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City of Vancouver, Washington

Agenda - Vancouver City Council

Monday, November 23, 2009

Workshops

4:00-6:00 p.m. no workshops

Consent Agenda Meeting (Water Resource Education Center)

6:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance

Call to Order and Roll Call

Proclamation

• Keep It Local – Shift 10%

Consent Agenda

The following items will be passed by a single motion to approve all listed actions and resolutions. There will be no discussion on these items unless requested by Council. If discussion is requested, the item will be moved from the Consent Agenda and considered separately – after the motion has been made and passed to approve the remaining items.

1. Interlocal agreement between the City of Vancouver and Clark College allowing use of an electrical transformer owned by the College near the traffic signal installed in the public right-of-way

(Staff Report 162-09 – attached on grey paper.) (Interlocal)

Summary

The City of Vancouver has a pedestrian crossing policy that requires monitoring of pedestrian crossings in the City. One of the major corridors of concern is Ft. Vancouver Way, which cuts through different buildings on the Clark College campus and some of their parking lots. Students crossing the street at different times of the day have caused the City of Vancouver to install in-pavement lighting at the crosswalks. The City further enhanced these cross points with overhead flashers. Now the City is ready to install a more restrictive device which commands drivers’ attention more effectively. The new signal system is a hybrid pedestrian crossing (a.k.a. HAWK) signal.

Existing traffic control devices at crosswalks on Ft. Vancouver Way are powered by solar units. Unfortunately, the new HAWK signal controller uses power similar to regular traffic signals and cannot be fed by solar. The closest connection that could be found in order to directly connect to a Clark Public Utility source is located on the corner of McLoughlin. The cost for connecting the system to the transformer at McLoughlin is extremely high and would not justify the project. Clark College, however, owns a transformer located close to the project crossing that can be used for the City project. After negotiations, Clark College has agreed to allow the City to use the existing transformer and reimburse the energy cost annually based on a meter to be installed. Clark College and City of Vancouver attorneys have reviewed the language for the interlocal that would allow this collaboration that benefits both parties.

Action Requested:

Authorize the City Manager or his designee to sign an interlocal agreement with Clark College on behalf of the City of Vancouver allowing use of an electrical transformer owned by the College for the traffic signal system to be installed in the public right-of-way. (William Gilchrist, Traffic Engineer, Public Works, 487-7717)

2. Substantial Need for a 1% Property Tax Increase in 2010

(Staff Report 163-09 --- attached on lavender paper.) (Ordinance)

AN ORDINANCE relating to the annual property tax levy; making a finding of substantial need; authorizing an increase of 1.0% in the City’s regular levy from the amount levied the previous year; and providing for an effective date.

Summary:

City Council must approve its regular property tax levy for 2010 in order to collect City property taxes needed to fund the City’s General Fund Budget. On November 6, 2001, Washington voters approved Initiative 747 (I-747) which limits the allowable increase in the property tax levy to 1.0%, or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. As defined by the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD), inflation for 2010 levy calculations is negative 0.848 percent (-0.848%).

Based on last year’s levy of $39,038,902, and with the IPD rate of -.848%, the property tax levy would be reduced by $331,049.89, which would result in a base levy amount of $38,707,852 plus the value of new construction. Staff recommends that City Council approve a 1.0% increase in the property tax levy based on a finding of substantial need. Due to the economic recession, City revenues have declined dramatically. Over the past year, the City has significantly reduced its operating budget, while striving to maintain service levels. Additional property tax revenue losses would result in severe reductions in core services provided to citizens in the City of Vancouver. Under these circumstances, there is substantial need to allow a 1% increase for the 2010 levy in order to mitigate the effect of deep budget cuts affecting critical services provided to City residents. By increasing the property tax levy rate by 1%, the 2009 property tax levy of $39,038,902 would increase by $390,389.02. Authorization of this increase requires a majority plus one vote of City Council.

In addition to the 1% increase in the base levy, the City collects new property tax revenue based on the value of new construction added to the assessment rolls during the prior year. The revenue to the City is calculated using the assessed value of new construction multiplied by the prior year’s levy rate. The value of new construction will not be finalized by the County Assessor’s Office until late November and includes the value of utility new construction provided to the County Assessor by the State.

Action Requested:

Approve ordinance on first reading, setting date of second reading and public hearing for December 7, 2009. (Carrie Lewellen, City Treasurer, 619-1082)

3. Property Tax Levy for 2010

(Staff Report 164-09 --- attached on pink paper.) (Ordinance)

AN ORDINANCE relating to the annual property tax levy; authorizing an increase of 1.0% in the City’s regular levy from the amount levied the previous year; providing for an effective date.

Summary:

City Council must approve an increase in its regular property tax levy for 2010 in order to collect the allowable increase in City property taxes needed to fund the City’s General Fund Budget. On November 6, 2001, Washington voters approved Initiative 747 (I-747) which limits the allowable increase in the property tax levy to 1.0%, or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. As defined by the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD), inflation for 2010 levy calculations is negative 0.848 percent (-0.848%).

Staff recommends that City Council approve a 1.0% increase in the property tax levy. Based on last year’s levy of $39,038,902 the increase will be $390,389.02. Authorization of this increase requires a majority plus one vote of City Council. Staff estimates that the City’s property tax rate in 2010 will range between $2.55 per $1,000 of assessed value to $2.65 per $1,000 of assessed value, compared to the actual 2009 levy rate of $2.31 per $1,000. The increase in the property tax rate is attributed to assessed values in the City being reduced by approximately 10% compared to the prior year. In 2010, at a rate of $2.55 per thousand, the annual City property tax on a typical property ($198,000 assessed value) would be $505. As a comparison, in 2009, assuming the same property was assessed for $220,000 with the actual levy rate of $2.31 per thousand this property owner paid $508 for their City portion of their tax bill. Overall, the proposed 1% increase for 2010 will have very little impact to a City resident based on this example.

