>>> GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
WELCOME TO THE TRANSPORTATION
AND SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
COMMITTEE.
WE ARE STARTING OFF 2022 WITH
PRESENTATIONS FROM BOTH OF THE
DEPARTMENTS THAT WE WILL
MONITOR AND THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OR
SYOT AND SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
WHAT THEY ARE HERE OUR REQUEST
TO DISCUSS THE RESPONSES TO THE
MOST RECENT WINTER STORMS.
OUR COMMITTEE WILL ALSO
CONSIDER COUNSEL NO MORE
STRAUSS PATIENTS BILL WITH THE
D.O.T.
TO EXTEND THE FEES
WAIVERS.
INCLUDING THE CAFC STREETS
PROGRAM.
SDOT IS ALSO HERE TO BRIEF US
ON THE BROADER PROGRAM CALLED
SAFE STARTS WHICH WILL PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT FOR THE
PROPOSAL TO CONTINUE TO WAIVE
THE PERMIT FEES.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE
REMOTE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR THE TRANSPORTATION
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION.
I ASK EVERYONE TO BE PATIENT AS
WE OPERATE THIS.
WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR
WAYS TO FINE-TUNE THIS PROCESS.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE
PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
INCLUDED ON THE MEETING
AGENDAS.
HOWEVER, THE CITY COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY
THESE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AT
ANY POINT IF WE DEEM THE SYSTEM
IS BEING ABUSED OR IS
UNSUITABLE FOR ALLOWING
MEETINGS TO BE CONDUCTED
EFFICIENTLY AND IN A MANNER IN
WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO CONDUCT
OUR NECESSARY BUSINESS.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER.
THE COMMENT PERIOD IS UP TO 20
MINUTES AT EACH SPEAKER WILL BE
GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL ON THE SPEAKERS TWO
AT A TIME AND THE ORDER ON
WHICH THEY ARE REGISTERED ON
THE WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK BUT WOULD TO, YOU CAN
SIGN UP FOR THE END OF THIS
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BY GOING
TO THE COUNCIL WEBSITE AT
SEATTLE.GOV/COUNCIL.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS ALSO
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WHEN I CALL THE SPEAKER'S NAME,
YOU WILL MUTE THE APPROPRIATE
MICROPHONE AND THEN IT WILL BE
THE SPEAKER'S Q THAT IT IS
THEIR TURN TO SPEAK AND THEY
MUST PRESS STAR SIX TO BEGIN
SPEAKING.
THEY MUST BEGIN BY STATING
THEIR NAME AND THE ITEM THEY
ARE ADDRESSING.
AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT
SHOULD RELATE TO AN ITEM ON THE
AGENDA OR TO THE COMMITTEE'S
OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WENT
TO TEXANS ARE LEFT ON THE
ALLOTTED TIME.
WE ASK THAT YOU THEN WRAP UP
YOUR COMMENTS AND IF SPEAKERS
DO NOT END THERE COMMENT AT THE
END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME, THE
SPEAKER'S MICROPHONE WILL BE
MUTED WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED
PUBLIC COMMENT, WE ASK THAT YOU
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE AND HE
PLAN TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING THIS
MEETING, PLEASE DO SO VIA
SEATTLE CHANNEL OR THE
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED.
THE REGULAR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
THIS COMMITTEE MEETING IS NOW
OPEN AND I WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
THESE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX BEFORE SPEAKING.
LET ME CHECK ONE MORE THING.
SO THE FIRST SPEAKER IS TRAVIS
BURRS AND PAUL FOLLOWED BY A
GRANT GOOD TO EUROS.
GO AHEAD, TRAVIS.
>> HELLO COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS TRAVIS ROSENTHAL OF
PIKE STREET HOSPITALITY GROUP
AND OWNER OF (INDISCERNIBLE)
CAFC AND PHONE NUMBER OF THE
SALE REST ON ALLIANCE.
I THINK YOU WILL FOR YOUR
SUPPORT AND THE CURRENT
EXTENSION OF THE SAFE STARTS
OUTDOOR DINING PROGRAM GIVING
OPERATORS THE CERTAINTY TO PLAN
AHEAD AND MAKE INVESTMENTS IN
OUTER SPACE THROUGHOUT THE
PANDEMIC.
THE PERMITS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL
IN HELPING MANY OF SEATTLE'S
DIVERSE RESTAURANTS OFFER
ALTERNATIVE DINING OPTIONS AND
WE HAVE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FOR
THE PROGRAM FROM OUR CUSTOMERS
AND OUR GUESTS.
EXTENDING THE PROGRAM WILL
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BUSINESSES
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PRODUCT
ABILITY AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK
TOWARD PERMANENCY.
THE SEATTLE RESTAURANT ALLIANCE
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK
WITH COUNSEL, THE MAYOR AND
SDOT ON A PATHWAY TO PERMANENT
GUIDELINES.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
FOR THE PROPOSAL TO EXTEND
UNTIL JANUARY OF 2023.
>> THANK YOU, TRAVIS.
NEXT WE HAVE GRANT GUTIERREZ
FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER GOMEZ.
GO AHEAD, GRANT.
WE MAY NOT HAVE GRANT ON THE
LINE YET.
GRANT IS SIGNED UP BUT NOT ON
THE LINE YET SO WE WILL GO
AHEAD AND GO TO SEE IF
(INDISCERNIBLE) RAMOS IS
AVAILABLE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE PERSON HAD
SIGNED UP BUT IS NOT HERE YET.
SO WE ARE GOING TO WAIT A
COUPLE OF SECONDS HERE TO
CONFIRM WITH THE TECHNOLOGY
FOLKS THAT THOSE TWO SPEAKERS
ARE NOT PRESENT.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THERE ARE NO FURTHER
PUBLIC COMMENT REGISTRANTS
REGISTRANTS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT, COLLEAGUES.
THAT WILL THEN CONCLUDE THE
LIST OF SPEAKERS HERE FROM THE
GENERAL PUBLIC SO WE CAN MOVE
ON NOW TO OUR FIRST ITEM, FIRST
LEGISLATIVE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE OF THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM
INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE.
SEATTLE BURMA TRANSPORTATION
AND THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES WINTER STORM AFTER
ACTION REPORT FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK SOME OF
MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR
SHARING MY INTEREST IN HAVING
BOTH THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
UTILITIES PRESENT WHAT THEY ARE
CALLING THE AFTER ACTION
ASSESSMENT. THIS IS REGARDING
THE WINTER STORMS THAT HIT
SEATTLE FROM DECEMBER 26th
THROUGH JANUARY 4th.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE NEW
PAYROLL ADMINISTRATION AND
OFFICE FOR ONE MONTH AGREEING
TO PROVIDE THIS THOROUGH
ASSESSMENT.
SO I KNOW THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIZES
TAKING CARE OF THE BASICS FOR
SEATTLE AND WE ALL AGREE
KEEPING ROADWAYS SAFER ALL
MODES OF TRAVEL AND RECYCLING
AND WASTE ARE CORE FUNCTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK THE CITY
GOVERNMENT'S FRONT-LINE WORKERS
AND THE SOLID WASTE TRUCK
DRIVERS WHO BRAVED THE ROUGH
WINTER CONDITIONS TO SERVE THE
PUBLIC. I REQUESTED THAT THE
TWO DEPARTMENTS COVER SEVERAL
TOPICS INCLUDING THE CLEARANCE
OF ARTERIALS AND SIDE STREETS
AND SIDEWALKS AND SNOW AND
FIXING POTHOLES, PICKING UP
SOLID WASTE, CLEARING STORM
DRAINS.
THERE ARE TWO POWERPOINT
úPRESENTATIONS THAT WE WILL BE
GOING THROUGH FOR EACH
DEPARTMENT AND THEY WILL BE
HERE DURING THE ENTIRE
DISCUSSION BECAUSE SOME OF THE
ISSUES THAT SDOT FACED INFECTED
SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND
VICE VERSA.
SO I DO WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD ALSO FOR
REINFORCING THE REQUEST TO HAVE
THE (INDISCERNIBLE) DESCRIBE
THE CITY'S ONGOING EFFORTS TO
MITIGATE LANDSLIDE HAZARDS AS
WELL.
LET'S START BY WELCOMING THE
INTERIM DIRECTOR OF SDOT,
KRISTIN SIMPSON AND HER TEAM AS
WELL AS THE INTERIM CEO OF
PUBLIC UTILITIES, ANDREW LEE
AND I WANT TO THANK CENTRAL
STAFF SPECIFICALLY CALVIN CHOW
AND BRIAN GOOD NIGHT FOR THEIR
WORK ON THESE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION.
COUNCILMEMBERS, THERE WILL BE
PLENTY OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS
DURING THESE PRESENTATIONS.
I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO GET
THROUGH THE PRESENTATIONS OF
EACH DEPARTMENT AND THEN HAVE
QUESTIONS AT THE END.
AND IF THERE IS A BURNING
QUESTION IN THE MIDDLE, THAT
WILL BE OKAY TOO.
SO WHEN WE GO AHEAD AND TURN IT
OVER TO KRISTIN SIMPSON FIRST.
GOOD MORNING.
WE ARE NOT HEARING YOUR AUDIO
YET.
CANNOT HEAR THAT YET.
WHAT WE COULD DO IS TURN IT
OVER TO ANDREW LEE TO INTRODUCE
FIRST AND THEN DIRECTOR SIMPSON
WORKS LL THE AUDIO.
I KNOW SHE HAS A TEAM HERE FROM
SDOT AS WELL.
SO WE ARE WELL COVERED HERE.
SO GOOD MORNING, GENERAL
MANAGER LEE.
>> HELLO THERE.
BOB HENNESSEY I THINK WILL
BRING UP SOME SLIDES.
SO BOB, I WILL START THE
INTRODUCTION AS WE DO THAT.
THANK YOU CHAIR PEDERSEN --
SORRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WORK
RESPONDING TO THE SNOW STORM WE
EXPERIENCED OF THE END OF LAST
YEAR AND EXTREME WEATHER AND
TIED EVENTS THAT OCCURRED AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
AS COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON
PEDERSEN MENTIONED, WE WILL
TALK ABOUT EFFORTS WITH
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION.
CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE?
>> WE WILL BE FOCUSING THIS
MORNING ON THREE AREAS OF
SERVICE THAT SPU PROVIDES TO
THE CITY.
FIRST, HOLMES AND DUSEN WHO
MANAGES COLLECTION CONTRACTS
WILL DISCUSS THE INTERRUPTION
TO SOLVE WAY SERVICES THAT THIS
-- THAT OCCURRED FROM THIS
JANUARY 26 THROUGH JANUARY 1st
THROUGH SNOW AND ICE
CONDITIONS.
AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE
SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY THAT
OCCURRED DURING THE FOLLOWING
TWO WEEKS.
SECOND, I WILL GO TO THE
FLOODING AND SEWER OVERFLOWS
THAT WERE EXPERIENCED PRIMARILY
IN THE SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND WE HAD A 10 YEAR STORM
EVENT THAT COINCIDED WITH THE
KING TIGHTER THEN.
LASTLY, TANYA TREAT WHO
OVERSEES THE ENGINEERING AND
TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION
WILL RIGHT AN OVERVIEW OF THE
CITY'S LANDSLIDE PROGRAM AS IT
RELATES TO THE SEVEN RECORDED
LANDSLIDES WE HAD IN JANUARY,
FOLLOWING BOTH SNOW AND ICE.
FOR THIS POINT, I WILL PASS IT
UP TO HANS VANDUSEN.
>> GOOD MORNING
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING TIME THIS
MORNING FOR US TO REVIEW SOME
OF THE SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS
AND STORM RECOVERY WE HAD
EARLIER IN THE YEAR.
APPRECIATE THE INTEREST.
FROM SOLID WASTE SIDE OF
THINGS, AS YOU WILL RECALL,
THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT SNOW ON
DECEMBER 26th AND THEN COLD
TEMPERATURES, SUBFREEZING, FOR
ANOTHER WEEK AFTER THAT AN
ADDITIONAL SNOW FALLING DURING
THAT WEEK.
SO THAT MADE FOR SOME DANGEROUS
ROADS AND ICY CONDITIONS
THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AND WHAT
IMPACTED WAS NEARLY ALL SOLID
WASTE COLLECTIONS BEING
INTERRUPTED FOR THE WEEK OF
DECEMBER 27th THROUGH JANUARY
1st.
WE DID HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS OUT
THERE AT TIMES DURING THAT WEEK
WHEN THEY COULD, SERVICING
ACCOUNTS THEY COULD SO THEY RAN
PARTIAL VALVES AND PUT
ADDITIONAL STAFF ON THE TRUCKS
TO MOSTLY SERVICE LARGER SITES,
MULTIFAMILY COMMERCIAL SITES
THAT THEY COULD ACCESS THROUGH
ARTERIALS AND THEIR ADDITIONAL
STAFFING ON THE TRUCK TO ACCESS
THE CONTAINERS WHERE THEY
COULD.
AND I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A
LITTLE BIT WHAT GOES INTO THE
DECISIONS
AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF TRYING
TO SERVICE AND NOT SERVICE
DURING ICY AND DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS LIKE THIS.
I THINK YOU CAN APPRECIATE THE
OPERATING VEHICLES.
THE TRUCKS ARE AT LARGE.
25,000-POUND VEHICLES TRYING TO
OPERATE ON WHAT IS OFTEN FAIRLY
NARROW RESIDENTIAL AND
SOMETIMES STEEP GRADE STREETS
WITH OFTEN NEAR JUST BELOW
FREEZING SLICK ICE CONDITIONS
AND ALSO IN SEATTLE, PARKED
CARS ON THE STREET.
THOSE ARE ALL CHALLENGES THEY
FACE WHEN THEY CONSIDER
SERVICING AND THE DECISION TO
SERVICE IS THEIRS.
AND THEY ARE ENCLOSED
MEDICATION WITH US THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE TIME.
THEY WILL BE OUT THERE
INSPECTING EACH NEIGHBORHOOD
AND EACH TARGETED AREA THEY
NEED TO SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES
A DAY.
THEY ARE PREPARED WITH CHAINS
FOR THEIR TRUCKS AND WITH
SPIKES FOR THEIR DRIVERS.
SO THEY ARE PREPARED TO SERVICE
IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS AND
THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SAFETY
OF BEING OUT THERE FIRST AND
FOREMOST.
CERTAINLY THEY AND WE AND YOU
ALL ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING
HIGH QUALITY SERVICE AND
COLLECTING MATERIALS WHENEVER
WE CAN AND WHEREVER WE CAN.
ALSO UNDERSTANDING SAFETY IS AT
THE TOP OF THE LIST AND THERE
IS SIGNIFICANT RISK TO
PEDESTRIANS AND TO THE PUBLIC,
PRIVATE PROPERTY AND TO THE
STAFF.
SO THEY DO NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT IS A SAFE CONDITION TO
BE OUT THERE AND NOT JEOPARDIZE
OR RISK PUBLIC, PRIVATE OR THE
STAFF THEMSELVES.
SO THAT IS JUST A LITTLE
CONTEXT IN TERMS OF MAKING
THOSE DECISIONS TO TRY TO
SERVICE OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND THEN FOR OUR ON FACILITIES,
WE HAVE THE TRANSFER STATIONS,
THE SPU STAFF AND THOSE WERE
CLOSE FOR ONE DAY ON THE 26th
AND THEN OPEN LATE MONDAY AND
STAYED OPEN AFTER THAT.
THEY WERE AVAILABLE DURING THE
COLD AND SNOWY WEEK FOR
SERVICES AND FOR CONTRACTORS
WHEN THEY NEEDED THEM AS WELL
AS FOR THE PUBLIC FOR BOTH
BUSINESS AND RESIDENTS IF THEY
HAD ACCESS TO VEHICLES AND THEY
WANTED TO OR NEEDED TO USE
THOSE STATIONS.
SO WE MAINTAINED THAT
AVAILABILITY THROUGHOUT THE
WHOLE WEEK.
NEXT UP.
>> GREAT.
MOVING ON TO THE RECOVERY WHICH
WAS BASICALLY THE SUBSEQUENT
WEEK AS THE ROADS DID CLEAR UP,
CONTRACTORS WERE OUT THERE
EVERY DAY COLLECTING MATERIALS
ON THOSE WEEKS.
THERE WERE SOME LIMITED SPOTS
THAT REMAIN CHALLENGING.
ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE WEEK AS
THE CLEARING COMPLETED.
SO SOME OF THOSE NEEDED TO BE
DELAYED AND IN SOME CASES,
NEIGHBORHOODS WERE DELAYED BY A
DAY TO ALLOW US TO GET AS MUCH
MATERIALS AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.
THE CONTRACTORS ON THE CITY'S
BEHALF WITH COLLECTING NEARLY
ALL THE SCHEDULED COLLECTIONS
THAT WEEK.
OVER 95% OF SCHEDULED
COLLECTIONS DESPITE COLLECTING
DOUBLE VOLUME FROM THE PRIOR
WEEK.
THEY WERE ABLE TO REMOVE.
THE MOST CHALLENGING ELEMENT IN
THE SITUATION WHEN WE MISS THE
WHOLE WEEK OF COLLECTION LIKE
THIS IS COLLECTING THE
RECYCLING THAT WAS MISSED THE
PRIOR WEEK.
AS WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR IN
SEATTLE,'S IT IS EVERY TWO
WEEKS.
SO WHEN WE RUN THE FOLLOWING
WEEK, WE ARE NOT SCHEDULED TO
BE OUT THERE COLLECTING HALF OF
THE CITY'S RECYCLING.
WE DID AS THE CONTRACTORS TO
COLLECT WHAT THEY COULD TO
THOSE CUSTOMERS WOULD NEED TO
WAIT FOR THE NEXT REGULAR
COLLECTION.
CONSIDERING THE VOLUME THEY
WERE COLLECTING ON THE OTHER
STREAMS AND RECYCLING, THEY GOT
ABOUT 20% OF THAT.
THE OTHER 80% OF FOLKS HAD TO
WAIT FOR THE NEXT SCHEDULED
RECYCLING THE FOLLOWING WEEK
AND HAVE IT COLLECTED AT THAT
POINT.
SO WE CALL THAT THE OFF WEEK
RECYCLING THAT WASN'T SCHEDULED
WITH ADDITIONAL OVERTIME AN
ADDITIONAL LONG HOURS THERE.
WITH ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS
THEY WERE SERVICING OUT, THEY
COULDN'T GET MORE THAN THAT.
AND SO THAT MEANT BY THE END OF
THE FOLLOWING WEEK, BY JANUARY
15, ALL MATERIALS HAD BEEN
COLLECTED AND ANY OF THE SMALL
POCKETS DELAYED WERE RESTORED
AND THE ADDITIONAL RECYCLING
WAS COLLECTED AT THAT POINT.
AND SO THAT PROVIDED FULL
SERVICE RECOVERY AT THAT POINT.
NEXT SLIDE.
IN TERMS OF SPU'S ACTIVITIES,
AND THIS IS A BRIEF SUMMARY.
CERTAINLY, WE ARE LEAD ON
COORDINATION WITH THE
CONTRACTORS THEMSELVES OF
COURSE.
ALSO WE HAVE DOWNSTREAM
FACILITIES, OUR ON STATIONS.
WE HAVE RECYCLING, COMPOSTING
AND DISPOSAL FACILITIES
DOWNSTREAM.
SO WE PLAY COORDINATION ROLE TO
MAKE SURE THE WHOLE SYSTEM,
ESPECIALLY DURING RECOVERY, IS
EFFECTIVELY WORKING TO MOVE
WHAT IS DOUBLE NORMAL VOLUME
THROUGH.
SO NOT A LOT OF ROOM FOR EXTRA
CAPACITY THERE.
SO WE HAVE TO WORK CLOSELY ON
THAT AS WELL AS PROVIDING
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION DURING
BOTH INTERRUPTION AND RECOVERY
SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IS
GOING AND WHAT IS NOT AND HOW
BEST WE CAN BE COORDINATED
INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE ARE THE
LEAD ON CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION.
SO WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO
HAVE CLOT PLATFORMS TO REACH
CUSTOMERS BY TEXT ALERTS AND BY
E-MAIL ALERTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH THE
CUSTOMERS REGULARLY ON WEATHER
SERVICES AND WHERE THE RECOVERY
PLAN IS, AND WHAT IS ASKED OF
YOU.
SO WE ARE ASKED TO DO THAT
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PERIOD.
WHERE THE LEAD ON THAT.
AND WE HAVE THE STATIONS.
WE DO ALLOW, IF WE END UP
HAVING A CUSTOMER TWICE, WE
BRING THEIR WAYS TO THE STATION
AND IF THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE
VEHICLE UNSAFE ROADS.
WE PROVIDE THE STATIONS AS AN
OVERFLOW AND THEN NOT CHARGING
ANY OF THE CUSTOMERS ANY EXTRA
CHARGES WHEN WE RESUME SERVICE.
SO COLLECTING ALL THAT WITH NO
EXTRA CHARGES DURING THE
RECOVERY PERIOD.
SO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE PERIOD
DOWN.
AND THEN WE HOLD THE
CONTRACTORS AS POSSIBLE FOR
EFFECTIVE RECOVERY.
SO WE ARE REVIEWING SERVICES
DAY BY DAY AND MAKING SURE ALL
SERVICES ARE BEING RECOVERED
AND WE ARE ASSESSING PENALTIES
WHERE APPROPRIATE.
AND ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENT IF
THEY DIDN'T DEPLOY SERVICES
FROM ANY PARTICULAR DAY WHEN
THAT COMES INTO PLAY AS WELL.
SO WE ARE HOLDING CONTRACTORS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR RECOVERY.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> IN OUR REVIEW OF THIS
PARTICULAR EVENT, WE ARE GOING
INTO GREATER DETAIL AS WE
ALWAYS DO WITH AFTER ACTION.
WE WILL HAVE A FULL INTERNAL
REPORT.
SO A HIGH LEVEL FOR THE
SETTING.
WE -- THE ASSESSMENT INCLUDES
FIRST AND FOREMOST, NO
INJURIES.
SAFETY IS
THE PARAMOUNT CONCERN.
AS FAR AS WE ARE AWARE, NO
INJURIES TO THE PUBLIC OR TO
THE STAFF.
I AM AWARE OF SOME VEHICLE
DAMAGE.
