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City Council Study Session Minutes—June 10, 2013
At approximately 7:15 p.m. Mayor Dean Maxwell called the regularly scheduled Anacortes City Council
study session of June 10, 2013 to order. City Councilmembers Eric Johnson, Ryan Walters, Erica Pickett,
Brad Adams, Bill Turner, Cynthia Richardson and Brian Geer were present.
Safe in the Sound Disaster Preparedness Initiative
Planning Commissioner Cory Ertel, Board member of the Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross and
an employee of Puget Sound Energy, introduced Chuck Morrison, Regional CEO of the Red Cross. Mr.
Morrison presented a summary of the Red Cross Safe in the Sound disaster preparedness initiative, a 3-
year community preparedness outreach aimed at vulnerable populations such as senior citizens, low
income families, single parent families, English language learner populations, families with disabled
members, and military families. He said the initiative is working to inspire action among both individual
families and neighborhoods. Mr. Morrison encouraged Council to help share the preparedness message
especially with vulnerable populations. He provided printed materials and contact information and offered
to make presentations to interested groups in Anacortes.
Plastic Bag Ordinance Discussion
Planning Director Ryan Larsen presented for discussion a draft ordinance prepared by Mrs. Pickett
addressing the use of single-use carryout bags at retail grocery stores larger than 40,000 square feet.
Mrs. Pickett explained that prior discussions about how to make plastic bags less numerous in the
environment revealed that Anacortes is divided on the question of whether or not plastic bags should be
controlled. Mrs. Pickett said she borrowed from an ordinance adopted by Bainbridge Island and proposed
to require that the two large grocery stores charge a nickel for each bag provided at checkout.
Councilmembers extensively discussed whether this topic was better addressed by education or
legislation; whether the goal was waste reduction or litter control; the use of financial incentives and
disincentives vs. outright bans; the reasons for controlling plastic bags in the environment; the
convenience of plastic bags; the effects on small businesses; whether recyclable or compostable plastic
bags address the problem; and whether the issue needed to be addressed at a statewide level in order to
keep a level playing field for retailers. Councilmembers requested more information defining the nature of
the problem and suggested a phased approach to any response at the city level. Mayor Maxwell advised
that council have a public comment period even though it would not be required for an ordinance of this
type because there is a high level of community feeling about the topic. Councilmembers generally
agreed that the discussion would continue.
2012 Building Code Update
Assistant Planning Director Don Measamer summarized the involved process by which the building codes
are updated by the Washington State Building Code Council every three years. He said staff is
recommending that Council approve draft Ordinance 2905 adopting the 2012 international codes with
state amendments which go into effect July 1, 2013. Mr. Measamer highlighted some of the proposed
changes in this round. He added that staff is not proposing any fee increases for 2013. Mr. Measamer
said that due to the extent of the changes, staff and the City Attorney were recommending that AMC
Chapter 15.04 be repealed and entirely replaced with new Chapter 15.05. Mr. Measamer then addressed
councilmember questions about the new code and about permit fees. He advised that he would bring
Ordinance 2905 back to Council for action at the June 17, 2013 regular City Council meeting.
There being no further business, at approximately 8:35 p.m. the regularly scheduled Anacortes City
Council study session of June 10, 2013 adjourned.
Anacortes City Council Study Session Minutes June 10, 2013 1