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LOCAL NEWS
City OKs R1 zone variance SUNNYSIDE (Monday 1-4-99)---The city council voted 3-2 this evening to allow John and Mischelle Booth to make a duplex of their single family home at 634 Thompson Dr.   Approval comes after a several-month process involving the city's Board of Adjustment and appeals by the Booths' neighbors, Gary and Sherry Street.   City staff found that converting the single home to a double--without increasing the structure's size--would not add significantly to traffic in the neighborhood.   The home is on two lots in an R-1, low-density zone, which allows from one to a maximum of five dwellings per acre. The Booths' two lots total more than a half acre. An adjoining set of lots, occupied by one home, is also a half-acre in size.   If the Booth home is made into a duplex, the immediate neighborhood still would host only three homes per acre.   Based on these findings, the city echoed the Board of Adjustment's earlier favor of the conditional use permit requested by the Booths.   In voting against issuing the permit, Councilman Don Vlieger pointed to "findings of fact and conclusions of law" developed by city staff.   One of the conclusions was that okaying the permit "will...preserve the low-density residential character of the neighborhood." Vlieger contended okaying the permit won't do that.   Councilman Roy Anciso excused himself from voting. Approving the Booths' permit were Chad Werkhoven, Errol Brown, and Mike Aguirre. Councilmen Vlieger and Mike Farmer voted against. Mayor Ed Prilucik didn't vote.   In other business, the council: Approved contracts with Horizons of Sunnyside to provide janitorial services at the City Library and Senior Citizens' Center. Approved contracts with Ray's Janitorial Service to maintain the Law & Justice Center and City Hall. Slated items for the Jan. 11 workshop agenda. Acknowledged tribute to the Sunnyside PD for its fund raising efforts on behalf of the Special Olympics Program. Sunnyside raised $4,245, rivaling sums collected in larger metro areas. Officer Cory Rosen is Sunnyside's S.O. representative. The city received a plaque honoring its work on behalf of handicapped kids. Approved an ordinance amending the 1998 budget to square it with actual expenditures, an annual exercise required by the state. City Mgr. Don Hahnfeldt said he would produce precise figures for the Council by Jan. 15. Noted that Municipal Court public defender Don Engle has been appointed District Court commissioner. Two local attorneys reportedly have expressed interest in the post Engle held. Noted a press report placing Sunnyside "behind the 8-ball" relative to Y2K computer problems is overblown. Hahnfeldt noted the city has manual backups for any computerized functions controlling power, gas and signal lighting. The city is testing for computer problems in Sunnyside's police, fire, and finance departments, and "so far is in compliance," Hahnfeldt said. Mayor Ed Prilucik, who is on the "911 Board" noted the emergency phone system has been tested using an electrical generator, and "works perfectly".