October 18, 2021, Planning Commission Meeting MinutesCITY OF PORT ORCHARD
Planning Commission Minutes
216 Prospect Street, Port Orchard, WA 98366
Phone: (36o) 874-5533 • Fax: (36o) 876-498o
Planning Commission Meeting Minutes
October 18, 2021
Zoom Teleconference
COMMISSIONERS:
Present: Stephanie Bailey, Annette Stewart (Chair), Joe Morrison, Mark Trenary.
Absent: Dave Bernstein, Trish Tierney, Phil King.
STAFF:
Community Development Director Nick Bond, Long Range Planner Keri Sallee, Associate Planner Jim
Fisk, Assistant Planner Josie Rademacher.
CITY CONSULTANTS (FOR ITEM 4a/b):
Tom Beckwith, Beckwith Consulting Group
Greg Krabbe, McCormick Communities
Eric Campbell, McCormick Communities
1. CALL TO ORDER: Chair Stewart called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. and led the Pledge of
Allegiance.
2. PUBLIC COMMENTS: There were no comments from the public regarding issues not on the agenda.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2021: Chair Stewart made a motion to review the
minutes from the September 7th meeting at November 2" d's meeting.
4. BUSINESS ITEMS:
A. PRESENTATION: DRAFT PARKS AND RECREATION PLAN. Community Development Director
Bond introduced the City's consultant for the Parks and Recreation Plan: Tom Beckwith of
Beckwith Consulting Group. Beckwith provided an overview for the public about the planning
process that had been used to create the draft Parks and Recreation Plan through 6 main tasks:
Updating demographics and inventories; Updating goals and strategies; Updating plan elements;
Developing an implementation process; and publishing the Comprehensive Parks Plan. The
update to demographics and inventories included an evaluation of population growth with age
specific projections for 2050 correlating accurate recreation activity projections based on that
data. Beckwith discussed how to improve gaps in park development by determining recreation
resources available within a 5-minute walk and/or within 0.2 miles of residential areas in the City
and outlining social equity data to be considered when improving these gaps in development. The
process for determining current park, and organization utilization included a survey completed by
188 residents in early 2020. The survey provided insight to resident's priorities for future parks in
the City. Beckwith shared how the data collected from the survey can be completed in the City
with a variety of proposals including waterfront access, trails, and open space. Beckwith
determined the process for implementation for the projects including total development costs and
funding required by the City. Additionally, analyzing ways in which the City could receive money
for these projects through a 20-year strategy of combining annual revenues in addition to current
capital facility programs. Goals and policies have been created specifically for the Parks and
Recreation Plan that are consistent with and implement the larger overall framework of the City's
Comprehensive Plan. The public was invited to submit questions and comments to the City and
consultants on the Parks and Recreation plan.
Wayne Wright in attendance with his wife, Kelly Wright, said that they lived at 4800 Castleton Rd
SW in McCormick Woods stated concerns about the connection of public and private trails in Port
Orchard and the cost analysis associated with it. He further expressed concern that residents of the
HOA are upset with people from the public frequenting the private HOA parks without paying for
them. Beckwith said that the only connection from the public to the private is through McCormick
woods and is what he understood to be publicly accessible. Wright further expressed concern for
traffic in their neighborhood from people accessing the trails. Additionally, expressing that
communication about improvements to the area with HOA would be appreciated. Bond said that
the intent of this connection is to connect residents of the McCormick communities to other areas
of the city by bike or on foot. In addition, Bond said that the City's intent is to have a more
equitable distribution of facilities to alleviate the use of McCormick community's facilities as it is
one of the only areas to access this type of recreation currently. This would happen through the
completion of proposed trails projects in other parts of the city. Wayne expressed concern about
traveling by bike or on foot along Old Clifton Rd. Bond said the Old Clifton corridor is already in
the City's transportation plan as a grade separated pathway. It would be constructed not alongside
the roadway, separated by a vegetative strip and at a different elevation then the roadway. Bond
further states that creating this facility is to ensure bicyclists don't have to use the travel lanes of
Old Clifton Rd to commute. Bond said that the intent is to sync the parks plan to the transportation
plan as it is already written. Wayne expressed interest in knowing how these improvements are
going to be laid out for the growing population in McCormick communities in the future.
