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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-14-1999 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES June 14, 1999 Medina City Hall 7:00 PM 501 Evergreen Point Rd. At 6:20 PM and under authority of RCW 42.30.140 4 (b), an Executive Session was held, for discussion of personnel issues. The Executive Session adjourned at 7:02 PM. CALL TO ORDER The regular meeting of the Medina City Council was called to order at 7:04 PM by Mayor Becker. The meeting was recorded on audio tape. ROLL CALL Present: Councilmembers Suzanne Cohen, Paul Demitriades, Thomas Morgan, Susan Potts, Steve Preston, Grahame Ross and Mayor Daniel Becker. Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Police Chief Michael Knapp, Public Works Superintendent Carl Burris, City Engineer Jay Hummell City Landscape Consultant Keith Bates and City Clerk Kristen Finnigan. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Becker announced that he and Councilmember Demitriades would be leaving the meeting at 7:50 PM to attend the League of Women Voters Meeting regarding Trans - Lake. He stated that the Trans -Lake Meeting previously scheduled for the 17th of June had been canceled. He said that it was expected that alternatives would be on the table at that point in time. He said that the primary alternatives that were being considered were expansion of SR-520, with a general purpose in each direction, HOV in each direction, essentially an eight -lane highway. He explained that mitigation was still to be determined. He explained that the City was encouraging the North Lake option - Kirkland to Sand Point, feeling that the increases therein provide greater capacity increases than any other option provided thus far. Mayor Becker announced that Councilmember Potts had given her resignation to the City Council, effective October 1, 1999. He expressed the Council's thoughts that they would be sorry to see her leave. Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 2 _ Mayor Becker invited Councilmember Ross to report on the Part 150 Meeting which had been held at the Port of Seattle, on June 9, 1999. Councilmember Ross summarized that there was support for distributing the departing east turn flights from the middle of Mercer Island to as far north as Kirkland. He further stated that the consultants at that meeting were unwilling to entertain a motion by the committee that this approach be considered. He explained that this would be a two-year process. Councilmember Ross stated that the it is unknown at this point as to how the third runway may affect Medina and he explained that if the city did not take substantive action now, there could possibly be a greater problem in the future. Mayor Becker announced that there would be a City Council Study Session on Friday, June 25, 1999, at 8:00 AM, with an Executive Session from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM. Mayor Becker removed Ordinances 653, 657, 658, 659, 660 and 662 from the agenda, due to the fact that they did not include all changes from the City Council Study Session of June 4, 1999. Councilmember Morgan moved to continue the Public Hearing on the Comprehensive Plan changes. Seconded by Councilmember Demitriades, approval was unanimous. CONSENT AGENDA Councilmember Demitriades requested clarification by City Manager Schulze regarding payment to the Bank of New York, from the warrant register. The City Manager explained that the City Council had authorized payment last year. Councilmember Ross moved to approve the consent agenda. Seconded by Councilmember Cohen, approval was unanimous. A. Minutes from Regular Meeting of May 10, 1999 B. Minutes from Study Session of June 4, 1999 C. Approval of May 1999 Personnel Warrants Regular Warrants - # 12430 - 12512 and voided #92510 $269,965.13 Personnel Warrants - # 16623 - 16672 $89,816.37 REPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT Police Chief Knapp reported that mail thefts continue in the Points Communities as well as others on the Eastside. The Chief explained that this is, as King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng has stated, the fastest growing crime in this area. He explained that the thieves have a sophisticated process for washing checks. Chief Knapp reminded the Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 3 audience to be mindful of what they are putting in their boxes and to be prompt in picking up mail from boxes. Councilmember Potts asked if Medina should consider having locked boxes and Chief Knapp said that one community had already done so and that it may be worthwhile to consider such a step. Councilmember Preston thanked Chief Knapp for speaking to a group of students at Stevenson Elementary School during their recent Career Day. PARK BOARD REPORT Claudia Stelle referred to a letter which had been sent to the City Council from the Park Board regarding Fairweather Park and Lake Lane Dock. She expressed the desire of the Park Board to be involved in the process of restoration. Public Works Superintendent Burris explained that public information meetings would be held in the near future regarding Fairweather Nature Preserve. He stated that the purpose of these meetings would be to gather input from residents relative to design ideas. City Manager Schulze stated that the design phase of the project had been authorized by the City Council and that Charles Anderson of Anderson & Ray had been instructed to work with Public Works Superintendent Burris and the Park Board through the design phase. City Manager Schulze stated that when those parties feel comfortable with a recommendation, then the proposal would come back to the City Council for the next step which would be the funding. Mayor Becker stated that the Council had authorized the City Manager to move forward with the administration of the clean up and maintenance of Lake Lane Dock. Councilmember Potts expressed concern over maintenance of Medina Park. City Manager Schulze explained that there would be significant construction in Medina Park, with the paths being redone throughout the park. He said that the ponds are being finished per the recommendation of the Park Board last year. It was discussed and decided that a sign be placed in the park, explaining the work that the City is doing. STAFF REPORTS OVERLAKE DRIVE W. PEDESTRIAN PATH - PHASE II City Engineer Hummell explained that he had been requested to make a determination of path material for the project. He said that the consensus was that half of the people like gravel and half of the people like pavement. Hummell stated that his personal opinion was that over time, more people may have complaints about gravel as it gets moved around. Sam Evans, 8106 Overlake Drive W. stated that over the past two years he had written two letters regarding the Overlake Drive project. He expressed his concerns relative to resurfacing and drainage. Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 4 Following discussion it was decided that Mr. Evans would meet with City Engineer Hummell and then forward his opinions to the City Engineer prior to the Study Session of June 25, 1999. NE 24TH STREET IMPROVEMENTS Keith Bates, City Landscape Consultant, displayed a drawing which explained graphically the proposal being considered for NE 24th Street. He pointed out that the road had been measured and that this measurement does vary, going down the road. Joanne Furgason, 7719 NE 24th stated that she would like to see the bike lane remain at a minimum of 5' for safety reasons. Councilmember Morgan stated that if the safety standard for thirty MPH speed can be met, the design should proceed. He further stated that if the standard cannot be met, the issue would have to be further discussed at the Study Session on June 25, 1999. The Council consensus was to authorize the Public Works Committee to make that judgment call. Discussion followed after which it was decided that this matter would be continued at the City Council Study Session on June 25, 1999. NE 5TH DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS City Engineer Hummell explained that NE 5th Street drainage improvements had been put into the contract for Overlake Drive Phase II, rather than in the Medina Park Pond work. MEDINA PARK PONDS Hummell explained that design work for Medina Park Ponds is in progress. He said that they are in the process of obtaining SEPA checklists, grading lists and requirements of the Department of Fisheries. He explained the scope of the project to the audience. OVERLAKE DRIVE E. RETAINING WALL City Engineer Hummell explained that the Overlake Drive E. Retaining Wall Project was 80% - 90% designed. He said that this was the most permit -intensive of all of the projects. Hummell further explained that all of the projects are targeted for a July 15th bid advertisement date, with an August 9th Council Meeting Contract Award, and that construction would begin no sooner than the last week of August. Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 5 AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Thornton Thomas, 3335 Evergreen Point Road, stated that he has been hearing a great deal of boating noise already this year. City Manager Schulze provided an update of the situation. He explained that the Mercer Island Marine Patrol had met with a group of residents. At that time, strategies were discussed as to what can and cannot be done regarding enforcement. Schulze said that an ordinance similar to that of Mercer Island's will be presented to the City Council in July. He further stated that the lake is public and the number of boats cannot be controlled. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS Resolution No. 263 - A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE SIX YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. City Manager Schulze explained that the City is required to submit the Six -Year Transportation Improvement Plan to the State for funding and that the deadline is before the July meeting. He said that it is submitted for the prior year by July 1, and that during the budget process, the Public Works Committee reviews for the following year, and makes an amendment to it, if need be. He stated that this action was a formality to meet the State funding deadline. Councilmember Preston moved to approve Resolution No. 263. Councilmember Potts made the second. Council assent was unanimous. Ordinance No. 661 - AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF $165 922.50 FROM THE RESERVES FUND TO THE BOND REDEMPTION FUND FOR THE PURPOSES OF G.O. BOND REDEMPTION. City Manager Schulze explained that this was a transfer of funds from the Reserve Fund to the Expense Fund, to pay off the bonds that were called. Councilmember Cohen moved to approve Ordinance No. 661. Seconded by Councilmember Potts, all were in favor. PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance No. 663 - AN ORDINANCE REGARDING NUMBER OF LOTS ON PRIVATE LANES AND OTHER LANE REQUIREMENTS City Manager Schulze opened the Public Hearing by explaining that this issue of number of lots of private lanes went back to 1998, when a building permit application was submitted for a project on a private lane that had more than five lots on it. Thus, it was determined that the applicant did not have a legal building site, and the Building Official could not issue a building permit. He said that the only remaining option for such a Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 6 situation would be the variance process. Schulze stated that it appeared that the only good reason lots should be restricted to five would be if there were a traffic concern. He said that staff had discussed this issue with the Planning Commission and that the Planning Commission had recommended increasing the maximum number of building sites on private lanes from five to nine. Discussion followed regarding gates. City Manager Schulze explained that recently there had been a case before the Board of Adjustment wherein the homeowner had installed a gate. He said that relative to this case, the Fire Marshall had provided input suggesting that if the private lane is going to have a gate installed on it, a key be installed so that emergency vehicles can obtain access, without a code. Schulze stated that there are two issues: a)the number of houses on lanes and b) gates. He stated that these issues can be handled separately. Councilmember Potts moved to approve Ordinance No. 663. Seconded by Councilmember Preston, approval was unanimous. DISCUSSION COURT OPTIONS City Manager Schulze explained that the Final Report on the Analysis of the Court System Options had been completed. He explained that he and Mitch Wasserman, from the City of Clyde Hill had met several times with the City of Kirkland staff, Court Administrator, the Judge, the Police Chief, some of the Clerks in the court system, as well as the City Attorney and had developed a trusting and working relationship. He reviewed some issues that he felt would be addressed in a more cooperative manner than has been able to be achieved in the past. Consensus was to adopt the City Manager's recommendation to proceed with review of Court Analysis Report and adoption of Interlocal Agreement with the City of Kirkland at the July City Council Meeting. USE OF TOWER CRANES FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION City Manager Schulze stated that he was convinced that the impact of tower cranes was much less than that of the diesel crane - that they do speed up the construction process, thus lessening the impact of the project. Discussion followed, after which City Manager Schulze's recommendation was to deal with the issue through the mitigation plan. It was determined that an ordinance would be developed which would not allow the use of tower cranes unless approved through the mitigation process. Medina City Council Minutes June 14, 1999 Page 7 ADJOURNMENT The Council concluded their regular meeting at 9:20 p.m. on a motion by Councilmember Cohen and a second by Councilmember Ross. All were in favor. Daniel F. Becker, Mayor Attest: K isten Finniganjaity Clerk