Tacoma City Council Meeting - August 20, 2024
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Tacoma City Council Meeting - August 20, 2024
The Tacoma City Council met on August 20, 2024, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included adoption of consent agenda items, proclamations, recognition of Bruce Kendall, a presentation by Jobs 253 interns, public comments, approval of a $1.5 million settlement, appointments, purchase resolutions, and a first reading on an ordinance to extend the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District moratorium. A council statement responding to the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition letter to the Department of Justice was also adopted.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of several committee meetings (items 1-5).
- Approved minutes of joint study sessions with Port of Tacoma and Public Utility Board (items 6-7).
- Resolution No. 41510: Authorized an interlocal agreement with the Port of Tacoma for $30,000 for interpretive signage and a viewfinder at the McKinley Overlook. Councilmember Sidalgay highlighted the community-led project aimed at transforming an unsafe area, noting construction began the day before.
- Resolution No. 41511: Authorized an interlocal agreement with the City of Fircrest for $204,691.04 (including contingency) from the Streets Initiative Fund for joint construction on South Orchard and Center Streets.
- The consent agenda was adopted unanimously.
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County Day: Proclaimed August 22, 2024, in recognition of 136 years of service. Representatives thanked the council for past legislation on pet deposits and the cat declaw ban.
- Recognition of Bruce Kendall: Honored for his 25 years as CEO of the Economic Development Board. Councilmembers praised his optimism, leadership during COVID, and efforts to make economic development more inclusive. Mr. Kendall thanked the council and emphasized teamwork.
Presentations
- Jobs 253 Intern Presentation: Cassidy Maruska and Ann Jacobson Mori spoke about their summer internships with the city council. They described learning about local government, building connections, and developing leadership skills. They encouraged youth to get involved. Councilmembers commended their participation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Heidi G. (regarding Agenda Item 18/groundwater moratorium): Criticized the lack of impervious surface limits in the moratorium, arguing the city should be proactive. Supported councilmember Scott's concerns about diesel truck impacts. Also questioned the speed of code updates and developer influence.
- Kathy Irwin (on groundwater moratorium extension): Supported the extension but criticized delays, suggesting ulterior motives. Raised concerns about the Urban Design Project Review Board’s ability to grant exceptions and the need for transparent, science-based updates.
- Jamie (on groundwater moratorium): Thanked Councilmember Scott for asking about impervious surfaces. Noted no follow-up from previous study sessions. Opposed the South Tacoma mega warehouse, citing vacant warehouse space and alleged negative impacts. Criticized the city manager’s accountability.
- Stacey Yokes (on groundwater moratorium): Supported the extension until the code update is finalized. Expressed feeling unheard and challenged council members to spend a day without water to understand the importance of aquifer protection.
- April Smith (on Resolution 41512 and Ordinance 28977): Supported the moratorium extension and commended Councilmember Sidalgay’s engagement. Urged the council to think of future generations regarding water quality.
- Michelle Rajatuta (on Humane Society Day): Shared a personal story about her cat and advocated for animal rights, including a future community cat ordinance. Thanked Deputy Mayor Hines for the declaw ban.
Discussion Items
- Item 13 - Settlement Authorization: The council approved a $1.5 million settlement in the case of The Estate of Wesley Evans v. City of Tacoma related to a 2017 fatality collision with a Tacoma Rail train. The motion passed unanimously.
- Item 14 - Appointments (Resolution 41512 Substitute): The council adopted a substitute resolution updating council member appointments to standing committees, boards, and commissions, including appointing Councilmember Sidalgay to the Community Council liaison role and Councilmember Diaz as alternate for Community Vitality and Safety. Councilmember Sidalgay also became the alternate for the Association of Washington Cities Board.
- Item 15 - Communication on Salary Commission: City Attorney Chris Bacher explained that the Citizen Commission on Elected Salaries’ decision on council salaries is implemented automatically under state law; no council action required.
- Item 16 - Purchase Resolution (Intersection Improvements): Awarded a contract to Global Contractors, LLC for $2,254,624.80 (including contingency) for 21 intersection improvements (curb ramps, sidewalks, bulb-outs, etc.). Approved unanimously.