In addition to the 1% increase in the base levy, the City collects new property tax revenue based on the value of new construction added to the assessment rolls during the prior year. The revenue to the City is calculated using the assessed value of new construction multiplied by the prior year’s levy rate. The value of new construction will not be finalized by the County Assessor’s Office until late November and includes the value of utility new construction provided to the County Assessor by the State. The most recent estimate from the County Assessor’s Office indicates more than $156 million of new construction which translates into $361,341 of additional City property tax revenue.

New construction is almost half of what it was in 2008 for 2009 taxable values. The City’s ordinance states the percentage and dollar amount increase in the City’s base property tax levy and allows the County Assessor to determine the levy amount for new construction based on their final calculations.

Action Requested:

Approve ordinance on first reading, setting date of second reading and public hearing for December 7, 2009. (Carrie Lewellen, City Treasurer, 619-1082)

4. ad valorem taxes for 2010

(Staff Report 165-09 --- attached on grey paper.) (Ordinance)

AN ORDINANCE fixing and levying the amount of ad valorem taxes necessary to balance estimated revenues with estimated expenditures for the 2010 Budget for the City of Vancouver; providing for an effective date.

Summary:

Pursuant to RCW 35A.33.135, Council must approve an ordinance to fix and authorize the Clark County Assessor’s Office to levy ad valorem taxes necessary to balance the estimated revenue and expenditures for the City of Vancouver’s 2009-2010 Biennial Budget.

Staff currently estimates the 2010 real and personal property tax levy as $40.1 million, which includes a preliminary estimate of $362,094 in property tax revenue from new construction. The estimate of property tax from new construction will be updated based on the final new construction valuation provided by the Assessor’s Office. The estimate of property tax revenue does not include the change in value of state-assessed utility property. Both of these amounts will not be final until late November 2009. The County Assessor’s Office has recommended to City staff that Council approve ad valorem taxes in the amount of $40.1 million, which is needed to balance the City’s 2009-2010 biennial budget. By approving ad valorem taxes of $40.1 million, this allows the County Assessor’s Office to levy real and personal property taxes to the full extent allowed under Washington State law. Staff anticipates that the final certified levy will be between $39.7 million and $39.9 million in 2010. If Council authorizes the ad valorem tax amount too low, the County Assessor’s Office will only be allowed to levy up to the amount authorized by Council.

Staff recommends that City Council approve ad valorem taxes in the amount of $40.1 million for the 2010 real and personal property tax levy within the city limits of Vancouver. This estimated revenue source is necessary to balance the 2009-2010 Biennial Budget for the City of Vancouver.

Action Requested:

Approve ordinance on first reading, setting date of second reading and public hearing for December 7, 2009. (Carrie Lewellen, City Treasurer, 619-1082)

5. 2009 clean-up supplemental budget

(Staff Report 166-09 --- attached on lavender paper.) (Ordinance) (Attachments A,B,C)

AN ORDINANCE relating to the 2009-2010 Biennial Budget and making various appropriations in various funds; declaring an emergency.

Summary:

Each year, certain budget adjustments must be made to reflect changes in revenues and expenses that occurred after the date the budget was adopted by City Council. These adjustments can be generally categorized into several areas:

• Corrections or administrative updates to the adopted 2009-2010 budget.
• Activities and expenditures associated with new revenues, primarily grant revenues.

Budget adjustments are recommended for the City’s various funds as detailed in Attachment A of the ordinance. Overall, the recommended adjustments for the City’s Operating and Capital funds included in the Fall 2009 Supplemental Budget have an increase of $4.2 million on City’s expenditure appropriation. Of that amount, $3.4 million represents changes in the General Fund.

Action Requested:

Approve ordinance on first reading, setting date of second reading and public hearing for December 7, 2009. (Natasha Ramras, Budget and Planning Manager, 619-1091)

6. Approval of the proposed Master Plan, Preliminary 21-block/lot subdivision; and Shoreline Substantial Development permits for the development of the approximately 32-acre Columbia Waterfront, LLC site within Columbia River Renaissance district of the Vancouver City Center Vision and Subarea Plan and to recommend approval of the Shoreline Conditional Use Permits and Shoreline Variances to the Department of Ecology, Shorelands Division

(Staff Report 167-09 --- attached on pink paper.) (Ordinance)

AN ORDINANCE relating to planned development for the Columbia River Waterfront Area, approving the master plan application of Columbia Waterfront, LLC submitted in June, 2009, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date.

Summary:

The overall development of the site may include up to 3,300 residential units, 253,000 square feet of retail space, 1,119,000 square feet of office space, and 160 hotel rooms. On November 10, 2009, the planning commission conducted a public hearing. After taking testimony, the planning commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the applications as presented in the staff report, siting the findings, conclusions and conditions of approval. The commission did alter condition number 39 regarding building height restrictions, to match the language of the approved Development Agreement.

Action Requested:

Approve ordinance on first reading, setting date of second reading and public hearing for December 7, 2009. (Jon Wagner, Senior Planner, Development Review Services, 487-7885)

7. Approval of Claim Vouchers for November 23, 2009

(Attached on yellow paper.) Copy available upon request.

APPOINTMENTS

• Appointments to the Parking Advisory Committee

Adjournment