>>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
TODAY IS APRIL, TUESDAY, APRIL
16, 2019.
IT'S 2:00 P.M.
MY NAME IS MIKE O'BRIEN.
WELCOME TO THE SUSTAIN DWRABLT
AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
I AM CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE
AND I AM JOINED BY JASMINE, WHO
IS STAFFING US TODAY.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH
APPOINTMENTS TO THE SEATTLE
PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD, BOTH
APPOINTMENTS AND
REAPPOINTMENTS.
THEN WE WILL -- LET ME LOOK AT
HERE.
THEN WE WILL TAKE UP AN
ORDINANCE ABOUT LAND USE AND
ZONING AROUND READINESS AND
PARKING GARAGES.
WE WILL TAKE UP APPOINTMENTS
AND REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION.
WE WILL HAVE THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION PRESENT THEIR ANNUAL
REPORT.
WE WILL HEAR FROM THE SCHOOL
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND
THEIR ANNUAL REPORT.
FINALLY WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST
CONVERSATION ABOUT A POSSIBLE
VACATION RELATED TO AN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT AT
WILLOW STREET NEAR MLK.
SO WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC.
THERE ARE FOUR FOLKS SIGNED UP.
ALEX ZIMMERMAN FOLLOWED BY AMY
FOWLER AND RACHEL.
.
>> DEAR, MY DIRTY FUHRER, MY
NAZI GARBAGE RATS FROM ANIMAL.
MY NAME IS ALEX ZIMMERMAN.
I WANT SPEAK ABOUT SCHOOL, WHAT
IS THIS AGENDA NUMBER 10,
SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY.
I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED.
I DRIVE CAR NEXT TO SCHOOL,
SOMETHING HAPPEN, I PAY MY
TICKET, MY INSURANCE GO UP, I
LOSE A THOUSAND AND THOUSAND
DOLLARS.
A BIKE CAN DRIVE NEXT SCHOOL IN
CITY WALK, KILL CHILDREN, AND
NOTHING HAPPEN.
WHY?
WHY DOES A PRIVILEGE, A
CRIMINAL WHO CAN DRIVE IN CITY
WALK AND WHY WE CANNOT FIX THIS
PROBLEM.
IT MAKES ME ABSOLUTELY SICK.
I TRY AND UNDERSTAND HOW THIS
POSSIBLE, AND YOU FROM MY
UNDERSTANDING COUNCIL BRIAN,
YOU ARE MEMBER OF, WHAT IS
THIS, OH, BY [ INAUDIBLE ]
CLUB.
IT IS ILLEGAL.
YOU CAN NOT DO THAT HERE.
MAKE A DECISION LAST YEAR, NO
BIKE IN CITY WALK.
WHY THEY CANNOT DO THIS?
WHO CARE ABOUT US CHILDREN?
OH, I CARE ABOUT CHILDREN CAN
DRIVE LIKE A CRAZY.
I SEE THIS EVERY DAY.
NEXT MY CAR DRIVING AND DRIVING
WHEN I OPEN DOOR, THE FREAKIN
IDIOT, A PSYCHO PATH, A CAM
CATEGORIZI.
SO MY PROPOSITION VERY SIMPLE.
NO BIKE IN CITY WALK IN EXACTLY
NEXT SCHOOL.
LIKE CAR HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE NEED STOP CAR, WE NEED STOP
BIKE.
WE NEED STOP BANDITA.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AMY?
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR O'BRIEN.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE PUGET
SOUND CLEAN AIR AGENCY.
WE ARE THE CLEAN AIR AGENCY FOR
KITSAP AND KING COUNTIES.
I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF CB1194
72 TO ENCOURAGE ELECTRIC
VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ALL
NEW CONSTRUCTION.
TRANSPORTATION IS THE LEADING
CAUSE OF GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS IN OUR REGION.
AND OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS
ASKED THE AGENCY TO ACT MORE
AGGRESSIVELY ON CLIMATE
POLLUTION.
TO DO SO, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS
CARS.
EVERY GALLON OF GAS BURNED IS
20 POUNDS OF CO2.
SO OTHER THAN NOT DRIVING,
DRIVING LESS, DRIVING ELECTRIC
IS OUR BEST OPTION FOR THOSE
SINGLE VEHICLE, SINGLE OCCUPANT
VEHICLES.
UNFORTUNATELY, ALTHOUGH OUR
REGION IS A LEADER IN ELECTRIC
VEHICLE ADOPTION, CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS NOT KEPT
PACE.
THIS ORDINANCE WILL HELP US DO
A LITTLE CATCHUP.
IT WILL MAKE CHARGING STATIONS
MORE EQUITABLY AVAILABLE.
THAT WILL HELP MAKE ELECTRIC
VEHICLES MORE EQUITABLY
AVAILABLE INCLUDING LOW-INCOME
HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS
ORDINANCE MEANS THAT THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE AND SO
INDIVIDUALS CAN AFFORD TO BUY A
USED VEHICLE AND KNOW THAT THEY
WILL HAVE A PLACE TO CHARGE IT.
THAT'S WHY WE ENCOURAGE
ADOPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMY.
MEGHAN?
>> THANKS FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
I WAS WONDERING IN SIOUX CITY,
IOWA, I WANTED THERE TO BE
ELECTRIC CHARGING VEHICLE
STATIONS.
IS THERE ANY WORKSHEETS I COULD
SEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THERE
AND SO THEY COULD REVIEW?
DO YOU HAVE LIT ABOUT IT?
?
>> WE CAN PROBABLY SHARE
INFORMATION FOLKS GAVE TO THIS
COMMITTEE TWO WEEKS AGO.
>> THAT WOULD BE GOOD.
I AM TRYING TO GET THEIR
INTEREST.
>> WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT
WITH YOU.
AND ALSO THOSE THING THAT'S
THEY ARE BUILDING THE TUNNEL
WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO DECIDE
HOW DEAL.
I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE
COMMITTEES MEET AND IT SHOULD
BE MORE 3-DIMENSIONAL OR
KNOWING MORE ABOUT WHAT
MATERIALS ARE GOING TO BE USED
AND HOW MUCH AND WHEN THEY ARE
COMING FROM, THOSE MATERIALS
BECAUSE THEN I FEEL LIKE THE
TIMELINE MIGHT MOVE FASTER.
SO IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING
THOUGH.
I'M GLAD EVERYBODY'S WORKING SO
CLOSELY TOGETHER.
AND THEN I THINK THAT ONCE THE
RENT CONTROL ORDINANCE PASSES
AT THE STATE THAT WE SHOULD
PASS IT CITYWIDE FOR RENT
CONTROL.
I THOUGHT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE
AN ADVOCATE FOR TENT
ENCAMPMENTS AND WE ARE TRYING
TO GET CLEANUP BECAUSE SHE SAID
IT SHOULD BE LIKE A HOTEL
CLEANUP FOR THE ENCAMPMENTS.
WELL, WE COULD GO A STEP
FURTHER AND ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE
INSIDE HOUSING AND SO I THOUGHT
THAT WAS GOOD.
AND SO JUST A LOT TO LOOK
FORWARD TO.
BUT I AM TRYING TO THINK IF I
MISSED ANYTHING.
TENT ENCAMPMENTS, RENT CONTROL.
OKAY.
YEAH.
I THINK I GOT EVERYTHING.
THANKS.
>> RACHEL.
>> SORRY.
IS THIS THE PART WHERE I --
UM, HI.
I'M RACHEL.
I'M A PARENT IN NORTH BEACON
HILL.
AND I'M ACTUALLY REALLY
THRILLED THAT THE COMMUNITY
LEADERS AND THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE ARE PRESENTING
TODAY BECAUSE THE CHALLENGES
THEY FACE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WAYS TO GET KIDS TO SCHOOL
SAFELY IS A DIRECT RESULT OF
OUR TRANSPORTATION PRIORITIES
BEING MISALIGNED.
SDOT HAS SHIFT AD WAY FROM
CREATING LOW SIDEWALKS.
OVER WHAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY
PLANNED.
AND ONE OF THEMES ARE TIRE
STOPS AT GRADE SIDEWALK WHICH
JUST GETS PUSHED BY A CAR INTO
THE SIDEWALK AND WHETHER IT'S
EVEN WORTH THE MONEY AND, IN
FACT, IT'S NOT EVEN CLEAR THAT
THEY ARE COSTING SUBSTANTIALLY
LESS THAN A FULL SIDEWALK.
AND OF COURSE THE REALITY IS
THIS ISN'T GOING TO GET US THE
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.
THE PROBLEM IS WE ONLY SPEND
OUR TIME AND OUR MONEY AND OUR
TIME ON PROJECTS FOR CARS.
THE MERCER MESS IS STILL A
MESS.
IT'S 2 AND .5 TIMES.
THE BRIDGE PROJECT ALSO WILL
COST MAR THAN EVERYTHING WE
WILL SPEND ON SIDEWALKS.
AND EVERY PROJECT AROUND THE
CITY WE PRIORITIZE CAR VOLUMES
AND CAR PARKING OVER EVERYTHING
INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN SAFELY
WALKING TO SCHOOL.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
AT OUR CURRENT SIDEWALK COSTS,
THAT THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE WILL FOUND WILL COST
NEARLY A BILLION DOLLARS TO
BUILD.
IF WE CAN'T BUILD SAFE ROUTES
THAT WAY, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WHAT IF WE SLOWED TRAFFIC AND
PRIORITIZED SCHOOLS.
REQUIRE PEOPLE FIRST
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING RATHER
THAN PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD CARS
AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DRIVE
FIRST.
WHAT IF WE HAD 25-MILE PER HOUR
LIMITS EVERYWHERE.
WE DON'T.
WHAT IF OUR CHILDREN COULD
ACTUALLY WALK TO SCHOOL ON THE
STREET IF THEY NEEDED TO
BECAUSE THE STREETS WERE THAT
SAFE.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
SOME KIND OF REDIRECTION AND
RETHINKING ABOUT HOW WE
PRIORITIZE TRANSPORTATION.
>> THANK YOU, RACHEL.
RACHEL IS THE LAST ONE WHO
SIGNED UP FOR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE DO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING
THAT WILL BE COMING LATER IN
TODAY'S AGENDA AROUND THE
ELECTRIC VEHICLE LEGISLATION.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS
TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT AT
THIS POINT?
ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND I WILL INVITE PRESENTERS
FORWARD FOR THE FIRST FEW ITEMS
5 OR 6, AND LET JASMINE READ
THIS INTO THE RECOD.
WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> APPOINTMENT 01289 THROUGH
01293.
APPOINTMENT OF CAROL
KACHADOORIAN, HAN-JUNG KO,
LETITIA ZIVARTS, AND PATRICIA
M. CHAPMAN AND DAVID SEATER FOR
A TERM OF MARCH 31, 2021.
>> WHY DON'T WE START BY DOING
A QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
.
>> HI, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS BELEN HERRERA.
I AM THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY
BOARD LIAISON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I'M CAROL KACHADOORIAN, AND
I AM HERE TO BE APPOINTED TO
THE PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD.
>> ANNA ZIFBERTS, ALSO HERE TO
BE APPOINTED.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US A QUICK
OVERVIEW OF THE PEDESTRIAN
ADVISORY BOARD AND INTRODUCE
THE NEW APPOINTMENTS?
>> YES.
SO THE SEATTLE PEDESTRIAN
ADVISORY BOARD OF THE STEWARD
OF THE PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN
AND ALSO ASSIST IN THE DECISION
MAKING AND GUIDANCE FOR THE
PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND
COMPRISED OF 12 MEMBERS, 11 TO
BE USED BETWEEN THE MAYOR
CANDIDATES AND THE COUNCIL
CANDIDATES WITH ONE ENGAGED
MEMBER AND THAT MEMBER GETS
ROTATED EVERY YEAR,
SPECIFICALLY THE GET ENGAGE
NUMBERS A YOUTH POSITION
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 TO 29.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE
HEAD BOARD DOES.
.
>> THE PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN
IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF OUR
COMMITMENT TO VISION ZERO,
WHICH IS THE CITY'S COMMITMENT
TO ELIMINATE ALL TRAFFIC-
RELATED FATALITIES AND SERIOUS
INJURIES ACROSS ANY MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION.
WE KNOW THAT ALMOST EVERYBODY
STARTS AND ENDS THE TRIP AS A
PEDESTRIAN AND FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY
GET AROUND.
SO ENSURING THAT WE ARE
DESIGNING A NETWORK OF SAFE
PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS FOR ALL
USERS IN OUR SYSTEM IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND THE
PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN IS AN
AMAZING DOCUMENT THAT REALLY
LAYS OUT A MAP FOR HOW WAS HE
ACHIEVE THAT.
AND WE ALSO KNOW IS IT'S REALLY
EXPENSIVE AND GOING TO TAKE A
LOT TO COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY
BUILD OUT THAT NETWORK.
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE A MINUTE
AND LET ANNA AND CAROL, IF YOU
WANT TO JUST GIVE US A FEW
MINUTES ABOUT WHY YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS,
WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THE WORK AND
WHAT YOU MIGHT HOPE TO
ACCOMPLISH AS A MEMBER OF THE
PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD.
>> SO, I MOVED TO SEATTLE A
LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AFTER
LIVING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
SINCE 1980.
CERTAINLY I EXPERIENCED THE
CHANGES THAT WASHINGTON, D.C.
HAD IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL
FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE WALKING
AND BIKING.
I'M A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION
PLANNER.
I AM A CONSULTANT.
WHEN I SAW THE AD FOR THE
PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY BOARD, IT ú
THING FOR ME TO DO IN THIS CITY
THAT I'VE COME TO LOVE AS A WAY
TO CONTRIBUTE AND TO APPLY BOTH
MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
BACKGROUND.
I'M A LIFELONG PEDESTRIAN.
I WAS A CHILD, A YOUNG ADULT AS
A COLLEGE STUDENT.
AS A MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN.
AND NOW AS AN EMPTY-NESTER AND
AN OLDER ADULT.
SO I FEEL I BRING THOSE
PERSPECTIVES AS WELL.
AS A MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION
PLANNER, WHEN I TURNED 60, I
THOUGHT I COULD PROBABLY FOCUS
ON ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR
OLDER ADULTS AND SO I DO.
AND I DO THAT IN MY WORK FOR
BOTH WALKING AND BIKING.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT
I HAD A DISABILITY EARLY IN MY
LIFE UP UNTIL ABOUT 18 YEARS
AGO.
AND SO I EXPERIENCED -- MY
EXPERIENCE WALKING AS A
PEDESTRIAN WITH A DISABILITY,
PROFESSIONALLY I ALSO WORKED ON
A NUMBER COMMITTEES IN MY
POSITIONS WITH PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES, AND SO I
UNDERSTAND BOTH PERSONALLY AND
PROFESSIONAL YAECHL THAT ASPECT
OF IT AS WELL.
I THINK I SAID AT OUR MEETING
LAST WEEK THAT I HOPE, I DON'T
HAVE ANY PARTICULAR PEDESTRIAN
GOALS OTHER THAN BEING A GOOD
MEMBER AND HELPING THAT BOARD
MAKE GOOD ADVICE TO THIS
COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU, CAROL.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> ANNA?
>> HI, ANNA ZVMENT SO I ALSO
JUST RECENTLY MOVED TO THE S
AREA, THOUGH I GREW UP IN
OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON WHERE I
LIVED UNTILLESS SUMMER
BASICALLY.
AND THEN I MOVED BACK HERE FOR
A JOB WITH DISABILITY RIGHTS
WASHINGTON.
I AM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR.
I'M LOW-VISION AND I MOVED, I
LEFT WASHINGTON STATE BECAUSE I
FELT LIKE IT WASN'T A PLACE
THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO
GET AROUND IN.
AND NEW YORK WAS A PLACE THAT I
FELT LIKE I HAD EQUAL ACCESS TO
GOING TO WHERE I NEEDED TO GO.
COMING BACK HERE, IT'S BEEN
AMAZING TO SEE THE SORT OF
COMMITMENT TO TRANSPORTATION,
THE FUNCTIONAL -- RELATIVELY
FUNCTIONAL BUS NETWORK COMPARED
TO OTHER PLACES.
BUT I THINK THERE IS A LOT WE
CAN DO TO MAKE SEATTLE A MORE
PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY CITY.
BEING PART OF THE BOARD, I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER
DISABLED FOLKS, OUR VOICES ARE
HEARD.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS
IS ALL CONNECTED TO ZONING, TO
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, TO
BUILDING OUT TRANSIT NETWORKS
TO TRANSIT AREAS THAT ARE
TRANSIT DESERTS SO THAT IT'S
NOT JUST RICH WHITE WEALTHY
FOLKS WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LIVE IN WALKABLE
COMMUNITIES, THAT IT'S ALL OUR
COMMUNITY, IT'S THE WHOLE CITY
AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AS
WELL.
SO THAT'S MY INTEREST.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THEY WILL JUST TAKE A
MOMENT TO THANK YOU AND ROOTED
IN RIGHTS EFFORTS AND
COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY
WORKING IN OLYMPIA TO GET SOME
MORE FLEXIBILITY AROUND
LEGISLATION TO PROTECT
PEDESTRIANS AND BUS LANES AND
USE AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT TO
MAKE THAT SAFE.
AND I THINK THAT YOUR WORK IN
ROOTED RIGHTS IN OLYMPIA, WE
STILL HAVE A COUPLE WEEKS HERE
TO GO TO GET THAT FINISHED.
BUT IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF THE
WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
AND WE HOPE TO BRING THAT SORT
OF PERSPECTIVE IT A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS AROUND MOBILITY
AND ACCESS.
>> GREAT.
AND THEN HAN-JUNG KO IS ALSO A
NEW APPOINTMENT BUT NOT ABLE TO
MAKE IT.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY
ABOUT?
>> I DO.
I BROUGHT SOME INFORMATION SO I
CAN HAVE SOME TALKING POINTS.
SO, HAN-JUNG KO, SHE ALSO GOES
BY COCO.
SHE IS A TRILINGUAL SPECIALIST
SPECIALIZING IN HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT AND GERANTOLOGY,
WHICH IS THE STUDY OF PEOPLE
AND OLD AGE.
AS A TRAINED SCIENTIST SHE
FOUND IT IMPORTANT TO PAY
ATTENTION TO EQUITY AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE ISSUES SUCH AS SAFE
LIVING ENVIRONMENTS, SUPPORT
FOR SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT FOR BOTH
OLDER AND YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
THE SHE IDENTIFIES AS
TAIWANESE.
AND SHE HELPED HER TAIWANESE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZE TAIWANESE-
AMERICAN HERITAGE WEEK.
SHE HOPES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
WALKABLE NEEDS PARTICULARLY
THOSE OF THE OLDER GENERATION.
>> GREAT.
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT,
TYPICALLY HAVE NEW APPOINTMENTS
SHOW UP AT THE TABLE, BUT I
ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE
MEETINGS DURING THE DAY CAN BE
HARDER FOR FOLKS TO MAKE IT TO,
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH
MAKING IT HERE.
AND I AM COMFORTABLE ADVANCING
AN APPOINTMENT FOR HAN-JUNG.
>> I ALSO THANK, INCLUDING THE
PROFILE THAT YOU READ AND ALSO
THE COMMENTS THAT CAROL AND
ANNA BOTH MADE, I THINK THEY
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THE -- I
MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THE NEEDS OF
ALL PEDESTRIANS BECAUSE AS
COUNCILMEMBER SAID WE ARE ALL
PEDESTRIANS.
BUT ALSO PLACING A SPECIFIC
EMPHASIS ON THE NEEDS OF THE
DISABLED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
OLDER CITIZENS, I THINK IF IT
CAN HAVE AN URBAN SPACE THAT IS
DESIGNED THAT WORKS FOR
DISABLED AND OLDER PEOPLE, I
THINK IT WILL WORK FOR
EVERYBODY.
AND SO IT'S REALLY A GOOD
BENCHMARK TO HAVE.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING
ABOUT WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS WE
CAN DO.
