City of Pullman

Adopted May 3, 2022
If you prefer, view the 2022-23 City Council Goals and Priorities as a PDF.

Downtown

• Find ways to assist & aid businesses during the 2023 Downtown improvements construction.
• Establish a name and brand for the improvement plan.
• Clean up public spaces and fixtures, and implement weed management.
• Research & discuss the implementation of: downtown business district, regulating downtown drive-thru businesses, City ordinance for downtown storefront façade, City ordinance on empty buildings, and disposition of 325 SE Paradise property.

Boards and Commissions

• Develop Board & Commission Handbooks which include consistent descriptions of requirements, duties, responsibilities, terms, etc.
• Review and update the public art process.
• Work with community partners to restore the Arts Commission.

Enhanced Communication

• Harmonize the City website.
• Ensure early and timely notifications of construction activities, parking availability, etc. – emphasis on 2023 Project Downtown.
• Increase Public Feedback – Coffee with Councilmembers.
• Improve closed captions for City Council Meetings.
• Promote community volunteering, the purpose of the commission or committees, the positive impact of volunteering, and ways to get involved.
• Review and update the Code of Conduct for staff and elected/appointed officials.

Support, Collaboration & Education 

•  Emphasize the importance of collaborating with community entities, including but not limited to: Pullman Regional Hospital (including Blue Zones), Pullman School District, Washington State University, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, etc. 
• Have hired consultants to collaborate with one another to reduce overlap and redundant work.
• Promote and support community efforts in the areas of: homelessness, accessible health care, attainable housing, housing commission, housing trust, and low-income housing options, support future bypass, and continue support of Pullman Regional Airport projects.

Economic Development

• Remain focused on assisting Pullman businesses. 
• Promote & Support the Strategic Tourism Plan and Marketing Plan and establish a name for the improvement plan. 
• Develop an apprentice program through the City of Pullman. 
• Research and discuss the implementation of a Transportation Benefit District. 

Other Priorities 

• Research & Discuss installation of Red-Light Cameras and Barn Dance walk all ways 
  crossings. 
• Enhance the City’s Wellness Committee, provide annual mental health first aid training for city staff, and elected/appointed officials, and encourage reciprocity for mental health 
  credentialing. Aquatic center access at a reduced cost. 
• Provide a program for mental health first aid training for the community. 
• Work to show the support and value of our employees. 
• Provide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Training for city staff and elected/ appointed officials. 
• Research and Discuss adding full-time positions for Grant Writer, GIS Assistant, Parks Professional, etc., as part of the upcoming budget process. 
• Remove dead and compromised trees citywide and raise the tree canopy to improve grassy areas. 
• Clean up overgrown shrubs and bushes and perform prompt weed control. 
• Create natural landscapes in parks to mitigate water usage. 
• Review active transportation within city parks. 
• Improve Sunnyside Park entrance and add ADA parking. 
• Investigate the establishment of a Daniel Street Park with a historical marker. 
• Develop and implement: Parks improvement plan, City hall landscaping plan, and seasonal residential irrigation management program.

Adopted September 28, 2021
If you prefer, view the 2021-22 City Council Goals and Priorities as a PDF.

Downtown Revitalization

• Be the leaders in the Revitalization of Downtown
• Make sure the Downtown Master Plan is in line with the Comprehensive Master Plan.
• Commit to working with downtown businesses and building owners to facilitate the clean-up of the downtown area and attract business to the region.
• Repair streets & sidewalks.

Enhanced Communications

• Hire a Communications Coordinator in 2021.
• Complete a Communications Audit.
• Keep the city website current and up to date.
• Publicize meetings, and other city events on the city website, community updates, social media, radio, newspapers, and emerging communications channels.

Economic Development

• Focus on new downtown businesses (retail, hospitality, etc.).
• Quarterly reports to City Council.
• Enact and leverage a comprehensive Marketing Campaign to create a “Pullman Image” and research the potential utilization of all platforms currently available and new ones as they develop.
• Create and expand labor force including trade jobs.

