Roy Runyon confirms no systemic racism against white men in Bremerton. Callow Ave area to allow light industrial uses, like block-long plant at 1123 N Wycoff that is naval contractor. Though Bremerton voters went to meetings, hearings, and walks & formed a vision for Charleston Area, a 4-block-wide corridor with Callow Ave as its spine from Montgomery to Cambrian, Burwell to 13th (roughly) that would be “eclectic, artisanal, imaginative” and promote pedestrian activity – this now permits drive-throughs like Burger King (Council, 9/1/2021) and light industrial use like the aforesaid naval contractor. I don’t get it. They ask for public input. We give it. Together, we craft a vision statement of overriding goals and priorities. Planning says the words of that vision statement. Then, they propose amendments that ignore and traduce it. Outreach was sent only to people who lived <300’ from corridor. As if the amendments were a negative impact, like a power outage or water main flushing. Meanwhile, many Dist. 6 voters were interested in Callow corridor as shopping area, but they received nothing. Outreach was written in bureauspeak – there will be a Public Hearing on something that you can’t figure out. Not being sarcastic here – I really don’t get it. Why ask the community what they want if you’re not going to listen? Why only ask the immediate community about an area that so many care about?

Nine low-income units to be added to mixed middle- and higher-income housing in Manette, funded by CDBG (community block grants). With ARP funding, City was able to give everybody what they want in this category. Stop and appreciate how rare that is.

Haddon Park will get an upgrade and yay Parks Dept., they wrote grants that funded 90 cents of every dollar. But Simpson moves for 3rd or 4th time to change $200K 2-unit restroom to 2 Port-A-Potties for 42 years. There is no second to his motion.

I’m knocking on many doors. I’m tired. The meeting was still going on at 8:45pm when I left it. I missed Councilor Reports. But hey! In 11 days I won’t have to campaign any more, and can once more give you, my readers, the comprehensive reports on Council meetings that you deserve.

2. MAYOR’S REPORT

KPHD Data shows cases are down and vaccination initiation up. We’re not out of the woods yet, but the mask mandate plus the vaccination mandate are working to reduce the Delta surge.

Kitsap Transit – Van Pool Incentive Pilot, free on-street parking for 8-passenger van pools. Despite poor usage during pandemic, 2 stalls were added in 2021 and usage crept up. 2022 planned expansion. Only taxpayer $$ used was for admin costs. Let’s trade single-occupancy for van pools!

15th & Corbet Dr. Stop signs added on either side of 15th St. at Corbet, both have reflective markers. (Everybody likes these!)

3. PUBLIC RECOGNITION

Roy Runyon says he attended REAC meeting and challenged them because he doesn’t see any systemic racism in City government, so what’s the point of REAC? A Council member asked Runyon if he was white – R doesn’t understand why this has anything to do with his comments. He suggests they need adult supervision. Gorman does not ask him to moderate his language. Instead, he asks R to send him an email to follow up. Burkhardt? Impossible to hear or understand. Kudos to Mayor? Really can’t figure out what he’s saying. I ask if people who call in could avoid condescending or patronizing language like ‘requires adult supervision”. I call for 4-way stop at 13th & Wycoff, where there have been 8 accidents in 2021 so far, 3 needed tow trucks, 1 needed a medical vehicle. Safety is 1 parameter in Public Works’ consideration of installing traffic control measures. I ask that it be given more weight. Melissa Watkinson urges the community to fill the empty slots on REAC, because there actually is systemic racism. Tony (?) calls in, is muted, can’t unmute.

4. CONSENT AGENDA

A. Claims & Check Register

B. Minutes of Meeting – October 6, 2021

C. Minutes of Study Session – October 13, 2021

D. Amend Term of Reappointment for Will Maupin to the Bremerton Housing Authority Board of Commissioners

E. Purchase of NEOGOV Onboard E-Forms and Programs

F. Change Order No. 14 with Active Construction, Inc. for Kitsap Lake Elementary Safe Routes to School Project; and related Budget Adjustment

G. Purchase of 2022 International Navistar HV Cab and Chassis from RWC Group, Ltd.

H. Purchase of Stainless-Steel Dump Body, Biosolids Spreader Attachments and other associated equipment from The Fab Shop

I. Ordinance No. 5433 repealing Chapter 9.18 of the Bremerton Municipal Code entitled “No Smoking Signs”

Public Comment. Runyon asks what’s up with Item I – Finnell says this is a law from 1940s that describes rules for smoking in theatres. Citizen Rydal(?) calls in to say he has a No Smoking sign on his property, there’s lots of smoking and littering, the City doesn’t come by and clean up the cigarettes. Daugs moves, Goodnow seconds, to approve agenda – Motion carries unanimously.

5. PUBLIC HEARINGS

A. Public Hearing on Resolution No. 3341 approving Community Development Block Grant/ HOME Funding Recommendations for Inclusion in the 2022 CDBG/HOME Action Plan

Dir Andrea Spencer presents precis – Beyond Accessible Surface for Haddon Park and some street projects will be funded by CDBG, others to be funded by ARPA. This means everybody gets what they asked for! Job Training, micro-enterprise, weatherization are all funded by ARPA. Sarah Achaoui does power point – tech difficulties, so this hearing is paused, to be resumed after item 5B. We come back around 7:10pm. Sarah refers to Haddon as an aging neighborhood park located near Anderson Cove, an underserved area in West Bremerton.

Public calls in to say that a mixture of low, middle, and high-income housing is the best. Sarah explains that we’re talking about NINE units infilled into an existing neighborhood of middle- and high-income housing. She offers to discuss further via email. Runyon has various dark suspicions. Sarah answers and answers him.

Discussion: Daugs asks, re Runyon question, if she can vote on this now that she’s been off KCR Board for a year. City Clerk says yes. Motion carries, unanimously, I think.

B. Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 5434 adopting 2021 Comprehensive Plan Amendments; and Ordinance No. 5435 adopting associated Zoning Code Amendments

Garrett Jackson presents. 5434 is comp plan updates re housing displacement AND Charleston Dist Ctr. 5435 codifies amendments to Charleston Dist Ctr. / CAPS plan. Per BMC 20.10.080, amendments must be consistent with the Growth Mgmt Act AND the Comprehensive Plan. Here’s how City will fix the problem of new housing displacing lowest-income people – they’ll consider strategies, they’ve mapped housing displacement risk, they’ll implement measures (not named) to mitigate displacement of lowest-income people who fall victim to development.

On to Charleston District. Map shows area running from Burwell to 13th St, alley W of Wycoff to Montgomery, more or less. He refers to opp’ties for community input at 9/2019 workshop and walking tour, 2020 virtual tour, mailer sent out to all who live within 300 feet of area. Planning Commission workshops too. “It was a community-oriented plan. “Rediscover Charleston as a distinctively creative historic district that celebrates its eclectic, imaginative, artisan … etc.” – that’s the “Community Vision”. Capital Facilities improvements include trees, lights, overhead string lights, and murals along Wycoff St. under Kitsap Way. There will be open space areas with a playground & picnic shelters (don’t know where, can’t see name on this small image. DCD also proposes regulatory flexibility to allow temporary uses such as hypothetical food truck court. They also want to include “light industrial uses”, images show chocolatier with shiny vat, coffee-grinding machine. A chocolatier, an artisan welder, both applied to be within this zone but were denied because Charleston doesn’t allow light industrial usage. “Overlay for light industrial manufacturing” keeps getting mentioned but there’s no map. No pollution, either noise or otherwise, allowed. Parking standards for infill projects, only along Callow from 6th St to Burwell, eliminates parking req’t for 10 add’l units or fewer. If you demo & rebuild, then the standard level of parking is required.

Jackson moves on to Zoning Code amendments – temporary uses: conditional use permit for mobile vending units (food trucks). Light industrial uses – conditional use “which requires public input” (?) No warehouses as they are dead spaces. He shows CAPS overlay. Parking standards amendment, as above.

Public comment: Joseph Rydal notes that code prohibits marijuana processing, he finds this offensive as it is legal. Others may find it offensive and it could lead to protests. Jackson says this is City policy, ok in freeway corridor and industrial zones. Faye Flemister, pres. of Charleston Biz Assn. asks that Council unanimously pass these ordinances. Brett Burkhardt – proud resident of Charleston, plans to start a biz there himself. But some attempts to house the houseless aren’t addressing root causes. He proudly hires the houseless, but if you’re going to add homeless, add community police to pick up trash and sharps. I ask for 3 graphics: open space / playground location; parking lot across from Safeway; outreach flyer. I ask how light industrial use will promote pedestrian activity OR meet the vision of eclectic, artisanal, and imaginative. Jackson says it will add employment and add’l uses, not promote pedestrian activity. That’s all the time I’m allowed. Shawn Cupples has taken almost a ton of trash from his properties down there in the past month. Huge homeless problem in this area, nothing in this plan addresses this. Notes that none of his biz neighbors knew about either the CAPS plan or the existence of a Charleston Biz Assn. Runyon asks what are mitigation measures for housing displacement – will people who lose their jobs because they refuse the vaccine mandate be eligible for this program? Because they’re not eligible for unemployment. Woman from Cambrian near 15th says let’s revitalize the area, make it a little Manette, a little downtown, not get off topic with vaccine mandates.

Discussion: (This will pass unanimously, I bet you.) Goodnow loves it. Wonders why food trucks aren’t available on weekends. Jackson says trailers can’t stay over weeknights, can on weekends. Love from Goodnow to Flemister. Dennehy says this area has a ton of potential, loves the idea that light industrial will be all artisanal, like Georgetown in Seattle. He’s excited about it. Daugs asks about light industrial uses that CAN’T be located there. Jackson says harsh chemicals, noise, etc. [Uggg. I’m not getting paid for this or listened to, so I may book out early. Next 13 days are crunch time.] Simpson talks for a while. Younger asks that City staff make sure there are no add’l adult entertainment venues allowed. He asks if this changes building code, specifically req’t for sprinkler system when substantial demo done.Gorman sees no hands, has nothing to say. Motion carries unanimously to adopt ordinance 5434s; Motion carries unanimously to adopt zoning changes as specified in Ord. 5435. See? It passed unanimously, just as I predicted.

6. GENERAL BUSINESS

A. Professional Services Agreement with River Oaks Communication for Cable Services Public Survey, Community Needs Assessment and Franchise Renewal Legal Services

B. 3rd Amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with BMcConsulting, LLC for Lobbying Services

C. Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) Funding Board Project Agreement for the Haddon Park Renovation Project

Simpson objects to new restroom, thinks $200K for a bathroom is excessive – for this price you could put in 2 portasans for 42 years. (8:36pm). This is a real blather blather night, or maybe it’s just that I’m so tired. Simpson moves to remove the bathroom from the grant, replace with portasans. No one seconds. Younger congratulates Parks on getting funding for this project that pays $0.90 on the dollar. Motion carries 5-1, Simpson opposing.

D. Public Works Agreement with Stripe Rite, Inc. for the 2021 Pavement Marking Project

It was going on 9pm at this point. I threw in the towel.

E. Ordinance No. 5436 repealing Section 9A.44.110 of the Bremerton Municipal Code entitled “Aggressive Begging”

F. Public Works Agreement with Double D Electrical, Inc. for Police Facility Gate Repairs and Replacement Added item…

7. COUNCIL REPORTS

8. ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING