MINUTES OF THE 11/08/07 REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING

135 East Johnson Avenue, Chelan, Washington

 

PRESENT:  Mayor Witherbee; Councilmembers Harper, Lingard, Morehouse, Olsen, Papé-Miller, Rodionoff and Weldy; Administrator Fonfara, Attorney Galbraith, Clerk Liles, Planning/Community Development Director Gildroy and Public Works Director VanEpps.

 

Mayor Witherbee called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

 

CONSENT AGENDA

 

Rodionoff moved to approve the consent agenda as follows:

 

            1.         Approve Payroll Warrants No. 27623 through 27711 totaling $135,499.30 and                                                      Claims Warrants No. 69014 through 69120 totaling $266,909.58;

            2.         Approve Minutes of 10/25/07 City Council Meeting, as presented;

            3.         Set 12/13/07 as the date for the WR Splash Annexation Public Hearing; and

            4.         Set 11/20/07 as the date for the Cemetery District #4 Annexation Petitioners                                                        Meeting.

 

Seconded by Lingard, motion passed unanimously.

 

PUBLIC INPUT

RECREATION CENTER:  Bob Eier, 1076 East Johnson Avenue, said that the majority of citizens favor having a community recreation center with a swimming pool but do not want it located in Don Morse Park. Eier urged Council to commit to an alternate location in a different area of town before year’s end.

 

LAKESIDE TRAIL SEGMENT J/LAKESIDE MINI PARK:  Eier advised Council that although most citizens favor the initial routing of Lakeside Trail Segment J as approved in the City’s Trail Plan and also support the proposed Lakeside mini-park, some recently elected officials oppose both. Eier urged Council not to allow special interests to thwart the public’s right to use public lands.

 

BOAT MOO0RAGE:  Eier said he is hearing concerns about a possible expansion of the City’s marina, but no concerns about the dramatic increase in private moorage around the lake. Eier said that private development shouldn’t take priority over the public interest and that the cumulative impact on water quality and public access to the lake needs to be taken into account.

 

 

 

TRAFFIC:  Eier said he intends to continue looking into establishing a second route between Chelan and Manson to alleviate traffic on the existing highways.

 

REGULAR AGENDA

 

MULTIFAMILY ZONING CODE AMENDMENT:  Mayor Witherbee introduced a public hearing to consider the Planning Commission’s 10/17/07 recommendation to amend the multifamily zoning district code. The Mayor explained the purpose and procedure of the hearing and advised that no Council Member has a personal interest in the matter under consideration and all can hear and consider the proposed text changes in a fair and objective manner. The Mayor then declared the public hearing open and called for the staff report.

 

Staff report was presented by Gildroy and Consultant Sandra Strieby of Highland Associates. Gildroy and Strieby explained that proposed revisions are intended to afford single family residences adjacent to multifamily developments more privacy and natural light exposure than are required under existing code. The recommended amendments included side step backs for buildings over 30 feet in height, habitable space requirements along the street frontage, roofline modulation for buildings wider than 70 feet and town home provisions. The town home provisions would also change Development Standards Section 9 – Parking. During their presentation, Gildroy and Strieby answered a number of questions from City Councilmembers.

 

The Mayor then called for public comment. There being none, the Mayor closed the public hearing.  Council deliberation followed, resulting in a consensus that additional information/clarification was needed before Council was confident it could reach an informed decision on the matter. Morehouse moved to continue the hearing on amending the multi-family zoning code until the 12/13/07 Council meeting. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.

 

SMD SOLUTIONS AGREEMENT FOR LORD ACRES SUBAREA:  Gildroy recommended approval of an agreement with SMD Solutions for consulting services related to the City’s creation of a sub-area plan for Lord Acres. There being no discussion, Rodionoff moved to authorize the Mayor to sign the Consultant Agreement between the City and SMD Solutions for the Lord Acres sub-area plan. Seconded by Papé-Miller, motion passed unanimously.

 

GRANITE RIDGE BENEFIT AREA & LATECOMERS AGREEMENT:  Galbraith presented/reviewed a proposed ordinance prepared in response to Council’s 10/25/07 directive related to an appeal of the preliminary determination for the Granite Ridge assessment benefit area as adopted by Resolution 06-1153. There being no discussion, Lingard moved to adopt ORDINANCE NO. 07-1346 determining the Final Benefit Area, assessment of costs for improvements benefitting properties in the Benefit Area, and approving a latecomers agreement with Lake Chelan Development, LLC. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.  

