HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023.05.08 Council Minutes6- Oki City (Y'
asco
411 Washington
MINUTES
City Council Workshop Meeting
7:00 PM - Monday, May 8, 2023
Pasco City Hall, Council Chambers & GoToWebinar
CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM by Blanche Barajas, Mayor.
ROLL CALL
Councilmembers present: Blanche Barajas, Craig Maloney, Irving Brown, Joseph
Campos, David Milne, Zahra Roach, and Pete Serrano
Councilmembers absent: None
Staff present: Adam Lincoln, Interim City Manager; Angela Pashon, Assistant City
Manager; Darcy Buckley, Finance Director; Eric Ferguson, City Attorney; Bob Gear,
Fire Chief; Jesse Rice, Information Technology Director & Interim Administrative &
Community Development Director; Brent Cook, Deputy Police Chief; Jacob
Gonzalez, Interim Community & Economic Development Director; Steve Worley,
Public Works Director; and Debby Barham, City Clerk.
The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
VERBAL REPORTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS
Mr. Brown reported on recent the Penske's Ribbon Cutting event, as well as the Cinco
de Mayo weekend event.
Mayor Pro Tern Maloney reported on the 2023 Pasco Taco Crawl and announced that
Powell's Inferno Tacos was the winner for this year's event.
Mr. Milne reported on the Pasco Chamber of Commerce meeting he recently attended.
Ms. Roach commented on the Cinco de Mayo event.
Mayor Barajas reported on the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) grand
opening event, as well as her conversation with Governor Inslee where they discussed
the homelessness issue. She also participated in the League of Women Voters meeting
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on May 5, 2023. Lastly, she announced that she was in Pullman, WA over the weekend
for her son's graduation ceremony and celebration.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
Ordinance - Amending PMC Title 25 Related to Retail Sales of Cannabis
Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Ferguson provided a brief overview of the draft ordinance
amending the Pasco Municipal Code (PMC) Title 25 Zoning related to the retail
sales of cannabis.
Council discussed the proposed ordinance and asked clarifying questions in which
staff responded. The discussion included:
• When will Social Equity Licensing start? As soon as late sping/early summer.
• Where does the buffer zone start, from playground equipment or from edge
of the park to a retail sales establishment? Mr. Ferguson stated that he would
need to research the RCWs for an answer.
• Mr. Serrano expressed opposition to the retail sales of cannabis within
Pasco.
Mr. Serrano moved and Mr. Milne seconded a motion to table the discussion of the
retail sales of cannabis and replace it with discussion of the Blake Decision (the
Blake Decision was based on the Washington State v. Blake case and in 2021, the
Washington State Supreme Court decision ruled the felony drug possession law
unconstitutional).
Council discussion ensued briefly about whether to table this item or continue it.
MOTION: Mayor Pro Tem Maloney moved, seconded by Councilmember Milne
to table the discussion of the Ordinance - Amending Pasco Municipal Code
(PMC) Title 25 Related to Retail Sales of Cannabis and discuss the Blake
Decision in its place.
RESULT: DEFEATED by Roll Call Vote 2-5
AYES: Councilmember Milne and Councilmember Serrano
NAYS: Mayor Barajas, Mayor Pro Tem Maloney,
Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Campos, and
Councilmember Roach
Ordinance - Amending PMC Title 25 Related to Retail Sales of Cannabis
Continued
Mr. Campos asked for the definition of Parks and reduction of buffer at Peanuts
Park. He suggested that Peanuts Park does not meet the RCW definition of a park
and recommended it be changed to Peanuts Plaza.
Mayor Pro Tem Maloney supported the reduction of the buffer at Peanuts Park, as
well as another park located near central downtown Pasco. He also requested that
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the nuisances sections of the Pasco Municipal Code (PMC) in Title 9 be updated.
He recommended the reduction of buffers within the Pasco downtown Commercial
Zoned area. He also recommended that there be no limit on retail cannabis stores.
Mr. Milne asked about the buffer zone related to school district.
Mayor Barajas questioned re -designating Peanuts Park to Peanuts Plaza and she
also recommended the reduction of the buffer area in the central downtown area.
Mr. Lincoln recommended that the reduction of the buffer zone within the Pasco
downtown area would be the quickest and then staff could look to re -designating
Peanuts Park to Peanuts Plaza at a later time. He noted that there may not be an
option to change it from a Park if state and federal funding is tied to "parks" funding.
Mr. Ferguson asked for Council's direction of the amount of buffer reduction from
1,000 feet to lower 100 feet buffer zone from Council.
The direction from the majority of Council was to move forward on this ordinance,
reduce the buffer zone in the downtown Pasco area only and retain the limit of retail
stores as currently noted in the ordinance.
Mr. Ferguson stated that he has Council's direction and will update the proposed
ordinance and return it to Council in a few weeks.
2022 Fire Department Performance Report
Chief Gear introduced Deputy Fire Chief Dunbar to presented the 2022 Fire
Department Performance Report.
Council asked questions during the presentation and Deputy Fire Chief Dunbar and
Fire Chief Gear replied with clarifying answers.
MISCELLANEOUS COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Mr. Serrano commented on his recent discussion with Washington State
Representatives Rude and Schmick and Senator Boehnke regarding the Blake
Decision and they recommended that the City create the local law to address illegal
drug usage.
Mr. Ferguson responded to Mr. Serrano stating that the City Attorney's Office had been
working on an ordinance to make it illegal for the use of illegal drugs in public and then
switched to following the Blake Decision. He noted that the updates are going to be
shared with neighboring jurisdictions, taking a regional approach for consistency across
the Mid -Columbia area.
Mr. Campos asked about the remaining ARPA funds that has not been designated and
Ms. Buckley provided a brief response to the remaining ARPA funding.
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Mayor Pro Tern Maloney agreed with Mr. Serrano regarding the need to address the
Blake Decision and requested that staff provide the proposed ordinance before Council
sooner than later. He also announced that Vinny from Vinny's Bakery was in the
audience.
Ms. Roach requested that Council consider moving its meetings to start at 6:00 PM.
Mr. Lincoln commented on the Cinco de Mayo weekend event. He announced that it
was Chief Gear's last meeting as he is retiring at the end of May 2023. However, Mr.
Gear will remain working on the construction of Station No. 85 as a part time consultant.
RECESS
Mayor Barajas called a five-minute recess at 9:01 PM.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Council adjourned into Executive Session at 9:06 PM for 25 minutes to discuss the
consideration of site selection or acquisition of real estate purchase or lease if
likelihood that disclosure would increase price per RCW 42.30.110(1)(b); and to
discuss with legal counsel about legal risks of current or proposed action per RCW
42.30.110(1)(i) with the City Manager, City Attorney, Finance Director, and Fire
Chief.
Fire Chief Gear left the Executive Session at 9:16 PM.
At 9:32 PM Mayor Barajas announced that the Executive Session would continue
for another 10 minutes.
Finance Director Buckley left the Executive Session at 9:35 PM.
Mayor Barajas called the meeting back to order at 9:42 PM.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:42 PM.
PASSED and APPROVED this
APPROVED:
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ATTEST:
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Debra Barham, City Clerk
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