OBVIOUSLY PRIORITIZATION,
SIGNALING PRIORITIZATION -- I
AM NOT GOING TO BE ADVOCATING
FOR PRIVATIZATION.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> CORPORATE MONEY TO BE MADE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> BUT ALSO I THINK SIDEWALKS,
I MEAN, THE QUALITY OF
SIDEWALKS AND ALL OF THAT IS
TIED TOGETHER.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, FROM POINT A TO
POINT B, CAN WE MAKE IT SAFE
AND ACCESSIBLE IN EVERY WAY.
AND I APPRECIATE ALSO THAT YOU
SAID THAT IT'S ALSO IT'S TIED
IN WITH HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
IN ADDITION TO THE THREE
APPOINTMENTS, WE HAVE TWO
REAPPOINTMENTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED
TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEM, OR
I COULD JUST.
>> YEAH.
THE FIRST ONE WHO IS A COUNCIL
REAPPOINTMENT IS DAVID SEATER.
HE WAS A PREVIOUS PED BOARD
MEMBER, AND HE IS AN ACTIVE
SEATTLE GREENWAYS.
HE IS COMMITTED TO HELPING
TRANSFORM SEATTLE STREETS INTO
PLACES THAT ARE SAFE, EQUITABLE
AND COMFORTABLE FOR ALL AGES
AND ABILITIES.
HE BRINGS KNOWLEDGE OF SDOT
WORKING SINCE HE HAS SERVED FOR
TWO YEARS AND WOULD LIKE TO
CONTINUE TO DO SO.
PATRICIA CHAPMAN IS A MERRILL
REAPPOINTMENT AND SHE HAS ALSO
PREVIOUSLY SERVED FOR TWO YEARS
OOH THE BOARD.
SHE BRINGS NOT ONLY HER TWO
YEARS' EXPERIENCE ON THE PED
BOARD, BUT SHE IS A RETIRED
FHWA PERSPECTIVE AS WELL AS
SENIOR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
>> GREAT.
BOTH PATRICIA AND DAVID HAVE
BEEN GREAT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND I AM 40
MORE THAN HAPPY TO
REAPPOINTMENT THEM.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND APPROVE
THEM.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> AYE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU BOTH.
THESE APPOINTMENTS WILL GO TO
THE FULL COUNCIL ON MONDAY.
YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY WELCOME TO
ATTEND BUT NOT NECESSARY TO BE
THERE.
REALLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE AND COMMITMENT AND
INVITE YOU TO USE YOUR VOICE ON
THE BOARD TO PUSH THE CITY TO
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, ON
OUR PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT.
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE
DONE.
I THINK THERE IS A COMMITMENT
TO DO THE WORK, BUT THERE IS A
COMMITMENT TO DO A LOT OF
THINGS IN THE CITY.
AND WITHOUT SOME FOCUSED
ATTENTION, SOMETIMES WE WILL
NOT ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANT TO.
AND THE PED BOARD PLAYS A
REALLY IMPORTANT ON ROLE IN
ELEVATING THOSE VOICES AND
RAISING AWARENESS AND HOLDING
US ALL ACCOUNTABLE TO DELIVER
ON THE MASTER PLAN WHICH WE
HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING A
LOT FROM YOU.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
THEN TO ITEM NUMBER 6, JASMINE.
>> COUNCIL BILL 11947 AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO LAND USE
AND ZONING, AMENDING SECTIONS
23.22.062, 23.24.045,
23.49.09, 23.54.030 AND
23.84A.010, OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> WELL, WELCOME, EVERYONE.
WHY DON'T WE START WITH A QUICK
ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
OL ANDA, YOU CAN LEAD US OFF.
>> YOLANDA COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT.
>> GREAT.
SO, WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THIS IS A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION I'VE BEEN
VERY EXCITED TO HAVE A CHANCE
TO VOTE ON.
AND SO THE PRESENTATION LAST
WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO WAS
GREAT, REALLY GOOD TO
UNDERSTAND.
THE WORK, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT
A LOT OF REALLY THOUGHTFUL WORK
HAS GONE INTO DRAFTING OUR
LEGISLATION INCLUDING LOOKING
AT WHAT KIND OF PURE
JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE
COUNTRY ARE DOING AS KIND OF A
BASE LINE FOR BEST PRACTICES.
CONVERSATION WITH FOLKS IN THE
ELECTRIC VEHICLE INDUSTRY, AND
ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY, AND
ALSO CONVERSATION WITH THE
FOLKS THAT BUILD THE BUILDINGS
THAT THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO
MEET THESE NEW REQUIREMENTS
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
YOU'VE NAVIGATED A PATH THAT
WORKS OUT REALLY WELL.
AND I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT.
YOLANDA, MAYBE I'LL GIVE YOU
JUST A MINUTE TO GIVE A QUICK
OVERVIEW FOR FOLKS THAT ARE
JUMPING INTO THIS CONVERSATION
FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THEN WE WILL PROBABLY DO THE
PUBLIC HEARING AFTER THAT.
>> SOUNDS GOOD.
SO COUNCIL BILL 119472 WOULD
AMEND THE CODE TO ADD A
REQUIREMENT FOR THE PROVISION
OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE HARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD MAKE
IT EASIER TO INSTALL CHARGING
EQUIPMENT OR STATIONS IN THE
FUTURE IF DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES
OFF-STREET PARKING.
SO SPECIFICALLY THE LEGISLATION
WOULD REQUIRE THAT EACH PRIVATE
GARAGE OR PRIVATE PARKING AREA
PROVIDED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL
RESIDENT SUCH AS A SINGLE
FAMILY HOUSE, DUPLEX OR TOWN
HOUSE INCLUDES AN EV READY
SPACE DEFINED AS AN 40-AMP
POWER OUTLET, REQUIRE THAT
MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT WITH
SHARED PARKING GARAGES OR
SHARED SURFACE PARKING LOTS
WITH HIGHER REQUIREMENTS FOR
SMALLER PARKING FACILITIES,
REQUIRE THAT PARKING FACILITIES
FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL USES
INCLUDE A MINIMUM OF 10% OF THE
SPACES AS EV READY AND ALLOW
FLEXIBILITY FROM THE EV
REQUIREMENTS IN INSTANCES WHERE
MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS WOULD
REQUIRE CERTAIN TYPES OF
UPGRADES TO THE UTILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE REQUIREMENTS WOULD APPLY
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE
PARKING WAS REQUIRED BY THE
LAND USE CODE OR PROVIDED FOR
OTHER REASONS AND ARE NOT
INTENDED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER
OF OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES
CONSTRUCTED.
>> EXCELLENT.
ANDREA OR CHRISTINA, DO EITHER
OF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT
TO ADD OR TOUCH ON?
>> I DON'T THINK SO.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE NOW OR
AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> IN GENERAL, MY RECOLLECTION
IS THAT FOR A SINGLE FAMILY
HOMES OR REALLY SMALL
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, 6 OR
FEWER UNITS, THERE IS A
REQUIREMENT THAT IF THERE IS
PARKING PROVIDED THAT THERE IS
ESSENTIALLY 1 EV PER STALL.
AND THEN AS WE GET TO BIGGER
PROJECTS, THE REQUIREMENT
SHIFTS TO ABOUT A 20%
REQUIREMENT.
AND SINCE OUR LAST MEETING TO
MEET WITH A COMPANY THAT
ACTUALLY DOES EV CHARGING
STATIONS AND THEY CONFIRMED
WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THE
TECHNOLOGY IS THERE, ALMOST
THERE TODAY WHERE A SINGLE
CHARGING STATION HAS THE
CAPACITY OF MANAGING LOAD IN A
WAY TO CHARGE AS MANY AS FIVE
VEHICLES.
SO A 20% CHARGING STATION OR EV-
READY REQUIREMENT WITH SOME
GOOD USE OF TECHNOLOGY COULD
GET US TO 100% ADOPTION WHICH
WOULD BE OUTSTANDING.
AND LOOKING AT THE COMPARISONS
TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, FEELS
LIKE WE HAVE TAKEN KIND OF THE
VARIOUS HIGHEST STANDARDS FROM
OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND PUT
THEM ALL TOGETHER.
IT FEELS LIKE FOR OUR CITY TO
BE TAKING THE NEXT STEP
RELATIVE TO THE JURISDICTIONS,
WE ARE CONTINUING TO RAISE THAT
BAR A BIT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
IS THAT ACCURATE-ISH?
>> I THINK YOU NAILED IT.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, DO YOU
HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT
BEFORE WE GO TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING?
>> NOT REALLY.
I AM ALSO ACTUALLY VERY EXCITED
ABOUT IT.
>> ALSO SOME EXCITING NEWS NOW
IN OLYMPIA ABOUT ELECTRIC
VEHICLES.
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND
OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I HAVE FOUR FOLKS SIGNED UP.
YOU WILL EACH HAVE UP TO TWO
MINUTES.
>> HI AND GOOD AFTERNOON, MY
NAME IS LIAM, AND I AM THE
WASHINGTON TRANSPORTATION
POLICY MANAGER AT CLIMATE
SOLUTIONS.
CLIMATE SOLUTION CITIZEN A
REGIONAL NON-PROFIT WITH THE
MISSION OF ACCELERATING CLEAN
ENERGY SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE
CRISIS.
WITH ERR IN STRONG SUPPORT OF
THIS ORDINANCE WHICH IS ONE
STEP ALONG THE WAY TO
TRANSITIONING TO A CLEAN ENERGY
ECONOMY.
AS OUR CITY GROWS, IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE IS ADAPTABLE TO
THE FUTURE.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING MULTI-
MODAL TRANSPORTATION WE ALSO
NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE WILL ACCOMMODATE
ZERO-EMISSIONS VEHICLES.
NEW BUILDINGS WILL STICK AROUND
FOR DECADES, BUT ELECTRIC
VEHICLES ARE HERE NOW.
MAKING SURE A BUILDING HAS THE
WIRING AND OUTLETS NECESSARY TO
ACCOMMODATE VEHICLE CHARGING UP
FRONT IS VERY LOW COST.
BUT RETRO FITTING A BUILDING
LATER ON CAN COST ONE TO FIVE
TIMES AS MUCH.
THE LACK OF CONVENIENT CHARGING
AT HOME.
GIVEN THE LOW COST, ONLY MAKES
SENSE WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING
PARKING TO ACCOMMODATE FOR
FUTURE EV CHARGING.
FEWER GREENHOUSE GAES MISSIONS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS
ORDNANCE WENT THROUGH A ROBUST
INPUT PROCESS AND THE STAFF
MADE ADJUSTMENTS ACCORDING TO
THE FEEDBACK THEY RECEIVED.
IS ONE STEP ALONG THE WAY TO
HELPING ENSURE SEATTLE'S GROWTH
IS MORE SUSTAINABLE.
AND AGAIN WE ARE IN STRONG
SUPPORT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME'S ANNABEL.
WE ARE IN ALLIANCE OF OVER 100
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS UNITED
AROUND CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE
ENERGY.
I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY
THANKING YOU ALL.
AS YOU ALL KNOW FROM THE 2014
ON-ROAD TRANSPORTATION MAKES UP
66% OF THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS.
THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL SOLUTION
IN THE SUITE AND POLICIES AND
PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE USED TO
REDUCE AIR POLLUTION AND MEET
THE CITY'S CLIMATE GOALS.
NWEC IS IN SUPPORT.
OF THIS COUNCIL BILL.
TO NAME A FEW, EV
INFRASTRUCTURE INSTALLED DURING
NEW CONSTRUCTION SUCH AS
ELECTRICAL PANEL CAPACITY,
RACEWAYS AND PREWIRING CAN BE
UP TO 10 TIMES CHEAPER THAN
INSTALLING EV INFRASTRUCTURE
DURING RETROFITS.
AND THESE STANDARDS ARE
TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL WHICH ALLOWS
THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADAPT TO
WIDE SPECTRUM OF EV CHARGING
TECHNOLOGY.
AGAIN, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS POLICY AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO CONTINUING TO WORK TOGETHER
TO MEET THE GROWING EV ADOPTION
IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEMAND IN
SEATTLE, REDUCE AIR POLLUTION
AND SUPPORT A HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, ANNABELL.
ALEX.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] OH, MY GOSH.
MY DIRTY FUHRER, MY NAME ALEX
ZIMMERMAN.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH PARKING
FOR ELECTRICAL CAR?
IT CHARGES NEXT DOOR.
AND THIS HAPPENED FOR THE LAST
FEW YEARS AND I DRIVE ALL
AROUND.
I NEVER SEE ONE ELECTRICAL CAR
WHEN I DRIVE.
WE SPEND A DOZEN AND DOZEN
MILLION DOLLARS, A HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS.
AND YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTELY
FREAKIN IDIOT SPEND A HUNDRED
AND HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS FOR
WHO, FOR PRIVATE DRIVER.
NOBODY SPEND MONEY FOR ME A
PRIVATE DRIVER.
I PAY FOR GASOLINE.
I PAY TAXES.
I PAY FOR EVERYTHING.
WHY I PAY FOR EVERYTHING YOU
FREAKIN IDIOT?
IS THIS GUY ELECTRICAL CAR
DON'T PAY NOTHING.
I PAY FOR SAM.
I PAY AND A MILLION PEOPLE PAY
HIM TOO.
WHY IS SO MANY STATIONS ABOUT
ELECTRICAL CAR?
WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN TOMORROW
THIS ALL ELECTRICAL CAR WILL BE
DEAD?
GUYS, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS
A BUNCH OF FREAKIN IDIOT.
NAZI SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC MAFIA.
WE TALK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
AND SPEND HUNDRED AND HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS FOR NOTHING.
IF WE ALL PAY FOR THIS.
SO I SPEAK RIGHT NOW TO YOU
SEATTLE, WHEN YOU START -- [
INAUDIBLE ] WITH YOUR BRAIN
AND DIRTY CHAMBER FROM THIS
CROOK WHO SPEND A BILLION AND
BILLION DOLLARS IN NOTHING FOR
TRANSPORTATION IT'S EXACTLY
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ELECTRICAL
PARKING CARS.
STAND UP, AMERICA.
CLEANSE THIS DIRTY CHAMBER FROM
THIS NAZI PIG.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANTHONY HARRISON IS NEXT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR,
COUNCIL WOMAN.
THANK YOU, ANTHONY HARRISON.
AND I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE IN
STRONG SUPPORT OF THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT ORDINANCE.
CHARGE POINT IS ONE OF THE
LEADING PROVIDERS OF EV
CHARGING IN THE WORLD WE HAVE
THE LARGEST NETWORK HERE IN
NORTH AMERICA.
WE HAVE JUST OVER 600 CHARGING
SPOTS HERE IN SEATTLE.
AND WE WORK WITH CITIES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY ON EV READINESS
ORDINANCES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IF ADOPTED
THIS WILL BE THE MOST SOUND AND
REASONABLE EV READY ORDINANCE
IN THE COUNTRY.
AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF
ON THE ROBUST WORK THEY DID TO
REACH OUT TO INDUSTRY ON THE
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
POLICY.
AND AS AN EV INFRASTRUCTURE
PROVIDER, WE GET TO SEE FIRT
HAND WHAT THE HUGE UP-FRONT
BARRIERS ARE TO SUPPORT THE
GROWING RATE OF CARS.
AND THIS ORDINANCE ADDRESSES
THAT NUMBER ONE BARRIER.
THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE
STUDIES THAT SHOWN THAT HAVING
POLICIES LIKE THIS IN PLACE CAN
LEAD TO 70 TO 80% COST
REDUCTION AT TIME OF
INSTALLATION FOR EV CHARGING
STATIONS.
SO I AM AGAIN PLEASED TO
TESTIFY IN SUPPORT AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING THIS
ORDINANCE GO INTO EFFECT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, ANTHONY.
THAT'S THE LAST PERSON WHO
SIGNED UP TO PROVIDE COMMENT OR
TESTIMONY IN THE PUBLIC
HEARING.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS
TO COMMENT?
SEEING NO ONE ELSE MOVING
TOWARDS THE MICROPHONE, WE WILL
GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC
HEARING.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO PUT IN THAT
[ INAUDIBLE]
>> YEAH.
SO, FOR THOSE ON THE CAMERA,
THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT WILL
THIS BE IN COMMERCIAL RETAIL
OPERATIONS?
AND, YES, THERE IS A
REQUIREMENT.
10% OF THE SPOTS FOR RETAIL
OPERATIONS WILL HAVE.
AND, AGAIN, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY
ABLE TO EXPAND THAT, THAT COULD
BE UP TO 50% OF THE SPOTS COULD
BE READY AT SOME POINT IN THE
FUTURE.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE
THE PUBLIC HEARING.
TYPICALLY OUR RULES ARE THAT WE
DO NOT HOLD A VOTE ON THE SAME
DAY AS THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT
I'VE ONLY HEARD POSITIVE THINGS
ABOUT THIS, AND I AM INCLINED
TO SUSPEND OUR RULES.
SO WHY DON'T I MAKE A MOTION TO
SUSPEND THE RULES.
SORRY.
>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
AMENDMENT.
>> OH, GREAT.
THANK YOU.
SO, UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF
SUSPENDING THE RULES SAY AYE.
OKAY.
THE RULES ARE SUSPENDED SO NOW
WE CAN PROCEED TO A VOTE.
>> YOLANDA, TELL US ABOUT THE
AMENDMENT.
>> WELL, CHAIR ON BRIAN, YOU
HAVE SPONSORED AN AMENDMENT
THAT WOULD ADD A REPORTING
REQUIREMENT TO THE BILL.
AND SO COUNCIL WOULD REQUEST
THAT THIS REPORT, THAT THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS
AND THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
PROVIDE A REPORT TO COUNCIL IN
THREE YEARS SO JUNE JUNE 1,
2022, AND THAT REPORT WOULD
JUST KIND OF QUANTIFY HOW MANY
PARKING SPACES WERE CREATED,
HOW MANY OF THEM ARE EV-READY.
AND ALSO KIND OF TRACK THE
NUMBER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN
THE CITY AS WELL AS KIND OF
UNDERSTANDING THE GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION SO WHAT
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THESE BEING
BUILT IN.
AND THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT
THAT THESE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH.
AND ALSO TRACK THE NUMBER OF
REDUCTIONS THAT ARE GRANTED
THROUGH A TYPE I DECISION SO WE
UNDERSTAND IF THIS IS A
SIGNIFICANT BARRIER OR IF NOT,
YOU KNOW, AND THE REPORT WOULD
ALSO REQUEST ANY RECOMMENDED
ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STANDARDS IF
THEY ARE NOT MEETING INTENDED
OUTCOMES.
AND I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH
CHRISTINA AT SDCI ON KIND OF
MAKING SURE THIS SEEMS
REASONABLE.
SO, I THINK IT, YEAH, THIS
SHOULD WORK IN THREE YEARS.
>> GREAT.
OL ANDA, THANK YOU FOR WORKING
ON THAT AMENDMENT FOR ME, AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THE THING
THAT I WAS, I MEAN, WHAT WE
ALWAYS TRY TO DO IS GET
INFORMATION, I WANT TO BE
SENSITIVE TO HOW SOON WE CAN
GET INFORMATION THAT CAN BE
MEANINGFUL BECAUSE WHEN THIS
GOES INTO EFFECT, IT WILL BE
FOR NEW PROJECTS COMING ALONG.
AND THREE YEARS IS JUST AT THE
FRONT END, BUT AT LEAST IT'LL
BE A CHANCE FOR US TO SEE AND
EVALUATE.
AND THE WORLD WILL ALMOST
CERTAINLY HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE
BIT IN THAT TIME.
IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE
NEED TO DO TO TWEAK THINGS,
IT'D BE GOOD TO KNOW AT THAT
POINT TOO.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
THIS AMENDMENT.
ALL IN FAVOR, RESPOND BY SAYING
AYE.
GREAT.
AND NOW WE WILL GO AHEAD AND
MOVE THE COUNCIL BILL AGENDA
ITEM NUMBER 6 AS AMENDED.
ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING
AYE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON
THIS.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GIVE THIS
TO FULL COUNCIL AND GETTING IT
IN PLACE AND SO WE CAN START
SEEING PROJECTS MEETING THE NEW
STANDARDS.
SO THANKS A TON FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT.
JASMINE, DO YOU WANT TO READ
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEMS?
>> YEAH.
APPOINTMENT 01284 AND 01285.
APPOINTMENT OF JOSHUA N. MORRIS
AS A MEMBER, URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION FOR A TERM TO MARCH
MARCH 31, 2022, AND WESTON
BRINKLEY AS A MEMBER OF URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION, FOR A TERM
OF MARCH 31, 2022.
>> COME ON FORWARD.
WELCOME, EVERYONE.
AND WHY DON'T WE START BY A
QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
>> MY NAME IS JOSHUA MORRIS.
I AM THE URBAN KWEFSHATION
MANAGER AT AUDUBON SOCIETY.
>> WESSON BRINKLEY, CURRENT
CHAIR.
>> AND I'M SANDRA PINDO de
BADER, I AM THE LIAISON FOR THE
FORESTRY COMMISSION.
IF I MAY.
>> JUMP IN.
>> SO TODAY IS MY PLEASURE TO
INTRODUCE WESTON A
REAPPOINTMENT AND JOSH'S
APPOINTMENT TO THE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION, WHICH WAS
ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE CITY
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ON
POLICIES, PLANS, REGULATIONS TO
DO WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF URBAN
FORESTRY AND THE CITY.
THE COMMISSION HAS 13
POSITIONS, 6 ARE APPOINTED BY
THE MAYOR, 6 BY COUNCIL AND ONE
IS APPOINTED BY THE COUNCIL
ITSELF.
POSITION NUMBER 3, WHICH IS THE
UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVE.
WESTON BRINGS STRONG KNOWLEDGE
LEADING IN A RANGE OF COMMUNITY-
BASED URBAN FORESTRY
PROGRAMMING, SCIENCE AND
EDUCATION.
HE HAS A DEGREE IN URBAN
GEOGRAPHY WITH A LAND USE
CONCENTRATION.
HE CURRENTLY TEACHES AT ANTIOCH
UNIVERSITY, SEATTLE UNIVERSITY
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF.
WITH AYE.
HE IS ALSO AMBASSADOR.
RESEARCH AND HIS STRONG
LEADERSHIP SKILLS HAVE BEEN AN
ASSET TO THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION.
AND HE'S BEEN APPOINTED TO A
THREE-YEAR TERM THAT ENDS MARCH
MARCH 31, 2022.
AND ALSO, COUNCIL IS
RECOMMENDING APPOINTMENT OF
JOSH MORRIS TO POSITION 7, NGO
REPRESENTATIVE.
JOSH IS THE URBAN CONSERVATION
MANAGEMENT AT SEATTLE AUDUBON.
HE LEADS ENGAGEMENT ON LOCAL
CONSERVATION ISSUES AND
CORRELATES OUTREACH TO SUPPORT
URBAN CONSERVATION PROVIDES
WHICH INCLUDE OUR URBAN TREES.
HE HOLDS A MASTER IN ARTS AND
BRINGS OVER TEN YEARS OF
PROFESSIONAL AND VOLUNTEER
EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION.
HE'S BEEN APPOINTED TO A 3-YEAR
TERM ENDING MARCH 31, 2022.
>> GREAT.
JOSH, WHY DON'T WE START WITH
YOU.
JUST WANT TO GET A CHANCE TO
HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR
BACKGROUND AND WHY YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN THIS ROLE AND
WHAT YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH.
>> SURE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE
CONSIDERATION.
SO AS I SAID IN THE URBAN
CONSERVATION MANAGER AT SEATTLE
AUDUBON SOCIETY WHICH IS THE
OLDEST IN WASHINGTON STATE.
WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1916 AND ARE
NOW IN OUR SECOND CENTURY AS AN
ORGANIZATION.
THROUGHOUT THAT TIME WE'VE HAD
A HAND IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK, NORTH
CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, THE
SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THE
MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT.
WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS
AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAWSUITS.
AND MORE RECENTLY WE WORKED
WITH CITY PARTNERS TO ACHIEVE
FORMAL DESIGNATION OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AS AN URBAN BIRD
TREATY CITY.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS THE
CONSERVATION PROGRAM HAS
SHIFTED FOCUS TO BETTER SUIT
THE NEEDS OF AN INCREASINGLY
URBAN COMMUNITY AND OUR
FLAGSHIP CONSERVATION
INITIATIVE IS ONE THAT WE CALL
NEIGHBORHOOD FLYAWAYS, HABITAT
PATCHES ACROSS THE CITY IN A
HEALTHY THRIVING GROWING URBAN
FOREST IS CRITICAL TO THE
SUCCESS OF THAT INITIATIVE AND
THAT'S WHY I AM EXCITED ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION AND
TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE AND
EXPERTISE WITH YOU ALL AS AN
NGO REPRESENTATIVE ON THE
COMMISSION.
SO THANK YOU.
>> AND, JOSH, JUST REALLY QUICK
ON THE URBAN FLYAWAYS.
IS THAT TO SUPPORT MIGRATORY
BIRDS?
IS THAT REALLY FOR LOCAL BIRDS
TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WHERE THEY
NEST AND WHERE THEY FORGE.
>> FOR BOTH BUT IT'S
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR
MIGRATORY BIRDS.
>> WESTON, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE FOR YOUR REAPPOINTMENT.
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHERE YOU SEE THE URBAN FORESTY
COMMISSION GOING AND WHAT YOU
WANT TO ACCOMPLISH NEXT.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
WE WILL DO OUR ANNUAL REPORT
COMING UP SO I WILL GIVE YOU
SOME MORE DETAIL THEN.
BUT PERSONALLY I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION IS A REALLY
TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR US
AS A CITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE BENEFITS WE ALL GET FROM
NATURE AND TO REALLY PUT THOSE
IN PRACTICE IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE'VE HAD A REALLY JUST GREAT
RELATIONSHIP WITH STAFF WITH
COUNCIL AND I PERSONALLY LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT
WORK.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THESE
FOLKS?
WE WILL GET A CHANCE TO DIG IN
DEEPER.
I WANT TO GET TO THE ANNUAL
REPORT.
BUT THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR
WORK AND I AM GRATEFUL, JOSH,
FOR YOU BEING WILLING TO STEP
UP ON THE COMMISSION.
THERE IS DEFINITELY A LOT OF
INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY, AND
I THINK ON THE COUNCIL TO DO
SOME WORK AROUND URBAN FOREST
REGULATIONS AND SO I KNOW THAT
THE COMMISSION'S BEEN VERY
ACTIVE IN THAT.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
APPOINTMENTS NUMBERS AGENDA
ITEMS 7 AND 8. SO YOUR
APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENT
WILL GO TO THE FULL COUNCIL ON
MONDAY.
WITH THAT WHY DON'T WE JUMP TO
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 9. THE 208
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT.
-- 2018.
AND WHENEVER YOU'RE READY WE
CAN JUMP RIGHT IN.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUST WELCOME
SANDRA TO JOIN US UP HERE.
>> THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> HI.
>> WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT IS BY ORDINANCE THE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION IS REQUIRED
TO ISSUE AN ANNUAL REPORT, AND
WE HAVE A CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIR
TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION FOR
YOU TODAY.
>> THANKS.
AND THANKS AGAIN FORT
OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS ALWAYS A FUN PART OF
THE JOB.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK
THROUGH OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
SO ESSENTIALLY WALK YOU THROUGH
HOW 2018 WENT.
WE ARE ALSO OF COURSE GOING TO
GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND
ON THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION, WHO WE ARE, AND
WHAT WE DO.
WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE
OF WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON THIS
YEAR, 2019.
AN OVERVIEW OF OUR WORK PLAN.
AS YOU ALREADY MENTIONED,
COUNCILMEMBER, WE'D LIKE TO
FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON THE WORK
BEING DONE AROUND UPDATING CITY
STREET REGULATIONS.
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION'S
MISSION LIKE MANY OTHER BOARDS
AND TO COMMISSIONS IS TO ADVISE
MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ON
POLICY AND REGULATIONS.
SPECIFICALLY GOVERNING
PROTECTION, MANAGEMENT, AND
CONSERVATION OF TREES AND
VEGETATION IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THE WAY THIS GETS
OPERATIONALIZED FOR US IS WE
KIND OF HAVE OBJECTIVES.
THE FIRST IS TO HELP MAKE
SPECIFIC POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
AND THAT WOULD BE WORKING WITH
COUNCIL.
THE SECOND WOULD BE TO PROVIDE
A PUBLIC FORUM.
WE ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC ON
THESE ISSUES.
WE PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THEM TO
BRING UP ISSUES TO ENGAGE WITH
OUR GROUP AS A WAY TO CONNECT
WITH THE GOVERNMENT MORE
BROADLY AROUND URBAN FORESTRY.
AND THAT'S ALSO AN AREA THAT WE
ARE REALLY WORKING ON EXPANDING
OUR CAPACITY AND OUR ABILITY TO
BE EFFECTIVE AND HOW WE WORK
WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TO BE A
WAY IN FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND
URBAN FORESTRY.
AND THE FINAL KEY OBJECTIVE WE
HAVE IS OF CITY'S MANAGEMENT OF
FORESTS AND TREES AND LARGELY
THAT HAPPENS TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE URBAN
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
SO YOU CAN SEE WITH OUR
OBJECTIVES WE ARE REALLY
WORKING WITH COUNCIL.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE YOU
BELIEVE AND WE ARE WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENTS,
AND THAT INCLUDES A HALF-DOZEN
PLUS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENT THAT'S TOUCH ON
TREES AND VEGETATION THE CITY.
YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO
NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX WEB OF
TREE OVERSIGHT THAT THE CITY
PROVIDES THROUGHOUT THE
DEPARTMENTS?
>> WE ARE WORKING ON IT.
>> ME TOO.
>> I'M GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO
SANDRA TO CHAT A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR 2018 SUCCESSES AND
OUR WORK PLAN.
>> SO WE DID CONTINUE WORKING
ON THE TREE PROTECTION
ORDINANCE UPDATE IN 2018.
AND WESTON WILL BE DELVING INTO
THAT IN A LOT MORE DETAIL A
LITTLE BIT LATER ON.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH
STAFF TO UPDATE THE URBAN
FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN WHICH
USED TO BE THE STEWARDSHIP PLAN
THROUGH MAINLY SO FAR THROUGH A
LISTENING MEETING AND AN
EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE PROCESS
IS, PARTICULARLY THE PROCESS
FOR REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITIES
IN THE AREA AS PART OF THE
PLANNING EFFORT.
WE DID ALSO RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS
TO THE COMMISSION, NEW
POSITIONS IN THE AREA OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY, PUBLIC
HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT ADDS TO THE ORIGINAL 9
POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED IN
2009.
AND THEN ALSO THE GET ENGAGED
POSITION THAT WAS ADDED I AM
NOT SURE WHEN EXACTLY.
SO WE HAVE MANY MORE MEMBERS
NOW IN A BROADER REPRESENTATION
OF SKILLS AND INTERESTS AND
PERSPECTIVES.
THOSE POSITIONS HAVE ALL BEEN
FILLED.
WE HAD ONE OF OUR
REPRESENTATIVE AS TEND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY COHORT
TRAINING SESSIONS THAT WAS PUT
ON BY THE CITY FOR CITY
REPRESENTATIVES AS PART OF THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE EQUITY
PROGRAM INITIATIVE.
SO ONE OF OUR MEMBERS
PARTICIPATED IN THAT IN 2018.
WE DID WORK AGAIN ON BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER
PARTNERS THAT DEAL WITH URBAN
FORESTRY ISSUES AND MET WITH
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE SEATTLE 2030
WHICH DEDICATES ITSELF TO
ENERGY CONSERVATION
SUSTAINABILITY AND STORMWATER.
WE WERE BREED OF BY SOUND
TRANSIT REGARDING THE LINK
LIGHT RAIL EXTENSION FROM NORTH
GATE TO LYNNWOOD ABOUT TREE
ISSUES WHICH YOU PROBABLY SAW
TODAY WAS IN THE NEWS.
TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THEIR
TREE REPLANTING PROGRAM WILL BE
AND WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH.
WE MET WITH CITY FRUIT TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR PROGRAMS
RELATED TO FRUIT TREES AND FOOD
SECURITY, MOUNTAINS TO SOUND
GREENWAY, THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY WHICH FOCUSED A
LITTLE BIT MORE ON THEIR MORE
URBAN INITIATIVES THAN THEY
USED TO BE, ESPECIALLY RELATED
TO STORMWATER.
WE MET WITH PORTERA AND LEARNED
ABOUT THE GREEN SEATTLE
PARTNERSHIP IN PARTICULAR.
ALSO THE KING CONSERVATION
DISTRICT ESPECIALLY IN RELATION
TO THE GRANT PROGRAMS THAT THEY
PROVIDE TO CITIES IN THEIR
REGION IN THEIR DISTRICT FOR
URBAN RESTORATION,
ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION.
>> SANDRA, REALLY QUICK ON THE
WORK WITH SOUND TRANSIT BECAUSE
IT WAS IN THE NEWS RECENTLY,
ARE YOU ALL -- I MEAN, DID YOU
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
WITH SOUND TRANSIT BEYOND THE
BORDERS?
>> WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY OUR
AUTHORITY OR JURISDICTION.
CERTAINLY WE CAN ENCOURAGE, BUT
--
>> I IMAGINE YOU HAVE SOME
EXPERTISE THAT IS RELEVANT.
>> IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE
THAT ALL THE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS INVOLVED HAVE ALL
OF THEIR OWN RULES ABOUT TREES
AND TREE REPLACEMENTS AS WELL
AS WASHDOT.
SO THEY ARE WORKING WITH
SEVERAL JURY INSTRUCTIONS
BESIDES SEATTLE.
>> GOT IT.
>> ON TRYING TO SATISFY ALL
THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE INTENTION TO
DO PRETTY SIGNIFICANT TREE
REPLACEMENT IS THERE.
>> THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE NEED ALL
THE BENEFITS THAT WE GET FROM
URBAN FOREST AND IT'D BE GREAT
TO HAVE LIGHT RAIL TOO.
SO FINDING A WAY FOR THE CODE
TO EXIST IS A GOOD THING.
>> WE WORKED WITH SDCI AND
COMMENTED ON THE PROPOSER'S
DIRECTORS RULE REGARDING THE
VIOLATION PENALTIES.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
WE WERE BREED OF BY THE SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES SHIP CANAL
WATER QUALITY PROGRAM AND THIRD
AVENUE PROGRAM.
THEY DID REQUEST SPECIFIC INPUT
ON TREE REPLACEMENT SPECIES AND
LOCATIONS AND OTHER THINGS.
THEY HAVE BREED OF US TWICE ON
THAT.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD
RELATIONSHIP TO HAVE A LOT OF
INPUT ON.
AND WE PROVIDED COMMENTS ON THE
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
ORDINANCE, PARTICULARLY IN
RELATION TO THE GREEN FACTOR
CHANGES AND AS RELATED TO THAT,
THE INPUT ON THE DIRECTOR'S
RULE THAT THE CITY WAS
PROPOSING FOR UPDATING THE
GREEN FACTOR.
. SO I WILL TURN IT NOW BACK
OVER TO WESTON, AND HE IS GOING
TO DELVE INTO MORE DETAIL ON
THE TREE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
>> THANKS, SANDRA.
SO JUST TO KIND OF SET THIS UP.
I AM SURE YOU ARE VERY AWARE.
WE ARE LONG IN THE PROCESS OF
UPDATING SEATTLE STREET
ORDINANCE.
THIS IS NOW ENTERING ITS TENTH
YEAR.
THE INTERIM TREE ORDINANCE WENT
IN PLACE ABOUT THE SAME TIME
THAT THE FOREST COMMISSION
BEGAN IN 2009.
AND IT HAS BEEN AN ITEM ON THE
TOP OF THE FOREST COMMISSION'S
LIST FOR ITS ENTIRE EXISTENCE,
ALL TEN YEARS NOW.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT WE
ARE CLOSE HOPEFULLY TO GETTING
SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT WILL
MEET ALL OF OUR GOALS AND WE
ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR COUNCIL
MEMBER JOHNSON AND OTHER
COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR PUSHING
THIS FORWARD PRETTY STRONGLY IN
THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UM, BROADLY I THINK THE GOAL IS
TO GET SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT
PROTECTS TREES, WHICH IS NOT
SOMETHING I THINK WE WOULD ALL
AGREE IS HAPPENING CURRENTLY.
AND SOMETHING THAT DOES THAT IN
A WAY THAT IS EQUITABLE, THAT
WORKS FOR THE HUGE RANGE OF
OTHER NEEDS WE HAVE FOR SPACE
IN OUR CITY.
AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT'S
POSSIBLE.
A KEY POINT THAT WE HAVE PUSHED
FOR THAT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE
GOTTEN ON OUR LIST WAS TO
SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS.
EVERY ATTEMPT AT REVISING THE
TREE CODE HAS BEEN A VERY
COMPLEX PROCESS.
AND I THINK WE BELIEVE IT CAN
BE DONE SIMPLY AND STILL
MEETING THOSE OTHER GOALS THAT
I OUTLINED.
GENERALLY SOME OF THE KEY
PRINCIPLES ARE PUTTING IN PLACE
A PERMIT PROCESS WHERE WE CAN
FINALLY HAVE DATA ON TREE
REMOVAL.
YOU KNOW, THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
WE ARE LOSING AND THAT REALLY
CUTS DOWN OUR ABILITY TO MAKE
GOOD POLICY.
WE CAN'T MAKE THE
RECOMMENDATIONS WE NEED TO
WITHOUT HAVING BETTER
INFORMATION.
YEAH, PLEASE.
>> THE MAIN BARRIERS TO NOT
BEING ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE
NUMBERS BECAUSE THE TREES ARE
MOST -- I MEAN, BECAUSE OF THE
LOCATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES
OR, LIKE --
>> EXACTLY, YEAH.
TREES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY ARE
REMOVED AND THERE ISN'T
CURRENTLY A MECHANISM TO TRACK
THAT.
INSTITUTING A PERMIT PROCESS
WOULD ALLOW FOR A RECORD.
>> AND WOULD YOU SAY THAT FOR
THE MOST PART IT'S ACTUALLY NOT
UNDERSTOOD BY HOME OWNERS,
LIKE, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING
WHEN --
>> AGREED.
YEAH.
I THINK BROADER UNDERSTANDING
FROM THE PUBLIC FROM PROPERTY
OWNERS IS A KEY, KEY COMPONENT
IN THIS.
AND I THINK THAT REINFORCES THE
NOTION THAT'S SIMPLE BECAUSE IF
IT ISN'T UTILIZED, THEN THERE
IS NO POINT IN HAVING IT.
SO, PERMITS BEING A KEY
COMPONENT THAT REALLY A LOT OF
THESE OTHER THINGS WILL FLOW
FROM.
PROTECTION OF EXCEPTIONAL TREES
AND GROVES.
WE HAVE DESIGNATIONS IN THE
CITY FOR TREES THAT WE'VE, AS A
COMMUNITY DECIDED HAVE SPECIAL
SIGNIFICANCE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE
CAN BE PROTECTED AND THERE ARE
MECHANISMS IN PLACE FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN.
FEE PROGRAM.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMETIMES
WE WILL NEED TO REMOVE TREES
FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, MAKING SURE
THAT SOME MITIGATION OR SOME
OTHER COMPONENT IN PLACE THAT
CAN, IF NOT LEAD TO A DIRECT
REPLACEMENT ON SITE, HAVE
ANOTHER WAY OF MITIGATING THE
IMPACT ON THAT LOSS.
A BIG PART OF THAT IS
INCENTIVES FOR RETENTION.
