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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-05-24 Committee of the Whole MinutesMay 24, 1993 7:00 p.m. CALL TO ORDER COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT OFFICIALS CITIZEN'S COMMENTS SPECIAL ISSUES A resolution estab. a committee for future development of Pacific Hwy. So. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING MINUTES Tukwila City Hall Council Chambers Council President Lawrence called the Committee of the Whole Meeting of the Tukwila City Council to order and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. STEVE LAWRENCE, Council President; JOE DUFFIE, JOAN HERNANDEZ, DENNIS ROBERTSON, CHARLIE SIMPSON, ALLAN EKBERG, STEVE MULLET. JOHN MCFARLAND, City Administrator; LINDA COHEN, City Attorney; LUCY LAUTERBACH, Council Analyst; DON WILLIAMS, Parks and Recreation Department; LES BECK, Shops; ROSS EARNST/RON CAMERON/DOUG MICHEAU, Public Works Department. Shauna Mindt, Community Affairs Liaison, Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce, extended an invitation to the Council and staff to attend a Fam- Tour -a progressive dinner to promote the South King County area. The dinner is sponsored by the Seattle -King County Convention and Visitors Bureau on June 10, 1993, 6:00 p.m. at the Embassy Suites Hotel. Mayor Rants distributed a memo addressed to the Council regarding a Special Study of Pacific Highway South. The Council President requested a few minutes for each councilmember to read the memo. The memo addressed the possibility of establishing a special study group to work on this issue, and it summarized how the study might be accommodated and what elements are critical to the study itself. Council President Lawrence explained that the Mayor favors postponement of discussion for now and making it a 1994 initiative so that more time could be used in planning, more staff time could be available, and so that funding can be identified. The Mayor commented that he wants to work with the Council the best way possible to achieve the ultimate goal for the future development of Pacific Highway South. Councilmember Duffie commented that he agreed with discussing the issue but he does not want to make it the number one project. Councilmember Simpson suggested a moratorium be established on the area to prevent any building until the study is completed and a decision made based on the results of the study. Councilmember Robertson stated that we need to desperately get a work plan in place to use as a base to either mitigate or to terminate the rapid rail which is planned to run down the center of the street. The Mayor agreed with Robertson and stated that the Council also needs to be prepared to take the same action against King County as they are willing to take against the airport. Rants said the vote has been postponed until November of 1994. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes May 24, 1993 Page 2 A resolution for He recommends going forward. future develop. of Pacific Hwy So. Councilmember Hernandez requested comments from (Con't). Lawrence and Simpson since they don't plan to run for office this year. Simpson responded that he supports going forward with the Highway 99 development project. He stated if we don't have a plan in place the County will more than likely do what they please. Lawrence said his concern now is the same as it was three and a half years ago, i.e. to organize a committee, obtain council involvement, complete preliminary design, and acquire input from businesses, and citizens as to what they would like to see in the Highway 99 area with minimum utilization of staff time. Ross Earnst stated that the services of a consultant that does video imaging will be solicited. With community involvement, concepts for street design will be reviewed. He said a design report normally comes out with all the information needed to select an alternative and proceed with the PS &E. WSDOT should also be involved because they have some control over the street design. It is assumed that the current zoning status will apply to this area. However, as the process develops, appropriate compliances will be made. Councilmembers Ekberg and Mullet suggested educating the designated committee on all aspects of the highway as it relates to land use, zoning, etc. for two to three months prior to engaging the services of a design consultant, followed by involving the general public. They suggested placing this issue in the 1994 Work Plan as a priority. Councilmember Hernandez commented that since $300,000 dollars have been budgeted to begin the preliminary study this year, it should not be put off. Her concern is that some future developments might be in existence currently and there's nothing that can prevent them from acquiring building permits. This could interfere with City plans for that area. Rick Beeler, DCD, responded there are no permits existing that are of any great concern. Beeler also stated that the Council has nailed the key components of the study: 1) Having a good data base where the consultant would prepare accurate maps, surveys of the area and aerial photographs, etc. that will be used no matter the process; and 2) Citizen involvement. However, Beeler said though he supports the above two processes, he's not sure the composition of the resolution establishing a committee to plan for the future development of pacific highway south would be one that he would recommend. He said there is a way to chart through this to bring it all together to result in a plan for Highway 99. He will be working with the Mayor in pulling together the elements. The Mayor commented that the resolution is a statement of intent and suggested not discarding it until the discussions are completed. Robertson suggested a proposal be provided the Council for discussion. Mayor Rants agreed that a project plan will be drafted in two phases: 1) What can be accomplished with the existing staff; and 2) What timeline the Council might want to follow with added staff. This information will be provided to the Council in three weeks for discussion. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes May 24, 1993 Page 3 A resolution for the development of Pacific Hwy. So. (Con't). Community Center Study. Recess 8:50 9:00 p.m. Right of Entry easement w/Metro. It was the consensus of the Council that the administration provide a draft proposal to the Council in two phases regarding future development of Pacific Highway South for discussion at the next COW in three weeks. Council President Lawrence posed two questions for Council consideration: 1) Is there any agreement as to whether or not the present Community Center is still acceptable as a facility and 2) Is it adequate for future programming? It was the consensus of the Council to accept the fact that the Tukwila Community Center, as it currently stands, is inadequate and that minor repairs will not solve the problems. Mayor Rants commented that the community center is 44 years old and has seen its day. Putting more money into it would be wasteful. Rebuilding it would cost more than building a new one. The Council continued discussing the issue trying to decide what to include in a new community center: the site, size, features, services, etc. After a lengthy discussion and varying suggestions /opinions on parking, indoor /outdoor activities, programs, neighborhood compatibility, accommodating Tukwila businesses, and costs, Hernandez and Duffle were in favor of the Duwamish /Allentown site while Robertson, Simpson, Ekberg, Mullet, and Lawrence, favored the current site. Ekberg stated that after the recent meeting of the Community Affairs and Parks Committee, and a brief discussion with the Mayor, they concluded that a Special Session of the Committee of The Whole should be scheduled to review Capital facilities and prioritizing. It was the consensus of the Council to schedule a Special COW meeting on Wednesday, June 9, 1993 for facilities discussion only. Council President Lawrence called the meeting back to order with those present as noted above. Councilmember Hernandez explained that a motion is needed to authorize the Mayor to sign a Right of Entry Agreement with Metro to allow Metro access for planning, design and related development work for the new metro sewer line passing through Tukwila. A future permanent easement will replace this agreement. In answer to some of the questions by the Council, Don Williams explained the Right of Entry Agreement simply gives Metro the right to go in and perform the preliminary engineering. He said the mitigation for the project is one process; negotiating through an appraisal process the cost (albeit dollars or work) for the easement is another. Discussions have not been held on compensation and /or mitigation issues to date. Robertson commented that as long as we're not relinquishing our rights to renegotiate, he would suggest discussing compensation and mitigation issues at a later date and proceed with approval of the agreement. City Attorney Linda Cohen commented that she sees no problem with approving the agreement; however, she will review it again. Should she find anything contrary to tonight's discussion she will bring it to the Council's attention. Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes May 24, 2993 Page 4 Right of Entry easement w/Metro. (Con't). A resolution authorizing Mayor to sign agreemt. for State Growth Mgmt. funds. A resolution between Tukwila South Centrl Sch. Dist. Discussion of format for Comp Plan. Review of Counc. Operating Procedures. It was the consensus of the Council to forward the Right of Entry agreement with Metro to the next Regular Council Consent Agenda. Mayor Rants explained that this is the third State budget cycle distributing State funds for Growth Management Act comprehensive planning. King County is authorized to disburse these funds via Interlocal Agreement. The Administration is requesting approval of a resolution which is necessary to authorize the Mayor to sign the Agreement to disburse $18,812 in grants funds to Tukwila. It was the consensus of the Council to forward the resolution authorizing the Mayor to sign the King County Interlocal Agreement for distribution of State Growth Management funds amounting to $18,812 to the next Regular Council Consent Agenda. Ron Lamb, South Central School District, was present as the Council considered a resolution that had been discussed at the joint meeting with the School Board and the City, then forwarded to the Community Affairs and Parks Committee for discussion. The resolution addresses Council's concerns and ensures that any student who resides in Tukwila be allowed to participate in City- sponsored programs regardless of the school he /she attends. After a brief review, it was the consensus of the Council to forward the revised version of the resolution (with amendment to correct the misspelling of "school to the next Regular Council Consent Agenda. Councilmember Simpson explained that the Utilities Committee version of the elements was from a business point of view and was one that could be easily followed. The Council also reviewed a format recommended by DCD and the State's recommended