Council approves overlay for forest

Published 4:25 pm Monday, February 15, 2010

The Bonney Lake City Council meeting was low-key, taking just 30 minutes to get through the agenda.

With Mayor Neil Johnson absent, Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman stepped in to conduct the Feb. 9 regular meeting, as the council approved an ordinance for a high-density residential overlay to apply to properties south of state Route 410 and northeast of South Prairie Road, and west of 214th Avenue East.

The ordinance allows a mix of attached and detached residences, duplexes, townhomes, condominiums or apartments, or a combination.

In other business, the council:

• approved a resolution for the city to award and execute a contract with Billing Document Specialists of Caldwell, Idaho, for utility billing and lock box services.

For the past six years, the city has used Databar Inc. for the service.

The city received six bids for providing utility billing and lock box services.

Swatman said awarding the bid to BDS will save the city between $15,000 and $17,000 each year.

• heard from Michelle Gunn who said she wanted to go on the record to state she was surprised by comments she heard during a recent council meeting.

“There were some things that were not clearly stated from city staff,” Gunn said. “And there are some issues that need to be addressed before this goes forward, before any kind of vote or further discussion by the council.”

Gunn said during a meeting with Planning Manager Heather Stinson and Community Director John Vodopich, she was told her property was not included in the Downtown Design Standard Boundary Map.

• was thanked by Sherry Leistiko, president of the Lake Bonney Conservation Association, for its commitment to the lake and watershed. Leistiko said the group appreciated the city updating the stormwater treatment systems around the lake.

“We hope the level of improvements continue as new ways of treating stormwater become available,” Leistiko said.

She also thanked the council for listening to the association’s concerns about conservation and the environment.