GRANDVIEW CITY COUNCIL

STUDY SESSION MINUTES

MAY 21, 2007

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER

 

Mayor Norm Childress called the study session to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

 

Present were:  Mayor Norm Childress and Councilmembers Helen Darr, Bill Flory, Pam Horner, Jan McDonald, Robert Morales, Javier Rodriguez and Joan Souders.

 

Staff present were:  City Administrator Scott D. Staples, City Attorney Jack Maxwell and City Clerk Anita Palacios.  Also present were Michael Buchanan, Senior Planner and Drew Miller of the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments.

 

2.         COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT – PARK, RECREATION & OPEN SPACE ELEMENT DRAFT UPDATE

 

Drew Miller presented the Park, Recreation & Open Space Element draft update of the Comprehensive Plan amendment, including the following staff report:

 

Background

The City Council was reviewing Grandview’s Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element as required by the Growth Management Act (GMA).  A mandatory requirement for a park and recreation element was added to the required GMA comprehensive plan elements during the 2002 legislative session.  The new element must be consistent with the capital facilities plan element as it relates to park and recreation facilities.  According to RCW 36.70A.070(8), the element must include estimates of park and recreation demand, an evaluation of facilities and service needs, and an evaluation of intergovernmental coordination opportunities to provide regional approaches for meeting park and recreational demand.  Grandview would use the park and recreation element to guide future investments in the park system and ensure that current and future recreational programming was reflective of the Grandview community. 

 

Consistency With Other Plan Elements – Land Use Element

The Land Use Element provided a vision of how the City of Grandview would grow and develop in the future.  The Land Use Element also showed how resource lands, rural areas, farmlands, recreation areas, open spaces and critical areas would be protected while encouraging economic development for the city.

 

Land Use Element – Goals and Policies – Policy 7.4      

Utilize recreation and open space lands and facilities as a means of enhancing community image and the general quality of life.  Strive to accomplish the following:

 

•           Providing a balance of active and passive recreational uses in both existing and proposed parks with a priority on pedestrian access to the natural environment.  Active recreational uses include programmed parks with play fields and ball courts, while passive parks feature pathways, benches and picnic tables.

 

•           Encouraging the development of recreational activities that meet the needs of the residents of Grandview, and where feasible using existing public schools as neighborhood parks and recreation/community center locations.

 

•           Continuing to work with the Grandview School District using joint use agreements to increase available park land and facilities.

 

•           Planning bike and jogging trails in the community that serve local needs and link differing neighborhoods.

 

•           Limiting the use of open lands designated to remain in their natural state to those activities which will:  A) Maintain their scenic beauty and aesthetic qualities; and B) Provide for recreational activities compatible with these goals.

 

Consistency With Other Plan Elements – Capital Facilities Element

The Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element capital improvement program has been incorporated into the Capital Facilities Element.  This ensured consistency in planning and programming between the two comprehensive plan elements. 

 

Comprehensive Plan – Administration

 

Public Hearing

The planning commission shall hold a public hearing on any such amendments, supplements, or modification of this plan.  This public hearing shall be held and recommendation made by the planning commission prior to the initial State sixty (60) day comment period on the proposed amendments.

 

Upon receiving the findings and recommendations from the planning commission from the public hearing, the city council may consider the recommended amendments.  No decisions shall be made on the recommendations for amendment until after the 60 day state review and comment period has expired.

 

The planning commission held a public hearing on amendments to the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element on January 31, 2007.  The planning commission recommended adoption of the findings of fact and that the proposed amendment be submitted to CTED for 60-day review.  The 60-day review and comment period for CTED and other state agencies has ended. 

  

City Council Recommendation

In recommending the adoption of any proposed amendment the city council shall state fully its reasons at a public hearing, describing any change in conditions that it believes makes the amendment advisable and specifically setting forth the manner in which the city council is of the opinion that the amendment is in harmony with the purposes set forth in the plan.

 

Findings & Conclusions

  1. The Parks, Recreation & Opens Space Element responds to the community’s desire for recreation and open space facilities and provides meaningful direction for managing these facilities. 

 

  1. The proposed changes to the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element are consistent and in keeping with the recommended changes to the Land Use Element and Capital Facilities Element.

 

  1. The Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element is consistent with Washington’s GMA requirements, as well as requirements outlined under the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation planning guidelines. 

 

  1. Environmental (SEPA) review has been conducted and the City published a Determination of Nonsignificance in the Grandview Herald on February 14, 2007.

 

  1. Proposed changes to the Park, Recreation & Open Space Element have been submitted to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) for 60 day review and no comments were received.

 

Recommendation

The Yakima Valley Conference of Governments, acting as staff for the City of Grandview, recommended that the City Council adopt the findings of fact and that the proposed Comprehensive Parks, Recreation & Open Space Element amendment be adopted concurrently with other Comprehensive Plan Element amendments.

 

Following review and discussion, the Council agreed to the findings of fact and adoption of the Park, Recreation & Open Space Element of the Comprehensive Plan amendment.

