Bellingham City Council

The October 5, 2009 meeting, vote number 211, misstated Motion 2. The Shorelines Master Program motion reported that permits were required for “... all activities with the shorelines of Lake Whatcom except noxious weed control.” That statement was false. Anyone engaging in noxious weed control requires a permit except the Noxious Weed Control Board.

Editor’s Note: The following three votes approved the expenditure of $3,385,921 to purchase approximately 20 acres on Van Wyck Road. The property will become a northside park and will be connected by trails to the Cordata neighborhood and other parks. The property lies within the annexation the council approved at the 8/24/09 meeting, vote number 187. The property is just west of the site planned for an urban village on King Mountain.

Shall the council:

228. Spend $900,000 to purchase approximately 5 acres at 301 Van Wyck Road? The property is being purchased from Karen Younkins and will be financed by the Greenways III property tax levy. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0

229. Spend $900,000 to purchase approximately 4.7 acres at 325 Van Wyck Road? The property is being purchased from Allen and Carol Handy and will be financed by the Greenways III property tax levy. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0

230. Spend $1,525,000 to purchase approximately 10 acres at 347 Van Wyck Road? The property is being purchased from Greg and Cynthia Anderson and will be financed by the Greenways III property tax levy. This parcel also contains a log cabin that will be available to rent for local events. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0

231. Declare two centrifuges at the Post Point sewer treatment plant surplus? The two centrifuges have been replaced by a new, more energy-efficient rotary press approved at the 12/8/08 meeting, vote number 333. The rotary press removes water from solids so they can be incinerated. The new press is being partially reimbursed by a $266,876 grant from Puget Sound Energy. The surplus centrifuges are estimated to be worth about $75,000 each. They will be sold to the highest bidder. (AB18647) Approved 7-0

232. Approve the legislative agenda for the 2010 session of the state Legislature? The proposed agenda presented by Dick Little has 18 items expected to have a direct impact on the city of Bellingham. The council added two amendments: one concerning support for alternative transportation; and the other concerning funding for Whatcom Transit Authority. As other issues come up during the session, the government relations consultant will report to the city. The Legislative session begins 1/11/10 and will be the 60-day short session. (AB18649) Approved 7-0

233. Create a Capital Facilities Advisory Task Force? The purpose of the 13 member task force is to evaluate and prioritize capital spending projects and recommend the best source of funding. The task force will be composed of qualified Bellingham citizens appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. The group will include two City Council members, one member each from the non-profit sector, public facilities district, public works/engineering department, transportation, banking/financing, Port of Bellingham, planning department and community development department, an economic analyst and three at large positions. (AB18650 ) Approved 7-0

234. Authorize the mayor to award two low bids totaling $60,921 for precast concrete products? The products to be purchased are meter boxes, utility vaults, catch basins, lids, junction boxes, concrete rings and risers that will be used in water, sewer and storm drain systems. The city will spend $6,470 to purchase products from Pacific Concrete of Everson and spend $53,451 to purchase products from Granite Precast of Bellingham. Fifty bids were solicited and two bids were received. (AB18656) Approved 7-0

235. Appropriate $3,928,994 for goods and services checks issued from October 9 through October 30, 2009? (AB18657/18658/18659) Approved 7-0

236. Appropriate $2,876,018 for payroll checks issued from October 1 through October 15, 2009? (AB18660) Approved 7-0

237. Set fees for development bonuses within the Samish Way urban village? Developers may pay fees to the Lake Whatcom Watershed Acquisition Program in return for limited increases over the maximum allowed square footage of floor area. The fee will be $8 per square foot in 2009 and 2010, and beginning in 2011 will increase by 3 percent each year. Other types of bonus options are available for contributing public open space area, building affordable housing and obtaining LEED silver certificates. AB18643 (Resolution 2009-34) Approved 7-0

