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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - March 3, 2014RENTON CITY COUNCIL Regular Meeting March 3, 2014 Monday, 7 p.m. MINUTES Council Chambers Renton City Hall CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL OF COUNCILMEMBERS CITY STAFF IN ATTENDANCE SPECIAL PRESENTATION Fire: Employee Promotions AUDIENCE COMMENT Citizen Comment: Peterson • Dewitt Development & Mayor's Meeting with Stakeholders Mayor Denis Law called the meeting ofthe Renton City Council to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. DON PERSSON, Council President; ED PRINCE; ARMONDO PAVONE; GREG TAYLOR; MARCIE PALMER. MOVED BY TAYLOR, SECONDED BY PALMER, COUNCIL EXCUSE ABSENT COUNCILMEMBERS TERRI BRIERE AND RANDY CORMAN. CARRIED. DENIS LAW, Mayor; JAY COVINGTON, Chief Administrative Officer; LAWRENCE J. WARREN, City Attorney; BONNIE WALTON, City Clerk; GREGG ZIMMERMAN, Public Works Administrator; IWEN WANG, Administrative Services Administrator; CHIP VINCENT, Community and Economic Development Administrator; FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES ADMINSTRATOR MARK PETERSON, FIRE & EMERGENCY SERVICES DEPARTMENT; COMMANDER PAUL CLINE, Police Department. Fire & Emergency Services Administrator Mark Peterson reported that three promotions have occurred in the department. He presented promotional awards to the following employees while recognizing their accomplishments: Firefighter Jim Ochs promoted to Lieutenant; Lieutenant Craig Soucy promoted to Captain; and Captain Kevin Anderson promoted to Battalion Chief/Safety Officer. Chief Peterson also announced that Battalion Chief/Safety Officer Talmon (Tally) Hall retired March 1, 2014 after serving the City for 38 years. Inez Peterson (Renton) stated that she presented pictures ofthe Dewitt property at the last Council meeting that give the appearance of cronyism within the administration. She explained that the developer has been allowed to dig a huge foundation pit to within three feet ofthe property lines, place sanitation cans on the sidewalk, and completely enclose the property and abutting sidewalk with a cyclone fence, something a regular citizen would not be allowed to do. She also remarked that she found it odd that Councilmember Briere, who is a past member ofthe Planning and Development Committee, could not remember specific details about the Dewitt development. Additionally, Ms. Peterson remarked that Mayor Law's meeting with local downtown stakeholders should have been a public meeting, and any councilmember that was interested should have been allowed to attend. She suggested that if the topic were sensitive then an executive session should have been the appropriate format for the meeting. City Attorney Larry Warren pointed out that the Planning and Development Committee heard the Dewitt appeal by Mr. Brad Nicholson in February of 2002. He also clarified that Mr. Dewitt is within his rights as a property owner to block the sidewalk because the City does not own title or a right-of-way deed for the land under the sidewalk. He added that the City is working with Mr. Dewitt to get the necessary conveyance documents so that this issue can be cleared up. March 3, 2014 Renton City Council Minutes Page 60 Citizen Comment: Ouellette - Traffic Impacts along the Lake Washington Boulevard Corridor Citizen Comment: McOmber- Affordable Housing Citizen Comment: Asher- Mayor's Meeting with Stakeholders CONSENT AGENDA Council: Meeting Minutes of 2/24/2014 CAG: 14-005, Maplewood WTP Access Platforms & Fall Protection Improvements, General Mechanical Secondly, Mr. Warren clarified that the Mayor's meeting was not a violation of the Open Public Meeting Act because there was never a quorum of Council present at the meeting. He explained that the Mayor can conduct meetings that are not open meetings in the same manner that Councilmembers may conduct meetings. Mr. Warren also pointed out that the purpose ofthe meeting was for the Mayor to receive suggestions from the public and business community about what could be done to further the City's business atmosphere, and conducting it in an executive session would have destroyed the very purpose ofthe meeting. Paul Ouellette (Renton) thanked City officials and staff for the invitation to attend the recent Council Retreat. He stated that learning about all the new projects was very informative, however; he expressed concern that not enough was being done to mitigate the potential traffic impacts along the Lake Washington Boulevard corridor. He remarked that access to the waterfront could become a problem in the future. Additionally, Mr. Ouellette expressed concern about the traffic impacts related to leasing space at old City Hall (200 Mill Building) to a private school. He asked if nearby speed limits will be reduced, and if traffic cameras will be installed in the vicinity. He also expressed concern that Liberty Park would become the playground for the school. He pointed out that there are taverns and tattoo parlors within a thousand yards ofthe park. Howard McOmber (Renton) advocated for owner-occupied affordable housing in the Renton Highlands. He stated that more affordable housing options could become a reality in the Highlands through cooperation and coordination between the City, the Renton Housing Authority, and private developers. Mr. McOmber remarked that increasing the supply of buildings will stabilize rents in the area, explaining that rents are increasing because there are plenty of tenants and limited housing options. Beth Asher (Renton) expressed concern