MEETING AGENDA
Council of Neighborhood Associations (CNA)
Monday, March 11 2019
6:30 – 8:30 PM
- 6:30 PM Welcome, Introductions and Update from Councilmen Gilman
- 6:45 PM Introduction of the Neighborhood Policing Unit
- 7:00 PM Neighborhood Matching Grant Program and CNA Application
- 7:10 PM PSE, Olympia Public Works, and the recent winter storm [tentative]
- 7:30 PM Update on the City’s Homelessness Response efforts
- 8:00 PM Networking: Be prepared to name both one positive and one negative thing you observed in your neighborhood during the recent storm.
Council of Neighborhood Associations (CNA) Minutes
Date: Monday, March 11, 2019 Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Location: Olympia City Hall, 601 4th Ave, Room 207, Olympia WA
Present: Officers: Chair, Denise Pantelis, Cain Road Area. Vice Chair, Dave Marty, Indian Creek.
Co-secretary, Marty Worcester, Redwood Estates. Members: Angie Warner-Rein Bigelow Highlands. Bob Jacobs, Governor Stevens. Bruce Coulter, Northwest Olympia. Clydia Cuykendall, Ward Lake Heights. Don Law East Bay Drive. Jackie Stone. Wildwood. Jacque Ellis, Castlewood. Jim Sweeney Eastside. Julie Garner, Wilderness, Mark Toy, Southwest Olympia. Mike Gowrylow Lakemoor Community Club at Ken Lake. Rachael Newman, South Capitol. Tim Kenney, Downtown.
City Representatives: Leonard Bauer (Community Planning), Clark Gilman (City Council), Olympia Police Department, Neighborhood Police Unit: Community Programs Coordinator, Olympia Police Department Rebekah Ziesemer, Sergeant Paul Frailey, Officer George Clark, and Officer, Mike Peters, Rich Hoey, Director of Public Works, Amy Buckler (Community Planning).
1. Minutes: The minutes of January 14th Meeting of CNA were approved as submitted.
2. Introductions: All those present introduced themselves.
3. Neighborhood Policing Unit
a. Four persons were introduced from the Neighborhood Police Unit initiated in January of this year. They are to be able to respond to neighborhood issues (such as drugs and nuisances) more quickly than was possible in the past. Rebekah Ziesemer is the Program Coordinator. Sergeant Paul Frailey is in charge of the unit. Officer Mike Peters is assigned to westside neighborhoods and Officer George Clark is assigned to eastside neighborhoods. They have already been out patrolling the neighborhoods and investigating issues. They are willing to come to neighborhood association meetings to develop relationships in their respective areas. The unit can be contacted through the Olympia Police Department at 360-753-8300 or through their web site email contact.
4. CNA Application Proposal for a Neighborhood Matching Grant
a. David Marty presented a Neighborhood Matching Grant Application proposal for Skills Training for CNA members. Two options were described. The content involves conflict resolution and community organizing to increase public participation in the community planning process. One or two members from each association could attend. Option 1 is 2 half-day workshops (one in the early summer and the second in the fall). Option 2 is a 3 full-day workshop and is offered through the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2). The grant would provide the dollars to pay for the workshop and our voluntary participation would be CNA’s match without any monetary cost to attendees. Option 2 was considered not feasible for our members given most of us work full time.
b. DECISION: Moved, seconded and agreed to apply for Option 1 with one abstention. The Application is due April 18th. David Marty will submit the grant.
5. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Presentation on February Winter Snow Storm response.
a. Christine Hoffman reported on PSE’s process for responding to power outages during the snow storm the week of February 12th. Safety is their first priority such as key hospitals and nursing homes need attention first, and then damage assessment. Big transition lines causing large area shortages must be addressed before smaller residential area outages. A free app that can be downloaded to your phone myPSE app so anyone can speedily communicate outages and customers can see exactly where the outages are, the estimated time for power restoration, and when power has been restored. What made it so difficult with this storm was that snow was so deep and continuous that roads would be covered shortly after they were cleared, and even big equipment got stuck and could not get to the sources of power outage. The handout Electric system reliability given out can be found on-line at pse.com/systemreliability.
6. Public Works February Snow Storm Report
a. Rich Hoey, Public Works Director reported on the way Public Works responds to removal of ice and snow. Their focus is to clear main arteries first and access to critical medical facilities, then bridges and major hills. They have in place for any storm a map that tells them what to address first and where problems are likely. They have 7 plows to deploy. Once primary routes are okay, then they go to collector streets from larger first. Low volume residential streets are last. The difficulty with this storm was re-accumulation of snow once cleared and having to return to the same areas and start over. Rich opened the floor for comment.
b. Questions were raised about why more equipment was not available. Rich responded because these storms are so rare, funding required for the equipment and attendant liability did not make it feasible for the city to do. Emergency contracts with private companies are not feasible due to cost of insurance that must be maintained when contracts are rarely used. He advised that neighborhood needs to have a plan to help each other out until the city vehicles can get there. It is important to get cars off the street as soon as the storm starts so once plows arrive, they do not have to maneuver around cars or only the very middle of the streets can be plowed. CNA members shared that the city’s free parking downtown and free debris pick-up after the storm was especially helpful.
