HomeMy WebLinkAbout090825 City Council Workshop Meeting (with Planning Commission) MinutesCITY OF PORT TOWNSEND
MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2025
CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL
The City Council met in a regular workshop meeting with Planning Commission on
September 8, 2025 in Council Chambers at 540 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA
98368. Mayor Faber called the meeting to order at 6:00pm.
Councilmembers present at roll call were David Faber, Amy Howard, Neil Nelson, Owen
Rowe, Ben Thomas, and Libby Wennstrom with Monica MickHager excused.
Staff members present were Planning and Community Development Director Emma
Bolin, City Manager John Mauro, Long Range Planner Adrian Smith , Community
Development Director Melody Sky Weaver, Public Works Director Steve King , and City
Clerk Alyssa Rodrigues .
Planning Commissioners present at roll call were Lois Stanford, Rick Jahnke, Stephen
Mader, Viki Sonntag, with Andreas Andreadis, Samantha Bair -Jones, and Robert Doyle
excused.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT (REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA)
Maggie spoke about HIPAA concerns around PT Leader articles regarding Evans Vista
encampment.
Commissioner Samantha Bair -Jones arrived at 6:04pm.
Commissioner Andreas Andreadis arrived at 6:05pm.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Comprehensive Plan Update- Climate Resilience, Parks Recreation and Open
Space, Draft Economic Development
Planning and Community Development Director Emma Bolin and Long Range
Planner Adrian Smith provided the Continuing Review of Comprehensive Plan
Elements- Climate Resilience Parks Recreation and Open Space Draft Economic
Development presentation which included Meeting Agenda, Climate Resilience
Drafting Process, Key Climate Resilience Takeaways from Public Engagement 2024,
Key Climate Resilience Takeaways from Public Engagement 2025, Significant
Changes to Draft Climate Resilience Element since 8/27/25, and Discussion: Draft
Climate Resilience Element.
September 8, 2025 City Council Workshop (Joint with PC) Page 1 of 3
In response to Council and Planning Commission questions staff explained
population size cut off.
Deputy Mayor Howard left at 6:13pm.
Discussion ensued around Planning Commission incorporated comments, word
"global" and "regional" instead of "local".
Deputy Mayor Howard returned at 6:19pm.
Adrian Smith, Emma Bolin, Community Services Director Melody Sky Weaver, and
Public Works Directors Steve King continued the presentation which included Key
Details of Draft Parks Recreation and Open Space Element, maps, Economic
Development, Key Edits to the Draft Economic Development Element: (Challenges,
Opportunities, Policy Initiatives, Implementation), Discussion: Draft Economic
Development Element, Upcoming Meetings, and September Meetings.
Discussion ensued around public access at beaches, street preservation ROW
remains forested and available for trails, parks classifications in line with RCO
classifications, multi -function classification, Mountain View, upcoming Open House,
agriculture reference under land inventory under challenges, urban agriculture
opportunity, importance of urban agriculture, holistic view of agriculture, economic
role of agriculture vs. agriculture itself, "workforce housing" term
clarified, Cooperatives under Opportunities in Community Section, public comment,
comments to staff, printing table, and existing goals and policies under Climate.
In response to Council and Planning Commissioner questions staff explained more
mention of recreation, talking about agriculture at a later date, and public comment.
Public comment: Dylan Quarles spoke about inclusionary zoning.
Devin Cohn spoke about not including private open space as part of agriculture and
food production and including farmers in workforce housing.
Jude Rubin spoke about farms missing from open space map, safety network of
farms/community gardens, and Port Townsend Farmers Market. Discussion ensued
around why some agriculture land is not included on Open Space map, HOA public
land, policies and goals, and agriculture tourism economic development.
Discussion ensued around why some agriculture land is not included on Open
Space map, HOA public land, policies and goals, and agriculture tourism economic
development.
ADJOURN
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:14pm,
Attest:
September 8, 2025 City Council Workshop (Joint with PC) Page 2 of 3
Alyssa Rodrigues
City Clerk
September 8, 2025 City Council Workshop (Joint with PC) Page 3 of 3