09/17/2013 - Work Study - MinutesCity of Port Orchard
Council Meeting Minutes
Work Study Session of September 17, 2013
7:00 p.m. Call to Order
Mayor Matthes called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Pro-Tern Fred Chang and
Councilmembers Jerry Childs, John Clauson, Rob Putaansuu, Jeff Cartwright, and Cindy
Lucarelli were present. Development Director Nick Bond, City Clerk Brandy Rinearson,
Human Resources Coordinator Deb Howard, Police Chief Geoff Marti, Fire Prevention
Manager Greg Rogers, City Attorney Greg Jacoby and Office Assistant II Jenine Floyd were
also present.
Absent: Councilmember Carolyn Powers
Police Chief Marti led the audience and Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
1. Discussion: UW Master of Urban Planning Student Project
Development Director Bond reported members of the City Council have identified goals for
conducting public outreach on a variety of projects including planning the Bethel Corridor,
Paul Powers Park, and the Port Orchard waterfront. In addition, the City is required to
update its comprehensive plan in 2015 with work beginning on that project in 2014. With
limited staff resources, the City has been unable to conduct the public outreach requested
and will be challenged with providing a meaningful public process for this required
comprehensive plan update.
A cost effective opportunity for conducting public processes exists through the University of
Washington Master of Urban Planning program. For a small fee, the city could hire a team
of university graduate students to come to Port Orchard to complete one of their required
planning studio projects. The studio would consist of around 15 students and an instructor,
Rick Sepler, who also works as the Development Director of Port Townsend. In studios,
students work as a team and tackle a single project over the course of 2 quarters. The first
quarter, from January through March, would be in preparation for the project and would
take place largely in the classroom. It would include background research and would lay the
groundwork for the public processes, which would take place between April and June of
2014. The product of the studio would be a comprehensive written report consistent with
the project scope. The students have strong written and visual communication skills and
strive to capture public input and use it to create a plan of action.
There are many benefits of hiring students. Students bring a great deal energy to a process
and generate significant public interest and participation. They can produce a huge volume
of work in a short period and can help the City engage its citizens. The work that is produced
is of a professional quality and is completed at a fraction of the cost that would be charged
by a private company.
Rick Sepler, Development Director from the City of Port Townsend, gave the Council a brief
update of his history, and background information on the student project. He mentioned the
cost is minimal, between $15,000 and $18,000, which is paid during the duration of the
project.
September 17, 2013, Work Study Session Minutes
Page 2 of 5
Council Direction: Council directed staff to move forward with drafting an agreement
defining the scope of work and costs, and to draft a resolution regarding indirect fees for the
project.
2. Update: Personnel Policies Update
Human Resources Coordinator Howard reported in order to keep current with changes in
the work place it becomes necessary to amend specific personnel policies and procedures.
Our process that Council established provides for the Mayor to review and approve
proposed amendments. Various staff has requested a change to the sick, vacation, and
holiday policies for part-time employees. Other cities have been researched, as well as
Kitsap County policies, and to bring our policies in line with the other municipalities, we
propose regular part-time employees (20 hours +) receive sick, vacation, and holiday leave
on a pro-rated basis according to hours worked. Currently, part time employees receive half
of the full time benefits. The City has seven part time employees, but only four of those
employees work over 24 hours a week.
Council Direction: Council directed staff to update the Personnel Policies to allow part
time employees who work over 20 hours to receive benefits on a pro-rate basis, beginning
January 1, 2014.
3· Discussion: Fireworks
Councilmember Putaansuu stated about a month ago, we received input from some citizens
who had concerns about fireworks. He would like to make sure there is no public safety
concern.
Police Chief Marti noted the Police department receives about 25 complaint calls regarding
fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday. This usually includes July 1 through July 5. He
does not see the fireworks issue being a burden to the Police department. He also noted the
severity of the problem seems to have decreased over the years.
In response to Councilmember Putaansuu, Fire Prevention Manager Rogers noted per Port
Orchard Municipal Code (POMC), there is no limit on how many firework stands can
operate in City limits. This year and last year there were 13 stands; 2011, 9 stands; 2010, 8
stands; 2009, 10 stands; and 2008, 7 stands. In addition, Kitsap County had only four
stands. He also updated the Council that the fireworks industry is in the process of having
conditions in place for Costco, Wal-Mart, etc. to begin to sell fireworks. He believes this will
happen in the next four to five years.
After a brief discussion, Council noted they would like to see firework safety brochures and
information put into the utility bills as well as on the City's website around the Fourth of
July holiday.
September 17, 2013, Work Study Session Minutes
Page3of 5
Council Direction: Council directed staff to put this topic on the March 2014, Work Study
Session for further review.
4· Discussion: Lodging Tax Committee Recommendation
City Clerk Rinearson reported the Lodging Tax committee has met several times, reviewed
2014 lodging tax applications, met with the majority of the applications, and have provided
their recommendations to the Council.
City Attorney Jacoby noted what the Council has done the past several years using the
October and November work study session to review and develop a consensus, and formally
vote in November.
