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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Economic and Community Development - 07/11/2011 ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES JULY 11, 2011 Committee Members Committee Chair Jamie Perry, Elizabeth Albertson, Deborah Ranniger. Chair Perry called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 1. Approval of Minutes Councilmember Ranniger Moved and Councilmember Albertson Seconded a Motion to approve the May 9, 2011 Minutes. Motion PASSED 3-0. 2. King County Veterans & Human Services Renewal - Resolution Housing and Human Services Planner Jason Johnson presented the Housing and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) request that City Council support the renewal of the King County Veterans and Human Services Levy. He stated that at the June 2011 meeting of the HHSC, there was a unanimous vote to support the levy renewal. The Levy renewal is on the August 16th Ballot for Kent residents to vote on starting July 29th. Johnson stated that the Levy has been in place for four years. Fifty percent of the Levy funds are dispersed to serve disabled Veterans and their families, and fifty percent of the funds serve low-income basic need programs, homelessness prevention, mental health , and other medical services. Over 2000 Kent residents have utilized these services. Forty percent of all clients served by the Levy are from South King County. After deliberations, Councilmember Albertson Moved to forward the resolution to Kent City Council that supports and endorses King County Proposition No. 1, the Veterans and Human Services Levy Renewal. Councilmember Ranniger Seconded the Motion. Motion PASSED 3-0. 3. Permit Process Improvements and Fees ECD Director Ben Wolters stated that Building Official Bob Hutchinson, Permit Center Manager Kimberlee McArthur, Principal Planner Matt Gilbert, and Senior Development Engineer Sean Wells will present information related to what has been and what is currently happening to improve the permit process. Wolters presented concepts being explored to help recover additional fees for services currently not being charged to applicants. Hutchinson stated that in the permit process staff reviews permit applications, issues permits, and performs inspections. The basic premise that we operate from is that we are protecting people and property by verifying that development and construction meet the minimum codes, the standards and policies, and adopted plans that regulate it. Permits are just a tool for that. Hutchinson advised that some of these codes are imposed by State or Federal Government, and some are enacted locally. Some of the policies are those that are carried out in the permit process to further the Council’s vision and direction. Hutchinson stated that the Permit Center coordinates with the various divisions and departments which includes Fire Prevention, Planning, Development Engineering, and the Building Divisions. These divisions team up to address and resolve customer service issues as they arise. McArthur stated that more permits are issued across the counter now than has historically occurred. She stated that permits are now issued for office space additions over the counter, reducing the issuance time from 21 to 0 days. McArthur stated that early concept and initial plan review meetings, streamlining environmental review, and establishing project vesting at the counter has produced a less complex and quicker review process, and provides customers with better service. ECDC Minutes July 11, 2011 Page 2 of 2 Hutchinson spoke about the implementation of an on-line quarterly customer satisfaction survey. The City has received 73 to 87 percent positive response from the most recent survey. In addition to inviting public comment, staff is measuring actual time from submittal of an application to the issuance of a permit citing reductions in issuance time. Hutchinson stated that more on-line plan review submittals are occurring at this time. He stated that the City is preparing for an AMANDA software update program that will implement on-line permitting and provide a base for submittal, review and issuance of permits. Principal Planner Matt Gilbert stated that customer service is time-intensive and since the City’s revenues have dropped, staff is evaluating what can be done to sustain the city’s level of service. Gilbert spoke about the guiding principles for revising fees; delivering value through quality customer service, charging for services that create economic return, achieving a sustainable level of cost recovery to reduce reliance on the general fund, and remaining competitive with peer cities while being sensitive to market conditions. Currently the City is only at 40% sustainability and needs to increase that to at least 60%. Senior Development Engineer Sean Wells spoke about various strategies staff are considering to move the city towards reaching a sustainable funding model . He discussed implementing a base fee for permit review with the addition of a surcharge for more demanding projects, charging for some permit -related services presently provided at no cost, passing the cost of publishing public notices on to the applicant, taking over review and inspection of electrical permits from the State, and adding a 3 percent technology fee. Director Ben Wolters stated that Kent’s fees are among the lowest compared to other cities , stating that the proposal to increase fees would be included in the Mayor’s budget proposal After deliberating, Councilmember Perry asked that staff report back to the Committee with more detail on the type of projects that would be considered for fee increases as well as what other communities are doing, and what the impacts would be on businesses. Wolters stated that a report will be presented to the Committee on the current status of permits that staff is tracking. For Informational Purposes Only 4. Economic Development Strategic Plan Update Economic Development Manager Kurt Hanson, along with Lisa Corrado, Director of Community Attributes International (CAI) spoke to and submitted two reports. First was a Draft Economic Development Goals & Strategies report and second was an Interim Findings document to the Committee profiling 5 Goals for Kent’s Commercial, Manufacturing/ Industrial, and Retail business community. Hanson encouraged the Committee to directly contact himself or Corrado after they have had an opportunity to read the reports. He stated that these preliminary goals will be the topic of discussion at the first of two forums scheduled for September and October, 2011, where input from the business community will be encouraged. Hanson stated that the City contracted in April 2011 with CAI and whereby Corrado addressed the Kent Economic Development Plan Interim Findings from the City of Kent’s Commercial and Industrial Profile. For Informational Purposes Only Adjournment Committee Chair Perry Adjourned the Meeting at 6:45 p.m. _____________________________________________ Pamela Mottram, Secretary Economic & Community Development Committee