2010-03-17 Economic Development Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
March 17, 2010
The Citizens Economic Development Committee meeting was called to order at 6:06 p.m. by Chair Frank
Yamamoto in the Brackett Room, 121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Bruce Faires
Stacy Gardea
Don Hall
Betty Larman
Mary Monfort
Beatrice O'Rourke
Evan Pierce
David Schaefer
Rich Senderoff
Kerry St. Clair Ayers
Bill Vance
Rob VanTassell
Bruce Witenberg
Rebecca Wolfe
Frank Yamamoto
Marianne Zagorski
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT
Darrol Haug
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Councilmember Dave Orvis
Councilmember Diane Buckshnis
STAFF PRESENT
Stephen Clifton, Community Services/Economic
Development Director
Frances Chapin, Cultural Services Manager
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
PUBLIC PRESENT
Ron Wambolt
Tony Shapiro
Donna Breske
1. INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS BY CHAIR
Chair Yamamoto advised the City Council passed the resolution in support of the EDC's
recommendations at last night's meeting with minor amendments.
2. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA — NONE
3. APPROVAL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 17,
2010
COMMISSIONER GARDEA MOVED TO APPROVE THE EDC MEETING MINUTES OF
FEBRUARY 17, 2010. COMMISSIONER VANCE SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
4. FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION OF FEBRUARY 17, 2010 MEETING WITH CITY COUNCIL
MEMBERS
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March 17, 2010
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5. NEXT STEPS — TOP SIX RECOMMENDED ITEMS
• RESOLUTION
Chair Yamamoto commented the resolution passed by the Council gives the EDC the okay to move
forward. He referred to his email regarding subgroup assignments, advising a staff member has been
assigned to each group. He relayed that the Council's discussion regarding the resolution indicated they
are interested in more detail regarding the six recommended items.
Commissioner Faires explained at last night's meeting, the Council also considered a resolution that
would City Councilmembers to conduct neighborhood meetings on issues of neighborhood economic
development and citywide vision. The resolution was not approved by the Council as they felt visioning
meetings were more appropriately conducted by the EDC or that it was a shared responsibility.
Discussion followed regarding the EDC's interest in involving the public, how to involve citizens and the
Council in a visioning process, some Councilmembers' interest in the EDC doing more faster, the need
for open communication between the EDC and the City Council, the subgroups developing more detail
regarding how the EDC's recommendations could be accomplished, adding a tourism subgroup, engaging
Imagine Edmonds in a community visioning process, subgroups determining the best way to engage the
public, and subgroups developing strategies that would be coordinated through the EDC.
Chair Yamamoto offered to write a Guest View for the Edmonds Beacon and/or speak with Council
President Bernheim regarding the EDC's interest in involving the public.
Mr. Clifton explained the EDC's recommendations as well as all the proposals/ideas in the appendix were
divided among the subgroups, noting the subgroups may need to work together on some of
proposals/ideas. He offered Ms. Cruz's and his assistance with announcing meetings, reserving rooms,
etc. He clarified the subgroups were structured so that a quorum of the EDC would not be present and
therefore the meetings would not need to comply with the Open Public Meetings Act. However, the
meetings could be announced to encourage the public to attend.
Councilmembers Orvis and Buckshnis requested they be informed when the subgroups would be meeting.
6. FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS
Future agenda topics included reports from the subgroups. Commissioner O'Rourke relayed former
Economic Development Director Jennifer Gerend's offer to have her students assist with land use efforts.
Mr. Clifton offered to contact Ms. Gerend.
Chair Yamamoto relayed his concern with vacant storefronts downtown, noting in some cases the reason
businesses do not locate downtown is the leasing firm. He described an art gallery that wanted to locate
downtown that ultimately moved into Pioneer Square. He planned to get a letter from the art gallery
owner and others and to approach the land owner with his concerns. He invited Commissioners who knew
of others who had had a similar experience that could be verified, to provide him that information and he
would pursue it as the President of DEMA. He explained the Chamber Executive Director and Chamber
Board Member Bob Rinehart have discussed hosting a landlord/leasor meeting to discuss how to promote
the City and attract/retain businesses. Ms. Cruz is in the process of developing a list of landlords and
building owners citywide.
