Minutes - 02/22/2007
Spokane Valley Planning Commission
Approved Minutes
Council Chambers–City Hall,11707 E. Sprague Ave.
February 22, 2007
I.CALL TO ORDER
ChairwomanKoglecalled the meeting to order at 6:08pm.
II.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Commissioners, staff and audience stood for the pledge of allegiance
III.ROLL CALL
Commissioner Fred Beaulac –PresentCommissioner Gail Kogle –Present
Commissioner Bob Blum –PresentCommissionerIan Robertson –Absent, excused
Commissioner John G. Carroll –PresentCommissioner Marcia Sands–Present
CommissionerDavid Crosby –Absent,
excused
Staff attending the meeting: Marina Sukup, Director Community Development, Greg
McCormick, Planning Manager, Mary Kate Martin, Building Official, Scott Kuhta, Senior
Planner,Carolbelle Branch, Public Information Officer, Deanna Griffith, Administrative
Assistant.
IV.APPROVAL OF AGENDA
It was moved by CommissionerCarrollsecondedby Commissioner Beaulac,and
unanimously agreed to amendthe February 22, 2007agenda to bring the public
hearings to the front of the agenda. It was unanimously approved to do so.
V.COMMISSION BUSINESS
OLDBUSINESS: There was no old business
Commissioner Kogle reviewed the rules of procedure for the conduct during the public
hearings.
New Business: Public Hearing Uniform Development Code Title 24, Building
codes: Commissioner Kogle opened the public hearing at 6:10 pm. Building Official
Mary Kate Martin made a short presentation regarding the proposed building codes
relating to the International Building Codes, adopting the Washington State building
codes in June of 2007. Ms. Martin explained that the local amendments do not cover
property maintenance and explained that the definitions of blight and drug properties.
Mary Pollard, 17216 E.Baldwin –Ms. Pollard concernswere
Thepublic only had a one week to comment on the development code.
Thegrading section stated grading of onevertical unit to two horizontal units,
would not need a permit. Ms. Pollard said that in front of her house that this
was not the case andthat this section did not take into effect of the
consequences for people.
02/22/2007 Planning Commission MinutesPage 1of7
The grading ordinance needs to reference the building of retaining walls in
necessary cases, such as in front of her house. The City needs to take into
account slopes that go nowhere, wheelchair access, grades slopes, that a side
yard at one home could be the back yard of someone else’s home, which would
come under different regulations.
Feelsthe grading section shouldalsoaddress noise and vibration.Ms. Pollard
also said that you should be aware that if you raise the dirt at one property, how
it would effect surrounding property.
Wouldencourage the Commission to have a meeting where you have more
public dialog.
Margaret Mortz, 3420 S. Ridgeview Dr.: Ms. Mortz’s comments concerned the following
topics:
designate the Ponderosa area as a Urban Wildland Interface Area
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make this area UWI by local amendment,
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require water supply as part of concurrency
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Makesure that there are appropriate egresses and ingresses in the
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Ponderosa area before allowing more development.
Closed public testimony for title 24, Commissioner Beaulac made a motion to continue the public
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hearing until March 8;it was seconded and passed unanimously
New Business: Public Hearing Uniform Development Code, Title 19 Zoning –Planning
Manager Greg McCormick made a presentation on things contained into
Joe Organic, 220 W. Main –
zoning matrix seems to have inconsistencies
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not much time to review titles
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FJ Dullanty, 422 W. Riverside,
FeelsUDC is concentratingtoo much on uses, what do you care what
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the use is.
Concentrateon design standards, like proposing in the
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Sprague/Appleway Revitalization Plan
Non conforming rightsshould be worried about removing rights from
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people. GMA is about protecting rights, new comp plan and regulations
to implement it makes for rights in the City but non-conforming uses
take away rights.
City should be more flexible. UR-22 had multiple uses allowed now they
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are not, now they would be legal non-conforming uses. Need to look at
how you will impact small businesses.
Bill Szabrowicz, 15716 E. Sprague Ave.
Has anautomobile repair and towing business. Would like to
move it.
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Found out can only move it to light industrial with new plan, not
a lot of places to do that.
With old zoning could do it all along Sprague and lots of other
places.
There is no wherein the Valley now that I could move my
business, what am I suppose to do now?
