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AUGUST 1998

City, county planners to meet

SUNNYSIDE (Monday 8-24-98)---County and city planners will meet Thursday to arm wrestle over what's going to become of "urban growth areas" around 15 cities within Yakima County.

 

Planners will get together at ESD 105 offices, 33 S. 2nd Ave., Yakima. They'll discuss the final form "inter-local agreements" will take among the cities and the county.

 

It's supposed to be a meeting among equals--county planners and their city counterparts. Yet the county--led by County Planning Director Dick Anderwald--has dictated the time and place for the meetings, and set the agenda.

 

It might be fair to say this highhandedness irked members of the Sunnyside City Council who met last night.

 

More than one councilman grumbled about getting an Aug. 19 meeting notice for an Aug. 27 meeting. Especially since the city hasn't heard a peep from Committee organizers since April 30 (related story P. 3).

 

The forum is called is the "Countywide Planning Policy Committee" which has only advisory power. Nevertheless, city reps scramble to attend, because they don't want a countywide "inter-local agreement" to be passed--as required by the state's Growth Management Act--that ignores their particular interests.

 

The inter-local agreements--when concluded--will define who has the power to dictate zoning policies in the areas which surround each city, but which lie today within the county.

 

That power will either reside with the county or cities--or a combination of both--depending on the form the hashed-out "inter-local agreements" take.

 

Earlier, some cities called for individualized inter-local agreements with the county. That idea reportedly was rejected by the Committee for a "one-size-fits-all" pact.

 

Councilman Errol Brown last night called the Committee's late meeting notice "ridiculous". Along with the notice came a 20-page, single-space document--a draft inter-local agreement-- which requires the signature of city and county reps.

 

Mayor Ed Prilucik, who has attended past Committee meetings with outgoing planning Director Richard Hendricksen, said he expects "lively discussion" at the Thursday meeting. He wants to take along a Planning Commission member to attend with him.

 

City Attorney Mark Kunkler reminded the Council that the Planning Policy Committee is advisory only, and that it's the city's right to say "We will negotiate our own inter-local agreement" with the county.

 

Meanwhile, the county does whatever it wants regarding developments within Sunnyside's projected urban growth area, and that has city planners concerned.

 

"Some things in (Sunnyside's) UGA don't conform to the city's zoning plans. There are 15 jurisdictions in this county. The future of this community needs to be planned better than it is," he said.

 

In other business, the council formally agreed to authorize a contract with Don Hahnfeldt as the city's new manager (The YVN already hired him earlier).

 

Hahnfeldt will start Sept. 16 at a salary of $70,000 and fringes. Fringes include health, vision, dental premiums paid in cash, a $150 vehicle allowance, and mileage at 31¢ a mile. He also got a one-time moving allowance of $4,800. This was contested by Councilman Roy Anciso "for the record."

The Council also adopted an ordinance amending the budget to reflect the new manager's salary.