Agendas and Minutes

Planning Commission (View All)

Electronic Planning Commission Regular Meeting

Agenda
Tuesday, January 12, 2021

ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
January 12, 2021
 
I.  CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Haywood Norton called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m.

 
Commissioners Present: 
Michael Dawkins
Alan Harper
Haywood Norton
Kerry KenCairn
Roger Pearce
Lynn Thompson
  Staff Present:
Bill Molnar, Community Development Director
Derek Severson, Senior Planner
April Lucas, Development Services Coordinator
Brandon Goldman, Senior Planner
     
Absent Members: 
Lisa Verner 
  Council Liaison:
Stef Seffinger, absent
                                 
II.  ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Community Development Director Bill Molnar issued the following announcements:
  • The January Study Session has been canceled and instead the commission will have a joint meeting with the Housing & Human Services Commission to discuss the Housing Capacity Analysis. The virtual meeting will be held on January 28 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • Pro Tem City Manager Adam Hanks has updated the City Council on KDA’s presentation to the Planning Commission regarding potential opportunities for housing on commercial and employment zone lands. The City Council expressed interest on this topic and staff is working to determine potential next steps.
  • City staff is looking at a local building codes amendment that would require new residential construction to incorporate fire resistant materials.
III.  CONSENT AGENDA
A.  Approval of Minutes
      1. December 8, 2020 Regular Meeting.
      2. December 22, 2020 Study Session.
 
The minutes of December 8, 2020 and December 22, 2020 were approved as presented.
 
IV.  PUBLIC FORUM – None
 
V.  TYPE II PUBLIC HEARINGS
A.  PLANNING ACTION: PA-T2-2020-00023
SUBJECT PROPERTY: 196 & 200 Clear Creek Drive
OWNER/APPLICANT:  Rogue Planning & Development Services, LLC/Bryan & Stephanie DeBoer DESCRIPTION: The Planning Commission will re-open the public hearing to consider proposed modifications to a request for Site Design Review approval to allow the construction of an 11,220 square-foot, two-story mixed-use building for the properties at 196 and 200 Clear Creek Drive.   The proposed building would consist of 1,268 square feet of office space, 8,052 square feet of warehouse space, and a single 1,584 square foot residential unit on the second floor.  The application also includes a request for a property line adjustment to allow the consolidation of the two lots. Since the initial public hearing in December, requests for a Variance and Major Modification of the New Addition subdivision approval (PA-2000-096) to allow a driveway to be installed from Clear Creek Drive have been removed from the proposal.  COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DESIGNATION: Employment; ZONING: E-1; MAP: 39 1E 09AB; TAX LOT #: 6604 & 6605. 

Chair Norton read aloud the rules for electronic public hearings.
 
Commissioners Harper/Pearce m/s to reopen the public hearing. Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed 6-0.
 
Ex Parte Contact
No ex parte contact was reported.
 
Staff Report
Senior Planner Derek Severson presented the staff report and stated at the commission’s December 8, 2020 meeting the  Planning Commission denied the applicant’s request for a Major Modification and Variance and determined it was not merited due to the existing alley access for the property. The applicants have since modified their proposal to remove the Variance/Major Modification components and are requesting the commission revisit their decision in light of the proposed changes.
 
Mr. Severson reviewed the modifications to the proposal, which include:
  • Removal of the driveway curb cut on Clear Creek Dr., eliminating the need for the Major Modification and Variance.
  • Three additional off-street parking spaces have been provided on-site, with access to all parking taken from the alley.
  • The use of parking management strategies to reduce required off-street parking has been adjusted, and now requests an approximate 8.89 percentage reduction using two on-street credits along Clear Creek Dr.
  • The screening wall along the Clear Creek Dr. frontage has been extended to enclose the parking area.
  • The building length has been reduced by 4 ft., and the steepness of the ramp at the rear of the building has been reduced.
  • The building area has been reduced from 11,220 sq.ft. to 10,956 sq.ft.
  • The overhead garage door on the east side of the structure has been shifted to the north approx. 6 ft.
  • The pedestrian entrance to the Warehouse B space has been moved to the east side of the garage door, eliminating a section of walkway.
  • The trash and recycling enclose has been relocated slightly to accommodate a hinged gate rather than a sliding gate.
Ms. Severson stated staff is supportive of approving the application with the proposed modifications.
 
