Planning Commission Regular Meeting/Work Session

James FeatherI move and second it to adopt them as issued. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Abstentions? Passes unanimously. Next order of business is items not requiring a public hearing. This is a consideration of our 2024 Planning Commission annual report to the City Council, and we'll also receive associated updates to the comprehensive plan implementation guide as well as those for the small area plans. Turn it over to Steph. Ms. Denny.

Ms. DennystaffAll right. Good evening, Chair Feather and members of the Commission. As the Chair mentioned, this presentation will cover the 2024 annual report as well as the implementation guides for the comprehensive plan and the four adopted small area plans for Old Town, North Fax, Camp Washington, and Fairfax Circle. This is

The two existing actions that still have no progress are multimodal 425 and commercial corridors and activity centers 114. Multimodal 425 is to evaluate a linked TDM fund for in lieu developer fees for parking requirements. This can't be evaluated until we have a citywide TDM, and there's still not enough staff resources for that. And the time frame for that action is 2030. And then the second existing action that is still not in progress is Commercial Corridors and Activity Centers 114, which is to develop urban design concept diagrams for small block and multi-block areas along commercial corridors outside of the activity centers and that's also identified for 2030. So moving on to the small area plans 13 of the 41 actions in Old Town have been updated this

Mr. Naptestaffflexibility for for businesses to locate in the city going forward to 2028 or talked about the small area plans picket in Maine this is whatever effort we we decided to go forward with with developing a plan for picket in Maine as Planning Commission discussed in the comprehensive plan review we don't see the need to do a complete smaller your plan as we have or other areas but there's still desire to do some kind of effort to focus on the future development area and then the next to relate to zoning ordinance manufactured housing was requirement for us to put into by the state code to determine if that is a tool that could be useful to accomplish more affordable housing in the city and in the arts district was recommended in the conference plan as well as the old

Kirsten LockhartCunningham phrase it perhaps more kindly than I might have but my note was more for for staff and Planning Commission notes as we look towards the small area plan implementation plans, because almost every proposal that we receive for not just Old Town, but also for North Facts and for Camp Washington, the small area plans were carefully thought out in that these are areas where we may increase density up to a height. And almost every proposal takes that as like an opening bid and ups the ante. And perhaps the small area plans were naive in the economic assessments of what was viable on those sites. I also think that because we've been a little sparse on our true vision of how these things are going to be accomplished,

Anthony ColemanThat enables them to do that. Really, the only way we can is to create an environment where you can actually sustainably have all three. Because if you only foster an environment where you can have one type of activity, living or working or retail, going to get that mixed-use community that you truly I think all of us really envision for these activity centers and small area plans

Mr. NaptestaffThank you again, Mr. Chair. Going back to the City Council meeting on January 14, which was the day after your last meeting, they received the same presentation you received to small area plans we had a few pieces of feedback mostly questions and we'll be back in front of both planning commission City Council in the next couple of months on the next phase of that project for tomorrow with the City Council I don't usually talk about a water contracts but they will be a wording a contract for construction of the government Center Parkway extension does that be interested to the Planning Commission because it has been in our comprehensive plan for quite some time and that project is finally moving