HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/29/1979 Business Meeting 224
MARCH 29, 1979
SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
The City Council met in session on this date at 1:00 P.M. in the Council
Chambers of City Hall, Yakima, Washington. Council members present were
Mayor Betty L. Edmondson, Henry Beauchamp, Don Hinman, Nadine Lee, Jack
Sparling and Gordon Wonder. Councilman Buchanan absent and excused.
Staff members present were Dick Zais, City Manager; Fred Andrews, City
Attorney; Carol Darby, Director of Community Development; Larry Wright,
Principal Planner; and Ken Coffin, Associate Planner. Also present was
Alan Bushley, from R. W. Beck and Associates.
Council members having previously received a memo from Carol Darby,
Director of Community Development, dated March 13, 1979, regarding
II/
Yakima Urban Area Wastewater Facilities and Planning Program concerns,
Larry Wright, Principal Planner, gave a brief overview of the memo. He
outlined the urban service area boundary, defining the areas projected
to be served in the future. He stated that the City of Yakima has sole
ownership of the treatment plant and is responsible for the maintenance
to provide sufficient treatment capacity in accordance with the Waste-
water Facility Plan. He reported that the City's non-agressive annexa-
tion policy is resulting in a loss of revenue for the City. He also
expressed concerns of the staff about the need to allocate sewer ser-
vices.
Staff reviewed their recommendations for the Council, beginning with the
recommendation to instruct staff to develop an allocation plan of waste-
water facility resources, which include the following guidelines to be
used by staff in the development of allocation plans:
1. The City of Yakima continues to maintain sole and complete
ownership of the treatment plant resources.
2. It is the City of Yakima's sole responsibility to make avail-
able to the various jurisdictions a fixed amount, of treatment
plant and interceptor capacities as designated by, the Yakima
Urban Area Wastewater Agreement and the Yakima Wastewater
Facilities Planning Study.
3. Yakima County will not be allocated any capacity until such
time as they have constructed and have operational sewerage
systems.
4. The City of Yakima will assure that sufficient treatment plant
and interceptor capacities will be available to wholesale
.users as per allocation plans.
5. Future capital costs for treatment plant improvements should
be distributed to those areas that exceed their defined allo-
cations.
6. The City of Yakima will not undertake any future treatment
plant or interceptor projects under their current financial
arrangements within the next 30 years.
7. Unincorporated areas served by the City's collector system
will proportionately decrease the allocation for the remaining
areas.
8. Interceptor capacities for the individual service areas (other
than wholesale user services areas) should be based on the
capacities that have already been committed.
The Council members discussed guideline No. 5 and it was the general
concensus of the Council that it should be "arrangement for payment of
future expansion must be made prior to time allocation is exceeded-".
Council members also discussed guideline No. 3, expressing concern about
the proposed allocation for Yakima County. Ken Coffin, Associate Plan-
ner, stated that .if Yakima County puts in a sewer in an area that the
MARCH 29, 1979 225
SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
City does not expect to annex, then, the City would not mind giving up
that allocation. Mayor Edmondson stated that the geographic areas have
allocations. It was the general consensus of the Council to clarify
government/geographic areas in guideline No. 3. It was the general
consensus of the Council to agree with the recommendation on allocation,
with the exception of the two modifications in guidelines No. 3 and 5.
Council members next discussed the annexation issue and recommendation
that Council instruct staff to develop an annexation strategy for review
and adoption by the City Council. The following guidelines should be
used by staff in the development of the annexation strategy:-
1. The implementation of the City's outside utility policy should
revert to its original purpose, i.e., the provision of ser-
vices to areas which cannot "logically" be annexed at the time
services are provided. (Unwillingness of residents to annex
will not be considered as a "logical" reason the area cannot
be annexed.)
2. Large areas meeting City development standards, should not he
required to assume the City's existing general obligation
bonded indebtedness (this would provide a positive incentive
to annexation).
3. The Yakima Urban Service Boundary should be redesigned to more
closely reflect the. City of Yakima's Year 2000 projected City
limits.
4. The City should discourage their own participation in projects
which divert new development away from the Urban Service Area.
Art Zerbach, Director of Finance and Budget, speaking to guideline No.
2, stated that it would create multiple taxing districts. He reported
it would also adversely affect our bond rating. It was the general
consensus of the Council to strike guideline No. 2. It was the general
consensus of the Council to agree with the recommendation on annexation
and strategy with the deletion of guideline No. 2.
The next issue discussed was a Regional Planning Program. Council
members reviewed the recommendation to establish as a top priority, the
completion of the Urban Area Plan and development of regional land use
controls, and instructions for staff to actively pursue its completion,
using the following guidelines:
1. January 1, 1981, will be the target date for implementation of
the Regional Planning Program.
2. The Urban Area Plan, as well as all other related plans and
programs, should be modified to incorporated impacts brought
about this report.
3. If they so desire, Union Gap should be allowed to withdraw
11/ from the Regional Planning Program and a less intense/less
complex means of communication and coordination put in place.
They should, however, be encouraged to continue as members of
the Joint Board.
Mayor Edmondson reported on a letter she had received from the Mayor of
Union Gap, stating their desire for allocation of sewerage treatment for
each entity. The letter also expressed their desire that each entity be
allowed to expand or grow both within and without the urban area boun-
dary and that the sewerage be treated at the Yakima plant as long as the
entity's established maximum volume or strength is not exceeded. It
was the, general consensus of the Council to expedite work on the Urban
Area Plan by hiring another Planning staff member. It was the general
consensus of the Council to agree with the recommendations on the Re-
gional Planning Program.
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MARCH 29, 1979
SPECIAL STUDY SESSION
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The meeting adjourned at the ho r 5 of 4:00 P.M.
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