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Record of Proceedings

Shoreline Planning Commission Regular Meeting - April 17, 2025

Planning Commission — Thursday, April 17, 2025
BodyShoreline, Washington
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, April 17, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 25:24

Original source
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0:07

Good evening.

0:08

I'd like to call to order the Thursday, April 17th, 2025.

0:12

Meeting of the Shoreline Planning Commission.

0:15

First is roll.

0:18

Thank you.

0:19

Chair Brinson is absent with notice.

0:23

Commissioner Cape.

0:25

Present.

0:26

Commissioner Hadley.

0:29

Present.

0:30

Commissioner Lin.

0:32

Here.

0:32

Vice Chair Mosier?

0:34

Here.

0:34

And Commissioner Pove?

0:36

Here.

0:36

Thank you.

0:37

I have not heard from Commissioner Fry, but hopefully he'll show up.

0:41

Hopefully.

0:41

All right.

0:42

Thank you.

0:43

Thank you.

0:44

Next, approval of the agenda.

0:45

Any changes, visions?

0:48

Super.

0:49

How about approval of our minutes from our last meeting, January 16th?

0:53

Or January 16th.

0:57

Oh, no.

0:59

Thank you.

1:00

April 3rd.

1:01

Yeah, oh wow.

1:03

Said it out loud, didn't seem right.

1:05

Comments changed to the minutes.

1:08

No.

1:08

Excellent.

1:10

How about public comment?

1:12

Do we have anybody signed up tonight, Carla?

1:15

No public comment tonight.

1:17

Thank you.

1:17

Excellent.

1:19

Moving right along.

1:20

That brings us to our first study item this evening, discussion of environmentally critical area code updates.

1:44

Good evening.

1:45

It's been a couple months.

1:51

Good evening, Commissioners.

1:52

My name is Elise Kime, Planning Manager here with the city.

1:56

Here to discuss a work plan item we have this year, the update to the city's critical areas code.

2:10

We'll go over what are critical areas and why are they protected, state requirements around critical areas, some terminology that we'll be uh become very familiar with by the end of this process.

2:24

Uh the proposed uh code review and update and proposed schedule.

2:31

So, first up, what are critical areas?

2:35

Well, there are five types of critical areas designated in state code that cities like Shoreline that plan under the Growth Management Act are required to regulate.

2:46

These include wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas.

2:57

A real mouthful.

3:01

So let's explore what these different uh types of critical areas are.

3:06

A wetland is a critical area characterized by soils with low oxygen and plant life that really thrives in that low oxygen environment.

3:16

And as the name suggests, there is water present for at least some part of the year.

3:21

Some common examples of wetlands are marshes, bogs, and swamps.

3:27

Now, wetlands play really essential roles in watershed health in a number of different ways.

3:33

Uh they help reduce and slow flooding.

3:36

The plants in wetland environments really help to improve water quality.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection█████████████████████████████████████████████71%
Procedural██████████████████29%
Summary of Proceedings

Shoreline Planning Commission Regular Meeting - April 17, 2025

The Shoreline Planning Commission met on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Vice Chair Christopher Mosier presided in the absence of Chair Leslie Brinson (excused). The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m. The Commission discussed an update to the City's Environmentally Critical Areas Code and approved amendments to its own Rules of Procedure.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Agenda: The agenda was accepted as presented.
  • Approval of Minutes: The minutes of April 3, 2025 (not January 16, 2025 as listed on the agenda) were accepted as presented after the Vice Chair corrected the date during the meeting.

Discussion Items

  • Environmentally Critical Areas Code Update: Planning Manager Elise Keim presented an overview of the five types of critical areas (wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, frequently flooded areas, geologically hazardous areas, and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas). She explained the state requirements under the Growth Management Act, including the mandate to update the code by the end of 2025 following the comprehensive plan update. The main focus of the update will be on streams due to their impact on anadromous fish. Staff will review the best available science (especially 2020 Department of Fish and Wildlife data) and look for opportunities to streamline the code. The proposed schedule includes summer study sessions and a public hearing in the fall for the Planning Commission to make a recommendation to City Council. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about aquifer baseline data and the city's GIS mapping; no major concerns were raised.
  • Amending Planning Commission Rules of Procedure: Senior Planner Steve Szafran presented a proposal to reorganize the public comment period to match the City Council's sequence. Under the change, general public comments and comments on agenda items would occur at the beginning of the meeting, while public testimony for public hearings would still follow staff presentations and initial commission questions. Public comment after staff presentations on study items would be eliminated. Commissioners expressed support for the change, citing consistency with Council procedures and allowing the public to speak early without having to stay for the entire meeting.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion passed (6-0): Commissioner Hadley moved, and Commissioner Povick seconded, to approve the changes to the Rules of Procedure as shown in Attachment A. The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote: Commissioners Povick, Fry, Mosier, Lin, Cabe, and Hadley all voted yes. (Note: The agenda listed the item as a study item, but a vote was taken after discussion.)
  • Next Meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for May 1, 2025, and will continue discussion of parking minimums.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I'd like to call to order the Thursday, April 17th, 2025. Meeting of the Shoreline Planning Commission. First is roll. Thank you. Chair Brinson is absent with notice. Commissioner Cape. Present. Commissioner Hadley. Present. Commissioner Lin. Here. Vice Chair Mosier? Here. And Commissioner Pove? Here. Thank you. I have not heard from Commissioner Fry, but hopefully he'll show up. Hopefully. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Next, approval of the agenda. Any changes, visions? Super. How about approval of our minutes from our last meeting, January 16th? Or January 16th. Oh, no. Thank you. April 3rd. Yeah, oh wow. Said it out loud, didn't seem right. Comments changed to the minutes. No. Excellent. How about public comment? Do we have anybody signed up tonight, Carla? No public comment tonight. Thank you. Excellent. Moving right along. That brings us to our first study item this evening, discussion of environmentally critical area code updates. Good evening. It's been a couple months. Good evening, Commissioners. My name is Elise Kime, Planning Manager here with the city. Here to discuss a work plan item we have this year, the update to the city's critical areas code. We'll go over what are critical areas and why are they protected, state requirements around critical areas, some terminology that we'll be uh become very familiar with by the end of this process. Uh the proposed uh code review and update and proposed schedule. So, first up, what are critical areas?

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