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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-03-16 City Council Minutes Approved City Council Minutes—March 16, 2015 At 7:00 p.m. Mayor Laurie Gere called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 16, 2015 to order. Councilmembers Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett, Liz Lovelett, John Archibald and Matt Miller were present. Brad Adams was absent. The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Citizen Hearings No one present wished to address the Council. Mayor/Council Communication and Committee Reports Mr. Archibald reported from the Public Safety Committee that Police Chief Bonnie Bowers was working on recommendations for revising AMC Title 6, Animals, which would come back to Council for action in the future. Mayor Gere thanked Mr. Walters for working to revise proposed Ordinance 2945. Consent Agenda Ms. Pickett removed Ordinance 2945 from the Consent Agenda. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. Vote: Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller and Johnson. Motion carried. Approval of Vouchers/Cancellation of Checks Council voted unanimously that the following vouchers/checks audited and certified by the City's Auditing Officer(Finance Director) and subsequently reviewed and approved by the Council Finance Committee on March 4, 2015 and March 11, 2015 are approved for payment as of March 16, 2015. Claims Check Numbers 75531 through 75678 in the total amount of$506,621.61 EFT Number 75530 in the total amount of$105.30 Pre-Written Claims Check Numbers 75527 through 75529 in the total amount of$3,528.65 Payroll for March 5, 2015 in the total amount of$646,687.50 Check Numbers 40287 through 40328 in the total amount of$32,894.76 Direct Deposit Numbers from 57803 through 57998 in the total amount of$375,055.95 EFT Numbers from 1777 through 1782 in the total amount of$238,736.79 In the same motion Council approved the minutes of February 26, 2015, March 2, 2015, March 9, 2015 and March 10, 2015 as if read. Ms. Pickett corrected an error in the draft Ordinance 2945 included in the evening's Council packet: The speed limit on Q/R Avenue from 17th to 24th Street should be 25 mph, not 40 mph. Ms. Pickett moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to adopt Ordinance 2945 as corrected amending the speed limit in the vicinity of Anacortes High School. Vote: Ayes— Pickett, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson and Walters. Motion carried. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Memorandum of Understanding between the Anacortes Small Boat Center, the City of Anacortes, and the Port of Anacortes Parks and Recreation Director Gary Robinson presented a revised MOU following Council's direction at its March 2, 2015 meeting. He noted that the signature lines would be dated 2015, not 2014. Mayor Gere invited the public to comment on this agenda item. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 16, 2015 1 Marty Laumbattus, 3409 K Ave, quoted from CAC Land Use, Economic Development and Tourism Group documents suggesting that the waterfront plan should include a ramp for launching small trailer boats on Fidalgo Bay. Mr. Laumbattus encouraged approving an agreement that left that possibility open. He did not see a problem with the agreement being non-binding but he encouraged removing the term "hand launch"to allow for eventual opportunities for small boat trailer launching. Mr. Robinson advised that the City could not force the Port to resolve the launch question but suggested that the proposed MOU would not preclude a small boat trailer ramp in the future. Councilmembers discussed with Mr. Robinson the Port's ongoing consideration of that issue. Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Walters, to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the Small Boat Center, the City and the Port. Beth Bell, president of Anacortes Small Boat Center, explained the configuration of the Cap Sante boat basin under the Port's comprehensive plan and said the Port wanted to leave the option open for a motorized launch in the NW corner but did not feel that was possible in the NE corner, hence the MOU specified hand launching in the NE corner. Ms. Bell called the agreement a positive step forward for the Parks & Recreation sailing program and an aesthetic improvement for the marina. She underscored the financial responsibility the Center was undertaking for the project and said the group was looking for a commitment from the Port and City as it moved forward with fundraising. She thanked City Attorney Brad Furlong for his revisions to the originally proposed agreement. Vote: Ayes—Lovelett, Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Walters and Pickett. Motion carried. NEW BUSINESS Modification & Exception to Subdivision Ordinance, Anaco Beach Short Plat(SPL-2014-0001) Associate Planner Kevin Cricchio presented a Modification and Exception request to the subdivision ordinance from Landed Gentry Development Inc. for the Beechwood (Anaco Beach)9-lot short plat at 4518 Anaco Beach Road in the R2 zone. Mr. Cricchio summarized the request to permit a narrower roadway, no sidewalk on the eastern side of the road, and use of low impact development (LID) bioswales for stormwater management. He compared the requested 20' paved roadway within a 25' ROW and 5' sidewalk in the 10' utility easement on the west side of the street with the code requirement for a 32' paved roadway in a 50' ROW and 5' sidewalks on both sides within the road ROW. Mr. Cricchio cited AMC 16.24.020 addressing the procedures for such requests and AMC 16.24.010 addressing conditions for granting such requests. He listed the land use noticing performed, advised that the public comment period concluded at the present meeting, and said staff recommended approval of the Modification and Exception Request subject to staff's suggested conditions. Mr. Furlong clarified that only the Modification and Exception Request was before Council at this time and that comments or discussion about other elements of the short plat were not appropriate at this time. He also reminded that action to grant the request would require a majority of the entire Council, hence five yes votes. Mr. Walters asked why only one sidewalk was proposed and why it was outside the ROW. Brian Gentry, principal with Landed Gentry Development Inc., applicant, provided background on the acquisition of the property and his firm's interest in Low Income Development, specifically in creating less impervious surface and treating stormwater runoff with a bioswale rather than mechanically. He indicated that the smaller roadway was more to scale for the small, contained neighborhood. Mr. Gentry said his firm felt pedestrians were adequately served by the proposal. Mr. Johnson inquired about the use of pervious surfacing. Public Works Director Fred Buckenmeyer explained why neither pervious asphalt nor pervious concrete were suitable for this application. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 16, 2015 2 Mayor Gere invited the public to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to speak. Mr. Walters said he would not approve further subdivisions without sidewalks and suggested that a sidewalk could be fit between the bioswale and the street. Ms. Pickett said the bioswale would improve water quality, observed that there would be no parking and little traffic on the roadway, and said she was willing to trade the sidewalk for the bioswale. Mr. Walters asked who would own and maintain the bioswale. Mr. Buckenmeyer said the bioswale would be owned and maintained by the City. Mr. Gentry said he was agreeable to that but that the easement for the swale would remain private. Mr. Archibald suggested widening the roadway by four feet on the east side to allow water to run unimpeded into the bioswale but still provide space for pedestrians to travel. Mr. Gentry said he could look at that with his design team. Ms. Lovelett noted that only two of the nine lots were proposed to be without sidewalks in front of them. No other members of the public wishing to speak, Mayor Gere closed the public hearing. Ms. Pickett moved, seconded by Mr. Johnson, to approve the Modification and Exception to subdivision ordinance Anaco Beach Short Plat. Mr. Walters moved to amend the motion to also require a 5-foot sidewalk all the way around. Motion died for lack of a second. Mr. Walters moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to amend the motion to require an easement for the length of the bioswale for the City as recommended by staff. Planning Director Don Measamer advised that the bioswale easement was shown on the drawings. Mr. Walters said it was shown on the site map but not on the cross section drawing. Mr. Measamer said the easement would be recorded on the face of the plat so that requirement was already addressed. Vote on amendment:Ayes—Johnson, Pickett, Lovelett, Archibald and Miller. Nays- Walters. Motion carried. Vote on main motion as amended: Ayes—Archibald, Miller, Johnson, Pickett and Lovelett. Nays - Walters. Motion carried. Authorize Mayor to Execute Contract with Waste Management Mr. Buckenmeyer requested Council authorization for a contract with Waste Management of Washington, Inc. for curbside recycling and curbside organics collection for fifteen years with two optional one-year extensions. He advised that recycling would remain mandatory and organics collection would remain optional but said the goal was to increase the number of organics subscribers. Mr. Buckenmeyer said that both services would be provided weekly year round, on the same day as trash collection, and that all services would be billed on one monthly bill issued by the City. He added that the contract included recycling and organics collection at all City owned facilities and at ten City-sponsored events each year at no extra charge. Mr. Buckenmeyer recommended authorizing the mayor to execute the contract. He said that if the contract was approved staff would prepare a rate ordinance for Council consideration and action. Mayor Gere invited the public to comment on this agenda item. Bob Berry, 1914 22nd Street, praised the City's solid waste collection services and supported expanding the composting of residential food waste through organics collection. He questioned if the environmental benefit of food waste composting warranted the increase in fossil fueled trucks to move from monthly to weekly organics collection during the winter. He encouraged the City to carefully consider the larger environmental view on that question. Mr. Berry also expressed concern that partially filled organics bins could blow over in the windy winter season and spill food waste. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 16, 2015 3 Ms. Lovelett reported that the Public Works Committee had discussed those issues and supported weekly organics collection year round so food waste did not collect too long in the bins. She added that smaller organics bins would be available for customers who only use them for food waste. Mr. Berry suggested that customers be offered smaller recycling bins also. Mr. Walters observed that if more food waste were disposed of in organics bins the City might eventually be able to move to biweekly trash collection and save truck miles. He urged that customers be given a means to select their organics bin size before initial delivery. Ms. Lovelett moved, seconded by Mr. Archibald, to authorize the mayor to execute the contract with Waste Management. Vote: Ayes—Johnson, Walters, Pickett, Lovelett, Archibald and Miller. Motion carried. Community Solar Lease Public Safety Building Mr. Buckenmeyer requested Council authorization for a lease agreement with APSB Community Solar LLC to install solar panels on the roof of the Public Safety Building. He said the agreement was modeled on the similar very successful agreement in place for the Anacortes Public Library. Mr. Buckenmeyer said that as at the library, after five years the City would own the solar panels and recoup the energy generated. He advised that Kevin Maas from APSB Community Solar was present to answer questions. Ms. Pickett disclosed that she holds two shares in Skagit Community Solar for the middle school project. Mr. Furlong advised that was a separate LLC so Ms. Pickett was free to vote on the current agenda item. Mayor Gere invited the public to comment on this agenda item. No one present wished to speak. Mr. Johnson moved, seconded by Ms. Lovelett, to authorize the mayor to execute the lease agreement with APSB Community Solar LLC. Vote: Ayes—Walters, Pickett, Lovelett, Archibald, Miller and Johnson. Motion carried. Executive Session: Real Estate Discussion per RCW 42.30.110(1 b, 1 c) At approximately 8:15 p.m. Mayor Gere announced that Council would convene in Executive Session for approximately 30 minutes to discuss a potential real estate transaction about which open discussion could result in terms unfavorable to the City and that there would be no action taken following the executive session. There being no further business, at approximately 8:50 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council meeting of March 16, 2015 was adjourned. Anacortes City Council Minutes March 16, 2015 4