2016-08-10 Planning Board MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS
PLANNING BOARD MINUTES
August 10, 2016
Chair Lovell called the meeting of the Edmonds Planning Board to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Public Safety
Complex, 250 — 5th Avenue North.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT
Phillip Lovell, Chair
Carreen Rubenkonig, Vice Chair
Tod Cloutier
Alicia Crank
Daniel Robles
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT
Matthew Cheung (excused)
Nathan Monroe (excused)
Valerie Stewart (excused)
READING/APPROVAL OF MINUTES
STAFF PRESENT
Rob Chave, Planning Division Manager
Jerry Bevington, Video Recorder
Karin Noyes, Recorder
BOARD MEMBER CLOUTIER MOVED THAT THE MINUTES OF JULY 27, 2016 BE APPROVED AS
CORRECTED. BOARD MEMBER ROBLES SECONDED THE MOTION, WHICH CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA
The agenda was accepted as presented.
AUDIENCE COMMENTS
There was no one in the audience
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR REPORT TO PLANNING BOARD
Chair Lovell referred the Board to the written report that was provided by the Development Services Director. He asked if
any Board Members attended the August 9th City Council. Board Member Crank reported that she watched the meeting on
television.
PRESENTATION ON SUSTAINABLE CITIES PARTNERSHIP
Mr. Chave explained that the Sustainable Cities Partnership (SCP) is a yearlong partnership between Western Washington
University's (WWU) Office of Sustainability, the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) and one partner city chosen
through a competitive application process. He said this is a new program for the State of Washington, but similar programs
have been successfully implemented elsewhere, such as in Oregon. The City Council approved a resolution in May
supporting the City's application, and after a competitive selection process, the City was selected for the 2016-2017 program
year. He referred to Resolution 1359 (Attachment 2), the letter transmitting the City's application (Attachment 3), and the
interlocal agreement and scope of work (Attachment 1).
Mr. Chave said staff initially presented about 40 potential projects to the City Council, and the City Council added additional
projects to the list. City staff then worked with WWU to narrow the list down to match the capabilities of the students and to
focus on those that relate to environmental studies. The 11 projects included on the approved list (Attachment 1) tie into the
Strategic Action Plan (SAP) and the Comprehensive Plan in some way. They will be supported by 17 classes of work and
represent a range of projects that will provide real value to both WWU and the City. The City will obtain progress on
projects that meet a variety of comprehensive and strategic planning goals, all targeting aspects of sustainability within the
community, and the students will gain practical, hands-on experience and great learning opportunities in the classroom and
field.
Mr. Chave explained that the project will run over the course of the next academic year, starting in September and finishing
next spring. The City will receive progress reports from the students at the end of each quarter, and it is anticipated there will
be an event at the end of the program to celebrate its success. The students will work closely with City staff who have
expertise or are leading City resources on the projects. He summarized that the program is a cost-effective way for the City
to move sustainability goals forward. As agreed, the City will pay for the program's expenses (travel and a half time
employee to coordinate the project).
Mr. Chave advised that he has been appointed to serve as the City's liaison with WWU, but each project has a champion or a
few champions who will be the key people working with the students. He pointed out that many of the items (i.e. climate
change and sea level rise) will be of particular interest to the Planning Board, and progress reports will be forwarded to them,
as well. The good information that comes for the projects will help the Board in future planning efforts.
Board Member Crank said she is excited about all of the projects on the list, and she is happy the City is working with the
students. The nature of her day job allows her to spend the majority of the summer on different college campuses across the
state, and she is impressed by the students' energy and desire to do projects of this type. She said she is particularly excited
about the Downtown Business/Tourism App. She noted that the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce has created a very
interactive app, and she likes the idea that Edmonds might have a similar opportunity. The Playful City Recreation Program
is also exciting, as is the Walkability Assessment, Sea -Level Rise Mitigation Planning and Green Business Program. All of
these projects will play into how the City experiences the growth that is happening now and will continue to happen. She
said she hopes the Board has an opportunity to be involved in the projects at some level. Mr. Chave emphasized that the
Walkability Assessment will be specifically targeted outside of the downtown, and the information obtained from the
assessment should be very useful in future Board discussions. Board Member Crank said she is also excited about the 4th
Avenue Promotion Project. She explained that Main Street and 5 b Avenue in the downtown get the most attention, and
merchants on the side streets often feel overlooked. This project will show the significance of highlighting the vendors on
the side streets, as well.