Dick Harmon, 17610 E. Mission Ave.;
People keep saying that the zones are the same but UR-3.5 is 10,000 sq ft and
R-2 is 7,500 sq ft –how is that the same?
You are going to change my zoning again and not tell me.
Where is the map? Where are you going to put these R-1, R-2, R-3,
Canwe get an extension on the time to look at these things?
Pete Miller, 18124 E. Mission
Marina told me horses would be allowedon my property.
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As an R-2 zone I will be conforming because I have 40,000 sq ft
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however I have a huge issue when you deny the rights of a property
owner
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Gail Stiltner, 10119 E. 44,
19.40.010, single family estate, it will change the characterof
the existing development if you allow the minimum lot size to be
less than 40,000 sq ft, however it is wonderful that you have
continued to allow us to have animals.
Accessory dwelling units, in some areas these accessory units
have become large homes. It does help to limit it to two
bedrooms but people just get around that by calling them
something other than bedrooms, just to meet the codes. This is
a concern to us.
19.40 Manufactured homes, are they allowed in all areas that
are notcovered by covenants?
Home Occupations, It says traffic greater than normal, this is not
easy to define. In some places where traffic is already high, it
would be dangerous, say to put a day care withsmall children.
Animal raising and keeping, 40,000 sq ft is the correct amount of
land, hoping. I have been informed that llamas should not be
grouped with horses and cows as large animals but under the
smaller breeds since they do less damage to the area.
Mary Pollard, 17216 E. Baldwin:
Amendments to the comp plan which are a benefit to the whole
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community should not be fee based.
There should be clear criteria for zoning
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Why do we need a designation about dependants and dependants
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should not have tosubdivide
Need a construction ordinance –worry about noise pollution
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Beg you to have workshops and open dialog to discuss and understand
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these codes and regulations
Nancy Nishimura, 15013 E. Valleyway;
Feels it would be very sad to take away the animals
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Don’t take away the rights of people to use their property as they wish
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Have more meetings and dialog like the corridor workshops
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Chuck Hafner, 4710 S. Woodruff:
Have questions for better rational for changing UR-1 from
40,000 sq ft to 25,000 sq ft-have been working toward this for
past 4 years.
Want to keep the zoning dimensions in the UR-1 as they are.
Cal Walker, 11917 E. Broadway,
Too much information to digest in this short amount of time. Ask for
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more time to look at these regulations.
Ask to have regulations state the Director or designee –too much
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control for one person and what do you do if she is away on vacation or
sick?
Gene Strunk, 12920 E. Broadway:
Staff has a large task that is dictated by Olympia and they are
forced to try and comply
Everyone in this room has an agenda
The purpose of these hearings is to look into the future and
comply with the laws that are handed down by Olympia
Staff is trying to strike a balance between the citizens and the
charge they have been tasked with.
It is not the fault of the Commission if you have not done your
homework before now and you have come here with an agenda
You people think that you can stop development just because
you want it to be so
The people who are not here are depending on you (staff and
Commission) to make the right decisions for them
Seeing no one else who chose to step up and speak the public comment portion of the hearing
was closed at 7:34/
New Business –Public Hearing Uniform Development Code Title 22 Development
Standards
Open public hearing at 8:14
Slide presentation
Public testimony opened at 8:33
Don Skillingstad, 12730 E. Mirabeau Parkway;
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Outdoor lighting –feels the lighting formula does not work well
Would not work now along the sidewalks along streets would have to set itback
10 feet from the sidewalk to get the pole high enough
Auto Row lights are not contained in anyway and are non-conforming, Sprague
street lights would be non-conforming
Developers have safety concerns, in order to get the foot candle standards;you
would have to double the amount of poles now to generate enough light.
You would have to tilt the light in order to keep the light from leaving the
property but then you have an issue with being able to see the light bulb
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Joel White, CEO Spokane Home Builders Association, 5813 E. 4Ave.:
Commend for continue hearing on Title 19
Home Builders have a committee looking at this, you are seeing some of the
response to that
We want to build good neighborhoods
We will bring back more comments back
Set a meetingwith the neighborhoods
Encourage you to continue this hearing until March 8, or later.
