04-13-10 CSDS Committee MinutesCommunity Services/Development Services Committee Meeting
April 13, 2010
Elected Officials Present:
Council Member Strom Peterson, Chair
Council Member Dave Orvis
The committee convened at 7:00 p.m.
Staff Present:
Stephen Clifton, Community Services/
Economic Development Director
Leonard Yarberry, Building Official
Leif Bjorback, Assistant Building Official
Kernen Lien, Associate Planner
Sandy Chase, City Clerk
A. Highway 99/CG-3 proposal for new mixed use zone.
The City Council CSDS Committee discussed the narrative Agenda Packet prepared by Council
member Bernheim.
Mr. Clifton noted that the Highway 99 Task Force has been discussing this issue for some time and
that they hope this issue can be addressed at the community, Planning Board and City Council
levels this year. Specifically, a proposal for the creation of a new CG3 zone is being discussed by
the Task Force as a way of encouraging a transition between the uses allowed along the Highway
99 corridor and residentially zoned land. The zone would allow taller buildings than those allowed in
a residentially zoned land, but lower than those allowed in a CG3 Zone along the Highway 99
corridor.
The possibility of holding community meetings, form based codes, and type of uses were discussed.
Council member Orvis noted that the proposed CG3 zone depicted in a draft CG3 Zone narrative
did not appear to be much of a transition since it would allow heights similar to those allowed in the
current CG zone. Mr. Clifton noted that the draft before the CSDS Committee is a proposal by a
potential application and that the Highway 99 Task Force has yet to agree on what height limit or
other regulations should be proposed for the CG3 zone.
ACTION: No action was taken by the Committee.
B. Building Code revisions to include reference to LEED standards.
The item was submitted for the committee review by Council President Bernheim, with the
suggestion that the city of Edmonds look to require all new building and rehabilitation to conform to
some sort of sustainability standard.
Included for review were copies of a memo from local resident Brian Goodnight suggesting some
energy conservation measures; a copy of a draft Sacramento code that required LEED standards
for non residential buildings over 10,000 sq. ft.: and a publication of the Sierra Club, "Green
Buildings for Cool Cities".
Council President Bernheim was unable to attend the meeting as he was participating as a member
of the Finance Committee meeting at the same time.
CS/DS Committee Minutes
April 13, 2010
Page 2
Building Official Yarberry indicated that he had performed some basic research to get a feeling of
how other cities nationally are addressing `green construction in their codes. One of the more highly
developed codes was implemented by San Francisco in January of this year. Locally the City of
Seattle and King County have well defined programs.
Both Councilmember Peterson and Orvis were interested in the `costs' associated with LEED. Mr.
Yarberry noted that LEED required registration and certification, which could range from $2,000 to
over $20,000 dependant upon the size and scope of the project. In addition there were the actual
construction costs and third party inspection costs. The numbers from very limited research point to
about 2% of construction costs.
The discussion also included questions of how programs operate. Yarberry noted that it seems that
incentive programs and grants are very commonly used to encourage participation.
ACTION: Councilmembers requested that staff forward web links and other pertinent research for
their consideration.
C. Discussion on motorized mobile vendors.
Kernen Lien, Associate Planner, reported that the City of Edmonds has had some recent requests
from persons who wished to operate motorized mobile food vending services (taco truck and other
food served from vehicles) within the City of Edmonds. Conflicting code language within the
Edmonds City Code (ECC) and Edmonds Community Development Code (ECDC) make it unclear
as to whether motorized mobile vendors may be operated within the City of Edmonds. Sandy
Chase (City Clerk) and Kernen Lien (Associate Planner) presented the conflicting code to the
CS/DS Committee.
Motorized Mobile Vendors (MMV) fit within the broad definition of solicitor as defined in
ECC 4.12.010 and may obtain a solicitors license through ECC 4.12. However, language within the
zoning code of Title 16 restricts where MMV's are most likely to operate. Many of the commercial
zones have operating restrictions within their chapters that state, "All uses shall be carried on
entirely within a completely enclosed building..." with different exceptions depending on the zone.
ECDC 21.10.040 defines a building as "any structure having a roof, excluding all forms of vehicles
even though immobilized." Therefore, MMV's could receive a solicitor's license, but their operation
would largely be restricted to residential zones.
The CS/DS Committee indicated they were favorable to MMV's operating within the City of
Edmonds and directed staff to develop a new section within ECC 4.12 with regulations specific to
MMV's. The CS/DS Committee also directed staff to bring the draft regulations back to the CS/DS
Committee before taking them to the full City Council.
ACTION: The CS/DS Committee indicated they were favorable to MMV's operating within the City
of Edmonds and directed staff to develop a new section within ECC 4.12 with regulations specific to
MMV's. The CS/DS Committee also directed staff to bring the draft regulations back to the CS/DS
Committee before taking them to the full City Council.
The Committee meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.