| Information |
| HISTORY: |
The proposed Amendments are part of the annual Comprehensive Plan Amendment cycle/schedule and docket, in which the City accepted applications until March 31, 2021. A Planning Commission workshop on June 7, 2021, introduced the proposals.
A Notice of Application was issued on June 18, 2021, with a comment period deadline of July 8, 2021. The Notice of Application was posted on the City’s website, posted on site locations (for Land Use Amendments), mailed to property owners within 400 feet (for Land Use Amendments) and published in the Union-Bulletin.
The SEPA review was conducted and the SEPA Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) were issued for the Land Use Amendments on July 9, 2021, and July 19, 2021, for the Text Amendments.
A Notice of Public hearing was issued on July 15, 2021, for the public hearing before the Planning Commission on August 2, 2021. The hearing notice was posted on the City’s website, posted on site locations (for Land Use Amendments), mailed to property owners within 400 feet ( for Land Use Amendments) and published in the Union-Bulletin.
The Planning Commission conducted a Public Hearing on August 2, 2021 for the following applications:
File# CPA-21-0002 Applicant: City of Walla Walla, Location: West Cherry Street and Irene Street.
North area: Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map amendment from Public to Industrial and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Public Reserve (PR) to Heavy Industrial (IH). South and East area: Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map amendment from Industrial to Public and Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Heavy Industrial (IH) to Public Reserve (PR). Amendment for the properties located north and south of the Mill Creek as part of the City of Walla Walla land sale to PK Partnership in 2018. The proposed Land Use Map Amendment will bring the subject properties into conformity with the surrounding land uses.
No comment letters submitted.
No public comment, at the Planning Commission hearing, on this item.
Link to the Staff Report
File# CPA-21-0003 Applicant: Ice Burg LLC, Location: 604 and 608 West Birch Street.
Land Use Map amendment from Residential to Commercial and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Neighborhood Residential (RN) to Highway Commercial (CH) for the two parcels on West Birch Street, located east of the Ice Burg restaurant.
No comment letters submitted.
Public comments from the following at the Planning Commission hearing:
Ron Coleman c/o Ice Burg LLC
Blake Fisher, Architect c/o Ice Burg LLC
RL Richard McFarland
Dorothy Knudson
Link to Staff Report
File# CPA-21-0004 Docketed Item, Text Amendment. Applicant: Community Council - Affordable Housing Implementation Task Force Local Polices and Regulations Subcommittee.
Proposed Text amendments for Introduction Chapter, amendments to Land Use Policy 3.7, amendments to Housing Element, Housing Element- “Maintenance” Housing Policy 1.3., 1.4 and 1.9. The proposes amendments pertain to affordable housing policies and provisions contained within the Comprehensive Plan and addressing the inclusion of manufactured homes and manufactured housing communities within the applicable policies of the Comprehensive Plan.
No comment letters submitted.
Public comments from the following at the Planning Commission hearing:
Emily Brown
Gustavo Reyna
RL Richard McFarland
Rachel Elfenbein
Link to Staff Report
File# CPA-21-0005 Applicant: City of Walla Walla, Location: 922 Bonsella Street.
Land Use Map amendment from Public to Residential and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Public Reserve (PR) Neighborhood Residential (RN). The proposed Land Use Map Amendment will bring the subject property into conformity with the surrounding residential neighborhood since the the Public Reserve land use designation is no longer relevant to the residential Bed and Breakfest use.
No comment letters submitted.
No public comment, at the Planning Commission hearing, on this item.
Link to Staff Report
PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Commission Public Hearing was concluded, and the Planning Commission recommended the following:
CPA-21-0002: Recommendation to the City Council to approve CPA-21-0002, as submitted.
CPA-21-0003: Recommendation to the City Council to approve CPA-21-0003, with the modification to only change the land use of the property at 608 West Birch Street to Commercial and that 604 West Birch Street should remain Residential.
The Planning Commission deliberated on the amendment request and had concerns about affordable housing and the possible elimination of the existing houses on the subject properties. The applicant provided testimony on the commercial activities surrounding the parcels, his hopes to solve problems with traffic at the Ice Burg property and this tenant, Graze, which is located to the west. Additionaly, the applicant addressed the condition of the existing housing units, and accommodating the renters if and when the subject properties would be redeveloped. From this deliberation and discussion, the Planning Commission concluded with a recommendation to change 608 West Birch Street to Commercial and 604 West Birch Street to remain Residential.
CPA-21-0004: Recommendation to the City Council to approve CPA-21-0004 with staff recommended text modifications as follows (added terms are bolded and italicized and removed items are stricken):
Introduction: Land Use
“Zoning code is based largely on the content of the Land Use Element. Walla Walla plans to maintain and improve quality of life for residents, including availability of affordable housing, through the policies in the Land Use Element, including an emphasis on the preservation of existing affordable housing, infill development, increased residential densities, and greater flexibility for mixed-use developments.” (Page I-2)
Land Use Policy 3.7
“Support a variety of housing types such as tiny homes, duplexes, multi-family development, cottage housing, and single family residential, and manufactured homes and manufactured housing communities.” (Page LU-8)
Introduction: Housing Element
“Walla Walla must ensure it has enough housing for all its residents. As the City grows it also plays a role in providing everyone who lives here access to a decent house that they can afford. There are many ways to do this, but increasing the different types of housing is an important factor in meeting community needs. Policies enacted to create more housing must include measures that mitigate against the displacement of marginalized populations through redevelopment. This element examines the kind of housing Walla Walla has now, its needs for housing, and identifies how it can make sure there are enough homes for everyone in the future.”
