We have an agenda, and it is 701.

It is December 9th, 2025.

We are the planning commission for the city of Cornelius.

We are in the city council chambers on a nice moist December evening.

And so tonight we have four sets of minutes to consider, two uh legislative applications for which we will hold the public hearing, and then some uh a presentation, and then we'll talk about our schedule for the new year.

Okay.

So we will uh call the meeting to order, and if you would call the roll, please.

Commissioner Baker.

Present.

Commissioner Hinze present.

Vice Chair Owens.

Present.

Chair Waffle.

Present.

All present.

All right.

Um the first items are uh approval of planning commission minutes of uh earlier this year, June 24, August 12th, September 9, September 23rd, uh oh five sets, September 20, uh September 9th, September 23rd, and October 28th.

Um the uh Ms.

City Recorder, um, can you advise us if we were the about our ability to vote on these even if we did not attend the meeting?

What's your advice?

Yes, uh, even if you did not attend the meeting, you can vote on the minutes.

Did you want me to say more?

So we don't have to abstain.

You do not have to abstain.

Um even if you weren't on the commission when that meeting happened, you can still vote on the minutes.

Okay.

All right.

Can we combine them like I moved for the minutes to get adopted on for the Tuesday, October 28th, June 4th?

Yeah.

Okay.

So do we have a uh a motion to approve any or all of these minutes?

My motion to approve all minutes.

All right.

Is there a second?

I'll second that motion.

Okay.

I have one just a typo to correct.

Um if I can find it.

No, I don't.

Disregard.

All right.

Uh all those in favor of approving these five sets of minutes.

Um the uh June 24, August 12, September 9, September 23, and October 28th.

Uh please say aye.

If you're in favor, aye.

And opposed.

Same.

All right.

All the all sets of minutes are approved.

Thank you very much.

So with that, we will go into our first public hearing of the evening.

It is a uh legislative action, as both of them are.

Uh the uh this is a public hearing on a parks master plan.

It is comprehensive plan amendment uh 2025-02.

Uh the applicant is the city of Cornelius.

Um it affects multiple properties throughout the city, and it is a type four legislative comprehensive plan amendment to repeal the current parks master plan and replace it with a new parks master plan.

The it affects various zones throughout the city, and the criteria that are applicable are statewide planning goals, the Metro Urban Growth Management Functional Plan, the Cornelius Comprehensive Plan Amendment Criteria, and uh the Cornelius Municipal Code, Chapter 18.130 comprehensive plan amendment procedures.

Um with that, let's see if there's anything else I'd like to get into the record.

So we have both a staff report and then the then the extensive plan document itself.

Uh the uh I will uh then turn it over.

Point one three zero comprehensive plan amendment procedures um so with that let's see if there's anything else I'd like to get into the record so we have both the staff report and then the then the extensive plan document itself uh the um I will uh then turn it over oh well one more thing um the Planning Commission well let me see the the process is that this is a uh type four uh process it'll be processed with a notice in a public hearing um the um the planning commission will make a recommendation to the city council concerning the request any appeal of a decision by the city council shall be made to the Stan State Land Use Board of Appeals uh per ORS 197.830 in order for an issue to be appealed to Lubin must be raised before the close of the record of the public hearing such issues must be raised raised with sufficient specificity to afford the hearing body and parties an aggregate opportunity respond to each issue um so with that we will turn it over to staff for a presentation um miss fryer good evening planning commission um so as chair waffle noted this is comprehensive plan amendment 2025 zero two the parks master plan and it is a legislative amendment um the parks master plan would replace the one that is in your packet would replace the existing plan the applicable criteria as chair waffle noted is um listed in the staff report it's lifted in the um notice and then it's listed on that board over there that's that is facing the audience each cra each section of criteria is in a different color just so to differentiate what the different criteria are and we'll go over that in um a little bit of detail later on in the meeting um so the basic facts are that the parks master plan provides a blueprint for the city's park system um and creates a vision of interconnected parks and trails um that are inclusive and provide for outdoor recreation health and environmental conservation um as part of a thriving and livable cornelius it's okay we are okay um so this particular parks master plan has an updated system of inventory system inventories a community profile needs analysis and comprehensive capital projects list that capital projects list is uh will be added to the annual um capital improvements plan for the city and different funds are put into that capital improvement plan um and so that will be added um this parks master plan identifies goals and outlines a long range plan for a park and recreation system for the city that includes action items and strategies for at least the next decade and hopefully two decades um and it meets it serves to meet the statewide planning goal eight which is recreational needs of the city public notice was provided in the Forest Grove News Times on November 14th 2025 November 20th notice was mailed to the interest interested parties and agency list and we have not received any public comments to date the notice was also provided to the Department of Land Conservation and Development over 35 days in advance of this first public hearing if your recommendation ends up affirmative and promotes it to the city council the city council would hear the item on their January fifth meeting and they too would hold a public hearing and then if they chose to they would act on an ordinance and adopt that ordinance so you may recall that the Cornelius vision 2045 had a number of recommendations and an entire section on parks and recreation and that served as a foundation for this project um there were also um public engagement opportunities with surveys online outreach we also tabled at three community events the children's day event the uh community dinner last yeah 2024 community dinner and then um national night out in 2024 uh work

