This week the city council will consider an interesting interlocal agreement (well, I think its interesting), some quick changes to the Pedestrian Ordinance and an anti-Iraq war resolution.

Almost every week this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review. I don't cover everything, so if you want the full rundown, read the packet and agenda yourself.

1. Check out this map of Olympia and Tumwater between Olympia High School and the Safeway:



How on earth do you decide which city maintains those streets? One house in in Olympia, the other in Tumwater, the other in Olympia. Sounds like a mess to me.

Well, since 1962 there really hasn't been a way to decide who maintains what, but that sordid history is all coming to an end:

The city limit lines in the area bordered by North Street, Carlyon Avenue, Capitol Boulevard, and Hawthorne Street are confusing. Each of these streets may partially lie in Olympia and may partially lie in Tumwater. From 1960 to1962, the cities of Olympia and Tumwater followed a maintenance agreement, which designated maintenance responsibilities on the 14 streets in this North Street/Carlyon Avenue area. However, after 1962, this agreement was not renewed.

ANALYSIS AND OPTIONS:

Washington State RCW 39.34 provides for interlocal cooperation between agencies and for entering into Interlocal Agreements. Tumwater and Olympia are interested in entering into a maintenance agreement maintaining the 14 streets located in the are bordered by North Street, Carlyon Avenue, Capitol Boulevard, and Hawthorne Street. The maintenance agreement identifies specific routine maintenance responsibilities and tasks that Olympia will perform on the Tumwater streets we will maintain and the same for the streets Tumwater will maintain for Olympia. Please refer to Sections II and III of the proposed agreement (Attachment 1), which lists the specific maintenance responsibilities and exclusions.

It is in the best interest for both cities to enter into this maintenance agreement to reduce confusion about which jurisdiction maintains what street and results in better customer service for residents of both cities.

2. The city council is also considering an resolution against the Iraq War, read it here.

3. The week the pedestrian interference ordinance takes effect, the city council is also considering some quick changes that will clarify the rules for folks who are sitting down waiting for a show, to buy tickets or are enjoying a meal. Sitting for sitting's sake and sandwhich boards are still not welcome, but:

The draft ordinance also provides for affirmative defenses for certain sitting or lying situations for a medical emergency, use of wheelchair or walker as a result of disability, outdoor seating permitted through a street use permit, special events, publicly provided benches, waiting in a bus stop zone, waiting in line to purchase tickets or attend a performance.

...

1. Minor changes to the affirmative defense for parades and protests for clarification (“meeting” and “other similar event” were removed in the interest of clarity), and to ensure that the affirmative defense will be available to those types of events (e.g., Procession of the Species, ArtsWalk, etc.) where the City has specifically allowed approved soliciting, sitting or lying on the sidewalk. Additional language was also added to the recitals indicating that the City intends to regulate conduct but does not intend to interfere with legitimate expression protected by the state and federal constitutions.

2. Minor changes to the busking licensing process. Permits for individual buskers will be $10 for a 14-day period. The fee amount may later be adjusted by the City Manager. Permits for businesses adjacent to the sidewalk will be no charge so long as the business has a valid Olympia business license. Permits will be administered by the parks department, rather than the administrative services department, and the requirement for a bond is deleted because permits will be processed on the day requested. Restrictions applicable to busking performances have been simplified.

3. Minor changes to street use permit process in OMC Chapter 12.24. These primarily clarify that the permits will be administered by the Director of CP&D rather than Public Works.

Attachment	Size
FA_Resolution_IraqTroopsATT1.pdf	256.93 KB
Tumwater and Olympia.JPG	47.5 KB