>>> THE SEPTEMBER 13th 2023
MEETING . I AM CHAIR STRAUSS,
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. WE ARE
JOINED BY CHAIR LISA HERBOLD.
AT THIS TIME WILL THE KIRK --
CLERK PLEASE CALL ROLE?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOSQUEDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER NELSON. COUNCIL
MEMBER PEDERSEN. VICE CHAIRMAN
ALICE. CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> I AM HERE. I WANT TO CHECK
THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MOSQUEDA IS
NOT IN THE WAITING ROOM .
>> COMING IN RIGHT NOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A FULL
AGENDA AND WE WILL BE MEETING
AGAIN SEPTEMBER 18th , AT
9:30. WE HAVE COUNCIL BILL
120631 , FLEXIBILITY WITH
LODGING , 120632 FOR
DISCUSSION . WE HAVE A
BRIEFING DISCUSSION ON THE
MONITORING PROGRAM, WE HAVE
RESOLUTION 32097 FOR
TRANSPORTATION , ZONED AREAS,
AND A CHANGE FROM THE LAST TIME
WE DISCUSSED THIS, AND WE WILL
VOTE ON IT NEXT COMMITTEE. IT
IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT IN
COMMITTEE TODAY, SO A
SUBSTITUTE COULD BE ATTACHED TO
THE RECORD. LASTLY, WE WILL
HAVE COUNCIL 126305 , ON
IMPACT FEES. A MONTH AGO OR SO
I ISSUED A PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE FOR TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEES WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING AT THAT POINT
THAT WE WOULD HAVE REACHED A
FINAL DECISION BY TODAY AND
THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WE HAVE
POSTPONED THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC
HEARING AND WE WILL STILL BE
RECEIVING THAT COMMENT TODAY.
BEFORE WE BEGIN , IF THERE IS
NO OBJECTION I WILL MOVE.
HEARING NONE, WE ARE ADOPTED.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC
HEARING AND I WILL ASK YOU TO
PLAY THAT IN JUST A SECOND. WE
WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE PER
COMMENTOR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
AND WE WILL DO IN PERSON FIRST,
FOLLOWED BY , ONLINE. YOU CAN
STILL SIGN UP AND WE WILL TAKE
YOU AT THE END.
>> HELLO, SEATTLE. WE ARE THE
CITY, YOU AND THE CITY OF
GOODWILL, BUILT ON INDIGENOUS
LAND. THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WELCOMES REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
AND IS EAGER TO HEAR FROM
RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO BE A SPEAKER AND
PROVIDE A VERBAL PUBLIC
COMMENT, YOU MAY REGISTER TWO
HOURS PRIOR TO THE MEETING VIA
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
WEBSITE. HERE IS SOME
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PROCEEDINGS. SPEAKERS
ARE CALLED UPON IN THE ORDER IN
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL'S
WEBSITE. EACH SPEAKER MUST
CALL IN FROM THE PHONE NUMBER
PROVIDED WHEN THEY REGISTERED
ONLINE AND USE THE MEETING
I.D. AND PASSCODE THAT WAS
EMAILED UPON CONFIRMATION. IF
YOU DID NOT RECEIVE AN EMAIL
CONFIRMATION, PLEASE CHECK
YOUR SPAM OR JUNK MAIL FOLDERS.
THE SPEAKER MEETING I.D. IS
DIFFERENT FROM THE GENERAL WAS
IN LINE MEETING I.D. PROVIDED
ON THE AGENDA. ONCE THE
SPEAKER'S NAME IS CALLED, THE
SPEAKERS MICROPHONE WILL BE
UNNEEDED AND AN AUTOMATIC
PROMPT WILL SAY THE HOST WOULD
LIKE YOU TO UNMUTE YOUR
MICROPHONE. THAT IS YOUR QUEUE
THAT IT IS YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.
AT THAT TIME, YOU MUST PRESS
STAR SIX AND YOU WILL HEAR A
PROMPT OF , "YOU ARE AND
MUTED." MAKE SURE YOUR PHONE
IS UNMUTE IT ON YOUR AND SO YOU
WILL BE HEARD. BEGIN BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
YOU ARE ADDRESSING. A CHIME
WILL SOUND WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE
LEFT IN YOUR ALLOTTED TIME. AS
A GENTLE REMINDER, TO WRAP UP
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. AT THE END
OF THE ALLOTTED TIME, YOUR
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED AND
THE NEXT IS EAGER REGISTERED
WILL BE CALLED. ONCE SPEAKERS
HAVE COMPLETED, PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE PUBLIC
COMMENT LINE AND JOIN US BY
FOLLOWING THE MEETING VIA
SEATTLE CHANNEL BROADCAST OR
THROUGH THE LISTENING LINE
OPTION ON THE AGENDA. COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ELIMINATE
PUBLIC COMMENT IF THE SYSTEM
IS BEING ABUSED OR IF THE
PROCESS IMPEDES THE COUNCIL'S
ABILITY TO CONDUCT ITS
BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS
OF THE CITY. ANY OFFENSIVE
LANGUAGE THAT IS DISRUPTIVE TO
THESE MEETINGS OR IS NOT
FOCUSED ON APPROPRIATE TOPIC AS
SPECIFIED IN COUNCIL RULES MAY
LEAD TO THE SPEAKER BEING MUTED
BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER. OUR
HOPE IS TO PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PRODUCTIVE
DISCUSSION THAT WILL ASSIST OUR
ORDERLY CONSIDERATION OF
ISSUES BEFORE THE COUNCIL. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW
OPEN. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX AFTER YOU HEAR THE PROMPT
OF "YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTE IT."
THANK YOU, SEATTLE.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE NOW
OPENED THE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
TODAY'S LAND USE COMMITTEE
MEETING . AGAIN, WE WILL BE
TAKING COMMENTS ON THE VACANT
BUILDING MONITORING PROGRAM,
THE TRANSPORTATION RESOLUTION
AND IMPACT FEES, THE TWO ITEMS
ABOUT REZONING AND PUBLIC
HEARING. WE WILL GET TO THAT
IN JUST A MOMENT. I WILL BEGIN
WITH THE FOLKS LISTED, HERE. I
HAVE CAROLYN SAYER .
THAT IS WHO I HAVE IN CHAMBERS
NOW, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
COME UP SO THERE'S NOT A LOT OF
TIME IN BETWEEN, WELCOME, GREAT
TO SEE YOU.
>> IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY?
HELLO, MY NAME IS CAROLYN
SAYER. THANK YOU FOR HER
SERVICE. I AM HERE TO ASK YOU
TO SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES BY
SUPPORTING COUNCIL BILL
120635. I MOVED TO SEATTLE IN
1989 AND HAVE VOTED FOR
LEVY'S EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. FURTHER
TAXING MYSELF TO HELP SUPPORT
THE COMMUNITY I LIVE IN. HAVING
SAID THAT, I HAVE HAD DOUBTS ,
JUST ONE TIME AND THAT WAS IN
2015 WITH I WOULD NOT BRING
IN RESOURCES. CONSIDERING
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS INCREASE
OF MORE NEW BUILDING IS
BUILDINGS , IT SEEMED ONLY FAIR
THAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD
TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR
GROWTH. THERE'S PLENTY OF
POWER IN SEATTLE AND A BOOK FOR
YOU ALL. -- I VOTE FOR YOU
ALL.
