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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-10-1996 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 10, 1996 Medina City Hall 7:00 PM 501 Evergreen Point Rd. CALL TO ORDER: The regular meeting of the Medina City Council was called to order at 7:00 PM by Mayor Taylor. The meeting was tape recorded. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmembers Daniel Becker, Lynn Benz, Ray Cory, Thomas Morgan, Grahame Ross, and Mayor Dewey Taylor Councilmember Susan Potts arrived at approximately 7:20 PM. City Staff Present: City Manager Joyce Papke, Public Works Superintendent Anne Weigle, City Clerk Woody Edvalson, City Attorney Kirk Wines and City Engineer Greg Hill. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Councilmember Ray Cory made a motion to approve the Council meeting minutes of May 13, 1996. Councilmember Ross seconded the motion. Approval was unanimous. ANNOUNCEMENTS City Manager Papke asked the Council to add an item to the agenda to discuss the proposed traffic study for Three Points Elementary of the Bellevue Christian Schools. DISCUSSION Mayor Taylor invited Chuck Pasma, Superintendent of Bellevue Christian Schools, 1601 98th Avenue NE, Clyde Hill, to address the Council regarding a proposed traffic study at Three Points Elementary School on NE 28th Street. Mr. Pasma reported that a traffic engineering firm had been retained to perform a traffic study on the traffic impacts of the elementary school. He said the study should last about 30 days. They would then be ready to meet with City representatives. The plan was to observe traffic patterns and impacts before school recessed for the summer, then develop any needed mitigation and implement changes before school convened again in the fall. Medina City Council Minutes June 10, 1996 Page 2 Councilmember Morgan asked that they include a review of the intersection of 84th Avenue NE and NE 24th Street. He commented that there were times during the morning and afternoon that traffic was backed up through several cycles of the traffic signal. Mr. Pasma indicated that there was some flexibility in their agreement, and that Council was welcome during the coming week to suggest additional changes in the scope of work. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Bob Rudolph, 1455 Evergreen Point Road, reviewed with the Council continuing effortstoreducejetnoiseimpactsontheCityofMedina. He was concerned that the Port of Seattle's focus on noise mitigation is centered around the communities adjacent to the airport. He noted one mitigation that would have benefit to Medina and all Eastside cities is to extend the curfew hours for flights over the Eastside to 8:00 PM through 7:00AM. This would cost virtually nothing for the Port to implement. He reviewed some of the communications between the City and the various involved regional and federal agencies asking the FAA and Port of Seattle to seriously consider this alternative. The FAA responded that the proposal to extend the curfew was not feasible. Temple Johnson, retired administrator with the FAA and consultant to the City and Eastside Citizens Against Airplane Noise (ECAAN), however, says that it is feasible and reasonable. Dr. Rudolph also explained that the Puget Sound Regional Council still had leverage with the Port of Seattle regarding noise mitigation. Their approval of the third runway at SeaTac is required before the Port can begin. Dr. Rudolph proposed the following actions before the final vote at the PSRC is made on June 27, 1996: a letter writing campaign; analysis of FAA data by Temple Johnson; a political effort by Eastside mayors to lobby the PSRC president and members of the board; and City representation at the PSRC meeting on June 27, Mayor Taylor thanked Dr. Rudolph for his report and volunteered to contact the Eastside cities' mayors about the issue. Henry Paulman, 1415 80th Avenue NE, expressed concern with the City's contract with Waldron and Company for $22,000. He felt that this amount to be expended in recruitment of a new City Manager was excessive. He was also under the impression that the authorization to expend the funds was conducted in closed session and should have been held in public. He also asked for clarification regarding the City Manager'slastday. Mayor Taylor and Councilmember Cory responded that the decision on the Waldron contract was made in public session at the conclusion of the last executive session. Councilmember Cory explained that the last time the City recruited for City Manager, it was handled internally and necessitated hiring an interim manager for 4 or 5 months at 8,000 per month. It was hoped that by hiring Waldron and Company, the time requiredtofindareplacementandtheoverallcostwouldbesubstantiallyreduced. Mayor Taylor also explained that the final date of employment for City Manager Papke had not