Clyde Hill News: Council strikes “new construction view impact” policy from Comprehensive Plan
Also: 911 dispatcher report about 83 MPH Volkswagen; Planning Commission to hold public hearing, consider changes to variance expiration rules
The city council voted to remove a policy “protecting existing views...from impairment caused by new construction” from the city’s draft Comprehensive Plan by a 4-0 margin at a special council session Thursday night.
The city’s fifth council member, who could not attend the meeting, recommended the removal of this policy ahead of the meeting in a document included in the meeting packet.
How to make sense of the Comprehensive Plan, how the plan will affect residents, and what’s next, as well as a preview of changes that the Planning Commission will consider to building code variances next week, below — but first, an excerpt from a 911 dispatcher’s log:
It appears that on the evening of June 3, dispatchers noted a Volkswagen going 83 MPH on 84th Ave. According to the report, it appears a ticket was issued.
Request to readers: I’d appreciate hearing from you what kind of coverage you want to see about law enforcement issues like this one. Public safety is important, and the community in Clyde Hill values it — and at the same time, I want to avoid tabloid-style, “if it bleeds, it leads” (link) coverage.
Disclaimer: while I am a councilmember on the Clyde Hill City Council, I write this newsletter in my capacity as an individual resident. Any opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the position of the city. City information and references here are from public sources. I welcome email responses — and if the topic is about city business I will respond from my city email account.
Comprehensive Plan
After many, many conversations with residents over the last few weeks, I want to offer a different way to make sense of the current work to finish city’s Comprehensive Plan.
For context: a resident called me after reading last week’s newsletter to understand what specific language was under consideration for the policy “protecting existing views...from impairment caused by new construction.” The answer was… none. The Comprehensive Plan isn’t specific code, but policy that guides code.
Practice and theory
The conversation made clear to me that what matters to many residents is the city’s actual building codes. These codes describe specifics, like setbacks and height restrictions, view protections, and what residents are permitted to build.
The Comprehensive Plan sets out high-level policies and goals that guide what the community does with its building code.
Finishing the state-required Comprehensive Plan is, in some ways, a “race to the starting line.” The starting line here is updating the city’s building code, so that it
complies with new state requirements. For example, permitting at least two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for each single family home, as well as denser “middle housing” like townhomes in addition to single family homes.
addresses long-standing resident concerns and feedback. For example, rules around code enforcement, substantial remodels, or when variances expire.
The path ahead
Let’s start with the Comprehensive Plan “finish line.” By state law, the city council needs to vote and adopt the Comprehensive Plan by the end of the year.
Right now, the City of Clyde Hill is about two and a half years and ~$273,000 (link) into the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan.
Last week, the city council had its first substantive review of the plan. That review followed the Planning Commission’s vote on June 6th to recommend adoption of the plan. (The Planning Commission has been reviewing draft Comprehensive Plan text for just over a year.)
At last week’s review meeting, the city council agreed on many changes (details on that below) and also made several requests for more information.
At the next city council meeting on July 16th, the council will consider whether to send the revised draft “to outside agencies, neighboring jurisdictions, and the public for review and comment.” After that,
Staff will review and provide recommendations for further adjustments based on agency comments as necessary, and provide the Draft Comprehensive Plan to City Council for further consideration and adoption in late 2024. (link)
Feedback and change
The change most likely to be of interest to residents involves a proposed policy “protecting existing views...from impairment caused by new construction.” Almost all the public comments from residents (both in the meeting packet, link, and at the meeting) expressed an opinion about this policy.
The council voted 4-0 to strike this policy from the Comprehensive Plan.
You can see a list of the other major topics discussed at the meeting here (link). Key issues included commitments to tribal coordination, living fence regulations, and whether substantial remodels should continue to be exempt from coming into compliance with stormwater drainage requirements.
Some council members submitted written comments with their “substantive” (as compared to typos) feedback. You can read those here (link) and here (link).
Planning Commission to consider rules about expiration of variances
At their meeting next Thursday June 27, the city’s Planning Commission will hold a
public hearing to discuss and consider updates to CHMC [Clyde Hill Municipal Code] Chapter 17.72.040 (Damaged, destroyed, or demolished buildings and structures - Expiration of Variance).
before they consider “a motion to recommend updates” to the city council about that part of the city’s municipal code (link).
You can read more about the topic here (link) and here (link).
If you have questions or concerns, you can share them at the Planning Commission meeting in person or online (link), or send email to commissioners (link) or council members (link) directly.
Thank you for reading! Please forward and share with your friends and neighbors, and if you are not already getting this newsletter, subscribing is both easy and free.
Dean Hachamovitch