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2018-10-10 Planning Board MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS PLANNING BOARD MINUTES October 10, 2018 Chair Monroe called the meeting of the Edmonds Planning Board to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Public Safety Complex, 250 — 5t' Avenue North. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT Nathan Monroe, Chair Matthew Cheung, Vice Chair Todd Cloutier Phil Lovell Daniel Robles Carreen Nordling Rubenkonig BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT Alicia Crank Mike Rosen READING/APPROVAL OF MINUTES STAFF PRESENT Rob Chave, Planning Division Manager Carrie Hite, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director Rob English, City Engineer Jerrie Bevington, Video Recorder Karin Noyes, Recorder Approval of the September 12t' minutes was postponed to the October 20 meeting. ANNOUNCEMENT OF AGENDA The agenda was accepted as presented. AUDIENCE COMMENTS No one in the audience indicated a desire to comment during this portion of the meeting. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR REPORT TO PLANNING BOARD Board Member Lovell asked if the draft Regional Transportation Improvement Program includes any projects in Edmonds. Mr. English answered that several City projects are included in the plan. They include the improvements recently completed at the 761 Avenue/212t'' Street intersection, an overlay project on SR-524 north of 761 Avenue, and design work for the right- of-way improvements at the intersection of 761 Avenue and 220t" Street. PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED 2019-2024 CAPITAL FACILITIES/CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS Mr. English explained that the Capital Facilities Plan (CFP) is required by the Growth Management Act and covers a planning horizon of 6 to 20 years. It is intended to identify longer term capital needs (not maintenance) and be tied to the City's Level of Service (LOS) Standards. The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a budgeting tool that includes capital and maintenance projects, and it ties the projects to the various City funds and revenues. The CFP is required to be consistent with the other elements of the Comprehensive Plan, and there are restrictions on how often it can be amended. There are no restrictions tied to the CIP. The two plans intersect when identifying 6-year capital projects with funding sources. The CIP is organized based on the City's financial funds and provides a description of each of the capital projects identified for the six -year period. Mr. English explained that projects are added to the CFP and CIP based on adopted elements of the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan, the Transportation Plan and Utilities Plans all go through extensive public processes of updating and establishing policies and goals. The PROS Plan was last updated in 2016. The Transportation Plan was updated in 2015 and includes the Walkway Plan, Bicycle Plan, Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Plan, Pavement Preservation Rating Study, List of Priority Projects, and Financial Plan. The Comprehensive Water Plan was updated in 2017 and the Comprehensive Sewer Plan in 2013. The Storm and Surface Water Management Plan is an older version adopted in 2010, and funding is identified in the 2019 budget to start a major update. Mr. English advised that a number of factors are considered when selecting projects for the CIP and CFP, including input from the City Council, available funding, concurrency, safety, project delivery capacity, Comprehensive Plan priority, grant sources and competitiveness, and maintenance issues. The CIP is tied to the City's budget and several funds make up the overall document: • Fund 112 is a Transportation Fund that is managed by the Public Works Department. It is funded via grants and the gas tax. • Fund 125 is a Capital Projects Fund that is managed by both the Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Departments. It is funded by the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET). • Fund 126 is a Special Capital Project and Parks Acquisition Fund that is managed by both the Public Works and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Departments. It is also funded by REET. • Fund 332 is a Parks Construction Fund that is managed by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department. It is funded by grants. • Fund 421 is the Water Utility Fund that is managed by the Public Works Department. • Fund 422 is the Stormwater Utility Fund that is managed by the Public Works Department. • Fund 423 is the Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Fund that is managed by the Public Works Department. Mr. English shared highlights of 2018 Projects: • The Pavement Preservation Program is a key part of the program for maintaining City streets. In 2018, the City overlaid 8.22 lane miles using funding from both the Street Overlay Program and the Utility Programs. • The 2381 Street Walkway Project was completed in early summer and provides a continuous sidewalk on the north side of 2381 Street between SR-104 and Highway 99. It also provides a mid -block crossing near the bus stop on the east side of the street. • The Highway 99 