238. Increase Bayview Cemetery rates for 2010? The rates were last approved at the 1/26/09 meeting, vote number 17. Prices for general goods and services will increase by 5 percent on 1/1/10. The fees for endowed care associated with grave site sales are 25 percent of the sales price and will also reflect the increase. The rate increases are expected to generate around $6,700 in revenue for 2010. AB18646 (Resolution 2009-35) Approved 7-0

239. Set a limiting factor for the 2010 property tax levy? The limiting factor for a tax jurisdiction is the lesser of 101 percent or 100 percent plus inflation. “Inflation” is figured as the percentage change for personal expenses as published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis for the most recent 12 months. In July 2009, “inflation” was -0.848 percent and the limit factor was 99.152 percent. The council must make a “Declaration of Substantial Need” in order to authorize the use of 101 percent as a limiting factor. No increase was taken in the 2009, and the current recession and revenue shortfall both contribute to the necessity of the proposed 2010 increase. AB18623B (Resolution 2009-36) Approved 7-0

240. Appropriate $237,500 from the claims and litigation fund to pay a water damage claim? At the 10/5/09 meeting, vote number 209, the council approved the water damage settlement. A water main burst on 6/10/08, inundating the house at 530 Bayside Drive. The Kemper Insurance Company filed a claim for $310,937 but settled for $237,500. AB18629 (Ordinance 2009-11-66) Approved 7-0

241. Appropriate $1,315,000 in state and federal grants for the design and construction of the Ohio/King/I-5 ramp project? This intersection was identified in 2005 as a high-accident location. The planned improvements include curbing, turn lanes, truck shoulders and a new traffic signal. AB18630 (Ordinance 2009-11-67) Approved 7-0

242. Accept and spend a state grant of $3,000 for DUI patrols? The funds will pay officers overtime for “Drive Hammered Get Nailed” patrols. The patrols are part of a state and national crackdown on DUI. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission grant runs from 8/14/09 to 9/7/09. The DUI overtime must occur between 1600 hours Friday and 0400 on Sunday. The performance standard is a minimum of three vehicle stops per hour with ticket, unless circumstances dictate otherwise. AB18635 (Ordinance 2009-11-68) Approved 7-0

Shall the council:

243. Spend $255,000 to purchase 3.85 acres in the Lake Whatcom watershed? The property is located near Strawberry Point, between Sudden Valley and Geneva, and is being purchased from Roger Bourm. This purchase will prevent the possible construction of two more houses and will bring the city owned property in the watershed to a total of 1,313 acres. Another 164 acres are protected through conservation easements or restrictive covenants, making a total of 1,477 protected acres or about 4.8 percent of the watershed. (Discussed in Executive Session) Approved 7-0

244. Reduce the combined travel budget for the City Council to $8,000? No changes will be made to the mileage section. (AB18632) Approved 6-1, Stan Snapp opposed.

245. Authorize the mayor to accept a $50,000 state grant for phase II of the stormwater management program? The city must address stormwater management needs that protect or restore water quality. The activities required include: public outreach and education; detection and removal of illicit stormwater discharges; controlling runoff from development through inspection of construction sites; preventing pollution by inspecting and maintaining infrastructure and using new stormwater management plans and purchasing equipment that will directly contribute toward meeting these requirements. (AB18666) Approved 7-0

246. Authorize the mayor to award the sole bid of $151,117 to Braun Northwest of Chehalis for an ambulance? This is a Whatcom Medic One expense. Twenty-two bids were solicited and one bid was received. (AB18667 ) Approved 7-0

247. Authorize the mayor to award the lowest responsible bid of $54,198 to Western State Design of Woodinville for extractor washing machines? The low bid of $49,368 didn’t meet installation requirements. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant will fund the purchase. The fire department will use the machines to decontaminate garments to state and federal standards. Thirty-five bids were solicited and four bids were received. (AB18669) Approved 7-0

248. Appropriate $6,976,676 for goods and services checks issued from October 30 through November 13, 2009? (AB18670/18671) Approved 7-0

249. Appropriate $3,194,583 for payroll checks issued from October 16 through October 31, 2009? (AB18672) Approved 7-0

250. Adopt transportation impact fees for 2010? The base fee for each p.m. peak hour vehicle trip is adjusted yearly to the actual costs needed to accommodate new growth stated in the annual six-year transportation improvement program. The 2009 base rate was $1,695. The 2010 base rate is calculated to be $1,932, a 14 percent increase. The new base rate goes into effect on 1/1/10. AB18663 (Resolution 2009-37) Approved 6-0, Barbara Ryan was out of the chambers.

