Olympia City Council Business Meeting: Cooper Recognition, PBIA Rate, Tenant Screening – December 17, 2025

The Olympia City Council held its final regular business meeting of 2025 with all seven council members present: Mayor Dontae Payne, Mayor Pro Tem Yến Huỳnh, and Councilmembers Jim Cooper, Clark Gilman, Kelly Green, Dani Madrone, and Robert Vanderpool. The meeting was held in Council Chambers, online, and by phone. It included a special recognition for outgoing Councilmember Cooper, public comment, a large consent calendar, a public hearing on the 2026 Parking Business Improvement Area (PBIA) rate, a first-reading vote on tenant screening changes, a 2025 year-end video, and council and city manager reports. The minutes record the meeting as Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.; this summary uses the supplied date of December 17, 2025. The PBIA public hearing was open from 8:07 p.m. to 8:08 p.m., and the meeting adjourned at 9:08 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• The council adopted the consent calendar unanimously (7-0). It included the December 9, 2025 minutes; bill and payroll certifications totaling $2,370,072.67 in direct deposit transmissions for payroll periods October 15, 2025 through November 30, 2025, and $33,048,351.06 in claim expenditures from September 11, 2025 through December 3, 2025.
• The council authorized playground equipment purchases for Yelm Highway Community Park through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract.
• The council authorized an agreement with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission for a Target Zero grant.
• The council authorized renewal of the lease with Senior Services for South Sound for space at The Olympia Center.
• The council authorized a contract with Gordon Truck Centers, Inc., doing business as Freightliner Northwest, for two step vans.
• As part of the consent calendar, the council adopted second-reading ordinances for the Olympia 2045 Comprehensive Plan and associated development regulations; the fourth quarter budget amendment; permit fees; impact fees; utility rates, fees, and charges; alternative public works contracting procedures; parking code amendments; and the 2026 operating, special funds, and capital budget and 2026-2031 Capital Facilities Plan.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mark Kitabayashi, president of a Thurston County realtor organization, thanked Councilmember Cooper for his service. He reported that the November 8 regional home buyer expo, with Olympia as a strategic partner, drew 80 targeted attendees, about 75 of whom stayed for the seminar; three attendees are closing on homes in December and about a dozen are on the way to buying their first home. He also said the next seminar will be on April 18 at The Olympia Center. He expressed concern that regulations are pushing small homeowners and investors out of Olympia, saying he lost a client with five rental units in the city, and urged the council to consider consequences on the other side.
• Heather Spradun, a property manager for 12 years, said she did not have as many concerns about the Social Security number proposal, but argued the 2.5-times-income rule would increase delinquency and set tenants up for failure. She said her properties require 2.5 times total household income and already face 20% to 25% of tenants who are regularly late or carry past due balances, and that rental assistance waitlists are full or closed. She offered to work with the council on a more reasonable solution.
• Judy Bardin urged the council not to regulate tenant screening, saying recent rental regulations should be allowed to settle before adding more. She stated that as of August only 28% of units were registered under the rental registry, predicted problems once the rental inspection process is fully underway, and argued the city's rental surveys are biased and flawed. She said small landlords use a hands-on approach, and raised concerns about combined-income rules and difficulty screening tenants without Social Security numbers.
• Rob Penny and Thomas Benson did not join online. Councilmembers responded by acknowledging the comments; Mayor Pro Tem Huỳnh said she would bring up letting current changes settle when the council sets its 2026 work plan and appreciated the offer of collaboration.

Special Recognition of Outgoing Councilmember Jim Cooper

• The council read and presented a proclamation honoring Councilmember Cooper's 15 years of service, including his work on the finance committee, support for law enforcement and firefighter disability boards, regional and tribal partnerships, and the Kato, Japan sister city relationship.
• Councilmembers, City Manager Jay Burney, Public Works Director Mark Russell, Parks, Arts, and Recreation Director Sylvana Niehuser, former City Manager Steve Hall, ORCAA representative Jeff Johnston, State Representative Lisa Parshley, former Parks Director Paul Simmons, former mayors Bob Jacobs and Doug Mah, and former Councilmember Renata Rollins shared appreciation for Cooper's service, financial leadership, compassion, and role in creating the Metropolitan Park District, which Paul Simmons noted passed with a 60% supermajority and has leveraged over $12 million in state and federal funds.
• Gifts included a plaque, a framed council photo, a mayor's coin, flowers for his family, and a street sign from Public Works. Parks Director Niehuser announced that a cedar tree of life would be planted at Kettleview Park on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. with a plaque recognizing Cooper.
• Councilmember Cooper thanked his family and community, said he helped appoint four current council members but was not himself appointed, and stated he plans to stay active as a housing authority commissioner and has no current plans to run for public office.

