2015, 03-31 Study Session MeetingMINUTES
SPOKANE VALLEY CITY COUNCIL
REGULAR MEETING
STUDY SESSION FORMAT
Spokane Valley City Hall Council Chambers
Spokane Valley, Washington
March 31, 2015
Attendance:
Councilmembers
Staff
6:00 p.m.
Dean Grafos, Mayor
Arne Woodard, Deputy Mayor
Chuck Hafner, Councilmember
Rod Higgins, Councilmember
Ed Pace, Councilmember
Ben Wick, Councilmember
ABSENT:
Bill Bates, Councilmember
Mike Jackson, City Manager
Mark Calhoun, Deputy City Manager
Cary Driskell, City Attorney
Erik Lamb, Deputy City Attorney
Mike Stone, Parks & Recreation Director
Eric Guth, Public Works Director
John Hohman, Community Development Dir.
Sean Messner, Traffic Engineer
Chris Bainbridge, City Clerk
Mayor Grafos called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL: City Clerk Bainbridge called the roll; all Councilmembers were present except
Councilmember Bates. It was moved by Deputy Mayor Woodard, seconded and unanimously agreed to
excuse Councilmember Bates from tonight's meeting.
1. SRTMC (Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center) Interlocal — Sean Messner
Senior Traffic Engineer Messner explained that we have been involved with the Regional Transportation
Council for at least ten years; that it is a partnership that includes our City, Spokane County, Spokane
City, WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation), STA (Spokane Transit Authority), and
SRTC (Spokane Regional Transportation Council). Mr. Messner said that the purpose of this agreement
was to give us a regional management center to help monitor traffic cameras and help promote better flow
of traffic; he said the proposed amendment continues our level of service for this year with no monetary
change as the purpose of this amendment is to formalize WSDOT as the lead agency; he said the other
terms of the agreement would continue moving forward with the status quo. Mr. Jackson added that the
initial agreement was prior to our incorporation; that we started paying dues but the interlocal was never
changed to include us; SRTC no longer operates as the lead so a new agreement was needed. Deputy
Mayor Woodard asked about the sentence on page 4 of 5, "There is nothing restricting any agency from
forming a new agreement for similar purposes as the SRTMC" and whether there are limited choices. Mr.
Messner explained that does not limit choices; that the City of Spokane has their own traffic operating
center and a direct link to SRTMC; that there is nothing preventing agencies from doing something
similar, and said we would like to do that as well. There was some discussion about bringing cable into
our building as well as a new city hall; of the opportunity to apply for CMAQ grants; and that ideally we
would like to perform those functions that are occurring now at the TMC. Mr. Jackson said that we
agreed to continue on an interim basis, there is no charge to us this year; that some entities want to
maintain the regional aspect and that we need to look at what we get for what we pay; and again that this
is an opportunity for everyone to look into this as it seems that in the future, it could be fairly economical
as well as more convenient, for us to have this in-house.
Mr. Messner said that this will be coming back to Council with one of two options: to continue with the
SRTMC, or sign another interlocal agreement or another mechanism to dissolve our participation in the
Council Study Session: 03-31-2015 Page 1 of 3
Approved by Council: 04-14-2015
SRTMC. Mr. Messner also explained that we would be looking at ownership of fiber as there are
numerous components in those traffic signals, and not a lot of documentation of who owns what. Mr.
Jackson said that since this is a one-year temporary agreement, and will need to be decided on in
November, this gives us time to gather more information in order to make a decision. Council concurred
that staff should bring this back at a future meeting.
2. University Overpass Study — Sean Messner
Traffic Engineer Messner gave Council a briefing on the Overpass Study, said the study began a few
years ago and it has turned out to be an extensive study with lots of data; said we are "coming down the
final stretches of the study" as we try to determine where we might be in 2040; said there is no crossing in
the study area and the bike/pedestrian plan shows a need for some form of crossing. He said the purpose
of this study was to identify those deficiencies and to plan for the future; said the report is in the process
of being finalized and will contain about 400 pages. Mr. Messner went over the Study's background and
purpose, goals and objectives, area in question, existing levels of service and travel time, existing
pedestrian and bike networks, showed the areas of existing transit, preliminary alternatives, and
performance measures. He then explained some of the alternatives on Argonne, such as a new southbound
lane, or a four- or six -lane diverging diamond, with the new southbound lane on Argonne as the preferred
alternative for congestion relief. Mr. Messner also discussed congestion relief for Pines, and mentioned
the preferred pedestrian/bicycle alternative for Montgomery Drive.
