ARLINGTON — Input on 14 proposed amendments to the city of Arlington’s comprehensive plan will be taken by City Council June 16, and the hearing will be continued to July 7 for some items and to Aug. 5 for others. The proposals were reviewed by the planning commission June 3.
The assortment of proposed changes ranges from rezoning the Graafstra lowlands for a future city park to adding a zoning underlayment in two new development areas, the Brekhus-Beach annexation on Burn Hill and the proposed Lindsay annexation area, south of 172nd Street west of SR 9.
“When we designated those areas as master planned neighborhoods, we didn’t put in a subzone to apply to non-MPNs,” explained the city’s senior planner, Yvonne Page. She said that a developer for the Lindsay area has tabled the plan to build a planned neighborhood due to financial reasons. With an underlay zone of single family residential, then individual property owners can still go ahead and complete smaller projects.
Consideration of proposed changes on the bluff along Smokey Point Boulevard from 188th Street north will be continued to August. Named the Cedar Stump CPA, the city proposes rezoning 116 acres from light industrial to highway commercial with several different options being considered.
“This discussion will be continued to August because the court’s decision on Dwayne Lane’s appeal has been scheduled for Jan. 26,” Page told the planning commission. The court’s decision will impact that rezone as well as the future of Smokey Point Boulevard.
The hearing for the city’s Transportation Comp Plan, as well as water, sewer and stormwater plans, will all be continued to Aug. 5 to provide time for input from the state’s CTED (Community Trade and Economic Development), Page said.
During the June 3 meeting, the planning commission recommended approval of all but one of the proposals. The planning commission does not approve proposals, but rather forwards its recommendation for approval or denial for consideration by City Council.
Only one proposal attracted much controversy from the community.
Anticipating the future and in the hopes of opening a home-office for this period of slow economy, residents at 180th Street on Smokey Point Boulevard, Dean and Cheryl Dorris-Pittenger proposed rezoning their 1.45 acres from moderate density residential to neighborhood commercial and city officials extended the concept south to 178th for another 8.7 acres.
Neighbors Neil Knudson and Carol Lundberg both spoke against turning their neighborhood into a commercial zone.
“Once an area starts transition to commercial, the residents get left behind,” Lundberg said.
“We oppose this amendment for tax reasons.”
After some discussion, the planning commission defended the neighbors’ position.
“Is there a plan for the future of Smokey Point Boulevard north of 172nd Street?” planning commission chair Bruce Angell asked city officials. Page responded that it hinges on the future of Island Crossing.
“We could continue this proposed amendment until there is such a plan,” Angell suggested. But when officials said it could take anywhere from six months to two years to complete such a plan, the commission voted unanimously to recommend denial of that proposal.
Public meeting on
utilities set for June 18
Since any future annexations in Arlington are on hold until the city of Arlington upgrades its wastewater treatment facilities, another public meeting is set by the Utilities Department, June 18, to seek input on its stormwater management plan and the draft sewer comprehensive plan as well as the Gleneagle reservoir.
The meeting is from
6-7:30 p.m., June 18, at 154 W. Cox Ave. The city’s utilities director, Jim Kelly, explained that the meetings allow the city to provide public education and outreach, as well as solicit opinions on many of its services. This feedback is required both by state laws and to qualify for certain grants.