SO NOT JUST LOOKING AT WHAT DO
WE DO AFTER LOSING STRATEGIES
BUT HOW TOO WE KEEP THE TREES
IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S MUCH MORE COST-EFFECTIVE
TO RETAIN A TREE THAN TO PLANT
A NEW ONE AND WAIT FOR IT TO
GROW FOR MANY YEARS.
>> WHAT KIND OF INCENTIVES
WOULD WE THINK ABOUT?
>> UM, THERE ARE CURRENT CITY
PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT PROVIDE
FREE TREES THAT, PROVIDE
TRAINING FOR MAINTENANCE FOR
MANAGING TREES ON YOUR
PROPERTY, ALL OF THOSE COULD BE
IMPROVED, COULD BE BETTER
RESOURCED.
THAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE A.
>> AND ALSO DOING THAT IN THE
GREEN FACTOR TO PROVIDE TO
ALLOW DEVELOPERS MORE POINT FOR
TREE RETENTION THAN THEY ARE
CURRENTLY ALLOWED.
SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER TYPE
OF INCENTIVE FOR RETENTION.
>> AND FLEXIBILITY AROUND SOME
OF THE DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
SO THAT IF HELPING WITH A
PROJECT, BUT IF THEY PRESERVE
THE TREE THEY COULD HAVE MORE
FLEXIBILITY ON SETBACKS AND
HEIGHT TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR
HOUSING GOALS OR WHATEVER IT IS
AND MAINTAIN THE TREE.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE
DONE WELL.
>> YEAH.
WE'VE SEEN A FEW ANECDOTES OF
NOT BEING SUCCESSFUL ALREADY.
IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO FURTHER
CEMENT THOSE PROGRAMS I THINK
IT COULD BE REALLY SUCCESSFUL.
A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE
RECOMMENDED AND HAD STRONG
POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON.
TREE SERVICE PROVIDER
REGISTRATION.
SO ESSENTIALLY KEEPING A
REGISTRY OF COMPANIES WHO ARE
APPROVED TO REMOVE TREES IN THE
CITY.
SDOT ALREADY UTILIZES SUCH A
TOOL FOR STREET TREES.
WITH ERR PROPOSING EXPANDING
THAT CITYWIDE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THIS IS A
SAFETY ISSUE.
WE WANT TREE REMOVALS TO BE A
SAFELY AND WELL-REGULARED AND
SEEN PROCESS.
ALSO WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE
ARE NOT LOSING TREES IN
INSTANCES WHERE WE DON'T NEED
TO BE, THAT WE HAVE
PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE ENGAGING
THINGS LIKE TREE HEALTH.
>> WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE THAT
THIS WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT
THAT FOR ANYBODY TO WORK ON A
TREE THEY WOULD NEED TO BE PART
OF IT OR THAT THERE WOULD JUST
BE A REGISTRATION AND THAT
WOULD BE THE BEST EXPERTS FOR
CERTAIN USES?
>> YEAH.
I THINK IT'LL REQUIRE US
DEFINING THE TERM WORK IN THIS
INSTANCE.
SPECIFICALLY TO DATE WE HAVE
RECOMMENDED THAT REMOVALS BE
DONE BY PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE
REGISTERED, AND THE OTHER THING
IN HERE THAT WE ARE DEFINING,
REMOVALS OR EVEN TREE ACTIVITY
ON SIGNIFICANT TREES OR TREES
LARGER THAN 6 INCHES OF TRUNK.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE
EXISTING THRESHOLDS THAT WE ARE
THINKING THAT MIGHT TRIGGER THE
NEED FOR THIS.
>> AND I JUST MENTIONED IT.
ADJUSTING THE THRESHOLD FOR
WHERE THESE ITEMS COME INTO
PLAY TO BE 6 INCHES.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY INDUSTRY
STANDARD.
CITY'S KIND OF NATIONWIDE
SEATTLE IN THE PAST HAS USED 12
INCHES AND THERE'S FAR TOO MANY
OF OUR TREES.
WE ARE TALKING PROBABLY 50% OR
MORE OF THE TREES IN THE CITY
FALL BETWEEN 6 AND 12 INCHES.
AND SO A PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T
CAPTURE THOSE REALLY ISN'T
BEING VERY, WELL, IT'S NOT
BEING HELPED.
>> YEP.
>> WE HAVE A COUPLED ON PIECES
OF RECOMMENDATION LOOKING AT
SMALL LOT SCOMPEMGHTSS, OF
COURSE FUNDING ENFORCEMENT FOR
THE PROGRAM.
EXEMPTIONS, OF COURSE FUNDING
ENFORCEMENT FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND TREE REPLACEMENT, WORKING
TOWARDS REPLACING TREES THAT
ARE REMOVED AS FIRST AND
FOREMOST THE ACTION THAT SHOULD
BE TAKEN AND NOT JUST GOING TO
A PAYMENT.
AGAIN, THAT SETS UP A HIERARCHY
OF PRESERVING TREES WHEN
POSSIBLE IS FIRST PRIORITY.
IF THEY NEED TO BE REMOVED,
REPLACEMENT IS THE NEXT
PRIORITY.
IF REPLACEMENT CAN'T BE DONE
THEN WE ARE LOOKING AT A FEE
AND LUU PROGRAM.
>> IT WOULD JUST BE OFF SITE
SOMEWHERE.
>> EXACTLY.
AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT
FINDING WAYS TO MAKE PERMIT
COST THE FEE AND LIEU
COMPONENTS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE
FOR PEOPLE TO ESSENTIALLY BE
ABLE TO OWN TREES AND WE THINK
THAT THAT SHOULDN'T BE A
BARRIER.
THE ONE THING I DO WANT TO CALL
OUT IS THAT THESE ARE KIND OF
DETAILS, NUANCED POSITIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED FOR YEARS.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE REALLY
COALESCING AROUND THIS LIST OF
ITEMS.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE
LARGELY SUPPORTED AND THEN
MAYOR BURGESS' EXECUTIVE ORDER
2017-11 CALLING FOR CHANGING
HOW WE MANAGE TREES.
THEY'RE ALSO ITEMS THAT ARE
LARGELY SUPPORTED BY MHA,
COMPANION RESOLUTION THAT
YOU'VE ALL PASSED RECENTLY.
SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF
REITERATE THAT WE HAVE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVE THAT SEEMS
TO ALIGN HERE.
THESE ARE COMMISSION
RECOMMENDATIONS AND WE FEEL
FROM OUR EXPERTISE ARE STRONG
AND WE FEEL LIKE YOU ALL HAVE
AT LEAST GIVEN A GENERAL POLICY
AGREEMENT IN FULL COUNCIL THAT
THESE ARE DIRECTIONS WE WANT TO
TAKE AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SIGN
WE ARE REALLY CLOSE TO BEING
ABLE TO MOVE AN ORDINANCE
FORWARD.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR ONGOING
WORK ON THIS COLLECTIVELY.
THE COMMISSION AND FRANKLY
ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT THE
COMMUNITY AND WE HAD A PIECE OF
LEGISLATION LAST FALL THAT, YOU
KNOW, WAS IN MY MIND A STEP
FORWARD.
BUT KIND OF MISSED THE MARK ON
SOME OF THESE THINGS.
AND KIND OF A COMMITMENT.
AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
BAGSHAW HAS INDICATED A DESIRE
TO KIND OF STEWARD THIS WORK
THROUGH THE COUNCIL OVER THE
NEXT COMING MONTHS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
I THINK WE START FROM A REALLY
GOOD SPOT.
I REMAIN OPTIMISTIC THAT WE CAN
GET SOMETHING ACCOMPLISHED IN
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO THAT'D BE GREAT.
>> GREAT.
WONDERFUL.
GLAD TO HEAR IT.
>> AND WE ARE VERY THANKFUL
THAT COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW HAS
AGREED TO STEP UP AND HELP US
GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
THANKS.
>> MORE BROADLY, OUR 2019 WORK
PLAN BEYOND TREE PROTECTION
ORDINANCE UPDATES WOULD BE
AGAIN FOCUSING ON THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER IMPLEMENTATION.
HOW DOES THIS WORK FOR EACH OF
THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT DOES
THAT LOOK LIKE SPECIFICALLY.
WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A SERIES
OF DIRECTORS RULES AND
ASSOCIATED RECOMMENDATIONS THAT
WILL FOLLOW ANY SORT OF
ORDINANCE.
THE OTHER BIG PIECE OF 2019 IS
LOOKING AT THE URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE.
AS SANDRA SPOKE TO EARLIER,
THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR
US TO ADD IN OUR IMPROVED
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENT
LANDSCAPE AND REALLY OUTLINE A
VERY ACTIONABLE PLAN FOR OUR
CITY'S TREES AND VEGETATION.
AS ALWAYS, WE WILL LOOK AT A
BROAD RANGE OF POLICY DECISIONS
AFFECTING URBAN FORESTRY IN THE
CITY AND AS I MENTIONED
EARLIER, WE ARE REALLY SET ON
IMPROVING OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH
THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY
AROUND GETTING A WIDER RANGE OF
VOICES IN THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMUNITY.
>> YOU MENTIONED, YOU ALL
MENTIONED EQUITY EARLIER IN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
I SEE THAT'S A BIG ISSUE IN
EVERY RESPECT, BUT ALSO YOU SEE
A DIFFERENCE IN THE TREE COVER.
THERE ARE STARK DIFFERENCES.
YOU GO TO NORTH CAPITOL HILL,
IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL, LOTS OF
TREE COVER.
I AM NOT AN URBAN FORESTRY
EXPERT.
I AM JUST TALKING ABOUT IT FROM
A LAY PERSON'S STANDPOINT.
BUT THEN YOU GO TO OBVIOUSLY
LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND
YOU SEE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,
MUCH AND MUCH LOWER TREE COVER.
>> SO IF I MAY ADD TO THAT, WE
DID A CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT
WITH 2016 DATA.
AND WE HAD A COMPONENT TO
ANALYZE THE EQUITY PIECE.
IT'S INTERESTING WE DID THE
ANALYSIS USING TWO CENSUS
TRACKS.
ONE WAS WITHIN 20% OF THE
POVERTY LINE AND ALSO A PEOPLE
OF COLOR.
AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH IN
GENERAL, YES, THERE IS LOWER
CANOPY, YES, AN AVERAGE.
WE ALSO NOTICE WITH THE WORK
THAT WE DID SHOWED THAT SOME OF
THE AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
HAVE VIEWS ALSO TEND TO HAVE
FEWER TREES.
SOME OF THE LOW-INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE YET TO
BE REDEVELOPED TEND TO HAVE
SOME BIGGER TREES.
SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT IS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME,
BUT WE ARE VERY SERIOUSLY
LOOKING AT THE EQUITABLE WAY OF
DISTRIBUTING, BETTER
DISTRIBUTING CANOPY COVER AND
ALSO PROVIDING SERVICES TO
HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED
OMMUNITY AS PART OF THE PLAN
UPDATE.
YEAH.
.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT
WE'VE UTILIZED THAT WORK
EXTENSIVELY IN THE COMMISSION
AND WE ARE REALLY GRATEFUL THE
CITY WAS ABLE TO DO THAT
ANALYSIS AND AGAIN A PRETTY
CRITICAL PIECE OF DATA THAT WE
NEED TO DO THIS JOB HERE.
THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN FOR
THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE
QUESTIONS AD ALSO JUST LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE
CONVERSATION.
>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW.
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE GOOD.
ICAN SEE THAT LOOK IN YOUR EYE.
>> NO.
I'M AFRAID IT MIGHT BE A STUPID
QUESTION, BUT I AM GOING TO ASK
IT ANYWAY.
HOW MUCH DID WE LOSE THROUGH
THE SNOWSTORMS AND WERE ONLY,
LIKE, BRANCHES LOST?
I DID SEE A COUPLE OF TREES
COME OUT AT THE ROOTS.
I SAW ONE AT THE ARBORETUM THAT
I'M PRETTY SURE WAS A RESULT OF
THE SNOWSTORM.
>> I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER, BUT
THERE WERE CERTAINLY TREES
DOWN, AND I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS
TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT ACTUALLY
DID A GREAT JOB WITH EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT PARKS, SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT, SPU, SDOT.
WE HAVE BEEN CALORICING CLOSELY
TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
SERVING IN THE PUBLIC IN A WAY
THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S
A PARK STREET, LET'S TAKE
ACTION AND HELP.
THAT'S WHY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR US TO PROTECT TREES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE HEALTHY IN
AREAS WHERE THEY CAN POSE A
HAZARD AND JUST GREAT WORK FROM
CITY DEPARTMENTS.
I CAN FIND A NUMBER FOR YOU.
BUT, YEAH.
USUALLY IN STORMS WE LOSE
TREES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE KEEP ON
PLANTING TREES AS WELL.
>> AND I WOULD JUST ADD TO
THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD
WAY OF TRACKING AGAIN THE TREES
THAT WERE LOST ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY.
WE HAVE ANECDOTAL DATA FROM
COLLEAGUES WHO WORK AS
ARBORISTS, WHO WORKED AS
RESPONDERS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
BUT WE CURRENTLY JUST DON'T
HAVE A GOOD WAY OF
UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS LOST.
COMBEN, MECHANISM FOR
REPLACEMENT WOULD BE A VALUE
HERE, MECHANISM FOR TRACKING
THE LOSSES.
AGAIN, MECHANISM FOR
REPLACEMENT WOULD BE A VALUE
HERE, MECHANISM FOR TRACKING
THE LOSSES.
AND THAT WOULD ALSO GIVE US
GOOD DATA ON SPECIES THAT DON'T
WITHSTAND STORMS.
>> WELL, THANKS A TON FOR YOUR
ONGOING WORK.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN ACHIEVE
SOME SUCCESS ON AN UPDATED
ORDINANCE THAT MEETS THE
OBJECTIVES THAT YOU ALL HAVE
LAID OUT.
I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED I
THINK THERE'S A PATH TO GET
THERE.
AND IF WE CAN DO THAT THIS YEAR
AND FREE YOU ALL UP TO FOCUS ON
THE NEXT ITERATION OF WORK FOR
TREES IN OUR CITY, THAT'D BE
GREAT.
THANK YOU BOTH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
>> THIS IS THE 2018 SCHOOL
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNUAL
REPORT.
>> I INVITE PRESENTERS FORWARD.
WELCOME, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WHY DON'T WE START WITH A
QUICK ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS.
>> MY NAME IS MITCHELL.
I AM A SEATTLE AND ALSO SERVE
AS LIAISON TO THE COMMITTEE.
>> I'M MARY ELLEN RUSSELL.
I AM THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE
COMMITTEE AND A VOLUNTEER.
>> I'M MARGARET McCAULEY, AND
I'M A VOLUNTEER ON THE
COMMITTEE.
>> MARILYN AND I AM A VOLUNTEER
ON THE COMMITTEE.
>> I'M JIM CURTAIN WITH SDOT'S
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DIVISION,
FORMER LIAISON TO THE SEATTLE
SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE.
>> SOME BATON HANDING GOING ON
HERE.
WELCOME, EVERYONE.
THANKS FOR YOUR WORK AND WE
HAVE A GOOD PRESENTATION.
SO DO YOU WANT TO JUST JUMP
RIGHT IN, WHOEVER'S GOING TO
LEAD THAT?
>> CERTAINLY.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.
THIS IS THE SEATTLE SCHOOL
TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ANNUAL
REPORT.
AND WE ARE CALLING IT THE 2019
ANNUAL REPORT.
.
>> SO, WE WERE CREATED BY
ORDINANCE.
THE COMMITTEE WAS CREATED BY
ORDINANCE IN 1975.
THERE ARE INSTITUTIONAL
MEMBERS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
POLICE DEPARTMENT, KING COUNTY
METRO, AND THEN COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ALL MEETINGS ARE OPEN
TO THE PUBLIC AND WE ACTIVELY
INVITE PEOPLE TO COME JOIN US.
THE COMMITTEE IS IN CENTRAL
POINT FOR PEOPLE WITH CONCERNS
ABOUT SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY
ISSUES TO COME COMPLAIN AND GET
CONCERNS ADDRESSED.
SOME OF THE THINGS WE ROUTINELY
DO ARE RECOMMEND NEW SCHOOL
CROSSWALK LOCATIONS AND
CROSSING GUARD ASSIGNMENTS WITH
A LOT OF HELP FROM SDOT IN
IDENTIFYING OPTIMAL LOCATIONS.
WE REVIEW TRAFFIC CIRCULATION
PLANS FOR NEW AND BEING
RENOVATED SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
WE HELP WITH THE MAIN FOREST
UPDATING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WALK
BOUNDARY MAPS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT TO
IMPROVE CROSSING GUARD
RECRUITMENT WHICH WE WILL TOUCH
ON LATER IN THIS SESSION.
SO, WE ACTUALLY DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT OTHER COMMITTEES WERE
>> Reporter:ING TO YOU, SO WE
WERE SORT OF LETTING YOU KNOW
THAT WE REPORT TO YOU.
>> TODAY WE ARE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE SEE AS THE FIVE
TOP NEEDS TO PROMOTE SCHOOL
TRAFFIC SAFETY IN SEATTLE,
STARTING WITH SUPPORT FOR
ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR
STUDENTS IN SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, FILLING IN MISSING
SIDEWALK AND OTHER STREET
SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE,
PARTICULARLY WITHIN A QUARTER
MILE OF SCHOOLS, REDUCING THE
CROSSING GUARD VACANCY RATE,
WORKING WITH OSPI TO HOPEFULLY,
WE ARE HOPING YOU MIGHT BE ABLE
TO HELP US THERE BECAUSE THE
LAW AS IT IS WRITTEN INCLUDES
SUPPORT FOR OUR NON-BUS
TRANSPORTATION RELATED EXPENSES
BUT CURRENTLY THE FORMULA JUST
DOESN'T ACCURATELY REFLECT THE
LAW IN SEATTLE AS LOSING OUT AS
A RESULT OF THAT.
AND THEN WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR STREET
IMPROVEMENTS WHEN SCHOOLS ARE
BUILT OR RENOVATED ARE FOCUSED
ON ENHANCING STUDENT SAFETY.
>> THE CROSSING GUARD VACANCY
RATE IS 39%?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
WE WILL ADDRESS THAT MORE IN A
LITTLE BIT, YEAH.
SO A BIG NEED THAT STUDENTS VA
IS SOME SORT OF INSTITUTIONAL
SUPPORT FOR ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THIS.
IT SAYS 60% OF STUDENTS DO NOT
RECEIVE BUSSING.
IN FACT, 60% DO NOT BUS.
50% ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
BUSSING.
SO IT SHOULD SAY 50%.
THESE STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO
GET TO SCHOOL WITHOUT ANY SORT
OF ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT
THROUGH STREETS THAT ARE
INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS WITH
HEAVY TRAFFIC AND WITH FREQUENT
GAPS IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
>> CAN IASK A QUESTION ON THAT?
SO, UM, THE CITY HAS DONE SOME
WORK TRYING TO GET MORE ORCA
CARDS INTO STUDENTS' HANDS.
SO OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS
STARTING WITH SOME STUDENTS AT
RAINIER BEACH.
I THINK IT'S TWO MILES, AND I
WENT DOWN AND WALKED TO SCHOOL
WITH A KID JUST TO SEE WHAT
THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH EVERY
MORNING AND EVERY AFTERNOON AND
THE CHALLENGES THEY FACED.
SO THE CITY STEPPED UP WITH A
PILOT PROGRAM AND IT'S BEEN
EXPANDED SINCE THEN.
DO YOU KNOW IF THIS DATA, THE
50% ELIGIBLE IS THROUGH THE
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS KIND OF
BASE LINE OR IF THAT INCLUDE
THE EXTRA ORCA PASSES THAT WE
ARE GIVING?
>> UM, THAT -- SO, THAT'S A
GOOD GET.
>> IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ORCA
CARDS.
BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY ELIGIBLE
FOR BUSSING, THAT MEANS FOR THE
YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES.
>> OKAY.
GREAT..
