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Home My WebLink About2021-09-27 City Council Minutes Approved Anacortes City Council Minutes - September 27, 2021 Call to Order Mayor Laurie Gere called to order the Anacortes City Council meeting of September 27,2021 at 6:00 p.m. Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Ryan Walters,Anthony Young,Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton, and Matt Miller participated in the meeting remotely via Zoom. Councilmember Bruce McDougall was absent. Pledge of Allegiance The assembly joined in the Pledge of Allegiance. Ms. Moulton moved, seconded by Mr. Young,to excuse the absence of Mr. McDougall. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. Announcements and Committee Reports COVID-19 Update: Mayor Gere shared current case statistics and vaccination progress for Anacortes, Skagit County and Washington State. Finance Committee: Mr. Carter reported that the Committee had met the previous week but only Mr. McDougall had attended so there was no report. Housing Affordability and Community Services Committee: Ms. Moulton reported from the Committee meeting held the previous week. The meeting focused on guest presentations about the Mount Vernon embedded social worker program. Library Committee: Ms. Cleland-McGrath reported from the Committee meeting held the previous week. The topics discussed included the retirement of Ria Kilburn and the promotion of Lisa Jackson into her position, open library assistant positions, circulation and visitation statistics,virtual programming and meeting room closures due to COVID infection rates, a vacant Library Board position, summer reading program statistics, and student library cards for ASD 103 students. Fiber Committee: None of the councilmembers present had attended the most recent Fiber Committee meeting so there was no report. Planning Committee: Mr. Walters reported from the Committee meeting held earlier in the evening. The topics discussed included new permitting software and appeals before the Growth Management Hearings Board. Public Comment Chris MacKenzie, 1302 7th Street, spoke on behalf of a group of residents working to add vitality to the downtown area. Ms. MacKenzie urged maintaining the sightlines downtown from the welcoming arch at 11th and Commercial. Consent Agenda Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Carter, to approve the following Consent Agenda items. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote. a. Minutes of September 20,2021 b. Approval of claims in the amount of$215,041.36 Anacortes City Council Minutes -September 27, 2021 1 The following vouchers/checks were approved for payment: EFT numbers: 101268 through 101302,total$190,539.37 Check numbers: 101303 through 101324,total $131,393.98 Wire transfer numbers: 290712 through 290905,total $1,469.20 c. Contract Modification: WWTP Outfall -Construction Management Services#20-032-SEW-001 d. Resolution 3053: Extending the Duration of Resolution 2082 Providing Temporary Procedures to Respond to the COVID-19 Epidemic e. Street Fair Application:Anacortes Christmas Parade CLOSED RECORD DECISION HEARING Closed Record Decision Hearing: SDP-2021-0001,MJB Properties Shoreline Clearing & Grading Planning Director Don Measamer introduced Senior Planner Emily Morgan.Ms. Morgan presented SDP-2021- 0001, an application from MJB Properties for Shoreline Clearing& Grading. Ms. Morgan's slide presentation was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Ms. Morgan reported that an open record public hearing for the permit application had been held by the Planning Commission on September 8, 2021 and that the Planning Commission had unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council approval with conditions of the Shoreline Substantial Development Permit. Mayor Gere invited parties of record to comment on this agenda item. Sara Holahan, 1511 38th Street, asked staff what the Shoreline Master Program 25-foot buffer meant if the city was not following it. Ms. Morgan clarified the difference between a buffer and a setback. Brian Wetcher, 407 Forest Park Lane, spoke on behalf of Evergreen Islands, expressing concern about the project's environmental impact on shorelines, specifically on eelgrass and eelgrass restoration. Ms. Morgan indicated she could not address that question because no application had thus far been submitted that would involve in water work. MATT MILLER moved, seconded by ANTHONY YOUNG,to approve SDP-2021-0001 subject to the conditions of approval contained in the Staff Report,dated August 25, 2021, as well as the proposed condition provided in the Planning Commission Recommendation. Vote: Ayes -JEREMY CARTER, ANTHONY YOUNG, RYAN WALTERS, CHRISTINE CLELAND-MCGRATH,CAROLYN MOULTON,MATT MILLER.Nays -None. Result: Passed OTHER BUSINESS Conservation Easement Program Contract Review Parks &Recreation Director Jonn Lunsford presented a new draft easement agreement and easement deed between the City of Anacortes and the Skagit Land Trust(SLT)to update the current conservation easements held by SLT on some 1682 acres of land in the Anacortes Community Forest Lands. Mr. Lunsford's slide presentation was added to the packet materials for the meeting. Michael Kirshenbaum, Conservation Director of SLT,explained the Land Trust's role in the Conservation Easement Program to protect acreage in perpetuity. Mr. Kirshenbaum described how the proposed agreement language would bring the documents up to date with current best practices. Mayor Gere invited members of the audience to comment on this agenda item. Brian Wetcher, speaking as a longtime Forest Advisory Board member, urged the Council to endorse the Anacortes City Council Minutes -September 27, 2021 2 updated documents. He thanked all the staff involved from both the City and the Land Trust. Asa Deane, Executive Director of Friends of the Forest,endorsed the updated documents. He thanked the City and the Land Trust for their work. Sara Holahan asked if the size of private commercial activities might need to be clarified if those were going to be allowed under the new agreement and asked that private foraging in the ACFL also be addressed. Mayor Gere concluded that this item would come back for action at a future regular City Council meeting when the detailed maps had been completed. Ordinance 3095: An Interim Ordinance Declaring an Emergency and Adopting a Moratorium on the Acceptance of Certain Land Use Applications in the Commercial Use Zone Related to Self-Service Storage Facilities Mr. Measamer introduced Ordinance 3095: An Interim Ordinance Declaring an Emergency and Adopting a Moratorium on the Acceptance of Certain Land Use Applications in the Commercial Use Zone Related to Self- Service Storage Facilities. He explained the rationale for the moratorium,referring to the packet materials for this agenda item. Staff recommended approval of the ordinance. CAROLYN MOULTON moved, seconded by ANTHONY YOUNG, to approve Ordinance 3095 as presented. Vote: Ayes -JEREMY CARTER,ANTHONY YOUNG, RYAN WALTERS,CHRISTINE CLELAND- MCGRATH, CAROLYN MOULTON,MATT MILLER.Nays -None. Result: Passed Executive Session Mayor Gere announced that City Council and the City Attorney would convene in Executive Session per RCW 42.30.110 for approximately 45 minutes to discuss potential litigation or litigation and to discuss a potential real estate transaction. The mayor advised that the regular meeting would then adjourn with no action having been taken. Councilmembers Jeremy Carter,Anthony Young,Ryan Walters, Christine Cleland-McGrath, Carolyn Moulton and Matt Miller attended the executive session. Adjournment There being no further business, at approximately 7:55 p.m. the Anacortes City Council meeting of September 27, 2021 was adjourned. Anacortes City Council Minutes -September 27, 2021 3