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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02 February_2023_newsletterNewsletterNewsletter FEBRUARY CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS: February 2023 02/06/23: Business Mee�ng 02/20/23: CITY OFFICES CLOSED 02/21/23: Business Mee�ng Mee�ngs are subject to change. Please view our website calendar for an up-to-date mee�ng schedule: www.cityofpt.us/calendar Consider applying to be on a City Advisory Board or Com-mission. Visit our website for descrip�ons, applica�ons, and mee�ng schedules: www.cityofpt.us For more informa�on contact the City Clerk’s Office at (360) 379-5083. The following Commission has a vacancy: • Lodging Tax Advisory Commi�ee Thank you to all the members of our community who a�ended the first “Envision Port Townsend Golf Course & Mountain View Com- mons” open house on Wednesday, January 11th. It was a roaring success, with (an es�mated) crowd exceeding 300 people, plus an addi�onal 80 who joined virtually on Thursday, January 12th. The presenta�on and Q&A session went really well, and community members were able to present ideas & “voice” (via s�cky dots) their preference across a wide range of opinions for the future of the 58-acre golf course property, which included ideas ranging from keeping the golf course “as is”, to allowing mixed uses with an “adap�ve” golf course combined with other recrea�onal op�ons (such as basketball, pickleball, walking trails, and other outdoor ac�vi�es), to conver�ng it into a dedicated community open space park and nature preserve, to more intensive uses. That said, some people have voiced a belief that the City has already decided to end golf on the golf course property and that we—the poli�cal leadership on City Council—do not care about what you—the community members—have to say about the ma�er. That’s an unfor- tunate bit of misinforma�on that undermines trust in what should be a collabora�ve public process. I understand that even considering other, non-golf uses may be perceived as a threat to those who love golf, but all we can do is con�nue to demonstrate an eagerness to hear what the residents of Port Townsend want to do with the golf course property. A�er all, the opportunity to reflect upon our shared values and the community’s hopes for the future of such a massive community asset at the center of our city do not arise very o�en. I can only speak for myself when I say that I do not want to try to make a decision about the future of the golf course property without hearing and understanding the desires of the people who live here in Port Townsend. I hope that everyone who cares about the future of the golf course property can find it in themselves to con�nue to par�cipate in good faith and without animosity. I’m happy to note that most of the people at the open house—golfers and non-golfers alike—were fantas�c and really showed great civic spirit. So, thank you again for showing up. Not all open houses or townhall mee�ngs draw such a large crowd, but I love it when they do! If you couldn’t par�cipate on January 11th, we’ll be having two more open houses, the first in April and the second in June, to con�nue working through ideas, desires, and concerns to arrive at the op�ons that seem to have the greatest community buy-in before bringing them forward to the City Council for a vote by the end of the year. We don’t have the dates for April and June just yet, so stay tuned! You can also stay engaged by going to h�ps://cityofpt.us/envision Water System Flushing The City of Port Townsend Water Department will con�nue water system flushing through March 31, 2023. Water distribu�on lines need to be flushed periodically to prevent water quality problems. As part of the flushing program, fire hydrants are tested and operated to support fire protec�on in the community. Flushing traces of minerals and sediment from the pipelines may cause short term but harmless changes to the appearance of the water. If the water has a brownish color, it can usually be eliminated by running taps for a few minutes. If discolored water persists for more than a few hours, please call 360-385-3000. A Note From Mayor David Faber - We Are Hiring - Please visit our website for alist of current job openings: www.cityofpt.us/hr City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Happy February! This month, a snapshot of what’s happening at four levels of government, focusing on what affects all of us here in PT: Federal Funding It was long-an�cipated and landed quietly, but it’s now official: President Biden signed the 2023 Appropria�ons Act into law and that officially secures $2.5 million in federal funding for the Evans Vista project. We now have local, county, state and federal resources in hand to get Evans Vista development-ready for urgently-needed workforce and affordable housing at scale. Learn more at our project website and stay tuned for ways to get involved in shaping the master plan: h�ps://cityofpt.us/engagept/evansvista. State Legisla�ve Session The 2023 Washington State Legisla�ve session recently kicked off in Olympia. The City’s top priori�es remain simi-lar as previous years: delivering on housing, transporta�on and climate ac�on. The City’s 2023 legisla�ve agenda and suppor�ng materials can be found here:h�ps://cityofpt.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=4&clip_id=2515&meta_id=209213 Regional Collabora�on The City con�nues to work with our local and regional partners to advance our work. The North Olympic Legisla-�ve Alliance (NOLA) is our collec�ve voice in Olympia; housing policy is one of our top three priori�es, syncing perfectly with our legisla�ve agenda. The award-winning Intergovernmental Collabora�ve Group (ICG) con�nues into its fourth year, strengthening collabora�on between the City, County, Port, and PUD. The City is also ac�ve in the North Olympic Development Council (NODC), the region’s coordinated economic development district. New City Workplan With a balanced budget passed and 2023 well underway, we size up delivery of the 2023 strategic workplan. This year there are seven main categories and a range of ac�vi�es and ini�a�ves under each. Much of the larger plan-ning and engagement efforts – like those around the golf course, aqua�cs, streets, and housing – come together this year as part of the Financial Sustainability Ini�a�ve. Get involved and help shape our future! 2022 Annual Report Finally, Mayor Faber and I delivered the “State of the City” report to the Chamber of Commerce late last month. That presenta�on is being drawn together into our 2022 Annual Report, scheduled for publica�on in March. Stay tuned – it’ll be at: h�ps://cityofpt.us/annualreport. A Note From City Manager John Mauro City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us Comprehensive Streets The Planning Permit Portal is Open for Business! What is the portal? The portal is the Internet's doorway into the City of Port Townsend's permi�ng system for work on private property and in the right-of-way.  