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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-14-1998 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES September 14, 1998 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 7:03 PM by Mayor Becker. The meeting was recorded on audio tape. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmembers Lynn Benz, Suzanne Cohen, Tom Morgan, Susan Potts, Steve Preston, Grahame Ross and Mayor Dan Becker. Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Asst. City Mgr./City Clerk Woody Edvalson, Acting Police Chief Doug Ambrose ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Becker asked if all the Councilmembers had received a copy of a mailing produced by the Trans -Lake Washington Study Committee entitled, "Crossings." He said it identified the next three open houses-- September 22 at Kenmore Jr. High, September 29 at the Double Tree Inn in Bellevue, and October 1 at the Museum of History and Industry. All would start at 4:30 p.m. Mayor Becker also announced that a meeting had been held with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Tower Director at SeaTac to talk about the jet noise issue, again. It was requested that the FAA move the flight track over the waterway between Mercer Island and Medina. Roberta Clark from Representative Rick White's Office was present at the meeting. She offered to speak to Representative's White and Dunn to ask them to write the FAA a letter asking them to look into the noise problem. The City's representatives asked the FAA to respond to the apparent disregard of the four -post plan for departures that was approved some years ago. The FAA was also asked if another environmental assessment was required if the FAA chose to continue to disregard the four -post plan. Finally, an executive session was announced to deal with personnel issues and potential litigation. Medina City Council Minutes September 14, 1998 Page 2 City Manager Schulze reminded the Council and audience of the Traffic Study Open House on September 23 at 7:00 p.m. The City's consultants will be available to receive input from residents and explain the work done so far. Councilmember Morgan asked that a letter he intended to prepare about the traffic signal at 84th and 24th be read at the open house for public comment. Mr. Schulze also mentioned the community survey that was being prepared. He explained that the least expensive way to conduct the survey would be to have volunteers drop off and pickup the surveys. He said that about 25 volunteers would be needed to cover the City. Mayor Becker invited Joseph Brazen, Chairman of Medina Days '98 to step to the podium and report on the final tally for the recent celebration. Mr. Brazen said he was particularly pleased with the positive community response to the concert in the park. He added that after all bills had been paid, there remained $1479 as seed money for next year's celebration. Councilmember Benz reminded meeting attendees of the concert in the park associated with Medina Days. CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Benz moved approval of the consent agenda as follows: A. The minutes from the regular Council meeting of August 10, 1998; B. Approval and acceptance of August 1998 Warrants/Treasurer's Report with the following warrants: August warrants #11594 - 11680, for $247,929.15; and July personnel warrants #16162 - 16221 in the amount of 88,114.66. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION No one from the audience wished to address the Council on topics not on the agenda. REPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS Acting Police Chief Ambrose reported that the month of August had been fairly quiet for the police department. He said there were two thefts reported, one a mail theft. In addition, a death from natural causes had occurred in the City and a telephone scam. He added that the scam had been foiled and was being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Medina City Council Minutes September 14, 1998 Page 3 The Council discussed the Marine Patrol Report from Mercer Island Police. They expressed dissatisfaction with the number of patrol hours being provided. City Manager Schulze advised that he would speak with the City Manager of Mercer Island about the issue. CALENDAR City Manager Schulze solicited items from the Council for the October meeting agenda. He also announced the need for Council finance and public works committee meetings. Assistant City Manager Edvalson reminded the Council of their October 5 workshop on land -use liability. Councilmember Cohen suggested that an ordinance on reconstruction may be available for consideration at the October Council meeting. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS ORDINANCE NO. 645 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF RECONSTRUCTION Mayor Becker announced that this item would be handled at the October regular meeting. RESOLUTION NO. 254 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF MEDINA, EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE BELLEVUE ART MUSEUM City Manager Schulze reported that representatives of the art museum asked the Points Communities Mayors to adopt a proposed resolution of support for the museum's capital campaign. He noted that the resolution committed no funds to the campaign. Councilmember Ross moved the approval of the resolution. Councilmember Potts seconded the motion. All were in favor. Councilmember Cohen expressed concern that the resolution of support might set a precedent for many other groups to solicit resolutions and proclamations from the City. Council consensus was that this was a legitimate cause and that future requests could be dealt with on a case by case basis. DISCUSSION AWARD OF BID - OVERLAKE DRIVE PEDESTRIAN PATH AND LANDSCAPING City Manager Schulze reported that two bids had been received for the construction and landscaping of the Overlake Drive West Pedestrian Path. He noted that the lowest qualified bidder was Bartels Northwestern