Tacoma City Council Meeting - Feb. 23rd, 2010

Tonight was another quick City Council meeting with absolutely no public comment. Anything exciting? Not really … but we did buy more bike lanes! And there was a brief reminder of our rumor mongering condo development days. Here are our notes:

C O N S E N T A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution No. 37988 authorizes the execution of an amendment to the grant agreement with the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, in the amount of $65,450, for a cumulative total of $445,055; accepting and depositing said sum into the Human Rights and Human Services Special Revenue Fund, to support the further development and maintenance of military-certified child care providers in Pierce County through February 28, 2010.

APPEALS
Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C. representing the appellants Northshore Investors, LLC and North Shore Golf Associates, Inc., appealing the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner regarding the request to modify an existing condition of approval placed on the golf course site in connection with Northshore Country Club Estates Planned Residential Development (PRD) District in a previous rezone which occurred in 1981 and established the PRD District designation for the site. (Northshore Investors LLC; File No. REZ2007-40000089068) Setting Tuesday, April 13, 2010, at approximately 5:30 p.m., as the date for the appeal before the City Council.

PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS, PRESENTATIONS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

This part of the meeting actually brought something up that we hadn’t thought about in a very very long time. Do you remember the Art Lofts on Market Street? Well, today, the city approved its full and final settlement of the City of Tacoma versus Catapult Development Partners. The City will pay $87,500 in exchange for release of all interests in the real property commonly known as the “municipal parking lot” across the street from City Hall. Here’s a snippet from a 2007 TNT article (that we can’t locate):

The city has told Catapult Community Developers that it is in default on its development agreement to create a 76-unit, 150,000-square-foot housing, retail and parking structure across Market Street from the Tacoma Municipal Building.

Catapult hasn’t formally replied to the default letter, despite passage of a 30-day deadline for it to submit a reply, said city spokesman Rob McNair-Huff.

Catapult principal Michael Trower said the development company is discussing options with the city, including return of the land to city ownership. The city gave the land to the developer three years ago in return for the promise of replacement parking and a project that included lofts for artists.

So now it’s done. It’s a blank canvas once again. We’ve been corrected. This clears away the encumbrances to allow for foreclosure on the property.

R E G U L A R A G E N D A

RESOLUTIONS
Purchase Resolution No. 37989 awards contracts to:

1. Active Construction, Inc., on its bid of $2,533,923.10, including sales tax, budgeted from various grants, utility fees, and the General Fund, for street improvements on South Tyler Street between South 38th and South 52nd Streets, and the construction of bike lanes from South 52nd Street to South 60th Street; and
2. Wright Asphalt Products Company, LLC, in the amount of $1,250,000.00, plus sales tax, for a cumulative total of $1,700,000.00, budgeted from the General Fund, to increase the contract for rubber modified hot liquid asphalt on an asneeded basis throughout the 2010 chip seal season.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27873 amends Chapter 6A.20 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Admission Tax, to include in the definition of an admission charge any surcharges, service charges, and mailing fees.

Ordinance No. 27874 amends Title 6B of the Municipal Code, relating to the License Code, to allow for an appeal of any civil penalty issued and to clarify when appeals are due.

Ordinance No. 27875 amends Chapter 2.01 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Minimum Building and Structures Code, to allow for an appeal of any civil penalty issued, to consolidate substandard and derelict enforcement procedures into one section, and to clarify the owner’s responsibilities in regard to inspections and appeals. This is a “text amendment” to make the code consistent and isn’t a significant change to how, for example, the City manages historic buildings.

Ordinance No. 27876 amends Chapter 8.30 of the Municipal Code, relating to Public Nuisances, to allow for an appeal of any civil penalty issued and to clarify the hearing schedule, timing for an appeal, and due date for abatement costs.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
Ordinance No. 27877 amending Title 13 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Land Use Regulatory Code, to establish procedures, requirements, and review criteria regarding the use of Development Regulation Agreements pursuant to the Washington State Growth Management Act.

Ordinance No. 27878 authorizing the transfer of appropriations, in the amount of $5,459,193, from the General Fund to the Permit Services Fund.

That’s all for tonight.