that the administration is not considering that local property owners are also stakeholders in Renton. She suggested that if the Mayor's meeting with downtown stakeholders was sensitive it should have been held in executive session so that all Councilmembers could be included in the conversation. Ms. Asher also remarked that Councilmembers are elected at-large and do not represent districts, and should therefore be allowed to attend any meeting that affects Renton residents. Items listed on the consent agenda are adopted by one motion which follows the listing. Approval of Council meeting minutes of 2/24/2014. Council concur. City Clerk reported bid opening on 2/13/2014 for CAG-14-005, Maplewood WTP Access Platforms and Fall Protection Improvements project; nine bids; engineer's estimate $159,306.08; and submitted staff recommendation to award the contract to the low bidder, General Mechanical, Inc., in the amount of $158,556. Council concur. March 3, 2014 Renton City Council Minutes Page 61 Finance: l-Net Service & Support, King County CED: 2012 International Building & Fire Codes UNFINISHED BUSINESS Public Safety Committee Attorney: Amend RMC 1-3-3, Chronic Nuisance Premises Liens RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES Attorney: Amend RMC 1-3-3, Chronic Nuisance Premises Liens NEW BUSINESS Council: Canceled Meeting 3/10/2014 AUDIENCE COMMENT Citizen Comment: Beedon- Mayor's Meeting with Stakeholders Citizen Comment: Peterson - Dewitt Development ADJOURNMENT Administrative Services Department recommended approval of a three-year contract with King County for additional Institutional Network (l-Net) service and support in the amount of $13,860 per year. Refer to Finance Committee. Community and Economic Development Department recommended adoption ofthe 2012 International Building and Fire Codes with local amendments. Refer to Planning and Development Committee and Public Safety Committee. MOVED BY PERSSON, SECONDED BY PRINCE, COUNCIL CONCUR IN THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. CARRIED. Public Safety Committee Vice-Chair Taylor presented a report recommending concurrence in the staff recommendation to amend definitions in RMC 1-3-3 and add language that will permit the City to attach liens to Chronic Nuisance Premises as defined in RMC 5-5, in order to better facilitate nuisance prevention and enforcement. The Committee further recommended that the ordinance regarding this matter be presented for first reading. MOVED BY TAYLOR, SECONDED BY PERSSON, COUNCIL CONCUR IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT. CARRIED. (See later this page for ordinance.) The following ordinance was presented for first reading and referred to the 3/17/2014 Council meeting for second and final reading: An ordinance was read amending Section 1-3-3 of Chapter 3, Remedies and Penalties, of Title I (Administrative), of City Code, by clarifying the definitions "Call for Service," "Chronic Nuisance Premises," and "General Public," and amending regulations regarding liens. MOVED BY TAYLOR, SECONDED BY PERSSON, COUNCIL REFER THE ORDINANCE FOR SECOND AND FINAL READING ON 3/17/2014. CARRIED. Council President Persson announced that the Committee ofthe Whole and Council meeting regularly scheduled for March 10, 2014 have been canceled. MOVED BY PERSSON, SECONDED BY PAVONE, COUNCIL CANCEL THE 3/10/2014 COUNCIL MEETING. CARRIED. Dave Beedon (Renton) remarked that he is in favor of private meetings when they are appropriate. He requested that a report on what transpired at the Mayor's meeting with stakeholders be presented at a future Committee ofthe Whole meeting. Inez Peterson (Renton) clarified that she had perused the Dewitt development files prior to presenting this issue to Council. She explained that after looking at the files it did not appear to her that the sidewalks were located on Mr. Dewitt's personal property. MOVED BY PERSSON, SECONDED BY PRINCE, COUNCIL ADJOURN. CARRIED. TIME: 7:37 p.m. Bonnie I. Walton, CMC, City Clerk Jason Seth, Recorder March 3, 2014 RENTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING CALENDAR Office of the City Clerk COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS SCHEDULED AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING March 3, 2014 COMMITTEE/CHAIRMAN DATE/TIME AGENDA COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE (Persson) MON., 3/10 MON., 3/17 6 p.m. CANCELED Parks Donation Policy COMMUNITY SERVICES (Taylor) MON., 3/17 CANCELED FINANCE (Briere) MON., 3/10 CANCELED MON., 3/17 Vouchers; 3:30 p.m. Emerging Issues in Revenue Streams (briefing); Institutional Network (l-Net) Contract with King County PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT (Prince) THURS., 3/13 Amend RMC 4-8-110.E.12.C - Hearing 4 p.m. Examiner Decisions; Title IV (Development Regulations) Docket #10 (briefing); Marijuana Regulations PUBLIC SAFETY (Corman) MON., 3/17 Active Shooter/Ballistic Vest Safety 5 p.m. Overview (briefing); Alcohol Fuel Transport & Safety (briefing); Apparatus Purchase & Fleet Update (briefing) TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION) (Palmer) THURS., 3/13 CANCELED UTILITIES (Pavone) MON., 3/17 Establish SR 167 Interchange Direct 4:30 p.m. Connector/Talbot Hill Sewer Relocation Project & Related Engineering Agreement with Stantec Consulting; Second Addendum to Cascade Interceptor Contract with Soos Creek Water & Sewer District NOTE: Committee ofthe Whole meetings are held in the Council Chambers unless otherwise noted. All other committee meetings are held in the Council Conference Room unless otherwise noted.