THEY WERE OUT THERE TRYING TO
COLLECT WHATEVER THEY COULD AND
IN SOME CASES, THE TRUCKS DO
SLIDE WHEN YOU ARE COLLECTING
ON THOSE CONDITIONS.
SO THERE IS VEHICLE DAMAGE. SO
WE FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE
LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR THAT.
FOR THE MOST PART AND THEN NO
PERSONAL INJURIES WE ARE AWARE
OF.
THAT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
OTHER THAN THAT, THE EFFORT WAS
CONSIDERABLE.
COLLECTING DOUBLE VOLUME HERE.
AS A COUNCILMEMBER MENTION, THE
CHAIR MENTIONED, THIS IS
FRONTLINE STAFF THAT HAS BEEN
WORKING OUT THERE EVERY DAY FOR
THE LAST TWO YEARS.
IN EARLY JANUARY, WITH COVID-19
CONDITIONS SPIKING, THERE WAS
SOME QUARANTINING SO THEY DID
HAVE STAFFING CHALLENGES.
SO THEY WERE ABLE IN JANUARY
WHICH CAN BE A TRICKY STAFFING
MONTH, TO GET FULL STAFF OUT
THERE, OVERTIME HOURS.
AND JUST THE CONTEXT.
NOT ONLY ARE THEY TRYING TO
REMOVE DOUBLE THE VOLUME BUT
THE HOLIDAY WEEK, POST
HOLIDAYS, EARLY JANUARY IS ONE
OF THE EARLIEST AND BIGGEST
VOLUME RECYCLING VOLUME WEEKS
OF THE YEAR AND THEN YOU HAVE
úADDITIONAL HOLIDAY AND THEN
THEY HAD THEIR HANDS FULL.
THE SUBSEQUENT RAIN ALSO CREATED
WEATHER MATERIALS WHICH TAKES
EXTRA TIME TO COLLECT . SO ALL
OF THAT.
A COUPLE WEEKS OF LONG HOURS
FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED ON THE
COLLECTIONS FRONT.
WE WERE APPRECIATING THE EFFORTS
OF THE STAFF FOR MAKING THAT
HAPPEN ON OUR BEHALF.
DOWNSTREAM CERTAINLY SOME
CHALLENGES AS WELL THAT WE ARE
AWARE OF.
THE STATION IS PUSHING TO THE
VOLUME THERE AS WELL AS
RECYCLING FACILITIES HAVING TO
HANDLE WHAT VOLUME WHICH CAN
SLOW THE PROCESSING DOWN AND BE
A CHALLENGE.
OUR RAIL TO THE LANDFILL HAD
SOME LANDSIDE AND OPTIONS ALONG
THE INTERSTATE FIVE CORRIDOR SO
THAT CAN SLOW THINGS DOWN AS
WELL.
BASICALLY WITHOUT A LOT OF ROOM
FOR ERROR, THEY WERE ABLE TO
KEEP ALL THE M█ATERIALS FLOWING
AND SUCCESSFULLY REMOVE THE
EXTRA VOLUMES AND RECOVER.
AND THEN, OUR ASSESSMENT OF THE
CUSTOMER OUTREACH WAS FAIRLY
STRONG.
FOR THE RECOVERY WEEK, WE DID
INCREASE VOLUME CALLS FOR THE
CUSTOMERS.
CERTAINLY BELOW WHAT WE HAVE
SEEN IN PRIOR EVENTS.
SO THE CALL CENTER WAS ABLE TO
HANDLE THOSE AND IT LOOKED LIKE
CERTAINLY DURING THE
INTERRUPTION AND THEN AFTER,
OUR ABILITY TO USE THE
PLATFORMS WE HAVE ACCESS TO
COME TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS,
SEEMED TO GO PRETTY WELL.
SO THAT LOOKS FAVORABLE AS
WELL.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> NEXT STEPS FOR US, WE WILL
CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THE
COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS.
WE LEARN SOMETHING EVERY TIME.
WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM
CUSTOMERS.
WE KNOW WHERE WE HAVE ROBUST
OUTREACH AND SOMETIMES WHERE
THERE ARE GAPS AND WE ARE
ALWAYS IMPROVING ON THAT AND
HOW WE USE THE COMMUNICATION
TOOLS FOR OUTREACH.
AND WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE A
LONG INTERRUPTION LIKE THIS,
THAT EVERY OTHER WEEK, THE
RECYCLING IS THE MOST
CHALLENGING PIECE THERE IN
TERMS OF, AS I DESCRIBED, WE
CANNOT FULLY COLLECT THE OFF
WEEK RECYCLE.
AND THEN PRIOR TO THE NEXT
SCHEDULED COLLECTION AND WE
KNOW THAT IS A CHALLENGE FOR
CUSTOMERS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS
TO IDENTIFY ANY WAYS WE CAN
INCREASE WHAT WE COLLECT AS
WELL AS LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES
TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS WITH EVEN
MORE PRECISION ABOUT WHAT WE
ARE DOING SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW
THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENT IS
RECOVERING.
AND THEN INTERNALLY, WE ARE
WORKING TO FIRM UP SOME OF OUR
POLICIES AROUND CUSTOMER
SUPPORT HERE.
THESE ARE PRACTICES WE HAVE IN
PLACE PROVIDING FREE TIPS AT
THE STATIONS AS AN OVERFLOW AND
OTHER RESOURCES TO OUR
CUSTOMERS AS THEY ARE AWARE
GOING INTO IT. AND THEN WE
IDENTIFY THE OPPORTUNITY TO
FIRM UP OUR INTERNAL POLICY AND
OFFICIAL CAPTURE OF THAT SO
THAT WE CAN BE PREPARED TO
SHARE THAT WITH THE CUSTOMER TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
THAT WE THINK ARE APPROPRIATE.
I THINK THAT IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CHAIR
RCOMMENDED WE JUST DO
QUESTIONS MAY BE AT THE END
UNLESS THERE IS ANYTHING REALLY
PRESSING RIGHT NOW.
>> THIS IS A GOOD POINT TO
SEE IF THERE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT SOLID WASTE PICKUP IMPACT.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES JOINED US
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
PRESENTATIONS.
I APPRECIATE YOU COVERING
ISSUES OF SAFETY AND SERVICE.
AS WELL AS COST.
YOU MENTIONED THAT WE OBVIOUSLY
HAVE CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES
THAT PICKUP TRASH AND RECYCLING
AND COMPOST.
THE OVERTIME, THAT IS COVERED
BY THE EXISTING CONTRACTS.
THAT IS NOT A COST PASSED ALONG
, CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
THE COLLECTION SERVICES ARE
PROVIDED BY CONTRACTORS AND
THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
FULL RECOVERY AT NO ADDITIONAL
COST TO THE CITY.
SO WE DON'T INCUR ANYTHING
RELATED TO THE OVERTIME THERE.
OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE DOING THE
DOWNSTREAM TRANSPORTATION
HANDLING.'S WE WILL HAVE
ADDITIONAL OVERTIME COST
INTERNALLY KEEPING THE STATION
FLOWING FOR THE ADDITIONAL
MATERIALS JUST INTERNALLY AT
OUR STATION.
>> OKAY.
AND I THINK WE WILL HEAR A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS
PERFECT STORM, OF ACTUAL
STORMS, COVID-19 IMPACT,
HOLIDAY VACATIONS, EXTRA
HOLIDAY PACKAGING THAT HAD TO
BE PICKED UP AND THEN WE WILL
GET TO THE SLIDES ABOUT WHAT
REALLY HAPPENED WITH THE EXCESS
RAIN AS WELL.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT TALKING
ABOUT SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES
AND THE SOLID WASTE PICKUP?
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANKS.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GO A
LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE
SOLID WASTE SERVICE.
I THINK YOU COVERED IT.
I'M STILL HAVING A HARD TIME
UNDERSTANDING WHY THE OVERTIME
ROUTES WERE ONLY ABLE TO
COLLECT 20% OF THE MISSED
COLLECTIONS AND THE LENGTH OF
THE INTERRUPTIONS, GIVEN, MY
RECOLLECTION IS THAT WE, SPU IS
REALLY GOOD ABOUT COMMUNICATING
WITH THE PUBLIC.
ABOUT THE MISSED COLLECTIONS.
BUT IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THERE
WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A MISS
CONNECT ABOUT SETTING PUBLIC
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE LENGTH
OF THE MISSED COLLECTION.
AND WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY
EXPERIENCED.
>> SURE.
I CAN TRY TO SPEAK TO BOTH OF
THOSE.
DURING THE SERVICE
INTERRUPTION, BASICALLY LAST
WEEK IN DECEMBER, GENERALLY,
OUR ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE
CONTRACTORS IS TO GO AND
SERVICE WHEREVER AND WHENEVER
IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE SNOW LIKE
THAT, ESPECIALLY IN SEATTLE AND
THEN FREEZING CONDITIONS,
USUALLY WE CANNOT BE SURE WHEN
WE WILL RESUME SERVICE.
THAT IS ALMOST ALWAYS THE CASE.
AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, WE TRY
TO RESUME SERVICE THAT WEEK AND
DELAY IT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK TO
ALLOW US TO GET ALL THE
CUSTOMER MATERIALS SERVED.
SO OFTEN, WE ARE MESSAGING TO
THE CUSTOMERS AND THAT IS THE
MESSAGE.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO COLLECT
YOU TODAY, PLEASE PUT IT OUT
THE FOLLOWING DAY AND WE WILL
TRY TO COME BACK THE FOLLOWING
DAY AND IF NOT THE FOLLOWING
DAY, THE FOLLOWING WEEK.
WE TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT
MESSAGING.
AND SO THERE MAY BE CONCERNED
WHERE WE ARE MESSAGING.
úWE WILL TRY TO GET AT THE
FOLLOWING DAY AND IF NOT, THE
FOLLOWING WEEK.
SO I COULD APPRECIATE THAT
THERE COULD BE DISAPPOINTMENT
IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO COME THE
FOLLOWING DAY.
WE WERE FAIRLY -- WE DO TRY
TO BE CLEAR ON THAT NOTE.
SO IF YOU ARE A MONDAY
CUSTOMER, WE WILL ENCOURAGE
TUESDAY IF WE CAN RESUME
SERVICE AND THEN THE FOLLOWING
MONDAY.
SO TO THE DEGREE WE ARE ABLE TO
REACH CUSTOMERS, I FEEL LIKE WE
MESSAGED WELL THAT EXPECTATION.
AND I APPRECIATE ANYBODY THAT
WANTS TO HAVE THE WASTE REMOVED
THAT WEEK.
SO I'M SURE THERE ARE
EXPECTATIONS WE RESUME SOONER.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE FAIRLY
CONSISTENT ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT FULLY
COVERS THE SECOND PART OF YOUR
QUESTION.
SO WE CAN COME BACK TO THAT.
>> AND I WILL JUST ANSWER THE
FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION AS
WELL.
AND OTHERS CAN HELP OUT HERE.
THAT IS ABOUT THE RECOVERY.
SO I MIGHT HAVE BREEZED THROUGH
THAT AND IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
CONFUSING.
THAT RECOVERY WEEK, THE FIRST
WEEK OF JANUARY, THE
CONTRACTORS WERE OUT THERE
WORKING OVERTIME WITH
ADDITIONAL STAFF AND DID
COLLECT OVER 95% OF THE
SCHEDULED STOPS THAT WEEK.
SO THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN
RECVERING ALL THE SCHEDULED
STOPS.
I ALSO DID MENTION THAT THEY
WERE ALSO TRYING TO GET
UNSCHEDULED SERVICES WHICH IS
THE RECYCLING FROM THE PRIOR
WEEK.
SO THEY DID BEYOND THE OVERTIME
THAT WENT INTO THE SCHEDULED
STOPS WITH DOUBLE VOLUME.
THEY ALSO TRIED TO REACH SOME
OF THE UNSCHEDULED SERVICES
THAT WEEK WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE RECYCLING THAT WASN'T
COLLECTED THE PRIOR WEEK.
AND THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE NOT
ABLE TO DO FULLY PUSHING THE
EXISTING FLEET AND THE EXISTING
DRIVERS ALREADY INTO ADDITIONAL
OVERTIME LONG HOURS ALL WEEK TO
GET THE SCHEDULED STOPS.
THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO
ADDITIONALLY IN THAT SITUATION
COLLECT ALL THE OFF WEEK
RECYCLE WHICH IS NOT NORMALLY
SCHEDULED.
SO YES, THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL IN
THAT RECOVERY.
IT IS JUST THE ADDITIONAL OFF
WEEK.
>> SO THE 20% IS REFERENCING
THE UNSCHEDULED STOPS?
>> YES.
AND BEYOND.
WE ASKED THEM TO DO.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS
POINT IN THE SOLID WASTE
DISCUSSION QUICK THERE WILL BE
TIME AT THE END OF THE SPU
PRESENTATION AS WELL.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE
WITH THE SPU PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M GOING TO SEGUE NOW TO THE
DRAINAGE WASTE WATER LINE
BUSINESS.
AND I THINK THIS ACTUALLY
SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
HAD QUITE A BREATH OF SERVICES
AT SPU.
WE SHIFT FROM ONE SERVICE TO
ANOTHER AS THE WEATHER CHANGES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ON
JANUARY 6th AND 7th, WE
EXPERIENCED A MAJOR STORM
EVENT.
THE TYPE WE EXPECT ONLY ONE
TIME EVERY 10 YEARS.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WOULD
HAVE PUT STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, GENERALLY SEVEN, WE
HAD A KING TIDE THAT WAS NEARLY
2 FEET HIGHER THAN PREDICTED.
AND SO THAT SEVERELY IMPACTED
OBVIOUSLY THE ABILITY OUR
SYSTEM TO
PERFORM.
THE CHART ON THE RIGHT-HAND
SIDE OF THE GRAPHIC SHOWS MEAN
SEA LEVEL.
YOU CAN SEE THAT.
7.5 FEET LEVEL.
AND WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS KIND
OF A HIGH TIDE RIGHT UNDER 12.5
FEET.
AND THIS ONE HITS CLOSE TO 14
FEET.
AND SO IT WAS THE HIGHEST TIDE
IN THE PAST CENTURY OF
SEATTLE'S RECORD-KEEPING.
THAT SHOULD GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
HOW EXTRAORDINARY THE TIDE
SITUATION IS.
HOWEVER, WHAT IS EXTRAORDINARY
TODAY IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE
EXTRAORDINARY IN THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE OF SEA LEVEL RISE, THE
KING TIDE WE SAW LAST MONTH
PROJECTED TO BE THE LEVEL OF
STANDARD MONTHLY HIGH TIDES BY
2060 HIQ TO 2070.
SO THAT IS A BIG CONCERN.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE SAW
GENERALLY SEVEN, THE TIDE
PEAKED JUST AT THE POINT WHERE
THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND
COMBINED SYSTEM WERE AT MAXIMUM
CAPACITY FROM RAINFALL.
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PICTURE
ON THE LEFT, THE COMBINATION OF
THE SNOW MELT AND THE STORM,
PLUS THE EXTRAORDINARY KING
TIDE PRODUCED SUBSTANIAL
FLOODING AND SOUTH PARK.
WE ALSO HAVE HAD SEWER BACKUPS
IN A RESIDENTIAL SECTION OF
SOUTH PARK WHICH I WILL SHOW ON
A MAP ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE NOW.
>> SO THIS IS A MAP OF THE
SOUTH PARK AREA.
YOU CAN SEE THE THE WARMISH ON
THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF
THE MAP.
THE BLUE AREAS OF THE MAP SHOW
APPROXIMATE FLOODED AREAS FOR
SOUTH PARK JANUARY 6 AND 7.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONVERGENCE OF
CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS THERE
THAT THE FLOODING WAS SEVERE.
I WANT TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT TO
SAY THAT SOUTH PARK HAS BOTH
STORMWATER ISSUES THAT ARE
SHOWN IN THE BLUE.
THEY ALSO HAVE SEWER ISSUES.
THE SEWER ISSUES ARE PRIMARILY
SHOWN BY THE RED DUCKS THAT YOU
SEE WHERE IT SAYS SEWER
BACKUPS.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE ON THE
RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE MAP,
ESPECIALLY ON SOUTH CANYON
STREET BETWEEN SEVENTH AND
EIGHTH, THERE IS KIND OF A
PREVALENCE OF SEWER BACKUPS
THAT WE EXPENSED ON JANUARY 7th
AND THE SIXTH.
WITH RESPECT TO THE SEWER
SYSTEM, THERE IS AN EAST-WEST
LINE AT THE TOP OF THE MAP.
THESE ARE KING COUNTY COMBINED
SEWER PIPES.
ON GENERALLY SEVEN, THE KING
COUNTY PIPES AS WELL AS THE SPU
PIPES ON EIGHTH AVENUE SOUTH
WERE FULL BECAUSE OF HEAVY
RAIN.
THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO
OVERFLOW INTO THE DUE WARMISH
WHEN IT IS FULL AND THAT IS A
COMBINED OVERFLOW.
BECAUSE THE TIDES WERE SO HIGH,
THE SYSTEM COULDN'T OVERFLOW AS
IT WAS DESIGNED.
AND IN THAT SITUATION, INSTEAD
OF OVERFLOWING, THE SEWER
SYSTEM BACKED UP AND YOU CAN
SEE THE INCIDENT WAS A SEWER
BACKUP AT THE INTERSECTION OF
CANYON AND EIGHTH.
OUR CREWS RESPONDED TO THESE
ISSUES.
AND UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS,
THEY COULD ALLEVIATE THE ISSUES
BY PUMPING FLOW OUT TO ANOTHER
LOCATION IN THE SYSTEM.
BUT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS,
THERE WAS ACTUALLY NO WERE TO
PUMP TO.
EVERYTHING WAS FULL.
WE HAD TO WAIT FOR THE RAIN AND
THE TIDE TO SUBSIDE IN ORDER TO
REDUCE THE IMPACT TO THE
COMMUNITY.
SPU STAFF, MYSELF INCLUDED IN
KING COUNTY STAFF FOR ON-SITE
AND SOUTH PARK JANUARY 7 TO
MEET WITH IMPACTED CUSTOMERS.
AND THIS INCLUDED CONNECTING
THEM WITH ACCOMMODATIONS AND
CLEANUP SERVICES.
I WILL SAY THAT I WAS ABLE TO
WALK TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND
MEET WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS
THE DAY AFTER THE RAIN EVENT
AND HIGH TIDE OCCURRED BEFORE
THE TIDE HAD ACTUALLY RECEDED.
AND I CAME AWAY WITH SEVERAL
IMPRESSIONS.
THE FIRST IMPRESSION I CAME
AWAY WITH WAS THAT THE
COMMUNITY IS INCREDIBLY
RESILIENT.
THEY KNOW HOW TO GET THROUGH
THESE EVENTS BECAUSE THEY HAVE
EXPERIENCED THEM AND THEY
SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.
THE SECOND IS THAT WE HAVE SOME
PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY
RIGHT NOW AND I WAS GLAD THAT
WE HAVE MOVED TO TRY TO EXECUTE
ON THOSE PROJECTS AND I WISH WE
HAD DONE THEM EVEN SOONER.
THE THIRD IS THAT WE HAVE A GAP
IN TERMS OF SEWER SYSTEM AND
DEALING WITH THE TIDE ISSUE.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO
HAVE A SOLID PARTNERSHIP WITH
KING COUNTY TO ADDRESS THE GAP
IN TERMS OF THE SEWER AND THE
HIGH TIDE.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SLIDE NUMBER 10.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHIFT TO A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE
ARE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES AND
HOW WE HAVE WORKED HISTORICALLY
TO ADDRESS THEM AND I WILL
START WITH THE SEWER SYSTEM.
IN 2016 UNTIL 2017, WE CREATED
A SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT AT
14th AND CONCORD TO REDUCE THE
SEVERITY OF SEWER BACKUPS AND
SOUTH PARK.
YOU HEAR ME SAY THIS A NUMBER
OF TIME BUT UNDER NORMAL
CONDITIONS, THE PROJECT WOULD
HAVE HELPED.
HOWEVER, THE HIGH TIDE, BECAUSE
OF THE HIGH TIDE, THE BENEFITS
WERE MINIMIZED.
SINCE 2016 AND 2710 -- 2017,
WE INSTALLED (INDISCERNIBLE)
AN WE DID ANOTHER PUSH ON
BACKFLOW PREVENTION ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY.
I BELIEVE THAT EFFORT WAS
HELPFUL AT REDUCING THE
SEVERITY OF THE SEWER BACKUPS.
HOWEVER, BACKFLOW PREVENTERS
ARE NOT FOOLPROOF.
AND THEY TYPICALLY REQUIRE
MAINTENANCE AND SOMETIMES THERE
IS LEAKAGE THROUGH THEM.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, THE LAST
YEAR, KING COUNTY IDENTIFIED A
SEWER CONSTRUCTION IN ONE OF
THE PIPELINES.
WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THEM TO
REMOVE THAT CONSTRICTION AND
COMPLETED IT IN THE FALL OF
LAST YEAR.
UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS COME
THAT SHOULD HAVE HELPED TO
REDUCE THE BACKUPS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIDE, HE
LIKELY DID NOT REDUCE IT VERY
MUCH.
LASTLY, KING COUNTY HAS A
REGULATOR STATION THAT YOU CAN
SEE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF
THE MAP.
AND THEY CAN ADJUST THE LEVEL
OF THE WATER IN THE SEWER
SYSTEM AND CAN REDUCE OVERFLOW.
ALSO CAN REDUCE THE FREQUENCY
OF BACKUPS.
THEY MADE ADJUSTMENTS LAST YEAR
AND ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS TO REDUCE THE
FREQUENCY OF BACKUPS TO THE
RESIDENTS.
BUT AGAIN, NORMAL CONDITIONS
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELPED.
BUT IN A HIGH TIDE SITUATION,
VERY MINIMAL BENEFIT.
SWITCHING OVER TO THE STORM
SYSTEM, AND THE STORM SYSTEM IS
REALLY THE CAUSE OF THE BIG
INTERSECTION FLOODING OR THE
STREET FLOODING THAT YOU SAW IN
THE PREVIOUS PICTURE, I'M
EXCITED THAT THIS YEAR, WE WILL
COMPLETE THE SALT PARK PUMP
STATION PROJECT.
