Drafter
Clerk 08/25/2014
Title
A MOTION relating to comprehensive planning; requesting the King County executive to initiate a comprehensive update of the West Hill Community Plan for consideration as part of the proposed amendment to the King County Comprehensive Plan in 2015.
Body
WHEREAS, the West Hill community is an approximately three-square-mile urban unincorporated area located between the cities of Seattle, Renton and Tukwila, and is comprised of the neighborhoods of Bryn Mawr, Campbell Hill, Earlington, Hill Top, Lakeridge, Panorama View, Skycrest and Skyway, and
WHEREAS, the West Hill Community Plan is a local land use plan drafted in 1991 and formally adopted in 1993, in Ordinance 11166, to provide for area-wide planning and zoning, as well as prioritizing and pursuing capital improvements and community development projects, and
WHEREAS, King County adopted the 1994 King County Comprehensive Plan ("KCCP") in Ordinance 11575 to meet the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act and, as provided in K.C.C. 20.12.337, included the West Hill Community Plan as an element of the KCCP, and
WHEREAS, the West Hill Community Plan continues to be included as an element of the KCCP as updated in June 2014 by Ordinance 17842, but it has not been substantially updated since its creation in 1991, and
WHEREAS, the West Hill community has historically faced challenges in rebuilding its local economy, as well as experienced wide gaps in equity of infrastructure investments and services, and
WHEREAS, local leaders and organizations in the West Hill community have initiated a grassroots community planning effort to revitalize its neighborhoods, local economy, and quality of life of its residents, and
WHEREAS, the community has created the West Hill-Skyway Community Steering Group and Technical Advisory Group in an attempt to ensure community stakeholders are engaged and guiding the planning process, as well as bringing together organizations and agencies with specialized expertise to help inform the community planning process, and
WHEREAS, this community planning effort provides the opportunity to build collaborative relationships, establish multijurisdictional and public/private partnerships and leverage resources to fund and operate community programs, services, infrastructure and improvements, and
WHEREAS, this community planning effort is consistent with the King County Strategic Plan, the King County Equity and Social Justice Initiative and the KCCP, specifically by furthering the county's goals for creating thriving and equitable communities, facilitating healthy and active residents, supporting vibrant diverse neighborhoods, promoting urban infill, providing fair and just services and supporting multimodal transportation options, and
WHEREAS, King County is supportive of this community planning effort and has been providing technical assistance to the local partners, and
WHEREAS, a comprehensive update to the West Hill Community Plan will be an integral part of the West Hill community's planning effort, and
WHEREAS, any proposed amendments to the West Hill Community Plan must be considered as part of an amendment to the KCCP, and
WHEREAS, K.C.C. chapter 20.18 establishes a process for amending the KCCP on an annual cycle to address technical updates and corrections, and to consider amendments that do not require substantive changes to policy language, changes to priority areas map or changes to the urban growth boundary except under limited and prescribed circumstances, and
WHEREAS, K.C.C. chapter 20.18 additionally allows for comprehensive updates of subarea plans that are initiated by motion to also be considered in the annual cycle update of the KCCP and, as defined in K.C.C. 20.08.060, subarea plans include community plans, and
WHEREAS, the deadline for transmittal of the next annual cycle update to the KCCP will be March 2, 2015;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. The King County executive is requested undertake a comprehensive update to the West Hill Community Plan.
B. The comprehensive update of the West Hill Community Plan should be included in the executive's proposed amendments to the current King County Comprehensive Plan and be transmitted to the council by March 2, 2015.
C. The executive has indicated that the resources needed to accomplish the work will be technical assistance provided by one FTE from the department of permitting and environmental review from July 10, 2014, through March 1, 2015, which is anticipated to be achieved through existing resources.
D. The development of the comprehensive update of the West Hill Community
Plan should include outreach with the local community, including the West Hill-Skyway Community Steering Group and Technical Advisory Group.