There were also public engagement opportunities with surveys, online outreach.

We also tabled at three community events, the children's day event, the community dinner last yeah, 2024 community dinner, and then national night out in 2024.

Work sessions were held with the public infrastructure advisory board, you your board, your commission, and the city council to solicit feedback.

So there are four sections of criteria that are intended for comprehensive plan amendments.

The first one is that it has to be compliant with statewide planning goals.

So these are the goals.

The first one is citizen involvement, and as I laid out, we did consult with the public, and there um the different meetings are cited in the document.

The in the staff report, the second goal is land use planning, and we have a process for amending the plan, and that is what we are going through right now.

Um goals three and four are for agricultural and forest lands, and they're not applicable because that's outside urban growth boundaries.

Goal five, natural resources, scenic and historic areas and open spaces.

Um the amendment itself does not impact those resources.

However, um, I could add additional information to this finding related to the fact that many of the parks help preserve these different types of resources, and many of the parks have these types of resources within them.

Um then air, water and land resources quality.

Again, the existing parks do not directly impact the air, water, and land resources quality.

However, they do serve as a mechanism to help preserve wetlands and other resources that would otherwise be developed.

The goal seven is areas subject to national disaster natural disasters and hazards.

And uh this particular amendment does not necessarily affect natural hazards, however, um many of the park properties, or I won't say many, some of the park properties are also encumbered by FEMA floodplains or flood hazard areas, and so any development of those parks would follow the floodplain regulations if they were developed.

So steamboat park is a prime example.

So as we look to providing um future access to the Twilight and River at that park, part of it will entail looking at the floodplain and making sure that the regulations that you folks adopted compliant with FEMA will be followed when we when we develop that property.

Um goal eight has to do with recreational areas, and um the uh intent of the plan is to provide for future changes to the park system.

Um in that regard, it the first statement the amendment does not impact any recreational opportunity.

Well, it doesn't today, but the intent is to change the focus for the future on parks and recreation and provide opportunity.

The parks master plan does not change the parks systems development charges, and that might be something that would be important to look at in the future as the price tag for the capital improvement plan far exceeds the systems development charges that are there today.

And systems development charges only go to pay for new park facilities.

It does not pay for maintenance or recreation, it's only for capital improvements.

Then goal nine has to do with economic development.

And the economic opportunities analysis was adopted in 2023.

And none of the actions in the economic opportunities analysis would be affected by the parks master plan.

However, one could argue that having a good recreation, parks and recreation system could attract better economic opportunities in the city.

Housing again, this doesn't affect housing, but it does provide an avenue for recreation for all of the current housing that's in the city, and the parks systems development charges help to fund future park acquisitions and park amenities.

Isn't that goal 10?

Housing.

Yes.

Is it on the next page for us?

Oh thank you.

Yes, thank you.

And then goal 11 public facilities and services.

Right.

We have all the infrastructure that we anticipate needing within the urban growth boundary in terms of water sewer and storm.

There are improvements to those systems in terms of converting existing wood or metal systems to what is it?

It's the high density plastic pipes that last longer for water, for example, and reduces water loss.

But the fact that we have a park in a particular location doesn't change or add to the need for an upsize or a change in the sizing of those public services, facilities and services.

Similarly, transportation goal twelve.

Although bike facilities, some could argue are recreational type facilities.

