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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-11-2002 - MinutesMEDINA CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES February 11, 2002 Medina City Hall 7:00 PM 501 Everareen Point Rd. Mayor Becker called the regular meeting of the Medina City Council to order at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Council members J. Drew Blazey, Paul Demitriades, Thomas E. Morgan, Todd Nunn, Mary Odermat, Robert Rudolph and Mayor Daniel Becker Staff Present: City Manager Doug Schulze, City Attorney Kirk Wines, Police Captain Jeff Chen, Public Works Superintendent Carl Burris, Finance Officer Jan Burdue and City Clerk Caroll Wedlund Staff Absent: Planning Director Jenny Schultz Consultant: Joseph Gellings, OTAK OATH OF OFFICE FOR NEW COUNCIL MEMBER City Clerk Caroll Wedlund swore into office new Council member Rudolph for the 2002 — 2006 term. ANNOUNCEMENTS Mayor Becker announced the following: • At the Executive Committee Trans -Lake meeting on January 30, 2002, the majority of voting members agreed regarding six options for inclusion in the Environmental Impact Statement. City of Medina officials objected, due to the time and cost which would result. • The increase in Medina property taxes is influenced by increases in assessed valuation set by King County, increases in real estate prices in Medina, sales as well as increases in new construction which raises the tax base. • The City Council identified their top 2002 goals at their retreat held on February 9, 2002: 1. Continuing their efforts to ensure proper mitigation and enhancements with the SR-520 project; 2. Construction project mitigation; 3. Jet noise; 4. Emergency Preparedness Plan 5. Develop plan with owner for future of Medina Store Council member Demitriades announced a Water Resource Inventory WRIA-8 meeting would take place Thursday, February 14, 2002 at Mercer Island. City Manager Schulze announced Chief Knapp was attending an emergency preparedness meeting, and Captain Chen would brief the Council and the audience this evening. City Manager Schulze also indicated there had been requests for city participation to replace the poplar trees flanking St. Thomas Church. He noted these trees constituted a hazard, and the Council would be discussing this issue in the near future. City Manager Schulze Medina stated residents had recently received a notice regarding increased storm and surface water fees. He noted only homeowners who lived within the Bellevue city limits would be charged, and any Medina residents who had been erroneously billed should have the charges removed from their bills and seek reimbursement. POINT OF ORDER In accordance with RCW 42.30.110, Mayor Becker announced an Executive Session would follow tonight's Council meeting to discuss personnel issues. CONSENT AGENDA Council member Morgan moved, seconded by Council member Odermat, to adopt the consent agenda, which passed unanimously. STAFF REPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY REPORT Captain Chen briefed the Council and the audience regarding the monthly Police Department activity report. He also indicated the Department had narrowed their Records Specialist selection process down to several candidates. Captain Chen announced the Police Department was now on line with pubiicsafetytesting.com, had recently initiated the first series of police officer tests, and would soon be scheduling interviews. City Council Meeting February 11, 2002 Page 2 Henry Paulman, 1415 80"' Avenue NE, inquired about the status of the investigation surrounding election flyers: Captain Chen responded he did not know, but would have Chief Knapp contact Mr. Paulman. PUBLIC WORKS REPORT Public Works Superintendent Burris relayed the restoration for 606 Overlake Drive West had been completed. the project for NE 18'h Street and Evergreen Point Road was nearly finished, and the Public Works crew was starting to work on restoration and tree plantings on Overlake Drive. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Mayor Becker opened the meeting to the audience for non -agenda items, and no one from the audience wished to speak. OTHER BUSINESS CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE NO. 729 STRUCTURAL LOT COVERAGE Consultant Joseph Gellings stated there had been no changes to the proposed language since the January Council Study Session. He commented the nonconforming section of the Code regulated mechanical devices in side yard setbacks, and were grand fathered, with certain caveats. The Council voted unanimously to approve Ordinance No. 729 City Amending MMC 17.12 Relating to Structural Lot Coverage. NE 8' STREET/82ND AVENUE NE PEDESTRIAN PROJECT City Manager Schulze referred to a letter with videotape from Mr. and Mrs. Kinzel to the Council requesting reconsideration of design directions previously given to Otak for the walkway along NE 81h Street. He noted a review of the letter and videotape had not revealed any new information. In fact, the letter restated the position previously expressed by the Kinzels during Council meetings and in written correspondence. City Manager Schulze continued the videotape illustrated the significant amount of traffic volume during a short period of time, as well as problems t with the current walkway and crosswalk, which did not adequately separate pedestrians from vehicles traveling on NE 8 Street. He relayed this item was on the agenda at the Kinzels' request to reconsider the Council's previous action regarding the design of the walkway. City Manager Schulze referred to a memo dated November 8, 2001 from Lori McFarland, the Otak engineer managing this project, which clarified the NE 81h Street Pedestrian Safety Project recommendations they had presented at the Council meeting of July 9, 2001. The memorandum addressed engineering standards developed by the International Transportation Engineers Association for installing sidewalks, curb and gutter on existing and suburban streets. He also referred to the September 4, 2001 letter from Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA), the provider of liability insurance to the City of Medina, recommending that member cities adopt and adhere to written road design and operating standards. In addition, WCIA suggested a traffic engineering study be conducted to determine the need for or the removal of any crosswalks or other traffic control devices. WCIA also recommended the use of a professional engineering study when making decisions regarding installation, removal and/or treatment of a crosswalk. City Manager Schulze pointed out Otak had completed the engineering study and provided a recommendation based upon the findings and their professional engineering judgment. