HomeMy WebLinkAbout3077 Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 307-7
A RESOLUTION establishing primary goals of the City of Pasco for the
ensuing calendar years 2008-2009.
WHEREAS, the City of Pasco organization desires to focus the allocation of its resources
toward primary goals selected to fulfill the vision of Pasco's future, as held by its elected
representatives; and
WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a Community Forum on February 21, 2008 to
elicit the concerns of residents about the present condition of the city, as well as thoughts and
suggestions for Pasco's future; and
WHEREAS, the city collected citizen opinion about many city conditions, services and
characteristics as well as certain policy questions by way of the 2007 National Citizen Survey
conducted in November 2007; and
WHEREAS, the city managerial staff has shared with the City Council its concerns for
the present as well as visions for the future of the Pasco community; and
WHEREAS, the City Council conducted a goal setting retreat on Saturday, April 19,
2008 to discuss all the various concerns for the present as well as visions for the future;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PASCO,
WASHINGTON,DO RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS.
Section 1. That the following goals shall be considered primary goals for the City of
Pasco for the ensuing two years (calendar years 2008 and 2009);
■ Industrial Development: the Pasco community and its public school district rely on one
of the lowest "per capita" assessed value (total taxable property value) in the state. The
recent surge in residential growth has increased demands particularly on the school
district, without correspondingly sufficient increases in property tax base. The City will
work with the Port, TRIDEC and other entities to foster more industrial
development (rather than residential), thus increasing the non-residential tax base and, in
turn, expanding the school district's financial capacity. The City will focus particular
effort in the following geographic areas:
o Heritage Industrial Center: approximately 600 hundred acres of land lying
south of East "A" Street is classified for industrial use. The City will work with
other entities, particularly the Port and BNRR, to assure rail service is available to
future industries and will assure appropriate transportation and utility
improvements are completed.
o Foster Wells Area: approximately 400 hundred acres of land lying east of SR-
395 between Hillsboro and Foster Wells is served by an interchange and zoned
for industrial use. The City will collaborate with other entities, particularly grant
agencies and affected property owners, to extend Commercial Avenue and
associated utilities north to Foster Wells Road, thus fostering industrial
investment in the affected lands.
o SR-12 Corridor: substantial acreage along the SR-12 corridor between SR-395
and the Snake River Bridge is zoned and available for industrial use. WSDOT is
planning to study the possibility of an interchange near the Snake River Bridge.
The City should assure the utility and transportation system will accommodate the
industrial potential of the SR-12 corridor.
• Emergency Communications: for more than 30 years, the City has relied on the
Franklin County Sheriff for emergency communications services (police and fire). The
aging communications equipment and constrained VHF radio frequencies, combined with
the rapid physical expansion of the City, present an increasingly ineffective and
potentially dangerous communications system for the City's emergency service personnel
and, in turn, Pasco's citizens. The City will employ an appropriate consultant,
analyze its options and complete implementation of a definitive action plan to
upgrade the City's emergency communications system.
• Public Safety Building: the explosion of residential growth in the City over the past
decade has led to a rapid increase in City staff, necessary to sustain and improve
municipal services. The Police Department is now over-crowded and the Municipal
Court lease at the Franklin County Courthouse will expire in 2012; construction of a
"public safety building"to house both functions will solve immediate space problems and
concurrently provide long-term solutions for the balance of City Hall space needs. To
that end, the City will complete design of a public safety building on the City Hall
campus and approve a funding plan for construction to commence not later than
2011.
• Road 68 Congestion: the extent and nature of urban growth on the plateau, combined
with the limitations imposed by the current configuration of the Road 68 interchange at I-
182, have led to a pattern of intolerable congestion at the intersection of Road 68 and
Burden Blvd. The City will develop (and formally adopt) a long-range plan to
relieve the growing congestion problem associated with the Road 68 corridor north
of I-182.
• Lewis Street Overpass: the underpass (now 70 years old) is showing signs of
deterioration, posing an eventual threat to public safety as well as potential harm to the
BNRR system extending over it. A replacement overpass has been planned, representing
not only a solution to the public safety and railroad integrity concerns but a significant
positive influence for downtown revitalization as well; however, the project cost ($15
million) is well beyond the City's financial capacity. Because it is an essential public
facility, the City will complete preliminary design of the overpass and diligently
pursue federal and state funding assistance for the project.
