PC APPROVED Minutes 01-11-18 Minutes
Spokane Valley Planning Commission
Council Chambers—City [lull
January 11,2018
I. Vice Chair Johnson 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:
James Johnson Erik Lamb, Deputy City Attorney
Danielle Kaschmitter, absent,excused Lori Barlow, Senior Planner
Tim Kelley, absent, excused Marty Palaniuk„Planner
Mike Phillips Henry Allen, Engineer
Michelle Rasmussen Ray Wright„ Senior Traffic Engineer
Suzanne. Mathes Gloria Mang., Senior Engineering Manager
Matt Walton Rod Higgins, Mayor
Deanna Horton, Secretary for the Commission
II. AGENDA: Commissioner Rasmussen moved to accept the January 11, 2018 aPciidit as presented. The
rote on the motion was five in favor, zero against and the nnintfrm passed
III. MINUTES: Commissioner Rasmussen moved to approve the December 14, 2017 minutes as
presented. the vote on the motion was jive in favor, zero against, the}notion passes.
IV. COMMISSION REPORTS: The Commissioners had no reports.
V. ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT: ienior Planner Lori Darlow noted Danielle Kaschrnitter had been
appointed to the Planning Commission to replace Heather Graham at the January 9,2018 City Council
meeting. She also shared the advanced agenda with the Commissioners and discussed upcoming
subjects which will appear before them: Comprehensive Plan amendments and a text amendment to
change the one acre requirement for animal keeping back to 40,000 square feet which was changed in
the update to the development regulations.
VI. PUBLIC COMMENT:
Rod Higgins, Spokane Valley Mayor — Mr. Higgins thanked the Commissioners for a job well done
last year. He said he had heard the Commissioners felt they might have been underworked, but he
assured them their mission was very important lie said the job of the Commission is to screen things
for the City Council and it makes their jobs easier. He commented that lately the Council has followed
the recommendations of the Planning Commission,which indicates they have done a thorough job.
VII. COMMISSION BUSINESS:
i. Election of Officers:
Secretary Deanna I Iorton reminded the Commission that only Commissioners who had served
more than one year would be eligible to serve as the Chair or the Vice (Their of the Commission.
Ms. Horton then called for nominations for the office of Chair. Mr. Phillips nominated Ms.
Rasmussen, who accepted the nomination. Ms. Rasmussen nominated Mr. Johnson, he declined
the nomination. I laving, no other nominations voting by a show of hands, four in favor and one
against, Ms. Rasmussen dissenting, Ms. Rasmussen was voted to the office of Planning
Commission Chair for 2018.
Ms. Horton then accepted nominations for the position of Vice Chair. Mr. Phillips nominated Mr,
Johnson, who accepted the nomination. Having no other nominations, voting by a show of hands,
five in favor and zero against, Mr.Johnson was elected to the position of Vice Chair for 2018. Ms_.
Rasmussen [hen continued to lead the meeting.
ii. Planning Commission Findings of Fact for CIA-2017-0003, A proposed amendment to the
Spokane Valley Municipal Code regarding subdivision general provisions.
2018.01-11 Planning Commission Minutes Page.2 of 4
Planner Marty Palaniuk explained the Findings of Fact had been dratted based on the recommended
changes the Planning Commission had voted on at the public hearing and then incorporated into
the amendment to move forward to the City Council.
Commissioner Johnson rnoved to approve the Planning Commission Findings of Fact jot. CTA-
2017-003. the vote on the motion was five is favor, zero against inrotion passed.
iii. Public Hearing,Street Standards Update
Chair Rasmussen opened the public hearing at 6:17 p.m.
