Planning Projects Updates

Memo:

To: The Town Council
From: Nick Bond
CC:

Date: March 10, 2008

Re: Planning Department Report

I would like to take this opportunity to give to the Town Council an update on the status of ongoing planning projects within the town.

Plats:

Aviator Heights: Construction of onsite improvements is ongoing. The applicant has 5 years from the date of preliminary approval to complete plat construction and to receive final approval.

Mashell Meadows: The developer has stated to me in an email that they are no longer pursuing the purchase of the Hamilton property. The development permits for the site are still valid for the site for 5 years from the date of approval. Town staff has contacted Weyerhaeuser and Quadrant Home about the possibility of picking up this project, but we have been told that they feel that this project has to high of a density to be marketable in our area. They also stated that the volume of real estate transactions in the Eatonville area is too low for their involvement this project. Town staff will continue to pursue other options for the resurrection of this project.

Schaub Short Plat: This short plat has been given preliminary approval and is being constructed. I would anticipate completion of improvements and application for final approval within the next 1-3 months.

Van Eaton Plat (Lynch Creek Landing): I have received an incomplete plat proposal for the property located at 481 Lynch Creek Road. I have notified the applicant that the application is not complete and I am awaiting the submittal of further information. This preliminary plat would create 11 lots and may be coming to the Planning Commission and Town Council for a public hearing in the next few months.

Braden Short Plat: I have given preliminary approval of a 2-lot short plat on Braden Close. None of the required improvements have been constructed at this time.

Tweet Short-Plat: I received an incomplete application for a short plat of a lot located in the cul-de-sac on Kelsey Lane. I have contacted the applicant to let them know of the additional information which is required.

Baker Plat: Construction is ongoing. I have no time table for completion. The applicant has 5 years from the date of preliminary approval to complete the improvements.

Cottage Crest: We have had a preliminary design conference for a 35 unit cottage housing development to be located on the property formally owned by Sam Reichel. We have a near complete site plan and a wetland report however we are waiting on a stormwater report and a completed SEPA checklist. I would expect to see a completed application for this project within the next 3 months. This will likely be submitted as a binding site plan and will be processed administratively. The owners seem very receptive to the idea of making this a green project including the use of Low Impact Development stormwater management techniques.

Carriage House Impact Fee Variance: Carriage House Construction submitted an
application for a variance to the Board of Adjustment seeking a waiver from School and Parks Impact fees under section 12 of EMC chapter 17.55.050. The Board of Adjustment denied this variance because such a waiver would have been inconsistent with state law. As a result of this variance request, the town attorney has recommended that the town update sections 17.55 and 17.60 of the EMC to make them consistent with state law. The progress on these updates is discussed later in this memo.

Baublits Retirement Community: We have had ongoing discussions with Dee Baublits about platting her property in the event that her annexation petition is successful with Pierce County. We are discussing a phased Planned Unit Development consisting of 60 residential lots with an event center. I would expect an application to be filed shortly after and contingent on the approval of the Baublits Annexation.

Commercial and Multifamily Projects:

Mill Park Townhomes: Construction has begum on the first 8 town home units. The approval of the building permits for these units was issued contingent on having the applicant complete all site improvements for the 28 unit project prior to issuance of final occupancy. The applicant will apply for the remaining building permit applications at a later date.

Rainier Ave N Senior Housing/Urgent Care: We are waiting on a final set of building plans, a SEPA checklist, and a final site development plan. We will begin SEPA review as soon as we have received the information which we have requested from the applicant.

Carriage House Commercial/Mixed Use Building: I have received an application for a
zoning permit to approve site plan which includes a building foot print for a 5,000 square foot commercial building and a parking lot which will include 15 parking stalls. I have reviewed the proposal under SEPA and my determination will be posted for a 15 day comment period beginning this Wednesday, the 12th of March.

Annexation:

Both the Baublits and the West Eatonville annexations have been sent to Pierce County for review. The official filing date for both annexations was February 6 th . They are required to make a decision within 90 days of that date.