>> AND WE SHOULD SAY THAT WHILE
WE ARE CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN
TRAFFIC SAFETY AT EVERY LEVEL,
WE TEND TO FOCUS MOST HEAVILY
ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE
THAT'S WHERE THE KIDS ARE MOST
VULNERABLE, YES.
SO, TAKING A LOOK BACK AT THE
NEEDED PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS AROUND SCHOOLS,
FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THE
WALK DISTANCE IS TYPICALLY 1
MILE.
BUT HERE YOU CAN SEE
HIGHLIGHTED JUST WITHIN A
QUARTER MILE THE RED DOTS OF
OOH SCHOOLS, THE PINK CIRCLE IS
THE QUARTER MILE RADIUS.
THE GRAY AREAS ARE MISSING
SIDEWALKS WITHIN A QUARTER OF A
MILE.
SO WE ARE ASKING KIDS TO WALK
TO SCHOOL A MILE WITHOUT A
SIDEWALK.
SDOT HAS MADE SUBSTANTIAL
IMPROVEMENTS AROUND SCHOOLS AND
DO EVERY YEAR.
AND THEY HAVE THE SAFE ROUTES
TO SCHOOL PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY
GEARED TOWARD THAT.
AND THAT PROGRAM IS FUNDED IN
PART BY THE RED LIGHT CAMERA
FUNDS, AND THE COMMITTEE DOES
WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
REGISTER ITS DISMAY, THE RED
LIGHT LIGHT CAMERA FUNDS AWAY
FROM THE SAFE ROUTES SCHOOL
PROGRAM.
EVERY YEAR IN OUR CITY,
STUDENTS ARE STRUCK BY CARS,
INCLUDING A RECENT COLLISION IN
MARCH WITH A STUDENT AT ROBERT
EAGLE STAFF MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO
WAS STRUCK AND IS RECOVERING
WELL FROM A BROKEN LEG NOW.
BUT WE JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT MAKING VISION ZERO A
REALITY FOR THE CHILDREN OF OUR
CITY INCLUDES A COMMITMENT TO
FUNDING THE RAF ROUTES TO SKAL
PROGRAM.
WE HOPE TO SEE THAT RED LIGHT
CAMERA MONEY RESTORED IN THE
FUTURE.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS
THERE, AND I SHARE THEM,
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I WAS PART
OF THE COUNCIL THAT DID WHAT
WAS UNFORTUNATE.
I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN
WORKING WITH WITH YOU ALL AND
OTHERS TO PUT SOMETHING IN
PLACE IN ADVANCE OF THIS YEAR'S
BUDGET TO JUST MAKE A
COMMITMENT TO DEDICATE A
PORTION OF THESE FUNDS, AGAIN
MAYBE EVEN HIGHER THAN WHAT WE
WERE AT LAST TIME TO THESE
PROJECTS.
AND MAYBE EXPAND THE LANGUAGE
AROUND WHAT ENCOMPASSES A
SCHOOL SAFETY PROJECT TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE AS COMPREHENSIVE AS
POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES IN
THE BUDGET LAST YEAR.
THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES IN THE
BUDGET IN THE FUTURE.
IT IS ALWAYS A REALITY AND THE
COUNCIL COULD UNDO THAT.
BUT I WAS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
BUDGET LAST YEAR.
I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT A WAY TO
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY SO I
JUST KIND OF SAT ON MY HANDS.
BUT I THINK THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CLEAR
POLICY STATEMENT TO THE CITY
COUNCIL AND IF YOU ALL ARE
INTERESTED IN THAT, I'D BE
HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
>> WE DEFINITELY WOULD BE, YES.
THANK YOU.
>> SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO GO
COVER SOME THINGS THAT YOU
PROBABLY KNOW, BUT I FEEL LIKE
ARE STILL WORTH TOUCHING
ORGANIZATION WHICH IS THAT WHAT
WE BUILD CREATES A CULTURE THAT
THEN KIND OF ACCELERATES IN
WHATEVER DIRECTION IT'S GOING.
SO IF FAMILIES ARE NOT
COMFORTABLE WALKING TO SCHOOL,
THEN IF THEY CAN, WILL PROBABLY
DRIVE, WHICH MAKE IT'S MORE
DANGEROUS FOR OTHER PEOPLE,
WHICH MAKES THEM MORE LIKELY TO
DRIVE.
SO THAT'S A VICIOUS CYCLE AND
THE FOLKS WITH THE LEAST NUMBER
OF CHOICES AND RESOURCES SUFFER
THE MOST FROM THAT.
AND ONE SORT OF BROADER WAY
THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS IS
PTAs.
SOME SCHOOLS HAVE STRONG PTAs.
SOME SCHOOLS HAVE NO PTAs.
STRONG PTAs HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
PROMOTE WALKING AND BIKE RIDING
AND CAR POOLING.
AND EVEN THE STRONG PROGRAMS
TEND TO FALL APART AS THE
PARENTS LEAVE AS THEIR CHILDREN
LEAVE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HIRING A
DISTRICT-WIDE ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR
COULD MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE,
COULD HELP FILL IN SOME OF
THOSE GAYS, HELP FIGURE OUT
WHERE WE CAN GET PEOPLE
WALKING, BIKING AND CARPOOLING,
AND START A CYCLE IN WHICH THE
ROADS ARE LESS CONGESTED,
PEOPLE FEEL MORE WALKING AND
BIKING AND CARPOOLING AND THOSE
GIFTS BOONZ JUST GO TO THE
SCHOOL FAMILIES BUT THEY GO TO
THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
EING JUST GO TO THE SCHOOL
FAMILIES BUT THEY GO TO THE
WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, AND IT'S NOT JUST IN
TRAFFIC.
THERE ARE STUDIES AND WE CAN
PROVIDE YOU THE CITATIONS THAT
MOVEMENT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN'S
DAY CITIZEN REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
WE FOUND -- OR THE STUDIES HAVE
FOUND THAT IT CAN BE AS MUCH AS
A HALF OF GRADE LEVEL.
AND THEN THE AIR POLLUTION AND
THE CONGESTION, I HAVE PERSONAL
ANECDOTES ABOUT PARENTS IN MY
CHILDREN'S CLASSES CRASHING
INTO EACH OTHER WITH CARS.
SO GOES AROUND.
>> AND SO THE CITY IS CURRENTLY
MISSING OUT ON A RESOURCE THAT
EXISTS THAT IS PROVIDED BY KING
COUNTY.
THEY HAVE AN APP CALLED SCHOOL
POOL THAT IS SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED TO HELP FAMILIES FORM
WALKING, BIKING AND CARPOOLING
GROUPS TO HELP PEOPLE POOL
THEIR RESOURCES TO GET THEIR
KIDS TO SCHOOL SAFELY.
AND IT IS CURRENTLY BEING USED
IN KEN MORE, ISQUESTION OF LAW,
AND BY SOME PRIVATE COOLS AS
WELL.
SAQUAW, AND BY SOME PRIVATE
COOLS AS WELL.
THAT KIDS ARE ACTUALLY
ATTENDING THE SCHOOL THAT'S
PEOPLE SAY.
. KING COUNTY NEEDS TO HAVE
SOMEONE WHO SAYS YES THIS
PERSON ATTENDS THIS SCHOOL.
AND THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE NOW.
SO FAMILIES IN SEATTLE ARE NOT
ABLE TO USE THIS FREE RESOURCE.
>> SO CROSSING GUARDS.
AS YOU NOTICED, WE HAVE A 39%
VACANCY IN A CRITICAL SAFETY
POSITION.
THE PROGRAM USED TO BE MANAGED
BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS MOVED
OVER TO THE DISTRICT A NUMBER
OF YEARS AGO WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT STATE LAW
WOULD REIMBURSE THE COSTS
BECAUSE THE STATE LAW STATES
THAT THE STATE WILL REIMBURSE
FULL FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION
COSTS.
WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IS THAT
THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE AND
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE
IT ALL OUT, THE CURRENT THEORY
IS THAT THERE IS AN EXCEL
FORMULA THAT SOME BUREAUCRAT IS
USING THAT IS FUNCTIONALLY
PENNIZING THE -- PENALIZING THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
>> THEY JUST DON'T SEE IT AND
DON'T CONSIDER IT AND DON'T
REIMBURSE IT.
>> AND FOR RURAL DISTRICTS,
MAYBE BUSES ARE THE ONLY THING,
BUT IN SEATTLE, BUSES ARE NOT,
WILL NOT, AND SHOULD NOT BE THE
ONLY OPTION.
>> AND I DON'T KNOW.
THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE AROUND
RECRUITMENT.
PEOPLE AT SCHOOLS FEEL SOMEWHAT
AMBIVALENT ABOUT THE CROSSING
GUARD PROGRAM.
THEY FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT USED
TO DO THIS AND WE KIND OF WISH
THEY STILL DID.
AND HAVEN'T TAKEN -- THERE IS
NOT A STRONG CROSSING GUARD
RECRUITMENT PROGRAM OR ANY
RECRUITMENT PROGRAM.
THE SUPPORT AROUND THE CROSSING
GUARDS DIDN'T COME ALONG WITH
THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
CROSSING GUARDS.
SO THERE IS ONE WOMAN THERE WHO
DOES AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF WORK
WITH THE CROSSING GUARDS BUT IS
INCREDIBLY WORKED THIN.
AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHOSE
RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO RECRUIT
THEM.
SO THE VACANCY RATE IS VERY
HIGH.
WE HAVE --
>> THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN
REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC TO FIND
WAYS TO DO RECRUITMENT, BUT
THEN ONCE THE NEW RECRUITS
SUBMIT THEIR MATERIALS, THE
PROCESSING IS ALSO BOGGED DOWN.
>> SO THERE IS A LACK OF
SUPPORT THERE.
BUT WE ACTUALLY THINK THAT
DESPITE THIS HIGH RATE, IF
THERE IS ANY MORE CONSISTENT
SUPPORT FOR RECRUITMENT, THEN
THIS COULD ACTUALLY COME DOWN
SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT'S NOT IN SOME PLACES IN MORE
AFFLUENT AREAS OF THE CITY,
IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO
FIND THEM BECAUSE IT'S A VERY
LOW-PAYING JOB.
BUT WE DON'T NEED THAT MANY
PEOPLE IN ABSOLUTE NUMBERS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN DO
THIS.
IT'S REALLY JUST A LACK OF PUSH
TO GET THE VACANCY RATE DOWN
THAT WE SEE AS THE BIGGEST
BARRIER.
>> SO WE ARE KIND OF HOPING --
WELL, NOT HOPING, BUT THAT THE
CITY CAN HELP IN THE SHORT TERM
WITH THE RESOURCE SHARING TO
GET THE PROGRAM BACK ON A
SUSTAINABLE ABOUT ISAND HELP
PUSH THE STATE FUNDING FULFILLS
THE TERMS OF THE STATE LAW.
>> SO, ANOTHER THING THAT WE
KOO ON THE COMMITTEE IS REVIEW
THE WALK BOUNDARY MAPS.
THESE ARE THE MAPS THAT
DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT A
CHILD WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR
BUSSING BASED ON THE LOCATION
OF THEIR HOME.
THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN ALSO
GET BUSSING BECAUSE THEY MIGHT
BE ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL ED OR
MIGHT BE GOING TO AN OPTION
SCHOOL.
BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND LIVE
INSIDE THE WALK BOUNDARY, THEY
TYPICALLY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
BUSSING.
THEY HAD NOT BEEN REVIEWED IN
SEVERAL YEARS AND WE WERE
LOOKING FOR AREAS WHERE THEY
WERE NO LONGER REFLECTING THE
CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND.
WHILE THERE WERE A FEW
INSTANCES WHERE WE FOUND THAT
THEY WERE NOT SHOWING THE TRUE
DANGER OF AN INTERSECTION AND
WE HAD TO REDUCE THE WALK
BOUNDARY A LITTLE.
FOR THE MOST PART WE WERE ABLE
TO OPEN THE WALK BOUNDARIES.
SDOT IS ALWAYS PUTTING IN NEW
PROJECTS AND WE FOUND MANY
INSTANCES WHERE CONDITIONS ON
THE STREET WERE BETTER, IT'S
SAFE TO WALK NOW.
AND SDOT ALSO ASSISTED US
THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS BY
GRADING INTERSECTIONS AROUND
EVERY SCHOOL WITH A CONSISTENT
RUBRIC SO THAT WE COULD MAKE
SURE THAT WE WERE MAKING THOSE
DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH
INTERSECTIONS WERE SAFE TO
CROSS EQUITABLY.
THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, WE
FOUND THAT THERE WERE SOME
OPPORTUNITIES TO OPEN THE WALK
BOUNDARIES THAT WE COULDN'T
TAKE.
YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS HAD
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES RELATED
TO BUSSING THIS YEAR.
THERE IS A DRIVER SHORTAGE NOT
JUST AT SPS BUT ALSO AT KING
COUNTY METRO IN THE REGION THAT
HAS MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO
STAFF ALL OF THEIR ROUTES AND
RESULTED IN DELAYS OF UP TO 3
HOURS, PARTICULARLY TOWARD THE
START OF THE YEAR.
THEY HAVE DONE A HUGE AMOUNT OF
WORK TO IMPROVE THAT SITUATION
AND NOW HAVE -- THEY TOLD ME
THAT AS OF THIS MONTH, THEY ARE
KRNICALLY UNSTAFFED ROUTES ARE
DOWN TO 1%.
WE FOUND THAT IF THE CROSSING
GUARD PROGRAM COULD BE FULLY
STAFFED, WE COULD ACTUALLY
REDUCE THE NEED FOR BUSSING AND
HELP REDUCE THAT LAST 1%.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
INSTANCES WHERE IF WE COULD
HAVE CREATED A NEW CROSSING
GUARD POSITION, WE COULD HAVE
OPENED ANOTHER SECTION OF WALK
BOUNDARY.
BUT WITH THE EXISTING POSITIONS
UNSTAFFED AT SUCH A HIGH RATE,
WE COULDN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE
CREATE A NEW POSITION.
>> SORRY.
JUST ONE QUESTION QUICKLY.
ON THE -- YOU SAID THAT THE
NUMBER OF CHRONICALLY UNSTAFFED
ROUTES FOR THE SCHOOL BUSES HAS
BEEN REDUCED TO 1%?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> THAT'S HUGE.
>> YES.
>> THAT'S THANKS TO THE DRIVERS
THEMSELVES?
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE
MAIN ISSUES IS THAT IT'S
PRIVATE AND SPS DOES NOT, I
MEAN, BECAUSE THEY'RE A PRIVATE
ENTITY, THEY DON'T HIRE ENOUGH
DRIVERS WHICH IS ONE OF THE
REASONS THE STUDENTS ARE
ARGUING THAT IT SHOULD BE
PUBLIC LIKE IN MANY OTHER
DISTRICTS.
>> YES, INDEED.
SO, I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF
CONVERSATIONS AROUND BUSSING.
AND THEY FEEL THEY'VE DONE
STUDIES ABOUT WHEN DID IT
SHOULD BE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
THAT'S NOT WITHIN MY PURVIEW.
>> YOU SEEN THE SPS?
>> YES, THE S OF COURSE S. BUT
I WILL SAY THAT WHAT THEY
CONSISTENTLY SAY IS THAT THE
NUMBER ONE ISSUE IS JUST THE
LACK OF DRIVERS IN THE REGION.
KING COUNTY PAYS HIGHER WAGES
AND OFFERS MORE HOURS AND SO
THE DRIVERS ARE CONSTANTLY
BEING POACHED FROM FIRST
STUDENT TO KING COUNTY.
>> I KNOW YOU ARE NOT
COMMENTING, BUT I COMPLETELY
DISAGREE BASED ON THE DATA.
THEY HAVE CONTRACTED WITH
ADDITIONAL PROVIDERS AND THEY
HAVE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING.
>> THE MAIN REASON IS OF COURSE
THEY DO NOT HIRE ENOUGH
DRIVERS.
>> YEAH.
I'M SORRY.
THAT'S OUTSIDE MY AREA OF
EXPERTIAS HERE.
BUT WE JUST WANT TO POINT OUT
THAT THE CROSSING GUARD SEEMS
LIKE A SMALL PIECE, BUT IT
COULD BE IN ADDITION TO GETTING
MORE KIDS WALKING, HAVING FEWER
FOSSIL FUELS BURN.
WE COULD ACTUALLY JUST BE
REDUCING THESE DELAYS THAT ARE
MAKING LIFE DIFFICULT FOR
FAMILIES OF STUDENTS AND ALSO
REDUCING STUDENTS' ABILITY TO
BE IN SCHOOL AND ADVANCE THEIR
LEARNING.
>> SO JUST SO I UNDERSTAND,
YOUR ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT IF
THERE WERE A SAFE CROSSING, THE
STUDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT RED
AREA WOULD BE A WALKABLE
DISTANCE FROM THE SCHOOL?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU CAN SEE THE SCHOOL RIGHT
THERE.
THIS IS WELL WITHIN THE 1-MILE.
>> AND THAT WOULD PUT LESS
STRESS ON THE BUS DRIVERS, ALSO
LESS CONGESTION, LESS
POLLUTION, ALL THOSE THINGS,
ASSUMING THAT IT'S A REASONABLE
WALK.
>> AND WE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND WE
DO HAVE SUPPORT THROUGH
SCHOOLS' TRANSPORTATION SO WE
HAVE TAKEN A PRELIMINARY LOOK
AT, BECAUSE IN SOME PLACES THE
WALK BOUNDARY MIGHT INCLUDE AN
AREA WHERE MANY STUDENTS DON'T
HAPPEN TO LIVE.
THIS INCLUDES MANY STUDENTS IN
THIS AREA WHO DO GO TO WENLWOOD
ELEMENTARY.
SO THIS WOULD DM HAVE AN IMPACT
ON HOW MANY ROUTES ARE NEEDED.
DGE WOOD ELEMENTARY.
SO THIS WOULD DM HAVE AN IMPACT
ON HOW MANY ROUTES ARE NEEDED.
SCHOOL SPEED ZONE CAMERAS EXIST
AROUND THE CITY.
THEY TAKE PICTURES OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE SPEEDING WHEN THE
LIGHTS ARE FLASHING AND SEND
OUT TICKETS.
THAT PROGRAM IS RUN THROUGH THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
ONE PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEGUN
IN 2017 IS TO TRACK THE DATA.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TALLIES
THE NUMBER OF TICKETS AT LEECH
LOCATION.
BUT IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT TO
SAY WITH JUST THAT MONTH'S DATA
WHETHER CONDITIONS ARE ACTUALLY
IMPROVING OR NOT.
AND BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF
SCHOOL DAYS IN A MONTH ARE
VARIABLE.
DECEMBER DOESN'T HAVE VERY MANY
COMPARED TO NOVEMBER.
SO LOOKING MONTH TO MONTH IS
OFTEN NOT VERY HELPFUL EITHER.
SO WE HAVE STARTED A
SPREADSHEET LOOKING AT DECEMBER
COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE AND
THE YEAR BEFORE.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT THREE YEARS'
DATA IN THAT NOW.
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP MOVING IT
FORWARD THAT WE HOPE WILL BE
AVAILABLE TO SDOT, HOPE THAT
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO USE IT TO
EXAMINE WHETHER OR NOT
CONDITIONS ARE IMPROVING.
AT MERCER MIDDLE SCHOOL, ONE OF
THE CAMERAS THERE ARE
CONSISTENTLY OUR HIGHEST NUMBER
EVERY MONTH WITH AN AVERAGE OF
826 TICKETS.
THAT'S JUST, IT'S FOUR HOURS A
DAY I THINK AND ONLY ON SCHOOL
DAYS.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF TICKETS.
AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A PLAN
THAT SDOT HAD WORKED ON FOR AN
IMPROVEMENT THERE AS A RESULT
OF OUR REQUEST BY THE SCHOOL
THAT CAME UP AGAINST SOME VOCAL
OPPOSITION AND HAS BEEN
SHELVED.
