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Home My WebLink About06-25-2001 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MINUTES June 25, 2001 Medina City Hall 4:00 PM 501 Evergreen Point Rd Mayor Becker called the Study Session of the Medina City Council to order at 4:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Council Members Paul Demitriades, Jim Lawrence, Mary Odermat, Steve Preston, Tom Morgan and Mayor Daniel Becker Absent: Council Member Suzanne Cohen Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, Planning Manager Jenny Schultz, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Public Works Superintendent Carl Burris and City Clerk Caroll Wedlund ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Becker announced his meeting with the Governor's staff next week regarding problems in moving forward with the Environmental Impact Statement. He also relayed a Trans -lake meeting on Wednesday, June 27 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Council Member Demitriades indicated he had given a statement program to the Odyssy channel regarding mega houses, which would air Sunday, July 1, 2001 at 12:30 central standard time. OTHER BUSINESS NE 8" Street/82"d Avenue NE Pedestrian Improvement Project City Manager Schulze introduced Lori McFarland from Otak. Ms. McFarland distributed two walkway scenarios depicting one with crossings and overlay design with house locations, and the second showing a typical walkway section with curbs and gutters. Dan Dawson from Otak, spoke about meeting requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act with a surface walkway that would still maintain the city's rural character. He recommended a hard surface walkway, for less maintenance. City Manager Schulze noted the city's Comprehensive Plan dealing with citizen walkways discussed a central distribution system; therefore, it must provide for pedestrian access down the central corridor. Ms. McFarland noted speed tables were designed for vehicles traveling 25 miles per hour. She also indicated the Bellevue School District wanted a continuous sidewalk, which would cost an additional $20,000 and $25,000. City Manager Schulze requested direction from the Council. Council Member Preston wanted more speed enforcement at the NE 8`h Street and 82"d Avenue NE intersection. Council Member Odermat wished to see speed tables at the locations suggested by the engineers, and to proceed with the sidewalks. Council Member Morgan suggested two speed tables be installed closer to the curve as far south as practical for safety and line -of -sight considerations. He recommended dropping off the sidewalk on the north side of the street and installing concrete curbs and gutters from 81"' Avenue NE to the school vehicular driveway. Council Member Morgan emphasized the Council had received numerous e-mails from residents who did not want more asphalt and concrete in Medina. He also did not want a planting strip. Council Member Lawrence concurred with Council Member Morgan, and suggested moving the speed tables to the north side of the street. Council Member Demitriades also agreed with Council Members Lawrence and Morgan. He also wished no planting strip, but wanted some kind of asphalt or crushed gravel. City Manager Schulze emphasized Ms. McFarland needed direction regarding the walkway issue before she could design the speed tables, due to the necessity to connect the two. Council Member Preston suggested a design more rural in nature. Mayor Becker stressed over the last three to four years, the suggestion had been made for a crosswalk from the sidewalk on the east side of 82 d Avenue NE to the park. He was of the opinion it made sense to combine them. and to leave the northern -most speed table at its suggested location. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Norm Silver, 811 — 82"d Avenue NE, Medina Mr. Silver suggested the pathway run from the south end of the park to NE 8th Street and around the corner to a point yet to be decided. He suggested gravel to would provide a safe area for older citizens and children walking to both the school and the park. He emphasized anything to reduce speeding would also be beneficial. George Ledwith, 830 — 82"d Avenue NE, Medina Mr. Ledwith emphasized Medina Elementary School officials only wished a sidewalk between 80th Avenue NE and the corner, however, he did not object to extending it to the park. He did oppose speed tables, as vehicle suspension would make noise from motorists passing over them. Mr. Ledwith stressed the entire neighborhood was not in favor of speed tables, Medina Elementary School did not require them, and their elimination would reduce the cost by about $100,000. Henry Paulman, 1415 — 80th Avenue NE, Medina Mr. Paulman endorsed Council Member Morgan's suggestions for this project. John Bethke, 8060 NE 8th Street, Medina Mr. Bethke announced his dog had been killed during school hours due to a speeding vehicle. He emphasized a sidewalk was necessary from the park to somewhere along NE 8t" Street past the school, or even to the Medina grocery. Mr. Bethke also stressed the residents wanted safety. Shawn Fitzpatrick, 7622 NE 8th Street, Medina Mr. Fitzpatrick suggested there were other ways to slow motorists besides speed tables. Margaret Maxwell, 8040 NE 8th Street, Medina Ms. Maxwell thought speed tables were a valid idea. She suggested a speed table by the park with a crosswalk to be installed as a test. She also noted many commuting parents were backed up when attempting to turn into the school parking lot. Ms. Maxwell suggested a sidewalk might compromise this problem, which could result in confusion. Jim Cowles, 909 — 82"d Avenue NE, Medina Mr. Cowles emphasized much of the speeding problem was due to construction workers. He also pointed out a tree covered the speed limit sign. Mr. Cowles suggested another speed limit sign be installed at the park entrance to the north. He stressed the difficulty of leaving his driveway, which resulted in a safety problem. Eric Whiting, 817 — 82"d Avenue NE, Medina Mr. Whiting was of the opinion the city had not maintained the right-of-way sight line. Molly Lanzinger, 8058 NE 8th Street, Medina Ms. Lanzinger urged the Council to base its decision on facts, rather than aesthetics. Chief Knapp informed the audience Washington state statute provided for doubling a speeding fine when entering a school zone. However, the courts upheld this law only when children were present outside the school grounds. Council Member Preston suggested flashing lights might help. Chief Knapp promised to look into this idea, because it enforced awareness of the school zone. He was in favor of anything to raise driver awareness when entering a restrictive area. Following discussion, the Council decided by consensus to review the issues further at a public hearing on July 9, 2001 Discussion of Limiting Maximum House Size City Planning Manager Schultz announced the Planning Commission would meet on Tuesday, June 26, 2001. Council Member Morgan referred to his memo of June 24, 2001 regarding an alternative approach regarding limitation of mega houses. Council Member Morgan also thought lot coverage would give the code automatic control of floor area. Planning Manager Schultz commented Building Official Lowell Erickson had also suggested staying with lot coverage. Council Member Morgan noted the city would be making a slight increase from the moratorium now in effect if the lot coverage proposal were adopted. The Council agreed by consensus to defer discussion of Ordinance No. 714 Establishing a Construction Code of Conduct/Mitigation Plan revisions to the July, 2001 Study Session. In order to reduce construction time, City Manager Schulze suggested requiring all materials to be on site prior to beginning construction. Planning Manager Schultz stated requiring additional vegetation buffers, increasing set backs prior to building and limiting the maximum house size would also address some of Medina's building problems. ADJOURNMENT Council Members agreed by consensus to adjourn the study session at 5.56 p.m. 40�z_ Danl6l F. Becker, Mayor Attest: Caroll P. Wedlund, City Clerk