Chair Lovell referred to Item 3 in the Scope of Work and Budget (Exhibit A), which would allow the total budget amount
approved by the City Council to be increased to account for excess laboratory analytical costs. He asked if the increase
would be limited to a certain dollar amount. Mr. Chave said the additional costs would be at the City's option and mainly
related to work on the Stella's Landing Project. This project will require an environmental assessment, and extra costs may
be incurred to cover laboratory fees. However, the City has the option to use a local laboratory, which might be more cost-
effective than working through the university process. The additional expenses will only be as needed.
Chair Lovell asked where Stella's Landing is located, and Mr. Chave said it is east of SR-104 and a few lots south of the
Treatment Plant. There is a large multi -family residential development on the eastern end, and the City had previously
expressed interest in acquiring the property. While that is no longer the intent, the City is interested in understanding how the
residual wetlands on the property interact with adjacent properties. Chair Lovell commented that there is currently
engineering work going on in this area to address drainage on SR-104, daylighting Willow Creek, and restoring the marsh.
He asked if the Stella's Landing Project could overlap with work that is already in progress. Mr. Chave said there will be
some limited overlap, but the Stella's Landing Project will be very project -specific and the marsh project is more extensive to
address vegetation, stormwater control, berms, etc. in the disturbed buffer areas.
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Chair Lovell asked if the intent of the Zero Waste Program is to develop a program that applies to both private and public
properties. Mr. Chave said the extent of the program is still to be determined. The students will work with the City's
recycling coordinator to identify the scope of the project. He reminded the Board that the City Council recently adopted a
Zero Waste Resolution and is in full support of the project.
Chair Lovell commented that the Downtown Business/Tourism Mobile App will be a wonderful benefit to the City. He
asked if the project will also identify who will be responsible for maintaining and updating the app. Mr. Chave agreed that
will need to be part of the consideration.
Chair Lovell asked if the Playful City Recreation Program would primarily focus on the City's recreational programs.
Specifically, he asked if there would be cross pollination between this type of program and sports activities. Mr. Chave said
it will primarily focus on parks and recreation programs, which can involve a number of partnerships for programs and
facilities.
Chair Lovell said he supports the WWU program, which will provide outside resources to help the City move projects
forward. Mr. Chave said he has seen the positive results of similar programs in Oregon. The results are impressive relative
to the range of projects and the outcome of the work. Chair Lovell asked if the work would involve citizen input at various
points. Mr. Chave answered that the actual school work would not involve citizen input, but the results of the work will be
presented to the public for comment. Even if the end result is not a finished product, it can be used to push the City's
initiatives forward.
Vice Chair Rubenkonig asked if the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery Project would become a building block for the physical
layout of the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery. Mr. Chave said that, currently, there are paper maps of the cemetery layout, as
well as geographically located points. The project would locate the points onto the map and create a real live map of the
cemetery that will help identify those who are buried on each site and where the vacant sites are located. Vice Chair
Rubenkonig said she hopes that this initial work would eventually allow more information to on the cemetery's website
concerning individuals who are buried there and their background. Perhaps it will allow these documents to be linked to the
information on the map. Mr. Chave agreed that the cemetery mapping project will be valuable. He recalled that the City
initially considered hiring a firm to do the work at a cost of about $100,000. To the extent the work can be done in house
with assistance from the students, saves the City a great deal of money.
As a wish list item, Board Member Crank questioned if it would be possible for the Board Members to engage in
conversations with the students when they are visiting the City as part of their work. Mr. Chave said their visits will occur
during the daytime hours, and it is not likely there will be opportunities for the Board Members to interact with them. Board
Member Crank said it would also be exciting if university students from Edmonds could be part of the program. She asked
how many college credits the students would earn by participating in the projects, and Mr. Chave referred to the course
descriptions for this information.
