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Home My WebLink About2023 09 05 Joint Planning Commission MinutesJoint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 1 Joint Springfield & Lane County Planning Commission Minutes for Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 Public Hearing 7:00 pm Meeting held in Conference Room 616, Development Center (City Hall), the Lane County Goodpasture Room, Customer Service Center, and via Zoom Springfield Planning Commissioners Present: Chair Matt Salazar, Andrew Buck, Seth Thompson, and Steven Schmunk Absence: Alan Stout, Isaac Rhoads-Dey Springfield Staff: Sandy Belson, Comprehensive Planning Manager; Mark Rust, Current Planning Manager; Haley Campbell, Senior Planner; Sarah Weaver, Community Development Administrative Assistant; Kristina Kraaz, Assistant City Attorney Lane County Planning Commissioners: Vice Chair Jeff Choate, Christian Wihtol, Bruce Hadley, Steven Snider, Stephen Dignam, Markus Lay, Charlcie Kaylor Absence: Jonnie Peacock, Eliza Kashinsky Lane County Staff: Amber Bell, Planning Manager; Rachel Serslev, Senior Planner; Louranah Janeski, Stormwater Permitting Specialist 1 – Welcome / Introduction to Topic Chair Salazar welcomed the Commissioners to the Joint Public Hearing and outlined the role of the Planning Commission and its Commissioners. 2 – Open the hearing Chair Salazar: called for a statement of potential conflict of interest from the Springfield Planning Commissioners: Chair Salazar: stated he had two potential conflicts of interest since he is a homeowner in Springfield and he works for Homes for Good which is a real estate developer in the area. Commissioner Buck: stated that he had two potential conflicts of interest since he is a homeowner in Springfield and is an insurance agent with business in the area. Commissioner Schmunk: stated he has no bias or undisclosed conflicts. Joint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 2 Commissioner Thompson: stated he has a potential conflict of interest since he is a homeowner in Springfield. Vice Chair Choate called for a statement of actual or potential conflict of interest from the Lane County Planning Commissioners: Choate: has a potential conflict of interest since he works for Jerry’s Home Improvement Store, which has a store in Springfield. Wihtol – None Hadley – None Snider – None Dignam – None Kaylor – None Lay – None 3 – Staff report 1) Stormwater Post Construction Requirements Springfield Chair Salazar: stated the applicable criteria for the Public Hearing Item are: Springfield Development Code – Section 5.6.115 and 5.14.135 and the Statewide Planning Goals/ Oregon Administrative Rules. Lane County Vice Chair Choate: stated the applicable criteria for the Public Hearing Item are: Lane Code – Chapters 10.600-15 (Applicable Land Use Regulations), 12.100.050 (Method of Adoption and Amendment) and the Statewide Planning Goals/ Oregon Administrative Rules. Springfield Chair Salazar: called to reopen the Public Hearing of the Planning Commission. Lane County Vice Chair Choate: called to reopen the Public Hearing of the Planning Commission. Haley Campbell / Springfield Staff: gave a PowerPoint presentation on the Stormwater Post Construction Requirements, with proposed changes to the Springfield Development Code Sections 4.3.110 Stormwater Management, i.e., various sections that encourage the use of stormwater facilities and Section 6.1.100 Definitions. Staff is looking for the Commission to recommend to Council that they adopt the Stormwater Post Construction Requirements during its deliberations at tonight’s meeting. Joint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 3 Haley Campbell / Springfield Staff: addressed the public comment submitted to Springfield Oregon Speaks from Michael Koivula, who expressed concerns about disposal of stormwater in a dry well by residents and the use of non-toxic moss control products. She confirmed that the City has tools and programs that address these concerns that are not currently regulated in the Springfield Development Code. First, Springfield does not allow open dry wells and they must be covered so that the only entrance is the pipe carrying the water. Therefore, frequent use of dry wells is not a concern for the City at this time. Furthermore, Springfield Municipal Code 4.370 – 4.372 prohibits illicit discharges into the City stormwater system. This prohibition applies to over-use or misuse of products like moss killer in residential areas, if it poses a threat to the water quality of the City’s stormwater system. In addition, the Environmental Services Department “Stream Team”, with the help of Eugene and Lane County, provides information to Springfield residents through their SUB bills several times a year. Rachel Serslev / Lane County Staff: confirmed that Lane County has reviewed the amendments and staff have worked with their stormwater team at Lane County to ensure that the code amendments conform with their MS4 permit. She informed the Commissioners that their stormwater permitting specialist, Louranah Janeski, is present to answer any questions they may have. 4 – Testimony from interested parties – None 5 – Clarifying questions from Commissioners Commissioner Snider / Lane County: requested to have more information about the public comment provided in Springfield Oregon Speaks. Was the nature of the public comment in favor or against the proposed code amendments? Would it also be possible to read the comments? Haley Campbell / Springfield Staff: shared the public comment from Michael Koivula. The comment was concerned with discharges into dry wells and if this would be an issue for residential areas. He also raised another issue which concerned the toxic use of moss treatments on Springfield’s developments and whether there was a potential way to regulate this. Staff