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HomeMy WebLinkAbout016Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETIN G' MINUTE ` 622 Sheridan St. Tri -Area Community Center Port Townsend WA9836s January o6, 2o16 Call to Order at 6:30 pm ROLL CALL Districtl District 2 District Coker: Present Smith: Present Brotherton: Present Felder: Present Sircely: Present Giske: Present Koan: Present `—fochems: Present Hull: Present Puhlac in Atte dance Many Approval of Agenda- Approved Approva ref Min_te,5: None to approve STAFF UPDATES: NONE COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS: P: 360-379-4450 F:360-379-4452 plancornm@cojefferson-wa.us Staff Present Garth Mann, Statesman Group, Ltd. David W. Johnson, Assoc. Planner Haylie Clement, Planning clerk In 2016 the Planning Commission will meet twice a month, instead of once a month on the first and third Wednesday. At the Tri Area Community Center in Chimacum unless announced otherwise. You can always check the DCD website to see any changes. Garth Mann from Sill a esman Grou s the a li ar t and he will be tel in ab it his r ' c Pleasant Harbor Planning Phase 1A on Pleasant Harbor Resort: We knew when we built it we wouldn't make any money on it but had to get started. That was done through a BSP (Binding Site Plan) that had been in place twenty years. The Pleasant Harbor and community has been integrated for quite awhile. In 2015 we did a study to show how many jobs would be created. The population within a five minute drive of Pleasant Harbor is 491 people. In a fifteen minute drive it's 1,162 and in a thirty minute drive it's 2,591. Jefferson County total population in 2015 is 30,635 people. Washington State is a little over 7 million. The population in Brinnon has been declining over the past five years. Compounding the change from 2010 to 2015: The County is increasing in size by Y2 of 1% and the State has increased by 1%. The median household income in this area is the lowest in the State at roughly $39,000.00 in 2015 while the average income in Washington State is $63,320.00. You can see that there's something not positive in the County with regards to growth. The average age in this County is sixty years of age, the average age in the State is roughly thirty-seven years. So you can see without jobs being created, the County will fade off into the sunset. Negative growth is not a positive thing for a community. It will affect the character or your community. We're planning to create Phase 1B: Our plan is to create roughly four hundred jobs in that period, with roughly fifty million dollars revenue for the community. It's at Black Point Rd. and Highway 101. Each Phase takes roughly two years to complete. The community of the Maritime Village Fun Center is for ages four to ninety-four. A Farmer's Market, a Health Food Bistro, and a Community Walk Center also. We have sixty-six one and two bedroom sweets overlooking the harbor for short term stays. A grand total of 891 units, including some for staff housing. A Controlled Pistol Range in the arcade level, with Sheriffs Office, etc. Phase 2: Davenport Community is a successful Destination Resort: It will have one hundred and ninety-one suites, 36,000 sq. ft. of commercial. It has a Health Exercise Center and Spa, Rejuvenation Plus Facility, Golf Pro Shop, Variety Store, Olympia Dining and Steamboat Lounge, Commercial Kitchen, Convention Center, Wedding Chapel and Sports Activities. w Page 2 of 7 Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETIN MINJTE P:360-379-4450 621 Sheridan St. Tri-Area Community Center F: 36o-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2o16 plancomm&o.jefferson.wa.us Phase 3: Will provide another opportunity for development with our fifty-two suites. They're designed to accommodate a total of two hundred and eight people. Similar to a time share format. Very well decorated and a nice addition. It will also provide some sort of transportation between Pleasant Harbor and Sea Tac Airport. Phase 4: The completion of everything you see there. The environment gets a lot of press, please see our footprint. We try to maintain as much of the habitat as we can. We're really improving the two hundred and fifty-six acres out there and following the footprint. Our plan for the environment is extremely sensitive. Our impervious footprint is less than 12%. A state of the art Waste Water Treatment Plant is a six million dollar plant. It can create class A water from this for our Golf Course and the Fire Smart Program for irrigation. We will improve the design for the well for the quality of the aquifer and will put more water back into it than we take out. We will monitor this per the County as well. We will have no water runoff. We will use a conduit system at the bottom of the reservoir to accomplish heating and cooling. Improvements to Highway 101 and Black Point Rd., and an improvement to parking requirements at State Dock Road. We'll also use dark sky lighting with LED lights. We've reduced the Golf Course, at request, from eighteen to nine holes. We will have public transportation coming to the sight also. A successful resort today has to be year round. We need to attract people from outside the area and work in concert with nature and the environment. David W. Johnson Associate Planner I'm going to cover the regulatory side of this. Specifically what the Planning Commission is being tasked to do as part of the approval process with this resort. There was an open house in 2014 about