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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM021798JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS District No. i Commissioner: Daniel Harpole, Member District No. 2 Commissioner: Glen Huntingford, Chairman District No. 3 Commissioner: Richard Wojt, Member Clerk of the Board: Director of Public Services: Deputy Director of Public Services: Lorna L. Delaney Gary A. Rowe David Goldsmith MINUTES Week of February 17, 1998 The meeting was called to order by Chairman Glen Huntingford. Harpole and Richard Wojt were both present. Commissioners Daniel Food and Beverage Purchase Request; Coffee for Board of Health Meetings: The Board concurred that this request be denied and that the members of the Board of Health that want coffee at their meetings can individually contribute to the Employee Coffee Fund at the Health Department for this purpose. Approval of Minutes: Commissioner Wojt moved to approve the minutes of the week of February 9, 1998 as presented. Commissioner Harpole seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. PUBLIC SERVICES BRIEFING SESSION: Public Services Director Gary Rowe: Presented copies of information for the Board to review on Sustainable Growth. He asked if the Board wants him to pursue a Rural Business Enterprise Grant from the USDA. He will work with the Economic Development Council on applications for two projects. He reported that he has not gotten a response from the Land Use Study Commission about rescheduling the presentation to the Board on SB6094. He will keep trying. The Board asked that he draft a letter of opposition for the Board to send on SB6615. Page 1 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: The following comments were made: a request that a change in use granted by the County Department of Community Development be overturned by the Board; the status of the Oak Bay Road cutoff; the status of non-conforming businesses in rural areas; the rural center at Port Hadlock, as defined in the Comprehensive Plan, is too small to promote economic development; the way the Comprehensive Plan is written does not allow future subdivision anywhere in the County; and a response to a memo from the Prosecuting Attorney's Office stating that adoption of the Comprehensive Plan should be put off until May. APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA: Commissioner Wojt moved to adopt and approve all of the items as presented. Commissioner Harpole seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote. 1. HEARING NOTICE re: Activating a County Noxious Weed Control Board; Hearing Sched- uled for Monday, March 9, 1998 at 3:00 p.m. in the Commissioners' Chamber 1. AGREEMENT re: Anger Management Education and Drug & Alcohol Counseling Services; Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court Services; Safe Harbor Recovery Center 2. Concurrence to Renew Contract for Two (2) Beds at Clallam County Juvenile Detention Facility; Increase for 1998 from $85/Day to $90/Day; Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court Services; Clallam County Juvenile and Family Services 3. Application for Group Membership and Authorization for Release of Insurance Data - Retro- spective Rating; Washington State Association of Counties and Washington Counties Risk Pool; Washington State Department of Labor and Industries 4. Food and Beverage Purchase Request, $200.00; Employee Retreat Scheduled for March 12, 1998; Jefferson County Health and Human Services 5. Letter of Support for Coastal Zone Management Project Assistance 306 Planning Grant; Bev Huether, Grants Coordinator, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program, State Department of Ecology COUNTY DEPARTMENT BRIEFINGS/BUSINESS: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Director's Update: Director of Community Development A1 Scalf reported that the Chimacum School District passed a bond for construction on May 30, 1997. The School District has requested that the County no longer charge a SEPA mitigation fee on subdivisions going through the approval process after that date. A1 Scalf suggested that a resolution be drafted for the Board's approval that would present findings for eliminating this fee effective May 30, 1997. Projects in the pipeline before that date will still be subject to the SEPA mitigation fee. Page 2 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 The Board asked for a schedule for the adoption of the interim controls and implementing ordinances for the Comprehensive Plan. Senior Planner John Holgate reported that there is a draft schedule which needs to be updated. SEPA review also needs to be done on the Comprehensive Plan and there are a few other issues that need to be resolved before the schedule can be redrafted. Commissioner Harpole stated that he wants a work plan with a calendar attached as soon as possible. He added that the Board has been asking for this schedule since late October. The Board asked that this schedule be presented to the Board by next week's meeting. PUBLIC WORKS