City Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome to Pasco City Council In Focus. I'm Communications Coordinator Alyssa Warner and this is a look at what's on the agenda for the August 3rd regular City Council meeting. We'll begin with a public hearing on the proposal to extend the temporary ban on essential public facilities, including secure community transition facilities and LRA housing. This is an issue we've been working on almost all year. In February, the City Council approved a moratorium temporarily banning these facilities while we create permanent rules and regulations determining where they can be placed. That moratorium expires two weeks from Monday. The proposal for a public hearing would extend the temporary ban through the end of this year. During that public hearing, you'll have a chance to let Council know if you think the ban should be extended. City Council will also be asked to schedule two public hearings for the future. The first is asking if Lightspeed Networks Incorporated should be allowed to continue using public right-of-way, basically city-owned space, to operate its fiber optic cable network. The second public hearing that needs to be scheduled is also for a right-of-way agreement. In this case, the City has extra right-of-way along Road 108, which we don't need anymore. On Monday, City Council will be asked to set a public hearing asking if the City should give up that right-of-way. We can also expect to see a proposal to break a large sewer project bill, which is known as a Local Improvement District or LID, into smaller pieces. This is a pretty routine step as more homes are being built. When properties that are part of an LID are subdivided, their assessment or financial obligations have to be subdivided as well. This ensures that future homebuyers only have to pay their own share of the neighborhood sewer project costs. City Council will also hear a presentation from a Washington State University criminal justice professor about how language barriers impact interactions between police and the community they serve. WSU has been researching police interactions with the community using Pasco Police Department body camera footage from traffic stops. This study provides constructive feedback for future interactions between police officers and the public, specifically highlighting interactions with those who do not speak the same language. The City Council may vote to formally offer support to a company applying for a cannabis retail license from the state. The company owners spoke to City Council during the July 27 workshop meeting. They will have to get a license from the state in order to operate, and the City Council would have to take further action to allow a fifth pot shop to open in Pasco. As always, you can find the full agenda and any updates on our website, pasco-wa.gov, and watch the meeting live on the city Facebook and YouTube pages starting at 7 o'clock Monday evening.