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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Retreat Minutes for 02/16/2018 -11101.1.1.111.111116' ' CITY OF 10•••-•••••••Renton MINUTES City Council Retreat 8:30 AM—3:30 PM/Friday, February 16,2018 Cedar Room, Maplewood Golf Course,4050 Maple Valley Highway, Renton, 98057 CALL TO ORDER Council President Prince called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM. COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT Councilmembers Present: Councilmembers Absent: Ed Prince, Council President None Randy Corman Ryan Mclrvin Armondo Pavone Ruth Perez Don Persson Carol Ann Witschi ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF PRESENT Denis Law, Mayor Jay Covington, Chief Administrative Officer Shane Moloney, City Attorney Jason Seth, City Clerk Ellen Bradley-Mak, Human Resources/Risk Management Administrator Gregg Zimmerman, Public Works Administrator Chip Vincent, Community and Economic Development Administrator Jan Hawn,Administrative Services Administrator Kelly Beymer, Community Services Administrator Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator Cliff Long, Economic Development Director Jim Seitz,Transportation Director Angie Mathias, Long Range Planning Manager Chief Kevin Milosevich, Police Department Deputy Chief Ed VanValey, Police Department February 16, 2018 COUNCIL RETREAT MEETING MINUTES BALANCING ECONOMIC PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT WITH GROWTH STANDARDS Community& Economic Development Administrator Vincent provided a recap of the Planned Growth discussion from the Thursday, February 15, 2018 meeting.Additionally, Mr.Vincent reviewed the following topics: • Planned Growth and Comprehensive Plan Update and Development Regulations Amendments: o Councilmember Corman suggested infilling some of the underused properties in downtown with multi-family housing; encouraging additional high tech employment in Renton; and recognizing more telecommuting in the workforce. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. • Short Term Rentals o Mr.Vincent summarized the positive and negative aspects of Vacation Rentals by Owner(VRBO),AirBnB, and other short term rental issues affecting the City. He also review short term rental regulations for neighboring cities. Discussion ensued regarding parking issues, homeowner associations, multi-generational families living in one home, and issues related to collecting the hotel/motel tax Public comment was invited on this topic: John and Marilyn Daniels, Renton, stated that they currently use AirBnB to rent out a basement apartment in their home. Mr. Daniels expressed support for the City to continue to allow this use in residential neighborhoods, as it provides an additional source of income for families on fixed incomes. He also shared the wonderful experiences he has had meeting people from around the country who share his home. ACTION: Reconsider this issue on the Planning& Development Committee work program; support the program but consider establishing standards, and consider parking, traffic, and other impacts. • Growth and Public Amenities o Mr.Vincent reviewed this issue, indicating that growth has an impact on residents' quality of life. He noted that park space is now down to 2.8 acres per 1,000 residents. He noted that a Community Advisory Committee was established to assist with prioritizing future maintenance and improvements to community facilities. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. PLANNED GROWTH—TRAFFIC CAPACITY,CONGESTION,AND DIVERSION ONTO CITY STREETS Traffic Congestion: Public Works Administrator Zimmerman reported that of the City's 130 traffic signals, about 26 are usually congested during peak morning and afternoon commute times. He shared photographs of some of the congested intersections, and explained the impact of having commuters cut through City streets to get to 1-405. He also discussed the use of traffic calming measures to discourage commuters from cutting through neighborhoods. February 16, 2018 COUNCIL RETREAT MEETING MINUTES ACTION: Post"No Truck" signs on some of the pass-through routes in town. REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION INITIATIVES Transportation Director Seitz read a report regarding transportation growth targets from the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). He indicated that some outlying cities are exceeding their growth rates. Discussion ensued about grant funding, applying for additional grant funds beyond the City's immediate needs, I-405 toll lane issues, and parking along residential streets near new apartment buildings. ACTION: Develop a strategy to identify the next phase of improvements(BRT interchange at Park Ave N or N 8th St,or light rail connections); review parking standards in residential areas; re-examine multi-family parking policies; review private "optional" off-street parking policies by private developers; and explore a Transportation Benefit District as an option. BUDGET PRIORITIES/PROJECTIONS Administrative Services Administrator Hawn reviewed the 2019/2020 Biennial Budget calendar.She indicated that some of the past projections had been too conservative and have been adjusted accordingly. She also provided an update regarding the City's current and prospective obligations regarding the Renton Regional Fire Authority. She also noted that the City will be losing$900,000 from annexation sales tax credits in 2018,and $1.2 million in 2019, due to the ten-year period expiring for the Benson Hill Annexation. Concluding, she stated that Council has the options of increasing taxes, cutting services,or some combination of either. ACTION: Provide Council specific options to consider that include impacts from different levels of services in certain lines of business; Council also stated that public safety(training facility),the perception of public safety, transportation/streets, code enforcement, maintaining current infrastructure, and the appearance of community cleanliness were all priorities. Human Resources/Risk Management Administrator Bradley-Mak reviewed the City's current reclassification and reorganization processes. Discussion ensued regarding past practices, current practices,and the need for a committee to review department/division reorganizations. ACTION:All reclassifications and reorganizations will be reviewed by the appropriate Council Committee prior to going to the Committee of the Whole discussion during the budget process; all reclassifications will be reviewed by the Finance Committee. INCLUSION EFFORTS Deputy Public Affairs Administrator Shridhar provided an overview of the City's inclusion and diversity efforts.She shared successes of the Mayor's Inclusion Task Force,the Police Department's outreach program with the Renton African American Pastors group, and the Human Resources Department's new Inclusion Tactical Plan. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. February 16, 2018 COUNCIL RETREAT MEETING MINUTES HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS/VULNERABLE POPULATIONS Community Services Administrator Beymer read a report regarding the City's current funding levels to service homelessness.She indicated that the City expends approximately$61,000 for homelessness prevention, $112,000 in grant funds to assist local shelters with housing the homeless, and another $5,000 was spent using the old Chambers building as a cold weather shelter.She also reviewed the many partnerships with local churches, counseling providers, and the county to help assist with managing homelessness. Concluding, Ms. Beymer summarized the City's programs that assist other vulnerable populations including utility discounts for senior citizens, and code compliance support for removing homeless encampments. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. PUBLIC SAFETY LEVEL OF SERVICE Deputy Chief VanValey reviewed the police department's efforts in increasing the perception of safety in downtown. He noted that the department's Directed Enforcement Team (DET) had been operating at about 30-40%due to staffing issues, but successful recruiting efforts have allowed the department to double the team's size compared to last year. He indicated that this should have an immediate enforcement and visual impact on the downtown. Deputy Chief VanValey also noted that the department will be using social media to inform and educate the public on the team's efforts. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. RENTON BUSINESS PLAN The current business plan was discussed. Mr. Covington indicated that any changes will be brought before the Council for adoption at a later date. There was no action requested on this matter by Council. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 3:30 P.M. Jason . Seth, C , City Clerk Jason Seth, Recorder Friday, February 16, 2018 February 16, 2018 COUNCIL RETREAT MEETING MINUTES