Director's Update: Klara Fabry reported on the following: The "In House" posting for the Financial Manager position closes on Wednesday, February 18, 1998. The Support Coordinator position will be advertised in the newspaper this week. Only one lane of the Thorndyke Road is open due to stability problems in the area. A presentation will be made by the County's public outreach consultant to the Tri Area/Glen Cove Special Study Selection Team so they can determine how and if this consultant can be used for that project. There is a public meeting on the Old Gardiner Road Project in Gardiner tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Capital Improvement Update: Frank Gifford, Engineering Services Manager, reported on the status of the Capital Improvement programs and 1998 projects. The unreserved Capital Improvement Fund balance is $424,000 and the reserved fund balance is $262,500. These amounts are higher than originally anticipated for the 1998 budget. A resolution will be on the Consent Agenda next Monday for the Board to approve the modified Capital Improvement Fund. He updated the Board on the following projects: Courthouse Security System: A paging system which is accessed through the phone system and a wireless panic alarm system has been recommended. Jail Septic System Improvements: The plans for the new system will be submitted to the State Department of Health for their review, which normally takes about six weeks. The call for bids for installation of the system is tentatively scheduled for April. Work Release Facility: Bid documents are being prepared. Facilities Space Plan/Administrative Building Plan: A public survey is being prepared. Quilcene Community Center: Specifications to be drawn up and bidding process to begin in June 1998. Courthouse Entry Doors: Existing condition drawings to be started in August, with construction tentatively scheduled for September or October. Page 3 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 The Board attended a Transit meeting from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Jefferson Transit and then from 4:00-5:00 p.m. they met in Executive Session with the Prosecuting Attorney and Driscoll & Hunter regarding potential litigation. The meeting was recessed at the end of the scheduled business and reconvened at 7:00 p.m. in the Superior Court Courtroom for the following hearing. Public Hearing re: Comprehensive Plan: Chairman Huntingford opened the public hearing, welcomed everyone, introduced the other Commissioners and staff, and then read the procedures for this series of hearings. Ken Livingston, 71 Windship Drive, Port Townsend stated that he is the owner of Lot #2 of the Lopeman Short Plat located across the road from the County Shop in Port Hadlock. His commercially zoned property is to be rezoned residential in the draft Comprehensive Plan. He read from a letter, dated February 10, 1998, written by County Assessor Jack Westerman regarding the value of properties currently zoned commercial which the draft Comprehensive Plan proposes to zone residential. Barbara Blowers, 930 Beckett Point Road, Port Townsend, read and submitted her comments concern- ing the aspects of the draft Comprehensive Plan that stop growth and stifle economic development in the County. (See microfilmed document.) Mike Matthews, Brinnon, owner of a portion of the Corey Short Plat, stated that he purchased this property 22 years ago as commercial property for his business. He feels the proposed residential rezoning of the property in the draft Comprehensive Plan puts a hardship on his business. He wants his property designation to remain commercial. Chuck Finnila, 308913 Hwy 101, Brinnon, stated that he and his wife own Pleasant Harbor Marina and are interested in developing it and adjacent properties into a world class resort. In the last three years, their business has increased the number of jobs in the Brinnon area and, if their plans proceed, they could hire up to 30 employees. He submitted a copy of a letter dated May 14, 1997 that he sent to the Planning Commission. (See microfilmed document.) He has waited patiently for the last year because of emergency interim ordinances and his concern is that his letter and comments have not been addressed. The adjacent 191 acres he acquired has been zoned parks and recreational property in the draft Comprehensive Plan. He is requesting that this acreage be redesignated 1 residence to 5 acres. In addition, he feels that it is essential for Brinnon to have a strong commercial downtown core which will benefit from the proposed resort expansion. Commissioner Wojt asked Mr. Finnila about the water rights on his property? Mr Finnila reported that they have 3 Class A public water systems on their property and additional water systems as backup. Bob Huelsdonk, Hoh River, stated that he is the Chairman of the West Jefferson County Citizens' Committee. The Committee is reviewing the draft Comprehensive Plan and will also be submitting written comments in the next few weeks. There has been very little development in West