OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Study Session – January 14, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, January 14, 2025
BodyYakima, Washington
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, January 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:48:58

Transcript — Verbatim
3:42

All right.

3:44

Good evening, welcome.

3:46

I will call to order the January fourteenth, twenty twenty-five uh City Council study session.

3:52

We'll start with roll call.

3:54

Bird.

3:54

Here.

3:55

Brown.

3:56

Here.

3:57

Present.

3:58

DCO.

3:58

Here.

3:59

Glenn.

4:00

Here.

4:00

Erena.

4:01

Here.

4:02

Roy is absent.

4:04

Thank you.

4:05

Uh, before we go any further tonight, before we start with public comment, I'm going to make a special announcement.

4:09

Very exciting from the city of Yakima.

4:12

I'm going to stand up so you can see my FIFA World Cup scarf.

4:16

Today, Yakima was designated an official FIFA twenty twenty-six World Cup fan zone.

4:22

So we'll have lots to do getting ready, and it'll be in a very exciting time in our city.

4:26

Just wanted to let you know.

4:45

And each person coming to the podium, please identify yourself and the city in which you live.

5:00

Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council Members, staff, Kyle Curtis, proud to be your Yakima County Commissioner for District 2.

5:03

My comments tonight are on item number G, more specifically the 2163 filing fees.

5:10

First, I want to thank council for your interest in having this discussion.

5:13

This is an important discussion any time we discuss the homeless response system in Yakima County, what's working, what's not working, and then what's also on the horizon.

5:22

I also want to thank your staff for the work product they put forward for you tonight.

5:26

It's really well thought out, and it does a good job of highlighting the complexities of these uh filing fees that you will be discussing.

5:34

Uh the two things I want to share with you is that any time you think of the Yakima County homeless response system, I want you to take three steps back and look at the funding sources.

5:43

73% of the dollars that flow into our county to help us uh address homelessness come from the state.

5:49

And in order to access those dollars, we have to have an updated five-year plan to address homelessness.

5:55

The other 27% is these filing fees that you will be discussing.

6:00

And the difference is is that the state dollars that we get are very much more restricted dollars versus our local dollars.

6:07

So I always say the local dollars are precious to us because we can do cool things with those local dollars that we otherwise can't do uh with with the state dollars.

6:16

Some prime examples are making uh investments in uh capital infrastructure, such as the Camp Hope uh Laundry Center and Shower Center.

6:24

We would never be able to do that with your commerce dollars.

6:27

The second thing, uh council, I wanted to highlight that Yakima County is updating its five-year uh homeless housing strategic plan update.

6:35

This has been provided for you.

6:37

I encourage you to think of stakeholders in our community who need to be at at the table.

6:42

There are three three-day-long sessions that we have planned this next year for the update.

6:48

Um, and it's a robust plan that uh I hope we will engage over 35 different stakeholder groups so that at the end of the day, this updated plan that we have to live with for the next five years and and make annual updates, it has everything in it that we need to be successful.

7:03

So, with that, happy new year and thank you for your time.

7:06

Thank you.

7:06

Thank you.

7:07

Thank you, Commissioner.

7:07

Good to have you here.

7:12

The next person is Joseph Lewis Daniels.

7:23

Speaking for the people in the streets.

7:26

Revelation.

7:28

The revelation is given.

7:29

This is the revelation from Jesus Christ.

7:32

God gave it to him to show those who serve God what would happen soon.

7:36

God made it known by sending an angel to our servant John.

7:39

John is a witness to everything he saw.

7:42

What he saw is God's word, and what Jesus Christ has said.

7:45

Blessed is the one who reads out loud the words of this prophecy.

7:48

Blessed are those who hear it and think everything is important.

7:52

The time when these things will come true is nearer.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Homelessness█████████████████████████████29%
Procedural██████████████14%
Public Safety██████████████14%
Airport Development████████████12%
Affordable Housing██████████10%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Public Transportation███3%
Mental Health Awareness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Yakima City Council Study Session – January 14, 2025

The Yakima City Council held a study session on January 14, 2025, at 5:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered proclamations, updates on the Yakima Air Terminal modernization, two Supporting Investments in Economic Development (SIED) grant applications, a report on service calls at supportive housing facilities, and discussions on affordable housing funding options. Mayor Patricia Byers presided; Councilmember Leo Roy was absent. The meeting adjourned at 6:47 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Kyle Curtis, Yakima County Commissioner District 2 thanked the council and staff for discussing filing fee funds, noting that 73% of homelessness funding comes from the state and 27% from local filing fees. He encouraged stakeholders to participate in the update of the Yakima County Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan.
  • Joe Daniels, city resident, read a religious passage from the Book of Revelation.

