:57 different than we usually do it
10:58 um just because of the different
11:01 recommendations so the way we're going
11:03 to do it we're going to present the
11:04 first proposed amendment
11:06 and then the planning policy commission
11:09 will ask any clarifying questions no
11:10 deliberation at that time just questions
11:12 on things maybe you didn't understand
11:13 then we will take
11:15 public comment
11:18 and once that is closed we will then the
11:21 planning policy commission someone needs
11:22 to make a motion someone needs to Second
11:24 once that is done you all can deliberate
11:26 and then you will vote on the first
11:27 proposed amendment and then we're going
11:29 to do it all over again for two and for
11:31 three okay
11:33 so you all may remember uh some of you
11:36 don't that back in January of 2022 we
11:40 brought a docket of proposed amendments
11:42 to you this is what lists our you know
11:44 our potential things that we're going to
11:45 look at during the year and you all make
11:47 a recommendation to the city council and
11:48 the city council makes the final
11:50 decision so these three reasons came to
11:53 us our initial recommendation was not to
11:55 do it we have Title 18 going on and
11:57 there was just a lot to do but our city
12:01 council said nope we're going to move
12:02 forward with these so here we go
12:04 and we will get into each of these in a
12:06 minute
12:07 so I want to be clear there are two
12:08 things that could potentially change
12:10 with your votes tonight one is the land
12:12 use designation map for these three
12:14 Parcels the other are the zoning
12:17 designations for these
12:20 the difference between the two is these
12:22 land use designations this isn't all of
12:24 them but the land use designations here
12:26 are sort of an umbrella and underneath
12:28 each one of these umbrellas hence the
12:30 umbrella under each one of these are
12:32 different zones so the land use
12:34 designation says these are the zones
12:36 that are going to fall in here this is
12:37 kind of the character that we want and
12:39 then the zones have the development and
12:41 design standards that are attached to
12:42 those
12:43 those get into the specifics
12:45 so there are different types of rezones
12:47 so the first one does not require a
12:49 comprehensive plan Amendment which means
12:52 that the zoning
12:54 Falls within one of these categories so
12:57 say they want to go from single family
12:58 estate to
13:00 single-family small lot those happen to
13:02 both fall into this box so that can
13:04 happen at any time during the year
13:07 the other kind the kind that you're
13:09 looking at tonight require comprehensive
13:11 plan amendments so those do not fall
13:13 within the category so those for example
13:16 maybe someone wants to Zone from
13:19 Conservancy residential to multi-family
13:22 High well those are in two different
13:23 buckets of land use designations so that
13:26 requires a comprehensive plan Amendment
13:27 at the same time they request a land use
13:29 designation change and so this can only
13:31 occur once a year which is why these are
13:33 happening at the same time
13:36 so in this case we have one property
13:38 that is the recommendation is to Move It
13:40 from
13:41 um or the request is to Move It from
13:43 Community facilities Recreation all the
13:45 way down here to multi to
13:47 Village Residential which is in
13:49 multi-family residential and then there
13:52 are two the request is to move them from
13:54 single family small lot in low density
13:56 residential down to this category
13:58 multi-family residential
14:01 there are also criteria that go with
14:02 this that we are required to look at
14:04 there are nine different criteria so
14:06 they bear a relation to public health
14:08 safety and Welfare or other community
14:10 benefit
14:12 uh have we met our growth targets and if
14:14 you know if they haven't been met then
14:16 it's that's good we can approve it
14:19 um or that's one of the things we look
14:20 at have there been changed circumstances
14:22 regarding the parcel is this property
14:25 suitable for development under the
14:26 proposed zoning
14:28 will the surrounding will it be Detroit
14:31 materially detrimental to the
14:33 surrounding properties
14:35 is it consistent with the comprehensive
14:37 plan I talked about those learning
14:38 designations or does is it in the
14:41 concurrent process of
14:43 getting a change or requesting a change
14:44 like these are does it comply with all
14:47 this applicable city codes and
14:49 regulations are there or can there be
14:51 adequate public facilities provided on
14:53 the site and are there potentially
14:55 probable adverse environmental impacts
14:57 and if so can they be mitigated or are
14:59 they acceptable
15:02 I put this in here because it came up
15:04 last time you all asked about growth
15:06 targets and so as I mentioned one of the
15:08 criteria is can it be approved it can be
15:11 approved if the growth management act
15:13 GMA housing growth targets have not been
15:15 met
15:16 so our 2019 to 2044 housing growth
15:20 targets is 3500 new units and I promised
15:23 new members that at some point we will
15:25 get into all of what this means but
15:26 don't start to trust me for now it's
15:28 very there's a lot to it
15:30 um but we are required to accommodate
15:32 3500 new units we actually have the
15:35 capacity for 12 159 new units so while
15:39 we have not met yet we have not built 3
15:42 500 new units we do have the capacity to
15:44 do it so you know we don't need to up
15:47 Zone to allow for more housing
15:51 so another thing that we looked at is
15:53 hot that we look at as highest and best
15:55 use so we look at all uses that are
15:57 permitted within the proposed Zone these
16:00 are not tonight's these are just a
16:01 sample for you all to look at it was for
16:03 me three years ago but we looked at the
16:05 mixed use and what was allowed there and
16:07 then at the urban core use and what
16:09 additional uses might be allowed in
16:11 there
16:11 we also look at development standards so
16:14 how tall can the building be what's the
16:17 impervious surface on a site under the
16:18 existing zoning and how would that
16:20 change under the proposed zoning
16:22 any questions so far
16:27 good because I'm moving on so we're
16:30 going to start talking about the Newport
16:31 area and so this one you can kind of
16:34 throw a lot of what I just said out the
16:35 window because it doesn't apply to this
16:37 one so this is a technical change
16:40 so I've explained it what I I will
16:43 explain this again just um so last year
16:46 we reason we were asked to rezone this
16:49 parcel that ends in it ended in the last
16:52 three numbers one zero seven
16:54 and when we went onto the map and pulled
16:57 it up this is what showed up as parcel
16:58 107. so it we sent the personal number
17:03 and the picture to city council it was
17:05 approved it was rezoned from a Village
17:07 Residential to
17:10 Community facilities and what happened
17:12 was why we had it in the first place was
17:14 that when Anthology developed they were
17:16 required to give us Parkland or space
17:17 for Parkland they did that we looked at
17:20 this piece what happens was
17:22 um we looked at this piece and said oh
17:24 we don't need it it's not beneficial for
17:27 us it's being used for utilities storm
17:28 water and
17:30 um and it's going to be an entrance to
17:32 Anthology well we didn't know
17:35 was that this had been decided back in
17:38 2019 and this little portion right here
17:41 with the dot around it it was actually
17:44 there was a lot line adjustment and it
17:46 was placed back into this big parcel
17:48 right here
17:50 so is that this one is actually a part
17:52 of this one but we didn't know that when
17:53 the reason took place so it never should
17:54 have been rezoned and it needs to go
17:56 back to Village Residential to match the
17:59 rest of the parcel
18:01 so here's what it looks like today
18:03 right there
18:05 and this is what it looks like from the
18:07 ground and as I mentioned the current
18:09 use the utility storm water Vault and an
18:11 entrance to Anthology and this won't
18:13 change because they need the storm water
18:15 Vault there and the utilities
18:18 so our recommendation is to approve the
18:21 land use and Zoning designation changes
18:23 for this property from Community
18:24 facilities to multi-family residential
18:27 and from Community facilities Recreation
18:29 to Village Residential
18:31 yeah so now we are going to let's see if
18:34 you all have any questions
18:38 [Music]
18:43 for our virtual Commissioners any
18:45 questions
18:51 okay
18:52 looks like no questions okay
18:54 and so
18:57 I should open the public comment right
18:58 yes okay
19:00 um so I will open the floor um for
19:02 public comment at 6 53 pm
19:05 please remember that each person has
19:07 five minutes to speak if we have anyone
19:08 signed up um so Jared has anyone signed
19:11 up to speak
19:12 yes we have several uh first we have
19:14 Brad
19:15 book who is online I believe
19:22 he's written first on the side yes okay
19:26 hmm
19:27 I just know that he is here to speak on
19:29 a different topic okay so and I have a
19:32 feeling that most of them are but you
19:34 can ask I'm not positive about that once
19:36 you okay is there anybody online that
19:38 would like to make a public comment at
19:40 this time if so raise your hand I'll
19:41 give you a few seconds
19:48 no one has indicated that they would
19:49 like to speak online
19:51 great and just to clarify we'll have
19:52 public comment after each for each
19:55 proposed rezone so
19:57 and we'll come back to the list
20:00 okay um so it sounds like um no public
20:03 comments so I'll close the public
20:04 comment portion of this public hearing
20:06 at 6 54 pm
20:09 and in order to begin deliberations on
20:12 this topic someone must first make a
20:13 motion and it must be seconded
20:15 so PPC would anyone like to make a
20:17 motion chair I would like to make a
20:19 motion to approve the findings of fact
20:21 and our packet for amendment number one
20:25 a second thank you Nina so the motion is
20:29 to approve the findings of fact for
20:31 Amendment or
20:33 yeah I'm just saying I need to read it
20:36 following my script here
20:38 um but anyone like the comments um on
20:40 the motion
20:43 virtual Commissioners any comments
20:47 okay so if no one would like to comment
20:50 then we'll take a vote
20:51 um so the motion on the floor is
20:57 go next week
21:00 motion is to adopt the findings of fact
21:02 for amendment number one
21:04 so the motion on the floor is to adopt
21:06 the finding of facts for amendment
21:08 number one excuse me may I expand a bit
21:10 on that and that's to rezone
21:13 um parcel to zero two four zero six nine
21:16 one one nine
21:18 um from commercial Community facilities
21:20 to multi-family residential and a rezone
21:23 from Community facilities Recreation to
21:26 Village Residential
21:28 long as I don't have to repeat that we
21:31 are we are good
21:33 so um all in favor of the motion to
21:36 recommend please raise your hand
21:39 okay so we have five in the room I see
21:42 um commissioner voice has his hand
21:43 raised as well so that's one two three
21:45 two three six in room seven so that's
21:47 seven
21:50 yays any all opposed yeah but yay so I'm
21:54 assuming no
21:55 um so the motion passes with a vote of
21:57 seven to zero
21:59 so I will now um ask uh chair voice to
22:02 step away
22:03 um and so staff will make him an
22:05 attendee and we'll move ahead with the
22:06 public hearing on the Wildwood
22:09 proposal and so commissioner Longoria
22:11 since
22:13 you are our kind of alternate tonight
22:15 you'll be serving as a voting member as
22:17 I mentioned before in the next two items
22:20 so we'll move on to the Wildwood rezone
22:22 and again Kristen go ahead with your
22:25 presentation
22:26 hi I'm handing this one over to Valerie
22:29 Porter all right thanks Valerie
22:31 hello my name is Valerie Porter I'm
22:33 associate planner with the community
22:34 Planning and Development Department so
22:37 the next free zone we'll be discussing
22:38 is the parcel located on Wildwood
22:40 Boulevard
22:42 this parcel is a vacant and it's located
22:45 within the squawk Mountain sub area in
22:47 it it's about four acres inside
22:49 next slide please
22:53 so the applicant is requesting the
22:55 parcels land use designation be changed
22:57 from low desert low density residential
23:00 to multi-family residential and the
23:02 zoning from single family small lot to
23:05 multi-family medium
23:07 as you can see from the maps the single
23:09 family development is located on the
23:11 East and the west side of the parcel
23:12 while the development to the South is
23:15 multi-family so changing the zoning to
23:18 multi-family would extend multi-family
23:20 development into the single-family
23:22 neighborhoods
23:23 slide
23:26 so the image on the left shows the
23:29 entire parcel which is divided by one
23:31 single family lot the two images on the
23:34 right show the close proximity of squawk
23:36 Mountain axis Trail which runs parallel
23:38 along the west side of the site which is
23:42 the walkway in the pictures and this
23:45 image also shows that the site is
23:46 heavily vegetated
23:48 next slide
23:51 so this slide shows the uses that are
23:54 allowed in the single family small lot
23:56 zones
23:57 should the parcel be rezoned to
23:59 multi-family medium the list on the
24:02 bottom of the slide would be allowed in
24:04 addition to the list above so some of
24:06 the new users would include a high
24:08 school a library a Triplex housing and
24:12 an apartment
24:14 next slide
24:16 so this slide shows the proposed
24:19 District standards and the existing so
24:22 if you're looking at the chart you can
24:24 see that the district standards are
24:26 pretty much the same but the main
24:28 difference is the maximum density that's
24:31 allowed on the parcel and the minimum
24:33 lot size
24:35 next slide
24:37 so next I'm going to discuss the
24:39 environmental constraints impacting this
24:41 site so according to City GIS and not a
24:45 certain on-site survey approximately 80
24:47 of the site is encumbered by critical
24:49 areas and their Associated buffers City
24:52 Records show over half of the site being
24:54 impacted by steep slopes and Associated
24:56 buffers which is the image on the left
24:59 so all steep slopes have a 50-foot
25:03 buffer unless a Geotech report has been
25:05 provided demonstrating that the buffer
25:07 can be reduced this information
25:09 typically is confirmed with development
25:12 should development occur on the site so
25:15 the applicant would be required to
25:17 provide a site survey in a geotechnical
25:19 report with for the city to review
25:22 the image on the right oh the image on
25:26 the right shows the location of two
25:29 streams impacting the site the first
25:31 stream which runs east and west on the
25:33 site is a class 3 stream with the
25:35 50-foot buffer and the second stream
25:37 which is Issaquah Creek is located off
25:40 site along the east side of the site and
25:43 has been classified as a class one
25:45 stream with a 100 foot buffer it's also
25:49 worth noting that
25:50 all of these critical areas have a 15
25:52 foot building setback line that's
25:55 starting from the edge of the buffer so
25:58 should direct development occur it could
26:00 not occur within 150 feet 15 feet of the
26:04 ordinary high water mark of Issaquah
26:07 Creek
26:08 next slide
26:11 so Issaquah Creek is one of three
26:13 streams regulated by the shoreline
26:15 master program and due to the site's
26:17 location to Issaquah Creek portions of
26:19 the site are regulated by the shoreline
26:21 master program and has been classified
26:23 as Issaquah Creek Urban Conservancy
26:26 environmental area in this particular
26:29 environmental area single-family
26:31 development cannot be constructed within
26:34 100 feet of the Issaquah Creek's
26:36 ordinary high water mark and
26:38 multi-family development cannot be
26:40 constructed within 200 feet of
26:43 issaquah's ordinary high water mark so
26:46 the image on the left shows the 200 foot
26:49 buffer from the center of Issaquah Creek
26:52 and the image on the right shows all
26:55 critical area constraints impacting the
26:58 site
26:58 the area in green is considered
27:00 developable developable area and then
27:03 the area in Gray is undevelopable air
27:06 area so if you're looking at the image
27:08 you can see that the developable area is
27:10 limited but this is just an estimate
27:13 next slide please
27:16 during the September 29th meeting a few
27:19 questions were raised one question was
27:21 about the discrepancy in the staff
27:22 report which has been revised so just to
27:25 be clear commercial uses are allowed or
