10/29/1979 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

I ~ whether the City is liable, not whether there are damaqes. For example, when refusina a particular zoninq request, there may be a financial e impact for the developer, but the City is not liable. Key areas of concern are whether establishina a moratorium is within the Cityls power in the first place, and whether the City acted responsibly. The City has. the preroqative of causinq such damaqe as a bi-product, thouqh not for its own sake, of course. Mr. Obie wondered whether under a limited moratorium there would be means by which the City could provide for individuals subject to hardship to appeal their specific case to the Council. Mr. Lona s aid that, if Council imposes a moratorium, such an option should be included because it contributed to the overall validity of the ordinance. The presence of such an apoeal process requires that a person deal with the City before one deals with the courts. Mr. Obie said he hoped that, if a moratorium is imposed, staff would schedule a public hearinq even if the time is minimal in nature. He wants to be certain that both sides have been heard. Mr. Delay said he felt that Council should focus on the question of whether immediate displacement is a critical threat and if immediate action should be taken by staff. Mr. Haws said he was reluctant to qet into the economic issue; selectina particular qroups miqht be harmful. He is concerned with the social consequences, however. He said he is not prepared to support an action that focuses only on condominium conversion. The social issues should be studied because the harm needs to be alleviated, he said. He said he is willinq, but reluctant, to support a moratorium to address the issue; but e he does not wish to address only this problem at this time. Ms. Miller said she see is aware of the lonq-term problem of whether it is appropriate for the City to maintain a balance between the availability of owner-occupied and rental dwellinQs, but this does not require immediate resolution. There is also the short-term problem of immediate displacement of renters. It seems in most cases there is similar housinq available. If tenants are evicted from a unit, another may cost more or be located in a different neiqhborhood, but similar housinq is usually available, she said. In the present situation, there does not seem to be that kind of housing available rioht now. She said she would favor a brief freeze to define the people the City thinks need additional protection and to check out the situation. She does not want to affect market forces to a qreat deqree. Ms. Smith said that' for the lonq-term solution she would hope Council would work on strict auidelines. For the short-term problem, she favors a freeze to rletermine whether to continue as is or identify exceptions to the situation: that is, lookina at certain aqe aroups so as not to disolace those persons. She said she hopes staff can be directed to brinq back more information to establish a moratorium or to effect exceptions that the developer would work with to accommodate the needs of the people. Ms. Schue said she did not want to stop all condominium conversions, but she felt the qeneral consensus was to help the elderly, disabled, and people in the downtown area. Mr. Delay said he has difficulty with the e 5Cf'7 10/29/79--8