Although we could get some type of funding from Metro for park type additions to the public pedestrian network.

Also, the urban renewal district anticipates or has a capital improvement project to improve some pedestrian circulation getting from the future Council Creek Trail down to the Twelleton River.

So there are connections, but this plan doesn't directly change any of those connections.

So there are opportunities at park properties to potentially add solar at some point in time, especially for things like lighting.

And those are things that can be explored as we get more information from places like Energy Trust of Oregon.

Urbanization, this particular parks master plan does not affect any of the areas outside the urban growth boundary.

And goals 15 through 19 relate to the Willamette River Coast and Estuary systems.

And so they're not applicable to Cornelius.

Parks master plan does not affect any of the areas outside the urban growth boundary and goals 15 through 19 relate to the Willamette River Coast and Estuary systems and so they're not applicable to Cornelius based on the information provided staff finds that the amendment to replace this parks master plan with the current the one that's in your packet complies with and is compatible with the applicable statewide planning goals and then the second section um talks about the Metro Urban Growth Management Functional Plan and again it the first title is housing capacity and this particular amendment does not affect um whether we can uh meet housing capacity or not and doesn't change any um any existing density requirements for housing so it doesn't change the the uh capacity um title two was repealed by metro um title three is regional water quality and flood management and again similar to the FEMA requirements whatever um proposals are placed on properties that are encumbered by FEMA regulations or are next to um stream corridors would have to follow the regional water quality and flood management requirements any additional um impervious surface so um would also need to follow clean water services regulations um title four has to do with industrial and other employment lands and uh this particular amendment does not affect any of those lands um there are some of the industrial areas listed such as the land around Flax Plant Road that is um adjacent to the Twalton River and does have flood constraints so there is an opportunity for future um parkland expansion of steamboat park by um providing uh those flooded floodplain areas as park space um title five neighbor cities was repealed by metro um title six has to do with centers corridors station communities and main streets the city's town center is one of those areas and this particular amendment doesn't affect the town center it doesn't propose any new parks within the town center however the community center is proposed within the town center so there is a recreational opportunity within that area and if the parking lot um eventually turns into a plaza then there would be an additional hardscape open space um so there are some opportunities there within the town center um title seven has to do with housing choices and similar to goal ten this particular amendment does not affect uh housing um compliance procedures we sent the appropriate notice to various parties including metro um title nine performance measures have been repealed by metro the title ten definitions do not apply um title eleven planning for new urban areas um doesn't affect new urban areas as it's outside new urban areas are outside the urban growth boundary and none of these um proposals are for anywhere outside the current city limits um protection uh title twelve protection of residential neighborhoods um this is not intended to affect those areas um other than to provide recreation for the people that already live there um nature and neighborhoods um there is the opportunity through um the nature and neighborhoods program at metro to potentially um affect some of the park properties but this particular proposal doesn't doesn't um directly affect any natural resources or the city's ability to conserve stream corridors or anything um related to title thirteen and then title fourteen has to do with urban growth boundaries and again um this is all within the city's city limits and so that is in a is not applicable

And then Title 14 has to do with urban growth boundaries, and again this is all within the city's city limits, and so that is in a is not applicable.

And so staff found that the proposed amendment to replace the parks master plan complies with the applicable sections of the Metro Urban Growth Management Functional Plan.

The next section has to do with comprehensive plan amendments, criteria within the comprehensive plan within chapter one.

There are three criteria.

And it must be documented by appropriate facts and evidence and extend from the statewide planning goals, Metro 2040, or the city's own comprehensive plan.

The second one is that the amendment is necessary to implement the adopted vision for the community, or to respond to unanticipated local circumstances.

And finally, the third one is that the proposed change or amendment must be in conformance with the unamended goals and policies of the comprehensive plan, as well as being consistent with state and regional policies.

And the previous work that was identified within the Cornelius Vision identified the various opportunities that the city has to expand.

Sorry, expand recreation facilities and programming for community members of a variety of ages and abilities.

Opportunities for walking, jogging, cycling, and enjoying nature, building connections to the Twalton River Greenway Trail and the Council Creek Regional Trail, and by protecting resources.

Those are all reasons or they are all goals within the vision that this particular plan would implement.

The significant changes that have occurred since this original plan was adopted.

