2013, 10-15 Study Session MINUTES
SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
STUDY SESSION FORMAT
Spokane Valley City Hall Council Chambers
Spokane Valley,Washington
October 15 2013 6:00 p.m.
Attendance:
Councilmembers Staff
Torn Towey,Mayor Mike Jackson, City Manager
Gary Schimmels,Deputy Mayor Cary Driskell,City Attorney
Chuck Hafner, Councilmember Mark Calhoun,Finance Director
Rod Higgins, Councilmember John Hohman, Community Development Dir.
Ben Wick, Councilmember Eric Guth, Public Works Director
Arne Woodard, Councilmember Mike Stone,Parks and Recreation Director
Erik Lamb,Deputy City Attorney
Absent: Lori Barlow, Senior Planner
Dean Grafos, Councilmember Chris Bainbridge, City CIerk
Mayor Towey called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Roll Call: City Clerk Bainbridge called the roll; all Councilmembers were present except Councilmember
Grafos. It was moved by Councilmember Woodard, seconded and unanimously agreed to excuse
Councilmember Grafos from tonight's meeting.
1. Comprehensive Plan Draft Docket—Lori Barlow, Scott Kuhta
Community Development Director Hohman explained that the amended Exhibit 1 includes the removal of
all reference to City Center, and he apologized for not including that initially, and Ms.Barlow echoed that
apology. Ms. Barlow explained that with certain exceptions, we are limited to making changes for text
and maps on an annual basis; that the amendments can be city or privately initiated, and to date we have
no privately initiated amendment requests. Ms. Barlow explained the proposed changes, that they are
divided into two categories: map amendments and text amendments, which include charts, tables and
graphics; and via her PowerPoint presentation, briefly discussed the few proposed changes to Chapters 3,
4, 7, 9 and 11, as well as the City-initiated map amendment CPA 01-014 changing the parks/open space
to Mixed Use Center. Concerning this site-specific map amendment, Mr. Hohman said staff is
considering this as a place holder for future consideration; that we want to make sure it is included on the
docket; that the proposal is to reclassify a City owned parcel adjacent to the Centennial Trail north of the
Mirabeau Trailhead, and said staff wants to look at the feasibility of and interest in, providing food or
some type of refreshment center there; that they would have to look at a zone classification change from
parks open to mixed use center; and said staff continues to research to see if this is a viable possibility.
Mr. Holtman said once all the research is completed, it will be brought back before Council.
Ms. Barlow said the two policy considerations, (three including removing the reference to a city center)
are housekeeping items; and said they are separate as they relate to policies which will ultimately relate
back to regulations in place or to be developed; and said they will also be looking at goals and policies
regarding land uses and activities in the light industrial zones; and again, said these issues will be brought
back before council as part of the overall process. There was some discussion of large residential parcels
and Mr. Hohman said Mr. Basinger has been leading an internal staff group to examine this issue and
look at parts of our code that may make it more economically feasible for in-fill development to occur.
Mr. Hohman also noted residential inventories will be examined, especially the single-family residential,
Council Study Session:10-15-2013 Page 1 of 2
Approved by Council: 10-22-2013
as they look at the possibility of opening up a street network;he mentioned various R3 and R4 zones and
said all will come back to council for further discussion. There was also brief discussion about approved
uses for REET (real estate excise tax) funds and preservations projects and road construction. Mr.
Jackson mentioned that the deadline for the annual comprehensive plan changes is November 1, and said
if Council would like to add anything further, to please bring that to staffs attention. Councilmember
Woodard mentioned the idea of looking at the entire comprehensive plan and the use matrix. Director
Hohman said that the use matrix would be a code text amendment rather than a comprehensive plan
amendment; and that the overall Comprehensive Plan update is not due until 2017, and that the process
for that won't probably begin until 2015. Mr. Hohman also noted that the Comprehensive PIan major
components were done in 2007 and that staff has been continually updating the plan; adding that Mr.
Kuhta has a list of all the different upcoming code text amendments, and said it was determined that
several can be incorporated into the permitted use matrix they are in the process of updating, such as the
issue of townhouses in Garden Office; and again said all that will be incorporated into future discussion.
2. Advance Agenda—Mayor Towey
Councihnember Wick asked about the status of the Shoreline Master Plan and Mr. Hohman said they are
finalizing the draft;that there will be an internal review of the entire pieces of the development code; that
they are doing a few last reviews and have re-scheduled the Planning Commission review to October 30
for a study session, followed by a November 14 public hearing on the development regulations, and will
ultimately come to Council in January.
3. The following agenda items were for information only and were not discussed or reported: (1) Street
Vacation Proposal, 13400 Block of Alki; (b) Decant Facility; and (c) Community Development Monthly
Report.
4. Council Cheek in--Mayor Towey Council had no comments.
5. City Manager Comments—Mike Jackson Mr. Jackson had no further comments
6. EXECUTIVE SESSION: It was moved by Deputy Mayor Schimmels, seconded and unanimously
agreed to adjourn into Executive Session for approximately forty-five minutes to review the performance
of a public employee, and that no action will be taken upon return to open session. Council adjourned
into Executive Session at 6:29 p.m. At 7:12 p.m., City Manager Jackson announced in Council Chambers
that the Executive Session is extended to 8:00 p.m. At 7:37 p.m., Mayor Towey declared Council out of
Executive Session, at which time it was moved by Councilmember Woodard, seconded and unanimously
agreed, to adjourn.
_y-
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Th s mas E.Towey,-Mayor
A
ln•istine Bainbridge, City Clerk
Council Study Session: 10-15-2013 Page 2 of 2
Approved by Council: 10-22-2013