HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/03/1988 Adjourned Meeting ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
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ADJOURNED 'MEETING - MAY 3; 1988 '
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1'. SECOND PUBLIC` HEARING ON THE`WATER AND SEWER COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
This being'the time set for the second public hearing on the Water
and Sewer Comprehensive'Plans, Mayor Berndt convened' the meeting at
7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, Yakima, Washington.
Council members present were'Mayor Pat Berndt; presiding, Council
member Clarence Barnett, Lynn Buchanan, Lynn Carmichael and Bernard
• Sims present on roll call. 'Council member Beauchamp present at
7:20 P.M. ' Council ° member Foy" absent and excused. ' City Manager
Zais, City Attorney Vanek, City Clerk Roberts and Deputy Clerk
Toney also present.
Assistant City Manager Stouder commented on the history of the
Water/Sewer-Comprehensive Plan stating three - years ago City staff
began a major comprehensive utility 'planning effort. This is the •
first effort to prepare a Comprehensive Water Plan since 1973, and
the first effort to do 'a Comprehensive Sewer Plan since the R.W.
- Beck - Facility`-Study. was canpleted in the mid 70's. 'He both
of those efforts were part of the City Council's priority setting.
These Plans represent a tremendous amount of effort on the part of
staff, Council members and the two consultants involved, Culp
'- Wesner -Culp and CH Hi11:�Mr. Stouder stated staff has been
- concurrently conducting 'water feasibility studies on the
Rattlesnake Creek as a possible future water storage facility in
case our planning efforts and demand require that we be concerned
about. developing 'additional storage: in the immediate time-frame.
He stated the Plans look to the year 2025 and the capital
improvements programs outlined in • the draft plans to date go to
the year basically' the next decade. Both the capital
improvement plans suggested to date in the draft documents total
about 30 million dollars; 21.5 million dollars of slated capital
improvements to the wastewater system and approximately 10 million
dollars in the water plan for the water system improvement to the
year 2000. Neither of those numbers include whatever solution Or
alternatives to the irrigation system might be determined by the
City Council, nor the pursuit of additional water storage.
He stated additional water storage on Rattlesnake Creek might be in
the 40 million dollar range. The rebuilding or replacement of the
irrigation system or the transfer of the irrigation system to the
domestic water system ranges from 7 -8 million dollars to 14 million
dollars depending upon which alternatives and the time frame and
implementation of those alternatives. Lastly, Mr. Stouder
mentioned these plans provide a variety of options based on a
variety of assumptions. The Water Plan, for example, addresses
"What if there is no growth? What if there is a certain amount of
growth? What if that growth includes extending services to the
surrounding municipalities such as additional water service in
Terrace Heights or Selah or Union Gap? The unincorporated areas
where people are on wells; what if all those'homes on wells look to
the City ?" If all of those things happen, if the City of Yakima
became a regional water purveyor and there was some population
growth in addition to that our water needs increase significantly.
If in fact other areas in the urban area do not look to the City
and the City does not become a regional water purveyor, then the
demands on the system are less costly and less significant. The
Plan doesn't suggest at this point that we should build towards •
maximum capacity or minimum capacity, rather what it suggests,
depending on the assumptions that you want to make and what appears
. is likely to happen, and we have to chose those assumptions, here
is what you must do to prepare for it. He also pointed out that
this whole issue that the City has been addressing regarding it's
utility systems is part of the City's and the community's effort
toward all of our basic capital needs. He added for the last
several years we have focused lots of staff attention and time as
well as Council's attention and time, on the City's basic capital
assets: our parks system, our street system and our water and sewer
system. The bond issues and the resulting construction from those
two bond issues, the Nob Hill Street Bond Issue two years ago and
the parks bond issue last year are evidence of that. Future
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ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
facility building 'or enhancement' from these issues will
il be further
- '- evidence of this'. City''s preparing to meet- today and tomorrow. This
• - ..community's capital • facility plan is- "business plan." How we
--''prepare'for the future and how we conduct our public also
- ' •' -• provides'. opportunity for -- future buusiness investment, so our
business' -plan becomes a needed document for any future businesses
- business plans in this area or a business that may invest here.
