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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-11 6:00 PM - Planning Commission Hearing - Minutes KITTITAS COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES Courthouse RM 201 , ELLENSBURG Regular Meeting TUESDAY 6 : 00 PM February 11 , 2025 Board members present: Bruce Coe, Joseph Pearson, Scott Carlson, Pat Deneen, and Bill Hinkle . Others : Jamey Ayling, Jeremy Johnston and Jessica Miller and eight (8) members of the public. Meeting was called to order at 6 : 00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER CITIZEN COMMENTS (1 min. time limit) There were no citizen comments . APPROVAL OF MINUTES COMMISSIONER PEARSON moved to approve the January 14, 2025 minutes . COMMISSIONER DENEEN seconded. Discussion - none . Motion passed 5-0 . NEW BUSINESS SB 5290 PUBLIC HEARING LONG RANGE PLANNER JEREMY JOHNSTON provided the staff presentation. SB5290, specifically section 7, went into effect on January 1, 2025 and CDS is now working on getting this regulation into place to be consistent with the state . There are three tiers of the permitting timeline . The 1st is for administrative project decisions that do not require public noticing or a public hearing. Those decisions must be issued within 65 days of the deemed complete date . The 2nd is for administrative project decisions that require public noticing but do not require a public hearing. These decisions must be issued within 100 days of the deemed complete date with the exception of preliminary plats . The 3rd is for non-administrative projects which require both public notice of the application as well as a public hearing. These need to be issued within 170 days from being deemed complete . These timelines can be stopped or paused when additional information or documents are needed in order to process the application and also when there is an agreement between the applicant and the county. The bill also creates incentives and/or consequences if yearly timelines are 2025-2-11 MINUTES 1 not met . CDS staff is suggesting recommendation of option one where staff would take in 80% of the application fee to lower the chances of having to issue refunds for not meeting timelines . Then at the completion of the project CDS would collect the remaining 20% of the fee . Discussion occurred. CHAIR COE opened public comment . There were no public comments . CHAIR COE closed public comment . Motion by COMMISSIONER HINKLE to recommend option 1 to the Board of County Commissioners for approval . COMMSSIONER DENEEN seconded. Discussion - none . Motion passed 5-0 . PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER MARDEE LAKE NON-PROJECT REZONE AND MAP AMENDMENT (CP-24-00001) PLANNING MANAGER JAMEY AYLING provided the staff presentation. This project was previously submitted in 2022 and came before the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners . It then went to the Growth Management Hearings Board and was remanded back to staff with an issued order of invalidity. CDS staff has taken care of that and we are now in good standing. The project is back with a revised application for the non- project rezone . The environmental review was issued a determination of non-significance previously, but this go around there was a critical areas report conducted and submitted with the application. Staff reviewed that and issued a mitigated determination of non-significance on the environmental piece . The SEPA application is currently in an appeal status by the Department of Fish and Wildlife . This does not prohibit the Planning Commission from moving forward because the commission is making a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners on this and not addressing the SEPA portion. Currently the project is on four parcels and it is zoned forest and range and has a designated rural working land use . The proposal is to change this to rural recreation for both the land use and the designation on this property. CDS staff is required to go through and make sure that the project meets the rezone criteria. That criteria is A through H in the staff report . In the application the applicant provided a lengthy response to each of the criteria and then staff provided their response to the criteria finding that it is compliant with county code . 2025-2-11 MINUTES 2 Public and agency comments were received and provided in the report . Staff recommends approval of this non-project rezone and comp plan amendment . Discussion occurred regarding the SEPA appeal and the 27 mitigations measures that need to be addressed. CHAIR COE opened public comment Jen Syrowitz, Conservation Northwest - Ms . Syrowitz provided a handout to the clerk, Planning Commissioners and staff. Part of the letter handed out was read into the record. She is requesting staff to consider a process to decrease the footprint, meaning to shift things spatially and temporarily to accommodate the needs of wildlife . This may involve a lot of outreach and education, which is why they have a wildlife and coexistence program at their organization because it is the key to living with wildlife . Ms . Syrowitz shared her concern for the wildlife that will be affected by this rezone request . Mark Kirkpatrick, Encompass Engineering and Surveying - Mr. Kirkpatrick introduced the applicant, the land use attorney and a co-worker, who all attended online . He provided information on the density and the limited flatlands left to develop in Kittitas County. He stated that the applicant understands the property is encumbered by critical areas and the protections around them. If this ever does move to a proposed project then a more detailed critical areas study would be done . This is a non- project rezone proposal and with coordination with the county staff, the critical areas report was provided in the packet . CHAIR COE closed public comment . Discussion occurred regarding an environmental impact statement for this non-project rezone . Staff stated that it was not needed as they felt it could be addressed with the mitigation measures that were included. Motion by COMMISSIONER PEARSON to approve the rezone with a recommendation of approval to the Board of County Commissioners . COMMISSIONER DENEEN seconded. Discussion - none . Motion passed 4-l . OLD BUSINESS There was no old business . OTHER BUSINESS - No Action to be taken 2025-2-11 MINUTES 3 PLANNING MANAGER AYLING stated that there is one additional Planning Commission member that has been appointed and will attend the meeting next month. CHAIR COE asked where we are with the sub-area planning. Staff stated that Long Range Planner Jeremy Johnston is working on this currently with our consultants on the comprehensive plan update . Staff is meeting monthly with the Easton Sub Area community and there will be an open house planned for March. CHAIR COE concluded the Kittitas County Planning Commission public meeting. Meeting ended at 7 : 34 pm. 2025-2-11 MINUTES 4