confirmed that the Springfield Development Code does not provide for regulation of moss treatments. She then read the public comment to the commissioners, which was submitted through the website Springfield Oregon Speaks (see Staff response to comments below). “The City has some tools and programs that address these concerns that are not currently regulated through the Springfield Development Code: 1. First, Springfield does not allow open drywells. They much be covered so that the only entrance is the pipe carrying the water. The most frequently used type of drywell is a soakage trench Joint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 4 which does not have any openings above ground except for the pipe that connects to the roof drains and typical installations does not having an easy entry point dispose of liquids. Therefore, frequent use of drywells for residential use is not a concern at this time. Furthermore, Springfield Municipal Code 4.370 – 4.372 prohibits illicit discharges into the City Stormwater system. This prohibition applies to over-use or misuse of products like moss killer in a residential area if it is posing a threat to the water quality of the city’s storm system. If there was an open stormwater facility, it also applies to using that facility as a dump/to dispose of items. The Environmental Services Department staff do take enforcement action when they become aware that someone is discharging substances into a stormwater facility that are not stormwater. 2. Second, the MS4 permit also requires the City to provide education and outreach related to water quality. The Environmental Services Department “Stream Team” provides information to Springfield residents through their SUB bills several times a year and with the help of Eugene and Lane County, are actively working on a handout for moss control best practices specifically for Springfield. The handout and future outreach campaign will be based on resources from regional municipalities and the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides”. 5 – Close the Hearing Chairs Salazar and Vice Chair Choate called to close the public hearing and the record. Any written comment submitted after the hearing has been closed and will be forwarded to the Lane County Board of Commissioners and the Springfield City Council. Sandy Belson / Springfield Staff: informed the commissioners that the public comment and Staff’s response should be included in the motion and added to the Staff Report. Commissioner Schmunk / Springfield: moved to approve the Order and Recommendation to the Springfield City Council that is in the agenda packet as Attachment 1 with the change to include the public comment and Staff’s response as shared on the screen and would be included in the Staff Report. Commissioner Thompson / Springfield: seconded the motion. Commissioner Snider / Lane County: moved to forward the Order and Recommendation to the Lane County Board of Commissioners and adopt the code amendments as presented. Since the public comment will be forwarded to the Commissioners as is, he did not feel it was necessary to add the comments and Staff response to the Staff Report. Commissioner Lay / Lane County: seconded the motion. Joint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 5 Vice Chair Choate / Lane County: stated that since the National Coalition to Alternatives to Pesticides was explicitly referenced about researching moss control options, he suggested that the OSU Extension and the National Pesticide Information Center, both housed at Oregon State University, be used as a resource. Chair Salazar / Springfield: called for a Springfield Planning Commission roll call vote: Salazar – Aye Buck – Aye Schmunk – Aye Thompson – Aye Motion passes: 4 / 0 / 2 Absent Vice Chair Choate / Lane County: called for a Lane County Planning Commission roll call vote: Choate – Aye Dignam – Aye Hadley – Aye Snider – Aye Wihtol – Aye Kaylor – Aye Ley – Aye Motion passes: 7 / 0 / 2 Absent Information Update from Staff – Update on Minor Code Amendments Mark Rust / Current Planning Manager Chair Salazar / Springfield: stated that since the hearing for on Minor Code Changes was closed on August 1st, this meeting will be part of the legislative “record”, but no actions will be taken by the Planning Commissioners. These amendments were missed during the first draft review, so Staff are providing an update for clarification and the opportunity to answer any question or concerns. Mark Rust / Springfield Staff: explained that he is bringing a few of the minor code amendments that were discovered after the last hearing to the attention of the Commissioners for informational purposes since the Springfield Attorney’s office confirmed that they could be discussed during the City Council public hearing and did not have to be deliberated by both Planning Commissions. The majority of the updates are very minor, for the most part incorrect citations to code sections that no longer exist or the code reference had changed slightly. One section is more substantial, which has to do with the setbacks Joint Planning Commission Minutes September 5th, 2023 Approved 10/17/23 Springfield Planning Commission Attest by S. Weaver 6 for commercial zones, but through the last major Development Code Update it was established that leaving out the setbacks was an oversight. Staff are proposing that they be added back into the same schedule of setbacks that existed in the Development Code, previously. Staff are adding them to the packet for the Lane County Board of Commissioners and Springfield City Council for their review. Rachel Serslev / Lane County: confirmed that she had nothing further to add to this item. Adjourned by the Springfield and Lane County Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair, respectively – 7:39 pm. ADJOURNMENT – 7:39 PM