CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Planning Commission Minutes of Meeting Present: Jeremy Twaddle (Chair), Darrell Windsor (Member), Cheryl Westover (Member), Chris Spivey (Member), Melissa Henshaw (Planner I) Members of the Public: Garry White, Kelley Pellett, Shannon Haugland (Sitka Daily Sentinel) Chair Twaddle called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Consideration of the Minutes from the January 15, 2013 meeting: MOTION: M/S WINDSOR/WESTOVER moved to approve the meeting minutes for January 15, 2013 The evening business: MINOR SUBDIVISION 4530 SAWMILL CREEK ROAD CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Public hearing and consideration of a final plat for a minor subdivision with a modification to an existing access easement at 4530 Sawmill Creek Road filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. The property is also known as Lot 9 and 12 Sawmill Cove Industrial Park Resubdivision No. 1. Planner Henshaw reviewed this request. This is the final reading for this plat. O Neill Engineering and Surveying went out and fine tuned the lines. The smallest width of the easement is 38 feet. APPLICANT: Garry White, SCIP Director came forward stating that this plat has more detail. PUBLIC COMMENT: Mr. Weatherman, Municipal Engineer came forward stating that this plat now has the easement on it to match what is currently there. Nancy Yaw-Davis came forward. She did a site visit and couldn t find clarification as to where the minor subdivision is. She feels that the Commission owes the public more detail on minor subdivisions. Mr. White explained the plans to Ms. Yaw-Davis. He has had nine meetings with the SCIP board and the strategic plan for the park is online. Mr. Twaddle clarified for Ms. Yaw- Davis that the Board still follows the same code as they have before. Ms. Yaw-Davis stated that she wants to be informed, the lots flagged, the process is too fast, and doesn t have to go to the Assembly which would allow more information for the public. Commission deliberated with a discussion on the flagging/property corners/stakes. MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/WESTOVER moved to approve the final plat for a minor subdivision with modification to an existing access easement at 4530 Sawmill Page 1 of 6 FINAL
Page 2 of 6 FINAL Creek Road filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. The property is also known as Lot 9 and 12 Sawmill Cove Industrial Park Resubdivision No. 1. MINOR SUBDIVISION 4640 SAWMILL CREEK ROAD CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Public hearing and consideration of a final plat for a minor subdivision 4640 Sawmill Creek Road filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. The property is also known as Lot 16 Sawmill Cove Industrial Park Resubdivision No. 1. Planner Henshaw reviewed this request stating that Lot 16 will be split into two parcels, the building will be demolished and uses of the lot. APPLICANT: Garry White, SCIP Director came forward. This has been at public meetings of the SCIP meetings since last July. Silver Bay Seafoods would like to purchase Lot 16B and the RFP will include demolition of the building. The City wants to keep Lot 16A for rock storage. PUBLIC COMMENT: Nancy Yaw-Davis came forward confirming that all Commissioners had been out to the site. She asked if it was easy to spot the minor subdivision to which Commissioner Westover explained that she wasn t necessarily looking for exact markers. She thought it was off limits, secret, and behind the scenes as to what is going on out there. Mr. White informed Ms. Yaw-Davis that SEDA has put it in the paper, had 9 meetings on this, it has been on Raven Radio, packets about the meetings are at the library, and as public as they can be. Ms. Yaw-Davis said that the Code for minor subdivisions needs to change. MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/SPIVEY moved to approve a final plat for a minor subdivision at 4640 Sawmill Creek Road filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. The property is also known as Lot 16 Sawmill Cove Industrial Park Resubdivision No.1. ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS (ADU) SITKA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (SEDA) Public hearing and consideration of a proposed zoning text amendment on accessory buildings to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) proposed by Sitka Economic Development Association (SEDA). Planner Henshaw reviewed this request going over the changes from the last meeting including building height, deleting B under requirements, minimum 90 day rental, strike R-1 clerical error, strike SF and R-2, and no relaxation of the code with setbacks, height, and lot coverage, no subdivision unless all requirements are met, two each off-street parking spaces, and replace Building Official to the Planning Department to do the reporting. PUBLIC COMMENT: Mr. Weather came forward to state that the Building Department would treat these structures as a duplex with possible separate water and sewer depending on the
units. Not workable in the old R-1 section of downtown due to constraints but a bit further out of town would work. Public Works would not like another driveway coming off the same street. He made a suggestion that the ADU would not be taller than the existing primary dwelling. APPLICANT: Garry White, SEDA Board Director came forward. This is from Sedona, Arizona s zoning code for affordable housing. Parking was two for the primary and one for the ADU for their plan however; he does not know how much other parking is available in Sedona. Discussion occurred on parking; zoning; conditional use permit vs. permitted use; utilities; building height; non-conforming buildings; architectural design, style, and appearance; size according to percentages; competition and commercializing residential areas; vacancy rate. Planner Henshaw stated that this code will have to be checked off by the Planning Department to make sure they have all the restrictions on it. Each situation will be looked at by Staff. The following changes were made: Square footage with percentages needed; height of ADU not taller than the existing primary dwelling. No motion was made. It will come back before the Board at the next regular meeting. Chair Twaddle recused himself from the next item as he is the