 

 

SKATE PARK LIGHTING: Fonfara reminded Council that consideration of a proposed budget amendment for installation of lighting at the skatepark in Don Morse Park was tabled on 10/25/07 pending the provision of additional information concerning the lighting’s energy efficiency and compliance with “dark skies” legistlation. Fonfara reported that the lighting being considered is 50% more energy efficient than any comparable system on the market and that the luminaries are installed with visors to redirect what would be wasted light back onto the lighted area, thereby increasing the light output from each luminary and reducing off-site light spill and glare.  In addition, the design maintains the most energy efficient position for the lamp arc and allows the optimum field aiming angle. Following brief discussion, Weldy moved to amend the 2007 City Budget to appropriate an additional $13,500 for lighting the skate park at Don Morse Park, for a total appropriation of $27,000 for the lighting project. Seconded by Rodionoff, motion passed unanimously.

 

SENIOR CENTER MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING:  Fonfara presented/reviewed a proposed Memorandum of Understanding for collaboration between the City and the Chelan Senior Center in replacing the existing Senior Center facility. There being no discussion, Weldy moved to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Chelan Senior Center for collaboration on the planning and development of a new Chelan Senior Center to be constructed  at the site of the existing Senior Center facility. Seconded by Papé-Miller, motion passed unanimously.  

 

SENIOR CENTER PROJECT CDBG APPLICATION:  Fonfara presented/reviewed a proposed resolution prepared in response to Council’s 10/25/07 directive concerning application for a grant to help fund construction of a new Senior Center facility. There being no discussion, Papé-Miller moved to adopt RESOLUTION NO. 07-1177 certifying compliance with certain conditions required in applying to the State of Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development for a Community Development Block Grant to help fund construction of a new senior citizen center. Seconded by Weldy, motion passed unanimously.

 

FARNHAM BOOSTER STATION:  VanEpps presented Change Orders #2 and #3 and the 7th/Final Progress Estimate for the Farnham Booster Station construction project. VanEpps explained that the two change orders reduce the original contract amount by $22,910.73, resulting in a credit due the City from the contractor. VanEpps explained that the retainage to be released to the contractor will be reduced by $8,023.70, which is the amount now due the City, plus $389.50 overpaid to the retainage account. At VanEpps’ recommendation, Rodionoff moved to approve Changes Orders #2 and #3 and the 7th/Final Progress Estimate for the Farnham Booster Station construction project and to accept the project as complete. Seconded by Harper, motion passed unanimously.

 

At 8:10 p.m. the Mayor, Council and Attorney adjourned to executive session to discuss pending litigation. Regular meeting reconvened at 8:18 p.m. following adjournment of the executive session.

 

WAL-MART/APPLE BLOSSOM CENTER:   Papé-Miller moved to join Wal-Mart and Defenders of Small Town Chelan in their Stipulated Motion to Dismiss the City/Wal-Mart appeal of the Superior Court’s decision regarding the Wal-Mart permits (Case #258670 consolidated with #258688). Seconded by Morehouse, motion passed unanimously. 

 

At 8:23 p.m. Council meeting was recessed to allow the Mayor and City Councilmembers to participate in the regular meeting of the Lake Chelan Airport Board. Council meeting reconvened at 8:24 p.m. following adjournment of the Airport Board meeting.

 

COUNCIL REPORTS/COMMENTS

 

EXCUSED ABSENCE: Lingard asked to be excused from the 11/20/07 City Council meeting.

 

RECREATION CENTER, LAKESIDE TRAIL SEGMENT J, LAKESIDE MINI PARK: Responding to Bob Eier’s comments during the visitors section of this meeting, Morehouse said he has seen no evidence that there is a consensus on the location of the proposed community center, the route of Lakeside Trail Segment J or the proposal to construct a mini park in Lakeside.  

 

CLIMATE PROTECTION AGREEMENT:  Mayor Witherbee explained that he’d provided Council with copies of a “climate protection agreement” that Councilmember Papé-Miller had asked him to endorse. The Mayor explained that some of the protocol targets involved in the agreement would require staff time and effort and perhaps a budget, so he wanted Council’s approval before signing. Papé-Miller explained that she is trying to stimulate discussion and increase awareness with the goal of implementing community sustainability.  

 

BUDGET WORKSHOP

 

2008 CITY BUDGET:  Council conducted the first of several workshops to consider the Preliminary 2008 City Budget. The General Fund and Public Works Fund were reviewed/discussed.

 

There being no further business, meeting adjourned at 11:00 p.m.

 

 

PREPARED BY:                         ATTESTED:                               DATE APPROVED BY COUNCIL:

 

 

______________________    _____________________      _________________________

Linda Allison-Liles                   Jay Witherbee

City Clerk                                Mayor