City Council Special Meeting - Hearing — Yakima, WA
Date: 2025-07-22

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 July 22, 2025
 City Hall – Council Chambers – 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima, WA
 5:00 PM City Council Special Meeting – Conducted in person and virtually via Zoom.

1) Roll Call

 Present: Mayor Patricia Byers, presiding; Assistant Mayor Matt Brown and
 Councilmembers Reedy Berg, Janice Deccio, Danny Herrera and Leo Roy

 Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda
 Ibarra

 Absent and Excused: Councilmember Rick Glenn

2) Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)

 “Yashu Christ”, City resident, read a religious passage.

 Beverly Koch, City resident, reiterated support for the Yakima Police Department and
 spoke about her recent experience regarding unenforced laws due to limited staffing.

3) Special Meeting Items

 3.A Closed record public hearing and Ordinance to consider the Hearing Examiner's
 recommendation regarding a rezone request at 203 and 207 Oak Ave

 Mayor Byers stated this is a closed record hearing and testimony will be limited
 to the record regarding the rezone application. Mayor Byers administered the
 Appearance of Fairness Doctrine.

 Each Councilmember answered negatively or affirmatively to the following
 questions:
 1. Do you have any interest in the property or the application, or do you own
 property within 300 feet of the property subject to the application? All
 Councilmembers responded they did not.
 2. Do you stand to gain or lose any financial benefit as a result of the outcome
 of this proposal? The response from Council members was no.
 3. Can you hear and consider the application in a fair and objective manner,
 without bias? All Council members stated they could.
 4. Have you had any ex-parte communications with the Applicants, or anyone
 else, regarding this application? All Council members responded no.



July 22, 2025 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 2
 Mayor Byers asked if anyone wished to challenge any Council member's
 participation in this application on appearance of fairness grounds? No one from
 the audience or on Zoom spoke to the issue.

 Associate Planner Connor Kennedy introduced this item and briefed Council on
 the Hearing Examiner's recommendation for approval of the rezone request.

 Mayor Byers opened the public hearing. With no one else coming forward or
 calling in to speak, Mayor Byers closed the public hearing.

 The City Clerk read the ordinance by title only.

 After Council discussion and deliberation,
 MOTION: Deccio moved and Brown seconded to pass the ordinance
 affirming the recommendation of the Hearing Examiner. The motion carried
 by a 6-0 roll call vote; Glenn absent.

 ORDINANCE NO. 2025-024, AN ORDINANCE rezoning parcels 181313-11427
 and 181313-11429 from Light Industrial (M-1) to General Commercial (GC) and
 amending the Zoning Map of the City of Yakima.

4) Adjournment

 MOTION: Brown moved and Berg seconded to adjourn to the next Council special
 meeting today at 5:45 p.m. at the City Hall Council Chambers. The motion carried by
 unanimous vote; Glenn absent. The meeting adjourned at 5:11 p.m.



CERTIFICATION
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
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 ______________________________________
 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

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 COUNCIL MEMBER DATE

ATTEST:

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_________________________________ /s/ Signature on File
 _________________________________
 CITY CLERK MAYOR




July 22, 2025 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 2