Chair Lovell said it appears that some City Council Members and citizens are concerned that the work will become just
another plan that is placed on the shelf. This concern may have resulted in hesitancy on the part of some City Council
Members to support the program. Mr. Chave said there was some concern early on about whether or not the projects would
align with the SAP and Comprehensive Plan, but staff provided enough information to clear up the concerns. In the end, the
interlocal agreement with WWU and the AWC was unanimously approved by the City Council. Chair Lovell said he
believes the program is a terrific opportunity to harness the energy and passion of the students and benefit the City at the
same time. He said he imagines the results will be positive. Mr. Chave said one thing that attracted the City to the program
is the large variety of projects that would be included and the wide range of student experience.
Board Member Cloutier commented that a lot of time and energy will go into producing reports for the City. He asked if
there is a plan in place to lay out the resources and a timeline for addressing the things that are identified as part of the
project. He agreed that the City has a lot of reports that have been shelved. Mr. Chave said the projects on the list are part of
the SAP and are currently underway or will be underway in the near future. Therefore, he would be surprised if the work
ends up sitting on a shelf. He summarized that a few of the projects will generate thoughts about next steps. Although some
might not be completed at the end of the time period, they will provide information about what the City can explore or do to
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move goals and policies forward. For example, the Planning Board will need to do follow-up work relative to the walkability
assessment and sea level rise.
I I 111 M WI [!'
Chair Lovell announced that the Planning Board and City Council would meet in a joint work session on September 6th at
7:00 p.m. to discuss issues relative to growth and housing. He recalled that at their March retreat, they talked about growth in
Edmonds and how housing is a significant part of the equation. There are number of components to the issue including
buildability, the status of housing in Edmonds, single-family residential versus multi -family residential, different types of
housing needs, affordable housing, homelessness, etc. He advised that he and Vice Chair Rubenkonig met with the Shane
Hope, Development Services Director, to discuss the large list of subject matter. Ms. Hope agreed to prepare an
introductory memorandum for the City Council and Planning Board to use as a catalyst to get the discussion going. The
intent is to tie the discussion back to the goals and policies contained in the Comprehensive Plan. He encouraged the Board
Members to review the Housing Element contained in the Comprehensive Plan, as well as the report that was prepared in
2014 by the Housing Affordability Alliance of Snohomish County. Both of the documents should be available to the Board
and City Council Members, as well as the public, on line.
Chair Lovell referred the Board to the memorandum that he prepared with the help of Vice Chair Rubenkonig. He
specifically referred to Item B of the memorandum, which provides a list of discussion items that have been identified in the
past as potential ideas for accommodating more housing in Edmonds. Some of the items on the list, if successful, would
contribute to the City's ability to meet its growth targets, as outlined in the Growth Management Act (GMA). As the Board
reviews the items on the list, he invited them to share their thoughts on if and how they would help the City implement the
goals and policies in the Comprehensive Plan. He also invited the Board members to identify other potential topics of
discussion.
Vice Chair Rubenkonig pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan goals and policies focus on the supply of affordable housing
and meeting diverse housing needs. The items in the memorandum were not sorted into categories, but it may be appropriate
to do so to help focus the discussion.
Board Member Robles suggested that the discussion should include all of the housing possibilities that exist (intentional
living, tech -enhanced housing, Airbnb, opportunities for the people to age in place, etc.) and not just those that address
Comprehensive Plan goals and policies. Vice Chair Rubenkonig acknowledged that most of the items on the list, if pursued,
would go towards providing the housing units needed to meet the GMA requirements. However, some of the items would
also address homelessness and other citizen needs for housing options, which is separate from meeting the GMA. She asked
the Board Members to provide direction as to whether the discussion should be dedicated to concepts that allow the City to
meet the GMA goals or also include concepts that are of interest to citizens.
