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19811006 City Council Minutes326 October 6, 1981 • The regular meeting of the Edmonds City Council was called -to order at 7:35 p.m. by Mayor Harve Harrison in the Council Chambers of..the Edmonds Civic Center. All present joined in the flag salute. PRESENT ABSENT STAFF PRESENT Harve Harrison, Mayor Ray Gould. Irene Varney Moran, City.Clerk Jo -Anne Jaech Larry Naughten Art Housler, Finance.'Director Katherine Allen John Nordquist Duane Bowman, Asst. City Planner Bill Kasper Jim Je'ssel, Parks & Recreation Director Mary Goetz Wayne Tanaka, City Attorney Jackie Parrett, Deputy City Clerk CONSENT AGENDA Item (D) was removed from the Consent Agenda. COUNCILMEMBER ALLEN.MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL - MEMBER JAECH, TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE.CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. The approved. items on the Consent Agenda included -the following: (A) Roll call. (B) Approval. of Minutes of September 29, 1981. (C) Adoption of Ordinance.2238, levying 1982 taxes. (E) Acceptance of Quit Claim Deed from Robert Pantley. PROPOSED ORDINANCE RE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS POSITION 1_1t_e_m__FDT on Consent Agenda Councilmember Allen said it had been her understanding of the motion made for this ordinance that the Council was approving the appointment of a Superintendent of Public Works but they were not redesignating the title of.Director of Public Works to Superintendent, and the Director position would,still be there. .:Councilmember Kasper said,his feeling was that the way it is structured you -have an operating officer and an .engineering officer, but that Councilmember Goetz thought the Director position should be retained on the organization chart and he had gone along with it.but he thought it was questionable. His.interpretation of the motion was. that it was to leave the present organization -intact but make the .Public Works Superintendent the operating officer. Councilmember-Goetz said it was not her intent to eliminate the Director position from the organization chart. After some discussion, City Attorney Wayne Tanaka clarified what the new ordinance should provide: the position.of.Director of Public Works would remain, to be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the -Council, with the job description being the same as it currently is, with supervision over the Superintendent of Public Works and the City Engineer. The Superin- tendent would.have the job as specified in the ordinance provided this evening and both he and the City Engineer would report-to.the Mayor and M.A.A. in the -absence of a Director. COUNCILMEM- BER ALLEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER JAECH,:THAT THE'ORDINANCE PROVIDING THE ABOVE BE PLACED ON THE OCTOBER 13, 1981 CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED. MAYOR Mayor Harrison stated that he would like to have a standard Council meeting time established for every Tuesday because the -current times which differ for.work meetings and regular meetings are confusing to him and to the public. He suggested that 8:00 p.m. be the standard time for—, all Council meetings, and if that was not acceptable that it be 7:30 p.m. This was discussed briefly, with no opposition, and COUNCILMEMBER ALLEN THEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KASPER, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY BE DIRECTED TO PREPARE AN ORDINANCE.PROVIDING THAT 7:30 P.M. BE THE REGULAR MEETING TIME FOR ALL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. MOTION CARRIED. Next week's work meeting will be at 8:00 p.m. in accordance with the current ordinance, and the new ordinance. will be on next -week's Consent Agenda. AUDIENCE Ward Phillips asked what the City policy is regarding trees planted in sidewalk areas, specifically in reference to.those recently cut down by the Public Works building. Mayor Harrison responded that he had been alerted that'those trees were diseased, and Building and Grounds Foreman Felix, deMello had advised that they should.be.removed and replaced with another type, so they were removed. Mayor Harrison said the City is very conscious of preserving and enhancing trees and planters, but Mr. Phillips was;.concerned for the"trees he had -provided in Old Milltown and he asked.that the Council consider.an*`ordinance to provide protection for trees planted in the right-of-way, to make sure that a tree gets replaced if it is cut down for any reason. Regarding the trees cut at the Public Works building, City Attorney Wayne Tanaka stated that the trees were causing some property damage, causing the paint to come off of cars parked beneath them. He said there is no current.ordinance.that regulates cutting down trees in the public right -of way when they are diseased or causing` property damage, and in the absence of an ordinance it is in the Mayor's discretion. Mayor Harrison said he saw noproblem with the present policy, and that the trees cut down.at Public:Works can be replaced with better trees. Assistant City Planner: Duane Bowman noted that Felix deMello has been working for some time on a street tree ordinance. COUNCILMEMBER ALLEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER JAECH, TO PLACE ON THE OCTOBER 27, 1981 AGENDA A DISCUSSION OF A POLICY FOR TREES IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. MOTION CARRIED. PRESENTATION OF APPRAISAL ON..PROPOSED.VACATION OF PORTION OF. ALLEY"LOCATED BETWEEN 8TH AND 9TH AYES.-N. AND SPRAGUE`AND'EDMONDS STS (ST-1-81) Assistant City Planner Duane Bowman noted that the City Council approved this alley vacation on August 4, 1981, subject to the.City's being compensated for.the vacated property. Charles V. . 327 October 6, 1981 - continued Peterson was retained to.appraise.the property, and..a.copy of.his report was provided. An adjacent -.property owner, Kevin.Hanchett, took issue..with the appraisal and wished to address the Council. He owns.Lots_24;1 25; and-26 which,abut..the'`outh boundary of the proposed alley. 