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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-12-09 Planning MINASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 9, 1997 CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Barbara Jarvis at 7:05 p.m. Other Commissioners present were Gardiner, Hearn, Bass, Howe, Morris, Armitage, Briggs, and new Commissioner Russ Chapman. Staff present were McLaughlin, Molnar, Knox and Yates. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND FINDINGS November 12, 1997 - Hearings Board Armitage moved to approve the Minutes and Findings of the November 12, 1997 Hearings Board. Bass seconded and they were approved. November 12, 1997 - Regular Meeting Hearn asked to amend the Findings (PA97-087 - Rob Cain), #4., a ten foot wide easement is referenced twice and is confusing. Staff said there are two different paths and wording "in addition" can be added to clarify. Howe said #11. should say adding "exterior" rock face. Howe moved to approve the Minutes and Findings as amended. Bass seconded and everyone favored. PUBLIC FORUM No one came forth to speak. TYPE II PLANNING ACTION PLANNING ACTION 97-066 REQUEST FOR A PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS PERMIT TO PLACE A STRUCTURE AND SKATEBOARD PARK WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN CORRIDOR LOCATED ON WATER STREET NEAR HERSEY STREET. APPLICANT: ASHLAND PARKS AND RECREATION DEPT. Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts Site visits were made by all. STAFF REPORT McLaughlin read the criteria for approval. The request is to construct a skateboard park in the floodplain corridor along Water Street. Under the City's mapping system, the corridor is wider than what FEMA has identified as a floodplain. In the City's studies which have included reviewing historic information, air photos during flood events, and using physical contours of the land, has resulted in a broader range approach thus identifying a wider floodplain corridor. Everything from Water Street toward the creek is included within that corridor. The recycle area and the rest of the parkland area is included in that floodplain corridor. Because the skateboard park is included in the area, it falls under the Physical and Environmental Constraints permit. Had this land not been within the floodplain corridor, it would be a public park under the jurisdiction of the Parks Commission to develop in accordance with parks standards. Instead, there is a land use process that requires review for its impact on flooding. The Commission is reviewing whether the skateboard park as it is designed, is in compliance with the standards outlined in the ordinance. Staff has relied on the information gathered by engineers. Two separate analyses have been done, one initially by Hardey Engineering, determined that based on information from an earlier FEMA model that was done with the floodplain corridor, there was not a problem with construction of the skateboard park. Another review was done by OTAK Engineering who developed a new model for the creek, determining what a 100 year flood flow would do to the creek. A few months ago, there was a concern raised by their project engineer with the design of the skateboard park as to whether it was appropriate as proposed. OTAK included in their model the elevations, contour changes and slope changes associated with cuts and fills and determined it raised the 100 year flood elevations 1/100 of a foot. Further analysis showed, in the recommendation from OTAK that the Hersey Street bridge should be replaced with a larger bridge to allow a 100 year flood to go underneath it. Should that happen, the impact of the skateboard park would be positive on the 100 year flood level because there is less fill than cut in the creation of the skateboard park so it helps in lowering the 100 year flood elevation, should the bridge be improved. Based on the information submitted by the engineers, Staff would recommend approval of the Physical and Environmental Constraints permit for the skateboard park at this location. Barbara Jarvis introduced the newest Planning Commissioner, Russ Chapman. Briggs wondered where the restrooms would be located. McLaughlin said they would be as far away from the creek as possible. Restrooms require only standard construction and would not be a habitable structure. Briggs thought it would be appropriate to have a pay phone on-site. PUBLIC HEARING TERI COPPEDGE, 2927 Barbara Street, Chair of the Ashland Parks Commission, said they have been working on this project for over two years and feel this site is appropriate for a skateboard park. The Commission is firmly behind the skateboard park and would like to move forward with it. Coppedge said other sites were considered. NOAH SANDERSON had made and showed the Commissioners a model of the park. Armitage said that during a flood this area would obviously hold some water. McLaughlin said Hersey Street functions as a dam and water backs up so it would not matter if it holds water or not. Coppedge said a drainage system has been designed into the park. Hearn wondered about erosion control measures on the stream bank. Coppedge said the bank is heavily armored with rock and blackberries. None of the engineers said anything needed to be done with the streambank. McLaughlin said in trying to anticipate any erosion, a Condition 4 has been added which will try to maintain what is there. KATHLEEN BOROVOC, 131 Helman Street, said kids go to the skateboard park to skate; they don't run up and down the banks. Individuals against the proposal but not wishing to testify: TER~f'U HARKER, 31 W. Hersey ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 9, 1997 MARIE RADKE, 47 W. Hersey BILL RADKE, 47 W. Hersey, stated he is opposed to the project. He did not feel proper notification had been given. He had flood damage during the January 1997 flood, mostly from overflow of the bridge on Hersey Street. STEVE JANNUSCH, 336 Mowetza Drive, representing Ashland Christian Fellowship, said they are not in opposition but are hopeful the Planning Commission could send a recommendation to the Parks Commission limiting the hours of operation during the church's Sunday morning services. He would hope there would be ample screened trash receptacles. He concurred with the Condition recommending stabilization of the landscaping. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Briggs recommended the Parks Commission ask for volunteers to help in the construction of the skateboard park in order keep costs down. Hearn moved to approve the application with the attached Conditions. Bass seconded the motion. Armitage expressed concern with the public review process held by the Parks Commission. Morris said on the one hand this is a park but on the other hand, is it the paving over of a riparian area? Is that something that is commonly done? It is in the floodplain and will it be an impervious surface? Is that acceptable outside the Parks Department? McLaughlin said that it is acceptable. For example, the land across the creek (the church) the whole parking lot is within the corridor. McLaughlin said parking lots are pretty good things to put in floodplain corridors. In the case of Ashland Christian Fellowship, if the application were to come forward today, the building would be located nearer Oak Street and the parking lot would be in the floodplain with an appropriate percentage of landscaping. The skateboard park also meets the 15 percent requirement for landscaping. The motion carried with Morris voting "no". TYPE III PLANNING ACTION PLANNING ACTION 97-091 REQUEST FOR A ZONE CHANGE FROM A HIGH DENSITY MUTLI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (R-3) TO EMPLOYMENT (E-l) AT B STREET AND MOUNTAIN AVENUE. APPLICANT: CITY OF ASHLAND Site Visits and Ex Parte Contacts Site visits were made by all. Jarvis saw some big pipes laying around and it was not impressive. STAFF REPORT In September, 1997 a hearing was held and the request for a zone change was denied by the Planning Commission. Staff asked for a reconsideration of that decision and the Planning Commission granted it. McLaughlin said additional information has been provided and most of it is contained in the Staff Report. ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 9, 1997 The site has been in use as a public storage yard for many years and through a series of events, the City has made a commitment to this area of the city. The importance of the corner was a concern raised at the last hearing. The City hired landscape architects, Cameron and McCarthy to design that corner to give it a sense of place with pedestrian scale, and work at mitigating some of the negative concerns heard from the Commission. Another concern was the nature of the use and that it is committed forever as a storage yard under E-1. The employment zone allows for a storage yard but also allows for a variety of other uses. Staff is requesting that it have the R oveday in the E-1 zone so if in the future, should something come up, it could have a mixed use type of development on it which would be very compatible with the Railroad District. The site is a natural for the small incremental increase in the area for the City campus. Staff has recommended approval under the Type III zone change and the comprehensive plan map amendment as the need to adjust to new conditions as outlined in the Staff Report. Paula Brown, Public Works Director, said the City does not have lots of extra storage areas. It is important to Brown that Public Works is a good neighbor; that is their service to the community. Storage is needed, particularly consolidated storage to improve efficiency but the main commitment is service to the community. if that includes landscaping, that is important too. Brown explained she would rather use Mountain Avenue for access from the yard, however, because of the bike path and some other unknown impacts due to growth along Mountain, she will watch to see how it works. Bass is pleased with the design presented tonight. Brown thought the City was allowing someone else to store the ugly pipes temporarily now on the site. Howe wondered if there were plans to plant trees behind the wall. Brown said there will be trees behind the wall that also go in front of the chain link fence. There is a hedge behind the wall that ties everything together. Howe wondered if large equipment would generally be parked off the street. Brown said typically large equipment will be kept off the streets. COMMISSIONERS DISCUSSION AND MOTION Howe moved to approve PA97-091 with recommendations from the Staff Report. The motion carried unanimously. OTHER Staff handed out a memo dated December 9, 1997 to the Commissioners regarding initiation of two Planning Actions: Service Station Design Standards Revision of Citizen Involvement portion of the Comprehensive Plan, Land Use Ordinance and Municipal Code ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEE11NG MINUTES DECEMBER 9, 1997 4 Armitage moved to initiate the two actions as requested. favored. HEARINGS BOARD ASSIGNMENTS FOR 1998 JANUARY THROUGH APRIL Gardiner Jarvis Howe MAY THROUGH AUGUST Bass Chapman Briggs SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER Morris Hearn Armitage's replacement ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m. Howe seconded the motion and everyone ASHLAND PLANNING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES DECEMBER 9, 1997