Yakima City Council Regular Meeting - February 4, 2025

The Yakima City Council held a regular business meeting on February 4, 2025, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included public comments, recognition of 25 years of service, the swearing-in of a new police chief, approval of consent items, four public hearings, a department item on stormwater tax allocation, a discussion of billing non-residents for emergency services, and council reports on home occupations and affordable housing incentives. The meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes from the January 21, 2025 regular meeting.
• Resolution R-2025-022 setting a hearing date of February 18, 2025, to amend the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program and Capital Facilities Element.
• Resolution R-2025-023 authorizing a contract with Iron Horse, LLC for CIPP Rehabilitation of the Rudkin Road Trunk Sewer Main Project SC2819.
• Resolution R-2025-024 authorizing Task Order 2025-01 with HLA Engineering and Land Surveying, Inc. for engineering services for the Yakima Arboretum Force Main Rehabilitation Project SC2819.
• Resolution R-2025-025 authorizing a grant agreement with the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board for the 72nd Avenue and W. Washington Avenue Roundabout Project 2517.
• Resolution R-2025-026 authorizing acceptance of the 2024 City Safety Program HSIP award for E. Nob Hill Blvd. and S. 18th St. Safety Improvements Project 2843.
• Ordinance No. 2025-001 (Second Reading) creating a Special Revenue Fund 133 “Aquatics Facilities Fund.”

All consent items were approved by a 7-0 roll call vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Gale Smart, Yakima resident, spoke on behalf of undocumented farmworkers, expressing their fear and the difficulty of the immigration process. She urged the council to consider their contributions.
• Andrew Reyes, City resident, spoke about trust, evacuation orders, climate change, and revenue claims, requesting support from the military or National Guard.
• Mireya Chavez and Anselmo Mendoza introduced students from La Casa Hogar who are learning about local government and pursuing citizenship.
• Patricia Hoendermis, Yakima resident, expressed support for the MLK Aquatic Center but raised concerns about future maintenance costs, noting a $400,000 shortfall at the Eastside pool and the high expense of outdoor pools. She urged that increased tax revenues be used for all city pools.
• Mark Peterson, Yakima County resident and downtown business owner, described an assault he experienced downtown and said his Facebook post about it received over 75 shares and comments calling downtown unsafe. He urged the council to adopt “broken windows” policing and address homelessness.
• Joe Daniels, City resident, read a religious passage from Revelation.
• Tony Courcy, City resident, complained about city inaction on crosswalks, property issues, and a ghost employee contract.

Public Hearing Testimony

• 8A – Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program: No public testimony; hearing closed.
• 8B – Aspen Estates Phase 3: Joseph Calhoun, HLA Engineering, spoke in support of the 15-lot subdivision. No other testimony.
• 8C – Occidental Place: Joseph Calhoun spoke in support of the 12-lot subdivision and supported removing soil sampling condition B. No other testimony.
• 8D – Right-of-Way Vacation for N. 68th Ave:
  • Jeff Peters, PLSA Engineering (representing Tom Durant), read a statement supporting vacation, citing substandard road conditions, safety concerns from shortcut traffic, and the city’s failure to maintain the road. He asked that regardless of the decision, the city assist with traffic calming.
  • Ted Palmatier, Yakima resident, supported vacation, noting the road has been privately maintained since 1907, with neighbors spending ~$8,000 on the petition process. He emphasized safety risks from speeding vehicles on a narrow, blind hill.
  • Dr. Barry Bernfeld, Yakima resident, supported vacation, noting the city’s lack of maintenance, safety for pedestrians/cyclists, and that the majority of abutting property owners favored the petition.
  • Jeanna Hernandez, City resident, opposed vacation, arguing that vacating streets sets a bad precedent and that safety issues are not unique to this road.

Discussion Items

• Council Discussion of Home Occupations: Deputy Mayor Brown presented proposed text changes to streamline home occupation permits, including exempting low-impact businesses (no customer visits, no non-resident employees, no signage). After discussion about parking, medical procedures, and catering, council directed the Planning Commission to include the changes in a future comprehensive plan discussion. Motion carried 7-0.
• Ordinance Allocating 5% Stormwater Utility Tax for Pool Operations: Parks and Recreation Manager Ken Wilkinson explained the ordinance (2025-002) would allocate an estimated $220,000 annually from the stormwater in-lieu tax to the Aquatics Facilities Fund for operational expenses of all city pools. The $719,000 in ARPA funds already allocated for the MLK pool would not be supplanted. After discussion about maintenance costs and future YMCA pool obligations, the ordinance passed 6-1 (Councilmember Berg voting no).
• Discussion of Billing Non-Residents for Emergency Fire and Police Services: Lt. Ira Cavin presented on DUI emergency response cost recovery under RCW 38.52.430, which allows recovery of up to $2,500 per incident for police, fire, and public works responses. YPD currently collects about $20,000–$30,000 annually from DUI-related incidents. Expansion to fire and public works could be implemented. Senior Assistant City Attorney Ryan Bleek stated there is no statutory authority to charge non-residents separately for emergency services. Council expressed appreciation for the information.
• Other Business: Councilmember Brown moved to direct staff to bring back to the next council business meeting a change to Yakima Municipal Code Section 7.92 (Affordable Housing Incentive Program) to adopt broader state statute requirements, allowing more flexibility with 1406 funds. Motion carried unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Recognition: Royale Schneider was recognized for 25 years of service to the City of Yakima.
• Oath of Office: Shawn Boyle was sworn in as Police Chief. Remarks were made by City Manager Vicki Baker, Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram, Yakima County Sheriff Bob Udell, and council members.
• Public Hearing 8A: Resolutions R-2025-027 (amending the Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program) and R-2025-028 (amending the Capital Facilities Element) were adopted by 7-0 vote.
• Public Hearing 8B: Resolution R-2025-029 approving the preliminary plat of Aspen Estates Phase 3 (15-lot subdivision) was adopted by 7-0 vote, affirming the Hearing Examiner’s recommendation.
• Public Hearing 8C: Resolution R-2025-030 approving the preliminary plat of Occidental Place (12-lot subdivision) was adopted by 7-0 vote, with a modification to remove condition B (soil sampling) from the Hearing Examiner’s recommendation.
• Public Hearing 8D: Resolution R-2025-031 denying the right-of-way vacation petition for a portion of N. 68th Ave. was adopted by a 5-2 vote (Councilmembers Brown and Deccio voting no).
• Ordinance 2025-002 amending Municipal Code Section 3.131.010 (Aquatic Facilities Fund) passed 6-1.
• Home Occupation Changes referred to the Planning Commission for inclusion in a future comprehensive plan discussion.
• Affordable Housing Incentive Program changes to be brought to the next council business meeting.
• Next Meeting: City Council study session on February 11, 2025, at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers.