PLANNING COMMISSION MINUTES
February 26, 2015
The Ephrata Planning Commission, Grant County, Washington met on February 26,
2015. The meeting was called to order in council chambers at 7:00p.m. by Chairman Joe
Dennis.
Members present:
Chairman Joe Dennis, members Jo Maedke, John O’Callaghan.
Staff present:
Ron Sell, Community Development Director; Anna Franz, City
Attorney; Bill Sangster, Public Works Director, and Stacy Hooper,
Secretary.
Approval of Commission Minutes: Motion to approve the minutes of February 12,
2015 by Joe Dennis, Jo Maedke second, motion carried.
Additions and/or revisions to Published Agenda: No additions or revisions.
Correspondence: Nothing added to the email of correspondences.
Jo Maedke moves to adopt Resolution 15-001, recommendation to approve the updates
to Ephrata Municipal Code, Chapters 19.07 Landscaping, 19.08 General and
Supplementary Provisions, 19.09 Administration and 19.13 Fences and Walls, John
O’Callaghan seconds, motion carried.
Discussion- 19.11 Flood Damage Prevention: Joe Dennis does not see anything that
needs to be changed from the last meeting, only a few grammatical changes or additions.
Jo Maedke: before we got to the point of filling in basements, before this Code was
adopted were the federal regulations less restrictive and they changed, is that why we
adopted this, did we adopt more restrictions to improve our insurance rating. Ron Sell
explains that prior to the early 1970’s there was no flood prevention ordinance, there was
no standard, there was no flood insurance. The federal government and state came in and
required City’s and County’s to adopt the standard. In late 1980’s we went to one foot
above the base flood elevation then went to two feet above base flood elevation which
moved us to the community rating system that gave the community a reduced insurance
rate for flood insurance. This has been in play since the late 1990’s. Jo Maedke feels as
if this was something new that has been put in place. Ron Sell explains that the
code/ordinance is not new only the understanding of how to interpret the code. In the last
10-15 years everyone is coming to a better understanding of the code. Jo Maedke wants
to make sure that if we adopt this, it is our only choice that we really can’t change these
standards. Jo Maedke would be more comfortable with a decision if she knew with
confidence that for example if you are not at this Community Rating of 7 you will not be
able to get a mortgage. There is not a market for Flood Insurance so there is no
competition between companies. The issue is remodeling costs costing more than 50% of
the value of the building. Ron Sell and Anna Franz to get information from FEMA to
bring to next meeting.
Discussion Ensues: Being over the 50% assessed building value when remodeling then
you have to conform to the Flood prevention guidelines which are often too expensive.
Discussion Ensues. Ephrata is classified in the 100 year flood plain and there is nothing
the City can do to get out of this classification. Bill Sangster explains that there was a
committee that was made up of mostly realtors who understood that there are some less
restrictive standards making flood insurance unobtainable.
19.11 tabled for next meeting in March. Ron Sell and Anna Franz to send FEMA
information prior to next meeting for review. Ron Sell to ask Bill Cox, building official
to attend next meeting to speak of Flood Requirements for buildings.
19.12 Hearing Examiner – Joe Dennis feels this chapter looks cut and dry, what kind of
latitude do we have when dealing with this, is it mandated by the state. Ron Sell explains
it is set forth by the RCW’s, Anna Franz explains the state statute allows the City to adopt
a hearing examiner for appeals. Ron Sell ads and for conditional use permits and
variances to make it more of a legal review. Joe Dennis asks if without the hearing
examiner would a lot of these issues fall into review by Planning Commission or
Council? Ron Sell explains if you don’t have a hearing examiner you would have a board
of adjustment like the County has, which will hear or review the conditional use permits
and the variances. The Planning Commission is more of the Policy Recommenders. Ron
Sell explains the hearing examiner is for when you have multiple reviews, for example if
you were to have a conditional use permit, a variance, a zone change and maybe a comp
plan amendment using the Hearing Examiners we would only be required to have only
one Public Hearing to include all reviews instead of one public hearing for each
application. John O’Callaghan asks if we have a Hearing Examiner, Ron Sells says yes,
Bruce Pinkerton. John O’Callaghan questions the powers that the Hearing Examiner has
and the powers Planning Commission has. Discussion ensues.
John O’Callaghan and Joe Dennis agree this chapter looks pretty cut and dry.
There are a few typing errors that need to be corrected and Anna Franz has a few
additions.
Ron Sell and Anna Franz to bring corrections to next meeting.
Next Planning Commission meeting will be March 26, 2015
Joe Dennis Adjourns meeting at 8:00 pm.
_________________________________________
Joe Dennis, Planning Commission Chairman
Attest:_______________________________
Stacy Hooper, Secretary