So the park system has doubled in size from 25 to over 54 acres, two community parks, inclusion of playground elements in several parks, development of Veterans Memorial Park, an off-leash dog park, a preliminary concept plan for the new community center, Ryland Park was reconstructed, paths around and within Harleman Park, new tennis and pickleball courts at Harleman Park, Hortichoke Park is new, property expansion to or property acquisition to expand Dogwood Park, 12 new pocket parks, and recreational trails along the Twalton River.

All of these things are new since the last plan and are reasons to adopt a new plan to meet public need.

So are you referring to something in particular or just I know the Harleman and Martin Pulsar referred to as community parks?

Are there specific stipulations for what is a community park?

Yes.

So if you look at um section chapter four, page 15 of the parks master plan, it talks about the different classifications of parks, beginning with community parks, neighborhood parks, pocket parks, special use facilities, and natural areas.

And there are large sites developed for organized play, longer visits, and contain a wide array of facilities.

Community parks are generally five to ten or more acres in size and serve residents within a two-mile drive walk or bike ride from the site.

Community parks can also serve as local neighborhood parks when considering equitable distribution of outdoor recreation opportunities.

So they're the bigger parks intended to be more of a community-wide draw.

Okay, and did that already exists in the comprehensive plan though?

The definition of no.

So all of these uh definitions are relatively new for um this parks master plan because the past one was adopted in 2009.

Thank you.

And many of the concepts of what constitutes the different types of parkland are newer um newer constructs, and the amount of area that those types of parks serve are newer ideas as well.

In two thousand in that 2009 plan, they only Cornelius only had uh Harleman Park as a as a community that would meet this definition of a of a uh community park.

Um that's why it was interesting to I'm I'm glad that we've listed all the all the uh additional park facilities in here.

Is that aligning at all with any like regional um how did you just put it?

Definitions for parks master plans is that a regional thing, or is it just kind of something that's caught on that's not necessarily legislated?

So it's not legislated, but the state of Oregon and the there's a national organization and it's um I can't remember what the initials stand for, but it's SCORP.

They have um outdoor recreation.

Yeah, yeah, they have guidelines for um what what are the different types of parks, how many people should they serve, um, what is the draw area, and those are similar to I won't say they're national standards, but they're um standard they're the standards we have, but none of them are required.

They're just generally in the field of parks and recreation, these are the um desired standards, if you will.

In the field of parks and recreation, is there any consideration for Pacific Northwest seasonal changes?

Like maybe they'll be less frequented in the winter and fall because it's rainy and dark.

Um no, there isn't anything like that in the identified standards.

Um however the visioning committee or visioning advisory committee, and then all of the visioning work that we did identified that people want places to recreate indoors, which is why um the city is is working to acquire the community center to provide that indoor space for the winter months.

Well, it would be year-round, but especially for the winter months for people to get indoors and recreate, right?

Um so then the last section has to do with the Cornelius Municipal Code and compliance with that is that the plan and amendments conform to the Oregon statewide planning goals, which we already talked about.

Um the proposed amendments comply with other applicable laws, rules, and regulations of the state, city, and other governmental agencies, um, and then the proposed amendment addresses the criteria identified in chapter one of the plan.

Um and then the proposed amendment addresses the criteria identified in chapter one of the plan.

So the analysis in the staff report identifies that the different sections of the report.

Um so under uh the first criteria on this page, um the staff report identifies section one of the staff report as being compliant with the statewide planning goals.

Um section two addresses the second um amendment criteria, and then section three of the report identify is identified as meeting the third criterion.

So based on that, staff recommend that the planning commission recommend approval of the amendment to the city council.

I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Any questions from commissioners?

I have one.

Um just I think it's I think we're just missing it's a typo on um in the criteria um after we list all the accomplishments that then the the next page it talks about population growth, and I think it's referencing a growth from some year to 2023, and we're missing the beginning year.

Thank you.

I will fill that in.

When I when I was reviewing the document today, there's a lot in the demographics, and I was trying to figure out okay, which year, which piece of that were they talking about.

I will leave that to you to figure out what that is.

That's not an amendment, that's just a fix.

Yes, thank you.

If we move to recommend this to city council, you will make you will do we have to state that you will edit this or no, no, but I will edit it, yes.

I had a feeling okay.

