Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Where do I close it off?

Okay, so we have.

All right. Good evening. The time is today is Wednesday, September the 16th, 2026. The time is 6 31 PM. And I will now call this meeting of the Lakewood planning commission to order. Will the clerk please call the roll?

Katie Crook, absent at this time. Robert Estrada, here. Christian Flores, here. Mark Hare, here. Lynn Larson is absent. Jim Merritt, here. Sharon Wallace, here. Have quorum, Chair.

Thank you. Will you all please stand and join me in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance? Thank you. Trust everybody has had an opportunity to review the minutes from our September 2nd meeting. I would entertain a motion to approve. Commissioner Estrada.

I'm sorry. The intention in the meeting minutes there was just that that is who it is. So we can change that to say absent, just to clarify. Sure.

So Mr. Estrada, Commissioner Estrada, would you care to make a motion to approve as amended or as corrected? Second. It's been motioned by Commissioner Estrada, seconded by the chair to approve the minutes from September 2nd with correction. All those in favor, as you were, is there any further discussion? Seeing none, hearing none, we move on to a vote. All those in favor of the motion, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, please signify by saying no. You guys have it. The motion carries and the minutes are approved as amended. We move on. Ms. Speer, are there any agenda updates? No updates. We move on to public comment. Public comments or testimony on public hearings. are accepted by mail, email, or by in-person or virtual attendance. Mail comments to Karen Devereaux, Planning Commission Clerk, 6000 Main Street Southwest, Lakewood, Washington, 98499, or email kdevereaux at cityoflakewood.us. Comments received by noon on the day of the meeting will be provided to the commission electronically. For all in-person and virtual commenters, each person has three minutes to speak. Attendees are allowed to speak during public comments or public hearings only. Those attending in person will be called on by the chair. Those attending via Zoom should use the raise hand function to indicate they wish to speak. Once the chair calls your name, you will be unmuted. First, state your name and city of residence, and then provide your testimony. At this time, we'll begin the public comment. We look across the throngs who are here with us today, and I see none in our presence. Ms. Speer or Ms. Devereaux, is there anybody online?

No.

There are no virtual attendees for this public comment, and I will declare this public comment period closed. We do have public hearing today, so we will move on and move forward with the 2027 Comprehensive Plan Zoning Map and Development Regulation Amendment Docket public hearing. Is there anybody online?

Mr. Chair, if you don't mind, we could just- We have to do this slide first.

I'm so sorry.

No, that's perfectly all right. And we are just trying out a different situation over on this side with tech. So bear with us as we work our way through that. But yes, this is the evening for a public hearing on our proposed docket, meaning just the list of amendments that would be reviewed into next spring and summer substantively. This is just identifying which items will be included in that list for review. The open period for private applications happened in the month of July, and we did end up with four private applications that are part of the docket list tonight. And then there are an additional 21, or I'm sorry, 19 others. So there's a total of 23 amendments that have been introduced to you at your last meeting. Once the docket is set by yourselves by recommendation and then the City Council by action later this fall, we will continue our substantive review of each of those that are included in the docket. There will be SEPA review by the City, there will be Department of Ecology and Department of Commerce review. The Planning Commission will begin reviewing the actual substance of each one of the amendments again next spring. You've done this before, so this won't be anything new process-wise. And then after you make your recommendation next spring, again, the city council will hold its own review public hearing and then take action. Again, there's 23 total. There are eight that are related specifically to state law changes that the city needs to verify we are in compliance with. There's nine that came either from council direction or staff recommendation. There are two that are pending the work of the task forces that you have going right now for the city's natural environment and climate change program. And then there's four private rezone applications. So I went through these last time, but just very quickly, it's a range, again, of eight that are from the state law. And then we move into some that are city optional or suggested by our city council or recommended by city staff itself, and you'll see a range of those. And then toward the end, you'll start to see in the list the four zoning requests. Again, we talked about these in the last meeting, but there's one that's multiple parcels trying to move from commercial two to industrial. There's one that would rezone three parcels in the Tillicum area from neighborhood commercial two to commercial two. There's one that is on Bridgeport that would end commercial two split zoning on one parcel and changed the zoning for the other. So everything ended up in the highlighted parcels there as neighborhood commercial two. And then the final one is a single building with multiple units and addresses and businesses in it right now. It is currently zoned commercial two and the request is to change that to neighborhood commercial two. So after tonight, if you're ready to tonight, you could take action. Otherwise, this will come back to you on October 5th for action. Then it will move on to the city council starting October 19th for review of that docket. And then we'll start again that substantive work. So with that, Mr. Chair, done with the presentation, unless you have anything else you need to ask of me.

move on and begin or we will begin online this year. Is there anybody with a virtual hand ready? No, Mr. Chair. How is your opportunity to move to the podium if you would like to be not signed in?

