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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06172025 Planning & Zoning Work Session NotesWORK SESSION NOTES PLANNING & ZONING Called by: Planning & Zoning Commission Time: 6PM Date: June 17, 2025 Purpose: Discuss Parking Minimums in Title 15 to possibly make recommended amendments Present: Daniel Meuninck Courtney Bringhurst Commission Members Present: Carol Griswold Brenan Hornseth Vanessa Verhey Clare Sullivan • Community Development Staff did a training at the beginning of the work session to help the public and Commission better understand Title 15: Planning and Land Use Regulations. Staff scrolled through the entire Title pointing out and explaining areas they and the Commission commonly work with as well as areas the public often has questions about. • The Commission began discussing ways to reorganize the land uses in SCC 15.10.215 including adding labels to better match current code and add uses that have been discussed including Mixed Occupancy Buildings. Changing the definitions and layout of auto service station and auto repair station was brought up as the current language needs to be modernized. • The Commission tried to determine if a better, less restrictive parking minimum number better suited to land uses of multi -family dwellings, hotels/motels, and ADUs, but no number could be agreed upon. This led to multiple conversations about how the current paradigm of establishing parking minimums is not effective and the City should consider getting rid of parking minimums in our Code. Commissioner Hornseth and a member of the public voiced their support for going this route. • Staff brought up that the idea of eliminating parking minimums should not be done in a vacuum, but in collaboration with other reforms. Some of those reform ideas include paid (meter) parking and multiple Commissioners and members of the public voiced their support for that idea. • The Commission agreed that Marine Related Uses could be eliminated from the Code since the Harbor Commercial Zoning District does not require parking. • The Commission agreed that a Conditional Use Permit should not be required for the Dual Use of Lot provision in Code and instead thought it made sense for staff to handle that aspect internally. • A member of the public thought it would make sense to allow a car parked in an alley to be able to back into the alley as opposed to requiring maneuvering space on the property. The reason being that alley ways have very little traffic and this would free up development space on the property. • The Commission agreed that when it comes to the Group Use of lots provision in Code, parking should only be required for the principal use of the building and no longer required for any other use for the building. • The Chair recommended adding a provision in Code that Parking Code should be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. • Council Chambers will be unavailable for P&Z's July 1st meeting. The Commission agreed to relocate their meeting that day to the Seward Community Library (Community Room).