Sumner City Council members approved a height exception during their Feb. 16 meeting, allowing the height of certain buildings to be increased.

The ordinance amends the Sumner Municipal Code to allow increased height from approximately three stories to four stories for buildings in the Central Business District zone, with conditions. The extended height of a structure is allowed if it is part of a repair or maintenance of a historic building, is not seen from Main Street and is not within 100 feet of a single family home.

A public hearing in January addressed in the Central Business District of Sumner’s historic downtown.

“You want to allow a building to change and adapt to economies and remain a funcioning part of your downtown,” Planning Manager Ryan Windish said.

Some of the buildings are historic and need to be updated, he said.

Sumner residents will soon pay more for solid waste disposal.

At their Feb. 16 meeting, which was a day later than usual due to Presidents Day, council members unanimously passed an ordinance raising the fee.

Sumner’s contract with DM Disposal states the rates must be adjusted every year to account for the increase in landfill tipping costs and 80 percent of the consumer price index for the included area.

The new rates will begin March 1.

In other business the council:

• appointed James Storey to the Planning Commission.

• appointed Norman LaVerdiere to the Arts Commission.