>> CAROLINE? THANK YOU. YES,
IT WAS QUICK. PLEASE FEEL FREE
TO SEND ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS, GREAT TO SEE YOU COME
UP. NEXT, WE HAD . -- HAVE
STEVE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
FOR KILROY REALTY AND I URGE
YOU TO OPPOSE COUNCIL BILL
120635 WHICH WOULD INTRODUCE
A DISASTROUS IMPACT FEE IT
STANDS OUT THAT IT WILL
ADVERSELY AFFECT THE AFFORDABLE
AND MARKET RATE HOUSING
PRODUCTION , FURTHER
EXACERBATING THE HOUSING
SHORTAGE THAT HAS BEEN
REPEATEDLY IDENTIFIED BY THIS
COUNCIL AS A TOP PRIORITY TO
FIX. PRIVATE CAPITAL AND
MARKET-BASED DEVELOPMENT
APPROACHES ARE NECESSARY TO
ACHIEVE MOST OF THE HOUSING
BEYOND THE CAPACITY OF PUBLIC
FUNDING SOURCES, IMPACT FEES
FOR ALL OF THIS AT RISK, ADDING
BURDENS TO NEW CONSTRUCTION
WILL IMPACT THE FEASIBILITY OF
THOSE PROJECTS. THERE ARE
LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT LEVERAGE
THE PRIVATE MARKET FOR
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR
AFFORDABLE PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT .
DISCOURAGING OR PREVENTING
PRIVATE PROJECTS HAS REAL
CONSEQUENCES.
>> THANK YOU. WHEN YOU HEAR
THE CHIME YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS
LEFT. WELCOME, COME ON UP. I
WOULD QUICKLY THEN TRANSITION
TO THE ONLINE, AFTER THIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. O█N BEHALF
OF THE SEATTLE METROPOLITAN
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE I ASK YOU
TO VOTE YES ON THESE BILLS .
THEY WILL ATTRACT MORE
RESIDENTS INTO OUR TOWN MAKING
IT A SAFER AND MORE AFFORDABLE
AND BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT
TOURISM AND POPULATION IN YEARS
AHEAD. WE ARE ALSO DISCUSSING
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD HAVE THE
OPPOSITE EFFECT. COUNCIL BILL
120635 IS THE FIRST STEP IN
IMPLEMENTING THE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
PROGRAM. DATA SHOWS THAT
PERMANENT APPLICATIONS HAVE
DROPPED DRAMATICALLY IN RECENT
YEARS AND QUARTER TWO OF 2020
THE CITY RECEIVED 5600 PERMIT
APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT. IN 2023, HE
RECEIVED JUST 623. PLEASE
ENFORCE POLICIES AND REJECT
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES.
NOW IS THE TIME TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BUILD MORE
HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE PAT
FOLEY.
>> THANK YOU. WE MAINLY DO
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT. I
AM CALLING IN TO SPEAK ABOUT
OPPOSITION TO THE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES AND
WE HAVE DONE A LARGE PROJECT
IN THE CENTRAL AREA AND I
WOULD POINT YOU ALL TO LOOK
THAT UP IN THE SEATTLE TIMES
AND THE IMPACT FEES ARE BEING
REPOSED IN PLACE WHEN WE
STARTED THAT . THE SOCIAL
IMPACT PROJECT WOULD BE DONE
AND THERE IS NO MORE ROOM.
THIS WOULD ALSO NOT BE
HELPFUL.
>> THANK YOU. BARBARA BERNARD
WILL BE FOLLOWED AND SURGING
SIEGFRIED.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. I AM A MULTI FAMILY
HOUSING DEVELOPER WITH COLIN
PARKER. WE HAVE TONS OF
APARTMENT HOMES IN SEATTLE AND
WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED MILLIONS
IN MHA FEES AND WE ARE URGING
YOU TO OPPOSE COUNCILMEMBER ,
COUNCIL MEMBER PEDERSEN IMPACT
FEE PROPOSAL . GIVEN THAT THE
COUNCIL IS ABOUT TO HAVE ITS
BUDGET IT SEEMS RUSHED TO
WEIGH OUT THE POLICY CHANGE TO
DETERMINE UNEXPECTED
CONSEQUENCES. OUR CONCERN IS
THE HIGH FEES AND OVERALL
AFFORDABILITY. NEW HOUSING
PERMITS ARE DOWN 93% SINCE
2020. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO
RUSH INTO THIS. WE URGE YOU
NOT TO SUPPORT THIS, THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> I BELIEVE THAT JUDY IS
LISTED AS PRESENT BUT NOT
ONLINE.
>> MY NAME IS EZEKIEL . YOUR
JOB IS TO KEEP THE CITY HEALTHY
. PROTECT TREES.
>> FANTASTIC. EZEKIEL, I
THINK YOU HAVE A FUTURE IN THIS
IS NICE, COME DOWN TO CITY HALL
ANYTIME. UP NEXT , NATALIE
QUICK IS NOT PRESENT, JUDY ,
SARAH JANE , JUDY, WELCOME.
THERE YOU ARE. WELCOME. I AM
IN SUPPORT , AND IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT THAT COUNCILMEMBERS
STICK TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THIS.
WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. I AM LUCKY TO LIVE IN
A HOME AND PROPERTY TAXES KEEP
GETTING PILED ON ME. SO MANY
OTHER CITIES IN SEATTLE IN
WASHINGTON STATE PAY AND THAT
SEEMS TO BE A FAVOR TO
DEVELOPERS THAT NEEDS TO BE
TALKED ABOUT. THE LEAST YOU
CAN DO IS SUPPORT TO THIS SO
THEY CAN HAVE A REAL DEBATE
ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU DID .
>> THANK YOU. UP NEXT IS
BARBARA BERNARD BID REMINDER,
THE BEEP MEANS YOU HAVE 10
SECONDS REMAINING.
>> HELLO, THIS IS BARBARA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> I'M CALLING IN SUPPORT OF
CB 120365 TO HELP PAY FOR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
RATHER THAN PILING THE ENTIRE
PROPERTY ONTO HOMEOWNERS AND
RENTERS . IT'S ACTUALLY RATHER
ODD WHEN CITIES ACROSS THE
NATION ALSO COLLECT THIS
IMPORTANT REVENUE. THIS WILL
NOT IMPACT THE GROWTH AS OTHER
CITIES USE IT AND OTHER CITIES
HAVE NOT HAD ANY STOP IN THEIR
GROWTH. PUBLIC NONPROFIT AND
LOW INCOME HOUSING WOULD BE
EXEMPT FROM THESE FEES AND
DEVELOPERS ARE IMPACTING
THAT. THE IMPACT FEES COULD BE
USED TO UPGRADE THE CITY
PROJECTS , WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE
SARAH JANE SIEGFRIED, GO
AHEAD. WELCOME.
>> THIS IS SARAH JANE AND I AM
CALLING TO SPEAK ON THE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES.
THE IDEA IS THAT GROWTH PAYS
FOR GROWTH. I LIVE IN DISTRICT
FIVE IN LAKE CITY. THEY BEEN
LACKING EVER SINCE WE WERE
ANNEXED. 85th HAS ALMOST ZERO
WALK ABILITY. I WALKED DOWN
THE STREET IN PUDDLES , I
WONDER IF I WERE A MOTHER
PUSHING A STROLLER, THAT IS NOT
WALKABLE. WE NEED SIDEWALKS,
WHERE DEVELOPERS ARE NOT
RESPONSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. WELCOME.
