HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-09-13 Planning MIN
ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Roger Pearce called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 East
Main Street.
Commissioners Present: Staff Present:
Troy J. Brown, Jr. Bill Molnar, Community Development Director
Michael Dawkins April Lucas, Administrative Supervisor
Debbie Miller
Haywood Norton
Roger Pearce
Lynn Thompson
Absent Members: Council Liaison:
Melanie Mindlin Greg Lemhouse, absent
ANNOUCEMENTS
Community Development Director Bill Molnar announced there is still time to sign up for the American Planning
Association conference scheduled for Sept. 14-16. He also announced a public meeting has been scheduled to
discuss the potential replacement or remodel of city hall. The meeting will be held Sept. 15 at Pioneer Hall.
AD HOC COMMITTEE UPDATES
Commissioner Dawkins provided an update on the Downtown Parking Management and Circulation Committee. He
handed out the 20 strategies listed in the final plan and stated a public meeting has been scheduled for November 2.
Dawkins commented on a “sharrow” street design which would establish a clear path for bicycles and not require a
reduction in travel lanes, and stated the committee voted unanimously to forward this concept to the city council. He
noted the group has primarily focused on parking and a new committee may be formed next year to focus on the
multimodal piece.
CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approval of Minutes.
1. August 9, 2016 Regular Meeting.
2. August 23, 2016 Study Session.
Commissioners Miller/Brown m/s to approve the Consent Agenda. Voice Vote: all AYES. Motion passed
unanimously.
PUBLIC FORUM
Huelz Gutcheon/2253 Hwy 99/Commented on zero net energy and autonomous (off-grid) homes, as well as energy
efficiency program upgrades. He also recommended energy ratings and carbon tax figures be listed on home sale
listings.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A.Adoption of Findings for PA-2016-00309, 150 N. Pioneer.
Community Development Director Bill Molnar clarified the findings are a summary of the commission’s
recommendation and the city council will make the final decision on this action.
Ashland Planning Commission
September 13, 2016
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Commissioner Brown recommended Finding 2.2 be corrected to read “…that there is no public need or public benefit
as described in the Ashland Comprehensive Plan that would be addressed in approving the request.”
Commissioners Brown/Dawkins m/s to approve the Findings for PA-2016-00309 as amended. Voice Vote: all
AYES. Motion passed unanimously.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
A.Climate and Energy Action Plan – Plan Update.
Project Manager Adam Hanks and Conservation Commission Chair/Climate and Energy Action Plan Committee Vice
Chair Roxane Beigel-Coryell addressed the commission and provided an update on the committee’s work to date.
Mr. Hanks explained the committee’s scope of work is to: 1) develop a set of recommendations to protect people and
resources from the ongoing impacts of climate change, 2) develop a plan that includes targets and strategies to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ashland, 3) targets and strategies will consider cost, feasibility, community
acceptance and likelihood of success, with emphasis on voluntary measures for community action, and 4) the plan
will include specific, measurable actions that citizens and local businesses can undertake upon adoption of the plan.
Mr. Hanks noted the committee has been working with Cascadia Consulting Group to develop the plan and outlined
the project timelines and meeting highlights. He provided an overview of greenhouse gas inventory and climate
trends and analysis, and stated the preliminary plan goal is to be a carbon neutral community by 2047 using a sector
based calculation methodology. Mr. Hanks provided an overview of the overarching trends that came out of the first
public open house and explained the plan’s focus areas have been defined as: 1) building and energy, 2) urban form,
land use, and transportation, 3) consumption and materials management, 4) health and social systems, and 5)
natural systems. He stated the committee is currently creating proposed actions for each of these areas and
requested the Planning Commission provide feedback so that it can be incorporated into the plan. Mr. Hanks stated
there is a strong interest in having the goals adopted by ordinance to hold the community accountable and he invited
the commission to the next open house scheduled for September 25.
Mr. Hanks and Ms. Beigel-Coryell were asked to clarify how the 30 year goal will be measured. Ms. Beigel-Coryell
explained this is based on the community’s greenhouse gas inventory and 2015 is the base year. She clarified the
sector based methodology includes local emissions from building energy uses, transportation energy use, methane
emissions from waste, and fugitive leakage of refrigerants. It does not include the consumption piece which are the
emissions generated outside the community from the production of goods, foods, and services consumed by Ashland
residents.
Several commissioners expressed concern with adopting the plan elements by ordinance and the timing of the
ordinance request which is identified as before the adoption of the plan by council.
Mr. Hanks handed out the draft strategies and actions for the commission’s review and stated one of the options is to
enhance programs they already have, such as the energy conservation bonus, pedestrian places, and transit
oriented development. He explained some of the actions will be regulatory and others will be voluntary. He added the
suggested actions will be vetted and included in the final plan, and then they will funnel to the respective departments
for implementing. Mr. Hanks thanked the commission for providing feedback and stated he will be taking this to the
other city commissions as well to make sure they are approaching this right and are considering all elements.
ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Submitted by,
April Lucas, Administrative Supervisor
Ashland Planning Commission
September 13, 2016
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