Board & Commissions

• Have a Councilmember serve in an Ex-Offico capacity on every board, commission, & committee.
• Review, update, and modernize all boards, commissions, and committees for selection, orientation/onboarding, operation, reporting, and vacancies on the City website.
• Provide detailed descriptions of duties, roles, responsibilities, and requirements
  for each board and the appointee as part of the City website.
• Create new body or integrate into existing body action items of Diversity, Equity,
  and Inclusion; Climate; and Transportation, Quality of Life, Movement.

Adopted 11/1/2022
View as a PDF

A thriving downtown is at the heart of Pullman’s focus and vital to Pullman’s continued priorities for recovery, retention, and recruitment of businesses and future commercial sustainability. This year by strategically narrowing the priorities that will directly affect the community members the most, the City of Pullman can obtain achievable priorities and goals.

Economic Development

• Downtown Revitalization: This continues to be Pullman’s number one priority. The City has made strides going forward in the Downtown Master Plan and wants to continue the economic development further. Continued revitalization requires investment into design improvements, understanding and responding to market forces, promotion, and organized leadership.
• Railroad Tracks: Repurpose the railways within the city limits to maximize flexibility and enable activation of projects for economic development, flood control, creation of city parks and active transportation (paths, rail banking where appropriate, etc.), access to waterways, public safety, and assist with Washington State Ratings Bureau Fire Rating.
• Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport: Continued support for terminal construction, expansion and growth of the airport makes Pullman reliable transportation for businesses, residents, and visitors.

Transportation Safety Projects

• Downtown Bypass: By requesting $5,000,000.00 for a bypass location and design work, Pullman can focus on removing heavy traffic in the downtown area. This would significantly improve walkability downtown and fulfill the revitalization priority.
• Highway 26 Passing Lanes: City Council asks that the Legislature add passing lanes on State Highway 26. This project will save motorists' lives and provide safe passage to and from Pullman.

Livability

• Housing and Affordability: The rise of housing costs continues to create a shortage of affordable housing in our community and across the state. Incentivizing developers to build entry-level and affordable housing would allow for more opportunities for people to stay in Pullman long-term or relocate. Address issues around "Missing Middle" housing options.
• Mental Health: Pullman continues to recognize the need for mental health professionals. Accepting certification from other states and adding telehealth options would greatly increase the accessibility of much needed mental health resources.
• Policing: Reevaluate the unintended consequences of eliminating vehicle pursuits, and consider allowing pursuits to promote a great public good in certain circumstances. Reassess the "Blake Ruling" on drug possession offenses and increase penalties to motivate offenders to seek treatment after the first drug possession offense.

Adopted 11/22/2021
View as a PDF

Recovery-Retention-Recruitment

A thriving downtown is at the heart of Pullman’s focus and vital to Pullman’s continued priorities for
recovery, retention, and recruitment of businesses and future commercial sustainability. This year by
strategically narrowing the priorities that will directly affect the community members the most, the City of Pullman can obtain achievable priorities and goals.

Economic Development

• Downtown Revitalization: This continues to be Pullman’s number one priority. The City has made strides going forward in the Downtown Master Plan and wants to continue the economic development further. Continued revitalization requires investment into design improvements, understanding and responding to market forces, promotion, and organized leadership.
• Railroad Tracks: Repurpose the railways within the city limits to maximize flexibility and enable
  activation of projects for economic development, flood control, creation of city parks, access to waterways, public safety and assist with Washington State Ratings Bureau Fire Rating.
• Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport: Continued support of terminal construction, expansion and growth of the airport makes Pullman reliable transportation for businesses, residents, and visitors.

Transportation Safety Projects

• North and/or South Bypass: By requesting $5,000,000.00 for a North or South bypass design, Pullman can focus on removing heavy traffic in the downtown area. This would greatly improve walkability downtown and fulfill the revitalization priority.
• Highway 26 Passing Lanes: City Council asks that the Legislature add passing lanes on State Highway 26. This project will not only save the lives of motorists but provide safe passage to and from Pullman.