- .Concurrently;, while the City of Yakima.has been involved in this
•' there has been a nation -wide focus on capital facility .
• plannirg' around the country. Mr. Stouder quoted `from a recent
report- by 'the' National Council of •Public Works that studied
'infrastructure" throughout the United `States' and that
they would. grade oiir country's public facilities as follows:
Highways' =C +, •Transit -, Aviation C -, Wastewater Facilities C,
• Solid Waste .Facilities. C -, - Hazardous• Waste • Faciilities D. He '
- - :' stated :while we' are'engaged in major planning and we= are looking at
some 30 million dollars in`investments,:that all of our facilities
are at least B •or B+ and that is because of the attention that
••The jCity'has put into those facilitiesin'the past'and the effort
- to ensure that•these facilities are tin good condition today and
• - tomorrow and ' -that we can meet' whatever -.growth., opportunities are
- there.'He commented the putpxse-of this public hearing is to give
• citizens ' an 'opportunity to comment on the — plan or ask
-- questions, 'after which staff will try to °'record all of the
questions that have been brought to , us' and' address' them and come
back with a report prior to 'proceeding, with 'the final, printing of
.the Plan. - ',
Mayor Berndt asked .that. those citizens present' to' address the issue
print -their name and address on the'sheet provided - and state their
'name and -address for the-record.- "-'l ' ' ' - ' ' ` - ' -
L -Larry Mathews, 'representative of the-CHARG: Committee`, presented
- testimony-urging' the City to move slowly in'expanding the water
., supply: -He stated --he - was 'informed by Doug Clauing; the Water
- Application Supervisor for the `Department•of Ecology, that the
- existing - wells will "take • care. of any peak "-demands in the
. - • foreseeable future ' and this' means : that the' City does' not have to
'"' jump •into building the Rattlesnake reservoir' for 40 'million dollars
- "or :•:=more; it has time to 'obtain .congressional approval for the •
. enlargement of the Bumping Dam which'will help the entire valley.
Mr. Mathews stated oneof the things' - that'-'has to - be "considered in
- • any-work-involving the Bureau of Reclamation is that from the time
that ' something is appropriated-you have a = ten • - year =period before
• '' anything:comes - into being. He statedAt is very important that any
work in trying to get that approval should go posthaste because you
still have ten years even after a project has been approved. It
also means - that the -City does not have "to' enlarge the water intake
:facility, it will provide time to fully 'investigate the true cost
of abandoning the separateArrigationrsystem and north central
- district: He-stated'Ithe'cost'of using treated water for irrigation
and =the -cost - to the home owner '-for''switching to domestic water for
irrigation waterr' has 'not' been fully ' analyzed: The CHARG Committee
• • also -makes the following 'recommendations- - on - the' - report: the
reportiseems to be based. on`the premise that the citizens of Yakima
- will -'-be - asked to -- finance ' the -Regional °Sewage System' State
- -monies will snot --be available and -it is` treasonable to that
- - - the -- residents- , of ' Yakima' will soon -have 'a 40% increase in their
-' ' water rates-based on table II - ' in the --report.. The report points
- - out that - extending sewer 'services-- outeide - the' - City without
-- immediate customer connection 'will. place an-additional burden on • •
''exi'sting- customers• in the City, reference` I1 -22, with or no
itnediate - benefits . An - example is - -the - L':'-I . D • recently closed out
by the - City - where the City'-subsidized- the -3-'Street Industrial Park
• • • Sewer ' Project in the `amounts of- -$61, 000' and ' 'over the couple of
years • -the City .has , subsidized 'nine - --L-.:I . D. 's for one third of a
• ' "million 'dollars- or - 35% of- the - total - •cost-. The question has to be
' asked why should City •residents' bankroll' sewer--dnstruction for
'County" residents? ' He stated -the City -has -not - been -'collecting the
- • -full' -cost- for - industr - -ial = Sewage-Bervice° for Eel Monte and other
.. '''-industrial ' Users: These 'customers -have only- paid about half of the
• ' '-'actual ' 'costs - --for- the 'service, reference II -3 The City has also
ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
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lost over $300,000 during the past three years by not fully
,implementing the strong ; waste surcharge. This surcharge is one of
the conditions for obtaining federal grants for building the sewage
. system, , according to Jim Milton of the Department, of Ecology. The
report, recommends. that this charge, be imposed on businesses
' creating the strong waste, reference II -7 and II -14., The City
presently, imposes a 50% surcharge.on sewer customers,in the County.