27:28 not allowed within 100 feet of the
27:30 Issaquah Creek and multi-family
27:33 development
27:34 are not allowed within 200 feet of
27:37 Issaquah Creek
27:38 the second question was regarding the
27:40 shoreline master program and whether or
27:43 not there was some flexibility in some
27:45 of the requirements an applicant can
27:48 apply for a variance with the city but
27:51 the final decision is actually made by
27:53 the department of ecology
27:55 and the third question had to do with
27:57 health and safety so there was a
28:00 question and this rezone request does
28:04 not hinder public health safety welfare
28:06 or Community benefits but any
28:09 development proposed on site must comply
28:11 with all applicable public health and
28:14 safety standards
28:16 next slide
28:18 so after reviewing everything staff will
28:22 not be recommending approval for the
28:24 land use and Zoning designation changes
28:26 here because the site does not meet all
28:28 the approval criteria specifically
28:30 number two and number four which are
28:33 listed in the staff report the proposed
28:35 rezone does not provide a public health
28:37 safety welfare or other community
28:39 benefit and no circumstance on this site
28:43 has changed and it's not appropriate for
28:45 reasonable development due to the
28:46 Shoreline master program requirements
28:49 also many of the parcels surrounding the
28:52 site are single family lots
28:54 so changing the site to multi-family
28:56 would not be compatible with surrounding
28:57 uses and then also due to the
29:00 environmental constraints impacting the
29:01 parcel the parcel is not appropriate for
29:03 multi-family development
29:06 next slide
29:09 um so before we take questions I just
29:10 want to point out
29:12 um that the commission has received
29:14 several comments received via email and
29:18 there is also a petition just recently
29:20 sent just a few minutes before the
29:23 meeting that I believe we'll be sharing
29:24 with you guys
29:26 um and that concludes my presentation
29:34 thanks Valerie
29:35 um I think we have kind of a general
29:37 question here about um what the petition
29:39 is about
29:42 the petition was from a Community member
29:45 who um is against rezoning the Wildwood
29:48 Boulevard site and it looks like
29:56 it's a two-page petition from residents
30:00 within the neighborhood
30:04 thank you
30:06 Commissioners any clarifying questions
30:10 hey Valerie Joy here I am I'm a little
30:13 stuck on the petition right now maybe
30:14 you can help me out
30:16 um without seeing what you're talking
30:18 about in front of me isn't that third
30:19 party hearsay we're able to take
30:21 comments from people individually I
30:23 guess it's more of a point of order but
30:25 to have someone collect the opinions of
30:27 other community members and then
30:28 represent them
30:30 is uh is a different format
30:35 I'm going to defer to someone in in the
30:38 in the chambers Kristin or Minnie we
30:40 have so we've received many comments I'm
30:42 so grateful for the community
30:43 involvement that we've had in this
30:45 process we've certainly read the emails
30:46 that we've gotten but a petition uh
30:49 represented by one member representing
30:51 multiple people is what could be
30:54 considered
30:55 would not be something we would consider
30:57 other than the one member would say I I
30:59 have the opinions of others but to
31:01 present it as a formal petition I don't
31:02 think that
31:05 um so for the record this is mini dolly
31:06 world Community planning and development
31:08 director I think what Valerie is
31:09 referring to is an email that was sent
31:11 out to all the planning and policy
31:13 Commission
31:14 members and there are signatures in the
31:18 petition from all the property owners
31:20 that are objecting to the rezone so it
31:22 is part of the record for you to
31:24 consider
31:25 um and you know we're happy to bring it
31:28 up on the screen if you'd like to see
31:30 the actual email since it just came in
31:33 before your meeting so I don't know how
31:35 many of you actually had a chance to
31:37 practice so if yeah Valerie can you do
31:40 you have those remain to us have more
31:43 details
31:56 hmm
32:00 it's booty
32:05 oh did you print it out
32:08 I've got it right here I can share it
32:09 real quick thank you oh perfect yeah
32:16 [Music]
32:37 there we go that's the end of it
32:44 so they're about 17 names on here well
32:48 17 addresses
32:51 oh yeah
32:52 and I could show you the email as well
33:03 stop sharing one second
33:06 oh command do you mind if I just read
33:07 you the email okay thank you uh dear PPC
33:10 and council members and this came in at
33:11 5 53 today
33:13 uh drppc and council members several
33:16 residents on Ridgewood Circle and
33:17 wildwood Boulevard Boulevard got
33:19 together to sign a petition against
33:21 rezoning of Wildwood Boulevard
33:24 we feel strongly that this should be an
33:25 un that this would be an unwise move
33:27 given the amount of land and previous
33:29 erosion we hope that you factor our
33:31 petition into your discussion on this
33:33 matter happy to email or deliver
33:35 petition if you need it
33:38 signed Dr Martina dove
33:43 thank you that is very helpful
33:47 I have a question for Valerie or for
33:50 Kristen and it's about our findings of
33:51 fact tonight Pam looking at page 77 of
33:54 83 and we have a statement of whereas
33:57 environmental review was done on the
33:58 proposed amendment and a determination
34:00 of non-significance for a non-project
34:02 action was issued on September 30th of
34:05 2022 for this amendment the comment
34:08 period for this decision ended on
34:09 October 13th of 2022 and the appeal
34:11 period ends on October 28th of 2022. I
34:15 was hoping that you could go over a
34:17 little bit about the language of that
34:18 and how it pertains to the two
34:20 amendments we have in front of us the
34:21 three amendments you have in front of
34:23 you well we've already voted on yes okay
34:24 we have two more in front of us um
34:27 I are you so are you asking about the
34:30 environmental checklist are you lost
34:31 about asking about findings effect I'm
34:32 asking about findings of fact okay so
34:34 findings a fact lists
34:38 it's a record of what's been done and it
34:40 is eventually sent to the city council
34:42 so in the findings of fact we always
34:44 send the city count or the planning
34:46 policy commission a draft
34:47 and then it is amended as necessary or
34:50 if it's perfect then it gets signed but
34:52 it states that we that we had a draft
34:56 docket PPC heard it Council heard it
34:58 Council took action we Then followed up
35:01 we did our research we sent the
35:04 information to Department of Commerce
35:06 State Department of Commerce we notified
35:08 Property Owners with 300 fee we
35:09 advertised it in the paper we held a
35:11 public we presented it to PPC for
35:13 discussion we it just does everything
35:15 um held a public hearing Senate to
35:17 council or that we're sending to council
35:19 and then based on all the information in
35:21 the staff reports and what we have found
35:22 these are the planning policy
35:24 commission's recommendations that get
35:26 signed and it goes to council
35:28 so does that help yes thank you yeah I
35:32 think it's important to point out uh the
35:34 thoroughness that's been going on and so
35:36 I think sometimes some of these wordings
35:37 need to be pointed out a little bit to
35:39 help us remember everything that goes
35:40 into some simple wording okay
35:45 any other clarifying questions
35:48 any questions
35:49 very virtual
35:52 I've won
35:54 um statement regarding the
35:57 um the document where you received at 5
35:59 53 PM is there a protocol on how many
36:03 names we would have to receive on one of
36:05 those documents
36:09 or just for consideration it's just for
36:11 consideration I think if you're trying
36:13 to turn it into a bill or some kind of a
36:14 law then yes there has to be a certain
36:16 number but for this it's just a
36:17 representation
36:26 clarifying questions
36:28 okay so hearing none and we'll now move
36:30 into public comment
36:32 um and so I will open the floor for
36:34 public comments at 7 10. P.M
36:38 please remember that each person has
36:39 five minutes to speak
36:41 and so Jared has anyone from the public
36:43 signed up to speak on the Wildwood
36:45 proposal
36:46 yes we do we have several in room and
36:49 several online so would it be possible
36:51 if we could get a show of hands within
36:52 the room and online uh who would like to
36:55 talk about Wildwoods tonight
37:02 first
37:04 sure
37:06 please state your name
37:09 can you hear me yeah I live at 385 Front
37:12 Street and we have some concerns about
37:14 the Wildwood project and that is there's
37:16 there's two year-round streams I heard
37:18 her mention there's one but there's
37:20 there's two that come down off the
37:21 Hillside and there's a mine shaft below
37:24 the subject property uh their surface
37:27 water runoff that we've seen
37:29 every year and there's limited uh site
37:32 retention possibility for the the
37:35 surface water runoff uh we're concerned
37:38 the impervious surface of multi-family
37:40 will create more of a problem for the
37:42 river below
37:44 there is a steep slope uh we've seen
37:47 landslides on the property and we're
37:50 just not sure that's a great piece of
37:52 property to be developed in multi-family
37:54 because you're adding to the the density
37:56 of construction on a piece that already
37:58 is very fragile environmentally
38:01 thank you
38:12 alrighty we have two people online we
38:15 have David toyer who indicated he would
38:17 like to speak and we also have uh Peter
38:21 condyle so Peter I am going to make you
38:24 a panelist
38:27 um just make sure to
38:30 lower your hand when you're done and you
38:32 should see the option to unmute when I
38:34 make you a panelist
38:39 alrighty go ahead
38:41 can you hear me
38:42 yes we can okay perfect my name is for
38:45 the record my name is Peter condolius
38:46 with Tori strategic advisors we
38:48 represent the applicant
38:50 um I I sent a letter into the the
38:52 commission earlier this week so I don't
38:54 want to go over all that in the interest
38:56 of time but I did want to just go over a
38:58 few key points before you make your
39:00 decision this evening the the slide that
39:03 Valerie showed with the the little green
39:05 boxes that shows the portion of the site
39:08 that's usable is really important here
39:10 because
39:12 it's not like there's going to be a
39:13 bunch of development all over the site
39:15 it's really just a small portion of the
39:17 site that's actually developable and
39:19 that they'll be actually be seen any
39:20 difference it's far away from any slopes
39:22 it's far away from the stream
39:23 and it's further down the road from the
39:26 the single family closer to the the
39:28 portion of Wildwood that is already Zone
39:30 multi-family so it's not like there's
39:32 going to be major apartment complexes up
39:34 and down this Corridor it's really just
39:36 a corner of this property
39:39 um and then you know there's there was a
39:42 question in the last meeting promote
39:44 other Commissioners I don't remember
39:45 which which one it was about the the
39:47 flexibility of the rezone gives and
39:49 that's I think the the key reason that
39:52 the owner is Seeking a rezone it just
39:55 gives more flexibility what can be done
39:56 with the site the type of housing that
39:58 can be put there just because the single
40:00 family zoning puts kind of limitations
40:02 on there and and
40:04 um he would like to have a little bit
40:05 more flexibility with that respect and
40:08 then finally that you know there was a
40:09 few comments last meeting about this
40:12 proposal's
40:13 um connection to the central Issaquah
40:15 plan and how it relates to that and I
40:18 think that it needs it it Bears
40:20 repeating as I said in my letter though
40:21 that that any development that were to
40:23 take place on the Wildwood site would
40:25 not hinder development in the central
40:27 Issaquah area
40:28 um housing is housing and housing more
40:31 housing is a good thing
40:32 um especially you know multi-family
40:33 housing that creates a diversity of
40:36 housing you know for people that are
40:38 maybe just getting into the market or
40:39 lower income
40:41 um so these two areas can work in
40:43 concert with each other to create a more
40:46 diverse housing stock in issaquan I
40:47 think that that both at the end of the
40:49 day would be would be helpful for the
40:50 city so that's all I have for this
40:52 evening thank you
41:00 next we have Brad book I'm going to make
41:04 you a panelist now please
41:07 um lower a hand once you're done
41:08 speaking and then uh I will let you know
41:11 when you can go ahead and start
41:16 you're in our panelist
41:24 uh good evening Commissioners thank you
41:26 for taking the time to hear us out on
41:29 this
41:29 uh my name is Brad book I reside on
41:33 Ridgewood Circle
41:35 and I've been living on squawk mountain
41:38 now for just over 38 years
41:41 I'm here to oppose the rezone of
41:44 Wildwood Boulevard
41:46 uh and just for further transparency
41:50 I want to make it clear that I am not
41:54 here
41:55 um representing the park board however I
41:58 have been a member of the park board now
42:00 for over 10 years which gives me
42:03 um a different perspective on our land
42:05 use Management in the city
42:09 really one of the main things you know I
42:11 really probably could make this a lot
42:13 briefer because it doesn't look like the
42:15 city is actually
42:17 recommending this from what Valerie said
42:20 but I'll still make a few comments
42:25 the Issaquah has been evolving over the
42:27 years to provide different types of
42:30 diversity of housing and essentially we
42:33 have five different zones
42:35 Old Town squawk Mountain are the older
42:37 zones
42:38 and have
42:41 predominantly been
42:43 single-family housing for a long time
42:46 more recently we have kallus and high in
42:50 the highlands which have created more
42:53 diversity
42:55 and more multi-family housing and and
43:00 also the central Issaquah plan was
43:01 essentially developed to allow further
43:03 development and growth in Issaquah and
43:06 primarily is going to be set up for
43:09 higher density family of multi-family
43:12 housing
43:13 I think the main thing that I would want
43:15 to say about neighborhood character is
43:17 that we that there's an importance to
43:19 preserve the character that is within
43:22 each Zone and I think by adding
43:25 multi-family housing on squat Mountain
43:28 uh would deplete its um uh advantage to
43:32 the city
43:33 and certainly it's character within the
43:36 neighborhood
43:38 um there is some multi-family housing in
43:41 the area just south of this Raleigh
43:43 which has been there for decades and
43:46 kalkari which also been there for a long
43:48 time and it's currently developing
43:50 further the key thing there is that both
43:53 of those developments are tucked away
43:56 far off for the most part off of
43:58 Wildwood Boulevard and not noticeable as
44:01 you come up the city road
44:04 Wildwood Boulevard is one of the main
44:07 entry points into the squawk Mountain
44:09 area and I think it would be a frankly
44:12 an eyesore to actually have multi-family
44:15 housing at one of the entry points to
44:18 squawk Mountain
44:22 this is a Gateway area quite frankly in
44:26 the squawk Mountain
44:27 both for the squawk Mountain residents
44:30 as well as the squad Mountain Trail and
44:34 so higher density housing along those
44:38 two areas just does not seem to be very
44:40 suitable
44:42 you know I think one of the most
44:43 important factors is capacity
44:47 Center Issaquah essentially was designed
44:50 for more multi-family housing and it
44:53 doesn't seem like there's been as much
44:54 effort or emphasis to make that occur
44:58 and I think if we start um
45:01 uh changing zoning into areas that are
45:06 already single family housing we're
45:08 never going to get to a point of
45:09 actually developing Center Issaquah like
45:12 it was intended so I think that the
45:16 capacity shows that there's plenty of
45:18 opportunity for developers to put in
45:20 multi-family housing in the valley floor
45:24 without penetrating into single-family
45:27 housing areas like squawk Mountain
45:29 sorry even stated there are certainly
45:31 some environmental issues here this
45:33 entire property is adjacent to Issaquah
45:35 Creek there has been a prior Landslide
45:39 significantly on this property back in
45:41 1989
45:42 I think that increasing to higher
45:46 density is is very challenging in this
45:49 area
45:51 probably one of the last things I like
45:53 to mention is the park strategic plan
45:55 that was adopted in 2018.