Livability

• Housing and Affordability: The rise of housing costs continues to create a shortage of affordable housing in our community and across the state. Incentivizing developers to build entry-level and affordable housing would allow for more opportunities for people to stay in Pullman long-term or relocate.
• Mental Health: Pullman continues to recognize the need for mental health professionals. Accepting certification from other states and adding telehealth options would greatly increase the accessibility of much needed mental health resources.

Adopted 12/15/2020
View as a PDF

Tax Increment Financing (TIF): Through TIF, the Legislature can partner with cities to build a
robust and diverse economy. This will help to maintain, expand, and modernize local
infrastructure to spur local private sector investment.

Parks & Recreation: Public health, enhanced by adequate funding of grant programs and budgetary items that help youth and adults to live active and healthy lifestyles, will be an essential component of recovery in the coming years. The City of Pullman strongly encourages the Legislature to advocate for Key “Healthy & Active Communities” funding within the State Budget Process (Capital, Transportation, Operating Budgets).

Transportation Funding: To ensure retention and recruiting while providing a safe and well maintained transportation system, we ask for comprehensive transportation policies that provide new local funding options such as Transportation Benefit Districts (TBDs).

Liquor & Marijuana Sales Tax Distribution: As local jurisdictions are responsible for administration and enforcement issues, the percentage of revenue from marijuana and liquor sales that is shared with city and county governments needs to be reevaluated.

Healthcare & Pullman Regional Hospital: COVID-19 has placed previously unimaginable pressure on our health care systems, particularly those in rural areas. Legislative action to increase funding for physician residency training programs in eastern Washington will build the capacity we need for the growth of industry and jobs in our area. We also support increased funding for a more robust mental health system and efforts to streamline the health care credentialing process to get qualified mental health practitioners available to people in need.

Housing and Homelessness: Affordable housing needs to be a top priority in the post COVID-19 recovery period. Flexible options should include rental assistance and eviction assistance beyond the current moratoriums. State regulatory restrictions that hamper the development of affordable housing also need to be examined.

Aftercare and Aging Aftercare: For those recovering from the long-term effects of COVID-19 will be a growth industry. Pullman is well-positioned to be at the forefront of this economic opportunity as there is already a robust infrastructure for such care in our community. However, many more long-term/eldercare workers are needed. Education and certification programs need to be developed at the State level to assure that workers are available for these living wage jobs. Pullman's retired population is growing in size and advancing in age and are a positive force in our local economy. Assuring that there are trained eldercare workers to meet the needs of this important group and retain their economic influence should be a Legislative priority.

Immigration & Diversity: We recognize the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City Council hopes that the Legislature agrees and will work to ensure that these principles that make Washington State a great place to live, work, and play, are woven throughout all of the work of state and local government.

Transportation Safety Projects: Recovery from COVID-19 will put more vehicles on our roadways. We ask that the Legislature to continue to add passing lanes on Highway 26 and 195 and to expedite their continued implementation. This project will not only save the lives of motorists but provide safe passage to and from Pullman for commercial traffic and visitors alike will encourage trade and investment in our area.

Police and Law Enforcement: The reformation of the civil service system will enable Sheriffs & Police Chiefs greater flexibility to hire & promote law enforcement officers who are best suited to their communities, reflecting diversity and demonstrating commitment to the mission. Encourage the Legislature and Governor’s office to establish earliest possible vaccination protocol for uniformed personnel.

Fire Service: The City also encourages the Legislature to consider funding mechanisms that help offset the cost of training at the Washington State Training Academy and make permanent, the state temporary allowance of using immediate aerial suppression of wildfires.

Alternative Energy Requirements: The City has demonstrated its support for moving to clean energy by purchasing six hybrid busses and a successful grant application to purchase two all-electric buses. The City requests that the Legislature provide funding for alternative energy-related infrastructure upgrades to support these vehicles.