,A Staff report 37 -B, September 23, 1985, recommends, .that the true
cost of the. surcharge, is 102%,and this discrepancy should be a
matter for the City and the County to resolve.. The issue of
outside utility agreements should be settled between the City and
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the_ County before the City starts . on, a massive-,sewage improvement
program. Finally, the CHARG Committee strongly .opposes a Regional
Sewage District financed and operated by,the.,City of Yakima on the
basis that Yakima County and. other municipalities served by such a
„ ,regional facility should, be partners.. with Yakima in financing and
_ operating this,regional facility.
Willmetta Saldin, 1109_ West. Yakima Avenue, stated she is concerned
,about the CityYs storm drainage .system -. -,She; stated every time •
there, is .a big rain she .gets flooded out and by the time the
:Street Department gets there, they have to,drain the water.
She stated she does not appreciate her place _of business flooding
..and having to hire someone to clean up the mess. She stated she
would like to see the City take care of the drainage problems.
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• Betty Gaudette,- 701 North 6th Street, commented this is only the
second public hearing and asked if there is another hearing •
scheduled. Mayor Berndt, stated there will likely be other
hearings, but none have been scheduled at this time. Mrs. Gaudette
stated the information she received on this issue contained nothing
that would indicate how much money this is going to cost the
citizens. She stated one part of the report recommends that the
City expand and become a water supplier for Selah, Union Gap,
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Terrace Heights and Nob Hill Water Company as there is sufficient
water.in the Naches River; we just have to acquire rights to it.
Another of the report says there, are no water rights available
r i g h t now and entities are currently fighting over,the existing j
water. M rs. Gaudette commented on the irrigation syst '
alternatives, stating the citizens.were not provided with eno gh
information to make .;a decision. She encouraged Council not to
develop a Pilot Program as,the general.system cannot wait five more
. years.. She stated the general system has,.been-out of service twice
•within the last two weeks as a result. , of major , breaks . She asked
Council if they really_think. that system .can wait another five
years without taking remedial measures?
Mr. Stouder, responded to Mrs. Gaudette's comments these
documents do not address these issues in minute detail, however,
staff is happy to .meet, with citizens. and discuss these plans.
He also stated it was never the intent of staff or' Council to
become a regional,water system, however, during the initial scoping
of this plan, the . City was asked: to consider that possibility. He
. _stated the .public,needs to understand that this is not an attempt
to.be,�ambitious, it is an attempt to be prepared to whatever the
future may bring. He stated once Council has decided which one of
those alternatives is most likely, then staff can get a better
handle.on the cost and the financing plan. He stated :those costs .