STEVE, DID I SKIP YOU? MY
GOODNESS, I'M SORRY. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO GO RIGHT NOW? IT SEEMS
THAT WE ARE HAVING A MOMENT.
THAT WAS COMPLETELY MY MISTAKE.
FOR THE RECORD AND FOR THE
PUBLIC THIS IS THE BENEVOLENT
LEADER OF FREMONT , RESIDENT
OF GREEN LAKE.
>> WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS
ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND WE
STILL DON'T REALLY REMEMBER , A
FEW YEARS AGO, ALMOST A DECADE
AGO, HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY
ON HOUSING. ON THE FIRST
COUPLE ITEMS, I THINK YOU
MIGHT WANT TO START LOOKING AND
MAKING SURE WE DON'T HAVE
SHORT-TERM. DOWNTOWN IS
PROBABLY A GOOD PLACE TO
INCREASE DENSITY, BUT
SHORT-TERM HOUSING HAS BEEN A
REAL ENEMY OF REAL HOUSING. I
ALWAYS SUGGEST WHAT YOU FOLKS
NEVER WANT TO DO WHICH IS TAKE
A LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF
LOWER-COST RENT UNITS BEING
DESTROYED IN THE WIDE
DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT WE HAVE.
WHEN WE COME TO THE LAST ITEM
, I THINK THAT IMPACT FEES ARE
GOOD . SEATTLE HAS RESISTED
THEM . MOST OTHER CITIES HAVE
NOT.
>> THANK YOU. ALWAYS A
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU. WITH THAT,
AS DAVE ZEMKE -- STEVE ZEMKE.
I SEE THAT YOU ARE HERE. PRESS
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE. WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS TO
REPACK AND FRIENDS OF SEATTLE'S
URBAN FOREST. 70 OTHER CITIES
IN THE STATE HAVE IMPACT
FEES. THIS IS A POSSIBILITY .
WE BELIEVE THAT GROWTH SHOULD
PAY FOR GROWTH. FUNDING CAN BE
USED FOR SIDEWALKS , TRANSIT
SCHOOLS , AND OTHER CRITICAL
DESTINATIONS , IT CAN BE USED
TO PLANT TREES TO KEEP
SIDEWALKS WALKABLE AND WE
SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT?
>> HELLO. I'M CALLING IN
SUPPORT OF THE TRANSPORTATION
OPTION FOR IMPACT FEES. WE NEED
TO SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE NOW , NOT YEARS
LATER. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT
THE CHOKING POINT IN OUR
ECONOMY. THIS IS DECADES
OVERDUE FOR IMPACT FEES FOR
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT --
INFRASTRUCTURE. SIDEWALKS,
BIKE LANES, ET CETERA , NEW
GROWTH. PUBLIC NONPROFIT
HOUSING SHOULD AND WOULD BE
AFFECTED BUT WHY SHOULD CURRENT
RENTERS AND HOMEOWNERS PAY FOR
ALL OF THESE FEES? WHY ARE
SEATTLE'S DEVELOPERS ?
>> UP NEXT IS CHRIS WOODWARD
FOLLOWED BY DAN McQUISTON .
GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> THAT AFTERNOON. I'M WITH
THE ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE
REGARDING 130 65. BASED ON
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD
WITH STAKEHOLDERS, WITH THE
DESIRE THAT THE CITY HAS MORE
TIME WITH LEGISLATION, WE
HEARD THAT THIS WOULD IMPACT
DEVELOPMENT IN COMMERCIAL
LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD HAVE
INEQUITABLE IMPACT ON SMALL
DEVELOPERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS
. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
FUNDING WOULD BE USED FOR NEW
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS WHICH
IS CRITICAL IN THE NEED OF
DISTRICTS LIKE OURS IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, RELATED TO
UPKEEP OF OUR AGING
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE RECOMMEND THAT THIS
COMMITTEE FURTHER ENGAGE THE
COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTAND HOW
THE LEGISLATION WILL AFFECT
CURRENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND
ORGANIZATIONS . THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT IS DAN
McQUISTON .
WELCOME.
>> GREETINGS , CHAIR STRAUSS
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. WE ASK
THAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS
SUPPORT RESOLUTION 32097 ,
RECENTLY PASSING INDUSTRIAL
LAND TO RECOGNIZE AND ADDRESS
IT . THIS RESOLUTION WILL MAKE
GREAT STRIDES FOR ALL MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION WHILE ALSO
ADDRESS THE FREIGHT MOVING TO
OUR CITY. THANK YOU.
>> UP NEXT IS BOBBY.
>> HELLO. I AM SPEAKING IN
SUPPORT OF COUNCIL BILL
120635. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A
BILL IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
TO INCLUDE, NOT REMOVE
ANYTHING, BUT INCLUDE A
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
PROGRAM THAT WILL NOT ONLY
SUPPORT ALL MODES OF
TRANSPORTATION AND ASSIST
HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS IN
PROPERTY TAXES AND CAN BE USED
TO PLANT NEW AND REPLACEMENT
TREES THAT ARE NEEDED WITH
STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS ARE
UPGRADED. AS, OUR CITY, OUR
COUNTRY, OUR WORLD IS
OVERLOADED BY MAJOR THREATS.
>> THANK YOU. FOR EVERYONE
WHO HAS OR WILL BE GIVING
PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT RUNS OUT
OF TIME, PLEASE SEND YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS IN BY WRITTEN
FORM. IS IRENE WALL. TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> THANK YOU. I FAVOR THIS
PROPOSED TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEE AS THE FIRST STEP TO
ENSURE CONSIDERATION OF THIS
NEEDED FUNDING SOURCE . THE
DETAILS OF IMPLEMENTATION ARE
TO BE WORKED OUT. CONTINUED
RELIANCE ON INCREASING SPECIAL
LEVIES IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY WILL --
IN SEATTLE WITH THE BURDEN OF
TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS .
ARGUMENTS AGAINST THOSE ARE
CROCODILE TEARS SHED BY THOSE
WHO BENEFIT MOST FROM
DEVELOPING MILLION-DOLLAR
TOWNHOUSES AND REPLACING
MODEST FAMILY HOMES NEEDED BY
FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHEN THE DEVELOPERS ARE WILLING
TO SHARE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
, THEY CREATE FOR THEIR LL'S
INVESTORS, THEN WE CAN SEE
WHO IS MAKING THE MOST MONEY
FROM DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THIS
IS IMPACTING AFFORDABILITY.
WORKING OUT THE DETAILS SHOULD
BE DONE IN CONJUNCTION.
>> THANK YOU. WELCOME.
>> GREAT, HELLO. THANK YOU
FOR WORKING ON THIS. I DO
SUPPORT THE TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEES PAID JULY 25th,
THEY QUOTED ARDIS BUKOWSKI WHO
SAID "I NEED TO DOUBLE MY MONEY
EVERY THREE YEARS OR PASS ON A
PROJECT." THOSE WHO HAVE TO
INVEST IN 401(K)s WEIGHT A LOT
LONGER . SEVERAL OTHER
WASHINGTON HAVE THESE FEES.
OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID THAT
THESE WILL AFFECT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, BUT ALL AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS HELPFUL. WHEN
INVESTORS ARE DOUBLING THEIR
MONEY EVERY THREE YEARS, IT'S
OKAY TO ASK FOR A SMALL
PERCENTAGE TO GO TO
TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS
THAT MAKE SEATTLE MORE WALKABLE
AND ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. FOR THE PUBLIC'S
AWARENESS OF BOTH NATALIE
QUICK AND IAN WARNER ARE NOT
PRESENT IF YOU KNOW THEM, OR
IF THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE
GETTING IN, NOW IS THE TIME AS
WE ONLY HAVE A FEW LEFT.
JERRY, FOLLOWED BY JULIA AND
NICHOLAS IS OUR LAST SPEAKER.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP . WE APPRECIATE
YOUR RECOGNITION THAT THIS IS
A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT AND ITS CRITICAL
TO OUR INDUSTRY TO ENSURE THAT
NETWORK REMAINS FALL.
>> UP NEXT IS JULIA SHETLER .
I SEE YOU ARE HERE. TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> GREAT, TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEES ARE PROPHETIC --
PRAGMATIC. A LOT OF DEVELOPERS
ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS AN
UNDUE BURDEN . THIS COULD NOT
BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
GOVERNMENT FEES DO NOT AFFECT
THE PRICE OF HOUSING. THIS
WAS PROVEN IN THE SEATTLE
HEARING ON THE TREE ORDINANCE.
LOW INCOME PUBLIC AND
NONPROFIT HOUSING WOULD ONLY
AFFECT MARKET RATE HOUSING .
EVEN IF THESE FEES WERE IN
ISSUE, THEY STILL WOULD NOT
AFFECTED. THIS IS A
COMPREHENSIVE WAY FOR A FUTURE
BELT I TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEES. I URGE YOU TO VOTE IN
FAVOR OF IMPACT FEES BEING
ADDED AS AN AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE READY FOR YOU. LET'S
BRING UP SUZANNE GRANT WHILE
WE ARE WAITING. I SEE THAT YOU
ARE HERE, GO AHEAD.
>> CITY COUNCILMEMBERS SHOULD
SUPPORT . THE COST TO PROVIDE
THE INFRASTRUCTURE SHOULD BE
BORN IN PART BY THOSE NEW
PROJECTS RATHER THAN PILING
THE ENTIRE COST ON HOMEOWNERS .
IMPACT FEES DO NOT IMPAIR
GROWTH. THESE PROJECTS WOULD
BE EXEMPT. IMPACT FEES CAN HELP
PAY FOR REPLACEMENT TREES .
YOU PROMISED TO AMEND THIS
AND YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON
THAT CAN ENABLE US TO MOVE
FORWARD. PLEASE ALLOW THIS
BILL ON THE REFERRAL CALENDAR
AND SAY YES TO ONE OF THE
OPTIONS THIS WEEK OTHERWISE
WE WILL FEEL THAT YOU ARE
APPROVING OF THE NUMBER OF
TREES MURDERED IN HOURS EARLY.
>> THANK YOU. DEB BARKER,
WELCOME , TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU. EACH DEVELOPER
YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY HAVE
ACTUALLY WALKED INTO OTHER
CITIES AND ASK THESE QUESTIONS
ABOUT TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEES . SEATTLE, HERE IS YOUR
CHANCE TO TAKE CONTROL BY
IMPLEMENTING TRAFFIC IMPACT
FEES. SUPPORT THE COUNCIL BILL
120639 . WHY DOESN'T SEATTLE
GET THE BENEFIT WHEN SO MANY
OTHER CITIES ARE USING THEM ?
THE SKY WILL NOT FALL UNDER THE
ADULT.
>> UP NEXT IS NICHOLAS
WILKINS.
>> NICHOLAS WILKINS IS SIGNED
UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> I WILL GIVE IT JUST ANOTHER
MINUTE FOR IAN WARNER AND WHO
ELSE WERE WE WAITING ON? CAN
YOU CONFIRM THAT THEY ARE NOT
IN THE WAITING ROOM?
>> AFFIRMATIVE. THE
REGISTRANTS MARKED NOT PRESENT
ARE NOT PRESENT.
>> WELL, HERE WE GO. THAT IS
THE END OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT
REGISTRY TODAY. WITH THAT ,
WE WILL CLOSE OUR PUBLIC
COMMENT FOR TODAY. SEEING AS
WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL BEAKERS
REMOTELY PRESENT, WE WILL MOVE
ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS
BRIEFING DISCUSSIONS FOR
COUNCIL BILL 120 IS 631 ,
INCREASING FLEXIBILITY FOR
LODGING USE IS IN THE BELLTOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD. PLEASE READ THE
ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> THE ZONING AMENDMENT FOR
LODGING USE DISCUSSION IN
PUBLIC HEARING.
>> THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION
WOULD INCREASE FLEXIBILITY IN
BELLTOWN, TREATING LODGING
USES IN THE SAME WAY THAT
RESIDENTIAL USES ARE, ALL
OTHER STANDARD , INCLUDING
CONTROLLING HEIGHT AND SCALE
OF THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD
REMAIN UNCHANGED. THIS IS A
TEXT AMENDMENT ONLY . THIS
ZONING AREA , I WILL LET OUR
TEAM DESCRIBE THE AREA
DISCOVERS . LEGISLATION IS PART
OF THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN
AND COMPROMISES AND MIX OF
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL AND
GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL BY
EXPANDING HOSPITALITY USE
WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN MIXED
RESIDENTIAL ZONE AND CREATES A
CONSISTENT USE IN THE GENERAL
INTENT OF THE SEATTLE
COMPREHENSIVE , DESCRIBING THE
ZONE AS PREDOMINANTLY
RESIDENTIAL , EXTENDING HOTEL
USES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AN
ENHANCED NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY
AND INCREASED ECONOMIC RECOVERY
AND WITH THAT, WE HAVE
CENTRAL STAFF . WONDERFUL.
WITH THAT, WHOEVER WANTS TO
TAKE THE LEAD AFTER THIS SHORT
PRESENTATION , WE WILL TAKE
QUESTIONS FROM COLLEAGUES AND
IF YOU CHOOSE WE WILL THEN OPEN
PUBLIC HEARING. WELCOME.
>> THE MAYOR RELEASED THE
ACTIVATION PLAN TO SUPPORT THE
DOWNTOWN RECOVERY. THESE ITEMS
ARE PART OF MANY ACTIONS THAT
THE CITY IS TAKING TO SUPPORT
THE DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN.
THESE ACTIONS INCLUDE DIRECT
FUNDING . THESE ARE POTENTIAL
OR PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
THAT WOULD NEED COUNCIL
APPROVAL INCLUDING THE LODGING
USE FLEXIBILITY. THIS
LEGISLATION IS JUST A TEXT
AMENDMENT. IT DOES NOT PROMOTE
HIS -- PROPOSE ANY CHANGES AND
ONLY APPLIED TO THE
RESIDENTIAL/RESIDENTIAL 9565
ZONE AND THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD EXEMPT THE LODGING USE ,
WHICH CURRENTLY HAS A LIMIT OF
1.5. IT WILL BASICALLY TREAT
THE LODGING USE THE SAME WAY IT
TREATS RESIDENTIAL USES LIKE
REGULATION IN THE ZONE. THIS
WILL HAVE NO CHANGES TO ALL
OTHER STANDARD. THIS IS ONLY
APPLICABLE TO NEW DEVELOPMENT
AND WILL NOT BE APPLICABLE TO
AVERSIONS FROM EXISTING
RESIDENTIAL USES. TOURISM AND
LODGING ARE DOING GREAT IN
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE, ESPECIALLY
AFTER THE PANDEMIC COMPARED TO
OTHER USES LIKE RETAIL AND
COMMERCIAL OFFICE USES . THIS
SUMMER, THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY
RATE EXCEEDS 90%, WHICH WAS
AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE U.S.
