Planning commission continues MRC zoning workshop; flags tanks, birthing center, B&B rules and food-cart standards

The Chehalis City Planning Commission spent the bulk of its meeting on a public workshop to review the MRC (mixed residential-commercial) column of the city’s zoning use table, with staff and commissioners identifying several items that require clarification or follow-up.

Staff update and packet discrepancy: Planning staff (Todd) told commissioners the copy in their packets was an older draft that did not reflect recent comp-plan and zoning-code adoptions — notably changes around transient housing and accessory dwelling units — and said he would update the table to reflect the newly adopted code and email definitions and a revised packet before the next meeting.

Flagged uses and concerns: Commissioners identified several specific entries they want revisited: - S200 (storage of low‑hazard, noncombustible material): questioned whether it should be permitted in MRC or limited to accessory use. - U202 (nonflammable liquid storage tanks of 5,000 gallons or less): commissioners suggested tanks are more likely to be accessory to another primary use and discussed making them accessory-only to avoid standalone approvals. - Birthing center: the commission added a separate birthing-center category to distinguish it from outpatient care and flagged it for future agenda discussion. - R161 (bed-and-breakfast / small inns): commissioners noted tension between treating small B&Bs like permitted residential uses versus conditional uses; they flagged R161 for discussion because an apartment house is permitted in MRC while small lodging triggers conditional procedures.

Permitted versus conditional uses and cost implications: Commissioners discussed the practical difference between permitted and conditional uses. Todd explained that conditional uses subject proposals to public notice and hearings-examiner review, increasing fees and applicant costs and introducing approval uncertainty. Commissioners asked whether the city should develop an intermediate tier (staff or planning-commission review rather than hearings examiner) for low‑impact proposals; Todd said the commission could recommend such a change to city council as a separate policy item.

Food carts and NAICS: Commissioners asked whether the city has specific rules for food-cart villages or coffee kiosks. Todd said the city has health‑department standards but no detailed food-cart code; food-cart regulation is listed on the work plan and will be a future agenda item. Todd described that some jurisdictions use NAICS codes to simplify use classification.

Maps and next steps: Commissioners requested a cleaner map with clearer labels showing where the MRC zone lies, and asked staff to carry forward the newly adopted code into the next packet. Todd agreed to email the updated use table and definitions, retain the commissioners’ flagged items for February, and return with refined materials. The commission set its next meeting for February 10 and agreed to continue the MRC review then.

Why it matters: Changes to how uses are categorized in the MRC column determine which proposals require full public hearings and which can be processed administratively; that distinction affects costs, timelines, and the development choices available along Market Street and adjacent corridors.

What to expect: Staff will update the use table to reflect the adopted code, circulate definitions and a cleaner map, and return the item for further review at the February meeting. Commissioners indicated they would email any specific line-item comments ahead of the meeting to streamline the discussion.