Public Works Trust Fund: Demonstrating the capacity for necessary infrastructure is a strong recruiting inducement for private investors. The Public Works Trust Fund is seeking full funding for the program and to strengthen the program by ending ongoing revenue diversions

Adopted 12/10/2019
View as a PDF

Capital Funding Request: Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport Projects
The city is grateful for a recent $1.6 million dollar grant from the State of Washington and Senator Mark Schoesler’s office that will enable completion of Phase 1 of utility improvements by extending gravity sewer to the site of a new terminal in 2020.The runway portion of this massive project is complete bringing additional safety and reliability to the airport. The next phase of taxiway construction and stormwater improvements are underway.

Economic Development Priorities

1. Downtown Pullman Revitalization: A vital downtown is critically important to a community’s commercial vitality. Walkable office, retail, and multi-family products show a combined 74% premium over drivable sub-urban products in metro areas. This economic performance is one reason to focus on Pullman’s downtown, as it is an existing asset with a built environment to walkable office, retail and multi-family housing. The Downtown Pullman Association, a partnership amongst property owners, businesses, WSU, the City and the Chamber, was created as the primary organization tasked with addressing downtown improvement efforts.
   The Downtown Master Plan suggests many design improvements to accomplishing a more pedestrian-friendly and vital place. Every effort should be made to implement the strategies recommended by our consultant BDS to shift to a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly district. Once those strategies are implemented, the district should be reassessed to identify additional steps to improve safety and accessibility by pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.
2. Tax Increment Financing (TIF): This economic development tool will help to maintain, expand, and modernize local infrastructure to spur local private sector investment. By investing in TIF, the Legislature can partner with cities to advance our shared goals of building a robust and diverse economy for our community. For maximum impact, we would request that we have access to both property-tax and sales-tax based TIF programs.
3. Parks & Recreation: Parks, trails, and recreation programs help create jobs and increase the desire to live, work and invest in a community. We support increased state funding or state grant opportunities for local parks and recreation programming so that municipalities can better address the rising costs of maintenance and operations.

Transportation Funding and No on I-976
In light of the passage of I-976, we support AWC in their effort to adopt a comprehensive transportation policies that provide new local funding options. The new law will immediately impact cities by repealing local decision-making authority of transportation benefit districts (TBDs), to impose vehicle license fees. This local transportation funding tool provided cities with the ability to locally fund their own transportation needs and priorities.

Pullman South Bypass Road Development
The City has put great effort into planning for the creation of a south bypass road that would relieve pressure on State Highways 27 and 270 and allow freight and other large vehicles to circumvent Pullman’s Downtown District, which is currently the primary truck route. This was one of the top priorities of the community when residents were recently surveyed. The next phases in planning for this project includes road design work ($1 million estimate) and right-of-way acquisition. In 2005, the estimated cost of design and build for this project was between $20 million and $25 million. Today that amount is $26 million to $32 million. Those costs do not include the right-of-way acquisition.

Public Records Act (PRA)
Pullman supports and practices transparency in government. The City asks that that the business of using the Public Records Act for financial enrichment be addressed. The City supports the modernization of the Public Records Act so that cities can continue to provide open and transparent government services to our residents.

Liquor & Marijuana Sales
We support increasing the shared revenue from marijuana and liquor sales with city and county governments. Since the responsibility for administration and enforcement is falling to the local jurisdictions.

Marijuana Research
The City is also supportive of funding for research into health impacts of marijuana use and funding for technology that would allow law enforcement to conduct accurate and timely field sobriety tests. Our police department has collaborated with WSU researchers on a major project working towards a solution for field sobriety tests.

Healthcare & Pullman Regional Hospital
We support Pullman Regional Hospital as it copes with the impacts of rising healthcare costs. We also support increased funding for physician residency training programs in Pullman and recognize the importance of planning for elder care.

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