So, Mr. Chair, this is now an opportunity for you to begin deliberations on the proposed docket list. And if, again, it can be discussion only this evening, or if you're ready to take action tonight, perfectly able to do that as well.

I would like to begin the discussion.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm proposing that the Planning Commission not recommend approval of three proposed amendments to the 2027 comp plan. And if you wish, I can just start with one.

Just one point of clarity. Right now, are you making an actual motion or are you just...

I want to notify you about my intent not to support and the reasons why. Thank you. So my first, the first amendment that I propose not to recommend would be 202705, which is establishing a land bank authority as per House Bill 1974. It should be noted that there's no state compliance deadline because this is a volunteer program. The city does not have to abide by that. House Bill 1974 states that the land bank authority may lease or sell land to housing developers at less than market rates. in exchange for compliance with affordable housing program. Such transfers are not required to be made to the highest bidder." I would recommend that the city not approve this amendment, if at all, until we can be assured that procedures and rules are established that would prevent a possible abuse. THOSE ARE MY REASONS FOR THAT PARTICULAR OBJECTION. YES, SIR. 202714, THE CITY COUNCIL PROPOSAL THAT PROVISIONS OF URBAN DESIGN 2-1 BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED The Planning Commission, as we know, has been tasked to review all of these proposed amendments, including, of course, this one, and then make a recommendation as to whether it should be approved or not. I do not believe that this commission has been given ample time to review these 21 proposed changes, see if they qualify as, quote unquote, our urban corridors. I think that the Planning Commission should be given more time to make a recommendation, to review and make a recommendation. And my third objection would be 2027-20, which is the private rezone. That private rezone, it rezones, it proposes to rezone a four plex portion of a parcel from mixed residential neighborhood business i believe that this proposal has the potential of eliminating housing for at least four families and it goes against the city's quest to increase housing therefore i propose the planning commission not recommend approval those are my three sir

I also agree with that. I was concerned about the loss of affordable residential housing. And then I did have a question about this other one on the mixed residential going to neighborhood business.

To be clear, Commissioner Wood.

Oh, I'm sorry. 27 CPA? I have 27 CPA as listed at it.

The next line down is at 2027 18.

So I didn't I didn't get this very well done. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, I'm a little bit concerned about, again, the loss of, I would like to know what it's going to be used for. I mean, we're trying to get housing. And so this doesn't tell me anything about what it is we're going to be getting with these parcels.

If I could, Mr. Chair, in response to both the comments regarding 2027-14 and then 2027-20 and 2027-18, first of all, just a reminder, this is not you're approving anything substantive. This is you are approving further consideration of this next spring. So the 20 options, for instance, in 2027-14, you're not being asked to approve any of that at this point. What you are... recommending to the council is what should be looked at later. So information about each of the private rezones will be fleshed out for you. And then also for 2027-14, there would be much more time for discussion and consideration of what's been proposed in this case from the city council member who wanted it brought to consideration, but this is not approving any of that tonight. It would just be letting it move forward in the process.

I I guess I guess don't know quite understand how we're supposed to make a recommendation for approval for the docket. If we do not feel that they should be approved. Why would I just say, go ahead, go ahead and- What we're doing, I'm sorry.

What we're doing right now is saying this will be looked at and reviewed next spring with a public hearing, with review and environmental analysis done and additional information provided to the Planning Commission and opportunity to discuss. So the language that you see submitted as part of the draft It may not be that list next year that would come forward. It is just, this is the initial thought from that council member that the rest of the council said, okay, throw it in there for consideration. And then you telling the council, if you want to, keep this in long enough to take a look and see if it holds any merit. You're not doing any decisions on the merit tonight. This is just the list of what's going to be analyzed over the next six months or so. setting the docket. It's not approving the docket.

Why bring it to us? If it's got to go to the council anyway and they're going to do what they want anyway and even look at us.

Mr. Trout, you are here for a reason. You are free to make your motion.

And I would like to make these motions not yet at the time when it's appropriate.

Any other questions? Any other questions?

I recommend that Amendment 2027-05, 2027-14, and 2027-20 be removed from our list of proposed recommendations to the city council of the current comp plan.

