May 2022

CNA MEETING AGENDA 

May 9, 2022 6:30pm

6:30 – 7:00     Neighborhood Reports      

7:00 – 7:15     City MOU Update – Larry Dzieza

7:15 – 8:00     Urban Forestry, Kym Foley, Olympia Habitat Planner

8:00 – 8:15      Council Liaison Report

8:10 – 8:20      Opportunities for Engagement – Larry Dzieza

8:20 – 8:30      Minutes Approval and Agenda Ideas

8:30                 Adjourn

Attachments:

• Final Scope of Work
• Makers – Leland RFQ
• Neighborhood Center Briefing
• Sidewalk Fee In-lieu
• Sidewalk Transportation Master Plan

CNA MEETING MINUTES

May 9, 2022 6:30pm

Neighborhood Reports 

J. Newman: Following up with sidewalks on Elliot.  Houses are selling.  Old housing with acreage is not selling. Warming up and trying to have picnic. 

Melissa:  Planning big August block party.  Quarterly newsletters going out but need better distribution system.  Related that new neighbors are coming in from Seattle to live in a single family neighborhood who find it affordable.  Melissa talked about a recent sale in her neighborhood that was bought by a person from Seattle, a woman from Seattle who wanted to live in a neighborhood and can afford Olympia.   Jenn added that she knows friends downtown who want to purchase and live here but are being priced out and looking at Shelton and further out.

Dana McAvoy:  Lots of dog walkers.  Meeting come up next month and planning for September picnic.

Bruce Coulter: Slow in the NW.  Progress shifting to WordPress.  Moving to an online dues payment system.  MailChimp is their email system.  Hoping to make it all happen early this summer.

Thanked the Eastside, Nathan, helping with the move technologically.  NW has a PayPal account and they hope to link to it.

Charlotte Persons: Bigelow neighborhood association has not met. 

Darrah Johnson:  Wildwood has quarterly membership meeting coming up but doesn’t have insurance to do it in person yet. 

Bob Jacobs:  Governor Stevens, Trillium Park WA Trails Association came and improved steps and made more walkable.  The WA Trails Association is also working on an accessible trail in LBA Woods.

Links that were shared during the Meeting Martin Way Corridor open house Project Story Board and Survey: Click Here

Helen Wheatly:  McGrath Woods was totally cut.  Looks like a clearcut.  CRANA is hung up on tech issues.  Needs to get website up and communicate better.  Dave Marty said that he set up a template and is willing to assist. 

Karen Clemens:  Eastside hoping to get the asphalt walkway to a new SprayGround  at Lions Park. Mark Russell says they may not have money.  Paul Simmons says he might have money.  Scheduled a block party, talent show, and picnic.  Hoping to join with another neighborhood and maybe at the Armory.  Larry asked what the cost is for the asphalt walkway.  But no figures were available.

Judy Bardin: Reported on Jay Elder’s memorial service.

Dave Marty: ICNA Summer meeting coming up.  Most neighbors are not happy about the Wheeler encampments.

Jenn Wulf:  Downtown. Just had Spring meeting and elected new officers.  Changed name to Downtown Neighbors Association.

7:00 – 7:15     City MOU Update – Larry Dzieza

Larry reviewed the meeting with the city on the MOU.  He reviewed the one-year renewal that gives us time to focus on improvements and how we both need to do a better job doing what’s already in the MOU.  Larry said that part of the CNA effort is centered on the 3 areas of Committee work we are doing on Betterment, Social and Internal Operations. 

The city is hiring a facilitator to work through process. 

Larry recognized that Helen Wheatly provided a great deal of help on this.  He asked for any feedback.           

Urban Forestry, Kym Foley, Olympia Habitat Planner

She provided an overview of the program and the upcoming tree assessment study that they have received funding for.

Kym asked periodically for questions.  Mr. Newman asked about whether the city is working with developers to save the 100-year-old trees.  Kym deferred the answer to Tim Smith.  Kym reiterated the purpose of the study is to see where we are now before making decisions going forward.  To create a baseline.

Larry asked that policy questions be directed towards Tim and study questions to Kym. 

Melissa asked if the assessment is based on a grant?  Kym said they did.  She said there is a lot of power in having an assessment to help set policies on preservation and other funding. 

Larry shared the Tumwater assessment and focused on the “to what end” and showed the recommendations for policy and action efforts.  It also has a GIS component.

