City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes April 24, 2023, 1:00 PM Mayor: Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, https://cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist and Kristina Michele Martens Call to Order President Lilliquist called the meeting to order at 1:00 pm. Roll Call Present: Council President Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Kristina Michele Martens, At Large Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote in the order shown below: Please be advised that if the City Council is ahead of schedule, they may start with old/new business before the official Committee of the Whole meeting time. 23694 1. Annual Update on the Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission on Sexual & p. 3 Domestic Violence Each year, staff from the Domestic Violence Commission provide an update to inform the Council of the work of the Commission, as well as to provide education about the impact of domestic violence in our community. Susan Marks, Director of the Whatcom County Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence, gave the 2023 update, reporting on the history of the Commission, funding, a pilot program focused on restorative and transformative justice, feedback received from survivor defendants, and the upcoming annual meeting. Marks answered questions from Council Members. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 April 24, 2023 23695 2. 2022 Financial Year End Review p. 9 Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director, presented on 2022 expenses and revenue, giving a summary of the City's preliminary financial position for the period that ended December 31, 2022. Asbjornsen and other staff answered questions from Council Members. 23696 3. An Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Reconciling the Differences p. 27 Between Estimated 2023 Beginning Reserve Balances and Actual 2023 Reserve Balances During the budget development process, the Finance Department estimates beginning reserve balances based on anticipated expenditures and revenues for the year in which the budget is developed. Pursuant to City Financial policy, at the beginning of each biennium the City must update the Biennial Budget with actual beginning reserves and estimate new ending reserves for the biennium. Forrest Longman, Deputy Finance Director, explained how this process in tandem with the reappropriations process ensures the various funds’ reserves are expected to remain in balance at the end of the biennium. The reappropriations process brings budget forward from the previous biennium for programs and projects authorized, but not completed in the previous biennium. Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Reconciling the Differences Between Estimated 2023 Beginning Reserve Balances and Actual 2023 Reserve Balances. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23697 4. An Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Increasing Appropriation p. 34 Authority in Various Funds to Pay for Goods and Services Authorized in the Previous Biennium This ordinance increases appropriations in the 2023-2024 Biennium Budget by reappropriating unused budget authority totaling $39,543,597 from the 2021-2022 Biennium. At the end of each biennium, all remaining budget authority lapses, even if it is under contract for a project, program or product. To pay those contracts and continue projects authorized in the previous biennium, the City Council must reappropriate the funds. Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of an Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Increasing Appropriation Authority in Various Funds to Pay for Goods and Services Authorized in the Previous Biennium. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23698 5. An Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget - Amendment No. 3 p. 44 Forrest Longman, Deputy Finance Director, explained that this ordinance works with the previous ordinances to reconcile fund reserve balances and reappropriate the budget from the previous Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 April 24, 2023  biennium. The ordinance also includes changes to the 2023-2024 budget, including reappropriating balancing issues, correction to Climate Office projects, a settlement in the worker's compensation fund, Sportsplex debt funding, and adding an Human Resources Information System Analyst position. Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the Ordinance Amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget - Amendment No. 3. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23699 6. A Resolution Amending the Docket of Bellingham Comprehensive Plan Amendments p. 53 to be Reviewed in 2022-2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle Chris Behee, Long Range Planning Manager, and Peter Gill, Parks Department Planning and Development Coordinator, presented information about the proposed minor amendment to the Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan. The amendment would make changes to the recommended trail section as well as the capital facilities plan. These are needed because of the significant amount of growth the City has experienced since the last update to the plan. Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the resolution Amending the Docket of Bellingham Comprehensive Plan Amendments to be Reviewed in 2022- 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Cycle MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23622 7. Work Session #3 for Consideration of Two Alternatives for Revisions to Bellingham's p. 59 Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Regulations On April 6, 2023 the Washington State Senate passed Engrossed House Bill 1337, which expands housing options by easing barriers to the construction and use of ADUs. The bill now goes forward for final passage by the Legislature, then enrollment, and review and signature by the Governor. Chris Behee, Chris Koch, and Blake Lyon, of the Planning and Community Development Department, provided information on two options for moving forward with amendments to ADU regulations given the recent changes at the state level. Council members asked questions of staff and discussed the options. Council requested that staff review the effects of the new state law on current City Code, options related to affordability, and community outreach plans. Lisa Anderson / Hannah Stone moved to move forward with option one as outlined in the staff memo and to request that staff come back to Committee of the Whole with an ordinance at a later date. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23700 8. Update on Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program p. 93 Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 April 24, 2023  Kurt Nabbefeld, Planning Development Services Manager, provided an update on the implementation of the Rental Registration and Safety Inspection program (RRSIP), which was established by Council in 2015. Nabbefeld summarized the status of rental inspections, the process for completing an inspection, and data on the results of the inspections. He also spoke to common reasons for failed inspections and what happens when a unit fails inspection. Going forward, planning staff recommend a focus on education, training for landlords, development of software dedicated to the program, and better data collection. The department plans to hire two additional staff for the program. Council members, asked questions, gave feedback, and requested further information for future meetings, including data on fees gathered from failed inspections, options for changes in procedures when a property has failed an inspection, and information on the ability of the City to regulate or audit private inspectors. Daniel Hammill / Lisa Anderson moved to request that staff come back to Committee of the Whole at a later date with recommendations on improvements that can be made along with associated costs. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 23701 9. Approval of Special City Council Meeting Minutes p. 108 Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Hollie Huthman moved to recommend approval moved to recommend approval of the March 29, 2023 Special Meeting Minutes. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 10. Old/New Business Council Member Hammill thanked Chief Bill Hewett and Captain Joe Frank of the Bellingham Fire Department for allowing him to do a ride along with the Community Paramedic program and thanked Sgt. Richard Holdridge of the Bellingham Police Department for allowing him to attend a training of new officers. Council President Michael Lilliquist thanked to all those who organized and participated in the City's Earth Day event. Council President Michael Lilliquist reported that he has heard that some landlords are giving notice of termination of lease with 60 days notice and giving tenants the option of entering a new lease at a higher rent. He said that this is a loophole to the 120 day notice for rent increase. He requested that staff look into the legality of that and what could be done to address it. Michael Lilliquist / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to direct staff to investigate the legality of landlords giving notice of termination of lease with 60 days notice and giving tenants the option of entering a new lease at a higher rent rather than giving tenants 120 days notice of rent increase. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 April 24, 2023  Mayor Fleetwood addressed the fact that the State Legislature did not pass a fix to the Blake decision. He stated that his staff is monitoring the implications of that in regards to the City's recently passed ordinance regarding public drug use. They will be reporting back at the next Council meeting. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:05 pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 5 April 24, 2023