yetbeenfinalizedandmaybethesubjectoffurtherdiscussioninexecutivesession. Councilmember Potts, spoke on behalf of Meredith Kenyon who called in support of the sidewalk project/pedestrian pathway on the south side of Medina Elementary School. Medina City Council Minutes June 10, 1996 Page 3 Councilmember Becker asked that the City seek a contribution from the Bellevue School District's Safewalk program and coordinate the project with their program. DISCUSSION AWARD OF CONTRACTS: 1-96, Fairweather Drainage - Tydico, Inc., $149,786 2-96, 77th Ave NE and Evergreen Point Road Drainage - R.K. Construction, $42,592 3-96, Evergreen Point Road Overlay - Hi -Grade Asphalt, Inc., $89,440 City Engineer Hill described the general results of the bid process for the above projects. He explained that there were more bidders participating than was expected. He also said the bid results indicated a good competitive market for the contracts. He noted that they had checked the references and done the financial backgrounds on the low bidders. He recommended award of the contracts to the low bidders: Project #1- 96, Fairweather Drainage - Tydico, Inc. for $149,786; Project #2-96, 77th Ave NE and Evergreen Point Road Drainage - R.K. Construction, Inc. for $42,592; Project #3-96, Evergreen Point Road Overlay - Hi -Grade Construction Asphalt, Inc. for $89,440. Wilma Edmonds, 7721 NE 24th St., asked what part of Evergreen Point Road would be re -paved. She asked that If it included the portion near NE 18th St., why should this be done with years of additional heavy truck traffic still anticipated on the road. She also mentioned her recollection that the trucks were supposed to be using NE 12th St. to exittheCity. Public Works Superintendent Weigle responded that the road was in need of serious attention now, and that the owners of the project creating most of the heavy truck traffic were already committed to assist with the re -paving. She said she would investigate the existence of any ageement requiring the use of NE 12th St. as an alternate route to exit the City. The City Council had considerable discussion regarding the qualifications of the lowest responsible bidders and about the appropriate repairs and timing of repairs onEvergreenPointRoad. Councilmembers Becker, Benz and Morgan spoke in favor of investigating the repair of a portion of the street with a more extensive overlay in thefuture. Mayor Taylor described the deliberation process that had taken place in scheduling the project to be designed and constructed at this time. He and the remaining Councilmembers were reluctant to disturb the professional engineering and planning process that had brought the project to this point in the City's transportation improvement plan. Mayor Taylor asked for a motion on the issue. Councilmember Cory moved that all three bids be awarded as recommended by City Engineer Hill. Councilmember Ross made a second to the motion. Mayor Taylor asked for a the vote in favor of the motionbyshowofhands. Councilmembers Cory, Potts, Ross and Mayor Taylor voted in favor. By show of hands, Councilmembers Becker, Benz and Morgan were against the motion. The motion passed on a vote of 4 to 3. Medina City Council Minutes June 10, 1996 Page 4 APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING COMMISSIONERS Mayor Taylor recommended the re -appointment of two Planning Commissioners whose terms were expiring in the month of June. Councilmember Potts expressed concern over potential conflicts of interest with Commission members who do a large amount of work within the City limits of Medina and can dictate policy for the City. Councilwoman Benz asked that the vacancies be posted in the Medina Newsletter. Mayor Taylor spoke in favor of allowing different citizens the opportunity to serve on the City's Boards and Commissions. Wilma Edmonds, 7721 NE 24th St., commented that she felt that the builders on the Commission restricted the open discussion of issues and had undue influence on the Commission. Mayor Taylor recommended temporary re -appointment for two months in order to deal with important issues pending before the Planning Commission, proceeding with advertising vacancies and considering new applications. City Manager Papke agreed to contact the two Commission members to ask them to continue serving for the next two months. The Council approved of these actions by common consent. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PLANNING COMMISSION ON CHANGES TO MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES Planning Commission member David Krull introduced himself and Commission member Ed LaBelle. He described the issues with which the Planning Commission has lately been involved. He outlined the consensus recommendations that the Commission had reached to limit the size of homes in Medina, i.e., increasing the side yard setbacks on wider lots, requiring the upper floor of structures to be set back at the side yard, and establishing a definition for a "statutory" lot as one which meets the minimum lot size requirement in each zoning category. The Council considered the recommendations but found them insufficient in their scope and impact. Commission member Ed LaBelle presented the Commission's recommendations on a modification to the Sensitive Slopes Ordinance. The key elements delt with the approval process for trams and the allowable area of disturbance when developing on steep slopes. The proposals would remove trams from the variance process and allow for consideration through the Substantial Development Permit process. Commission member Krull also outlined proposals concerning structures in the setback. These included allowing small accessory structures in the rear setback, and in some cases the side yard setback, allowing one enclosed accessory structure of limited size in the setback, allowing for open decorative garden structures and open play structures, and allowing some mechanical equipment with specific limitations in the setback. The Council determined that these proposals allowing structures in the setback were too permissive. Following further discussion on the issues, the Council asked that arrangements be made for City Planner Bob Burke to be present with visual aids to help explain the proposals on limiting large homes. The Council agreed with the proposals dealing with sensitive slopes and trams, although Councilmember Becker asked that the word Medina City Council Minutes June 10, 1996 Page 5 approval" be modified in Section 8.A.(3).a.2. Finally, the Council was unwilling to modify existing Municipal Code to allow accessory structures in the setbacks. STAFF REPORTS Finance Report and Claims Councilmember Morgan moved that City warrants numbered 9409-9481, except voided warrants 9462-9464 and 9469, be approved in the amount of $89,911.97. He also moved approval of payroll warrants number 14738-14787 in the amount of $74,191.30. Councilmember Benz seconded the motion. All approved. Police Report In Chief Race's absence, Councilmember Morgan reviewed the results of a recent meeting between representatives of Medina, Hunts Point, the Mercer Island Marine Patrol and the personal watercraft industry. He felt the meeting to have been quite successful. The following recommendations were made: the placement of speed restrictions in Fairweather Bay; revising ordinances to allow for greater enforcement of noise standards; and the addition of a dawn patrol by the Mercer Island Marine Patrol to curtail early morning skiers. The recommendations for an educational program included obtaining addresses of boat owners from vessel registrations to allow direct mailing of educational materials and the provision of two jet skis for use in a weekend public relations patrol by Medina officers. The Council decided to set a public hearing for the regular Council meeting of July 8, to discuss the placement of speed buoys across Fairweather Bay. Also to be discussed is the feasibility of having Medina Police Officers assigned to a weekend personal watercraft patrol. Mayor Taylor assigned Councilmembers Morgan and Becker to investigate the financial implications of the weekend patrol by contacting the Cities of Kirkland, Renton and Bellevue to obtain information on the financial impacts of their programs. Public Works Councilmember Becker expressed concern about the extent to which staff had proceeded with the 18th Street slide reconstruction project. He thought that direction had been given to staff to return with the project design before going to bid. City Manager Papke and City Clerk Edvalson assured him that the related motion on the tape of the March meeting included proceeding with the project through the bid stage. Councilmember Morgan suggested that the project would be a good topic for discussion by the Public Works Committee. Medina City Council Minutes June 10, 1996 Page 6 NEW BUSINESS RTA ENDORSEMENTS Councilmember Becker noted that he had received a fax transmission from the RTA. Now that a plan has been finalized, they are asking that the City either adopt a resolution in support of the plan, or take no formal action if the City chooses not to endorse the plan. EXECUTIVE SESSION Councilmember Ross moved that the Council go into executive session to discuss personnel issues and ongoing litigation. Councilmember Potts seconded the motion. All were in favor. The Council adjourned to executive session at 9:30 PM, anticipating a return to open session at 10:00 PM. ADJOURNMENT The Council reconvened in open session at 10:20 PM. It was announced that City Manager Papke has agreed at Council request to continue employment until the middle of August. Councilmember Cory moved that the regular meeting be adjourned. Councilmember Ross seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously, and the meeting adjourned at 10:25 PM. Dewey L. Taylor, Maycir Z-O . H ood T. Edvalson, City Clerk