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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Planning and Economic Development Committee - 12/01/1992 CITY OF �IIBIT vI7MT CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES DECEMBER 1, 1992 4: 00 PM COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT PLANNING STAFF Leona Orr, Chair Lin Ball Judy Woods, Council Sharon Clamp President Sally Gilpin James Harris COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT Margaret Porter Fred Satterstrom Jim Bennett Alice Shobe Jon Johnson OTHER CITY STAFF Laurie Evezich David Haenel Tony McCarthy GROWTH MANAGEMENT UPDATE (F. SATTERSTROM) Planning Manager Fred Satterstrom noted that the wetlands subcommittee has been meeting twice weekly. He stated that the subcommittee may need an additional 2-3 weeks of meeting time, and the Planning Commission hearing on the wetlands ordinance will probably be held in January 1993 . December 1, 1992 was scheduled as the date for the GMPC to decide which cities become urban centers. There is no decision, and the only thing the GMPC will decide, possibly in December, is which alternative centers will be evaluated in a supplemental environmental impact statement which will accompany the evaluation of the Countywide Planning Policies in the spring of 1993 . Therefore, Kent will not know for many months if it is selected as a center. King County will facilitate a process for cities to define their potential annexation areas. Agreement between cities will be via an interlocal agreement or mediation process. Staff will attend a meeting on Friday, December 4, to learn more about the process. HUMAN SERVICES ROUNDTABLE UPDATE (L. BALL) Housing and Human Services Manager Lin Ball reported that regarding the child abuse and neglect issue, the Roundtable has decided to implement a model similar to one used in Hawaii called Healthy Start. The program involves identifying at-risk pregnant women and going into the home to provide direct services on a long term basis. CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES DECEMBER 1, 1992 PAGE 2 Lin also distributed an executive summary of a report, Domestic Violence: A Community Responds, which reports the progress of the implementation of the 1990 regional plan on domestic violence. The full report is available for review in the City Council office. HUMAN SERVICES LOBBY DAY RESOLUTION (L. BALL) The Human Services Roundtable Legislative Committee is asking Roundtable member cities to pass a resolution to support Human Services Lobby Day in Olympia scheduled for March 24, 1993. The purpose of the day is to show broad support for human services and encourage legislators to learn about and respond to human services needs. This resolution must be forwarded to the full Council for consideration on December 1 since the resolutions are needed by the Roundtable by the end of the year. Judy Woods MOVED and Leona Orr SECONDED a motion to recommend approval of the resolution supporting Human Services Lobby Day and forward to the Council for approval on December 1, 1992. Motion carried. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCACY SERVICES RESOLUTION (L. BALL) Lin Ball summarized that 11% of criminal justice money received through Proposition 2 funding is allocated for domestic violence community advocacy services. This is provided through Resolution 1265 adopted on November 6, 1990. This resolution specifically addresses funding of community based advocacy services and training. The resolution does not specifically address legal advocates because it was thought that the legal advocates the County was placing in the district courts would provide services to City of Kent residents. However, those legal advocates only provide services to residents of unincorporated King County. Lin clarified that the new resolution does not ask for additional money, but allows the City the flexibility to also use the money for legal advocates. Judy Woods MOVED and Leona Orr SECONDED a motion to recommend approval of a resolution supporting funding of domestic violence community advocates, legal advocates, and training out of the eleven (11) percent of the additional law/safety/justice sales tax revenue which is allocated to domestic violence services. Motion carried. This resolution will be forwarded to the full Council on January 5, 1993 . Judy Woods requested that a clarification be written at the top of the Council's memo stating that this is a revision of the previous resolution and not a request for additional money. CITY COUNCIL PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES DECEMBER 1, 1992 PAGE 3 SECTION 8 HOUSING DISCRIMINATION CONCERNS (A. SHOBE) Planner Alice Shobe explained that the Mayor's office received a letter of complaint regarding an individual case of alleged discrimination against a Section 8 recipient seeking to find a new apartment in Kent. The author of the letter felt she was being discriminated against based solely on the fact that she has Section 8. The letter asked the Mayor to consider adopting policy similar to what the City of Bellevue has, which strictly prohibits discrimination against Section 8 holders. The City of Bellevue classifies individuals with Section 8 as a protected class. Ms. Shobe responded to the letter sent to the Mayor and outlined a number of actions which the citizen could take for herself in a civil matter. The citizen was also invited to the Planning Committee to discuss the policy issue. The following concerns were expressed by three women who attended the meeting who wished to remain anonymous: They feel the City of Kent is a "closed city" because all apartments complexes contacted both on the telephone and in person immediately stated that they do not accept Section 8. It was stated that most apartments in Kent discriminate against Section 8 except for a very few old and undesirable places to live. HUD advised one woman that they could help only if the discrimination was due to race, sex, disability, religion, or color. Evergreen Legal Services advised her that federal law states Section 8 holders cannot be turned down if the apartment has ever accepted Section 8. The Tenants Union advised her that Bellevue, Seattle and King County all have laws preventing discrimination of Section 8 holders. However, the King County law does not apply to the City of Kent. It was stated that those who live on low or limited incomes should not be discriminated against just because they cannot keep up with inflated rents. They feel they have the right to live in a decent apartment and should not be stereotyped as drug dealers or as undesirables who might trash the property. Staff will obtain ordinances from Bellevue, Seattle, and King County and bring back as an information item at the January 5, 1993 meeting. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 5: 07 p.m. PC1201.92