THAT WILL ENABLE US TO PUMP OUT
STORMWATER FROM THE
NEIGHBORHOOD INTO THE RIVER
DURING THE HIGH TIDE.
SO THIS PUMP STATION IS SHOWN
IN THE YELLOW CIRCLE AT THE TOP
OF THE MAP.
AND SO IT WILL BE EXCITING.
BUT THOSE PICTURES WITH
FLOODING IN THE STREETS WILL BE
SIGNIFICANTLY RELIEVED WHEN
THAT PUMP STATION COMES ALONG.
THIS WILL COUNTER AFFECT THE
HIGH TIDE FOR THE STORM SEWER
SYSTEM.
NEXT YEAR, AND PARTNERSHIP WITH
SDOT, WE ARE COMPLETING THE
FIRST PHASE OF STREET AND
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SOUTH PARK INDUSTRIAL AREA.
THIS IS SHOWN ON THE RED LINES.
THERE IS MORE WORK TO BE DONE
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO
POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
EXPAND THIS WORK TO MORE
STREETS AND POTENTIALLY WITH
THE IMPETUS ON THE INFRA-
STRUCTURE BUILT FUNDING THAT
WILL COME FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
LASTLY, THE ORANGE DIAMOND
SHOWS WHERE WE ARE PLANNING TO
BUILD A WATER QUALITY FACILITY
TO REDUCE POLLUTION AND STORM
WATER BEFORE IT ENTERS THE
DUWAMISH.
SO BEFORE WE PUMP IT OUT, WE
WILL STILL PUT THE PUMP STATION
ONLINE PROBABLY THE SPRING OF
THIS YEAR.
BEFORE WE PUMP IT OUT, WE WOULD
LIKE TO HAVE IT TREATED.
SO THIS PROJECT WILL INVOLVE
PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS LIKE SITE
CLEANUP AND WE HOPE TO COMPLETE
THE PROJECT BEFORE 2030.
NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO IN CLOSING, WE ARE
HEARINGCOMMUNITY NEEDS.
I WOULD LOVE TO MOVE QUICKER
AND LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO
MOVE QUICKER.
WE ALSO HAVE AN IMPORTANT
OBLIGATION TO ADDRESS THE TIDE
SITUATION.
THIS IS A LONG-TERM ISSUE.
WE ARE ALREADY SEEING SOME OF
THE EFFECTS OF IT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS
UNDERWAY TO HELP SOUTH PARK.
WE HAVE ONE WITH THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY IN
DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT ALONG WITH OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS.
WE ARE IN THE EARLY PHASES OF
PLANNING.
THE INTENT IS THAT THE
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WILL HELP
TO ADDRESS INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS
AS WELL AS SEA LEVEL RISE AND
IT WILL BE SOMETHING WHERE WE
ARE EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY TO
MAKE DECISIONS.
LASTLY I MENTIONED THE KING
COUNTY PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING
TOGETHER WITH KING COUNTY IN A
PRODUCTIVE PARTNERSHIP AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT TO
ADDRESS THINGS LIKE THE TIDE
ISSUE.
AND SO I WILL STOP AT THIS
POINT AND IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS, I CAN FIELD THOSE
BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE LAST
SLIDE PORTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
THOROUGH PRESENTATION ON THE
CHALLENGES WE FACE AND ALSO THE
PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE UNDERWAY
TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES AS
WE SEE RISING WATER LEVELS AND
INCREASING STORM EVENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
I WANT TO SHOW MY PROJECTION
FOR THE WORK THAT SEATTLE
PUBLIC UTILITIES DID DOWN AND
SOUTH PARK DURING THIS TIME,
ESPECIALLY IN THE WILLINGNESS
AND AVAILABILITY TO GO IN AND
MEET WITH PEOPLE DOOR TO DOOR
AND FOLKS THAT WERE EXPERIENCING
THE IMPACT OF THESE EVENTS IN
THEIR HOMES.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M WONDERING, HOW DOES SPU
MAKE A DETERMINATION OF WHEN
THEY WILL ADDRESS A SITE VISIT.
THERE WAS SOME COORDINATION
WITH MY OFFICE AROUND WHETHER
OR NOT IT WAS KING COUNTY WHO
SHOULD BE WORKING WITH FOLKS OR
SPU.
AND AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE
SPU'S WILLINGNESS TO GO OUT
THERE AND TALK TO FOLKS WHEN
PERHAPS THE SITE VISITS WERE
MORE APPROPRIATELY DONE BY KING
COUNTY BECAUSE IT WAS MORE
FOCUSED ON THE SEWER ISSUES.
BUT JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
ALSO, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO
KNOW, I HEARD YOU SAY LOUD AND
CLEAR THAT THE PUMP STATION
WILL HELP WITH THE STORM WATER
ISSUES BUT NOT PREVENT OR
ADDRESS SEWER BACKUPS.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE
SHOULD BE SEEKING FROM KING
COUNTY TO STOP THE IMPACT.
>> WITH RESPECT TO THE FIRST
QUESTION ON, WHAT IS OUR POLICY
WITH RESPECT TO CLEANUP
ASSISTANCE TO CUSTOMERS, I
WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT
I THINK WE NEED A MORE CLEAR
POLICY ON THIS.
UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE
WAY WE WERE INTENDING TO
OPERATE THIS WERE THE
CONNECTIONS WHERE THE
RESIDENCES ARE DIRECTLY
CONNECTED TO THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
THEY WOULD WORK WITH THE COUNTY
TO ADDRESS ANY SORT OF HOUSING
SITUATIONS OR CLEANUP ISSUES.
AND THEN PARTS OF THE SYSTEM
THAT WERE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO
SPU WOULD WORK WITH US.
SO THAT IS A RESPONSIBILITY
DEPENDING ON WHOSE SYSTEM THEY
ARE CONNECTED TO.
WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE HAVE
MEANS UNDER EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS TO PROVIDE PEOPLE
WITH THINGS LIKE
ACCOMMODATIONS, CLEANUP, ET
CETERA AS OPPOSED TO GETTING
THEM TO WORK WITH THE CLAIMS
PROCESS.
WHICH TYPICALLY TAKES MORE TIME
AND PUT MORE BURDEN ON THE
PROPERTY AND THE RESIDENTS.
SO WE DID EXERCISE THAT DURING
THIS PARTICULAR OWNERSHIP WITH
THE COUNTY.
BOTTOM LINE ON THAT IS, I THINK
CLARITY IS IMPORTANT.
SO IT WAS ONE OF MY REQUESTS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE STORM
EVENT TO PUT A POLICY TOGETHER
ON THIS OR WE CAN HAVE THAT
CONSISTENCY IN THE FUTURE.
WITH RESPECT TO YOUR SECOND
QUESTION ON WORKING TOGETHER
WITH THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS THE
HIGH TIDE ISSUE, I THINK THAT
IS AN ONGOING EFFORT.
I HAVE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF
CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER WITH THE
COUNTY AND I WOULD SAY THERE IS
A GOOD COMMITMENT ON BOTH OF
OUR PARTS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
IT IS LIKELY GOING TO BE A
CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WILL TAKE
SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT.
WE DON'T KNOW THE SCOPE OR THE
SCALE OF THAT BUT WE WILL
INITIATE SOME PLANNING WORK ON
THAT AND WORK TOGETHER AND
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY
AS WELL.
SO THERE IS MORE TO COME ON
THAT BUT I DON'T HAVE A
SPECIFIC TIMELINE OR PROJECT.
JUST KNOWING THAT WE WILL PLAN
ON DOING SOMETHING.
>> SO A QUICK FOLLOW-UP.
YOU REMINDED ME ALSO, I WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH MY
OFFICE WITH HELPING FOLKS
NAVIGATE THE CLAIMS PROCESS
AFTER THE FACT.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US
INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH THE
PUBLIC AND WHEN WE SIN PEOPLE
YOUR WAY (INDISCERNIBLE)
>> THANK YOU.
GENERAL MANAGER WEEK, I THINK
WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PART OF THE PRESENTATION IF SPU
IS ABLE TO STICK AROUND.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT IN CASE WE
HAVE SOME CROSSCUTTING
QUESTIONS TO ASK.
>> WE HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES
RELATED TO
LANDSLIDES.
>> AT THIS POINT, I WILL
STAGNATE -- SEGUE OVER TO
TONYA TREAT WHICH SHOULD BE
RELATIVELY QUICK.
>> THANK YOU, ANDREW.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SPU AND
SOME LANDSLIDE RESPONSE AS WELL
AS SPU'S WORK.
THIS IS ALSO RELATED TO RAIN,
AS YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED.
SO IT IS KIND OF A SEGUE INTO
THE NEXT PROJECT.
SO ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE
KNOW LANDSLIDES ARE A VERY REAL
RISK.
WE WORK TOGETHER AND WE PERFORM
A CONSISTENT SET OF ACTIVITIES.
I WILL GO OVER THREE TOPICS.
THE FIRST IS CITYWIDE LANDSLIDE
PREPARATION AND COORDINATION.
THE SECOND IS THE CITYWIDE
LANDSLIDE PRODUCTION.
THE THIRD IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE SPU LANDSLIDE PROGRAM.
SO SPU IS A DESIGNATED LEAD FOR
AN ANNUAL CITYWIDE COORDINATION
WORK WHICH HAPPENS AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE WET SEASON
WHICH IS TYPICALLY THE LAST
WEEK OF OCTOBER OR EARLY
NOVEMBER.
AT THIS WORKSHOP, EVERYBODY
GETS TOGETHER, AND ALL THE
LEADS FOR LANDSLIDE WORK ACROSS
SEVEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
INCLUDING LAW.
AND AT THE WORKSHOP, WE HAVE
ALL THE CONTACT LIST UPDATED
AND MAKE SURE ALL THE
INFORMATION IS CORRECT.
WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING
OF WHAT THE PROTOCOLS ARE AND
SHARED APPROACHES AND TOOLS, ET
CETERA.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE DO ON AN
ANNUAL BASIS TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE READY FOR THE WET SEASON.
DURING THE WET WEATHER MONTHS,
SPU IS ALSO THE LEAD FOR
SENDING OUT A WEEKLY
NOTIFICATION.
SOMETIMES IT IS MORE FREQUENT
DEPENDING ON THE PRECIPITATION
EVENTS THAT OCCUR OR ARE
ANTICIPATED.
THE WEEKLY E-MAIL TELLS US
WHERE WE ARE WITH LANDSLIDE
THRESHOLD AND I WILL TALK ABOUT
THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
BASICALLY, IT IS ESSENTIALLY,
WHAT IS THE RISK COMING INTO
THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AND WEEK.
WHEN THERE IS A LANDSLIDE, THE
FIRST, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
DEPARTMENT, FIRE AND POLICE
RESPOND IMMEDIATELY.
ALTHOUGH DEPARTMENTS DO QUICK
RESEARCH.
SOONER NOTIFIED, WE LOOK AT THE
SYSTEMS.
WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPACT
IS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE. SO
BEFORE SPU VISITS, WE LOOK AT
THE LANDSLIDE HISTORY AND THE
GEOLOGY OF THE AREA.
ANY INFORMATION WE HAVE ABOUT
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MIGHT BE
IMPACTED.
AND THEN DURING THE LANDSLIDE,
COORDINATION AMONG CITY
DEPARTMENTS IS USUALLY VIA
PHONE USUALLY THE PRIMARY
DEPARTMENTS ARE SPU, SDOT,
PARKS.
A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN WITH
PARKS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT
OF VEGETATIVE STEEP SLOPE
AREAS.
LASTLY, ANY DEPARTMENT ENTERS
DATA INTO A DATABASE RUN BY THE
CITY OEM WHICH IS CALLED WEB
EOC.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING TRACKED.
USUALLY THE LEAD DEPARTMENT HAS
INFORMATION.
ANY OF THE APARTMENTS WORKING
ON IT AND THE STAFF HAVE ACCESS
TO GO ENTER UPDATED INFORMATION
ABOUT THE SLIDE ITSELF.
SO THAT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
HOW DO WE PREDICT LANDSLIDES IN
THE CITY?
THE GRAPH ON YOUR RIGHT IS THE
WAY THAT WE MEASURE WITH THE
LEVEL OF RISK IS.
THE GRAPH PLOTS THE MOST RECENT
DAYS OF HUMILITY OF
PRESENTATION ON THE Y AXIS AND
THE HORIZONTAL, WE HAVE THE 15
DAYS CUMULATIVE RAINFALL THAT
PROCEEDS THE THREE DAYS.
AND THERE IS A METHOD TO THIS
MADNESS.
SO THE USGS IN 2006 DID A
HISTORICAL LOOK AT WHERE THE
LANDSLIDES WERE HAPPENING AND
WHAT THE PRECIPITATION
CONDITIONS WERE AND CAME UP
WITH THIS LINE.
IF YOU ARE TO THE RIGHT OF THE
LINE, YOU ARE AT HIGHER RISK.
SO THE GRAPH YOU SEE IN FRONT
OF YOU IS FROM JANUARY 7. THIS
IS THE ONE THAT SPU SENT OUT
NOTIFYING DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU
WANT TO BE ON ALERT. WE ARE
PRETTY HIGH ABOVE THE LANDSLIDE
THRESHOLD.
AND THE ONE YOU ARE SEEING
RIGHT NOW IS FAIRLY ATYPICAL.
I HAVE BEEN SEEING THESE ARE
PROBABLY THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND IT WAS A PRETTY HIGH ONE IN
TERMS OF CUMULATIVE RAINFALL.
AS YOU KNOW, OVER THAT WEEKEND,
GENERALLY SEVENTH UNTIL JANUARY
10th, THERE WERE ABOUT SEVEN
RECORDED INITIALLY.
AND IN THE SUBSEQUENT DAYS,
THERE WERE REPEAT LANDSLIDES IN
THE SAME AREA.
SO THE NUMBER IS PROBABLY MORE
LIKE (INDISCERNIBLE) AND YOU
WILL SEE THAT IN THE REPORTING
COMING UP.
SO WE HAD SEVEN LANDSLIDES.
ON THAT DAY, SPU STAFF ON CALL,
THEY LOOKED AT THE AREA TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEEDED TO
FIND OUT ABOUT AND WET ROADS
WERE IMPACTED AND WHAT
INFRASTRUCTURE MIGHT BE
IMPACTED.
AND VISITED THE SITE.
I HAD MULTIPLE TEAMS GO OUT
THERE TO TAKE A LOOK FOR
DIFFERENT THINGS.
DIFFERENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT INDICATED THAT WE DIDN'T
HAVE ANY ISSUES.
SO BASICALLY, STIC TOOK THE
LEAD ON THIS ONE.
AND THE HOUSE WAS UNFIT TO GO
INTO.
AND THAT WAS THE
(INDISCERNIBLE) SPECIFIC SITE
THAT I MENTIONED HERE.
NONE OF THE OTHER SEVEN SITES
IMPACTED THE SPU
INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO KIND OF UNUSUAL.
BUT IT WAS NICE SO WE DIDN'T
HAVE TO ACTUALLY DEPLOY ANY
TEMPORARY OR IMMEDIATE FIXES OR
EMERGENCY CONTRACTING TO GET
THINGS DONE.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
LANDSLIDE PROGRAMS.
THIS IS KIND OF INFORMATIONAL.
WHAT WE CALL THE PROGRAM IS THE
LANDSLIDE PRONE AREA OR LPA FOR
SHORT.
WE FOCUS ON THESE AREAS.
THEY ARE ACTIVE KNOWN SLIDE
AREAS THAT POSE RISK TO OUR
ASSETS.
FOR US, IT IS TYPICALLY IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY BECAUSE THAT IS
WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS
TYPICALLY LOCATED.
A LOT OF TIMES IT IS STREETS
THAT ARE A RIGHT-OF-WAY.
SO WHAT WE DO IN THE PROGRAM IS
WE MAKE POTENTIAL ISSUES BY
IMPROVING STORMWATER SYSTEMS
AND DRAINS COLLECTION WHERE
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH
STORMWATER ADDING LOAD TO A
SLIDE AREA THAT COULD
EXACERBATE OR CREATE A SLIDE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY SETTING A NEW
APPROACH FOR MONITORING USING
SATELLITES AND THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE GET
GOING, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL WITH
THE CITYWIDE SCALE.
IT GIVES YOU RETROACTIVE SOIL
MOVEMENT.
YOU CAN GO BACK TWO YEARS OR GO
BACK SEVEN YEARS DEPENDING ON
HOW MUCH YOU GET.
AND HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO PAY
FOR.
BASICALLY IT SHOWS HORIZONTAL
AND VERTICAL MOVEMENT.
YOU CAN TRACK THE SATELLITES AS
OPPOSED TO SOME OF THE OTHER
TRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE WE
USE.
AND SO THE LANDSLIDE PROGRAM IS
RELATIVELY SMALL.
WE HAVE A COMPONENT THAT IS
ABOUT $100,000.
SPENT ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SOME OF IT IS PROACTIVE AND
SOME OF IT IS A REACTIVE IF WE
HAVE A LANDSLIDE.
THAT DEPENDS ON ACTIVITY
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
I'M GOING TO STOP THERE.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
SDOT WAS REQUESTED TO RESPOND
TO SOME SPECIFIC ISSUES AROUND
HIGHLAND PARKWAY.
THEY WILL COVER THAT IN THEIR
SLIDE PRESENTATION.
WE DID NOT HAVE A ROLE IN THAT
SLIDE.
SO THAT IS WHY I'M NOT SPEAKING
ABOUT IT HERE.
BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW IF WE
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, TANYA.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE SPU ADDRESSING
THIS ISSUE BROADLY.
AND MY REQUEST ORIGINATED
AROUND THE EXPERIENCES OF THE
CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT 1 WHO
LIVE IN THE AREA OF HIGHLAND
PARK AND LIKE MOST PEOPLE,
SINCE IT IS A DETOUR ROUTE,
TRAVEL THROUGH THAT AREA.
BUT MY QUESTION IS FOR BOTH SPU
AND SDOT WHICH WILL COME LATER.
THEY ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
THE DRIVE. BUT HOW WE IDENTIFY
LOCATIONS AT RISK OF LANDSLIDES
AND MONITOR THEM AND TRY TO
MITIGATE THOSE RISKS.
ON THE SLIDE ABOUT SPU, I THINK
IT WAS THE LPA PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT SDOT, I UNDERSTOOD
YOU TO SAY THAT IT WAS FOCUSED
ON IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS WHERE
THERE ARE RISKS TO SPU ASSETS.
AND THERE ALSO IS AN MITIGATION
PRIORITIZATION LISTS AND I WILL
DIRECT MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY
ABOUT HOW THAT LIST IS MANAGED
TO SDOT.
BUT I'M WONDERING HOW MANY
LOCATIONS ARE ON THE SPU
LPA LIST?
AND DO YOU CROSS-REFERENCE OR
DO AN OVERLAP WITH SPU ON THE
LANDSLIDE LIST AS A WAY OF
-- ONE OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE
FOUND WITH THE SDOT PROGRAM IS
THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN LEVEL
OF INVESTMENT THAT I THINK IS
NEEDED TO DO MITIGATION
PROGRAMS.
AND LESSEN THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
LANDSLIDES WILL OCCUR RATHER
THAN -- AS SDOT IS TO --
SPU IS DOING, PROTECTING
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR WHEN THEY DO
OCCUR.
AND SO I'M JUST THINKING, THE
SDOT PRIORITIZATION LIST WAS
CREATED BACK IN 1997.
THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF
INVESTMENT THAT IS NEEDED TO
ADDRESS THE LOCATIONS ON THE
LIST AND WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT
KEEPING UP WITH THE INVESTMENT
NECESSARILY.
AND WONDERING THAT IF WE WERE
TO OVERLAY SDOT LOCATIONS WITH
THE SPU LOCATIONS, MIGHT THAT
BE A WAY TO, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE
LIMITED RESOURCES TO MITIGATE
THE LIKELIHOOD OF LANDSLIDES
HAPPENING, MIGHT THAT BE A WAY
TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS, IF YOU
ARE NOT ALREADY DOING THAT?
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
I WOULD SAY ON THE BASE OF IT
BECAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN
THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, THERE IS AN
AUTOMATIC TIME.
ANYTHING THAT WILL IMPACT OUR
TYPES GENERALLY SPEAKING WILL
IMPACT THE PAVEMENT OF THE.
SO AN IMPROVED RIGHT-OF-WAY
WOULD LIKELY BE OVER --
OVERLAY.
AND UNIMPROVED, A LOT OF THEM
ARE ON IMPROVED RIGHT-OF-WAY'S.
IT COULD BE COME TO THE EXTENT
THAT WE DO IN OVERLAY OF THE
PRIORITIZATION.
I CURRENTLY CAN'T ANSWER THAT
QUESTION.
MAYBE SDOT HAS SOMEBODY THAT
CAN.
BUT IT IS A FANTASTIC IDEA AND
IF WE ARE NOT DOING IT, WE
ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE DOING IT.
>> HOW MANY LPA'S?
>> IT IS IN THE DOZENS.
>> AS I UNDERSTOOD, THE
PURPOSE OF THE LIST, I THINK
MAYBE WE ARE THINKING OF
PROTECTION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY'S
MAYBE DIFFERENTLY OR MAYBE I AM
JUST MISUNDERSTANDING.
PROTECTING THE PIPES THAT ARE
UNDER THE STREET, YES, IT
AFFECTS THE STREET BUT IT IS NOT
STOPPING -- IT IS NOT
PRESERVING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR
VEHICLES.
>> ACTUALLY, A LOT OF TIMES
IT DOES.
BECAUSE THE SEWER SYSTEMS ARE
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
UP THE SEWER SYSTEM OR DRAINAGE
IS ADJACENT TO THE STREET --
WHEN WE SEE MOVEMENT, IT
AFFECTS THE PIPES AND IT
ACTUALLY CAN CLOSE THE ROAD.
SO THERE REALLY IS A DIRECT
TIE.
YOU MIGHT BE THINKING OF THE
PROJECT WHERE THE RETAINING WALL
TO KEEP SOME THINGS FROM
HITTING THE ROADWAY DOES THAT
IS MORE OF LIKE THE LANDSLIDE
WIL COVER THE ROADWAY AS
OPPOSED TO MOVE THE ROADWAY.
