South Capitol Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Minutes
Weds, Feb 12, 2025 6:30 – 8 pm
Lincoln Elementary School library
Introductions and Call Meeting to Order
Members of the South Capitol Neighborhood Association (SCNA) Board in attendance:
John Saunders, President
Gerry Apple, Vice President
Sue Hedrick, Secretary
Morgan Montes, Treasurer
Gordon White, Lorie Hewitt, Treacy Duerfeldt, Scott Freeman, Nora Hawkins and Valerie Hammett, At Large members
John called the meeting to order.
Approval of Today’s Agenda
Gordon made a motion to approve the agenda as presented, Treacy seconded and the motion was approved unanimously.
Tree Ambassadors Program – Lynn Fitz-Hugh, Executive Director, Restoring Earth Connection
Lynn said the Tree Ambassadors Program is one of several under Restoring Earth Connection, a 501(c)(3) non-profit seeking a change in how we relate to the natural world. The program’s goal is to educate the public about the amazing benefits of trees.
Trees help:
- Improve air quality
- Lower asthma rates
- Prevent heat islands
- Lower heating and air conditioning bills
- Prevent drought
- Reduce and slow water
- Draw down carbon every year and hold stored carbon
- Provide critical habitat for birds, mammals and insects
- Help lower depression levels when viewed
- Increase property values
The non-profit is holding a contest to find and identify the biggest trees and the biggest species of trees in Olympia, and they invite participants to register their tree(s) on their website. Lynn said the 15 most common trees in our area are the: western hemlock, douglas fir, western red cedar, sitka spruce, ponderosa pine, mountain hemlock, red alder, pacific/western yew, alpine larch, western juniper, paper birch, black cottonwood, pacific madrone, pacific dogwood and vine maple.
They hope the contest will make people aware of the importance of trees to the health of our planet and in the fight against climate change. She also said they hope to encourage folks to not cut down their trees, particularly the biggest ones because they hold the most carbon.
They are also training people to be tree ambassadors. Information about the Tree Ambassadors Program and their February training were shared in a blog on the SCNA website.
Lorie asked about the city’s municipal code (16.60 Tree, Soil, Native Vegetation Protection and Replacement), which is designed to prevent trees from being cut down. She shared her concern, and Lynn agreed, that there is very little enforcement by the city when trees are cut down.
Lynn said Jasen Johns is now the city’s urban forester. The city is responsible for the street trees within the city right-of-way in downtown Olympia and along 10 main arterial streets. These include 4th Ave, Capitol Way, Legion Way, Martin Way, Pacific Ave and State Ave, Black Lake Blvd, Cooper Point Rd, Harrison Ave and Kenyon St.
Treacy commented about the benefits of evergreen trees over deciduous trees. Lynn said that both provide benefits in different ways.
In response to a question from Valerie, Lynn said the Tree Ambassadors Program is associated with the Black Hills Audubon Society and is supported by an Inspire Olympia grant.
In addition to the activities they are promoting, there may be an opportunity for the neighborhood association to write letters in support of protecting trees in the city.
Gordon suggested that Lynn speak to the Council of Neighborhood Associations (CNA) at one of their monthly meetings. Since the CNA is made up of 31 recognized neighborhood and homeowner associations in the city, it would help spread their message.
2025 City of Olympia Neighborhood Grant
Gerry thanked Morgan for her work on the budget for the SCNA’s 2025 grant application. Morgan said that currently the amount the board is requesting from the city is $3,500, which will help cover the cost of the annual membership meeting and Fall barbeque/picnic.
Morgan said she checked with the city and was told that we are not required to purchase liability insurance for the barbeque/picnic event. Treacy asked whether the board should consider purchasing Directors & Officers (D&O) liability insurance, suggesting it might be worthwhile protection to have. Lorie asked about personal liability insurance that individual board members might already have. Treacy said it may or may not cover them for board activities and events.
Morgan clarified that the city’s neighborhood grants are for projects with specific start and end dates and questioned whether liability insurance would fit within those timeframes or be for the entire year.
John pointed out that the neighborhood grant contract does specify that liability insurance is needed, but city staff told us we do not need it. However, that doesn’t preclude us from deciding it would be better for us to purchase it.
Scott asked whether an amount could also be included in the grant application to help cover the cost of a neighborhood-wide summer flea market/garage sale, a proposal he previously brought up during the Sept 2024 board meeting. Grant funds might be used to pay for signboards and flyers to advertise the event. He promised to provide more details to Morgan for the grant application.
Treacy made a motion to increase the grant application request from $3,500 up to $5,000 to include insurance for neighborhood association events, and costs associated with a summer flea market/garage sale. Gordon seconded, and the motion was approved – nine yeas and one nay.
The grant application submission is due on Feb 28, 2025.
2025 SCNA Budget
Morgan previously emailed a proposed 2025 budget to the board, but with the changes that will now be made to the grant application, it was agreed to postpone this item until the March board meeting.
SCNA Annual Meeting
Previously, at our Nov 2024 board meeting, a motion was made to amend the neighborhood association bylaws and change the month of our annual meeting from February to April. There wasn’t a quorum at the meeting, so board members later voted via email to approve the change.
The board then learned that city neighborhood grants would not be approved until April 2025, which would not give us enough time to prepare and pay for a mailing to the neighborhood advertising an annual meeting in April.
So, it was decided to move the annual meeting out further. Gordon made a motion to amend the SCNA bylaws and change the month for our annual meeting from April to June. Nora seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously.