Going back to what you were mentioning about transportation and bikes, um can you explain a little bit more how that works?

We would apply follow-up funding for Metro.

Okay.

So Metro and the County both have different funding sources that are intended for bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

The state also does, but with their funding shortfalls, it's unlikely that they're gonna have any in the near future.

Um, but typically um there is an annual ask from local jurisdictions for additional funding for different projects.

The metro projects um range from regional type projects to sometimes just small projects like our Terry Brooke Park is going to get a um an urban forest and a pathway through it.

So those are examples of smaller types of facilities.

Metro also um funded a um an improvement to steamboat park.

We're having some difficulty.

Um engineering the project with the amount of money that Metro was willing to give us.

So we're still working on scoping that and trying to figure out how to do the project with the funding that was provided.

Also, the community center, if it's acquired, um there are some metro funds that can help us turn that parking lot into an asset, like a um an urban um hard scape with um planter strip areas and more natural softening type aspects to it.

So there are funding sources out there.

Um we as staff in engineering and planning go after those different funding sources when we can.

Um need to do, want to do for the community, and it gives us that basis to say, hey, we've got this project in the plan, and let's apply for this funding, and we have the documentation that it's in our plan, and so the community is behind that idea.

I think one of the other major funding uh sources will be the money that will come for the Council Creek Trail and the Council Creek Trail is a big piece of this parts of rec plan.

Yes.

And we all are very familiar with our work picking up litter on the Council Creek Trail.

And the I understand that the bridge over Derry Creek might start construction as soon as the weather allows.

So springtime, late spring, early summer.

Um there's a window for doing that type of work in water.

So they are working diligently to that'll be the first segment of the trail that's done, so the new bridge will be first.

That's great.

Yep.

Any other questions, comments?

Uh you uh you did a great job, and so did the other committees.

It was a pleasure to read this, and I was grateful for the opportunity to see the progress Cornelius has made.

It's a big thanks to the consultant.

The consultant did a very good job of pulling all of this information together and meeting with staff on multiple occasions, including the park maintenance staff to really learn more about what's working and what's not working.

And um so it's really been quite a pleasure working with this particular consultant on the project.

Along that line, I I appreciated that there were, I mean, there were they devoted paragraphs about stewardship of park properties and facilities and the risk management of failing to take care of this bench and this tree with a bad limb and and all the liabilities that can occur uh with owning a park system that has doubled in uh to 54 acres.

Yes, yes, and we specifically ask them to help us understand the comparison of the park land and staffing so that we could understand how that compares to other jurisdictions and their ratios of staffing so that as we move forward as a community, we can look at those trade-offs of what is important to continue and how do we fund additional staff to keep those parks looking great and functioning well?

That becomes a matter of what can you build that you can maintain all right.

Any other questions from the commissioners?

We will quickly go through the public hearing portion and hear from the public.

Do we have any we have no one online?

I presume.

We have no one online.

One online, all right.

Um then uh let me uh open up that part of the deliver of the process and ask are there any uh any members of the public that would like to uh speak in favor of this proposal or in opposition or just in general, please identify yourself and there's no one on the no one online.

I'm sorry, I misunderstood.

No one's online.

All right.

For the record, is there anyone that would like to speak in favor, against or in general?

Hearing none.

The minutes will reflect hearing none.

Um we will close the the public testimony portion of the uh of the hearing and uh uh go into uh uh deliberations unless there's any need for rebuttal from the staff applicant, none.

All right, uh commissioners.