Jefferson County over the past 20 years, although property values continue to rise. He has concerns about the proposed zoning which is 1 residence per 20 acres not being compatible with affordable housing or Page 4 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 development. Both of these elements need to be encouraged in this area of the County because it is so isolated. The draft Plan mentions transferable development rights and clustering, but does not mention the nature of implementation for these land use strategies, and then states that an increase in the density will not be allowed even if they are used. He feels an incentive needs to be provided to encourage clustering. Another issue is home based businesses. It is important that a home based business not impact the neighbors. The draft Comprehensive Plan states that a home business cannot occupy more than 20% of a residence. Up to this time, it had been no more than 50%. In East Jefferson County, this makes sense, but in West Jefferson County, where they have a very low population density, home businesses should not have this restriction. Commissioner Wojt stated that he has concerns about allowing development along Highway 101 which encourages sprawl and makes providing services more costly. Mr. Huelsdonk added that in order to build along the highway, no new services would be required. The roads, the power, the public transportation and the school buses are already there. They aren't looking for new services, they want to encourage more population. There are a number of things they can't do, such as form a fire district, because of the limited population. He added that the concept of clustering would prevent sprawl. Commissioner Wojt asked how that could be worded? Mr. Huelsdonk suggested that transferable development rights are essential and an incentive to be able to increase density if houses are clustered and if they share septic and water facilities should be put into place. He asked if there has been a deadline set for accepting written comments? Chairman Hunting- ford answered that the Board has not discussed the deadline for comments yet. Wally Pederson, P.O. Box 9, Quilcene, stated that there is no industrial designation in South Jefferson County. He has owned a large shop. on Highway 101 near Quilcene since 1972. Quilcene is an economically distressed area because of the restrictions placed on logging. They need a location for manufacturing businesses that can provide jobs. He questioned why the draft Comprehensive Plan proposes to rezone the land that is currently designated industrial to residential? He doesn't want his business location to be grandfathered, he wants his property to have the designation it has always had. Chairman Huntingford asked Planning Staff to explain the idea of non-conforming use and the term "grandfathered." Associate Planner Barry Berezowski explained that the draft Plan deals with non- conforming uses by changing the terminology, how the use is defined, and the way that use would be regulated in the future. These are legal pre-existing land uses that may be allowed to expand or be modified in the future up to 25%. The uses can be sold or changed as long as they don't become more non-conforming. Chairman Huntingford stated that Mr. Pederson's property encompasses a large amount of acreage, along with his current businesses. He asked about expanding or allowing new businesses on the acreage? Barry Berezowski stated that it would depend upon the proposal. Commissioner Wojt asked about restrictions on businesses that are grandfathered with a non-conform- ing use under the draft Comprehensive Plan? If they go out of business and the land doesn't sell within 3 or 4 years, would it revert to the surrounding designation? Barry Berezowski answered that the current zoning regulations require a non-conforming business use that has been vacated to be phased out within 3 years. The Planning Commission agreed with this timeline. In their recommendation, the Planning Commission added that the business owner must maintain the location to keep it marketable so that it does not become rundown during that time. Page 5 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 Virginia Wolfe thanked everyone who has been involved with this draft Comprehensive Plan and stated that it is her fervent hope that it will get passed and not go on and on because the County has spent a lot of money on it already. Al Boucher, 17 North Maple, Port Hadlock, stated that he is concerned about the absence of the vision statement which guided development of the recommended Comprehensive Plan. This omission represents an error in judgement on the part of the Planning Commission. The GMA lends itself to a wide range of interpretations, which allows choices to be made on the local level. Chapter 1, Page 2, of the draft Plan treats land use planning as a "systematic process designed to define a long range community vision." In his opinion, the vision should come first. The problem is that each individual will rely on his or her own set of values for