Proclamations

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Proclamation: Mayor Byers proclaimed January 20, 2025, as a "Day of Service." Anthony Peterson and Reverend Robert Trimble accepted the proclamation, expressing gratitude for the city's support.
  • National Mentoring Month Proclamation: Councilmember Janice Deccio proclaimed January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month." Alicia Tobin accepted the proclamation, emphasizing the importance of mentoring for at-risk youth.

Discussion Items

  • Yakima Air Terminal Modernization Update – Airport Director Rob Hodgman presented updates on multiple projects:

    • Solar Canopy Project: Installing solar canopies on the front row of the parking lot. Total cost $1.8 million, funded by a $600,000 grant from WSDOT’s sustainable aviation program and a $1.2 million loan from the Community Aviation Revitalization Board. Annual energy savings and revenue estimated at $91,000. Premium parking will increase from $15 to $20 per day to service the loan.
    • Overflow Parking Lot: 130 spaces using recycled asphalt millings, to be developed due to construction and anticipated third flight (Portland) by summer 2025.
    • Roof and HVAC Project: Estimated cost $5–$5.75 million; rebid in January/early February, completion by fall 2025.
    • Baggage Claim Modernization: $1 million FAA grant received for a new baggage carousel; construction planned for summer 2025.
    • Ticketing Area Renovations and Baggage Screening/Cargo – Still seeking congressional directed spending and FAA grant for 2026.
    • SIED Grant Request: Staff requested authorization to apply for a $2 million SIED grant (no city match) to match federal funds for Phase 1 of the terminal modernization.

  • Resolution Authorizing SIED Grant – Airport Terminal Modernization – Resolution R-2025-018 was presented, authorizing a grant application to Yakima County for the terminal building modernization. The motion passed 6-0 (Roy absent).

  • Resolution Authorizing SIED Grant – Wiley City Wastewater Feasibility Study – Planning Manager Trevor Martin presented Resolution R-2025-019, authorizing application for approximately $120,000 in SIED funds (100% grant, no city match) to study wastewater infrastructure in the Wiley City area (outside city limits but within the Urban Growth Area). The city would act as applicant and administrator; staff time is covered by the grant. The study would not obligate the city to implement any recommendations. Councilmembers questioned why the county was not leading and whether city resources could be used for underserved areas within the city. The motion passed 4-2 (Brown and Berg opposed; Roy absent).

  • Report: Service Calls and Code Compliance at Hotels and Supportive Housing – Code Administration Manager Glenn Denman, Interim Police Chief Shawn Boyle, and Crime Analytics Supervisor Brandon Lynn presented data on 2024 service calls and code cases for hotels and supportive housing. Key findings:

    • The highest number of YPD calls came from Yakima Union Gospel Mission and Camp Hope.
    • Officer-initiated calls often included “suspicious circumstances”; radio calls ranged from unwanted guests to drug-related incidents.
    • Code Administration had only six cases related to these addresses in 2024, mostly minor.
    • The Chronic Nuisance Ordinance was discussed as an underused tool; staff are working on one property with a drafted notice and meeting to set expectations.
    • Councilmembers expressed frustration that repeat calls cost taxpayers and emphasized the need to apply the nuisance ordinance more regularly. Councilmember Rick Glenn noted that some homeless individuals refuse shelter and that legal enforcement is needed.

  • Discussion of 1406 Funds (Retained Sales Tax for Affordable Housing) – City Attorney Sara Watkins presented:

    • The city adopted HB 1406, allowing retention of 0.0073% of sales tax (approx. $806,837 total collected) for affordable housing construction, supportive housing operations, or rental assistance. Funds expire in 2040.
    • Current municipal code limits use to connecting affordable housing developments (10+ units, 50-year affordability) to water/sewer. No applicants have used the fund yet.
    • Council expressed interest in amending the ordinance to fund permanent supportive housing, which aligns with proven outcomes.

