Business license tax overhaul headed for November ballot draws flood of comment

Council will consider a resolution tonight placing a measure on the November 3, 2026 ballot to revise Chapter 5.04 of the municipal code, the city's business license tax. The measure would add new tax categories for maritime and general service businesses, spell out how mixed-activity businesses get classified, and give the City Council authority to reduce rates administratively.

The agenda lists no staff recommendation on the measure itself ", not the outcome — it's presented for Council to weigh in on before deciding whether to send it to voters.

The item pulled by far the most public reaction of any on tonight's agenda: 36 residents and business owners submitted written comments, from Scott Robinson and Evan Jane Kriss to Linda Pfeifer and Jann Johnson. The record doesn't detail what each comment said, but the sheer volume signals this is the most closely watched item on the docket.

If Council adopts the resolution tonight, the measure heads to voters this fall; if not, staff will need further direction on next steps before the ballot deadline.

Crosswalk parking bans on Caledonia Street prompt a wave of neighbor letters

Council will consider how to implement Assembly Bill 413 on Caledonia Street, a state law requiring clear sightlines by prohibiting parking near marked and unmarked crosswalks. Staff is bringing design alternatives and possible changes to municipal code section 10.40.120 for Council direction — no specific staff recommendation is listed yet.

Ten residents wrote in ahead of the meeting, including Michelle Molkalla, Patti Frazier, Teri Lang, Angela Johansen, and neighbors along the corridor such as the Elmensdorps and the Gaetanis. Their letters aren't quoted in the record, but the turnout suggests real concern about losing curbside parking near crosswalks on a street already tight for spots.

Council is being asked for direction only tonight, not a final vote — meaning the design alternatives, and any code changes, could still shift based on what's said at the meeting.

Bridgeway slide repair needs another $50,000 after ground conditions surprise crews

On the consent calendar, staff is asking Council to authorize an additional $50,000 from unassigned General Fund reserves — plus a bump to the project's contingency fund — for the Bridgeway Slide Repair Project, after crews hit unforeseen geological conditions at the site below Woodward Avenue.

Staff's recommendation is to authorize the appropriation; no public comments were logged on this item.

The added money keeps the repair moving without a construction pause, according to the agenda description, though it also means the project's cost is climbing beyond its original budget.