Mr. Clifton commented he has been working with Hamburger Harry's locating downtown. Commissioner
Gardea relayed a new business's comment that the City was very easy to work with.
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March 17, 2010
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7. MISCELLANEOUS
Councilmember Orvis' Presentation
Councilmember Orvis reviewed the following comparison of the code requirements for the BC, BD1 and
BD2 zones, highlighting the advantages of the BD 1 and BD2 zones over the BC zone.
Code
BC Zone
BD1 Zone
BD2 Zone
Maximum Height
25 + 5' for modulated
30 ft flat
30 ft flat with step backs
design
Commercial Parking
1 slot per 500 sq ft of
None
None
Requirement
business
First floor
Only commercial
Only commercial or
Only commercial near
parking
street. Residential
permitted away from
street
Residential Parking
1 stall per elling
1 stall per dwelling
1 stall per dwelling
Open Space
No requirement
5% for buildings greater
5% for buildings greater
than 12,000 sq feet
than 12,000 sq feet
Discussion followed regarding the BC zoning of the Antique Mall site, the location of the BD1 and BD2
zones, the zoning of the 4th Avenue corridor, conditions that allow residential uses on the first floor in
BD2, ceiling heights, and mixed use developments versus mixed use buildings.
Councilmember Orvis provided several aerial photographs, envisioning the James Street right-of-way
converted to one-way traffic with parking on one side, corridors on the perimeter with 2-story mixed use
buildings and on the interior of a development, corridors with 3-story residential buildings and/or
businesses oriented to transit with residential behind. He summarized increased residential density could
be realized via ground floor residential, reducing the parking requirements and making use of the right-of-
way for parking in return for open space and would add to the commercial viability of the area within the
existing 30 foot height limit.
Discussion followed regarding economics that result in surface parking for 2-story buildings, economic
incentive for structured parking via 3-story buildings, height increase that would be required to achieve 3
stories, utilizing one parcel for structured parking, commercial parking requirements, height increase that
would facilitate commercial facing east with parking behind and residential above, rooftop parking, a
central parking garage with a public plaza on top as part of WSDOT's pedestrian overpass project,
defining the corridors, code changes that would be required to allow corridors to be entirely residential,
reducing parking requirements to alleviate traffic congestion, building a commuter parking garage,
utilizing the mass transit corridor as incentive, and importance of the site due to its proximity to transit,
beaches, etc.
Councilmember Orvis reviewed photographs and drawings to illustrate the sightline 20 feet from the back
of his house of 25-foot and 50-foot buildings and a 50-foot building with stepbacks. He summarized
stepbacks greatly reduced the impact of larger developments on residential neighborhoods.
8. AUDIENCE COMMENTS
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March 17, 2010
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Tony Shapiro reported Commissioner Gardea and he met with Mr. Clifton and Planning Manager Rob
Chave regarding parcels along 220th that are zoned single family but are within the boundary of the
hospital zone, yet the Comprehensive Plan does not permit medical offices. He planned to submit letters
to the City Council from the property owners on 220th expressing their interest in amending the
Comprehensive Plan in hopes of having it added to the 2010 docket. With regard to neighborhood
meetings, he suggested holding informal meetings with the neighborhood prior to formal public hearings.
Donna Breske explained she owns a single family lot at 9330 218th Place SW for which they have been
unable to obtain a building permit for past three years. A condition of the issuance of a building permit is
that their lot must provide drainage for the surrounding lots. She questioned whether this was a violation
of her private property rights, summarizing development of the lot is not economically feasible.
9. ADJOURN
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m.
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March 17, 2010
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