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Minutes - 10/23/2003Spokane Valley Planning Commission Approved Minutes Council Chambers- City Hall 11707 E. Sprague Ave. October 23, 2003 I. CALL TO ORDER Bill Gothmann, Planning Commission Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. 11. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Commission, audie HE ROLL CALL Fred Beaulac -Present Bob Blum - Present David Crosby - Present Gail Kogle -Present ice, and staff recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Bill Gothmann - Present Ian Robertson - Present John G. Carroll - Excused Absence W. APPROVAi,. OF AGENDA Community Development Director Marina Sul:up requested that the New Business be moved ahead of Old Business on the agenda. Commissioner Blum moved that the agenda be approved as amended. Connnnissioner Beaulac seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously. V. APPROVAL Oh ]MINUTES Commissioner Gothmann recommended that the requested hours of business for Adult Retail Usage establishments in the testimonies of both Ms. Lancaster and Ms. Arrotta on Page 3 be changed to read "........s: 00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. It was moved by Commissioner Robertson and seconded by Commissioner Blum that the minutes of the October 9, 2003 Planning Commission meeting be approved as amended Motion passed unani.ntously. VT. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no public comment. VII. COINENTISSION REPORTS Commissioner Kogle attended the Transit-Oriented Development committee meeting on October 22d. The main point of discussion was the utilization of the University City site as a transit center. She encouraged Planning Commission members to attend the next meeting on November 12`h at Decades. Commissioner Gothmarm commented on the valuable information he gained by attending the APA Conference last week. i DRAFT DRAFT V1_I1. ADIVIINiSTRA'l'IVh RN;PORT Director Sukup reported that the Planning Commissioners who were elected to serve a one-year tens will begin their "official" term on January 1, 2004 and end it on December 31, 2004. Commissioners were reminded that they will be meeting on the first three Thursdays in the month of November. 'T'hursday, November 6t', will be the Joint meeting with the City Council, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. November 13`t' and 20'h will be regular Planning Commission meetings. IX COMMISSION BUSMESS A. NEW BUSINESS: WSU Design Studio Presentation on University City Bob Scarfo, Registered Landscape Architect and professor at the Washington State University/Spokane Interdisciplinary Institute of Design, was introduced to the Commission and audience. Professor Scarfo read about the potential renovation of the University City area in the Spokesman-Review, called the City's Long Range Planning staff, and worked with three teams of design students to prepare tonight's presentations. The three teams consisted of students studying Landscape Architecture, Interior Design and Architecture. Each team was charged with developing a multi-generational living plan where Valley citizens could live, work, play and learn. Professor Scarfo asked his students to look 20-30 years into the fixture, keeping in mind that by the year 2030, 25% of the population will be 65 years or older and 49% will be 49 years or older. The Baby Boom Generation will be the healthiest, longest-lived, wealthiest, and best educated generation in America's history. They will want to remain involved in their communities while continuing to personally evolve. TEAM ##1: Theme - "A Heart for the Community," This team developed their City Center utilizing University City as the core with City Center in the middle, City Hall to the West and the Library to the East. Four keywords used in the design were Vitality, Community, Heart and Proximity. The designers worked with three proximities from the center to the periphery: 5 minutes away: home, food, and jobs 10 minutes away: health/welhiess, entertainment, transportation 15 minutes away: parks and parking The area was designed to be pedestrian-dominated with landscaped walking paths and views of gardens and fountains interwoven between the 2 1 DRAF 1" DRAFT buildings. Community courtyards would be available, and a tall tree would be planted near City Center for decoration during the Christmas holidays. The tallest building was designed to be ten stories high, utilizing the first floor for retail, the next two floors for commercial, the next two floors for hotel space, the next three floors for apartments, and the top two floors for condos and rooftop gardens. The buildings would all have multi-purpose lobbies to be used by residents as used book exchanges, game rooms and music rooms. At the periphery of the City Center, designers placed grassy parking lots and a suspended monorail for mass transit. Large garden walkway bridges or the monorail would allow safe pedestrian access from the parking lots to the City Center. Two rapid transit lines, one local and one regional, would run to and from the hub of the University City District. City Councilmember, Mike Flanigan, asked Team 1 if they had any cost figures on the suspended monorail. The