table of contents. Rick Beeler, DCD, commented that their version of the format was similar to the Utilities Committee version except for key topics that will be repeated in designated areas of the format. He said that the State's table of contents is being revised and will be different than the one presented in tonight's packet. Beeler stated the main concern is that we remain flexible so that whatever format is decided upon, it will be used to unify all the elements that together will make up the Comprehensive Plan. Ross Earnst stated that a consultant has been obtained to begin working on this project. Earnst needs a Council decision as to which format will be used as soon as possible. It was the consensus of the Council to forward the discussion of format for comprehensive plan to the Utilities Committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow night. The Council continued discussion on updating the Council operating procedures. Last week the Council's discussion focused on moving the minutes to be a separate agenda item. Tonight's discussion focused on segments of the procedures that are mostly housekeeping in nature. Various amendments were made throughout Chapter 2.04 (City Council). When the Council inquired of the discrepancy in TMC 2.04.230 (Compensation), they were informed by the Clerk that Ordinance #1637 was passed on October Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes May 24, 1993 Page 5 Review of Counc. Operating Procedures (Con't). A resolution authorizing Mayor to apply for IAC grant funds. An ordinance decriminalizing several chapters of the TMC. REPORTS 19, 1992 updating this section; however the Ordinance had not been codified to date but was in progress. j) t a After a brief discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to forward the Council Operating Procedures with amendments to the next Regular Council. Councilmember Hernandez commented that this item had been before the Community Affairs and Parks Committee. Their recommendation is to request authorization via resolution to apply for the maximum amount of $500,000 dollars, under the "local park" category for I.A.C. grant funds. It was the consensus of the Council to forward the resolution authorizing Mayor to apply for IAC grant funds amounting to $500,000 to the next Regular Council Consent Agenda. City Administrator John McFarland informed the Council that he had discussed this issue with the City Attorney and concluded that extra work and staff coordination need to be done in certain areas of the ordinance. Therefore, he requested removing this item from tonight's agenda. Councilmembers offered a few suggestions for consideration as the Administration revisits the document. It was the consensus of the Council to withdraw the ordinance decriminalizing several chapters of the TMC. Mayor Rants reported that there was a discussion at SKCATBd regarding the RTP and a new group being formed that would bypass both SKCATBd and the Eastside Transportation groups. They listed two mayors and a city councilmember from Mercer Island that were confirmed by the Board of Suburban Cities. However, they received enough complaints to abandon the idea. Thus, the issue has been dropped. There will not be another form of government to work through the regional transportation for us. There will be a discussion on this issue at the June 9 Suburban Cities meeting. Councilmember Duffie inquired if it were legal to have the non smoking clause on the City's job applications. City Attorney Cohen responded affirmatively. Councilmember Hernandez reported that Duffie had attended a meeting where Little League parents had complained about some of the adults taking over the Foster Playfield. The parents will be coming before the Community Affairs and Parks Committee with suggestions to a possible solution to this problem. Lucy Lauterbach attended the Regional Services Committee meeting for Hernandez and reported that the Regional Services Committee is a committee of the Suburban Cities that deals with regional issues. She said King County wants to work a surface water deal where they join their surface water with the City's surface water because King County surface water is losing a lot of money due to annexations and incorporations. State legislation has been passed and the interim agreement is to let them go ahead next year with a study of the deficiencies by waterships in both the counties and cities. They will look at old surface water basins within the county and then come back Committee of The Whole Meeting Minutes May 24, 1993 Page 6 Reports (Con't). ADJOURN TO SPECIAL MEETING: 10:30 P.M. at the end of next year and ask again if cities and counties are interested in King County's proposal. Councilmember Lawrence reported he had attended the Duwamish Improvement Club meeting. The Council agreed, per Lawrence's suggestion, to accompany Don Williams on a tour of other community centers in the area sometime within the next month or so. Councilmember Robertson distributed brochures he had obtained at a Growth Management Policy Committee meeting he attended last Wednesday. He asked the Council to review the material, there may be items the Council will want to take issue with via a response. Councilmember Mullet reported he and Simpson had attended the Tukwila Tomorrow Committee meeting recently. The attendance was great. Among some of the agenda items was a concern expressed regarding zoning classifications. MOVED BY DUFFIE, SECONDED BY ROBERTSON, TO ADJOURN TO SPECIAL MEETING. MOTION CARRIED. Steve Lawrence, Council President Celia Square, D uty City Clerk /1