Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-02 City Council Minutes ApprovedAnacortes City Council Minutes - June 2, 2025 1 Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 2, 2025 Call to Order Mayor Matt Miller called to order the June 2, 2025, Anacortes City Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. Councilmembers TJ Fantini, Ryan Walters, Anthony Young, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton, Bruce McDougall and Amanda Hubik were present. Pledge of Allegiance The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Announcements and Committee Reports Mayor Miller congratulated Mr. Fantini for earning a certificate of municipal leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. He then announced that the city phone system would be updated to Ring Central on Friday, June 6th, with departmental cell phones the primary means of contacting the city during the scheduled outage. Finally, he announced that this Friday, June 6th will be the first Friday Art Walk and Waterfront Festival. Public Works Committee Ms. Moulton reported from the Public Works Committee meeting held earlier in the evening. The topics discussed included traffic safety issues such as parking, crosswalks and excessive speed. Public Comment Mayor Miller invited the public to comment on any item not on the agenda. No one present wished to address the Council on any topic not already on the agenda. Consent Agenda Ms. Moulton moved, seconded by Ms. Hubik, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. a. Minutes of May 27, 2025 b. Approval of claims in the amount of $475,941.19 The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment: EFT numbers: 112636 through 112662, total $343,811.15 Check numbers: 112663 through 112671, total $118,333.72 Wire transfer numbers: 369965 through 370287, total $13,796.32 c. Contract Modification: Paper To Digital Permitting - Large Format Building Files Digitization #24-282-PLN- 002 Other Business Senator Liz Lovelett and Representative Alex Ramel, 40th Legislative District Post Session Legislative Update Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh introduced Senator Liz Lovelett and Representative Alex Ramel, who provided a post-session legislative update. Senator Lovelett shared information about the state budget process that occurred during the recently concluded 2025 legislative session, particularly balancing the K-12 education budget, funding for transportation projects, and fulfilling obligations to state employees. She then mentioned bills and policies she worked on relevant to Anacortes, which were subdividing small lots being used for middle housing to ensure more opportunities for homeownership, making the climate element a required piece of the Comprehensive Plan update, and SB 5284 that provides for companies that produce packaging waste to fund and assist development of more robust and universally available recycling systems. Representative Ramel mentioned that housing remained a high priority and one of the largest challenges, adding that the state legislature approved the largest ever contribution to the housing trust fund. He then mentioned his work on a bill that supports multifamily tax exemption and another that enables cities to adopt self-certification Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 2, 2025 2 for accessory dwelling units, which could reduce permitting timelines. He then provided a summary of measures relevant to the community including a measure on rent stabilization limiting annual rent increases to 10%, maintaining investments in the ferry system, adding $100 million to the budget in grants for public safety paired with an optional local sales tax. Finally, he acknowledged unsuccessful efforts to raise the property tax levy limit to 3%, to allow for real estate excise tax expenditures on affordable housing, and to include the planned event center in the state capital budget. Discussion topics included: • A statewide list of recyclables to mitigate confusion about what can be processed and transparency regarding where it is shipped after being processed. • Public safety grants. • Real estate excise tax uses. • Appreciation for the teamwork of the local state delegation and good communication with the council and the community. • Simplifying language in legislation to ease implementation and continue to fix small things. • Development regulation funding. • Open line of communication with local government and trade organizations. • Short-term rental tax and finding the middle ground to contribute to affordable housing initiatives. • Advocating for opportunities to give local governments more tools. 2025 City of Anacortes Legislative Priorities Outcomes Administrative Services Director Emily Schuh provided a summary of the outcomes for the city's 2025 legislative priorities, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Mayor Miller invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to address the Council. Discussion topics included: • Funding for three additional boats and retrofitting ferries for electrification. • How does funding for Skagit Stabilization Center compare to the amount that was requested? • Helpful for the public to understand what happened and what did not happen. • Understanding the session's impact on Anacortes. • Opportunities for collaboration during difficult fiscal conditions. • Federal funding for the community event center on the 2026 federal appropriations budget. Ben Root Skate Park Restroom & Parking Lot Project - Design #25-136-PRK-001 Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Bob Vaux re-introduced proposed contract #25-136-PRK-001 with MacKay Sposito for the Ben Root skate park restroom and parking lot design contract, referring to a presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Discussion topics included: • Addressing the community's concerns about safety, utility and cost-effectiveness. • Harming the majority trying to mitigate the behavior of a few. • Cost comparison of CXT-model versus Portland Loo. • No community consensus regarding the choice. • CXT is the fiscally responsible option. Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 2, 2025 3 • Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and access to public facilities. • Legislation mandating increased access to changing tables. • Why is the issue with the wheelchair turning radius unique to Washington? • Analyze the overall public restroom strategy generally to make it better serve the public. o Plan for keeping public restrooms cleaner than presently found. • Similar to the restrooms that were installed in Washington Park. • Orientation of the restroom and minimizing surrounding vegetation to enhance public safety. • Bring the contract back on consent at the next regular meeting. Transportation Master Plan Public Works Director Andrew Rheaume introduced Senior Transportation Planner Chris Comeau of Transpogroup who provided an overview of the Transportation Master Plan, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Mayor Miller added that he serves on the Transportation Committee of the Skagit Council of Governments and that he and Ms. Moulton both serve on the Skagit Transit board, which provide important lines of communication for cooperation on transportation issues. Discussion topics included: • A single reference location for all transportation-related plans and policies is a preferred approach. • A red-line version will be included when the measure comes before the council for adoption by July 1st. • Road carrying capacity. • Yellow is suggested over orange as part of the color scheme. • Are there requirements for prioritizing different groups for complete streets? o Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. o Prioritizing different groups in different streets. • The truck route list on p. 22 does not match the city code. Helpful to cite the code. • SR 20 and Reservation Road intersection. • A corridor plan between Sharpes Corner and the Duane Berentson Bridge to reduce the number of intersections. o The Department of Transportation deemed the plan obsolete. o The stretch of road is eligible for safety improvements through the Combined Safety Action Plan. • 12th Street and K Avenue intersection. o Address vehicle capacity limitations or change the Growth Management Act level of service standard. • Annual concurrency report just prior to the presentation of the Transportation Improvement Program. • Varied street standards for each neighborhood. • Options for funding. • Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee contributions. • How the projects are sorted in the list in the packet. • Addressing excessive vehicle speeds. • City-wide travel awareness campaign. • Future opportunities for public input. o Available for public input throughout the Comprehensive Plan review process. • Which projects for active transportation will be selected for deeper consideration? Is there a determined criterion? o Coupling with road maintenance and utility repair projects. Anacortes City Council Minutes - June 2, 2025 4 • Partnering with other agencies or entities to maximize fiscal capacity. • Send the draft 2026 TIP projects spreadsheet prior to the council for further study. o Public access to the spreadsheet. Mayor Miller invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. Ursula Edelman of Anacortes asked if there was a way for teens to participate in the process and how the city would reach out to them, particularly regarding public transportation routes between downtown, the high school, and residential neighborhoods? Mr. Comeau responded that the city is working with Skagit Transit and the Anacortes School District to ensure safe routes to school are included in the plans and that information is made available to the teen community. Port of Anacortes Intergovernmental Disposition of Property and Property Use Agreement City Attorney Darcy Swetnam introduced the intergovernmental disposition of property and property use agreement with the Port of Anacortes, referring to a slide presentation that was added to the packet materials for the meeting. She then introduced Port of Anacortes Director of Planning, Properties & Environmental Brenda Treadwell, who thanked city staff and leadership for their work and cooperation on this project. Mayor Miller invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to address the Council. Discussion topics included: • Market Street realignment. • Guideline for the value of park property versus street property. o Port land at the end of 9th Street will compensate for the loss of city park land. Bruce McDougall moved, seconded by Ryan Walters, to authorize the mayor to execute the intergovernmental disposition of property and property use agreement with the Port of Anacortes. Vote: Ayes - Carolyn Moulton, Anthony Young, Ryan Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Bruce McDougall, Amanda Hubik, TJ Fantini. Nays - None. Abstentions - None. Result: Passed Executive Session Potential Real Estate Transaction per RCW 42.30.110(1) (30 minutes) At 8:25 pm, Mayor Miller announced that the City Council and the City Attorney would convene in Executive Session per RCW 42.30.110 (1) for approximately 30 minutes to discuss a potential real estate transaction. The mayor advised that the regular meeting would then adjourn with no final action having been taken. Councilmembers TJ Fantini, Anthony Young, Ryan Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton, Bruce McDougall and Amanda Hubik attended the executive session. At 8:55 pm, Mayor Miller announced that the council would remain in executive session for an additional 15 minutes until approximately 9:10 pm. At 9:10 pm, Mayor Miller announced that the council would remain in executive session for an additional 10 minutes until approximately 9:20 pm. Adjournment There being no further business, at approximately 9:20 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of June 2, 2025 was adjourned.