45:58 part of that plan was to preserve
46:03 forested hillsides and our waterways Mr
46:06 book dealer of five minutes has expired
46:11 okay and one additional item that's
46:15 already in the in the part of Master
46:18 planning is a creek Corridor and part of
46:20 the green necklace
46:23 um it was the Greek corridors intended
46:25 to have a trail system that runs from
46:28 squawk Valley Park all the way to Lake
46:30 Savannah State Park and any multi-family
46:33 housing entered close to the Issaquah
46:35 creature Creek Corridor would certainly
46:37 be adverse to that intention
46:39 I hereby requests that the PPC not
46:44 accept a rezone of this area thank you
46:47 very much
46:51 perfect next we have
46:53 iluyana maranov I will make you a
46:57 panelist
46:58 um just remember you may lower your hand
47:00 when you're finished speaking and you
47:02 also may turn on your video if you would
47:03 like
47:08 alrighty go ahead
47:11 um my name is Juliana marinov I live at
47:14 185 Southwest Hepler Lane I've been here
47:17 for 16 years I have I'm here to to
47:22 oppose the rezoning of the wild world
47:25 Boulevard I have three main reasons and
47:28 I'll go fast
47:29 I have three young daughters that walk
47:33 run and ride their bikes up and down
47:36 this path along along the side of the
47:39 road on Wildwood Boulevard and I'm
47:42 concerned that developing that will will
47:46 impact my family
47:49 I also see a lot of wildlife that goes
47:52 up and down Hepler Lane uh two words
47:55 Wildwood Boulevard and crosses the
47:57 street to reach the stream and
48:01 um there's Bears there's deer there's
48:03 there's a lot of wildlife that passes
48:06 through that zone and I'm concerned that
48:09 developing it further would prevent them
48:11 from reaching the food and the water
48:15 they need and then the third reason is
48:17 that the road the Wildwood Road is is
48:19 small and so I'm concerned about
48:22 increased traffic that's all thank you
48:27 next we have David toyer I will make you
48:30 a panelist and you should see the option
48:32 to unmute and I will let you know when
48:34 you can go ahead and speak
48:39 alrighty go ahead
48:42 yes thank you very much David toyer with
48:44 toys strategic advisors I also work with
48:47 the applicant for the Wildwood rezone
48:50 and wanted to address a couple of items
48:52 here this evening in addition to what my
48:54 colleague Peter condelius covered
48:56 earlier the first of it is that
48:58 regardless of zoning on this site the
49:00 development area of the site is the
49:02 development area so when it develops in
49:05 the future whether it develops into the
49:07 existing zone or the future Zone what
49:09 part of that site will be developable is
49:12 the part that's developable the zoning
49:13 that's applied does not change that
49:16 additionally I know there's been a
49:18 number of concerns that have been raised
49:20 here this evening about things like
49:22 landslides or critical areas and those
49:26 sorts of things all of those particular
49:28 items are items that are reviewed during
49:31 the development review process and
49:33 they're backed up with studies and
49:35 Analysis that's performed by the
49:36 applicant and reviewed by technical
49:38 professionals either at the city or that
49:40 the city retains and so those things are
49:43 always questions regardless of
49:45 development whether it's this side or a
49:47 different site and those things get
49:49 addressed to the development review
49:50 process not through the rezoning process
49:52 I think the other two things that are
49:54 really critical in my mind is I do not
49:58 agree with uh staffs
50:02 theft findings and specifically in
50:05 criteria two and criteria four the
50:09 criteria two addresses whether it Bears
50:11 the substantial relationship to the
50:12 public health safety and Welfare or
50:15 other community benefit I think there's
50:17 a number of community benefits one
50:18 housing we have a substantial housing
50:22 shortfall throughout the entire region
50:24 and we're talking about hundreds of
50:26 thousands of units and having a dramatic
50:30 amount of diversity is really key and
50:32 important to this and multi-family
50:34 housing that would develop at this site
50:36 will be distinctly different from the
50:38 type of multi-family housing that would
50:40 develop in the central Issaquah plan and
50:42 they're not competition with each other
50:44 additionally this presents an
50:47 opportunity at this site to locate some
50:49 additional housing units close to some
50:52 existing trails close to existing
50:54 Transit very close walking distance to a
50:57 number of your small businesses in that
50:58 particular portion of your community
51:00 that I'm sure would love to have some
51:02 more people willing to walk down and
51:04 spend money in their stores and their
51:06 restaurants and Etc and also the fact
51:09 that you would redevelop this site with
51:11 additional housing units takes some of
51:13 the pressure off of other development
51:14 sites and potential for displacement of
51:16 folks that are in more affordable
51:18 housing
51:19 um as far as change circumstances go one
51:21 of the biggest changes is that there's
51:23 been no change at all we still have a
51:25 housing deficit throughout the region
51:27 and we're trying to address that and so
51:29 we don't start making actual changes to
51:32 zoning policies and Zoning designations
51:34 we're not going to be able to actually
51:36 address the problem that we've gotten
51:38 ourselves into as a region it's not just
51:40 an Issaquah problem it's an everywhere
51:41 problem uh in a
51:44 proving this rezone gets us closer to
51:47 solving some of those challenges the
51:49 other thing that um we submitted an
51:51 exhibit with our original application I
51:54 believe we resubmitted it in one of our
51:56 recent comment letters as well there are
51:58 11 other multi-family housing
52:00 developments that are within the
52:01 immediate facility of this site and this
52:04 site abuts other zones of the same
52:07 nature of what we're asking to go to it
52:10 is not abnormal for the area it's not
52:12 inconsistent with what is already in
52:15 that area
52:17 um again
52:18 I just want to emphasize that uh because
52:22 it's been brought up regarding tree
52:23 canopy and a variety of other things uh
52:26 the developable portion of this site is
52:28 developable and regardless of what the
52:30 zoning is that developable area of the
52:33 site is not going to change it's how
52:36 well we maximize the efficiency of the
52:38 development that goes there and creating
52:40 housing units that could contribute to
52:43 the diversity of unit types that are
52:45 needed in Issaquah and throughout the
52:47 region and we really hope that you'll
52:49 see the bigger broader picture on this
52:50 and understand that this is a key part
52:53 of supporting your community and we
52:56 outlined in another one of our reset
52:58 letters consistency with the mobility
53:00 master plan and a variety of other
53:02 planning efforts that the city has gone
53:04 through this rezone really works in
53:07 concert with all of that and it should
53:09 not be viewed as competition against
53:11 other development opportunities in the
53:13 City of Issaquah so thank you for your
53:15 time and I'm happy to answer any
53:16 questions
53:19 alrighty that was the last individual
53:21 online who indicated that they would
53:23 like to speak at this time
53:25 so I'll do one final call if there's
53:28 anyone else who would like to speak um
53:30 if so please raise your hand
53:33 um in the room seeing none um if
53:34 attending virtually you can erase your
53:36 virtual hand or let us know through the
53:38 chat
53:40 you get any takers
53:44 we have no takers okay
53:47 um so if there are no more public
53:49 comments I will close the public comment
53:51 portion of the public hearing at 7 28 pm
53:55 so it's now time for us to deliberate
53:57 um on this and so in order to begin
53:59 deliberations on this topic someone must
54:01 first make a motion and it must be
54:03 seconded
54:04 um PPC anyone like to make a motion
54:13 um so I may interpret before emotion is
54:15 made
54:17 yeah go ahead
54:19 um I just want to bring the
54:20 commissioner's attention to the agenda
54:24 packet
54:25 um page 12 that actually has stats
54:30 recommendation and I just want to be
54:32 clear that it's a number four criteria
54:37 that doesn't meet um
54:39 um that this project doesn't need
54:43 and I think that will help with the
54:44 motion as well
54:47 thanks Valerie
55:01 we have emotion or is a motion being
55:03 prepared
55:11 but I'm gonna make the same motion I'm
55:14 gonna make uh because I'm gonna make
55:16 Kristen actually say all of my fancy
55:18 parcel numbers for me uh for our
55:21 esteemed court reporter who does such an
55:23 excellent job I'm going to make a motion
55:25 to approve the findings of fact for
55:28 amendment number two regarding the land
55:30 use map and zoning map of the Wildwood
55:32 parcel
55:34 and then I can go ahead and read off
55:35 that it's three three two four zero six
55:38 nine one two one
55:43 so then the recommendation would be to
55:45 not approve the redesignation
55:47 redesignation rezone of personal number
55:50 three three two four zero six nine one
55:52 two one
55:53 um the land use designation from
55:55 multi-family uh from
55:57 low density residential to multi-family
55:59 residential and
56:01 the um excuse me zoning I'm doing this
56:04 off top of my head uh the zoning
56:06 designation from single family small lot
56:08 to multi-family medium
56:11 foreign
56:17 ERS Lewis and Milligan
56:20 um and so we have a motion on the floor
56:23 um would anyone like the comment
56:29 okay thank you
56:33 uh I have seconded the motion indicating
56:36 perhaps that I agree with the
56:39 recommendation from staff to not approve
56:41 this um
56:44 rezone and I'm trying to find my notes
56:47 in here because you made me go to page
56:48 12 when I was on page 24.
56:52 and that you know I really appreciate
56:54 all the comments that were made and the
56:57 information that was provided uh but
57:00 there's uh this is a site-specific
57:02 rezone and we have very specific
57:03 criteria by which we can make a
57:07 determination and the staff has pointed
57:09 out number two and number four which I
57:12 tend to agree with them but I would also
57:14 like to add that growth controls number
57:16 three make this so that it does not
57:20 comply with the criteria to say that we
57:23 have not met our housing targets that
57:25 are yet over 20 years in advance is um
57:28 is irrelevant to this the capacity for
57:32 us to meet our housing targets is four
57:36 times as much as what is required and
57:37 it's all in the centralized plan so I
57:39 would just add for consideration that
57:42 number three as well as number two and
57:44 four make it so that we are not able to
57:49 approve because the approval criteria
57:51 requires and let me read from the packet
57:55 a Zone request shall be granted only if
57:59 all the following approval criteria are
58:01 met
58:03 thank you
58:07 thanks commissioner Milligan any other
58:10 comment
58:16 I think that was very well stated I I
58:19 also agree with the opinion of staff for
58:22 this particular rezone and I don't find
58:24 that it meets the criteria that we that
58:26 we apply to this I what I would
58:28 encourage the applicant to do is to
58:30 think about
58:31 um if Council should agree with that our
58:33 recommendations whatever that be the
58:35 applicant think of different ways to go
58:37 about this parcel
58:39 um lot line adjustments being able to
58:42 put a piece of the property into
58:43 conservation there's a lot of different
58:45 ways that they can still achieve their
58:48 goals be a part of the community and be
58:50 able to be working together and I think
58:52 that this parcel for this applicant
58:55 application just does not meet our
58:57 criteria in particular but that doesn't
58:59 mean that there isn't more to be done to
59:02 be able to have a productive use of this
59:03 parcel
59:05 thank you
59:06 and I would add as well based on our
59:09 growth plan in the city and to focus
59:12 more on Central Issaquah as well for
59:15 that growth I'm sure the area can still
59:19 be developed to a certain extent within
59:21 its current land use and rezone as well
59:31 may I quickly interrupt and just clarify
59:35 that the site does meet number two it
59:38 just doesn't meet number four
59:42 thanks Valerie
59:55 another last call for
59:58 commissioner Clements I just want to
1:00:00 thank Valerie for pointing that out yeah
1:00:06 Okay so
1:00:08 hearing none
1:00:09 um if no one else would like to comment
1:00:11 then we'll take a vote
1:00:12 um and send the motion on the floor and
1:00:15 I'll ask um those to correct me if I get
1:00:16 anything wrong here I'm going to kind of
1:00:18 abbreviate all of that as to approve the
1:00:21 findings of fact for proposal number two
1:00:23 which is to not approve the rezone
1:00:27 um as stated in our packets for the the
1:00:29 what we're calling the Wildwood parcel
1:00:32 okay so um all in favor of that motion
1:00:36 um please raise your hand
1:00:40 it's in the room and we also have um
1:00:42 commissioner Longoria virtually raising
1:00:44 her hand so that's um
1:00:46 seven wait I think we did that wrong
1:00:48 right we just all voted to approve the
1:00:50 motion I'm I'm with you I'm there
1:00:53 um okay so we have um seven
1:00:56 um to recommend
1:00:58 given that we all voted to recommend
1:01:00 I'll assume that none of us are voting
1:01:02 I'm changing our votes to a nay
1:01:04 um so that motion passes um with a vote
1:01:06 of seven to zero
1:01:10 okay at this point um we are going to
1:01:13 come to the Our Savior Lutheran Church
1:01:15 proposal next I'm going to request that
1:01:16 we take a brief five minute
1:01:19 um pause and um we will get on with our
1:01:22 agenda um as soon as that five minutes
1:01:25 is over so at 7 40.
