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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 - June NewslettterJune 2016 News from Mayor Deborah Stinson Spring 2016 is one for the record books. I think we have all welcomed the early warm weather after our soggy and cold late winter. Now as I write, I am wondering how many rhodies will still be blooming for our much anticipated Rhody Festival. And I suspect I’m not the only one keeping a wary eye on the disappearing snowpack. As of May 16, our snowpack is 60% of what we would normally expect in mid-May. That said, the snowpack is usually melted by the first week of June, so we are only a few weeks ahead of normal conditions. Our Public Works Department continues to monitor the situation and is already taking measures to help see us through the summer with enough water. We have also seen an early influx of visitors who come to enjoy our special corner of the world. They bring with them both benefits and challenges for our community that longtime residents know well. They inject an economic boost for many of our businesses, provide diversity to our cultural mix and generally magnify the vitality of our community. All that activity means that traffic is heavier, parking downtown is less available, public safety officers are spread thin and you better make a reservation at your favorite spot if you want to be seated at time certain. Our visitors can also be challenged to find local accommodations during the busiest festival times. Many in our city have recognized this need and have stepped up to offer short term rentals (less than 30 days) on their property. This is a long practice in Port Townsend, and our municipal code and land use regulations allow for this use in residential areas in the form of B&B’s and Tourist Homes when the owner or their representative lives on the property. From there the requirements vary depending on a variety of factors. But they are all licensed businesses that must meet the requirements for their classification and pay appropriate business and lodging taxes. Many more people are starting to participate in this new market aided by the technological advent of web-based tools like Air B&B, VRBO and others. With the exception of a few grandfathered properties, any short term rental where the owner or their agent does not live on the property is not legal. We refer to these as “non-owner-occupied short term rentals”. Like many popular destination cities around the country, we have struggled to regulate and enforce this activity. Part of the problem lies in the complexity of getting out ahead of the rapidly evolving technology. Another part lies in the fact that the nature of short term rental uses and the way these uses are regulated have evolved over decades, resulting in a situation where both current and outdated rules and terminology are spread across many chapters of our codes. We have tasked our Planning Commission to first consolidate existing code into a single chapter. Then they will look at which definitions and regulations are still relevant, can possibly be combined with others or should be eliminated. Finally, they are to recommend whether or not “non-owner-occupied short term rentals” should be allowed and, if so, to what degree and under what regulations, or if not, should we phase out this use on grandfathered properties. Note that this tasking does not propose changing the use of accessory dwelling units (ADU). ADU’s are only permitted for private use or as a long-term rental (30 days or more). We have opened a discussion on our SpeakUp PT site to facilitate public comment on this issue. If you are interested in this topic, I encourage you to visit this site to read what others are saying and add your unique perspective. (click Speak UP on www.cityofpt.us) As always, you are also welcome to attend the meetings to provide public comment. The schedule for those meetings is listed on our website and the agendas for any given meeting is posted about a week ahead of time. While on the SpeakUp PT site, be sure to look for another new discussion on our proposed 3-year strategic plan. We’re hoping to adopt this plan in June so that we can use it as a framework for our Council work plan through 2018. Plans are in the making for a trip to our Sister City in Ichikawa, Japan for October of 2017. It will be the 15th anniversary of the Sister City Agreement signing. If you are interested in visiting our Sister City or are just interested in the program please join us for our first organizational meeting, Thursday, June 16th, 6:00 pm in the First Floor Conference Room at City Hall. For more information call Catherine McNabb at 379-5089 or email at cmcnabb@cityofpt.us Planning a trip to our Sister City in Ichikawa, Japan October, 2017 Animal Control Ordinance update The City Council has approved first reading of Ordinance 3149, related to Animal Control. While it cleans up a lot of the old code, its main change from the current law is that it clarifies the City’s requirements for dogs being off-leash. As proposed, dogs can only be off-leash under the following circumstances: 1) they are on the property of their owner; 2) they are on property other than that of their owner, but the property owner has given permission for the animal to be off-leash or, 3) they are on City property (or in rights-of-way) that the City has designated to be an off-leash area. The City Council has confirmed the Dog Park at Chetzemoka as an off-leash area. Council also directed staff to coordinate with other public and private property owners (such as the school district, county, port, and fairground association) to see if those owners will allow dogs to be off-leash on their properties. City staff will also look at City-owned properties and will bring recom- mendations for off-leash areas and possibly one or more dedicated dog parks to the Council’s General Services and Special Projects Committee. Special Library Events: Medication Awareness Workshop with Pharmacist Jeanine Bradley Library Learning Center - 1256 Lawrence St. Thursday, Jun. 16, 1-2 p.m. Learn How To: Avoid Dangerous Interactions Avert Deadly Side Effects Be Healthier with Fewer Drugs This workshop is brought to you in partnership with the