HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-05-14 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—May 14,2018
At 6:00 p.m. Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the regular Anacortes City Council meeting of May 14,2018.
Councilmembers Eric Johnson,Anthony Young,Brad Adams,Liz Lovelett, and Matt Miller were present.
Councilmembers Ryan Walters and Bruce McDougall were absent. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms.
Lovelett,to excuse the absence of Mr. Walters. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. The assembly
joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Announcements and Committee Reports
Port/City Liaison Committee: Mr. Johnson reported from the committee meeting the prior Tuesday. He said the
Olson Building Livery Stable was discussed and costs were presented to either tear down or salvage the
building. He added that Museum Director Bret Lunsford would report back to the committee with input from the
Anacortes Historic Preservation Board on that matter. Mr. Johnson also reported that the committee discussed
means of consolidating public access trails between the Ship Harbor Interpretive Preserve and the Washington
State Ferry Terminal; that the Port's Event Center feasibility study showed the facility would pay for itself in the
fifth year of operation; and that the Corps of Engineers had denied the Port's permit for its A Dock project so
the Port would be revising the project design.
Skagit County Law&Justice Council: Mr. Miller reported from the meeting the prior Wednesday. He shared
information from a presentation by John Stevens,director of the didgWalic Wellness Center on March Point
Road, including the current patient count of 110, 30 full time employees including full time security,hours of
the center including family nights and walk in hours,and the estimate that 80-90%of the jail population has
some amount of substance abuse. Mr. Miller indicated that the innovative treatment program was very likely to
grow and was poised to tackle the addiction epidemic. Mr. Miller also shared an update on the Skagit County
Justice Center, comparing the inmate count of 190 the prior year to an apparently stabilized inmate count of 240
in 2018. He said the number of inmates receiving health professional visits had tripled from 300 to 900
including approximately 90 opium withdrawal screenings per month. Mr. Miller said the new health care model
was intended to ensure that addiction was treated and to reduce recidivism. Ms. Lovelett requested more
information from the Law&Justice Council on housing support for inmates released from jail, explaining the
Skagit County Population Health Trust interest in post-incarceration housing as a means to reduce recidivism.
Mr. Miller indicated that County staff were addressing that topic.
Planning Committee: The regular meeting scheduled for earlier in the evening was cancelled.
Public Comment
No one present wished to address Council on any topic not already on the agenda.
Consent Agenda
Mr. Adams moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion
carried unanimously by voice vote.
a. Minutes of May 7,2018
b. Approval of Claims in the amount of: $810,289.91
c. Contract Award: Skagit River 42"Water Line Project Design Assistance&Permitting 18-070-WTR-001
The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment:
EFT numbers: 89124 through 859169,total$540,110.39
Check numbers: 89170 through 89210,total$166,881.56
Wire transfer numbers: 231735 through 232577,total $25,481.15
Anacortes City Council Minutes May 14,2018 1
OTHER BUSINESS
Ordinance 3022: Impact Fees
City Attorney Darcy Swetnam presented draft Ordinance 3022 which would consolidate impact fees and
deferrals and exemptions from same into a single new Chapter 3.93 in the Anacortes Municipal Code and create
Chapter 13.44 addressing waivers and reductions in general facilities charges (GFCs) for low income housing.
Ms. Swetnam's slide presentation was added to the packet materials for the meeting. She recapped the
presentation of this item from the May 7,2018 regular City Council meeting,then addressed questions raised by
Council at that earlier meeting. In response to councilmember questions about the potential budget impact of fee
reductions for affordable housing projects,Ms. Swetnam outlined the current amounts of impact fees and
general facilities charges and concluded that the ordinance was unlikely to have a significant impact on revenue
as private developers would still find market rate housing more profitable. Ms. Swetnam and Planning Director
Don Measamer also responded to councilmember questions about school impact fees,which do not currently
exist in Anacortes. Ms. Swetnam then addressed the question of public facility impact fees for schools,
concluding that City revenue would not likely be impacted. She added that the recent high school remodel was
not subject to impact fees in any case because it replaced an existing building with no forecast increase in use or
impact.
Ms. Lovelett suggested adding the definition of public facility to the ordinance. Ms. Swetnam agreed to
reference the RCW definition. Ms. Swetnam also added that Section 3.93.070B,third sentence,needed to be
amended from"City Council and any affected district will review"to"City Engineer and any affected district
will review". Mr. Johnson asked about responsibility and mechanism for ensuring that affordable housing
projects granted the fee reductions remained affordable. Mr. Measamer and Ms. Swetnam explained the
covenants that would be recorded with the title for such projects,requiring reporting to the city, and said city
staff would be assigned to monitor those reports. Ms. Lovelett encouraged discussing allocation of staff time for
that purpose during the upcoming budget sessions.
Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item.
Walt Guterbock, 2005 29`h Place,reported that his donor contract with the Anacortes Family Center included a
provision that residents would meet HUD requirements for income eligibility and that residents would be
required to certify income eligibility annually with the Family Center.Mr. Guterbock said the agreement also
included a provision requiring a 50-year commitment on the part of AFC that it would remain an affordable
housing project. Ms. Swetnam noted that specific projects such as the Anacortes Family Center could have more
strict resident income requirements than Ordinance 3022 required.
No one else in attendance wished to address Council on this topic.
Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Mr. Young,to adopt Ordinance 3022. Ms. Lovelett moved to amend the
motion to include adding a definition of"public facility"consistent with the RCW and changing 3.93.070(B)to
reference"City Engineer"rather than"City Council". Mr. Johnson and Mr. Young confirmed that their motions
included those revisions to the ordinance as presented.
Vote: Ayes—Young,Adams,Lovelett,Miller and Johnson. Motion carried.
There being no further business,at approximately 6:38 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of
May 14,2018 was adjourned.
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