City Council Study Session — Yakima, WA
Date: 2025-01-14

YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
 January 14, 2025
 City Hall - Council Chambers - 129 N 2nd Street, Yakima, WA
 5:00 PM City Council Study Session – 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, Rick Glenn and Danny Herrera
 Staff: City Manager Vicki Baker, City Attorney Sara Watkins and City Clerk Rosalinda Ibarra

 Absent and Excused: Councilmember Leo Roy

 Special Announcement – Mayor Byers announced that Yakima has been selected as an
 Official Fan Zone location for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

2. Public Comment (allow 15 minutes)
 Kyle Curtis, Yakima County Commissioner District 2, thanked Council and staff for discussing
 the filing fee funds and encouraged stakeholders to participate in the update of the Yakima
 County Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan.

 Joe Daniels, City resident, read a religious passage.

3. Study Session Items
 A. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Proclamation
 Mayor Byers proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday as a "Day of Service.” Anthony
 Peterson and Reverend Robert Trimble accepted the proclamation.

 B. National Mentoring Month Proclamation
 Councilmember Deccio proclaimed January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month.” Alicia
 Tobin accepted the proclamation.

 C. Presentation of updates to the Yakima Air Terminal Modernization project
 Director of the Yakima Air Terminal Rob Hodgman presented an overview of the Yakima
 Air Terminal Modernization Project and provided updates of the terminal parking lot solar
 canopy project, overflow parking lot, roof and HVAC project, baggage claim project,
 renovations to the ticketing area, cargo and baggage screening, and a Yakima County
 Supporting Investment in Economic Development (SIED) grant application.

 The solar canopy project proposes installing solar canopies on the front row of the
 airport parking lot, resulting in utility cost savings, reduction in carbon dioxide impact and
 increased revenue. The baggage claim modernization project replaces outdated
 machinery, enhances security and reduces congestion creating a more streamlined and
 accessible passenger experience.


January 14, 2025 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4
 Mr. Hodgman reported that not all elements of the Yakima Air Terminal Modernization
 Project are eligible for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding; therefore, staff is
 seeking approval to apply for a $2 million SIED grant application to match federal funds
 for the first phase of the Yakima Air Terminal Modernization Project.

 D. Resolution authorizing submittal of a SIED grant application for the Yakima Airport
 Terminal Modernization Project
 Director of the Yakima Air Terminal Rob Hodgman briefed the Council on the proposed
 resolution in the previous agenda item. The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.

 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adopt the resolution. The motion
 carried by a 6-0 roll call vote; Roy absent.

 RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-018, A RESOLUTION authorizing a grant application for the
 Yakima Air Terminal Building Modernization project to the Yakima County Supporting
 Investments in Economic Development (SIED) for Capital Improvement Projects at the
 Yakima Air Terminal-McAllister Field.

 E. Resolution authorizing submittal of a SIED grant application for a feasibility study on
 wastewater infrastructure around the Wiley City area
 Planning Manager Trevor Martin briefed the Council on the proposed resolution
 authorizing the City to apply for approximately $120,000 in SIED funds to conduct a
 feasibility study and plan. The City of Yakima was notified that funding may be available
 for this purpose.

 Mr. Martin stated that the area is outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of
 Yakima, but within the Urban Growth Area. It was clarified that the City’s role is as the
 applicant only and, if approved, staff would administer the project. The sole purpose of
 the feasibility study is to evaluate the options for addressing wastewater infrastructure
 and explore solutions for creating a comprehensive wastewater management system
 around the Wiley City area. There would not be any expectation or reliance on the City of
 Yakima to move forward with any recommendations in the plan that would connect the
 area to City facilities.

 The City Clerk read the resolution by title only.

 MOTION: Glenn moved and Deccio seconded to adopt the resolution. The motion
 carried by a 4-2 roll call vote; with Brown and Berg voting no. Roy absent.

 RESOLUTION NO. R- 2025-019, A RESOLUTION authorizing a grant application for a
 feasibility study on the wastewater infrastructure around the Wiley City area to the
 Yakima County Supporting Investments in Economic Development (SIED).

