Yakima City Council addresses gang prevention, license tab fees, pot zoning

June 07--YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Yakima City Council took a step toward establishing a new program for gang prevention and intervention Tuesday.

The council voted 6-1, with Councilman Bill Lover voting no, to begin the process of hosting a public forum to hear from the community on several questions, including an honest look at Yakima's needs, what's most important to the community, what challenges residents face and what they want to change.

The questions originate from Southern California Crossroads, an organization that helps communities craft and carry out plans to combat all types of violence.

Lover was skeptical of vetting that had been done by council members and said he wanted to make sure they weren't entering into any sort of agreement with a group when the same work could be done by staff.

But Councilwomen Dulce Gutierrez and Carmen Mendez and Mayor Kathy Coffey explained they would simply be having conversations with the community. Any information gathered could be used by the group or staff to craft a program.

The conversation with Southern California Crossroads came after the organization saw several news clips about seemingly rising gang violence in Yakima. Since January, Yakima has seen 10 homicides and many drive-by shootings, several of which police say may have been gang-related.

The council did not establish a timeline for the public forum and has not made any movement to establish a contract with the organization or determine a cost for any services.

The council also voted 5-2 to bring back the issue of increasing car tab fees.

The measure to vote on a $19 per-year increase at the next meeting was introduced by Coffey in the last five minutes of Tuesday's meeting. There was little discussion, but the council will vote at its next meeting, June 20, whether to increase car tabs to pay for various street and sidewalk projects.

"It's just one of the items on the agenda," Coffey said after the meeting. "If it fails this time, then it's dead."

Coffey did not elaborate further when asked if she thought there were enough council members who would vote yes, nor did she offer a specific reason as to why she reintroduced the resolution.

In March, the council voted against increasing yearly car tab fees by $20 after months of discussion. It's unclear what chance the measure has later this month, but Councilwoman Holly Cousens could be heard leaving the chamber saying, "No one knows how I'm going to vote."

The council also voted to send a discussion on where marijuana can be sold in the city to the planning commission. The move came after a request from Ken Weaver, owner of The Slow Burn in Union Gap, who wants to open a shop in Yakima but hasn't been able to find one in the zones in which sales are currently allowed.

The commission will specifically review if the sale can be allowed in light industrial zones, which includes the property Weaver would like to open his shop at 1107 S. Third St., the former Max's Tavern.

In other business, the council voted to shorten Yakima Planning Commission terms from six to four years.

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kbain@yakimaherald.com

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