HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/04/1989 Study Session . 133
APRIL 4, 1989
STUDY SESSION • ' -
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1. PERFORMANCE BY YAKIMA SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
'The performance was cancelled due to not enough participants
available..Mayor Berndt expressed the hope that the performance can
be rescheduled for another time.
2. ROLL CALL . •
The City Council.- met in session on this date at 2:00 P.M. in the
•Council Chambers of City Hall, Yakima', Washington. Mayor Pat
Berndt, 'presiding, Council members Clarence • Barnett, Henry
Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, Lynn Carmichael, Jerry Foy and Bernard
Sims present on roll call. City Manager Zais, City Attorney Vanek,
City Cler -k Roberts and Acting Deputy City Clerk Watkins also
present. •
3. INVOCATION
The Pledge of Allegiance.was led by Council member•Carmichael., •
4. OPEN DISCUSSION FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER '
None
5. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION •
Mayor Berndt declared April 9th through 15th as Volunteer- Meek in
Yakima and .presented a Proclamation to Renee Kabrich of the
Volunteer Bureau. Ms. Kabrich thanked all volunteers in Yakima
County' and invited any volunteers and anyone involved with
volunteers to attend Recognition 'Luncheon to be held at noon,
Tuesday, April 11, at the Red Lion.
Kara Kondo, a citizen, stated that Yakima Community T.V. has
. completed pre - production on their film for the Ethnic Heritage
Centennial competition. She invited the Council to attend the
Ethnic Heritage Day at the Seattle Center and preview the Ethnic
Video - Festival on May 26, 1989.
Mr.,John DePew,.Chairman, Yakima Chapter, American Red stated
his concern regarding the proposal by the Yakima Fire Department to
take an active role in CPR awareness and provide training to
individuals or groups. His concerns were the cost to the City for a
duplication of effort. Mayor Berndt responded this concern had
already been addressed and the plan was not to compete but to help
get the word out, to use'the resources of the -Fire Department to
assi and set up an expanded program. Council member Buchanan
expressed support of additional involvement in CPR training in order
to increase the number of certificate holders in this city. Mr.
Depew was urged by Council to contact Fire Chief Beeson to review
the Fire Department's intent in the proposal.
::.Charles Kriz6•5708;Bitteroot spoke regarding hisrconcern.about
the drug problems and a request•j to. the President, to ruse ., the_ National
Guard Ito combat : this; problem
Larry Mathews, 805 S. 17th Avenue,;.inquired:aboutthe resolution to
sewer back -up at 40th and Summitview due to a grease discharge
problem at the Kings Table restaurant. Mr. Mathews asked if the
City was monitoring these types of problems.. Council member
Carmichael stated this particular issue had been resolved. City
Attorney Vanek assured Mr. Mathews that there are discharge
requirements. within the City code and we are inspecting to insure
the requirements are being met. City. Manager Zais stated the
Council also approved major_ policy issues. in the 1989 budget for
expanding this program and assisting in the monitoring effort,
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6. REPORT FROM PLANNING DIVISION REGARDING HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND
APPEARANCE BY KAY AUSTIN OF THE STATE OFFICE OF HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
Glenn Rice, Director of Community and Economic Development,
introduced Joan Davenport, Associate Planner, to begin the study
session on the Special Valuation program. Ms..Davenport referred to
the staff .report where the North Front. Street Association applied
for Special Valuation but their application could.not be..honored as
the program has not yet been implemented by' the City : study
session was to initiate thoughts on the Special Valuatiom program
and answer any staff questions. Ms. Davenport then introduced Kay
Austin from the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation :of
the State Department of Community Development. She stressed that
her presence was . to. identify the nature of the. program and not
promote its implementation. Ms. Austin gave the definition of
.Special Valuation.as' a revision of the assessed value of a historic
property in which approved rehabilitation costs are subtracted from
taxing each year for ten years. It: was explained. that .at'the end of
that ten year period the property would came back onto the tax rolls
at full value. There was. concern expressed by Council member Foy
about tax dollars that would be gone from the city fund as a result
of this program.' Council member Carmichael responded that when the
property came back onto the tax rolls it would be at a . much higher
assessed value and, therefore, the funds would be increased. The
Special Valuation .program could. be. implemented by ordinance or by
rules. It would be necessary to set up a Local Review. Board and set
what class of property would be eligible for the program. There
could be a subset where only the commercial properties on the
national register would be eligible. .Basically, the City..can tailor
it to fit its requirements. The Special Valuation program is the
only incentive available for.'private.'property owners..'The Federal
Tax Credit requires that property must be income producing before it
qualifies, which'is not the case in the Special .Valuation program.