this project, with the Environmental Impact Statement, There's Public Review Binders roaming around the room. Please look at them and we can give you copies of them. Mr. Mann started by meeting with us back in 2006 with his plans. SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) is a very long, expensive process you have to do with everything. Under SEPA you can take a large project and narrow it down into phases. Phase 1 was a Comprehensive Plan, from rural zone property to a Master Plan Resort property. That was done, and approved, in January, 2008 with thirty conditions, including another (Supplemental) Environmental Impact Statement, (SETS) and another Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze those two. In 2013 we hired EAE Engineering to write the new EIS. In December 2014 we released the draft and had a presentation at the Community Center, etc. At the conclusion of the forty-five day comment period we stopped and looked at them all and we changed the draft, based on the comments, including Alternative #3 (Golf Course, (18 holes to 9 holes)). We finished on December 9, 2015 and have it ready for the Planning Commission. We assume that the final FEIS is adequate for SEPA. The role of the Planning Commission specifically: We need to implement development regulations. We borrowed Port Ludlow's MPR (Master Plan Resort) Development Regulations. This is what the Planning Commission will review and make recommendations on starting in February, 2016. The final element in Phase 2 is the Development Agreement. Under the Board of County Commissioners. It's a legal contract we borrowed from Port Ludlow (with changes) as well. �yON Page 2 of 7 Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETING MINUTES Ti-ArCommunity Center P: 360-379-4450 Tri -Area ea 621 Sheridan 5t. �' P: 360-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2o16 plancomm@co.jefferson.wa.us The Staff Report I've already forwarded to the Planning Commission. This is the first time we've used this code in Jefferson County because we've never built a MPR in Jefferson County before. State Law, to Comprehensive Plan, to Unified Development Code and my recommendations and conditions of approval. PUBLIC COMMENT Until we've adopted the recommendations there will not be a Master Plan Resort. PUBLIC HEARING Phase 2 review process of the Master Plan Resort M0808-00188 for Pleasant Harbor Resort: Roma Call, (with Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe): The proposed Pleasant Harbor Resort Project is within our tribes U and A in an area where we rely on fish. We were not consulted after the February meeting and have had no input on it. We continue to oppose this process. We are concerned about the adverse impacts on our land. The County bypassed our Tribal Consultation Process when it approved the Pleasant Harbor Marina and they violated our Tribal Treaty Rights. Barbara Moore -Lewis I'm speaking for the Brinnon Group the 501c3 group. This will impose a burden to our taxpayer's that they aren't willing to pay. Such as the Sheriff s needing to come down here for three shifts every day. I have a documented study that shows all the extra costs. When the Commissioner's approved this, they put on thirty conditions which were good but we have no proof they've changed to them. Joe of Brinnon, Last spring 95% of our kids qualified for free or reduced lunch. It's all because we have no economy here. Just from the retiree's, that's it. We have to create an economy here. This is an opportunity for Jefferson Co. to take a step into the future here. Phil Best, Hood Canal Environmental Council: Think very hard about the conditions you need for a positive result. Inadequate review time, consider the No Action Alternative, Hood Canal pollution. Mr. Coleman: I've been operating a small business out of the marina so this is important to me. Mr. Mann's replaced docks, the fuel system, met and exceeded all State and Federal requirements, storm water management was NON EXISTANT. Mr. Mann's improved the dangerous access road approaching Highway 101. Potable water supply was obsolete. Now it's a state of the art system. Electrical, sanitation, restaurants, etc. Jean Far: I live in Port Townsend zip code, not the city. I'm impressed with all the studies and analysis of this project. We should all figure out ways to approve and move this project forward. Samantha Boing: I'm twenty eight years old, without the Resort and Marina I'd have to move. There's nothing else here for us. We NEED this kind of growth. Darlene Shenfield: Overall we do support the Brinnon group's position including the no action alternative. The reuse of wastewater into water isn't good. It's terribly toxic. You can't reuse it. The pathogens that you think you've killed will come back to life. You can't get rid of the metals either. It's not safe, it will poison the land, animals, children and pets. The State will approve it now but don't. It's still not safe. cON !r.