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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 07/22/1991 2043 CITY COUNCIL MEETING Special Meeting Port Angeles, Washington July 22, 1991 CALL TO ORDER - Mayor Sargent called the special meeting of the Port Angeles City Council to order SPECIAL MEETING: at 7:04 p.m. - ROLL CALL: Members Present: Mayor Sargent, Councilmen Cornell, Hallett, Lemon, Nicholson, Ostrowski and Wight. Members Absent: None. Sta. ffPresent: Manager Pomeranz, Assistant Attorney Dickson, Acting Clerk McFarland, J. Pittis, K. Ridout, J. Jimerson. Public Present: C. Alexander, J. Fairchild, B. Haselton, D. Somers, J. Jackson. LEGISLATION Discuss/Approve Matters Deputy Director of Public Works Ridout showed a video of the area proposed for the Related to Harborview Inn motel - 140 feet from the street back to the stairs. Motel Project Richard Elliott, 9500 East Mansfield Road, Shreveport, Louisiana, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be heard by the Council on such short notice. He said he intends to construct and manage an independent motel with manager's living quarters. It will contain approximately 25 rental units, with 15 parking spaces on the ground level with three floors of units. Asked to lease a portion of the street- level parking lot directly in front of the proposed motel, with the lease term for the life of the motel. Will require access from Railroad Avenue to the lower-level parking area. He requested first right of refusal to purchase the proposed leased parking area, and permission to put windows on the east and west sides of the building. Councilman Lemon asked about access to the property; i.e., entrance and exit on Front Street and Railroad Avenue. Mr. Elliott responded that the underground parking spaces would be accessed from the east and the ground floor of the motel would face west. Jean Fairchild asked Mr. Elliott about the entry to the underground parking spaces and was advised that would be through the Harbortowne parking entrance. Ms. Fairchild asked if any of the present parking spaces in that location would be eliminated and Mr. Elliott said the City would most likely re-draw the parking lot in order to gain access to the underground spaces. Only two to three parking spaces would be lost. There was considerable discussion about the proposed underground parking. Tim Haley, PADA President, suggested a two-level parking lot below the building, which Mr. Elliott countered by citing the increased construction costs for such -- parking. There was discussion about the area proposed for temporary parking for registration purposes; and Mr. Elliott said he would request the Front Street curb along his building be painted yellow to allow for temporary parking for registration purposes. The question of the number of employees was raised. Mr. Elliott assumed there would be a maximum of about five. When asked what rate per unit was proposed, Mr. Elliott said they would be competitive With the other motels in the area. Mr. Elliott said if the City would repair the retaining wall at the west side of the project site, he would repair the south wall. A member of the Downtown Association said it was necessary that the Association retain the existing parking in the Downtown. If parking is lost, the lost area should be improved with a commercial establishment which would bring more traffic Downtown. The association is responsible for parking for the Downtown. If a part -1- 2044 CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 22, 1991 LEGISLATION of it is given up without receiving something in return, they have lost a valuable (Cont'd): asset. Discuss/Approve Matters There was some discussion about the possible need for an elevator in the building, Related to Harborview Inn which is not presently planned for. To a question about how long the parking spaces Motel Project (Cont'd) would be unusable during construction, Mr. Elliott responded that once the City has the west retaining wall repaired and he can get equipment in for construction, it will not take too long. It was brought out that the Downtown Association's agreement with the City for the parking spaces reflects shared parking, not designated as this proposal would be. Although other businesses have requested parking designated in front of their operations, it has never been granted before. Mr. Elliott said he was not asking for designated parking, only a lease for the parking stalls in front of his proposed motel. If the parking area proposed for lease were declared surplus by the City, a value would be placed on it and it would be made available to the highest bidder, which would not necessarily provide Mr. Elliott with the parking spaces he needs. The Downtown Association asked for time to allow the Parking Committee to meet and study the proposal. There was some discussion about a proposed balcony. Director of Public Works Pittis said the balconies would not extend beyond the property lines. The Code · requires that not. all of the.side yard ~etback can be taken up with amenities, such as balconies, and a variance is not an option in such a case. Mayor Sargent observed there appeared to be general agreement among the Downtown Association that they were in favor of the proposal. The City Attorney will have to look at the agreement with the Downtown Parking Association and determine what options are available. She asked if the Down~A,w~.~Association could ~ come up with some sort of proposal within the next several'~iSs and was advised there is a general meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 24th, at which the matter will be discussed and hopefully a solution proposed. A five-minute break was taken at 8:15 P.M. The meeting reconvened at 8:21 P.M. Mayor Sargent asked about the possibility of meeting Mr. Elliott's request for first right of refusal if the City should ever decide to sell the property on either or both the east and west sides of the proposed motel. Asst. Attorney Dickson said the legality of that would have to be checked. Councilman Cornell asked why the west retaining wall had not yet been repaired. Director of Public Works Pittis said repairing the retaining wall was a multi-step procedure, which would cost approximately $60,000, which funds have not been designated. Councilman Cornell asked where the funds would come from. The response was to budget it next year; or if it were to be done immediately, the funds would have to come from General Fund reserves. Councilman Lemon asked if the retaining wall could be utilized by Mr. Elliott as a part of his construction, i.e. party wall. Director Pittis said it cannot be so used. Councilman Hallett moved that the Council agree to repair the west retaining wall, to be completed within six months. Councilman Lemon seconded the motion, contingent upon the proposed project going through. Mr. Elliott was comfortable with the six-month period. Councilman Lemon suggested holding all matters in abeyance until the Downtown Association comes back with a positive response. The City will fix the wall if the proposal goes through. Mayor Sargent re-stated the motion: The City will agree to rebuild the west retaining wall at a cost of $60,000, the funds to be taken out of the general fund 'reserves, 'and the woe v~ill be completed within four months of the issuance of a _building permit. On call for. the,question the motion carried unanimously. ~a,H'~q Mr. Elliott said the south retaining wall would be repaired at the same time construction starts on his building. There was some discussion about access, both to the underground parking and to Railroad Avenue. The issue of windows on both east and west sides of the building. A five-foot easement would solve that problem. With respect to the proposed canopy at the west entrance to the building, Mr. Elliott said he would comply with whatever 2045 CITY COUNCIL MEETING July 22, 1991 LEGISLATION (Cont'd) Discuss/Approve Matters is in the Code. Director Pittis said a canopy could not be constructed over Related to Harborview property which Mr. Elliott does not own. Regarding the painting of the Front Inn Mot e 1 P roj e ct Street curb yellow, Director Pittis said the City would look at the entire block and (Cont'd) could set aside certain loading zones, including possibly this area. It is Mr. Elliott's request that the stairs from the Front Street side of the lower-level parking lot be moved so they would not be in front of his proposed building. Manager Pomeranz asked if it was possible to assure Mr. Elliott would receive a building permit in exchange for all the concessions he is making, suggesting the bottom line be that everything is contingent upon Mr. Elliott obtaining a building permit. Mr. Elliott said he would be returning to Louisiana on July 29th and asked if he could have some assurance by Friday, July 26th or Monday, July 29th. If this project should fall through, he is looking at another piece of property out of town, and before he leaves, he will purchase either the proposed site or the parcel of out of town property. Assistant Attorney Dickson itemized the issues which he is supposed to review, including access, right of first refusal, and windows/balconies. Manager Pomeranz said staff would develop a document covering all the questions, issues, and contingencies, which will go before the Council on August 6th for action. ADJOURNMENT: The meeting adjourned at 8:59 p.m. CC.224 -3-