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HomeMy WebLinkAbout111615CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING OF NOVEMBER 16, 2015 CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Port Townsend City Council met in regular session on November 16, 2015. Mayor David King called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were Pamela Adams, Robert Gray, David King, Kris Nelson, Catharine Robinson, Michelle Sandoval, and Deborah Stinson. Staff members present were Public Works Director Ken Clow, City Attorney Steve Gross, Planning Director Lance Bailey, Senior Planner Judy Surber, and City Clerk Joanna Sanders . CHANGES TO THE AGENDA The Consent Agenda was amended to include Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Appointments. Unfinished Business would be addressed before the Public Hearings. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Public comment Emelia De Souza encouraged Council to participate in the Human Rights Campaign to achieve equality for lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender Americans. She distributed a copy of the Municipal Equality Index she is proposing the City submit. Jason Victor Serinus, Treasurer of the Human Rights Alliance North Sound, spoke in favor of the City participating in the Municipal Equality Index. Jill Buhler, President of the Human Rights Alliance North Sound, urged the City to participate in the Municipal Equality index. Jan Boutilier spoke in favor of the City developing an off leash dog park. City staff response Following a brief discussion about whether to consider this matter at a future meeting, there was consensus among Council to add under New Business consideration of support for the Municipal Equality Index. City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 1 of 6 CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Bills, Claims and Warrants Vouchers 152554 through 152689, Voucher 509 and Electronic Fund Transfers in the amount of $837,593.12. Approval of Minutes: November 2, 2015 Appointment of Barb Trailer (Recipient Position 5, Term Expires May 1, 2018) and Todd Gubler (Collector Position 10, Term Expires May 1, 2018) to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Motion: Deborah Stinson moved to approve the consent agenda as amended to include Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Appointments. Pamela Adams seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Water Status Update Public Works Director Ken Clow reported that over five inches of rain fell in the watershed over the weekend and there was snow on Mount Craig. The heavier flows brought turbidities so no water could be diverted from the Big Quilcene River. Six million gallons a day are being diverted off the Little Quilcene River to Lords Lake. At the next meeting, he would return to ask Council to rescind the ordinance on water conservation measures. PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance 3137, Related to Interim Land Use Regulations in the Vicinity of 6th and 10th Streets and Howard Street and Discovery Way; Re -Enacting and Extending Ordinances 3130, 3124, 3116 and 3111 (which Amend Chapters 17.18 and 17.20 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code) for an Third Additional Six - Month Period or Until the City Finishes the Process of Code Review and Amendment Relating to Zoning in the Affected Area Mayor King read the rules of procedure for the public hearing. No Councilmembers had any disclosures regarding financial or property interests in this matter. Planning Director Lance Bailey gave the staff report on whether to renew, enact and/or extend the interim regulations. There being no public comment, Mayor King closed the public hearing. There were questions about the six-month extension and whether clean up of land use tables would occur in the future, Staff concurred. City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 2 of 6 Motion: Deborah Stinson moved to approve waiving Council Rules and adopting Ordinance 3137, Related to Interim Land Use Regulations in the Vicinity of 6th and 10th Streets and Howard Street and Discovery Way; Re -Enacting and Extending Ordinances 3130, 3124, 3116 and 3111 (which Amend Chapters 17.18 and 17.20 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code) for an Third Additional Six -Month Period or Until the City Finishes the Process of Code Review and Amendment Relating to Zoning in the Affected Area. Catharine Robinson seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. Resolution 15-042 Related to the Periodic Update of the City's Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations, Adopting a 2016 Periodic Update Docket Setting the Scope of the Revisions, Postponing the 2016 Annual Docket, and Requesting that the City Manager, in Consultation with the Planning Commission and City Council, Develop a Plan to Address those Items not Included in the 2016 Docket. Mayor King read the rules of procedure for the public hearing. There were no disclosures financial or property in connection with this matter. Senior Planner Judy Surber provided an overview of the Comprehensive Plan update. She outlined the Planning Commission's review and public input received and then listed the materials provided to Council to assist in establishing the recommended docket. She noted that a housing inventory would be conducted and she urged Council to focus on the list of optional amendments attached as an exhibit. Monica Mick -Hager, Chair of the Planning Commission, spoke about the work on the Comprehensive Plan. She urged Council to prioritize the work plan items for the Comprehensive Plan. Nan Evans, member of the Planning Commission, provided a detailed overview of the assessment noting that its executive summary identifies the five key issues. Public Comment Deborah Pedersen spoke in favor of expanding the affordable housing element, including allocating more staff time. Jean Camfield spoke on behalf of Habitat for Humanity and urged Council to work to create jobs, housing, and affordable infrastructure for new housing. Joe Johnson spoke about code issues, variance issues, infrastructure and parking requirements that make housing development projects unaffordable. A different code interpretation could improve the planning efforts. He urged removing the owner occupancy requirement for ADU construction. Paul Rice noted that Speak Up survey results overwhelmingly supported a focus on affordable housing. City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 3 of 6 Written comments were also submitted by the following: Jefferson County Public Health Director Jean Baldwin and Karen Obermeyer