Blaine City Council briefly ...

The latest news from the April 25 city council meeting.

Blaine City Council held a public hearing on passing Resolution 22-2973 that would give council the option to impose local utility facility fees in the future. The fee would act similar to a connection fee and be paid by builders to fund utility infrastructure expansions needed in new development. Council unanimously passed the resolution 6-0, with councilmember Garth Baldwin absent. No members of the public commented during the hearing. 

Council also unanimously passed a resolution to adopt a city work plan for 2022 zoning text amendments and a resolution that initiated the 2022 docket of amendments to the city’s comprehensive plan. 

Council’s approval of the zoning text amendment work plan means city staff will work on zoning text amendments, discuss those in planning commission and then hold public hearings before going in front of council for final approval on each text amendment. Code amendments typically take about six months to come back to council for final approval, community development services director Stacie Pratschner said. “This does not authorize a particular project action,” she said.

Zoning changes included adding mobile/manufactured homes to the upcoming east Blaine neighborhood Harbor Hills, formerly East Maple Ridge, and improving the permit process efficiency. Zoning changes also included reviewing Blaine central business district design standards and building heights after prospective developers showed concern about current height restrictions, especially on the water-facing side of Peace Portal Drive.

Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley said he toured other police stations and preliminary findings showed the police department would need about three acres for a new station that could support Blaine in coming decades. The station’s current lot is .3 acres. City council brainstormed the possibility of bringing a future station to Blaine during its February 28 work-study session.

Council held a study session on increasing the amount of traffic and park impact fees that developers need to pay, to help offset the percentage paid by taxpayers. Traffic and park impact fees pay for new capital improvements such as roadways and parks. No vote was taken.