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PUBLIC HEARING
February 19, 2003 MINUTES
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Wilmae "Bunny" Malm,Chairman
Tom Quinn
Charles Choi
Ed Peterson
Bill Marino
Andrea Hollen
Ken Lloyd
STAFF PRESENT
Roger Wadnal, Strategic Planning Manager
Sue Piercy, Senior Planner
Kate Erickson, Senior Planner
Allen Albers, Principal Traffic Engineer
Jennifer Eby, Planner I
Elaine Rosedahl, Secretary to the Lakewood Planning Commission
____________________________________________________________________________________
The following are the minutes of the February 19, 2003 Lakewood Planning Commission
Public hearing. A permanent set of these minutes is retained in the office of
the City Clerk and a tape recording is located in the department of Community
Planning and Development, City of Lakewood.
____________________________________________________________________________________
INDEX PAGE
PL-02-002 Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies 2
The roll having been called, Chairman Malm declared a quorum and the following
business was
conducted.
2. CASE NO. PL-02-002 PLANNING
Comprehensive Plan Goals and Policies
ROGER WADNAL, Strategic Planning Manager, gave a brief overview of the updated Plan and asked Planning Commission to adopt the Goals and Policies of the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan.
COMMISSIONER HOLLEN asked if DRCOG questions this plan, how would staff address their concerns?
ROGER WADNAL stated that the Plan is being evaluated according to the DRCOG Metrovision 2020 Plan consenting process. Some of the components will be addressed as part of the Action Steps, which will be adopted within the next few months.
JOANN FURAY, 9085 W. Cornell Pl., past Chairman of Senior Citizens Advisory Commission, thanked Commissioner Tom Quinn and Roger Wadnal for coming to their meeting. She said they think it is a very thoughtful Comprehensive Plan and thanked the Commission for implementing some of their suggestions.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE, 2170 S. Parfet Dr., representing the Senior Citizen Advisory Committee, thanked the Commission for acknowledging their input in the document. She referred to page 1 and 2, Action Steps, where it says "goals policies and actions" and could not find "actions" anywhere in the plan. Ms. Bettinghouse then referred to page 7, in definition of terms, where "policy" is defined as "a course of action used to accomplish goals." She thought something should be said, such as, "action steps to follow."
ROGER WADNAL informed, there is a fine line between a goal, policy and action step. It has been Planning Commission's desire to become more specific, with the Action Steps, are to be a work program with short term, mid-term and long term steps.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE then referred to a list of typos she found and gave the list to Roger Wadnal. She then asked for the following terms to be defined: building permit, human resources, mixed use development, natural and environmental hazards, planned development (PD) zone district, public services, medical and justice facilities. She thought the maps were wonderful, but suggested the term "urban growth boundary" follow "general land use."
ROGER WADNAL said the City has adopted an Urban Growth Boundary map, however, the idea of the Comprehensive Plan is to stay on the books for several years, and the maps tend to be not too time specific. He suggested that the map would fit better in the Action Steps.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE then wanted a map included of the Mills Center, Denver West, Alameda and Wadsworth, and the Union Center. She added the chapter on defined neighborhoods and CDBG Block Grants may overlap neighborhoods.
ROGER WADNAL said the Community Development Block Grant eligible neighborhoods is a map that is time sensitive since it comes from the 10-year census.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE then suggested the following be added to maps: points of interest, the Union Center, urban and employment centers as well as fire station locations. She then referred to page one, second paragraph, where it states in the introduction to the neighborhood plans, they cannot be modified, and then on page 20 it implies they can be modified.
ROGER WADNAL said there are neighborhood plans, ordinances, and regulations that are neighborhood specific. The components of the Zoning Ordinance are regulations, and the neighborhood plans are advisory.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE then referred to page 28, regarding social services agencies, and thought it should say something about the positive aspects of social service agencies.
COMMISSIONER MARINO said Planning Commission thinks the wording does speak positively about social services, and in those cases where it may sound negative, as a policy, Planning Commission wants to minimize those kinds of impacts.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE again said, that wording needs to be positive and not to allude to anything negative. Then asked if existing neighborhood plans would be incorporated into the new plan?
COMMISSIONER MARINO answered, with the adoption of this plan the existing neighborhood plans will become a part of the new plan.
COMMISSIONER HOLLEN addressed mapping, public safety and fire stations. She said they tried to touch on issues of public safety, but thought that should be addressed by emergency services, and not include them in the maps.
BERNARD GOLDMAN, 12983 W. 3RD PLACE, congratulated the Commission on the document, however thought it is best used by professionals. He then referred to the end of the mission statement, "Creativity and Respect," and wanted to know "respect for whom or what," to be clarified. In the second sentence where it talks about an "advisory document that sets policies," thought that statement in error because only the City Council can set policies.