Councilmember Clauson stated he was very impressed with the work the committee had
done.
Councilmember Childs believes the Kitsap Visitor & Convention Bureau (KVCB) and the
Festival of Chimes and Lights are being underfunded. He said the KVCB has been doing
better work.
Councilmember Chang said although the KVCB is a popular website, they do not have
knowledge of South Kitsap. Since they only received $6,500 last year, they cut us off mid-
year. They did not communicate and ask which 6 months we would like them to promote;
they just did the first six months of the year. He further explained that Bainbridge Island did
not give them any funds for 2013.
Councilmember Chang briefly discussed the reasoning behind some of the recommended
numbers and 'heads in beds'.
Several Lodging Tax committee members spoke about the process and how they chose the
recommended amounts.
Council Direction: Council directed staff to put this discussion on the October work study
session for further review and discussion.
5· Discussion: Council Committee Appoinbnents
City Clerk Rinearson reported Councilmember Colebank resigned from Council position No.
1. Mr. Jeff Cartwright was appointed to fill the unexpired position. The committees are as
follows:
Economic Development/Tourism Committee
Kitsap Economic Development Alliance Committee
Kitsap Aerospace and Defense Alliance-General Member
Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council (Alternate)
Puget Sound Regional Council-Trans Pol
Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization
September 17, 2013, Work Study Session Minutes
Page4of 5
Councilmember Cartwright noted there would be a new Councilmember in November after
the election; maybe they should wait until the 2014 to revisit committee appointments.
Council Direction: Council directed Councilmember Cartwright to resume in Mr.
Colebank's position on all committees; however, they would like him to wait until January
2014, for the Peninsula Regional Transportation Planning Organization.
6. Discussion: Recreational Marijuana
Development Director Bond reported the rules for recreational marijuana as proposed by the
Washington State Uquor Control Board would make marijuana growing, processing, and
retail sale possible in Port Orchard. The state will begin accepting applications for licenses
to grow, process, and sell marijuana in November. While the proposed rules include some
limitations as to where these activities can occur, the City is in the position of deciding
whether to further regulate the location of these uses through its zoning code. The Liquor
Control Board has just announced the number of retail stores that will be allowed on a
county-by-county basis. The Board did not assign any retail marijuana stores to Port
Orchard however; Port Orchard could receive one or more of the seven at large Kitsap
County stores. It is unlikely that we would receive more than one of these retail stores.
In an attempt to understand where stores, processing facilities, and growing operations
could be located, City staff has mapped the buffers included in the proposed rules.
Washington voters passed I-502 in 2013 legalizing recreational marijuana. The State of
Washington Liquor Control Board after conducting an extensive public process, has
released the proposed rules for the sale, processing, and distribution of recreational
marijuana. These proposed rules make it possible to manufacture, process, and sell
marijuana within the city limits of Port Orchard. The Attorney General for the United States
recently announced that the federal government would not sue to stop the state from
implementing I -502 and the rules proposed will go into effect as scheduled.
City staff recommends the Council consider three alternatives in response to the Liquor
Control Board's proposed rules:
1. Adopt a moratorium to give the City more time to consider the possible impacts of
the rules and to decide if it wants to pass additional regulations, and if so, where
these uses should be accommodated.
2. Do nothing and allow these uses to locate in Port Orchard according to traditional
zoning definitions. Retail sales would be allowed in commercial zones outside of
buffers, processing would be allowed in industrial zones, and manufacturing
(growing) would be allowed in agricultural zones.
3. Adopt interim regulations while it studies the issue further.
City Attorney Jacoby reiterated this is for recreational use of marijuana, not medical use. Also,
the Liquor Control Board will hold a hearing and take formal action in October, the rules will
September 17, 2013, Work Study Session Minutes
Page 5 of 5
be effective the middle of November, and within a few days, they will start to accept
applications. Around March and April of next year, they will issue those licenses. The first
retail stores are expected to open the middle of 2014.
Council and staff briefly discussed the options provided and the federal and state laws
regarding marijuana use.
Council Direction: Council directed the Community Development staff to look into
regulations for zoning and permitting of recreational marijuana and bring back to the
October work study session. ·
7· Jerry McDonald Presentations
Mayor Matthes reported Jerry McDonald will be showing Roger Brooks videos every
Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. for the next 17 weeks at the SEE:film Cinema in Bremerton. There is
no charge for this event.
Council Direction: No direction was given to staff.
8. Survey from AWC for At-Large Positions
Councilmember Cartwright reported he received an email survey from Association of
Washington Cities (AWC) regarding at-large positions.
City Clerk Rinearson stated A WC is looking for input from all elected officials from cities and
towns with a population $15,000 and over.
Council Direction: Council directed staff to email the AWC survey to all of the
Councilmembers and Mayor.
At 8:42 p.m., Mayor Matthes adjourned the meeting.
Brandy Rinearson, CMC, City Clerk
~~I#~
Timothy C. atthes, Mayor