SO THERE IS THAT DIFFERENCE.
BUT I FEEL LIKE IF YOU HAVE AN
ALLEY THAT IS HALFWAY DOWN THE
úSLOPE, THEN EVERYTHING MOVES,
RIGHT.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT
SITUATIONS.
>> AND IS THIS, AGAIN, IS
THIS PROGRAM, ARE YOU DOING THE
MITIGATION PROJECTS AT THESE
LOCATIONS, REDUCING THE
LIKELIHOOD OF A LANDSLIDE?
>> YEAH.
WE HAVE MONITORING TO SEE HOW
IT IS MOVING.
AND THEN THE MITIGATION
PROJECTS MINIMIZE, OR WE WILL
TRY TO GET, GENERALLY SPEAKING,
IT IS GETTING WATER AWAY FROM
THE SLIDE.
SO IT IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OR SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO
PUT IN PIN PILES TO STABILIZE
IT IN ORDER TO PUT IN DRAINAGE.
WE JUST HAD AN EMERGENCY
PROJECT WHERE WE DID THAT.
>> MY LAST FOLLOW-UP.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO
UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH IS BUDGETED
FOR THIS PROGRAM EVERY YEAR AND
HOW WELL THE FUNDING FOR THAT
MEETS THE NEED.
AS MENTIONED, I MAY BE WRONGLY
FOCUSED MORE ON THE SDOT
PROGRAM.
AND THE FUNDS THERE.
BUT IT APPEARS TO BE THAT WE
SHOULD PROBABLY BE THINKING OF
BOTH WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
INVESTING IN LANDSLIDE
MITIGATION EFFORTS, SO THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> LIZ, DID YOU HAVE
SOMETHING TO CORRECT MANNER ADD
TO?
>> I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT
WHERE WE COORDINATE.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER IN 2017
WHERE WE HAD QUITE A FEW
LANDSLIDES IN WEST SEATTLE.
ONE OF THEM WAS A BRIDGE IN
CALIFORNIA.
THAT ONE WAS AN AREA WHERE WE
WERE ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH
SPU.
THERE WAS A LANDSLIDE AND A
WATER MAIN BREAK AT THE SAME
TIME.
WE DECIDED TO JUST WORK
TOGETHER TO INSTALL.
AND OFTEN AS WE ARE WORKING ON
THE RESPONSE AND THE MITIGATION
OR COORDINATE WITH THE OTHER
AGENCIES THAT ARE PART OF THE
LANDSLIDE PROGRAM.
TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER, USUALLY
IMPACTS SDOT AND/OR FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, ONE OTHER
DEPARTMENT.
IT IS USUALLY A JOINT EFFORT.
OFTEN, I HAVE WORKED WITH SPU
OR PARKS OR THE OTHER PRIMARY
GROUPS WE WORK WITH.
WE DO COORDINATE WHEN IT MAKES
SENSE.
USUALLY THERE WILL BE SOME
DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE OR SOME
OTHER SPU ASSET THAT WE WILL
NEED TO COORDINATE WORK WITH.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE WILL TOUCH ON LANDSLIDES ONE
MORE TIME TOWARD THE END OF THE
SDOT PRESENTATION.
I THINK WE ARE READY TO GO TO
THE SDOT PRESENTATION.
AND SO, DIRECTOR SIMPSON, WE
CAN TRY YOUR AUDIO AGAIN AND
SEE IF THAT WORKS.
>> THANK YOU.
I SWITCHED TO A DIFFERENT
HEADSET.
>> IT WORKS GREAT.
>> AWESOME.
>> GOOD MORNING AGAIN AND
THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TO
SHARE WITH YOU HOW WE PREPARE
FOR OR RESPOND TO WINTER
WEATHER EVENTS.
WE WILL FOCUS ON SOME OF THE
LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED.
I DO WANT TO WALK THROUGH SOME
OF THE THINGS WE DO IN ADVANCE
OF AN EVENT FIRST.
WHAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE
THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION IS
HOW MUCH WE RELY ON AND
APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF OTHER
CITY
DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY FINANCE
AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND
SPU WAS HERE TODAY AND WAS
DETERMINED HIS HELP DURING THE
EVENT.
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND PARKS TO
HELP KEEP VEHICLES RUNNING AND
PROVIDE DRIVERS AND KEEP
SUPPLIES TOPPED OFF.
MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL STOPPED BY
THE CHARLES STREET FACILITY
THIS MORNING TO THANK THE
FOLKS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN HEARING
APPRECIATIVE RESPONSES
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL.
STAYING ON THE SLIDE, WE WILL
WALK THROUGH HOW WE PREPARE
WITH OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR
TEAMS AND HOW WE ACTIVATE IN
ADVANCE OF AN EVENT AND HOW WE
RESPOND DURING THE EVENT.
AS WE HAVE SEEN, WHEN THE
IMMEDIATE EVENT IS OVER, OUR
WORK IS NOT YET DONE AND WE
THEN TYPICALLY ADDRESS THINGS
LIKE POTHOLES AND LANDSLIDES,
BOTH OF WHICH ARE CLOSELY TIED
TO ONGOING ASSET MANAGEMENT
EFFORTS.
AND FINALLY, WE SURE LESSONS WE
LEARNED AS WE LOOK BACK AND
PREPARE FOR THE NEXT EVENT AND
OF COURSE WE ARE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
NEXT LINE.
AND AT THIS POINT, I WILL HAND
IT OVER TO DARREN MORGAN.
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS DARREN MORGAN.,
DIVISION DIRECTOR IN THE RIGHT-
OF-WAY MAINTENANCE AND URBAN
FORESTRY DIVISION.
ALSO INTERIM DIRECTOR OF
PARKING ENFORCEMENT DIVISION.
AS KRISTIN MENTIONED,
PREPARATION, PREPARATION,
PREPARATION IS CRITICAL TO
SUCCESS WHEN IT COMES TO FACING
THE CHALLENGES OF WINTER
WEATHER.
WE ARE PREPARING FOR WINTER
WEATHER EVENTS, WHETHER IT IS
SNOW, ICE OR EXCESSIVE
PRECIPITATION AND THE RISK OF
LANDSLIDES.
WE EMPHASIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION
AND OUTREACH THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR.
WE ARE ALSO FOCUSED ON EMPLOYEE
TRAINING AND REGIONAL
COORDINATION WILL ALL OF ARE
HIS PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHO,
AS EARLY AS OCTOBER IS ALREADY
PROVIDING US WITH SOME OVERALL
CLIMATE PREDICTIONS, WHETHER WE
MIGHT BE IN A LA NIÑA OR AN EL
NIÑO OR A NEUTRAL CLIMATE
PREDICTION FOR THE SEASON,
WHICH DOESN'T NECESSARILY
TRANSLATE TO WHAT WE CAN EXPECT
EACH WINTER.
IT DOES GIVE RELATIVE INDICATION
OF WHETHER WE MIGHT SEE A MORE
COLD AND WET SEASON LIKE WE
EXPERIENCED THE LAST TWO YEARS.
WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC
EDUCATION, THE CORNERSTONE OF
OUR EDUCATION OUTREACH IS
REALLY ABOUT LETTING PEOPLE
KNOW THAT WE CAN'T BE
EVERYWHERE AT ONCE DURING AN
EVENT.
AND FOLKS DO HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAR THEIR
SIDEWALKS ADJACENT TO THEIR
SIDE AND PROPERTIES.
WE ALSO WANT TO REITERATE HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO
STAY HOME AND HIT THAT MESSAGE
IF THEY DON'T NEED TO GET OUT
AND ABOUT DURING AN EVENT THAT,
THAT THEY STAY HOME AND IF THEY
HAVE TO TRAVEL, FOCUS ON
TRANSIT.
AND BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE.
WE ARE TALKING TO FOLKS
CONSTANTLY ABOUT REACHING OUT
TO NEIGHBORS AND COMMUNITIES TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD
TOGETHER IS AS PREPARED AS
POSSIBLE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> KEEPING WITH PREPARATION,
WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHEN THE
SUN IS SHINING AND THE PAVEMENT
IS DRY.
WE HAVE TO FAMILIARIZE STAFF
WITH NEW AND UPDATED EQUIPMENT,
NEW AND UPDATED ROUTES.
WE DOUBLE CHECK ALL OF OUR
CONTRACTS FOR DEICER AND SALT
SUPPLIES AS WELL AS THE
OPERATIONAL CONTRACTS FOR ROAD
CLEARING OPERATIONS.
AND THIS IS A PIECE WHERE, AS
KRISTEN SIMPSON MENTIONED, WE
ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR
PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY AND
SPU AND CITY LIGHT AND PARKS
AND RECREATION, INVITING THEM
TO OUR TRAINING SESSIONS TO GET
FAMILIAR WITH OUR ROUTES AND
OUR EQUIPMENT TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE LOOKING ACROSS THE CITY AT
ALL STAFF AND SKILLS TO SUPPORT
THE WINTER WEATHER RESPONSE
OPERATION.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> THIS IS, ON THE RIGHT, YOU
SEE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE CALL
THE GOLDEN EMERALD ROUTES.
THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT
THE SNOW AND ICE TREATMENT
ROUTES THAT WE PUBLISHED IN
ADVANCE AND WE TWEAK ANNUALLY
IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH KING
COUNTY METRO IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO THE FOUNDATION OF THESE
ROUTES IS TRANSIT SERVICE.
AND ACCESS TO EMERGENCY
SERVICES AND HOSPITALS.
WE OPTIMIZE STAFF AND RESOURCES
TO CLEAR THESE.
THE LEVEL OF SERVICE TARGET FOR
THE SNOW AND ICE ROUTES IS 12
HOURS TO (INDISCERNIBLE) THE
PAVEMENT WHICH IS TWO LANES OF
EACH DIRECTION AND THE EMERALD
IS ONE ROUTE IN EACH DIRECTION.
AS I MENTIONED, WE REVIEW THIS
VERY CAREFULLY WITH KING COUNTY
METRO THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AS
A LOOK AT SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES
OR ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT HAVE
OCCURRED IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
BECAUSE OF CONSTRUCTION OR ANY
OTHER CHANGES THAT MIGHT IMPACT
THE ABILITY FOR A SNOWPLOW TO
MOVE THROUGH THESE AREAS.
THERE ARE SOME STEEP STREETS ON
HIS ROUTE, PARTICULARLY
DOWNTOWN AND ACCESS POINTS
AROUND THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE.
FOR THE MOST PART, ALL THE
CRITICAL ROUTES ARE ACCESSIBLE
TO SNOW AND ICE FIGHTING
EQUIPMENT WHICH IS ANOTHER
REASON WHY WE FOCUS OUR
ATTENTION ON THESE ROUTES.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> CONTINUING WITH THE PUBLIC
INFORMATION WE PROVIDE AS WE
GET CLOSER TO EVENTS AND PEOPLE
START SEEING WINTER SNOWFLAKES
IN THE WEATHER APPS, WE ARE
PUTTING REINFORCING INFORMATION
ON OUR WEBSITES, BLOGS AND
SOCIAL MEDIA STREAMS.
WE PUT TOGETHER AN PARTNERSHIP
A FANTASTIC VIDEO THAT HELPS
EXPLAIN WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT
THING AND WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR PEOPLE TO CLEAR SIDEWALKS
AROUND THE PROPERTIES.
WE DO A LOT OF TRANSLATION
SERVICES AND HAVE HISTORICALLY
DISTRIBUTED 20,000 DIFFERENT
BROCHURES IN 14 LANGUAGES, MANY
OF WHICH ARE SHOWN ON THE
SLIDE.
WE PARTICIPATE AND LEAD AN
ANNUAL REGIONAL WINTER WEATHER
CONFERENCE WHERE WE AND BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE,
TRANSIT PARTNERS AND OTHER
PUBLIC SAFETY GROUPS AND
OPERATIONAL APARTMENTS AND
AGENCIES SO WE CAN MAINTAIN
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE
RELY ON FOR SUCCESS DURING
WINTER WEATHER RESPONSE AND
MAKING SURE PEOPLE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, EVEN IF IT
IS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
AND WE KEEP THE INFORMATION IN
AN RELATIONSHIPS FLOWING WHICH
IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS.
NEXT.
WHEN IT COMES TO ACTIVATION, WE
ARE OFTEN STANDING UP OUR
INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM IF WE
EXPECT WE WILL BE OPERATING FOR
A 24/7 PERIOD.
IN THE LAST EVENT, IT WAS AS
EARLY AS SUNDAY AND MONDAY, 6-7
DAYS IN ADVANCE OF THIS LAST
WEATHER EVENT THAT WE HAD A
REALLY SOLID PREDICTION FROM
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
THAT THE FRASER OUTFLOW WOULD
HAVE AN IMPACT TO THE REGION.
AND SO HE GAVE US GREAT LEAD
TIME TO BEGIN PLANNING AND
LOOKING AT STAFFING LEVELS AND
BUTTONING UP ALL OF OUR
EQUIPMENT.
MUCH OF OUR EQUIPMENT THAT WE
UTILIZE WITH SNOW AND ICE
RESPONSE IS DEDICATED TO OTHER
PROGRAMS, OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT
THE YEAR.
SO WE BEGAN CONVERTING OUR
FLEET AND REACHING OUT TO ALL
OF OUR PARTNERS AND MAKING SURE
WE ARE ALL IN A JOINT STATE OF
READINESS SO WE CAN RESPOND.
THE APARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER
MADE UP OF THE INCIDENT
MANAGEMENT TEAM COORDINATES
CLOSELY WITH THE CITY.
EOC, WHEN ACTIVE, WE ARE ALSO
THEN TURNING ON FEATURES WITHIN
THE ONLINE STORM RESPONSE MAPS
SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE
WHERE OUR EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN
AND ALSO LEARN INFORMATION
ABOUT TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURES.
A LOT OF THIS IS HAPPENING IN
REALTIME.
SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IN
THIS IMAGE, THIS IS THE TOC.
THIS IMAGE WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC AS YOU CAN SEE.
THERE ARE NO MASKS IN THIS
PICTURE.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ALL THE
INFORMATION IN REALTIME FEED WE
ARE USING TO HELP REFINE OUR
INFORMATION THAT NOT ONLY
GUIDES OUR OPERATIONAL RESPONSE
BUT SHARES INFORMATION FOR THE
PUBLIC IN REALTIME AS THEY PLAN
HOW TO GET AROUND THE CITY
DESPITE THE WINTER WEATHER.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> THIS SHOWS BOTH CONTRACTED
GREATER SERVICES AS WELL AS
SDOT EMPLOYEES AND SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT EQUIPMENT AND EMPLOYEES.
LOADING UP SO THAT WILL BE
MOVING FROM FACILITY TO
FACILITY.
OR BEING DEPLOYED OUT INTO THE
NETWORK.
THIS LAST WINTER WEATHER EVENT,
CREWS WORKED 24/7, FROM
DECEMBER 24th UNTIL JANUARY
5th.
ALMOST TWO SOLID WEEKS STRAIGHT
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
HOLIDAY PERIOD AND CROSSED OVER
INTO A CHANGE IN
ADMINISTRATION.
OVERALL, AS I MENTIONED TO
MAYOR BRUCE HARRELL THIS
MORNING WHEN WE WERE IN THE FAS
FACILITY, THE SDOT FLEET ALONE
WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK, SO
DOESN'T INCLUDE ALL CITY FLEET
BUT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK,
DEMONSTRATED 40,000 MILES
DRIVEN, WHETHER THAT IS
PATROLLING, TREATING OR
TREATING AND PLOWING.
SO PRETTY SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF
EFFORT MEASURED IN MILES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE
LEVEL OF SERVICE IS WHAT
PAVEMENT -- (INDISCRNIBLE)
DURING A BREAK IN THE STORM
WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE
MOSTLY BUT IT WAS A CHALLENGING
EVENT WITH MULTIPLE SUBSTATION
EVENTS AS WELL AS EXTREME COLD
WHICH THEN TRANSLATED INTO
THAWING AND RE- FREEZING AT
NIGHT.
SO DEFINITELY A CHALLENGING FEW
WEEKS.
AND IT IS ONLY FEBRUARY 1st SO
WE ARE KEEPING OUR EYE ON THE
FORECAST.
NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.
NEXT SLIDE.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE RELY
ON OUR PARTNERS.
WE MENTIONED EARLIER WE HAD
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT AND
PEDESTRIAN CLEARING SUPPORT AND
DRIVER SUPPORT.
AS SPEEDY AS IF IT HAS A
PARTNER IN COMMUNICATING WITH
US WORKING WITH US ON STREET
CLOSURES AND WE WORK CLOSELY
WITH SEATTLE FIRE AND THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS.
THEY LET US KNOW WHERE THEY
NEED ASSISTANCE AND THE WORK
CLOSELY WITH THEM TO PROVIDE
ACCESS TO THE BEST DEGREE THAT
WE CAN.
AND THEN KING COUNTY METRO, WE
HAVE EXCELLENT DAILY IF NOT
MORE FREQUENT COORDINATION AND
COMMUNICATION.
SOUND TRANSIT AND WASHINGTON
STATE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION IS ANOTHER
CRITICAL PARTNER IN
COORDINATING TREATMENT AS WELL
AS THE PRIMARY ADMINISTRATOR OF
THE CONTRACT THAT GOVERNS THE
USE OF THE SALT THROUGHOUT THE
REGION.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT OUR
WORK IN THE MOBILITY BRANCH
WITH AN OPERATIONS.
THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT IS DONE ON THE DAY
SHIFT TO MITIGATE IMPACT TO
FACILITIES, RAMPS AND
OVERPASSES.
NOTICE 3300 CURB RAMPS.
30-45 PEOPLE EACH DAY.
SOME OF THOSE CURB RAMPS WILL
NEED TO BE CLEARED MULTIPLE
TIMES DURING AN EVENT.
SO THAT IS RELATED TO THE
PLOWING OPERATIONS THAT IS
CONSTANTLY HAVING TO MOVE
MATERIAL TO THE SIDE OF THE
ROAD WHICH CAUSES THE NEED FOR
US TO CLEAR THOSE RAMPS
REPEATEDLY THROUGHOUT AN EVENT.
WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE
SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT AT
DIFFERENT POINTS DURING WINTER
WEATHER RESPONSE AND AS
RESOURCES ALLOW, WE DO WHAT WE
CAN TO FACILITATE SCHOOL
OPENINGS AND SUPPORT FOR
ACCESS.
WE ALSO, DURING OUR DAYSHIFT
AND THE MOBILITY GROUP, WE ARE
OUT WITH STREET INSPECTORS AND
COMMUNICATING WITH FOLKS AND
REMINDING THEM IN REALTIME
BASED ON CONDITIONS IN REALTIME
THE RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAR THE
SIDEWALK AROUND THE BUSINESS.
IN MOST CASES, WE ARE TALKING
DIRECTLY WITH FOLKS.
IN MANY CASES, WE ARE KNOCKING
ON DOORS AND LEAVING LITERATURE
TO REINFORCE MESSAGING.
THIS IS ALSO RESPONSE OPERATION
TRACKED UNDER THE RESPONSE MAP
AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THE WORK WE DID AROUND BIKE
LANES.
THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST
BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME
OF THE EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES
AND HOW WE MANAGE MOVING SNOW
OUT OF PROTECTIVE BIKE LANES.
THIS YEAR, WE HAD A BIT OF A
CHALLENGE WITH SUPPLY CHAIN
ISSUES FOR SOME OF THE
EQUIPMENT WE DON'T OWN BUT WE
OFTEN RENT TO EXPAND THE FLEET.
WE WERE ABLE TO, TOWARD THE
TAIL END OF THE EVENT, GET OUR
HANDS ON 5-7 OF THESE SKID
STEERS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
AND THERE IS QUITE A LIST OF
PROTECTIVE BIKE LANES WHERE WE
WERE ABLE TO GET INTO AND
FACILITATE THE REOPENING AS
WELL.
AND I THINK AT THIS POINT,
MAYBE THEIR QUESTIONS BUT WE
ARE GETTING READY TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE PAVEMENT IMPACT AND
POTHOLE RESPONSE THAT WE
TRANSITIONED TO AS PART OF THE
WINTER WEATHER RECOVERY.
AND THAT IS GERARD GREEN.
>> THANK YOU, DARREN.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE
WORKERS AS WELL AS THE
COORDINATION WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS.
I KNOW WE ARE EAGER TO HEAR
ABOUT THE PAVEMENT AND POTHOLE
ISSUES AS WELL.
SO COLLEAGUES, IF THERE ARE NO
QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, WE CAN
KEEP GOING.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> I ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL
QUESTIONS.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO HOLD THEM
UNTIL THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION.
THAT IS FINE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
NO QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO SAY HOW ASTONISHED
AND IMPRESSED I AM BY THE
ABILITY OF
TO GET THE CITY BACK AND
MOVING.
ANYTHING FROM TREES TO THE ROAD
AND NOW SNOW.
THANK YOU FOR DOING SO MUCH FOR
OUR CITY.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT THERE IS
A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF EFFORT BY A
TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF DEDICATED
EMPLOYEES AND FRONTLINE STAFF
THAT BRING THE ATTITUDE AND THE
ENTHUSIASM AND THE LOVE FOR THE
JOB THAT MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE.
BUT THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SECTION.
PAVEMENT AND POTHOLES.
>> GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS GERARD GREEN.
I'M THE PAVEMENT SIGNS AND
MARKINGS AND RIGHT-OF-WAY CREW
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR AT SDOT.
THIS SLIDE, I WILL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TYPICAL
POTHOLE RESPONSE.
POTHOLES ARE CALLED IN AND THEY
COME IN IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
TYPICALLY, FIND IT FIX IT.
THAT IS THE APP.
OR CUSTOMER CARE, THEY CALL 684-
ROADS.
THEY CALL IN A POTHOLE.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, A WORK ORDER
IS CREATED AND THEN WE WILL
DISPATCH A CREW TO GO OUT AND
EVALUATE TO SEE IF IT IS IN
FACT A POTHOLE.
SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC WILL CALL
IN A POTHOLE AND IT COULD BE A
UTILITY CUT.
IN THAT CASE, WE WORK WITH OUR
STREET USE PARTNER TO MAKE SURE
WE WORK WITH CONTRACTORS TO
ADDRESS THE UTILITY.
