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19840221 City Council MinutesFebruary 21, 1984 The first of planned quarterly "Town Hall" meetings was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Larry Naughten in the Meadowdale Community Club. This meeting was co -sponsored with the Meadowdale Community Club. PRESENT STAFF PRESENT Larry Naughten, Mayor Jo -Anne Jaech Laura Hall Lloyd Ostrom Steve Dwyer Jack Wilson John Nordquist Bill Kasper Brian Stewart, Student Rep. • Art Housler, Finance Director Marlo Foster, Police Chief Jack Weinz, Fire Chief Steve Simpson, Parks & Recreation Pat LeMay, Personnel Director -Jim Adams, city Ingineer Irene Varney Moran, City Clerk Bobby Mills, Acting Public Works Mary Lou Block, Planning Director Jim Jessel, Property Manager Mark Eames, City Attorney Jackie Parrett, Deputy City Clerk Director Director 3.26, February 21, 1984 - continued APPROVAL OF MINUTES COUNCILMEMBER NORDQUIST MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER HALL, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 149, 1984. MOTION CARRIED. INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATION OF MEETING FORMAT Mayor Naughten introduced Roy Mainger, President of the Meadowdale Communty Club, who was the moderator for this meeting. Mayor Naughten then introduced the members of the City Council, -the City staff, and.Snohomish County Councilman Bruce Agnew who was a member of the audience, being a resident of the Meadowdale area. Mayor Naughten explained the meeting format. Roy Mainger intro- duced the staff of the Meadowdale Community Club. :AUDIENCE Jick Beers asked what the status was of the present sewer contract. City Engineer Jim Adams explained that Tri-State Construction.Company was awarded the contract and that they are in a mobilization stage at present with the contract completion date expected to be July 30. He noted that even when the project is completed there may not be a place for the sewage to flow immediately because it will flow to the Lynnwood treatment plant and they are in the process of finishing their facility. It should be completed in July or August. Stan Olsen, 16605 74th P1. W., asked when the building moratorium would be lifted and by whom. City Attorney Mark Eames responded that a resolution passed by the Council will lift any aspect of the moratorium, and that will be passed when the facility is in place. Mike Echelbarger, 16608 76th W., suggested that the Council give some thought to allowing building to commence during the construction of the sewer line but not allowing occupancy until the sewer • line is approved, which would allow the citizens to use the summer construction season. Council - member Kasper responded that the Council was asked by the staff at the last meeting to start working on this, but the situation with the Lynnwood sewer plant is unknown and financing is also a concern. He said it was suggested that the platting and subdividing process could take place. Councilmember Hall said her position is that she was present to learn from the audience, but she was concerned about slipping soils if the moratorium were lifted, and not being familiar with that, she thought they should wait. Jerry Walters, 7314 164th Pl. S.W., asked if the cost estimates were still the same as they were three years ago, and Mr. Adams responded that he suspected they would be very close to those figures and those were still the best estimate. However, he said should there be numerous protests and readjustments, that could cause some changes. Jan Phillips, 7100 156th St. S.W., said they have 2" chuckholes now and when the project is finished the streets are supposed to be returned -to their original condition, so she wanted to know if they would be returned to the chuckhole condition. Mr. Adams responded that the job is a utility job, not streets, but he would hope to put the streets back without chuckholes. Burt Olson, 16630 76th W., asked if they could be provided a schedule as to when the construction will be in their particular areas. Mr. Adams responded that Jerry Hauth will have an office in the Meadowdale Community Club building and they can call him with any questions at 745-6430. Also, he said that -prior to any contractor going onto the property the property owner will be contacted. Paul Chrysler, 15977 72nd W., said the condition of his street .and the nearby arterial is poor but he is satisifed with it. He asked if the City is waiting to proceed with more improvements and more LIDs for streets when the sewer project is done. Acting Public Works Superintendent Bobby Mills responded that 72nd had been scheduled last year for sealcoating but it was not done because of this sewer project, and it will be done after the sewer project is completed, with City money, and no • LIDs for streets are scheduled from the City. Steve Lee, 16520 72nd W., asked if all the necessary easements had been obtained. City Attorney Mark Eames responded that all easements have been acquired that are necessary to proceed, but two have not been acquired which are exceptional and negotiations are going on with them, but they will not stand in the way of the progress of the project. Bruce Agnew, 16000 75th PI...W., asked what effect there would be on subsequent zoning after the sewers are in and the moratorium.is lifted. He lives just north of Haines Wharf and his lot is 20,000 sq. ft. He asked if the lots will be rezoned to 9,600 sq. ft. because of the sewers; and he said if the density is increased the traffic on North Meadowdale Beach Rd. will be increased. He thought the City should at least put in some reflector lights or demarcation lines on the road for safety and that there should be some minimum safety requirements for that road. Mayor Naughten, responded that he has not heard of any requests before the Council to change the zoning, but there probably will be people who make such requests and if so there will be public hearings. Mr. Agnew also noted that there is a public safety problem at the Meadowdale.Park in that