Approved Minutes - 2008-07-28 (02)•
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City of Lake Oswego d
Planning Commission Minutes approfl
July 28,2008 I'
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Julia Glisson called the Phmning Commission meeting of Monday, July 28, 2008 to
otdet at approximately 7:·00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, at 380 "A"
A venue, Lake Oswego, Oregon.
II. ROLL CALL
Ill.
Members present were Chair Glisson, Vice Chair Philip Stewart and Commissioners
Adrianne Brockman and Mary Olson*. Commissioners Brian Newman, Scot Siegel and
Alison Webster were excused.
*Arrived approximately 7:05 p.m.
Staff present were Dennis Egner, Long Range Planning Manager; Evan Boone, Deputy
City Attorney and Iris Treinen, Administrative Support.
CITIZBN COMMENT
None.
IV. MINUTES
Cormnissioner Brockman moved to_ approve the Minutes of June 23; 2008. Vice Chair
Stewart seconded the motion and it passed 4:0.
V. GENERAL PLANNING-WORK SESSION
Community Development Code Amendments JPP 08~0002) Updl;lte on proposed
text amendments to the Lake Oswego Code (LOC), Chapter 50 of the CottliiiUiiity
Development Code (CDC) for clarifying, correcting and updating sections.
Staff coordinator was Dennis Egner, ·Long Range Planning Manager. The
Cominissioners continued to examine proposed CDC changes and categorize them a,s
either simple, "housekeeping" changes, or policy changes that warranted more public
input. The Historic Resources Advisory Board had requested -a change in a conditiona,l
use provision that allowed non-profit office use in landmark structures on arterial streets .
They wanted for-profit uses to also be . allowed. They believed the change would·
City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission
Minutes of July 28, 2008 Page I of4
encourage more people to use, rather than demolish, historic structures. Staff advised
they could support the change because there were only a few sites where this would
apply; a conditional use hearing would be required; conditions of approval would be •
applied to make the use compatible with the neighborhood; and the use would also be
subject to other requirements, such as parking. The Commissioners generally agreed this
was a change th_at neighborhood associations should have an opportunity to comment on.
Staff proposed to revise provisions regarding nort-confotming uses. That section
currently contained one provisioJJ-that set li 50% cost threshold to full compliance with
the code when the structure was changed, but it contained another provisioJJ-that certain
kinds of repairs did not count. They recalled the intent of the cost threshold Was to avoid
expanding the degree of non-conformity, but some circumvented it by doing ''serial
repairs," or demolishing all but a small part of the existing structure, They said the Infill
Tas~ Force would recommend not subjecting single-family redevelopment to the 50%
threshold, because members believed it encouraged people to demolish smaller, older
homes, rather than improve them. The Cortuilissionets agreed this was a policy issue.
Commissioner Broclan_lllJ-suggested making it easier to make such improvements as long
as the design was compatible with neighbors' houses. She also suggested replacing the
50% cost thre~hold with a standard that required retention of a specific percentage of the
existing structure.
Staff proposed changes to provlSlons regarding an Overall Development Plan and
Schedule (ODPS), that would clarify that uses in the approved project were limited to
those specifically listed in the ODPS apptqVal. They confirmed that they had .-
incorporated changes the Commissioners had suggested into the provisions fot scheduling
developer/neighborhood association meetings under Section 50.77.025, Neighborhood
Cop.tact. They presented two procedural options and the Commissioners agreed with the
staff suggestion to incorporate Option J (which addressed notification of recognized
neighborhood associations and "other organizations") into the final draft, but keep the
text of Option 2 (which addressed different types of neighborhood organizations) in case
the Commissioners later decided that was best. Staff explained they already tried to keep
members of all types of non-recognized neighborhood groups notified and informed, and
two residents of Westlake had gone through the City's pre.,application conference training
program.
The Commissioners exainin.ed proposed changes to the Ministerial Development
Classificl:J.tion section. Staff advised that a large percentage of City properties were on
weak foundation soils, and that, technically, the code did not consider structures on those
lots "Ministerial development." However, City practice was to consider those houses
"Ministerial Development" if they were lots in a subdivision that had been approved after
a geotechnical analysis had been submitted. The Commissioners agreed this was a policy
change that warranted more discussion because a house might be enlarged beyond what
. the soil would hold; drainage had to be considered; and if such a development failed, that
could affect the neighbors.