Discussion included mention of the idea of a bridge for bicycle traffic only versus bicycles and
automobiles; and projecting growth in neighborhoods like University or Painted Hills. Mr. Jackson said
that tonight's agenda item is informational, and if we receive grant funding for a new southbound lane on
Argonne, that would come to Council for approval; adding that Council could see more information later
for the Pines area, but won't see more infoimation on the University area for quite some time.
3. Marijuana Legislative Update — Erik Lamb
Deputy City Attorney Lamb stated that staff has been keeping close watch on several marijuana -related
bills; that last January there were about eighteen proposed bills, but now there are a few less which is
more a result of consolidation of bills rather than bills that have died. Mr. Lamb mentioned that the two
primary bills are Senate Bill 5052 and House Bill 2136; that 5052 is the reconciliation of medical and
recreational marijuana; he said he spoke with Lobbyist Briahna Taylor this morning and said there is so
much change going on with these bills, that several of them change almost daily. He said the two bills are
tied together and that 2136 is the revenue sharing bill; he said that Ms. Taylor said there is strong
confidence in Olympia that 5052 will pass in some form. Mr. Lamb said that 5052 would eliminate
collective gardens in a timed, phased -out approach with operations ceasing July 2016; but the collective
gardens have been replaced with the cooperative, which was limited to four people but now can have up
to ten with no restrictions of how the people cycle through; said they would have to register with the
Liquor Control Board, with the big issue of where they can be located; originally they had to be twenty-
five miles from a retail shop. He said the House wants it to one mile, and the Senate prefers fifteen miles.
Mr. Lamb said the Department of Health would create standards while it focuses on the THC which is the
hallucinate part, as well as the cannabidol, which is the medicinal part. Under bill 5052, Mr. Lamb
explained, people between eighteen and twenty-one can enter to purchase, and qualified patients can get
arrest protection by carrying some type of card to demonstrate patient status. Mr. Lamb said all that is
tied to 2136, the revenue sharing part which will modify the existing tax to collect a 30% single tax at the
retail level; which all boils down to very limited distribution.
Mr. Lamb mentioned there was a proposal to change the definition of "public place" to tie it to the
existing definition of public place in the title for liquor to make it clearer. Mr. Lamb mentioned that we
have commented on 2136 and other bills to try to include language regarding private consumption
lounges, but that has not yet been successful, although we are still trying. Mr. Lamb mentioned the idea
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Approved by Council: 04-14-2015
of providing more flexibility concerning the 1,000 -foot buffer, with some jurisdictions feeling that was
too restrictive while others felt it needed more flexibility. The number of allowed plants to be grown at
home was also mentioned, and Mr. Lamb said the idea of allowing everyone to grow up to six plants at
their home appears to be a dead issue. He said the bill about purchasing by minors hasn't gone anywhere
as legislators are trying to focus on the big picture for now. Mr. Lamb said this legislative session began
January 12, and the last day of the regular session will be April 26.
4. Advance Agenda — Mayor Grafos. There were no suggested changes to the Advance Agenda.
5. Council Comments — Mayor Grafos. Mayor Grafos mentioned that today is our City's twelfth birthday.
6. City Manager Comments — Mike Jackson
City Manager Jackson said that concerning Senate Bill 5694 for our lien authority, the proposal has gone
to the House Finance Committee and that they will take testimony beginning at 8:00 a.m. Friday, and that
he and City Attorney Driskell are planning to attend and comment. Mr. Jackson said the House Finance
Committee has concerns that our first lien authority might inhibit the ability to collect state property tax
which primarily supports the schools, although Mr. Jackson said he doesn't think that it would be
inhibiting; he said we will also have to straighten out the language about the combined assessment and
lien authority cap as none of the cities would appreciate limiting the ability to impose a special
assessment. Mr. Jackson said that Deputy City Manager Calhoun received an AWC (Association of
Washington Cities) action alert and he tried to contact Lobbyist Briahna Taylor about the senate budget
proposal to reduce revenue sharing for liquor to all cities of about $20 million, so over a two-year period,
that would be a $400,000 reduction for our city; and said he would like for us to oppose that reduction if
Council concurs. They all nodded in agreement. Concerning vaping lounges, Mr. Jackson said if we can't
pass some restrictions for state control, we can come back and discuss the issue more with Council to see
what we can do as a city; but said it seems the first thing would be to address consumption by minors or
over -consumption by anyone. Mr. Jackson said the Liquor Control Board does not inspect premises since
there is nothing in the laws about vaping lounges; therefore there are no rules or regulations for any
agency to make sure there are no minors in those establishments.
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Woodard, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn. The meeting
adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
ATTEST: Dean Grafos, Mayor
Christine Bainbridge, City Clerk
Council Study Session: 03-31-2015
Approved by Council: 04-14-2015
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