2021, 01-12 FormalMINUTES
City of Spokane Valley
City Council Regular Meeting
Formal Format
Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Mayor Wick called the meeting to order at approximately 6:00 p.m. The meeting was held in City Hall
with Council, staff and the public participating remotely via Zoom meeting.
Attendance:
Councilmembers
Ben Wick, Mayor
Brandi Peetz, Deputy Mayor
Pam Haley, Councilmember
Tim Hattenburg Councilmember
Rod Higgins, Councilmember
Linda Thompson, Councilmember
Arne Woodard, Councilmember
Staff
Mark Calhoun, City Manager
John Hohman, Deputy City Manager
Cary Driskell, City Attorney
Erik Lamb, Deputy City Attorney
Bill Helbig, Senior Engineer
Adam Jackson, Planning & Grants Engineer
Lori Barlow, Senior Planner
Connor Lange, Planner
Carrie Koudelka, Deputy City Clerk
ROLL CALL: Deputy City Clerk Koudelka called the roll; all Councilmembers were present.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA: It was moved by Deputy Mayor Peetz, seconded and unanimously agreed to
approve the agenda.
INTRODUCTION OF SPECIAL GUESTS AND PRESENTATIONS: n/a
COMMITTEE, BOARD, LIAISON SUMMARY REPORTS
Councilmembers Higgins and Woodard had nothing to report.
Councilmember Haley said that STA received their first electric bus.
Councilmember Thompson said she has been getting ready to testify with the legislature by reading bills
and learning what can be expected during the legislative session.
Deputy Mayor Peetz said she attended the Government Action Committee meeting with the Spokane Valley
Chamber of Commerce and they talked about STA's electric buses. She said STA will have a total of twenty
electric buses, starting with four in 2021. She said SRTC is lead applicant on a $2.5 million Clean Energy
grant with matching funds from Avista, STA and Electrify. She said she attended the TRU by Hilton ribbon
cutting ceremony and she said they will have 92 guest rooms, free breakfast and a full fitness center.
Councilmember Hattenburg said he attended the TRU by Hilton ribbon cutting ceremony and welcomed
the business to Spokane Valley.
MAYOR'S REPORT
Mayor Wick said he attended the TRU by Hilton ribbon cutting ceremony and he said they have a mural
that depicts many Spokane Valley historical sites; and he reported that the health district is working on
revisions to their vaccination roll out plans.
PROCLAMATION: Mayor Wick read the proclamation and proclaimed January 18, 2021 Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY 111:
Sherri Robinson, Spokane Valley, was registered to give oral public comments but was not in the Zoom
meeting.
Council Meeting Minutes, Formal: 01-12-2021 Page 1 of 3
Approved by Council: 01-26-2021
NEW BUSINESS
1. Consent Agenda: Consists of items considered routine which are approved as a group. Any member of
Council may ask that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda to be considered separately.
a. Approval of Claim Vouchers on January 12, 2021, Request for Council Action Form: $4,994,889.83
b. Approval of Payroll for Pay Period Ending December 31, 2020: $566,476.00
c. Approval of Minutes from December 22, 2020 Regular Council Meeting
d. Approval of Minutes from January 5, 2021 Study Session
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Peetz, seconded and unanimously agreed to approve the Consent Agenda.
2. First Reading Ordinance 21-001: Planned Res Dev Findings of Fact — Lori Barlow, Erik Lamb
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Peetz and seconded to suspend the rules and adopt Ordinance No. 21-001
adopting .findings of fact ,justifying the adoption of Ordinance No. 20-028 and establishment of a
moratorium on non-exempt planned residential development applications. Deputy City Attorney Lamb said
that on November 24, 2020, Council adopted an emergency moratorium on new PRD applications to allow
the City time to review existing regulations and prevent potential incompatible uses, and Council held a
public hearing on January 5th on the moratorium and the adoption of Ordinance No. 20-028. He said we
received oral and written comments as part of the public hearing and Council directed staff to bring forward
an ordinance of findings and fact in support of the moratorium. There were no registered public comments.
Vote by acclamation: in favor: unanimous. Opposed: none. Motion carried.
