Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Well, good evening everyone. I'd like to call the Planning Policy Commission Meeting this September 25 to order and it currently is 06:30PM. Kristen has promised us one of the longest planning policy commission meetings we've ever had. So, I hope you all have ate your dinner and are ready. Kristen, the first thing we want to do is ask if we have a quorum this evening.

Yes, we do.

Okay. Thank you, Kristen. And we do have Commissioner Krass is excused. And I believe Commissioner Mulbaru as well is going to try and make it. So, we'll see if she's able to. We're going to move on to the approval of minutes and the only minutes we have to approve this evening are the September 11 minutes from our last meeting. Are there any corrections or concerns to the minutes? Alright. Those minutes are unanimously approved. The next item of business is public comment.

We're going to hold general public comment at this time and this is for the good of the commission. General topics. There will be an opportunity for the public to comment on the public hearing a little later. Staff, clearly, there's nobody in the room with us this evening but is there anyone online?

No, Chad. There is not.

Okay. Great. Thank you, Amanda. So, we will return to those guidelines when we get to the public hearing. Which is now.

And so our first item of regular business is to hold a public hearing regarding the proposed 2025 comprehensive plan amendments. The purpose of this public hearing is to provide a formal opportunity for the public comment on the proposed amendments. We'll open the public hearing, which will be followed by a presentation from staff, and then the PPC will have an opportunity to ask follow-up questions. We'll then take public testimony, close the public hearing, and then the Planning Policy Commission will have an opportunity to debate and make a recommendation on this item. Kristen, our principal planner will be presenting this evening. So Kristen, when you are ready, please go ahead.

Good evening. I am Kristen Leeson, the planning manager for community planning and development and the purpose of the meeting has pretty much been stated and you do all, you do get a chance to deliberate and make a recommendation tonight if you feel it's appropriate. On the 2025 comprehensive plan amendments as proposed. So, the first one that we're doing, a first amendment that we are proposing is to add a policy HB six to allow market rate non subsidized rental homes in zones which allow multi family housing. And this is one that you all had a comment on last time.

There was language in there regarding market rate, non subsidized, 50% AMI, and we all agreed that wasn't necessary. So this just follows along with state law that says allow it where multifamily housing is allowed. Also, we mentioned the potential rezone of a property that is conditioned upon your recommendation and the city council's approval of the change in the land use designation. So, on September 10, the hearing examiner, we held a public hearing, recommended approval with that condition, and this would move the parcel outlined in in blue here. Get to the outlined in red.

Blue, my word, from community facilities facilities to retail. That would be the new land use designation. I've got something in my view which is blocking what I can see and can't see. Okay, the next one was our transportation element. Most of the changes that are in there, some are just clerical changes, some are just for clarification, and the rest are in order to comply with House Bill eleven eighty one that was adopted by the state back in 2023.

The goal was to enhance most multimodal connections and access in line with the adopted plans and community needs. The first one was to amend transportation element policy D one. This expanded the tier system to all of Central Issaquah rather than than just the regional growth center which is located inside Central Issaquah and amends tier one to tier four to allow for either 20 mile per hour speed limits, which was already in the code, and or provide a sidewalk on the other side. And Commissioner Adair, you brought up last time that this was a ranking and a priority system. It's not a priority system so much as a categorization system.

So it's not saying that we want to get the tier ones done first and the tier fours done last. It is simply, if you're in this area which we're labeling T4, this is what you're required to have. I wanted to make that clarification because you had a point. You always do. But transportation element let's see.

Moving on. Next was to add new policy D3 which is to implement leading pedestrian interval LPIS as signalized intersections along tier one pedestrian corridors and the reason is to increase safety for pedestrians in those areas and as a reminder, this is where a few additional seconds are allowed for the person to walk before the light actually turns green for automobiles. Next, transportation element policy D3 discussion was to provide context and information related to the new policy D3. There was a Goal E discussion that was added also to provide a summary of statistics and clear information bike facilities because there just wasn't anything there before. Transportation policy F5 was amended to read to ensure that transit services perform at acceptable levels, routes, and stops in Issaquah meet the city's transit level of service standards by service tier.