IF THE TEMPORARY PATCH HAS
FAILED, WE WILL HAVE THEM
ADDRESS THAT.
IF WE DO GO ON, AND IT COULD
ALSO BE A VOID.
IN THE CASE OF A VOID, WE WORK
WITH OUR SPU PARTNERS TO DO
TESTS AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE
NO UNDERLYING ISSUES WITH PIPES
AND STUFF BEFORE WE ACTUALLY
BACKFILL AND THEN ULTIMATELY DO
THE TEMPORARY REPAIR AND
SCHEDULE FOR A PERMANENT
REPAIR.
SO THAT IS TYPICALLY HOW THAT
FLOWS.
ANOTHER THING THAT CAN HAPPEN
WHEN WE GO OUT TO DO THE MORE
IMMEDIATE (INDISCERNIBLE) FOR
THE PUBLIC, IS THERE WILL BE AN
ASSESSMENT.
SOMETIMES WE SEND PAVEMENT
ENGINEER OUT.
THEY WILL DETERMINE IF THE ROAD
HAS THE -- ROAD HAS DEGRADED
TO A POINT WHERE A POTHOLE IS
NOT THE SOLUTION.
IN THOSE CASES, WE WILL PUT
TOGETHER A PROJECT AND WE HAVE
TO SCHEDULE FOR TRAFFIC
CONTROL.
SOMETIMES COORDINATION WITH
METRO AND OTHERS.
IF IT IS NEAR A SCHOOL.
THAT WOULD BE A MORE LONG-TERM
REPAIR.
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD SEE
ON A REGULAR SDOT PAVING
PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE TALKS A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME DATA AND
THE RECENT POST WINTER STORM
RESPONSE.
THIS FIRST FIGURE SAYS THAT
CREWS FILLED NEARLY 3500
POTHOLES IN THE MONTH OF
JANUARY.
SINCE HIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN
SENT TO COUNSEL, WE RAN ANOTHER
REPORT AND OUR DATA ANALYST
JUST NOTIFIED US TODAY THAT
CREWS ACTUALLY FILLED 4700, A
LITTLE OVER 4700 POTHOLES IN
THE MONTH OF JANUARY.
AND SO THAT IS A HUGE NUMBER OF
POTHOLES COMPARED TO OUR NORMAL
POTHOLE RESPONSE.
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE ADDED UP
TO 70-75 STAFF. AND THE STAFF
CAME FROM OUR PAVING WORK
GROUPS THAT ARE NORMALLY OUT
THERE PAVING.
THE LARGER PAVING PROGRAMS.
1-3 BLOCKS LONG USUALLY.
WE ALSO DEPLOYED A LITTLE OVER
11 ADDITIONAL PAVING TRUCKS TO
ASSIST THE FOUR POTHOLE TRUCKS
THAT REPAIR POTHOLES YEAR-
ROUND.
WE DID FOCUS ON GOLD AND
EMERALD ROUTES BECAUSE THOSE
ARE THE SAME ARTERIAL ROUTES
THAT KEEP TRAFFIC AND FREIGHT
MOVING THROUGH THE CITY.
AND WE ALSO ADDRESSED A FIND IT
FIX IT REQUEST ON NON-
ARTERIALS.
AND IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE OF
THE NUMBER OF POTHOLES, WE DID
NOT --
WE MOVED AWAY FROM THE ORDINARY
FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED WHICH
IS WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO WITH
FIND IT FIX IT.
THAT IS TIED WITH THE LAST FEW
MAIER ADMINISTRATIONS METRIC TO
KIND OF TURN THOSE POTHOLE
REQUESTS AROUND IN THREE
BUSINESS DAYS.
WE RECENTLY, I THINK LAST
MONTH, MET WITH THE MAYOR'S
TEAM AND WE KIND OF TALKED
ABOUT THAT AND SOME OF THE
TRADE-OFFS WITH THAT.
SOME OF THE TRADE-OFFS ARE WHEN
YOU HAVE THE THREE DAY
TURNAROUND.
THAT IS WHAT YOUR FOCUSES, TO
TURN THOSE AROUND AND GET OUT
THERE AND GET THOSE FIXED
QUICKLY. BUT WHEN WE ARE NOT
FOLLOWING THAT, IT CAN PROVIDE
A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
OF OUR SERVICES, MEANING WE ARE
NOT GOING OFF THE METRIC.
IT ALLOWS US TO RUN THOSE CORE
DOORS, THOSE GOLDEN EMERALD
ROUTES AND THEN WE CAN TRIAGE
BASED ON NEED AND SEVERITY AS
WELL.
THERE ARE SOME TRADE-OFFS.
AND WE HAVE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING
WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM TO TALK
ABOUT THAT A LITTLE MORE.
TO THE RIGHT, THIS LINE GRAPH
SHOWS THE SPIKE IN POTHOLES IN
JANUARY BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE
CONDITIONS THAT DARREN
MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND I THINK NOW WE WILL
TRANSITION TO LANDSLIDES WITH
WITH SHELDON.
>> I FIRST ONE TO CIRCLE BACK
TO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND
HER QUESTIONS DEALING WITH
THESE CORE SDOT FUNCTIONS
DURING THE STORMS AND THEN I
MIGHT HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
POTHOLES.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, PLACED.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYBODY.
YOU WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO
KNOW THAT I'M INTERESTED IN
HEARING ABOUT PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT
SIDEWALK SHOVELING AND
RESPONSIBILITY.
I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST THAT IN SOUTH
SEATTLE, AND I KNOW IN NORTH
SEATTLE TOO, THERE ARE A LOT OF
STREETS THAT JUST DON'T EVEN
HAVE SIDEWALKS.
SO THE QUESTION ABOUT WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE IS SORT OF MOOT
THERE.
BUT IT DOES BRING INTO RELIEF
THE PERIL THAT PEOPLE ARE IN,
IF THEY ARE REALLY STUCK AT
HOME BECAUSE THE CITY DOESN'T
PLOW THE STREETS AND THERE IS
NO SIDEWALK FOR THEM TO PLOW SO
THEY CAN TRY TO GET AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS
JUST KIND OF AN ENFORCEMENT
QUESTION.
WE DO SOME KIND OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
IF APARTMENT MANAGERS OR SMALL
BUSINESSES OR INDIVIDUAL
HOUSEHOLDS ARE HAVING A HARD
TIME, WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT
MECHANISM FOR NOT SHOVELING A
SIDEWALK.
>> IF LIZ IS ON THE LINE, CAN
YOU JUMP IN?
>> I CAN.
THE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM
REALLY IS THROUGH, WE START
WITH WARNINGS AND
COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN TITLE 15 HAS A
PROVISION FOR CITATIONS THAT WE
COULD ISSUE IF THERE ARE
ONGOING NEEDS TO CLEAR THE SNOW
ON SIDEWALKS.
WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT, I DON'T
THINK AT ALL, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
AND WE PREFER TO REALLY WORK
TOWARD COMPLIANCE THROUGH
COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSATIONS
WITH PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND OFTEN TIMES, WE WILL DO A
FIRST ROUND OF NOTIFICATIONS.
SO WITH DOOR HANGERS AND MAKE
SURE WE KNOCK ON DOORS ON WHAT
PEOPLE KNOW.
BY THE TIME -- THAT WE MAKE
OUR FIRST ROUND THROUGH THE
HIGH PRIORITY AREAS THAT WE ARE
GETTING TO MEDICATION OUT TO,
THE EVENT IS OVER.
AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A SITUATION
WHERE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE
FIRST ROUND OF COMMUNICATION
AND THEN LOOKED TOWARD MORE
SIGNIFICANT ENFORCEMENT LATER.
>> I GUESS I WOULD SAY, I'M
REALLY INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING HOW WE MIGHT
SHIFT SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES
AND THESE RESPONSES SO THAT WE
ARE REALLY THINKING ABOUT
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS.
I HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS IN MY
PART OF TOWN AND I KNOW FOLKS
ARE ALL OVER TOWN WHO ARE
WHEELCHAIR-BOUND OR HAVE VISION
IMPAIRMENTS WHO SIMPLY DO NOT
DRIVE AND STILL NEED TO BE ABLE
TO GET AROUND THE CITY WHEN
THESE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING.
AND SO I'M INTERESTED TO KNOW
IF WE HAVE ANY EQUIPMENT THAT
IS SUITABLE FOR PLOWING
SIDEWALKS.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY INTERESTED
IN PENALIZING PEOPLE, BECAUSE
THESE ARE IN FREQUENT EVENTS.
EVERY TIME SOMETHING HAPPENS,
THERE IS A RUN ON SALT AND A
RUN ON SHOVELS AND TOBOGGANS.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE
ARE NOT NECESSARILY PREPARED AS
WE WOULD HOPE THEY ARE FOR
THESE EVENTS.
AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS AND STILL NEED TO GET
TO SCHOOL OR WORK, NOT TO BE
ABLE TO USE THE SIDEWALK.
I SAW SOMEBODY -- I THINK
THIS WAS LAST WINTER, PUSHING
SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THE
SIDEWALK WASN'T CLEARED AND THE
SNOW PLOW HAD COME THROUGH AND
ALL THE SNOW WAS AT THE CURB.
AND THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR
THEM TO GET ON THE STREET.
AND SO I THINK --
I UNDERSTAND THESE WINTER
EVENTS ARE INFREQUENT.
I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE RESOURCE
QUESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN INVEST
IN THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT THAT
WOULD ALLOW US TO DO A BETTER
JOB.
BUT I THINK IT IS CRITICAL TO
HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND START
PLANNING FOR THIS BECAUSE AS
CLIMATE CHANGE LEADS US TO MORE
WERE -- MORE SEVERE WEATHER,
WE WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS IN
A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO THAT WAS MY ENFORCEMENT
QUESTION.
AND THEN I GUESS I WOULD LIKE
TO JUST SAY THAT WHEN I'M
THINKING ABOUT OUR KIDS GETTING
STUCK AT HOME FOR A WEEK OR TWO
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WALK DOWN
THE SIDEWALK, I SORT OF DO A
RISK ASSESSMENT.
I THINK IT WOULD BE SAFER TO
TRY TO WALK TO SCHOOL IF THE
SIDEWALKS WERE CLEAR THAN FOR
ME TO TRY AND DRIVE MY KIDS TO
SCHOOL UP A SLICK ICY ROAD AND
THERE IS A HILL ON EITHER SIDE
OF ME.
SO THE FEAR THAT I HAVE FOR
ELDERLY FOLKS OR PEOPLE WITH
MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS AS IF THEY
DO TRY TO NAVIGATE THE SIDEWALK
AND THERE IS A CAR DRIVING UP
THE HILL, THEY COULD GET TAKEN
OUT EASILY.
WE HAVE ALL SEEN THE VIDEO OF
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO DRIVE IN SEATTLE
BECAUSE WE SIMPLY AREN'T --
OUR TOPOGRAPHY JUST MAKES IT
DANGEROUS.
AND SO ALL THAT TO SAY, I'M
INTERESTED IN TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE
FOR US TO SHIFT OUR PRIORITIES
A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE SURE WE
ARE FOCUSING ON MAKING SURE
KIDS CAN GET TO SCHOOL AND THAT
COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS ARE CLEAR
SO NEIGHBORS CAN GET TO
ESSENTIAL SERVICES WITHOUT
HAVING TO RELY ON GETTING IN A
CAR AND DRIVING DOWN
POTENTIALLY REALLY DANGEROUS
ROADS.
>> THANK YOU.
I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND
I AGREE THAT PEDESTRIANS NEED
TO BE A PRIORITY IN THESE
RESPONSES.
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO ANSWER OFF
THE TOP OF OUR HEADS TODAY, I
WOULD LIKE TO OFFER DOING SOME
RESEARCH AND LOOK INTO YOUR
QUESTIONS ABOUT EQUIPMENT AND
RESOURCES AND PRIORITIZATION.
AND THEN PROVIDE THAT.
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND I'M HAPPY TO BE WORKING
WITH YOU.
CHAIR PEDERSEN WOULD LOVE FOR
THIS TO BE AN ONGOING
CONVERSATION SO WE CAN TRY TO BE
BETTER PREPARED NEXT WINTER.
>> THANK YOU.
SOUNDS GREAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANKS.
I DO FEEL LIKE WE REALLY DO
MAKE AN EFFORT TO BE MORE
PREPARED AFTER HAVING THESE
EVENTS.
I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES WE LOSE
THE HISTORICAL MEMORY AND
KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WE WERE DOING
IT FOR.
BACK IN 2019, THE COUNCIL
PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT --
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS HANDLED IN
A WAY THAT WAS INTENDED TO BE
AN ADVANCE OF WINTER STORMS.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ASKED FOR,
AND RECEIVED, WE ASKED FOR SDOT
TO LEAD ON A PUBLIC EDUCATION
FORUM EDUCATING RESIDENTS AND
PROPERTY OWNERS ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITIES FOR SNOW AND ICE
REMOVAL AFTER THE 2019
RESOLUTION.
IN 2020, WE SAW THAT.
AND WE SAW A PROGRAM IN THE
PAST YEAR AS WELL.
AND REALLY SHAPED THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ASKED FOR
WAS A REPORT BACK ON HOW TO
EMPHASIZE THE CLEARING OF
SIDEWALKS BY COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY OWNERS WITH THE GOAL
OF DOING SO WITHIN 12 HOURS OF
AN EVENT.
AND WE INVITED DIRECTORS
ARTICULATED THE POLICIES IF
APPROPRIATE AND ANY NOT
LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS NECESSARY
TO STRENGTHEN THE ENFORCEMENT
OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
I DO BELIEVE WE GOT THAT
REPORT.
I WAS PULLING IT UP TO SEE WHAT
ACTIONS WERE RECOMMENDED AND
WHETHER WE NOT -- WHETHER OR
NOT WE FULFILL THOSE ACTIONS.
WE DID GET A REPORT IN 2020.
AND AS WE ARE TALKING AND
TRYING TO COMPARE WHAT SDOT
RECOMMENDED -- AND IF THERE
IS ANYONE WITH US TODAY WHO HAS
INSTANT RECOLLECTION OF THAT,
MAYBE YOU COULD TELL US.
>> I DO NOT.
ANYBODY ON THE TEAM?
>> IT MIGHT BE ONE WE NEED TO
GET BACK TO ON.
>> LIKE COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
SAID, OUR INTEREST IN PASSING
THAT RESOLUTION WAS BOTH THE
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE
EXPECTATIONS AND ALSO THE
EXPECTATIONS FOR MORE ROBUST
ENFORCEMENT.
AND THAT IS THE PIECE THAT I
THINK I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT.
IF WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS WE
DIDN'T ACT ON OR WHETHER OR NOT
THE RECOMMENDATIONS DID NOT
ACTUALLY MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS
IN THAT AREA.
>> IT LOOKS LIKE COVID-19 IS
OPEN FROM OUR CENTRAL STAFF
MIGHT HAVE INFORMATION.
>> I'M NOT SURE I CAN ADD TOO
MUCH WITHOUT A LITTLE TIME TO
GO BACK AND LOOK THROUGH THE
REPORTS.
MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT A LOT
OF THE FOCUS WAS ON THE
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AREAS WHERE
THERE ARE PROPERTY OWNERS AND
BUSINESSES AND OTHERS WHERE IT
IS EASIER TO WORK WITH.
A LOT OF WHAT I'M HEARING TODAY
IS KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THAT WE
REALLY DO RELY ON RESIDENTS TO
HELP DEAL IN THE RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT IS GREAT TO GET THE
COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS CLEARED
BUT IF YOU HAVE TO WALK TO GET
THERE, YOU WILL GET THERE
THROUGH RESIDENTIAL STREETS.
ONE THING I NOTICE ON MY STREET
IS THAT, IF RESIDENTS ARE
UNABLE TO CLEAR IT WOULDN'T
SNOW FIRST HAPPENS, BY THE NEXT
DAY, IT IS A SHEET OF ICE.
AND THE DIFFICULTY IT IS FOR
SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS TO DEAL
WITH THAT, WHETHER WE HAVE THE
EQUIPMENT OR THE MANPOWER, I
THINK THAT IS REALLY KIND OF
THE BIG ISSUE.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS OUR
RESOURCES IN THE COMMERCIAL
DISTRICT WHERE WE CAN TAKE
LIMITED RESOURCES AND FOCUS
THERE.
BUT THE RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOODS A MUCH BIGGER
AREA.
SO I THINK THERE IS THAT
RESOURCE CONCERN STILL WORKING.
AND A LOT OF WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT STILL POINTS BACK
TO THAT PROBLEM.
>> THANK YOU, CALVIN.
IF WE COULD GET YOU AND SDOT TO
WORK TOGETHER IS TO LOOK AT
THAT RESOLUTION TO SEE WHAT HAS
BEEN DONE AND WHAT HASN'T BEEN
DONE AND MAYBE MAKE SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP
AND THEN YOU COULD CIRCULATE
THAT TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS,
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> WE WILL DEFINITELY WORK
TOGETHER ON THAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DID
YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR
WE WILL GO TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU TO SDOT.
I WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW THIS
STORM IN PARTICULAR CREATED
MORE POTHOLES THAN PREVIOUS
BECAUSE OF FREEZING
TEMPERATURES.
I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT AND THANK
YOU.
THERE WAS A PUDDLE IN MY
DISTRICT THAT WAS SENDING
TRAFFIC INTO AN ONCOMING LANE
ON A BLIND TURN.
AND WHILE YOUR TEAM WAS NOT
ABLE TO PRIORITIZE THE FILLING
OF THE PUDDLE IMMEDIATELY
BECAUSE YOU WERE OUT DEALING
WITH LANDSLIDES, YOU WERE ABLE
TO CREATE A FLAG AND HAVE SIGNS
TO SAY GO AROUND THE POTHOLE ON
THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE RATHER THAN
GOING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND
IT WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE THE
SITUATION UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO
FILL THE POTHOLE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND ALSO LOSE, THE SAME
CONCERNS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES HAS AND I DON'T KNOW IF
THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THERE IS AN APARTMENT IN
THE DISTRICT THAT IS THE ONLY
SIDEWALK IN BETWEEN A
RETIREMENT FACILITY AND THE
REST OF THE SIDEWALK
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND THAT
SIDEWALK DOESN'T GET SHOVELED
AND IT CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS
SITUATION FOR SENIORS.
ANY INFORMATION YOU WOULD LIKE
TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, PLEASE
INCLUDE ME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK DURING
THE STORM.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND THAT
INFORMATION.
THIS IS THE POINT WHERE WE
INTEND TO TRANSITION TO TALK
ABOUT OUR ROLE IN THE LANDSLIDE
ISSUES.
AND WAS THERE ARE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS ON POTHOLES, WE WILL
DO THAT.
>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON
POTHOLES.
GERARD, YOU HAD MENTIONED
NORMALLY THE STANDARD THAT SDOT
APPLIES TO FILL THE POTHOLE
WITHIN THREE BUSINESS DAYS OF
RECEIVING IT.
HOWEVER, WHEN THERE IS A SPIKE
IN THE NUMBER OF REQUESTS,
THERE MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT WAY
OF SORTING THE CUES SO THAT IT
IS MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.
AND SO, IS THERE -- ARE YOU
STILL ABLE TO MEET THE THREE
BUSINESS DAYS?
OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD
SLIDE?
>> THAT WOULD SLIDE WHEN WE
HAVE A SPIKE LIKE WE RECENTLY
GOT HIT WITH.
JUST THE SHEER NUMBER.
MAINLY OUR FOCUS TO PUBLIC
SAFETY.
SO FROM THAT RESPONSE METRIC,
IT IS MORE LIKE, WE HAVE TO GET
OUT AND MAKE SURE THE LARGEST
AND MOST DANGEROUS POTHOLES ARE
ACTUALLY ADDRESSED.
SO WE ARE NOT ALLOWED DURING
THAT PERIOD -- WE WOULD BE
ABLE TO MEET THE THREE DAYS.
SO WE BASICALLY ASK FOR
FORGIVENESS FOR THE PERIOD LIKE
WE ARE STILL IN.
WE ARE STILL IN THAT PERIOD.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, 3500-4700
POTHOLES LAST MONTH.
WE THINK WITHIN THE LAST WEEK
OR WEEK AND A HALF, WE WOULD BE
ABLE TO RESORT BACK TO OUR
NORMAL POTHOLE AND DID A GREAT
JOB FILLING A LOT OF POTHOLES.
AND USING THAT APPROACH WILL BE
MOBILIZED INTO DISTRICTS.
IN THIS CASE, WE DIVIDE THE
CITY INTO SEVEN DISTRICTS.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE RANGER
TRUCKS, WE ADD UP TO 70 STAFF
WITH ADDITIONAL TRUCKS OUT
THERE FILLING POTHOLES AND
RUNNING ARTERIALS IN EACH
DISTRICT.
SO THAT REALLY HELPS US TO BE
MORE EFFICIENT WHEN WE CAN DO
THAT.
AND WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT
THIS MORE WITH THE MAYOR'S TEAM
ON SOME OF THE TRADE-OFFS WHEN
WE HAVE TO MEET THAT THREE DAY
TURNAROUND.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS A REALLY HELPFUL
EXPLANATION ABOUT HOW YOU
LEVERAGED OTHER CREWS AS WELL
TO HELP WITH THE SPIKE IN
POTHOLES.
AND FOR US, WE NEED TO MEET
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON
THIS, KEEP US IN MIND IN TERMS
OF OUR MONITORING ROLE.
FOR US, IT IS EASY TO COME IT
IS EASIER TO LOOK AT SOMETHING
LIKE A THREE BUSINESS DAY
TURNAROUND WHEN YOU SWITCH TO A
DIFFERENT MODE OF RESPONDING
WHICH MAY MAKE SENSE FOR THE
REASONS YOU MENTIONED.
SAFETY, EQUITY, ET CETERA.
WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW WHAT
THOSE METRICS ARE SO WE ALL
HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR
WHAT THE RESULTS ARE AND THE
RESPONSE TIMES ARE WHEN YOU
SHIFT TO THAT NEW TYPE OF
SITUATION AND WHAT THOSE
METRICS WOULD BE.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT
THOSE WOULD BE.
BUT IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT IN
A COUPLE OF WEEKS, YOU WILL GET
BACK TO THE THREE BUSINESS
DAYS.