Judy applauded the effort.  She related that there was a 2014 advisory group composed of 3 existing committee members and DNR and they came up with recommendations for urban forestry and she has a copy of the report she would like to send Kym. 

Judy also talked about the hard surfaces issue from more construction and density.

Bob Jacobs said there was a Tree Board in the City.  Kym said she will look into it.

Charlotte talked about the East Bay Drive project that will develop the entire property and destroy all the trees including six 100-year-old trees.  The city said that the developer is following the current code.

Tim said that this is a starting point and the grant was about $200,000.  He said that the proposed project meeting with the neighborhood is not the final word on the plan.

Dave Marty related the discussion about the Cain Road project where the developer was adamant about not leaving any trees.  Tim said that they did keep 200 tree units in a 50 foot buffer and that it was not clear cut.  He said that the current system incentivizes retaining larger trees as they are worth more points. 

Bob spoke about the danger of having very large trees next to houses as one fell down and nearly killed a child in his neighborhood.  They will fall down and it gets worse from climate change related disease.  He also said that planting trees like red oaks results in sidewalk repairs to be paid by residents.  Inappropriate trees should not be planted on sidewalks.

Example of a study from NC

Health implications will be explored.

Helen asked about stream buffers.  Kym said that began her look at tree canopy.  She is also looking at stream basin project as well.  Recently updated stream basin GIS and looking at stormwater relationships.  Helen also asked about urban agriculture and open space and Kym said she will add it to the analysis.  In terms of canopy diversity, it’s a massive undertaking in terms of data by species.  They are starting with deciduous vs evergreen.  Knowing where all the elm or ash trees are in terms of their risk.

Bob asked about if there is a cause-and-effect relationship related to childhood asthma that is substantiated.  Kym agreed that one indicator is insufficient, and that care needs to be taken in the analysis. 

Kym said the study will tie into the comprehensive plan and other activities.

This slide shows the timing of the year-long project…

Helen thanked her for the timeline and then raised the timing of the Comp Plan and the availability of the data.  Seems like that getting the data out in time for the public engagement on the Comp Plan and policy. 

Larry asked that the data be available in citizen usable data sharing and not just a highly processed story map.  Kym said she will see what can be done. 

John pointed out a problem of thousands of landowners and the role of trees offsetting stormwater.  Some people will pave an RV area and LIDAR can detect that impervious area.  Does the city get LIDAR maps for comparisons year to year?  Kym said that the City gets LIDAR data every six years in partnership with Thurston Regional Planning. 

Larry asked if anyone is thinking about a pause in tree removal while the data is being collected?  Is there a sense of urgency? 

Charlotte Persons says we need to get new codes to protect trees faster.  We don’t even need the study to know that what 85% of impervious space is going to do.  She said we need a big change to address it.  We need more urgency and need to be serious about it. 

Melissa raised the issue of the city reducing required amount of green space and setback which reduces room for trees. 

Larry asked if there is any neighborhood involvement before it gets started?  Kym said there will be after the results back.  Especially when they move into Comp Plan amendments.  The study is objective work and policy work will come later.

Council Liaison Report

Clark Gilman reporting.  City entered into an exclusive negotiation with Habitat for developing the city’s 10 acre parcel on Boulevard Road that includes owner occupied housing.  Habitat is in the weeds right now finding partners.  It will also include a neighborhood center. 

Capital Mall area project area has been modified to exclude some housing areas.  Land Use presentation on rental issues.  Proposals will be looked at in the May meeting. 

Clark raised how the existing codes created in the 1960’s needs a major reset to be responsible stewards of where we live.  Chicago recently came out and said they don’t need the old codes centered around single-family housing.  Equity, access to housing, environmental stewardship driving the Comp Plan would look different.

Jenn asked about comment on the rental protections.  She has been asked on how to speak out and get involved and show support.  Clark said that Engage Olympia has a page on rental regulations and has a contact.  Dani Madrone is chairing Land Use and you could check in with her.

Melissa asked about the Police Audit for OPD and an article that stated that there needs to be improvements.  Clark says that operations and morale are pretty high right now.  They are making the changes in the “reimagining” effort.  The Police Auditor was reinstated recently. 

Tim Smith Report

Recently filled a position and selected a consultant on the Triangle Project.  Hired a one-year employee to look at city wide parking policies under a grant.

Other Business

Larry Dzieza shared a document that the city provides on their agenda page that shows upcoming agenda items far enough in advance to prepare for meaningful input.  Clark says its published in every Council packet most of the time. 

Minutes Approval

Approved unanimously.