AND SO WE ARE HOPING THAT AS WE
HAVE THIS DATA AND AS IT
BECOMES MORE ROBUST, IT'LL BE
AVAILABLE TO LEAN ON TO HELP
REALLY GAUGE WHERE PROJECTS ARE
NEEDED AND WHERE FOCAL
OPPOSITION IS MAYBE NOT ALWAYS
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT ARE
YOCHLT>> RARE.
>> TO REMIND MYSELF AND THE
PUBLIC, THE REVENUE FROM THE
SCHOOL SAFETY SPEED ZONE
CAMERAS, THOSE ARE 100%
DEDICATED TO SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
WE DIDN'T CHANGE THAT LAST
YEAR.
>> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S
THE REQUIREMENT BY STATUE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> STATE REQUIREMENT, YES.
>> AND THEN THE RED LIGHT
CAMERAS, WE HISTORICALLY HAD
DONE, IS IT 25%?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE CAN GET IT FOR YOU THOUGH.
>> AND THE GOAL WITH THESE
SPEED ZONE CAMERAS IS THAT WE
DON'T COLLECT A PENNY BECAUSE
EVERYONE'S FOLLOWING THE LAWS
AND IF WE HAVE THAT GREAT
CIRCUMSTANCE, THEN WE WILL FIND
SOME OTHER AVENUES TO SUPPORT
SAFETY PROJECTS.
BUT WE REALLY DO WANT TO SEE
THOSE NUMBERS GOING DOWN.
AND I WANT YOUR HELP TO DIG
INTO THE DATA.
I KNOW WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.
THE EARLY DATA SHOWED THAT -- I
REMEMBER SEEING THE REVENUES
THAT A SPECIFIC CAMERA WOULD
TAPER OFF AFTER THE FIRST YEAR.
WE ARE ADDING A LOT OF -- WE
CONTINUE TO ADD CAMERAS SO
THAT'S ALSO A GOOD THING.
BUT THIS ANALYSIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> THERE ARE SOME -- I DIDN'T
BRING, YOU KNOW, THERE IS QUITE
A RANGE I SHOULD SAY.
SOME CAMERAS WE DO SEE ARE DOWN
VERY LOW NUMBERS, AS FEW AS 20
OR 30 IN A MONTH.
SO WE ARE HOPING TO SEE MORE OF
THEM HEAD THAT DIRECTION.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY IF THERE IS A
PLACE WHERE WE ARE SEEING 800,
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.
>> AND SO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE
THAT AND OF COURSE THE
UNDERSTANDING WHICH
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MORE IMPACTED
AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE
MEETING OUR KIND OF EQUITY
COMMITMENTS TOO IS GOING TO BE
REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> AND SO THEN THE LAST THING
WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS
CITY CODE AND SCHOOL
CONSTRUCTION.
AS MARGARET MENTIONED WHEN
CITIES ARE BUILT OR SORRY WHEN
SCHOOLS ARE BUILT OR RENOVATED
WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE
CIRCULATION PLANS AND GIVE
INPUT ON THEM AND TRY TO
IDENTIFY PROBLEM CONFLICT AREAS
BEFORE THE CITY -- OR BEFORE
THE SCHOOL IS BUILT AND OPEN.
AND AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE
HAVE ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS
SEEN SDOT AND SDCI REQUESTING
SOME IMPROVEMENTS FROM SCHOOLS
AND REALLY REQUIRING THEM IN
ORDER TO GET THE VARIANCES THEY
NEED THAT WE DIDN'T THINK WERE
AN APPROPRIATE USE OF SCHOOL'S
MONEY OR RESOURCES.
AND FOR EXAMPLE YOU CAN SEE
HERE IS A DRAWING FOR WING LUKE
ELEMENTARY THAT INCLUDES A BOX
TRUCK TURNAROUND TO FACILITATE
PACKAGE DELIVERIES TO NEIGHBORS
BEHIND THE SCHOOL.
AND IT IS ACTUALLY EATING INTO
THE PLAYGROUND THERE.
IT WAS GOING TO BE TAKING AWAY
PLAYGROUND SPACE FROM THE
SCHOOL.
WE HAD A FAIR BIT OF
COMMUNICATION AROUND THAT WITH
SDOT AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO
GET THEM TO DROP THE
REQUIREMENT FOR THE BOX TRUCK
TURNAROUND.
THEY DID EVENTUALLY WORK WITH
SCHOOLS TO FIND A LOCATION FOR
IT TO BE THAT DIDN'T TAKE AWAY
FROM THE PLAYGROUND, BUT IT DID
-- THE SCHOOL WAS NOT HAPPY
THEY FELT THAT IT HAMPERED
THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THEIR
ON-SITE CIRCULATION AS THEY
WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.
AND NOW SDOT IS A LARGE
ORGANIZATION.
NONE OF THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE
HERE WERE INVOLVED IN THAT.
BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
REQUESTING THESE ARE JUST, THEY
ARE NOT IN THE SAFE ROUTES OF
SCHOOL DIVISION.
AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR
BEST FOR THE TAXPAYERS AND GET,
YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THEY CAN
OUT OF DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WE FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD
BE AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT A
PUBLIC SCHOOL IS NOT A TYPICAL
DEVELOPMENT AND THAT A PUBLIC
SCHOOL SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED
TO BUILD THINGS THAT BENEFIT
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.
>> I APPRECIATE THE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE
GENTLEMEN HERE FROM SDOT ARE
MAYBE NOT THE ONES MAKING THAT
DECISION, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF
YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT.
>> WE WELL, I THINK ONE OF OUR
BIG CHALLENGES IS THAT SDOT IS
A LARGE ORGANIZATION AND
WHETHER IT'S SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL OR VISION ZERO, MAKING
THOSE THAT THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE
ENTRENCHED AND ENGRAINED WITHIN
AND THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION
IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST
CHALLENGES.
I THINK WE'VE MADE SOME GOOD
STRIDES OVER THE YEARS BUT THIS
CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES THAT WE
STILL HAVE A LITTLE WAYS TO GO
THERE.
BUT THIS IS REALLY GOOD FOOD
FOR THOUGHT FOR US.
AND I THINK CAN HELP US MOVE
INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE COMMUNICATING WITH FOLKS
WHO WE DON'T SEE EVERY DAY OR
EVER IN SOME CASES TO ENSURE
THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
OBJECTIVES OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE
AND WHAT KIND OF OUTCOMES WE
ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WHICH
EVERYONE CAN GET BEHIND SAFETY
FOR STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW ALONG WITH THAT, WE
REALLY WANT TO APPLAUD THE
RECENT PASSAGE OF THE COUNCIL
BILL THAT WILL CHANGE THE FOCUS
OF REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAFFIC
STUDIES TO INCLUDE MORE OF A
MULTI-MODAL FOCUS.
THAT IS A BIG STEP FORWARD.
AND WE ARE WATCHING AS THE
DIRECTOR'S ROLE IS DEVELOPED,
WE'D REALLY LIKE TO MAKE SURE
THAT NOT ONLY IS THE MULTI-
MODAL FOCUS STRONG BUT THAT
SCHOOLS ARE SPECIFICALLY
ADDRESSED IN THE DIRECTOR'S
RULE AS HAVING THEIR SEPARATE
TRAFFIC REQUIREMENTS.
SCHOOL PROJECTS HAVE VERY, YOU
KNOW, DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION
REQUIREMENTS THAN A TYPICAL
COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE MORE VULNERABLE YOUNG
USERS, MORE PEDESTRIANS, MORE
BICYCLISTS, AND ALSO THE RUSH
HOUR IS OFFSET FROM PEAK
COMMUTE HOURS.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE
DIRECTOR'S RULE REQUIRE
TRANSPORTATION STUDIES FOR
SCHOOLS TO REALLY FOCUS IN ON
THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF
SCHOOLS AND NOT TREAT THEM THE
SAME AS SAY A COMMERCIAL OR A
CONDO PROJECT.
.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO THAT'S IT.
AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, THESE ARE
OUR MAIN POINTS.
WE ARE HOPING THE CITY CAN HELP
THE DISTRICT GET ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT GOING.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS IS POINT
NUMBER 4, WHICH IS HELPING PUSH
ON THIS STATE BECAUSE THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY SEATTLE-
SPECIFIC, AND IN THE LARGE
SCHEME OF THINGS, NOT
NECESSARILY A LARGE AMOUNT OF
MONEY, BUT IT REALLY AFFECTS
THE DISTRICT'S ABILITY TO DO
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
SOMETHING THAT IS THE CITY'S IS
BULLET .2, MISSING SIDEWALKS.
BULLET .3 AS MENTIONED WE ARE
HOPING THAT THE CITY CAN DO
SOME RESOURCE SHARING IN THE
SHORT TERM.
AND THEN PARTICULARLY BECAUSE
WE KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
IS ENTHUSIASTIC AND HAS SOME
INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND
NETWORKS THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM AS
MUCH AS WE CAN.
BUT NEED SOME ADDITIONAL HELP.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS THE
MAKING SURE THAT CITY
REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOLS FOCUS
ON STUDENT SAFETY.
AND, YEAH.
>> AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
GIVING US THE TIME TO SPEAK TO
YOU TODAY.
>> JUST ONE QUESTION.
I KNOW OBVIOUSLY YOUR
ASSESSMENT IS CITYWIDE.
BUT I AM SURE YOU'VE HEARD -- I
MEAN, I AM SURE YOU HAVE HEARD
OF SPECIFIC CONCERNS RELATING
TO ALSO THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC
SAFETY OUTSIDE BAILEY GATZERT.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU
OR SDOT HAD ANYTHING TO SAY
ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE?
>> I PERSONALLY GO BY BAILEY,
AT LEAST 8 TIMES A WEEK SO I
HAVE A LOT OF PERSONAL
OPINIONS.
AND WE ARE MOVING OUR CHILDREN
THE NEXT DISTRICT OVER OR
WHATEVER IT IS, ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL.
SO I HAVE A LOFT OPINIONS, BUT
MAYBE SDOT WANTS TO SAY WHAT
YOU'RE GOING TO DO, AND THEN
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU SHOULD
BETTER DO.
.
>> I WANT TO HEAR BOTH
OPINIONS.
>> WELL, PERSONALLY, I AM NOT
PERSONALLY DRIVING ANY OF THE
PLANS MOVING FORWARD WITH
BAILEY GATZERT.
SO I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR
TEAM AND COLLECT WHAT OUR
CURRENT PLANS ARE.
IT IS PRETTY MUCH SURROUNDED BY
MAJOR PRINCIPAL ARTERIAL
STREETS.
IT'S A CHALLENGING PLACE TO
WALK, BIKE, DRIVE.
>> AND AS AN ADULT PEDESTRIAN,
YOU HAVE TO BE SORT OF MORE
AWARE THAN USUAL.
>> MULTIPLE CROSSING GUARDS
HAVE BEEN HIT IN RECENT YEARS.
>> I THINK THAT OUR APPROACH
WOULD BE TO LIMIT SPEEDS
THROUGH THAT AREA AND CERTAINLY
LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO
IMPROVE CROSSINGS FOR PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO WALK AND BIKE TO
SCHOOL OT THERE AS WELL.
AGAIN, I'D HAVE TO GO CHECK
WITH THE TEAM THOUGH AND SEE
EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE IN THE
WORKS AT THIS POINT.
>> SO, FROM A USER PERSPECTIVE,
I GUESS, THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T
MAINTAIN THE CROSSING GUARDS
BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED IS A BIG
DEAL.
AND THAT WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO
HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF
CROSSING TWO MAJOR STREETS
BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL NEW
RESOURCES AND PARKS AND THE
COMMUNITY CENTER.
WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE
PEOPLE GOING THERE.
THAT'S NOT OPTIONAL.
WE DID RECENTLY, THE POLICE
REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD
ASKED US TO WRITE THE DISTRICT,
NOT THE DISTRICT, THE
DEPARTMENT TO ASK FOR EXTRA
POLICE ENFORCEMENT ON DRIVERS
IN SCHOOL ZONES DURING SCHOOL
PASSING TIMES.
AND FOR MOST SCHOOLS, THE SORT
OF, YOU KNOW, I'M LATE, I'M
LATE CAR COMMUTER CONFLICT
COMES IN THE MORNING, BUT FOR
IT BEING SURROUNDED BY
HOSPITALS, WE HAVE FOUND THAT
THE AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR ALSO
CONFLICTS WITH THE LET-OUT
TIME.
SO WE'VE ASKED THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT TO ALSO DO
AFTERNOONS THERE.
AND ENFORCEMENT IS NOT REALLY
GOING TO DO IT.
AND SDOT I THINK REALLY HAS THE
PRIMARY ROLE IN THAT.
AND I FEEL LIKE LOOKING AT THE
12th AVENUE I THINK IS KIND OF
THE FIRST WAY TO FIX AND THEN
BORIN WOULD BE NEXT.
I COULD DRAW A LOT OF PICTURES,
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE
TIME FOR THAT.
BUT, YEAH.
>> I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A
MOMENT ASO TO JUST SAY THAT WE
DO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER ON THE
COMMITTEE AND THAT THE POLICE
ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE.
THEY WORK WITH US TOO.
THEY HAVE A HOT SPOTS LIST THAT
YOU CAN PUT SCHOOLS ON WHEN
THEY ARE HAVING SPECIFIC
TRAFFIC CONCERNS AROUND THEM.
THEY WILL ROUTINELY SEND
OFFICER THERE'S IN THE MORNING
TO TRY AND CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR
BECAUSE OFTEN IT IS THE PARENTS
OF THE KIDS ARE CAUSING
PROBLEMS.
SO THEY CAN ASSIST WITH
CHANGING THAT BEHAVIOR WHICH IS
PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN THE
SHORT TERM.
MITCHELL IS ABLE TO WORK WITH
SDOT TO OFTEN GET SOME FASTER
THINGS LIKE SIGNS OR STRIPING
PRETTY RAPIDLY.
BUT THE POLICE ARE THE ONES WHO
RESPOND FIRST AT TRYING TO
ADDRESS AN ISSUE WHILE SDAOT IS
WORKING ON THEIR PROVISIONS AND
THEY ARE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
>> I WOULD ASK THE COMMITTEE TO
KEEP MY OFFICE UPDATED.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> I WANT TO JUST SAY I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE THROUGHOHNESS OF
YOUR WORK.
THIS PRESENTATION IS OUT
STANDING AND I PARTICULARLY
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR
COMFORT WITH BRINGING CONCERNS
FOR THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTLY
AND WITH SDOT AND YOU DO IT IN
A VERY RESPECTFUL WAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR ME THAT WE HAVE
THESE INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS
THAT SAY, LIKE, HEY, THAT
DECISION YOU MADE THE OTHER
DAY, WE CAN'T LIKE IT, AND
HERE'S WHY.
I DO WANT TO COMMIT TO WORK
WITH YOU ALL TO THINK THROUGH
IF THERE IS A STRATEGY TO, THE
CITY COUNCIL WILL DEDICATE A
CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, RECOMMIT TO
WHAT WE DO WITH THE RED LIGHT
CAMERA REVENUE.
AND ALSO MAYBE TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT THE SCOPE OF
THOSE INVESTMENTS LOOK LIKE
TOO.
>> SO AS WE MENTIONED, SOME OF
THE OTHER CAMERA REVENUES ARE
DETERMINED HOW MUCH IS ALLOWED
TO BE SPEND OUT ON THINGS OTHER
THAN SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY IS
SET BY STATE LAW.
THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS WERE
INITIALLY, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT WHEN THEY WERE FIRST
AUTHORIZED KIND OF PART OF THE
POLITICAL SELL WAS THAT THIS
WOULD GO TOWARDS TRAFFIC SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT HAS CONTINUED TO BE THE
CASE, BUT THE AMOUNT HAS GONE
DOWN.
AND OUR CONCERN IS THAT ONCE A
REVENUE STREAM IS GOING
SOMEWHERE ELSE, THEN IF YOU
MOVE, IT CAN GET HARD TO PUT IT
BACK.
AND SO WE WOULD BE VERY
INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT ANY
SORT OF MORE PERMANENT BACKSTOP
THAT'S SAY THIS MUCH WILL
ALWAYS GO, AND IF IT COULD BE
RETURNED TO ITS PREVIOUS LEVEL
AND HAVE SOME SORT OF MORE
PERMANENT RESOLUTION MARKING
THAT AS ITS LEVEL, THAT WOULD
BE EXCELLENT.
.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT AND
FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW,
WHAT ARE THE SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN INVEST IN.
AND AGAIN IN A PERFECT WORLD
PEOPLE WOULD STOP RUNNING RED
LIGHTS AND WE WOULD STOP
COLLECTING THE MONEY.
SO THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENCE TODAY AND THE ONGOING
WORK OF THE SAFETY OF OUR
KIDDOS.
>> THANKS SO MUCH.
>>> ALL RIGHT.
JASMINE HAD TO RUN TO A
MEETING.
SO, JODY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
WOULD YOU MIND READING IN THE
LAST AGENDA ITEM?
>> AGENDA ITEM 11, CLERK FILE
314422.
THE PETITION OF WILLOW
CROSSINGS, LLLP TO VACATE A
PORTION OF 39th AVENUE SOUTH
AND SOUTH OF SOUTH WILLOW
STREET.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND AS PRESENTERS ARE GETTING
-- OR ONCE PRESENTERS GET
SETTLED DOWN, I'D ASK YOU TO DO
INTRODUCTIONS.
>>> ALL RIGHT.
BEVERLY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
START BY INTRODUCING YOURSELF.
>> BEVERLY BARNETT FROM SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
>> EMILY THOMPSON FROM GMD
DEVELOPMENT.
>> JEFF WALLS, STUDIO 19
ARCHITECTS.
>> WELCOME, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
BEVERLY, I SEE YOU HAVE THE
MIC.
YOU'RE GOING TO TELL US WHERE
WE ARE IN THIS PROCESS.
>> SO WE ARE BRAND-NEW IN, IN
THIS PROCESS.
SO I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE
HERE TODAY AND WHAT WE'RE GOING
TO SEE.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF 2017 AND
2018, THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK A
PRETTY INTENSE LOOK AT THE
EXISTING STREET VACATION
POLICIES AND REJUVENATE THEM
AND REVISED THEM.
AND ONE OF THE TOPICS OF THE
DISCUSSION THROUGH THAT WERE
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WERE THERE
FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE A
VACATION WAS COMING IN AND TO
HAVE A VOICE.
úAND SO THE POLICY REVISIONS
LOOKED A LOT AT THE ROLE OF THE
COMMUNITY WHEN THE CITY WAS
REVIEWING VACATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL
TALK ABOUT AFTER THE POWERPOINT
IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
PLAN PROCESS WHICH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS
ADMINISTERING, AND THEN THIS IS
A NEW PETITION THAT CAME IN
UNDER THE NEW POLICY.
SO THEY HAVE DEVELOPED A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
AND THE REASON WE ARE HERE
TODAY IS ONE OF THE OTHER
THINGS WITHIN THE NEW POLICIES
WAS THAT WHEN A PETITION CAME
IN, A BRAND-NEW PETITION THAT
WE WOULD BRING IT TO THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WFR WE
HAD DONE ALL OUR WORK.
BECAUSE WE COME TO YOU AT THE
END OF THE PROCESS AFTER WE
HAVE IDENTIFIED ISSUES AND WE
THINK WE ARE BRINGING INTO YOU
ALL THE ISSUES RESOLVED AND
SOLUTIONS.
SO WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE
COUNCIL AND FROM THE COMMUNITY
IS THAT, WELL, MAYBE THERE
MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT WAY TO
RESOLVE SOME ISSUES.
SO LET US SEE US EARLY ON.
SO I THINK THIS MAY BE THE
THIRD PROJECT WE'VE BROUGHT IN.
SO WE ARE STILL KIND OF
FIGURING OUT WHAT KIND OF
INFORMATION YOU WANT TO SO AND
HOW EARLY.
BUT THE IDEA, THE DIRECTION AND
THE POLICIES, IS THAT WE WILL
COME IN BASICALLY WITH A BRAND-
NEW PETITION.