COMMISSIONER CHOI said this Commission does not want to participate in a semantic discussion, the term "policy" is internal to this document. The Planning Commission has a vested right to adopt a policy to guide their behavior through the enabling acts existing in the statutes.
BERNARD GOLDMAN then referred to page 6, where it states, "Goals and Definitions," and thought it should be referred to as only "Policies" since a goal is not a policy. Later on in that page it talks about "Multi-modal transportation" and wanted to know what is a "single vehicle automobile?"
ROGER WADNAL suggested "single occupant vehicle" may work better.
BERNARD GOLDMAN then referred to page 11 where it talks about the goal to promote
high quality design in new development and redevelopment, and thought the word
"implementing" the project should be changed to "approving"
to get input from the experts prior to approval, and not at the implementing
stage.
Page 12, public art, suggested there are generous benefactors that will put
public art on private property. On the same page "preserve the historic
cultural architectural" thought that very important and was pleased it
was incorporated in the document. Page 14, it says "assume leadership when
collaborating with other agencies," and thought other agencies may want
leadership, and suggested it be changed to "provide leadership." Page
17, Community Sustainability, should be a concept and not a process. He liked
the wild habitat movement corridors kept open. Page 18, conserving open lands,
when there is infill development the conservation of open land cannot happen.
Two lines down where it states to encourage the use of drought tolerant landscaping
in all new development, the next sentence says it is a requirement of drought
tolerant landscaping in all City parks and landscaping. The drought conditions
are not going away, and should not be "encouraged" but rather required.
He then asked the meaning of "biomass?"
COMMISSIONER QUINN said it generally refers to renewable types of resources such as wood.
COMMISSIONER CHOI agreed, the word does need a definition. It was a term derived from various settings and cultures that take advantage of energy savings by utilizing waste such as biological and vegetation materials.
BERNARD GOLDMAN then referred to page 20, bottom, last bullet point, establish and adopt procedures for briefings and/or study sessions between staff and Planning Commission on land use proposals following official application. He suggested if there is a study session between the staff and Planning Commission the applicant should be included in the interest of fairness.
ROGER WADNAL said this refers to a briefing before the Planning Commission early on in the process. There could be no discussion on up coming cases between Planning Commission and staff prior to a public hearing. He said some cases do not go to Planning Commission for discussion, and the Commission wants to know what is going on administratively.
COMMISSIONER MARINO added, projects are not on the Planning Commission radar until the applicant officially applies.
SUSAN PIERCY added, some cases are administratively approved and sometimes it can take a year for the applicant to work through the process.
BERNARD GOLDMAN said the applicant should be notified of any briefing regarding
his/her case. He then referred to the term "seasonal solar orientation,"
and pointed to the VA building on Van Gordon in the winter the shadow of the
building causes the walkway to remain icy until spring. He thanked the Commission
for recognizing this problem. On page 22 the term "assume leadership,"
suggested the term be softened to "provide leadership" because assume
is a bit arrogant, and on "encourage citizen participation" was very
pleased because the City really does encourage citizen participation.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE also thought "assume leadership" an arrogant sounding word, and suggested "be willing and able to lead," would sound better.
PAUL DITSON, 1305 Garrison St., referred to page 8, Transit Oriented Development, and could find nothing in the plan that refers to transit, and the few times it does get mentioned it is very general. He was especially concerned with the proposed Garrison Street station, since the plan does not give a definition of a major transit stop. Mr. Ditson thought traffic calming a very important issue, and would like something done on Garrison.
MICHAEL O'BIERNE, 25 N. Cody Ct., referred to page 22, notification process, and thought the City could do a better job communicating with the citizens. He wanted to know what inspires this Commission to weigh the interest of the various elements and what is the public input?
CHAIRMAN MALM said there is a process to handle those matters, and suggested he sit down with the staff and let them explain how development works.
MICHAEL O'BIERNE then wanted to know why planned developments are not addressed
in this document?
CHAIRMAN MALM said those issues are addressed in the zoning regulations, and
are not applicable to this discussion.
MICHAEL O'BIERNE thought planned development should be in this document and defined.
ROGER WADNAL said planned development is defined in the Zoning Ordinance. The Comprehensive Plan deals with good land-use practices.
SUE PIERCY added, planned development is a zoning term, zoning on a property.
MIKE MULLER, 868 S. Owens Ct., was concerned because he did not read anything about protecting personal property rights and preserving property values, since these should be the two primary goals.
COMMISSIONER MARINO said the whole document is about his two concerns. He invited him to read it carefully looking for the relationship between each parcel of property with its neighbors.
JOHAN COHN, 1208 S. Brentwood St., President of Lakewood Citizens for Open Space, was skeptical of partnerships in development.