Revitalization/Corridor Study is wrapping up. It provides a footprint and plan for the City's improvements on Highway 99, using a concept similar to the City of Shoreline to the south. Mr. English also shared highlights of 2019 Projects: • The Highway 99 Revitalization effort will continue with design work in 2019 for the first phase of the project, which will focus on the segment between 220' and 224r' Streets to primarily address the accident history of the area. A grant request has been submitted to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for $2 million to help fund construction. The City received $10 million from the State Legislature for this project, and $1 million was advanced to fund the Corridor Study and design. The balance of the grant will be used for construction, which is expected to start in 2021. • The Waterfront Connector Project continues to move forward, and Mayor Earling will make a recommendation to the City Council on October 16r' regarding the preferred alternative. Final design and permitting are expected to move forward in 2019 based on the preferred alternative, but additional funding will be needed for construction. • The Dayton Street Walkway Project between 3rd and 9t' Avenues will be done as part of the Dayton Street Utility Project. This project was identified in the Walkway Plan as a top priority. • The Citywide Pedestrian Crosswalk Project will continue using REED contributions. The intent is to improve nine intersection crossings to make them safer by installing rapid flashing beacons or High -intensity Activated crossWalK Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 2 (Hawk) Signals. For example, a HAWK Signal is planned at the intersection of SR-524 and 81 Avenue, similar to the HAWK signal on SR-104 near City Park. • REET funds would also be used for the 84r' Street Overlay Project between 220' and 212' Streets. The City received a Federal grant for the project, which will also include some stormwater improvements to correct deficiencies. • The 238' Street Island and ADA Ramp Upgrades will also use REET funding, as well as funding from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The City was able to remove the paved area on the north side and provide an ADA walkway through the island and landscaping to improve its appearance. The intent is to do the same on the south side. • The Pavement Preservation Program would continue in 2019 with a budget of $1.5 million. • The annual Pedestrian Safety Program would continue in 2019 to help solve traffic calming concerns, provide crosswalks, etc. • Traffic signal upgrades would be done at several intersections. Currently, a lot of left turns are permissible and some of these would be changed to flashing arrow movements. Advance signal systems would be installed at some intersections, as well, to be more reliable and provide signals to the control. • Audible pedestrian signals would be installed at some intersections to help people with vision impairments. • Guardrails will be installed to address geographic situations and existing guardrails that are at the end of their useful life will be upgraded. • A crosswalk will be installed at the intersection of Admiral Way and Dayton Street, west of the railroad tracks. • The Citywide Pedestrian Crossing Project will continue in 2019, and the intent is to upgrade 9 pedestrian crossings. • Construction of the 841 Avenue Overlay Project will move forward in 2019. • The City has incurred challenges with peat and the underlying soils with the sewer replacement project on Edmonds Street. A new approach will be used next week in an effort to solve the problem. • The Five Corners Reservoir Project is well underway. The smaller reservoir should be completed within the next month and work on the larger one will start soon after. • The Water Utility will replace 2,400 feet of watermain, recoat the Five Corners Reservoir and overlay 1.6 lane miles of street affected by waterline replacement. • The Stormwater Utility will replace 3,200 feet of pipe, complete the Dayton Street Pump Project, do pre -design work for the Ballinger Regional Facility, overlay 0.3 lane miles of street affected by stormwater replacement, and update the Storm and Surface Water Management Plan. The Dayton Street Pump Station Project was delayed waiting for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds. The City received an email indicating that the grant will go forward in 2019, and they have a decision package before the City Council for the same amount. The City Council could decide not to wait for FEMA funding and use money from the Stormwater Utility Fund to go forward with the proj ect. • The Sewer Utility will replace 1,260 feet of sewer main and rehabilitate 6,500 feet of sewer pipe using the cured -in - place method, overlay 0.5 lane miles of street affected by sewer main replacement, and complete the Lake Ballinger Sewer Trunk Study. Vice Chair Cheung asked how the City determines which street projects to work on and how a private citizen can make recommendations to the City. Mr. English answered that projects in the CIP and CFP are also identified in the Transportation Plan, PROS Plan and utility plans, which are all elements of the Comprehensive Plan and were adopted following a robust public outreach