AND NOW OF COURSE BEFORE
SOMEONE CAN PETITION, THEY DO A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, DO
EARLY DESIGN GUIDANCE, MEET
WITH MICHAEL JENKINS AND DO THE
NORMAL FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
WORK WITH ME AND OTHERS IN SDOT
AND THE CITY.
BUT THE IDEA IS THAT WITH THE
BRAND-NEW FRESH PROJECT, YOU
ARE SEEING IT BEFORE WE HAVE
WORKED AT IT.
AND SO THIS CREATES AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMITTEE
AND FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
TO SAY, OH, I LIKE THIS OR CAN
YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.
SO WE THINK THERE ARE SOME
PROJECTS YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING
TO GIVE US A LOT OF DIRECTION
AND SOME NOT.
SO WE ARE JUST KIND OF SEEING
HOW THAT GOES.
SO WITH THIS, THIS IS A BRAND-
NEW PETITION JUST STARTING IN
THE PROCESS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED IS THAT
JEFF AND EMILY WILL GO THROUGH
THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
WHICH SHOWS THE PROJECT, WHERE
IT'S AT, SUMMARY OF THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, AND
THEN DANIELLE AND MICHAEL WILL
TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT PLAN PROCESS AND
WHAT MICHAEL EXPECTS THE DESIGN
COMMISSION TO CONSIDER AS WE
MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE DO HAVE ABOUT 20 SLIDES
WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A REALLY
A GOOD OVERVIEW.
WE CAN GO THROUGH THINGS PRETTY
QUICKLY IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH
THE AREA AND THE PROJECT.
SO WE WILL JUST BE GUIDED BY
HOW MUCH INFORMATION YOU NEED.
SO I DON'T KNOW, EMILY --
>> I AM GOING TO START AND THEN
WE WILL KIND OF GO BACK AND
FORTH HERE.
SO, JEFF, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO JUST TO KIND OF ORIENT YOU
TO WHERE THE PROJECT IS, THIS
SITE IS ABOUT A BLOCK NORTH OF
THE OTHELLO LIGHT RAIL STATION
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW
MERCY HOUSING BUILDING THAT
WENT IN ACROSS THE STREET,
WE'RE JUST PRETTY MUCH THE SAME
BLOCK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
STREET.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
APPLICANTS.
THE PROJECT IS BEING CO-
SPONSORED AND CO-DEVELOPED BY
THE COMPANY I'M A PARTNER AT,
GMD DEVELOPMENT AND A NON-
PROFIT PARTNERSHIP WITH AOF
PACIFIC AFFORDABLEABLE HOUSING
CORPORATION.
WE HAVE A LONGS HAD OF WORKING
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, MOST
RECENTLY IN JUNE OF 2018 WE
OPENED LINDEN FLATS WHICH IS UP
ON LINDEN AT 132nd IN WHICH IS
170 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
WE ONLY DEVELOP AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND WE ARE VERY
COMMITTED TO SEATTLE.
AND ON THIS PROJECT AND ANOTHER
PROJECT IN BELL TOWN COMING UP.
>> AND SO TELL ME ABOUT AOF
PACIFIC.
I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
>> THEY HAVE AN OFFICE IN
SEATTLE.
THEIR HEAD OFFICE IS IN
CALIFORNIA.
THEY HAVE TWO ROLES IN PROJECTS
IN WASHINGTON.
CO-GENERAL PARTNER IN A NUMBER
OF LARGER BOND TRANSACTIONS.
I THINK THEY DO HAVE SOME STUFF
IN WEST SEATTLE THAT THEY ARE
MEMBERS OF.
AND THEN THEY DO A LOT OF OUR
WORK AROUND TENANT SERVICES,
PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS.
SO THEY ARE AN ACTIVE PROJECT
PARTICIPANT.
THOUGH GMD TAKES THE LEAD ON
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION WHICH
IS WHY THEY ARE NOT HERE TODAY,
AND THOMPSON.
>> SO YOU SAID THAT YOU ONLY DO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING?
>> AS A FOR PROFIT DEVELOPER.
>> AS A FOR PROFIT DEVELOPER,
CORRECT.
>> HOW UNIQUE.
>> WELL, UNIQUE FOR SEATTLE,
NOT UNIQUE FOR THE INDUSTRY.
THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INDUSTRY
UTILIZING THE LOW-INCOME TAX
CREDIT AS A FINANCING PIECE OF
THEIR DEVELOPMENT IS ACTUALLY
MORE DOMINATED BY PRIVATE
COMPANIES THAN NON-PROFITS.
IT'S JUST IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND IN THE STAFT
WASHINGTON THE WAY THAT THE
FUNDING POLICIES HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS, HAS
CREATED A FAVORABLE PLAYING
ENVIRONMENT FOR THE NON-PROFITS
AND SO TYPICALLY THE FOR
PRIVATE COMPANIES DON'T OPERATE
HERE AS MUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT.
AND THEN I SEE ON JUST THE NOTE
ON THE LINDEN FLATS, IS THAT
THE TOP PHOTO THERE?
>> THAT IS THE TOP PHOTO.
>> ZERO OFFICE HOUSING FUNDING
ON THAT PROJECT.
TO OUR KNOWLEDGE IT'S THE ONLY
RECENT BOND TRANSACTION BUILT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE WITH NO
OSFA HOUSING FUNDING.
>> AND SO 4% TAX CREDITS.
>> AND RENEWABLE TAX CREDITS
WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE A VERY
LARGE THERMAL AND VERY LARGE
SOLAR PV INSTALLATION.
>> AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE
PROJECT WE ARE HERE TO TALK
ABOUT TODAY.
BUT WHAT LEVEL OF
AFFORDABILITY?
>> ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE 100%
AT 60%.
. SO I GUESS SPECIFICALLY TO
TALK ABOUT WILLOW CROSSING, WE
WENT OUT TO LOOK FOR A NEW
PROJECT.
WE FOUND A SEE ITON MLK, A
BLOCK NORTH OF THE LIGHT RAIL
STATION WHICH WE LOVED THAT
ACTUALLY ALREADY -- WE NEEDED A
GREATER NUMBER OF UNITS FOR
FEASIBILITY.
THERE WAS A SITE AVAILABLE
BEHIND IT ALONG WILLOW THAT
WOULD CREATE AN L-SHAPED
PARCEL.
SO WE PURCHASED BOTH SITES.
WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED THEM WITH
AN ACQUISITION LOAN FROM THE
CITY OF HOUSING.
SO THE CITY IS A PARTNER ON
THIS TRANSACTION JUST FOR THE
ACQUISITION PORTION.
AND WE ARE NOW WORKING TO
VACATE AN UNIMPROVED SECTION OF
39th TO BE ABLE TO SPAN THE
VACATION, VACATED PORTION IF
YOU WILL.
SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS
IS THERE IS ALREADY A 20-YEAR
LAND USE RESTRICTION NOW FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT 60% OF
AMI ON BOTH PARCELS, BOTH THE
FRONT AND THE BACK WILLOW
PARCEL.
THAT IS THE MECHANISM THAT THE
CITY USES SO THAT IF IT GOES
SOUTH OR WHATEVER, THE LAND IS
STILL PROTECTED.
SO THERE IS SORT OF TWO
BUSINESS PLAN OPTIONS HERE.
OUT OF THE PLAN THAT WE ARE
PURSUING IS 211 UNITS OF
HOUSING JUST USING THE SAME
FINANCING PACKAGES AS WE TALKED
ABOUT AT LINDEN.
SO 4% BONDS WITH PERMANENT
FINANCING AND NO CITY OF
SEATTLE SUBORDINATE DECEMBER WE
WOULD ACTUALLY BE REPAYING OUR
ACQUISITION LOAN IN FULL AT OUR
LP CLOSING WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN
DONE BEFORE.
SO THEY HAVE ACTUALLY HAD TO
REDACT QUITE A BIT IN THE
DOCUMENTATION FOR IT.
>> SO, AND THEN THAT WOULD COME
WITH AN EXTENDED 37-LAND USE
RESTRICTION THAT WOULD START
THE CLOCK TICKING AGAIN WHICH
WOULD BE IN ABOUT THREE YEARS.
IF WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN
GETTING THE VACATION FOR OUR
BUSINESS PLAN, WHICH IS AGAIN
NOT TO USE OFFICE HOUSING,
SUBORDINATE DEBT, WE DO NOT
HAVE ENOUGH UNITS ON EITHER
SITE TO MAKE IT FINANCIALLY
FEASIBLE.
SO AT THAT TIME WE WOULD
BASICALLY, ESSENTIALLY GIVE THE
KEYS BACK, IF YOU WILL, TO THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING AND SAY,
OKAY, STEVE AND LAURIE, WHAT DO
YOU GUYS WANT TO DO?
DO YOU WANT TO FIND ANOTHER
DEVELOPER?
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY CAN
REMOVE THE LAND USE RESTRICTION
AND SELL.
WE WOULD BASICALLY STEP OUT OF
THE PICTURE AT THAT TIME.
THERE WOULD BE AN UNKNOWN COST
AND TIMING TO DEVELOP
AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON THAT
SITE.
>> SO YOUR MODEL WITHOUT THE
VACATION IT JUST DOESN'T --
>> NOT WITHOUT SUBSIDY AND
THAT'S JUST NOT WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR.
AND SO KIND OF TO I GUESS STEP
BAG WITH THIS PROJECT AND ALL
OF OUR PROJECTS WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THIS LOCATION, THIS
LOCATION IS SORT OF THE NORTH
ENTRANCE TO THE OTHELLO
NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN YOU'RE RIDING
SOUTH ON THE LIGHT RAIL
STATION.
THERE IS SO MUCH NEW
DEVELOPMENT GOING ON.
AND WE REALLY SEE THIS AS A
GATEWAY CORNER TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE WANT TO
HELP USE OUR PROJECT TO CREATE
A MORE ACTIVE PEDESTRIAN
ENVIRONMENT LEADING INTO THE
LIGHT RAIL STATION.
WE GET A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS
COMING OUT OF THE LOWER DENSITY
HOUSING TO THE EAST -- OR SORRY
TO THE WEST, AND WE WANT TO
CREATE A BETTER CORNER THERE
AND PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE AND
INTEGRATION AS YOU COME OUT TO
MLK TO THE LIGHT RAIL STATION.
.
>> SO I WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURAL SIDE OF
THIS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THIS PROJECT IN
OUR OFFICE PREVIOUSLY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF
BRIEF YOU GUYS ON WHAT WAS IN
THE ORIGINAL DESIGN BASED ON
WHAT'S CHANGING AS WE MOVE
FORWARD.
AND IN TERMS OF THE PERMITTING
PROCESS WE WILL BE DOING A MUP
FOR REVISION, NOT STARTING FROM
THE BEGINNING AGAIN.
SO FOR THE REDESIGN, WE ARE
REPROGRAMMING THE FIRST FLOOR
BY ADDING A LARGER LOBBY AND
AMENITY SPACES, MAINTAINING THE
RETAIL SPACES ALONG MLK AND
KEEPING THE PREVIOUS DESIGN
COURTYARD SPACE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BUILDING ACCESS FROM
MLK.
IT IS A COMMUNITY PLAZA THAT
WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
THE EXTERIOR DESIGN IS EXACTLY
THE SAME.
THE PARKING IS NOW MOVED FROM
OFF OF SOUTH 39th WHICH IT WAS
PREVIOUSLY DESIGNED, WHICH IF
BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS WERE
DEVELOPED WOULD BECOME SORT OF
A VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN
DISTURBANCE ON THE SITE.
IT'S JUST NOW ACCESSED DIRECTLY
OFF WILLOW.
SO YOU GO DIRECTLY INTO THE
PARKING GARAGE INSTEAD OF
HAVING TO HAVE VEHICULAR
CIRCULATION BETWEEN THE TWO
FUTURE PROJECTS.
SO IT'S MUCH BETTER FOR THE
PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
WE'VE HAD MANY MEETINGS WITH
THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY WAS
IN FAVOR OF THE PROJECT
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE
COMMUNITY COURTYARD AS WELL AS
THE FACT THAT THEY APPROVED THE
PROJECT TO BE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
WHEN WE MET WITH THE COMMUNITY,
IT WAS 100% MARKET-RATE
APARTMENTS FOR DESIGN REVIEW.
AND ONE OF THE MAIN COMMENTS
THAT ALWAYS CAME OUT OF THOSE
MEETING CITIZEN CAN WE GET MORE
AFFORDABLE.
AND OUR CLIENT PREVIOUSLY WAS
THINKING OF DOING A VERY SMALL
AMOUNT JUST TO REFLECT THE CODE
REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY REALLY
WANTED MOST ARE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IN THAT AREA.
AND THEN WITH THE NEW DESIGN
ADDITIONAL OUTDOOR OPEN SPACE
ALONG WILLOW HAS BEEN PROVIDED
AS WELL AS MORE AMEANTY SPACE
FOR THE RESIDENTS WITHIN THE
BUILDING BETWEEN THE TWO SITES
NOW.
THIS IS A MAP SITE PLAN OF THE
TWO SIDES.
SO ON THE EAST YOU WILL SEE THE
6901 MLK SITE WHICH IS WHAT WE
HAD PREVIOUSLY PERMITTED.
AND THEN THE WILLOW SIDE IS ON
THE WEST.
SHADED WITH THE RED IS THE
VACATION THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE VACATION
ACTUALLY DEAD-ENDS TO THE
SOUTH.
IT DOES NOT CONTINUE PAST ANY
OF THESE SITES SO IT DOES NOT
CONNECT TO ANYTHING PAST THE
WILLOW SITE.
AND THEN TO THE NORTH IT DOES
NOT CONNECT ANY OTHER STREETS
EITHER.
I AM NOT SURE IF THAT WAS
VACATED IN THE PAST OR HOW THIS
BECAME ABOUT.
WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION
ON THAT.
BUT THIS IS A SOLO STREET BY
ITSELF WITH NO CONNECTIVITY
OTHER THAN TO WILLOW.
IT'S NOT USED VERY MUCH RIGHT
NOW.
>> IT'S NOT IMPROVED AT ALL.
>> THE PHOTOS IT DOESN'T LOOK
LIKE A PLACE THAT WOULD WOULD
HANG OUT.
>> EXACTLY.
AND IF YOU SEE THESE PHOTOS
THAT WE HAVE HERE, YOU CAN SEE
THAT IT'S BEING USED BY THE
WILLOW PROPERTY AS PARKING AND
IT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE -- IF
YOU WERE DRIVING DOWN THE
STREET, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW
THAT YOU WERE ALLOWED TO GO IN
THERE.
IT'S COMPLETELY PERSONAL
PROPERTY.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE A DRIVEWAY.
>> IT'S NOT BEING USED AT ALL
RIGHT NOW.
AND FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE THERE
SEEMS TO BE NO USE FOR IT IN
THE FUTURE.
UM, THIS WAS OUR GROUND FLOOR
PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS THE
COMMUNITY PLAZA OFF OF MLK ON
THE WEST -- OR SORRY THE EAST
CENTRAL SIDE OF THE PROJECT.
WE HAVE THE RETAIL IN THE
DARKER PURPLE COLORS ON THE
WEST WHICH WOULD FLOW OFF INTO
THE PLAZA AND ALSO BE ACCESS
FROM MLK.
THE ORANGE SPACES ARE THE
AMENITY SPACES FOR THE
APARTMENTS.
AND THE BLUE ARE THE UNITS ON
THE GROUND LEVEL.
SO YOU CAN YOU CAN SEE THAT
WE'VE GOT OUTDOOR AMENITY
SPACES NOTES 1, 5, AND 7. AND
THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD HAVE
COMMON SPACE FOR THE RESIDENTS
AS WELL AS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE PARKING ACCESS FROM
NOTE 4 THERE ON THE NORTH.
THIS IS THE TRANSIT SYSTEM
RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT 39th IS A
DEAD END STREET.
AND IN ACTUALALITY WILLOW DOES
NOT CROSS MLK EITHER.
SO YOU ARE NOT GETTING A LOT OF
TRAFFIC FLOW COMING FROM THE
EAST.
EVERYTHING IS REALLY ISOLATED
FROM MLK AND TO THE WEST.
IN TERMS OF VACATION AND NO
VACATION BENEFITS, WE HAVE A
GRAPHIC HERE THAT SHOWS ON THE
LEFT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE
WITHOUT THE VACATION, AND
THAT'S OUR LAST MOP DRAWING.
AND WE SHOWED A TYPICAL WHAT A
DEVELOPMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE ON
THE WILLOW SITE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS
TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IF WE WERE TO
DEVELOP THESE AS TWO SEPARATE
PARCELS.
BUT IF WE COMBINED THEM, WILL
ACTUALLY SOLVE THE TRAFFIC
ISSUE, DIRECT ACCESS INTO THE
PARKING GARAGE WITHOUT HAVING
ANY PEDESTRIAN INTERFERENCE,
AND ALSO CREATE A LOT MORE OPEN
SPACE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF
THE PROJECT.
.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING
TO THAT LAST SLIDE.
THOUGH WE ARE A BLOCK FROM THE
LIGHT RAIL, WE ARE INCLUDING
SOME UNDERGROUND PARKING, THE
ORIGINAL MUP THAT THE PREVIOUS
CLIENT HAD TWO LEVELS OF
UNDERGROUND PARKING I THINK 75
OR 80 STALLS.
>> 80.
>> WE ARE PROPOSING ONE LEVEL
OF UNDERGROUND PARKING I THINK
ON THIS DOCUMENT SAYS 40
STALLS.
BUT WE'VE ACTUALLY LOST A FEW
BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO INCREASE
OUR BIKE PARKING COUNT.
SO WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE MID-
TO HIGH 30s.
SO IT'S NOT AS IF IT'S A 211-
UNIT BUILDING WITH 211 PARKING
STALLS.
IT'S A FAIRLY MODEST NUMBER.
>> I THINK WE ARE DOWN TO ABOUT
32 TO 35 STALLS AND WE HAVE 102
BICYCLE STALLS NOW.
>> SO IT'S A MODEST NUMBER.
>> OUTSTANDING.
>> SO I AM JUST GOING TO TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AS JEFF MENTIONED THEY HAD A
WHOLE PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS
DURING THE DESIGN REVIEW PIECE.
WE THEN WENT UNDER THE NEW
COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROCESS THAT
WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY OF
LAST YEAR WITH DANIELLE'S
SUPPORT DRAFTED UP A COMMUNITY
OUTREACH PLAN AND HAD REALLY
WONDERFUL ROBUST MEETINGS WITH
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS IN
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
EVERYONE WAS -- EVERYONE FELT
LIKE THEY GOT THEIR WIN AT
DESIGN REVIEW BECAUSE THEY GOT
THE BUILDING, THE LOOK OF THE
BUILDING THAT THEY WANTED.
THEN WE CAME BACK AND TOLD THEM
THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE 100%
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THEY
FELT LIKE IT WAS CHRISTMAS.
SO IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE
EXPERIENCE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS
HAVING PEOPLE COME TO THE OPEN
HOUSES THAT WE PLANNED.
I THINK AGAIN PEOPLE FELT LIKE
THEY WERE VERY ENGAGED DURING
THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS, AND
IT WAS JUST ICING ON THE CAKE
NOW.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED
ABOUT A LOT AT THE COMMUNITY
GROUPS AND AT THE ONE-ON-ONEs
THAT I HAD WITH INDIVIDUAL
STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY WAS THE IDEA OF --
SORRY, THE PUBLIC BENEFITS.
SO WE HAVE TO PRODUCE A PUBLIC
BENEFIT PACKAGE.
AND IN WANTING TO MAXIMIZE
HOUSING ON THE SITE, WE DON'T
HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ADDITIONAL OPEN SPACE TO CREATE
SOME OF THE PUBLIC BENEFITS
THAT -- WE FELT LIKE TO CREATE
ENOUGH ROBUST ON-SITE PUBLIC
BENEFIT.
THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES
AND WITH WE WILL TALK ABOUT
THAT.
