City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes December 9, 2024, 1:20 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund 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 Jace Cotton Call to Order Council President Pro Tempore Huthman called the meeting to order at 1:20pm. Roll Call Present: Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Jace Cotton, At-Large Excused: Council President Daniel Hammill, Third Ward 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. 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. 24356 1. Mayor's Executive Order Expanding Housing Options in Bellingham p. 3 Mayor Lund, Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, and Blake Lyon, Planning and Community Development Director, presented an overview of Executive Order 2024-02, which was issued on November 21, 2024. The order directs City departments to take administrative actions to increase housing opportunities across the housing spectrum. The order also asks the City Council to consider three interim ordinances to remove parking minimums Citywide, allow the Infill Toolkit Citywide and streamline design review. Council Members discussed the Executive Order and housing challenges and asked questions. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 December 9, 2024 24357 2. Interagency Grant Agreement with Department of Commerce to Fund City-County p. 10 Electrification Program Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, and Seth Vidaña, Climate and Energy Manager, presented a summary of the Interagency Grant Agreement with the Department of Commerce for just under $1,000,000 to fund a City-County electrification program. Council Members discussed the grant and asked questions. Jace Cotton / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend approval of the Washington State Department of Commerce Interagency Grant Agreement to fund state home electrification and appliance rebates program. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 24358 3. An Ordinance Amending The 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Increasing Expenditures And p. 33 Authorizing An Interfund Loan Of Up To $600,000 From The General Fund To The Workers Comp Fund – Amendment No. 16 Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director, and Eric Johnson, Budget and Treasury Manager, presented the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget Amendment No. 16. The draft ordinance proposes the following adjustments, • General Fund to the Museum, Library, and Legal Departments which are marginally close to their budget authority; • Cemetery, Golf, and Parking Funds to recognize increased economic activity and related expenses; • Medic One adjustments recognize all contracted revenue with the County and adds budget authority for interfund loan debt payments, retro pay, and increases in overtime; • Workers Comp Fund, recognizes the 2024 rate increase, authorizes an interfund loan up to $600,000, and increases expenses for claims, payroll, and insurance payments. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend approval of the Ordinance amending the 2023-2024 Biennial Budget increasing expenditures and authorizing an Interfund Loan of up to $600,000 from the General Fund to the Workers Comp Fund – Amendment No. 16. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 24359 4. Contract Award for the North Haven Tiny House Community Project, Bid #54B-2024 p. 37 Mike Olinger, Interim Public Works Co-Director, and Joel Pfundt, Interim Public Works Co-Director, provided a summary of the North Haven Tiny House Community Project. The project includes site improvements and utilities to prepare the City's recently purchased property at 3300 Northwest Avenue to host a new tiny home village. Council Members discussed the contract and asked questions. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 December 9, 2024  Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Michael Lilliquist moved to award contract No. 54B-2024 for the North Haven Tiny House Community Project to Summit Construction as the lowest responsive, responsible bidder and to authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with them for the amount of their bid, $434,910.00, which includes any applicable WSST. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 24360 5. An Ordinance of the City of Bellingham Repealing Sections of the Bellingham p. 44 Municipal Code that are Obsolete, Pre-Empted, Unconstitutional or Otherwise Unenforceable Mayor Lund and Alan Marriner, City Attorney, presented the draft ordinance, which removes sections of the Bellingham Municipal Code that are obsolete, preempted, unconstitutional, or otherwise unenforceable. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Lisa Anderson / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to recommend approval of the Ordinance of the City of Bellingham Repealing Sections of the Bellingham Municipal Code that are Obsolete, Pre- Empted, Unconstitutional or Otherwise Unenforceable. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 24253 6. Work Session Regarding Landlord Tenant Relations and Unfair or Excessive Fees in p. 48 Residential Rental Agreements and Leases Alan Marriner, City Attorney, and Blake Lyon, Planning and Community Development Director, returned to discuss the three draft ordinances relating to excessive tenant fees in residential rental agreements and leases. Council Members discussed the ordinances and asked questions. Hannah Stone / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend Council move forward with the draft staff ordinance. Michael Lilliquist / Hannah Stone moved to amend the staff ordinance to include City enforcement language. AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Jace Cotton / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the staff ordinance to include, • Language in 6.16.040 that prohibits a late fee when a service provider is responsible for payment; • The portion of rent used to determine the percent of late fees is based on the part of the rent for which the tenant is responsible; and • Build in an exception for rapid rehousing programs to offer security deposits up to two months’ rent on behalf of their clients. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 December 9, 2024  AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Hannah Stone / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the staff ordinance to include optional fees in the disclosure requirements as mandatory fees are disclosed. AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. AMENDED MOTION CARRIED 6-0. 24254 7. Work Session Regarding Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Relations and p. 294 Unfair or Excessive Fees in Manufactured/Mobile Home Lease Agreements Alan Marriner, City Attorney, and Blake Lyon, Planning and Community Development Director, returned to discuss the three draft ordinances relating to excessive tenant fees in manufactured/mobile home lease agreements. Council Members discussed the ordinances and asked questions. Council Member Anderson requested the title be changed to include “space rental”. Jace Cotton / Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend Council move forward with the draft staff ordinance. Jace Cotton / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the staff ordinance to include, • Late fee cap at 1%; • Language that applicant screen fees be refunded if tenant is denied; • Provide guest fees or long-term parking fees as long as they are not greater than the actual cost to the landlord; • Prohibition on optional fees like parking on your own lot. AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. Michael Lilliquist / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to amend the staff ordinance to include City enforcement language. AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. AMENDED MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Jace Cotton / Michael Lilliquist moved to request a Council Work Session on December 16th, 2024. MOTION CARRIED 6-0. Old/New Business There were no discussion items for Old/New Business. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 4 December 9, 2024  Council moved into Executive Session at 4:10pm to discuss four items until 4:29pm. 1. Litigation: Stodola v. Bellingham et al. 2. Potential Property Acquisition 3. Potential Property Acquisition 4. Potential Property Acquisition Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:29pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 5 December 9, 2024