and_the financing plan will then be.presented. Council and the
general public will be given an opportunity to address these
issues. Mrs. Gaudette stated she wanted to _apologize in that
• there has never. been a time when she has asked for_ material or
,information from staff that it has not, been provided. She
indicated, staff has always been very cooperative. She stated her
concern is that most citizens do not have the time to thoroughly
research this issue, yet it is going to effect their lives
severely. Mr. Stouder stated the information will be presented lin
a concise, straight forward manner. He stated this would take
place,prior,to the final adoption. Mayor Berndt commented that the
Council has every desire to inform the citizens about these
Plans as they are .major issues on which Council would like to have
citizen input on, prior to making ,a decision. Council member
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' ,_ADJOURNED MEETING- MAY ., 1988
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Barnett spoke about the . Pilot Program mentioned in .the Plan which
' would have,.taken an entire .district. He. commented if District #308
was used for this progr ',the current lines.'would have collapsed
and.i.twould have been, impossible, to' reinstitute that system. He
,'explained that Council has been discussing a Plot :Program which
would include _100 -150 houses which would =use domestic water for
ir see. what the. would -be. He stated it would
.cost in excess ;of 6-million dollars to replace #308 and
,that entire `cost would have to be borne residents of
"District #308. He stated now Council must consider the merits or
the advantage of an irrigation utility or consolidation of some
other districts in order to try to equalize `some',of that burden.
He stated there are many issues to be considered prior to making a
decision:; , , , : ., .,. .,..:
' Mrs, G audette stated properties in the downtown area have been •
.allowed to ..withdraw from districts, and asked if that possibility
,still. exists? M r. Wick stated the current Municipal Code allows
,properties that .have been canpletely asphalted" or•built upon so
- that there is no future use of.water : possble-.on:.t h e property, they
are ,allowed to withdraw . . from. the. assessment roll. He stated
,there are many., property,. owners who,.use domestic water and still
have to pay the irriga tion- -`rate., Mrs:. Gaudette' asked• how the new
park in the downtown area is being :irrigated, :andif schools and
parks. within the #308 Di tha are now using domestic water to .
_ . _irrigate, have withdrawn or .will they be . included in the district
it an L. I ..D... is formed? Mr. Wick stated schools and _parks all pay
. an..assessment even though they may, use .domestic water. He stated
. . . the -park .. is . located on the old Miller ' Building site and
. _uses domestic water for ,irrigation. He stated this was part of the
.original business district and was excluded from the beginning;
,there are no'irrigation. lines 'in that.. area at'all to serve that
. 'City,`Manager Zais. interjected., school ' disttricts and parks
, . property.
receive.a discounted rate. Mr. Wick stated ; they are, a discounted
rate for ,domestic, water ,but they pay the .full, assessment for
irrigation. - .
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Mrs;., Saldin,., 1109 West ,Yakima Avenue, asked if there is going to be
a way. to get the. water drainage problem solved so her business
..,doesn't flood. every time .there is a .severe `rain. Director of
Engineering & ,Utilities, Denny - ,Covell, explained that that
irrigation system is sort - of`ahodge -podge of old D.I.,D.s which are
• sub- surface drainage systems for orchards that are no longer in
existence, a .combination of turn of the of horse ` troughs, some
actual drainage design systems,: irrigation canals, some City and
. _ County : components.. It has. never been .totally evaluated and
.. ,designed to, handle_the City's drainage problems during excessive
.rainfall, or at • heavy snow melt. He stated until_.a major Storm
.Drainage..Comprehensive, P,lan. is.in, place the City will continue to
. have the problems such ..as Mrs. .Saldin has brought before the
Council this . evening. Mr. Covell asked .Mrs. Saldin to contact his
office. and he will investigate a, possible "band aid ", solution to
her situation. .-
. • Mr..Stouder.,stated „staff has discussed the larger question of a
Storm Drainage Plan several'times with .Council'.andrhas a proposal
to fund drainage_ study, however,._. that. study..is . contingent upon
.the DOE participating in the funding,: DOE` has told. staff they will
be happy to, participate, once their. funding availability becomes
more clear,.so that is the'.reason staff has delayed. He stated,
,, secondly, staff , has 'been busy on other-comprehensive plans and has
: not had . the ime ' to: , adequately manage - 'the: planning process. He
stated it is staff's intent to bring .to Council'.this fall a
proposal.for the drainage.question, based on .these and other plans
in the year 1989. Council member' Carmichael commented, however,
some of the things that Council may wish to..do with the irrigation
. system.may have an impact.on.that study and,Mr..Stouder agreed.
