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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. 226 MARCH 29, 1979 SPECIAL STUDY SESSION „...2 The meeting adjourned at the ho r 5 of 4:00 P.M. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: /4...04...,•..wi--- SII ATE V /9 In COUNCILMAN DATE ATTEST: 1 ' / 1 .-- A41......._ - '1,......ai■r— lea_ ■ ' /4 CITY CLE;s 1 i MAYOR 1