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Planning Commission Meeting <br /> March 8, 2005 <br /> Page 8 <br /> Commissioner Newland asked if the City had received any other comments from other property <br /> owners that would become nonconforming. Mr. Giffen stated that he did not think so, and that <br /> staff had identified two other businesses that would become nonconforming and actually one of <br /> them wrote a letter in support of the rezone. Commissioner Dutton commented that there was <br /> one in the packet from HO Sieffert, owner of the self-storage business that would become <br /> nonconforming if rezoned to B-3. <br /> Commissioner Newland asked how the heights were determined. Mr. Giffen responded that in <br /> the downtown, the permitted building height is measured from the highest point of the abutting <br /> sidewalk. Commissioner Dutton asked if the height of the Elks Property was measured from <br /> Hoyt and stated that would make the height on the Rucker side at approximately 170 feet.. Mr. <br /> Giffen responded yes if the applicant built one building that ran from Hoyt to Rucker Avenues. <br /> Commissioner Newland stated that if he understood this correctly, you take Hoyt as the low <br /> point. Mr. Giffen responded no, Hoyt would be the height point and added that the highest point <br /> of the abutting sidewalk is how building height is measured in the downtown. <br /> Commissioner Ebert commented that if there was 20 feet of slope on a site and you have 150 <br /> foot height limit and you built to 150 feet, by the time you got to the other end of the site you <br /> would be at 170 foot and asked if that was correct. Mr. Giffen responded that was correct. <br /> Commissioner Trautman asked what would happen if after going through this process of <br /> developing a downtown plan, the recommendations pointed to lower heights on the hillside than <br /> what is proposed. Mr. Giffen stated that they could choose a lower height than what currently <br /> exists and if any project was in a permit stage at the time of the change, that project would be <br /> vested. <br /> Commissioner Dutton asked about the timeline for reviewing the entire area and both sides of <br /> the street. Mr. Giffen responded that the downtown planning effort would probably take 12 to 18 <br /> months. Commissioner Dutton asked how long it would take to initiate it. Mr. Giffen stated that <br /> the City was working with the Consultant to define the scope and in the near future, will be <br /> working to set up a public meeting to develop the scope of the process. Currently, the City does <br /> not have the boundaries of the downtown planning area defined and that is part of the purpose <br /> of going out to the public in the near future. The City hopes to complete the downtown plan in <br /> 18 months. Commissioner Dutton stated that there were hints made that some of the <br /> Commissioners met privately with developers and he stated that he had never met with any <br /> developer on this subject. <br /> Art Skotdal stated that they did meet with the Boys Club and a couple council people and the he <br /> would meet with anyone if they would like to. He stated that the project was not site specific <br /> because they did not have anything definite and were only in discussion planning. <br /> Commissioner Trautman asked Mr. Giffen if he could think of any other precedent that exists in <br /> the downtown area where the City has chosen to split a zone in the middle of the street. Mr. <br /> Giffen responded that most of the boundaries were set to the B-3 zone in 1954 and since then <br /> there have been a couple changes and that Broadway divides B-3 and C-1, Pacific Avenue or <br /> Wall Street divide C-1 and B-3, and Everett Avenue divides B-2 and B-3, so it certainly was not <br /> precedent-setting. <br />