1:01:30 thank you
1:01:41 [Music]
1:06:31 foreign
1:06:47 alrighty we'll go ahead and restart here
1:06:52 all right welcome back and thank you and
1:06:54 for bearing with us or me especially
1:06:56 during that um that break
1:06:59 um so we're going to go to um the final
1:07:01 rezone we have
1:07:03 um this evening which is um for Our
1:07:05 Savior Lutheran Church property
1:07:08 um so Kristen um go ahead with the
1:07:10 presentation
1:07:13 okay I'm back and as a reminder
1:07:17 excuse me I'm Kristen Leeson a senior
1:07:19 planner with the community Planning and
1:07:20 Development Department
1:07:22 and yes I'm about to talk about our
1:07:24 Savior Lutheran Church
1:07:26 um it's about 3.35 Acres on Front Street
1:07:29 South it is currently loaded low density
1:07:33 residential and the property owner is
1:07:35 requesting to be multi-family
1:07:37 residential the current zoning is single
1:07:39 family small lot and they are requesting
1:07:41 multi-family High
1:07:42 and as you can see here's the parcel
1:07:45 it's English only small lot to the north
1:07:48 is city-owned property Community
1:07:50 facilities open space
1:07:52 to the sort of Northeast and to the
1:07:55 south and east is multi-family high and
1:07:57 to the West is
1:08:00 multi-family medium these are all
1:08:02 Condominiums and apartments this is a
1:08:04 nursing home Condominiums and apartments
1:08:06 over here and as I mentioned open space
1:08:11 here you have the aerial view
1:08:13 here's the church the existing Church
1:08:14 there's also a single family house on
1:08:17 the property back here the church also
1:08:19 owns this property right here which is
1:08:21 currently used for parking it is zoned
1:08:23 multi-family High
1:08:25 and here's a street and street view
1:08:29 you have the list of uses in single
1:08:31 family that could go here from housing
1:08:34 churches obviously day care centers
1:08:37 Sports Fields office up to 4 000 square
1:08:41 feet the additional uses would include
1:08:43 denser development denser residential
1:08:45 development including Triplex fourplex
1:08:47 and multi-family Assisted Living Library
1:08:50 I don't think it's big enough for a
1:08:52 driving range but that's a possibility
1:08:54 a grow in a grocery store up to 4 000
1:08:57 square feet and also high schools and
1:08:59 colleges
1:09:01 the development standards here they're a
1:09:04 little bit different so the single
1:09:06 family oops
1:09:11 well I put the wrong one on here I
1:09:12 apologize single family small lot would
1:09:14 actually allow for about four 14 and a
1:09:16 half dwelling units per acre and the
1:09:19 height it's 50 and 50 the multi-family
1:09:22 high would allow 29 dwelling units per
1:09:25 acre and would the maximum height there
1:09:29 is 40 feet it's currently under single
1:09:31 family small lot just like single family
1:09:32 Suburban it's uh 30 feet it's under 40
1:09:35 feet under this one with a maximum of
1:09:38 potentially 65 feet but in order to do
1:09:40 that the property owner would have to
1:09:43 increase the pervious surface from 50 to
1:09:46 60 which would reduce the developable
1:09:48 property and also would have to do step
1:09:50 backs on the property as well there
1:09:52 there are some other conditions that are
1:09:54 included
1:09:56 there are some environmental constraints
1:09:58 in this site so this is adjacent to
1:10:01 Issaquah Creek
1:10:02 and as Valerie mentioned it is Falls
1:10:05 within the
1:10:07 Issaquah Creek Urban concern Conservancy
1:10:10 environmental District which means that
1:10:12 our designation which means that there
1:10:14 is a 200 foot buffer here from the creek
1:10:17 and also as Valerie mentioned what we
1:10:19 show here is from the center of the
1:10:21 creek but when a project comes in it
1:10:25 would be reevaluated and it would be
1:10:26 looked out from the high water mark
1:10:28 and then there's an additional 15 foot
1:10:30 buffer from that so commercial
1:10:33 properties are allowed within 100 feet
1:10:35 from the creek and resident or
1:10:37 multi-family properties are allowed
1:10:39 outside the 200 foot buffer
1:10:42 Oops I did that wrong so commercial
1:10:44 families cannot go within 100 feet of
1:10:46 the creek multi-family properties cannot
1:10:48 go within 200 feet of the creek on the
1:10:50 site single family property is also 100
1:10:52 feet there's a little bit of steep slope
1:10:55 here let's see the original buffer here
1:10:57 is 100 feet on this Creek there is a
1:10:59 little steep slope here that has a
1:11:00 50-foot buffer along with it this over
1:11:02 here shows the the urban Conservancy
1:11:05 buffer of 200 feet on both sides
1:11:10 so again Valerie mentioned these but
1:11:13 September 29th follow-up
1:11:15 I just went over the Issaquah Creek
1:11:17 Urban Conservancy changes about
1:11:19 multi-family within 200 feet and
1:11:21 Commercial within 100 feet Shoreline
1:11:24 variants
1:11:26 the city is processed through the city
1:11:27 but it's really the department of
1:11:29 ecology who makes the final decision on
1:11:31 whether or not certain uses would be
1:11:33 permitted within that 200 feet
1:11:35 and then the health safety welfare and
1:11:37 Community benefit the city has
1:11:39 determined that actually it does this
1:11:40 doesn't hinder public benefits so it
1:11:42 does meet that criteria
1:11:46 Community character you all asked about
1:11:48 that last time
1:11:49 the surrounding Condominiums and
1:11:51 apartments are arranged anywhere they
1:11:53 were all the Condominiums and apartments
1:11:55 were built anywhere from 1987 to 1990 so
1:11:57 we don't have records on them but based
1:11:59 on what we know for three-story
1:12:01 Apartments they're generally about 35 to
1:12:03 45 feet in there there's one that's a
1:12:04 little bit taller the nursing home to
1:12:06 the South is just 20 to 25 feet the
1:12:08 church itself ranges from anywhere from
1:12:10 about 20 to 30 feet
1:12:11 any future development of surrounding
1:12:14 properties those that are Zone
1:12:16 multi-family high would also have to
1:12:19 comply this one and those would have to
1:12:20 comply with all existing standards which
1:12:23 are more a more pedestrian friendly sort
1:12:26 of human scale kind of field than they
1:12:28 are than they were back then
1:12:30 they may come closer to the street I I
1:12:32 don't know I don't know what would
1:12:33 happen but any of those could develop
1:12:35 that way and as I mentioned increasing
1:12:36 the height above the base height of 40
1:12:38 feet to potentially 65 feet would
1:12:40 increase the minimum impervious surface
1:12:42 from 50 feet to or 60 50 to 60 percent
1:12:45 which then decreases the amount of
1:12:47 buildable land and surface area of a
1:12:48 building
1:12:51 traffic that also came up how much
1:12:53 traffic well as I mentioned you can't
1:12:56 just look at one thing you have to look
1:12:58 at every possible use on the site
1:13:02 so we looked at existing single family
1:13:05 and if you were to have 10 units on this
1:13:06 property which is about what would fit
1:13:08 you'd have in the p and peak hours which
1:13:10 are from 4 pm to 6 p.m you'd have nine
1:13:13 additional trips
1:13:15 multi-family if you had 30 dwelling
1:13:17 units you'd have about 15 additional
1:13:19 trips
1:13:20 grocery store which can only go up to 4
1:13:23 000 square feet you might get 36
1:13:24 additional trips office space about also
1:13:27 4 000 square feet about nine additional
1:13:29 trips and an animal hospital Veterinary
1:13:31 Clinic 4 000 square feet about 14
1:13:34 additional trips
1:13:40 UL also asked about conditions could it
1:13:43 be conditioned so we have had ongoing
1:13:45 conversations with our City attorney
1:13:48 they're not easy to do they they can be
1:13:51 problematic however if they can be done
1:13:53 so they must however be tied to the
1:13:56 property for future owners they would
1:13:58 need to be related to the approval
1:14:00 criteria and they must be linked to
1:14:02 evidence that there is something unique
1:14:04 about this property in particular that
1:14:07 warrants a condition being tied to it
1:14:11 so our recommendation is that this
1:14:14 property meets the criteria and we
1:14:18 recommend approval of the land use
1:14:20 designation and zoning
1:14:22 and I'll state it for you it's a parcel
1:14:24 actually I'm not Monica uh I believe
1:14:27 it's three four two four zero six nine
1:14:29 one one nine from low density
1:14:32 residential to multi-family residential
1:14:34 and the zoning from single family small
1:14:37 lot to multi-family High
1:14:41 and happy to answer any questions
1:14:43 I'm sorry Kristen did you get the parcel
1:14:45 number correct
1:14:48 I don't have my piece of paper in front
1:14:49 of me it does matter it's in the fact
1:14:51 it's in the findings effect if it's the
1:14:53 first four numbers I mess up every time
1:14:55 but I can tell you really quickly let's
1:15:00 three four two four yes three four two
1:15:02 four zero six nine two one
1:15:07 two one seven you're right I got it
1:15:08 wrong two one seven thank you for
1:15:10 correcting me
1:15:12 teach me hey
1:15:15 so now
1:15:16 I have a question about the site
1:15:20 two questions uh based on the map you
1:15:22 showed us is the current single family
1:15:25 home right now would be now in the
1:15:27 buffer would you not be able to build
1:15:29 that home where it is
1:15:31 I am looking at the overlapping I know I
1:15:35 don't have one map that shows I was
1:15:37 trying to compare my my GPS map and then
1:15:40 I was trying to get the overlays right
1:15:42 now is this would you be able to build a
1:15:44 single family home where it is right now
1:15:46 okay maybe half of it it looks it looks
1:15:49 like and and again our it would prob the
1:15:51 buffer would probably extend out further
1:15:52 than where we show it and so probably
1:15:55 not okay yeah um what percentage of the
1:15:57 site would you say right now is
1:15:58 impervious surface pardon is impervious
1:16:00 surface ooh
1:16:03 speaking of someone who's been on this
1:16:05 site it's pretty it's pretty high but I
1:16:07 would love to have if you guys have a
1:16:09 recommendation of right now at the site
1:16:10 what you believe I hate to guess I mean
1:16:12 yours is as good as mine
1:16:14 we're gonna we're gonna call it pretty
1:16:16 high right about 70 maybe yeah
1:16:20 you can call it that I'm not going to
1:16:22 call it anything
1:16:26 thank you and then the adjacent lot that
1:16:30 they're going to be developing that's
1:16:32 mainly pervious I believe
1:16:35 right
1:16:37 and and another question there the food
1:16:40 bank that was proposed to be moved from
1:16:43 its current location to over there can
1:16:46 it be can it be moved
1:16:49 with the current Zone in
1:16:52 or does the new does the proposed Zone
1:16:57 um relegate it to be used the existing
1:17:00 zoning would allow would allow for the
1:17:02 food bank okay
1:17:05 now you all received a letter that says
1:17:08 that they would go like to go higher
1:17:09 with the food bank than the existing
1:17:13 zoning allows but again no application
1:17:15 has been submitted so that's just
1:17:18 a possibility okay and then from a
1:17:21 traffic or
1:17:23 pedestrian safety perspective where the
1:17:26 current food bank is and and how people
1:17:29 walk out of the facility and the
1:17:31 proximity to like if you're heading up
1:17:34 to Clark Elementary and whatnot would
1:17:37 that benefit that area
1:17:39 if that food bank was moved to the new
1:17:43 area that's not something that I've
1:17:45 looked at because when we look at these
1:17:46 we look at every possible use and the
1:17:48 best high intended use we don't look at
1:17:49 specific uses so that's something that
1:17:51 would be looked at when if they came in
1:17:52 with an application okay very well
1:17:55 that's it for me
1:18:00 uh not really a question but can you go
1:18:02 back to the condition slide please
1:18:10 this one oh no the condition slide I
1:18:13 apologize
1:18:14 there you go
1:18:24 I'm curious Kristen um
1:18:27 it can be difficult I think sometimes to
1:18:28 separate out the issues that are in
1:18:30 front of us and
1:18:33 it's important I think to think about
1:18:35 this property in terms of
1:18:38 what we are possibly recommending the
1:18:41 allowed uses and I'm curious how
1:18:46 because we would be uh changing this
1:18:48 without without any kind of conditions
1:18:51 regardless of who the applicant is and
1:18:53 the Fantastic wishes uh that we're so
1:18:56 excited about to see on the property
1:18:57 without that tie to it when we talk
1:19:01 about the possibility of a rezone and a
1:19:04 resale let's say for
1:19:07 the ability to then not do the State
1:19:10 admission that is hopeful but not
1:19:12 realized uh how one of the things that I
1:19:16 mentioned that I saw is a Transit stock
1:19:19 would be able to be added if we rezoned
1:19:21 this into multi-family High
1:19:23 on our list of things that would change
1:19:25 it said transit stop
1:19:32 I missed that one
1:19:33 Transit stops are determined by Metro
1:19:36 they're not determined by the city okay
1:19:38 and Transit stops require a lot of
1:19:40 density yeah a lot
1:19:43 so that's something that would have to
1:19:45 be discussed with Metro
1:19:47 but I so I I don't know do you mind
1:19:49 bringing back that slide that had the
1:19:51 change that we would be going from to
1:19:53 being multi-family High
1:19:56 this one or no yeah so our changes so
1:20:00 park and ride would now be able to be
1:20:03 put on the site
1:20:08 we um and then you want to also the
1:20:11 triplex4plex five plus
1:20:13 would then be allowed on the site right
1:20:15 based on the size of the site if we
1:20:18 added the adjoining site since we had
1:20:20 the two Parcels as being one owner
1:20:23 um what is the maximum amount of density
1:20:26 if there was a resale well I mean it's
1:20:28 29 dwelling units per acre and then you
1:20:30 need to factor in environmental
1:20:32 constraints and parking
1:20:36 driveways
1:20:40 that's why you look at the big picture
1:20:42 right yeah
1:20:43 so thank you
1:20:51 as they move further in the process from
1:20:55 planning and then if it gets past that
1:20:57 the city council to design
1:21:00 in looking at the list of uses that they
1:21:04 could have right now on the screen
1:21:06 wouldn't it be limited to the acreage of
1:21:10 the actual site
1:21:13 what they could actually do with the
1:21:15 site as well with the environmental
1:21:17 factors as well
1:21:19 right so any right so any permitted uses
1:21:21 that would be allowed now are limited to
1:21:24 that property
1:21:25 alone is that what you're asking yeah
1:21:27 I'm asking like even though it states
1:21:29 all of these things can be done but
