HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-08 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—April 8, 2015
At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Laurie Gere called the advertised special joint meeting of the Anacortes City Council
to order. Chairman Marty Laumbattus called the advertised special joint meeting of the Anacortes
Planning Commission to order. Roll call found present City Councilmembers Brad Adams, Liz Lovelett,
John Archibald, Matt Miller, Erica Picket, Ryan Walters and Eric Johnson; Planning Commissioners
Jeremy McNett, Allen Rhoades, Grace Pollard, Christina Hansen, Curt Oppel and Marty Laumbattus; and
Anacortes Community Advisory Committee (CAC) members Tal Jackson, Lin Folsom, Andy Stewart, Nick
Rennis, Vernon Lauridsen, Adrian Fewing, Cynthia Richardson, Wayne Huseby, and James Taylor.
Planning Director Don Measamer distributed hard copy of the evening's PowerPoint presentation and
outlined the agenda for the evening. With the goal of beginning to define the preferred land use plan he
suggested open discussion, identifying areas of consensus and areas of disagreement, and identifying
concepts that warrant additional study. Mr. Measamer advised that an additional joint meeting would be
scheduled to focus on retail options and other commercial/industrial/employment-related concepts. Mr.
Measamer introduced Bob Bengford from consultant Makers Architecture and Urban Design.
Mr. Bengford presented a summary of the comprehensive plan update process and the progress to date
towards arriving at a preferred land use plan to guide draft goals, policies and objectives. He described
the sequence of CAC, Planning Commission and City Council review of and feedback on concepts and
preferred alternatives. Mr. Bengford shared the consultant's timeline for the subsequent four months
leading up to a public workshop on the draft plan later in the summer. He then displayed a few examples
of draft comprehensive plans from other communities for comparison. Mr. Measamer reminded that after
presentation of CAC recommendations and solicitation of Commissioner and Councilmember feedback at
the present round of joint meetings, there would be public comment and public hearings before the
Planning Commission and eventually before Council.
Mr. Johnson expressed dissatisfaction with lack of clarity of the land use options defined for the MJB
property at the end of the last joint meeting. Mr. Measamer reminded that there would be a third joint
session scheduled to focus on retail options and other commercial/industrial/employment-related
concepts including at the MJB property. Mr. Archibald urged land use recommendations that included a
range of options, not just two extremes. Mr. Stewart and Mr. Jackson commented on the level of detail
appropriate for the comprehensive plan and SEPA review vs. subsequent development regulations,
strategic plans and other planning documents. Mr. Walters requested clarification on the level of
specificity of Council feedback desired by staff. Mr. Bengford indicated that all feedback was welcome but
that the goal was to arrive at one preferred option for each area.
CAC Recommendations for Housing & Density as related to the 2016 Comprehensive Plan Update
Cynthia Richardson, member of the CAC Housing and Transportation Group, reported her group's
recommendations as summarized in the evening's PowerPoint presentation. She preceded the
recommendations with a discussion of the task at hand: determining ways to house the projected
population growth in Anacortes for the next 20 years and also improve affordability and diversity of
housing choices. Ms. Richardson described the potential for additional residential units based on current
zoning and vacant land and also mentioned factors which prevent that land from developing to its full
capacity as currently zone. She then walked through the presentation, summarizing the range of
alternatives discussed by the CAC for each area and the recommendation in each case.
Regarding the recommendation against the two proposed UGA expansions, Mr. Measamer solicited
Councilmember and Planning Commissioner feedback. Mr. Oppel wholeheartedly agreed with the CAC
recommendation. Ms. Pickett also agreed with the recommendation, reminding of the cost to provide
infrastructure and public safety services to a larger UGA. Mr. Archibald and Mr. Miller requested more
information about potential zoning and density in the proposed UGA areas to help them evaluate the
merits of those options. Ms. Lovelett encouraged focusing on utilizing the land in the urban center rather
than expanding the UGA.
Anacortes City Council Minutes April 8, 2015 1
In response to a question from Mr. Laumbattus about the number of additional lots needed to
accommodate the County's growth projections for Anacortes, Mr. Measamer said that buildable lands
analysis prepared by staff indicates another 300-400 lots are needed. Staff and the consultant discussed
with Mr. Walters the adjustments that had been made in the BLA for critical areas, market factors, etc.
Mr. McNett questioned whether the recommendation for 5000 SF lots in the R2 zone would result in much
density change in Skyline. Ms. Richardson, Mr. Measamer and Mr. Bengford all agreed that Skyline
would not be much affected by the recommendation.
Regarding the recommendation to rezone the 1.5 block area between 4th and 5th Streets east of M
Avenue from LM to R3 or R4 to create a transitional area between Old Town and the existing
manufacturing businesses, Ms. Folsom and Ms. Pickett said they did not support that recommendation.
Both suggested that rezoning to residential could encourage more upscale housing and resulting resident
complaints about the neighboring manufacturing activity.
CAC Recommendations for Downtown/Waterfront Development as related to the 2016
Comprehensive Plan Update
Tal Jackson, member of the CAC Community Design and Sustainability Group, reported his group's
recommendations for the Downtown/Waterfront area as summarized in the evening's PowerPoint
presentation. Mr. Jackson preceded the recommendations with a discussion of Smart Growth principles
and how those informed the group's discussions and recommendations. He reviewed the slides from the
evening's presentation outlining the CAC's Big Ideas to guide treatment of the downtown and waterfront,
including photo images from other cities to illustrate the points. He then walked through the presentation,
summarizing the range of alternatives discussed by the CAC for the waterfront from 14th to 22nd Street,
the industrial zone, the area east of T Avenue between 22nd and 36th Streets, the Commercial zone and
the CBD and the recommendation in each case.
Councilmembers discussed with Mr. Measamer how the timing of a master plan or strategic plan fits in
with the comprehensive plan update. Ms. Folsom encouraged a strong master plan.
Mr. Adams asked if the recommendations of the Housing group would achieve sufficient new buildable
lots to meet the population projections. Mr. Measamer said yes.
Ms. Richardson encouraged Planning Commissioners and City Councilmembers to email their questions,
responses and feedback on the recommendations to Senior Planner Libby Grage so they can inform the
process going forward.
There being no further business, at approximately 9:10 p.m. the advertised special joint meeting of the
Anacortes City Council, Anacortes Planning Commission, and Anacortes Community Advisory Committee
for April 8, 2015 was adjourned.
Anacortes City Council Minutes April 8, 2015 2