HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-018 Right-of-Way Permits - CRB Authority; YMC Amendments 11.10.010 and 11.10.400 [Community Review Board] ORDINANCE NO. 2009 -18
AN ORDINANCE related to neighborhood conservation, authorizing the Community
Review Board established under YMC Chapter 11 10 to review and issue
decisions for applications for residential right -of -way use permits
described in YMC Chapter 8.20; and amending sections 11 10 010 and
11 10 400 of the City of Yakima Municipal Code
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA.
Section 1 Section 11 10 010 of Chapter 11 10 of the City of Yakima Municipal
Code is amended to read as follows.
11 10.010 Findings and purpose.
There exist within the city of Yakima dwellings that are unfit for human habitation, and
buildings, structures, and premises, or portions thereof, that are unfit for other uses, due
to dilapidation, disrepair, structural defects, defects increasing the hazards of fire,
accidents, or other calamities, inadequate ventilation and uncleaness, inadequate Tight
or sanitary facilities, inadequate drainage, overcrowding, or due to other conditions that
are harmful to the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city
The purpose of this chapter is to implement the process and to acquire and exercise the
powers authorized by Chapter 35 80 RCW to address conditions such as those
described above that render dwellings, buildings, structures, and premises in the city
unfit for human habitation and other uses, as well as to authorize review and decision for
applications seeking residential right -of -way use permits within the City
Section 2. Section 11 10 400 of Chapter 11 10 of the City of Yakima Municipal
Code is amended to read as follows:
11 10.400 Board hearing on to review notice and order.
(1) The board shall be comprised of seven individuals appointed by the city council who
represent different aspects of the public as a whole, including local residents, the
building industry, the health community, the business community, and the residential
rental community, but not more than two from any of these. The members shall be
appointed to three -year terms except that initial appointments to the board shall be for
staggered terms of either one, two, or three years to optimize the balance of experience
among members of the board The board may adopt and publish such rules of
procedure as are necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and
provisions of this chapter, Chapter 35 80 RCW and those of YMC Chapter 8.20
regarding review and decision- making for residential right -of -way use permits, said
review and decision- making to be conducted in accord with the conditions set forth
therein. Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business Except as otherwise specified by law, a majority vote of the board members
present at a meeting shall be required and shall be sufficient to transact any business
before the board. The rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be
controlling in hearings before the board. At its first meeting in October each year, the
board shall elect a chair and vice -chair from among its members.
(2) Unless, prior to the time fixed in the notice and order for a hearing before the board
to review the notice and order, the property owner has entered into a voluntary
correction agreement, or city staff determines that the illegal conditions have been
corrected, the board shall hold a hearing to review the notice and order and to determine
the immediate disposition of any illegal conditions existing at the subject property The
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hearing will be canceled if the director approves the completed corrective action at least
forty -eight hours before the scheduled hearing, and the director shall provide notice of
the satisfactory correction of the illegal conditions to the owner, complainants, and other
interested persons, including the county auditor's office in cases in which a notice of the
enforcement action has been previously filed
(3) The board shall conduct a hearing pursuant to its adopted rules The director or
his /her designee, the owner, and other parties entitled to be served with the notice and
order may participate as parties in the hearing and each party may call witnesses. Any
complainant or person affected by the illegal conditions may appear and present
evidence The city shall have the burden of demonstrating by a preponderance of
evidence that the Subject Property is unfit for human habitation or other uses and that
the required corrective action is reasonable as stated in the notice and order The
director's determination of unfitness and order to correct illegal conditions shall be
accorded substantial weight. In the event of a tie vote on a decision, the matter shall be
referred on an expedited basis to the City of Yakima hearing examiner for a new hearing
and decision within thirty days In such cases, the hearing examiner's decision shall be
equivalent to a decision of the board for the purposes of any subsequent proceedings
under this chapter Furthermore, the hearing examiner's decision in such cases shall be
appealable only to the city council
(4) If the owner or other persons with interest of record fail to appear at the scheduled
hearing, the board may confirm the notice and order by finding that the subject property
is unfit for human habitation or other uses as determined by the director The board may
further authorize the city to assess costs and administrative fees according to the
provisions of this chapter
