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Planning Commission Regular Meeting Minutes <br />August 16, 2022 <br />Page 7 <br />1 an individual. He added the intent of this section is to create protocol for licensing the bench <br />2 and assigns liability for maintenance to the bench owner. <br />3 <br />4 Mr. Grittman stated City Staff contacted the bus bench owners who indicated that they have <br />5 access to liability insurance as well as bench maintenance programs. He added other <br />6 communities have licensing requirements that allow the city to monitor the benches and create <br />7 standards. He noted this is a general City Code issue related to use of right of way. <br />8 <br />9 Commissioner Hendrickson asked whether the proposed language would adversely affect <br />10 Metro Transit’s Title 6 plan. She added Title 6 is a Metro Transit initiative that designates <br />11 equitable distribution of benches. Mr. Grittman stated City Staff contacted Metro Transit <br />12 about this issue, but they stated they do not license or regulate the benches. <br />13 <br />14 Commissioner Rude stated his preference would be to have no advertising on bus benches. <br />15 He added they may be allowed in commercial districts, but not residential districts. <br />16 <br />17 Mr. Grittman stated the benches would be probably removed if advertising is not allowed. He <br />18 added there is a public service aspect to the benches that would be missed. <br />19 <br />20 Commissioner Hendrickson stated the benches are in the public right of way. <br />21 <br />22 Commissioner Rude stated there should be no commercial advertising on City property. He <br />23 added the City has other benches that are donated by people that have commemorative <br />24 plaques. <br />25 <br />26 Chair Socha stated she was surprised to hear that it is standard practice for these types of <br />27 benches to be privately owned. <br />28 <br />29 Commissioner Morita stated the issue is whether to retroactively require that the bench <br />30 owners maintain their existing benches. He added this includes regulations, application <br />31 process and guidelines for maintenance. He noted eliminating advertising on benches is a <br />32 different issue, and he disagrees with addressing that at this time. <br />33 <br />34 Commissioner Hendrickson stated the removal of litter, snow and ice seems to be an issue that <br />35 would fall on the right of way owner, and not the bench owner. <br />36 <br />37 Chair Socha stated the elimination of benches warrants more discussion from the <br />38 Commission. She added Commissioner Rude’s points are well taken, as the benches do not <br />39 add anything aesthetically. She noted existing benches could be grandfathered in and <br />40 regulated. <br />41 <br />42 Commissioner Erickson asked whether the counties do any sort of tracking or regulation of <br />43 these benches. Mr. Grittman stated neither County licenses nor regulates the benches. Most <br />44 of the benches are located in County right of ways. <br />45 <br />46 Commissioner Erickson stated he supports permitting of benches with regulations.