BINGEN — The Bingen City Council faced three public hearings with no input from the public whatsoever at its Nov. 19 meeting. All three ordinances passed.
Krista Loney
City administrator
City Administrator Krista Loney first informed the council that the Washington Department of Transportation would pay for tubular markers to be installed at the corner of State Route 14 and Ash Street as a “calming measure.” This corner is a favorite for speeders and corner-cutting, and the markers force drivers to slow down in order to navigate the sharper turn.
The council next held a trio of public hearings. The first was to continue the budget adoption process. The council set the property tax rate for the upcoming 2025 budget. There was no public comment submitted, or online, and in person. Council approved this ordinance, and Bingen residents will see the maximum increase of 1% in their property taxes.
The second was to set rates for commercial sewage overages, which has been slightly increased from $22 per ERU (Equivalent Residential Unit), to $25 per half ERU. This increase does not affect residential users, and was also approved by the council unanimously.
The final scheduled hearing preceded the council updating the code for the maintenance of streets, sidewalks, and public spaces. In essence, if a home is on a city street, residents are expected to keep the sidewalk in front of it clear of debris, including snow and ice. This has generally been the accepted practice in Bingen, but now it has been made official as city code. Residents can expect to receive details in their upcoming monthly utility billing paperwork. The council continues to review and update city code.
Catherine Kiewit
Bingen mayor
Mayor Catherine Kiewit next led Council through a discussion of Bingen’s Middle Housing needs. Thanks to a grant, the city held a public open house to listen to residents’ feedback. Many people expressed the need for reasonably priced housing, while others were concerned that denser zoning would ruin the character of the community. Councilors viewed several options for accommodating more housing, and Makers Architecture, Planning, and Urban Design shared a concept called the Unit Lot Design, in which one household buys one of multiple homes that may share a parent lot. Discussion ensued, but council members and Kiewit wanted more feedback from citizens. The city website has an option for folks to submit feedback, though no one has submitted any yet. The city council urges Bingen residents to share feedback about the city through the website, by contacting council members or the city administrator, or by submitting testimony at meetings.
The next Bingen City Council meeting is set for Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m.
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