All right, Commissioner Estrada, that will be removed. Item number 2027-05, item number 2027-05. or an item number 2027. So from the remaining list, we recommend. I will just make an admit and administer. Commissioner Wallace, do you also open up?

That can be brought forward as a separate motion, if you like.

I would offer that. Although I agree with Commissioner Estrada's passion for the potential changes of this, I'm a proponent of shining the light in the corner. We actually deserve and warrant a good look by the staff so that the council and we can make appropriate recommendation and decision Always my view that we should look, analyze, and make an informed decision rather than stopping things on the front page. I don't feel like I like what I'm looking at. I still, I will be not in favor of this motion. So vote. All those in favor of removing items 05, 14, and 20 from the . All those opposed, please do so by saying no. No. As added, 05, 14, and 20 will be removed from the . I would like to make a motion that we have further evaluation of this rezoning of parcels. We do have staff right here. Are there questions we can ask now?

Sure. It's unclear to me. There's all of these different parcels with all these different numbers. What are they exactly trying to accomplish? What is the end goal? It's not really clear. It's just, are they going to all be different? Is it going to be some unified plan? Is this going to be a development? What are we looking at?

On page 33 of your packet, you'll see some information that was pulled directly from the application materials for this rezone. The purpose is to allow development of industrial outdoor storage and other employment generating industrial uses that are not permitted under commercial two. This request is intended to provide greater flexibility for development of the interior portions of the property while continuing to preserve opportunities for commercial and flex building development along Steilacoom Boulevard. Applicant remains committed to maintaining the commercial character of the corridor by developing or marketing commercial and flex commercial space along the frontage while utilizing the less visible interior portions of the site for industrial outdoor storage and related industrial activities. The proposal recognizes the unique location of the property, which functions as a transition area between the established commercial corridor to the north and east and the existing industrial zone properties immediately to the south and west. The requested zoning change will allow the site to better integrate with the surrounding industrial area while preserving the commercial presence along Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest.

okay um that that's that thank you that's what i really wanted to understand better was what exactly what were they trying to accomplish thank you that makes sense to me now okay yes i would i would like to withdraw my my motion please commissioner wallace has withdrawn her motion to remove from the recommended list

Just as a point of clarity, actually this is an emotion, but my brain. On item number 05, 1-4 and 2-0, was it your intent to remove them from recommendation or seek additional coverage?

On 05 removal, on 20 removal i would be open to a additional time on on 14 uh an opportunity for us to review the 21 proposed street uh changes we have some additional time i understand we've already made a motion but I agree. Yes, sir.

For item 14, Mr. Chair, and for the rest of these that are currently as part of the package, again, these will go away from you for about six months, come back, and then you will have all of the substance.

Okay. knowing that we are going to have that opportunity to give very well thought out and researched opinions and give these, give these amendments opportunity to thrive or fall away on their own merit. But that's just,

And again, if I do that, then it still muddies, from my perspective, what we are expected to do. If we just let it go forward, then why do you even bring it to us?

This is...

I don't know if I'm understanding what you're saying.

Commissioner Estrada, the point here is we're letting it, if you include 14 or any of the others in the docket, this goes forward to the council to then say yes or no on the docket list. None of it is any sort of actual adoption of anything. It's saying process has been put into motion for the city staff now to go back and look at these and then provide its own recommendation back to you in the spring and then to them in the spring once you've got your recommendation for them to fully adopt something or not. So 14 in this instance right now has those potential suggestions from our city council member who brought this to say, X number of streets should be added or removed or whatever. The staff has not looked at that in any way other than to drop it in the list as a potential amendment next year. So if it does move forward and is left in the full docket list, then the process will begin to say, okay, which ones have been suggested here? Does it make sense or not? And if not, the city staff would provide that information back to the planning commission next spring to say, we recommend maybe all of these, maybe none of them, maybe some of them. And then you would take that up again and deliberate and decide what would actually go forward for adoption by council next summer.

It appears to me that the, It is a rubber stamp type of thing. It's got to move forward. And the process says it's gotta be in front of the Planning Commission first. If that were the case, then it should be presented to the Planning Commission as a interest item or something that needs to be pushed forward as has done in the past. There have been things before us that we do not vote on, but if we just are made aware of and then it goes to the council, that's what this should have been if that's what they wanted us to do, because that's what it's sounding like. All we all they want us to do is look at it, not really to make a recommendation. And. Then why are we asked to make a recommendation?