Housing Element: Maintenance of Existing Housing Stock
“Walla Walla has decent, but aging housing stock. This can be an asset for a community as it grows if the existing housing is well maintained. The City should look into a variety of ways to ensure that current housing remains in good condition. Such programs could include: code compliance programs, minimum property maintenance standards, or home repair assistance programs.”
“Walla Walla has a large proportion of aging housing stock (75.1% of houses in Walla Walla city were built before 1980; 50.7% of houses were built prior to 1960 (American Community Survey 2017, 5-Year Estimates, Table DP04). Aging housing stock that is in decent condition can be an asset for a community as it grows, if the existing housing is well maintained. The City should look into a variety of ways to ensure that current housing remains in good condition. Such programs could include: code compliance programs, minimum property maintenance standards, and/or home repair assistance programs. Some of the aging housing stock is abandoned and in poor condition, which contributes to neighborhood blight. The City should develop policies and programs that facilitate the removal of housing units that have been abandoned and are beyond repair and incentivize redevelopment of vacant lots.” (Page H-14)
Housing Policy 1.3
Encourage the use of existing housing stock, including manufactured homes and manufactured housing communities, to provide affordable housing for households with middle- and lower-incomes. (Page H-15)
Housing Policy 1.4
“Develop incentives for construction of housing affordable to households with low and moderate incomes such as density bonuses, reduced or waived fees, multi-family property tax exemption, or a transfer of development rights program.” (Page H-15)
Housing Policy 1.9
Explore the possibility of establishing a housing land trust.
“Support the establishment of housing land trusts and other innovative housing solutions and explore policies to reduce development costs for housing developments that serve low to moderate income households.” ( Page H-16)
CPA-21-0005: Recommendation to the City Council to approve CPA-21-0005, as submitted.
The City Council is tasked with conducting a Public Hearing, per Walla Walla Municipal Code 20.30.030.D.1. and shall take action on the proposed Amendments. |
| POLICY ISSUES: |
| Contained within the Staff Reports to the Planning Comission. |
| PLAN COMPLIANCE: |
| STRATEGIC PLAN and COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: Contained within the Staff Reports to the Planning Commission. |
| ALTERNATIVES: |
| Remand the amendments and rezones back to the Planning Commission. |
| STAFF RECOMMENDATION: |
The City Council approve CPA-21-0002 as submitted.
Land Use Map amendment from Public to Industrial and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Public Reserve (PR) to Heavy Industrial (IH) for the property located near Irene Street and West Cheery Street, legally described as Lot 1 of Short Plat 2018-10124 Book 5 Page 160, and Land Use Map amendment from Industrial to Public and Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Heavy Industrial (IH) to Public Reserve (PR) for the property located on Mill Creek, north of Woodland Avenue, legally described as Lot 2 of Short Plat 2018-10124 Book 5 Page 160.
The City Council approve CPA-21-0003, as submitted.
Both 604 and 608 West Birch Street would have the Land Use Map amendment from Residential to Commercial and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Neighborhood Residential (RN) to Highway Commercial (CH). Staff's recommendation to approve, as submitted, is based on the commercial character and changes in the areas, such as, the expanded Saint Mary Medical campus. The proposed Highway Commercial designation of the subject properties provides a more appropriate buffer between the 9th Avenue commercial corridor and Saint Mary Medical Center, which is a quasi-public and commercial use in the Public Reserve zone. The proposed Highway Commercial designation is suitable for the area because it is part of the existing commercial corridor along 9th Avenue. Additionally, the adjacent land uses to the west are commercial in nature and Saint Mary parking lot and campus to the east was designed and built in a way to accommodate a future medical building. Adjacent land uses to the south and southwest include the UPS store and the Birthright of Walla Walla office located in a building that was formerly a residence.
The Planning Commission recommendation to only change the 608 West Birch Street property to Commercial and keep the 604 West Birch Street property as Residential, would leave a lone parcel and house. While staff is sympathetic and understands the concerns of the Planning Commission to preserve affordable housing and the possible elimination of the existing houses on the subject properties, the result would cause the remaining 604 Birch lot to be inconsistent with the overall commercial character of the neighborhood and the Comprehensive Plan, as it would result in a single residential parcel surrounded by Commercial and Public Reserve land uses. A change of the Comprehensive Plan Map, by itself, would not result in immediate physical changes to the properties and would require further site development reviews and approvals.
The City Council approve CPA-21-0004, with the text modifications recommended by the Planning Commission as shown above.
The City Council approve CPA-21-0005, as submitted.
Land Use Map amendment from Public to Residential and a Municipal Code (Zoning Code) Map amendment from Public Reserve (PR) Neighborhood Residential (RN) for 922 Bonsella. |
| CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: |
| Approved for City Council action. |
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