HomeMy Public PortalAbout04 April 21, 1998 TC Minutes•
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TOWN OF YARROW POINT
COUNCIL MINUTES
APRIL 21,1998
7:00 PM
The following is a condensation of the proceedings and is not a verbatim transcript. The meeting
is tape-recorded, and the tapes are part of the public record.
CALL TO ORDER:
Mayor Berry called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mayor:
Councilmembers:
Jeanne Berry
Susan Castle
Leland Harris
Alan McEwan
Steve Rutledge
Andy Valaas
Staff: Sue Ann Spens, Clerk -Treasurer
Gary Christenson, Acting Asst. Treasurer
Wayne Stewart, Town Attorney
Erik Lund, Town Building Official
Lt. Bill Archer, Acting Chief, Clyde Hill Police
Guests: None
APPEARANCES:
None.
Ni UNUTES:
Clerk -Treasurer Spens noted that she had some concerns about omissions in the first draft of the
minutes for the March 10, 1998 meeting. She then explained that the second draft contained in
the Council packets was a reworking of that first draft as transcribed by Dottie Elwell from notes
taken by Linda Longmire. She apologized for the inconvenience of asking the Council to briefly
review these minutes and help her fill in the blanks indicated on this draft.
MOTION: Councilmember Valaas moved to approve the minutes of the March 10, 1998
meeting, as amended. Councilmember Harris seconded.
Vote: 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstain. Motion carried unanimously.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Clerk -Treasurer Spens noted that items on the Consent Calendar are not normally discussed but
added that she wanted input from the Council on the graphs that they would prefer to see when
reviewing year-to-date (YTD) revenues and expenditures. It was the consensus of the Council
that, for clarity and simplicity, they would prefer to see the two-dimensional graphs illustrating
actual vs. budget revenues on one page and actual vs. budget expenditures on a second page
Approved 04/21/98 Council Minutes Page 1 of 5
(rather than the previously used three-dimensional graph depicting both scenarios on a single
page.)
Councilmember Valaas noted that the expenditures in Fund #304 Capital Improvement IV are
50% over budget YTD while expenditures in Fund #301 Capital Improvement I are under budget
by the same amount. He stated that it looked as if an expenditure was made from 304 that should
have been split evenly between 301 and 304. Clerk -Treasurer Spens will review this and change
it, if appropriate.
Police Report:
Acting Chief Bill Archer introduced Lt. Lowry, who will attend future Yarrow Point Council
meetings as the Clyde Hill Police Department (CHPD) representative.
He then reported that:
• a recent block grant application requesting funding from the State of Washington for
equipment and training was denied, but CHPD will review the it looking for ways to improve
future requests of this type.
• a report outlining a study of the possible merger of the CHPD with the Medina Police
Department and the findings of that study should be available in early May. The City/Torun
Councils of Medina and Clyde Hill will be reviewing the study and making their decisions
shortly thereafter. Lt. Archer will inform us of the outcome.
• a traffic counter has been installed to monitor the number of vehicles traveling into and out of
Yarrow Point and the time of day of this travel is occurring. The information will be used by
the CHPD to map traffic flows.
On the issue of traffic flow, Councilmember Castle expressed frustration on behalf of all citizens
of Yarrow Point with the volume of traffic on Points Drive and the effects of traffic -control
changes made along that street. Lt. Archer acknowledged that traffic volumes are up on Points
Drive and that increased parking restrictions and the extension of the westbound lane that turns
right onto Hunts Point and SR520 are possibilities to consider.
Mayor Berry interjected that Erselle Eade, Mayor of the Town of Hunts Point, has told her that
Hunts Point wants to wait until the traffic -control circles at the entrance to their town are
completed before agreeing to any changes along Points Drive. She added that Yarrow Point
recently entered into an interlocal agreement with the City of Medina and the Towns of Clyde
Hill and Hunts Point that authorizes the hiring of a consultant to review the current traffic
situation and recommend improvements.
Councilmember Valaas noted that reflectors along Points Drive need to be replaced.
Councilmember Castle added that the crosswalk also need to be repainted. Lt. Archer responded
that Clyde Hill plans to repaint all crosswalks and stop bars this summer and will replace any
missing reflectors at that time.
MOTION: Councilmember McEwan moved to approve the Consent Calendar as presented.
Councilmember Harris seconded.
so Vote: 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstain. Motion carried unanimously.
Approved 04/21/98 Council Minutes Page 2 of 5
REGULAR BUSINESS:
AGENDA BILL 98-023 Interpretative Panel for Beach End Park:
Acting Assistant Treasurer Christenson reported that a $5,000 expenditure approved by the
Council in 1997 for an interpretative sign at the Beach End Paris was omitted from the 1998
budget. He asked that the Council clarify its intent to fund this project in 1998 and that it give
the Mayor the authority to approve the design and expend the funds from an appropriate source.
MOTION: Councilmember Harris moved to clarify the Council's intent to purchase an
interpretative sign for the Beach End Park using money from an appropriate fund within the 1998
budget and to authorize the Mayor to approve this expenditure, when made. Councilmember
Castle seconded. Councilmember Castle asked if the Council will see the text of the panel before
it is sent out for engraving. Mayor Berry answered that the Park Board will develop the sign's
text and will forward that text to the Mayor and Council for review and comment prior to final
approval.