� y Page,3 of 7 Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETING MINUTES P:360-379-4450 621 Sheridan St. Tri -Area Community Center F: 360-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2o16 plancomm@co.jefferson.wams Brenda McMullan: I've been watching the Brinnon project for many years. The water is insufficient. There's only one aquifer. It will pose severe challenges on using fresh water without seawater intrusion. The mere threat of it should close this project immediately. Monica Fletcher: With Sierra Clubs North Olympic Group: we respectfully request for more time to look at the FEIS and the Staff Report and the MPR regulations that apply to Ludlow but not this area. We want more time for us to respond: wetlands, water availability, fish and wildlife, traffic patterns, sewage waste issues. Denny Schultz: This County has been in economic decline for twenty years. We need something. This will be the largest employer in the County outside of Government. The only other is the Paper Mill. We need this project now. Steve Schibly: I'm the Tourism Marketing Coordinator: This is a game changer that will help with Kalaloch Lodge, Port Ludlow etc. Ken Velbert: My wife and I chose Hood Canal to put our boat in for the rest of our life. We think it's so beautiful but a very depressed area. We're excited about what's going on at Pleasant Harbor. It's out of this world. Please support this. Unknown: The regulation process is bad. Too many road blocks. I was a Planning Commissioner in 2008. We had many meetings in Brinnon and got the agreement on the first phase. Don't cut the Golf Course from 18 to 9 holes. We need this and more! Steve Walker: The aquifer issue, the issue of traffic. We are deficient in medical services here. Everyone has to be flown out already. The EIS is deficient. We haven't seen the esthetic impacts either. The Black Point Resort will increase poverty not decrease poverty. We'll have two hundred and twenty people laid off after Labor Day every year! George Sickle: I've been a property owner here since I was twenty years old. What would have happened to the area had they not come up here in the first place? It was disastrous and polluted. Look what he's done here already. Richard Whitehall: The only way here is Highway 101 unless you come by boat. How much growth will this produce. You cut the Golf Course back, cut the housing in half please. It will draw too many and the one road can't take it. Rhonda Black: I support the Resort. I've been here for ten years and see NO young people staying. There's nothing for them. Scott Black: I've mixed feelings about the resort. I like the green and don't really want it to go. I've seen how bad it can be. Roger W: I attend all these meetings and see money being spent on how you can't do this or that, and I see how no one has a job. They get into drugs. Stop preventing the development from trying. Beth Strostern: This is the most beautiful place on earth. We came here in 2000 because of its peace and beauty. The extent of the development will take away what we came to see. We're very concerned about it. I want to know that there are teeth to enforce the promises that were made. Like will the resort employ two hundred people as we were told? 42SON w Page 4 of 7 MEETING County Planning Commission ME ING MIjEVQ P: 360-379-4450 621 Sheridan St. Tri -Area Community Center F: 360-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2016 plancomm@co.jefferson.wa.us Christina Maloney: I'm an eight year resident of Brinnon and small business owner. The final EIS is a vast improvement from the previous one. The County scheduled this meeting when all the snow birds are gone, because it's winter and didn't give us much time at all to go over this documentation. I'm surprised about the discussion concerning the displacement of businesses (included in the former EIS drafts) isn't in this one. The former one said it wouldn't displace any businesses but it has displaced two, one of which is mine, Kayak Brinnon, and he also chose to compete with me which has resulted in a 60% decreased family income. I can't speak for the other business owner, but I can tell you she was forced to shut down and liquidate. These actions, along with many other, have caused a great distrust with this company within the community. They will increase population from 797 people to close to 3,000 people. That's a 250% increase. I and many others enjoy this area because it's remote. If you add 2,000 people, it will impact our lives greatly. I also am concerned because over 250 low wage workers will be laid off each fall, letting our State Welfare System, Oly Cap and local Food Bank pick up the slack. The final EIS says 52 apartment houses will be built for the workers. In summary, I opt for scenario B. Marion Murdock: As a longtime resident and property owner, I have concerns: traffic effects, controlled storm water overflows, ecological integrity, local water resources, economic impacts on local businesses and infrastructure. Traffic greatly increases every summer. The traffic study done was proved to be inadequate including only intersections. I've witnessed a number of accidents and the proposed development would only add to this problem with no expansion of the highway. Also concerned about the overflow of the grey water retention ponds. The wetlands in this project area are classified as Category II and provide high levels of wetland functions and are difficult to replace. The 2006 Wetland Functions Analysis not only used methods not up to date with current Washington State protocols but didn't include a professional rare plant survey. They're uncommon in the Puget Sound and Hood Canal area and the No Net Loss Policy dictates that these wetland resources should be maintained. The current project contains no plan for maintaining biodiversity of the remaining wetlands and does not provide adequate mitigation for the loss of wetlands and their ecological, biochemical, hydrological and habitat functions. The FSEIS says there's