Possible intersection revision, public hearings and Pine Street construction

The Tuesday, Sept. 25 City Council meeting brought many housekeeping relevant issues into circulation, including eyeing the future of the community pool in Leavenworth.

The meeting went through the usual motions with reports about future developments and current conditions for the city from several council members. Councilmember Sharon Waters immediately garnered attention when she reported that there has been a staggering degree of bat exposure with 75 bats within the year being tested and ten of them tested positive for rabies. 

“They (the health department) would like people to know you don’t have to be bitten to get rabies,” said Councilmember Water. “Don’t touch or handle bats dead or alive.”

After the bat warning to steer clear of bats, Councilmember Mia Bretz reported from the Housing Committee that the group will begin looking into how to connect with state legislature to discuss affordable housing definition. 

According to Bretz, at the state level affordable housing is primarily only available for very low income and the goal is to increase workforce housing, which may require some action from the state. 

Councilmember Carolyn Wilson stated that she looked at the draft of the downtown master plan that she thought looked really good at the brainstorming level. 

Councilmember Clint Strand reminded the Council that not only is the first weekend of Oktoberfest looming, but the Leavenworth Marathon falls on the same weekend which could cause some congestion. 

“That has the potential to throw a wrench into any traffic accommodations that might occur,” said Mayor Cheryl Farivar. “And we have seen that happen in the best so do be conscious of that.”

Other assorted odd and end reports were contributed by councilmembers before two Leavenworth residents, Zeke Reister and Tim Seaman made their individual three minute spiel during the meeting — both in branching off into discussion surrounding traffic within city limits. 

However, outside of the meeting, the Adventure Park, which Reister referred to in his three minutes, has recently revoked their permit until a further date. Meanwhile, Seaman primarily addressed the uncontrollable growth’s impact on the town and its residents. 

“Most of us have returned to Leavenworth or been here all along to enjoy the community as a community and not as animals in cages for the tourists to poke and look at,” said Seaman. “I’d like the City Council to reconsider the idea that not having the developers go through the mitigation, go through the environmental impact statements and their true value, true impact on what it is to the city of Leavenworth. 

After both men made their pitches, the meeting rolled on to setting the Parks and Recreation Service Area’s Operation and Maintenance levy public hearing. 

This will be an item on the ballot in November, but before the City Council can take a collective position on the property tax that helps fund the community pool, they have to set a public hearing. This will occur on October 9 at 6:45 p.m. 

Discussion was revived surrounding converting a two way stop into a four way stop on Cedar Street and Burke Avenue, after resident, Tawnee Melton had requested change. 

After only filling two of the six warrant requirements after a traffic study was conducted by Public Safety Commiteee, the idea was resurfaced at the meeting by Public Works Director, Herb Amick. 

“The Public Safety Committee is recommending that we deny the request,” said Amick. “During the Public Safety Committee’s conversation it was suggested to change the curb markings to allow 30 foot No Parking Zones at each of the intersections to help with visibility, she seemed satisfied and that’d be a good first step.” 

The Council agreed with the Public Safety Committee to reject the conversion to a four way stop intersection and that working primarily on the visibility issue with the parked vehicles would be the best option. 

However, the issue with the intersection isn’t discarded completely, but instead shelved for a later discussion.  

“There is certainly a lot of traffic, there’s no question about that. But it feels to me that it would be appropriate to do the parking revision and watch this closely,” said Farivar. 

“It’s not going off the radar, it’s not like it’s a permanent no and I think after we get Pine Street completed, which will just be next year — it’ll be a really good time to look at all of those traffic stop signs in that area.”

The City Council reviewed and approved a contract with Nelson Geotechnical Associates for the work done on Pine Street, between Ski Hill Drive and Titus Road. 

The company will provide geotechnical and pavement investigation, evaluation both in the design and construction portion on the work. The amount should not exceed $39,500 and fees charged will be based on time and material basis. 

“They’ve been out in the area for three or four projects now and so they knowing the soils that make up that area and knowing at the forefront how the asphalt is where we’re going I think we can eliminate a lot of the guess work in the design,” said Joel Walinski since the same firm that was contracted out by the Cascade School District and Pinegrass Subdivision so there is an element of familiarity that plays into the chosen contractor. 

However, Walinski did remove general conditions under the contract before the City Council moved forward to approve the Professional Services Agreement. 

The next order of business was to consider setting a public hearing for discussion surrounding the surplusing of the portion of the 1.31 acres parcel abutting Hwy 2, east of the access US Forest Service. 

The idea of a public hearing, the first step in declaring a City owned property surplus property, surfaced after abutting property owner, Thomas Lin’s request for the city to consider the land a surplus property. 

The primary question that would arise is if the property has any current or future use to the city. 

Prior to the public hearing, Walinski suggested getting some information from the Forest Service and Link to bring back as a weighing factor. 

The public hearing is now set for October 23 at 6:45, with only one opposing vote from Sharon Waters. 

The council also circled back for the second reading to approve the new state mandated threshold for the threshold limitations on business license regulation changes that will be implemented by mid-October. And before wrapping up the meeting, a representative from Waste Management came to discuss the first reading of the contractual agreement with the city of Leavenworth.