(5) If, after considering evidence and argument submitted by the director, the owner, the
complainant(s), and other interested parties, the board determines that the subject
property is unfit for human habitation or other use, or in the case of applications for
residential right -of -way use permits a decision is made to approve or deny the
application, it shall issue a summary of decision according to the provisions of this
section The summary of decision shall be served upon the owner and other persons
entitled to notice of the notice and order, and shall be posted in a conspicuous place on
the subject property Specifically regarding applications for residential right -of -way use
permits, following consideration of the application the board shall issue a written
summary decision approving or denying the application, said decision to include findings
and conclusions that address each of the required conditions identified within YMC 8.20
for consideration of residential use permits and serving the decision upon the owner
applicant and others entitled to notice, including the Director of Community and
Economic Development or his /her designee All other summaries of decisions shall
state
(a) Findings of fact and conclusions in support of such decision confirming the notice
and order; and
(b) Either
(1) That the compliance deadline under the notice and order was reasonable and
has passed without satisfactory correction of the illegal conditions; or
(2) That the compliance deadline under the notice and order should be extended
until a date certain by which time the illegal conditions must be corrected,
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(c) The city's costs and administrative fees which, as of the date of the hearing, have
been incurred as a consequence of the illegal conditions, and that such costs and
fees shall be charged to the owner and shall be specially assessed and shall
constitute a lien against the real property if they are not paid timely
(d) That if the owner or party in interest, following exhaustion of his /her rights to
appeal, fails to comply with the notice and order as confirmed by the board, the city
may, directly or by a private contractor, correct the illegal conditions, and that the
costs incurred by the city for such correction, including administrative fees as
authorized by this chapter shall be charged to the owner and shall be specially
assessed and shall constitute a lien against the real property if they are not paid
timely
(6) The summary of decision shall state that the owner is entitled to appeal the board's
decision to either the city council or to the hearing examiner within thirty days and,
unless he or she does appeal or correct the illegal conditions, the city shall have the
power, without further notice or proceedings, to vacate and secure the subject property
and to do any act required of the owner in the notice and order, and to charge costs and
administrative fees incurred to correct the illegal conditions to the owner and assess
them against the property
(7) The director shall serve the owner and other parties entitled to be served with the
notice and order, a copy of the summary of the board's decision by certified mail, within
five working days following the hearing, and shall post the summary of decision at the
subject property
(8) If no appeal is filed, a copy of the summary of decision shall be filed with the auditor
of Yakima County and the notice and order shall be final
Section 3. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this
ordinance is declared invalid or unconstitutional for any reason, such decision shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance
Section 4 This ordinance shall be in full force and effect 30 days after its passage,
approval, and publication as provided by law and by the City Charter
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and approv= - this 5th day o ay, 2009
ATTEST id Edler, Mayor
City Clerk
Publication Date 5/8/09
Effective Date 6/7/09
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
• YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No 1 53
For Meeting Of May 5. 2009
ITEM TITLE. Amendment of YMC 11 10 010 and 11 10 400 to provide for the Community
Review Board to review and decide applications for residential right -of -way use
permits.
SUBMITTED BY Bill Cook, Director, CED
CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE Bill Cook — 575 -6227
Joan Davenport — 576 -6417
Jeff Cutter — 575 -6030
SUMMARY EXPLANATION The City Council recently approved an amendment to YMC 8.20
of the Municipal Code to -affect the Council's desire concerning review and approval or denial
of residential right -of -way use permits A part of that recommendation includes utilizing the
Community Review Board that is authorized under YMC 11 10 to hear and decide the
applications for residential right -of -way use permits. In order to provide the Community Review
• Board with the authorization to carry out the duties assigned by the previous amendment to
the right -of -way use permit ordinance the attached ordinance revisions to YMC Chapter 11 10
are also necessary There is no anticipated additional cost associated with this YMC
amendment.
Resolution Ordinance X Contract Other(Specify)
Contract Mail to (name and address)
Phone.
Funding Source
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL. `-
1ty Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Pass the ordinance amendment
BOARD/COM MISSION/COM M ITTEE RECOM MENDATION Right -of -Way application
amendment was previously approved by Council on April 21, 2009
COUNCIL ACTION