For next year? And so I understand your position, but I would offer this, sir. Everybody that sits on this dais, we are servants to the community, all acting in that capacity. Were we to not allow this amendment onto the docket for consideration, that is essentially the concept that you're describing. It's just in the reverse manner. We're not giving it consideration. We're recommending that it not be considered. Just on it, right? No matter, we can recommend that it doesn't go forward. I just, I strongly urge and encourage these items to come to light so that we can fully understand those 21 adjustments, complications to, otherwise, how do we move forward if we don't go out there?

Well, you know, what I see what's going to happen is if we go forward with just the way I've said it, the three will not be recommended for approval. Council will ignore it, as they've done in the past. We've made recommendations. They can ignore it and they just go forward. That's what's going to happen here. If they think that's strong enough that no, they were wrong, then they'll just ignore it and they'll continue on. That's what I perceive is going to happen. If they think it's strong enough.

In the purview of our city council members who are elected to their positions, that is in their ability to do. I think that with the necessity to develop a strong position prior to that, which I think is the very rare case for recommend for so that it can be evaluated appropriately as opposed to just stopping it before consideration. But I understand what you're saying now.

The vote has been taken. If it needs to be resurrected, again, if after your explanation, others want to amend their vote, then I don't know how that would work, but we can go that route. I will still be recommending.

The vote has been taken. You can send the minutes. Yeah. Yeah.

Yes.

I'm correct here. The motion for item number 2018 has been withdrawn. The motion to remove recommendation on items number 05, 04, and 20 has been carried through. If there's no further discussion, we would make a motion to approve.

Yes, Mr. Chair, and I'm just bringing it up right now for you to be able to see that motion. Sorry, don't get dizzy. Okay, so there on the screen in front of you is the resolution number 202,609. And so what you would do, Mr. Chair, if the commanding commission is ready to take action tonight on its recommendation is say resolution 202,609 as amended, which is the removal of amendment 05, 14 and 20. And then that would move forward to the city council for its review in October.

I MOVE THAT THE RESOLUTION 2026-09 RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE DOCKET OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN USE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2027-05, 14 AND 20 BE APPROVED. SECOND.

It is a motion by Commissioner Estrada and seconded by Commissioner Wallace that resolution 2026-09 be recommended for as amended. Is there any discussion?

I'm a relative. I'm a new member on this body. I understand why you want to remove these items. What I'm surprised with, I guess, is the advocates for these modifications of the rezone aren't here to state their case. That bothers me. Why? Why aren't they here? They think this is just automatic? No. They need to state their case. And this is the body where you have that opportunity. Not having them here, nobody here, is a shock to me. Because we have a lot of amendments here that should be advocates or adversaries to these amendments. So this does not sit well with me. And I don't mind those being taken off, and I voted to take them off, because I think they need to be held accountable to state their case. And they'll have a future opportunity if they want to do that. What's the meaning and understanding what they want to do? Now you were in 18 where I believe it was reconciled for you. And I don't know if that's adequate because where's the support person that's asking for these changes? And I think they need to be held accountable. If we are a body that is going to respond to dialogue to make prudent decisions, we need to have them in the room to discuss this and state their case. That's my opinion.

So there you go. Thank you.

In hearing none, we will move on to a vote. All those in favor of And there is no new business for this meeting, Mr. Chair. Outstanding. Next steps.

Next steps, we do not have council member Taubo with us tonight. So no report from the city council. I will just say that they are about to embark on their next biennial budget discussions. In early October, there'll be the presentation by the city manager to the council, the overview, and then they will begin department by department presentations. And there are several special meetings of the council including on October 7th, which would be your next meeting, and then the week following, which is October 14th. Because you've taken action tonight, we don't have any worries. You won't need to meet on October 7th. So your next meeting would be October 21st. And I'm trying to think if there's anything else I need to say. I think that's it. We are continuing also, those of you who are involved with our task forces, that there will be task force two, three, and four. We'll all be meeting in October. And then tomorrow, actually, we will have a task force four meeting, which is the heat mitigation group. So hopefully you'll have folks there tomorrow for that. Otherwise, Mr. Chair, back to you.

Any commissioners would like to make comments for the good of the order?

I just have one question. Will that meeting of the task force for tomorrow be here in this chamber?

It'll be upstairs where the other meetings have been.

Rainier room. Yeah.

I would like to ask. Sure. I have no doubt that Council Member Cabo is extremely... Thank you. I'll provide that information up to the city manager and he'll reach out to her. Sure. Last chance, anything else? 7.09 p.m., this meeting of the Lakewood Planning Commission, here's a threader.