The city council will meet with the downtown association during their board of directors meeting and there was an interesting conversation during the last city council meeting about how to handle folks who buy homes in the South Capitol Neighbordhood to hold parties and do business, rather than live.

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. Here is the agenda for the Olympia Downtown Association's board of director's city council dinner meeting:

ODA Board of Directors-Olympia City Council Annual Dinner
Chica’s Dining Room
Wednesday, May 17, 2007

6pm No-host social

6:30pm Dinner & Discussion
Welcome & Introductions: Jeffrey Trinin, ODA President

BALLOON POP!

I. Jeffrey Trinin: ODA Priorities and Goals for 2007-2008
a. Overview of the action plan

II. Kerry McHugh: Creating a Recruitment & Retention Plan
a. Kerry: Data base creation
b. Kerry: Creating an ambassador program for new business
c. Kerry: Partnering with City, EDC, Chamber & Development Community
d. Jeffrey: Regulation & permitting process

III. Neil DeBoer: Parking (the never ending topic)
a. PAC Recommendations
b. Parking Structures Downtown
1. With new city hall-leaving a legacy
2. Other locations

IV. Kenny Trobman: Clean & Safe Sidewalks and Streets
a. Alley improvements
b. Consolidation of waste and recycled materials
c. Sidewalks & Streets: need for capital improvement investments

V. Daniel Furrer: Downtown Safety
a. Walking patrol staffing
b. New ideas for downtown clean up
c. Enforcement of current laws on the books

VI. City Council/Staff Comments & Announcements

VII. Meeting Adjourned

Chica's Cafe seems to be a nice place, but I wonder what the BALLOON POP! is?

2. Here are the minutes from the last city council meeting, the part that talks about what the council is doing about shady folks buying up nice old homes south of the capitol campus and holding parties and sending faxes during the legislative session.

Here:

• The intent of the ordinance is to define residency and Home Occupation Code throughout all neighborhoods within the City.
• Members of the Stakeholders Group consisted of City staff, Planning Commission Chair, full-time residents, part-time residents, lobbyists, and State elected officials .
• The Stakeholder Group evolved last summer following residential parking problems within the South Capitol neighborhood.
• Small dinner parties and small business meetings should be allowed in the neighborhood. Events impacting the neighborhood generating large crowds and parking problems for neighborhood residents should not be allowed.
• Codes need to go as far as possible to protect the fabric of the historical feel of the neighborhood. Business use should be restricted to primary residents only, and "permanent residency" must be clearly defined.
• Dinner parties held to raise money for nonprofit organizations currently are allowed if the resident obtains a banquet permit.
• Impervious surface code and parking code enforcement have helped stop residents from renting private parking spaces to nonresidents in the neighborhood.
• Under code, full-time residents obtaining a Home Occupation Permit, (also known as "Home Based Business" or "Home Business License") may operate a full-time business if that business does not impact the neighborhood. Space is limited to not more than 25 percent of the floor area, up to a maximum of 500 sq. ft. No outward appearance of business is allowed under code. Resident must possess a current business license.
• By definition, a business owner is not required to generate income in order to apply and possess a Business Occupation Permit and a Business License.
• All code violations are based upon complaints unless there is a life safety concern.
• Need to accurately define "primary residence" since code is primarily based upon this definition. The South Capitol neighborhood is unique in that it is surrounded by a major employment center that produces transportation and foot traffic issues in the neighborhood.