10/23/1973 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Postponement was recommended because of lack of notification of public hearing to Boon's and Pape' Bros. ~ Mrs. Beal moved seconded by Mr. Williams that the staff appeal be postponed ... to the November 5, 1973 Council meeting. Motion carried unanimously. II - Consent Calendar Items acted upon with one motion after discussion of individual items if requested. Previously discussed at committee-of-the-whole meetings on October 10 (Present: Mayor Anderson; Councilmen Beal (arrived later), McDonald, Hershner, Campbell, Keller, Murray, and Wood) and October 17, 1973 (Present: Councilmen Beal (presiding), McDonald, Williams, Hershner, Campbell, Keller, Murray, and Wood). Minutes of those meetings appear below printed in italics. ~ A.Active Bethel Citizens request for review of assessment procedures - Copies of letter' received from the Active Bethel Citizens (ABC) in August were distributed to Council imembers with agenda of this committee meeting. ABC requested a study of methods of assessing for street improvements and consideration of aid for persons on low or fixed incomes whose property may be assessed for improvements. Another concern was extension of Barger Drive to the west city limits. Manager e~plained that the letter was held because of work in progress on development of a neW method of assessment for alley paving and the thought that the entire question could be brought to the Council at one time. ~ 'Manager commented on the complexity of assessing for public improvements, involving ~ Charter amendments which require a great deal of study and consideration before changes are proposed, particularly if the c.hanges will require voter approval. He ;suggested discussion at this time might center on how to proceed - continue ~ith the present study of assessments, ifivolve a Coun~il committee, assign staff to work'on the whole question of assessments for public improvements, etc. He noted : the thrust of the ABC concern was the benefit factor as it applied to different ;land uses. They feel the present method is not equitable because of the mixture of single- and multiple-family structures in the community. Ed Lundberg, 4120 Concord Street, representing the ABC group, confirmed their con- : cern with assessments against single~fa~ily units made on the same basi~.as assess- ments agai~st larger uni ts. He pi ted the Oakway Ro~? ~'IJ'ing as an example of assessment against abutting properties when ~he project serves a much larger area. Mr. Murray moved seconded by Mr. Wood that the question be referred to the sub- *** commi ttee on alley assessments (Councilmen Beal and Hershner and former Councilman Bradshaw) ~nd request that specific recommendations be returned to the Council re- garding determination of assessments, giving particular attention to the alternate methods of assessments mentioned in the correspondence from the ABC. a : Councilman McDonald wondered whether it would be more appropriate to appoint a com- W : mittee separate from that studying alley assessments. His reasoning lVas that on alley: improvements it was a case of assessing single-family homes on one side and multiple- :family units on the other side, whereas he felt the concerns with regard to street :assessments were entirely different. He thought too that as the community grows I and there is a greater demand for public ,improvements, if there was to be considera- ,tion of changing the procedure of assess~ng for those improvements, there should be 'a separa te caromi ttee created. . _ _~ _ _ . '---~-----~-~~_..- ..,~-..\ Councilwoman Beal arrived at the meeting. Councilman Murray had no objections to Mr. McDonald's suggestion. However, he i thought the alley assessment committee would have a head start in accruing knowledge ,on which to base recommendations. Councilman Hershner agreed with that view. He noted however that if that committee is to be charged with other areas of concern an appointment should be made to replace former Councilman Bradshaw. Manager suggested that if the motion was accepted Mr. Bradshaw's presence on the committee might be appropriate as a layman representing the public rather than as a councilman. Councilman Keller's understanding of the motion was clarified - that the present committee studying the method of assessing for alley improvements would pick up ~ additional responsibility of making recommendations on the ABC suggestions for , street improvement assessments. Councilwoman Beal wondered whether the legal memo was ready which was requested some time ago with regard to Charter amendment to permit some other than the present, method of assessing for alley improvements. She didn't think the committee could ; function without that information. Manager acknowledged that preparation of an amendmel!.t had.taken muc~~9~~r_!=hca..n~nti_c.i_pat~d'_u1!~__sa_id the latest draft ~as_, '3'2. 10/23/73 - 3