representative for it. ZONING MAP AMENDMENT 180 PRICE STREET MOUNTAIN VIEW ESTATES, LLC Public hearing and consideration of a zoning map amendment at 180 Price Street. The request is to change the zoning from R-2 MHP multifamily and mobile home district to C-2 general commercial mobile home district. The request is filed by Mountain View Estates, LLC. The property is also known as Lot 4A Turney-Burkhart Replat. Planner Henshaw reviewed this request stating that it would be included with the C-2 zoning next to it. Comment from 207 Lance Drive was brought up as well as comment from Spruce Grove new owners called Staff with questions and did not oppose this request. APPLICANT: Jeremy Twaddle came forward giving the Board a handout of courts that are zoned C-2 as the majority of them are. This change would allow other uses. Discussion on play area areas, uses, and access occurred. He plans on filling in the hole that was left from previous owners by the 207 Lance Drive area. PUBLIC COMMENT: Nancy Yaw-Davis came forward stating that she would like the City to purchase this land for park space and encouraged the owner to put in a play yard. MOTION: M/S WESTOVER/SPIVEY moved to recommend approval to the Assembly for a zoning map amendment at 180 Price Street. The request is to change the zoning from R-2 MHP multifamily and mobile home district to C-2 general commercial mobile home district. The request is filed by Mountain View Estates, LLC. The property is also known as Lot 4A Turney-Burkart Replat. Page 3 of 6 FINAL
Staff recommended the following findings in support of the approved request: MOTION: M/S SPIVEY/WESTOVER moved to approve the following findings in support of the recommended approval: 1. That the zoning map amendment does represent a continuation of a logical zoning pattern along Price Street; and 2. The zoning map amendment is consistent with the Comprehensive plan. Mr. Twaddle joined the Commission as Chair. VARIANCE REQUEST 607 DEGROFF STREET KELLY PELLETT FOR SCOTT JR./JEANETTE FOSS Public hearing and consideration of a variance request filed by Kelly Pellett at 607 DeGroff Street. This is for a reduction in the front setback from 20 feet to 6 feet for a set of stairs on a new home construction. The property is also known as Lot 4 Amended Pinehurst Subdivision. Owner of record is Scott A. Foss, Jr. and Jeanette M. Foss. Planner Henshaw reviewed this request. The current house will be torn down and a new home will be built. The owner and applicants are asking for a front variance of 6 feet for a set of stairs coming from a second story deck. The house will be 32 feet by 32 feet not including decks. APPLICANT: Kelly Pellett came forward as a representative for the owners. This is a design that the owners would like. He showed the parking spaces. There will be more site prep if the house needed to be pushed back. Commissioners clarified the pad/piling situation of the ground, the rise of the stairs, the roof over the deck, and the size of the back yard. He asked if the Commission wouldn t allow the 6 feet, what would they would be comfortable with. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. Commissioner s deliberated and discussed options with the applicant and Staff for a 10 foot setback or a new request. MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/WESTOVER moved to approve a variance request with a friendly amendment for a 10 foot front setback rather than a 6 foot front setback with the same configuration filed by Kelly Pellett at 607 DeGroff Street for a set of stairs on a new home construction. The property is also known as Lot 4 Amended Pinehurst Subdivision. Owner of record is Scott A. Foss, Jr. and Jeanette M. Foss. Staff recommended the following findings in support of the approved request. MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/WESTOVER moved to approve the following findings in support of the approved variance: 1. There are special circumstances for the intended use that do not generally apply to other properties specifically the small size; Page 4 of 6 FINAL
Page 5 of 6 FINAL 2. The variance is necessary for the preservation of a substantial property right or use possessed by other properties but are denied to this parcel; 3. The granting of such a variance will not be materially detrimental to the public welfare or injurious to the property, nearby parcels or public infrastructure; and 4. That the granting of the variance will not adversely affect the Comprehensive Plan and supports 2.1.1 Contribute to a stable, long-term, local economic base. ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT UPDATE 21.44.020 CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA Public hearing and consideration of a zoning text amendment to update 21.44.020 Outline of required plat certificates by striking assessor on the Certificate of payment of taxes and to change Chairman to Chair under Certification of approval by the Planning Commission. The request is filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. Planner Henshaw reviewed this request stating that this a Code clean up. The function of determining if property tax is owed is a function of the Finance Department not something that the Assessor does. The Finance Director or Tax Accountant needs to sign off of it and now there is a document that is printed to put in the file to show that taxes are paid. APPLICANT: None. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. MOTION: M/S WESTOVER/SPIVEY moved to recommend approval to the Assembly a zoning text amendment to update 21.44.020 Outline of required plat certificates by striking assessor on the Certificate of payment of taxes and to change Chairman to Chair under Certification of approval by the Planning Commission. The request is filed by the City and Borough of Sitka. Staff recommended the following findings in support of the approved request. MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/SPIVEY moved to approve the following findings in support of the recommended approval: 1. The changes are consistent with the overall goals and policies of the Comprehensive Plan. PLANNING DIRECTOR S REPORT: None. PUBLIC BUSINESS FROM THE FLOOR: Discussion occurred on the minor subdivision process.
ADJOURNMENT MOTION: M/S PARMELEE/WESTOVER moved to adjourn at 9:25 pm. Jeremy Twaddle, Chair Melissa Henshaw, Secretary Page 6 of 6 FINAL