to speak in favor against or in general hearing none the minutes will reflect hearing none uh all right then uh we will close the the public testimony portion of the uh of the hearing and uh uh go into uh uh deliberations unless there's any need for rebuttal from the staff applicant none all right uh commissioners uh the uh how do you find uh this proposal do you wish to recommend it to the city council uh for adoption as a comprehensive plan amendment it is uh cpa two zero two five zero two we get a motion i'll move to recommend the comprehensive plan amendments 2025 zero to um parts master plan to the city council for approval okay thank you vice chair owens is there a uh is there a second to the motion second we have a second um is there uh any discussion of this uh uh recommendation to the uh city council for adoption for adoption all right then uh uh all those in favor of the uh of comp of a recommending uh comprehensive plan amendment 2025 zero two a new parks master plan for the city of cornelius please say aye aye and opposed hearing none it is unanimously recommended to the city council thank you and thank you former planner Dick Reynolds who was kind of the principal author of the 2009 plan he's living still up on a hill and outside of banks doing well somebody's car is going on silenced she's very effective all right um we will then um move on to the uh the next public hearing this is uh uh uh a uh this is a comprehensive plan amendment also uh cpa two zero two five zero three to consider an urban planning area agreement uh it is uh this will be a type four uh uh uh process in that uh we uh advertise the hearing we will uh uh we will conduct the hearing and uh we will make a recommendation uh yay or nay on uh uh this uh uh signing this urban planning area agreement that the staff will explain in more detail so this is uh it is uh the amendment is to uh the current comp is to the Cornelius Comprehensive Plan amendment and repeal and amend uh appendix B of the Washington County Cornelius Urban Planning Agreement October 25th nineteen eighty eight this is an oldie but a goodie uh the uh it affects uh multiple properties within the urban growth boundary as mapped uh in the urban planning area map that is an exhibit in this document it affects various Washington County zones and the applicable criteria are very similar to what you just heard in the first uh in our first hearing in that we are considering statewide planning goals metro urban growth management functional plan the Cornelius uh comprehensive plan amendment criteria and uh code and uh from the Cornelius Municipal Code chapter 18 point one three zero this is uh it is a recommendation the planning commission action is a recommendation to the city council concerning the request any appeal or decision by the city council shall be made to the state land use board of appeals LUBA per ORS 197.830 in order for an issue to be appealed to LUBA must be raised before the close of the record of the public hearing such issues must be raised with sufficient specificity to afford the hearing body and parties an adequate opportunity to respond to each issue the staff I know will uh describe the general facts and uh their review of the matter which they know uh a great deal about because they were involved in the negotiations of this agreement so uh we will uh turn it over to staff thank you

The staff I know will describe the general facts and their review of the matter, which they know a great deal about because they were involved in the negotiations of this agreement.

So we will uh turn it over to staff.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So public notice was provided in the Forest Grove News Times November 14th at the same time as the previous amendment.

Notice was also mailed at the same time, and no public comments have been made to date.

So every city in Oregon has an urban planning area agreement with their county.

And many of them are outdated as this one was.

But I requested because this is all pretty much natural resource here, and it's an extension of the portion of the natural resource on this property, that it doesn't make sense to divide it by jurisdiction in that particular location, especially because it would divide a parcel with artificial boundaries.

So the county is moving forward with a an amendment to the forest grove map that would be incorporated into this map at the time the county board of supervisors adopts it, and then we would do we would have that new map as well.

So that's the one change from this map that was included in your packet.

And the county reminded me that urban planning area agreements cover only areas within urban growth boundaries.

So that's why it only covers this area.

It doesn't extend north or south or west to cover areas that we might be interested in.

It's only those areas that are within urban growth boundaries.

And similar to the other amendment, it does make it does meet the criteria.

Um and staff recommends approval.

Thank you.

Are there um are there questions of staff as the applicant?

Hearing none.

I have one, and this is out of curiosity.

What type of agreement needs for the city and county need to have for the consideration of Baffrey that Cornelius may be interested in in the future.

So we wouldn't adopt an agreement, but we would so there is an area outside the urban growth boundary that the city council has asked us in the strategic plan to continue to try to um secure as an addition to our urban growth area.

Um there will be a process in the coming year, year and a half to engage the public and try to get them excited about amending our urban growth boundary to the point where the legislature would have to listen.

And um because the legislature made the last decision, um, Metro cannot make a decision to change that boundary.

Um, it is only a legislative decision.

So the by the Oregon state legislature.

So we are still going to pursue that idea.

Um it is an ongoing process that we hope to start engagement this summer.

Um we'll see.

Good luck.

Um, anything to do with the legislature.

Oh, you're going to get a lot of voices outside of the community and a very under uh a varied understanding of what's happening.

I from my understanding, it's going to be a lot of teaching.

Yes.

Uh usually what that's usually how interest group and lobbyists um do they teach.

So um hopefully they listen.

Thank you.

I referring to the age of the of this agreement.

Uh I was struck by the map and the areas uh in the northeast part of the city that were outside that there were unincorporated urban planning areas, and some of that up in the northeast part, including where I live, um, is you know, came in and it was designated, it did come in, but it was designated industrial.