Grants:

CTED Grant: We received a $75,000 dollar CTED grant which does not have any matching requirement. We have circulated a scoping document for the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement which will be completed as part of the scope of this grant. Once we have received comments on the scope of the SEIS we will begin drafting the formal SEIS document. We are on schedule for the completion of this project. WWRP Riparian Habitat Grant: Due to the current state of the Mashell Meadows Project, we have lost our match for this grant which consisted of a charitable donation of 30 acres of shoreline property. We are currently working with the Nisqually tribe to find an alternative way to fund the match for this project. An outside source of matching funds will be required to complete this project. If such a source cannot be found, we will withdraw our grant proposal.

WSDOT Aviation ALP Grant: HDR Engineering recently received comments from WSDOT Aviation on the draft Airport Layout Plan. They are in the process of making a few minor changes and will then resubmit the planning document for approval. Once the document has been approved by WSDOT Aviation, we will bring the document before the town council for approval and acceptance.

Trail Plan: Bryan Bowden from Mt. Rainier National Park and I are working together to
assemble a draft trails plan based on the information gathered in our advisory committee meetings and the open house conducted in 2007. It is our hope to have a draft document completed sometime in April. LID Technical Assistance Grant: We received a grant from the Puget Sound Partnership to update certain elements of the EMC and our Public Works Standards to include provisions for Low Impact Stormwater Design, to update the our Stormwater Comprehensive Plan, and to update chapter 16.54 as it deals with clearing and grading activities in Eatonville. The Puget Sound Partnership has hired the engineering firm of AHBL to assist with the updates. There are no matching funds required.

Other Projects:

Comprehensive Plan Amendments: We had a public hearing at the Planning Commission on the proposed 2008 Comprehensive Plan Amendments on the 3rd of March. This hearing was continued to March 17 th as we were unable to consider all of the amendments at the first meeting. The Planning Commission's recommendations will be assembled in a report and will be brought before the Town Council in July of 2008 in accordance with chapter 5 of the Eatonville Comprehensive Plan.

Sewer Connection Project: The Mayor, Gary Armstrong, and I, working with the sewer
committee have spent the past year working to ensure that section 13.14.050 of the EMC is being enforced. Through the process, we identified a number of properties which were connected to the town's sewer system and which were not being billed. This problem has been corrected in our billing system. We also found a number of properties which are within 100 feet of a sewer line which were not connected and were not being billed as required per Resolution 2007-U. This problem has been corrected and the affected individuals are being notified by mail. We now have a list of properties which are within 100 feet of a public sewer line. The owners of these properties will be receiving a letter notifying them of the requirement to connect to the town's sewer system. I have drafted the letter which serves as official notice and explains the options for each property owner. I am going to allow the sewer committee to review the letter which I have drafted and if they are comfortable with the language, I will mail the notices after our next committee meeting.

Sign Enforcement: We have been hard at work trying to make sure that all illegal and
nonconforming signs are either permitted or are removed. We have issued several dozen sign permits over the last number of weeks and we are still actively trying to enforce our new sign ordinance and to address our previous permitting deficiencies.

EYSA Cargo Containers: We are working with the school district and the EYSA to get a Parks and Recreation Building built with funds raised by the EYSA which the EYSA may then rent back from the town. The school district is to consider deeding the needed property to the town. We are currently having a survey and legal description for the property prepared.

Impact Fees/Concurrency Ordinance: Gary and I have been working with Mart Kask on an ordinance to replace and update chapters 17.55 and 17.60. This update will include a provision for Traffic Impact Fees. It was the town attorney's recommendation that we update these sections to make them consistent with current state laws. It is likely that this ordinance will go to the Planning Commission within the next 30 days.If anyone has any questions regarding the status of these projects, please contact me at my office and I would be happy to provide you with additional information.

Nick Bond
Town Planner
360-832-3361 x115
nbond@eatonville-wa.gov