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Tom Vandervert, 4406 E. 15,
Mr. Vandervert turned in a handout with pictures of parking lots and addresses
the parking standards.
Based on the new parking standards many of the current stores in the area
would not be able to meet the requirements. Target, Wal-Martand Costco were
examples given.
The amount of parking stall in the 300 foot requirement is difficult to achieve.
Landscaping point system is innovative,but if you want landscaping in the
parking area, it takes up parking stalls making it more difficult to meet the
requirements.
Margaret Mortz, 3420 S. Ridge View Dr.:
Concurrency and emergency access –transportation requirement for evacuation
in a wildland urban interface area. You would have conflict.
Need more access, but don’t feel you have the money to create one but you
could with a controlled access one across the railroad tracks.
Need a walking path for kids who can not get out except on foot
In your landscaping index you need a sub appendix that has a list of plants that
are fire safe and will not explode in a fire, you can check with the University of
Idaho or Colorado
Concurrency and zoning need to overlap in a wildfire area
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Duane Halliday,1612 E. 64:
22.110 Billboards, Member of the Ad Hoc sign committee, when wrote the
billboard standards, they did not get everything they wanted but they
02/22/2007 Planning Commission MinutesPage 5of7
compromised and the standard of 1000 feet apart with an offset of 250 on the
opposite side of the street.
It is difficult once a billboard comes down, to replace it. We have to acquire a
demo permit for it to come down with a 5 year time frame to get it back up. In
that time frame you must find a piece of land that is zoned properly, meets
spacing requirements and a willing landowner.
Ask that you consider all of the time that we spent putting this document
together and it is a great document.
Commissioner Blum made a motion to extend the time to 9:30;it was seconded and passed
unanimously.
Richard Harmon, 17610 E. Mission:
Would like Marina to show how R-2 is UR-3.5. This is misleading. UR-3.5 has a
lot size of 10,000 sq ft, R-2 is 7,500 sq ft. It is not the same.
Our neighborhood went around and collected money to stay at UR-3.5 and now
this is being slipped in on us. Are you going to notify all of these people?
I don’t think R-2 is right for us and maybe R-1 is not right, maybe we need a R-
1A or something
Concurrency, I don’t agree with Council that schools should not be considered as
partof concurrency.
Nancy Nishimura, 15103 E. Valleyway:
Sign committee member, concerned about portable signs
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Banners that are a requirement of vendors for co-op monies
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.050 permitted signs, what if the banners are required by the business?
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Pete Miller, 18124 E. Mission:
Looking at the standards table, the minimum lot width and depth
do not add up to the lot size. Have been told that this is not
necessary. Need to have this explained better.
Mary Pollard, 17216 E. Baldwin:
Lighting standards, concerned that the standards are not written
clearly.
Concurrency, Schools should be a part of direct of concurrency.
Other cities have written ordinances to make schools part of
direct concurrency.
Waste water treatment plant, accident waiting to happen. Need
to prepare for capacity. Bozemancharges $1100 in waste water
impact fees.
Grading, you must write the neighbors into the process,
easements spill out on someone else’s property, and thenyou
are planning someone’s property with out their permission.
Front yard fencing should be allowed higher so a dog can not
jump the fence.
Application process we do not have a stake in what happens at
the hearing.
02/22/2007 Planning Commission MinutesPage 6of7
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Gail Stiltner, 10119 E. 44
22.20.020, concurrency with development Transportation –ready when
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development occurs, as it occurs or a financial commitment to occur
within six years. This is way too broad.
In a neighborhood impacted by transportation six years does not give
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much hope. Make this much more specific.
Worried about applications/permits that willbe submitted prior to these
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rules taking effect that would be contrary to what we are trying to do
here.
No one else wishing to speak stepped up to the microphone. Commissioner Beaulac
moved to continue the public hearing until March 22, 2007. It was seconded and passed
unanimously.
VI.APPROVAL OF MINUTES
There were no minutes to approve
VII.PUBLIC COMMENT
No public comments were offered
VIII.COMMISSION REPORTS
IX.ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS
X.GOOD OF THE ORDER
XI.ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business the meeting was adjournedat 9:24pm
SUBMITTED:APPROVED:
___________________________________________________________
Deanna Griffith, Administrative AssistantGail Kogle, Chairperson
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