Questions of Staff
None
 
Applicant’s Presentation
Amy Gunter, Rogue Development Services/Explained they have developed a plan that works with the elimination of the vehicle access off Clear Creek Drive and reviewed the proposed changes. Ms. Gunter stated they have some concerns regarding deliveries for the end users of this development and noted this is something that will need to get worked out. She also commented that the approval condition regarding the alley improvement, which states that “Any damage to the alley or sidewalk from utility installation or construction vehicles shall be repaired under permit from the Public Works Department, inspected and approved” is overly broad given the existing conditions of the alley. She stated they have reached out to the Public Works department regarding this concern. Ms. Gunter stated the concerns expressed by the commission at the last hearing have been addressed in the amended proposal and stated the end result will be a very nice addition to the employment zone.

Carlos Delgado, Carlos Delgado Architects/Commented that the rearrangement of the landscaping and parking area complies with the parking lot standards, even though this area may not be deemed a parking lot since it is only 6 spaces. He stated they have a phased plan if future intensity of the parking area is needed.
 
Questions of the Applicant
The applicant was asked to clarify the location for the exception for the reduction in buffer. Ms. Gunter clarified this is the parking space along the east property line. There is a tree at the corner where the area narrows and then widens back out.
 
The applicant was asked about the existing condition of the alley and who will be responsible for improvements. Ms. Gunter stated the alley as well as the sidewalk are in poor condition. She stated the alley is a public right-of-way and is the city’s responsibility; however, it was installed 20 years ago and has not been well maintained. Mr. Delgado noted along with this site there are two adjacent properties also developing and the alley’s condition will worsen. He noted that in the past the Public Works department has approved deferring maintenance until the construction work is completed and is hoping that will be the case here as well. Ms. Gunter stated they do not have any specific language to suggest for the alley condition and are comfortable working this out with the Public Works Department.
 
Comment was made that there is a language in the draft findings that states “full screening and security fencing will allow for uses in Warehouse Unit A that need additional safety measures while also allowing for adaptive re-use by a business requiring screened outdoor storage (subject to a Conditional use Permit in E-1” and it questioned what will be going into this space that might require additional safety measures. Ms. Gunter explained this was included to provide as much flexibility as possible for the future tenants and to avoid the need to have to go through another approval process. 
 
Public Testimony - None
 
Chair Norton closed the public hearing and the record at 7:45 p.m.
 
Deliberation and Decision
Commissioner Thompson stated she is supportive of the revised proposal but requested clarification from staff on the parking credit percentages. Mr. Severson stated staff used the 12.07 figure to calculate the reduction before rounding up; however, this method could be modified to round up first. Commissioners Thompson and Pearce voiced support for rounding up first (to 13) to determine the percentage listed in the Findings. 
 
Commissioners Thompson/Dawkins m/s for PA-T2-2020-00023 to be approved with the conditions as set forth in the staff report, subject to modification of the condition relating to the alley improvements to clarify that the applicant will consult with the Public Works Department and be responsible for any damage caused by the applicant. DISCUSSION: Commissioner Harper commended the applicant for modifying their proposal and coming back to the Planning Commission, but stated this could have been avoided if this detail was worked out at the staff level before bringing it before the group. Commissioner Peace requested clarification regarding the alley improvement condition and whether the motion modifies what is listed in the Findings. Commissioner Thompson stated she is supportive of modifying her motion to remove reference to this condition if they feel it is clear that this condition only applies to damage created by the applicant. The commission voiced agreement with this statement. Commissioners Thompson/Dawkins m/s to approve this change to the motion. Roll Call Vote: Commissioners Dawkins, Pearce, Thompson, KenCairn, Harper, and Norton, YES. Motion passed 6-0.
 
Commissioner Pearce commented that the standards regarding parking strategies are unclear and recommended this be revisited at a later date.
 
VI.  ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
 
Submitted by,
April Lucas, Development Services Coordinator
 
 
 

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