- Item 17 - Purchase Resolution (MLK Jr. Way Improvements): Awarded a contract to Global Contractors, LLC for $2,441,507.50 (including contingency) for sidewalk and streetscape improvements from South 15th to South 19th Street along Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Approved unanimously.
- Item 18 - First Reading of Ordinance (Groundwater Moratorium Extension): Adam Nolan presented a six-month extension of the interim land use regulations in the South Tacoma Groundwater Protection District. The current moratorium, set to expire September 20, 2024, would be extended until March 20, 2025. Councilmember Daniels asked whether adding impervious surface standards could affect residential development; staff confirmed it could include roofs, sidewalks, etc. The ordinance was set for final reading on August 27, 2024.
- Council Statement in Response to DOJ Letter: Deputy Mayor Hines moved to adopt a statement filed with the city clerk in response to the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition’s letter to the Department of Justice. The motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda adopted (including Resolutions 41510 and 41511).
- $1.5 million settlement authorized (item 13).
- Substitute Resolution 41512 adopted (revised appointments).
- Purchase Resolutions 41513 and 41514 adopted.
- Ordinance 28977 (groundwater moratorium extension) set for final reading on August 27, 2024.
- Council statement in response to DOJ letter adopted.
- City Manager reported award to Joe Franco (Advancing the Profession Award) and Maria Teresa Gomez (Social Justice Award).
- Upcoming events announced: TPD Health and Safety Fair (Aug 24), Bill Evans Place naming and Proctor Food Fest (Aug 24-25), Hilltop Street Fair (Aug 24).
Meeting Transcript
I would like to call to order the city council meeting of August 20th, 2024. Clerk, will you please call the roll? Councilmember Bushnell. President Councilmember Daniels. Councilmember Diaz. Deputy Mayor Hines. Here. Councilmember Rumba. Here. Councilmember Sidalgay. Here. Councilmember Scott. Here. Councilmember Walker. Here. Mayor Woodards. Here. Please join me in listening to the land acknowledgement and the flag salute led by Councilmember Diaz, followed by a moment of silence. We gratefully honor and acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Pialla people where they speak their home or where they make their home and speak the Lashut Seed language. Please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence. I'm glad we sue the flag of the United States of America. And so they're outlet for which stance mode under God agenda modifications. We have two modifications to tonight's agenda. Item number 14 to consider a substitute resolution 41512 to revive several council member appointments. And item 18A, consideration of a motion to adopt a statement of the council. The proposed substitution resolution can be found of city at cityofdachoma.org/slash council meetings. Any wish anyone wishing to comment on resolution number 41512 may do so during public comment. Are there any additional modifications to the agenda this evening? All right. Seeing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda. I move I move to adopt the consent agenda, including resolutions resolutions number 41510 and 41511. Second. All right, are there any council questions, comments, or corrections? All right, Councilmember Sidalgi, I'm gonna call on you. Hi. Um so this is in regard to resolution 41510, and it's really fun to be voting on accepting money instead of spending money, so that's kind of fun. Uh, but I did want to talk about this. Um the McKinley Overlook project was identified by the community through a deep process of co-creation. Um uh through the McKinley neighborhood plan. And if you're not from the east side or from the area, you may not know why this project is so important. Um the McKinley Overlook has tragically been a really unsafe place where multiple homicides have occurred, and neighbors are really afraid to go to. Uh this project aims to transform this area to a place that celebrates Tacoma, the port, and the ancestral home of the Piala people. And in so doing, bringing positivity to our community. As we uh vote to authorize this um agreement, let's also take a moment to recognize and celebrate that the construction for it started yesterday. It looks awesome, actually. Um just to remind the rest of the council and and people listening. The project will narrow the street, it will deep, it'll add new amenities, including landscaping, new trash cans, and lighting. It'll provide ADA accessible sidewalks and ramps, which we sorely need to allow everyone to experience the beauty of that view. Uh further activation in the next year will include uh community uh community planting day, temporary and permanent art, interpretive signage, and wayfinding sites uh signage and viewfinders, and I believe specifically the viewfinders is what this uh amount of money is going to uh support. Um I've had the opportunity of joining the McKinney uh community members and neighborhood uh planning team to be part of the public life evaluation.
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