CITY OF UNIVERSITY PLACE
MINUTES
Regular Meeting of the City Council
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
City Hall, Windmill Village
1. CALL REGULAR MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor McCluskey called the Regular Meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. PRESENTATION OF THE COLORS AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Boy Scouts of America Troop 248 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Roll call was taken by the City Clerk as follows:
Councilmember Belleci Present
Councilmember Grassi Present
Councilmember Keel Excused
Councilmember Nye Present
Councilmember Worthington Present
Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa Present
Mayor McCluskey Present
Staff Present: Executive Director/ACM Craig, City Attorney Victor, Deputy Finance Director Blaisdell, Public Works Director Cooper, Planning and Development Services Director Swindale and City Clerk Genetia.
MOTION: By Councilmember Grassi, seconded by Councilmember Belleci, to excuse the absence of Councilmember Keel.
The motion carried.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
MOTION: By Councilmember Belleci, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa, to approve the minutes of February 2, 2015 as submitted.
The motion carried.
5. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOTION: By Councilmember Belleci, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa, to approve the agenda.
The motion carried.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT – None.
7. COUNCIL COMMENTS/REPORTS
Councilmember Belleci reminded Council of Pierce County Regional Council’s Annual General Assembly meeting this Thursday.
Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa reported that he and Councilmember Worthington will be attending the Association of Washington Cities’ Legislative Conference and will be meeting with various legislators to communicate City issues.
Councilmember Worthington reported on the Solid Waste Advisory Committee’s progress in updating Pierce County’s Solid Waste Management Plan.
Councilmember Grassi addressed the Planning Department about the City’s design standards relating to the location and appearance of electrical meters and pipes.
8. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT – None.
9A-9B. CONSENT AGENDA
Councilmember Worthington requested that the claims dated 02/13/15 (2015 invoices) list be amended to remove voucher #51866.
MOTION: By Councilmember Belleci, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa, to approve the amended Consent Agenda as follows:
A. Receive and File: Payroll for the period ending 01/31/15, signed and dated 02/11/15, check nos. 318280 through 318298, and wires in the total amount of Two Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Five Hundred Ninety-Five and 19/100 Dollars ($276,595.19); Claims dated 02/13/15, signed 02/11/15, check nos. 51885 through 51904 (2014 invoices), in the total amount of One Hundred Twenty-One Thousand Thirteen and 44/100 Dollars ($121,013.44); and Claims dated 02/13/15, signed 02/11/15, check nos. 51825 through 51884 (2015 invoices), in the total amount of Four Hundred Sixty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred Thirty-Five and 88/100 Dollars ($468,535.88). (Amended to remove voucher #51866 from the list.)
B. Pass an ordinance repealing Sections 4.35.210, 4.35.220, 4.35.230 and 4.35.240 of Chapter 4.35, Utility Tax, of the University Place Municipal Code. (ORDINANCE 649)
The motion carried.
Councilmember Worthington stated his interest in knowing the reason for the expense before approving claims.
10. MAYOR’S REPORT
Mayor McCluskey announced and congratulated Mayor Pro Tem Figueroa on his appointment to the State Council on Aging and his election as president of the Rainier Communications Commission. She reported on the following events: League of Women Voters’ 95th anniversary, Community Supported Parks and Recreation Black Tie Gala, and Daddy-Daughter Dance. She also noted the construction progress of the Bridgeport/54th Street project and the opening of the Fred Meyer gas station.
At 6:44 p.m., the Council concluded its business meeting and recessed to study session.
STUDY SESSION
11. U.S. OPEN LEGISLATION
City Attorney Victor presented drafted legislation that addresses two issues associated with the upcoming U.S. Open event. The first covers unmanned aerial systems (UAS) commonly referred to as drones. He indicated that the ordinance was developed because of concerns raised by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Golf Association (USGA) about the possible nuisance, criminal misuse and incidental hazards of the drones during the U.S. Open. There is currently no regulation for ground-based launching and operation of unpermitted UAS. However, the Washington State Constitution provides cities with broad local authority to enact regulations that promote public safety within their jurisdiction. The temporary ordinance to prohibit the operation of UAS within the limits of University Place the entire month of June 2015 is in the public’s interest, and is a tool to protect from activities that could endanger public safety.
The second drafted legislation is on the temporary U.S. Open parking zone regulations within the City of University Place during the event. The ordinance incorporates regulations previously studied and discussed by Council and reflects special allowances for home delivery and home-based business access.
The final piece of legislation relates to various regulations relating to vendors and code enforcement. The drafted legislation will be ready for study at next Council meeting.
12. HOMESTEAD PARK PLAY STRUCTURE
City Attorney Victor presented a proposal to acquire a play structure for Homestead Park. He indicated that shortly after the acquisition of Homestead Park, a number of community volunteers, called the Friends of Homestead Park, began work on the park to improve and maintain it, including raising funds for its improvement. The funds were donated to the City and retained in a special fund, expended only for that purpose. Last year the key volunteers of Friends of Homestead Park sent a letter to the City proposing that the donated funds of approximately $38,160 be expended on a long-planned play structure. The play structure is part of the capital improvement plan for the park.
Approval of this proposal will be brought back for consideration at the next Council meeting.
13. AWC LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
The Council discussed the list of priorities that individual Councilmembers can speak on or support during the upcoming legislative session.
14. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m. No other action was taken.
Submitted by,
Emy Genetia
City Clerk