Tacoma City Council Meeting - March 3, 2015

CONSENT AGENDA

RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 39129 A resolution setting Thursday, April 9, 2015, at 9:00 a.m., as the date for a hearing by the Hearing Examiner on the request to vacate the east 35 feet of East L Street between East 52nd and East 54th Streets for a 37 residential plat development called Heritage Gardens.

The consent agenda was adopted without comment.

PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS/PRESENTATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

March 2015 was proclaimed as Women’s History Month in the City of Tacoma in honor of the progress and success women have achieved locally and nationally. The 2015 theme is “Weaving the stories of women’s lives.” The City of Tacoma’s focus is on human trafficking and sexually exploited children. Mayor Strickland encouraged everyone to join in honoring the women in our community.

Tacoma Public Utilities presented the City of Tacoma with a check for more than $330,000 in incentives earned as a result of conservation efforts. TPU relies on conservation efforts to help meet increasing demands on their systems, and thanked the City for its partnership in achieving conservation goals.

PUBLIC COMMENT

No comment.

REGULAR AGENDA

PURCHASE RESOLUTIONS

Resolution No. 39130 A resolution awarding a contract to Scherer Trucking & Excavation Inc., in the amount of $256,080.01, plus a 15 percent contingency, for a cumulative total of $294,492.01, excluding sales tax, budgeted from the Wastewater Fund, to provide necessary ventilation improvements at the North End Treatment Plant

Resolution No. 39131 A resolution awarding a contract to U.S. Oil Trading, LLC, in the amount of $327,500, plus sales tax, budgeted from the Asphalt Plant Fund, for the purchase of Bulk Asphalt Oils, for an initial contract period of March 1, 2015 through February 28, 2016, with the option to extend for four additional one-year periods, for a projected contracted total of $1,637,500.

Both purchase resolutions were adopted without comment.

FINAL READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28284 An ordinance amending Chapter 6A.110 of the Municipal Code, relating to the Property Tax Exemptions for Multi-Family Housing Code, to align with City priorities and state law, and clarify requirements regarding vacancy and displacement issues for occupied structures that are to be rehabilitated or developed.

The ordinance was adopted without further comment.

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES

Ordinance No. 28285 An ordinance amending Chapter 12.06 of the Municipal Code, relating to electric energy regulations and rates, to adjust rates for services provided by Tacoma Power, effective April 1, 2015.

The budget approved in December assumed the need for an additional $15.8 million in revenue for Tacoma Power to meet increased costs related to Bonneville Power costs, regulatory mandates, compliance mandates, and the renewal and replacement of infrastructure. These costs have been somewhat offset through financial restructuring, but Tacoma Power still needs a 3% increase in rates to cover the rest. Rates would go up an average of 3% in April, with no increase in the following year.

Ordinance No. 28286 An ordinance amending Chapter 12.10 of the Municipal Code, relating to water regulations and rates, to provide for two rate adjustments for water services provided by Tacoma Water, effective April 1, 2015 and January 1, 2016.

Tacoma Water’s adopted budget for the current biennium includes average rate increases of 4% per year for 2015 and 2016. The requested rate increases are designed to recover costs equitably from various types of customers.

COMMENTS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS OF THE CITY COUNCIL

Infrastructure, Planning, and Sustainability Committee – Councilmember Mello shared recent issues addressed by the committee.

• Received an update on the Historic Water Ditch Trail – now renamed the Historic Water Flume Line Trail – Phase 2 of which is under construction, with phases 3 and 4 in the planning and design stages.
• Heard a briefing on the second phase of the Land Use Designations Update, which will be a part of this year’s Comprehensive Plan update.
• Had a briefing on the proposed scope of work and planned outreach for the Tacoma Mall Subarea Plan.
• Heard from Public Works staff on the updated City of Tacoma Design Manual, which provides guidance on design and construction of infrastructure within city right-of-way.
• Elected officers for this year and approved end of year report.
• Heard from Metro Parks on the development regulation process underway to review and approve the Master Plan for Point Defiance Park.
• Environmental Services staff presented results from two pilot incentive programs for low impact development – the rain garden rebate program, and the adopt a rain garden program.
• Heard an update on progress on the Transportation Master Plan. The final plan will be presented to the committee in April, and public outreach has already begun, and will continue.
• Environmental Services shared the rate structure for collection of commercial yard and food waste, which is a new service for commercial customers in Tacoma

At its next meeting the committee will hear updates on land use designations for the 2015 Comprehensive Plan update.

Councilmember Woodards shared a few upcoming events

• On Saturday, March 28, in honor of Women’s History Month the City of Tacoma will be hosting the movie The Long Night in Phillip Hall on the UWT campus, followed by a discussion, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch provided. There will also be recognition of several women in the community for their leadership and good work.
• On March 11 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation’s Fund For Women and Girls of Pierce County will host its annual luncheon at the Bicentennial Pavilion at the Hotel Murano.
• This Sunday, March 8, marks the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery voting rights march. If you can’t make it to Selma, Tacoma is having a Selma solidarity march across the 11th Street Bridge. Meet on the east side of the Murray Morgan Bridge, and march over into Tacoma, followed by brief program.

Councilmember Walker announced that she will be going to Selma this weekend to participate in the commemorative voting rights march there.

Deputy Mayor Boe had a couple items to share.

• The Georgia O’Keefe exhibition opened at TAM with works from O’Keefe and still life art from New Mexico. See the exhibition between now and June 7th .
• The Sister Cities Film Festival is going on now with free films every Monday on the UPS campus from a different Tacoma Sister City. This week the series featured Cienfuegos, Cuba. Tacoma is one of only 10 US cities with Cuban Sister Cities. Next week’s featured city will be Kiryat-Motzkin, Israel, with the film Igor & The Crane’s Journey. Doors open at 6, cultural program starts at 6:15, and the film starts at 7. Admission is free. 

Councilmember Mello invited everyone to this weekend’s 8th Annual South Sound Sustainability Expo this Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Convention Center. There will be workshops, vendors, and more, all with a theme of sustainability, including a new book/movie/music swap, goodwill collection site; bring media to exchange with others and/or donate to Goodwill.

Councilmember Thoms took the opportunity of the centennial of the Navy Reserves to thank all who have served.

Mayor Strickland Strickland announced that City Council meetings are cancelled for next week to allow council members to attend the National League of Cities conference in Washington D.C. The next council meeting will be held on Tues March 17, 2015

ADJOURNMENT

For more on the items on the agenda see our City Business Preview for the week.