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05-11-10 CSDS Commitee MinutesCommunity Service/Development Services Committee Meeting May 11, 2010 Elected Officials Present: Council Member Strom Peterson Council Member Adrienne Fraley-Monillas Council Member D.J. Wilson Council President Steven Bernheim The committee convened at 6:00 p.m. Staff Present: John Westfall, Fire Marshall Leonard Yarberry, Building Official Leif Bjorback, Assistant Building Official Rob Chave, Planning Manager Stephen Clifton, Community Srvcs. Director Gina Coccia, Associate Planner Brian McIntosh, Parks & Recreation Director This was a combined committee meeting of the Community/Development Services and Public Safety Committees to review adoption of the 2009 International Codes, items A and B. The codes include the Building and Fire codes adopted and amended in the ECDC. A. Title 19.25 revisions (adopting updated International Fire Code) and Title 19.65 Marina Code. B. Title 19 revisions (adopting the updated International Codes and State amendments). Fire Marshal Westfall provided a brief introduction and noted that the State is on a 3 year code adoption cycle, which is the reason for the current code adoption/amendments. Building Official Yarberry added that State Building Code Act mandates the enforcement of the codes and that the new 2009 codes are effective statewide on July 1st. The local adoption allows the city to amend the codes so that they will work in a consistent manner with the other municipal code sections, and importantly the administration, appeal and enforcement provisions. Yarberry provided an overview of the proposed adoptive language, which included editorial changes to reduce and simplify. The majority of the new ordinance would be the same as the current code. Two proposed changes to section 105.2 related to work exempt from permit were discussed in detail. The first related to the exemption of retaining walls under 4 foot in height. Council member Wilson expressed reservation about how this would be applied and asked for some additional information to be presented at full Council. The second change related to the exemption of door and window replacement and re -siding of homes. Yarberry noted that there are particular problems associated with water penetration, safety glazing and emergency egress that the exemption makes difficult to address. Council member Wilson asked that a narrative be prepared for full Council consideration of the issues. Community Services/Development Services Meeting Minutes 5/11/2010 1 Fire Marshal Westfall presented the proposed adoptive language for the Fire Code and the Marina Code. Westfall noted changes in the 2009 Fire code related to emergency responder radio coverage, new fire alarm requirements and requirements for installation of CO monitors. Particular amendments to the City ordinance include a restriction on above ground fuel storage tanks in residential zones to 1000 gals, and 500 gal restriction for LPG storage. Westfall presented proposed changes to the Marina Code in title 19.65, which included a requirement for slip numbering and pier identification to assist in emergency response. Also he noted that there were some changes related to spill reporting requirements. Council member Wilson asked if these requirements could be compared to the stormwater discharge regulations to ensure consistency. Westfall acknowledged that this could be brought back to full Council. C. Tree City; tree ordinance; review of Planning Board recommendations on Streetscape Plan. Steve Bernheim was present for this item, and introduced the ordinance that would establish a `tree board' to study ideas for Edmonds, such as obtaining "Tree City USA" status and sponsoring an Arbor Day event. Steve believed that the proposed ordinance was a good first step, without committing to too much in terms of time and resources while doing further exploration and research. Stephen Clifton noted that the City would need to be careful before committing additional staff resources, understanding that additional regulations and programs all have associated costs. Rob Chave and Brian McIntosh both noted that supporting boards and commissions can be a challenge, especially if the group is too large and the terms or conditions of service are too restrictive. Steve agreed, saying that the intent was to initiate the discussion, and a tree board could help. After discussion, all agreed that staff should meet with the principal citizens spearheading the effort to develop a solid proposal for the Committee and full Council to consider. Brian also mentioned that staff was working on a review and update of the Street Tree Plan, focusing on what is working and where minor modifications might be needed. This will proceed through the Planning Board and Council approval process. ACTION: Staff will meet with the program proponents to refine the proposal, and bring back to the Committee for discussion and potential action next month (June). D. Discussion on Conditional Use Permits for home occupations. Gina Coccia briefly explained the City's process for approving home occupations, and that there is essentially a two -tiered system where customers or employees coming to a residence mainly triggers an expensive Hearing Examiner hearing and review. Staff's experience has been that certain types of home occupations, such as music teachers, generate very little neighborhood concern, but have to undergo the expensive Hearing Examiner process. Other cities surveyed seem to have more streamlined rules, and on review, it seems to staff that it should be possible to more clearly codify conditions that Community Services/Development Services Meeting Minutes 5/11/2010 2 would make home occupations compatible with a neighborhood while enabling them to be more easily permitted. After discussion, the Committee agreed that the issue should be studied by the Planning Board with the idea of `keeping it simple.' Chair Peterson pointed out that supporting home occupations made sense from a community sustainability standpoint. ACTION: Referred the issue to the Planning Board for study and a recommendation to the City Council. E. Cascade Land Conservancy/ Neighborhood Projects. Rob Chave explained that this subject was mentioned briefly during the Council's quarterly update on the activities of the Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC), which has an agreement with the city as part of its participation in the Cascade Agenda Leadership Cities Program. As part of that program, CLC has committed to contributing 25 hours of time to a project in Edmonds. After discussing this with CLC, Rob noted that there was agreement that CLC had the expertise and ability to assist in a neighborhood planning process for the two neighborhood commercial centers — Five Corners and Westgate. CLC has experience in visioning, public process, and community design, and could assist in developing a public process that could serve as a `template' that could be used in similar planning in other neighborhoods in the city. Stephen Clifton mentioned that this was a priority for the Economic Development Commission. Evan Pierce, of the Land Use Subcommittee of the Economic Development Commission, was present and noted that the Land Use Subcommittee was supportive of the idea, and felt very strongly that the City needed to move forward on planning for the neighborhood commercial areas as soon as possible. He also said that the EDC would like to be involved and help with the project; Rob stated that the Planning Board would also be included. He also suggested that he had been in contact with someone at the University of Washington who thought that they could also participate. Rob's thought was that a team approach could be put together to push the planning effort forward. If the Committee thought the idea had merit, staff would work with CLC and the EDC to further develop a scope of work and plan to present to the Council. ACTION: The Committee supported the idea of a team approach, and agreed that the idea should be developed further and presented to Council when ready. F. Community gardens; planting; gardening in planting strips. Rob Chave and Brian McIntosh noted that staff had initiated this discussion because of the apparent interest by individuals and groups (such as the Edmonds Floretum Garden Club) in community gardens and gardening in planting strips (in rights -of -way). Seattle has encouraged these activities, and staff provided some information on the P-Patch and planting strip programs that are active there. Rob noted that the city's zoning codes don't really address community gardens, and the code should be updated to clarify where and how that activity should be allowed. The first community garden being developed by the Floretum Garden Club is on a church property, and is not within the city limits. However, it is likely that churches or other sites in Edmonds could be of Community Services/Development Services Meeting Minutes 5/11/2010 3 interest in the future. The City does allow gardening -type activity in rights -of -way, so long as it doesn't create a hazard or sight obstruction. A difference between Seattle's and Edmonds' regulations appears to be that while Seattle also requires a permit for gardening in the right-of-way, the permit is `free' and doesn't cost a home owner anything. During discussion, it was agreed that the Planning Board should evaluate the zoning issue and develop a recommendation to Council, while Engineering could advise Council of any appropriate changes related to planting strips if it community interest increases. ACTION: Referred the issues surrounding zoning for community gardens to the Planning Board for further study and recommendation to Council. The Committee meeting adjourned at 7:46 p.m. Community Services/Development Services Meeting Minutes 5/11/2010 4