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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Economic and Community Development - 11/08/2021 Pending Approval Economic and Community Development Committee CC ECDC Regular Meeting Minutes November 8, 2021 Date: November 8, 2021 Time: 4:01 p.m. Place: Chambers Attending: Bill Boyce, Committee Chair Marli Larimer, Councilmember Zandria Michaud, Councilmember Agenda: 1. Call to Order 4:01 p.m. 2. Roll Call Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Bill Boyce Committee Chair Present Marli Larimer Councilmember Present Zandria Michaud Councilmember Present 3. Agenda Approval Mover: Marli Larmer 2nd: Zandria Michaud Approved Unanimously 4. Approval of Minutes A. Approval of Minutes dated October 11, 2021 MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated October 11, 2021 RESULT: APPROVED \[UNANIMOUS\] MOVER: Zandria Michaud, Councilmember SECONDER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember AYES: Boyce, Larimer, Michaud 5. Business A. 2021 Annual Docket Report In accordance with 12.02.025 Kent City Code (KCC), Planning staff e public or staff to the comprehensive plan and development regulations. The 2021 Annual Docket lists site-specific requests that will be forwarded to the City Council for action in 2022 and also provides a list of other code amendment projects that ECD staff propose to pursue in 2022. Page 1 of 3 Economic and Community Development November 8, 2021 Committee CC ECDC Regular Meeting Kent, Washington Minutes Because some items as presented on the docket today have some major aspect yet to be determined, we would like to present the docket as written to council at the first meeting in December, rather than the one upcoming next week. MOTION: Approve/Deny/Modify the staff recommendation to move forward to the City Council the 2021 Annual Docket RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL \[UNANIMOUS\] Next: 11/10/2021 5:30 PM MOVER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember SECONDER: Zandria Michaud, Councilmember AYES: Boyce, Larimer, Michaud B. Appointment to Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Michelle Wilmot presents to the committee the case for reappointing Gaila Haas, executive director of the Kent Downtown Partnership, to a new 3 year term as a member of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC). Gaila assumed her position on the committee by taking over the vacancy left when the previous executive director retired. She has served for less than 3 years in that capacity and thus is eligible to serve two more full terms, even considering the new rules governing Committee, Boards and Commissions membership. The LTAC is a committee whose make up is proscribed by state statute prior to any additional rules its local leadership might impose. This makes it an especially challenging committee to recruit for, as evidenced by the two current open spots, and the long tenure of the existing members, all of whom would be ineligible to serve again, unless protracted recruitment efforts fail to produce a new and appropriately qualified member. The challenge of populating this particular committee is one of many reasons to re-appointment Gaila Haas, who does indeed hope to continue serving in this capacity. MOTION: I move to appoint Gaila Haas to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee for a 3-year term starting on January 1, 2022 and ending December 31, 2024. Page 2 of 3 Economic and Community Development November 8, 2021 Committee CC ECDC Regular Meeting Kent, Washington Minutes RESULT: RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL \[UNANIMOUS\] Next: 11/16/2021 7:00 PM MOVER: Zandria Michaud, Councilmember SECONDER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember AYES: Boyce, Larimer, Michaud C. Information Only: Rental Housing Inspection Program Update Current Planning Manager Erin George presented an update on the 3 year old Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP). RHIP continues to work with properties around the city to wrap up inspections, permits and repairs from -family properties in NE Hill were inspected from the 2019 inspection year and only 5 properties have lingering repairs to finish. All but one property in West Hill/Valley (2020) were inspected and 13 remaining properties are working through repairs. 44% of SE Hill properties (2021) have been inspected so far. The SE Hill sector is twice as big as the other sectors and we will spend 2022 working with remaining properties to achieve compliance. RHIP has proven its value despite multiple challenges it has faced since implementation. These include the difficulty in communicating with all landlords and property managers - a diverse and far flung group ranging from huge multinational corporations to sole proprietor or family LLCs. Putting together that data set was far more time consuming and difficult than anticipated. Covid also presented multiple challenges including health and safety concerns related to the need for in person inspections, contractor delays and financial challenges for landlords. Thousands of health and safety issues have been repaired and hundreds of tenants have been helped by this important program whose goal was to address life safety issues in the rental housing market, but whose challenge was to achieve that without significantly impacting affordability of that housing for tenants. 6. Adjournment 4:48 p.m. Chair Boyce adjourned the meeting at 4:48 pm. Rhonda Bylin Committee Secretary Page 3 of 3