Two matters of interest to Richland Councilmember Theresa Richardson will be on the city council agenda Tuesday night. The council will vote to approve the appointment of Richardson’s son, Jet Richardson, to the Richland Planning Commission. A piece of property next to Richardson’s church is being placed on the city surplus property list.
The land at 350 Thayer Drive that the city of Richland has owned since 1958 will now be available for sale. It and many other parcels were seized from property owners by the federal government during World War II to create the Hanford Project. The federal government gave much of that land to the city when it became incorporated.
Benton County appraises the .3305 acres at $97,130.
Two houses across from the city property are on lots .1478 acre and .1896 acre and the county appraises the land under those at $50,000 each.
The Economic Development Committee recommended the following form of sale.
3.06.040 (B) Sale or lease procedures.
B. Negotiation Process. The council may determine that property should be sold or leased through negotiations, either as a result of a specific request, or as a result of city-initiated advertising or other solicitation. In either event, sale or lease consideration shall proceed as follows:
1. All requests shall be directed to the city manager or his designee;
2. The city manager or his designee shall schedule the request for review and consideration by the economic development board, along with a report discussing the following:
a. Status of the surplus property;
b. Whether the property should be considered for public bid offerings;
c. Whether, and for what reason(s), sale or lease would be advantageous to the city; and
d. Any other special considerations which apply to and which will aid the board in considering the request;
3. The economic development board shall review the request and make findings, based on the policy and objectives and the criteria provided in this chapter, for the council’s consideration;
4. The council shall act on the request, with due consideration to the findings and recommendation of the economic development board and, as appropriate, other boards, commissions, or individuals. [Ord. 24-84].
[Updated in the afternoon] In response to the Observer’s email question about who inquired about the property, John Amundson wrote, “I believe that a number of interested parties has approached Development Services over the last year to 18 months. That is why the recommendation is for public bid.”
As usual the pages listed below correspond to the pages in the packet. Some interesting items appear on the agenda. The Observer has learned that there are some new types of recreational opportunities being created in the parks, Item 9.
Also, the city will be correcting some boo-boos. As the Observer noted earlier the wrong people were notified for the zoning change at 1842 Jadwin, Item 17, and there was also a problem with the process for the rezone of 2500 Chester Road, Item 6.
The Observer notes, that the Chester Road rezone paperwork has never included the contact list, so it’s hard to know if the appropriate people received notices for that change. [Note: the city amended the packet to include the contact list, Pg. 225.]
Presentations
1.Hanford Communities Annual Update, David Reeploeg, Hanford Communities Executive Director, no information provided.
2. Richland Public Library Board of Trustees Annual Presentation, Joe Schiessl, Parks and Public Facilities Director, no information provided.
Public Hearings – None
Public Comments – You have 2 minutes to say what you want. Questions are discouraged but if you have one, ask it and ask that the council follow-up with an answer ASAP. The council is live now but you can make a comment virtually by following the rules at the top of the agenda
3. Minutes, approval of the April 5 council minutes. Pg. 4-10
4. Amending the Richland municipal code to eliminate late fees for library books. The changes are explained on Pg.11-17
5. Amending the 2022 budget for a whole pile of items, many in Badger Mt. South. The Observer outlined this for the April 5 meeting. Pg. 18-186
6. Approving the Re-zone for 2500 Chester Road. This is being rezoned for a Knights of Columbus hospital equipment loaning operation. Pg. 187-238
7. Authorizing the purchase and sale agreement with Public Utility District No 1 of Benton County related to the Center Parkway North Extension Project. The city will pay $119, 281, which is $39,368.50 above the city appraisers fair market value for the property.
8. Amending the fee schedule related to the RIchland Public Library’s Overdue Fine-Free Circulation Policy. Pg. 259-260.
9. Awarding 2022 Park Partnership Program Grants. Allied Arts Association, G6, Horn Rapids Motorsports Complex, Richland National Little League, and Tri-Cities Radio Control Modelers will receive funding. G6 will build a pump track. Pg. 261-301. Straight out of Wikipedia: “A pump track is a circuit of rollers, banked turns and features designed to be ridden completely by riders “pumping”—generating momentum by up and down body movements, instead of pedaling or pushing. It was originally designed for the mountain bike and BMX scene, and now, due to concrete constructions, is also used by skateboard, and accessible to wheelchairs. Pump tracks are relatively simple to use and cheap to construct, and cater to a wide variety of rider skill levels.” Before anyone says that I’m old and out-of-it — I know already.
10. Business license Reserve Fund grant goes to Visit Tri-Cities. Pg. 302-307
11. Approving the final plat of White Bluffs – Phase 7. Pg. 308-317.
12. Approving Phase 2 of Siena Hills. Pg. 318-357.
13. Declaring 350 Thayer as surplus property and available for sale. Pg. 358-361.
14. Appointing Tamara Wright-Chavez to the Code Enforcement Board. Pg. 362-363.
15. Checks for March. Pg. 364-456.
Items of Business
16. Appointing Heather Nicholson and Jet Richardson to the Planning Commission. This has to have a separate vote so Councilmember Theresa Richardson can recuse herself from voting for her son.
17. Redo on the boo boo on 1842 Jadwin. The wrong people were notified about the rezoning proposal. Pg. 459-464.
18. Authorizing the application for up to $350,000 from the state Recreation and Conservation Office for youth athletic facilities at Hanford Legacy Park. Pg. 465-469
19. One Washington Opioid Memorandum of Understanding. Opioid distributors were sued and provided a settlement and the city could receive some of it. Pg. 470
Executive Session:
20. Up to 45 minutes to discuss current or potential litigation with legal counsel.
This thing with Jet Richardson reeks of some form of future inside deal.
Great spot. As if her son is on the Planning Commission, then she will be basing her zoning, variance, special use permits, etc. on a report her son helped prepare. However, how do you know the council will approve “to approve” when the vote is not until tomorrow? Isn’t it, whether or not to approve? But those two facts are very interesting, her son and a lot next to her church.
Hi Bill, Thanks for reading the Observer and commenting. I may have put the cart before the horse with my headline but the council very rarely votes down something on the agenda. Occasional an individual councilmember will vote no on something but that is also unusual. Most of the time everything is on the consent calendar and there is no discussion and one vote. Because Richardson will have to recuse herself on the Planning Commission vote, it will get a separate vote under the business items section. Making Thayer surplus property is on the consent calendar. So, no discussion or separate vote there.