inferring a vision statement. The Board, being Elected Officials, representing all the citizens of Jefferson County, needs to articulate a vision statement that best represents community values before the Comprehensive Plan is adopted. He feels it is a prerequi- site to evaluation of the current draft Comprehensive Plan. Evelyn Livingston, 71 Windship Drive, submitted pictures, taken from Lot #2 of the Lopeman Short Plat across from the County Shop in Port Hadlock. These photos show several large trucks and other heavy equipment returning at the end of the work day. The draft Comprehensive Plan has proposed to rezone her property from commercial to residential. She read from a letter she sent to the State Attorney General about this downzoning. (See microfilmed document.) She does not feel that this zoning change complies with the spirit and intent of the Growth Management Act. Regulation of property which leaves a landowner without an economically viable use of the property is a violation of the Taking's Clause. She is appealing to the Board to look into this matter. Tony Bodenheimer, 1101 Chimacum Road, stated that he has owned and operated a landscaping business on property adjoining the Chimacum intersection for the last 20 years. From the Chimacum intersection to his property on Chimacum Road, there is only one parcel of property that doesn't have a business on it at this time. He tried to get his property zoned commercial from 1985 to 1989, but was unsuccessful. In 1993, the Planning Commission ruled that they had overlooked the businesses on Chimacum Road in that area and revised the zoning to commercial. Since 1993, because of the change to commercial zoning, businesses have come into the area and business owners have expanded or upgraded their businesses. This is a positive contribution to the community. In addition, he hires students from Chimacum High School in the summer. If businesses aren't allowed because of the zoning, these students will graduate and have to leave the County in order to find jobs. Jim Groves, stated that he is a small business owner in Port Hadlock. In 1979, the Tri Area Community Plan mandated that in order to get a commercial building permit, a proposed business had to have highway frontage on Rhody Drive. In 1986, he purchased property on Rhody Drive for his business. This property cost him 4 times the money that suitable property off Rhody drive would have cost. The draft Comprehensive Plan is recommending a downzone of the commercial properties on Rhody Drive to residential. He requested that the Board restore commercial zoning on Rhody Drive between Nesses Comer and the Irondale Intersection. Page~64 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 Kate Marsh, P.O. Box 47, Brinnon, stated that she is part of a group representing the Quilcene-Brinnon Chamber of Commerce. They will be submitting written testimony regarding rural centers and rural crossroads, the proposed zoning in Quilcene and Brinnon, home businesses and cottage industries, with suggestions about definitions and language changes. She said that they will make an appointment to give a 20 minute presentation at a future hearing. Daryl Moegling, Discovery Bay, Co-Chairman of the Discovery Bay Community Planning Group, stated that there are 473 pages in the draft Comprehensive Plan and he got a copy yesterday. The Jefferson County Library didn't have it available when he went there. The draft Plans were sent to the Community Centers; but the Gardiner Community Center is closed. This document was released on February 2, 1998 and none of the Community Planning Groups received copies. He feels there is not enough time to do a thorough review of the draft Plan and make realistic changes before March 9, the date that has been suggested for adoption. In 1994, residents in Discovery Bay went through a commercial zoning process with the Planning Commission, which was later passed by the Board. The only commercial property proposed in the draft Plan is the Discovery Bay Store. The Discovery Bay Community Plan, that the Discovery Bay residents worked extremely hard on, was shelved or thrown in the garbage by the current Planning Commission. Lloyd Cahoon, Port of Port Townsend, stated that the Port's comments tonight will be limited to procedural concerns and not the substance of the draft Plan. It is in the interest of the Port and the County to develop a final Comprehensive Plan that reflects the needs and desires of the citizens of the County. The Plan must also be consistent with the requirements of the State law. There are some concerns regarding timelines. The Planning Commission's Recommended Comprehensive Plan was made available for public review on February 2. The public notice of 4 public hearings on the draft Plan was published on February 4. There has not been a deadline established for written comment. The first public hearing is tonight, the last public hearing is scheduled on February 25. Given the scope and significance of the document, the Port does not believe that 23 days to review and comment