La Conner council expands arts commission, approves ADA update and fireboat change order; six‑month moratorium OK’d for new drive‑throughs

La Conner Town Council members approved a slate of ordinances, resolutions and administrative actions at their regular meeting, including expanding the town’s arts commission, appointing new commissioners, adopting an ADA-focused amendment to municipal code and approving a final, donation‑funded change order for the town’s new fireboat.

The actions also included a six‑month moratorium on new drive‑through facilities while staff prepares revised regulations, a motion waiving the competitive‑bid process for emergency repairs to the Maple Hall floor, and tentative adoption of a new sewer unit rate. Several items were described by staff as funded either by donations or by external grants; no new town tax increases were proposed in the package of motions approved at the meeting.

Why it matters: the arts commission changes expand citizen participation and adjust an old public‑art requirement, the ADA ordinance responds to recent inquiries about access improvements, the fireboat work completes needed operational features paid by donations, and the drive‑through moratorium temporarily halts new commercial drive‑throughs while the town updates zoning rules.

The council approved the arts commission ordinance after staff said the town had several qualified applicants for vacant seats and that the municipal code language needed cleanup, including removal of an obsolete requirement to set aside a percentage of public‑works budgets for art. Council also passed a follow‑up resolution appointing five people to the arts commission.

Planning staff presented an update to residential code revisions intended to bring the municipal code into compliance with recent state mandates and to clarify rules affecting multifamily projects and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Staff discussed new water‑meter requirements for units sold separately and said the draft code will be sent to the state and returned for formal public hearing and further council action.

Council approved an ADA‑related ordinance that staff said will ease the permit process for property owners seeking to improve disabled access to buildings in certain districts.

On public safety, the council approved final change order number 1 for the town’s new fireboat. Staff and a fire association representative said the change order contains five elements, including shore power and an inverter (listed at $1,946 in the change‑order exhibit), dome lights (about $500) and additional heating/defrost capability; a bow thruster priced at about $6,700 was discussed but not included in this change order because funds were not yet available. The speakers said all items in the approved change order will be paid with donations raised by the local fire association and other donors; council members emphasized the town will not fund those items from the general fund.

The council also voted to waive competitive‑bidding requirements and approve limited emergency authority so town staff can secure repairs to Maple Hall’s floor immediately. Staff said insurance will cover most of the cost; a final contractor and total cost will be returned to the facilities committee or council for later ratification.

Separately, the council gave tentative approval to a sewer unit rate calculated by consultant FCS Group. The rate shown to council was 0.71336 per 100 gallons; staff said the figure is preliminary and might be adjusted before final adoption at a future meeting.

On land use, council adopted a six‑month moratorium on new drive‑through facilities (draft moratorium ordinance introduced at the meeting). Staff said the pause will allow time to draft code changes and hold the required public hearing. Council indicated existing drive‑throughs would be grandfathered and that the moratorium applies only to new approvals.

Not all topics reached final decisions: council discussed a request from event organizers to clear First Street for the Tulip Festival parade and asked staff to return with logistics (towing, enforcement, emergency access and notification) before taking action. A staff member also reminded residents of a series of emergency‑management seminars starting Feb. 8 at the library and noted meeting dates for the water advisory board (Feb. 11) and arts commission (Feb. 13).

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: Motion to approve consent agenda — Mover: Councilperson Carlson; Second: Councilperson Taylor; Outcome: approved. - Ordinance to amend arts commission membership (referenced in packet as ordinance number 12 54 / 12 5 4 in the meeting): Motion to approve — Mover: Councilperson Carlson; Second: Councilperson Schoeder; Outcome: approved. - Resolution appointing arts commissioners (referenced as resolution 6 52/6 50 2 in meeting): Motion to approve appointments — Mover: Councilperson Wong; Second: Councilperson Carlson; Outcome: approved. Appointees named in staff memo: Joanna Sykes, (surname appearing as) Herrington, Don Wesley, Cynthia Elliott, Danielle Dunlap. - Ordinance 12 55 (amendment to include more inclusive language regarding places of worship): Motion to approve under the condition of revised, more inclusive wording — Mover: Councilperson Carlson; Second: Councilperson Bill; Outcome: approved. - Ordinance 12 56 (ADA-related municipal code amendment): Motion to approve — Mover: Councilperson Taylor; Second: Councilperson Wald; Outcome: approved. - Final change order no. 1 for the fireboat (exhibit lists five elements; shore power/inverter $1,946; dome lights ~$500; bow thruster ~ $6,700 discussed but not approved in this change order): Motion to approve final change order no. 1 — Mover/Second: not specified on record; Outcome: approved. Notes: Staff and fire association stated all approved items will be paid by donations, not town funds. - Waiver of competitive‑bidding for emergency Maple Hall flooring repairs (resolution referenced as 653): Motion to waive bidding and authorize staff to proceed — Mover/Second: not specified on record; Outcome: approved. Notes: staff to return with contractor selection and final costs; insurance covers majority of losses per staff comment. - Agreement with eDASK (contract approval): Motion to approve the agreement — Mover/Second: not specified on record; Outcome: approved. - Sewer unit rate (tentative): Motion to set a tentative unit cost of 0.71336 per 100 gallons — Mover/Second: not specified on record; Outcome: approved as a tentative rate to return for final adoption. - Six‑month moratorium on new drive‑through facilities (draft moratorium): Motion to adopt a six‑month moratorium — Mover: Councilperson Dolan; Second: Councilperson Carlton; Outcome: approved. Notes: staff will prepare final moratorium ordinance and public‑hearing schedule; existing drive‑throughs to be considered grandfathered.

Quotes and attributions are limited to speakers identified in the meeting record. Where a speaker’s full title was not recorded in the transcript, the article attributes comments using the role or a generic label.

Ending: Council members said several items will return for formal public hearings or committee review before final code changes or contractor awards. The council adjourned after the votes and scheduled follow‑up items for future meetings.