Discussion Items

2026 Parking Business Improvement Area (PBIA) Rate – Public Hearing

• Economic Development Director Jennica Machado presented the proposed ordinance. She explained that the PBIA was created in 2005 when 60% of downtown businesses petitioned to form a self-taxing district, currently represents about 500 businesses, and has an average nonpayment rate around 5% to 10%. Rates are based on business size by full-time equivalent employees: small 1-3, medium 4-6, and large 7 or more.
• Machado said the PBIA Advisory Board decided in 2024 that a comprehensive program evaluation was needed, set the 2025 rate to zero to allow time for the evaluation, selected Common Bridges as the evaluation consultant in October 2025, and expects the evaluation to be completed by the end of February 2026. The ordinance would keep the 2026 assessment rate at $0 effective January 1, 2026.
• The PBIA Advisory Board voted unanimously to support the ordinance. Mayor Payne opened the public hearing at 8:07 p.m.; no one testified, and the hearing closed at 8:08 p.m. The council approved the ordinance on first and final reading by a 7-0 vote.

Tenant Screening Ordinance – First Reading

• Senior Housing Program Specialist Christa Lenssen presented a proposed ordinance amending Olympia Municipal Code 5.82. Council direction followed a November 2024 Land Use and Environment Committee discussion, a March 2025 study session, and a community survey open for three weeks in July and August that received 283 responses.
• The ordinance would limit income-to-rent requirements to no more than 2.5 times monthly rent, allow combined household income to qualify, and allow landlords to request a co-signer or successful rental payment history if income requirements are not met. It would allow landlords to request, but not require, Social Security numbers and require them to accept alternative documentation to verify identity and financial eligibility. It would not prevent landlords from rejecting applicants based on unfavorable screening results or complying with federal legal obligations.
• Survey findings cited by staff: 84% of landlords reported verifying applicants' income; 55% of renters and service providers reported applications rejected because income was too low; more than half of Olympia renting households are housing cost burdened; 69% of landlords and property managers require a Social Security number; and 57% of survey respondents said they have no alternative process for applicants without one.
• Staff also provided an update on education efforts, including a November webinar with the Fair Housing Center of Washington and guidance added to the city's landlord information webpage and emailed to rental registry subscribers. An April 2026 implementation date was referenced in the presentation and council discussion.
• Councilmember Madrone, chair of the land use committee, explained that the committee considered broader limitations on considering criminal, eviction, or credit history but chose not to move those forward due to implementation complexity and potential for bias. Councilmember Gilman spoke in favor, and Councilmember Cooper supported the ordinance, noting he is an Olympia landlord and found the city's rental resources helpful. Councilmember Green opposed, saying she did not think the council had sufficiently engaged housing providers who must implement the changes and felt the pace of rental regulation changes had been too fast; she said she could have supported the Social Security number provision alone.
• The council approved the ordinance on first reading and forwarded it to second reading by a 6-1 vote, with Councilmember Green voting no. It is due back before the council on January 6, 2026.

2025 Year-End Highlights

• Assistant City Manager Stacey Ray presented a three-minute video produced by the Strategic Communications team, summarizing city accomplishments and challenges in 2025, including the transition of the municipal court to Thurston County, voter-approved initiatives, major projects, budget work, and staff contributions.
• Councilmembers thanked staff and noted that the video could not capture all of the city's work. Mayor Payne welcomed incoming Councilmember-elect Paul Barrett and wished the community happy holidays.

Council Reports and City Manager’s Report

• Councilmember Gilman reported on a quarterly consultation on refugee resettlement, noting a federal pause on processing citizenship and work authorization for refugees and asylum seekers, and that community organizations, local government, and state government are working to support affected residents.
• Mayor Pro Tem Huỳnh reported on an Experienced Olympian Beyond board meeting that included discussion of the county's request for a seat at the table; the board voted to welcome Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier, with Commissioner Rachel Grant as alternate. The board also discussed fan zone watch parties and Canopy Journey planning.
• City Manager Jay Burney thanked staff and council members and gave year-end gifts.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar adopted unanimously (7-0).
• PBIA assessment rate set at $0 for 2026 by ordinance on first and final reading (7-0).
• Tenant screening ordinance advanced to second reading on a 6-1 vote; Councilmember Green dissented.
• Councilmember Cooper recognized; memorial tree planting scheduled for December 18, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. at Kettleview Park.
• Next regular council business meeting will be January 6, 2026.