As always this is simply an update on city business as gleaned from their weekly packet. For more information, read the packet yourself or go to the city council meetings. The city's ban on "big box stores" is about to lapse, so they council is considering renewing to give them more time to figure out the long term fate of such stores. Interesting reading is the pro and cons of such a move:

Option 1. Extend Moratorium an additional 180 days.

 Pros

1. Provides time for staff analysis, council direction and measured and appropriate response to large-scale retail development.

Cons

1. May prevent certain property owners from pursuing development of their property for large-scale retail.

Option

2. Let the Moratorium lapse. Pros1. Will allow private property owners to pursue development approvals for large-scale retail developments.

Cons

1. Such developments would proceed under our current regulations without benefit of further analysis of regulatory options.

Also on the agenda is a couple of annexations, an almost 17 acre one up on Fairview St. and another 5.4 acre deal near Pattison and 8th. The maps I linked to are for general reference, by the way.

Here is the reference is the minutes from last week's meeting to the water rights lawsuit: 

Proposed Condemnation Ordinance for Water Rights at the former Olympia Brewery Staff distributed a proposed ordinance providing for the condemnation of property and water rights at the former Olympia brewery. Councilmember Mah moved, seconded by Councilmember Johnson, to suspend Council rules and pass Ordinance # 6394 on first and final reading. Councilmember Mah noted the ordinance includes a declaration of emergency that requires a super majority vote. Motion passed unanimously.

The wireless ordinance will likely be voted in this week with no loophole for wifi or wimax facilities. Looks like the city is going to take this up later in a regular review of the new rules.