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HomeMy WebLinkAbout050216 CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF MAY 2, 2016 CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Port Townsend City Council met in regular session on May 2, 2016 in the Council Chambers at 540 Water Street. Mayor Stinson called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were Pamela Adams, David Faber, Robert Gray, Catharine Robinson, Deborah Stinson, and Amy Howard with Michelle Sandoval excused. Staff members present were City Manager David Timmons, Public Works Director Ken Clow, Finance Director Nora Mitchell, Parks and Facilities Manager Alex Wisniewski, and City Clerk Joanna Sanders . CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Item C Referring the Matter of Drafting Development Regulations Related to Short- Term Rentals was moved to the first item under New Business. SPECIAL PRESENTATION: JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT Executive Director Bill Tennent Jefferson County Historical Society gave their annual report on their activities. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC There were none. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Bills, Claims and Warrants Vouchers 153737 through 153962, Vouchers 516 through 523 and Electronic Fund Transfers in the amount of$979,629.48. Approval of Minutes: April 4 and April 11, 2016 City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 1 of 6 Historic Preservation Committee (Brent Davis reappointment to Position 7, Term Expires May 1, 2019); Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (Janette Force reappointment to Position 6, Recipient, Term Expires May 1, 2018; Robert Birman reappointment to Position 4, Recipient, Term Expires May 1, 2019; Denise Winter reappointment to Position 7, Recipient, Term Expires May 1, 2019; Cindy Finnie reappointment to Position 8, Collector, Term Expires May 1, 2019; Amanda Milholland appointment to Position 3, At Large Position, Term Expires May 1, 2019) Motion: Catharine Robinson moved to approve the consent agenda as written. Robert Gray seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE NEW BUSINESS Referring the matter of drafting development regulations related to short term rentals to the Planning Commission Mr. Timmons reviewed the previous discussions before Council and the specific questions to be addressed as outlined in the agenda bill. He reminded of the need to split the issue of short-term rentals between matters the Council would address under business regulations versus the review of the development regulations to be reviewed by the Planning Commission. Council discussion centered on how the recommendation for reviewing nonowner- occupied short-term rentals came forward and whether the scope of the Planning Commission's review could be expanded beyond the specific questions. It was noted that there has been Council hesitancy to expand short-term rentals beyond tourist homes. Mr. Timmons responded to questions about grandfathered properties and the applicability of business and occupation taxes. He noted that the Planning Commission could make alternative recommendations. He recommended Council schedule a separate discussion of the E.D. Hovee housing inventory report. Public Comment: Jon Langdon talked about his opposition to regulations allowing the conversion ADUs to short-term rentals. Amy Johnson commented on the housing crisis and the difficulty finding rental housing. Ellie Taylor spoke about her concerns about short-term rentals. Allowing non-owner occupied rentals would be detrimental to owner-occupied short-term rentals. City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 2 of 6 Bob Middleburg spoke about his desire to get a permit for an owner-occupied short- term rental and their exclusion from using their home as a tourist home. Significant discussion ensued about the concern over the Planning Commission spending time investigating nonowner-occupied short-term rentals when there appeared to be a strong lack of support. It was suggested that the Commission could instead focus on consolidating code provisions around owner-occupied short- term rentals. There were also comments about the need for regulations on non- owner occupied short-term rentals because of the number operating illegally and the impact on affordable housing. It was noted that currently one can legally rent rooms in homes as a tourist accommodations and that the definition of an ADU might need to be clarified even though that is not under discussion. Mayor Stinson spoke about the significant amount of time the Council's Community Development and Land Use Committee spent reviewing the vacation rental situation which delayed Planning Commission review of the development regulations. She mentioned there have also been discussions about locally-owned short-term rentals versus non-locally-owned. For good process and consideration of the range of issues, the Commission needs the opportunity to fully review the short- term rental issue and arrive at their own recommendations. Motion: Robert Gray moved to approve referring the matter of short term rentals to the Planning Commission for its review and recommendations regarding allowing or not allowing nonowner-occupied short term rentals and regarding potential amendments to Title 17 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code that would provide for a three-year pilot program allowing the same. Pamela Adams seconded. Vote: motion carried, 5-1 by voice vote, David Faber opposed. Resolution 16-015 Adopting a Public Video System Policy City Manager David Timmons gave the staff report on the need for a policy and the proposal for additional security cameras. Staff responded to questions about the negligible cost impacts associated with the policy and about the public records associated with the videos. There was no pubilc comment. Motion: Pamela Adams moved to approve Resolution 16-015 Adopting a Public Video System Policy. Amy Howard seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. Resolution 16-016 Authorizing the City Manager to Award and Sign all Contracts for the Design of the Water Street Overlay - Ferry Terminal to Taylor Street Project. City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 3 of 6 City Engineer David Peterson briefed Council on the repaving project on Water Street from the traffic light at Taylor Street to the ferry terminal. He reviewed the project cost and associated grant funds from the Transportation Improvement Board. Funding initially would be through the City's line of credit and a supplemental budget request of$127,230 would be needed. Design proposals would be brought back to Council. There was no public comment. Motion: Catharine Robinson moved to approve Resolution 16-016 Authorizing the City Manager to Award and Sign all Contracts for the Design of the Water Street Overlay- Ferry Terminal to Taylor Street Project. Pamela Adams seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. Resolution 16-017 Adopting the April 2016 Mountain View Space Allocation Study and Authorizing the City Manager to Sign those Documents Necessary to Implement the Study Conclusions within the Approved Budget Parks and Facilities Manager Alex Wisniewski gave the staff report with background on the space allocation study by Rolluda Architects as detailed in the agenda materials. He reviewed resolution exhibits reflecting project costs and proposed additional improvements. Mr. Timmons talked about staged improvements and reviewed his work with the school district superintendent on coordination of other compatible uses on the property. Questions from Council related to the conceptual design as depicted in the exhibit and the desire for a master plan to address open areas. Mr. Timmons also reviewed the status of funding set aside by the bond and talked about the desire for additional storage for disaster recovery materials. It was noted that additional funding would be needed to make improvements to develop a shared meeting room on site. There was no public comment. Motion: Catharine Robinson moved to approve Resolution 16-017 Adopting the April 2016 Mountain View Space Allocation Study and Authorizing the City Manager to Sign those Documents Necessary to Implement the Study Conclusions within the Approved Budget. David Faber seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. 2008 Limited Tax General Obligation (LTGO) Bond Refinancing Options Finance Director Nora Mitchell briefed Council on the options for refinancing the 2008 bonds. The recommendation by the Finance and Budget Committee was to approve a refinancing of the 2008 bonds in 2017 to include additional borrowing for City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 4 of 6 other priority capital projects (Water Street overlay and Library projects). Another goal was to maintain debt service payments so that additional funds were not needed. Mr. Timmons explained the list of needed repairs at the Library and his desire to leverage funding at the lowest rates possible to keep up with building maintenance. Ms. Mitchell then reviewed funding used for debt service payments and responded to questions about estimated capital project costs and remaining non-voted bond capacity. Public Comment: Rick Jahnke commented about councilmanic debt and the need for staffing to support existing projects that if debt were reduced, there would be a use of funds for staffing versus projects. Motion: Catharine Robinson moved to approve pursuing an advance refunding of the 2008 bonds in the early part of calendar year 2017, to include the addition of new money borrowing of$1.5 to $2.0 million, and direct the City Manager to submit for approval an amended Capital Plan and budget incorporating the recommended supplemental projects and funding. Amy Howard seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. PRESIDING OFFICER'S REPORT Report on Review of Advisory Boards, Committees and Commissions Mayor Stinson briefed Council on her recommendation that non-statutory boards operate on a status quo basis with current members until adoption of the three-year strategic plan. The consent agenda included appointments for statutory boards (Planning Commission, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, Historic Preservation Committee, and Civil Service Commission). Once the new plan is finalized, Council would have a better idea of the Council committee and advisory board/committee structure needed to further those new priorities. Ms. Stinson also spoke about her attendance at the AWC Strong Cities Committee and Emergency Management for Elected Officials. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT Consent to use targeted herbicide for limited application on Upper Sims Way David Timmons reported on the following: - Water Update Report (distributed) - Revenues are trending upward - Hiring update administrative assistant, code enforcement, HR Manager, street maintenance work, police officer City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 5 of 6 - Emergency management training - Weed control management and request for limited herbicide use on Upper Sims Way Public Works Director Ken Clow reviewed some of the considerations in plantings and weed control. Motion: Pamela Adams moved to approve allowing City use of targeted herbicides for limited application in restricted areas of Upper Sims Way (Thomas and Howard Streets). David Faber seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT OR FUTURE AGENDA, REGULAR MEETING AND/OR STUDY SESSION Staff agreed to follow up on the recommendation to show historical data from 2015 in the water status report. It was also suggested that the Council Information and Technology Committee might be tasked to explore the City's use of social media. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL EXECUTIVE SESSION ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m. Attest: p Joanna Sanders, CMC City Clerk City Council Meeting May 2, 2016 Page 6 of 6