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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-29-2005Committee of the Whole CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE / c(, WASHINGTON August 29, 2005 5:00 PM Council Chambers MINUTES The Auburn City Council Committee of the Whole met on August 29, 2005, in the Council Chambers of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street in Auburn at 5:00 p.m. Mayor Peter B. Lewis and the following Councilmembers were present: Rich Wagner, Sue Singer, Gene Cerino, Nancy Backus, Bill Peloza, Roger Thordarson and Lynn Norman. Staff members present included: Public Works Director Dennis Dowdy, Human Resources/Risk Management Director Brenda Heineman, Fire Chief Russ Vandver, Assistant Police Chief Bob Lee, Planning and Community Development Director Paul Krauss, Environmental Protection Manager Aaron Nix, Finance Director Shelley Coleman, Community Development Administrator David Osaki, Information Services Administrator Lorrie Rempher, City Attorney Daniel B. Heid, Transportation Planner Joe Welsh, Environmental Protection Manager Aaron Nix, Cultural Arts Manager Lori Patrick and City Clerk Danielle Daskam. Annexations Mayor Lewis introduced the first item of discussion regarding annexations and noted that the Lea Hill Annexation Financial Summary has been updated by the Finance Department to reflect 2005 costs. The minimum ongoing operating shortfall is $689,101. Other ongoing costs, including capital, increase the deficit to $1.1 million. Mayor Lewis reported that the fire service is looking at options to secure other revenue sources. Mayor Lewis spoke of the need to maintain the current fire level of service for the current city limits and contracting for fire service in annexation areas until such time as additional revenue is available to provide the same level of fire service to the annexation areas. Fire Chief Vandver spoke briefly regarding the fire service benefit charge. Only a fire district or regional fire authority can levy the fire service benefit charge; a city cannot levy the charge. The fire service benefit charge is calculated based on square footages, usage and zoning. King County Fire Page 1 City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Minutes Auaust 29. 2005 District 40, Woodinville Fire District and a few other districts in the State have implemented the fire service benefit charge. Mayor Lewis reported that the City is moving forward with ambulance service contracts and implementing a fee for emergency medical service transport. City Attorney Heid, Public Works Director Dowdy and Planning and Community Development Director spoke briefly regarding annexation, utility services in potential annexation areas, and utility service provider areas. City Attorney Heid also spoke regarding the City Council's ability to approve or reject petitions for annexation. Human Services Funding Mayor Lewis introduced the subject of human services funding. Mayor Lewis spoke of the number of requests the City receives each year for human services funding, and the extensive review process that is conducted by the Human Services Committee. Mayor Lewis questioned whether the existing human services funding is effecting change in human service needs. He suggested requiring measurable outcomes as part of the application process, and funding outcomes rather than funding agencies. Planning and Community Development Director Krauss reported that David Okimoto, Senior Vice President of Community Services for United Way of King County, delivered a preliminary briefing on the subject of outcome based funding to the Human Services Committee. During his presentation, Mr. Okimoto made several suggestions, such as ensuring the food bank refers clients to sign up for food stamps and have clients apply for the earned income tax credit. Mr. Okimoto also suggested phasing in the outcome based funding by giving an incentive to agencies to bring about the expected goals. Streamline Sales Tax (SST) Issues Mayor Lewis presented the Council with an update on streamline sales tax. Representatives of positively and negatively affected cities met recently and produced a possible mitigated agreement for streamline sales tax. It is expected that the negotiations will result in a bill to be presented during the 2006 legislative session. The mitigation proposal would cover the existing uses (up to approximately 95% of losses), but would not protect against tax losses from future land uses. The mitigation funds would come from the state portion of sales tax. Page 2 City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Minutes AUQust 29. 2005 Councilmember Wagner expressed reluctance to support the State's initiative to pursue national streamline sales tax until such time as more states are on board. In the event the streamline sales tax proposal is adopted by the Legislature, Mayor Lewis proposed implementing amendments to the City's Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Codes that would promote uses that would not be disadvantageous to the City. WRIA 9 Habitat Plan Presentation and Timeline for Adoption Councilmember Peloza, who is the City's representative on the Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 9 Committee, stated that Councilmembers have received a copy of the WRIA draft Salmon Habitat Plan and the executive summary. Councilmember Peloza also stated that the Council will be considering adoption of the WRIA Salmon Habitat Plan and a new WRIA interlocal agreement in the near future. Mr. Gordon Thompson, WRIA 9 Habitat Plan Manager, presented a brief PowerPoint presentation on the WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan. The Salmon Habitat Plan calls for 77 on-the-ground capital improvements projects, 57 of which are protection projects. There are 56 high priority projects with an estimated cost of $198 - $291 million over the next ten year. The projects are founded on sound science and ecological economics analysis. The projects include set back levees and reconnect side channels, gravel and large woody debris supplementation, acquisition of good functioning habitat, increase in transition habitat, and removing marine shoreline bank armoring. Mr. Thompson also noted that the improvements in the habitat also provide economic values. The ecosystem services were quantified to assess benefits. Approximately $1.7 billion to $6.3 billion in economic benefits are realized annually. The Habitat Plan actions are targeted and prioritized to preserve and increase the benefits, including recovery of salmon. Mr. Thompson reviewed the Plan adoption process. On September 8, 2005 the Joint Steering Committee and Forum will meet to review the Plan. The Forum of local governments will take action on the Plan on September 21, 2005. If adopted, the Plan is then transmitted to local governments for ratification. The Plan is ratified when a minimum of five local governments with at least seventy percent of the population within WRIA 9 adopts the Plan. Mr. Thompson reported that the proposed WRIA 9 interlocal costs will be $368,635 for 2006, down from $470,051 in 2005. Auburn's current share is $20,580; Auburn's proposed 2006 share is $16,282. Page 3 City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Minutes Auaust 29. 