program that solicited input from citizens. In addition, issues such as concurrency, available funding, safety and grant funding are all considered. Private citizens can submit their suggestions and concerns to the Engineering Division or the Public Works Department. Board Member Lovell asked if the crosswalk project at the corner of Dayton Street and Admiral Way would be coordinated with the installation of warning signals for the railroad tracks. Mr. English answered that the projects are entirely separate. The City has been waiting for BNSF to complete its improvements before installing the wayside warning signals on Main Street and Dayton Street. Board Member Lovell asked if the permit work has been completed. Mr. English answered yes, except for the contractor permit, which should only take three or four weeks. Vice Chair Cheung said he likes the rapid flashing beacons that are used at some intersections, especially near schools. He suggested that beacons should be added on 76t' Avenue near Woodway Edmonds High School and College Place Elementary School where the crosswalks are heavily used. Mr. English agreed that beacons are good improvements around schools. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 3 Ms. Hite advised that, in addition to the project selection criteria described earlier by Mr. English, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department uses additional criteria when selecting parks projects for the CIP and CFP. These include an assessment of resources and acknowledging opportunities to connect and expand, enhance identity, advance big ideas and leverage funding to maximize grants. Ms. Hite shared highlights of 2018 projects: • The consultant recently submitted schematic designs for Civic Park, and these will be reviewed internally and by stakeholder groups for feedback. • The City partnered with the City of Lynnwood on the Meadowdale Playfield Project. The fields are owned by the Edmonds School District and operated and maintained by the City of Lynnwood. The City of Edmonds pays half the maintenance costs and put capital dollars into the project, as well. There are now three softball fields and two multi- use fields, all with synthetic turf that allows for year-round play. The fields have been used heavily and are booked through July of 2019. • The City is still working to address concerns with the contractor relative to the center joints on the Fishing Pier. While the final solution is still unclear, it is important to note that the facility is safe for people to use. • The City's Waterfront Redevelopment and Walkway Project has been moving forward parallel with the Senior Center's effort to rebuild the center. The City's plan is to pull back the creosote pier and introduce beach habitat and a filtration system from the parking lot to the Sound. Phase 2 of the project would be a walkway south of the Senior Center. The City owns an easement in front of the Ebbtide Condominiums and is working with a designer to figure out the best option for connecting the walkway all the way from the Senior Center to Olympic Beach Park. Currently, the City is in litigation with the Ebbtide property owners, so design work has been paused until the legal issues have been resolved. • The City continues to work with the Engineering and Public Works Departments on a project to daylight Willow Creek. The goal is to rehabilitate the marsh and reintroduce salmon habitat and to improve stormwater retention. Grant funding was used to complete the required feasibility studies and early design work. • The City Park Storage Building should be completed in the next month or two. • City staff is currently working with a citizen who is interested in donating a plot of land that could be used to host a community garden. The hope is to have an agreement in place by the end of the year so that the community garden can be started in 2019. • The playfield at the Frances Anderson Center was replaced and is well loved by the community. • Other projects funded by the 2018 CIP include the fishing pier restrooms, Mathay Ballinger Trail, Seaview Park improvements, Yost Pool locker room updates, Hickman Park hill erosion, and rehabilitation of the Marsh Walkway. Next, Ms. Hite shared highlights of the proposed 2019 projects: • Design of Civic Park will continue to move forward, with the goal of construction starting in 2020. Staff is working to put together a $12 million funding package. They have $6 to $7 million secured or pending so far, and they are hoping to reach a place where the City can bond several million dollars on the back end so that construction can start in 2020. • Design and Permitting for the Waterfront Development and Walkway Project will continue to move forward. The intent is to have the project ready to start in April so that the in -water work can be done during the fish window (July and August). • Consistent with the City's goal of replacing at least one play area per year, a new play area will be installed at Seaview Park in 2019. • Again, the City's hope is to acquire land to establish a community garden in 2019. • Money has been set aside in the 2019 budget to take the Fourth Avenue Cultural Corridor Plan off the shelf and start mapping out its implementation. • The City recently received a grant from Verdant Health Care to install two outdoor fitness zones. The first will be installed at Mathay Ballinger Park in 2019 and the second at Civic Park in 2020. