04-25-07 SS Minutes YELM CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2007
1. Call to Order— Mayor Harding called the meeting to order at 5 pm.
2. Roll Call— Present: Don Miller, Russ Hendrickson, Bob Isom, Joe Baker, John Thompson
and Mike McGowan. Excused: Pat Fetterly.
3. Agenda Approval—The agenda was accepted as presented.
4. Presentations
a. SE Thurston Fire Inter-local Agreement
Councilmembers discussed the draft agreement worked on by the planning committee
comprised of Commissioners from Districts 2 &4 and Councilmembers Miller,
Hendrickson and Fetterly. They will discuss further when the draft has been reviewed and
revised by Fire District legal counsel. Staff(Shelly Badger) will share some of the
Council's questions and comments with Fire District Chiefs Hutcheson and King.
b. TRPC Status on Thurston Regional Planning Council Scope of Work
Grant Beck presented an update to the City Council on the areas in which the Thurston
Regional Planning Council is working for Yelm pursuant to a contract for long range
planning services. Mr. Beck noted that Kathy McCormick is our lead staff person from
Regional, and that the Community Development Department and Planning Commission
have developed an excellent working relationship with Kathy and the other staff members
at Regional.
TRPC is working on updating the Comprehensive Plan Transportation Chapter by
incorporating the polices from the 2001 Transportation Plan into the Comprehensive Plan
itself. Regional will also be working on updating the policies of the Capital Facilities plans,
the Park Plan, and creating a Unified Development Code or Yelm by incorporating all the
development regulations into one Title of the Municipal Code.
C. Finalize 2007 Water Conservation Program
Powerpoint handouts were provided that depicted conservation ideas for 2007. Discussion
ensued regarding 'watering restrictions'. It was decided that one of the City's conservation
messages would include a watering restriction message requesting restriction of irrigation
watering from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day. This will be communicated through the
City's new electronic reader board as well as ads in the Nisqually Valley News. An every
other week ad campaign for the months of May, June, and July will also be done. Inserts
will be included in the May-August bills. The inserts may be in the form of a conservation
message on the bill or an actual conservation insert brochure inside the bill. Other actions
items included: installing the remaining hydrant locks; completing the annual leak
detection; and handing out the remaining spray nozzles. Stephanie will complete personal
contact with high end irrigation users in May and request a more conservative approach
from May to September.
Staff will also be putting together a 'retro fit' program for existing planter strips that may be
converted to landscaping and the irrigation systems shut off. This work would be done in
the fall.
Ideas for 2008 included incentive programs, seasonal rate adjustments, analysis of overall
rate structure, promoting drought tolerant landscaping for new development, and
continuing with consistent conservation goals.
Js/city council/2007
approved;05-08-07
5. Mayor/Council Initiatives—.
Annexation Policies—Grant Beck Reviewed with the City Council the process for
annexing property into the City limits and summarized the existing interim policies of the
Water Comprehensive Plan which limits annexation in certain circumstances.
Shelly Badger noted that staff has been spending a significant amount of time working
with developers who wish to annex property into the City for residential purposes and
have potential small water rights to serve the annexed area. This time may be better
spent working on larger water rights transfers or the acquisition of new water rights.
Mr. Beck indicated that the Council could adopt a policy by resolution that would clearly
indicate that the Council will not authorize any requests to circulate a petition for
annexation for residential development.
The City Council requested a draft resolution be placed on an upcoming regular Council
agenda for discussion purposes.
Family Investment Initiative: Mayor Harding and Councilmember Thompson discussed
the latest proposal whereby the cities of Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm would
receive 50% of the cities share of the 3/10 of 1% sales tax initiative (should it pass) for
criminal justice purposes and 50%would go to the countywide programs. Countywide
programs funded would be approved by an inter-jurisdictional board comprised of one
elected official from each participating city. Councilmembers supported this latest proposal
and Mayor Harding will make contact with the City of Olympia to communicate the City's
position.
6. New Business
7. Old Business
8. Adjourned: 8:00 p.m.
s'
onald Haro 91 Mayor
Attest:
Janine Schnepf, City Clerk y
U
Js/city council/2007
approved;05-08-07