1:21:33 given how much acreage is there
1:21:37 right exactly right so yeah like I
1:21:40 mentioned driving range probably didn't
1:21:42 happen that site's not big enough I mean
1:21:44 there's a golf course
1:21:45 um baseball soccer fields probably not
1:21:47 because you again you need to factor in
1:21:49 things like parking yeah and lighting
1:21:51 and all those other things that go
1:21:52 there's so many things that go into a
1:21:54 project that have to be factored in very
1:21:57 well yeah yeah
1:22:05 just for the sake of clarity even though
1:22:07 it says Wildwood on the screen that does
1:22:08 apply still to our St Lutheran correct
1:22:12 it does okay just wanted to make sure
1:22:13 I'm sorry uh I do have a question though
1:22:16 um uh commissioner Lewis mentioned the
1:22:20 single-family home on the lot I'm
1:22:22 assuming that was a precursor to the
1:22:24 master Shoreline plan is that safe to
1:22:27 say okay the plan was updated in 20
1:22:31 actually it was updated most recently in
1:22:32 2021 I believe okay
1:22:35 so then if it did come down to
1:22:37 Redevelopment of that portion of the lot
1:22:40 that would not be able to be rebuilt on
1:22:43 is that correct again I don't know I
1:22:46 mean what we've shown you is what we can
1:22:47 do from GIS and likely not it would it
1:22:50 would push it out probably past that
1:22:52 house gotcha okay thank you
1:22:57 just to note right now that that house
1:22:59 then would be would be there as a
1:23:01 legally non-conforming use so it's it's
1:23:04 still legal to be there yeah
1:23:09 any other clarifying questions
1:23:15 hi this is Jamie online
1:23:17 um I was wondering if you could go back
1:23:18 to the slide that shows
1:23:20 um where those 200 foot
1:23:24 places would be on either side of the
1:23:26 property uh the environmental factors
1:23:30 there you go
1:23:33 so I just use it this is my marker right
1:23:37 so this is the 200 foot here's the
1:23:39 center of the creek so the high water
1:23:42 mark would be further out from here
1:23:44 and then this is the 200 feet just for
1:23:47 reference this is 100 feet and then
1:23:49 that's the 200 feet over there
1:23:52 okay thank you you're welcome
1:24:00 okay last call for clarifying questions
1:24:03 yeah I just want to clarify the
1:24:06 conditions you mentioned that
1:24:09 they're an option they're not
1:24:12 necessarily
1:24:14 a favorite because they're challenging
1:24:18 other than them being challenging is
1:24:20 there a reason to not put conditions on
1:24:27 can phone a friend
1:24:32 so this is mini Dollywood for the record
1:24:35 um so you know like you asked the
1:24:38 question that they at your last meeting
1:24:40 and so we've kind of given the
1:24:43 information it's not illegal to require
1:24:45 these but they can be problematic if you
1:24:48 want to go down the path and make a
1:24:50 recommendation that you want to approve
1:24:51 it with a condition then it has to be
1:24:54 tied to what criteria you feel is needed
1:24:58 what's so unique about this property so
1:25:01 they have to be done very carefully
1:25:03 generally for the public greater good so
1:25:07 you know it's not meant as a contract so
1:25:09 that you make a deal with with a
1:25:11 property owner to do things so that's
1:25:13 where it gets tricky it also gets tricky
1:25:15 when you're trying to implement it over
1:25:18 the long part of years right so the
1:25:20 property can sell the new property owner
1:25:22 how would they know the the we get a
1:25:25 call at the front counter what's allowed
1:25:27 in the zone and it shows one thing on
1:25:29 the zoning it's generally something
1:25:31 that's recorded on the title of the
1:25:32 property so the implementation can be a
1:25:35 challenge
1:25:36 um but but if you want to recommend with
1:25:40 some conditions they need to be
1:25:42 thoughtful they need to meet all these
1:25:44 things of tying them to the criteria so
1:25:46 we just wanted to kind of get you the
1:25:49 right information because this was a
1:25:50 question asked at the last meeting
1:25:52 great thank you
1:25:55 and um and I had asked that question at
1:25:57 the last meeting but I think based on
1:25:59 what I've heard tonight just to be clear
1:26:02 is that
1:26:03 um I think the
1:26:05 um almost point that even though all of
1:26:07 those things are permitted uses under
1:26:10 that land use designation that the site
1:26:13 really doesn't accommodate like you know
1:26:15 a brand new Amazon warehouse or
1:26:17 something right just because it's zoned
1:26:19 um that way correct just because it says
1:26:21 it can go there doesn't mean it can it
1:26:23 has to meet all the criteria yeah
1:26:30 okay last call take two four
1:26:34 okay so hearing
1:26:38 uh no more clarifying questions I'm now
1:26:40 going to open the floor for public
1:26:42 comments um at eight o'clock on the dot
1:26:46 and so please remember again that each
1:26:48 person has five minutes to speak
1:26:50 um so Jared has anyone signed up to
1:26:51 speak yes we have about five individuals
1:26:54 on the in-house sign in sheet will all
1:26:57 those who are looking to speak tonight
1:26:58 raise their hands in person and online
1:27:03 perfect we will go ahead and start in
1:27:06 person with I believe Dave Ricketts if
1:27:09 you would like to speak
1:27:17 perfect
1:27:26 can you um just hit the microphone
1:27:28 button in concerns of any traffic first
1:27:31 um just remember that any proposal for
1:27:34 development would have to go through all
1:27:37 the normal process in which traffic
1:27:39 would be evaluated that's not an issue
1:27:41 that really is to be addressed as part
1:27:44 of the rezone but I would also ahead
1:27:47 think about where the food bank is now
1:27:48 right here think about where the church
1:27:50 is about a block or two away whatever
1:27:53 traffic is there at the food bank now is
1:27:55 the same traffic that will be at our
1:27:57 church you're really not adding a
1:27:59 traffic impact in the future yes with a
1:28:02 rezone and if we can go a little higher
1:28:05 30 feet is not very high with the
1:28:07 existing zoning 40 feet
1:28:10 allows if you dream big things like the
1:28:14 together Center in Redmond which is
1:28:16 social services on the lower floor and a
1:28:20 food bank with affordable housing above
1:28:23 I don't know if that will ever happen it
1:28:25 takes a lot of money but it would give
1:28:28 us the flexibility as a city and as a
1:28:31 site to be able to do something like
1:28:33 that that's what this is all about
1:28:36 I can't ever imagine that that property
1:28:39 would turn into condos or you know
1:28:42 high-end apartments that's not what
1:28:44 anybody wants for that site
1:28:47 so that's where we're trying to go
1:28:50 that's what's behind it and I urge your
1:28:52 support
1:28:55 foreign
1:28:59 next we have Gary Hansen
1:29:08 my name is Gary Hansen and I need to
1:29:12 give my address is that it
1:29:14 yeah 1601 247th Avenue Southeast in
1:29:18 Sammamish
1:29:23 little better
1:29:25 uh I I was on the team at my former
1:29:28 Church Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran
1:29:30 Church that worked to recognize and
1:29:32 acknowledge our ongoing Community
1:29:34 relationships during the process of
1:29:36 merging with Our Savior Lutheran Church
1:29:39 which is the applicant for this rezone
1:29:43 Like Our Savior Lutheran Church Shepherd
1:29:45 of the Hills was a longtime Community
1:29:47 institution based right here in Issaquah
1:29:50 for 30 plus years there was always a
1:29:53 shopping cart for the food bank for Food
1:29:55 Bank collections at the church
1:29:58 when Shepherd of the Hills was making
1:30:00 the decision to join our savior one of
1:30:03 our most important considerations was
1:30:05 ensuring that our congregation members
1:30:07 would would be able to maintain their
1:30:10 strong support
1:30:12 for for and connection to Issaquah food
1:30:18 and clothing bank at our savior
1:30:20 now that the merger has been completed
1:30:23 and I am a member of our savior I have
1:30:26 been happy to see that this commitment
1:30:29 is continuing just like we had hoped I
1:30:32 know that our Savior Lutheran Church is
1:30:35 steadfast and devoted in its work to
1:30:38 bring its beloved campus to the greater
1:30:41 service of the larger Issaquah Community
1:30:43 this is why I hope you will support the
1:30:45 church's application to allow rezoning
1:30:51 foreign
1:30:57 next up that we have written down is
1:30:59 Josh Friedman
1:31:05 good evening my name is Josh Friedman
1:31:07 I'm the attorney for Our Savior Lutheran
1:31:10 Church I had a few remarks written out
1:31:13 but I want to try and address some of
1:31:16 the questions that came up earlier so
1:31:18 I'm throwing my plan out the window and
1:31:20 gonna try and give you some more
1:31:22 information that I'm hoping will be
1:31:23 helpful
1:31:25 one of the things that the commission
1:31:27 asked about was impervious versus
1:31:30 pervious on the site in the existing
1:31:33 condition
1:31:34 a substantial part of the site is
1:31:37 impervious as it's built now simply
1:31:40 because it was designed as a church I
1:31:42 believe in the early 1960s when
1:31:45 everybody was who was going to church
1:31:46 was going by car
1:31:48 A new
1:31:50 development proposal when one comes if
1:31:54 one comes would be connected with the
1:31:57 standards of today both in terms of what
1:31:59 the city will allow in its uh parking
1:32:03 limits in its pervious versus imp
1:32:05 verbias and of course in its uh
1:32:08 Shoreline related setbacks of various
1:32:11 kinds
1:32:12 so one of the things that's exciting
1:32:15 about the property just from a
1:32:18 perspective of what's built there today
1:32:19 is If a Redevelopment could happen that
1:32:24 would be an opportunity for more of the
1:32:27 site to return to impervious conditions
1:32:30 oftentimes when someone goes up on a
1:32:33 site that's widely paved in order to go
1:32:35 up they need to restore laterally so
1:32:39 that's something that could and I would
1:32:42 presume be likely to happen in a future
1:32:44 scenario where an applicant would want
1:32:47 to build upward
1:32:51 also it was asked about
1:32:53 um whether a food bank could be
1:32:55 permitted on the site in its existing
1:32:57 zoning that's correct uh food bank is is
1:33:01 permissible
1:33:02 um just like a driving range or a golf
1:33:04 course
1:33:05 um actually no you said that was the
1:33:07 proposed zoning it's not permitted there
1:33:09 today but I guess the metaphor still
1:33:12 stands that the use is permitted
1:33:15 that doesn't necessarily mean that the
1:33:17 site can accommodate it so one of the
1:33:20 reasons why our saver is asking for the
1:33:22 additional height is because food banks
1:33:25 to grow need to use things like rooftop
1:33:27 Refrigeration they need to use equipment
1:33:30 like forklifts
1:33:32 um the additional height of going from
1:33:35 30 to 40 we're hoping would
1:33:38 give the food bank flexibility to grow
1:33:40 in the medium term in addition to
1:33:42 potentially offering additional Social
1:33:45 Services uses in the long term
1:33:51 I think that about covers it I think
1:33:53 your questions about
1:33:55 maximum units and single-family home
1:33:57 were pretty well answered the
1:33:58 single-family home that's there I
1:34:00 believe was built as a parsonage as part
1:34:02 of the original Church campus but
1:34:05 probably would not be rebuilt if a new
1:34:08 church was being built there today
1:34:10 and as well the the maximum units the
1:34:14 zoning sets the permissible density but
1:34:17 it doesn't actually tell you what can be
1:34:20 built because you have to look at is the
1:34:22 lot square or is it kind of wonky how
1:34:25 much access to the road does it have is
1:34:28 there enough of a fire lane to safely
1:34:31 fit 100 people there or only 10 so
1:34:34 that's why the permissible density from
1:34:38 a per unit occupancy perspective
1:34:42 is not a complete measurement of what
1:34:44 actually could be built there the uh the
1:34:47 golf course or the grocery store is a
1:34:48 good example
1:34:50 um this new zoning would technically
1:34:52 make a grocery store permissible I
1:34:56 wouldn't want to be the architect trying
1:34:57 to shoehorn a grocery store onto that
1:34:59 lot and I can't imagine how it would
1:35:02 ever be done but that's why I'm not an
1:35:05 architect so um thank you for
1:35:07 considering the proposal I can't speak
1:35:10 to the
1:35:12 as compellingly to the church's
1:35:14 commitment as its members have so I hope
1:35:16 you've had a chance to listen and the
1:35:19 church has been a neighbor to this Creek
1:35:22 to this road and um
1:35:25 to the community for 50 years on this
1:35:28 site they're not looking to cut and run
1:35:31 they're looking to expand their service
1:35:33 in the future so um thank you for taking
1:35:35 the time to consider this and thank you
1:35:37 for volunteering your service on the
1:35:39 commission
1:35:45 all righty next up we have Lori s
1:35:48 looking to present
1:35:53 hi I'm Laurie sperber I live in
1:35:56 Arlington Place which is across the
1:35:58 street on 700 Front Street South
1:36:02 and I am very very very much
1:36:06 a person who stands behind helping their
1:36:09 Community helping the poor helping the
1:36:12 unfortunate
1:36:13 and I'm all for the food bank our
1:36:16 biggest concern is the fact that and
1:36:19 everybody keeps saying that nothing's
1:36:21 gonna impact Front Street
1:36:25 but I would like to ask how many people
1:36:27 get on Front Street at 6 30 in the
1:36:30 morning and aren't getting let in
1:36:31 because the volume of traffic coming
1:36:33 from Hobart and out Hobart Issaquah road
1:36:36 is so full of people the speed is
1:36:41 increased because they're tired of
1:36:42 sitting in the back up for Endless you
1:36:46 know what should be a 15-20 minute drive
1:36:48 is now a 45 minute to an hour drive
1:36:52 I can sit there for 10 minutes in my
1:36:54 driveway waiting to get out on that
1:36:56 street to go to work
1:36:58 coming home it's even worse
1:37:01 people you try I just want to go down to
1:37:04 the Country Store to go get some small
1:37:06 items instead of going into town I can't
1:37:08 get into traffic nobody will let me
1:37:11 they'll flip me off they honk at me
1:37:13 they're not going to let you in they
1:37:15 don't want to deal with that traffic
1:37:17 anymore and unfortunately
1:37:21 Front Street has become
1:37:24 at the
1:37:26 fourth
1:37:28 transportation for people from the west
1:37:32 side or the north side of I-90 to get to
1:37:36 the south side of I-90
1:37:39 900 is a parking lot 405's a parking lot
1:37:44 and nobody wants to drive all the way up
1:37:45 by 90 to get on Highway 18.