And so again, just like the list that we had for the park and recrovements over the years, this look back shows how far we have come since 1988.

We were very small town, very small town in 88.

So and then just the other just one minor thing.

I had not realized that that cemetery on North 19th Street is still classified industrial and the count plan.

I I hope that at some point we can do a minor if there's such a thing as a minor plan amendment.

I know it.

Yes, there is cleanup needed on the map.

Anyone else have any comments or questions?

All right.

Then let's go ask the public if they are if there are members of the public that would like to speak in favor, against, or have general questions.

Please identify yourselves.

Hearing none, we will then move towards planning commission deliberation and we will close the portion of the meeting where we would take testimony.

Commissioners, um how do you feel about this uh urban planning agreement?

Uh and we uh move on from 1988 and uh come into the new century.

So we have a motion to recommend uh this comprehensive plan amendment uh CPA 2025-03 for an updated and amended urban planning area agreement.

I move to recommend to the city council to approve the type four legislative amendment to the Cornelius Comprehensive Plan to repeal the current urban planning area agreement with the new UPAA and map.

Very good.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Um is there a second?

I'll second that motion.

Thank you.

Uh any uh further discussion of the matter.

All right.

All those in favor of uh comprehensive of recommending comprehensive plan amendment 2025-03 regarding a a replacement uh of the urban planning area agreement, please say aye.

Aye.

And opposed, same, all right.

And it is so it is unanimously recommended to the city council to come forward in January.

Thank you, staff.

Nice work.

Go back, put my microphone on.

Uh we are uh done with our public hearings, and uh uh staff has a uh presentation about uh poster boards and hands out handouts, uh some educational uh endeavors that uh they would like to engage in uh for future meetings, uh opportunities where we are with the public about the land use uh processes.

So staff any microphones off again.

Thank you.

Sorry.

So the handout that you have was produced by the Department of Land Conservation and Development.

Um there are parts of it that are dated, like it says a resource for citizens.

I would say it's more for community members.

Um the very first goal still says that it is citizen involvement, and that will be changing hopefully soon.

Um there is a committee working on that.

But other than those issues about the word citizens and not community members, this provides a lot of really good information about how to testify and um how to um meet the moment, if you will.

And I if I have time and if the staff that can help me have time, I hope to tailor this for the city.

Well, I won't, but somebody will for me.

And at a minimum, we will have this particular handout as it stands today.

Um for um future meetings.

We'll put them on the back so that people would have them.

The other thing that we're planning on doing is testimony on land use cases needs to speak to criteria.

That's why we talk about the criteria.

Those are the things that you folks have to make your decision on based upon is the facts, findings, and evidence in the record um related to those criteria that are already adopted in the comprehensive plan or development code, depending on the application.

So this was a first attempt, the poster board at creating the criteria for the comprehensive plan map.

I couldn't make the text big enough, but I'm I'm still gonna work on it.

Um I think we're gonna try to have a poster board and a handout with the criteria for the applications that are before you on a particular night at the back table so that people can I hope speak to the criteria.

And then um Rochelle had a good idea too of putting up on the web the same type of handout, both this and the criteria handout.

Even though the criteria are in your staff report, it might help people learn to testify better.

Um and the reason we're doing this is because we really want to make sure that the decisions that you make are based on that criteria because if they're based on the criteria and the evidence and facts and findings in the record, there is less of an opportunity to appeal your decision.

And um you haven't had any appeals, but I just don't want to open the opportunity for appeals in the future.

So I am doing what I can to make sure that the procedural issues are taken care of um and to give you the information that you need to make the decision that you need to make.

Um and so um these are just some improvements I hope that um we're making that can help make your life a little easier and and provide better testimony.

I have a question.

So that board or a similar one will will it be a permanent fixture as a decoration, or will it just be brought out whenever we have uh conversations or um as I do the show decisions on such topic?

Very good question.

So the poster or the the content would change depending on the application, but once I am able to get it big enough font-wise, they would be I'm hoping to kind of have a flip, you know, put it so that it can be flipped up so that any time there's an application we would have it big enough on the on an ESOL so that people could read it and could understand, and it would be specific to that particular application that is being heard by you folks that evening.

