2024-05-08 Planning Board MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS PLANNING BOARD
Minutes of Hybrid Meeting
May 8, 2024
Chair Mitchell called the hybrid meeting of the Edmonds Planning Board to order at 7:00 p.m. at Edmonds City
Hall and on Zoom.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
The Land Acknowledgement was read by Board Member Hankins.
Board Members Present
Jeremy Mitchell, Chair
Judi Gladstone
Lee Hankins
Richard Kuehn
Susanna Martini
Nick Maxwell
Steven Li (alternate)
Board Members Absent
Lauren Golembiewski, Vice Chair (excused)
READING/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Staff Present
Susan McLaughlin, Planning & Development Director
Mike Clugston, Acting Planning Manager
Navyusha Pentakota, Urban Design Planner
MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER GLADSTONE, SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
MAXWELL, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 24, 2024 AS AMENDED WITH
LANGUAGE IN BOARD MEMBER GLADSTONE'S EMAIL AND AS DISCUSSED. MOTION
PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA
THERE WAS UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Roger Pence encouraged board members to speak up so the audience can hear what they are saying.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A. Comprehensive Plan Housing Element
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May 8, 2024 Pagel of 3
Director McLaughlin made the presentation regarding the Housing Element Update as contained in the Planning
Board packet including the timeline; policy guidance; and state, county, and city goals related to housing
impacting the Comprehensive Plan development. The Equitable Engagement Framework is a tool used to
inform strategies to address households with incomes less than $50,000. Citizens Housing Commission
recommendations are also integrated. Director McLaughlin reviewed existing 2016 Comprehensive Plan
Housing Goals and how those goals would be adapted. Relevant data from the Alliance for Housing
Affordability (AHA) related to changes in housing prices and required incomes which wasn't in the packet was
also presented. There was some discussion related to the data regarding salaries and household incomes.
• Vision 1: Create vibrant and diverse neighborhoods
Director McLaughlin highlighted new content, policy statements, and draft vision and goal statements. There
was a question about performance metrics related to the previous goals and the lack of action taken towards the
Strategic Action Plan. There was discussion about the importance of being accountable to goals and the need to
update codes to support implementation. The Board discussed sharing thoughts about this with the City Council.
• Vision 2: Ensure fair and accessible housing opportunities for all
There was some debate about how to reword Goal 2.3 — Existing racial inequity in housing distribution will be
minimized.
• Vision 3: Produce and preserve affordable housing
There were questions about what was meant by Goal 3.2 — Preserve naturally occurring affordable housing.
The group debated how to best preserve affordable housing and if there was even affordable housing to preserve
in Edmonds. Does this really mean helping people to stay in their homes? There seemed to be consensus that
Goal 3.2 needs reworking.
• Vision 4: Remove regulatory barriers to housing affordability
There was debate about having a goal to collaborate with adjacent jurisdictions regarding consistency of
regulations in order to provide faster permitting. It was recommended to combine goals 4.1 and 4.2 and to
consider "explore" versus "implement" for goal 4.4. Using incentives and regulations to achieve the type of
housing the City wants to see was discussed. There were comments about the importance of having new housing
in areas where the services and infrastructure are available to support it and about how not all new housing types
are equal. Stakeholder meetings have been helpful in understanding regulations that are stopping developers
from building a diverse variety of housing. There were some comments about creating a goal or policy around
development agreements.
Upcoming citywide meetings to get community input focused on developing the draft Comp Plan goals are
planned for May 28 (Land Use, Housing, Economy) and May 30 (Transportation, Urban Design, Environment).
Staff welcomes feedback on the format of these meetings noting that staff availability to attend them is
extremely limited. Suggestions from the Board included the post -it note exercise, using emojis, online/Zoom
meetings, and an online comment board like they had with the open house. There was some discussion about
misinformation about action the City has taken that has been circulating and what can be done to counteract it.
Some questions were raised about the existing Housing Element to be answered in the future.
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May 8, 2024 Page 2 of 3
NEW BUSINESS
None
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT
None
PLANNING BOARD EXTENDED AGENDA
May 22 — Joint meeting with Economic Development Commission (EDC) and a public hearing on
Green Building Incentives
June 12 — Transportation Element and related Comp Plan items
There was a suggestion to add an extra meeting in the November/December timeframe to compensate for the
two meetings canceled because of the timing of the holidays. There was a request to get an earlier touch on the
CIP/CFP items this year.
PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Hankins thanked everyone for the enjoyable meeting.
Board Member Gladstone said she enjoyed the discussion.
Board Member Li expressed appreciation for the variety of viewpoints within the group.
Board Member Maxwell thanked the new board members for their contributions and said he wanted to make
sure they received all the onboarding needed. Planning Manager Clugston will follow up with them.
Board Member Martini was impressed with the extended discussion with just one item on the agenda.
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Chair Mitchell echoed previous comments. He asked about revisions to the ADU/DADU memo which he still
needs to review before it goes to Council on May 21. Vice Chair Golembiewski has one more revision to
complete.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
Planning Board Meeting Minutes
May 8, 2024 Page 3 of 3