THAT IS HELPFUL FOR US TO
MANAGE EXPECTATIONS AS WE GET
INBOUND REQUESTS FROM
CONSTITUENTS.
BUT WE KNOW TO SEND THEM OFF TO
684-ROADS OR THE FIND IT FIX-IT
APP OR THE SERVICE BUREAU AS
WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> DEFINITELY WILL DO.
THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE WE SWITCH TO
LANDSLIDES, I WOULD POINT OUT
THAT THE TWO DOES THE PROACTIVE
WORK WE ARE DOING ON THE GOLDEN
EMERALD ROUTES DOES NOT EXCLUDE
-- THERE IS OVERLAP BETWEEN
THE SAME POTHOLES THAT FOLKS
MAY BE CALLING IN.
AS.
OUT THERE BLITZING TO THESE
PRIORITY ROUTES, WE ARE ALSO
HITTING A LOT OF THE THINGS
FOLKS HAVE EITHER CALLED AND/OR
WOULD HAVE CALLED IN.
SO THERE IS SOME OVERLAP THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> LIZ, I BELIEVE IT IS TIME
TO TRANSITION TO A LITTLE BIT
ON LANDSLIDES.
>> BACK TO LANDSLIDES.
I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE
LANDSLIDE PROGRAM.
TONYA MENTIONED IT A LITTLE BIT.
IT STARTED IN 1996, 1997.
THERE WERE SIMILAR CONDITIONS
TO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IN
DECEMBER AND JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR BUT MUCH MORE EXTREME.
I THINK IT WAS TWO WEEKS OF
SNOW THAT THEN TURNED TO A
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL.
OUT OF THAT, THERE WERE MORE
THAN 300 LANDSLIDES THAT
HAPPENED, MOSTLY IN 97.
96, 97.
$300 MILLION WORTH OF LAWSUITS
OUT OF THAT, COUNSEL AT THE
TIME DIRECTED THE CITY TO
CREATE A CITYWIDE LANDSLIDE
TEAM WHICH IS WHAT TONYA WAS
SPEAKING ABOUT EARLIER.
AND SO IT WAS CREATED TO
IMPROVE COORDINATION OF ALL OF
THE DEPARTMENTS.
PRIMARILY THOSE THAT RESPOND TO
LANDSLIDE EVENTS.
AND IT ALSO HELPED US
CONSOLIDATE LANDSLIDE
INFORMATION AND WE NOW PUT ALL
OF OUR RESPONSES TO LANDSLIDES,
AS TONY MENTIONED, INTO THE WEB
EOC PROGRAM.
SO AS WE ARE LOOKING AT
DEVELOPING THE PRIORITIZATION
DATA. E CAN ALL DRAW ON THAT
AS TONYA MENTIONED, SPU LEADS A
CORONATION MEETING THAT MAKES
SURE WE ALL HAVE CONTACT
INFORMATION AND ARE ABLE TO
KNOW THE RULES AND RESPONSE
ABILITIES WHEN WE ARE MOVING
INTO LANDSLIDE SEASON.
AND THEN REALLY WORK TOGETHER
TO COMMUNICATE CLOSELY DURING
PERIODS OF WEATHER.
IT IS TYPICAL THAT WE WILL HAVE
A COUPLE OF DAYS OF REALLY
EXTREME OR ALMOST EXTREME
EVENTS WITH LANDSLIDES.
SO THE LANDSLIDE TEAMS AND
DEPARTMENTS ARE EXTREMELY BUSY
FOR THOSE PERIODS WHEN THEY ARE
DEALING WITH LANDSLIDES AND
OFTEN WILL BE IN CONSTANT
MEDICATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE AND DELEGATE
RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL OF THE
EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. AND
THE SDOT ALSO CREATED THE
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION
PRIORITIZATION LIST.
AND THAT WAS CREATED AND
FINISHED UP IN 2000 AND WE ARE
STILL WORKING THROUGH THE
PRIORITIZATION'S.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> FOR JANUARY OF 2022, THERE
WERE ABOUT A DOZEN LANDSLIDES
THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE CITY.
TONYA HAD IT FAR LESS BUT SHE
WAS LOOKING AT A MORE
CONSTRAINED TIME.
THIS IS THROUGH MOST OF
JANUARY.
AND SDOT SPECIFICALLY RESPONDED
TO EIGHT LOCATIONS THAT
IMPACTED PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY.
AGAIN, PRIORITY IS ALWAYS ON
PUBLIC SAFETY, ARTERIAL STREETS
AND IMPACT TO PEDESTRIAN
TRAFFIC.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> THE BIGGEST LANDSLIDE THAT
SDOT RESPONDED TO DURING THIS
PERIOD WAS THE HIGHLAND PARKWAY
SOUTHWEST.
THIS AS YOU KNOW IS GETTING
INTO THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
DETOUR.
THERE WERE TWO LANDSLIDES THAT
OCCURRED JANUARY 7th AND
JANUARY 11th.
AND IT WAS A COORDINATION
BETWEEN SPU, CITY LIGHT PARKS
AND SPD ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO
CLEAR AND REOPEN THE STREETS.
WHAT WE DID NEAR TERM IS
INSTALLED SOME CONCRETE BOXES
TO SUPPORT THE LAND AND DID
SOME INITIAL CONTROL ON THE
HILLSIDE AND ARE LOOKING TO
COME BACK IN THE SPRING AND
HOPEFULLY WHEN THERE IS A
LITTLE MORE OF A CLEAR PERIOD
TO DO MORE VEGETATION WORK.
SO THAT IS LOOKING AT HIGHLAND
PARK.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE END OF
MY SLIDES.
KRISTEN SIMPSON.
>> THANK YOU, LIZ.
JUST A COUPLE SLIDES TO GO.
AS MUCH AS WE DO DURING A SNOW
OR WINTER WEATHER EVENT, WE
WANT TO KEEP THE TRAVELING
PUBLIC AND FORMED DURING FOLLOW-
UP ACTIONS AS WELL, INCLUDING
THROUGH THE TWITTER ACCOUNTS
YOU SEE HERE.
ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING
INVOLVING QUICKLY.
WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF GOOD
FEEDBACK ON HOW WE KEPT FOLKS
INFORMED ON THE HIGHLAND
PARKWAY RESPONSE.
AND THEN WE ALWAYS GET GOOD
FEEDBACK AS WE ARE REPAIRING
POTHOLES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
IN TERMS OF LESSONS LEARNED AND
LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP, WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT POTHOLES, WE DON'T
WANT TO JUST TALK ABOUT FIXING
THEM.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING OUR
STREETS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
POTHOLES THAT FORM IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO A LOT
OF GOOD PAVING WORK THROUGH THE
LOVE EASTERN COMPANY OF
SEATTLE.
IF YOU ARE OUT AND ABOUT, IT IS
START TO SEE THE CONTRAST
BETWEEN A FRESHLY PAVED STREET
AND HOW FEW POTHOLES YOU WILL
SEE THERE VERSUS AN OLDER
STREET WHO HAS HAD A LOT OF THE
FREEZE THAW POSSIBLE ACTION.
THE MEMBERS ALSO MENTIONED THE
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION PROJECTS.
SOME OF THE LESSONS WE HAVE
LEARNED, I THINK WE HAVE HEARD
FROM YOU HERE AS WELL.
FOLKS SEEM TO HAVE A GOOD
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SIDEWALK
CLEARING MESSAGE.
BUT THERE ARE SOME BARRIERS TO
THAT BEING FULLY SUCCESSFUL.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE PROVIDING
INFORMATION TO PEOPLE ABOUT
WHAT THEY CAN EXPECTING TERMS
OF WHAT STREETS ARE PLOWED.
WE WANT TO KEEP SHARING PUBLIC
INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER CITY
SERVICES AS WELL AND AMPLIFYING
INFORMATION THAT PARTNERS ARE
PROVIDING.
AND WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE THE
VERY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP IN
WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS
TO HAVE ACCESS TO DRIVERS AND
EQUIPMENT WHEN WE HAVE TO DO
THE EXTENDED RESPONSES.
I THINK THAT IS A GOOD
TRANSITION TO OUR LAST SLIDE
WHERE AGAIN, WE WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT BOTH OUR OWN STAFF
WORKING SO HARD OVER THE
HOLIDAYS AND THROUGH THE
PANDEMIC AND TO THE SUPPORT WE
RECEIVED FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS
AS WELL.
SO THAT IS THE END OF OUR
SLIDES.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT HAVE COME UP SO FAR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU TO SDOT AND YOUR TEAM
HERE TODAY AS WELL AS THE
WORKERS IN THE FIELD, AS WELL
AS SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
I DO WANT TO AGAIN THANK, AS I
THANKED SPU FOR BEING SO ACTIVE
IN SOUTH PARK DURING THE
FLOODING THAT FOLKS
EXPERIENCED, I WANT TO THANK
SDOT FOR, IN VERY DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS, BEING OUT AND
SERVING THE PUBLIC.
UNDERSTAFFED, AND MANY FOLKS
ALSO HAVING THEIR OWN PERSONAL
PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES WITH COVID-
19 INFECTIONS AND WHATNOT.
AND PUTTING A MUCH GREATER
BURDEN ON FOLKS WHO ARE LEFT TO
DO THE WORK.
SO REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LANDSLIDE
ASSESSMENT.
I THOUGHT I HEARD THE REPORT
THAT THE LIST WAS DONE.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
MY RECOLLECTION FROM READING MY
NOTES, NOT FROM MEMORY, BUT
THESE ARE NOTES FROM A FEW
YEARS AGO, I THINK 2017.
THERE WAS THE LANDSLIDE
MITIGATION PRIORITIZATION LIST
AND SDOT IN 2000 DID A RISK OF
THE LOCATIONS ON THE LIST USING
EIGHT FACTORS TO DETERMINE THE
PRIORITY OF 73 KNOWN POTENTIAL
LANDSLIDE LOCATIONS.
OF THE 7 , THEY MADE 24 OF THEM
HIGH-PRIORITY LOCATIONS.
IN 2017, WE FOUND OUT THAT ONLY
SEVEN OF THE 24 HIGH-PRIORITY
LOCATIONS HAD HAD PROACTIVE
MITIGATION WORK DONE.
AND SO AM I HEARING YOU SAY
THAT ALL 24 -- BECAUSE WE DID
DEFINITELY APPROVE ADDITIONAL
FUNDS INTO ONE THING
-- IN 2017, THE ADDITIONAL
1.37 MILLION FOR ADVANCED
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION.
AND I KNOW IN THE SUBSEQUENT
YEAR, THERE WERE MORE FUNDS
THAN WHAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN
ALLOCATED.
HOPEFULLY WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF
ADDRESSING THESE 24 LOCATIONS.
IF YOU CAN JUST CONFIRM FOR ME
THAT I DID HEAR YOU CORRECTLY.
THAT ALL 24 OF THE HIGH-
PRIORITY LOCATIONS HAVE HAD
PROACTIVE WORK DONE
DONE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I
WISH THAT WAS THE CASE.
WHAT I MEANT WAS THAT LIST
ITSELF WAS DEVELOPED.
WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT MUCH
PROGRESS ON THE LIST.
SO WE HAVE COMPLETED, SINCE
THAT TIME, I BELIEVE THERE HAS
BEEN ONE MORE PROJECT
OMPLETED, THE RAYNER AVENUE
SOUTH PROJECT FROM THE ORIGINAL
HIGH-PRIORITY LIST.
>> IF YOU CAN (INDISCERNIBLE)
THAT BECAUSE COUNSEL SAID, WE
PROVIDED FUNDING I THOUGHT FOR
ANOTHER FIVE MITIGATION
PROJECTS.
SO I WOULD LOVE IF YOU COULD
GET BACK TO US ON THAT.
THE -- ON SLIDE 17, YOU NOTED
THAT THE -- FEBRUARY
LANDSLIDE RESPONSE, THAT THEY
WERE EIGHT LANDSLIDES IMPACTING
IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
I'M WONDERING, IS PART OF OUR
EFFORTS TO PROACTIVELY MITIGATE
THE LIKELIHOOD OF A LANDSLIDE
BEFORE THEY OCCUR, TO CONSIDER
TRACKING BILLS LOCATIONS WHERE
ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED?
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THAT IS SORT OF THE POINT OF
THE LIST.
AGAIN, TO USE THIS CRITERIA TO
IDENTIFY THOSE LOCATIONS WHERE
IT IS LIKELY THAT SOMETHING IS
GOING TO RECUR.
AND MY LAST QUESTION IS RELATED
TO HIGHLAND PARKWAY.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THE LOCATION
OF THE LANDSLIDE THIS YEAR WAS
ACTUALLY -- ACTUALLY IT WAS A
DIFFERENT LOCATION THAN THE ONE
IN 2017.
BUT I'M WONDERING, ARE THERE
ADDITIONAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
NEEDED FOR OTHER PORTIONS OF
HIGHLAND PARKWAY?
HAS THERE BEEN AN ANALYSIS OR
IS THERE ONE PLANT?
>> I'M GOING TO TRY IT --
THOSE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I WILL TRY TO RESPOND.
I WILL PROVIDE THE LIST OF
LOCATIONS THAT WE FOLLOWED UP
WITH FUNDING FOR, THE FUNDING
WE RECEIVED.
T WAS AFTER 2017.
SO I THINK 2018, IS THAT
CORRECT?
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
MANY LOCATIONS WERE SLIDES THAT
WE RESPONDED TO THAT WERE NOT
ORIGINALLY ON THE
PRIORITIZATION LIST.
BUT HAD SIGNIFICANT IMPACT TO
THE TRAVELING PUBLIC.
TWO OF THEM AT LEAST I KNOW
WERE ON NON- ARTERIAL STREETS
SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON
THE LIST TO BEGIN WITH.
I WILL PROVIDE THAT LIST OF THE
PROJECTS WE COMPLETED WITH THE
ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO THAT WAS QUESTION NUMBER
ONE.
QUESTION NUMBER TWO WAS --
QUESTION NUMBER THREE WAS
HIGHLAND PARKWAY.
SO WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL
PRIORITY LIST.
I THINK YOU KNOW HIGHLAND PARK
ORIGINALLY WAS RATED IN THE LOW
PRIORITY OF THOSE STREETS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO
LOOK AT IS THE POTENTIAL IN
RECENT HISTORY OF SLIDES
OCCURRING AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE
DECIDED TO COMPLETE THE RAYNER
AVENUE SOUTH PROJECT IS WE HAD
GOTTEN, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF
YEARS, MAYBE FIVE YEARS,
INDEPENDENT SLIDES AT THAT
LOCATION.
SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING
WORTH REVISITING AS WE CONTINUE
ON WITH SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS
THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE MORE
FREQUENT SLIDES IN THOSE
LOCATIONS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE CRITERIA
THAT GOES INTO THE ASSESSMENT
FOR HOW WE RANK THE HIGH-
PRIORITY LOCATIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE EIGHT
OTHER CRITERIA THAT GO INTO
THAT.
>> I THINK THOSE WERE THE
QUESTIONS.
DID I MISS ONE?
>> THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING
THAT ABOUT THE LANDSLIDES.
I NOTICED IN THE CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM BUDGET THAT
WE APPROVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS,
ON PAGE 227, THERE IS A
LANDSLIDE MITIGATION PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE THINGS CONCERNING IS
THAT THE BUDGET AMOUNT DROPS
SUBSTANTIALLY FROM 2021, 2022
AND BEYOND.
AND THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED
BEFORE THE LANDSLIDES OCCURRED.
SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THE
BRUCE HARRELL ADMINISTRATION
COULD LOOK AT ON WHETHER THEY
NEED TO REVISE THE REQUEST FOR
A LANDSLIDE MITIGATION WORK
GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT WE APPROVE THE NEXT
BUDGET AND YOU HAVE THE FUNDING
YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH THE
ACTUAL NEED AT HAND.
AND SO, WE APPRECIATE IN
ADVANCE YOU LOOKING INTO THAT
AND WE WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU
ON THE 2019 RESOLUTION AND TRY
TO DO MORE ABOUT SAFETY FOR
PEDESTRIANS.
JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO BOTH
DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING HERE AND
FOR THIS THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
IT SHOWS THE BENEFIT OF HAVING
THESE DEPARTMENS IN THE
COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN
COORDINATE ALONG WITH ALL THE
COORDINATION YOU ARE ALREADY
DOING AT THAT LEVEL.
COLLEAGUES, WE WILL BE READY TO
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TWO ITEMS
ON THE AGENDA WHICH ARE RELATED
TO EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU TO SDOT AND SPU.
ALTHOUGH SDOT WILL STICK
AROUND.
WHY DON'T WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE
TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
TITLE OF THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM
INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
SAFE STARTS OUTDOOR PERMITS
PROGRAM UPDATE.
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> GREAT.
AND JUST FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC, THIS IS A LARGER EFFORT
BY THE CITY.
AND WE WILL ZERO IN ON ONE
COUNSEL BILL SPOT --
SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
WE WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT ON
ITEM THREE IN PARTICULAR.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE WILL JUST
JUMP INTO THE SDOT OVERALL
PRESENTATION ON THIS.
WELCOME SDOT.
WELCOME BACK SDOT.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
CASEY ROGERS IS WITH ME THIS
MORNING TO SHARE THE SLIDE
DECK.
I AM ALYSE NELSON.
AND THE ACTING PUBLIC SPACE
MANAGER FOR OUR TEAM IN STREET
USE, A DIVISION WITHIN SDOT AND
WE ARE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY
TO GIVE YOU THIS UPDATE.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO GROUND IN
THE CORE VALUES WHICH IS HERE
ON THE SCREEN.
AND PUBLIC SPACE MANAGEMENT, WE
RELEASE THE OUR ROLE IS WORKING
WITH PEOPLE, RESIDENTS,
ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES TO
ENHANCE NEIGHBORHOODS,
STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES AND
WIDEN PUBLIC SPACES AND PROMOTE
ECONOMIC VITALITY.
WE BUILD WITH ABILITY AND BRING
THAT TO CITY STREETS AND MAKE
SURE WE ARE ACCOUNTED FOR
MOBILITY, SAFETY AND THE EQUITY
OF OUR WORK.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO TODAY WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO
GIVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON
WHERE WE ARE AT WITH OUR SAFE
START PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE WILL TRANSITION
INTO THE LEGISLATION THAT IS
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO TO START OFF HERE, WE WILL
START BY TALKING ABOUT THE
BACKGROUND, OUTREACH AND
LEARNING SUMMARY.
HERE IS THE SAFE START PROGRAM
BACKGROUND.
WE BEGAN WITH EFFORT IN THE
SUMMER OF 2020.
AND REALLY, WE ARE HERE TODAY
BECAUSE OUR (INDISCERNIBLE)
EXPIRES MAY OF 2022 AND THE
REQUEST IS TO EXPAND UNTIL
JANUARY OF 2023.
WE BEGAN SAFE START PERMITTING,
RECOGNIZING THAT WE HAD
EXISTING PERMIT PROGRAMS FOR
úTHESE TYPES OF USES BUT WE
NEEDED TO WORK QUICKLY AND
NEEDED TO REDUCE OUR FEES WITH
STRUGGLING BUSINESSES THAT WERE
WILLING TO GET OUT AND USE THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY RIGHT AWAY.
SO WE CAME AND WERE ABLE TO
CREATE A STREAMLINED PROCESS.
PRE-PANDEMIC, WE HAD ABOUT 400
CAFCS PERMITTED.
WE WORK WITH ABOUT 115 FOOD
VENDORS AND HAD 20 BUSINESSES
WITH RETAIL DISPLAYS.
IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE
HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN THE PERMIT VOLUMES.
PARTICULARLY OUTDOOR CAFCS THAT
HAVE USED THE CURB SPACE.
TODAY WE HAVE ISSUED 276
PERMITS.
PRE-PANDEMIC, OUR PERMIT FEES
RANGED ROUGHLY BETWEEN
$300.4000 DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU
WERE DOING AND WHERE YOU WERE.
IN 2021, WE RECEIVED A ONE-TIME
FEDERAL RECOVERY GRANT THAT
HELPS OFFSET SOME OF THE LOST
REVENUE OF $300,000.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING
SINCE WE TALKED TO YOU ALL LAST
IS A LOT OF OUTREACH.
WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE
W WERE HEARING FROM PEOPLE,
BOTH BUSINESSES, RESIDENTS AND
STAKEHOLDERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW
THE SAFE START PROGRAM WAS
WORKING AND TO CONSIDER WHAT WE
WANTED TO DO AND MOVE FORWARD
INTO OUR PERMANENT PROGRAMS
THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
WE HAD A MULTIPRONGED APPROACH
INCLUDING A GENERAL SURVEY AS
WELL AS FOCUSED OUTREACH WITH
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND
PROGRAM EVALUATIONS WE HAVE
DONE IN HOUSE.
OUR SURVEY HAD AN OVERWHELMING
RESPONSE.
WE HAD OVER 10,000 PEOPLE
PROVIDE RESPONSES.
THAT HAS BEEN A LOT OF DATA WE
HAD TO SIFT THROUGH.
WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE
WERE HEARING FROM FOLKS THAT WE
DIDN'T HEAR TOO MUCH FROM
DURING THE SURVEY.
SO WITH BUSINESSES AND
ORGANIZATIONS, SEATTLE
RESTAURANT ALLIANCE, DISABILITY
RIGHTS ADVOCATES.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> THIS GRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
THE OVERWHELMING POSITIVE
SUPPORT WE RECEIVED FROM OUR
SURVEY.
90% OF RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED
CAFCS AND STREET CLOSURES FOR
DINING AND SHOPPING.
FOOD TRUCKS ALSO RECEIVED A
HIGH LEVEL OF SUPPORT.
RETAIL DISPLAYS RECEIVE THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF SUPPORT
ALTHOUGH IT WAS STILL POSITIVE
OVERALL.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> EVEN THOUGH WE HAD
OVERWHELMING POSITIVE SUPPORT
IN THE SAFE START SURVEY, WE
WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS
WORKING WELL AND WHERE THERE
WERE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE WANTED TO SEE THE AREAS FOR
IMPROVEMENT SO WE COULD
CONSIDER THAT IN THE FUTURE
HANGES.
SO PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO COMMENT
ON WHAT THEY LIKED THE MOST AND
WHAT THEY LIKED THE LEAST.
THIS SUMMARIZES WHAT WE HEARD.