during the summer the young people park at the wharf and walk down the tracks to party there and it is very dangerous with the young people drinking and often wearing earphones for their radios and tape players so they cannot hear the trains coming. He said the County is trying to get a part-time person to monitor the beach, and he asked if the City could restrict parking on -the wharf so those.people would be ticketed for parking there. Mayor Naughten will look into that. Mike Brusnik, 15620 72nd W., said he is at the bottom of the hill a.nd.is supposed to have a grinder pump which will be noisy and expensive. He asked to have something done to allow his water to flow instead of being pumped. Mr. Adams responded that all pumps were eliminated that were feasible and it is designed that there be pumps at those homes which could not be done with gravity flow. He said it is very common in the City for people to have grinder pumps when they are downhill from the c ry e 2 A'. • February 21, 1984 - continued sewers. He noted that the project buys the pump and the homeowner has it installed, but if the system were already installed it would be the practice that the homeowner purchase his pump and install it. Mr. Brusnik said he is uphill, not downhill. Mr. Adams said he would look at that one and that he would much rather have a gravity system but a few of the properties cannot be served by gravity. Duane Romo, 7105 156th S.W., said there are some of them who could be served by gravity but it would be expensive. Mr. Adams responded that economics were considered, and Mr. Romo said he did not think they should be. Stan Olsen said he.had raised the question of grinder pumps about a year ago, in that some engineer made the .decision to go for individual grinder pumps rather than put in a station to serve three. He stated that it is not common to have grinder pumps and that sewers are usually down to serve the lowest residents. Mr. Adams said the design was done by Reid, Middleton & Associates in conjunction with the City staff. Ted Trepanier of Reid, Middleton & Associates said he had discussed this with Mr. Olsen and had given him an explanation as to when grinder stations are used. Dick Beers asked what the increased costs would be if everyone in the system were put on gravity feed, and Mr. Trepanier did not have those figures but he explained the other reasons why that could not be done. Mr. Adams added that the City will maintain the grinder pumps. A gentleman asked what happens when the power goes off, and Mr. Adams responded that the pump does not run when there is no electricity. Jan Phillips asked if cooperative planning was being done with Lynnwood regarding the streets going out of this area and what is being done about the part: across the street. Parks and Recreation Director Steve Simpson responded that the Meadowdale Play -field is on the capital improvements plan for work in the next two years, and Edmonds has agreed in principle with Lynnwood and the school district for development. He said the school district has been asked not to declare the property surplus for the next two years, but Lynnwood has to be the lead agency in developing it because it • is in Lynnwood. He said Edrnonds has done its best to get the project started and took the lead in coming up with the master plan. He said the only other project in this area on the capital improve- ment plan is -tennis courts but a site has not been located and there is not much property in the area. He said the City is also hoping to do some.improvements around the clubhouse but it is limited by the size of the site. He added that when they wort: again on the comprehensive plan they will be holding.meet-ings in this area. e Mike Echelbarger mentioned the old country club site, saying if the City of Edmonds had some plans to develop it they probably could get it gifted from the County. He thought it a shame that it is so poorly used. He would like to see some money put into it, and he feared that sooner or later somebody would offer to purchase it from the County, and he noted that if the�County cannot develop it they will not keep it. He thought that would be..a real tragedy to this community. He urged that some thought be given to the facility. Bruce Agnew said the two main problems are drainage and access. He said Lund's Gulch is a raging river that has cut a little "grand canyon" there, and there,is,access on the south edge but it cannot support the land of traffic that there would be. He said there, is other potential access from 152nd or Fisher Rd. He noted that a park ranger is needed to monitor it for student groups, but long-range improvements would be access and drainage. He has suggested that the County and Edmonds go in with Lynnwood on a block grant program to do the sewers and then develop a long-range access plan. Burt Olson.said there are some health hazards in the park property: He asked if Edmonds has offered any shared costs program to develop the park, and he added that sidewalks are needed in the area. Mr. Simpson said the City has had a number of conversations with Mayor Hrdlic.ka about developing it. He noted that playfields have a high priority in Edmonds now and this is the most ideal site near Edmonds. Paul Chrysler said it has been an inconvenience to take the detours Lynnwood has put up for construction in Lynnwood and this particular construction company has been very troublesome. He asked what it • would be like with the contractor on the Edmonds project. Mr. Adams said this was discussed during the construction conference and the City will not allow any road to be cut where there is no access to the property and inconveniences t-iill be kept to a minimum. There will be weekly construction meetings with the contractor. 