AND IS EXPECTING TO EVEN DO
BETTER IN 2024. THE PURPOSE OF
THIS LEGISLATION IS FIRST TO
ENCOURAGE INVESTMENTS. BY THIS
LEGISLATION, WE WOULD ENCOURAGE
ONE OR MORE NEW DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS WITHIN THE AREA OF
THE LEGISLATION. SECOND, IT
WOULD SUPPORT ACTIVATION,
SINCE HOTEL VISITORS USUALLY
WALK AROUND THEIR PLACE OF
STAY AND SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND LASTLY, SUPPORT
THE COMMUNITY. MEMBERS OF THE
ORGANIZATION'S PACIFICALLY
REQUEST DID THIS PROPOSED
CHANGE TO ENCOURAGE
DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA .
THIS RED BOUNDARY IS THE
BOUNDARY OF THE DMR/R ZONE
WHICH THE LEGISLATION WOULD
APPLY TO AND THESE NINE LOT
ARE CURRENTLY PARKING LOT AND
THESE WOULD BE AFFECT BY THIS
LEGISLATION . THE NUMBER ONE
LOT HAS A PROPOSED BUILDING
AND WITH CURRENT REGULATION,
THIS HOLDING CAN ONLY HAVE
HALF OF IT AS HOTEL AND THE
SECOND HALF WOULD BE
RESIDENTIAL USE, BUT WITH THIS
LEGISLATION IT WOULD ALLOW THE
ENTIRETY OF THIS HOLDING TO BE
A HOTEL.
>> WONDERFUL, SOMETHING THAT
SPEAKS TO ME ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION IS OUR DESIRE TO
HAVE MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN.
IT'S NO SECRET TO ANYONE THAT
I REALLY WANT MORE RESIDENTIAL
DOWNTOWN . THIS HAS BEEN A LONG
TIME DESIRE PRE-PANDEMIC ,
PRE-DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN ,
ALONG WITH THE DOWNTOWN SCHOOL
FOR ANYONE LISTENING WHO HAS AN
INTEREST. WHILE A HOTEL MAY
NOT ASSIST A DOWNTOWN SCHOOL
IT WILL ACCOMPLISH IT . IT'S A
SIMILAR GOAL TO HAVING
RESIDENTIAL UNITS DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE IT CREATES AN AFTER
5:00 CROWD , IT CREATES A
BEFORE 9:00 CROWD . I AM VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION. DO YOU HAVE
THOUGHTS TO SHARE ON THIS?
>> I WANT TO POINT OUT , AND
UNUSUAL AS THE ACT OF THIS
PROPOSAL IS IT PROPOSES AN
EXEMPT HOTEL FLOOR AREA FROM
OUR RATIO REQUIREMENTS. THE
EFFECT OF THAT WOULD BE TO
MEAN THAT THEY WOULD NOT NEED
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DOWNTOWN
INCENTIVE ZONING PROGRAM THAT
APPLIES TO HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE. THE ZONING PROGRAM
INCLUDES REQUIREMENTS THAT
PROJECTS ACQUIRE DEVELOPMENT
RIGHTS FROM HISTORIC
LANDMARKS , CHILD CARE THROUGH
THE DOWNTOWN HOUSING AND
CHILDCARE PROGRAMS. THE CODE
DOES THAT . THESE ARE
GENERALLY PUBLIC SERVING USES .
THERE IS ANOTHER APPROACH THAT
COULD BE TAKEN , USED IN A
NUMBER OF OTHER DOWNTOWN RATIO
LIMIT , IN THE INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT MAKES ZONES. HOTELS
ARE GRANTED SIX AFA ARE R.
>> THAT IS HELPFUL. I REALIZED
I STOLE A LOT OF THOSE
STATEMENTS, I APOLOGIZE. I
CRAVE YOUR NOTES BUT I DID NOT
CRIB THE ZONE. CAN YOU HELP ME
UNDERSTAND HOW EXPENSIVE THIS
IS? IT SEEMS AS IF , DO I SEE
11 PROPERTIES ?
>> THAT DOES NOT HAVE
DEVELOPMENT . SINCE THIS
LEGISLATION WON'T APPLY TO
CONVERGENCE, THESE ARE THE MOST
EFFECTIVE LOTS IN THAT ZONE BY
THIS LEGISLATION.
>> FANTASTIC. THIS IS A VERY
LIMITED SCOPE . WELCOME.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? I WOULD
LIKE TO ADD ONE THING IN
RESPONSE TO THAT, BUT I WANT
TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT COME
ACROSS AS A CHARACTERIZATION
THAT DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT
CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CITIES CF1 O
PROGRAMS SO UNDER THIS
PROPOSAL, THAT WHOLE HOTEL
WOULD CONTRIBUTE UNDER THAT
COMMERCIAL PROGRAM WHICH HAS A
SLIGHTLY HIGHER CONTRIBUTION
AMOUNT THAN THE RESIDENTIAL
PROGRAM . IT IS STILL ACCURATE
THAT THE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT
WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE BUT THAT
AMOUNT IS MUCH SMALLER THAN
WHAT THE CITY WOULD BE GETTING
, SO I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT
UNDER THIS PROPOSAL WOULD
STILL CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY
.
>> VERY HELPFUL. WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES, ARE
THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS
TIME?
>> I AM GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF
THIS AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO
SUPPORT THE MOST VITAL
ELEMENTS OF THE DOWNTOWN ACT
DELETION PLAN. THANK YOU FOR
NOTING THAT SUPPORT FROM
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN BELLTOWN.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT
THERE WAS A STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT
ANALYSIS DONE , IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> THE REASON I ASKED , A
COUPLE REASONS, I DON'T THINK
THAT INFORMATION IS ATTACHED TO
THE COUNT BILL DID WE UPLOAD
IN OUR ONLINE LEGISLATIVE
SYSTEM . HAVING THOSE DOCUMENTS
WOULD BE HELP ALL BECAUSE THEN
THE PUBLIC CAN SEE WHAT THE
CHECKLIST SAID AND IT SOUNDS
LIKE THERE'S A DETERMINATION OF
NON-SIGNIFICANCE WHICH IS GOOD
FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW AND IF
THERE IS A COMMENT FOR THAT,
THEY CAN SEE WHAT THE COMMENTS
WERE . I THINK IT IS HELPFUL
FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES ,
THAT WE MAY WANT TO START
ATTACHING SOME OF THE BASIC
DOCUMENTS. IT IS HARD TO FIND
THEM IF YOU JUST SEARCH BY
ADDRESS . ATTACHING THOSE
DOCUMENTS WOULD BE REALLY
HELPFUL . THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD
NEWS FOR THIS ONE , SO, DO WE
KNOW IF THERE IS A HOTEL OR A
DEVELOPER ALREADY ATTACHED ?
ARE WE DOING THIS FOR HIS CIVIC
HOTEL CHAIN OR DEVELOPER OR
IS THAT JUST TO BE DETERMINED?
>> THERE IS A PROJECT
PARTIALLY THROUGH THAT PROCESS
WHICH IS INDICATED, HERE.
