PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend City Council has approved interim land use regulations for the Howard Street subarea to promote mixed use buildings through zoning regulations.
The new regulations, approved by a unanimous vote on Monday, cover the Howard Street subarea along Howard Street, Discovery Road, Sixth Street and 10th Street.
The new interim regulations allowed for mixed area zoning, which would not allow “high square footage, low job creation” businesses and buildings in favor of mixed use buildings, said Lance Bailey, city planning director.
The council waived council rules to implement the regulations immediately. They will remain in place for 180 days, unless the council votes to extend them.
A public hearing has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 7. in council chambers in historic City Hall, 540 Water St.
Interim zoning regulations are to prevent developments from developing within the subarea that could conflict with the city’s and community’s goals for the area, the planning commission said in a memo to the council.
Goals for the subarea include high density housing, space for small business and small manufacturers.
The Howard Street subarea project is still in progress. It is intended to include a traffic circle at the intersection of Howard Street and Discovery Road.
The newly-approved rules are an extension of similar interim land use regulations implemented in 2014, said Lance Bailey, city planning director.
“Back when the project for the extension of Howard Street was coming into being, there was some concern about certain uses that could become easier to build with the infrastructure and with the aspiration the city had for job creation and manufacturing,” Bailey said during Monday’s meeting.
Those original regulations expired in January 2015.
“We’re just asking for an extension of those regulations,” Bailey said. “The reasons that those regulations were put in place still exist.”
The city is seeking community input on the Howard Street subarea. A survey can be found on the city website at http://www.cityofpt.us/index.htm.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
