Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Planning Agenda Updates topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Commission schedules April hearings on SMS Petroleum site review, FEMA floodplain ordinance; discusses trees and EV chargers
Summary
Commission scheduled an April 22 public hearing on an SMS Petroleum office building site review and may review a FEMA model floodplain ordinance the same day; commissioners discussed planned tree‑code work and noted Tesla is installing 16 EV chargers at Target under an earlier conditional use approval.
At its March 25 meeting the City of Fairview Planning Commission reviewed upcoming agenda items and set hearings and work sessions for April and May. Planning staff said a complete land‑use application has been filed for a new SMS Petroleum office building on Depot Street, across from Fairview Elementary School, and the Planning Commission will hold the site design review public hearing on April 22. Staff said the commission may also review a FEMA model floodplain ordinance at the same April 22 meeting; the city attorney is finalizing edits so the ordinance language remains clear and objective, as required by state housing rules.
Staff explained the FEMA model ordinance offers three compliance approaches from FEMA: adopt the model ordinance, prohibit new development in the floodplain, or require case‑by‑case environmental evaluations for floodplain development. The city attorney advised that adopting the model ordinance with clear, objective edits would best meet state requirements. Staff said the city is required to adopt updated floodplain standards by July.
Staff also previewed tree‑code work for the year: scoping for revisions to street tree requirements, updates to tree removal rules in natural resource areas, and tree species lists for public rights‑of‑way and parking lots. The commission is expected to undertake project scoping in April and the Halsey cross‑section code amendments were pushed to May because of a busy April schedule.
Commissioners asked about a construction project at the Target parking lot. Staff said Target is installing 16 electric vehicle charging stations; the charger installation required a planning commission conditional use permit because the parking lot is mapped in the floodplain. "This project is Tesla," staff stated regarding who is paying for the chargers. Staff said installation permits were submitted after the conditional use approval and construction is now underway.
A commissioner requested renewed ethics training for boards and commissions. Staff said they would check with the city manager and city recorder about citywide scheduling and offered to arrange a planning‑commission‑specific refresher on ex parte contacts, conflicts of interest and ethics if no broader training is planned.
The meeting concluded with a motion and second to adjourn; commissioners voted in favor by voice vote.
