Commissioner Marley called the Brier Planning Commission meeting to order at 7:10 PM.

ROLL CALL:

Present:            Commissioners Gene Funk, David Marley, Keith Maw, and Scott Warner.

Absent:             Commissioners Michael Lavoie, Sue Wahlgren, Allyn Chrisman.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Commissioner Marley postponed the approval of the November 16, 2005 minutes until the next meeting.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Commissioner Maw asked Paul Sweum if he has been following the Snohomish County Comprehensive Plan revisions. He was curious if any of the changes were inside of the Urban Growth Area.

Paul Sweum – Community Development Coordinator - noted that there are new subdivision plats processed by the county going on surrounding the city; i.e. the Charles Brown plat (Atlas Road). He has been in contact with the project manager for that plat at Snohomish County and following the planning in regards to connectivity to the Brier sewer system on that end of town. The sewer “nubs” are set up in that plat so that we can string connection down Atlas Road to that system. There is preliminary information from the County indicating that there is probably not a bonafide sewer network that has been called out in the preliminary plat.

PUBLIC REQUESTS AND COMMUNICATIONS:

Jim Agee – asked if the comprehensive plan discussion is to occur tonight, and what are the general topics to be discussed. Typically on impact fee sharing, Snohomish County does not enter into it with a municipality without an interlocal agreement. Typically the county does not do sewer plans for subdivisions at the preliminary plat stage, what you do have to submit is a sewer and water availability certificate for approval by the purveyor. The sewer plan is prepared during the construction plan phase after preliminary plat approval.

Commissioner Maw motioned and Commissioner Warner seconded to move new business before old business on the Agenda. Motion Carried.

NEW BUSINESS – PUBLIC HEARINGS:

Commissioner Marley opened the Public Hearing for business license #BR05-079 “The Picture Man” at 23631 Brier Road by Wally Kempe at 7:30 PM. There were no comments. Commissioner Marley closed the public hearing at 7:31 PM. There was council discussion. Commissioner Warner moved and Commissioner Funk seconded to recommend approval of Business License #BR05-079 to Brier City Council with City Staff recommendations. Motion Carried.

OLD BUSINESS – PUBLIC HEARING – CONTINUED:

Chairman Marley opened for continuation the discussion on the Draft Comprehensive Plan. Paul Sweum – Community Development Coordinator - mentioned that per the draft modifications, he understands that the 9600 recommendation stands at this time. Commissioner Marley stated that was correct. Commissioner Warner wants to readdress the issue at a later date. The way the draft is written now, 9600 is written into the plan. There was discussion pertaining to spot zoning as well as rezoning per the comprehensive plan.

Commissioners Maw and Marley recommend the City of Brier purchase Geographic Information System Software (Arcview) for the ability to download the information from the County.

Commissioner Marley has concerns about the commission’s responsibility to state if an area should be rezoned and another concern about opening subject of 9600 to the public for comment again. It is understood that the Mayor and an incumbent commissioner petitioned on a platform for 12,500 square foot plot size. Is it the commission’s responsibility to then go through and recommend that these areas be rezoned, or is that something that should come out of community development?

Commissioner Maw suggests that at the level the planning commission is operating on the comprehensive plan, we should be saying where the areas are in the city that increasing the density to 9600 would be appropriate. That is going to include large areas within which the council and Mayor would have freedom to make proposals to change the zoning, but that zoning change itself would come back through the planning commission later on. Again, this decision cannot be determined without the software to view the information that is available. A particular concern would be that the city can petition for large lot zoning in certain areas of the city for a variety of reasons.

Paul Sweum – Community Development Coordinator - asked if Cynthia Pruitt should be involved again to add any suggestions that are recommended by the Planning Commission.

Commissioner Marley suggested that the committee needs to have additional staff time to help answer questions to get the comprehensive plan completed. There was discussion about getting the administration involved about hiring a consultant for help with many aspects of the comprehensive plan.

Commissioner Maw suggested that the commission attain legal advice pertaining to the plan for what the City’s jeopardy is in reference to an incomplete and late comprehensive plan.

Paul Sweum – Community Development Coordinator - has an action item to ask the City Attorney to draft a letter to the mayor in regards to see what the city is up against in regards to the legal situation the city faces with a sense of urgency for a complete plan in terms of litigation possibilities.

Commissioner Marley called for a short break at 8:58 PM. The meeting resumed at 9:02 PM.

Commissioner Maw, (Recreation – I.1.3 para 2) would like to see the City sphere or area of interest concept removed and replace it with urban growth area.

Recreation page 2 section 2 - “neighborhood parks/community parks don’t have area within radius of parks.” Are there areas in the city that are deficient in the park radius not meeting our level of service standard? He suggests an active map.

Recreation page 3 Table 1. - Brier Elementary and Brier Terrace are listed as part of active park space. What are the measurements based on, he wants to ensure that not entire school is part of park land. Recreation page 6 seems to say that entire acreage on school grounds is used for park.

It would be useful to have something from the Parks Board/soccer league/youth baseball league about the need for more fields. The information would go under utilization and service issue or it can be listed under analysis of needs and demands.

There have been a lot of comments about changing demographics in other parts of the plan and what is the impact on park maintenance for future needs.

Recreation page 15 Table 6 – He was not clear how numbers were arrived at. 1998 levels of service were adequate, and used for future needs and if they are being met.

Recreation page 17-18 – There are issues of what the shared use potential for Abbey View pond potential. “The property has been used unofficially by pedestrian and equestrian.” Does it form a wildlife pathway?

Facilities – The City needs to be making a better estimate on what amount of Brier parks are used by non-residents in Locust Creek.

Chairman Marley moved and Commissioner Funk seconded to continue the discussion on draft comprehensive plan to the January 18, 2006 meeting. Motion Carried.

ADJOURNMENT:

Commissioner Funk moved and Commissioner Maw seconded to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:30 P.M.