b. PRESENTATION: DRAFT MCCORMICK VILLAGE SUBAREA PLAN. Community Development
Director Bond introduced the McCormick Village Subarea draft plan. The city -initiated plan is in
partnership with the property owner, McCormick Communities. In compliance with PSRC's
Vision 2050 plan and KSRC, the City is required to plan for centers that include certain
projections and opportunity for housing and jobs. The proposed McCormick Village is an outlined
center in the City's comprehensive plan. The proposed neighborhood village was planned by
Kitsap County before annexation. McCormick communities approached the City with concept
plans in 2020. The City then resulted in subarea planning in 2021 for the project. A survey was
conducted to receive feedback on elements of the proposed project in May 2021. The results of
the survey created the foundation for the overarching goals of the plan. Bond discusses the vision
for the neighborhood core by sharing visuals that McCormick communities had gathered as
inspiration for the project, including elements from other communities in the Puget Sound region,
a proposed site plan, zoning changes, and additional housing types. Bond shares the
implementation process for this plan that includes a new overlay district for McCormick Village
including changes to allowed building types, setbacks, design elements, and parking. The public
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was invited to submit questions and comments to the City and consultants on the McCormick
Village Subarea Plan.
Wayne Wright in attendance with his wife, Kelly Wright, said that they live at 4800 Castleton Rd
SW in McCormick Woods and expressed concern about the new housing types and traffic
calculations associated with the new housing types. Bond said that assumptions for development
are included in the city's transportation plan and further discussed improvements to Old Clifton
Rd including roundabouts to ease traffic in the area. Wright points out the reduction in
commercial zoning in the new proposed zoning for the subarea and expressed interest in having
those areas accessible in the community and inquired about why the area was reduced. Bond said
that the reduction includes the need for a stormwater pond associated with the roundabouts and
roadway improvements necessary on Old Clifton Rd. Bond said that the original zoning area was
created following property lines before a boundary line adjustment was made resulting in a new
commercial area, matching the new property lines. Additionally, Bond said that area was reduced
to reflect buildable lands suitable for commercial development, based on the topography of the
area as well as protecting natural areas as much as possible. Kelly Wright expressed support on
behalf of McCormick residents for expanding the golf cart zone and using golf carts as a form of
transportation to access the proposed village. Bond said the city has discussed proposals for a
parking lot for golf carts across from the village on the other side of Old Clifton Rd and expanding
the golf cart zone to McCormick West. Additionally, Kelly Wright expressed great concern about
the need for a new school in Port Orchard, especially on the west side of the city near the
McCormick communities. Bond said that the city supports the expansion of schools and with
more voters in the city, feels confident that a bond will be passed to help with the construction of a
new school. Bond said that the city will do everything it can through policies and planning to help
with the construction of a new school, but the responsibility for this construction lies mostly on
the school district.
Cari expressed concern about the new development potentially lacking a tree border from Old
Clifton Rd. and wanted more information about where the proposed bike lanes on Old Clifton Rd
would go. Bond said there is intent to preserve the existing trees on Old Clifton Rd to the extent of
a 40-60 ft. buffer. Additionally, Bond said that the city is establishing a tree canopy requirement
for this new development requiring that trees are replaced to ensure long term tree canopy in the
area. Bond said that the bike lanes for Old Clifton Rd will be designed by an engineer that the city
is hiring soon and will extend from the roundabouts east to Anderson Hill as a graded 10-12 ft
pathway. Cari asked if any improvements were planned off the exit from SR16 to access Old
Clifton Rd. Bond said that there are not, but a way to access Old Clifton is by taking a right on to
Tremont and using the round about to turn around. Bond further explained that the interchange is
outside of city limits and is a WDOT intersection with little room for further improvements based
on the environment of the area.
Courtney Brooks expressed concern about an area off Feigley Rd near Gorst and being unable to
safely take turns. Bond said that the area is a part of the unincorporated county and is not apart of
the city's transportation plan and has directed people who have expressed the same concern to the
county's transportation department.
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Tiffany Mitchell in attendance with her husband, Mitch Mitchell said they live in the Eldon trails
area and wanted more information about habitat conservation for the project. Bond said the
project being within the limits of city is required to follow the Growth Management Act (GMA),
developing urban areas at a higher density, and protecting critical areas, and rural areas with lower
density and higher conservation of natural areas. Bond said that the project will do its best to
preserve the current forested conditions in pockets and as a barrier along Old Clifton and Feigley
Rd. Additionally, Bond stated that the development will take a two -prong approach not only
preserving existing trees where possible but requiring a landscape plan for the development that
achieves a 25-30% tree canopy restoration within a certain period of time.
c. DISCUSSION: UPDATE TO POMC 20.170, FLOOD DAMAGE PREVENTION CODE.
Community Development Director Bond introduces the updates to the flood damage prevention
code. The current code was last updated 5 years ago, and new FEMA maps have been created
since, requiring an update to the code. The report was created with technical assistance from
experts from the state at the Department of Ecology (DOE) and are asked by the state to adopt the
new ordinance with updated information.
ADJOURN: Chair Stewart adjourned the meeting at 7:26 pm.
Annette Stewart, Chair
Nick Bond, Community Development Director
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