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 4 Board Member Lovell asked if implementation of the Marina Beach Master Plan is tied to the Willow Creek Project. Ms. Hite answered affirmatively. However, she emphasized that the daylighting project is still three to five years out. As they get closer to 60% design for the marsh and Willow Creek, the City will start design work for implementing the Marina Beach Master Plan. At this time, further study is being done before starting design work for the marsh project. One hold up is that the grant agency, the Salmon Recovery Board, and design team have decided the best solution is to have more of a broad channel that goes through the culvert and out into the marina as opposed to a long -linear channel. However, this option is currently restricted by the ownership of the UNOCAL property. It is hoped that the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will take ownership of the property next year. WSDOT has indicated it is amenable to participating in a collaborative approach to making Willow Creek a salmon -bearing stream. Mr. English summarized that staff started development of the capital budgets in July and proposals were submitted to the Finance Department in August and September so that the draft CIP and CFP could be prepared. A public hearing before the Planning Board is scheduled for October 241. Following the hearing, the Board will be asked to forward a recommendation to the City Council. The plans will be presented to the City Council on November 51, and the Council will hold a public hearing on November 20t''. It is anticipated the City Council will adopt the plans in late November or early December. Board Member Rubenkonig complimented staff on a great presentation. Being able to see all of the sources helped her understand how all of the components fit together. She particularly liked the map that was provided to identify exactly where each project would be located. She recalled that when the CIP and CFP was last presented to the Board in October of 2017, there was concern about 88' Avenue and Maplewood School. She asked if a sidewalk in this location was moved up on the priority list. Mr. English explained that the City works hard to find funding for all sidewalk projects. However, it is challenging because the need is much greater than the funding sources available. At this point, they do not have funding designated for the project, and it will remain on the list with no forward progress. Board Member Rubenkonig asked if the City is on track with the 220th Street improvements that will assist commuters to use the improved Mountlake Terrace Park -and -Ride in the coming years. Mr. English responded that the City is hoping to work in partnership with Mountlake Terrace to complete improvements from the east side of Interstate 5 to the signal at 220t' Street to help peak period commuters get through the corridor easier. In addition, the City completed improvements on 228' Street and added a signal where it intersects with Highway 99. Board Member Rubenkonig asked if the traffic numbers have increased since the 228' Street improvements were completed, and Mr. English answered affirmatively. He added that, at last check, they were very close to the growth that was anticipated. Board Member Rubenkonig said she lives close to the intersection of 761 Avenue and 2121 Street where work was just completed. She commented that when she reviewed the project during the design phase, she did not anticipate there would be such wide-open spaces. She asked if the City has any plans to add vegetation and other elements that would soften the appearance. While the intersection improvements function well, she felt that more urban design elements could have been added such as landscaping, trees, flower baskets, memorial signs, and pedestrian graphics. Mr. English responded that said the City considers the project complete and does not have any plans to add landscaping or other elements as mentioned above. However, the historic street sign would be reinstalled soon. He explained that the intent of the project was to provide the capacity needed to meet the level of service needs of that intersection. One option was to create two lanes in both directions, but they backed off this approach and eventually decided on a three -lane solution that would result in a smaller footprint and less impact yet still provide the level of service needed. One significant element of the project was the underground utilities that improved the appearance of the intersection. Board Member Rubenkonig commented that eliminating the utility poles created a larger expanse of space. She pointed out that there is no room for landscaping at the corner of the Dairy Queen property, and the landscaping that was there prior to the improvements has been removed. One option would be to use hanging flower baskets at the intersection to soften the hardscape and add more interest. She summarized that this is an important intersection that matters to the community and it lost something in the redesign. Ms. Hite said she gets at least ten requests each summer for flower baskets in different locations of the City. Unless the City adds more money to the flower program, it cannot be expanded beyond its current level. This expansion would have to be balanced against the other needs and priorities in the City. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 5 Vice Chair Cheung asked if the City has ever considered providing some type of cover at the intersection of 212' Street and 761 Avenue for weather protection for the students who are waiting. Mr. English agreed that is a good idea and said he would give it some thought, but there are no plans to do so at this time. Board Member Rubenkonig pointed out that it would be a wonderful pedestrian amenity and add urban design to the intersection. Board Member Robles commented that staff did a great job with the CIP and CFP proposals. He said he enjoys seeing projects move from concepts to design and then to construction. He said he appreciates how the City has done a great job of grinding and marking places where sidewalks are heaving. He asked if the proposed CIP identifies funding to fix these situations. Mr. English answered that these situations are more operational issues. The proposed 2019 budget includes funding for two new concrete crew positions, and their focus would be on solving existing problems such as heaving sidewalks, as well as installing curbs and ramps to make sidewalks ADA compliant and filling in small gaps of sidewalks within the City. Board Member Robles asked about the City's plan for dealing with the beautiful trees that have grown large and are causing the sidewalks to heave. Mr. English said this was a topic of discussion at the recent City Manager's meeting. It requires a balance between retaining the beautiful trees and keeping the infrastructure safe. Board Member Robles commented that the Meadow Playfields are incredible. He noted that there are several informal entries, as well as an informal pathway behind the baseball fields. He asked if there are plans to maintain these locations. Ms. Hite said the City of Lynnwood is responsible for managing this park. She suggested that these informal spaces are more of a convenience and are not intended to be access points and trails. They are not part of the current maintenance plan, but she agreed to bring up the issue with the City of Lynnwood to see what their plans are for them. Board Member Robles suggested that these areas could be dressed up or, at the very least, lighting could be added to make them safer. Board Member Robles recalled that when the CIP and CFP were last discussed in October of 2017, concerns were raised about Meadowdale Beach Road being wet and slippery, with no sidewalks. Mr. English reported that the street was overlaid, but no sidewalk was added. Board Member Lovell commented that, collectively, the City does a very good job of managing its facilities and projects, as well as going after grant funding for future projects. Regarding Board Member Rubenkonig's comments about the intersection improvements at 212' Street and 76t1i Avenue, he said he drives through the intersection nearly every day and finds it to be absolutely fabulous. Any landscaping that is needed should be the responsibility of the property owners at the four corners. He summarized that, overall, the draft CIP and CFP appear viable. He said it is good to see the plan work not only to the infrastructure, but the parks, as well. He commented that the City is in the midst of a major growth pattern, with a lot of people and traffic being added. The City needs to be proactive to deal with these changes. Chair Monroe asked if City staff tracks the actual cost of projects compared to budgeted costs. Mr. English described some recent projects where change orders were required and project costs escalated. He said the City tracks the changes and uses the information to manage future cost estimates. Chair Monroe asked if the information was factored into the proposed CIP and CFP. Mr. English answered affirmatively and explained that not only does the City monitor City project costs, but they also seek information from WSDOT and other sources. They try to provide heavy management research on projects when they know there will be problems. Staff does its best to estimate and plan for unforeseen issues, as well. Chair Monroe requested clarification about why funding for projects would increase dramatically in 2021. Mr. English explained that the first three years are treated as a constrained list of the projects for which there is either secure funding or they feel secure funding will be available. Funding for projects identified in the last three years of the CIP is unconstrained. This is where they place all of the projects they would like to do but do not have funding for. It is important to include these projects and costs estimates so they are eligible if and when grant funding becomes available at some point in the future. Board Member Rubenkonig asked if it was a mistake for her to assume that trees would be planted on the high school and Burger King sites as part of the 2121 Street and 761 Avenue intersection improvements. Mr. English pointed out that there is no room to plant trees on the Burger King property given that there is limited space for right-of-way and parking. However, he agreed to follow up with the school district to find out if trees should be planted on the Edmonds Woodway High School corner of the intersection. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 6 Board Member Rubenkonig commented that there are tree -planting techniques that direct root growth downwards so as to avoid interference with the hardscape. She suggested the City seek input from landscape architects regarding these opportunities so that street trees are planted in ways that encourage root growth to grow deeper rather than branching out and remaining closer to the surface. This will help minimize the conflict between trees and hardscape. DISCUSSION ON MORATORIUM ON DEVELOPMENT OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS WITHOUT PARKING IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS (BD) ZONES. Mr. Chave reviewed that, in the interest of encouraging smaller buildings in the BD zone, a previous City Council decided not to require parking for residential development in buildings with a total footprint of less than 4,800. At the time, there was already no parking requirement for commercial uses in the BD zones. Until recently, there had been no projects to take advantage of this residential parking incentive. However, an application for a 9-unit apartment building was recently approved that will have no on -site vehicle parking, which is consistent with the existing code for the BD2 zone. Other property owners on the street raised concern that no on -site parking would be provided and how this would impact the available on -street parking. In response to these concerns, the Council adopted a moratorium on August 2l't to give the Planning Board time to study the issue and forward a recommendation to the Council on any potential code amendments regarding this code provision. Mr. Chave referred to Attachment 3 of the Staff Report, which contains the general downtown parking provisions. He highlighted that ECDC 17.50.010.0 normally requires one parking space for each residential unit, but the language in ECDC 16.43.D.3 specifies an exemption to the parking requirement for residential uses in buildings with a total footprint of less than 4,800. The easiest approach to reinstate a minimum residential parking standard for downtown development in small buildings would be to simply delete this section so the exemption no longer exists and then default to ECDC 17.50.010.C. Chair Monroe pointed out that ECDC 17.50.010.0 speaks to the parking requirement for residential uses associated with mixed - use development, but it does not specifically speak to buildings with only residential units. Mr. Chave agreed that the language in ECDC 17.50.010.0 could be amended to clarify that it would apply to buildings that are entirely residential, too. Mr. Chave advised that the City Council is seeking feedback and a recommendation from the Board so that code amendments can be in place before the moratorium expires in February. That means the Board needs to conduct a public hearing and make a recommendation by December. Again, he said staff is recommending that the residential parking exemption for small buildings (ECDC 16.43.D.3) should be eliminated. That would mean that the parking requirement for all residential units in the BD zone would be the same (one space per unit). If that is the direction the Board wants to go, staff would review the remainder of the BD zoning standards to make sure the parking requirements are consistent throughout. For example, it may be necessary to add additional language to ECDC 17.50.010.0 to make it clear that all residential units in the BD zone must provide one parking space per unit. Vice Chair Cheung asked how "dwelling unit" is defined in the City's code. Mr. Chave said it is defined as a place where one family resides. "Family" is defined as related individuals or up to five unrelated individuals. Board Member Rubenkonig pointed out that although there is an opportunity for several unrelated individuals to live in a single dwelling unit, only one parking space would be required in the BD zone. Vice Chair Cheung said the proposed change to require one parking space per dwelling unit seems to make sense, but perhaps there could be some exceptions to the requirement to accommodate units that are occupied by people who do not own vehicles. Mr. Chave explained that parking spaces in a multifamily building are not typically assigned to individual units. They are generally provided for the residential property, and it is up to the property owner and residents to parcel them out. The City does not enforce having one space per unit whether or not you have a car. Board Member Rubenkonig asked if the City has provisions that would allow an exception for a multifamily project that is located close to a bus stop and other public transportation. Mr. Chave said there is no exception in the BD zone, but this option does exist on Highway 99 if a proponent can produce a study that supports the lower parking standard. Board Member Robles asked if there are size requirements for the parking spaces. Mr. Chave said there are depth and width requirements, but not height requirements. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 7 Board Member Robles asked if there are other options for incentivizing affordable housing. He is concerned about requiring large parking areas for residential units that do not necessarily need the space. Mr. Chave said some jurisdictions have taken the approach of eliminating the parking requirement altogether for properties located near transit. He agreed that the parking requirement has an impact on the ability to develop affordable housing, but it also impacts lenders when determining whether or not a project is viable. He pointed out that a 1 parking space per unit requirement would still be less than the City's requirement for multifamily development in other zones. Elsewhere, the lowest parking requirement is 1.2 spaces for a studio apartment. Board Member Robles asked if allowing residential development without any parking could result in any externalized risks. Chair Monroe answered that it could tax the public good by reducing costs to developers and putting the costs on the public instead. While it would allow a developer to maximize the building area, it would push cars out onto the streets. Vice Chair Cheung pointed out that almost all on -street parking in the BD zone is restricted to a certain number of hours. He asked if it would be possible for residents to purchase permits that allow them to park on the street for longer periods of time. Mr. Chave said the City already offers permits for commercial employee parking, but it is fairly limited. Vice Chair Cheung suggested that perhaps the program could be expanded to accommodate residential parking, as well. This would help limit the residual affect of having no parking requirement, and having no parking requirement could result in more opportunities for affordable housing. Vice Chair Cheung suggested that before making a blanket requirement of one parking space per unit, the Board should consider other options further. Chair Monroe said he would not feel comfortable reducing the parking requirement to less than one stall per unit. There is a race to eliminate single -occupancy vehicles, but it is not yet a reality. Vice Chair Cheung summarized that the point of the proposed amendment is to avoid driving multiple cars into the streets where there are already parking issues. However, it may be possible to address the issue better by providing flexibility for less parking so that units can be more affordable. For the purpose of the discussion at hand, Chair Monroe suggested that the best solution would be to require one parking space per unit, which is consistent with all other residential development in the BD zones. The Board could then discuss a more comprehensive approach to address parking and affordable housing in the BD zones at some point in the future. Board Member Robles observed that the City Council has debated this issue, and they will make the ultimate decision. Getting their input on the record is the most important thing the Board can do. Board Member Rubenkonig asked how stakeholders and property owners who would be most impacted by the proposed change could be notified of the public hearing. Vice Chair Cheung suggested it would be helpful to hear from the developer of the apartment complex that caused the issue to come to the forefront, as well. Mr. Chave advised that the public hearings regarding the proposed amendments will be published in the local newspapers, posted on the City's website, and posted in various locations throughout the City. A public hearing before the Planning Board is set for November 14'. At that time, staff will present proposed language that would reflect a requirement of one parking space per unit. Board Member Cloutier advised that a quick search of the issue reveled that a parking requirement of one space per unit is actually quite low compared to other jurisdictions. Many require one space per bedroom. REVIEW OF EXTENDED AGENDA Chair Monroe reviewed that the October 24' agenda will include a public hearing on the 2019-2023 CIP and CFP. The November 141 agenda will include a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the BD zone parking requirement and a public hearing on the Shoreline Master Program Update. The November 28t1i meeting was cancelled. PLANNING BOARD CHAIR COMMENTS Chair Monroe commented that he enjoyed the presentation on the CIP and CFP. It is a lot of fun watching projects go from conception to design and then development. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 8 PLANNING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS Board Member Rubenkonig thanked the City for putting on the Volunteer Recognition Event on October 9t1i in the Brackett Meeting Room at City Hall. Not only was there good food, but those in attendance were able to meet others who serve on boards and other City groups. There are excellent people involved as volunteers in the City. She reported that some concern was raised that perhaps people didn't see the invitation because it was sent out via the City's email system. It was suggested that it should have been sent out to private email accounts, as well. Chair Monroe reminded the Board of the City Attorney's counsel that all City business should be done on the City's account rather than personal accounts. ADJOURNMENT The Board meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. Planning Board Minutes October 10, 2018 Page 9