PEOPLE FELT LIKE IT WAS GREAT
TO GET OUTSIDE AND DYING DURING
THE PANDEMIC AND THEY LIKED HOW
THE STREETS HAD SOME VIBRANCY,
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES AND GET TOGETHER
WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES.
WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED, YOU
WILL KNOW THAT IT IMPACTS
PARKING AND TRAVEL AND IN
PARTICULAR WITH STREET CLOSURES
AND MOBILITY IMPACT AND
GENERALLY, MAINTENANCE AROUND
THE SPACES THEMSELVES.
IN ADDITION TO THE SURVEY, WE
HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF
LISTENING AND LEARNING.
SO PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES
HAVE CALLED OUT HOW THE
STREAMLINED PROCESS LOWERS
BARRIERS TO A VOCATION AND FREE
PERMITS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO
THEM AND WE HAVE BEEN SEEN AS A
PARTNER DURING THIS PROCESS.
AS WE THINK ABOUT HEADING OUT
OF THE WORLD IN FUTURE WHAT IS
IT A PACKAGE, THERE IS SUPPORT
OR LOWERING FEES, IN
PARTICULAR LOOKING AT THE FEES
WE CHARGE FOR OCCUPATION OF THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY.
EVEN THOUGH OUR PERMITS HAVE
BEEN FREE AND WE HAVE BEEN A
GREAT PARTNER, BUSINESSES STILL
NOTE THAT THERE IS COST TO THEY
ARE HAVING TO TAKE ON IN
SETTING UP AND MANAGING THESE
SPACES AND THAT COULD BE OF
BARRIER TO INJURY.
WE ARE ALSO TALKING TO
RESEARCHERS AT UW AND UNC AND
THEY HAVE NOTED LONG-TERM
PUBLIC HEALTH AND RESILIENCE
BENEFITS TO CREATING OUTDOOR
PUBLIC SPACES.
IN ADDITION, WE LEARNED THAT
TALKING TO PARTNERS AND
COMMUNITY WHEN WE ARE SETTING
UP PROGRAMS IS REALLY CRITICAL
TO MAKING SURE WE CREATE GREAT
PUBLIC SPACES IN THE LONG RUN.
NOW WE WILL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT
THE DRAFT PROGRAM MISSION AND
THEMES GUIDING OUR WORK.
HERE ON THE SCREEN IS OUR
PROGRAM MISSION WHICH IS TO
DEVELOP AN EQUITABLE AND
ITERATIVE APPROACH TO CONTINUE
THE SUCCESS OF THE SAFE START
PROGRAM.
AND TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES
THRIVE, INCREASE THE VIBRANCY
OF OUR PUBLIC REALM AND NEEDED
ACCESS AND MOBILITY.
THIS DRAFT BUILDS ON THE SDOT
CORE VALUES OF SAFETY AND
MOBILITY.
SUSTAINABILITY, LIVABILITY AND
EXCELLENCE.
NEXT SLIDE.
BRIEFLY, WE PULLED OUT THREE
MAIN THEMES TO HELP GUIDE OUR
WORK AS WE CONTINUE FOR WHAT IS
NEXT.
NUMBER ONE, WE SEE EQUITY AS
CRITICAL.
WE WANT TO INFLUENCE STRATEGIES
THAT SUPPORT BIPOC OWNED SMALL
BUSINESSES.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT
COACHING IN LANGUAGE AND
PROMOTION MATERIALS AND LOOK
INTO FEES AND HOW THAT COULD BE
A BARRIER TO ENTRY.
AND OTHER OPTIONS WE MIGHT
CONSIDER LIKE LOOKING TO HAVE
SOME PREAPPROVED DESIGNS WHICH
COULD HELP BUSINESSES UTILIZE
THE PROGRAM IN AN EASIER WAY.
REGARDING FLEXIBILITY, CODIFIED
RULES CAN BE A BARRIER AND WE
SEE IT TO BE NIMBLE.
WE WANT TO HAVE THAT BALANCE AT
FIND RULES THAT ARE CONSISTENT
AND WORK WELL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL
AGES AND ABILITIES TO GET IN
AND AROUND SEATTLE.
ALSO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR
BUSINESSES WHERE APPROPRIATE WE
SEE OUR PROGRAM IS REALLY
ITERATIVE.
THAT IS WHAT WE LEARNED, WITH
THE PANDEMIC HAS HELPED US
LEARN.
SO WE WANT TO BE WILL TO
CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM
EVALUATIONS AND ADJUST AS WE
GO.
AND SO RELATED TO A
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, WE HAVE
SEEN A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR
SDOT.
WHICH IS WORTH NOTING BECAUSE
THE AGENCIES CAN SOMETIMES BE
SEEN AS AN OPTIONAL.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE GOOD
WORK WE HAVE BEEN DOING TO
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND FIND
BUSINESSES WITH SUCCESSFUL
OUTCOMES.
THIS WILL TAKE MORE TIME AND
RESOURCES BUT WE SEE THIS AS A
VALUE ADD.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> THE NEXT SECTION IS TO LET
YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE HEADED
WITH DRAFT CHANGES.
SO NOW WE PLAN TO TAKE ALL OF
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED SO FAR AND
PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE THAT
WILL BE READY THIS SPRING AND
TALK ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO TAKE
WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE PANDEMIC
AND THE SAFE START PROGRAM INTO
THE PERMANENT LEGISLATION FOR
OUTDOOR DINING, MERCHANDISE
DISPLAY, BENDING AND STREET
ACTIVATION.
HAVING A DRAFT THIS SPRING AND
HAVING THE EXTENSION IN FRONT
OF COUNCIL TODAY WILL BE REALLY
HELPFUL BECAUSE WILL BE ABLE TO
HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO TALK TO
PEOPLE AND SEE IF WE GOT IT
RIGHT AND WHERE WE HAVE ROOM
FOR IMPROVEMENT BEFORE WE GET
THE FINAL PACKAGE TO COUNSEL.
IN GENERAL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT IS HAVING A PROGRAM THAT
WILL PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PUBLIC SPACE ACTIVITY AND
SUPPORT BIPOC OWNED SMALL
BUSINESSES IN SEATTLE.
WE WANT MORE PROMOTING TOOLS
LIKE SEASONAL PERMITS.
AND CRAFTING DESIGN CENTERS
THAT WILL FOCUS ON SAFETY AND
MOBILITY AS WELL AS
ACCESSIBILITY AND CONTINUE TO
ALLOW STRUCTURES THAT HELP
CREATE SPACES THAT PEOPLE CAN
USE YOUR AROUND IF THAT IS WHAT
THE BUSINESS DESIRES.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT NEW WAYS
TO DO THINGS FOR MERCHANDISE
DISPLAY.
WE ARE THINKING THAT HAVING
GUIDELINES THAT WOULD ALLOW
SOME MERCHANTS TO SET UP RETAIL
DISPLAYS WITHOUT A PERMIT AND
GUIDELINES THEY WOULD HAVE TO
FOLLOW INSTEAD.
VENDORS HAVE BEEN REALLY HARD
HIT DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE LOOKING TO CREATE NEW
PERMIT OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO
TRY OUT SITES MORE SIMPLY AND
AFFORDABLY AND IN LOOKING AT
WAYS TO TRY OUT NEW TYPES OF
VENDING WITH BUILDING UP
PROGRAMS WE PILOTED DURING THE
PANDEMIC LIKE MARKET STREET.
FOR STREET ACTIVATIONS, WE WANT
TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON WHAT
WE HAVE DONE DURING THE
PANDEMIC AND CREATE MORE
OPTIONS FOR STREET CLOSURES AND
ACTIVATIONS THAT WILL CREATE
GREAT PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO
GATHER, DINE AND SHOP.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT SEATTLE BUSINESSES AND
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING
AND WHAT WE CAN LEARN AND BRING
INTO THE FUTURE LEGISLATION.
NEXT SLIDE.
>> HERE IS WHERE WE ARE AT.
IT IS LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF
YOU.
IF THIS IS APPROVED, WE WILL
MOVE INTO THE WINTER AND
FINISHING UP THE DRAFT PROPOSAL
AND TO THE RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT ANALYSIS.
AND IN THE SPRING, WILL EXTEND
TO THE NEW EXPIRATION DATE AND
HAVE THE DRAFT PACKAGE READY
FOR REVIEW AND ENGAGEMENT IN
THE SUMMER, WE WILL BE BACK
WITH OUR LEGISLATION, LEGISLATE
A PACKAGE AND LOOK TO FINALIZE
THE PLANS THAT WILL HAVE A
GREAT TIME FOR PEOPLE TO THEN
BE ABLE TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE
WITH THE NEW MORE PERMANENT
PROGRAM THAT WHEN THE PERMIT
EXPIRES IN JANUARY. SO THAT
WILL END TODAY PATIENTS BRIEF
UPDATE BY SDOT.
I HOPE IT GIVES YOU A GOOD IDEA
WHERE WE ARE AT TODAY.
CASEY ROGERS AND I ARE HERE AND
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU
HAVE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS AT
THIS STAGE?
WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COUNSEL
BILL BY COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
TO EXTEND THE FREE PERMITS.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
FOR THIS WORK AND THANK YOU TO
SDOT.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY
EXCITING.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE
ACTIVATION ON THE SOUTH END, I
WOULD SAY.
NEIGHBORS ARE EXCITED ABOUT
THIS.
AND WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE KNOW
ARE STILL STRUGGLING.
AND SO THIS IS THE KIND OF
IMPROVEMENT THAT REALLY BRINGS
THAT ACTIVATION BACK TO
COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS.
AND ALSO, HONESTLY IT IS A BIG
SAFETY IMPROVEMENT TOO TO HAVE
MORE PEOPLE OUT.
WE HAD THE COLUMBIA CITY PATIO
DURING THE LATE PART OF THE
PANDEMIC.
I KNOW FOLKS ARE EAGER TO BRING
THAT BACK TO FERDINAND STREET
AND JUST BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT.
WITH THAT SAID, I AM ALSO
REALLY HEARING FROM NEIGHBORS
ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS ABOUT
HOW WE CAN DO SOMETHING
SIMILAR, THIS TECHNICAL
URBANISM.
GIVE PERMISSION AND TO DO THIS
SORT OF THING ON RESIDENTIAL
STREETS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LAST FEW
WEEKS, MY OFFICE HAS HEARD FROM
PARENTS WHO LIVE ON SOUTH HOLLY
NEAR MLK ELEMENTARY WHO ARE
ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO PUT
PLANTERS OUTSIDE TO CREATE KIND
OF MAKESHIFT BARRIERS, OR PAINT
THE STREET OR ADD TREES THAT
MIGHT SLOW DOWN PEOPLE SPEEDING
THROUGH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU
COULD TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT TRANSLATE
THIS KIND OF PROGRAM INTO A
RESIDENTIAL VERSION OR A MORE
NEIGHBORHOOD VERSION OF THIS.
AND IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS RIGHT
NOW, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I DO JUST WANT TO SIGNAL MY
INTEREST WORKING WITH SDOT TO
TRY TO WORK THROUGH SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT IS REALLY -- I THINK WE
ARE EXCITED TO HEAR THAT.
WE DO HAVE KIND OF SOME
EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT YOU ARE
PROBABLY AWARE OF LIKE THE PLAY
STREET PERMIT THAT ALLOWS
PARENTS OR COMMUNITY GROUPS TO
CLOSE STREETS SHORT-TERM
FOREPLAY.
I THINK WHAT YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT IS MORAL LONG TERM,
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENT.
THOSE DO COME UP IN A VARIETY
OF WAYS AND THERE ARE WAYS WE
WORK WITH TRANSPORTATION
OPERATION DIVISIONS IF THEY
COME UP IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
PERMIT REVIEW.
I THINK I WOULD BE HAPPY TO
TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THOSE
PROJECTS MIGHT MAKE SENSE.
AND IN GENERAL, WE WANT
-- THE STREET ACTIVATIONS IS
KIND OF A LARGE BUCKET AND IT
REALLY IS TRYING TO CREATE
SPACE FOR COMMUNITY REALLY TO
FEEL SOME SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
OVER THE STREET.
EITHER SHORT TERM, SEASONALLY
OR LONGER TERM.
I DO SEE THAT THERE COULD BE
SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE
ABOUT HOW THAT TRANSLATES TO
THE MORE RESIDENTIAL CONTEXT
TOO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, ALYSE NELSON AND
CASEY.
I'M HAPPY THIS PROGRAM IS
OPERATING AND I'M REALLY
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK
AHEAD.
I GUESS, CHAIR, WE HAVEN'T
GOTTEN TO MY BILL YET.
I WILL PROBABLY MAKE THESE
COMMENTS AND I WON'T SAY MUCH
MORE.
I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THE BILL
THAT I HAVE BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE TODAY IS INTENDED TO
GIVE SDOT WITH IS NEEDED TO
ENSURE WE GET THE POLICIES
RIGHT SIZE FOR OUR CITY AND
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP
OUTDOOR DINING AS A PART OF THE
FABRIC OF THE CITY FOREVER.
OR AT LEAST THROUGH MY
LIFETIME.
AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THE POLICIES ARE RIGHT SIZED.
AS I LISTENED TO THE
PRESENTATION TODAY, THERE WERE
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT REALLY
STOOD OUT TO ME.
ONE WAS THE FRAMEWORK.
WE ALWAYS HAD SIDEWALK CAFCS
AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD PARK LITZ
AS A TOOL IN THE URBAN SPACE
TOOLKIT.
I WOULD SAY THAT THEY WERE
OFTEN TIMES TOO SMALL AND OFTEN
TIMES TOO EXPENSIVE.
AND THE PANDEMIC GIVE US A
CHANCE TO LOOK AT HOW WE
OPERATE THE PROGRAM AGAIN.
AS SDOT NOTED IN THE
PRESENTATION AND ALYSE NELSON
NOTED IN THE PRESENTATION, THE
SURVEY RESULTS WERE INCREDIBLY
POSITIVE.
THE LOWEST RATING I SAW WAS
59%, WHICH IS STILL ABOVE 50.
ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD FROM
SKEPTICS OVER THIS PROGRAM AND
THERE ARE SOME OUT THERE, IS
THAT DURING THE COLD WEATHER
MONTHS, WE WILL SEE A DECLINE
IN USE.
THE WINTER, DURING THAT COLD
SNAP WE HAD WITH PRESENTATIONS,
I WAS OUT ON BOLLARD AVENUE AND
37 EVERY WEATHER.
OUTDOOR DINING SITUATION.
THE EAST SIDE WAS QUITE FULL.
THE OUTER CITY WAS TOTALLY
FULL.
THE GROUP I WAS WITH WAS
CONCERNED ABOUT THE DUWAMISH
VARIANT.
-- THE OMA CRANBERRY IN.
SO WE BUNDLED UP AND SAT
OUTSIDE.
I THINK THIS IS THE NATURE OF
THE PANDEMIC WHERE WE ARE STILL
AT, WHICH IS WE WILL SEE SOME
VERYS CONTINUE TO SPIKE.
AND AT TIMES, THE PEOPLE'S
COMFORT LEVEL WITH INDOOR
DINING -- SO THIS WAS A
MOMENT IN 37 EVERY WEATHER
WHERE WE WERE ALL OUTDOORS.
THE GROUPS FELT SAFE.
WE WERE AS WARM AS WE COULD BE
IN THE SITUATION.
SO THE POLICY WE WILL DISCUSS
IS GETTING THE POLICIES
CORRECTED.
WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE REGULATING THE LOOK AND
FEEL AND MAKE SURE WE ARE
REDUCING ALL POSSIBLE BARRIERS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
STRUCTURES ARE SAFE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR
BUSINESSES HAVE ACCESS.
THE REASON FOR INCREASING
ACCESS IS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
CREATE A BARRIER.
ALSO THE COST OF THIS
PERMIT RIGHT NOW WHILE WE ARE
FIGURING OUT THESE INTERIM
DESIGNS AND POLICIES, ALLOWS
MORE BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE.
IN THE OLD PROGRAM, IN MY
OPINION, WE WERE CHARGING TOO
MUCH MONEY FOR THE AMOUNT OF
SPACE WE WERE PROVIDING.
AND SO, I'M VERY EXCITED THIS
YEAR ABOUT SDOT TALKING ABOUT
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PERMITS.
THE DIFFERENT TOOLS IN THE
TOOLKIT.
WHETHER IT IS OUTDOOR RETAIL OR
JUST CURBSIDE OR ON THE
SIDEWALK.
OR BALLARD AVENUE.
TURNING THE WHOLE STREET INTO A
CAFC STREET.
WE NEED TO GET THESE POLICIES
SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO BE NOT
ONLY EXPANDED TO THE WEST --
REST OF THE CITY BUT THAT THEY
ARE EASY TO USE.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, YOU ARE
ABLE TO LOOK AT THE OPTIONS AND
SAY, I WANT THESE TWO IN THIS
AREA AND MAYBE THOSE TWO IN
THIS OTHER AREA.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GIVE
THE TEAM THE TIME THEY NEED TO
GET THESE POLICIES RIGHT.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE
COST OF THE PERMIT IS RIGHT
SIZED BECAUSE THE USE OF THE
PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY IS ALSO
PROVIDING REVENUE GENERATION.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
(INDISCERNIBLE) COMPLETELY
FULL.
INDOOR SPACES AND OUTDOOR
SPACES COMPLETELY FULL.
SEEING THAT INCREASE OF SALES
TAX FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THE COST OF THE STRUCTURE CAN
BE A BARRIER.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT WAYS
WE CAN REDUCE THE BURDEN.
JUST AGAIN, WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO
CREATE THESE VIOLENT PLACES, WE
ARE SEEING A NET INCREASE IN
REVENUE AND SALES TAX AND OTHER
TYPES OF REVENUE GENERATION.
SO THAT IS WHAT I AM REALLY
EXCITED TO BRING THE PATHWAY.
AND I WILL HOLD MY COMMENTS
ABOUT THE.
WILL SPEAK BRIEFLY AS BALLARD
AVENUE IS A PILOT FOR WHAT WE
ARE UNDERSTANDING TO BE A CAFC
STREET.
SENATORS STREET THAT ALLOWS FOR
A LITTLE BIT MORE WIDE
STRUCTURES THAN OTHER PLACES.
IT ENSURES THAT WE ARE TAKING
INTO CONSIDERATION THE
WEIGHTING OF PLATES AND GOODS.
AND WE ARE SHARING SPACE IS
EASILY ACCESSED BY ALL AGES AND
ABILITIES.
AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE IT
A BEAUTIFUL WAY OF REDUCING THE
SPEED AND THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC
SO THAT WE ARE REALLY ABLE TO
CREATE A VIBRANT PLACE THAT
EVERYONE CAN ENJOY.
ALSO, MY COMMENTS FOR
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND A MOMENT.
THE LESSON WILL SAY ABOUT THE
CAFC STREET PILOT IS WE HAD A
NICE AND INTERESTING
CONVERSATION ABOUT PARKING.
PARKING IS STILL'S MUTED IN
THESE PLACES.
HAD WE DO THAT?
FOR VALID BALLARD AVENUE PILOT,
LOOKING FOR SPACES NOT OCCUPIED
BY CAFC STRUCTURES AND THAT WE
HAVE 30 MINUTE PARKING AND ALL
AGES AND ABILITIES PARKING.
AND THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
IF YOU HAVE A QUICK DROP OFF
PICKUP SO I CAN GO GRAB THE
SANDWICH THAT I PREORDERED OR
MAYBE IT'S A 30 MINUTE PARKING
SPOT AND I HAVE
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND ALL AGES
ND ABILITIES.
FOLKS THAT DO HAVE A DIFFERENT
EXPERIENCE GETTING AROUND TOWN
THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO PARK NEAR
WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND CHAIR
PEDERSEN, WE WILL, TOGETHER
WITH MORE FOUNDATIONS ON THE
PILOT THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO
YOU IN THIS COMMITTEE AT THAT
TIME.
I WILL SAVE MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU ALYSE AND CASEY FOR
PRESENTING TODAY.
>> LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO
ITEM THREE WHICH IS RELATED A
LOT TO THIS ITEM.
AND THEN WE CAN GET MOVING ON
THAT.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
SOME STANDARD QUESTIONS ABOUT
COST AND FTE DEBT AND RISK
MANAGEMENT AND THINGS LIKE
THAT.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND READ ITEM
THREE INTO THE RECORD.
>> ITEM THREE, COUNSEL BILL
120256, IN ORDINANCE RELATED TO
STREET AND SIDEWALK USE,
AMENDING ORDINANCE 126474 AND
THE STREET USE PERMIT FEE
SCHEDULE AUTHORIZED BY SECTION
15.04.074 OF THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE AND AMENDING
SECTION TWO AND SECTION THREE
OF ORDINANCE 126339.
FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
VOTE.
>>> THANK YOU.
AS WE WILL TRY TO DO IN THE
COMMITTEE, WE WILL ALWAYS BE
ABLE TO DO IT.
WE WILL TRY TO HEAR COUNSEL
BILLS TWICE.
SO THAT IS THE PLAN WITH THIS
ONE.
SO WE WILL HEAR IT BACK ON
FEBRUARY 15th AND THEN IT WILL
GO STRAIGHT TO FULL COUNSEL
THERE.
TO EXTEND THE PERMITS.
AND WE HAVE CITY COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF WITH US, CALVIN
CHOW AND THE SAME SDOT TEAM
WITH US.
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR
CALVIN ABOUT THIS.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, AS A
SPONSOR, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK
TO THE SPECIFICS OF THE
REQUEST?
>> THANK YOU, SHARE.
WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD WHEN WE DO
THE INITIAL BILL -- LET ME
TAKE US BACK A STEP WHICH IS,
WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE THIS
FREE PERMIT.
AND WE EXTENDED THE DURATION
BECAUSE WE HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO
CREATE -- WHEN WE ARE IN THE
MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, WE ARE
NOT ABLE TO HAVE THAT LOOK AND
FEEL OF REOPENING.
WHEN THE POLICIES STILL WEREN'T
READY FOR PRIME TIME AND WE ARE
STILL EVALUATING HOW THE
PANDEMIC -- WHERE WE WERE IN
THE PANDEMIC AND HOW WE WERE
RESPONDING TO IT, THE PERMITS
WERE SET TO EXPIRE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO I SAID AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE YEAR THAT WE NEED MORE
TIME.