So, it reflects the changes to the level of service required by the state. Goal F discussion was just a minute to better describe transit service in Issaquah access to service and working with transit service operators. Goal F is another discussion. It was amended to describe and explain new transit level of service, or LOS, policies and include a new LOS policy table. Again, in compliance with November and new transit to explain that the new transit level of service is more holistic and offers more ways for the city to directly enhance multi modal connections and advocate for higher transit service higher frequencies.

I should note, in case you all have any questions about those, we'll move on that Jillian, who made the presentation on level of service last time in the transportation element, is online if you all have any questions for her. So, those are the proposed amendments. Our next steps is that these will go to the planning, development, and environment committee on October 7 and then to council on November 10 for action. And then we have a recommended motion. So, that ends my presentation.

Okay. Thank you, Kristen. Do any of the commissioners have any questions for Kristen or Jillian? Commissioner Dare.

I just have like a technical question about the lights, the delay on the lights. Is that to prevent cars turning from hitting pedestrians in the crosswalk basically? Yes, it is. Because often times, if they're going at the same time, somebody steps into the crosswalk, the same time somebody's turning. So, this way, the person, the driver, they'll a chance to see that somebody's halfway across. Yes. Thank you. That's it. You're welcome.

I think we discussed last time it's like about a three second delay, three to four?

Correct. It was about a three second delay.

Tempted to do the round robin. We got some time to fill. But if really don't have any questions, I think we could probably move on. Questions? Okay. We will go ahead and open a public hearing and it currently is 06:39PM. Amanda, has anyone signed up to speak this evening?

No, Chad. They have not.

Quick indeed. The public hearing, we will close at 06:39PM. There is formal action requested on this agenda item. Is a member of the planning policy willing to make a recommendation or I'm sorry, a motion. Vice Chair Patterson. Chair, I'd like to move to approve the 2025 comprehensive plan amendments as presented. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Thank you, Commissioner Olin.

Alright. Now that there's a second, clearly anyone that has anything that they'd like to discuss on this topic, please feel free. Give it some time to percolate. Okay. If there is no additional comment, again, these are pretty technical.

We had a wonderful presentation. Our last meeting, sounds like a lot of our questions were answered. Sounds like the input that we had was adopted or kind of put into our new packet. So the motion is on the floor to approve these amendments. All in favor?

Aye. So that passes believe that's everything staff needed from us. So, the main motion has been recommended. Again, a a unanimous vote. I guess, Kristine, I know you walked away from the microphone, but is there anything you need from us regarding the public hearing?

No, that's all I needed. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. The next item on the agenda is council updates. We have any council updates.

I don't think so. I gave the tree code update last time. That is going to cancel. Oh, I don't think I have anything else for you at this time.

Okay. K. Fair enough. I did get to see the candidate form today at the Izakwa Hilton. That was fantastic. I believe it's, do they film those? It's a chamber, right? It's not put on by the actual city.

Right, it's put on by the chamber.

Yeah. If you guys do have an opportunity, you can see our own Commissioner Zakeroff there as well as other candidates for council as well as the mayoral the mayoral candidates. So, again, some interesting.

I believe it was just the candidates today.

No, it's all of them. No. City Council.

I'm getting a big shake at the head. No.

No, no. I just I'm just saying to go see it.

Yeah. Yeah.

Okay.

Okay.

Fair enough. The reports, Kristen, anything else to provide? City life? Anything going on?

Did we talk last time about discussion with city council and their priorities for planning next year?

We've talked to you a little bit about

what Just that they, yeah, they're looking to have

More of an impact on our.

More of an impact, more of an impact on housing so there will be housing changes coming and so we will be putting together a work plan soon and coming to you all at the end of the year with that.

Okay. Yeah. And then this weekend or is it this weekend or next weekend? It's the following weekend. It's

Salmon Days. It's Salmon Days. Yes, the October.

Yes. I know you're still looking for volunteers. Is that correct?

Probably.

Yes. I don't know. The more the merrier. So if you do feel like volunteering, Sam Adaze is right around the corner. Okay.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be working the parking lot at IVE, if anyone wants to

say Well, you. Commissioner is there. Yeah. Well,

make

sure to go say hi. Having said that, is there anything for the good of the order from our commissioners? Staff? Okay. Well, again, thank you everybody. I know sometimes it's hard to get ready and come in but it's still necessary. It's still important part of the function of city government. So, having been promised earlier, this would be one of the shortest planning policy commission on record. We will adjourn this evening at 06:44PM. Thank you.