Engineer Henry Allen explained the City's Street Standards, which are the standards that guide the
development of public and private infrastructure. Mr. Allen explained the changes to the Street
Standards were initiated to address the Federal Highway Administration's concern regarding
Chapter 10.2.1 and the City's ability to maintain a sidewalk if the property owner should fail to do
so. The Street Standards are also being updated to eliminate City positions which no longer exist
and change them to refer to the City Manager, who has ultimate authority but delegates it to other
staff members in the City to perform. Some of the other changes include eliminating the variance
process, FAA and Mylar regard drawings, no longer requiring streets to connect to future
development, frontage improvements only where a project accesses a street. Chapter 3 is being
updated to allow limited traffic impact analysis for SEPA infill areas. There are also proposed
changes to the Spokane Valley Municipal Code (SVMC) 20.80.t)l0 and 22.130 to remove
references to future acquisition areas and revise SVMC 22.130 to replace eliminated positions,
Commissioner Rasmussen questioned why on page 3-14 which references collision history; the
word past' was being struck. Senior Traffic Engineer Ray Wright explained the City provides the
collision history to the outside engineers when they need to do a traffic analysis and the City always
provides the most current information. She also noted that on page 6-3 the word `cults' needs to
be changed to cuts,on page 1-2 adopted is in the sentence twice.
Chair Rasmussen then open the hearing up for the public to comment..
Yield Donahue,323 S Bowdiish:Ms.Donahue stated she lives at the intersection of 40 Ave and
Rowdish Rd. This is a busy intersection and there are many accidents which occur there. She is
also concerned about the school children walking along these roads. She feels there should be a
traffic control device at this intersection, slowing people on Rowdish, improving 40 .Ave, She
also stated she had received a letter regarding snow removal. She said they shovel but then the
plow conies along and puts the,it right back on the sidewalk.
T'aiil Taylor,323 S Bowdish: Mr. Taylor said the leaves and the gutters did not get cleaned out
along the road, so when the snow melts there is no place for the water to go. Ho commented
there is too much traffic on that (Howdish) road, it needs a safety control device. He said it is
not can we have it,it is do something about it,
Seeing no one else who wished to testify, Chair Rasmussen closed the public hearing at 6:37 p.m_
Commissioner Stathos stated she could see the commenter's point of view because 4th Avenue is.
busier all the lime. She would like to see more stop lights along it. She said 41' Avenue is how
everyone avoids Sprague, but with all the apartments along it now, it is dangerous. Commissioner
Johnson said he agreed regarding 4111Avenue.
Commissioner Philips commented 10.1 says the City is not responsible for maintenance of the
sidewalks. He commented he has a problem with a citizen having to replace the sidewalk if it
becomes damaged. He feels it should be part of the City's maintenance program to repair the
sidewalks, especially if they are inside the right-of-way or a border easement. He felt maintenance
should be explained better_ I Ie also corn merited he has a problem with shoveling the sidewalks and
then the plow comes along and puts the snow back and the City turning around and fining someone
because there is snow on the sidewalk. Ms. Barlow reminded the Commissioners the reason for
the change in the language in this section is due to the comments received from the Federal
Highways Administration and without it, it could affect the City's ability to receive grants in the
future,
2018-01-11 Planning Comm ission Minutes Page.3of4
Mr. Alien stated that when the Street Standards were adopted, they spoke to many jurisdictions
regarding the care of sidewalks, and the idea of citizens maintaining the sidewalk in ti•oiit of their
homes or businesses is not unique to our City. The City inherited this language from Spokane
County but many other jurisdictions in and around the state have the same requirement. It would
be a huge expense and under taking for the City to have to maintain hundreds of miles of sidewalk.
Commissioner Walton confirmed the snow shoveling was not in the Street Standards but was a
separate ordinance from what was currently being considered, He wondered how the expense for
repairing or replacing a sidewalk was determined. Mr. Lamb explained the City is required to get
bids for its public works projects and required to accept the lowest bid. Based on this, the citizen
would only be billed for the actual work and we would have an invoice for the work which was
performed,
Commissioner Phillips felt that maintenance was not clearly defined in section 10,2.1.
