HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-26 Planning MIN
Planning CommissionMinutes
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March 26, 2024
STUDY SESSION
Minutes
I.CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Verner called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Development and
Engineering Services Building at 51 Winburn Way. She noted that the meeting was available to be
viewed and attended via Zoom.
Commissioners Present: Staff Present:
Lisa Verner Brandon Goldman, Community Development Director
Doug Knauer Derek Severson, Planning Manager
Kerry KenCairn Michael Sullivan, Executive Assistant
Russell Phillips
Gregory Perkinson
Absent Members: Council Liaison:
Susan MacCracken Jain Paula Hyatt (absent)
Eric Herron
II.ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Development Director Brandon Goldman made the following announcements:
All Commissioners should receive a Notice of Economic Interest from the City Recorder’s
Office.
The City had applied for a technical assistance grant from the Department of Land
Conservation and Development (DLCD) for the development of a manufactured home park
zone. This grant was received and the City will be moving forward with an ordinance.
Commissioner Knauer asked how manufactured homes are defined. Mr. Goldman responded that
they are typically homes that are pre-fabricated and placed on-site fully intact and inspected at the
factory in which they are created.
III.PUBLIC FORUM – None
IV.OTHER BUSINESS
A.Senate Bill 1537 Legislative Update
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).
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Mr. Goldman provided a brief update on Senate Bill 1537, which was recently approved by the State
Legislature, and is intended to be a comprehensive approach to housing policy reform. Its main
goals are to streamline the housing development process, support affordable housing projects, and
more effectively enforce affordable housing laws.
Mr. Goldman related how SB1537 would affect land use regulations in a number of ways, including:
Amendments to the Oregon Goal Post Rule – These changes would allow applicants of
permits, limited land use decisions, or zone changes to request that their project be
processed by the standards that are currently in place when the request is made, not the
standards in place when their application was first submitted.
Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Expansions – This would allow cities to engage in a one-time
expansion of their UGB depending on their size. With a population under 25,000 the City would
be eligible to expand its UGB by up to 50 acres.
Housing Land Use Adjustments – This would mandate that jurisdictions approve requested
“adjustments” or deviations from existing land use regulations, for the purpose for facilitating
the development of housing projects.
Limited Land Use decision - Includes approval or denial of applications for replats, property
line adjustments, and extension alterations or expansions of a nonconforming use in the
definition of “limited land use decision.” This would direct cities to only apply procedures
specified in ORS 197.195 to limited land use decisions, and would therefore not be subject to
land use proceedings or appeal to the Commission.
Chair Verner asked who the deciding body would be if staff denied an application that was
considered limited land use decision. Mr. Goldman responded that appeals would be reviewed by an
independent judge who could not be a City employee or a member of the Commission.
The Commission discussed how this legislative update could affect land use in the City. Mr. Goldman
described how the Grandview Terrace Annexation was remanded to the City from the Land Use
Board of Appeals because it was determined that the City had erred in approving the application
based on Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) guidelines that went into effect after
the application was submitted, but were in effect when the application was approved. He related
how the changes to the Goal Post Rule could impact similar planning actions in the future.
The Commission discussed the Housing Land Use Adjustments and their impact on development in
the City, particularly with regards to building height increases or their potentially deleterious effect
on the Historic District. Chair Verner asked if these adjustments would require the City to make code
changes. Mr. Severson responded that the City could adopt changes or implement the guidelines
from state rules.
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).
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B.Ashland Climate Friendly Areas Adoption Grant (2024) - Update
Planning Manager Derek Severson outlined the timeline for the Climate Friendly Areas (CFAs)
rulemaking and implementation process. The areas identified for potential CFA designation included
the Railroad property, the Transit Triangle, the Croman Mill District, and the downtown. The City
Council approved Ashland’s CFA study in September, 2023. The City applied for and received a grant
for technical assistance from the DLCD, and will utilize the services of 3J Consulting, ECOnorthwest,
and the Rogue Valley Council of Governments to assist with development and implementation. Mr.
Severson related how the creation of CFAs would require code changes, some of which are already
in effect, such as the removal of parking requirements for new developments and the removal of
density requirements in the Transit Triangle. The Commission discussed the impact of CFAs in the
City, particularly with regard to density, mixed-use developments, and building height limitations.
C.Conditional Use Permits, Variances, and Conditions of Approval
Mr. Goldman outlined the various ways in which the Commission could apply conditions and
suggest changes to projects under their review. He stated that when assessing an application with a
variance request, the Commission has the prerogative to suggest modifications to the proposal to
ensure it aligns more closely with established City standards. Mr. Goldman described how the
Commission could continue a Public Hearing with a directive to the applicant to make required
changes to a project to meet existing standards, as was the case with PA-T2-2022-00037, 165 Water
Street, which was ultimately denied by the Commission when the application failed to make
sufficiently significant changes. Mr. Goldman related how the Commission could also apply
conditions of approval to an application to better align it to established standards. The Commission
discussed how these different methods could be applied to future applications, emphasizing that
the preferred method would be imposing conditions or working with the applicant to make
necessary changes to an application rather than resorting to denial of a project.
V.OPEN DISCUSSION – None
VI.ADJOURNMENT
Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m.
Submitted by,
Michael Sullivan, Executive Assistant
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In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please email
planning@ashland.or.us. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to
ensure accessibility to the meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title 1).