on this document of several hundred pages is adequate and they request that an additional 30 days be added to the public hearing and comment schedule. Regarding the Planning Commission procedure, the GMA requires that the Planning Commission hold a public hearing on their Recommended Comprehensive Plan in its entirety. The Port also requests that the County Commissioners remand the draft Comprehensive Plan back to the Planning Commission to hold additional public hearings on the internal consistency and cumulative effects of the whole draft Plan. At future hearings, the Port will have comments and suggestions on the Economic Development Element, the Essential Public Facilities Element, land use and zoning, and adherence to the Community Plans as developed by the Community Groups. John Swallow, P.O. Box 417, Port Hadlock, explained that under the definition of a rural crossroads, specifically the RC2 definition of the Irondale Road Intersection, it states that a rural crossroad "cannot be expanded in size," however 4.8 on page 3-58 states that a rural crossroad "can be expanded within limits." The draft Plan does not elaborate on the definition of "within limits." He asked if a home business is not within a residence, what would happen to the business if the residence is sold? Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 Guy Rudolph, Irondale, asked if public hearings will be held after the Commissioners make changes to the draft Comprehensive Plan? Chairman Huntingford noted that no public hearings are currently scheduled after these 4 public hearings. Guy Rudolph requested that at least one or two hearings be held after the Board makes their revisions. Chairman Huntingford explained that interim regulations will be developed that will take effect at the same time the draft Comprehensive Plan is adopted. There would be public hearings on these regulations. There will be more discussion on this process at the Planning Director's update tomorrow. Becky Anderson, P.O. Box 188, Quilcene, stated that she has lived in Quilcene for 4 months and has observed the draft Comprehensive Plan process with interest to help her get acquainted with the Quilcene Community and the County. The draft Plan, though it is supposed to manage growth, seems to be a means of stopping growth. She has friends who have owned businesses for 3 generations that are being downzoned. In Quilcene, she sees a community that, in the last few years, has made a strong effort to improve commercial areas and expand their sense of identity. She requested that local communities be given the opportunity to grow to their potential with a Plan that doesn't stifle growth. Gabe Nelson, 7174 Cape George Road, stated that he is the President of the Bayview/Chevy Chase Homeowners Association. This Association is interested in the regulations that will be established regarding noise abatement from airplane flight patterns over established residential areas. Currently, the County does not have strong ordinances that can be enforced concerning the noise from airplanes flying into Jefferson International Airport. The Homeowners Association plans to submit recommendations to the Board on the actual regulations governing noise abatement. Pete Brady, 81 Martin Road, Port Townsend, stated that land use decisions should not be made for the sake of jobs to keep young people in the County. New jobs could bring people from outside the area which would require more affordable housing and more roads. Commissioner Harpole stated that he would like the Board to establish a deadline for written testimony and be prepared to announce it at the next public hearing on Thursday, February 19 at 7 p.m. The meeting was recessed at the end of the scheduled business and reconvened on Wednesday with all three Board members present for the Planning Director's update and a public meeting on the Old Gardiner Road at the Gardiner Community Center. The meeting was recessed at the end of the scheduled business and reconvened on Thursday with all three Board members present for a public hearing on the draft Comprehensive Plan in the Superior Courtroom at the Courthouse at 7 p.m. Public Hearing re: Comprehensive Plan: Chairman Glen Huntingford opened the pubic hearing before approximately 80 interested County residents, introduced the other Commissioners and staff present and read the hearing procedure. Page 8 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 He explained that written comments will be taken at least through the first week in March. A definite date will be set next week. A final hearing on the Commissioners' draft Comprehensive Plan, with possible adoption, is scheduled for April 6, 1998. Cliff Cadwell, 11192 Rhody Drive, Port Hadlock, read from a letter he sent to State Representatives Lynn Kessler and Jim Buck "I live on State Route 19, better known as Rhody Drive, several miles outside of Port Townsend. Since 1977 when I bought this property, SR19 has become one of the busiest highways on the Olympic Peninsula. Virtually every truck carrying goods to and from the City