City Council Committee Agendas

City of Mount Vernon Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes from January 21, 2015 Committee chairperson Joe Lindquist called the meeting to order. Council members Bob Fiedler, Gary Molenaar, Dale Ragan, Mark Hulst, Ken Quam, Mike Urban and Mayor Jill Boudreau were present. Staff members Ana Chesterfield, Rebecca Lowell, Kevin Rogerson and Roy Hari were also in attendance. Minutes: Mr. Ragan moved, second by Mr. Fiedler, to approve the minutes from December 17, 2014. Motion carried. Status Update on Proposed Code Amendments: Mrs. Lowell is currently drafting an ordinance that will extend preliminary plats with Council approval. She has also begun the process for the downtown vendor ordinance. Mr. Fiedler would like the plat extensions to include a screening for current development requirements that may not have been required when preliminary plat was first granted. He requested a list of the preliminary plats eligible for extension including their location, number of lots, and expiration date. Mrs. Lowell will provide a spreadsheet and include other development requirements that may need to be addressed such as stormwater or critical areas. Mr. Urban requested this item be added to the next committee meeting. Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan: Mrs. Lowell provided an overview of the plan and its’ purpose. Skagit County is the lead agency for this plan and the City is part of the county-wide plan. City staff have been active participants through the process. Not only is it an important planning document in the event of natural hazards but it also serves favorably for a higher CRS score through the NFIP and grant proposals. Representatives from Skagit County and DNR will provide a presentation at a future meeting prior to Council review and adoption of the resolution and plan. Marijuana and Park and Ride – Liquor Control Board Definition: An individual interested in locating a marijuana related business within 1,000 feet of the SKAT Transit Park and Ride on Old Hwy 99 South has prompted staff to contact the Liquor Control Board (LCB) to confirm the definition of Public Transit Centers. Staff has received conflicting definitions from the Board. Currently, staff is waiting for written documentation form the LCB confirming the SKAT Park and Ride is a public transit center as defined by the LCB. A brief discussion ensued on whether the City set policy, or to wait for the LCB determination. Letters from the City and SKAT to the LCB will be drafted. Status Update on Proposed Electrical Inspector Program: A survey has been distributed to gather information on the City’s proposal for an electrical program. Results from the survey will be presented to Council at the February or March committee meeting. Representatives from other municipalities with an electrical program will attend to discuss how the program works in their city. Staff will also answer questions regarding inspectors and online permitting. Continuation of Proposed Amendments to Engineering Fee Schedule: The fee schedule for engineering permits and services is outdated, and as a result the current fees are do cover the cost of staff time and city resources needed to process, review and inspect engineering permits. The review for this meeting will be on fill and grading permits. Mrs. Chesterfield provided a chart which illustrated the fees for a fill and grade permit between Mount Vernon and several other Page 1 of 2 municipalities. Some cities charge a percentage of the cost of the development, and an hourly fee for plan review and inspection; while others charge a flat rate for plan review and inspection in addition to a percentage. Fees based on the amount of fill are also assessed. Following discussion on which formula to use to calculate fees for a fill and grade permit staff was directed to use a base fee plus an hourly rate. Comparisons from Burlington and Sedro-Woolley were also requested. Examples will be provided at the next meeting. Underground Detention Vault: At the request of Council Mrs. Chesterfield provided an overview of underground detention vaults. These are typically used on commercial lots with limited space, or for retrofitting smaller lots. They are installed under parking lots or tennis and basketball courts, in a tract not in the right of way. They are not intended to provide water quality treatment. Additionally, they must be structurally designed for traffic loading and certification is required to maintain them. The cost can be double that of a conventional detention system. Staff has been directed to include options for underground detention vaults to future commercial development. Public Works and development engineering staff will collaborate on providing to future commercial development the option of underground detention vaults where feasible. Development Project Overview – From Beginning to End: Staff provided a detailed account of commercial development from the Pre-application meeting to the issuance of the occupancy permit. The process involves several departments collaborating with architects, engineers and builders, providing many reviews and inspections. Mr. Fiedler inquired about a “How are we doing” survey. The department has provided customer comment forms periodically over the past 10+ years. Miscellaneous: Mayor Boudreau reported two interviews have been held for the position of Community and Economic Development director. One more is scheduled for this week. There being no further business the meeting adjourned. Page 2 of 2