SO WHAT WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR IS
THE EXACT SAME BILLY PASSED THE
LAST TIME THAT EXTENDED IT.
WE IT LAST APRIL WHICH EXTENDED
FROM MAY 21st UNTIL
MAY 22nd.
AND THEN EXTENDING IT FROM MAY
22 UNTIL JANUARY 23.
I WILL STATE ON THE RECORD THAT
AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THIS
PROGRAM AND EVALUATION, IF WE
NEED MORE TIME, I WILL COME
BACK AND ASK FOR MORE TIME PICK
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE
POLICIES RIGHT.
SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME
BACK AND REDO THEM AGAIN IN THE
FUTURE OR SO WE ARE NOT
CREATING UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES FOR BUSINESS
OWNERS OR THE PEOPLE THAT WALK
ON THE STREET OR DRIVE ON THE
STREET OR BIKE ON THE STREET OR
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITIES.
MAKE SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT THE
FIRST TIME.
SO THIS IS WHY I MIX --
REQUESTING AN EXTENSION OF THE
STREET CAFC PROGRAM.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
WE HAVE CALVIN CHOW.
DID YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY
COMMENTS ABOUT THE BILL?
I HAVE STANDARD QUESTIONS I
ASKED ABOUT ANY PROGRAM WE
COULD GET ON THE RECORD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INTRODUCTORY
REMARKS?
>> LEGISLATION IS VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD AND HAS BEEN
COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS
PRESENTATION.
NO COMMENTS FROM ME.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
AND SO I SUPPORT THE EXTENSION
OF THE PERMITS.
I WILL SAY THAT OFF ABOUT.
SINCE WE ARE STILL IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE COVID-19 RELATED
ECONOMIC IMPACT ON SMALL
BUSINESSES, WE HEARD THE
ALLIANCE, AND DURING PUBLIC
COMMENT AND SUPPORT THE
EXTENSION.
THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT DON'T
NECESSARILY NEED TO BE ANSWERED
TODAY.
BUT AS WE -- SENSOR HAS BEEN
A SIGNAL FOR
-- MAY BE SOME OF US WANT TO
DO THIS PERMANENTLY, I WANT TO
GET SOME QUESTIONS OUT BECAUSE
IT BECOMES LESS ABOUT COVID-19
AND MORE ABOUT A PROGRAM FOR
THE CITY AND THAT TRADE-OFF
THERE.
SO ANY NEW PROGRAM, I'M ALWAYS
INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE
COST OR THE EXPENSE.
THAT WOULD BE THE CLOSE COST
AND THE NET FINANCIAL BENEFITS
THAT WE COULD BE ACHIEVING
HERE.
SOME LOOKING AT THE COST --
WHAT IS THE FOREGONE REVENUE?
AND OWE SOME OF THE REVENUE
DEPENDS ON WHAT TYPE OF PERMITS
ARE BEING APPLIED FOR, IF IT IS
LITERALLY TAKING OF A PARKING
SPACE, IT WOULD BE COLLECTING
PARKING METER REVENUE.
WHAT IS THE FOREGONE REVENUE ON
AN ANNUAL BASIS THAT WE CAN
EXPECT ON THE CURRENT FEE
CHARGE THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY
CHARGE?
AND IN TERMS OF RUNNING THE
PROGRAM, IF WE WERE TO KEEP IT
GOING, HOW MANY SDOT EMPLOYEES
WOULD BE DEDICATED TO DO THAT
TEXT WE ISSUED 276 PERMITS.
AND THERE IS EXCITEMENT ABOUT
THE PROGRAMS SO DOES THAT MEAN
WE NEED MORE FTE RESIDENCE AND
WHAT IS THE COST.
LOOKING AT THE COST TO RUN THE
PROGRAM.
ARE WE PULLING EMPLOYEES FROM
OTHER PARTS OF SDOT TO DO THIS?
OR IS IT ADDITIVE?
AND THEN, WHAT DOES SUCCESS
LOOK LIKE?
HOW DO WE MEASURE SUCCESS IN
THE PROGRAM?
AND OF THE SURVEY IS REALLY
GREAT IF YOU TOOK THE SURVEY.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE GOING
FORWARD.
I KNOW IN THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT, WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS
FIRST DISCUSSED, THERE WERE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPINIONS
ABOUT IT BASED ON THE TYPE OF
BUSINESS.
AND SO THE (INDISCERNIBLE) AT
65%, OWNED BY BIPOC OR BY WOMEN
AND THEY WERE SPLIT ON IT IN
TERMS OF NOTICING IF THEY HAD A
TAKE-OUT BUSINESS, THEY WERE
LESS INTERESTED.
OR IF THEY HAD A RESTAURANT,
THEY WANTED TO EXPAND BECAUSE
OF SOCIAL DISTANCE
REQUIREMENTS.
THEY WERE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF
IT.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WILL BE
DOING ONGOING SURVEYING.
AND THEN THE LIABILITY, RISK
MANAGEMENT, COULD YOU EXPLAIN
-- THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE
INSURANCE COVERAGE SINCE THEY
ARE PUTTING CUSTOMERS INTO THE
STREETS.
JUST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE
RISK MANAGEMENT.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A GREAT THING
ABOUT HAVING THE PILOT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON THE
FACT THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A
PROBLEM THERE WITH THAT.
AND SO IF WE COULD HAVE CENTRAL
STAFF START WITH THOSE AND THEN
GO TO SDOT.
CALVIN, IF YOU CAN GO FIRST.
>> CAN I JUMP IN?
>> SURE.
I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS
YOU ASKED ARE GOOD QUESTIONS
AND ARE A BIT SUBJECTIVE TO --
WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
AS THE SPONSOR OF THE BILL, I
WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THAT.
AND I WOULD LIE TO QUICKLY
SPEAK TO THE (INDISCERNIBLE)
EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC, WE
STOP CHARGING FOR PARKING
PLACES.
SO THAT WAS PART OF HOW THE
PROGRAM INITIALLY GOT OFF THE
GROUND.
AND DURING THE FEDERAL RELIEF
CONVERSATIONS, THE $300,000 WE
DISCUSSED.
TO CREATE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
I DID SOME BACKGROUND WORK TO
MAKE SURE WE WERE ABLE TO
ENSURE THAT WE WEREN'T RUNNING
AT A DEFICIT FOR THIS PROGRAM.
I WILL LET SDOT SPEAK TO THE
EMPLOYEES AND WHAT THE INTERNAL
COST IS TO ONE PROGRAM.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS IS
THE EXACT SAME TEAM THAT WAS
RUNNING THE PUBLIC SPACE
MANAGEMENT PREVIOUS TO THE
PANDEMIC.
SO THE (INDISCERNIBLE) AND THAT
TEAM WAS TASKED WITH MANY
PUBLIC SPACE ENGAGEMENTS THAT
HAVE SINCE BEEN PUT ON PAUSE
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
SO I WILL LET SDOT SPEAK
DIRECTLY TO THAT.
IT IS THE COST OF DOING
BUSINESS AND WAS SET UP PRE-
PANDEMIC.
WE ASKED HIM WHAT DOES SUCCESS
LOOK LIKE AND I WILL SPEAK FROM
A SUBJECTIVE PLACE SO THAT WE
HAVE THE RIGHT COST TO
BUSINESSES
AND ENDING VIBRANCY TO THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES AND THE SDOT PUBLIC
SPACE TEAM HAS A PROGRAM OF
MEASURING PUBLIC SPACE.
AND WATCHING AND TRACKING HOW
MANY PEOPLE ARE PASSING THROUGH.
AND THE ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND
THE GENDER, RACE AND OTHER
BREAKDOWNS AND WHAT SUCCESS
LOOKS LIKE.
IT LOOKS LIKE A (INDISCERNIBLE)
RATE TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND THIS WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE
SUBJECTIVITY.
AND (INDISCERNIBLE) I WILL
THAT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND
SOME OF THE TECHNICAL
QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY
THOUGHTS AT THE OUTSET.
>> THANK YOU.
CALVIN, IN TERMS OF THE
FOREGONE REVENUE, DO WE HAVE AN
ESTIMATE OF WHAT WE WOULD HAVE
COLLECTED?
>> WE DO HAVE AN ESTIMATE.
AND BEFORE I GET TOO MUCH INTO
THAT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF
FOCUSING ON LEGISLATIVE --
WHICH IS AN EIGHT MONTH
EXTENSION OF THE TEMPORARY
PILOT PROGRAM AS FAR AS WHAT IS
THE COST AND THE IMPACT AND HOW
THE MANAGED.
THE ISSUE YOU RAISED I THINK
ARE GREAT QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN
HOLD BACK AND MAKE SURE WE GET
GOOD ANSWERS FROM SDOT AS THEY
PUT TOGETHER THE DRAFT
PROPOSAL.
BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT
YET AND THEY HAVE NOT PRESENTED
IT TO US YET.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE A BIT OF
A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE
ULTIMATE PROPOSAL WHICH WE HAVE
NOT SEEN IN THIS EIGHT MONTH
EXTENSION RIGHT NOW.
I WENT THROUGH THE PERMIT COST
WITH TRANSACTING EARLIER THIS
WEEK AND WE CAME UP WITH ABOUT
A 420,000-DOLLAR COST.
IF ALL THE PERMITS WERE
CONTINUED UNDER THE EXISTING
-- WITH THE PREVIOUS COST OF
THE PERMITS WOULD BE, IT WOULD
BE ABOUT $420,000.
ASSUMING THAT THEY ALL CHOSE TO
TAKE THOSE COSTS AND GO FORWARD
WITH IT.
>>> IS THAT AN EIGHT MONTH
PERIOD?
>> IT IS IN EIGHT MONTH
PERIOD, YES.
>> SO ANNUALIZED WOULD BE 601
ROUGHLY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IF I CAN KEEP ASKING.
THAT IS A GOOD POINT, CALVIN,
IN TERMS OF, ARE WE LOOKING AT
THE EXTENSION WHICH I SUPPORT
VERSUS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
MAKING A PROGRAMPERMANENT POST
PANDEMIC.
IT IS FOR A WOULD LIKE ANSWERS
TO THESE SO I JUST WANTED TO
GET THOSE OUT THERE FOR NOW AND
NECK LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF
ANALYSIS WHEN WE GET THE SDOT
LEGISLATION OR DOING SOMETHING
MORE PERMANENT.
>> I THINK THE EXPECTATION IS
THAT THERE WILL BE A NEW FEE
STRUCTURE ATTACHED TO THIS AND
WE WILL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND,
WILL IT IS OUR EXPECTATION FOR
PARKING REVENUE?
BECAUSE THAT AFFECTS WHAT WE
THINK WE SHOULD BE CHARGING FOR
PARKING SPACES FOR INSTANCE.
AND THEN THOSE OF BEEN CHANGING
OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AS
WELL.
I THINK IT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO
BE, WHEN WE GET THE PROPOSAL,
ANY SORT OF FORMAL FIXED
PROPOSAL WILL AFFECT THE REST
OF THE STREET USE COST CENTER
AS WELL.
SO IT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE
UNDERSTOOD IN THE CONTEXT OF
HOW WE ARE COLLECTING ALL OF
OUR REVENUE THROUGH THE COST
CENTER.
SO IT DOES BECOME MORE
COMPLICATED.
BUT HAVING YOUR LIST OF ISSUES
GIVES US A GREAT START OF
THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
COVER WHEN THE PROPOSAL COMES
FORWARD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
WE ARE KEEPING THIS IS A
PROGRAM IN THE TEMPORARY MOMENT
SO THAT WE CAN -- AS WE SAID
IN INITIAL REMARKS, SO THAT WE
CAN GET THE COST RIGHT SIZED.
WE CAN'T MAKE IT SO EXTENSIVE
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES WON'T
USE.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE HAVE A COST THERE.
THAT IS SOMETHING SDOT HAS BEEN
CLEAR WITH ON THE GET GO.
AND TALKING ABOUT FOREGONE
REVENUE, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE
REVENUE GENERATION THAT IS
OCCURRING FROM PEOPLE
PURCHASING RETAIL IN THE
STREETS.
AND ALSO THE PARKING THAT WE
ARE GETTING REVENUE FROM ON THE
SAME STREETS, WE WOULD NOT
NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO REVENUE
-- GENERATE REVENUE FROM
PARKING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
I THINK THAT ESPECIALLY IS
(INDISCERNIBLE) WHERE GIVEN
TIME THE BUSINESSES WERE
SHUTTERED, IT IS TRYING TIMES
FOR THE SMALL BUSINESSES AND
HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM THIS TOOL,
WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A REASON
FOR PEOPLE.
>> AND LESLIE, I WOULD SAY
THAT WE HAD THE HABIT RECENTLY
OF EXPANDING PAID PARKING
ZONES.
AND I KNOW THAT CONVERSATION
CONTINUES TO OCCUR.
AND SO THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH
FOREGONE REVENUE. THANK YOU
FOR LETTING ME PIPE UP AGAIN,
CHAIR.
>> OF COURSE.
FOR ME, IT IS REALLY JUST
TRYING TO PARSE OUT THE
PANDEMIC RESPONSE WHICH I
TOTALLY SUPPORTED.
AND BECAUSE THEY ARE SIGNALING
ABOUT DOING SOMETHING
PERMANENT, I JUST WANT TO GET
MY QUESTIONS OUT THERE EARLY
AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
ANSWERED.
I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION
ABOUT THE CURRENT SITUATION FOR
CALVIN OR SDOT IN TERMS OF THE
RELIABILITY ISSUES.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT IS
TAKEN CARE OF CURRENTLY?
>> YES.
CALVIN, ARE YOU OKAY IF I TAKE
THAT ONE?
>> SO OUR (INDISCERNIBLE)
STANDARD LANGUAGE ABOUT
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND INSURANCE.
SO JUST LIKE BEFORE, THE
CONTINUES WITH STANDARD
CONDITIONS ON ANY PERMIT WE
ISSUE.
AND SO THE EXPECTATION IS THAT
THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE WORKING
WITH US HAVE THE RIGHT
INSURANCE AND ARE SIGNING OFF
WITH INFORMATION ABOUT
>> JUSTIN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
DIRECTION I REALLY APPRECIATE
YOUR TAKING THE TIME TO GET
THIS RIGHT.
IN THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION AS
THEY MENTION IT STILL 50%, THE
SURVEY SHOWS LOWER SUPPORT FOR
A SIDEWALK RETAIL DISPLAY AND
I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS MAY BE
RELATED TO MOBILITY ACCESS
ISSUES AND REALLY HOPING WE ARE
DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
CREATE A SYSTEM THAT
PROACTIVELY ADDRESSES THOSE.
ALTHOUGH SOME ENFORCEMENT MIGHT
BE NEEDED FROM A PLANNING
APPROACH AND WOULD LOVE TO HEAR
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT WE
ARE DOING IN THAT AREA.
THERE WAS RECENT LAB PIECE
LOOKING AT NEW YORK CITY'S OPEN
STREETS PROGRAM AND LOOKING AT
HOW, THESE ARE MOVING BEYOND
EXPERIMENTATION AND BECOMING
FIXTURES OF THE URBAN
STREETSCAPE. IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO PROACTIVELY BEFORE
APPROVING THE GRILLI UNDERSTAND
THE POTENTIAL PUBLIC ACCESS
ISSUES FOR FOLKS.
ONE OF THE THINGS IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY ARE DOING IN NEW YORK OR
PROPOSING TO DO IS MAKING SURE
FOLKS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES
ARE AT THE LITERAL TABLE ON
APPROVING THESE. THERE IS A
SUGGESTION THAT RESIDENCE
RECEIVE A STIPEND TO TEST OUT
NEW STRUCTURES CITYWIDE.
WE HAVE PUT INTO NOT ENSURING
THAT WE ARE USING A NORMATIVE
APPROACH TO APPROVING THESE.
I'M CONCERNED WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT THE SERVICE WE ARE
LOOKING AT THE HIGH PERCENTAGES
OF SUPPORT AND TO ME THAT
REFLECTS A POTENTIAL CONCERN
THAT WE ARE USING A NORMATIVE
APPROACH TO PERMITTING THESE
VERY POPULAR ADDITIONS.
>> I CAN TRY TO TALK ABOUT THAT
A BIT.
THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE SEE PART OF THE
REASON WE DO PERMITTING AT ALL
TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT MOBILITY AND
ACCESS.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE EXIST IS
TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE DONE WELL
AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK IN MORE OF AN EDUCATION
CAPACITY DURING THE PROCESS.
IF WE NEED TO AND ENFORCEMENT
CAPACITY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY,
WE LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN UP
OUR GAME WITH EDUCATION AND
INFORMATION REALLY HELPS
BUSINESSES UNDERSTANDS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITIES AROUND THE 88
AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THEIR
SPACES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE
WHO MAY USE A WHEELCHAIR
CUSTOMERS FOR EXAMPLE AND WE
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE SPACE
THAT REMAINS THE PEDESTRIAN
CLEAR ZONE IS OPEN AND
AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED
TO USE THE SIDEWALK TO WALK.
WHETHER THEY ARE DETECTING WITH
A CANE OR USING A WHEELCHAIR.
A LOT OF OUR STANDARDS WE HAVE
HAVE MINIMUM WIDTHS MAINTAIN
AND STANDARDS AROUND PEDESTRIAN
STRAIGHT PATH TO MAKE SURE IT
IS NOT JOGGED UNNECESSARILY.
WE IMPLEMENTED SOME RULES.
AT THE EDGES THEY DON'T HAVE
FENCES.
PEOPLE NAVIGATING CAN FIND THAT
FIRST INSTEAD OF RUNNING INTO A
TABLE OR CHAIR.
WHAT I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT
IS THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT
AND CRITICAL PIECE FOR US AND
WE HAVE TODAY TO HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO DISABILITY RIGHTS
ADVOCATES GROUPS AS A KEY
STAKEHOLDER AND THE WORK DONE
TO DATE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO
THAT.
I LIKE YOUR IDEAS AND THINKING
ABOUT HOW WE COULD MAYBE BRING
FOLKS IN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
>> JUST ONE ADDITIONAL POINT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST A
LITERAL QUESTION OF ACCESS OR
BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH AN
AREA A PERSON WITH MOBILITY
ISSUES DESCRIBED A TETRIS LIKE
PATH.
IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOU CAN
PASS, IT'S HOW DIFFICULT TO
PASS BY MAKING LEGAL JOGGED IN
AND OUT OF SPACES.
I'M JUST HOPING WE ARE NOT
BEING COMPLETELY LITERAL ABOUT
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE A.D.A.
AND WE ARE REALLY ENGAGING
PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES
ABOUT HOW THEY INTERACT IN THE
NEW PUBLIC SPACE.
REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
>> IF I COULD FOLLOW UP REALLY
QUICKLY.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT WE WERE
TO PRODUCE A VIDEO EARLIER IN
THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE.
AS WELL AS OTHER RELEVANT
THINGS WE ISSUE.
HAVING THOSE A GREAT FIRST STEP
AND I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO
DO THAT.
WE WANT TO GO BEYOND THE MINIMUM
AND WORK TO CREATE GREAT PUBLIC
SPACES ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND THEN
WE PROBABLY WRAP IT UP.
>> I WILL MAKE IT QUICK.
I JUST WANTED TO GET BACK TO
THE PREVIOUS CONVERSATION AND
REALLY OFFER AN ANECDOTE.
WE HAVE HEARD DIFFERENT POINTS
OF VIEWS FROM BUSINESS ABOUT
WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THEY
WANT AND I THINK ESPECIALLY THE
FOOD AND DRINK BUSINESSES THAT
I HAVE SPOKEN TO.
THE OWNERS I TALKED TO DOWN
HERE.
REALLY APPRECIATE THE CERTAINTY
THAT BEING ABLE TO TAKE A
PARKING SPOT OR TWO IN FRONT OF
THEIR BUSINESS GIVES THEM
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT IF SOMEBODY
PARKS IN FRONT OF THEIR
RESTAURANT, THEY ARE NOT SURE
IF THAT PERSON IS ACTUALLY
GOING TO COME IN TO DINE WITH
THEM OR IF THEY WILL JUST WALK
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR AN
HOUR OR TWO.
IF THERE IS A STREET CAFE THERE
THEY KNOW THE PERSON PLANTED IN
THAT BENCH IS ACTUALLY USING
THE RESTAURANT AND ENJOYING
WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER.
I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT
PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT
CONSIDERATION WHEN WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT NOT JUST THE
REVENUE THAT MIGHT BE GENERATED
BY TICKETING BUT ALSO WHAT IT
CONTRIBUTES TO THE VIBRANCY OF
THE COMMERCIAL SPACE AND TO THE
REVENUE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT
ARE BENEFITING FROM HAVING THESE
SIDEWALK CAFES THERE.
THANK YOU.
IT WAS THANK YOU.
AND AGAIN JUST A SIGNAL I THINK
THERE'S LOTS OF SUPPORT TO
EXTEND THIS AND OUT OF OUR
COMMITTEE AND PREDICT UNSAVORY
15th AND GO STRAIGHT TO COUNSEL
AT THAT POINT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND LISTEN TO ALL OF THE
BUSINESSES NOT ONLY IN YOUR
DISTRICT BUT THROUGHOUT THE
CITY.
DID YOU WANT TO CLOSE WITH
ANYTHING BEFORE WE ADJOURNED
THE MEETING?
>> NOTHING TO ADD.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
OF THE QUESTIONS AT THE NEXT
COMMITTEE MEETING AND REALLY
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO IS
GIVE THEM THE TIME TO GET THIS
RIGHT.
IS URGENT AND GENERATING SOME
REVENUE.
WE ARE ABLE TO MANAGE ALL OF
THESE THINGS FOR ALL OF THESE
REASONS WE WANT THE POLICIES
RIGHT FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OF
SEATTLE.
IT WAS THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO THIS AND
FOR ADMINISTERING IT AND REALLY
HELPING OUT SO MANY BUSINESSES
TO SURVIVE. THANK YOU
EVERYBODY, THAT'S THE END OF
OUR AGENDA.
IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THIS
CONCLUDES THE FEBRUARY 1st 2022
MEETING OF THE SEATTLE PUBLIC
UTILITIES COMMITTEE, WE ARE
ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
>>