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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 Citizens Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes March 17, 2010 Page 1 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. Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes March 17, 2010 Page 2 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 Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes March 17, 2010 Page 3 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. Economic Development Commission Approved Minutes March 17, 2010 Page 4