 

3.         COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT – LAND USE ELEMENT DRAFT UPDATE

 

Senior Planner Michael Buchanan presented the Land Use Element draft update of the Comprehensive Plan amendment, including the following staff report:

 

Background

The Planning Commission reviewed Grandview’s Land Use Element, as required by the Growth Management Act, and submitted recommended changes to the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (DCTED), Growth Management Services (DCTED) for a 60-day review.   DCTED recommended changes to the draft Land Use Element and the Planning Commission recommended that the changes be incorporated. 

 

The Land Use Element establishes the desirable character, quality and pattern of the physical environment and represents the community's policy plan for growth over the next 20 years.  In addition, because land is a limited resource, the Land Use Element provides guidance in balancing people's use of land with the protection of environmental values.  The Land Use sets goals, policies and procedures for the growth of the City for the next 20 years.

 

The Land Use Element could be described as the "driver of the comprehensive plan" in that each of the other elements are interrelated with the Land Use Element and the plan element goals will be implemented through land use policies and regulations.

 

Planning Commission Recommendation

The Planning Commission found that the proposed changes to the Land Use Element are in keeping with the requirements of growth management and City of Grandview’s policies, and that the public use and interest will be served.  The Planning Commission is of the opinion that the amendment is in harmony with the purposes set forth in the plan. The recommended revisions to the Land Use Element incorporate changes in state law and County-wide Planning Policy.  The recommended changes also incorporate current information about land use, land available for development and current demographics. 

 

Findings & Conclusions

  1. The proposed changes to the Land Use Element were in keeping with the requirements of growth management and City of Grandview’s policies.

 

  1.  The public use and interest would be served.

 

  1. Environmental (SEPA) review was conducted and a Determination of Non-significance was issued.

 

4.  The proposed changes to the Land Use Element were submitted to DCTED for a 60-day review.  The comments received were incorporated into the draft Land Use Element.

 

Recommendation

The Yakima Valley Conference of Governments, acting as staff for the City of Grandview, recommended that the City Council adopt the findings of fact and that the proposed amendments to the Land Use Element be adopted concurrently with the other Comprehensive Plan Elements amendments.

 

Following review and discussion, the Council agreed to the findings of fact and adoption of the Land Use Element of the Comprehensive Plan amendment.

 

4.         DRAFT ORDINANCE RE: CRIMINAL STREET GANGS AND GANG RELATED            ACTIVITIES

 

Council reviewed a draft ordinance regarding criminal street gangs and gang related activities being proposed by the City of Sunnyside. 

 

Following discussion, Council instructed the City Attorney to prepare a similar ordinance for consideration at the June 4th meeting.

 

Council suggested that the adopted ordinance be included in enrollment packets at the School District and in a newsletter for distribution city-wide in both English and Spanish.

 

5.         CITY ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE

 

Community Picnics – The Community Picnics will be held at Tower Park on June 27th and at Stokely Park on August 22nd.

 

Library Improvements – The interior of the Library has been re-painted and the carpet and tile replacement have been completed.  The Library was scheduled to re-open on Monday, June 11th.

 

Railroad Rights-of-Way – The City has received approval from the Yakima Regional Clean Air Authority to burn the weeds along the railroad rights-of-way throughout the community.  Once complete, those areas would be sterilized in order to assist with weed control.

 

Animal Shelter – The Animal Shelter Committee met on May 8th to review the final design and discuss funding options.  The site selected would be adjacent to the Public Works shop on Willoughby Road.  Columbia River Steel has been assisting with design development, specifications and cost estimates.  The initial cost estimate was $192,000, but Columbia River Steel has been able to reduce that amount to $139,000, including prevailing wage.  Staff was reviewing financing options through an inter-fund loan from the equipment rental fund to the current expense fund.  The City Treasurer was instructed to prepare a five-year debt service schedule based on a $140,000 project budget utilizing funds from the capital improvement fund and the current expense fund.  The proposed project would be presented to Council for consideration at the June 4th meeting.  If approved, staff would advertise for bids and if the bids were favorable, the facility could be completed before winter 2007-08.

 

CDBG Planning-Only Grant for Downtown Revitalization – As reported at last week’s meeting, the City was invited by CTED to submit a formal application for CDBG planning-only funds for the downtown infrastructure project.  Staff was in the process of compiling information to prepare a formal application.  Before submitting the application, Council would need to hold a public hearing at the June 18th meeting.  The City would be seeking letters of support and also financial and in-kind support from the Chamber of Commerce, Port of Grandview, Grandview Economic Development, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, University of Washington (UW) Yakima Valley Community Partnership Center, UW Department of Architecture and UW Department of Business.  Staff was also exploring another grant possibility through the Rural Opportunity Fund in the amount of $20,000.

 

6.         ADJOURNMENT

 

The study session adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

 

__________________________                                __________________________

Mayor Norm Childress                                                Anita Palacios, City Clerk