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Home My WebLink About05/21/2013 04A Minutes 03-21-2013 Council Built Environment Committee,40-00" �':� 07' BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No.� For Meeting of: 5/21/2013 ITEM TITLE: Built Environment Committee Minutes of March 21, 2013 and April 18, 2013. SUBMITTED BY: Steve Osguthorpe, Community Development Director (509) 575 -3533 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: See attached minutes. Resolution: Other (Specify): Contract: Start Date: Item Budgeted: Funding Source /Fiscal Impact: Strategic Priority: Insurance Required? No Mail to: Phone: Ordinance: Contract Term: End Date: Amount: Improve the Built Environment APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: 4A S+I••� RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Name: ❑ 03 -21 -2013 Minutes - Built Environment Committee.docx ❑ 04 -18 -2013 Minutes - Built Environment Committee docx City Manager Description: Minutes - March 21. 2013 Minutes - April 18, 2013 Built Environment Committee 2"d Floor Conference Room, City Hall March 21, 2013 Council Members Present: Rick Ensey, Bill Lover, Kathy Coffey Staff Present: Steve Osguthorpe, Joe Caruso, Rich Fowler, Cindy Epperson, Joan Davenport, Glenn Denman, Debbie Cook, Rosalinda Ibarra Community Members: n/a Chair Lover called the meeting to order at 2:04 p.m. Report on North 1st Street Enforcement Activities Joe Caruso and Officer Rich Fowler reported on the chronic nuisance enforcement activities performed on several hotel, motel, and apartment buildings located along North 1st Street. Of the 17 problem motel and apartment locations identified, ten of them have been inspected for building code violations and chronic nuisance activities. Officer Fowler explained how the chronic nuisance ordinance is applied in conjunction with the Department of Labor & Industries and the Health District. In the coming weeks, the rest of the locations will be inspected. Another component in the effort of cleaning up North 1st Street is to address the illegal signs (i.e. sandwich boards, portable signs, banners) in the right of way. $5,000,000 financing for 2013 Road Improvements & Related Bid Documents The 2013 City budget included an initiative addressing the built environment strategic priority to spend $5 million for street improvements to 28 lane miles of arterial streets. Funding for this project will be through a debt issuance and repaid over a 20 year period; $300,000 is available to cover annual debt service expenses. Cindy Epperson explained that the best option available for financing is through a private bank because the market rates are lower than bond rates. Finance staff recommends accepting US Bank's proposal with the 5 year term reset option because it provides the lowest debt service over the 20 year life and provides exceptional customer service. The next step is to bring a bond ordinance to the full council no later than May 7m. No opposition to staffs recommendation was noted from the Built Environment Committee. Debbie Cook provided an update on the project status and bid package preparations: • the design will be finished by the end of March • out for bid mid - April, bid opening in mid -May, start working in early June, completion by late September Model Code Proposal Steve Osguthorpe presented a proposal to revise the development code in terms of structure and procedure rather than development standards. Issues noted as deficient in the current code include: • Procedures for processing development permits are in three separate chapters of the Municipal Code and include terms that, although similar, are unfamiliar in most other codes and most importantly are not acknowledged as conditional use permits under Washington State's vesting doctrine. • All the elements to determine a complete application are not clearly established in the current code. • There are two separate titles in the Municipal Code relating to processing of permits, but neither reference the other. • Procedural conflicts in the language of Titles 14, 15, and 16. • Unclear explanation on the appropriate use of certain permits. • Code enforcement and revocation procedures need revising. • Updates are required to comply with State law. • Various other problems and inconsistencies. The cost for the work is $15,000 in a contract with land use attorney Carol Morris. Public participation will be accomplished through the public review process which includes a public hearing before the Yakima Planning Commission. This proposal will be presented at the study session on March 26, 2013 to the full council with a recommendation to proceed. Introduce the Repair & Care Program Concept Steve briefly described the Repair & Care Program concept. The idea is to create a register of active neighborhood associations that represent their respective communities and include other service organizations. Part of this concept is to develop standards that those associations will need to comply with to maintain their status and be included in this program. Enable and encourage residents to take the initiative to create a neighborhood association and get involved in the public participation plan for city - related activities. The association can intervene on behalf of their neighbors in events such as code violation and /or compliance. It was noted that this is a work in progress that is dependent on staff resources and the availability of time. Ad, ourn This meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m. to the next Built Environment Committee meeting on April 18, 2013. Built Environment Committee 2"d Floor Conference Room, City Hall April 18, 2013 Council Members Present: Bill Lover, Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey Staff Present: Tony O'Rourke, Steve Osguthorpe, Joe Caruso, Joan Davenport Community Members: n/a Chair Lover called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. Update on Cell Tower Issue Steve provided an update on the six -month cell tower moratorium. A public hearing before the full council is required within sixty days of the adoption date to take public input on the scope of the moratorium. The date of the public hearing is proposed to be May 21, 2013. Staff is looking at how other jurisdictions' address cell towers to prepare a proposal for the regulating them in the city limits. Environmental review will be a component of the public participation process. The moratorium allows changes to cell towers as long as the area and height are not increased. Currently, one application has been submitted for a new cell tower which was determined to be vested under their building permit. The location for that proposed cell tower is 6501 West Washington Ave. Update on Billboard Issue Steve provided an update on the billboard moratorium. This will also include a public hearing which will be held on the same date as the cell tower moratorium. Unlike the cell tower moratorium, the billboard moratorium is more sensitive due to free speech constitutional issues and because of safety issues related to the digital sign element. Summary on North 1st Street Property Activities Joe Caruso reported that the hotel inspections have been completed. He stated that the public has been pleased with their efforts and improvements have been noticeable. The next step is to deal with code violations for commercial establishments. Steve noted that he would like to move forward with correcting the simple violations such as abandoned signs. Other enforcement issues discussed include the mobile home park on North 1st Street. Staff is developing a plan to address health and safety violations. Chair Lover pointed out the increased panhandling activity. It was noted that staff looked into this a few years ago and was confronted with 1st Amendment issues that come into play when dealing with this topic. Other things to consider are fence development standards and making sure plans for existing developments are in compliance with approved site plans. Steve described a strategy to reach out to the stakeholders to discuss specific tasks such as preferred uses, characteristics of place, signage standards, and finalize plans for the Street Corridor Improvement Project. Joan provided background information on previous years public process regarding the Street Corridor Improvement Project. Steve summarized for the Committee the action steps he will present to the full council on May 7m for the North 1st Street Action Plan. Other Business Rick Ensey asked for an explanation behind the City not accepting Comprehensive Plan Amendment applications this year. Steve and Tony responded that due to high profile and labor intensive projects, such as the update to the Shoreline Master Program, North 1st Street revitalization effort, major model code development, the city has decided to forego the annual cycle of processing Comprehensive Plan Amendments this year. Ad, ourn This meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m. The next Built Environment Committee meeting will be held on June 21, 2013. Note: Off the record, the Committee agreed to cancel their May meeting due to a public hearing with the Yakima Planning Commission, of which Steve and Council member Ensey are a part of