Expect lots of debates in Olympia, Lacey councils

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published November 08, 2009

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Tuesday’s election results will make for some interesting City Council debates in Olympia and Lacey during the next couple of years. The stage is set for sharp disagreements among divided council members with different agendas and priorities. It’s going to be a fascinating ride.

It’s clear that the vote in Olympia was a referendum on the rezoning of the isthmus to allow a multi-story mixed use/housing development between Capitol Lake and the base of Budd Inlet. The winners on Tuesday — at least as the vote tally stands now — opposed the increased heights for developer Tri Vo’s Larida Passage development. Playing to a vocal contingency of anti-rezoning players, the candidates made the council’s isthmus vote the cornerstone of their campaign.

And it worked.

SPLIT COUNCIL

Karen Rogers and Karen Veldheer both campaigned against the council majority and ousted pro-rezone candidate Amy Tousley in the primary. Rogers leads Veldheer in the latest vote count.

Jeannine Roe, who leads incumbent councilwoman Joan Machlis by just a few dozen votes, ran a campaign focused almost entirely on Roe’s opposition to the isthmus development. The outcome of the Roe/Machlis race will determine which faction has a majority of the votes on the seven-member council.

Councilman Joe Hyer, who voted against the rezoning, thumped his opponent, Tony Sermonti, who was pro-rezone.

And, finally, councilman Jeff Kingsbury, who supported the rezone, was soundly defeated by anti-rezone challenger Stephen Buxbaum.

Together Buxbaum, Hyer, Roe and Rogers could trump the remaining three — Mayor Doug Mah and councilors Rhenda Strub and Craig Ottavelli — on isthmus votes.

The question then is, what would the new council majority be able to do to reverse the earlier council decision to allow up to 90-foot buildings — including 141 market rate housing units — on the isthmus?

City Manager Steve Hall says Tri Vo’s development is vested, and there is little a new council majority can do to reverse the decision.

“I am not aware of any legislative acts that they can take,” Hall said. “I’m not an attorney ... but unless the applicant withdraws, the project is vested.” Hall said the anti-rezone council members cannot change the zoning, cannot change the building height and cannot change the design.

Yes, Vo has to go through the city’s hearing examiner and design review processes, but in Hall’s estimation, the issue has moved beyond the council’s legislative process and is now in the internal administrative review process, which he says must be objective, neutral, without political influence and based on the rules on the day Vo filed the application.

Does that mean the anti-rezone forces will surrender? Likely not. They believe they have a voter mandate for change on the isthmus issue, and there are always ways to drag out policy decisions, find legal technicalities and delay through appeals and the courts.

It’s going to be fascinating to see how this issue plays out. It’s going to be equally interesting to see how the two council factions get along on other pressing issues — from parking to downtown housing.

Stay tuned.

LACEY CONFLICTS

Lacey residents will have an equally interesting council to keep tabs on.

The overriding issue in the Lacey election was the council’s abrupt decision to sever ties with Fire District 3 and form the city’s own fire department. That decision, made without public notice or input, energized district firefighters, who recruited candidates, raised money, helped run their campaigns and, in the end, won a decisive victory. They ousted three incumbent council members who were outmaneuvered and outcampaigned at every turn.

Gone are Mayor Graeme Sackrison and council members John Darby and Ann Burgman. In their place will be three political newcomers beholden to firefighters — Ron Lawson, Andy Ryder and Cynthia Pratt.

And that sets up another potential for a sharply divided council. The four incumbents — Mary Dean, Tom Nelson, Virgil Clarkson and Jason Hearn — all voted to have Lacey form its own fire department. Will they stand by their earlier decision — which was recently supported in a report by a 22-member citizens advisory group?

An early test vote could come if the council newcomers try to oust City Manager Greg Cuoio from his job for leading the effort to sever ties with the fire district.

Like Olympia, the unanswered question is how will entrenched views on the fire department issue play out among individual council members as they tackle growth and other issues?

Stay tuned.

Voters have spoken. Olympia’s vote — both the primary and the general — was a referendum on the isthmus rezone. Lacey’s vote was clearly swayed by one group — firefighters. But the votes have created split councils. The question is how the voters’ choices will play out on issues beyond the isthmus and fire department.