BUT ACTUALLY DO YOU WANT TO GO
FORWARD TWO SLIDES?
THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF THE
PUBLIC OUTREACH THAT WED,
ANYTHING THAT WE DID IN PRINTED
AND DIGITAL WAS ALL IN MULTIPLE
LANGUAGES, CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AGAIN, WE HAD A COUPLE OF
REALLY GREAT MEETINGS WITH THE
LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE SORT
OF ZEROED IN ON PRETTY EARLY ON
WAS WHAT COULD WE DO AS A
PUBLIC OFFSITE BENEFIT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE OUR PUBLIC
BENEFIT PACKAGE MORE ROBUST.
THE TOPIC THAT CAME UP MOST
REGULARLY AND I FELT LIKE MOST
APPROPRIATE WAS THERE IS A
PROGRAM CALLED PLACES FOR
PEOPLE, WHICH IS BEING
IMPLEMENTED BY ANOTHER LOCAL
COMMUNITY GROUP WITH THE
ACRONYM CALLED HOSTED WHICH
STANDS FOR HEALTHY OTHELLO
THROUGH SAFER ENVIRONMENTAL
DESIGN AND THEY'VE IDENTIFIED A
COUPLE DIFFERENT LOICTIONS
WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT
THEY ARE GOING TO PUT PUBLIC
ART THAT WILL CREATE A SPACE
THAT IS MORE INTERACTIVE AND
SAFER AND TRY TO I THINK THE
FIRST SPACE IS NEAR THE SAFEWAY
AND THEY HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS CHOSEN.
THEY'VE GOT LOCAL ARTISTS LINED
UP TO DO THE ART AND THEY ARE
DOING ONE LOCATION AT A TIME.
THE FIRST LOCATION IS FULLY
FUNDED.
BUT WE FELT LIKE THAT MIGHT
WORK WELL GIVEN THAT WE DON'T
KNOW THE TIMING EXACTLY ON WHEN
WE WOULD CLOSE.
SO WE WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO
FUND, YOU KNOW, WHICHEVER
LOCATION THEY ARE WORKING ON.
THESE LOCATIONS ARE ALL WITHIN
A QUARTER MILE OF THE SITE.
GIVEN THAT IT'S ABOUT
PEDESTRIANS AND SAFETY AND
COMMUNITY AND ART, WE FELT LIKE
IT WAS A GOOD TIE INTO WHAT THE
PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC BENEFIT
PACKAGE IS SUPPOSED TO BE.
SO, AND THEN THIS IS A SUMMARY
OF THE ON-SITE PUBLIC BENEFITS
THAT WE ARE PROPOSING.
SO WE HAVE THE ENTRANCE PLAZA
AT MLK, WHICH IS ON THE LEFT
DRAWING, AND THEN WE HAVE THIS
WILLOW PLAZA.
WE'VE GOT A FUNNY -- A FUNNY
RIGHT-OF-WAY STEP BACK
DESIGNATION OR PUBLIC SPACE, I
DON'T KNOW WHAT WE EVEN CALL
IT.
IT'S JUST A FUNNY PIECE OF
LAND.
>> THE WAY THAT SDOT HAS THE
ROADS SITUATED RIGHT NOW IN
FRONT OF THE SITE, THEY STEP
BETWEEN TWO SITES.
SO THERE IS ABOUT A 10-FOOT
SABREPCY ON WHERE THE ACTUAL
RIGHT-OF-WAYDISCREPANCY ON
WHERE THE ACTUAL RIGHT-OF-WAY
SO WE ARE PROPOSING THOSE TWO
LOCATIONS, PLUS AN OFF-SITE
PUBLIC BENEFIT DONATION.
>> AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO
IMPROVE THAT.
WE WOULD JUST START ELECTING TO
FOR THIS PROJECT.
>> AND THEN THERE IS JUST A
COUPLE MORE VISUALS OF THE
SITE.
THIS IS THE FRONT OF THE SITE
ALONG MLK.
AND THEN IF YOU STAND AT THE
CORNER, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT
WORKS BACK ALONG WILLOW.
SCOMPFRMGHT THIS IS OUR CENTRAL
PLAZA ALONG MLK.
>> AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH
-- THERE IS A COUPLE DIFFERENT
NON-PROFIT THAT'S WE ARE GOING
TO HOPE TO TRY TO EXPECT WITH
MINORITY ON BUSINESSES IN THE
AREA AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE RETAIL
SPACES ARE DEVISED
APPROPRIATELY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES AND NOT, YOU KNOW,
JUST GIANT 6,000 SQUARE FOOT
SPACE THAT'S SMALL BUSINESSES
CAN'T USE.
WE DO HAVE INCOME UNDERWRITTEN
FROM THOSE SPACES BUT IT'S AT
LIKE A 50% DISCOUNT TO MARKET
RENT.
SO WE ARE HOPING WE WILL BE
ABLE TO CONNECT WITH A LOCAL
BUSINESS WHO CAN MOVE IN.
>> AND WHEN WE HAD OUR DESIGN
REVIEW MEETINGS WITH THE
COMMUNITY, THEY WERE REALLY
HOPING THAT THESE SPACES COULD
BE VERY SMALL SO THAT THEY
COULD GET MULTIPLE TENANTS
WITHIN THE BUILDING AND REACH
OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO MEMBERSTO TAKE THESE
SUITES.
>> GREAT.
SO THE ON-SITE SPACES, THE MLK
ONE, WHEN I LOOK AT THE PLAN
VIEW, DOES THE MRASA GO ALL THE
WAY THROUGH?
>> NO.
THERE IS A SMALL TYPO ON THAT.
SO WHERE HE HAD NUMBER 7 ON
THAT TAB IS ACTUALLY, THAT IS
NOT A PUBLIC SPACE.
THAT IS PRIVATE FOR THE
TENANTS.
>> SO IT'S THE FIRST PLAZA AND
THEN IT STOPS -- THE BUILDING
ENTRANCE IS ALSO LOCATED IN ONE
OF THE ENTRANCES.
>> SO IT'S NOT --
>> IT DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY
THROUGH?
>> CORRECT.
AND SO THE CH U THAT FACES ON
MLK, THAT PROBABLY WON'T BE
FENCED OFF OR WHATEVER.
IT WILL BE PRIVATE.
>> IT WON'T BE FENCED OFF MOST
LIKELY.
IT WILL BE PRIVATELY OWNED BUT
BE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
AND SIMILARLY THE ONE ON WILLOW
IS PROBABLY JUST GOING TO FEEL
LIKE A WIDE SIDEWALK.
>> SO, BEVERLY, AS YOU SAID,
THIS IS RELATIVELY NEW PROCESS.
MICHAEL, DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH
IN, AND DANIELLE, DO YOU WANT
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
ENGAGEMENT?
>> I'LL GO FIRST.
YEAH.
SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST
PROJECTS I WORKED ON WITH
ADVISING OTHELLO AS YOU KNOW IS
A VERY DIVERSE AREA.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY WERE REALLY REACHING TO
ALL NEIGHBORS INCLUDING PEOPLE
SPEAKING OTHER LANGUAGES OTHER
THAN ENGLISH SO WE HAD THEM
TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH,
VIETNAMESE, AFRICAN LANGUAGES
INCLUDING SOMALI, THEY DID A
MAILING TO LOCAL NEIGHBORS, PUT
UP POSTERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
DID AN ONLINE SURVEY, WHICH A
LOT OF THE THINGS THEY TALKED
ABOUT WERE THINGS THAT SHOWED
UP ON THE SURVEY IN TERMS OF
MAKING IT AFFORDABLE, HAVING
PEOPLE HAVE LOCAL BUSINESSES IN
THE PLAZA AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THEY DID TWO FOCUS GROUPS WITH
DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT AS THEY
MENTIONED WEREN'T VERY WELL
ATTENDED BUT STILL ADVERTISED
IT BROADLY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE
KNEW THAT THEY WERE OFFERING
THIS TO COME AND GIVE INPUT ON
THE PROJECT AND ALSO THE PUBLIC
BENEFIT.
AND THEN WE HAD THEM REACH OUT
TO SOME KEY ORGANIZATIONS, HOME
SITE PUGET SOUND, RAINIER,
OTHELLO COMMON AND THE
MULTICULTURAL CENTER, THE
ORGANIZATIONS IN THERE.
AND THEN WE HAD THEM SEND THEIR
INVITATION TO THEIR FOCUS
GROUPS AND SURVEY TO MANY MAYBE
25 DIFFERENT GROUPS,
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS IN THE
AREA.
SO THEY DID A PRETTY EXTENSIVE
OUTREACH PROCESS TO REALLY MAKE
SURE THAT THEY WERE HEARING
FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IMPACTED
BY THIS.
>> DO YOU MIND SHOWING SLIDE
16?
>> SO FOR THE DESIGN COMMISSION
PROCESS, REMEMBER WHEN YOU
CHANGED THE POLICIES, ANY
APPLICANT THAT WAS SUBJECT TO
DESIGN REVIEW WOULD COME TO THE
DESIGN COMMISSION BEFORE
STARTING THE EARLY DESIGN
GUIDANCE PROCESS.
WE SPENT A LOFT QUALITY TIME
TOGETHER TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
BECAUSE THEY WERE REVISING TO
CONVERT IN THE WAY THAT FROM A
MARKET-BASED TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
WE HAD TO DO IT A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY.
BUT WE TRIED TO STAY WITHIN THE
SPIRIT OF THOSE NEW
REQUIREMENTS AND THEY MET WITH
A FEW OF THE COMMISSIONERS WHO
WERE ALL I THINK LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTS WHICH I THINK IS
HELPFUL FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE
PUBLIC BENEFIT PACKAGE.
I THINK THERE IS A NOT A LOT OF
QUESTION ABOUT THE USE ABOUT
RIGHT-OF-WAY.
IT FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT REALLY
CONNECTED.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE HERE IS
THE PUBLIC BENEFIT PACKAGE.
AND THE PUBLIC NATURE OF THE
PLAZA IN PARTICULAR OFF OF MLK.
WE SEE A LOT WHEN THERE IS A
PUBLIC SPACE, BUT IT'S ALSO
BEING UTILIZED FOR THE PUBLIC
TO ACCESS THE BUILDING.
HOW THEY BALANCE IT FEELING AND
REALLY PUBLIC AS OPPOSED TO AN
EXTENSION OF THE IDENTITY OR
THE FUNCTION OF THE BUILDING IS
A CHALLENGE.
I THINK THERE IS A SOLUTION
HERE.
WE JUST HAVE TO SPEND A LITTLE
BIT OF TIME FIGURING OUT HOW IS
IT DESIGNED GO THE PUBLIC HAS
CLEAR COULD YOU THAT'S THIS IS
PUBLIC SPACE AND NOT JUST THE
BUILDING ENTRANCE.
AGAIN I THINK THERE ARE WAYS TO
UNPACK THAT.
IT'S JUST SPENDING SOME TIME TO
FIGURE THAT OUT.
BY CONTRAST, THE WILLOW PLAZA
REALLY FEELS INDEPENDENT OF THE
BUILDING AND WILL FEEL I THINK
PARTICULARLY PUBLIC FOR ANYONE
WHO WANTS TO USE IT.
ALL OF THIS I THINK IS BALANCED
AGAINST THE BASIC PROPOSITION
THAT THIS PROJECT, THE VACATION
CREATES AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH
THE NO VACATION OPTION REALLY
NOT HAVING A VEHICLE OR AN
OPTION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND I THINK THAT'S THAT
BALANCING TEST THAT YOU ALL TRY
TO STRIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
FACT THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS
BEING CREATED AS A RESULT OF A
VACATION.
THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY PART OF
THEIR PUBLIC BENEFIT PACKAGE
BUT IT'S CREATING SOMETHING
THAT I THINK THE COUNCIL HAS
BEEN QUITE CLEAR ABOUT AS PART
OF THE VACATION PROCESS.
SOI THINK THE COUNCIL, EXCUSE
ME, THE COMMISSION WILL LOOK AT
THAT ISSUE CLOSELY AS PART OF
WHAT THEY EVALUATE.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S BEEN A
PLEASURE SO FAR WORKING WITH
THEM AND HAVING THE
COMMISSIONER'S HELP.
I HOPE THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION
HAS BEEN HELPFUL.
>> WELL, I WILL JUST WEIGH IN
WITH SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.
I WILL START WITH I GUESS THE
MLK PLAZA AND I WOULD SAY THAT
THE CONCERNS THAT YOU
HIGHLIGHTED, MICHAEL, AND WHAT
WE DISCUSSED WOULD BE THE
PRIMARY CONCERNS.
IF THIS WERE A MORE TRADITIONAL
PROJECT, I'D SAY THOSE CONCERNS
WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
BUT ON THE SPECIFICS AROUND
THIS PROJECT AND WHAT THE
MISSION IS FOR THIS, I WILL
LEAVE IT TO DESIGN
COMMISSIONERS TO WORK AWAY TO
MAKE IT THE BEST.
I IMAGINE AT THE END OF THE DAY
THERE WILL BE RETAIL ALONG
THERE AND IT MAY NOT FEEL LIKE
TOTALLY PUBLIC, BUT I'M OKAY
WITH THAT.
I LOOK AT THE, YOU KNOW, MY
ASSUMPTION IS THAT IF YOU
WALKED AWAY FROM THIS PROJECT,
SOMEONE ELTS WOULD BUY THIS AND
THEY WOULD BUILD SOMETHING IN A
DIFFERENT SCALE.
BUT IT WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY
REQUIRE HOUSING DOLLARS.
SO WE COULD GET AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IF WE DIDN'T WANT TO
VACATE 39th.
BUT BY YOUR PROPOSAL, WHAT
YOU'RE DOING IS IT MEANS WE ARE
FREEING UP HOUSING DOLLARS TO
INVEST IN AN ADDITIONAL
PROJECT.
SO I KIND OF VIEW THIS IS WHILE
THIS SITE COULD HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, THE OPPORTUNITY COST
IS THAT WITHOUT THIS AND SO
THEN ALSO WHAT ARE WE GIVING
UP?
WELL, WE ARE GIVING UP
SOMETHING WHICH NO ONE REALLY
KNOWS WE HAVE WHICH IS MAYBE A
SMALL STREET.
SO IN THEORY THAT SHOULD
PROBABLY BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY
TODAY.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO CONNECT
ANYTHING.
WE ALSO HAVE A SET OF VALUES
THAT WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO,
BOTH THE COUNCIL ON THE MAYOR
ON WE WANT TO USE PUBLIC LAND
FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS ISN'T REALLY THAT, BUT
IT'S KIND OF THAT.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS
GIVE UP SOME LAND WHICH IS IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY WHICH IS A
PUBLIC USE AND EXCHANGE IF ARE
A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO
DELIVER A COUPLE HUNDRED UNITS
OF 60% AMI HOUSING THAT'S ON A
NETWORK, IT'S IN A MIXED USE
COMMUNITY.
THERE IS A LOT GOING FOR IT.
I THINK THE POINT FOR, ONE OF
THE POINTS FOR DOING THIS
PROCESS, BEVERLY; YOU OUTLINED
FOR ME WAS TO GIVE A SENSE OF
KIND OF RIGHT TRACK, WRONG
TRACK.
AND EITHER SAY WE DO THE WHOLE
THING OR BE TOLD WE CAN'T
REALLY REDO THIS.
AND EVERYTHING I SEE HERE IS
HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I TRUST THAT THE DESIGN
COMMISSION WILL BE THOUGHTFUL
AND BALANCED ON HOW TO MAKE
THAT SPACE USEABLE BUT
RECOGNIZE THAT THE BENEFIT WE
GET REALLY IS THAT THE PROJECT
HAPPENS IN THIS CASE AND IS
FAIRLY UNIQUE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, DO YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT?
I TALK A LOT.
BEVERLY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING
ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD?
>> NO.
I THINK THAT GIVES US GOOD
DIRECTION.
WE WILL JUST JUMP IN.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE TIMING OF WHEN YOU GUYS
WOULD HOPE TO BE BREAKING
GROUND.
>> AND IDEALLY, THAT'S WHERE WE
MAKE OUR PLEA HERE.
SO NOW THAT WE'VE HAD THIS
MEETING, MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM WILL
START WORKING ON ACTUALLY SORT
OF DRILLING INTO SOME OF THE
DESIGN PIECES OF THE OFF-SITE
BENEFIT AND SORT OF THE
PEDESTRIAN AND STREET SCRAPE
ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO WORK
THROUGH A LITTLE BIT.
AND THAT IT WILL TAKE A COUPLE
MONTHS TO PRODUCE THEIR REPORT.
AND THEN IT WILL, DOES IT HAVE
TO GO TO -- IT GETS APPROVED BY
THE DESIGN COMMISSION, AND THEN
IT COMES BACK HERE FOR TWO
MEETINGS AND THEN IT GOES TO
COUNCIL.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT WE ARE ABLE
TO GET BACK HERE IN THE EARLY
FALL BEFORE YOU GUYS CLOSE THE
AGENDA FOR BUDGET BECAUSE IF WE
DON'T, SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO DO
THAT, WE ARE PUTTING IN OUR
BOND APPLICATION IN MAY.
WE SHOULD HAVE BONDS.
IF EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY, WE
WOULD BE HOPEFUL TO CLOSE AT
THE END OF DECEMBER, AT THE END
OF THE YEAR AND START
CONSTRUCTION PRETTY QUICKLY.
IF WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN
GETTING ON THE COMMISSION
AGENDA BEFORE BUDGET AND
COMMISSION AND THEN
APPOINTMENTS TO THE NEW
COMMITTEES IN JANUARY AND
FEBRUARY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS
THAT IT COULD BE MARCH BEFORE
WE GET IN FRONT AND WE PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE TO REAPPLY FOR OUR
BONDS BECAUSE THE STATE HOUSING
FINANCE COMMISSION HAS A FAIRLY
TIGHT TIMELINE.
SO WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO
REAPPLY, WHICH WOULD PUSH US
OUT PROBABLY TO A MAY OR JUNE
CLOSING OF NEXT YEAR, SO ABOUT
A 6-MONTH DIFFERENCE.
>> WELL, I DON'T CONTROL
BEVERLY OR SDOT'S COMMISSION OR
MICHAEL AND THE DESIGN
COMMISSION'S SCHEDULE BUT I'M
SURE THEY HEARD YOUR MREECHLT
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT I AM
EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I GET THE TRANSITIONING COUNCIL
JUST, YOU KNOW, I GIVE YOU A
BUNCH OF FEEDBACK AND THEN YOU
COME BACK AND I'M NOT HERE, AND
THE NEW PERSON IS LIKE THAT'S
NOT THE FEEDBACK I WOULD HAVE
BEGIN.
I WOULD LIKE TO COMMIT TO WORK
WITH YOU TO SHOW SOME
FLEXIBILITY TO GET THIS THROUGH
IDEALLY BEFORE BUDGET AND
CERTAINLY BEFORE THE END OF THE
YEAR.
SO THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT A LOT
ON HOW RESPONSIVE YOU ARE TO
BOTH BEVERLY AND MICHAEL'S
TEAM.
BUT HOPEFULLY THAT'S A FEASIBLE
THING AND IT'S A REALLY
EXCITING PROJECT.
WE'D LOVE TO SEE THE OFSA
HOUSING IS EXPANDING THEIR
INVESTMENTS AND MORE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING REASONABLY PASSED MHA.
SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO --
RECENTLY PASSED MHA.
BUT THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT
GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
SO HAVING PRIVATE DEVELOPERS
LIKE YOURSELF ENGAGE IN THIS
AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND HOPEFULLY
BE REPLICATED, DELIVERING A
HOUSING TYPE THAT WE REALLY
NEED BUT WITHOUT THE SCARCE
HOUSING RESOURCES OR USED
UNIQUELY FOR A RESOLVING FUND
AND HOPEFULLY IN THE A&F PLAN.
SO PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
>> SO THANKS FOR YOUR WORK ON
THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, THANK
YOU FOR STICKING AROUND BEYOND
OUR DEADLINE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WITH THAT WE ARE ADJOURNED.