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HomeMy WebLinkAbout070725 City Council Business Meeting MinutesCITY OF PORT TOWNSEND MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING OF JULY 7, 2025 CALL TO ORDER The City Council met in a Regular Session on the 7th day of July, 2025 in Council Chambers at 540 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Mayor Faber called the meeting to order at 6:02pm. ROLL CALL Councilmembers present at roll call were David Faber, Amy Howard, Monica MickHager, Neil Nelson, Owen Rowe, Ben Thomas, and Libby Wennstrom. Staff members present were City Manager John Mauro, Civil Engineer Mike Connelly, Assistant City Engineer Jeff Kostechka, Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin, People and Performance Director Cynthia Shaffer, Project Manager Tyler Johnson, Facilities and Parks Manager Michael Todd , Community Services Director Melody Sky Weaver, Long Range Planner Adrian Smith, Housing Grants Coordinator Renata Munfrada, and City Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Mayor Faber stated there is a walk on item for a Bid Award for annual chip seal project for San Juan Ave and F Street. Motion: Amy Howard moved add the bid award to consent because it is functionally housekeeping. Ben Thomas seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. PROCLAMATION(S) OR SPECIAL PRESENTATION(S) (NONE) There were no Special Presentations. CITY MANAGER'S REPORT City Manager John Mauro presented the City Manager's Report which included bid award on San Juan and F St, permit videos, Annual Strategic Workplan Retreat, glass recycling, and Coffee with City Manager. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Public comment July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 1 of 6 Elizabeth Barr spoke about wildlife bridges. David Thielk spoke about traffic speeds and speed enforcement. Staff or Council response, as needed In response to public comment staff explained trends regarding speed, wildlife corridors, and Active Transportation Plan. Discussion ensued around speed limits on specific streets, shared use streets, wildlife bridges, follow up contacts regarding wildlife corridors, first draft of Transportation element, Planning Commission meetings, speed enforcement, Discovery Rd project, and Active Transportation Open Houses. CLOSED SESSION: PURSUANT TO RCW 42.30.140 (4)(B) GENERAL GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATIONS (APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES) Mayor Faber stated the Council will go into Closed Session pursuant to RCW 42.30.140(4)(b) General Government Negotiations for approximately 10 minutes. Council went into Closed Session at 6:28pm Council came out of Closed Session at 6:38pm. No action was taken. CONSENT AGENDA Approval of Bills, Claims and Warrants Approval of Minutes: June 2, 2025 Bid Award for Annual Chip Seal Project for San Juan Ave and F St (Added During Changes to the Agenda) Motion: Amy Howard moved to approve the consent agenda. Owen Rowe seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. PUBLIC HEARING Resolution 25-021 Approving the 2026-2031 Six -Year Transportation Improvement Program Mayor Faber opened the Public Hearing and reviewed the Public Hearing Rules of Procedure. July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 2 of 6 Assistant City Engineer Jeff Kostechka and Project Manager Tyler Johnson presented Resolution 25-021 Approving the 2026-2031 Six- Year Transportation Improvement Program which included process, map, errors on documents, projects to be constructed in the next year or two, Planning Grants, Intersection Planning Projects, Projects that are more studies and have not received grants, and Planning Level Grants. There was no written material submitted. Public comment: There was no public comment. In response to Council's clarifying questions staff explained Title VI demographic form, new limits on Lawrence St, RAISE grant projects, identified projects in red, and order of paper vs. electronic copy. Mayor Faber closed the Public Testimony portion of the Hearing. Discussion ensued around memo regarding recusals, finished projects, priority of projects, appreciation for document being easy to read, and Active Transportation Plan. Motion: Ben Thomas moved to approve Resolution 25-021 Approving the 2026-2031 Six -Year Transportation Improvement Program Amy Howard seconded. Mayor Faber closed the public record and the Public Hearing. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. OLD BUSINESS (NONE) NEW BUSINESS Chetzemoka Kitchen Shelter Rebuild Community Services Director Melody Sky Weaver and Facilities and Parks Manager Michael Todd presented on the Chetzemoka Kitchen Shelter Rebuild which included closure of Chetzemoka Kitchen Shelter, bidding process, bid was over budget, options of next steps, recommendation to reject bid, Historic Preservation Committee vision, images, recommendations to keep costs down, updates on plans and going back out to bid, Historic Preservation Committee recommendations, and feedback from contractor. July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 3 of 6 In response to Councils' clarifying questions staff explained water inside building, items that raised costs, and shelter option. Public comment: There was no public comment. Discussion ensued around reasonable action to reject bid, getting a shelter, right direction, and Historic Preservation Committee recommendation process. Motion: Amy Howard moved to reject the bid from Pease Piping, Inc. for the Chetzemoka Picnic Shelter Rebuild Libby Wennstrom seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. Regulation Options to Support Middle Housing Discussion Mayor Faber explained public comment process for topic. Long Range Planner Adiran Smith, Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin, and Housing Grants Coordinator Renata Munfrada provided the Densities and Middle Housing Discussion which included Today's Focus, Port Townsend's Land Use Map, Planning Commission supported using the existing Land Use Map as a zoning map, and creating a new Future Land Use Map, Residential Density Discussion, Middle Housing Types, Discuss Middle Housing Types, Zones to Allow Middle Housing, Discuss Zones to Allow Middle Housing, Table of Permitted Middle Housing Types by Zone, Current Building Height Maximums, Current Daylight Plane, Middle Housing Building Heights, Middle Housing Lot Size in R-I & R-II, Middle Housing Lot Size in R-III Detached SFRs and Duplexes, Middle Housing Lot Size in R-III Attached SFRs, Middle Housing Lot Size in R-III(3), Middle Housing Lot Size, Middle Housing Lot Size, Middle Housing Lot Width- Higher Density Zones, Middle Housing Setbacks, Current R-I Setbacks, Current R-II & R-III Setbacks, Current R-IV Setbacks, Current Mixed Use Setbacks, Current C-III Setbacks, Suggestion from Interim Engineering Design Standards for Driveways, Example Potential Middle Housing R-II & R-111 Setbacks, For Discussion: Middle Housing Lot Coverage, Middle Housing Lot Coverage, Middle Housing Design Standards - Attached Single Family Residences and Cottages, Current Design Review Process for Multifamily, Cottage Housing, and Mixed Uses, Current Design Standards - Apartments, Current Design Standards- Mixed Uses, Discuss Middle Housing Design Standards, Middle Housing Parking Requirements, Incentives for Affordable and Workforce Middle Housing, Encoding Middle Housing Regulations, and Encoding Middle Housing Regulations. In response to Council's clarifying question staff explained reasons to move forward with one map, reevaluating R-1 to become R-II, advantage to listing out middle housing type possibilities, C-I/MU, amount of C-1 and C-II, cottage housing, recommendation from staff to go to four floors, extra 5ft, removal of daylight plane in small cities, multifamily definition, purpose of minimum lot sizes, different orientations, ADU's, 12,500 sq ft, 3 units stacked on top of each other, why have a minimum lot size, what constitutes middle housing, minimum lot width impacting July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 4 of 6 units, awkward shaped lots, residual lots, lot coverage, directing where water goes, reducing barriers, and Port Angeles middle housing. Discussion ensued around Cappy's Trails, R-11 number of units, minimum densities, flexibility in design, homes in historic district over 35ft high, allowing for construction of 4 story building, point access blocks, repealing daylight plane, 50ft in all residential zones, six plex in R-1 & R-11, lot orientation, lot splitting, landowner development, removing minimum lot sizes, making City more accessible/affordable to build, smaller homes, unintended consequences, not liking minimum lot sizes, middle housing lot sizes go back to Planning Commission, Uptown Movie Theater, and waiver from neighboring lot to remove setbacks. Discussion continued around garage's being used for something else, garage definition, getting rid of residential setbacks at Right of Way, 5ft on side and back in general, fully developed complete streets Right of Way, sightline and fire safety requirements, exceptions to no setbacks, health and human safety, design review process changes, hybrid approach, incentives for affordable middle housing, fee waivers, no restrictions on affordable housing projects, individuals, fee deferral, owner builders, unintended incentivizing of density and not affordable, affordability requirements, higher fees for building one house on multiple lots, ghost houses, differential structure for property taxes on undeveloped lots, middle housing regulations together, and having one zoning map. Public comment: Cameron Jones spoke about housing affordability, houselessness, and leveraging local housing builders. PRESIDING OFFICER'S REPORT http://projectforcivichealth.org/join-the-civic-health-effort/#see-form Mayor Faber provided the Presiding Officer's Report which included Project for Civil Health. Discussion ensued around signing on as a City. Motion: Owen Rowe moved that the City sign on to the Project for Civic Health. Amy Howard seconded. Vote: motion carried unanimously, 7-0 by voice vote. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDAS There were no suggestions for future agendas. COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL There were no comments from Council. ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 9:43pm. July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 5 of 6 Attest: Alyss edri e City Clerk July 7, 2025 City Council Business Meeting Page 6 of 6