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION Mayor Becker opened the meeting to the audience. William L. Kinzel, 802 — Both Avenue NE, Medina, stressed the majority of the neighbors were against the sidewalk, adding he was also speaking on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Kaufman, an elderly Medina couple, who concurred with his position. He urged the Council to reconsider. He stressed the need for a buffer. John Bethke, 8060 NE 81h, Medina, voiced concern about the safety of children, and indicated preserving a hedge was not worth the price of a child being injured. He urged the Council to approve the project. An unidentified female citizen from the audience stressed a representative from Otak had met with each resident who would be losing their right-of-way, and only two of them had been opposed. She emphasized the installing the crosswalk was still not enough, as drivers did not see it, and that highlighting the crosswalk might help. Further, vehicles were at times parked in the crosswalk. She noted there was no room for driver error, and a buffer was needed as a result. Margaret Maxwell, 8040 NE 8th Street, Medina, voiced opposition to the sidewalk as presented. She was of the opinion the sidewalk served the children and the neighborhood well. Ms. Maxwell also did not believe a path from 80" Avenue NE to the park would add to any safety. She noted her elderly neighbor at 8024 NE 8th Street needed a large entrance to his driveway, and wondered if this would be preserved if the project were approved. Ms. Maxwell also noted many citizens from Medina Heights walked down the 8"' Street hill and then turned north to the park with their dogs. She indicated City Council Meeting February 11, 2002 Page 3 people might be inclined to cross at the NE 8`h Street/82nh Avenue NE curve, and thought this might create a potential hazard. Scott M. Missall, of Short Cressman & Burgess, 999 third Avenue, Seattle, spoke on behalf of his client, Ms. Julian Maxwell. He noted his client concurred with Mr. Kinzel's suggestions, and suggested delaying the project. Ms. Maxwell's concern was there were other alternatives easier for the city to implement and achieve the same goal. He suggested another crosswalk could be added at the north side of the curve. City Manager Schulze commented Otak preferred to keep the crosswalk near the intersection because drivers expected it at that point, rather than mid -block. Mayor Becker emphasized the Council should not override the safety engineer's position, adding WCIA had made it very clear the city was to follow that person's suggestion. Henry Paulman, 1415 — 801h Avenue NE, Medina, suggested the city provide a short sidewalk on the north side of the street, rather than running it all the way to the park. He was of the opinion the street curve should mitigate the need for a second sidewalk. City Manager Schulze responded the insurance carrier had recommended the city should adhere to the standards and to the professional engineer's recommendation. Council member Demitriades emphasized the city insurance carrier's letter of September 4, 2001 should be instructive to those who were concerned about the technical aspects of this proposal. He emphasized the city must follow through with those instructions, or they would not have insurance, and would furthermore be liable. Mayor Becker added the Council did not wish to override the insurance carrier's recommendation, adding unless there were concerns from the Council, they should move forward with the project as proposed. Following further discussion, the Council decided to move forward with the project as proposed. They also requested follow-up regarding surface samples and more information regarding the location of a crosswalk between 80th Avenue NE and the current location. 2001 YEAR-END FINANCIAL REPORT City Manager Schulze gave a PowerPoint presentation addressing the city's financial health. He noted revenue indicators, expenditure indicators, cash solvency, budgetary solvency, long -run solvency and service -level solvency measured the financial health of a city. City Manager Schulze indicated the city was currently able to generate sufficient revenue to pay for on -going expenses. Further, the revenue growth experienced since 1996 had been primarily due to economic factors such as sales tax and permit activities. The economic conditions of the last five years led to very high sales tax for the city and increased building activities that brought in permit revenue for user -based fees. He stated thee would be a shortfall deficit of $1.5 million over the next five years, or an average of $300,000 per year. City Manager Schulze indicated the 2000 audit conducted during the summer of 2001 resulted in audit recommendations regarding cash receipting control measures, and inventory and periodic observation of fixed assets. He stated some of these audit recommendations should be balanced against the cost of implementing cost for fixes in a small organization. City Manager Schulze noted he had purchased software to complete the inventory process and to track the city's fixed assts. He indicated the auditor wished him to initial the bank statement indicating he had reviewed it. NEW BUSINESS APPOINTMENT OF JAMES LAWRENCE TO PLANNING COMMISSION Mayor Becker indicated James Lawrence, who had formerly served on both the Planning Commission and the Council, was interested in joining the Planning Commission. Council member Morgan moved, seconded by Council member Demitriades, to reappoint James Lawrence to the Planning Commission. The motion passed unanimously. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Council recessed at 8:34 p.m., followed by Executive Session to discuss personnel issues, per RCW 42.30.1404(b). The regular meeting was reconvened at 8:40 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Council member Nunn moved, seconded by Council ZIBecker, b riades, to adjourn at 8:40 p.m., which carried unanimously. The motion passed unanimously, and the urned at 8:40 p.m. Mayor Attest: r Caroll P. Wedlund, City Clerk