BOB MURPHY, 1710 Glen Dale Dr., thanked the Commission for their two-and-a-half years of work. He asked what would be the follow-up process if Council should have major questions about the plan?
ROGER WADNAL answered minor changes could be considered in the draft by staff, if it is a major issue, that would have to come back to Planning Commission for revision and then return to Council.
BOB MURPHY wondered at what point does this become a usable document, before or after the action steps?
SUSAN PIERCY said it would be used immediately after adoption and approval, and will continually evolve after the action steps come forward.
KAY BETTINGHOUSE wanted emergency care incorporated in the document and thought this City could have something in the Comprehensive Plan about medical services, since there are no hospitals in the south/west area of the City.
CHAIRMAN MALM said that was something considered in the past and will be considered in the future. This Commission cannot force a hospital to locate elsewhere.
COMMISSIONER PETERSON thanked the citizens for their input and thought many of the suggestions would be incorporated.
COMMISSIONER CHOI based on testimony at this hearing, the grammatical and typographical errors being corrected and specifically entering into the glossary, in the definition of terms, all those words that need further definition. Adopting Action Steps, and adding a term to be called the "zipper line" with the following definition: "Zip Line the locus of points usually describing a line or plain where two or more perimeter interface zones meet." Moved that the Planning Commission adopt the goals and policies of the Lakewood Comprehensive Plan, and direct staff to forward the plan to City Council for a study session discussion on May 5, 2003, and for City Council approval at a regular meeting on Monday May 12, 2003. SECOND by COMMISSIONER PETERSON.
COMMISSIONER LLOYD suggested under acknowledgements, change the name of Representative Hanna to Senator Hanna, and add the citizens that gave input at the many open houses, be acknowledged their input, however, not by name but as a note.
COMMISSIONER CHOI agreed to add that to the motion.
COMMISSIONER PETERSON also agreed.
COMMISSIONER LLOYD suggested adding a map of the Urban Growth Boundary that can be amended.
ROGER WADNAL was concerned the map could change. If the City annexes beyond the current boundary that map would have to be amended, however, if the map is included in an Action Steps it could still be amended without amending the Goals and Policy document of the Comprehensive Plan.
COMMISSIONER HOLLEN suggested it be included in the plan with a date and time stamp, as a snap shot, and maintained under the Action Steps.
COMMISSIONER LLOYD was not clear as to what it means to include it in the Action Steps. How was the Urban Growth Boundary originally adopted, was it adopted as part of the Comprehensive Plan or was it by Ordinance? Also he noted, the Urban Growth Boundary is an intricate part of the Mile Hi Compact.
ROGER WADNAL said it was a policy that Council developed and adopted. When DRCOG worked on their Metro Vision 20/20 Plan, they strongly recommended all cities and counties adopt an Urban Growth Boundary by the City Council which helps them determine the total limits of the Denver Metropolitan Urban Growth Map. City Council adopted it by resolution and any changes would have to be adopted by City Council as well as DRCOG.
COMMISSIONER PETERSON had a problem with making it part of Goals and Policies, and thought it should be under Action Steps because it is basically a Council item.
COMMISSIONER CHOI heard Roger describe not an Urban Growth Boundary but an Urban Boundary Map, which has nothing to do with growth. The original motion stands.
COMMISSIONER MARINO thanked the citizens for their suggestions and was sure some of their comments will be considered in the Action Steps.
CHAIRMAN MALM also assured the citizens in attendance, saying their comments were well received.
COMMISSIONER HOLLEN said the Action Steps would clarify, put into action in concrete terms, each of the policies.
Motion passed by a unanimous vote 7-0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
COMMISSIONER LLOYD moved to approve the minutes of the public hearing of January 15, 2003. SECOND by COMMISSIONER CHOI
Motion passed by a unanimous vote 7-0.
COMMISSIONER LLOYD moved to approve the minutes of the study session of January 15, 2003. SECOND by COMMISSIONER CHOI
Motion passed by a unanimous vote 7-0.
GENERAL BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN MALM announced the formation of a new Optimist Club for the Belmar area. One of their activities is a project called "The Learning Source," geared to teach children and adults to read and interact socially. They are badly in need of children's books and she would be glad to deliver any books donated to the Club.
SUE PIERCY referred to the Landmark Preservation committee nomination form that will be used as part of the application process to help clarify review of an application.
COMMISSIONER MARINO noticed that Commissioner Choi will be speaking at Red Rocks Community College on March 1st and wanted more information.
COMMISSIONER CHOI said he was invited to speak on mixed use, and Commissioner Peterson is going to be the moderator of the panel.
COMMISSIONER PETERSON thought they would be talking about growth in general and urban infill in particular.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before the Lakewood Planning Commission, the public hearing of February 19, 2003 was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Elaine Rosedahl, Secretary to the Planning Commission
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