Staff_ said that they proposed to tighten provisions that described how much and what .-
kinds of fayade modifications triggered compliance with design district standards. When
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Minutes of July 28, 2008 Page 2 of4
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VI.
asked, they clarified that the fa~ade change was subject to land use review, and a change
in signage, which was subject to the Sign Code, might be made contingent upon f~ade
approvaL Staff clarified for Cmrunissioner :Srockm.an that if a neighborhood association
Wanted to put a kiosk in a patk, or make it a "frisbee patk," that Would be accomplished
by the City, if it were part of the Parks Master Plan; otherwise, the proposal was subject
to development review. The City would file the application, but might ask the
neighborhood association to do the work and pay the fee. Approval could be subject to
conditions of approval regarding traffic and parking, and approval of the design of the
kiosk building. Commissioner Brockn:um commented that the City should waive the
application fee when community organizations ,Wanted to do things that were beneficial to
the community. Mr. Boone advised in that case, the City Manager was authorized to
waive the fee.
Staff acknowledged that although notification mailing label lists could become outdated
between the start and the end of the development review process, they proposed to use the
most recent tax assessment roll for mailings (updated by the County in October and
available to jurisdictions in November-December), and require the notice to also be
posted oil the site. They clarified that the notice was mailed out the day after the
application wa~ deemed complete, so there was not time to revalidate the list.
Staff planned to present the categorized changes in the following order: First the easy,
"housekeeping" changes~ then sensitive lands ordinance-related changes; then the policy
chailges that the Commissioners had agreed would require more input and discussion.
However, there would be one public notice about all the proposed changes .
OTHER BUSINESS -PLANNING COMMISSION
Neighborhood Plan Implementation
Commissioner Brockman distributed a "Neighborhood Planning" outline she had
fashioned which was based on her experience in another county. The county's overall
plan and policies were based on locational information that developers might use with
neighborhood pla,ns adding lllOre detail to the larger plan. She also submitted, "Example
of How a Plan Policy and Implemeiltatiort Strategies Might Work,'' that started with a
goal, then set related policy and requirements for new development; then described how
they were to be implemented and funded. ,
Commissioner Brockman recalled the Palisades Neighborhood Association wanted a
different Floor Area Ratio (FAR) applied to adult living facilities, and she said her
experience was that a neighborhood pJa,n and the related zoning code should be adopted
at the same time. Mr. Egner advised that there were ''pros'' and ''cons;' for adopting the
neighborhood plan first, or adopting both the plan and related code at the same time. He
thouglit the process would be completed faster if the plan were adopted first, and then the
related code. Chair Glisson recalled that the Lake Grove Village Center Advisory
Committee had found it helpful to be able to look at the potential code because it helped
them better understand what the plan needed to say. Commissioner Brockman offered to
draft a locational policy, including criteria to deterrtline "What goes where.'' Chair
City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission
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Glisson observed that density would be subject to such locational policy and criteria. Mr.
Egner advised that the Comprehensive Plan already included some locational policies,
and requests for zone changes were few and infrequent in Lake Oswego. •
VII.
Chair Glisson recalled the Commissioners had been surprised to find such a lack of
umierstanding between parties at the Palisades Neighborhood Plan hearing. She
suggested assigning a Planning Collliilissioner to be a liaison with each neighborhood
association, to help them clarify what they wanted as they developed their plan. Mr.
Egner reported there were five neighborhood associations working on plan
implementation. Chair Glisson anticipated the CoJll1)1issioners would discuss assignin~
liaisons at another meeting. When asked, Mr. Egner confirtned that the Palisades
Neighborhood Association could a.sk for more time to work on their implementation plan.
OTHER BlJSINESS-COMMISSION FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT
None.
VIII. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further b11siness before the Planning Commission, Chait Glisson
adjourned the meeting at 8:42p.m.
City of Lake Oswego Planning Commission
Minutes of July 28, 2008
R(\~pmitted;
y.~
Iris Treinen
Administrative Support
Pa~e 4 of4
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