You can apply for a permit, schedule an inspec�on and check the status of your project.  37 different permits can be applied for from the comfort of your home or office. NOTE:  At this �me, you are NOT able to submit for land use, HPC or Sign permits (Subdivisions, lot line adjustments, SEPA, etc.)  This capability is coming soon! Do I need an account to use the portal? If you are looking up property or permit informa�on using a city address, or checking the inspec�on schedule, you do not need an account. However, if you wish to apply for a building, plumbing, mechanical, demoli�on, grading, site development (SDP) or minor improvement permits (MIP), you should establish a portal account. Once a permit is issued, you can use your account to sched-ule inspec�ons through the portal. Do I need a new portal account for each permit? No. Your portal account is assigned to you personally, along with your associated informa�on (mailing address, email address, and phone number). What is an access code and why is it important? At the �me of issuance of building permit, applicants will receive an access code. It is cri�cal to have an access code for full usage of the portal. If you need help, email us at: rhill@cityofpt.us or portalhelp@cityofpt.us or call 360-379-5095. I think I have mul�ple accounts, some associated with another person or old business. What should I do? Let’s straighten everything out. Regardless of whether you are a homeowner, a contractor or subcontractor, you should only have one account. Call us at 360-379-5095. I don’t believe I will ever need to apply for a permit again, so why should I establish an account. Can I just come down to City Hall and apply? The City’s permit technicians will guide you through the process of submis-sion and payment without you leaving the comfort of your office or home. They will review your submissions and payments to ensure you are on track, and will coach you via phone, email or virtual mee�ngs. I have a portal account and I am ready to submit for a permit! What do I do now? Ensure you have all of the necessary applica�on materials. Go to our forms and documents page for assistance, and follow the prompts as you move through the portal: In the portal: Click on the “Apply” bu�on. Select a category to view your op�ons: Select “Planning & Community Development” for Building, Mechanical, Plumbing, Grading, Pre-App and CAM or Demoli�on permits. Select “Public Works” for SDP or MIP permits. Follow the instruc�ons as you move through the process. If you get stuck, save your work, and email us at: rhill@cityofpt.us or portalhelp@cityofpt.us Is there any other help I can access? Yes, check out our Youtube channel. Port Townsend PCD - YouTube which contains videos on how to use the portal. One of the key func�ons of the City on behalf of the community is to manage the City’s vast street system. Over the last 20 years, funding for streets has diminished significantly. As a result, street maintenance has fallen significantly behind as is clearly evident by the tough condi�ons of our streets. In addi�on, the City’s mainte-nance crews and engineering department are pulled many direc�ons to work on projects unrelated to street maintenance. The number one concern the City hears through the ci�zen concern portal and various other public comments is around the condi�on of streets and associated lack of maintenance. In an effort to priori�ze investments with exis�ng funds and seek new funds for street maintenance, the City is in the process of developing a Comprehen-sive Streets Program. This program will iden�fy all of the compe�ng and complimentary needs for city streets as well as outline op�ons for investments and re-priori�za�on. As an example, the City spends about one-third of maintenance hours managing vegeta�on. This responsibility actually falls to the adjoining property owner from the edge of the travel way to the right-of-way line. The City will be issuing a public informa�on campaign early this spring regard-ing a reduc�on in vegeta�on control efforts in order to spend more �me on pavement repairs budgeted by the City Council. City of Port Townsend • 250 Madison Street • (360) 385-3000 • www.cityofpt.us We are con�nuing to feature city staff and volunteers so you can meet the team and learn about their work from their perspec�ve. Check back here each month to see a new profile. This month is Sally Robbins from the PT Library. “When I arrived in 1980 to be with WSU Coopera�ve Extension, the first thing I did was get a library card. Being a child of the depression (born 1930), I learned early on to get books from the library. I started volunteering soon a�er. Volunteering brings me new friends and new experiences. I am there tending to the magazine exchange at least three �mes a week, so people recognize me and stay for a conversa�on. Ge�ng acquainted with the library staff is another perk. I am amazed at all of the wonderful events they plan for the children as well as adults. And I love being in a room where I know I will never run out of things to read! Over the years I volunteered in different areas. I have done fundraising each �me there has been a capitol campaign. Early on, I collaborated with the library and taught some nutri�on classes in the basement. That was the only space available then, kind of grim compared to the open great space on the second floor. A few �mes I have moderated mee�ngs between the board and employees. And now, taking care of the magazine exchange that Jody Glaubman and I started twenty years ago. I love magazines so this is fun for me. And thanks to Diane Wiilhan for subbing for me for a few years. And I love the library!” Introducing City Volunteer PT Public Library Mountain View Pool Expanded Hours Our Fall in Love with Your Library open house is Monday, February 13 from 3 - 5:00 p.m. Enjoy live music, Valentine's Day crafts and light refreshments. Generously sponsored by The Friends of the Port Townsend Library. Monday & Wednesday: Open 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon / 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. Tuesday & Thursdays: Open 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. Fridays: Open 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Saturdays: Open 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sundays: Closed If you have ques�ons, please email: jcfontdesk@olympicpeninsulapymca.org Please see the landscaping in the right of way and urban forestry brochures located on the following web pages for more informa�on: h�ps://cityofpt.us/publicworks/page/landscaping-right-way h�ps://cityofpt.us/publicworks/page/urban-forestry-trees-row In addi�on, all of the documents associated with the Comprehensive Street Program are available on the City’s website at: h�ps://cityofpt.us/engagept/page/comprehensive-streets-program. Specifically, please refer to the January 4th Infrastructure and Development Council Commi�ee mee�ng, as well as subsequent City Council mee�ngs. The City is asking for public comments on the topic to help with informed decision making. Thank you!