Health Educator urged Council to request to complete the Comprehensive Plan Healthy - Community checklist for future work plans. Habitat for Humanity Board Member Carolyn Eagan asked to make affordable housing a priority. Larry Dennison urged Council to emphasize affordable housing and long-term community sustainability and resilience in the Comprehensive Plan. There being no further comments, the public hearing was closed. Ms. Surber responded that the City's investment in infrastructure for the Howard Street corridor project was intended to create family -wage jobs which is key to affordable housing. The housing inventory would include an evaluation of strategies to see if there are additional tools and ideas to incorporate. Lance Bailey said the Planning Commission assessment is a document that has a useful life far beyond the Comprehensive Plan update. Staff responded to Council questions about the housing inventory project, the recommended action on the Howard Street subarea plan, and whether the docketed items would amend what was previously adopted in Policy 2.2 on evaluating existing land use regulations related to affordable housing. Staff noted that to implement items on the docket, there might be revisions to existing goals and policies, but the intent is to maintain language that meet the goals. When asked about the need for an updated vacant lands analysis, Ms. Evans noted that relatively small growth has been experienced as opposed to what was anticipated. Ms. Surber added that the mandated list includes updating the inventories. There was some concern that due to the quantity of work, "bookmarks" often turn into "parking lot" items and that the creation of development regulations would fall too far behind the planning effort. Mr. Bailey stated that the Howard Street infrastructure would be complete at the end of 2016. Immediately after the subarea plan, there could be development regulations and zoning code changes independent of the Comprehensive Plan process. In response to a question of when a code audit could be completed, staff explained that the rationale behind postponing code audit for affordable housing is limited resources for an extensive code review. Ms. Evans responded that bookmarking was an attempt to remember what was important for future updates. Ms. Surber pointed out that Exhibit E documents future work plan items and the proposed motion specifically directs staff to work with the Council and City Manager to develop a plan to address those items. Council recognized the Planning Commission for their good work and commented that the assessment was on target. An additional comment was that in order to address priority issues of affordable housing and infrastructure, Council needs to support these City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 4 of 6 efforts by budgeting for long-range planners and agreeing to tax increases when needed. Mr. Bailey also explained that the critical areas review is not recommended for docketing at this time because the City has an additional year before needing to adopt changes to the Critical Areas Ordinance. He also clarified that revisions can be made to the development code (zoning districts and other development standards) outside the Comprehensive Plan annual amendment process. Motion: Michelle Sandoval moved to approve Resolution 15-042 Related to the Periodic Update of the City's Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations, Adopting a 2016 Periodic Update Docket Setting the Scope of the Revisions, Postponing the 2016 Annual Docket, and Requesting that the City Manager, in Consultation with the Planning Commission and City Council, Develop a Plan to Address those Items not Included in the 2016 Docket (and include the list of Optional Amendments along with Exhibit A to the resolution). Deborah Stinson seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. There was some discussion about amending the recommended motion to bring forward a sub area plan and then approving the code change review as a joint effort. Mr. Bailey assured Council that both code changes and development regulations would be occurring together and that this was implied in the proposed action. Motion: Catharine Robinson moved to approve directing staff, under a separate process, to draft for Council review and approval a new Howard Street Subarea Plan to clarify, supplement, or implement jurisdiction -wide comprehensive plan policies and incorporate, where practicable, the recommendations of the Hovee Economic Feasibility Study. Pamela Adams seconded. During discussion of the motion, Ms. Surber clarified that if there are optional items such as parking that need more discussion or further environmental review, then the Planning Director might recommend removing an item from the docket rather than holding up the rest of the process. Alternatively, putting an item on the docket does not mean that the City is going to adopt anything, it can mean that it is just considered or discussed. Vote: motion carried, 6-1 by voice vote, Kris Nelson opposed. NEW BUSINESS Municipal Equality Index Motion: Michelle Sandoval moved to approve directing the City Manager to review the process for including the City in the Human Rights Campaign municipal equality index and to submit information regarding the City of Port Townsend for inclusion in this index. Staff was directed to report back to Council on it findings. Pamela Adams seconded. During discussion of the motion, there was a question whether the City has already contributed to the work and whether it has to sponsor the submission. Ms. Souza said the Human Rights Alliance of North Sound could make the submission on behalf of the City and is simply asking for the City's support. City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 5 of 6 Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. PRESIDING OFFICER'S REPORT Mayor King reported that Jefferson County supported adding the Olympic Discovery Trail to their transportation improvement plan. At 8:32 p.m., Council went into executive session for 20 minutes to review the performance of a public employee pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)g. At 8:45 p.m., Council came back into open session. EXECUTIVE SESSION — TO REVIEW THE PERFORMANCE OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PURSUANT TO RCW 42.30.110(1)G Motion: Kris Nelson moved to approve to adopt and publish a summary of the City Manager's Evaluation for 2015. Deborah Stinson seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:46 p.m. Attest: Joanna Sanders, CMC City Clerk City Council Business Meeting November 16, 2015 Page 6 of 6