1:37:48 trying to get on Highway 18 is a parking
1:37:50 lot so they they do go use Front Street
1:37:54 Granite I know we've done studies and
1:37:57 probably 70 percent of the traffic on
1:37:59 Front Street doesn't spend money in
1:38:01 Issaquah
1:38:02 and I don't blame the City of Issaquah
1:38:05 for saying we're not going to spend the
1:38:07 money to improve Front Street we're not
1:38:10 going to widen it because with the money
1:38:13 that we're putting forth we're not
1:38:15 recuperating because those people don't
1:38:16 spend money in Issaquah
1:38:19 but I'm a homeowner and I also lived
1:38:22 here when the developer came to develop
1:38:25 the Issaquah Highlands
1:38:28 and one of the stipulations that was
1:38:30 made upon him was that he had to come up
1:38:32 with a plan to improve the
1:38:33 infrastructure up there and he had to
1:38:35 pay for it
1:38:37 and he came through for the highlands
1:38:39 and the infrastructure up there is great
1:38:43 it boggles down when it gets back onto
1:38:45 the city parts of Issaquah up there and
1:38:48 down to the one Lanes again
1:38:50 if they're gonna do if they want to
1:38:52 build something other than just moving
1:38:55 the food bank over there and I really
1:38:58 you know I appreciate the lawyer saying
1:39:00 oh they're not going to do anything more
1:39:01 than to build this phenomenal food bank
1:39:04 over there with
1:39:06 health care and everything else for
1:39:09 these people and other resources which I
1:39:11 used to dedicate my time to the Hammond
1:39:13 House in Seattle which is a shelter for
1:39:16 50 homeless women I would feed them I
1:39:18 would put Christmas bags together for
1:39:20 them so I'm part of that I know all
1:39:22 about that I applaud it
1:39:25 but I don't believe that something's not
1:39:27 going to happen down the road that's
1:39:29 going to put
1:39:30 multi-level living units on that
1:39:33 property that is just going to totally
1:39:35 annihilate Front Street and me as a
1:39:39 homeowner in Issaquah and a taxpayer and
1:39:44 the fact that nobody's going to look at
1:39:46 us and help us out
1:39:49 is upsetting to me
1:39:51 so I don't approve this I approve the
1:39:54 food bank wholeheartedly I'll even go
1:39:57 over there and give them my time to it
1:40:01 but I do not approve them zoning it to
1:40:05 be able to put housing on it for the
1:40:08 lower income people unless they're
1:40:10 willing to put the money out and improve
1:40:13 Front Street and improve our
1:40:15 infrastructure thank you
1:40:23 alrighty everyone else uh drew a line
1:40:27 through their name so I'll give another
1:40:28 second shot to anyone else who would
1:40:30 like to present during this time in the
1:40:34 no one has also indicated that they
1:40:37 would like to speak online
1:40:41 um we'll do one more just kind of call
1:40:42 to make sure that no one either virtual
1:40:45 or in the room would like to speak
1:40:47 and we know the drill by now if you do
1:40:49 raise your hand
1:40:51 um we'll let it go once
1:40:53 twice
1:40:55 three times sold perfect okay
1:40:59 um and so if there are no more comments
1:41:01 I will close the public comment portion
1:41:04 of the public hearing at 8 15 pm
1:41:07 and so it's time for us again to
1:41:09 deliberate on this topic
1:41:11 in order to do that someone must first
1:41:13 make a motion and it must be seconded uh
1:41:15 PPC would anyone like to make a motion
1:41:20 I would like to move to approve the
1:41:22 findings of fact for the recommended
1:41:24 approval of the proposed land use
1:41:26 designation and Zoning amendments for
1:41:28 proposal three for the Our Savior
1:41:30 Lutheran Church parcel 343-206-9217
1:41:37 second perfect
1:41:39 okay so we have a motion on the second
1:41:42 on the floor
1:41:45 um but anyone like to comment on that
1:41:46 motion
1:41:55 you guys are just waiting me out
1:41:57 [Music]
1:41:59 I would like to comment and I want to
1:42:01 thank again that everybody who came to
1:42:03 speak and who spoke online and allowing
1:42:06 us this time to consider this proposal
1:42:09 and I love the proposal I really do but
1:42:12 what the proposal that I'm speaking to
1:42:15 is the
1:42:17 re-development of the property in a
1:42:20 mission-driven way for the community I
1:42:23 think it's just great
1:42:24 however what's in front of me is a
1:42:28 rezone and an up Zone in a higher
1:42:31 density of residential and according to
1:42:35 our criteria and the only defensible way
1:42:38 that we can do a site specific
1:42:40 rezone in this
1:42:44 process is if all the approval criteria
1:42:51 our request will be granted only if all
1:42:53 the following criteria are met and again
1:42:56 number three growth controls
1:42:58 say that
1:43:00 you would need to show that you couldn't
1:43:04 achieve your growth goals which we can
1:43:06 and we talked about that earlier how we
1:43:09 have four times the growth capacity in
1:43:11 the central Issaquah
1:43:12 plan than the residential that we need
1:43:15 so the simple reason to multi-family
1:43:18 High which is all that's in front of me
1:43:20 really and I love hearing all the other
1:43:22 stories because that's the stuff that
1:43:23 interests me but all I can approve or
1:43:26 disapprove today is should I up Zone it
1:43:30 and I don't think I can because of that
1:43:34 criteria number three
1:43:36 now another thing that it says under
1:43:38 criteria number three is that unless the
1:43:42 city approves a development agreement as
1:43:44 part of The rezone Proposal well that's
1:43:46 not before me today if it were before me
1:43:48 I'd have a little bit more something to
1:43:50 talk about but I don't have that
1:43:53 I am pointing to that though I wish I
1:43:56 did because that way we could include
1:44:04 objectives that are being brought before
1:44:06 us the services the food bank the all
1:44:10 the other things simply rezoning it to a
1:44:13 higher Zone I can't support so just
1:44:17 putting that out there and what I hope
1:44:19 is the most constructive way
1:44:21 I'm not shooting down the idea that the
1:44:24 Lutheran Church has but rather
1:44:25 responding to the process before me
1:44:28 thank you
1:44:37 I will jump in and say that uh I think
1:44:40 this is something that we've all
1:44:41 struggled with
1:44:42 we come at this from a very particular
1:44:44 perspective in a very narrow lens
1:44:49 right now the request for the up Zone
1:44:52 gives us some serious challenges it
1:44:55 would be lovely to be able to float
1:44:59 along with the with the community I
1:45:01 think all of us see the huge potential
1:45:04 in this on so many levels and I wish
1:45:08 very much that we were in a different
1:45:10 situation than we were in but I keep
1:45:13 going back to what we're being presented
1:45:15 with and I I struggle with up zoning
1:45:18 this area to multi-family High
1:45:21 I agree that the map looks nice when you
1:45:24 Zone in real close but if you zoom out
1:45:26 there is plenty of single family around
1:45:29 the area
1:45:33 the only redeeming thing that I would
1:45:35 love to hear from my Commissioners is
1:45:37 that when um when I've been on site
1:45:40 I've been able to see that there is a
1:45:42 huge amount of impervious surface and so
1:45:46 the ability to rezone and up Zone I
1:45:49 don't know that would have that much of
1:45:51 a detrimental effect because I do trust
1:45:53 that staff will do the due diligence
1:45:56 that they need to do to preserve the
1:45:57 creek bed to be able to adjust for the
1:46:00 additional trips that would be coming on
1:46:01 depending on whatever that ends up being
1:46:02 I don't look at it from that perspective
1:46:05 however I don't know that this
1:46:07 particular proposal in front of us is
1:46:09 the right time for this
1:46:12 there was a mention in some of the
1:46:15 dialogue that we had about a delay from
1:46:18 this recommendation at this time should
1:46:20 Council not pursue this on on the advice
1:46:23 of the administration would cause a
1:46:25 multi-year
1:46:26 seven year delay to this right and I
1:46:28 think that that was an instinct of mine
1:46:30 to go whoa that's not what we want right
1:46:33 um but it's also something that's not in
1:46:35 front of us today and so when looking at
1:46:36 what's in front of us I have serious
1:46:39 concerns about it I wish that I had
1:46:41 easier answers for it because
1:46:43 man would I love to have this site
1:46:46 actualized in the way that the community
1:46:48 wants and desperately needs it to be
1:46:51 so I would love to hear more from the
1:46:53 commissioners
1:46:56 I agree this one's been a bit of a
1:46:58 struggle I mean nine are really pointed
1:47:01 you know what we have what we're
1:47:03 supposed to look at versus that that
1:47:05 bigger picture of what they want to do
1:47:06 with the food bank which I think we're
1:47:08 all super excited about
1:47:10 um but I do think one argument that came
1:47:15 um within our materials was that all the
1:47:18 zoning around this area is all
1:47:20 multi-family and it this is kind of a
1:47:23 funny little piece that's zoned
1:47:26 differently than the surrounding area
1:47:28 so it seemed like a pretty logical
1:47:31 argument to have it zoned
1:47:34 similarly to the areas around it that it
1:47:37 is sort of odd that this piece
1:47:40 sits in its own little island of more
1:47:43 limited zoning
1:47:44 so you know there's that argument to
1:47:47 making it consistent with the rest of
1:47:49 the area
1:47:52 I might add even just dealing with the
1:47:55 efficiency of the land use as well from
1:47:58 a cluster perspective and I'll to be
1:48:00 able to make it that multi-family
1:48:03 density per se the one it is right now
1:48:07 would actually benefit as well
1:48:10 um I think you brought up a good point
1:48:12 commissioner regarding about the
1:48:15 surrounding zoning around that parcel as
1:48:18 well which is actually pretty important
1:48:20 to note we do also note of course the
1:48:24 the growth control aspect of course and
1:48:28 um that's something that like both
1:48:31 Commissioners have noted as well as the
1:48:33 rest of us have noted has been something
1:48:36 that's been
1:48:38 provided some heartache in the sense of
1:48:40 us reading these letters that you guys
1:48:42 have said to us to testimonies you guys
1:48:43 have given to us so it is a hard
1:48:47 um decision you know to be able to make
1:48:49 a recommendation so what we'll do
1:48:53 um what we can
1:48:55 according to the information that we
1:48:58 have we have right now
1:49:00 thank you
1:49:03 I have um a question if I can just as
1:49:08 I've been listening to this
1:49:10 um given what the surrounding land uses
1:49:12 are given the public benefit of a food
1:49:15 bank if they were
1:49:17 is there a possibility I'm not asking
1:49:19 for a commitment but is there a
1:49:21 possibility to
1:49:23 like at a variance or something like
1:49:26 that to go to a higher height for a food
1:49:28 bank sort of development within the
1:49:30 existing land use
1:49:32 so that makes sense
1:49:34 so right now the maximum height in
1:49:37 multi-family high is
1:49:40 40 feet
1:49:42 no that's the base height I apologize
1:49:43 that's the base height they could go up
1:49:45 to 65 feet so that's not a variance but
1:49:48 there are conditions tied to that so you
1:49:50 have to do step backs it's like a 25
1:49:52 step back for every floor over the
1:49:54 second floor and you have to increase
1:49:56 your pervious surface so that's a
1:49:58 possibility but no I don't believe a
1:50:00 variance going above that maximum height
1:50:02 is allowed within the existing land use
1:50:04 So within that single family within the
1:50:06 single family no okay that's uh 30 feet
1:50:09 30 feet is the maximum
1:50:11 all right thanks
1:50:14 yeah I think if you um this is mini
1:50:16 again I think what you're asking is can
1:50:20 anyone apply for a variance uh yes they
1:50:23 can everyone has a due process but to
1:50:26 meet the criteria it's it's going to be
1:50:28 very difficult what's the unique
1:50:30 circumstances that that apply to this so
1:50:32 it's a hearing examiner process that you
1:50:35 can go through a variance process but
1:50:37 the likelihood of it being approved
1:50:40 um Is Not Great okay
1:50:50 uh thank you I I'm glad Carolyn you
1:50:52 brought up the adjacent uses because
1:50:55 it's interesting to me about the
1:50:57 multi-family high that is around there
1:50:59 and why is it there
1:51:01 everybody kind of Wonders how do they
1:51:02 get there but if you um if I recall that
1:51:07 and correct me Kristen if I'm wrong
1:51:09 about in gay um Park was a single-family
1:51:13 residential before it was purchased and
1:51:15 turned into a park and as part of a kind
1:51:17 of a Promenade a stretch a single family
1:51:19 uh small lot that runs along is
1:51:22 Creek for a reason so you could you
1:51:25 could say you could dial into the one
1:51:26 little picture that we have in our
1:51:28 packet or you could look at that that
1:51:29 whole Corridor and evaluate the adjacent
1:51:33 uses but still I think that my
1:51:39 um challenge is that under these
1:51:43 circumstances I don't think I can
1:51:45 approve an up Zone to multi-family High
1:51:47 because the definition of that does not
1:51:50 necessarily achieve the objectives that
1:51:53 I'm hearing in the room that I would
1:51:55 really like to achieve
1:51:58 that's where I'm going with that thank
1:52:02 I think what's interesting for us to
1:52:04 debate and consider is what our options
1:52:06 are in front of us right we have the
1:52:08 recommendation of the administration but
1:52:11 our role in advising Council can really
1:52:13 be one that says what's presented in
1:52:15 front of us does is does not make sense
1:52:19 however
1:52:20 under the particular conditions whether
1:52:23 that be and understand a memorandum of
1:52:25 understanding that we very much support
1:52:27 this project right I think that there is
1:52:30 a way for this commission to be able to
1:52:32 support this movement as we communicate
1:52:34 to council our feelings about this
1:52:37 parcel while still being able to stay
1:52:39 within the guidelines of criteria so I
1:52:41 think that's something that would be
1:52:42 open for debate about how we want to
1:52:44 address
1:52:45 Council as we're advising them about
1:52:47 this property right uh and so I I don't
1:52:50 know the exact criteria of what city
1:52:52 staff and what the council would need to