1 Dr. Robert Anderson, 7370 N. Meadowdale Rd., said there are small segments of storm sewers in Meadowdale and one is in front of his house which he paid for many years ago, but when it rains the water flows up and out of it rather than into it. He asked what one has to do to get the City to respond to such problems. Mr. Mills explained that the City can be called 24 hours a day. Also,,. he said they are trying to map all of thern to set up a regular maintenance schedule. Dr. Anderson noted, regarding the new sidewalk on 76th, that the drainage work does not carry all the drainage water so it flows into the street, and the catch basins are not placed correctly for when it rains heavily. He said when the water flows into the street during cold weather it freezes and creates a hazard. Mr. Adams said it is planned to do some overlays on 76th but it was too late last year to do thembecause of the weather and it is in the 1984 plan. Jan Phillips asked why the sidewalk stopped at North Meadowdale Beach Rd., and Mr. Adams responded that the City is in the process of developing a'comprehensive sidewalk• plan and that project had been on the books for a long time and that is where it stopped. Diane Pielow'said she and her husband are planning to build soon and probably will have to have a grinder pump and they want to know where it will be located. She was advised to call Jerry Hauth and he will look at the site, Stan Olsen said he was very pleased that the Council took the time to go out to Meadowdale. He suggested that the City work more closely with the County and with Lynnwood on traffic and the parks. He also thought there could be more communication --not on the staff level but on the policy level --and he encouraged a councilmanic liaison with.the City of Lynnwood and the County for sidewalks also. Councilmember Hall agreed that more communication is needed, and she thought it should be between citizens also. Councilmember Nordquist noted that at one time there had been the Snohomish 328 February 24, 1984 - continued 1� County Joint Planning Council and they traveled from city to city each month looking at various problems. But he said that people who.serve on a part-time basis just do not have enough time. He said that group dissolved when' they had a comprehensive plan for all of South County. A recess was announced at this time. Mr. Mainger asked if the City is involved with other communities in trying to solve the pollution problem"in the.Sound. Mr. Adams said the treatment.in Edmonds and Lynnwood is'only primary treat- ment but the effluent is well chlorinated so very`little bacteria go into the -Sound. He said the main source of pollutants is from storm water, and in this particular area the effluent from the septic tanks, and this sewer project should eliminate some of that. An effort is being made to educate people that most storm water systems empty into a stream before getting to the Sound and. that people should not put certain things into the storm system. He said Edmonds is working with Lynnwood to -identify sources of heavy metal pollutants. Mr. Mainger noted that the beaches are not posted as being contaminated and that he has seen people digging on the beach who appeared to be Asians -who may not be able to"read English, so if the beaches are posted that should be considered. Burt Olson asked the Council to meet with Lynnwood on some -of the problems. Planning Director Mary Lou Block noted that there was.a block grant allocated for improvements to the clubhouse and those improvements should be completed by June. Jan Phillips observed that the Council had demonstrated that it,is willing to listen, so she said she was willing to take back some of the things she had`said ina recent letter. However, she was very disappointed with their decision not to support the school levy and she asked that a resolution be adopted to have a consistent policy.with the school district. She asked that they become involved and ask questions of.the school district in order to have such a policy. Councilmember Hall responded that there was some misunderstanding because of information in the newspaper, and she pointed out that -the City does have a cooperative effort with the school district. She discussed a committee on which she serves, as an example, regarding graduation -requirements. Councilmember Dwyer added that he was not on the Council at the time,of the incident in question and that he was disappointed in the action taken by the Council'. He said it was the first instance he could think of where the body could not come forward and support schools. ,He did not think it would happen again. Councilmember Kasper.said a lot of the communication problem has-been brought to the surface, and the Council feels they have been derelict in communications outside of the City, but part of the reason was that they did not have a full-time Mayor. However; -he said -he -does not think the City should indorse school levies and they never have. Roger Hertrich, 1020 Puget Dr., said he was at the meeting when the Council took no action when Dr. Reasby was there asking for their support. He said he thought they got their answer from him in that Edmonds High School will be closed. He said "I think we got what we deserved." Councilmember Hall responded that they had been told "Don't hold Edmonds High School hostage," and the City was doing that and she hoped the school district was". Mrs. Billings, 16342 72nd W., asked if the people who paid .sewer charges for many years and never were on the sewer would get something for that, and Doris Nelson•of 15729 75th P1. W. said there is a lot of vacant land around her property on which sewer charges are not paid, but she has three homes�on which she pays but they have no sewers. The policy regarding sewer charges was explained. Mr. Mills announced that there will be a spring clean-up in April and he urged the residents to take advantage of that service. Jerry Walters asked what is the mechanism for invoicing the property owner for the LID, and Finance Director Art Housler explained the system. The participants were thanked for taking part in this evening's town hall meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m. 1 11 0 1 0 A_,e,� Z�" A-0_� IRENE VARNEY MORAN, C&ty Clerk LARRY S. NAUGHTEN, Mayo