Vote: 4 'Yes, 0 No, I Abstain. Motion carried.
AGENDA BILL 98-024 Retreat for Town Officials:
Mayor Berry described her vision for the retreat as it currently stands. She noted that her only
concern is whether to change the date to improve attendance, especially among key people, e.g.
the Planning Commission Chair, who is unable to attend on May 2, 1998,
Councilmember Harris expressed his belief that having a key chairpersons present is very
40 important, especially the Chairman of the Planning Commission. He suggested that Mayor Berry
consider changing the date to one in which the majority of the key people could attend rather than
a date that simply maximizes the number of people in attendance.
It was the consensus of the Council that the retreat be postponed until either sometime before
mid -June or in September after Labor Day. Staff will survey attendees to determine the best date
for key people and others to attend.
AGENDA BILL 98-025 Inner Harbor Line for the Western Waterfront:
Councilmember Castle asked if Councilmernber Harris could describe why this inner -harbor line
is needed, since his property is one that would be affected. Councilmember Harris deferred to
Building Official Lund by asking why the Town paid for establishing the inner -harbor line along
the eastern waterfront.
Building; Official Lund explained that the eastern shoreline changed drastically when Lake
Washington was lowered nine feet in 1916 and properties along that shoreline would have been
deprived of their waterfront access unless the inner -harbor line was established. He elaborated
that the Town became involved in the issue to protect Momingside Park, which was one of the
properties in danger of losing its waterfront access. He described the process as one of dividing
the new shoreline as fairly as possible among; those properties that had water access prior to the
lowering of the lake.
In answer to the question of why the Town should establish a similar line on the western
waterfront, Building Official Lund answered that if we fail to establish this line, the state could
Approved 04/21/98 Council Minutes Page 3 of 5
charge property owners rent in the future for the use of the bottom of the lake over which their
docks or other waterfront improvements may be placed. If we do establish the inner -harbor line,
the state would cede ownership of the property between the shoreline and the inner -harbor line to
the shoreline property owner -- although this transfer of property could increase the assessed
value and hence the taxes paid by the shoreline property owner.
After additional consideration, Building Official Lund has concluded that it may be best to leave
this issue alone for the time being.
After additional discussion about the cost to complete this project and the relative benefits to the
Town, if any, it was the consensus of the Council to table further discussion of this issue until
such time as it appears that the state is planning to charge rent for the use of the lake bottom.
Councilmember Harris asked that the minutes clearly reflect that the inner -harbor line along the
eastern shoreline of the Town was established to protect Morningside Park, that some private
property owners along that shoreline benefited from the serendipity of the Town's involvement,
and that this action set no precedent that would require the Town to establish such an inner -
harbor line for all property owners of the Town.
Town Attorney Stewart suggested that the Council advise the Planning Commission of this
decision, as they have been discussing this issue also. Mayor Berry will inform the Planning
Commission that the Council no longer wishes to pursue this issue.
0 OLD BUSINESS:
House Moved from 4200 - 95th Ave NE:
Councilmember McEwan reported that he had received several calls about the noise related to
and broken tree branches resulting from the move of the house formerly located at 4200 - 95`h
Ave NE. Councilmember Valaas added that the branches dangling over the street should be
removed before someone is harmed. Building Official Lund reported that he has contacted the
contractor about cleaning up the mess before the contractor's bond will be returned and noted
that the contractor has agreed to do so by the end of the week.
Building Official Lund further stated that the Town should consider developing guidelines
regarding the maintenance of tress and shrubbery that encroach upon the right-of-way (ROW)
envelope. He stated that in Seattle, the City requires that a 14'6" clearance be maintained above
all city streets.
NEW BUSINESS:
Condition of Plantings at the Beach End Park:
Councilmember Valaas expressed concern about the condition of the plantings at the Beach End
Park and stated that they may need fertilizer as the shrubs appear to be chlorotic. Mayor Berry
asked if this was something the Town Public Works employee, lstvan Lovas, should handle.
Acting Treasurer Christenson suggested that any such work be delayed until after the Park Board
signs off indicating that the contractor has completed the Park Board's list of corrections.
Approved 04/21/98 Council Minutes Page 4 of 5
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Problems Obtaining New Phone Service on Yarrow Point:
Councilmember Rutledge reported that a resident had called him about their problems obtaining
main -line phone service to their residence. He explained that US West had told these residents
that their main phone line would not be installed for at least two to three months due to the
proliferation of fax lines, modem lines, etc. and the limited space available on the trunk line
serving Yarrow Point. He added that US West had given the residents a cellular phone to use in
the interim but that the cellular phone service was unsatisfactory due to "dead" spots in cellular
coverage on Yarrow Point. He reported that he suggested that the resident call the Public
Utilities Commission; the State Attorney General, and any consumer group they could think of to
complain about this lack of service for a basic phone line.
Mayor Berry commented that the issue of increasing trunk -line capacity should be addressed by
or before the undergrounding project that the Park Board is reviewing.
ADJOURN:
MOTION: Councilmember Valaas moved to adjourn the Council meeting at 8:35 pm.
Councilmember Rutledge seconded.
Vote: 5 Yes, 0 No, 0 Abstain. Motion carried unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
r Sue Ann Spens, ClerOTreasurer
Approved:
�IaLALvn -
Jeanne Berry, yor
Approved 04/21/98 Council Minutes Page 5 of 5