3. Motion Consideration: Mayoral Appointments to LTAC — Mayor Wick
It was moved by Deputy Mayor Peetz and seconded to confirm the Mayoral appointments to the Lodging
Tax Advisory Committee of Grant Guinn, representing a member authorized to collect the tax; and of
Wayne Brokaw, representing a member involved in activities authorized to be, funded by the tax, with each
of their terms beginning immediately upon appointment and expiring December 31, 2022. There were no
registered public comments. Vote by acclamation: in favor: unanimous. Opposed: none. Motion carried.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY 121:
Barb Howard, Spokane Valley, asked about properties that have not paid taxes and expressed concerns with
infrastructure.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS:
4. Montgomery & Bessie Street Vacation STV-2020-0002 — Connor Lange, Erik Lamb
Planner Lange said the Planning Commission held a public hearing on October 22, 2020 for the street
vacation for Diamond Rock/TCF Properties and received findings of fact on November 12, 2020. He said
the project is located at the intersection of Mansfield Avenue and Bessie Road, it is currently undeveloped
and considered substandard for City use and it is difficult to keep maintained. He said the Planning
Commission voted unanimously to approve the vacation proposal with ten conditions of approval. Deputy
City Attorney Lamb said that vacated right-of-way generally goes back to whence it came so in most cases
half of the vacated right-of-way goes to the property owner on either side of the vacated property. After the
public hearing, he said staff received additional information that identified that Bessie Road right-of-way
came from Vista Gardens No 4 plat and it would be appropriate that it all go back to that property owner
rather than being split. He said staff received an email from Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) stating
they are not interested in receiving any of the Montgomery vacated property and he said staff recommends
Council approve vacation and distribution of Bessie Road to the parcel from which it was originally platted
and that the entire width of Montgomery Avenue adjacent to the BNSF railway be vacated to Diamond
Rock and Montgomery Apartments, and the other small portion of Montgomery Avenue be vacated half -
width to each abutting owner. Mr. Lange said that pursuant to Resolution 07-009, Council can request
compensation for the vacated land and he said the estimated value of the properties is $26,155.74, factoring
in the appraised value and subtracting the amount the applicant paid for application processing. It was the
consensus of Council to move the street vacation forward for a first reading ordinance.
Council Meeting Minutes, Formal: 01-12-2021 Page 2 of 3
Approved by Council: 01-26-2021
5. Potential Grant Opportunity, Local Bridge Program — Adam Jackson
Planning and Grants Engineer Jackson said that WSDOT has $85 million of federal Local Bridge Program
funds for agencies statewide to apply for and the City has one eligible project, the Mission Avenue Bridge
over Evergreen, estimated at $275,000, which meets the criteria. He said the program requires a local match
of 13.5 percent. Council consensus to move forward for a future motion consideration to apply for the
grant.
6. Potential Grant Opportunity, National Highway System Asset Management — Adam Jackson
Planning and Grants Engineer Jackson said that WSDOT is administering a federally funded program called
the National Highway Asset Management Program, with $50 million to $75 million available for roads that
are on the national highway system. He said based on the scoring criteria, we have two projects that would
score well and they are Broadway Avenue from Yardley to Fancher, and Sullivan Road from Sprague to
8th. He said the grant applications are due February 8th and the awards will be announced this summer. Mr.
Jackson said staff recommends moving forward with the Broadway project. Council consensus to move
forward for a future motion consideration to apply for the grant.
7. Advance Agenda — Mayor Wick
Deputy Mayor Peetz mentioned being asked by Visit Spokane to sign in support of HB 1069 concerning
local government fiscal flexibility and asked for direction from Council. It was the consensus of Council to
sign in opposition to HB 1069. City Manager Calhoun said he would ask lobbyist Murray to sign Spokane
Valley in as opposed to HB 1069.
Mayor Wick mentioned having a joint Zoom meeting with the City of Liberty Lake to discuss the projects
planned along Barker Road. City Manager Calhoun said he will contact the Liberty Lake City Administrator
to check availability for an upcoming Tuesday evening meeting.
INFORMATION ONLY: n/a
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
Mr. Calhoun said there is a cold front moving through the region and we could get between one-half to one
inch of rain and wind gusts up to sixty miles per hour, impacting trees rooted in saturated ground. He said
Public Works crews and Senske crews are ready to address damage that may occur as a result the storm.
8. EXECUTIVE SESSION: [RCW 42.30.110(1)(b) and (1)(i)] Potential Land Acquisition and Litigation
It was moved by Councilmember Thompson, seconded and unanimously agreed to adjourn into executive
session for approximately twenty minutes to discuss land acquisition and litigation and that no action will
be taken upon return to open session. Council adjourned into executive session at 7:06 p.m. At
approximately 7:20 p.m., City Attorney Driskell announced the executive session was extended for
approximately ten minutes. At approximately 7:30 p.m., Deputy City Attorney Lamb announced the
executive session was extended for approximately ten minutes. Mayor Wick declared Council out of
executive session at 7:39 p.m. at which time it was moved by Deputy Mayor Peetz, seconded and
unanimously agreed to adjourn.
ATTEST:
Office of the City Clerk
Ben Wick, Mayor
Council Meeting Minutes, Formal: 01-12-2021
Approved by Council: 01-26-2021
Page 3 of 3