of Port Townsend, including the papermill, and every tourist headed to Port Townsend from the south or east passes about 40 feet from my house, at or above the speed limit which is 40 mph. This stretch of highway between the Chimacum Intersection and the Airport Cutoff Road is largely occupied by commercial enterprises and the entire stretch is zoned for commercial use. It appears that as a result of the local interpretation of the Growth Management Act, the plan is now to downzone both sides of about 600-700 feet of this thoroughfare to the status of rural residential, with no residence on less than five acres. The value of this property will diminish greatly. My residence, as well as several others included in this strip, have very little value as residences because of their proximity to this traffic. The result of all this legislation will severely limit the usefulness of this property. What is to be gained by this legislation?" "We in Jefferson County have spent a couple of million dollars wrangling over this GMA thing and its likely to cost a million more before its all over with and all we're doing is strangling growth. Mean- while our leaders are worried about the young people leaving the area. I would leave also if I thought I could get out with any hide left. This rezone is not about preserving trees or salmon or the pristine countryside. This rezone is about saving the tax base for the City of Port Townsend by concentrating the County's industry and services as much as possible within the city limits of Port Townsend. This was pointed out by Mr. Ted Shoulberg early on in the meetings that were held at the WSU Building several months ago. Its about preserving the tax base of the City of Port Townsend at the expense of the entire rest of the County. It may work in the short term, but its doomed to failure in the long haul and its going to cause much needless hardship and expense to all the residents in the County in one way or another. This action reeks of the mentality of the bully on the block coming along and taking all the marbles." He added that it would seem that men of your integrity (the Board) could find a more equitable solution to the requirements of the State GMA. Len Palmer, Planning Commission Member, stated that the Planning Commission worked hard and long, but wasn't able to cover all the issues. They did not have the time, nor the expertise, to do the necessary analysis. He stated that there were several things that were not included. They looked at the values of property ownership as opposed to costs. SB6094 states that local circumstances vary, therefore each County may consider this in their application of the GMA. Characteristics of Jefferson County include: close proximity to Seattle, although it is isolated by Puget Sound and distance. In addition, shorelines, forests and mountains are values of the County. There is also the charm of rural communities and the Victorian setting. People come here to escape the City because of these desirable values. The draft Comprehensive Plan has not taken into consideration an option available in SB6094, Section 7 (5DI) which includes infill development and redevelopment of existing commercial, Page 9 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 industrial, residential and mixed use areas, characterized as shoreline development, villages, hamlets, rural activities. The Planning Commission made rural center and rural crossroad designations. They did not address shoreline development. The following issues still need to be addressed: · The shoreline areas, especially the harbors, need to be protected. · Marine trade and industrial uses need access to the waterfront. The Glen Cove Industrial area is too far away from the water. · Saltwater intrusion at the shoreline. Wells that can serve more residences located further from the waterfront should be encouraged. · Surface water going into the bays should be looked at. · Flood and seismic risk in rural centers was addressed in a minority report (see attached.) · Transportation and land use. · Transportation. · Identifying mineral resource lands. · The absence of physical and cultural data availability in the land use map evaluation. Dale Goddard, property owner in the Glen Cove Industrial Park, stated that he is concerned about an article in the newspaper that stated that members of the City Council had a meeting with the County Commissioners to discuss Glen Cove restrictions. Is it the County's position to limit development in Glen Cove? Has there been problems with the septic systems in the area? He has already invested in a 10" waterline to serve his property. Are property owners in that area supposed to put their property on hold until the City decides what they want to do? The City should not be able to dictate what happens to his property. Randy Johnson, 123 Henry Boyd Road, Port Angeles, Managing Partner for Green Crow, a timber- based company that owns approximately 8,000 in Jefferson County with 600 acres of their holdings near residential properties. He stated that there is often