team responded that a suspended monorail costs approximately S10 miltion dollars per mile. TEAM #2 - Thcmc: "Right Around the Corncr" This team's design was called "University Village". Spatial planning was utilized so that the village was dense in the center, growing sparse toward the periphery. Large parks were located East and West of the village, housing units were located North and South. Two-story retail spaces would front Sprague and Appleway. Buildings in the City Center were designed at a diagonal fi)r better solar utilization, and would be between four and seven stories high. Parking would be underground, the first two floors would be used for retail, the next two floors would be commercial space, and the top floors would be residential. Landscaping was designed to buffer noise and air pollution as well as to provide open air public market and meeting spaces. A large fountain West of the City Center would turn into an ice rink: in the wintertime. Covered walkways and enclosed exteriors were included in the plan to protect pedestrians from the elements. An amphitheater was situated East of the City Center for cultural events. The proposed Light Rail would provide mass transit, along with Spokane Transit buses. City Center would be the hub of mass transit activities. City Planning Technician, Heather Kauer, made the observation that schools have not been included in either of the plans. Quality schools need to be brought to urban areas. Professor Scarfo agreed that DRA.FT DRA_i17 educational institutions are important to future designs, but the group hasn't decided what levels of education should be addressed yet. TF.aM 03: Theme - "The Urban River, Bridging Communities to a Strang Urban Center" This design focused on creating a monumental site, visible from I-90, for the Valley's City Center. The Urban Business Campus (UBC) would consist of buildings seven stories high and made from brick, glass and concrete. The three tallest buildings would be for multi-generational living with lobbies and gathering places for residents. There Would be a hotel, and a school for children during the day and adults at night. City Hall would be in the center of the UIBC. Also included in the design was a climbing wall, restaurants, a Visitor's Center, art galleries, a theater, a supermarket and a department store. Transparent corridors made of glass would be constructed to corulect buildings. The UBC would be strictly pedestrian. Parking, Light Rail and bus transit would all be underground. Steam heat would run between the parking garage and ground level to heat the U13C and to keep snow off the ground. The team incorporated a man-made river with several ponds in their design. Water would be powered through a recirculation system and heated by steam so it wouldn't freeze. The water would create nice f.'amily picnic areas. A "Water holly" system, in which water shoots out of holes, would provide a focus for _year-round activity. Spokane Transit buses and the Light Rail would be the modes of transportation for the U1BC. Pedestrian Bridges over busy streets would be constructed. Commissioner Kogle asked the students about access for people who are mobility impaired. The team had not thought this through, but proposed golf carts and apartments on the lower floors of residential buildings for this purpose. C"), The WSU Design students will take one of the aspects of their team's plan and design it in greater detail within the next three weeks. They plan to make CDs of their work, and will be able to provide us with them in about a month. Professor Scarfo encouraged the City of Spokane Valley leaders to work with students from the local colleges and universities at every opportunity. He also mentioned that the Robert Wood Foundation and CDC are providing funding for the design and construction of new, healthier neighborhoods and this might be something the City could look into. 4 DRAFT DRAFT The Planning Commission thanked Professor Scarfo and his students for their excellent presentations. Chairman Gothmann called a short break at 8:10 p.m. The meeting reconvened at 8:20 p.m. Commissioner Crosby suggested that the Planning Commission send Professor Scarfo and his students a Certificate of Appreciation for their great presentation. B. NEW BUSINESS: Discussion of City Center Cominissioner Gotlunann mentioned that he sees a number of forces moving City toward building a City Center at the University City site. The multi-generational designs appealed to a number of Commissioners, and the student presentations brought home the value of a City Center. Continued Discussion of Proposed R-1 Zone. Director Sukup reported that she had made some corrections and changes to the first draft. but still need to work on it more. She handed out her second draft. X. FOR,rHE GOOD OF TH-E ORDER Commissioner Crosby asked about the hand-out from the Spokane County Hearing Examiner. Director Sukup explained that an annual report is required in the Hearing Examiner's contract. It was given to the Commission for information only. XI. ADJOURNINTENT There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:33 p.m. SUBMITTED: De Alley, Administrative Assis t APPROVED: Bill Gothinann, Chairman i