PC APPROVED Minutes 03-09-17 Minutes
Spokane Valley Planning Commission
Council Chambers—City Hall
March 09,2017
I. Chair Graham called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. Commissioners, staff and audience stood for
the pledge of allegiance. Secretary Deanna Horton took roll and the following members and staff were
present:
Heather Graham Cary Driskell, City Attorney
James Johnson Lori Barlow, Senior Planner
Tim Kelley Karen Kendall, Planner
Mike Phillips Micki Harnois, Planner
Michelle Rasmussen
Suzanne Stathos
Deanna Horton, Secretary for the Commission
II, AGENDA: Commissioner Johnson moved to accept the March 09,2017 agenda as presented. The vote
on the motion was six in favor, zero against and the motion passed.
III. MINUTES: Commissioner Johnson moved to approve the February 09, 2017 minutes as presented.
The vote on the motion was six in favor, zero against and the motion passed. Commissioner Johnson
moved to approve the February 23, 2017 minutes with the following amendment, in a sentence mid-
paragraph it states "Commissioner Johnson asked what would happen to the drywell which is in the
street at that location." Commissioner Johnson stated it was Commissioner Phillips who had asked
this question at that time. The vote to approve the amended minutes was six in favor, zero against, the
muotiort passes.
IV. COMMISSION REPORTS: The Commissioners had no reports.
V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT: There was no administrative report.
VI. PUBLIC COMMENT: There was no public comment.
VII. COMMISSION BUSINESS:
a) Public Hearing: STV-2017-0001, Street Vacation of a portion of Wilbur between Pines and
Bowdish.
Chair Graham stated the Commission's first business was a public hearing for STV-2017-0001.
She opened the public hearing at 6:09 p.m. after reading the rules of conduct. Planner Karen
Kendall gave the Commissioners an overview of STV-2017-0001, a street vacation of a portion of
Wilbur Road which is between Pines and Bowdish Roads and Mission Ave and Interstate 90(I-90).
Ms. Kendall explained a street vacation is the process of vacating a public right-of-way (ROW).
The requested vacation is approximately 260 feet in length ranging in width from 30 to 40 feet.
The three abutting parcels have the same ownership. Ms. Kendall stated staff reviews street
connectivity, traffic volumes future development and access needs. The applicant's reasons for
applying for the vacation are the area is unimproved,vacating it would allow for maximum use of
the property, all the surrounding parcels have the same owner and there is no way to continue this
road north. There have been no objections to the street vacation. Staff recommends approval of
the street vacation with the conditions outlined in the staff report. Commissioner Kelley asked
about the utilities which serve the open areas of I-90. Ms.Kendall stated staff received notice from
Washington Dept. of Transportation stating there are services within Wilbur Road which they
utilize for irrigation and power along 1-90. It will be up to the property owner to coordinate with
Modern Electric to make sure those services are preserved. Commissioner Johnson confirmed the
applicant would incur the costs to move the drywell and inlet if needed.
Having no one who wished to test , the Chair closed the hearing at 6:19 p.m.
2017-03-09 Planning Commission Minutes Page 2 of 3
Commissioner Johnson moved to recommend approval of STV-2017-0001 with conditions to the
City Council. The vote on this motion was six in favor, zero against, the motion passed.
b) Study Session: STV-2017-0002, Street Vacation of a portion of McMillian Road and an
unnamed Right-of-Way on the City's border.
Planner Karen Kendall presented the Commissioners an overview of a City initiated street vacation
located in the northeast corner of the City. The request is to vacate a portion of McMillian Road
and an unnamed ROW which is only 16 feet wide along the City's eastern border along four of the
parcels. The parcels are located east of Barker and north of the railroad ROW which runs north of
Euclid Avenue. The surrounding parcels have the same owner and are zoned Industrial. Currently
the parcels are vacant, but can be accessed by an unmaintained railroad ROW. Parcels to the east
in the County also take access from this railroad ROW. Ms. Kendall explained if the vacation is
approved, one of the conditions would be to make sure the parcels are reconfigured to have access.
Commissioner Stathos asked if staff was aware of the intended use of the property. Ms. Kendall
noted that the city has not received any applications for the site at this time. She also stated having
the public street in the middle of a large section of industrial property may hinder where
development could be located on the property and require improvement of the street. City's
economic development division has noted this would assist in creating a larger industrial site. City
Attorney Cary DriskeIl stated in the City's economic development efforts, many times staff hears
it is better to have an unencumbered site. Commissioners confirmed there is not another half of
ROW "on the County side of the boundary." Commission had no other questions. Ms. Kendall
said the public hearing for the street vacation would be March 23,2017.
c) Supportive Housing:Update
Planner Micki Harnois presented an update on the supportive housing topic the Commission has
been working on. She highlighted that the Commission had generally agreed that they were not
interested in further review of temporary supportive housing, but wanted to insure that the City
code did not present any obstacles for future permanent supportive housing projects. Ms. Harnois
outlined how the multifamily regulations were different prior to the Comprehensive Plan update at
the end of 2016. In the Corridor Mixed Use(CMU)zone the differences were a bonus density was
allowed for affordable units prior to 2016 and it had a maximum density of 22 units per acre.Under
the current regulations the maximum density had been removed, and the remaining regulations
were generally the same. In the Multifamily zone the difference was that a bonus density was
allowed prior to the end of 2016; the density bonus regulations were eliminated in the update,
primarily due to the consolidation of the medium and high density zones,and the fact that the CMU
zone allows multifamily without a maximum density. A Catholic Charities project currently under
construction in the City was permitted under the density bonus regulations. Ms. Harnois stated she
contacted several agencies to identify possible obstacles in the code and future projects slated for
the City. No one has projected projects for the City at this time.
Commissioner Johnson confirmed the project in Olympia called Quixote Village was considered
an encampment, not supportive housing. The Commission has reviewed the regulations and
determined there are no obstacles to an organization building permanent supportive housing
structures, similar to the Catholic Charities project, which resembles an apartment building.
However,the Commission has determined they do not feel there is a need to change the regulations
to provide for encampments, with more temporary types of structures. Commissioner Johnson
stated he still feels there is a need in the community for transitional housing for the substantial
homeless population in the community. Building a large permanent structure is expensive and
there are limited funds to develop this type of housing. He said he felt there was a better way to
serve people if there were alternatives, such as temporary encampments. Commissioner Johnson
hopes that the subject can return to the Commission at a time in the future.
2017-03-09 Planning Commission Minutes Page 3 of 3
VIII. GOOD OF THE ORDER: There was nothing for the good of the order.
IX. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m. The vote on
the motion was unanimous in favor,motion passed.
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Heather Graham, Chair Date signed
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Deanna Horton, Secretary