2009/03/25 Council Agenda Packet

Planning Commission September 2, 2008 Pg. 2 Meeting Minutes the area with a distinct commercial, retail and residential district- a mixed use destination retail center that includes shopping and housing. Pedestrian access would be provided through the site and to the waterfront, with a feature that connects the area to the downtown. Recreational opportunities such as trails, access to the water, open spaces and gathering centers would be provided. Environmental protection is an important part of the redevelopment of the site with enhanced wetlands, improved habitat, shoreline restoration and education. The objective is to transform a former industrial area into an attractive, active, productive and vibrant part of the City. The City envisions the Tire Fire/Landfill site as a master planned "lifestyle entertainment center" that will encourage public enjoyment of the river and shorelines. The site will be an attractive, people oriented mixed-use commercial center with significant public access, abundant parking, a plaza or public center, and separation between pedestrians and automobiles encouraging pedestrian movement. Buildings and facilities will be oriented to maximize visual access to the river, estuary, and mountain views. The area will provide direct access to the River and riverfront trails. Examples of that vision include Granville Island - Vancouver B.C.; Clarendon Commons-Arlington, Virginia; University Village - Seattle, Washington; Santana Row- San Jose, California; and Glen Town Center- Glenview, Illinois. The City envisions the Simpson site as a high quality office park or residential mixed use. The remainder of the site will provide for conservation and park purposes. The riparian corridor along the river will be preserved with public access including a trail. The Simpson neighborhood would have up to 500 to 700 hundred homes containing a variety of single family and multiple family buildings. The low-rise attached single family, townhouses and detached single-family is proposed as compatible with the scale of the nearby Lowell neighborhood. Access to riverfront, lifestyle entertainment center and trails would be provided. The Mill site parcel is north of 36th Street. Planned for the site is a three acre park, trail, shoreline restoration, some commercial and mostly multiple family residential uses. In December 2007, the City issued the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)which included the Planned Development Overlay—Master Plan and zoning, shoreline permits and other needed permits as part of the environmental review. The Final Environmental Impact Statement was issued in June 2008. Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the City Council on the development standards for the Oliver McMillan development which will include design guidelines, zoning and other city code standards which apply, landscape standards for the entire site and building on the landfill area, and parking standards. The Land Use Hearing Examiner will issue the Shoreline Permits. Public involvement opportunities will continue throughout the project. Dave Davis, City staff, stated that prior to the decision meeting on October 7, there will be an open house where the draft master plan will be displayed. The master plan will provide for ample amounts of public access, trails, and parks throughout the site. For the most part, the City is responsible for the public amenities on the site. He encouraged Commissioners to attend the open house on October 7th which will be held prior to the public hearing. Along with the public amenities, there will also be improvements to the wetlands. As a requirement of the settlement with the Tulalip Tribes and the City's agreement with Oliver McMillan, the City is responsible for wetland enhancement.