Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutApproved Minutes - 2003-05-28 oo� os � J D wFc ►�� ('7Ai City of Lake Oswego ®( -�0a ,r, '' ' Planning Commission Minutes ` .M� i \: me _, \\....... '= May 28, 2003 I. CALL TO ORDER Chair Daniel Vizzini called the Planning Commission meeting of May 28, 2003 to order at 7:00 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 Commissioners James Johnson, Kenneth Sandblast*, Mark Stayer and Alison Webster. Staff present were Dennis Egner, Long Range Planning Manager; Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner; Susan Millhauser, Assistant Planner; Evan Boone, Deputy City Attorney and Jean Hall, Senior Secretary. III. CITIZEN COMMENT—Regarding issues not on the agenda. None. IV. GENERAL PLANNING Open Work Session—Citizen Input Outlook 2025 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review(P 02-0001) • Goal 9, Economic Development Identification of issues to address during 2004 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Review. Staff coordinator is Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner. Sidaro Sin, Associate Planner, advised that Statewide Planning Goals required the City to consider local economic patterns and state and national trends and then plan for development of a variety of sizes and types of commercial entities that would enhance the local economy. He pointed out the general locations of the City's commercial and industrial lands on the Zoning Map and advised that they currently comprised 10-11% of City land. He listed the City's major employers and observed that the large employment center along Kruse Way was about 75-80% built out. He advised that City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 1 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 inconsistencies in town center boundaries described in Goals 9 and 14 of the Comprehensive Plan needed to be reconciled. He said the Plan should be updated to recognize all commercial areas and that consideration should be given to making Marylhurst College a commercial district. Mr. Sin advised the Commissioners to think about what changed circumstances should be addressed during periodic review of'the Comprehensive Plan. He and Mr. Egner clarified for the Commissioners that the staff planned to accomplish an analysis that would help the Commissioners to determine whether the City needed more industrial land and if the Foothills Road area converts to Mixed Use. Commissioner Johnson observed that the term "industrial" could mean more than just "heavy" industry and he related that the state was concerned about insufficiency of industrial land. Mr. Egner related that Metro had amended the Metro Functional Plan to protect and add industrial land. Mr. Sin pointed out a "Summary of Major Issues" that had been created with the original Comprehensive Plan that listed the issue of the ratio of employment growth to population growth. He advised that it appeared the rate of commercial growth exceeded population growth in the City and that most commercial and industrial land had already been developed. He suggested the Commissioners consider whether that was still an issue. He recommended the Commission consider the consolidation of two land use policy provisions that listed criteria for a zone change/Comprehensive Plan Map amendment. He suggested some Quality of Life Indicators that could be associated with Goal 9. He reported that the staff had not yet received any comments from the public. Public Comment Sid Smither, PO Box 1337, Lake Oswego, 97035, asked why business growth had exceeded population growth and what ratio was appropriate. The staff observed that the development of office space along Kruse Way and new development downtown, in west Lake Grove and along Jean Road probably contributed to that situation. They said they planned to conduct an analysis prior to periodic review to help the Commissioners determine whether or not the City should promote one type of use over another. Mr. Egner encouraged the public to submit comments about the need for industrial land. He noted that the Foothills conversion would take away industrial uses. The Commissioners noted that"industrial"could include jobs that were considered "technical." They also commented that if Lake Oswego was solely residential there might not be sufficient tax revenue to pay for City services. The Commissioners and the staff observed that no representatives from the Chamber of Commerce were at the meeting even though a notice had been sent to that body. Chair Vizzini directed the staff to follow up to ensure that the Chamber was aware that they were invited to comment on issues related to periodic review. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 2 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 pen Work Session —Lake Grove Business Association P 01-0002 Lake Grove Town Center Plan Staff coordinator is Susan Millhauser, Assistant Planner. Dennis Egner, Long Range Planning Manager; and Susan Millhauser, Assistant Planner, reported that the staff had met with the Lake Grove Business Association to discuss issues related to the Lake Grove Town Center planning process. They reported that the Association was concerned that Commissioners had made changes to planning area boundaries, streets and land use designations outside of the public process. The staff presented large maps to show progressive versions of the land use concept plan map. They explained that all versions of the concept plan linked the Boones Ferry Road corridor to adjacent neighborhoods and protected them by inserting more housing (via the "Village Mixed Use" designation) into the commercial corridor. They recalled that the original version of the town center concept had featured a totally connected street system, but after Bob Galante cautioned the Commissioners that it would be a challenge to fund the proposed infrastructure, and the staff found that it would be many years before the School District redeveloped the school site, the Commissioners had reduced the street system. They pointed out that the next version of the concept map had fewer streets and changed the designations of some parcels in the Mercantile Village area. Then the following version included additional parcels in the town center boundaries- including land north of Kruse Way-that could provide economic stimulus and potential additional tax revenue that might help fund urban renewal projects. They recalled the Commissioners had made changes to pedestrian connections and that although they had discussed moving the alignment of the Hallmark extension to the west, the change had not been made on the map. They explained the intent of the public workshops was to "test"the concept plans in the community. The staff explained that the goal of the first phase of the planning process was to create a resource document (provided by a professional planning consultant funded by a project grant) that would guide the planning process. The consultant's report would identify applicable local, regional and statewide policies, record public comment, identify issues, and suggest options. The second phase of the process would be to develop zoning and design requirements and identify potential urban renewal projects. They anticipated that the planning process would help the City enhance Lake Grove as a vibrant mixed-use center and accomplish Metro and Comprehensive Plan objectives for the town center. They envisioned a town center that supported all modes of travel with workable zoning and design guidelines that supported and connected adjacent neighborhoods. They anticipated that the planning process would identify physical projects—including pedestrian crossings -that could make that happen. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 3 of 8 Minutes of May 28, 2003 Public Comment Earlene Keeler, 17781 Overlook Circle, Lake Oswego, 97034, explained that she favored streetscape improvements and pedestrian crossings, but she questioned applying the mixed-use designation too far into the commercial corridor and at Boones Ferry Road corners. She assured the Commissioners that strong Neighborhood Associations would never allow commercial use to bleed into the neighborhoods. She pointed out that mixed use near the downtown Safeway store was along a side street and not along A Avenue. She said she was concerned that there might be a new requirement for housing when owners attempted to redevelop their business sites. She asked why the Commissioners had suddenly determined that the northwest quadrant of the Kruse Way/Boones Ferry Road intersection was to be included in the town center and be commercial use, instead of mixed use. Michael Buck, 3155 Edgemont Road, Lake Oswego, 97035, distributed a May 28, 2003 memorandum to the Commission from the Lake Grove Business Association. He explained the business community worried that the proposed mixed-use designation was a mechanism to reduce business use. He agreed there should be a transition in uses toward the neighborhoods, but he clarified that mixed use would adversely impact business vitality if it was applied along Boones Ferry Road. He said the business community was offended that the Gregg/Avery property owners had not participated in the process until recently and the business community felt that parcel did not necessarily have to be designated commercial use. He opined that the process was overemphasizing the pedestrian mode. He indicated he favored the Block 138 example of parking and pedestrian elements. George Psihogios, 14071 Edenberry Ct., Lake Oswego, 97035, agreed with previous comments and explained that widening of Boones Ferry Road would impact front parking for the Andrews Furniture Gallery and a Hallmark street extension would bisect three tax lots behind his building. He reported that he instructed delivery trucks not to go through the neighborhood. He cautioned that it was not yet clear what "mixed use," meant. He explained that new sign code requirements will require him to remove his signage, adversely impacting his business. He noted the signs cost between $5,000 and $20,000 each. He indicated that the business association felt that the Commissioners had not sufficiently considered their position. He asked if the City should be allowed to decide that the best use of someone's business property was as a parking lot, or to decide there should be a road through it. The Commissioners clarified that "access" could mean a driveway or sidewalk as well as a street. Mr. Psihogios clarified that he did support re-alignment and a signal at the Lanewood\Boones Ferry Road intersection. Jeff Novak, Chair, Waluga Neighborhood Association, 4322 Collins Way, Lake Oswego, 97035, reported that his neighborhood felt the planning process was going well, but they were still concerned about traffic and density. He predicted they would not support a zone change for the property north of Kruse Way. He said they supported the business association's position on mixed use because residents did not want more density. He observed that his was already the densest neighborhood in Lake Oswego. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 4 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 1 He explained to the Commissioners that the neighborhood preferred to see a focused business area and they believed the parcel north of Kruse Way was more appropriate for office campus use. He agreed with Mr. Psihogios that more thought should be given to street connections. He recalled the reason for making one access change had been to re- align an intersection to make it safer. Sid Smitber, PO Box 1337, Lake Oswego, 97035, asked why more mixed use had been incorporated into the concept plan at the May 12, 2003 Planning Commission meeting. He recalled that the concept plans that had been presented at previous public workshops had not shown a lot of mixed use. The Commissioners explained that they had and would continue to make changes in the concept plan in response to input from the technical advisory team, the consultant, stakeholders and the general public. They recalled that they had made infrastructure changes due to financing concerns, expanded the town center planning boundaries and made changes to mixed-use designations at their May 12 meeting and presented those changes at a public workshop two days later. They pointed out they had scheduled a series of public workshops to ensure the public was kept involved in the process and had a means to express their ideas and opinions regarding how the plan was evolving. They stressed that the planning process was in an early stage and a long way from specific zoning and design requirements. They emphasized they were utilizing good planning principles to increase the intensity of economic development in the corridor over the next 20 years and to create a successful Mixed Use center in Lake Grove. Mr. Egner observed that the question of whether residential use should be required or encouraged in mixed use was still to be decided. He advised that General Commercial currently allowed housing. Nathan Spaccarelli, 980 Cumberland Place, Lake Oswego, 97035, stated that he represented Ricardo's Restaurant—his family business— and also owned property in the West Lake Grove Design District. He indicated that he felt the process was over- emphasizing change and he cautioned the Commissioners not to recommend a plan that would adversely impact current business vitality in the corridor. He acknowledged that mixed use could help to buffer the neighborhoods, especially near the park, but that too much of it would mean that businesses would lose land and move away from the area. He opined that almost all recent concessions had come from the business community. He said that he agreed with Mr. Smither's statement that the business community feared that housing would become a required component on their sites. He explained that local businesses were typically sited on very small lots and an owner could not afford to reserve part of a site for residential use. He asked what the Commissioners envisioned the area would be like in 20 years. He recalled that plans his parents had for making minor upgrades to their restaurant were made less viable due to City requirements. The Commissioners responded that the planning process would fashion the vision of what Lake Grove Town Center should look like in 20 years. They anticipated that their report to the City Council would discuss City, state and regional planning requirements that applied to the town center, identify issues and reflect the perspectives of the City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 5 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 stakeholders who participated in the process. They stressed the importance of that participation. They anticipated that the concept they had been working on would be modified as the process went forward. They encouraged interested parties to submit comments and follow the process by attending meetings and future formal hearings. They pointed out interested parties could find the meeting minutes on the City's website. They stressed the need for compromise and consensus. They assured the business audience that they did not intend to displace anyone. They asked what the community desired to see in the town center plan. They explained the majority of the planning work was still ahead. Mr. Spaccarelli indicated that he could not correlate the report with anyone's input and he worried that some changes that had been made had not been discussed and explained at public meetings. He observed that the mixed-use element had not yet been defined. He asked why the "mixed use" designation was necessary if General Commercial allowed housing. Adra Barlow, Interior Showcase, 16146 SW Boones Ferry Road, Lake Oswego, 97035, reported that she had attended all of the public workshops, but she had not been made aware that the "mixed use" designation was still only an idea. She asked why more land should be forced into residential use when no additional land was allowed to be commercial use. She worried that re-designation of the corner of Kruse Way and Boones Ferry Road to commercial use might allow uses there that would compete with the existing"mom and pop"businesses along the Boone Ferry Road "main street." She said the business community needed more