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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes - 2003-03-24 City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Minutes March 24, 2003 I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Daniel Vizzini called the Planning Commission meeting of March 24, 2003 to order at approximately 6:45 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 380 A Avenue, Lake Oswego, Oregon. II. ROLL CALL Commission members present were Chair Daniel Vizzini, Vice Chair Frank Groznik and Commissioner Alison Webster. Commissioner Mark Stayer was excused and Commissioners James Johnson and Ken Sandblast were absent. Staff present were Dennis Egner, Long Range Planning Manager; Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner; Lisa Hamerlynck, Natural Resources Coordinator; Robert Galante, Redevelopment Director; Evan Boone, Deputy City Attorney and Iris Treinen, Senior Secretary. III. CITIZEN COMMENT – Regarding issues not on the agenda. None. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A vote on the Minutes of January 13, 2003 and January 27, 2003 was rescheduled to April 14, 2003 for lack of a quorum. V. PUBLIC MEETING P 03-0001 – Temporary Parking Downtown at 2nd Street and B Avenue This discussion was postponed for lack of a quorum. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 1 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 VI. GENERAL PLANNING – OPEN WORK SESSION Outlook 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update (P 02-0001) • Goal 5, Open Space, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Natural Resources • Goal 6, Air, Water and Land Resources Quality • Goal 15, Willamette River Greenway Identification of issues to address during 2004 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review. Staff coordinator was Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner. Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner, presented the staff report. Goal 5, Open Space, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Natural Resources Mr. Sin reported that the City currently implemented statewide planning goals related to protection of natural, scenic and historic resources through the sensitive lands overlay, the tree code, development standards that protected hillsides and addressed erosion control and storm water standards, development requirements that called for planned developments to include open space, the new floodplain ordinance, the open space acquisition program, and the historic preservation chapter. He advised that the Comprehensive Plan needed to be modified to reflect a change in Statewide Planning Goal 5. He advised that tree-protection language in Goal 5 should reflect the City’s current approach of protection of tree groves, rather than individual trees. He reported that the City planned to update the sensitive lands inventory, and that the City had never inventoried archeological sites. He pointed out the staff report highlighted relevant policies, Recommended Action Measures (RAMs), and Quality of Life Indicators that related to Goal 5. Goal 6, Air, Water and Land Resources Quality Mr. Sin reported that the City currently addressed Goal 6 through the sensitive lands overlay, development standards, the floodplain ordinance, the noise ordinance, an employee commuting options program to reduce vehicle trips, and through water- quality monitoring stations on City streams. He reported that the City was in compliance or would soon be in compliance with Metro Functional Plan, Title III requirements through recently adopted floodplain standards and future greenway and water quality standards. He reported that the area was in compliance with current state air-emissions standards, however he anticipated that those standards may change and the City would need to consider how those changes would affect the Comprehensive Plan. He observed that the City’s Sustainability Program addressed the amount of solid waste generated in the City, enhanced recycling efforts, and utilized commuting options to address air quality. He pointed out that the staff report included Quality of Life indicators that applied to Goal 6. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 2 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 Goal 15, Willamette River Greenway Mr. Sin explained that Statewide Planning Goal 15 required the City to adopt Greenway boundaries, specify allowable uses, identify properties for future acquisition by the City, and adopt a review process for development in the Greenway. He noted that the portion of the Willamette River Greenway in the City was approximately 150 feet inland from the river’s low water line and included Roehr Park, George Rogers Park and the Tryon Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. He advised that the City currently protected the Greenway area through a Greenway Management Overlay District that specifies allowed uses and provides a review process. He suggested that during periodic review the Commissioners consider Metro Title III requirements; the current status of the regional Willamette River Corridor Plan; and whether the City policy to designate the Willamette River Greenway as protected open space should be amended to more specifically identify protected areas in the Greenway. He advised the Comprehensive Plan should be updated to include references to newly acquired spaces (e.g., property north of Tryon Creek and the chip plant park site), the riverfront pathway and the Foothills Design District Plan. He pointed out that no Quality of Life Indicators had been suggested for Goal 15. Lisa Hamerlynck, Natural Resources Coordinator, presented written comments from the Natural Resources Advisory Board (NRAB). She explained that Board members were concerned that the policy that there was to be “no net loss” of resources did not include performance standards to benchmark the resources and prevent them from being slowly degraded over time. She related that the Board felt natural resources were actually being allowed to degrade. They suggested that Goal 5 should also address maintenance, enhancement and restoration of the City’s natural resources. They recommended that natural resources be continually measured against a benchmark resource inventory and the Comprehensive Plan should include clear and measurable goals related to resources and thresholds. They recommended that the Plan should specify natural resources management and maintenance methodologies. They suggested, for example, that such standards would help the City restore resources that had been degraded by invasive ivy and blackberries when a property that included such resources was part of a development review application. They suggested the preamble to the Goal 5 section should emphasize that the City desired to move toward improvement of natural resources. Ms. Hamerlynck reported that the City planned to inventory natural resources on land outside the City, but within the Urban Growth Boundary, that had never before been inventoried. She advised the updated inventory should be reflected in the Sensitive Lands Ordinance. She relayed the NRAB’s concern that owners sometimes destroyed natural resources on their land before it was annexed to the City. She said they desired to see the City and county work together to increase protection of natural resources within the UGB, and they desired to see a City policy adopted to review and protect natural resources at the time of annexation. She pointed out the Board recommended that protective buffers be enlarged. She advised that Metro was considering buffers up to 100 feet that contained increments with different gradations of protection. She pointed out the final section of the memorandum included one NRAB member’s specific and detailed list of things to consider during periodic review. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 3 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 During questioning by the Commissioners Ms. Hamerlynck clarified that the NRAB had listed issues that they had identified during several years of Board discussions. She recalled that the NRAB and Metro’s Goal 5 Technical Advisory Committee members had acknowledged that it was a challenge to resolve the goals of higher density development and protection of natural resources and that there would be further degradation of natural resources until the community was completely built out and the City could focus on restoring the value of natural resources in a sustainable manner. Mr. Egner advised that the City could consider site-specific performance standards to demonstrate no loss of value, such as the Oregon Fresh Water Assessment Methodology for wetlands and a riparian assessment process that had been developed and modified over past years. Ms. Hamerlynck explained that the NRAB wanted to see citywide measurement and response to degradation of resources over time. She also clarified for the Commissioners that because the City had not conducted a formal (Endangered Species Act) fish survey, the staff only suspected where species of fish that were on the endangered species list, or that they anticipated would be placed on the endangered species list (such as Cut-throat Trout) might be found. She reported that other jurisdictions were working with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to count fish in their creeks and determine appropriate fish-protection measures. She clarified for the Commissioners that she was not aware of any streams or ponds in the City that were stocked by the state. Chair Vizzini observed that the NRAB list of issues seemed to reflect a lack of implementation of policy, rather than goals. Vice Chair Groznik suggested that the NRAB meet with the Quality of Life Subcommittee to review the issues and identify applicable indicators. Public Testimony Norma Peterson, 890 “F” Avenue, Lake Oswego, 97034, recalled that she had worked on the original Comprehensive Plan. She asked how the City had allowed many beautiful oak trees along Kruse Way to be lost. Ms. Hamerlynck explained that much of Kruse Way development had taken place when the area was in the County and outside of the City. She anticipated the loss of the tree canopy could be measured using aerial photographs taken before Kruse Way developed. Ms. Peterson questioned why the “Major Issues” section of the staff report suggested eliminating or modifying statements related to the impact of traffic on the ozone level; diversion and impoundment of streams as unsound environmental practices; and a statement that “Archaeological sites on public lands are protected”. Chair Vizzini explained that the staff report highlighted issues that either had already been resolved in public policy or that needed to be re-examined and clarified in the updated Comprehensive Plan. The staff explained that the statement about archaeological sites stood alone in Section 8 and that section did not explain how the sites were to be protected. They related that the NRAB had observed that such sites were not mapped and the Board had recommended that the sites be inventoried and protected during development. Vice Chair Groznik City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 4 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 suggested that the staff seek advice from the State Historic Preservation Office regarding the inventorying of archeologic sites. Ms. Peterson indicated she was also concerned about the increase in impervious surfaces in the City. Chair Vizzini observed that the Community Development Code included policies that addressed storm water management and made new development responsible for collecting, treating and directing runoff caused by an increase in impervious surface. He then directed the staff to enter a letter from Ms. Peterson regarding Goal 2 into the record and distribute copies to the Commissioners. Jeanette Egger, 1800 Ridgecrest Drive, Lake Oswego, 97034, stated that she was a retired audiologist and had helped to write the original Comprehensive Plan Noise Report in the 1970s. She recalled that the Noise Report had recommended that noise- sensitive property (where noise interfered with sleeping) should not be allowed in some areas of the City. She said the City had never implemented her recommendation for an acoustic noise ordinance, but had only adopted a noise ordinance that defined noise as a “nuisance” and was too subjective to be enforced by a court. She recalled that the DEQ had enforced noise standards until 1979. She advised the City to adopt an acoustic noise ordinance and employ staff to enforce it by using noise meters to measure noise at levels that interfered with health and welfare. She indicated that she supported the Recommended Action Measure for an effective noise ordinance that minimized impacts in residential areas from power tools, barking dogs, and house and car alarms. She advised there were model standards available and that the City of Portland employed a noise officer. Ms. Egger then recalled that the original Transportation Committee had recommended that the City consider allowing water taxis on the Willamette River that could alleviate road traffic and noise. She further recalled that another committee had recommended that there be no regional draw to Lake Oswego. She questioned how seriously the City considered citizen comments. Chair Vizzini observed that the issue of noise could be addressed by regulations or by land use planning that would structure a community in a manner that would keep it quieter. Vice Chair Groznik asked how noise from leaf blowers and lawn mowers could be addressed. Ms. Egger advised that some jurisdictions limited those devices to certain hours or required them to be muffled. Chair Vizzini then closed the work session and encouraged interested citizens to submit any additional comments to planning staff. VII. OTHER BUSINESS None. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 5 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 6 of 6 Minutes of March 24, 2003 VIII. ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, Chair Vizzini adjourned the meeting at 8:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Iris Treinen Senior Secretary