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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 2013From Mayor David King December 2013 I am having trouble with this newsletter. I’m too busy. Whose idea was it to have the City’s budget process, the end of my business fiscal year and the Holiday Season all take place at the same time? And do we have to do all this while the weather’s crummy and the days are short? I know from experience that my energy and perspective will improve after the solstice, but this has to be in by Friday the 22nd. Reimagining the Community’s Future To begin our Comprehensive Plan update we are soliciting for applications to the Planning Commission in this newsletter. When the Growth Management Act was passed by the legislature in 1990, comprehensive plans, which cities and counties had been producing for years, became legally enforceable documents out- lining the governing body’s approach to the state’s explicit goals for growth management, which are:  sprawl reduction  concentrated urban growth  affordable housing  economic development  open space and recreation  regional transportation  environmental protection  protecting property rights  natural resource industries  preserving historic lands and buildings  timely permit processing  providing adequate public facilities and services  early and continuous public  shoreline management participation The Comp Plan is part of a hierarchy of planning documents that provide structure and guidance for local government planning and development. For the City (and the County is similar), from top to bottom they are:  County Wide Planning Policy (CWPP) – the overarching framework for planning in the entire County, including the City – available here: http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/ commdevelopment/JGMSC%20&%20CPP.htm#CountyWidePlanningPolicy  City Comprehensive Plan – policy documents implementing the CWPP. The City’s com- prehensive plan is here: http://codepublishing.com/downloads/ porttownsendcompplan.html  City Functional Plans – provide further detail on those policies. The City has functional plans for water, sewer, and streetscape. We have a parks functional plan that needs to be updated.  Ordinances and Development Regulations – provide for implementation and enforcement of these planning documents as approved by the City Council. These regulations must be consistent and fully implement the Comp Plan. Prior to adoption the Comprehensive Plan is submitted to the Department of Commerce, which may return it with comments. After adoption the plan can be challenged for not complying with the GMA, City actions can be challenged for not conforming with the plan, or we can be challenged for not taking actions called for in the plan. All of these have happened in the past twenty years. Significant differences between the City and the County exist and are codified in their comprehensive plans. The County Comp Plan must address land use in rural areas that the City doesn’t have, for in- stance. These documents express the community’s goals and aspirations within the framework of the GMA. The interpretation of that framework has often been contentious within and sometimes between jurisdic- tions over the degree to which these documents, and the GMA itself, are unjustifiably restrictive. I believe it is fair to say that an embrace of the GMA generally guided creation of the City’s comprehensive plan in 1996 while the County was more resistant to that embrace. For years those different approaches compli- cated collaboration between the City and the County. But if we’ve learned anything in twenty years out on the end of our peninsula it’s that we are more bound together than divided by our common circumstance. Local agriculture, salmon recovery and great recessions are not confined within the artificial borders of local taxing districts. Though we have different missions we all represent the same tax and rate payers. For me the divisions are demographic not geographic. Both the Food Bank and the Farmer’s Market now need multiple days to meet community demand and there is more of desperation than aspiration in the daily lives of many in our community. I persist in believing that support for the latter is key to relief of the former, and that the Comprehensive Plan, and the process of revising it, should capture a realistic but pro- gressive vision for our future. With constructive momentum building at Fort Worden, within our school dis- trict and along our waterfront we’ve got lots to build on. But optimism will not disguise the fact that our needs and desires exceed our means. Going forward we will have to acknowledge our differences in order to marshal the resources required to address our common interests in behalf of all citizens. Democracy Generally It bears repeating that the Comp Plan is a policy document. If, for example, you want to develop the spe- cifics of a program for sterilizing or culling the deer in PT, the Comprehensive Plan is not the place for it. It is, however, if you want to address how our community may grow and prosper while protecting and co- existing with the species that occur naturally in our shared environment. The Plan update might provide goals to guide the crafting of measures for wildlife management in our community, or simply codify an in- tent to do so. Though this will be a major revision we’ve been modifying the Comp Plan on an ongoing basis over the years. Our Planning Commission, with staff support, reviews proposed changes and makes recommenda- tions to Council. Meaningful public process is labor intensive and expensive and in the past several years an effect of staff reductions has been drastically less support for City advisory committees. Last week at Council Michelle observed that the charter movement and online petitions are perhaps a manifestation of local governments not allocating adequate the resources to staff the committees that normally provide for meaningful citizen participation. I think she’s right. My takeaway from the ballot measures and results of the recent election is a desire for greater participation in local decision-making that falls short of authoriz- ing a major structural change to the system. We need to do better with our established methods and institutions to improve public input and participa- tion. In my opinion technology, which makes information and communication so much more accessible, is at least partly responsible for the increased expectation of participation in the decisions that affect all of us. Technology can help meet those expectations. At six last Thursday morning I was reading on my iPad and was glad to see Charlie Bermant’s article in the PDN about the action we took at Council transferring the City’s interest in the acquisition and management of the Customs House (post office) to the Washing- ton Trust for Historic Preservation. I pictured him at home doing his reporting in his PJs because I knew he wasn’t at the meeting. He was watching us online since all City Council, Planning Commission and Fi- nance Committee meetings are on video and available to anyone with an internet connection. I’ve got two more years on my term on council and along with other work will be looking at cost effective ways to use technology to improve public access and participation. But to be honest I probably won’t be much good at more than getting the 2014 budget approved until after December 21st and we begin to see a bit more daylight. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! 2014 UTILITY RATE INCREASE December 2013 As discussed in the September 2013 newsletter, there are significant financial obligations that the City has in order to maintain our aging water and sewer systems. At this point in time, we have de- termined that the City will see regular planned rate increases for at least the next five years. Effec- tive January 2014, the City will implement its next increase in utility rates. The January water rate increase will result in an additional $1/ month for a standard residential meter (larger size meters will have a slightly higher rate increase) and an additional 14 cents per thousand gallons used. The water capital surcharge is being phased in over several years. The second installment to support required infrastructure improvements increases the surcharge $7/month. Sewer and storm water rates are not changing in January 2014. For the September newsletter which explains the State and Federally mandated projects and for utility rate charts, see “What Can I Help You Find?” at the bottom of the City website and go to “Newsletters” or “Utility Information”, “Utility Rates”. Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park Work Party - Sunday, December 8, 9 a.m. - noon Join us anytime between 9 a.m. and noon for a work party at Kah Tai Lagoon Na- ture Park. We will be planting, pulling Scot‟s Broom and picking up garbage. Park at the parking lot near the bathrooms and walk east toward the Benedict Street entrance southeast of the small pond. Look for a white Chevy pick-up with the bright green „volunteer‟ sign. Wear work clothes, bring work gloves, a shovel if you would like to plant native plants and pruners if you have them. Water, tea, cookies, garbage bags and Scot‟s Broom pullers will be provided. Hope to see you there. For more information contact 385-0307 or rosemarysikes@olympus.net. Planning Commission The City of Port Townsend is seeking interested citizens to fill vacancies on the Planning Commis- sion. The Commission is an advisory board which provides recommendations to the City Council on land use regulations, Comprehensive Plan amendments and other challenging planning issues. The Commission also conducts public hearings on legislative proposals. Planning Commission will play a key role in the 2015 Comprehensive Plan 20-year update. Planning Commission members must make a commitment to spend several hours each month re- viewing packet materials and attending regular and special meetings. Regular meetings are cur- rently scheduled on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 6:30 pm. Special meetings may also be scheduled depending on work load. Applicants must be City residents. Term of service is three years. If you are interested in serving the community in this capacity, please download the Board and Commission application form at www.cityofpt.us/user/image/declarationofinterest.pdf or pick up the form in the Clerk's Office on the second floor of City Hall, 250 Madison Street. You may also call 379-5045 with questions or to re- quest an application form. Please submit applications to the City Clerk by Friday, December 13. Sheridan Street and Walker Street Improvements Sheridan Street and Walker Street improvements are nearing completion. The new sidewalks and pedestrian- bicycle oriented design on Sheridan from QFC to 10th St. has specific parking and bicycle lanes that are designed for safety. Next year, work will continue from 19th back to 14th. Drive down Walker Street and check out its new look too! 2013 Victorian Holidays in Port Townsend The street lamps and store windows will be decorated in the spirit of the season, festive events fill the calen- dar and Santa starts his world tour in Port Townsend on December 7 at 4:30 p.m. The Victorian Holidays are sponsored by the Port Town- send Main Street Program and participating busi- nesses. Saturday, December 7 at 4:30 p.m. Community Tree lighting/Santa Visit Caroling in the streets! Santa arrives by Engine No. 3, a vintage white fire truck, at Haller Fountain for the Treelighting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, December 14 Holiday Homes Tour and Victorian Yule Festival - Tour three of Port Townsend's heritage homes decked out in their holiday finery and then stroll downtown where car- olers, a holiday salon, and even Father Christmas will be on hand to lend some seasonal cheer. See more at www.vicfest.org Holiday Shopping Wrap Up! Stores will be open later on December 20 & 21. Hundreds of last minute gift ideas for everyone on your list! Do it yourself wrap stations. Through December 31—“Santa Shops Here” Shopping incentives to shop locally. For every $500 spent at participating merchants, customers get to pick a $50 Gift Certificate from our wall of gift certificates! *Proof of purchase required and only dollars spent at participating merchants quali- fy towards the $500. First come, first served while quantities last. Some restrictions apply. 2013 Port Townsend Ornament highlights The Centennial of the Schooner Adventuress from 1913-2013. Ornaments are on sale for $12 at se- lect shops. Photo by Elizabeth Becker, Seaport Photography. First Night Celebration December 31 First Night is a Jefferson Museum of Art and His- tory-sponsored family-friendly alcohol-free New Year's Eve community celebration focusing on art, culture and heritage. All activities take place in and around Port Townsend's historic City Hall be- tween 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on December 31. *Visit www.ptmainstreet.org for more information. Spread the Joy this Holiday Season On behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Jefferson Transit and the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club will be collecting new, unwrapped toys on Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Look for the Jefferson Transit bus at the old Visitor‟s Center location on W. Sims Way behind Henery‟s Garden Center. Let’s fill the bus! The hope is to fill a Jefferson Transit bus with toys. Toys will be donated to the Christmas for Children Program serving children in need in Port Townsend, Port Hadlock, Irondale, Nordland, Chimacum and Port Ludlow. Thank you for helping promote the spirit of giving. The Boiler Room Annual Benefit Auction The Boiler Room is holding its ANNUAL BENEFIT AUCTION in The Cotton Building (607 Water Street in downtown Port Townsend) on Saturday, De- cember 7. The Silent Auction starts at 7 p.m., during which there will be live music provided by Jon Parry and George Rezendes, followed by a Live Auction starting at 9:15 p.m. Join us after the Community Tree Lighting. The auction is a fantastic place to purchase holiday gifts while supporting a good cause. There will be a wide variety of items, from soaps to high- end art, from massages to restaurant gift certifi- cates. There will be something for everyone on your list! The Boiler Room supports the creative expres- sion and activities of youth and the young at heart in a safe environment free from drugs, alcohol and tobacco. For more information about the auction, please contact Boiler Room Executive Director Amy Smith at boilerroomed@gmail.com or 360-550-0978.