  • Information on Filing Fee Funds (2163/2060) – Attorney Watkins continued:

    • Each recorded document generates an $183 surcharge; Yakima County retains 30% and must use at least 75% for the county’s Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan.
    • The city could assert responsibility for homeless housing and receive its proportional share (estimated $484,076 for 2024 based on 2020-2024 data). This would require adopting a local plan or designating the county’s plan, and meeting reporting requirements (10% administrative cap).
    • Current funded programs include outreach, coordinated entry, emergency shelter, extreme weather shelter, domestic violence shelter, and capital improvements.

  • Additional Options Discussed – Watkins also noted:

    • An affordable housing tax (0.1% sales tax) could be imposed by council action (needs supermajority; failed in 2021). It could be restricted to permanent supportive housing.
    • The City of Olympia expanded temporary emergency homeless encampments to non-faith-based providers, which Yakima could consider.
    • Educational campaigns and fake parking meters (donation meters) were mentioned as community engagement tools.

Key Outcomes

  • Resolution R-2025-018 (Airport Terminal SIED grant) passed 6-0. The grant application will be submitted to the SIED board meeting on January 16, 2025.
  • Resolution R-2025-019 (Wiley City wastewater feasibility study SIED grant) passed 4-2. Staff will proceed with the application.
  • Council directed staff to continue working on chronic nuisance property enforcement and to bring recommendations for amending the 1406 fund ordinance to allow construction and operation of permanent supportive housing.
  • No formal action was taken on filing fee funds or the affordable housing tax; council will consider these options in future meetings.
  • The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for January 21, 2025, at 5:30 PM, preceded by an executive session at 5:00 PM.

Note: The meeting start time was 5:00 PM and adjournment at 6:47 PM. Mayor Byers also announced that Yakima was selected as an Official Fan Zone for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Good evening, welcome. I will call to order the January fourteenth, twenty twenty-five uh City Council study session. We'll start with roll call. Bird. Here. Brown. Here. Present. DCO. Here. Glenn. Here. Erena. Here. Roy is absent. Thank you. Uh, before we go any further tonight, before we start with public comment, I'm going to make a special announcement. Very exciting from the city of Yakima. I'm going to stand up so you can see my FIFA World Cup scarf. Today, Yakima was designated an official FIFA twenty twenty-six World Cup fan zone. So we'll have lots to do getting ready, and it'll be in a very exciting time in our city. Just wanted to let you know. And each person coming to the podium, please identify yourself and the city in which you live. Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council Members, staff, Kyle Curtis, proud to be your Yakima County Commissioner for District 2. My comments tonight are on item number G, more specifically the 2163 filing fees. First, I want to thank council for your interest in having this discussion. This is an important discussion any time we discuss the homeless response system in Yakima County, what's working, what's not working, and then what's also on the horizon. I also want to thank your staff for the work product they put forward for you tonight. It's really well thought out, and it does a good job of highlighting the complexities of these uh filing fees that you will be discussing. Uh the two things I want to share with you is that any time you think of the Yakima County homeless response system, I want you to take three steps back and look at the funding sources. 73% of the dollars that flow into our county to help us uh address homelessness come from the state. And in order to access those dollars, we have to have an updated five-year plan to address homelessness. The other 27% is these filing fees that you will be discussing. And the difference is is that the state dollars that we get are very much more restricted dollars versus our local dollars. So I always say the local dollars are precious to us because we can do cool things with those local dollars that we otherwise can't do uh with with the state dollars. Some prime examples are making uh investments in uh capital infrastructure, such as the Camp Hope uh Laundry Center and Shower Center. We would never be able to do that with your commerce dollars. The second thing, uh council, I wanted to highlight that Yakima County is updating its five-year uh homeless housing strategic plan update. This has been provided for you. I encourage you to think of stakeholders in our community who need to be at at the table. There are three three-day-long sessions that we have planned this next year for the update. Um, and it's a robust plan that uh I hope we will engage over 35 different stakeholder groups so that at the end of the day, this updated plan that we have to live with for the next five years and and make annual updates, it has everything in it that we need to be successful. So, with that, happy new year and thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Good to have you here. The next person is Joseph Lewis Daniels. Speaking for the people in the streets.

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