IT'S NOT CLEAR IF THAT PROJECT
WOULD CONTINUE. WE HAVE NOT
HAD DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH
THAT APPLICANT . WE KNOW THAT
THAT IS ONE THAT IS IN PROCESS
. COULD YOU LET US KNOW FOR
TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES? ARE YOU
ABLE TO DO THAT?
>> THAT'S THE IMAGE.
>> I WILL GIVE YOU ANOTHER
OPTION WHICH IS THAT THIS WILL
COME BACK BEFORE COMMITTEE
AGAIN ON THE 18th WAS ALL
PERMIT INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE
ONLINE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
I WILL LET YOU WORK OUT THAT.
>> IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER , I'M
SURE THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW, WE WANT TO GET MORE
INFORMATION ON WHO IS
POTENTIALLY BENEFITING .
>> YOU ALSO HAVE ACCESS SO IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO PICK THAT UP
AND SHARE WITH COMMITTEE, THAT
WOULD BE WELCOME.
>> CAN WE TRY TO GET AN ANSWER?
>> THE IMAGE YOU ARE LOOKING AT
IS FROM A DESIGN REVIEW PACKET
IN THE BUILDING IN THE CENTER
DOES NOT EXIST, TODAY. IT WAS
IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS WHEN
THIS LEGISLATION WAS DRAFTED
SO THAT IS AN IMAGE OF IT. I DO
NOT KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE
ENTITIES BEHIND IT. THE
INFORMATION WE GOT WAS FROM THE
PERMITTING DOCUMENT SO THAT IS
THE BEST I CAN GIVE YOU TODAY
AT THIS TIME.
>> 80 BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT.
>> THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MY
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE IS
ITEMS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE SO
WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE ON
THE SPOT AND WE CAN ALWAYS COME
BACK. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING
THAT WITH THE IMAGE BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE NOW THAT UNDER THE
CURRENT CODE , ONLY HALF OF
THAT BUILDING WOULD BE ALLOWED
TO BE USED UNDER THAT CHANGE.
IS THAT CORRECT? DO YOU HAVE
FURTHER QUESTIONS ?
>> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
>> A DECADE AGO I HAD THE
DISTINCT OPPORTUNITY AT THE
SAME TIME THAT, THE PARKING
LOT WAS UNDER DEVELOPMENT. WE
HAD GUESTS COME IN THAT WERE
UPSET BECAUSE IT WAS HARDER TO
FIND PARKING. THE NEIGHBORHOOD
BECAME IMMENSELY MORE LIKELY.
WHEN I SEE THIS MAP, AND IS
THE THIS, THAT IS THE STORY
THAT COMES TO MIND. WE HAVE
THE DOWNTOWN CORE , THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR A VIBRANT
STREETSCAPE AND I THINK THAT IS
WHAT THIS GETS THAT. DO WE
HAVE QUESTIONS?
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A
QUESTION BUT I'M TAKING FROM
THE COMMENTS ALREADY PROVIDED
THAT THE COMMUNITY IS IN
SUPPORT OF THIS WHICH IS MY
FIRST QUESTION BUT FOR ME,
IT'S AN IN BETWEEN CATEGORY
BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND OFFICE.
THE LAYOUT IS MORE LIKE
RESIDENTIAL. THEY ARE SUBJECT
TO HIGHER FEES AND WE KNOW
IT'S HAPPENING SO ANYTHING TO
ADD , I AM INCLINED TO SUPPORT.
>> WONDERFUL. VICE CHAIR, I
SEE YOU THERE.
>> JUST SHOWING IN.
>> WITH NO FURTHER QUESTIONS
ON THIS, I WILL OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE PLAYED THE
VIDEO, THE TAKE AWAY IS PLEASE
BE NICE. WE ARE GOING TO OPEN
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON COUNCIL
THE 120 631 . WE WILL BEGIN
WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE
LIST AND WE WILL DO IN PERSON
FIRST AND THEN ONLINE . WE HAVE
TOM GRAFF , FOLLOWED BY LARS
ERICKSON AND THEN WE WILL MOVE
ONLINE . I THINK THAT IS IT.
>> MAY I MODIFY MY LAST
COMMENT? AFTER HEARING FROM
THE COMMITTEE.
>> WELCOME.
>> SHORT-TERM HOUSING LODGING
WILL NOT HELP WITH THE
LONG-TERM HOUSING PROBLEM IN
SEATTLE. RIGHT NOW WE ARE
HAVING REAL PROBLEMS WITH
TRANSIT AND WHILE YOU MAY NOT
LIKE PARKING, MANY BUSINESSES
ARE DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE BEING
ABLE TO GET BETTER. YOU WILL
BE THEN PRESSED TO HAVE A CITY
BUILT STRUCTURE, BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE DOWNTOWN . THE
BUSES ARE FINDING A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF DRUGS, EVEN FOR
SEATTLE. GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING
PRESENT. IT IS NICE TO SEE
YOU. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR PROBABLY A YEAR, THE
VITALITY NEEDS A LIFT. I
KNOW, PERSONALLY THAT HOTELS
ACTUALLY DO MORE AND THEY
PROVIDE A LEVEL OF SECURITY AT
NIGHT THAT WE DO NOT GET IN
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS. THIS
PART IS STRICTLY RESIDENTIALLY
ZONED AND THERE ARE SMALL
AREAS ALLOWED FOR OFFICE AND
HOTEL AND WE WOULD BE DOING
THIS TO ALLOW FOR THAT. WITH
20,000, WE HAVE EIGHT BUILDINGS
UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WE NEED
MORE HOTELS. THE COMMUNITY
ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THIS ACROSS
THE BOARD.
>> I DO NOT SEE LIARS WITH
US, HE DID SHARE SOME COMMON ,
WITH THAT , PUBLIC HEARING IS
NOW CLOSED FOR 126 31. I
WANT TO CHECK WITH COLLEAGUES.
NOT AT THIS TIME. WONDERFUL.
WE WILL BE BACK WITH THIS
SEPTEMBER 18th AT 9:30 FOUR A
FINAL VOTE. UP NEXT, SAME
TEAM. WE HAVE THE BRIEFING
DISCUSSION THAT WILL REZONE
PART OF DOWNTOWN. WILL YOU
PLEASE READ THE SHORT TITLE?
>> WE WILL USE THE SAME PROCESS
AS WHERE WE HAVE A BRIEF
PRESENTATION. THIS LEGISLATION
WOULD IT REZONE 11 PARCELS
LOCATED ALONG THIRD AVENUE . I
WILL LET THE TEAM SHARED THOSE
LOCATIONS. INCREASE THE
RESIDENTIAL UNIT IN THE CENTER
OF DOWNTOWN , ACTIVATE
STREET-LEVEL RETAIL , FIND
LIVABLE, WORKABLE PLAY,
SUPPORT THE DOWNTOWN SCHOOL
AND ENCOURAGE YOU INVEST AND .
I WILL BE BRINGING TWO
AMENDMENTS . THE FIRST
AMENDMENT WILL UPDATE THE
ZONING MAP TO REFLECT THE
CHANGES IN THE DOWNTOWN RETAIL
CORE BOUNDARIES . THE SECOND
WILL INCREASE THE MAXIMUM
BOWLING RIGHT FOR RESIDENTIAL
UNIT FROM 65 TO 85 FEET. IT
WILL ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA. WE
HAVE THE OFFICE OF PLANNING.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO PULL THAT A
LITTLE BIT CLOSE.