1:52:54 be able to say this is um the different
1:52:56 agreements and legal binding situations
1:52:58 to be able to allow this
1:53:00 um because it's not in front of us right
1:53:02 it's not for us to decide but I think
1:53:04 that's something that's interesting for
1:53:05 this commission to decide is uh to say
1:53:07 you know I think we have strong feelings
1:53:10 about the possibilities that are here
1:53:11 and yet that's not what's in front of us
1:53:13 tonight unfortunately
1:53:23 any other question
1:53:25 not a question I think that's that's why
1:53:27 I brought up my question earlier about
1:53:29 the conditions is is there a way as we
1:53:32 struggle with this one is there a way to
1:53:33 put conditions around it either
1:53:37 conditions for approval although I
1:53:39 totally understand why those you know
1:53:42 are very challenging for the city
1:53:44 but even conditions in an mou to the
1:53:47 council
1:53:49 regarding our vote you know where we
1:53:51 stand with this so that it's not
1:53:54 they understand where we're coming from
1:53:56 both sides of us we are sort of limited
1:53:58 but we're very interested how can we
1:54:01 find middle ground on this
1:54:09 thankfully the city council loves to
1:54:11 watch our meetings and of course they
1:54:14 play it at one and three quarter speed
1:54:16 on YouTube but uh and and I think and
1:54:19 that's one reason why I'm being
1:54:20 particularly noisy and redundant tonight
1:54:22 about a development agreement because
1:54:23 that's for somebody like the city
1:54:25 council to do and the administration to
1:54:27 support
1:54:29 um I I think they'll hear us I did have
1:54:33 Kristen put the conditions back on the
1:54:35 screen with my familiarity and
1:54:37 development agreements and then looking
1:54:39 at how can I or it just didn't look like
1:54:41 I could do that tonight
1:54:43 now perhaps with the time the
1:54:45 preparation time between now and when
1:54:46 the city council sees this themselves
1:54:47 maybe they could figure something out
1:54:49 we're sending them a recommendation and
1:54:51 I and I trust the staff to characterize
1:54:53 our deliberations as well as their Keen
1:54:56 ear uh to what we're saying um
1:54:59 that's what I think that's that's
1:55:01 totally opinion but that's what I think
1:55:04 and I think in that recommendation to
1:55:06 the council we can highlight the benefit
1:55:09 to the community and I think that's
1:55:11 really the one of the main things here
1:55:13 as opposed to that growth control the
1:55:16 intent that the church is actually
1:55:18 looking at per se I think that's
1:55:21 something that we need to be able to
1:55:22 look at we understand the guidelines
1:55:25 that we have to address every one of
1:55:28 these uh things that come up to us but
1:55:31 we also have to factor in in each and
1:55:34 every one of those criterias as well and
1:55:37 give it give them that importance as
1:55:46 foreign
1:55:48 I would like to make a motion I would
1:55:51 like to um on them we have a motion
1:55:55 already on but I should be able to
1:55:59 um make an amendment to the motion and
1:56:02 what I'd like to do is make an amendment
1:56:04 to the motion at hand that the planning
1:56:08 policy commission recommends that
1:56:10 Council engage with the applicants to
1:56:12 form a development agreement to be able
1:56:15 to pursue the finer details on this
1:56:17 property
1:56:19 you do need a second before you can
1:56:21 discuss this okay
1:56:22 okay let's look at that
1:56:28 so we now have an amended motion on the
1:56:31 table
1:56:34 yeah thank you for the opportunity to
1:56:36 have debate on this I think that uh from
1:56:38 where I sit looking at the variety of uh
1:56:42 benefits that this proposal could have
1:56:44 for the community uh it's it's hard to
1:56:46 dismiss I very much want to see many of
1:56:50 these dreams realized and I want to make
1:56:52 sure that it's done in a way that
1:56:53 supports the community to its fullest I
1:56:55 really believe this applicant is a
1:56:57 fantastic partner in this community and
1:56:58 I want to give them every chance to
1:56:59 pursue what they think is appropriate
1:57:01 for serving the needs of our community
1:57:03 and want to encourage Council to be able
1:57:06 to have the full support of the
1:57:09 community behind that as well
1:57:11 uh and this seems to be the best way for
1:57:13 us to be able to um to make the case uh
1:57:18 separately from the motion to council if
1:57:21 people agree
1:57:23 I would like to support that statement I
1:57:25 feel like at this point in time we have
1:57:28 an idea but it's not we don't have
1:57:29 enough details in front of us in
1:57:31 particular to make a a decision that
1:57:34 will you know move forward correctly I
1:57:37 think and and so if we can take an
1:57:39 opportunity to get in front of the
1:57:41 council with this and maybe look at
1:57:43 continuing the conversation versus
1:57:45 resetting that counter to the six or
1:57:47 seven years that was kind of thrown out
1:57:48 as as having to reapply like I want to
1:57:51 avoid that but I also don't want to rush
1:57:52 to a decision on this for you know the
1:57:55 sake of of
1:57:56 um you know Goodwill and so I think if
1:57:58 there's any opportunity that we can make
1:58:01 a formal recommendation to continue this
1:58:03 discussion without making a super formal
1:58:06 decision tonight
1:58:07 um I think it would be for the best of
1:58:10 everyone involved
1:58:14 I'm in uh thank you commissioner Lewis I
1:58:17 agree uh of course
1:58:20 and they um
1:58:22 to your point the opportunity of the
1:58:26 city to work on developing or creating a
1:58:28 development agreement will allow them us
1:58:31 to work out those finer details that we
1:58:33 aren't really admittedly addressing
1:58:36 tonight it may allow for a different
1:58:40 kind of zoning configuration than the
1:58:44 just the flat multi-family high and
1:58:46 those uses that are in here I think the
1:58:49 creativity and the allow uh the
1:58:52 allowable specificity of a development
1:58:55 agreement could be well applied in this
1:58:57 in this place I appreciate the amendment
1:59:00 uh thank you commissioner Lewis
1:59:04 yeah and nothing to add for me other
1:59:06 than I agree um
1:59:10 Mr langoria to you I just wanted to say
1:59:15 that I I fully support uh commissioner
1:59:18 Lewis's Amendment and and I'm on board
1:59:21 with that
1:59:25 so it sounds like um
1:59:28 we can move forward on a vote on that
1:59:31 Amendment and so
1:59:33 um I don't want to say this wrong so the
1:59:35 motion on the floor is to
1:59:39 play so the amendment
1:59:40 um is to recommend that the applicant
1:59:43 engage with Council on a development
1:59:44 agreement
1:59:46 and so all in favor of that Amendment
1:59:50 correct me I just need a little
1:59:52 clarification on what that was I didn't
1:59:54 hear the whole thing and I need to know
1:59:56 clearly what what the
1:59:59 what the new motion is or what the
2:00:01 amended motion is
2:00:03 so it's to recommend that the applicant
2:00:05 engage with the city council and
2:00:09 discussions on a development agreement
2:00:21 I'm sorry
2:00:24 um yeah so just so we are clear in terms
2:00:26 of taking forward your recommendations
2:00:28 so your recommendation is
2:00:30 to not approve the reason without we
2:00:34 haven't voted on the motion yet so we
2:00:36 haven't made a recommendation on that
2:00:37 the only thing we're doing right now is
2:00:38 the amendment to the motion
2:00:40 next will we do the motion
2:00:43 we haven't made a recommendation to
2:00:44 staff right now we're only voting on the
2:00:46 amendment okay so the amendment was to
2:00:51 uh we're recommending the planning
2:00:53 policy commission is recommending to
2:00:55 City staff and to the council to further
2:00:58 engage with the applicant and enter into
2:01:00 a not to discuss I would thank you to
2:01:04 discuss a development agreement and that
2:01:06 we support
2:01:11 yeah so that's that's
2:01:14 our discussion here is that that's not
2:01:16 necessarily an amendment to the motion
2:01:18 that's an additional motion
2:01:22 it could be or it could be an amendment
2:01:24 so that an amendment to the motion would
2:01:27 be to yeah let's do that let's make
2:01:29 another emotion later okay it's
2:01:31 something like we recommend yeah
2:01:33 approval let's that if and keep in mind
2:01:36 too that development Agreements are
2:01:37 voluntary so this is not something that
2:01:39 can be required of the applicant they
2:01:41 would have to buy into this okay yeah
2:01:47 uh chair I would like to rescind my
2:01:49 Amendment
2:01:51 and chair chair is getting a little out
2:01:54 of her depth here so and instead I'm
2:01:56 gonna I'm gonna make a a second
2:01:57 amendment will be so we have one
2:01:59 Amendment we have one motion on the
2:02:00 floor I'm gonna make a second I'm gonna
2:02:02 I as the author I'm withdrawing the
2:02:05 amendment and I'm now going to propose a
2:02:07 second motion uh which will be that the
2:02:10 planning policy commission uh encourages
2:02:13 to further the work on this parcel by
2:02:16 having a discussion of City staff and
2:02:19 the council with the applicant to enter
2:02:23 a development agreement
2:02:26 to create a legally binding framework
2:02:34 it's a development agreement
2:02:41 do I have it oh yeah I second that
2:02:43 motion if it's about discussions on the
2:02:45 development agreement between the city
2:02:46 and the applicant
2:02:51 okay so now do we vote on both of those
2:02:54 two numbers just the one but I mean we
2:02:56 vote on the first one and then we vote
2:02:58 on the second one
2:03:02 all right let me just finish writing
2:03:04 this down
2:03:05 as to
2:03:06 and the original motion is the staff is
2:03:09 approving it's approving yeah
2:03:14 would it make sense to withdraw the
2:03:17 original motion
2:03:19 no we would need to vote it down because
2:03:22 there's stuff there are several ones we
2:03:23 still need to be able to present City
2:03:24 staff of the finding effect for number
2:03:27 three so we either need to vote an
2:03:30 agreement that it is or disagreement so
2:03:33 we still have to vote on the finding a
2:03:36 and I hope we'll have a restating of
2:03:37 that original motion when it comes time
2:03:39 to the vote we will we will try
2:03:42 so are we good to vote we feel ready to
2:03:45 vote commissioner Longoria virtually
2:03:47 feel ready to vote yeah I'll restate
2:03:50 okay there any further discussion on
2:03:53 those diet
2:03:54 yeah that's what I'm checking I'm ready
2:03:55 to vote or
2:03:58 okay so we have two motions on the floor
2:04:01 we'll vote on the first one first
2:04:04 so all in favor of the motion to
2:04:06 recommend approving the findings of fact
2:04:09 um for the
2:04:11 um our lady
2:04:13 um our
2:04:15 savior
2:04:16 um Lutheran Church
2:04:17 parcel which is to approve that rezone
2:04:23 um if you're in favor of that motion now
2:04:25 please raise your hand
2:04:29 no yays
2:04:31 um if you are opposed
2:04:37 okay so we have
2:04:38 um that motion does not pass
2:04:41 um with a vote of zero to seven in favor
2:04:44 of the Nays
2:04:45 we now have a second motion
2:04:48 um on the floor
2:04:50 and so all in favor of the motion to
2:04:52 recommend that PPC encourages
2:04:55 um to further the work on this parcel
2:04:57 for city council and staff to enter into
2:05:00 discussions with the applicant on a
2:05:02 development agreement
2:05:04 um if you are in favor of that motion
2:05:06 please raise your hand
2:05:09 being unanimous um seven years on that
2:05:12 motion so that motion passes with a vote
2:05:14 of seven to zero
2:05:22 not get what they need from us
2:05:30 go ahead
2:05:31 so I think what would be helpful for
2:05:34 city council is uh to understand your
2:05:36 thought process for the development
2:05:37 agreement
2:05:39 um you know you suggesting the
2:05:41 development agreement like one of you
2:05:44 made a recommendation that it doesn't
2:05:45 comply with criteria number three
2:05:47 therefore a development agreement is the
2:05:50 path I mean there's their consensus
2:05:52 among the Commissioners but also what
2:05:55 are the terms or what are some concerns
2:05:58 that you'd like to be addressed as part
2:06:01 of the development agreement I think
2:06:02 that information would be helpful for
2:06:03 city council I think I'm going to come
2:06:06 right out of the gun if it's okay so
2:06:08 criteria number three was why I couldn't
2:06:09 approve the up Zone
2:06:12 it doesn't it's not necessarily linked
2:06:15 to the encouraging city council or and
2:06:18 the staff to talk to the applicant about
2:06:20 a possible development agreement the
2:06:22 possible development agreement is where
2:06:24 the rich discussion and commitments and
2:06:29 exchange of
2:06:37 yeah just to protect the vision over a
2:06:40 period of time that it takes for these
2:06:42 things to happen
2:06:43 that's what the development agreement is
2:06:45 for and the
2:06:48 criteria number three and the UPS on to
2:06:50 multi-family high is a separate thing
2:06:53 and the reason why I did not feel I
2:06:56 could approve of the
2:06:58 um comprehensive plan up zone change
2:07:03 it's a long time planning policy
2:07:05 commissioner I fully support the
2:07:07 proposal that's in front of us that is
2:07:09 not in front of us to so to speak right
2:07:12 if we were looking at different
2:07:13 information I would be able to vote
2:07:15 differently if I was counsel we are not
2:07:18 we would be able to be into a different
2:07:19 discussion but what's in front of me
2:07:21 right now is an up Zone to multi-family
2:07:23 high and that is what I can't support
2:07:25 what I can support is to say that I full
2:07:28 support have full support for this
2:07:30 applicant and their plan for the
2:07:31 property and encourage them to enter
2:07:33 into agreements with Council to be able
2:07:35 to realize their dream I want to support
2:07:38 that in every way but right now that's
2:07:41 not in front of me
2:07:44 foreign
2:07:45 so I'd like to do a straw poll or vote
2:07:48 an informal voter um
2:07:52 commissioner Milligan stated that she
2:07:56 could not vote on the original motion
2:07:58 because of criteria number three and
2:08:00 growth targets but I did not hear but
2:08:03 would support it in exchange for seeing
2:08:07 the vision of
2:08:09 this public benefit happening on the