Landscape Co. of Puyallup, WA. He stated that the City's capital projects engineer, Jay Hummel, had done a background check Medina City Council Minutes September 14, 1998 Page 4 and was satisfied with the company's references and bid. It was also noted that the company had previously done work for the City. Councilmember Morgan moved that the contract be awarded to Bartels Northwestern Landscape Company of Puyallup, WA for a total bid of $58,668.10. Councilmember Benz provided a second to the motion. Council approval was unanimous. Councilmembers Potts and Ross expressed continuing concern over variability in single item bid prices between vendors. They asked that Mr. Hummel again review the bid for any irregularities that may pose a problem to the City. FAIRWEATHER STREAM RESTORATION City Manager Schulze explained that the anticipated proposal from Cascadia Quest International had not been received. The proposal would deal with the restoration of salmon habitat on what is probably more appropriately called Medina Creek. Councilmember Cohen expressed that there appeared to be a broad -based interest on the part of residents to see such a project progress. Additional interest had been expressed for development of habitat along the stream that exits Medina Park and enters Lake Washington. She also expressed interest in seeing Fairweather Park used as a reintroduction point for the pacific tree frog. She credited Councilmember Benz for initiating the interest in the projects. The Council determined to discuss the proposals further when they had received additional information from Cascadia Quest. Councilmember Potts suggested that some recognition should be given to all those who had done work or would be doing work on their properties, e.g. Stevens, Gates, Myhrvold, etc. COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS Mayor Becker introduced the topic. He explained that a consultant had been hired to work the past several months with the joint City Council/Planning Commission committee. He invited Councilmember Cohen to report on the committee's suggestions. Councilmember Cohen explained that the members of the committee were Councilmembers Morgan and Cohen, Mayor Becker, Planning Commission Chair Odermat, and Commissioners Saad and LaBelle. She reviewed a document that she had prepared summarizing the possible solutions as viewed by the committee. She said the committee agreed that whatever solution was selected it should be simple to understand and enforce, and strike a balance between the rights of property owners to develop their property and the rights of residents to privacy, sunlight, views, greenery, open space and the preservation of the character of Medina. Solution One was to increase the building separation by increasing the side yard setbacks. There were two options proposed for this solution. Solution Two was to limit the building bulk by limiting the side wall height, the building envelope and/or roof pitch. Medina City Council Minutes September 14, 1998 Page 5 There were three options to this solution. The third solution was to increase side yard setbacks and encourage pitched roofs. The Council discussed the various solutions taking the opportunity to each express their preferences. The Council consensus was to continue discussion at the next regular meeting. Staff was asked to try and find someone to create physical or computer models of the solutions. The joint committee also considered other topics, i.e. conforming additions to legal non- conforming homes, reconstruction and remodeling, rebuilding after a natural disaster, aggregation of lots in the R-16 zone, and tree preservation. At the conclusion of discussion regarding these items, the Council consensus was to ask the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance addressing all but the last two of the additional topics. NEW BUSINESS HUNTS POINT CHANGE FROM WATER DISTRICT TO CITY OF BELLEVUE Councilmember Benz asked about the notice they had received regarding the Hunts Point Water District. City Manager Schulze explained that the Town of Hunts Point was changing from service by a water district to water service from the City of Bellevue. BUILDING PERMITS Mayor Becker asked if there was sufficient cause from recent events to strengthen penalties for construction without a permit. City Attorney Wines responded that staff would be looking at that in conjunction with adoption of the new state building code. He said that Building Official Lowell Erickson would be suggesting a number of changes in the administrative provisions. LAKE WASHINGTON WATERSHED FORUM Councilmember Morgan expressed his concern that there was inadequate or inconsistent enforcement of runoff standards into Lake Washington. Building Official Erickson says that he does not have the manpower to enforce the standards. Councilmember Morgan said that in years past he had been told there was no ordinance to enforce, nor manpower to monitor the problems. He encouraged development of an appropriate ordinance and assignment of enforcement responsibilities to resolve the problems. ORDINANCE TO PROTECT PROPERTIES IN CONSERVANCY Mayor Becker reminded City Attorney Wines that the Council was still interested in seeing an ordinance to protect the City's interests in properties that have been placed in conservancy and participate in the King County Open Space Program. City Attorney Wines responded that alternatives were still being studied. Medina City Council Minutes September 14, 1998 Page 6 EXECUTIVE SESSION At 9:00 p.m. and under authority of RCW 42.30.110 Mayor Becker announced that the Council would hold an executive session to discuss personnel performance issues and matters of potential litigation. He announced the session would conclude in fifteen minutes. ADJOURNMENT On a motion by Councilmember Ross and a second by Councilmember Benz, the executive session was concluded and the Council meeting adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Daniel Becker, Mayor Attest: H ood T. Edvalson, City Clerk