By Mellow DeTray

Here’s our recap of the Des Moines City Council meeting held on Thursday night, Oct. 19, 2023:

Public Comments

A representative from the Redondo Community Association invited everyone to join them at the MaST Center from 9-10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 for “Coffee with a Cop.” At 10 a.m., following coffee, the aquarium and displays at the MaST Center will be open to explore freely.

One woman spoke of conditions at the Adriana Apartments. She said there was sickness in the building every winter, with emergency services coming by for someone at least once each day. She believes the grounds and building are polluted, and that management doesn’t care. She said she was in good health before moving there, but has been sick ever since. In addition, the air conditioning does not circulate properly through the entire building, leaving the upper floors sweltering during summer. She has written to the city and asks that they do an inspection of the building to make sure it is safe for residents. Mayor Matt Mahoney briefly responded that they had received her letter that day, and would be looking into it.

Marina Steps Project

The city’s marina steps project now has a webpage where the community can find out more about the scope and timeline of construction. There is a link on the webpage to ask questions or submit comments. They will also be putting out info on social media about the project, to encourage public input and involvement.

Reduced Speed Limit Through Kent

Mayor Mahoney shared that Kent has changed the speed limit on Pacific Highway South, reducing it from 45 to 40 mph. This applies to the entire stretch of the highway through Kent.

Hydrofoil Demonstration

City Manager Michael Matthias spoke about a recent 6-passenger hydrofoil demonstration at the marina, which drew in crowds as well as the media (EDITOR’S NOTE: The Waterland Blog was not invited to this event). A hydrofoil, he said, is an electric boat that skims over the water, reducing friction and improving efficiency. He said this design is safer for orca whales and other sea life, as well as reducing noise and pollution. He spoke about the growing enthusiasm for Puget Sound to have a more robust passenger ferry system, like it had many years ago during the time of the Mosquito Fleet.

Fracas Over Alleged Ferry Boat Purchase

There was a bit of a quarrel over something Councilmember JC Harris had written, apparently quoting City Manager Matthias. The information being disputed is regarding the city looking into buying a 6-passenger electric hydrofoil ferry for $500,000. Matthias denied saying anything of the kind, or having any knowledge of it. Harris insisted during the meeting that both KIRO and KOMO News outlets had reported the city manager saying it, (EDITOR’S NOTE: We could not confirm Harris’ claims of any mention within those two news stories of the city considering purchasing a ferry boat. If you find it, please email a link to [email protected].)

Mayor Mahoney brought up an incident from two years ago, when Harris told people that the city manager had purchased a ferry. Mahoney said that in both cases Harris should have verified the facts with council or staff before publishing misinformation.

Development Moratorium Ending After 1 Year, Zoning Changes

Last year, council enacted a moratorium on any new development on a 73 acre parcel south of 216th St. They wanted to give staff time to conduct a study on what the optimal zoning would be for the most beneficial types of development. Once zoned as a “Business Park,” with the businesses going in being predominantly warehouse and industrial, some of the area will now be zoned an “innovation district,” as well as high density residential.

Video

Below is full video of this meeting:

The post Fracas over alleged ferry boat purchase, Marina Steps and more discussed at Thursday night’s Des Moines City Council first appeared on The Waterland Blog.