Olympic Area Agency on Aging. Sponsored by Olympic Area Agency on Aging. Summer Reading Kickoff Port Townsend Library - 1220 Lawrence St. Monday, Jun. 20, 2:00-6:00 pm Join us for our Summer Reading Program open house with storytellers and musicians! Adults, kids, and teens sign up for Summer Reading, enjoy live old-timey music from local musicians, sample yummy snacks, make your own laurel crown, and share your coloring skills on our community coloring pages. “SpeakUp PT!” is a resource to facilitate dialogue among community members. We want to hear from you on the City’s active discussions: Three-Year Strategic Plan and Short- Term Rentals. City Council is aligning its three-year plan with recommendations coming out of the Comprehensive Plan. This is your chance to SpeakUp PT. For more information contact the City Clerk’s office 360-379-5083. POST your ideas. SUPPORT what you like. JOIN the discussion. June 2016 Moving Forward with the 2016 Periodic Update to the Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations To refresh your memory: Work on the "periodic update" to the Comprehensive Plan and development regula Ɵons began in 2014. Required by the Growth Management Act, this update brings our plan and development regulaƟons into sync with state updates. WanƟng to do more than the mandatory amendments, we asked What are the most pressing issues facing our community? We received input via the Town MeeƟng (June 2015), an online survey, SpeakUp PT Port Townsend discussion forum, and wriƩen comment resulƟng in a list of potenƟal opƟonal amend- ments. The Planning Commission and City Council held public hearings to narrow the list to the adopted “final docket,” outlining the amendments to be considered in the 2016 update. It’s been nearly a year since the Town MeeƟng, what progress has been made? As guided by the Final Docket, we have updated inventories and prepared draŌ updates to the Comprehensive Plan and development regulaƟons. Planning Commission has reviewed these draŌs over a series of 10 meeƟngs from January – May and welcomed both verbal and wriƩen comments. CiƟzens were also invited to engage in a series of companion discussion topics posted on the City’s SpeakUp PT site. Upon compleƟon of environmental review in accordance with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), a Determi- naƟon of Non-Significance (DNS) was issued on May 25, 2016. The DNS and associated documents may be viewed at City Hall or via the City’s webpage at: hƩp://www.cityofpt.us/dsd/compplan.html If you wish to address the adequacy of the SEPA review, please note that the Comment/Appeal Period Expires: 4:00 PM, June 8, 2016. Moving forward to public hearing: At a Public Hearing on June 9, 2016 at 6:30 p.m., Planning Commission will deliberate and form findings, conclusions and a recommendaƟon for a final decision by City Council. Wait, wasn’t there a second town meeƟng planned? We had anƟ cipated two town meeƟngs: one before formaƟon of the update “docket” and the second in conjuncƟon with the release of the draŌ updates and environmental review. However staff is recommending council reconsider the second town meeƟng as it may not be the best forum for inviƟng public comment on draŌ amendments that are in “strike-out/underline” form. These draŌs do not lend themselves easily to a large, free-flowing public meeƟng. AddiƟonally, because state law requires two public hearings, a third public meeƟng that is not a formal hearing could create confusion as to whether comments will be part of the official record. In any case, the public is encouraged to submit wriƩen comments and provide public tesƟmony at the upcoming hearings. We will use our website, this newsleƩer, and local media to let you know when hearings will be held. Documents are available at the City Clerk’s office at City Hall and on the City’s website. How do I provide input on the 2016 Comprehensive Plan Updates? 1) AƩend public hearings before Planning Commission/Council and offer verbal tesƟmony 2) Use eComment on the City’s website: hƩp://cityofpt.us/video.html 3) Submit wriƩen comments either to 2016Update@cityofpt.us or to the City Clerk at 250 Madison Street, Suite 2, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Save the Date More info coming in the August Newsletter The 2nd Annual "Old School" 4th of July Celebrating Interdependence, Jeff. Co. Style Monday July 4th, 2016 4PM - 10PM Fort Worden Parade Grounds Live music, food vendors, beer garden, car show, hot air balloon, field games, Free Root Beer Floats, Tug of War and FIREWORKS!!!! Through an amazing symphony of collaboration and partnership the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Thunderbull Productions are pleased to announce the return of fireworks and festivities to Fort Worden State Park for the 2nd Annual “Old School” 4th of July. The 2016 event features an epic lineup of live music, food vendors, beer garden, car show, hot air balloon, field games, Free Root Beer Floats, Tug of War and much more, all culminating in a glorious display of Fireworks. The "Old School" 4th of July is shaping up to be a grand ol' time, but we are still in the throws of making this a sustain- able event. If you like the idea of staying HOME for the 4th and celebrating with your community. DONATE TODAY!!! Individual donations can be made online at www.oldschool4th.com and click the "Donate" button, or drop by any Kitsap Bank with your donation. For business sponsorship information contact Dominic Svornich, at dsvornich@kitsapbank.com or via phone at 360-672-0645. To volunteer on the day of, contact event coordinator Danny Milholland, at daniel@thunderbullproductions.com. "Tastes" of Port Townsend Thursday June 9th, 5-8 pm at the NW Maritime Center! Join us for an Evening of 23 Local Tastes of Port Townsend Food, Beer, Wine, Cider and Desserts! Sample ~ Sip ~ Mingle...It's going to be delicious! This is an amazingly tasty fundraiser for the Port Townsend Main Street Program, a 501c3 nonprofit. 21+ event, for more information, visit www.ptmainstreet.org (photo by Elizabeth Becker, Seaport Photography) Friends of the Port Townsend Library Saturday, June 11th 9am - 3pm 8am for Members of the Friends Only at the Community Center (in Uptown) Oodles of Books!