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1 Woodburn Planning Commission Meeting Minutes January 25, 2024 Convened: The Planning Commission met at 7:12 p.m. both in person and through a public online/virtual session via Microsoft Teams. Roll Call: Chair Ellsworth Present Vice-Chair Hernandez-Mejia Present Commissioner Bartel Absent (Excused) Commissioner Berlin Absent (Excused) Commissioner Bravo Present Commissioner Corning Present Commissioner Lassen Absent (Excused) Staff Present: McKenzie Granum, City Attorney Chris Killmer, Assistant City Attorney Chris Kerr, Community Development Director Dan Handel, Planner Jesse Cuomo, Community Services Director Introduction: Chair Ellsworth opened the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. and asked Staff to begin roll-call. Commissioners Bartel, Berlin, & Lassen had excused absences. Chair Ellsworth led everyone through the Pledge of Allegiance. Minutes: The minutes were from January 11, 2024. Chair Ellsworth asked for any corrections, additions, or modifications; there were none. Commissioner Corning made a motion to approve of the January 11, 2024 minutes. Vice-Chair Hernandez-Mejia seconded. The vote was unanimous and the January 25, 2024 minutes were approved. Business from the Audience: None. Communications from Staff: None. Public Hearings: DR 23-08, SA 23-05, & VAR 23-06 Chair Ellsworth continued the public hearing of DR 23-08, SA 23-05, & VAR 23-06: Grating Pacific Building C at 2775 N. Front St. She noted that the Planning Commission closed the testimony portion of the hearing at the last meeting and the deliberation and decision were continued to this meeting. Chair Ellsworth asked if the Planning Commission had any ex-parte contacts, site visits, declarations, or potential conflicts of interests they would like to report and there were none. Chair Ellsworth asked if there were any challenges to the Planning Commission and there were none. Chair Ellsworth then noted that the Commission received a staff memorandum in preparation for the continued hearing and asked Planner Dan Handel to explain. Planner Handel gave a quick summary of what happened at the last Planning Commission meeting two weeks ago and then explained the memorandum and how it was put together by Staff, based on the testimony of the applicant and the questions that the Planning Commissioners had asked. The memorandum proposes some modifications to conditions of approval, and he gave a quick refresher about those conditions. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Community Development Director Chris Kerr suggested Planner Handel display a motion onto the screen for the Commission. Director Kerr explained that this was a bit unusual, due to having Staff take what both applicant and Commission were saying and combine it into a motion. Chair Ellsworth asked if anyone had questions for Staff, which there were none. She moved onto deliberation and asked if anyone had any questions or comments. Everyone agreed that Staff did a very good job capturing everything that was said in that summary that Planner Handel provided. Chair Ellsworth entertained a motion, which Planner Handel provided a motion on the screen for the Commission. Commissioner Corning moved for the Planning Commission to approve DR 23-08, SA 23-05, & VAR 23-06: Grating Pacific Building C at 2775 N. Front St, with the conditions recommended by Staff in the staff report, except with the modification outlined within the staff memo dated January 19, 2024. Summary of the modifications: Strike Condition 8, grating approval of the exterior lighting variance; Strike Conditions 5a and 12; Modify Conditions 11 and 13 to require an improvement agreement; and For Public Works Conditions, modify #8 and strike and that a final decision be prepared for the signature of the Chair. Commissioner Bravo seconded the motion. The vote was unanimously in-favor therefore DR 23-08, SA 23-05, & VAR 23-06: Grating Pacific Building C at 2775 N. Front St. was approved. LA 23-04 Chair Ellsworth opened the hearing for LA 23-04: Parks & Recreation Master Plan, a Legislative Amendment to consider an updated Parks & Recreation Master Plan, as well as associated amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, and issue a recommendation to City Council. Chair Ellsworth then asked if the Planning Commission had any actual or potential conflicts of interests they would like to report and there were none. Chair Ellsworth asked if there were any challenges to the Planning Commission and there were none. She asked for the staff report. (Chair Ellsworth later wanted to declare that she was part of the committee for the Community Center back before Covid-19 put a pause on the project and wanted to address it.) Planner Handel stated that this Parks & Recreation Master Plan was introduced last month and that a digital Parks & Recreation Master Plan was emailed to the Commission to review. Consultant Steve Duh presented the 2024 Parks & Recreation Master Plan. Chair Ellsworth asked where the funding comes from and Director Cuomo said that the funding comes from a wide ray of funding streams, like local government grants, state funding, fees-in-lieu, and among other streams of funding. Director Cuomo also thanked the Community Development Dept. for working with his department when it comes to getting parks developed or improved on. Director Kerr expressed that it’s a common question the City gets about how a park is funded and he stated the parks are created by seeing where parks are needed in the community and what amenities the community needs. Depending on what the park needs, it determines cost, and the master plan helps make it happen. Director Cuomo mentioned that it’s all about partnership and he brought up the example of the library’s square playground and that was done by funding from a specific library fund to the Rotary Club’s donation and how all those components come together to make these park projects happen. Director Kerr brought up the example of Amazon and how they funded the Legion Park Remodel. The Planning Commission discussed all the other park improvements and new parks in Woodburn thanks to big projects who helped fund these efforts. Planner Handel asked if there were any other questions from the Planning Commission and there were none. Testimony by Proponents and/or Opponents: None. Chair Ellsworth closed the hearing and began deliberating with the Commission. She asked if anyone had additional comments or questions to help clarify anything and there were none. Chair Ellsworth entertained a motion. Commissioner Corning moved for the Planning Commission to recommend that City Council approve the LA 23-04: Parks & Recreation Master Plan and associated amendments to the Woodburn Comprehensive Plan as presented in the staff report. Vice-Chair Hernandez-Mejia seconded. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 The vote for the motion was unanimously in-favor therefore LA 23-04: Parks & Recreation Master Plan will be sent to City Council with a recommendation for approval. Business from the Commission: None. Updates from Staff: Director Kerr had a few announcements. The first being a reminder that the next Planning Commission meeting will be on February 8th, 2024. This is for a sign variance for AWARE Foodbank. Director Kerr also stated he is hoping to have a work session for the Planning Commission on February 8th, focused on getting feedback from the Planning Commission about what Staff can change moving forward such as helping run meetings smoother, getting better information, improve the staff reports and presentations. He said that he’ll inform them of opportunities for them to take training about land-use. Director Kerr noted there is an opening for the Arts and Murals Committee and explained what the committee does for the community. Director Kerr stated that he can send information to anyone who is interested. Chair Ellsworth pointed out that Commissioner Corning had been on the committee for several years. Commissioner Corning explained that the meeting is on Wednesdays at 4pm once a month and most of the work is done there, in terms of making decisions and seeing the progress of the projects. Commissioner Bravo stated that he may know someone who might be interested in being part of the Arts and Murals Committee. Director Kerr stated that he will forward information to Commissioner Bravo to pass along to the individual interested. Lastly, Assistant City Attorney Killmer wanted to inform the Planning Commission that City Attorney Granum will be attending City Council meetings only and that he will be the attorney attending the Planning Commission meetings. Adjournment: Chair Ellsworth entertained a motion. Commissioner Corning motioned to adjourn the meeting and Vice-Chair Hernandez-Mejia seconded. Chair Ellsworth called for a vote, and it was unanimously in-favor. The meeting was adjourned around 7:59pm. Lisa Ellsworth Date Chair of Planning Commission City of Woodburn, Oregon Attest Chris Kerr, AICP Date Community Development Director City of Woodburn, Oregon