Planners back height increase

By Matt Batcheldor | The Olympian • Published July 22, 2008

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OLYMPIA – The Olympia Planning Commission voted 7-3 on Monday night to recommend raising building-height limits on the narrow strip of land between Capitol Lake and Budd Inlet, which would allow Triway Enterprises, a South Sound developer, to build planned five- and seven-story mixed-use buildings.

But the commission did not recommend Triway's proposal; it sided with city planning staff's scaled-down plan that would allow Triway's buildings and rezone about 4 acres instead of about 5.

The decision is a recommendation to the Olympia City Council, which is expected to have a public hearing Sept. 16 and would make a final decision by the end of the year.

Planning commissioners voting in favor of the staff recommendation were: Cary Retlin, Carol Law, Hugh Taylor, Amy Tousley, Matthew Litwin, Jim Boyde and Roger Wilson. Voting against were Roger Horn, Larry Leveen and James Reddick.

Commissioner Sarah Ryan was absent. She e-mailed that she would have voted against raising building-height limits.

The proposal the commission recommended would raise building-height limits on 3.92 acres, allowing Triway's project but dropping two lots north of Fourth Avenue and two lots next to the Heritage Park fountain, which the city wants as park space.

Building heights would be set at a range of 35, 65 and 90 feet and require an 8-foot building "stepback" above 35 feet on all building sides.

The plan also requires an agreement with the developer that would cover specifics of the buildings.

Triway had proposed raising building-height limits for about 5 acres on the isthmus between Budd Inlet and Capitol Lake from 35 feet to between 65 and 90 feet.

The developer wants to build one five-story and one seven-story mixed-use building, containing a total of 141 high-end condominiums and parking, office and retail spaces.

Triway's project would cover 2.3 acres; the remainder belongs to other property owners. The city has one parcel in the rezoning proposal that city officials want to add to Heritage Park and another to purchase and add to the park.

Commissioners came to their decision after a passionate debate in which some of them changed sides on the issue.

Litwin cited a number of city studies since 1979 that call for urban waterfront housing, echoing the concerns that supporters have had.

"To me the problem here is black and white," he said. "This is actually a very, very easy decision and a clear one."

But Horn countered that taller buildings would block views that are the jewel of the city and state, and that economics eventually would draw housing downtown.

"To me, that's priceless," he said.

Six commissioners must vote the same way to make a recommendation.

In a straw poll before the final vote, five commissioners favored the staff proposal. Boyde favored Triway's more far-reaching proposal.

Taylor objected to the process, saying that the city's comprehensive plan and shoreline master plan would soon be revisited, and the decision was piecemeal.

Taylor voted with the majority after Tousley said his concerns would be forwarded to the City Council.

The commission did not take public testimony.

There was a three-hour hearing in June that attracted more than 300 people to The Olympia Center. Tousley said the commission received more than 700 pages from the public on the issue.

"This is not easy," she said before voting. "We have heavy hearts this evening."