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Home My WebLink About041822CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING OF APRIL 18, 2022 CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The Port Townsend City Council met in regular session on the 18th day of April 2022 in the Council Chambers. Mayor David Faber called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were Aislinn Diamanti, David Faber, Monica MickHager, Owen Rowe, Ben Thomas, and Libby Wennstrom with Amy Howard excused. Staff members present were City Manager John Mauro, Public Works Director Steve King , City Attorney Heidi Greenwood, Director of People and Performance Pamela Martinez, and City Clerk Joanna Sanders. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Added was a Closed Session - pursuant to RCW 42.30.140(4)(b). COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Public comment The following individuals provided written public comment (clerk included the comments in the meeting record): Conner Bouchard -Roberts spoke about tenant protections and provided a sample ordinance to add new regulations. Michelle Sandoval commented on the City work plan proposing a review of City impact fees for new construction. Gillian Stewart spoke in favor of the tenant protection ordinance proposed by Conner Roberts. Public Comments: Conner Bouchard Roberts spoke about the proposed ordinance on tenant rent protections based on a review of the Cities of Kenmore, Auburn and Seattle. Mary Schroeder spoke in favor of a rent protection ordinance. April Smith spoke in favor of the rent protection ordinance. City staff response Mayor Faber noted this item has been placed on the City's work plan. Council Business Meeting April 18, 2022 Page 1 of 5 CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Bills, Claims and Warrants Vouchers 169455 through 169530 in the amount of $603,856.31 Vouchers 608 through 609 in the amount of $629.50 Approval of Minutes: April 4 and 11, 2022 Motion: Owen Rowe moved to approve the consent agenda as written. Libby Wennstrom seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE NEW BUSINESS Resolution 22-018, Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into an Agreement with Jefferson County Historical Society and to Execute all Contracts Necessary to Complete the City Hall Upgrades in an Amount not to Exceed $145,000 Public Works Director Steve King gave the staff report on the physical upgrades in City Hall as well as space needs. He responded to questions on upgrades in the Jefferson County Historical Museum with the $15,000 contribution. There was some discussion and question about costs, including commercial grade window shades and acoustic boards. Public comment: David Hero recommended there be an exterior assessment of the southwest corner of the historic City Hall building tuck pointing. Motion: Monica MickHager moved to approve Resolution 22-018, Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into an Agreement with Jefferson County Historical Society and to Execute all Contracts to Complete the City Hall Upgrades Project not to Exceed $145,000. Ben Thomas seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. Ordinance 3289 amending Chapter 12.10 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code Street Use Permits Public Works Director Steve King led the staff briefing on key points of the ordinance and referred to an email from PT MainStreet Director Mari Mullen regarding the method and distribution of the recent survey. Public Comment: Council Business Meeting April 18, 2022 Page 2 of 5 The following individuals provided written public comment (clerk included the comments in the meeting record): Harvey Windle spoke about the public process and in opposition to a proposed ordinance. Frank luro spoke in favor of removing the tented streateries from parking spaces. Paul Schutt spoke in opposition of streatery structures. lonray spoke in favor of removing the streateries. Ana Wolpin spoke about public process concerns regarding the streatery survey. Harvey Windle spoke about a flyer/petition distributed regarding streateries and in opposition to supporting permanent streatery regulations. Gail Boulter spoke about her retail establishments and the unique issue covid presented for restaurants that other area businesses supported as a temporary fix. Pat Louderback spoke about his concerns about a lack of a parking management strategy. David Wing-Kovarik spoke about his concern of loss of retail sales due to this measure that supports restaurants. David Hero of the Silverwater Cafe encouraged extending the streateries, but not in favor of permanent code provisions in lieu of sharing the parking spaces. He urged looking at seasonal use of outdoor areas using existing laws. Scott Walker, an advocate for parking management, noted this proposal should be stopped in lieu of completing the long overdue parking management. Samantha Ladwig owner of Imprint Bookstore spoke about customers expressing concern over the difficulties of parking and in opposition to the ordinance. Council discussion included concerns over the need for a parking study/management plan, the successes of streateries and pedestrian -only areas in other cities, improving the appearance of the streateries, containing the number to three until a parking management plan, a noted upsurge in Covid cases, the shortened survey process, a desire to avoid designing public rights of way around automobiles, the one percent of parking being proposed for this purpose, and expanding the area to allow streateries. Discussion on changes to the ordinance included questions about whether the improvements could be assigned to a new owner with City approval or would go back into a lottery, allowing four downtown and one uptown streatery, adding language for safety protections for exposed streateries on the roadside, clarification that design review by HPC would be limited to the historic district, and expanding the notice of outreach to include residents. Steve King noted that building something in the public right of way could be taken away if repairs were needed. Motion: Monica MickHager moved to approve first reading of Ordinance 3289 amending the Port Townsend Municipal Code Chapter 12.10 Street Use Permits - Council Business Meeting April 18, 2022 Page 3 of 5 Commercial, Mixed Use with the following changes: changing the number of streateries in the downtown area to four and for uptown two, including the language limiting one per block, exploring additional language for safety protections, staff exploring the change of ownership language, clarifying when/where design review by Historic Preservation Committee would occur, clearer language about pedestrian travel patterns (approval criteria 12.10.070(F)), and expanding the notice of outreach to residents with 300 foot radius. Aislinn Diamanti seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. PRESIDING OFFICER'S REPORT Mayor reported on the following: - Planning for a John Hodgman event after June 5 - USS Nimitz is expected in port May 7-11 CITY MANAGER'S REPORT City Manager John Mauro reported on the following: - Sims Gateway project technical advisory group was last weekend - Currently negotiating the agreement with police union - Work plan discussion and Staffing transition at the April 11 meeting - Code compliance topic at KPTZ Brewocracy - Discussion at LTAC about use of public funds on shoulder - Utility Tax bill clarifications - Invitation from Port Townsend Pickleball Club - Wellness activities - Parks tour - Applying for $150,000 Resource Conservation Organization grant for parks funding - Arts WA grant along with MainStreet for Tyler Plaza Lighting SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT OR FUTURE AGENDA, REGULAR MEETING AND/OR STUDY SESSION There was a proposal to bring forth tenant rental regulations on the City's workplan. Staff noted this item has been placed on the Suggestion Board. Aislinn Diamanti requested the Housing Fund Board proposal be added to the May 2 agenda. Motion: David Faber moved to approve tasking the Council Culture and Society committee with working on tenant regulations. Monica MickHager seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 6-0 by voice vote. EXECUTIVE SESSION - RCW 42.30.110(1)(G) TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE At 9:20 p.m., the Council recessed into Closed Session RCW 42.30.140(4)(b) for 30 minutes with no action to follow and for an additional 30 minutes pursuant to RCW Council Business Meeting April 18, 2022 Page 4 of 5 42.30.110(1)(g) to evaluate the performance of a public employee. At 10:25 p.m., Council came back into open session. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:25 p.m.. Attest: Joanna Sanders, MMC City Clerk Council Business Meeting April 18, 2022 Page 5 of 5