2026-09-18 - Land Use & Environment Committee

Summary

Built from the official minutes. No video is posted.

Special meeting, 1:00 PM at Council Chambers with online and phone participation; 3 of 3 expected members present: Chair Robert Vanderpool, Committee member Clark Gilman, and Committee member Paul Berendt.
Staff present: Community Development Director Tim Smith, Community Development Senior Planner David Ginther, Planning Commission Chair Greg Quetin, Urban Forester Leanne Wells, Director of Climate Programs Pamela Braph, Climate Resilience Coordinator Natalie Weiss, Director of Planning Nicole Floyd, Engineering Plans Examiner Zulaika Kim, Engineering and Planning Manager Susan Clark.
Public speakers: Courtney Nevitt, Marianne Tompkins, Lynn Fitz-Hugh, Christine Brewer, and Heather Burgess.
August 27 Land Use & Environment Committee minutes approved.
Home Based Businesses Code Amendments sent back to Planning Commission for further work (motion 3-0).
Tree Protection Measures briefing on community outreach received.
Development Code updates to implement Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan Climate Element Review proposed scope presented.
Middle Housing Infrastructure Policy overview provided; discussion completed.

Committee member Berendt moved, seconded by Committee member Gilman, to send the consideration of home-based business code amendments back to the Planning Commission for further work; motion passed unanimously 3-0.

Community Development Director Smith provided briefing on tree protection measures.
Urban Forester Wells provided background on community outreach regarding the topic.
Committee members asked clarifying questions; information was received.

Climate Resilience Coordinator Weiss presented the proposed scope of Development Code updates to implement the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan Climate Element.
Committee members asked clarifying questions; discussion was completed.

Director of Planning Floyd, Engineering and Planning Manager Clark, and Engineering Plans Examiner Kim provided overview of Middle Housing Infrastructure Policy.
Committee members asked clarifying questions; discussion was completed.