At the annual meeting, members of the South Capitol Neighborhood Association will elect new board members or re-elect current ones. To become a member of the association, neighborhood residents need only go to our website and sign up. It costs nothing to join and provides support to our board.
Treasurer’s Report
Morgan sent a written report to the board members, which is at the end of the minutes. She said that, although the board previously approved purchasing a two-year WordPress subscription for our website for a better price, she was not able to do that, so she purchased a one-year subscription instead.
Committee Reports
Traffic – Treacy Duerfeldt and Gerry Apple
On Feb 10th, Max DeJarnatt, associate planner in the City of Olympia Public Works Department, sent out an update on the Capitol corridor traffic improvements. John forwarded Max’s email to the neighborhood distribution list.
Max’s note read, “The traffic safety equipment has arrived in our shops and can be installed. We will work over the next several months to install these new safety features. Staff resources and weather will be the factors influencing when we can install them. Some of the work will require electrical wiring changes.
The safety features include:
- Centerline delineators in the curve
- Flashing LED arrow signs
- Flashing LED speed limit signs
- Centerline crosswalk signs
- New pedestrian crossing beacon at O’Farrell
When the weather improves and we have dry pavement, we will continue to re-mark crosswalks along the corridor, work that began in the Fall. We will begin to use the speed feedback signs along the corridor in February. Work to establish a school zone will begin later this year and extend into 2026.
As we have reported in prior emails, you can expect an open house on the long-term Capitol corridor overlay and restriping project in the summer. We will keep you updated about the timing of that public meeting.”
Treacy said he wasn’t satisfied with the response from city staff on our suggestion to have stoplights at Maple Park and 21st change via timers rather than be triggered by sensors. He said he doesn’t feel their decision is based on actual data, and he suggested we set up dates and times to have volunteers press the crosswalk buttons at 21st and Maple Park repeatedly to make a point.
Scott agreed with Treacy’s concern about no data supporting the city’s decision to not change the stoplights.
Gerry said he would like a report on how much time the Olympia Police Department is spending on enforcement. He would like to see more enforcement on Capitol Way and feels it would make a difference. Lorie and Gerry both suggested that city staff need to come and talk to us.
Treacy said he asked for a fresh traffic study. John noted that Max said city staff are going to continue to work on improvements on the Capitol corridor and then do another study. Nora said that Capitol Way isn’t the only street with traffic safety issues. During the last couple of weeks, she has seen drivers not obeying the stop signs on Water Street, just driving right through them. Valerie said she thinks we need more stoplights added on Capitol Way.
Communications Committee and Parking Committee – no reports.
Proposed Middle Housing Code Updates – Zoning Regulations
John said a draft of code amendments are being circulated. This was discussed at a CNA meeting recently. John also shared an email from Joyce Phillips, principal planner with the City of Olympia, about the proposed amendments via our neighborhood distribution list.
Joyce’s note read: “The City of Olympia is proposing code amendments that would implement new housing requirements for middle housing, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and co-living housing.
Major parts of the draft include:
- Allow up to 2 Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on residential lots with a “principal unit”. The ADUs can be attached to the principal unit or each other, or completely detached from each other.
- Increase the maximum size of ADUs to 1,000 square feet.
- Allow at least 4 units per lot in most parts of the city.
- Allow up to 6 units per lot for lots within a certain distance of frequent transit or if at least 2 of the units are for affordable housing.
- Allow “unit lot subdivisions” for the individual sale of units on a “parent parcel” – each unit lot may not meet the minimum lot size or other zoning requirements but those standards were met overall for the parent parcel.
- Require administrative design review for middle housing when also required for single family homes (in the Infill Design District).
The first public draft is now available for review. City staff is soliciting public comments for consideration before the next draft is issued. We anticipate the next draft will be issued in June of 2025.”
City staff also put together a summary of the policy decisions used in the draft code amendments.
John said cities are required to do at least the minimum, but they can also do more than that. For example, allowing up to six units on a lot goes beyond what the law requires.
Nora suggested they distinguish between temporary rentals and permanently filled ADUs. She asked if the board will be submitting comments. John said perhaps.
He suggested the board ask city staff to come to a forum to discuss the proposed updates. Board members expressed support for the idea. Gordon suggested having an experienced facilitator present at the forum. Lorie recommended inviting members of the Olympia Heritage Commission as well.
John said he will request a meeting to be held in March, if possible.
Motion to adjourn
Treacy moved to adjourn the meeting, Gerry seconded, and the motion was approved. The meeting ended at 8:11 pm.
Next SCNA board meeting – Weds, March 12, 2025 6:30 pm, Lincoln Elementary School library
Written Reports
February 2025 Treasurer Report
Period: 01/01/25 – 01/31/25
Business Prime Savings $25.00
Innovator Checking Ending Balance $2,064.13
Innovator Checking Beginning Balance $2,252.48
Difference $188.35
Recent Income:
Membership Fee Paypal $66.97
Recent Expenses:
WordPress Subscription (1 year) $105.41
Post Office Box Fee $122.00
WA Secretary of State Filing $20.00
Google Suite $7.91
Total $255.32
January 2025 Treasurer Report
Period: 12/01/24 – 12/31/24
Business Prime Savings $25.00*
Innovator Checking Ending Balance $2,252.48
Innovator Checking Beginning Balance $2,146.78
Difference $105.70
Recent Income:
Membership Fee Paypal $113.61
Recent Expenses:
Google Suite $7.91
*Business Prime Savings balance has been corrected to $25.00 An error of using the available balance of $20.00 was contained in prior Treasurer Reports.
South Capitol Neighborhood Association 