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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1988-03-28 Committee of the Whole MinutesMarch 28, 1988 Tukwila City Hall 7:00 p.m. Council Chambers Introduction of Staff COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE Curtis Nesheim Charles Simpson Michelle Naugle Nick Krantz TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL OPEN HOUSE Committee of the Whole MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Council President Harris welcomed the audience to Open House and introduction with the City Council. She introduced Council members JOE H. of the Council DUFFIE; ED BAUCH; MARILYN G. STOKNES; JOAN HERNANDEZ; DENNIS L. ROBERTSON; and CLARENCE B. MORIWAKI. MAYOR VAN DUSEN introduced staff members in attendance JOHN COLGROVE, City Attorney; MAXINE ANDERSON, City Clerk; RICK BEELER, Planning Director; ALAN DOERSCHEL, Finance Director; ROSS EARNST, City Engineer; TOM KEEFE, Acting Fire Chief; DON WILLIAMS, Recreation Director; DON MORRISON, City Administra- tor; DON PERSSON, Acting Police Chief; BYRON SNEVA, Public Works Director. Mr. Nesheim, 15828 43rd Avenue South, read a letter he had written to the City Council concerning the annexation of Fire District No. 1. In his letter, Mr. Nesheim comments on infrastructure, sewer systems, water system, street lighting, surface water and erosion management, traffic congestion and street improvements, unstable soil conditions and seismic activity, mobile homes, expectation of citizens and police response time. He concludes that the annexation of Fire District No. 1 would be counterproductive for the City. We would acquire only 1,900 additional people, but we would increase geographically by 50 The increase in land area, because of its shape, would make it an administrative problem in addition to its below standard condition. The City of Tukwila has an excellent record in its ability to finance its obligations to its citizens. It would be sad to see this change. He urged the Council to vote against the proposed annexation. Charles Simpson, 14240 57th Avenue South, commented that the annexation of Fire District No. 1 is an excellent move for the City. It will bring more people into our City. As far as sewer and water service go, it will not affect the City as they are served under other districts. One of the problems we face because we are so small is that we have zero clout. It is important that we proceed with annexation of this area. Very few cities can match the service we are able to give to our citizens; we have the money. Any area we annex we are going to have to upgrade to match what we have. He encouraged the Council to look at the annexation of Fire District No. 1 as being a viable annexation for the City and also the other areas that are now considering annexation. When he was on the Council he looked very favorably at annex- ation because it is good for the City. Michelle Nangle, 14140 56th Avenue South, said that the City has not beaten the mass burn incineration issue yet. We are very much in consideration for a mass burn facility at the Black River Quarry site. The Committee is still working on it. She commented that, as far as clout is concerned, swelling the population is not necessarily going to get us any more clout. Nick Krantz, South 144th, thanked the Council for holding an open house. One thing that all candidates for office have in common is that they all say they want to hear what the citi- zens are concerned about. He expressed concern about the 00 ‘-/9 TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL OPEN HOUSE March 28, 1988 Page 2 COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE (cont'd) Bea Eaton John McFarland adult entertainment issue. This has a far more devastating effect upon people's lives than the mass burn incinerator. We have an adult entertainment establishment a couple of blocks from where he lives and he is very concerned about it. There are legal grounds to go against this situation. He wanted the Council to know that the citizens are concerned about this. This thing came in overnight. He is not only a citizen, but a concerned parent. He does not let his daugh- ters go to the 7 -11 store any more. He is pastor of the local church and has had many people call him about this and not all of them were members of the church. He encouraged the Council to do what they can to make our City safe from this type of an establishment. A lady from the audience said the issue of adult entertain- ment is not something to be taken lightly. They chose Tukwila to live in because it is a beautiful community. Bea Eaton, referring to the adult entertainment facility and pornography in general, said that moving it from the area does not solve the problem, it pushes it aside. Pornography is addictive and it affects families. There are laws on the books now that we can legally follow to get rid of it. She cited Criminal Code 14.62 concerning obscene materials. She encouraged the Council to look at RCW 7.48 Moral Nuisances, 9.68 Obscenity and Pornography, and 9.68A Sexual Exploit- ation of Children. Pushing the adult entertainment shops down the road will not help; they will still affect our families. Pornography is used in child abuse. If you care, speak up. The relationship between private crime and porno- graphy is very well documented. This is a serious issue. Get involved and voice your opinion. John McFarland, 4375 South 158th Street, commended the Coun- cil for supporting the performing arts and the Sister City program. He recommended continued and increased involvement with the local school district. There are some problems and it is going to take involvement by the community to get through this period of transition. There is a high turnover rate in students and a problem with building improvements. There is a pornography store on Pacific Highway near the theater. It is 1/4 mile from a major residential area that is in Tukwila. The Council and Mayor need to be vocal with the legislative officials of King County to do something aboutthis business. We need to be vocal with the King County Council. Mr. McFarland discussed annexation. The addition of 1,900 people into the City of Tukwila will not do much in the area of clout. We will still be a very small city. If Tukwila is going to exert clout, it has to be through responsible legis- lators and a responsible Mayor. And, we have those. Clout is not built so much on population as it is on the quality of our involvement and the quality of the decisions made by our legislators. The downtown area is not a single population; much of the residential area is zoned S -R (suburban residential). This designation is a transitional designation to allow a residential area to transist into an urban area. What we will have down there in the next 20 or 30 years is not single- family housing, not families as part of our community, but more warehouses, more apartments, more transient population, more office buildings. This annexation will create a wandering boundary that will cause a policing problem, a service problem, and cause jurisdictional disputes. Ask the Council to consider this matter very carefully. Also solicit the opinions of the current citizens as to how they feel about annexation. TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL OPEN HOUSE March 28, 1988 Page 3 COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE (cont'd) Wendy Morgan Dan Saul Wendy Morgan, Council member for five years, expressed con- cerns with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for the City. It does not address the new and emerging businesses of high tech and biological industries which are moving out into suburban areas. We had to revise the Zoning Code to meet this need. In the business of marketing, the market drives the business district. If the market drives the business district, then the market should have something to say about the quality. The Zoning Code and the Board of Architectural Review stan- dards by which the Council and Planning Commission judge the quality of housing and the location of it is lacking in any kind of quality. When the Council sits and judges based on these standards, there is nothing that protects the citizens from those things which it does not want. Board of Architec- tural Review standards must be reviewed and strengthened. She said she voted to clarify the annexation policy to say that the City encourages it. She stated that the City runs best when the policies that the Council approves are carried out by the Administration. The Council clearly said that annexation is encouraged in this City. She encouraged the Council and Mayor to work together in the best interest of the City. Within the Fire District No. 1 area is the Black River Quarry site where a mass burn incinerator is under consideration. If the area were annexed, the site would be under control of this city. If we have no choice, we at least would have the ability to set standards. Most of the area within our boundaries is developed. We need to look to areas contiguous to our boundary if we are to stay economic- ally viable. This city relies very heavily on sales tax revenue for its basic budget. Because of the current tax structure in this state, it is not good business for us to rely on one particular source of revenue. The annexation of Fire District No. 1 brings with it heavy manufacturing. At the present time, about 50 percent of the housing is multi- family. It might be a healthier balance if more single family homes were added. Another issue that should be con- sidered is that the City has no control of areas that are contiguous. We could be faced with developments along our boundaries we may not want and we will have to live with the impact. Eleanor McLester Eleanor McLester noted that no matter how far we extend our boundaries there is always going to be a contiguous area outside the boundaries we are not going to be able to con- trol. She urged the citizens to drive through the proposed annexation area and see the quality of the residential dis- trict that you are considering annexing. When you talk about quality of life in our City, it is going down at this time. She urged the Council to look at a strong ordinance on the maintenance of personal property with special emphasis on rental property. We have rental properties in our residen- tial areas that are unkempt, have garbage, and have multiple vehicles. An ordinance should be enforced if it is on the books; if it is unenforceable we shouldn't have it and we should come out with an ordinance that allows us to keep the quality of life in Tukwila at the level it was the last few years. Dan Saul, 5513 South 144th Street, commented that he doesn't see anything wrong without having a lot of clout. There is nothing wrong with being the nice town we are. When you want control beyond your borders, it costs something to enforce the control. Mr. Saul commented that he remembers when City Hall was built and all of the employees had offices in it. We did not need to have offices in the building next door. He said he did not like it that the Public Works Department has moved next door. He