Summary of Comments

Planning Commission Public Hearing

Proposed Downtown Zoning & Design Regulations
June 3, 2010

1.) Joan Austin-Covington resident on Wax Road: Has some anxiety over 24/7 emergency
center in the Proposed Town Center because of traffic. Supports the changes in zoning
and increases in uses and intensity along Wax Road.
2.) Lisa Pike-Covington resident: Supports full service medical uses of 24/7 emergency
center and hospital in the new Town Center because of the4 additional good jobs it
will bring to downtown Covington.
3.) Beth Williams-not a Covington resident and Administrator for Valley Medical:
Supports 24/7 emergency center and other diagnostic services in the Town Center
zone. It will bring other ancillary business and retrial to the Town Center.
4.) Phil Lund-not a Covington resident and works for Valley Medical in Tacoma: Din
favor of all health services in the Covington Town Center. It will enhance the
downtown and not be a detriment.
5.) Theresa Boyle-Not a Covington resident, lives in Puyallup, and works for Multi-Care:
Against 24/7 emergency center, hospital and medical campuses in the Covington Town
Center because of the traffic. Across the country these facilities are not a part of town
centers. Keep the Town Center pedestrian friendly and family friendly.
6.) Mike Glenn-Not a Covington resident and Sr. Vice President for Valley Medical:
Supports 24/7 emergency center, hospitals and medical office in Covington Town
Center zone. They fit with the Town Center vision and are supported by the
Covington Comp Plan policies in the Downtown Element DTP 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, & 2.5.
They will stimulate construction, bring family wage jobs, and provide family oriented
services. Emergency centers only generate 30-35 patients a day with only 5
ambulance trips a day.
7.) Marty Bellows-not a Covington resident but a doctor who works as a medical
professional in Covington: Supports 24/7 emergency centers, hospitals and other
diagnostic care in the Town Center. It’s a win-win for residents as it cuts down on
their drive time to such services in Renton which can be 20-30 minutes.
8.) Bill Barrett-not a Covington resident but a surgeon and Director of Joint Clinic for
Valley Medical: Supports 24/7 emergency centers, hospitals and all other out-patient
services in the Covington Town Center zone.
9.) Lisa Glasser-not a Covington resident but a business owner in Covington and not
affiliated with either health provider: Lives 3 miles away and supports all health
services including emergency centers in the Town Center. They can be an anchor in
the Town center for business and shopping and will bring 100 new jobs.
 Summary of Comments on Downtown Zoning-(continued p. 2)
PC Public Hearing-June 3, 2010

10.) Cameron Buck-Not a Covington resident and works for Valley Medical in Renton:
Supports 24/7 emergency centers and hospitals in the Town Center.

11.) Dan Reniberg-Not a Covington resident but lives in Kent: Does not support any new
medical facilities in the Covington Town Center because of increased traffic and a
desire to keep the downtown pedestrian-friendly.

12.) Dale Westin-Covington resident: Does not support these types of medical services in
the Covington Town Center because of traffic. The Covington Town Center should
have a transit center, a public plaza, a gathering place, a farmers market, and other
pedestrian-friendly uses. Such medical uses do not belong with the pedestrian uses.

13.) Chad Krilich-Not a Covington resident, lives in Gig Harbor, and works for Multi-Care:
Supports Multi-Care expansion and does not want emergency centers in the Covington
Town Center zone with all the flashing lights.

14.) Von Seager-Covington resident: Works in general construction and Covington needs
more emergency centers and hospitals in our Town Center. It will add new
employment. We should also look at more light manufacturing and industrial uses in
the community to add additional jobs.

15.) Vicki Wenham-Covington resident and land owner along Wax Road: Supports new
24/7 emergency center and hospitals in the Town Center. Likes the new increases in
zoning for the MHO zone, but is concerned about the design and width of the new
Wax Road.

16.) Kathy Reniberg-Not a Covington resident but lives in Kent: Works as a supervisor for
Multi-Care Urgent Center. Does not support a 24/7 emergency care center or hospital
in the Covington Town Center zone.

17.) Jack McCullough-Not a Covington resident: Represents Valley Medical as their land
use attorney. Supports 24/7 emergency center and hospital in the Covington Town
Center because it is supported and encouraged by the Covington Comprehensive Plan
policies in the downtown element that calls for a mix of retail, office residences and
health services. The use question and whether it’s an appropriate use should be driven
by these policies. The only question is how they should look, its design, and whether
it’s pedestrian friendly. He also supports the uses by right and not by CUP.
 Summary of Comments on Downtown Zoning-(continued p. 3)
PC Public Hearing-June 3, 2010

18.) Jessie Oliver-Not a Covington resident, lives in Maple Valley and works for Multi-
Care: She will read a letter into the record from Hugh Kodama, Administrator for
Multi-Care, since he can’t attend. Mr. Kodama does not support expanding 24/7
emergency centers or hospitals within the Covington Town Center zone because they
do not fit the original vision of a pedestrian-friendly town center which should not be
auto-oriented. The Town Center zone should be a quieter gathering place for residents
without more traffic and the types of vehicles from these high intensity medical uses.
This is keeping with the true town center vision by the Council.

19.) Tyler Paytas-Not a Covington resident, but part of the Multi-Care Team: He will read
a letter from Mr. Rasmussen, President of Multi-Care in Tacoma. The Town Center
development should be in conformance with GMA goals, be pedestrian-friendly, and
not allow auto-oriented traffic from institutional uses such as 24/7 emergency centers
and hospitals.

20.) Phil Guintoli-Not a Covington resident: Represents Multi-Care as their architect and
wants to comment about the specific provisions written into the new MC Mixed-
Commercial Zone with is the old DN9 zone where Multi-Care is currently located and
intends to expand their facility to add a 24/7 emergency center and a hospital with
ancillary medical office uses. Currently the DN9 zone allows such uses by right but
the proposed zoning places them as a CUP. They would like to request that the uses be
returned to the permitted by right option and not a CUP. In addition the current DN9
zone allows a height of 60 feet and 4 stories. The proposed MC zone reduces the
height to only 55 feet. Because of the unique medical office uses to get 4 stories you
must have at least 15 feet of floor to ceiling height. Please restore the 60 foot height
maximum.

21.) Kevin Holland-Covington resident: Representing the Covington Economic

Development Council (CEDC) tonight and will read a letter into the record. CEDC
does not support emergency centers or hospitals in the new Town Center zone as it
wants the Town Center for people to live work and play. They also have concerns
about no size limits on churches or schools in the new Town Center zone.

22.) Dana Sindelar-Covington Resident: Does not support emergency centers or hospitals
in the Town Center but supports a “Tent Station” type of town center by making it
relaxing, stress-free, and pedestrian friendly.
 Summary of Comments on Downtown Zoning-(continued p.4)
PC Public Hearing-June 3, 2010

23.) Lee Peterson-Covington resident: Supports all health care facilities in the Town
Center as you can treat any impacts they might cause and they will bring high paying
jobs. Our Economic Development Plan says support health care and education as a
tool for economic development. Make a decision quickly.
24.) John Woodcock- Covington resident in Covington Firs: Concerning the “all or
nothing” provision in his subdivision, he wants it changed so he can sell his property
in the future to any developer who wants to build some new kinds of housing or office
development.
25.) Cathy Simpson-Covington resident in Covington Firs: Does not support new health
car facilities in the new town center zone because of the increase of traffic. They are
OK in Covington, but just not in the new town center.
26.) Sue Peterson-Covington resident: Supports health care facilities in the new town
center. Also does not support the proposed street design and configuration of Wax
Road, because it will take too much ROW from the front yards of residents, has too
much pavement with parking, bike lanes, and a median, and will be difficult to cross.
27.) Scott Simpson-Covington resident in Covington Firs: Keep Covington Firs as is with
no new traffic from medical facilities in the Town Center.

Statistical Summary of Opinions on Town Center Uses

A total of 27 people provided testimony at the public hearing. 26 people testified about
emergency centers & hospitals in the Town Center Zone: 13 in favor and 13 against- a 50%-
50% split. Deleting those who worked for health care providers, Multi-Care or Valley
Medical, there were 11 citizens of Covington and one resident living adjacent to the City who
did not work for health care providers who testified. Of these 12 people, 6 people were in
favor of the emergency centers and hospitals in the Town Center, and 6 people were against
emergency centers and hospitals in the Town Center- again a 50%-50% split. One individual
provided a comment only on the Covington Firs “all or nothing” threshold for redevelopment
and wanted that provision removed so he could sell his property to a developer for
redevelopment.