Commissioner Johnson stated that he also felt it did not clearly define maintenance however felt
changing it might be better handled in a future update. Mr. Lamb offered adding to the end of the
sentence `property owners arc responsible for the maintenance of these features as described
below. ' The Commissioners agreed this change would satisfy their concerns,
CommissiOrier Johnson moved to approve the staff recommended changes to the municipal code
and the Spokane Valley Street Standards as proposed with the following changes, Street Standards
section 10.2.1 changing the second sentence of the second paragraph by adding as described
below'to the end of the sentence, Street Standards section 1.3.2, third bullet ensure public facilities
meet level of service standards adopted in the Cormprehensivc Flair, SVMG 22.130 change
Development Services Senior Engineer to City Manager. The vote on the motion was five in favor,
zero against, the motionpassed
iv. Study Session—Wireless Small Cell Technology Deployment:
Mr. Lamb gave a presentation to explain to the Commission wireless small cell technology. Most
wireless cell phone traffic is currently handled by the large monopoles, Historically the City has
only dealt with the monopoles which have been located on private property. The City was
contacted by a Mobilite, company connected with Sprint, regarding small cell sites in late
2015/early 2016. The City joined a consortium of numerous cities in 20]61 to become more
educated in what the small cell technology is and how it will affect us. The consortium developed
`model franchise' agreements and 'model development regulations' for the deployment of small
cell sites. The City has been working with Verizon,MCI Telecom, and Mobilite regarding the use
of Spokane Valley rights-of-way for small cell deployment. The City has developed draft franchise
agreements and regulations related to small cell deployments.
Current 3 or 40 (generation) technology is when a hand held device communicates with the large
monopole. The farther you get from the monopole the less reliable the signal is, Monopoles can
only accept so much da[a at one time. Small cell technology would be adding antennas in the right-
of-ways and help to bring data from farther out to the larger monopoles.
Federal law changed to set specific timelines for processing these small cell permits. There are
also laws in place which slop cities from prohibiting small cell deployment. State law allows the
City to require a master use permit, the City is using franchise agreements as these master permits.
Cities are allowed site specific permits for the small cell installations in addition to the mater
permits. The lelecomm industry cannot interfere with the normal use of the rights-of-way. Cities
cannot regulate services based on content or kind of signals, cannot prohibit placement of wireless
facilities within the city. Since the City does not own any of the lighting fixtures in the tight-of-
way,
ight-ofway,the cell providers have been signing agreements with each of the power providers to use their
facilities.
The City is expecting a small cell to be an antenna of no more than three cubic feet in volume and
the equipment box would he no larger than seventeen cubic feet. Mr.Lamb shared pictures of what
it was possible for the small cell deployment to look like. The City can restrict the height, based
2c'lH-in-1 I Planning Commission Minuties Pagc 4 of I
on zoning location, impose some design standards which might include stealth shrouding
requirements and landscaping for some facilities.
Mr. Lamb explained the proposed amendments:
• Appendix A, add definitions related specifically to small cell deployments and the new
timeline provisions.
• SVMC 17.50.030 add that small cell permits are a Type I permit and shall be processed as
such, except as otherwise required by federal and state law.
• SVMC 19.60.050 amend the permitted use matrix to allow small cell deployment; in all
zones subject to the supplemental regulations proposed in new chapters SVMC 2.2.12] and
22.122
▪ SVMC 22.120 remove any references to small cell services
• SVMC 22.121 new chapter providing for master use permits, deployment of small cel]
facilities and lays Out the permit application requirements and small cell design and
concealment standards.
• SVMC 22.122 new chapter providing for mandated permit review times as stated in state
car icderal regulations.
Commissioner Johnson asked who would be responsible if one of the sites was damaged. Mr. Lamb
stated it would be handled just as if it was a power pole or a mail box in the right-of-way.
Commissioners asked if providers would be required to co-locate on the same pole. Mr. Lamb said
providers would have to prove that the only place they can provide services is where they want to locate
their-equipment. Commissioners raised concerns regarding:
• the aesthetics of having more equipment in the rights-of-ways.
• how close together facilities would need to be located, if they could not co-locate.
• if they were wide band or narrow band facilities.
• what would the frequency do to honeybees, animals and people.
• thieves would damage the sites for wiring.
• radiation from the signals being given off these lowered antennas.
• the ability to determine what they deployment will look like.
Mr. Lamb stated the public hearing for the small cell deployment was scheduled for.January 25, 2018.
He would do his best to try and bring answers by the public hearing,
VIII. GOOD OF THE ORDER: Commissioners congratulated Commissioner Rasmussen on her
appointment to the office of Chair and wished her luck.
IX. ADJOURNMENT: Commissioner Johnson moved to adjourn the meeting at t :12 p.m. The vote on
the motion was unaxlrrrnous r fimor, the motion passed.
_„th//6 _
Michelle Rasmussen, Chair Date signed
J111±107k t
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Deanna Horton. Secretary