To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
Title
Discussion/Direction: Public Meetings on Downtown Building Height Restrictions
Body
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Executive Summary
At the Town Council meeting of March 2, 2021, the Town Council unanimously directed staff to place the issue of Downtown height restrictions on an April Town Council agenda. As discussed at the February 2 meeting, Town staff has been previously reviewing this issue but has not yet conducted public outreach nor contacted with downtown property owners, businesses or other interested individuals.
Please find attached a memorandum from the Development Services Department that provides background on the height restrictions in the downtown area. The memorandum also offers one possible height restriction amendment - a maximum allowable building height within the Core of Downtown of 35 feet, without the allowance to request an additional floor or height. The Core of downtown is defined - in this memo - as 5th Street to 3rd Street between the interstate and the Union Pacific railroad tracks east of Perry Street, and to 2nd Street east of Wilcox. I want to emphasize that this is one proposal for a change in height restrictions - as is immediately recognized, other possible changes may be appropriate for consideration. Examples could include changes to all height allowances in all parts of the Downtown Overlay District, changes in feet (or stories) in other definitions of the Core of Downtown, and other types of height restrictions. Again, this was being developed as a possible area of agreement on height restrictions - all subject to public comment and input, and ultimately direction from Council. Height may be only one of the issues that could be addressed by Town Council - overall requirements for redevelopment may be a desired area for Town Council to discuss, as well.
The staff memorandum provides background on this issue; it also provides a general overview of height restriction in areas outside of downtown. Height restrictions elsewhere in the community may be of interest to Council.
Staff recommends the following as next steps:
Staff recommends that we conduct public open houses in May and June to receive public comments on this issue. The issue will be height restrictions in the downtown, not limited to the proposal developed by Town staff. Prior to the open houses, staff will develop a communications plan to advise Town residents and downtown property owners/businesses of the public open houses and opportunities to share comments. The Town’s boards and commissions that are impacted by this issue - the Downtown Development Authority, Design Review Board, Historic Preservation Board and Planning Commission - will also be asked for comments, along with the Downtown Merchants Association. With the public open house comments and other comments, staff would place this issue back on the Town Council agenda - tentatively June 15 - for additional Town Council direction.
Recommended Motion
Direct staff to conduct public open houses on the issue of Downtown height restrictions, and subsequently place this issue back on a future Town Council agenda.
“I move to direct staff to engage in community outreach meetings regarding potential building height changes in the majority of the Downtown Core and bring this item back to Council for consideration.”
Attachments
Staff memo - Discussion/Direction: Downtown Overlay District Proposed Height Changes
Attachment A: CRMC 17.42.070 Draft Redlines