2:08:12 but commissioner Milligan was the only
2:08:14 one who stated that so if this is going
2:08:16 to go into a findings effect that goes
2:08:19 to council it needs to be supported by
2:08:21 the whole Commission so if I could see a
2:08:24 I I didn't a show of hands of those but
2:08:28 wait a minute didn't you get it with the
2:08:30 motion the motion said but it did
2:08:32 encourage the develop a development
2:08:34 agreement to be discussed it did but it
2:08:37 didn't tie it remember we said with the
2:08:39 conditions that it needed to be tied oh
2:08:41 I didn't put conditions on what the
2:08:43 development agreement needed right I
2:08:45 thought it needed to be in the condition
2:08:46 of a development agreement and I didn't
2:08:49 I wasn't you know on purpose being
2:08:51 specific about what the conditions are
2:08:53 okay that's a for that's a future
2:08:55 discussion that we're not having
2:08:57 right all we had tonight was would you
2:09:00 like to change the zoning and the use on
2:09:03 this site and I for once said no
2:09:08 yeah so we're just trying to capture the
2:09:10 intent of your no so if you all voted no
2:09:14 on the up the rezone
2:09:17 because of the however many criteria we
2:09:20 have so we heard it doesn't comply with
2:09:22 criteria number three because the growth
2:09:24 targets are a 20-year growth Target and
2:09:27 we're on track of Meeting those
2:09:30 um and and we don't need an up Zone to
2:09:33 to meet our and there's enough capacity
2:09:35 so that was one finding for your denial
2:09:39 is there also another criteria for
2:09:43 Community benefit and yeah thank you
2:09:46 Minnie I'll just jump in uh okay we only
2:09:48 needed one
2:09:49 sure and so I was for the sake of time
2:09:51 and simplification focusing on one but
2:09:54 there are many the central Issaquah plan
2:10:02 um I'm not going to commissioner Lewis
2:10:04 is going to come up with a word but
2:10:06 it also directs not just what the
2:10:09 capacity is but where it is sure and it
2:10:13 is very important to recognize that it's
2:10:16 on the other side of town so it wasn't
2:10:19 just that we have the capacity to put it
2:10:21 somewhere it's where it was and the
2:10:23 reason why it's there the reason why
2:10:26 it's there is because of so many
2:10:27 complicated issues about Urban growth
2:10:30 centers mass transit funding all sorts
2:10:33 of things we could have gone down that
2:10:35 path but it don't didn't have to because
2:10:38 it only needed one thing that didn't fit
2:10:41 sure and so we're just trying to capture
2:10:43 do the rest of your
2:10:46 um the Commissioners support that
2:10:49 finding that it doesn't comply with that
2:10:51 number three criteria
2:10:54 yes thank you
2:11:01 all right
2:11:03 so I'm going to ask um if he's still
2:11:05 there with us cheer voice to come back
2:11:09 it's been refused for quite a while
2:11:12 um and I will pass this back over to him
2:11:16 um to walk us through the rest of this
2:11:18 meeting
2:11:19 thank you Vice chair Bader Jared am I
2:11:22 out of the Penalty Box that's all I want
2:11:23 to know yes you are
2:11:26 all right well I want to thank all of
2:11:28 the Commissioners all of the petitioners
2:11:30 and all of you commenters uh on
2:11:33 tonight's fantastic discussion I've been
2:11:36 listening uh intently it's been great I
2:11:38 think it was a master class in city
2:11:40 government and
2:11:42 um yeah just very
2:11:44 knowledgeable everybody participating
2:11:46 that was fantastic I want to say a very
2:11:49 very big thank you to our fantastic Vice
2:11:52 chair uh commissioner Bader who is just
2:11:55 phenomenal tonight
2:11:57 we had this whole thing worked out I was
2:11:59 going to pass the Baton and of course
2:12:01 because of technology and and you know
2:12:04 good plans
2:12:05 um completely failed and she still was
2:12:07 able to take it and run with the ball in
2:12:10 a fantastic way so so thank you very
2:12:12 much uh Vice chair Bader uh we are going
2:12:15 to move along to reports this evening as
2:12:18 far as city council updates staff do you
2:12:21 have anything to provide us this evening
2:12:23 show good evening Commissioners so
2:12:27 um One update I can provide you on Title
2:12:29 18 so all that excellent work that you
2:12:33 all have done on that project
2:12:35 we've been briefing our Planning
2:12:38 Development environment committee and
2:12:41 they have looked at the sixth bucket the
2:12:44 last of the six pieces for the new
2:12:46 members we divided the whole you know
2:12:49 land use code into six different uh
2:12:51 groupings or we call them buckets but
2:12:56 so they've looked at the last piece and
2:12:59 the next steps we've engaged with the
2:13:02 testing
2:13:03 um I don't know how much if we actually
2:13:04 kind of shared where that process is
2:13:07 with all of you so we had a call for uh
2:13:10 the testers within everyone who's been
2:13:12 in the community
2:13:14 um you know interested parties list for
2:13:16 Title 18 as well as uh you know anyone
2:13:19 that applied for a land use application
2:13:20 in the last year
2:13:22 and we had a good response of about 17
2:13:26 20 to 20 people so we had about six or
2:13:30 seven categories of uh projects that we
2:13:33 wanted to test you know single family
2:13:34 home remodel that is next to a wetland a
2:13:39 multi-family development or a mixed use
2:13:41 development in central Issaquah
2:13:42 development on a forested hillside next
2:13:45 to a shoreline a commercial project
2:13:48 outside of the central Issaquah so we
2:13:50 came up with the categories that were
2:13:52 spread out and then you know then
2:13:54 commercial remodel on in Old Town so it
2:13:57 was going to touch different pieces of
2:13:58 the code and there were seven folks that
2:14:02 are were part of this core team of uh
2:14:05 testing team
2:14:07 that are evaluating and coming up with
2:14:09 projects sites and then staff will be
2:14:12 working with them to come up with that
2:14:14 ones that goes through that whole
2:14:16 process will come back to this
2:14:17 commission and share the findings what
2:14:19 we learned yeah you know how we tweaked
2:14:22 the code based on that feedback
2:14:25 so that's happening we're also looking
2:14:28 at cipa determination coming up soon
2:14:31 once those pieces are done we intend to
2:14:34 have the public hearings on Consolidated
2:14:36 draft with this Commission in November
2:14:39 so a lot of reading coming your way but
2:14:43 in terms of the council updates that's
2:14:45 what we've done the other part I think
2:14:48 the council was involved in was looking
2:14:49 at the Whiteboard list I think we shared
2:14:52 that with all of you if we haven't we'll
2:14:54 set some time up to have a conversation
2:14:57 with you on the Whiteboard
2:14:59 and the council committee for the
2:15:02 purposes of the budget for the next two
2:15:04 years prioritized a few items from from
2:15:06 that list that are part of the budget
2:15:09 that the council is considering this
2:15:12 for the next two years and you know one
2:15:15 of them is the stream buffers more
2:15:17 in-depth analysis of on this on the
2:15:20 grounds assessment
2:15:22 missing middle how are we meeting our
2:15:25 strategy adopted housing strategies for
2:15:27 diversity of housing choices
2:15:30 and parking so those are the three tops
2:15:34 that the council put forth in in terms
2:15:37 of prioritizing from the Whiteboard list
2:15:40 so that's all I have
2:15:41 did that miss anything okay
2:15:44 thank you welcome to the new members
2:15:46 it's great to see uh all of you can ask
2:15:50 a quick question uh I want to put in an
2:15:52 official request for a printed version
2:15:54 of the 2018. we can accommodate and if
2:15:57 you guys can let us know when they're
2:15:58 available to pick up I'm happy to pick
2:16:00 it up
2:16:01 for the Consolidated draft absolutely
2:16:04 we'll get you a pretty copy
2:16:08 yeah so how many of you actually wanted
2:16:11 a paper copy
2:16:14 all of you yeah yes okay we'll get those
2:16:18 to you and do you have an expected date
2:16:21 uh you know we have a release to the the
2:16:24 folks that are testing but we are
2:16:26 calling it a preliminary draft uh so
2:16:29 we're working on cleaning up the
2:16:31 document and a few things here and there
2:16:33 that are still missing so I believe
2:16:36 we're targeting
2:16:38 end of October
2:16:43 yeah it makes it easier to have the
2:16:46 document than to go to each and every
2:16:48 tab on the website so sure sure no we'll
2:16:52 we'll get you a Consolidated piece in a
2:16:56 binder and a folder and
2:16:58 with tabs if you want tabs
2:17:01 the benefit of the electronic is you
2:17:04 know you yeah once you get the we'll
2:17:06 give you both so feel free you could
2:17:09 click on the link and it'll you know
2:17:11 from the table of contents it takes you
2:17:13 to that so there's some pros and cons
2:17:15 but it's always good to go back and
2:17:17 forth if you're trying to compare things
2:17:18 so we'll get you both a digital copy and
2:17:21 uh and a paper copy
2:17:23 and one more question to what you had
2:17:25 said we did have the Whiteboard come to
2:17:27 us but uh so there was something about
2:17:29 it that I didn't feel like I was
2:17:32 um either either brief before it came or
2:17:35 something like that I wasn't really able
2:17:36 to engage in the conversation so I
2:17:37 appreciate you saying that the
2:17:39 Whiteboard would be coming back to us
2:17:41 is that right well uh I'm you know I
2:17:44 missed that meeting when we when or you
2:17:47 weren't there okay so
2:17:51 we're happy to schedule another meeting
2:17:53 on the Whiteboard
2:17:55 um because I think we had said as you
2:17:57 conclude the conversation and all six
2:17:59 buckets we'll bring it back to you so
2:18:01 we'll we'll figure out a date and then
2:18:04 bring it back to you absolutely yeah I'm
2:18:07 wondering Vinnie if it's applicable for
2:18:10 um you know we've made as we went
2:18:12 through
2:18:13 um preliminary planning first draft it
2:18:16 became a little bit of a catchphrase
2:18:17 right put it on the Whiteboard right put
2:18:19 it in the garage
2:18:20 and so as we've now formalized that
2:18:23 process there were particular things
2:18:25 that the administration had put on the
2:18:27 official whiteboard and I'm curious as
2:18:29 we go through the final draft for Title
2:18:31 18 if basically as we're going through
2:18:33 things we're able to say hey and we'd
2:18:36 like to put that on the Whiteboard and
2:18:37 we'd be able to basically come up with a
2:18:39 little bit of a more formal list that
2:18:40 PPC says Hey we'd like Council to look
2:18:43 at these additional items and be able to
2:18:46 kind of we didn't we weren't able to
2:18:48 kind of add to the process in a more
2:18:49 formal way when we had the meeting and
2:18:50 if we're able to kind of have that
2:18:52 movement when we're going through the
2:18:53 draft code might be easier as we're
2:18:55 going through piece by piece sure I mean
2:18:57 you know we'll maintain that list
2:18:59 regardless of uh how you know if there
2:19:02 are things you find that are missing we
2:19:04 would be happy to add add to the list
2:19:06 yeah I'm sorry I say this only to be
2:19:09 helpful is it is it is the Whiteboard
2:19:12 ready enough to be with this next copy
2:19:16 this next version so that no it's not so
2:19:19 that we could say oh good that's on the
2:19:21 Whiteboard
2:19:22 oh yeah I mean we have a copy and we've
2:19:24 briefed the committee yeah yeah I don't
2:19:27 know Kristen has some okay input
2:19:30 well I just think that with the with the
2:19:33 public uh participation and the runs
2:19:36 that there will be additional things
2:19:37 added to the Whiteboard so yeah I mean
2:19:40 we can we can give you what we have okay
2:19:44 it's not quite ready for prime time huh
2:19:48 okay it's this is very difficult for me
2:19:50 because oh and I need a shot of the disc
2:19:52 because I can't tell who's talking or
2:19:54 who wants to talk there we go that's
2:19:56 what I'm looking for
2:19:58 um thank you staff does does staff have
2:20:00 any additional city council updates
2:20:04 no that should do it
2:20:06 all right is there any other business or
2:20:09 announcements from staff
2:20:15 all right hearing none go ahead
2:20:19 I just said there are none
2:20:21 okay thank you Kristen
2:20:23 all right well does anyone have anything
2:20:25 else Commissioners for the good of the
2:20:27 order
2:20:29 Nina does can we say it did we say it
2:20:33 enough thank you for coming thank you
2:20:36 for coming to join us in our little
2:20:38 party all to all the new commissioners
2:20:42 here let's we can't say it enough
2:20:45 right no thank you Carolyn thank you
2:20:47 Alma I'm looking forward to meeting you
2:20:49 guys in person when I don't have a cold
2:20:50 and I can't get you sick
2:20:53 um and also with Jamie so any other
2:20:56 uh business items for the good of the
2:20:59 order
2:20:59 for the good of the order to staff mind
2:21:01 reminding us when we'll be seeing each
2:21:03 other next I believe our next meeting
2:21:04 was canceled and so if you could give us
2:21:06 a quick
2:21:07 reminder
2:21:09 on when we'll be back together
2:21:13 right the October 27th meeting is
2:21:15 canceled that is a holiday or cultural
2:21:17 holiday
2:21:18 and so the next one Falls in November
2:21:21 and it's
2:21:23 I believe it's no November 10th November
2:21:26 10th is the next one yeah right and then
2:21:29 we have one on the 17th both public
2:21:31 hearings and then we have a final public
2:21:33 hearing on December 1st so we got our
2:21:35 December 1st meeting
2:21:36 he's very good all right I looked at my
2:21:40 calendar I read my package
2:21:42 so all right everyone well without any
2:21:45 further business we will adjourn this
2:21:47 meeting tonight at 8 56 PM good night
2:21:50 everyone

Attendance

Council / Members (8)
Voiss (joined virtually at 00:07)
Vice-Chair Bader
Commissioners Esemuede
Kennedy
Lewis
Longoria
Milligan
Patterson Absence: Commissioner Altimore (Excused)
Staff (2)
Christen Leeson, Senior Planner Valerie Porter, Associate Planner Minnie Dhaliwal, CPD Director 2. Approval of Minutes VICE-CHAIR BADER asked for changes or comments regarding the September 29, 2022 Minutes. There were none
the Minutes were approved. The October 3, 2022 Minutes were on the agenda for approval but were not addressed. 3