2012/10/03 Council Agenda Packet

Planning Commission Meeting Minutes I June 19,2012 height standards, design standards would apply, and other specific regulations that currently do not apply to the area. 8:53:50 PM Commissioner Adams asked if language could be added that there could be no building floor area expansion as of a certain date, so buildings would have to have the same floor area from that date on when changing uses. If someone were to use a building as a warehouse this year and turn it into a restaurant next year,they would not qualify for the parking exemption. 8:55:18 PM Commissioner Murphy felt that existing tenants and/or property owners would be adversely affected by adjacent property changes. He commented that some new tenants or property owners might evaluate the success of their businesses in relation to the current parking impacts and build that scenario into their business model. If surrounding business uses change over time,the business model may change for the existing business owners and create a hardship. 8:56:41 PM Commissioner Jordison felt that the regulations would promote a pedestrian environment in that area and felt it was good step in the right direction. He felt the regulation would promote small shop owners in the area and to create that intimate environment. 8:58:09 PM Chair Sosin was concerned about the parking wars addressed in Clair Bunney's letter and asked how the City conducted the data collection which appeared to her did not take into account Comcast Arena events. She was also concerned about Everett Station area development with the possibility of introducing multiple family development and transit oriented development into the area. She added that the Riverfront project will also add another element to the area when that moves forward. She would like to see the area from downtown to the riverfront reviewed more globally because all of the upcoming projects will nexus at the Hewitt Avenue area. Commissioner Adams asked how the regulation would apply to properties that have split zoning that are proposed for redevelopment. Mr. Giffen responded that split zoning is always a problem; however, there are some provisions to modify design or development standards administratively. The B-3 zone allows for the modification and the C-1 zone does not. Citizen Comments 9:01:43 PM Pete Sikov, 1075 Hewitt Avenue,stated that at the SWC of the zone is Bargreen's coffee stand and east from that, Mr.Sikov owns 3 buildings,and Clair Bunney owns the Northstar building just before the train goes underneath. In that stretch on the north side of Hewitt,there are no buildings. In that area, parking is dispersed throughout that smaller area; however,further east, there are businesses and buildings located on both sides of the street as well as a residential area to the North where people park when there is no parking on Hewitt. He was aware that in the area closest to the Events Center,there tends to be more parking impacts for businesses that are located in his buildings. He felt that there was a nice little community of people and buildings and businesses in the area west of the train tracks. He commented that if a change could add more businesses that are going to flourish in the area, he felt that was a good thing.