251. Declare the city of Bellingham a Childstar! Community? With this declaration the city makes a commitment to nurturing children and families and putting an end to child abuse. The city intends to support programs and services for healthy families by funding nonprofits that provide family services, collaborating with providers of domestic violence services, and encouraging parents to participate in school activities, provide flexible hours for staff to participate in their children’s activities and become more effective parents. AB18621 (Resolution 2009-38) Approved 7-0

252. Create the Samish Way urban village and adopt the subarea plan? (Public hearing held at 10/5 meeting.) The area is located between I-5 and 34th Sreet along both sides of Samish Way from Bill McDonald Parkway in the Sehome neighborhood to Edwards Sreet in the York neighborhood. Zoning and development regulations must also be changed to mixed commercial, residential and service uses for the area, which will be designed to accommodate pedestrian, bike and transit travel as well as automobile. The council amended the ordinance to require that single family dwellings be built to conform to some design standards from the city infill housing toolkit with a maximum lot size of 5,000 square feet. AB18604 (Ordinance 2009-11-69) Approved as amended 7-0

253. Establish design standards and a review process for building within urban villages? (Public hearing held at 10/5 meeting.) The city has established standards for downtown and Fairhaven, but not for other areas. This ordinance will create building guidelines for future urban villages and focuses on creating safe areas for pedestrians. AB18605 (Ordinance 2009-11-70) Approved 7-0

254. Establish a permanent Public Works Advisory Board? The board, which provides technical advice on public works projects, was created in 1997. At the 1/10/05 meeting, vote number 11, the board was continued with a sunset clause on 12/31/09. The Public Works Department values the input of the board and wishes it to continue without an expiration date. AB18648 (Ordinance 2009-11-71) Approved 7-0

255. Editor’s Note: An amendment to the tax levy ordinance was passed at third and final reading adding 1 percent in banked capacity. The ordinance was vetoed by the mayor at the council meeting and an attempt to override the veto failed. The wording that passed first and second reading was approved at third and final reading. Approve a 2010 property tax levy increase of 1 percent? (Public hearing held at 10/19 meeting.) The property tax levy must be approved each year prior to adopting the final budget. The 1 percent increase should bring in approximately $180,639. Revenue from new construction and property improvements, annexations and increases in property values are expected to bring in an additional $360,480 for a total of $541,119. For the property owner, this means an increase of $2.12 per year per $100,000 of property value. The total revenue anticipated from property taxes in 2010 is $18,967,847. AB18623A (Ordinance 2009-11-72) Approved 7-0

256. Allow the receipt and expenditure of $343,666 in federal funds? The city will pass through the neighborhood stabilization grant to Kulshan Community Land Trust so they can acquire approximately 10 bank-held foreclosed homes for low to moderate income purchasers. AB18653 (Ordinance 2009-11-73) Approved 7-0

257. Accept and spend a state grant of $1,000 for nighttime seat belt enforcement? The Washington Traffic Safety Commission grant will pay officers overtime from 10/23/09 and 11/8/09. The officers will take a “zero tolerance” approach with seat belt and child car seat belt violations. AB18654 (Ordinance 2009-11-74) Approved 7-0

258. Transfer $5,000 in Greenway endowment funds to the parks budget? The Greenway Advisory Committee recommended that the funds be spent for one AmeriCorps position which will run from 10/1/09 through 8/15/10. AB18655 (Ordinance 2009-11-75) Approved 7-0