'He said -his intent in getting the alley vacated was to aid in the siting of his home 'on his lot. He said it had been .indicated to him that the alley had limited value, so he was surprised at the appraisal price of $2.00.per sq. ft., especially since his lot had cost $1.10 per sq. ft. (purchased in,December 1980, with closing in March.1981). He'said the alleyway is a very steep .Piece of land, with questionable.use. He also noted that eight of the lots the appraiser used for comparison are view lots:in Woodway. He requested that. the Council adjust the price. Councilmember Kasper commented that he'had asked forbetter appraisals, but he agreed that the lots used for comparison were: not appropriate. He had computed an appraisal, and he described the reason- ing behind it, and he had -determined the value to be $1.42 per sq. ft., not $2.00, so he felt if Mr. Hanchett had the evidence.to prove he had paid less for his.property then he thought the Council .should consider a price somewhere.in between. He thought it may be, as previously suggested by Ns. Block and Mr. Adams, that standard.prices should be established for specific categories of vacated property, with periodic updating, as the expense of the appraisals was not realistic. He suggested that, with no disrespect to.Mr. Peterson's efforts (noting that Mr. Peterson is a qualified and well ' respected appraiser), that.if Mr. Hanchett would provide evidence that he paid $1.10 per sq. ft. for his property, that the City release its interest in the alley for equal consideration. Mr. Bowman noted that the abutting property -owners should be given notice of such action, and be given -the opportunity to purchase. COUNCILMEMBER ALLEN THEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER JAECH, THAT IF MR. HANCHETT PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT HE PAID $1.10 PER SQ. FT. -FOR HIS PROPERTY'DESCRIBED ABOVE, THAT THE CITY RELEASE ITS INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT ALLEY FOR THAT PRICE, WITH ABUTTING PROPERTY OWNERS BEING ADVISED AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE.MOTION CARRIED. COUNCIL • Councilmember Jaech said;a,number of citizens had contacted her expressing concern that the 7th and Elm property is on the list for. possible sale, so she asked that it be placed on an agenda to give them an opportunity to express their concerns. COUNCILMEMBER JAECH MOVED, SECONDED,BY COUNCILMEMBER GOETZ, TO PLACE ON THE OCTOBER 20, 1981 AGENDA A DISCUSSION OF THE 7TH AND ELM PROPERTY. MOTION CARRIED. Councilmember Goetz noted..that..a.newspaper last week.had reported that if. -the -State grant is not received for the Meadowdale.sewer project the Council would ask the people to pay that amount, and she wanted to make it clear that such was not the case, -that the Council spoke of alternative funding intending to Took for funds from other agencies. Mayor'Harrison added that thi.s morning the Planning Director; City Engineer,. -and he had attended a block..grant meeting and made an effort to obtain help for this project. He said..there is a contingency fund for which emergency projects can apply, so they will proceed on that .and other sources. Councilmember Goetz noted that there are no signs in the City directing people to the City Hall or Police Department and people are stopping at Westgate.to ask where Edmonds is located, and she suggested that some be installed. She also suggested that when meeting with the other cities October 8 the suggestion previously made might be brought up regarding painting "Welcome to Edmonds" on the back of the "Welcome to Lynnwood" sign on 76th. COUNCIL.PRESIDENT ALLEN MO.VED,.SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KASPER, TO PLACE ON THE.00TOBER 20, 1981 AGENDA:A'DISCUSSION OF THE. FISHING PIER PARKING LOT AND MR. PANTLEY'S PROPOSAL. MOTION CARRIED. The Port meeting on this subject.is October 15, 1981. Council President Allen had been called by Councilmember Naughten to say that Dr.. -Mayo has another proposal for the remodel at.5th and Main St. and that he -asked to.address the Council on October 13, 1981. THEREFORE, COUNCIL.PRESIDENT ALLEN MOVED TO PLACE ON THE OCTOBER 13, 1981-AGENDA A PROPOSAL FROM JACQUE MAYO REGARDING THE 5TH AND MAIN ST. BUILDING REMODEL. COUNCIL -MEMBER KASPER SECONDED THE MOTION, WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT DR. MAYO FIRST PRESENT HIS PROPOSAL TO THE PLANNING STAFF SO THEY WILL BE PREPARED TO DISCUSS.IT. MOTION CARRIED, AS AMENDED.' Council President Allen noted thatat last week's meeting.there had been a request for support from FUSE regarding senior citizen discounts from PUD. She.did not know the result of the October 5 PUD hearing on the subject. An unidentifed member of this evening's audience said -he was representing Hulda.Humolda who spoke last.week. He said no decision was made at the October 5 hearing, but'one will be made next Tuesday., October 13, 1981, at the PUD regular meeting, and he asked for support of the proposal stated last week,.or if the Council could.not'do that, to at least issue a statement of support of senior discounts in general. COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALLEN MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KASPER, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY BE INSTRUCTED TO DRAFT•A RESOLUTION GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF SENIOR DISCOUNTS. MOTION CARRIED. The resolution will be on next week's Consent Agenda. Council President Allen announced.a South County Elected Officials' meeting on October 8, 1981, at 7:30 p.m., at the Senior Center. - Council President Allen-noted.that the Mayor had not appointed anyone to the School'District task force to study its Maintenance/Transportation Center.- Mayor Harrison at this time appointed Bill Nims. Council.President Allen.read.aloud a note from Ken Gaydos expresssing his thanks for allowing him to participate in the City's-medical program. Council President Allen announced.the United Way campaign kickoff breakfast, from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m., October. 16, 1981, at,:the Senior Center. There was no further business to come before the Council, and the meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. , J_A� y r ARVE H',i ARRISON,--Mayor