WW Co. Planning Commission to Hold Public Hearings

WALLA WALLA – The Board of Walla Walla County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on two items that did not receive recommendations from the County Planning Commission for inclusion on the county’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan. The public will have the opportunity to offer input on the two items on Aug. 18 at 10 a.m.

The Walla Walla County Planning Commission received eight applications requesting amendments to the Walla Walla County Comprehensive Plan for the 2015 amendment cycle. Following a July 1 public hearing, six of those applications received commission for inclusion on the final docket.

Two items received tie votes from the four planning commission members in attendance (Chuck Carruthers, Bill Clemens, Bruce McCaw, and Michelle Liberty), therefore failing to receive recommendations. The Aug. 18 Board of County Commissioners public hearing will determine if those items should be added to the final docket.

A motion to include the application of J. Alan and Deanne Fielding of Cameo Heights Mansion, to be on the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Final Docket, did not pass due to a tie vote. The applications requested an increase in dining service limits for events from 25 persons to 50 persons, for type III bed-and breakfasts.

Commissioners Liberty and Clemens voted in favor of the motion to recommend approval, and Commissioners Carruthers and McCaw voted in opposition.

An application from Don Johnson Trailer Sales, Inc. c/o Gary Aichele, also failed to receive recommendation due to a tie vote. The application proposed that a definition for “livestock trailer sales and service” be added to the county code and to identify the use as permitted in the Agricultural Residential 10-acre zoning district, subject to certain criterion.

Commissioners Carruthers and McCaw voted in favor of the motion to recommend approval and Commissioners Liberty and Clemens voted in opposition.

The six items receiving approval include:

-- Rezone and amendment applications from Blue Mountain Commercial, LLC to remove 2.33 acres (Tranche Winery) from the city’s Urban Growth Area boundary and rezone as Rural Residential 5.

-- Amendment application from Armando Pimentel allowing Wedding and Event Centers as a permitted use in the Rural Residential 5 zoning district.

-- Amendment application from Nathanael Small to allow Wedding and Event Centers in the Primary Agriculture 40 zoning district as a conditional use, subject to certain criteria.

-- Amendment application from Richard Grizzell to allow increase in maximum size for accessory dwelling units from 1,000 to 1,100 and to allow manufactured homes to be permitted as accessory dwelling units.

-- Amendment application from Port of Walla Walla to allow caretaker facilities and accessory dwelling units in the Industrial/Business Park and Light Industrial districts.

-- Amendment application from Kenney Farms to allow events in the Agriculture Residential 10 zoning district.

Any interested parties may comment on the amendments that failed to receive recommendations at the Aug. 18 public hearing. The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. at the Public Health and Legislative Building (314 W. Main, Walla Walla), Room 213.

Written comments regarding the applications may be submitted prior to and at the hearing. Send written comments to: Board of County Commissioners c/o Walla Walla County Community Development Department, 310 W. Poplar, Suite 200, Walla Walla, WA 99362 or email to commdev@co.walla-walla.wa.us.