Council members voice concern about confusing language

By Shawn Skager

The Courier-Herald

Buckley City Council members voted 6-0 in favor of officially adopting the city's new comprehensive plan at their regularly scheduled Nov. 22 meeting.

Two years in the works, the plan is mandated by state law and outlines future growth of the city.

City Planner Dan Staley, who along with the city's Planning Department arrived at the plan, was visibly relieved to see the fruits of his labor adopted without a dissenting vote.

&#8220That they voted unanimously to adopt this speaks well of all the hard work by the planning commission and everybody else who worked on this,” Staley said.

Before voting on the ordinance, several city council members voiced concerns with a couple of the particulars of the plan.

&#8220I found some of the language confusing,” councilwoman and mayor-elect Pat Johnson said. &#8220For the layperson reading this it may be hard to understand.”

Johnson also voiced concern about the minimum lot size requirements for the three residential zoning categories.

&#8220I've always thought of a city as having more houses (per acre) in the center of the town, then having more land as you go out from the city,” she said.

Currently the city's residential zones are marked for minimum lot sizes of 20,000, 8,000 and 6,000 square feet.

Councilwoman Beverly Schneider also chimed in.

&#8220I appreciate the mixed use zoning, but I wish there was more,” she said.

Staley explained the mixed use zoning - which would group residential with light commercial, creating a destination point within neighborhoods - was reduced from original levels following input from residents.

The City of Buckley's comprehensive plan is available for viewing at the city's Web site, www.cityofbuckley.com/oldsite, by following the links to City Services and Building and Planning Department.

In other business, the council played host to a visit from 31st District Representative Jan Shabro.

Shabro, who represents Buckley in the Legislature, outlined upcoming projects for the next legislative session.

&#8220It's a short session, only 60 days,” Shabro said. &#8220Generally there is a lot of noise and not much action. But I hope to see some action, especially on the Rainier School.”

Shabro said she is on several governor-appointed committees and plans to fight for the continued use of the Rainier School by the state's Department of Social and Health Services.

Shabro acknowledged there is a move under way to transfer care for developmentally disabled people from residential institutions, such as Rainier School, to community based care, a philosophy she disagrees with.

&#8220I will continue to fight for the Rainier School,” she said.

Shabro also discussed obtaining money for various transportation projects in the district.

&#8220I've worked really hard to make sure our district got a large portion of roads money,” she said.

&#8220You can rest assured that I will again look out for my district's best interests this year,” Shabro said.

The council also voted to levy two new property taxes for 2006.

After a public hearing, the council voted 6-0 to levy a 1 percent increase in property taxes in the city.

It's estimated the city will collect $652,965 in property taxes in 2006, with $14,352 coming from the increase.

According to City Administrator Dave Schmidt, even with the increase Buckley's average property owner will be paying less in 2006. The city's share of property taxes, based on property assessed at $200,000, will decrease from $474 to $425.

&#8220It's actually a reduction because of dilution in the city's assessed value,” he said.

The council also voted 6-0 to levy an additional 1 percent increase in property tax to fund emergency medical service in the city.

The city's will net $136,624 for EMS, with $2,500 coming from the increase.

Again, based on a $200,000 property, the EMS tax is actually a reduction from $100 to about $88, Schmidt said.

&#8220Unfortunately, the increased demand on EMS by new construction is actually more than the 1 percent increase,” Buckley Fire Chief Alan Predmore said. &#8220What we find is that with a six-year levy we just get further behind. It's almost a give and take.”

In other business the council voted 6-0 to award IMCO Construction a bid in the amount of almost $925,600 to construct a new dewatering building at the Wastewater treatment plant.

The construction will be the first step in the upgrade of Buckley's sewer plant.

The City Council will meet Friday for a full council workshop to discuss the proposed new fire station and a suggested helmet law. A regular city council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Dec. 13. The meeting will feature the final budget presentation, which will be on the agenda for adoption.

Shawn Skager can be reached at sskager@courierherald.com.