likes to have a nice City and a nice TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL OPEN HOUSE March 28, 1988 Page 4 COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE (cont'd) Barb Simpson Gene Jaeger Madge Phillips Al Pieper City staff, not so big that they are spread around the City He likes the town we live in and likes the size we are. It is not important that we have a lot of clout. He would like the City to stay like it is, we are the best already. Barb Simpson, 14240 57th Avenue South, said she works out- side of Tukwila but chooses to live in Tukwila. They have built a new home here and are raising their children here. The pornography store affects all of us; we, the people who live here, will not tolerate a business that attacks our families. She asked, what kind of a town will this be in the year 2000, or in 50 or 70 years? My children go to school outside of town and are affected by the kind of businesses that end up on the 99 strip. They walk to Larry's and have to put up with what is right next door. I am interested in where we are going in the next few years. The issue of taxes is going to affect this. We have been spoiled with the sales tax, but this structure will change, then what will happen to Tukwila? We need to think about this and plan for it and have the mix of business and residential areas that will continue to support our community. My interest is in the school system. Tukwila is the only remaining stable neigh- borhood within a 5 to 10 mile radius. If all of the small neighborhoods around us are lost because we think if we hang on to our little town the way it is we will be OK but there won't be enough of us to make a really quality life for future generations. We need to include those neighborhoods for their benefit and for our own survival. I'm sure the Council will consider this carefully. I have a lot of hope for the future of Tukwila in the next 20 years. Gene Jaeger, Chairman of the Tukwila Sea -Tac Chamber of Com- merce, commented that the turnout tonight is outstanding. We need to know what the people want. This is an excellent way to get it. In regard to some of the issues discussed tonight, the Chamber will be taking a position on annexation. It is obvious that it impacts everybody, citizens and busi- ness. Transportation is no small matter. How we get in and out of town is of interest to all the citizens as well as businesses. They have an active committee working on trans- portation. In regard to education, the Chamber is working very hard to try to bring business and education together and, perhaps, the City, business and education together. In regard to taxation, we need to think further down the road. The Chamber will be involved in this. Madge Phillips stated that there will be a hearing next week regarding a rezone. She asked the Council to please become informed if they don't know where the property is. This is very important to the people concerned. Some of the Planning Commission members were not informed. Know what the area is before you vote on it. Al Pieper, 53rd Avenue South, commented that in the last five years the City has increased staff by 50% to 55 If this continues, do you realize what staff load your taxes will have to support in the next 10 or 15 years if this keeps on? The City hasn't grown other than one small annexation. The budget has increased about 300% in the past five years. If you people read the financial news, you know there is going to be a depression, it is not if it is when. When the depression comes, people will be out of work and unable to spend money. When they don't have an income, they have no money to spend and they don't pay sales tax, then the City will be out of money. Once someone is employed by a City, that job is sacred and they are never laid off. The City has increased taxes many times in the past ten years. They hid D052, TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL OPEN HOUSE March 28, 1988 Page 5 COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE (cont'd) Mary Zion Mrs. Brown ADJOURNMENT (C /OPENHOUSE1 -5) 0053 it from you, they don't tell you. We really do have a won- derful city and we want it to stay that way. We won't have a good place to live, and a good place to shop, and a good place to do business if this City keeps going the way they are going because they are going to have to raise taxes which will drive businesses out. Commenting on the incinerator, he said that everyone has the same philosophy don't put your garbage disposal in my back yard. If every city kept their garbage within their city boundaries, the disposal system would be solved right now. We don't have that much garbage, we could handle it. Another thing, we have a dog leash law that isn't enforced. Enforce the law or get it off of our books. Mary Zion, 13940 51st Avenue South, talking for a group of people east of the freeway from South 144th to Interurban Avenue. This area belongs to King County and we feel that if we came into Tukwila we would benefit. We have watched you work and grow. Now, we are passing a petition for annexa- tion. We feel your Fire Department will give us better service and your services would be an advantage to us. Mrs. Brown, 13920 51st Avenue, said they need desperately to join the City, they need police protection. They were burglarized and lost everything. It took King County 20 minutes to get there. They need protection in their area. The would like to get into Tukwila. 8:45 p.m. There being no further comments, the Open House was adjourned. Gay" Maxine Anderson, City Clerk .roc.- Dusen, 'Mayor