a problem with small residential parcels adjacent to forestlands. There needs to be a transition area. He read from the Snohomish County goal related to forestlands which establishes a forest transition area that creates a boundary around long term commercial forestlands to minimize adjacent land use conflicts. He will submit appropriate language within the next week that will also include covenants and right to practice forestry. Debbie Randall, P.O. Box 1375 in Port Hadlock, presented a letter to the Board regarding implementa- tion of the Comprehensive Plan. She stated that the way the plan is drafted there are many new programs or strategies that would need to be created and administered on an ongoing basis by County staff. Within the first year after the Plan is adopted, current staffing levels will not accommodate the additional duties, nor will a realistic County budget. She requested that the Board acknowledge that this is a fiscal reality and add the following language: "Implementation of the strategies described in the Comprehensive Plan will occur as budget constraints allow. Land use development applications will be reviewed for consistency with the goals and policies of this Plan, and will be reviewed for consistency with the strategies of the Plan based on those strategies actively implemented on the date of complete land use application." Page 10 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 A1 Boucher, 70 North Maple, Port Hadlock, stated that on February 2 when the Planning Commission delivered the Recommended Comprehensive Plan to the Board, the Chairman of the Planning Commis- sion, Sylvia White, offered a few comments which included a comment regarding the Board's forthcoming "democratic deliberations." She also stated that, "Those who are well served by the status quo will argue for leaving change to individual decisions and market forces. The problem with this, is that pursuing individual needs without regard to the public good, without regard to future investments in public infrastructure paid for by all taxpayers, leads to unintended affects even while it serves the selfish interests and profitability of individuals." A1 Boucher stated that he feels this belligerent language suggests a hidden agenda which shows up in the anti-market, anti-free enterprise bias that is evident in several of the components of the draft Plan and also explains the lack of a vision statement. He quoted from page 9 of a 1990 report by the Governor's Growth Strategy Commission that was a guide in designing the Growth Management Act and was later used in drafting the Countywide Planning Policies in Jefferson County. "The ups and downs of our economy are marketbased. The State Government acts in the margin of the marketplace, able to influence only a small portion of economic activity. In that margin, the State can have a meaning of affect if it focuses on investments in levering change. Capital invested in public facilities generates its own economic activity and provides a foundation for private investment." Section 7.1 of the Countywide Planning Policies states that, "the private sector is primarily responsible for the creation of economic opportunity in Jefferson County." He stated that the Economic Development Element of the draft Plan is totally silent on the role of the private sector on the market economy in generating economic development. He believes this is an error. Mark Beaufait, P.O. Box 705, Port Townsend, stated that he has procedural suggestions for the Board. On adoption of the Plan, he urged the Board to take the time to create the analysis and findings that the County will defend at the Hearings Board and take to Superior Court to defend. He stated that in looking at the cases that have gone to the Growth Management Hearings Board, the primary reason why comprehensive plans and IUGA designations fall apart is because there is no underlying analysis. Barbara Blowers, 930 Beckett Point Road, stated that in the last year she has listened to the Long Range Planners, John Holgate and Barry Berezowski, state that GMA requires 5 acre minimums and does not allow commercial or industrial designations in rural areas. She decided to research what other counties have done. She reviewed Comprehensive Plan land use maps from the following counties: Thurston County, Clallam County and Kitsap County. She cited examples from all of these maps that show densities of less than 1 residence to 5 acres. These counties also have industrial and commercial designations in rural areas. She reviewed a map of Jefferson County with the proposed commercial areas colored in and explained that there is no location for new businesses. She recently spoke to a Planner in Skagit County where the Comprehensive Plan is currently being appealed. They have chosen to fight the appeal. She urged the Board not to adopt a plan that was developed as a result of appeals by the Olympic Environmental Council and the City of Port Townsend. She stated that the draft Plan is not good for the people of the County. The residents of