Council
member Buchanan stated several years ago a , storm drainage
plan was started but, ,the County was not in agreement with it and
s all of the Ci.ty drainage ,l go through the County the
project was ; abandoned. .
ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
342
Mr. Zahler, 904 North 28th - Avenue, who lives in - the' County, but
- owns property inside the City 'limits, stated he believes the City
'IS responsible for the waste of a lot'of water. He stated whenJthe
new line was installed from the Naches River to the.'City, it leaked
- ' and when it was redone - and tested, the comment was
Made that itis at least 30% better than it was. He he has
been told that it still leaks severely. He stated the problem at
'Gleed Went for over three years before the City took action on
- -:that issue,'and the same problem exists irrigation system.
• He said new irrigation lines were installed - in - the Viola area
' last' fall and this spring when the water was turned on the
irrigation water leaked like a sieve, yet it took - several calls
from residents' that area before the `City responded to that
situation. He mentioned the Castlevale .area there was
another water leak that went unattended all weekend. Mr. Zahler
'stated the swimming pools have had - severe - leakage . problems that
hav ex for "years, yet City never put money aside for 1.
any -' repairs:` 'Council member Barnett responded - `that under the
- - Local Improvement District (L.I.D.) - system - the - 'City is not
- authorized to `establisha fund for repairs or replacement. Mr.
• Barnett'stated for reason City is currently an
`' utility which would allow the 'City to funds
f or repairs and maintenance'of the -- irrigation systems. Mr. Barnett
• indicated the only. thing the City can at this point with regard
" to - a fund for repair and maintenance is' to maintain a short term
• reerve' to cover - current operation and Mr.
'-Zahler also talked about - the - the - low pressure' of' the irrigation
systems; stating some citizens are 'unable operate sprinklers.
Council member Carmichael stated Council has decided it is
time to address these issues and that the purpose of this public
hearing on the Water /Sewer 'Comprehensive Plans. "Mayor Berndt
' stated this is a problem that has existed for a number of years and
due'to the`65 separate irrigation districts, the,City has not been
- able' to lawfully - set aside funds to address the problems. She
"stated Council' is currently working on . a solution to all of
the problems he has mentioned through the Comprehensive Water /Sewer
Plans. Council member Carmichael asked Mr. Zahler if he is having
a specific problem and he indicated he has a' piece of property in
the southeast - 'part of town on" which` he cannot run sprinklers
because•of"insufficient 'pressure. ile 'stated .he has the
pipe to his 'property ''and that has not helped Mrs. Carmichael
asked hiin to speak with Mr'. Wick about this to . see if there might
be something the City can do to assist' him: member
• ' Beauchamp commented that the last ten years' has been a difficult
.. time - for • the . City - financially. He certain measures have •
- been taken to keep from _raising City taxes, at the same time
the City has''spent a 'considerable amount of - " money making
improvements - for the benefit of the citizens.' He if the
money had been available before now, the City Council would have
taken` the appropriate measures to correct the problems Mr.
Zahler has.`mentioned. Council member 'Beauchamp assured mr. Zahler
' that the City Council` is= working solutions to- all of the
problems he has mentioned.
`Rosemary'Sma11,'1006 South' 25th Avenue, - spoke about the April 21st
- rain storm, stating her house and garage were flooded and asked if
the City'or County is . responsible for the drainage system in that
area: City Manager ' stated the storm system is being
-. studied'by City'staff, however, this is an issue that will require
cooperation between the City and County' to'tesolve.'Council member
• Carmichael stated - a storm drainage study has been done in the past
but: the funding for that'program has not been available. Mrs.
