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Planning commission recommends redesignating SJCC parcels, excluding one home
Summary
The Mercer Island Planning Commission voted 3-0 to recommend that the City Council approve a comprehensive-plan map amendment to redesignate Strong Jewish Community Center parcels from single-family residential to commercial office, but amended findings to exclude parcel 265500132 and asked council to consider an instrument running with the land.
The Mercer Island Planning Commission voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to recommend City Council approval of CPA 25-002, an amendment that would change the comprehensive plan land use designation for several Strong Jewish Community Center (SJCC) parcels from single-family residential to commercial office. The commission adopted staff findings as amended and appended language that the applicant has carried its burden under MICC 19.15.230(F), subject to removing parcel 265500132 from the redesignation.
Vice Chair Gibson said the commission was balancing long-standing community use against the map-level consequences of a countywide planning and zoning change. Commissioners debated traffic and the potential scale of future redevelopment and ultimately amended the staff findings to ask council to consider an enforceable instrument running with the land if council moves forward. Commissioner Nies made the final motion to recommend approval, which passed 3-0 on a roll call.
Staff senior planner Molly McGuire reminded the commission that tonight’s action is a non-project comprehensive plan amendment: any future project would require separate rezone and project-level review, SEPA, and design review. City contract attorney Nina Kiefer told commissioners that comprehensive plan amendments are not typically conditioned by the commission and suggested council-level tools or later project-stage instruments would be the path to enforceability. The commission’s recommendation therefore combines a positive finding for the amendment (with the parcel exclusion) and a request that council consider mechanisms to ensure the site continues to function as a community center.
The commission also voted (2-1) earlier in the evening to remove parcel 265500132 from the map-change proposal after finding that parcel to be currently used as a single-family home and unsuitable for the CO designation without a boundary adjustment. The amended findings package containing that change will accompany the commission’s recommendation to council, which is scheduled to receive the item at first reading on Sept. 1. Any rezone and project-level approvals would follow separate public hearings and reviews.