enough water for two years of development and after that another well can be drilled. I wonder what everyone feels about that, with the possibility of salt water intrusion. It seems odd that the 2007 draft stated that they wouldn't displace existing businesses but the first thing they did was open another kayak rental business displacing the existing and professionally run one at Pleasant Harbor Paddle. Rob Mitchell: Once again the FSEIS has been dumped on the Planning Commission and our citizen's right in the height of our Holidays. We must require another additional review period. The same problems with the DSEIS persist and remain unsolved traffic, water availability, a neighborhood water plan which does not protect current homeowners. Noise and air pollution from an open pit mining operation and massive cut and fill. Disposal of large volumes of bio solids, use of sewage treatment plant recycled water which does contain drugs and chemicals not removed. The loss of peace and tranquility before and after construction. Overcrowding on our limited trail systems, rivers and shell fish areas. The late addition of cutting the Golf Course from eighteen to nine holes which only cuts construction costs. The late addition of scenario B in the no action alternative does not. The Brinnon Sub Area Plan is not developed enough to seriously consider. It's full of vague and false negative impacts. The costs to all current residents and tax payers, the lack of adequate emergency services, the traffic costs to working commuters, commerce, tourism, and added pollution in the Hood Canal Watershed. Degradation of our only major highway and secondary roads. This directly negatively impacts our health and safety. The high number of poverty level jobs straining our taxpayer funded social services. This will increase our property taxes. An MPR at Black Point is the worst possible location for future sustainable growth not only in Brinnon but for the entire Olympic Peninsula. We should not hand over our last best resource for the developer's gain. The DSEIS was inadequate, the FSEIS was also inadequate therefore the conclusion is to opt for scenario A the no action alternative. Joanie Hendricks: I've been at all of these public meetings and still say this project is way too big. Think about removing one million cubic yards of earth and vegetation, then getting five inches of rain. Think about what that will do to our shell fish beds. N .pSEa+1 NCirtL7 Page 5 of 7 Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETING MINUTES P: 360-379-4450 621 Sheridan St. Tri -Area Community Center F: 360-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2016 plancomm@co.jefferson.wa.us I'm a larva department manager for Taylor Shellfish and I really care about what's going to happen to she shellfish beds out there. Where I work we hire people from Port Ludlow, Port Townsend, and Sequim because we aren't getting local people applying. Same with other businesses in this area. There's a lot of self- employed people in this area, Because the scope of this project is so large, and I think it's detrimental to the environment, I would suggest the no action alternative. I have letters from my family and some neighbors to give you. Kathy Ackerman: When this first started I was a no. I thought it was too big and noisy and the pollution. Now I'm much more encouraged. I love the idea that it's done in sections. Then more meetings before another section. I'm still concerned about people's water quality and quantity in wells. But I think the planners and County Officials and Statesman have done a wonderful job working and working this over and like I said it will be done in stages which I think is the best approach. Britney Edwards: I have three young children and my biggest concern is their development. The school is great here but beyond that the opportunities are nonexistent for recreational activities. For basketball, dance or swimming I have to drive at least forty-five minutes. After talking to Pleasant Harbor Marina, they're looking at opening the pool to the community, as a membership. That's a huge opportunity. When my kids get older they'll need a place to work, even part time, and a place to recreate with their friends. We love the idea of having more options and a place to go and understand why it's taking so long, as we'd like to see a minimal impact on the environment as well. We appreciate everything the Statesman Group has done so far and we're excited to see the rest come to fruition. Sesial Culp: I support the idea of the project. Two concerns: traffic, and what the COUNTY will do about alleviating it and the second is that the water studies have been well done I HOPE we won't run out of ground water. I see many attractions to this project. I've heard the Resort will have a walk in Medical Clinic. I think you're going to get other medical professionals moving here to accommodate that increased population, and I think the people that already live here are going to benefit from that. And I want more medical personnel around here as well because I plan to retire here soon. In short, the pies going to expand, economically, and everyone's going to get a bigger piece. The existing businesses will have more business. It's not just the resort it just works that way. In short, change is inevitable, and it's either going to be a continued deterioration of this community or taking the first step toward the new future. It's our choice. Eleanor Safar: I'm turning this