Des Moines City Council approves Marina Steps project, floating charging station; hears concerns about Masonic home and more during Thursday night meeting

The Des Moines City Council meeting on Thursday evening, July 25, 2024, was marked by enthusiastic public input and important decisions about the future of the city.

Residents called for preservation of local history, improvement of public safety and protection of the environment.

Meanwhile, council members grappled with financial challenges and the city’s role in emerging technologies.

Important decisions were also made regarding marina development and infrastructure improvements that will shape the future of Des Moines.

Public comments

Several members of the public wore green to show their support for the preservation of the historic Freemason’s HouseThey said the large building from 1926 resembles the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and should be cherished by the city as an iconic landmark. One speaker said the city should consider selling its other properties to buy the Masonic Home. It is currently owned by a major developer who, according to commentators, has said nothing about its plans for the property.

Another commenter said that the recent police presence has really helped the community of Redondo stay quieter at night. However, she said that even with the new speed cameras, drivers still use the street for racingLater in the meeting, Deputy Mayor Harry Steinmetz noted that in the first 30 days of issuing speeding tickets, the Traffic cameras in Redondo have raised about $35,000This money can be used for improvements in pedestrian safety.

One commenter said that a planned industrial park along S. 216th would remove 800,000 square feet of vegetation and would require local streams to be redesigned. She said that this vegetation, which was labeled “insignificant” by a SEPA environmental impact statement, is home to owls, kingfishers and many other types of wildlife. She said that in the face of the climate crisis, we need more trees, not more concrete.

Levy Lid Lift Questions and Answers

Finance Director Jeff Friend and Interim City Manager Tim George provided clarity on an item that will go before Des Moines voters on Aug. 6. They said City Hall has received many questions about the proposal, which if passed would be a one-time, permanent increase in property taxes that would go to a special fund for public safety. Without a cap, property taxes can only be increased by 1% per year, which is not enough to keep up with inflation.

It was mentioned that there was a similar levy in 2006, but there are differences between that levy and the one on the current ballot. The 2006 levy was more expensive for taxpayers, and because it was a temporary levy, officers had to be laid off when the levy expired. In addition, the proceeds went to the general fund, so there was no transparency about how the money was used.

The money from this one-time, permanent cap would go into a special fund with full transparency for reporting the use of funds. It would be used to retain the two patrol officers, a crime analyst and a crisis response specialist, all of whom are currently paid from expiring ARPA funds. There would also be enough money to permanently hire four new patrol officers and a community service officer. If the proposal fails, the department would be unable to fill the additional positions and would lose its ARPA-funded personnel.

Another topic people have asked about is the budget “scrubbing,” removing all excess funds, rather than asking for more money. City Manager George said they have already reduced spending, managed vacancies to reduce staffing costs, and reduced the salary range for the new city manager. They are committed to a balanced budget and will continue to make cuts if they are able to. He said the purpose of this levy is to increase public safety with funding that is insulated from general fund cuts.

Under this proposed levy, properties valued at $1,000,000 or more would pay an additional $600, while properties valued at $600,000 or more would pay an additional $300 annually. The portion of the total property tax going to the city would still be less than the portions going to schools, King County and public services.

It was also mentioned that the The marina’s paid parking system is not funded with property tax moneyIt is paid by users of the parking lots, as well as a one-time tax for developers of projects valued at $15,000,000 or more.

Allocation passes for floating charging stations

The council voted 4-3 to approve a grant application to fund a floating electric fast-charging station at the marina. The entire project would be funded by grants and would be constructed at no cost to the city, except for staff time. Councilman J.C. Harris, who opposed the grant application, said the charging station is not a strategic part of the Marina Master Plan and he believed a demand study should be conducted before the project would go ahead. Councilmen Gene Achziger and Yoshiko Grace-Matsui also voted against it, saying it has not been tested and there is no guaranteed market for electric boat charging, and staff are already operating at capacity.

Deputy Mayor Steinmetz said that being first in the electric boat charging market is a huge advantage, and that the ferry project needs it to move forward. He also said that the risk to the city is minimal, since the charging station is funded by grants. Mayor Traci Buxton said that a yes vote now only means that the city is keeping its options open, since the council will vote on it again once the grant funding is received, before work begins. San Francisco is a few steps ahead of Des Moines, and will have a zero-emission ferry fleet by 2030.

Marina Steps project successful

Council members Gene Achziger and JC Harris voted “No” on the latest version of the Marina Steps Project, but it passed by a vote of 5-2. Achziger said there should be another presentation to the public to know if this is what they really want to do. Harris moved to remove the spray park feature from the plan, but did not get support.

In response to Mayor Buxton asking why parts of the project had not been included earlier, City Manager George said that most of the features had indeed been included in the plan earlier. He said the only things changed in this amendment are the removal of overhead power lines, which are being moved underground, and the addition of a zebra crossing. He said they heard loud and clear from the public that these were the features they wanted. Additionally, the winding path that runs alongside the stairs is required for ADA access.