>> THIS ITEM IS ALSO PART OF
THE ACTIONS THE CITY IS TAKING
TO SUPPORT THE PLAN. THE
COURT ZONING AMENDMENT WILL
AMEND OR PROPOSE TO AMEND THE
PARTS OF THE CORE ALONG ZONE
AND IT WILL HAVE AMENDMENT TO
APPLY A 60 FEET TOWER SPACING
REQUIREMENT TO THE PROPOSED
ZONE AND WILL DECREASE THE
HEIGHT FROM 65 TO 85 FEET AND
A 20 FEET INCREASE AND THAT
WOULD NEED TO AMPLIFY
INCENTIVES IN DOWNTOWN , SO
THE AREA TO BE REZONED IS FROM
THE ALLEY BETWEEN SECOND AND
THIRD AVENUE FROM STEWART
STREET NORTH TO UNION STREET
SOUTH AND SOME PARCELS ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE THIRD AVENUE.
TO GIVE YOU CONTEXT, WE ARE
TALKING NORTH , MACY'S GARAGE
AT THE FORMER ABERCROMBIE AND
FITCH ACROSS FROM WESTLAKE
PARK ON THE FAR SOUTH WITH
WILD GINGER. THE PURPOSE OF
THIS LEGISLATION IS TO
ENCOURAGE INVEST SO CURRENTLY
IN THE DOWNTOWN RETAIL CORE,
ZONE, WE ARE NOT SEEING A LOT
OF NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE
DOWNTOWN MIXED COMMERCIAL ZONE.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS RESIDENTIAL
TOWERS BEING BUILT, SO THIS
WOULD ENCOURAGE LARGE-SCALE
INVESTMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
ON A FEW KEY SIDE AND IMPROVE
THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
AROUND THE THIRD AVENUE AREA.
IT WILL ADD RESIDENTIAL DENSITY
TO DOWNTOWN, SO HUNDREDS OF
ADDED RESIDENCE WOULD BRING
MORE PRESENCE AND SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESSES AND THAT IS A
STRATEGY TO SOFTEN THE
COMMERCIAL OFFICE MARKET
DOWNTOWN. LASTLY IT WILL
INCENTIVIZE THE POSSIBILITY
FOR DOWNTOWN SCHOOLS, SO THAT
THE POLICY THAT THIS THE HAS
WITH PARTNERS AND THIS
LEGISLATION WOULD STRENGTHEN
EXISTING INCENTIVES FOR MAJOR
NEW DEVELOPMENT TO INCLUDE A
CUSTOM-BUILT SCHOOL IN THE
DOWNTOWN. IN THIS LIGHT WE SEE
TWO EXAMPLES OF WHAT
DEVELOPMENT WE CURRENTLY SEE
COMPARED TO THE DMC ZONE. THIS
SMALL BUILDING IS TYPICALLY
WHAT WAS THE AND THAT PROPOSED
DEVELOPMENT, AND MIXED SCALE
MIXED-USE BUILDINGS WITH A
MAXIMUM 170 FEET OF HEIGHT AND
A SIX FLOOR AREA RATIO. ON THE
OTHER HAND, WE SEE TALL
CYLINDER FLOORPLATE RESIDENTIAL
TOWERS WITH MAXIMUM 440 FEET
OF HEIGHT, MAXIMUM EIGHT
COMMERCIAL FLOOR AREA RATIOS
AND WE SEE THESE EXAMPLES IN
ANY TRIANGLE. THAT'S THE END
OF THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST A COUPLE POINTS. THE
DOWNTOWN RETAIL CORE ZONE WAS
SET UP AS A PRESERVATION ZONE
TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE THE
RETAIL CORE OF THE CITY WITH
THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF
OUR RETAILS DOORS , NORDSTROM
. THE ZONING WAS SET UP TO DO
THAT. IT'S AN AREA WHERE A
LARGE NUMBER OF TERRA-COTTA
STRUCTURES WERE BUILT IN THE
1920s. THE CODE CALLS OUT THE
VACANT FACADE FOR A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PROPERTIES IN THE
REZONE AREA. THE DOWNTOWN
RETAIL CORE ZONING REQUIRES
THAT THOSE FACADE BE PRESERVED
WITH REDEVELOPMENT AND COUNCIL
SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT
TO CONTINUE TO REQUIRE THOSE
FACADE RETAINED EVEN AFTER
THEY ARE REZONED. WE WOULD
LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS
ALL SO A KEY TRANSIT AND
PEDESTRIAN NODE . ONE OF THE
TWO MAJOR CROSSROADS IN THE
CITY FOR MULTIPLE TRANSIT
FACILITIES , AND AS
DEVELOPMENT OCCURS, THE CITY
NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT
MAINTAINING A PEDESTRIAN
ENVIRONMENT THAT IS STILL
WELCOMING TO PEOPLE WHO NEED
TO USE TRANSIT BECAUSE
REDEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA.
IT IS A SENSITIVE AREA , AND
NEED POSITIVE ACTIVITY.
>> THAT IS A POINT WELL TAKEN.
I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE FOUR, THE
MAJORITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF
THE STREET. THAT IS OCCURRING
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET AT
THE SAME TIME WILL NOT MAKE A
JOKE ABOUT IT , BUT I GUESS
THAT'S A JOKE, IT'S NOT FUNNY.
POINT WELL TAKEN , BOTH SIDES
OF THIRD ARE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION . THEY HAVE A
TEAM THAT LOOKS SPECIFICALLY AT
THIS . COUNCILMEMBER ? THE MAC
THANK YOU. WE ENCOURAGE THE
PUBLIC TO READ THIS. IT IS
WELL DONE. WE ARE TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND THE BIG PICTURE.
THIS IS A DISRUPTION , AFTER A
FEW YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION
HAPPENING AND I AM CONCERNED
ABOUT, IS THAT GOING TO HAVE
LESS ACTIVATION GOING ON.
THERE ARE CONSTRUCTIONS ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE STREET -- AND
THAT HAPPENS TO THE UNIVERSITY
DISTRICT. SO, IT MAY BE
LOOKING AT SOME OF THE RECITALS
OF THE BILL, JUST TO LIFT UP
THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO BE
INVOLVED IN THIS TO BE
SENSITIVE TO PEDESTRAN ACCESS
AND ACCESS TO BUSINESSES THAT
ARE ALREADY THERE, JUST TO MAKE
SURE THAT IF THERE IS
CONSTRUCTION ON BOTH SIDES,
THIS COULD CERTAINLY HAPPEN.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO
BE VOTING ON THIS SEPTEMBER
18th. THIS WILL BE GOOD .
DAYLIGHT INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE
ARE. IS THERE AN ACTUAL
PROPOSAL? THERE IS A DESIRE
TO HAVE ANOTHER BIG ONE. THERE
ARE BUDGET CONCERNS. THERE IS
GOING TO BE THAT, THERE. I
GUESS THAT IS TRUE.