 F. Report regarding service calls and code compliance at hotels and other supportive
 housing facilities
 Code Administration Manager Glenn Denman, Yakima Police Department Interim Chief
 Shawn Boyle, and YPC Crime Analytics Supervisor Brandon Lynn provided a report on
 the number of service calls and code compliance matters regarding hotels and other



January 14, 2025 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 4
 supportive housing facilities in 2024. The information presented reflected cases handled
 by Code Administration, Yak Back complaints, and YPD statistics. The greatest number
 of YPD calls for service generated from the Yakima Union Gospel Mission and Camp
 Hope locations.

 Councilmember Glenn expressed frustration about individuals who disobey laws and are
 not held accountable. Councilmembers emphasized the use of the Chronic Nuisance
 Ordinance as a resourceful tool that should be applied more regularly.

 G. Discussion of 1406 Funds (Retained Sales Tax for Affordable Housing)
 City Attorney Sara Watkins provided information regarding the 1406 funds with a brief
 overview of the Point In Time (PIT) data counts conducted by Yakima County in 2024.

 The City adopted HB 1406 which allows the retention of a portion of sales tax money for
 affordable housing to help address homelessness. The total revenue collected to date is
 approximately $806,837. These funds can be used to construct affordable housing, for
 the operation and maintenance costs of affordable or supportive housing, and to provide
 rental assistance to tenants. Certain income eligibility criteria apply based on how
 funding is utilized.

 Yakima Municipal Code Chapter 7.92 established the Affordable Housing Incentive
 Program, as required by the CHIP grant program, wherein applicants can use funds to
 pay for some or all of the connection fees for water and/or sewer utilities; however, the
 units must remain affordable for 50 years.

 Ms. Watkins provided information about imposing an affordable housing tax which is a
 sales and use tax to be used for housing and related services, including behavioral
 health treatment facilities and programs to serve eligible individuals. To adopt the tax,
 the City Council has two options: pass an ordinance imposing the sales and use tax; or
 send the tax proposition to the voters. She noted that in 2021 a similar measure was
 proposed but did not receive supermajority votes to pass.

 Additionally, Ms. Watkins shared that the City of Olympia expanded their housing policy
 to allow non-faith-based service providers to operate temporary emergency homeless
 encampments. She also briefly discussed the collaboration and education opportunities
 the City participates in and other options that the City could consider.

 Councilmembers expressed interest in funding permanent supportive housing facilities
 which can provide more benefits to individuals experiencing homelessness issues.

 H. Information regarding filing fee funds if collected directly by City
 City Attorney Sara Watkins described the current situation of filing fee funds. Yakima
 County retains 30% of the filing fee surcharge collected by the County Auditor for each
 recorded document. A portion of that amount must be used to accomplish the purposes
 of the Yakima County Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan. Ms. Watkins noted that the
 Yakima County Commissioners have the authority to allocate the funds as they deem
 appropriate.

 Ms. Watkins stated that State statute allows cities to operate their own local homeless
 housing program if they assert responsibility for homeless housing within its boundaries.


January 14, 2025 – Yakima City Council Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 4
 If it chooses to do so, the percentage share of the filing fees charged by the County
 would be transmitted to the City. The City would be obligated to adopt a local plan to
 address homelessness, consistent with the statewide Department of Commerce
 guidelines, and create a homeless working group to provide support and help develop
 the plan. Ms. Watkins also shared a breakdown of the amounts the City would have
 collected over the past years, noting a trend of significant decreases in filing fees.

 Other programs and services currently funded by filing fee sources include outreach,
 coordinated entry, emergency shelter, extreme winter weather shelter, domestic violence
 shelter, and capital improvements.

4. Adjournment
 MOTION: Brown moved and Deccio seconded to adjourn to the next City Council
 regular meeting on January 21, 2025, beginning with Executive Session at 5:00 p.m., in
 the Council Chambers at City Hall. The motion carried by unanimous vote; Roy absent.
 The meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m.


CERTIFICATION
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