Yes, but I think I think it's possible then in our in the script that we read to direct them to tonight's poster.

Yes.

Um, because I I'm pretty sure that in the in the public hearing notices, you know, it has references to CMC 18.145.

Well that but it doesn't say what that is and it's section 1.45 and 150 and all you know just list a bunch of numbers and it's meaningless and we have to the public hearing notices every line cost money so we you know we we can't put the poster in in the uh in the newspaper or I I guess we can put it on our website but it's just it's just an opportunity to to uh sharpen up the process help people um be able to express themselves but we ask you know we're gonna have to ask that they as we have done in the past uh speak to the criteria and that and we know that's not gonna happen and we will still have the job as planning commissioners to take in listen to the public but filter it still against the criteria that uh that are required for making their decision that's my thoughts I think I might even just hope if there is like a stock of papers that was like this is how this works and this is who this body is and this is kind of the limit of their decision making because I'm just thinking of the one meeting we had a bunch of housing and uh they just didn't understand how any of this works really even basically so I don't know if pointing them at the cards here would have even really helped them because they don't understand that we just make a quasi judicial decision based on already existing criteria and I can create I can maybe expand on this or create a second one to go with it about that very thing yeah just a simple explanation of who are we type of deal because um we're leave Planning Commission isn't that popular um yeah anyway so um staff's gonna try this out and uh when she describes our uh upcoming schedule you'll see there may be some opportunities that we will um have these uh uh these educational boards and and uh handouts um and let's you know let's try it um the um and you know we'll probably tweak it three or four times and continue to get it right but um um the uh especially with all the political pressure on development and more housing and et cetera I there's gonna be more and more um pressure on actions and development happening or even things the legislature taking hearings away from us the the decision making away from us and turn them and and there being fewer type three processes um that's what I see that that's what I see coming so we've got to do good do best job we can with the hearing and this is an attempt to uh try to do that and so as we get into it you know afterwards let's let's debrief of okay did did this work did we get did we get a different reaction or and then there's some human behavior we won't be able to change and that's what the gabbles for right I appreciate that and I would like to do the debrief and to understand what you think went went well and what you think could be improved.

I think that's really important can we just um add one extra clarification for them um like these are the criteria and then like FAQ what if I don't see my criteria listed it's like well here's here's the lay of the land okay thank you I will do that thank you um and Dave segueed into the upcoming schedule um January 13th we'll have a work session well where we we will talk about some amendments we're gonna group a whole bunch of amendments together but I'm gonna bring them to you by topic and then um and then it'll pretty much be almost a whole cloth change to chapter 18 um to comply with changes in state law and um but but I'm gonna bring it to you in

We're gonna group a whole bunch of amendments together, but I'm gonna bring them to you by topic, and then it'll pretty much be almost a whole cloth change to chapter 18 to comply with changes in state law and um, but but I'm gonna bring it to you in pieces, and then it'll be batched up together and brought to you as a formal amendment, probably sometime in April or May.

Um so that's on January 13th, it'll be a work session.

Um then on January 27th, there will be a comprehensive plan map amendment to the transportation system plan.

And that graphic will be the same.

Well, I'm gonna fix it, make it bigger, but um those criteria are the same criteria, regardless of whether it's a text amendment or a map amendment of the comprehensive plan.

So it'll be the similar criteria for that particular amendment, and then they'll either be there could be a development application on that same night, and if it's currently incomplete, so applicants the process is applicants submit an application, and we have 30 days to review it as staff to make sure that all the components of the application are what are called complete to write a staff report and give you the materials so that you can render a decision based on the facts findings and evidence in the record.

Um right now that application is not complete, but it could be soon.

So it could be on the January 27th meeting or the February 10th meeting.

Um there are also some discussions with the applicant about maybe being on the February 24th meeting.

So it depends on which meeting it's on, February 10th or February 24th could be an a continuation of the work session that's on January 13th.

So the information on the slide is correct, the dates may be fuzzy.

Um the only thing for sure is the January 13th work session and the comprehensive plan map amendment on January 27th.

The rest could be mobile.

Any questions?

Okay.

And please recruit more members.

All right, then uh if uh any other business anything else anybody has uh well thank you.

I'm glad the four of us are here and uh holding up the uh uh duties of the planning commission.

Uh we are adjourned at 8 19.

Thank you.