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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 02/21/1989 KENT CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE February 21, 1989 4: 00 PM Committee Members Present Planning Staff Present Judy Woods, Chair Charlene Anderson Steve Dowell Lin Ball Kathy McClung City Administration Fred Satterstrom Dan Stroh Jim Harris, Acting City Administrator Jim Hansen Other City Staff Others Present Norm Angelo Carolyn Lake Charles Aweeka John Marchione Dick Foslin Larry Webb Dee Moschel John Pardo Robert Stettner Linda VanNest 'UNDING BASE - HUMAN SERVICES Chairwoman Woods stated that presentations would be heard on this item but the Committee would not take action at this meeting. Lin Ball reminded the Committee that at a City Council workshop last spring, the Human Services Commission had talked about looking at ways to establish a predictable base of funding of human services in order to more adequately address the needs of the community. In the agenda packet was a table showing recent trends and projections of human service funding requests and dollars available. The Human Services Commission is recommending a funding base of 1 percent of the General Fund budget. Dee Moschel, Vice Chairwoman of the Human Services Commission, stated that at their retreat last Friday, the Commissioners were made more aware of the local and regional arena of human services. There have been profound changes in the economy and social structure nationwide which make it difficult for people to have quality medical care, decent homes and a decent standard of living. At a Chamber of Commerce meeting last week, Dr. George Daniel, Superintendent of the Kent School District, stated that one-third of the kindergarten entrants are living at poverty level. Two years ago, that figure was 25%. The new administration in Washington, D.C. is continuing to look to the state and local government to take responsibility for funding human services. Kent is a leader in the area of human services. Because of the City of Kent's funding of a particular agency last year, that agency was able to generate additional dollars from the State of Washington. It is :xpected that by establishing a 1 percent funding base, applications for funding will increase. However, this stable funding base will allow support !ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 1989 of human services to be realistic and forward-looking. Human Services Commissioner Dick Foslin stated that during the last two years the Commission has gained a strong feeling for how human services should be funded. The Commission and the City of Kent are innovative, proactive and are leaders in King County and perhaps even the state for support of human services. By continuing to move forward in this arena, the City of Kent can make an impact that citizens will appreciate. Commissioner Foslin believes the Human Services Commission has been a good steward of the City of Kent funds for human services and he would like the Council to consider the recommended 1 percent funding base. John Pardo is one of the newest members of the Human Services Commission. The Commissioners have excellent backgrounds in human services and are constantly aware of what image they are projecting for the City of Kent in the human services arena. Commission Vice Chairwoman Moschel added that the Commissioners take a great deal of responsibility and pride in their work; Commissioner Foslin stated further that their work is done with a lot of seriousness. In response to Chairwoman Woods, the Commissioners confirmed that their -rigorous examination of the applications for funding would not be compromised )y establishing a 1 percent funding base. Applications would be reviewed keeping in mind the criteria for funding. In addition, having the funds available does not necessitate spending all of the funds should some applications be deemed unacceptable for funding. Councilman Dowell questioned using 1 percent of the previous year's General Fund budget to determine the following year's funding level. What if there was a greater need than 1 percent? What if emergencies arose? What if the following year's budget was lean and human services ended up being 2 percent of the budget? Should the Council be considering a similar method of funding for all other departments, i.e. , basing the following year's budget on a percentage of the previous year's budget? What happened to per capita funding? Commission Vice Chairwoman Moschel stated that per capita funding had been considered. However, as the City growth leveled out, a lid would be placed on human services funding. In addition, per capita funding does not take into consideration the level of revenue being brought in by the City of Kent. Acting City Administrator Harris stated that the Human Services Commission is not dealing with staff and the need for maintenance of equipment, etc. ; therefore, their funding needs are different from other departments. Providing a funding base of 1 percent of the General Fund budget would provide stability and predictability in addressing a host of human services problems in the community. Discussion occurred on the level of funding from Kent and from other 2 !ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 1989 communities. Chairwoman Woods asked that this item be placed on both the Planning Committee and City Council agendas for March 7, 1989. AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEMO PROJECT - RESOLUTION The draft resolution which was in the agenda packet states that the Planning, Public Works and Fire Departments will work with HUD and the developer to explore the potential for Kent's participation in the Affordable Housing Demonstration Project. In addition, it directs the City Attorney to work with the departments and HUD to explore the legal appropriateness of waiving or modifying local ordinances and codes. The resolution basically speaks to a commitment of a working relationship to explore the potential for this project. Bob Stettner of HUD confirmed the resolution was representative of HUD's objective, which is to have the policy-making body enter into a working relationship with HUD to seek ways to establish affordable housing. Fire Marshal Webb confirmed that the resolution is acceptable to the Fire Department. In response to Councilman Dowell, Mr. Stettner stated that HUD will screen .he project from an engineering, architectural and cost perspective to ensure the proposal is reasonable. Then HUD will set a time to meet with staff to present the proposal and develop an approach which is acceptable to the City of Kent. The long-range goal is to make permanent and open to all developers any regulatory reform which is acceptable for this project. The normal development time is seven months. Mr. Stettner stated the project will take probably three additional meetings with staff to explore whether it is an acceptable concept; then it will proceed as a normal development project. Councilman Dowell stated he cannot support the resolution for two reasons: 1) time involved for staff, and 2) the resolution gives a signal that the Council is in favor of the project. Chairwoman Woods wants this item placed on the Planning Committee meeting of March 7 for a vote and placed also on the City Council agenda of that same date (under Other Business) . HOUSING COMMITTEES WORK PROGRAM Fred Satterstrom stated staff had considered three alternatives for completing the work program for the Mayor's committees on housing: 1) using consultants for the entire program, 2) hiring additional staff to complete the entire program in-house and successively, not concurrently, and 3) using a combination of consultant and in-house staff to complete the projects concurrently. Staff recommends alternative 3 and suggests using a consultant to conduct the needs analysis and hiring permanent staff to complete the other tasks related to special populations, group homes and incentives for •ingle-family housing. Staff desires to hire a permanent staff person not 3 'ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE AINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 1989 only because it is difficult to recruit for and keep a temporary person but also because of the work overload in other areas of the department, particularly long-range planning. Staff is requesting $56,000, which reflects projected one-year costs for a staff person as well as consultant fees. Councilman Dowell recommended the Committee approve a fourth alternative, i.e. , have the Mayor re-establish priorities within the Planning Department's work program in order to accommodate this additional work program without expending additional dollars. Mr. Satterstrom stated he had reviewed with the Mayor some of the priorities in the Planning Department work program and there were no projects the Mayor felt were suitable to put on hold. In addition, the department is looking at demands from SEPA and other areas. The Planning Department had requested some additional staff (1/2 time) for 1989 and it was not funded. After seeing the Council 's target issues, there appeared to be even more work to be done than was anticipated. Chairwoman Woods stated it becomes a problem when the budget is passed first, then the Council establishes target issues to be addressed that same year. Assistant City Administrator Hansen suggested that the City Council could establish target issues in April of each year which is before the budget Drocess begins. Discussion occurred on the level of building activity in 1988 and 1989 and what that means for the Planning Department. Acting City Administrator Harris stated that if, at the Committee's suggestion, the Mayor reviewed the Planning Department's work program, he doubted there would be any project the Mayor would wish to defer. Chairwoman Woods stated she is in favor of recommending the additional funds for completing the work program for the Mayor's committees on housing and Councilman Dowell is in disagreement; she asked Mr. Satterstrom to poll Councilman Johnson before tonight's City Council meeting to obtain a direction on this issue. PONNSON HOUSE This item was added to the agenda. Dan Stroh stated the Ponnson House is located at the corner of Alder and Central and is identified on both the county and city inventories as an historical structure. Mr. Stroh distributed a memo outlining alternatives for preserving this structure. Shaughnessy Movers in Auburn reviewed the feasibility of moving the structure and determined it could be moved but not without a great deal of difficulty. Cost estimates are $20, 000 to move the structure across the street, $8,000 to $10,000 to reconstruct the basement and foundation, $8,000 to $12, 000 to bring the building up to Code Enforcement Division standards (cost depends on whether it is renovated for commercial or residential use) , and $10, 000 in deferred maintenance costs and adaptive reuse. Total costs of moving the 1tructure are $46, 000 to $52, 000 plus the cost of the new site. The City of 4 "ITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE AINUTES OF MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 1989 Kent does own property next door. Relocating the structure is one option. From an historical preservation standpoint, having the structure remain on its original site is preferable. Two options are available in that regard: 1) purchase the property by cash, or 2) acquire the property via a transfer of land of similar value. Discussion occurred on the options. Chairwoman Woods asked Linda VanNest and Planning Department staff to look into proposing an option to the owner to allow more time to consider the options. She further requested that staff determine the owner's interest in a transfer of land, the market value of the property and house, and the status of the City property next door. Acting City Administrator Harris stated the City needs to obtain additional historical information on the Ponnson House, e.g. , who built it, what it was used for, etc. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 5: 15 PM. 5