the County elected the Commissioners and the Commissioners need to represent those people and not just the people in Port Townsend. Page 11 '.vo,_ 24 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 Hans Winterlick, Omni Enterprises, recently purchased commercial property in Quilcene, a portion of which has been rezoned residential in the draft Comprehensive Plan. On September 9, 1997 he met with Senior Planner John Holgate. He also wrote a letter to the Planning Commission explaining the intentions for the use of his property. The letter included a compromise, but the property zoning has remained residential in the current plan. Hans Winterlick submitted a map to the Board showing the compromise. The boundary for the commercial portion of the property is not adjacent to Highway 101 and this could create a problem with ingress, egress and a parking lot. He spoke with John Holgate about this and was told that it would not be a problem under the current plan. He urged the Board to take the compromise under consideration and if they decide to adopt the current plan, that the informa- tion that he received regarding ingress, egress and parking from John Holgate would be acceptable in the future. His company has been in the commercial development business for 25 years and they want to do something that will add to the Quilcene Community. Commissioner Wojt stated that there is concern about the amount of water that a commercial building would take from the community well. Hans Winterlick stated that the addition of several homes on the property would probably use more water than a commercial building. Chairman Huntingford asked Planning staff the reason for zoning the highway frontage of this property residential? Senior Planner John Holgate explained that it was the amount of highway frontage. In addition, the preferred new construction for a commercial building would face the intersecting street. He stated that access off the highway would not have to be on property zoned commercial. John Nelson, Quilcene, partner of Hans Winterlick, described the commercial property referenced by Mr. Winterlick. He stated that highway frontage and visibility are essential for retail, commercial businesses.' He added that the recommendation of the Quilcene Community Planning Group submitted to the Planning Commission was that all the commercial property in Quilcene that is currently commercial should remain commercial. Ron Gregory., Port Ludlow, stated that as a resident and builder in the County for 5 years, he has seen "nothing that moves the County forward and has seen everything that attempts to drag the County backward." He feels that the Planning Commission does not want to encourage economic development. Their agenda is more regulation and higher taxes. He recently received a report from the Washington Center for Real Estate Research which listed Jefferson County as the least affordable County to live in in the State of Washington and the least affordable County for first time homeowners. He explained that land cost is the basis for affordable housing. The Board has acted by emergency regulation to stop all new subdivision because, in their way of thinking, the County has too many lots of record. He believes that the draft Comprehensive Plan completely ignores the marketplace and the role of free enterprise in the health and wealth of any economy. The Board should study the information that Barbara Blowers presented earlier in the hearing about the residential densities and commercial zoning in the Comprehensive Plans of other counties that allow for growth and economic development instead of shutting the County down. He quoted a recent editorial from The Leader that suggests that residen- tial growth and affordable housing be allowed in the Tri Area, and economic development be allowed in the Tri Area, Glen Cove and near the Jefferson County International Airport. Page 12 Commissioners Meeting Minutes: Week of February 17, 1998 John Barth, representing Pacific Oil Products, explained that their trucks, carrying propane and diesel, operate from a location in Glen Cove Area. Over the last few years, the traffic has increased because of homes that have been built in the area. Very often, there may be children near the roads. They have concerns about safety when residential and commercial areas overlap. The nature of their business is such that it needs to be in a commercially zoned area. If the area they are in is downzoned to residen- tial, they will be looking in Clallam County because they are encouraging new businesses, not driving them away. Len Palmer, Planning Commission member, stated that there are minority reports from the Planning Commission regarding the issues that have been discussed this evening. Chairman Huntingford added that the minority reports are available in the Long Range Planning Department. Meeting Adjourned _.~-~T~.7"~ . JEFFERSON COUNTY /'"'~ _ '..~.~ ~ ~, ~ BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ',, ~76Jb2/7/~:~ ~~ Daniel Harpole, er Lorna Delaney, CMC Clerk of the Board Page 13