AUDIO & AGENDA DOCUMENTS:
City of Sultan March 13, 2008 Council Meeting
& Land Use Moratorium Hearing

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6:00 PM - Civic Web Demonstration/Slide Show Presentation by I-compass (We did not post this audio, but will make it available on CD to anyone upon request.) pdf document 1.0 mb

7:00 PM - Call meeting to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, Roll Call and Changes to Agenda [addition of consent Item #6, re authorizing mayor to hire p-t bldg. inspector; Mayor Eslick added discussion item re a Transportation Benefit District; C/M Flower added an executive session (following) the Hearing re land use moratorium).] AUDIO FILE A, 3:01 min., 533 KB.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

  • Carolyn Spott (Iron Goat Network, City's website and wireless provider) - Feels the city should review a proposal for a similar service as the one from I-Compass (i.e., civic web) and allow their firm the opportunity to service the city (and at a far lower cost). Audio File B-1, 3:03 min., 539 kb
  • Kay George (Sultan developer) Re finding documents on city's website) Audio File B-2, 2:09 min., 379 kb
  • Loretta Storm (GRIT webmaster, Secretary of the U. S. 2 Safety Coalition, and a Sultan Library Board member) - Re 3/25 Traffic Safety meeting; re city's website; re proposed moratorium; and re appreciation and congrats to all for successful passage of Library election ballot. Audio File B-3, 2:24 min., 424 kb
  • Keith Arndt (Sultan developer) - Re bus stop in front of Library/city hall; re moratorium; re "tyranical" actions of Growth Mgt. Hearings Board against City; re "challenges" in trying to file a PUD plat application for his property on the north side of 132nd St. SE, on which he is proposing approx. 200 S.F. homes. Audio File B-4, 3:16 min., 577 kb

COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS

Brief transitional comments prior to start of hearing - Audio File D, 1:10 min.

HEARING - RE ORDINANCE 981-08 - LAND USE MORATORIUM (pdf document):

Presentation by attorney Andrew Lane & Council Discussion:

  • Audio File E-1a, 12:00 min., 2.1 mb:
    • Mayor Eslick reads hearing procedures/rules.
    • City's Land Use Attorney Andrew Lane gives background, issues
  • Audio File E-1b, 6:20 min., 1.1 mb: Questions, discussion, Andrew Lane responses re legal plat application vesting issues, and whether or not even initiating a moratorium would deter Growth Mgt. Hearings Board from asking the governor for financial sanctions against the city.

Public Testimony:

  • Audio File E-2a (3:04 min., 543 kb) - Mayor Eslick reads public hearing procedures. Keith Arndt asks Attorney Lane specific question re a response he received from the city when he tried to file a plat application, i.e., Admin. Knight's statement that the city already had a "defactor moratorium" in place.
  • Audio File E-2b (1:19 min., 234 kb) - Sultan developer Kay George opines that a moratorium will be like hanging a "Sultan is closed for business" sign.
  • Audio File E-2c ( 7:29 min. 1.3 mb) - Hammer Bankruptcy trustee Peter Arkison comments again (he did so at the 2/28 council meeting) that the City's proposed ordinance requires more specifics.
  • Audio File E2d (2:34 min. 453 kb) - Bart Dalmasso (All Real Estate owner)- Asks if a Growth Mgt. Hearings Board decision can be appealed in superior court ("I hate being blackmailed"). Recent study shows Sultan's housing market has fallen lower, faster than other county cities.
  • Audio File E2-e (1:03 min, 187 kb) - Jean Roberts - Supports moratorium. Warnings re Sultan's qustionable land use practices and decisions have been given for many years. Feels this time the city needs "to do it right."
  • Audio File E-2f (1:20 min., 237 kb) - Bart Dalmasso - Suggests city revise its code regarding max. number of homes for a short plat (as he recommended several years ago while serving on Sultan's Planning Commission). It is currently four homes; he's suggesting it be increased to nine.
    • The above file also includes audio re motion to close the hearing, and C/M Flower's motion that the council adjourns for an executive session.

[Council Meeting reconvenes 33 minutes later, following their executive sesssion to discuss the moratorium.]

STAFF REPORTS - Reports given orally. If written reports were submitted by dept. heads, they were not indicated or included on the agenda or orally at the meeting. (Additionally, no council committee reports were submitted or given.)

  • Grant Coordinator Donna Murphy (Audio File G-1, 3:19 min., 584 kb) - Summary of volunteer program and status of skateboard park progress. The City's request for state budget funding of $500,000 to continue the design for the WWTP was "on the governor's desk" as of that morning, ready to sign. Stated that 39th Dist. Rep. Kirk Pearson and Sen.Val Stevens were "very influential" to that funding effort. Mayor Eslick stated, "Kirk Pearson called and left a message saying the funding was definitely because we [the city officials and electeds] went down there [to Olympia]. That was a huge impact."
  • Interim Police Chief Rick Hawkins (Audio File G-2, 5:51 min., 1.0 mb) - Commented that he's had some "ride-alongs"; working on emergency plans with school, interdepartmental training, et al.
    • Audio above also includes a very brief report by city's interim Community Development Director Brad Collins. No reports from Laura Koenig or Deborah Knight.

CONSENT AGENDA (AUDIO FILE, 1:08 min.)

  1. Approval of the February 28, 2008 Council Meeting Minutes (pdf document)
  2. Approval of the February 28, 2008 Greens PUD Closed Record Hearing (pdf document)
  3. Approval of the January 24, 2008 and February 28, 2008 Public Hearing on the Stormwater Utility (pdf document)
  4. Approval of Vouchers (pdf document)
  5. Master License Contract renewal (pdf document)
  6. Council approval re Mayor's authority to hire a temporary building inspector (unpublished item; added to this Consent Agenda) - No document was included in the city's online council agenda packet, nor was any document distributed at the meeting.

ACTION AGENDA:

  1. Resolution 08-03: Greens Estates PUD (approval of Preliminary Plat) - pdf document (447 kb) and (Audio File I-1, 6:13 min., 1.1 mb)
  2. Ordinance 981-08 - Land Use Moratorium - pdf document (415 kb) and (Audio File I-2, 7:44 min., 1.4 mb)
  3. Rabanco Recycling Contract Extension - pdf document (43 kb) and (Audio File I-3, 2:11 min., 395 kb)
  4. Skateboard Park - pdf document and (Audio file I-4, 3:14 min., 570 kb)
    • Amend contract with Capital Architects
    • Approve the design
    • Authorize staff to call for bids

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

PUBLIC COMMENTS (on agenda items only):

COUNCILMEMBER RESPONSE (only) TO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS - All Council members' Comments in one audio file, 6:22 min., 3.0 mb

Meeting adjourned at 10:02 PM