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PPP031318PARKS, PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING March 13, 2018 Elected Officials Present Councilmember Neil Tibbott (Chair) Councilmember Kristiana Johnson Councilmember Fraley-Monillas (intermittently) Staff Present Phil Williams, Public Works Director Rob English, City Engineer Carrie Hite, Parks & Recreation Director Patrick Doherty, Econ. Dev./Comm. Serv. Dir. Jeannie Dines, Recorder The meeting was called to order at 7:14 p.m. in Council Chambers. The following items were added to the agenda: Item 2: Review of EDC Recommendation to Consider Changes to Required 15 -foot Ground Floor Height in BD1 Zone Item 5: Discussion regarding Idling Vehicles FAC Playground Bids Ms. Hite explained funds for the replacement of the FAC playground were included in the budget. The project was put out to bid mid-January; 13 bids were received which staff narrowed to 5 and a public voting process followed online and at the FAC. A total of 1200 votes were received, with 2 schematics nearly tied at the top. Public feedback indicated a desire for 1-2 inclusive elements for disabled children. The playground is also frequently used by daycare and Montessori students ages 2-5 years old; both schematics had a smaller footprint for ages 2-5 and a larger footprint for ages 5-12. The two vendors were asked to remove 1-2 smaller components and add a sit spinner to the schematic as well as add capacity to the 2 -5 -year-old play equipment. The two top vendors revised their schematics, but one rose to the top. She recommended awarding the bid to Allplay Systems on the Consent Agenda. The packet contains pictures of the playground equipment. Discussion followed regarding the layout of the playground within the footprint at FAC, elements of the playground, playground materials, the sit spinner, maintenance, padding material, lifespan, and criteria used to evaluate proposals. Councilmember Tibbott recommended scheduling on the Consent Agenda; Councilmember Johnson preferred it go to full Council due to interest in the project and to draw attention to it. Action: Council President Nelson to decide whether to schedule on the Consent Agenda or full Council 2. Review of EDC Recommendation to Consider Changes to Required 15 -foot Ground Floor Height in BD1 Zone Mr. Doherty explained last year the EDC analyzed potential barriers to development including the required 15 -foot ground -floor height in the BD1 zone which limits building to two stories within the 30 - foot height limit. The 30 -foot height limit in other BD zones allows three stories. The EDC concluded the 15 -foot ground floor height in BD1 zone was limiting/restricting development given the presence of vacant lots and very under -developed properties. It appears after 10 years this requirement makes it infeasible for most developers to undertake a project with only 2 stories. The EDC submitted a memo 03/13/18 PPP Committee Minutes, Page 2 to Council in February 2018 recommending the minimum ground floor height in BD1 be reduced to 12 feet. The positive outcomes of this proposal include: • Infill development on vacant/underdeveloped lots would provide new cultural, shopping and recreational opportunity • New businesses can locate downtown • There would be an infusion of new revenue to the City budget as a result • More housing opportunities in walkable downtown environment as upper floors are likely to be residential • Additions of 1-2 additional stories atop existing buildings could leverage needed restoration of existing buildings Tonight's discussion is not regarding the substantive issue, only whether to take up the issue. If the Council ultimately decides it wants to consider this proposal, the Planning Division would do the appropriate background work and study including presentation to and review by the Planning Board with public comment and a Planning Board recommendation to the City Council. The Council packet for this item includes the history of ordinances that enacted the BD zones in 2007, subsequent changes and Council and Planning Board meeting where the BD zones were discussed. Although there was discussion at the February 6, 2018 Council meeting that the required 15 -foot ground floor in the BD1 zone had been discussed as recently as 2013/2014, the last substantive discussion was actually in 2007. Mr. Doherty anticipated the Planning Division's background work would include analyzing what other cities do in their commercial districts; his research found most have a 12-13 foot ground floor requirement, only downtown Seattle required 15 -feet. The recommendation is for the PPP Committee to forward this to the full Council on March 20 for a decision whether or not to take up this issue. Councilmember Johnson recalled the issues related to BD1 in 2007 were step -back and depth and height of the ground floor. She