City Council Meeting - 2023-07-17

Detailed briefing

City Council Meeting — July 17, 2023 • Council took no action on a request to abandon a city alley. Members said they had not fully considered the city’s future use of the property and noted that some adjacent owners did not support abandonment. Staff advised that a public hearing would be needed if council chose to pursue abandonment. • Council approved a conditional plan for an accessible parking space associated with the K2 Condos development at Main and Gardner. The preferred location discussed was near the bike shop on Main Street, rather than directly in front of the development. The location must be acceptable to the county; if it is not, the developer would provide the space on its own property. Discussion included concerns about already-lost public parking spaces, existing accessible spaces near the Methodist Church, and the need to review downtown accessibility more broadly. • Council approved ballot language for a November voter question on a possible sale of city-owned land leased by Jervis B. Webb near the airport. The proposal concerns land, not the building improvements. Staff said the city’s appraisal is still pending; Jervis B. Webb’s land-only appraisal was reported at $420,000. If voters approve, the process would move to a public auction, subject to the lease terms described in the meeting. • A temporary exception was approved for an RV at 803 Harrison Street, where a resident’s home burned down and is being rebuilt. The RV may remain through December 1. Council also directed staff to notify surrounding neighbors. Staff said the city can enforce the deadline through its normal zoning-violation process. • Council authorized the police chief to pursue academy sponsorship as an option for filling an open officer position. The chief said two interviewed applicants may need academy sponsorship and described a state program that could reimburse $24,000. The decision on whether to sponsor or hire was expected before the next council meeting. • Staff announced that Judd Hill Wall replacement bid documents are expected to be posted soon. The current estimate was described as about $500,000 or more, compared with an earlier estimate of $200,000. Staff said major and local street funds have money available for the project. Worth watching: • Whether the county accepts the proposed Main Street accessible-parking location or requires an on-site K2 Condos space. • The final appraisal and November ballot process for the Jervis B. Webb land-sale question. • Enforcement of the December 1 RV deadline at 803 Harrison Street and notice to nearby residents. Upcoming: Boardwalk reopening and ribbon cutting, Thursday, July 27, 5 p.m., on Bluff Drive; staff sought playground donor-agreement information for the August 7 council meeting; the Zoning Board was expected to revisit a Third Street variance request July 26 at 2 p.m. Why it matters: The meeting balanced immediate resident needs and development requirements against public parking, city property control, and long-term infrastructure costs.

No open public follow-ups are linked to this meeting yet.