research in about the Olympic Park Glaciers. The decline of them changes the streamflow, the snowmelt reducing the supply of water for the many competing uses and demands causing far- reaching ecological and social economic consequences. We all understand the tremendous trend towards this region and the use of the water with this resort. To add this huge development to this mix poses a longterm transformation of the forest landscape. Global warming is a reality. Look at development of Suncadia on Snoqualmie. They've been in bankruptcy because of the economy now they're trying to take the two towns they vested in use of this project and they're still in litigation because the developer decided to renegotiate their contracts. If you think this is going to be easy, it isn't. Suncadia was once a 5 star resort, now it's a 3 star, and that's what happens when things get bad, they say they're going to do a lot of good things for you, but look at what does happen. Suncadia is a pretty good example of what I think will happen here, though I hope that's not the case. Peter Vales: I'd like to urge the Planning Commission to recommend additional time to review this proposal. The scale and location of this project right on Hood Canal, make a potential for a serious and irreversible damage to the environment. The devil is in the details in the mitigation measures and having a review period over the Holiday over something that's been in the works for ten years is simply not adequate. As an example, my comments made on the draft of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement we simply asked that a letter from Dr. Richard Horner dated 2007 who commented on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement be attached and reviewed as part of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement because he raised a number of issues with storm water. ON Page 6 0'7 Jefferson County Planning Commission MEETINGMINUTES P: 360-379-4450 621 Sheridan sc Tri -Area Community Center F: 360-379-4451 Port Townsend WA 98368 January o6, 2016 plancomm@co.jefferson.wa.us In response to this, "thank you for your comments the 2007 AEIS was found to be adequate and therefore it is assumed that the issues raised in Dr. Horner's letter were addressed insufficient degree". So in other words, because they were blown off in the EIS they should be fine in the SEIS. So, furthermore that letter from Dr. Horner was not included with my comment letter in the response so it doesn't appear in there. And I'm going to ask the Planning Commission to include it now and I'm giving you a copy of that. One of the issues Dr. Horner raised is with the massive expansion of traffic along 101 and the hundreds of thousands of additional car trips, what the impact of that would be in terms of storm water impacts from automobiles. There's a big section in here on that. His conclusion with the FEIS was: Concentration of toxic materials such as various metals and road run off is the condition most dangerous to aquatic life, the FEIS is an incomplete and thoroughly inadequate document not addressing these impacts at all. So here's his letter to the Planning Commission. Phil Benstead: Everyone's worried about the increase in traffic. When the Hood Canal Bridge was built it pretty much decimated most of the businesses along the canal here, I don't think a little extra traffic is going to be bad for business for anyone. It's going to be good for all the businesses along the canal. As far as poverty goes, I was just talking to Mike and Elyse that run the Food Bank. They're currently servicing up to 900 families. Why are so many using it? The other day someone mentioned the Sheriff and that the Resort wasn't going to pay for that. I would personally pay to have an extra Sheriff here because I'm tired of the drug dealer's running up and down our streets, I'm tired of kicking the people out that are making drug deals. The field over by the Marina now is being used as the low life's furniture deposit depot and the park has thousands of visitors each year, I haven't seen the elk being disturbed at all. Let's bring this project. I support it. Catherine Brinnon: I know all the technical stuff has been addressed, however on a personal note; most of us moved to this area because we like rural. We knew we had to drive a distance for anything. Kids never have like rural and always fled to the City. If you want to live by a Resort, go buy property by one, don't screw it up for the rest of us that are here for the rural. If anyone brought written comments you can turn them in now. I'm going to allow them to be submitted until the February 3, 2016 meeting of the Jefferson County Planning Commission. You can submit them to the DCD or you can bring them on February 3rd. At that point we will stop taking them. The public testimony is now closed. Deliberations will take place on February 3, 2016 in Chimacum at the Tri Area Community Center. At the regular first Wednesday of the month meeting of the Jefferson County Planning Commission. We will deliberate, then we will make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners, who will have another hearing, so you will get a chance to talk to them before they make a decision. Thank you. FOLLOW-UP ITEMS Next Planning Commission meeting scheduled for 02/03/2016 at 6:30 pm at the Tri -Area Community Center Adjourned at 9:04 pm minuteA weri approved this day of 2016. oan, Chair '� ``- — -- reset ASI-nith, PC- SecretaryyDCD( �yON ctzr y Page 7 of 7