recalled the legislative intent at that time was for BD1 to be two stories. To the question of whether to take the issue up or not, she was interested in having a more comprehensive discussion at the City Council level. Councilmember Tibbott supported have staff do discovery work followed by review by the Planning Board and opportunity for public input and public hearing as a basis for discussion at the Council level. He was concerned prime vacant properties in BD1 had not been developed. Councilmember Fraley-Monillas suggested involving the Architectural Design Board, pointing out the BD1 zone is a historic area of downtown and she did not want to see 3 -story buildings with flat roofs like were constructed on Edmonds Way. Mr. Doherty pointed out when the step -back was eliminated in 2013, design guidelines were developed for BD zones; those are not applicable to development on Edmonds Way. For example, the new post office building in BD2 utilized the design guidelines. Discussion followed regarding whether guidelines were enough, reasons for the first -floor height, Historic Preservation Commission's (HPC) plans to discuss this issue at their April meeting, the City Council providing guidance to the Planning Board, concern with involving other boards before deciding whether to this take up as the information staff will develop will not be available to them, and what involving the ADB and/or HPC would accomplish. Committee members requested staff provide the information in the packet, a map of the BD1 zone, schematics and the location of vacant lots in BD1 to the HPC for a conceptual discussion at their April 12 meeting. Action: Schedule on the HPC's April 12 agenda and then schedule for full Council to make decision whether to study this issue. 03/13/18 PPP Committee Minutes, Page 3 3. Presentation of a Street Dedication for Keller Mr. English reported this is a 2 -lot short plat at 1925 80th Ave W. The City's adopted Official Street Map indicates that a 10 -foot street dedication along the property frontage shall be provided to the City. Discussion followed regarding the private driveway and the 10 -foot street dedication that provides City right-of-way. Action: Schedule on the Consent Agenda 4. Report on Public Works Committee Agenda Items Mr. Williams explained the intent is to suggest ways to reduce the PPP Committee and the Council's workload and accommodate one committee meeting/month. Mr. English reviewed a summary of 2017 Public Works Items presented to the PPP Committee: Item Qty Percentage of PPP/Study Agreement 8 11.6 Annual Report 2 2.9 Construction Contract 4 5.8 Discussion 4 5.8 Equipment Surplus 3 4.3 Final Acceptance 13 18.8 Requests 4 5.8 -Funding Ordinance 4 5.8 Planning Document 5 7.2 Prof Sery Agreement 7 10.1 Right-of-way Easement 6 8.7 Street Vacation 1 1.4 Supplemental Agreement 8 11.6 Total 69 100.0 Staff suggests consideration of the following: A. Grant Mayor Authorization: 1. Accept street dedications 2. Accept acquisition of right-of-way or easements that are less than $100,000 in value 3. Authorize the surplus of equipment 4. Authorize the purchase of vehicles or equipment that are programmed in the current year's budget 5. Approve supplemental agreements that are anticipated and included in the current year's budget and do not require a budget amendment. Examples: a) Multi-year design or construction management services on annual capital replacement/maintenance programs that are in the current year's budget b) Construction support services for the designer of record on projects that are in the current year's budget c) Final design phase after preliminary design on projects that are in the current year's budget and less than $400,000 B. Consent Agenda Approval 1. Final Acceptance of projects Discussion followed regarding guidance provided by the $100,000 limit in the purchasing policy and decisions required to be made by Council, professional services agreement approval, what could hold up a project and what makes sense to have administrative approval, having the Finance Committee 03/13/18 PPP Committee Minutes, Page 4 review the purchasing policy, and the ability for the PPP Committee to hold special meetings if necessary to avoid delays caused by one committee meeting/month. Action: Finance Committee review purchasing policy related to authorizing the purchase of vehicles or equipment programmed in the current year's budget. (Councilmember Johnson left the meeting at 8:37 p.m.) 5. Idling Vehicles Mr. Williams reported staff plans to install "no idling" signs on the east side of Sunset. Discussion followed regarding parallel parking increasing exhaust from idling vehicles on the pathway, other locations for no idling signage such as North Brackett Landing, and idling vehicles in ferry lanes. Action: Staff installing no idling signs on Sunset The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m.