Primary Goals—2008-2009
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• UGA Development Standards: development within the City's boundaries must comply
with the City's urban development standards; Franklin County, responsible for managing
urban development in the unincorporated portion of the Urban Growth Area (UGA), does
not apply Pasco's standards. Consequently, portions of the UGA are being developed in
a fashion which, after annexation, will require additional public (taxpayer) expenditures
to correct the urban development deficiencies permitted by Franklin County, The City
will make every effort to establish an agreement with Franklin County whereby the
County will apply Pasco development standards within the UGA.
• City Aquatics Plan: the three swimming pools owned and operated by the City are in
need of complete renovation or replacement, either of which is expensive. The 2007
Citizen Survey reflected strong citizen support for the notion of developing a
contemporary water park and a study committee of Pasco citizens recently recommended
that such a water park be established on the plateau and that Memorial Pool be renovated.
Given the extreme age and obvious deterioration of the existing public pools, it is
imperative that a solution be implemented soon; thus, the City Council will complete its
consideration of options, adopt a City action plan for aquatics facilities and
implement it.
• Utility System: with the rapid expansion of the City on the plateau and an official
population projection of 87,000 in 2027, the Franklin County Commission recently
expanded the City's Urban Growth Area (UGA) to the northwest and further expansion
to the northwest is expected as time goes by. To fulfill the City's obligation to prepare
for extension of urban services, particularly utilities, the City will adopt updated water
and sewer system plans to reflect the anticipated growth patterns.
• Regional Centers: each of the Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Richland and Pasco) has created
its own public facilities district (authorized to develop and operate "regional centers",
such as convention centers, stadiums, performing art centers, etc.); however, none of the
PFDs possesses the financial capacity to individually finance the scale and variety of
regional facilities which would improve the quality of life within the region. It is the
express intent that Pasco continue to work collaboratively with its neighboring cities
to jointly plan for development of "regional centers" through existing PFDs and
other appropriate mechanisms.
• Broadmoor Interchange: in view of its geographic setting in the region and its ease of
access afforded by the adjacent I-182 freeway, the vacant and underutilized lands north of
the Broadmoor interchange present great potential for regional scale development. The
City will complete a strategic development plan for the Broadmoor interchange area
and surrounding urban lands and market it for implementation by the private
sector.
Primary Goals—2008-2009
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............ ...
• Neighborhood Improvement Action Program: many older Pasco neighborhoods show
signs of aging, in the form of deteriorating infrastructure and, in some cases, substandard
streets and significant gaps in the sidewalk system. These physical conditions tend to
have a deleterious effect on the quality of life in those neighborhoods and can adversely
affect associated property values. Working with individual neighborhoods to define
appropriate improvements, the City will foster code compliance and improvement
of neighborhood infrastructure while minimizing impact on low income households.
• Downtown: as have many older urban centers, the downtown business district continues
to struggle in its effort to revitalize itself. Generally, Pasco citizens want to see a more
active effort by the City to foster improvement of the downtown business area. To that
end, the City will formally adopt a definitive action plan for City involvement in
revitalization of downtown Pasco.
• Corridor Enhancement: more than a decade ago, the City approved a "Gateways and
Corridors" enhancement plan, but has implemented only two of the projects
recommended by it. In conjunction with new residential development on the plateau, the
City has established a contemporary standard for arterial corridor enhancements and the
2007 Citizen Survey reflected strong citizen support for the use of public funds to
enhance the older corridors in the City. The City Council will approve an updated
"Corridor and Gateway" enhancement plan, to include potential undergrounding of
associated overhead utilities, and begin implementation of the plan.
• Rivershore: over the past decade the City has made notable improvements along its
shoreline, lowering the levees and widening the pathway so citizens of all ages can enjoy
the Columbia River. Yet more can be done to foster more use of the shoreline and take
better advantage of the unique asset the river represents. To that end, the City will
update its "master plan" for rivershore improvement.
Section 2. The City Manager is hereby directed and authorized to formulate appropriate
implementation strategies to achieve the goals set forth hereinabove, consistent with
appropriation policies and procedures.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Pasco at a regular meeting this 5th day of
May 2008.
<((Ir-,u r
Joyce n, dFayor
ATTES
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Sandy Kenwo y Leland B. Kerr
Deputy City Clerk City Attorney
Primary Goals—2008-2009
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