"'Small was asked to speak to Denny Covell and Ty Wick about her
particular ''situation in hopes that staff could assist her in some
way
"Ines `Rice;'' 4409 West Arlington, requested in the' future that the
- City 'require the contractor for the Wastewater Plant to have a
performance-bond and that the contractor be held accountable for
the work he 'does. - City- Manager Zais stated a performance bond is a
part of a construction contract, but that does-not preclude a
contractor's right to assert legal claims. He stated contract
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ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
343
construction claims on wastewater treatment plants are ,voluminous
and are characteristic throughout any rehabilitation project that
• he has.heard of in the last fifteen years. He stated the nature
..of •the... complexity of this business the technology that goes
into it does not necessarily mean that, the.- ,contractor has
foreseen, every single contingency that may be encountered on a
, job. * He.stated•..the specifications that are drawn up by the City
-_ -- - ' - and ' consufitants - are intended to be the best known at the time to
' tie `down.a contract. But that does not waive the legal right of
the.contractor to assert claims. Mayor Berndt stated in response
. to"Mrs: Rice's - first question, the City asked Preston Thorgrimson's
office to investigate if we are. authorized to be a regional sewer
.facility and we were informed we\ are•. Mrs._ Rice criticized
-- the — EPA - for for - their lack of responsibility in "overseeing the
Wastewater Treatment Plant at the time of construction. Assistant
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City Manager Stouder reminded Mrs. Rice that the City obtained 90%
funding,for that,project from EPA whereas today the City would only
be eligible for 50% of the funding. He informed Mrs. Rice that
the City is using some of her arguments in current discussions
with DOE and EPA for additional funding to bring that plant up to
the required capacity. Council member Barnett commented since the
Wastewater Treatment Plant has been built, EPA and DOE have added
8 -9 million dollars of requirements placed upon the 1988 discharge
permit for the Wastewater Treatment. Plant to the'Clean Water
Act. He stated Council has recently learned that there may be a
problem in obtaining a 50% grant from centennial funds due to the
manner in which the guidelines are being written. He stated it
appears the centennial funds will remain in the Puget Sound area.
Mrs. Rice commented the City Manager from Moxee was at a recent
Council meeting requesting that the City take on their waste and
she voiced objection to this. She stated she does not think the
City should take on anymore responsibility, stating she feels the
citizens of Yakima have enough already. Mrs. Rice encouraged Mr.
Stouder to continue with the Rattlesnake Creek project.
Cyril Lentz, 2707 Brackett Avenue, stated he does not support the
Rattlesnake Creek project, and feels the City should support the
enlargement of Bumping Lake instead. He also commented he does not
feel the City should combine the irrigation system with the
domestic water. He stated it might be difficult to combine the
systems because several of the larger systems utilize some of the
ditch companies which also serve outlying areas. He stated if you
discontinue usage of that system the revenue for operation will be
depleted considerably. Mr. Lentz stated if his suggestions have
any merit it seems rather foolish to spend a lot of time and energy
on some of these projects. He added he does not see the point
is pursuing some of the alternatives listed in the report if there
is not much likelihood that they will be implemented.
Audrey Arbuckle, 211 North 26th Avenue, stated the citizens need to
realize that this is not an issue that can be resolved over night,
and that the irrigation system has been deterioriating for a
number of years. She commended the City Council and County
Commissioners for their efforts in reviewing the situation and all
of the possible alternatives for a solution.
Mayor Berndt read into the record a letter from the .County
Commissioners which stated.the County realizes the enormous effort
on the part of the City to provide responsible sewage collection
within the Yakima Urban Area and wastewater treatment at the
Regional Wastewater Facility. The letter also stated the County
will support the City's effort to upgrade and increase the systems
capacity in whatever manner the City finds technically appropriate
and, as users of the facility, will share in the costs to do so.
Mayor Berndt thanked those who participated in the discussion
tonight and closed the public hearing.
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ADJOURNED MEETING - MAY 3, 1988
344
2.' ADJOURNMENT
It was MOVED. by Carmichael, seconded by Buchanan, to adjourn the
public meeting at the hour' of 8:15 P.M. Unanimously carried by
voice vote. Foy absent.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY = - / 6' J
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- UNCIL M , - DATE
ATTEST g,
COUNCIL MEMBER ^ - (DATE/
CITY CLERK
MAYOR I
Minutes prepared by Deputy City Clerk, Barbara J. Toney, C.M.C.
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