time to discuss that possibility. She indicated she wanted to see a larger scale "Multnomah Village" type of town center with wide sidewalks, benches and a parking structure that would serve nearby businesses. She asked the community to acknowledge that the businesses in the corridor had more at stake than any other stakeholders. She noted that more than half of the 33 shops and 15 restaurants that were in the area in 1995 had moved or gone out of business. She recalled that some local businesses had also opposed the corridor plan because it eliminated access into some businesses along the corridor. She asked how a restricted access corridor could be considered a "main street." She observed the latest concept map showed only two places for a pedestrian crossing. Mr. Egner explained a third crossing near the Oakridge Road intersection had been removed for lack of space and he anticipated that a parking facility would be part of a future urban renewal project plan. Ms. Barlow observed that over the next 20 years the school and the post office could be moved and the plan would change. She reported that the proposal to include property north of Kruse Way in the town center had come as a surprise to the business association and the business community needed time to discuss it. The Commissioners asked the business owners to remember the level of cooperation that had been required to create the West Lake Grove Design District. Jack Lundeen, 4040 Douglas Way, Lake Oswego, 97035, observed that nine Lake Grove long-term, "mom and pop" business owners were at the hearing. He explained they were worried that additions to and changes of land use designations and the decision to include the property north of Kruse Way had been made outside of City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 6 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 Commission meetings and the public meeting process. He emphasized that the Lake Grove business community was a viable one and wanted to stay that way and the only change they desired to see was more pedestrian crossings. Chair Vizzini advised that the final town center plan had to conform to local, Metro and state land use policies and that the planning process would also determine if existing zoning and design standards were out of compliance with those policies. Commissioner Sandblast encouraged the business owners to use the process as an opportunity to lobby for the crossings they desired to have. James Searles, Naomi's Lampshades, 15942 SW Boones Ferry Road, Lake Oswego, 97035, asked for an improved meeting notification process for business owners. He also asked that the City not implement regulations that would prevent product from being delivered to his store by 18-wheel trucks. Chair Vizzini suggested that the staff set up an email notification process in addition to the normal notice process and the meeting agendas that were published on the City's website. He anticipated that the City Council would appoint a committee that would include representatives from the business community to help plan the town center. Darryl Eddy, Lake Grove Garden Center, 15955 SW Boones Ferry Road, Lake Oswego, 97035, said that although his family began doing business in the area in 1957, it might not survive if he was required to move his sign, eliminate some front parking for corridor improvements and remove some rear parking for a public pathway. He observed the plan would overlay his property with two different land use designations, Business Corridor and Village Mixed Use. He observed that "Village Mixed Use"was not yet defined. He questioned the fairness of requiring more housing use in any business-remodeling proposal. He saw the concept plan as an attempt to down-zone and reduce commercial uses in the Lake Grove Business District. Mr. Egner explained that the next step in the process would be to direct the consultant to prepare a report. He clarified for the business owners that the report would not be another new version of the concept plan, but a document that recorded the process and served as a resource document. Chair Vizzini explained that the report would document the public comments, identify and discuss issues and areas of consensus based on the record, and suggest options. He assured the business owners that the record would reflect their comments and they would have a representative voice in the process. He anticipated the Commissioners would discuss the process during June meetings and review the report, decide on the process, and recommend it to the City Council after July Commission meetings. He anticipated the Council would appoint a representative committee to help plan the town center that would begin work in the fall. Chair Vizzini then closed the work session. City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 7 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003 VI. OTHER BUSINESS Housekeeping Amendment Evan Boone, Deputy City Attorney,presented text to be inserted in an appendix to the Housekeeping Amendment that clarified that the Lake setback was measured from the property line and not from the edge of the water. VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no other business, Chair Vizzini adjourned the meeting at 10:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 9 ,1.e_►_eit/vl-Q�~� Iris Treinen Senior Secretary City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission Page 8 of 8 Minutes of May 28,2003