Other benefits of property being on the program. is the home owner
must meet the terms of the agreement for the. ten year period.. He
has agreed to maintain the property in good condition.. He is not to
change it without the consent of the. Review Board. If it is not
visible by a public right of -way, once a year he has to make it
accessible to the public so it can be viewed. If the property is
sold anytime during this ten year period, the. new property owner
must sign .this same agreement or..the seller would be eligible to
suffer back taxes. Basically, . the agreement. goes with the
property. Ms. Austin explained 25% .of the. adjusted base of the
property must be put 'back into. the property over a 24 month period,
up to the..date the application'is submitted, for. expenditures to be
qualified. For the expenses to qualify, .it .cannot be new
construction, unless it is maintenance,. and all expenses have. to
meet. the standards set by the City. Council member Sims'asked what
the - experience 'is.of people using this:program. Ms. Austin stated
that only a handful of private individuals have used it but
commercial property owners are actively. participating • in this
program. Cities like Spokane, Longview., and Seattle have almost
• total application of eligible properties. Ms. Austin' informed the
Council'she will be in town on April 27th and would be glad to speak
to the public or answer more questions at that time. (Council member
Sims absent .after' 2:451 p.m.)`. It'.'wa 'MOVEDBY! :BARNEIT,: :SECONDED :BY
BUCHANAN., THAT; ". STAFF WDRK :=.WITHr:THE:" :'REPRESENTATIVE : 10 ° :CONWCT
A 'WORKSHOP ON THE' SPECIAL 'VALUATION'FPROGRAM. -: Unanimously carried by
voice vote . • Sims ...'absent It • was MOVED. BY : CARMICHAEL, <SECONDED BY
BUCHANAN, :. THAT.::; •STAFF`. RESEARCW,. THIS.` , PROGRAM.... :IN :.. GREATER : :: :. DETAIL ;. SO
: APPROPRIATE S :::DECISIONS;. :CAN ":BE,. ::MADE.: Unanimously• carried by voice
vote. Sims absent. . .
7. PRESENTATION FROM DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND UTILITIES REGARDING
YAKIMA AVENUE AND :8TH STREET INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT
Dennis Whitcher, City Engineer, reviewed. the staff report of the
Yakima Avenue and 8th Street' intersection improvement project.
Council member Foy suggested one change in_ the design;. that of
removing the curb extension and .cutting ".it .inward thus allowing the
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APRIL;'.4,,;-1989
handicapped to load and'unload without `flocking traffic. Otherwise
the plan was well received. •
8. REPORT REGARDING YAKIMA CENTER REFURBISHING PROJECT •
Barbara Cline, TRAHO Architects, and Bruce Steelman from the Yakima
Center presented the color and design scheme. The project is
currently for bids which are expected on April 6th.
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It was. MOVED .BY FOY,:'SECONDED ""BYCARMICHAEL :.THAT' :THE .. .REPORT BE
.. Unan imously,,carried by voice vote. Sims absent.
9. OTHER BUSINESS
Glenn Rice, Director of Community and Economic Development,
distributed a resolution supporting the establishment of U.S. Army
Joint Readiness Training Center at the .Yakima ,Firing Center.
Several areas are in contention for this .and as time goes.on the
Yakima Firing Center is becoming more competitive due to location,
terrain, and cost considerations. This short resolution puts the
community on notice that the Council favors this expansion and use
of the Firing Center.
Resolution No. D -5562 having been read by title, it was MOVED BY
: BUCHANAN, SECONDED . .CARMICHAEL TO ._ADOPT. YIIIE.,
Unanimously carried by roll call vote. Sims absent.
RESOLUTION'.N RESOLUTION-endorsing and.supporting the
•establishment of a U.S. Army Joint Readiness Training Center at the
Yakima Firing Center.
City Manager Zais advised Council about a change in the funding
source for the Omnibus Drug Bill. A new bill was introduced by
.Senators Matson and Vognild which rapidly moved through the Senate
and is on its way to the House'. The new bill changes the
relationship of local government's gambling taxes and reduces what
we presently have at the local level. Presently we have a 20% tax
on card rooms and 4% tax on punch boards and pull tabs. This
legislation wipes those'out and reduces everything to a common.3%
tax for local government. Then the State can levy 3% against the
same industry and use that to help fund the measures planned. In
essense the tax will go from 20% to 3% and then the City will have
to compete with others for .a $50,0000 grant. It would be a., loss of
about $70,000, or a third of our current year income from gambling
taxes. Council was encouraged to contact our .Senator and let him
know we disagree with the funding mechanism. It was recommended
that there should be .some suggestions of how. to 'get the funding
back into the Omnibus Bill. If not, the bill. itself may not pass
and we would lose one -party consent and many other parts of the
bill that were good. As the bill has already gone through the Senate
and is on its way to the House, phone calls should be made to the
House to express concern about it. Council was encouraged to go to
the Chamber of Commerce Hot Line Thursday, April 6th at 7:00 A.M.
and voice their opinion on this issue
'EXECUTIVE SESSION
It was MOVED. BY SECONDED:.BY. CARMICHAEL, TO;MOVE., INTO
EXECUTIVE.,SESSION: FORAPPROXIMATELY_ TEN 'MINUTES .FOR P' +E. OF
DISCUSSING - PENDING" :':LITIGATION. Unanimously .carr by vote.
Sims - .absent.
Information Items:
Items.of information supplied to Council were: Agenda for April 5,
1989 Hearing .Examiner meeting; Letter from Yakima County
Development Association to Department of Trade and Economic
Development regarding feasibility study for Central Washington
University Aviation Technology Program. 3/29/89; Letter to Dave
Brackett, International Kings - Table, regarding need for,grease trap
at restaurant. 3/23/89; Article from February 27, 1989 City &
State, "Court Decision on Bus Wheelchair Lifts Irks Public
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Officials "; Federal City Reporter memo regarding Legislative
Update. 3/24/89; and Cable TV Monthly Report for March 1989.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Following. the completion of the Ex live Session, the meeting was
adjourned at.3:30 P.M. /
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY c
'... :... 1' COUN L :ER • .�`: RATE
6gNCIL MEMBER D
ATTEST: .
CITY CLERK _ MAYOR
• Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins.
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