2005 Mr. Thompson reported on the status of the Fenster/Pautzke grant project proposal submitted to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The project would restore instream, riparian and off-channel habitat along 1,320 feet of the Green River in Auburn. The proposed project is the top scored project among the seven submitted. The cost estimate of the project is $823,458 with $687,958 in funding requested from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and matching funds of $135,500 from the Auburn and King County flood control district. The projects will be officially ranked on September 15th. Mr. Thompson also reviewed the salmon habitat funds and support directed to Auburn to date. Mayor Lewis recessed the meeting for a brief intermission at 6:40 p.m. Mayor Lewis reconvened the meeting at 6:44 p.m. Fire Access Issues Councilmember Wagner stated there have been issues on Lea Hill with short dead end streets creating fire access issues. Councilmember Wagner questioned whether the City's standards for fire access should be more stringent than the national standards. Fire Chief Vandver spoke regarding City fire access standards. The current standards include the requirement for a minimum twenty- foot fire lane with a minimum twenty-eight foot street if parking is permitted on one side. Any driveway that is over 150 feet long must have a 65-foot diameter circular turnaround or a 120-foot hammer-head turnaround. The City of Auburn fire standards are in line with the national fire standards and other local cities and King County. Councilmember Wagner expressed concern with illegal parking on streets and spoke regarding the need to enforce parking restrictions so that fire access is ensured. Councilmember Wagner suggested that a committee review the fire access issues and look into tightening the current standards. Planning Director Krauss pointed out that the fire access issue primarily concerns private streets. The issue of private streets and adequate fire access will be discussed at future Public Works and Planning and Community Development Committee meetings. Residency Requirements for Board and Commission Members Mayor Lewis solicited Councilmembers' input regarding a residency requirement for members of Auburn boards and commissions. Mayor Lewis has consistently appointed those who are Auburn residents. Page 4 City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Minutes Auaust 29, 2005 Councilmember Wagner suggested that a small percentage of a board or commission could be from outside the community if they bring something of benefit to the board or if they have some ties to the community. Councilmember Norman noted that there are several residents in the City's potential annexation areas that consider themselves Auburn residents. Mayor Pro Tern Singer spoke in favor of the status quo and requiring residency for appointment to the City's boards and commissions. Councilmember Thordarson suggested appointing interested persons from outside the City as non-voting members. Councilmembers suggested a maximum of one nonresident member on boards and commissions consisting of five or more members. Draft Economic Strategies Planning and Community Development Director Krauss spoke regarding the development of the draft Economic Development Strategies. The document identifies four economic development strategy areas: North Auburn, the Golden Triangle, Urban Center, and 15th Street SW and C Street SW. The document also includes targets within the strategy areas, the economic development strategies for those areas, and the steps for implementation. Director Krauss encouraged Council feedback on the draft strategies. He reported that many of the strategies are included in the proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments for this year. Councilmember Wagner and Mayor Pro Tern Singer suggested adding two additional strategy areas: A Street SE and the Auburn Environmental Park strategy areas. Public Art Proposal at Auburn Way Sand "F" Street SE Cultural Arts Manager Lori Patrick displayed a model of the public art planned for the intersection of Auburn Way South and F Street SE sign. The artist, Ingrid Lahti, is proposing a beaded stainless steel sign with cut-out lettering to mark the access point for the Les Gove Community Campus. The sign measures fourteen feet wide by three feet high and is slightly convex. The artist intends the sign to be an elegant reminder of the White River. Manager Patrick reported that the Public Works Committee expressed concerns regarding the readability of the sign, landscaping, and wayfinding. The artist stands by her original design, but has offered to sand or bevel the inside of Page 5 L City of Auburn Committee of the Whole Minutes Auaust 29, 2005 the lettering to further highlight the lettering. Landscaping will also increase the visibility of the lettering. The sign will be lighted at night, and supporting directional and wayfinding signs will be added later. Parks Planning and Development Manager Dan Scamporlina is working on a supporting landscape plan. Councilmembers spoke in favor of an artist contract that allows the City to modify or relocate the artwork as determined by the City. Mayor Lewis suggested that in the future the Public Works and Planning and Community Development Committees review each piece of public art work. Parking Councilmember Cerino spoke regarding the need to restrict over-sized vehicle parking on residential streets. Councilmember Cerino spoke in favor of restricting over-sized vehicle and commercial vehicle parking on residential and non-arterial streets. A proposed ordinance relating to on-street parking restrictions will be presented to Council Committees in the near future. There being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. \ l'\-l~ DAY OF OCTOBER 2005. ~ J t-7 !l~~~ Ie Daskam, City Clerk Peter B. Lewis, Mayor Page 6