7. City’s Homelessness Response Update
a. Amy Buckler, Downtown Program Manager presented an update on new programs for homelessness in the last year. There is now a safety and walking program downtown to work with and engage persons with the most obstructive behaviors. The Plum Street tiny houses is now open and housing some of the homeless. The Partnerships Project with business and non-profits now has 5 churches applying for permits for tiny houses on their property. The city will fund garbage, hygiene, toileting and water sources for these partnerships. The site at 282 Martin Way was approved to begin construction of another housing option for the homeless. A longer term strategic homeless response plan encompassing both community and regional governmental and other state holders is in progress. CNA will be informed of meetings and the process. A handout regarding Olympia’s Homeless Response Plan Approach was distributed and can be obtained at the homelessness website listed in below.
b. Meetings with CNA and with stakeholder including focus groups with the persons who are homeless in our community are planned. The team will return to our meetings for updates and engagement again summer and winter.
c. Weekly updates e-updates on homelessness are at olympiawa.gov/homelessness (click on ‘Sign-up for Email Updates’) and they will be sent to you weekly. For specific questions or voicing concerns email homelesness@ci.olympia.wa.us. Amy encouraged us to become engaged in the process and attend meetings to be well informed.
8. Multi-family Property Tax Exemption – Boundary Extension
a. Tim Kenney passed out a handout from the Olympia DNA (Downtown Neighborhood Association). He informed us that the Tax Exemption for multi-family units is not being used as intended. It was intended to encourage builders of 4 units or more to include some units at less cost for more affordable housing. Right now, the target areas for where these units can be located for tax exemptions is only downtown and may be expanded to the high-density corridors to Lily Road and West side.
b. Those that get the tax cut have to sign the ordinance and apply to be a tax and then have to annually report, if no annual report they will not receive the exemption. Some have signed on to the benefit and then not offered the lower income units or provided an annual report so the tax exemption is not being enforced. This matter, as well as Airbnb codes, is up for discussion next City Council Meeting.
9. Announcements
a. HB1923 Second Substitute needs to be followed by all of us. It is a 29-page long document that looks like it might be passed and may well be adverse for neighborhoods. It will greatly impact taxes, parking, and availability of elder population needs with parking much reduced. Olympia City Council is opposed because this state bill encroaches on the city’s right to regulate its own housing and the bill is making very specific regulations for the entire state. There are provisions in it that if the cities do not comply then the cities can be assessed a penalty fee for not complying and charged to enforce it. CNAs were urged to watch the bill and contact their state representatives.
b. Missing Middle Housing Plan and Possible Impact on Neighborhoods.
- Bob Jacobs gave out a Governor Stevens Neighborhood: Parcels that Meet Minimum Lot Requirements for Missing Middle Housing map to illustrate how city housing density plans of the Missing Middle Housing codes might affect a neighborhood and how much potential change there could be. He advised we look closely at the densities being allowed within and near our own neighborhood associations.
c. West Bay Public Art Meeting March 21 at Garfield School will address gateway projects there. For details contact Debbie Anderson as she knows the Registered Neighborhood Association appropriate contacts
10. Networking Time about the Snow Storm. Positives and Negatives shared.
a. Positives shared were the enjoyment of seeing neighbors and families out on the streets and speaking to one another, the help that neighbors gave one another in the shoveling process, the quiet from fallen snow and lack of traffic, the internet being down fostered talking to one another and personal time to enjoy being home, and seeing the dogs playing in the snow. Several expressed gratitude to the city for the free down town parking during all of February and the free disposal of debris sites from all the downed trees.
b. The challenges or negatives were the berms left from snow plows once driveways were shoveled (22nd and 23rd streets specifically), internet and power outages, and the grit left behind on streets after the sanding made bicycles difficult to ride.
c. Other comments
- East Bay Neighborhood reported they needed more frequent plowing of the street but were impressed with the speed the public works department were able to come to their aid when they reported their catch basin was plugged. It just took just one call to public works and they were right there.
- One neighborhood said everyone was out and people knocked on doors to see that people were all right and did shoveling for those who could not do the shoveling themselves.
- Most neighborhoods noted how unprepared they were and how there needs to be a response plan in place for communication among their neighbors for weather related events and emergencies
Adjournment: The Meeting adjourned 8:30 PM
Next Meeting: Monday, April 8th, same
Submitted by Co-Secretary Martha Worcester
Council of Neighborhood Associations 