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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07-11 Community Affairs and Parks Minutes City of Tukwila Community Affairs and Parks Committee COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND PARKS COMMITTEE Meeting Minutes July 11, 2011— 5: 00p.m.; Conference Room #3 PRESENT Councilmembers: Verna Seal, Chair; Allan Ekberg (sitting in for Joe Duffie) and De'Sean Quinn Staff: Shawn Hunstock, Jack Pace, Brandon Miles, Joyce Trantina, Melissa Hart and John Morrison Winters (DCD Intern) Guests: Chuck Parrish, resident; Marie Parrish, resident; Mark Palmer, business representative; Dave Fretz, business representative CALL TO ORDER: Committee Chair Seal called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. I. PRESENTATIONS No presentations. II. BUSINESS AGENDA A. Liehtim /Ener2v Umrades: Additional Grant Funding At the May 23 Community Affairs Parks Committee meeting, the Committee approved submission of a request to the Washington State Department of Commerce for additional grant funding for lighting/energy upgrades. Since the grant funding amount is now known, and does not require Council approval due to the amount, staff is returning to Committee to report out on the funding as information only. An amendment to the existing grant between the City and Washington State Department of Commerce will award an additional $37,786 in funding for additional energy /lighting upgrades. The projects eligible for energy /lighting upgrades include: parking lot lights at City Hall and the 6300 Building; indoor lights at Old City Hall; outdoor lights at Tukwila Park, Bicentennial Park and the Golf Course; and installation of occupancy sensors in various locations. Once work is complete, staff intends to make a presentation to Council outlining the project, upgrades and projected cost savings. Committee Member Quinn suggested an article be submitted to the Tukwila Reporter, as a way to continue to educate the public on steps the City is taking to reduce operating costs. It also provides an opportunity to inform residents about programs Seattle City Light and Puget Sound Energy have for home owners. INFORMATION ONLY. B. Ordinance Review: Livestock, Small Animals and Fowl In response to a citizen comment made at the May 16, 2011, Council meeting, Committee Chair Seal requested that this item be brought forward to the Community Affairs Parks Committee for review. Ordinance No. 232 outlines the regulations for livestock, small animals and fowl in the City of Tukwila. This particular code has not been changed since 1956. A recent request made to the City Council regarding codes involving chickens and lots size caused staff to look at the issue of zoning/code requirements, lot sizes etc. as it relates to livestock/small animals /fowl, in a broader scope. A discussion continued regarding whether or not the Committee should focus on the issue at hand (chickens) versus the need to review all of the related issues in this section of the Tukwila Municipal Code. Council President Ekberg felt the Committee should focus on chickens only, and other members agreed that it would be best to focus on the question at hand (the lot size regulations related to chickens), as well as some of the related administrative "clean up" issues i.e.: language related to code enforcement) and address other issues at a later time. Community Affairs Parks Committee Minutes Jullt 11, 2011— Paae 2 Staff was requested to return to Committee with the appropriate revisions to Option 2 as outlined in the Committee packet, for further discussion. UNANIMOUS APPROVAL, OPTION 2. RETURN TO COMMITTEE. III. MISCELLANEOUS Under Miscellaneous, Chuck Parrish, resident, shared a petition signed by 367 Tukwila residents that requests the Council to reconsider Ordinance 2323 which prohibits social card rooms in the City effective January 1, 2016. The petition's exact wording is stated below: We the undersigned residents of Tukwila ask city council to replace Ordinance 2323 with a new policy that would allow the existing commercial card rooms to remain in business, to save the approximate 450 jobs, to preserve the $2.1 to $2.4 million in annual tax revenues that these businesses pay to Tukwila and to maintain the level of city services that are associate with this revenue. The petition currently has 367 signatures, but the efforts to engage and educate residents about this issue are ongoing. However, supporters believe that 300 -400 signatures on this petition should be sufficient for Council to revisit this issue. The current signatures represent residents throughout the City. Mr. Parrish indicated that he believes the Council overlooked, and should have considered, the option of creating a zoning ordinance that would limit card rooms to specific locations /areas in the City. He has conducted research of other cities that utilize similar ordinances to restrict such establishments to certain areas. After discussion, Committee Members agreed unanimously, and requested that staff draft an ordinance, proposing new language allowing card rooms along Interurban and the area along Southcenter Boulevard, addressing zoning for restaurants only. Other items the Committee would like to see included in the staff report for this item are: Number of new applications received for card rooms How surrounding cities address the issue of card rooms Previously provided crime statistics relating to card rooms Committee Members agreed that due to the critical nature of this item, it requires input from and discussion among all Councilmembers; therefore, the item should be move to a COW for discussion rather than returning to Committee. Committee Chair Seal stated that she would not be attendance at the next COW, and would like to see this item be scheduled for the August 8 COW. Committee Chair Seal and Committee Member Quinn both expressed their appreciation for the level of community involvement regarding this and other issues for which residents are concerned and/or feel strongly. Since Council President Ekberg filled in for Committee Member Duffie at this evening's meeting, Councilmember Seal stated she would contact Committee Member Duffie to advise him of this discussion. Meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m. Next meeting: Monday, July 25, 2011 5:00 p.m. Conference Room #3 (V I Committee Chair Approval Mi utes JT. Reviewed by KAM.