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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11192024 Planning & Zoning Work Session NotesWORK SESSION NOTES PLANNING & ZONING Called by: Chair Carol Griswold Time: 6:00 PM Date: 11/19/2024 Purpose: ADU's, SCC Title 15 — definition, Parking, Building Height, SCC Title 15 — Land Use Allowed Present: Daniel Meuninck, Courtney Bringhurst, Clara Brown Casey Warner, John Wisel, Lori Drapper Council Members Present: Carol Griswold, Sean Ulman, Clare Sullivan, Rhonda Hubbard, Nathaniel Charbonneau, Absent: Brenan Hornseth, Vanessa Verhey The work session was called to order by Chair Griswold at 6:00 PM. Administration gave an overview of the good turnout for the online Comprehensive Plan surveys. Over a hundred and fifty surveys turned in. The Commissioners' training through American Planning Association got rescheduled a couple times and wound up getting cancelled, due to a lack of interest. Training got postponed until the Spring of 2025. Today's discussion is continuing the housing conversation in hopes to alleviate some of the land use codes in developments well. Or any of the housing issues concerned. On the agenda is Accessory Dwelling Unit, Parking Ratio and building height. Included in the packet all of the land uses involving dwelling units, lodging, housing but no clear direction. If anyone in the audience has anything to say, feel free to do so in regard to the topics. Tom Tougas is on the highway and will be a little late for the work session and wants to discuss about. • Chair Griswold asked how to explain the diagram and Bringhurst stated that Commissioner Hubbard brought it forward and it may be brought up in the discussions. Today's discussion is about the ways in the land use codes. • Chair Griswold asked what the diagram was. It is an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) diagram. • Hubbard stated that Seattle uses a lot of ADU's and DDU's in their Community Development Department and got progressive. They also have ratios where you may be considered and ADU or a DADU on the property. She encouraged the commissioners to look at City of Seattle's website for more information. • Chair Griswold pointed out that an ADU is an Accessory Dwelling Unit and a DADU is a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit. • Community Development Planner Bringhurst pointed out that it would be good to touch up on some issues that the Community Development faces, such as applications and the public talking to the department on issues with efficiency apartments, as they are referred to our code. Which is an equivalent to an accessory apartment. So, in our code the efficiency apartment is to be attached to the single family home It does specify that they are to be with the single family home. So, an efficient apartment in our code could not be part of a duplex or a multi -family dwelling, just a single-family home. As seen by the variance this past year, the main issue we see a lot in our department is the requirement in code that needs to be attached to the structure. So that would be something the commission could discuss and the reasoning behind the requirement that benefits the disadvantages. The other thing that we have noticed and received comments on is the definition of an efficient apartment, in our code that needs to be one habitable room. Which is interesting, that means there can be no bedrooms, in an efficient apartment. However, the definition for studio apartment does not make that stipulation of one habitual room. Only studio apartments be 500 square feet or less. It can be difficult to understand the discrepancy in code. • Chair Griswold wondered where the definitions were based on. Griswold invited the audience to speak. • Guest Lori D spoke about her concern about people wanting to buy homes but cannot afford to. She stated she googled to see what other communities are doing with this issue. • Council Member Casie Warner said she does not have anything specific but is at the work session for the ADU's. accessory buildings. • Commissioner Hubbard stated that a possible prioritization of the breeze way, studio and definitions of efficiency of apartments. If we were to look at new rules for DADU's, there are a lot of detached buildings. Does it matter that it's on their meter box? She suggested to upgrade what they are and what it means to the community. As well as in light of what was dealt with a CUP. As well as the breezeway requirement variance go away. She • Chair Griswold thought it was a fire code requirement if a detached building is considered part of the structure. It has to be connected with the breezeway. She asked Administration to clarify. • Planner Bringhurst stated that given the past example, the building inspector did not have concerns that the property owner adding a dwelling unit in their garage. It was our department that ended up flagging it for any concerns due to requirements in code. It wasn't fire code but building code. • Chair Griswold stated that she researched breezeways nationwide and that a breezeway needs to be attached to a dwelling unit if a person wants to live in it. She thought it was a building code or national building code requirement. She stated that she is confused as how to a breeze way attached the buildings. She suggested that Commissioners find out what the building department says about it. • Director Meuninck stated that he can check in with Jeremy at the fire department. • Hubbard stated that she don't see that being into play if the structure is bigger than the house. If we can look at new rules for DADU's. She asked if a different meter can be added. • Planner Bringhurst stated that a different meter can be added. • Commissioner Sullivan asked if there is a standard the breezeway must be. • Commissioners explained that a breezeway is a roof that connects from the main house to an accessory building. • Commissioner Charbonneau suggested that we get more information on breezeways, • Chair Griswold thought that it was constrained but it is only constrained by Title 15. Code change would make it easier to understand breezeways. • CD Director Meuninck stated that the topic of housing and marijuana will be on the Dec meeting agenda for commission to discuss. • Chair Griswold asked how much space do we need for undeveloped do we need? She stated that she is a strong opponent for 35% lot coverage. Because we have issues with snow, parking and land scaping. The minimum of 30 by 100 lots minimum, South of Vanburan. She stated that the packed had samples of big city height restrictions and that Seward is just a town. But we are focusing in ADU's. No probate to 35, possible raise building height just as long as in lot coverage. • Discussion about 35% lot coverage. • Lori asked if no cooking facilities in the efficiencies and commissioners stated that not in the rooms. • Council member Warner was wondering about population and how they can target families. • Tom Tougas, if you think of 500 sq feet, need to address housing for teachers and interns. • Wisel, Where can units be put for rent? Suggested height before parking. Is 5 stories a good height? • Charbonneau stated that the viewshed in Seward is important. • Tom Tougas stated that the Hotel Gateway's height needed to be adjusted when they initially built it. To meet the standard building height requirements, 34 feet high. He also asked how we make more rooms in town to help address the height issue. He also stated that after 2 stories, there needs to be an elevator. • Commissioner Ulman, stated to look at building height and how much better it would be to keep the viewshed. Since Seward is a beautiful city and has scenery. • Tom Tougas stated that he was confused about the e-notifications that were sent out about the work session. Executive Assistant Clara Brown stated that she was thankful for his input about the e-notifications and will add more information when they are sent out. Since City of Seward just recently started sending out E- notifications to subscribers for the meeting packets and such. • During this work session there was a lot of mixed topics that got off topic. But the main topic was height restrictions and breezeways. • Parking to be discussed in the next work session. • Work Session was adjourned at 8:35 PM by Chair Griswold.