Board Member Robles reminded the Board that its charter is to represent the citizens and what they need to fulfill their
lifestyles. Vice Chair Rubenkonig reviewed that the Comprehensive Plan was put together to represent the needs of the
citizenry. Therefore, the Board should look at the supply of affordable housing and address the diverse housing needs of the
community's citizens.
Board Member Crank suggested that the joint meeting discussion should focus on specific goals, and then the various
concepts associated with the goals could be divided into those that are intended to meet the GMA requirements and those that
address community needs. However, it is important to recognize that many of the concepts will overlap and serve both
purposes. She reminded the Board of her earlier suggestion that the housing discussion must also consider post -retirement
housing needs such as assisted living, senior housing, etc. Many aging citizens want to downsize from their single-family
homes, but they still want to stay in the Edmonds community. In addition, new residents from out of state and out of the
country are moving to Edmonds with their extended families, and the City must provide housing options to serve their needs,
as well.
Chair Lovell said that in the discussion with Ms. Hope, he noted that that there are things the City can do to enhance
opportunities to create a wide range of and more housing capacity. There are also things the City can do to force this to
happen. One approach is to make it happen and another is to create the conditions by which it is allowed to happen. He
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expressed his belief that issues related to housing type, housing diversity and housing affordability are distinctly different
than the housing requirements associated with meeting the GMA growth targets.
Board Member Cloutier recalled that when the Board last discussed the Housing Element of the Comprehensive Plan, they
talked about the need to create metrics by which success could be measured. Coming up with a lot of great ideas will not
result in success. The City must clearly identify what they want to happen and create a mechanism for measuring success.
For example, if one of the goals is to provide opportunities for people to age in place, then there should be a way to measure
whether or the not the City's housing policies are having an impact. If they are looking to create new housing units, then the
occupancy rate could be used as a measure of success. Rather than throwing out answers, they should identify the right goals
first.
Vice Chair Rubenkonig recalled that the last time the Board discussed housing, they were reminded that the GMA is looking
for 2,500 additional housing units in the City by a certain year. They were also told that the buildable land numbers are
promising for meeting that target number. Perhaps the discussion should focus on what the buildable land numbers does not
address: affordable and diverse housing needs. Board Member Cloutier agreed that the City currently has capacity to
provide for future housing needs. Rather than having policies and regulations in place that allow the growth to happen, the
City must have policies and regulations in place to make it happen. The City already has zoning regulations that allow the
housing to be built, but it is not being built. The question of why should be the focus of the discussion. The Board asked Mr.
Chave to frame a set of questions based on the current regulations and what the City wants to accomplish. Board Member
Cloutier agreed to compile a list of issues and possible metrics for measuring and monitoring to determine if the City's goals
are being met. The Board agreed to discuss the issue again at their August 24th meeting.
REVIEW OF EXTENDED AGENDA
In addition to a continued discussion on August 241h about the agenda for the joint City Council/Planning Board work
session, the Board will also have a discussion about the Land Division Code Update. The September 14th meeting agenda
will include an introduction to the Land Use Procedures and Code Update, as the City Council recently approved a resolution
providing some direction to the Planning Board.
PLANNING BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS
Chair Lovell did not provide any additional comments.
PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Board Member Robles reported on his experience judging the sand castle contest at Marina Beach Park. He also announced
that he had a paper published with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners titled, "Launching Technology in
Insurance."
Board Member Crank reminded the Board of the Taste of Edmonds Festival that will take place on August 12th through 14th
She noted that a few Board Members will work as volunteers at the event.
Board Member Crank advised that the consultant provided a presentation on the Civic Center Master Plan at the last City
Council Meeting. Comments were made by City Council Members and members of the audience relative to the Taste of
Edmonds being at the Civic Center in future years. She cautioned that there may be another round of the Board engaging
with the business community and neighborhood regarding this particular issue.
Vice Chair Rubenkonig requested additional information about the City's Volunteer Picnic that is scheduled for September.
Mr. Chave agreed to forward information to the Board Members.
ADJOURNMENT
The Board meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m.
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