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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/04/1989 Study Session . 133 APRIL 4, 1989 STUDY SESSION • ' - • 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, AD /1 • 134 APRIL 4, 1989 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 AD /2 135 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. • 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 AD /3 136 APRIL 4, 1989 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. • • • • • AD /4