>> WE HAVE NO SPECIFIC PROPOSAL
AT THIS POINT. THIS WOULD
JUST MAKE IT LIKELY TO HAPPEN
AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
>> THE MEMO RAISES A COMMENT
ABOUT THE HISTORIC FACADE , AND
THE MEMO MENTIONS THE IDEA,
PAGE SIX, MIGHT THERE BE A WAY
TO PRESERVE THE MORE
SIGNIFICANT FACADE IN
CONSTRUCTION -- CONJUNCTION. I
KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME
BUT I CAN WORK WITH CENTRAL
STAFF AND DEPARTMENT STAFF.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, THE
INTENT OF THIS BILL IS TO TAKE
A VESTIGE , FROM DOWNTOWN
RETAIL WITH THE WAY THAT YOU
ACT DEBATED DOWNTOWN WITH THE
LIKES OF HOMEGROWN, AMAZON,
AND OTHERS, ONLINE SHOPPING IS
MUCH MORE PREVALENT THAN IT WAS
THESE BUILDINGS WERE
ORIGINALLY BUILT.
>> I COULD RESPOND TO THAT, IF
YOU WANT.
>> IT'S YOUR CHOICE. I WILL
JUST SHARE WITH THE DOWNTOWN
SCHOOL, IT HAS BEEN GOSH, 20
YEARS OF US TRYING TO WORK
WITH THE SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
TO GET A DOWNTOWN SCHOOL. I
BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS SOME OF
THIS CONTAINED IN THE
MEMORANDUM. THERE IS A SITE
AT BELLTOWN. WE CAN SEE AS
MUCH OF THIS AS WE CAN
ENCOURAGE. I AM NOT HERE TO
DEBATE YOU. I'M NOT SURE WHY
THESE BLOCKS ARE THE MAGIC
BLOCKS. THAT IS WHY I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT , AND MAYBE IT
WILL BE A WIN WIN THAT THEY GET
THESE UP STONES IN THE AREA
BECOMES MORE ACTIVE, BUT IT
WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT
INFORMATION OUT THERE.
>> WELL SAID. VICE CHAIRMAN
OR ALICE?
>> THANK YOU. AS YOU SAID ,
WE'VE BEEN ASKING ABOUT SCHOOL
FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVE
ALSO BEEN TALKING ABOUT
CHANGING , INCREASING
RESIDENTIAL HOUSING UNIT FOR A
WHILE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE
NATURE OF DOWNTOWN IS CHANGING.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
ELEMENTS THAT COULD BE REALLY
INSPIRING AND REALLY
THOUGHTFUL AS WE CONTINUE TO
THINK ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE OF
A DOWNTOWN IS AND I THINK THAT
CREATING A RESIDENTIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD MAKES SENSE. I
THINK A LOT OF THIS IS MOVING
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I DO
HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE
PARTICULAR SITE. I WANT TO
REFER TO THE DETERMINATION IF I
MIGHT AND JUST CLARIFY A FEW
THINGS . THE DETERMINATION IF
I READ THAT CORRECTLY, THERE IS
AN ESTIMATE THAT THERE WOULD
BE 600 TO 1200 HOMES AND FOR
MOST OF THEM, IT WOULD BE NEW
MARKET RATE CONSTRUCTION , IS
THAT RIGHT?
>> CORRECT. PRESUMABLY THEN
MOST OF THESE WOULD BE
AVAILABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS AT OR
ABOVE 100% .
>> CORRECT.
>> SO, PART OF WHAT I'M TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND IS , IF THAT IS
THE CASE , WE ARE LOOKING AT
GENERATING 400,000 A YEAR,
MAYBE, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
GIVEN THE RESTRICTIONS . I DO
THINK THAT WHAT I AM CONCERNED
ABOUT IS THAT WE ARE CREATING
MORE EXPENSIVE , EXCLUSIVE
HOUSING DOWNTOWN . THIS WILL
MAKE THE DOWNTOWN AREA , IS
NOT GOING TO DO TOO MUCH TO
HELP US WITH AFFORDABILITY
ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THE
CITY, SO WHAT I FEAR IS THAT IT
WON'T FIX THE ISSUES WE HAVE
ON THIRD AVENUE , AROUND HOW IT
MIGHT DISRUPT THE TRANSIT
CORRIDOR. MY FEAR IS THAT IT
IS REALLY GOING TO PUSH THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE SEEING
AND WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY
TO TURN THIS INTO AN ACTIVE,
VIBRANT PART OF DOWNTOWN AND I
WOULD BE EAGER TO SUPPORT A
BILL THAT PROMOTE THAT , THOSE
GOALS, THOSE PRINCIPLES, AND
THAT IS REALLY EMBRACING
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT. I WILL
SAY THAT I FEAR THESE HIGH-END
UNITS IF THAT IS WHAT WE ARE
ANTICIPATING MIGHT JUST BE
USED FOR SPECULATION AND SIT
VACANT INSTEAD OF CONTRIBUTING
TO HOUSING. WE KNOW THAT
SCENARIO HAS HAPPENED IN THIS
EDDIE IN THE PAST , SO I AM
REALLY JUST , I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT
CREATING THIS INCENTIVE THAT
DOES NOT INCLUDE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSING . THE
OTHER PARTS OF THE DOWNTOWN
AKRON -- ACTIVATION PLAN LOOK
GREAT. LOCAL RETAIL , EVEN
TEMPORARY ACTIVATION OF VACANT
SPACE IS IMPORTANT AND I'M
GLAD WE ARE DOING SOME OF THAT
WORK BECAUSE THE ON THE STREET
ACTIVATION IS IMPORTANT TO THE
VIBRANCY AND SAFETY . THIS
PARTICULAR BUILD, WITH THE WAY
IT'S PROMPTED, I WORRY THAT
IT'S NOT SERVING THE GOALS OF
PEOPLE IN SEATTLE AND THAT
NEEDS TO BE CONTEMPLATED AS
WELL. I AM INTERESTED IN A
CONTINUED CONVERSATION BUT I
LOOK FORWARD TO HOW WE MIGHT
CRAFT SOMETHING A LITTLE
DIFFERENTLY . I UNDERSTAND THAT
IS A CHALLENGE BUT I LOOK
FORWARD TO IT.
>> I THINK AN IMPORTANT LINE OF
QUESTION IS WHAT YOU HAVE
RIGHT THERE, THE AFFORDABILITY
IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE I THINK
WHETHER YOU HAVE THE
INFORMATION READY FOR RIGHT
NOW, MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT
COUNCIL MEMBER PEDERSEN WAS
ALLUDING TO , I THINK THAT
THERE ARE EXIST THING THINGS
TO DEVELOP AND I KNOW THAT
JUST BECAUSE WE CREATE THAT IT
DOES NOT REQUIRE REDEVELOPMENT
AND SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY
KNOW HOW MARKET RATE HOUSING ,
TO USE ON-SITE ABILITIES.
THE QUESTION I AM LEADING YOU
TOWARD TODAY, AND HAPPY TO
TAKE IT NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I DO
NOT LIKE TO PUT PEOPLE ON THE
SPOT, WHICH IS, WHAT IS THE
REALM OF MHA PAYMENTS WE WOULD
RECEIVE, OR IS IT EXEMPT?
>> THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD
ABSOLUTELY CONTRIBUTE EITHER
THE PAYMENT OR PERFORMANCE ,
TYPICALLY DOWNTOWN. WE DID
PROVIDE AN ESTIMATE OF THE
MATERIALS A 4.2 TO 8.4 MILLION
TOWARD AFFORDABLE HOUSING .
ALL OF THAT WOULD GO TO FUND
NEW BUILDINGS , AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND DOWNTOWN HAS A
HIGH CONCENTRATION OF
SUPPORTIVE AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FROM THOSE SOURCES.
BASICALLY , YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT
A SURPRISE THAT MOST NEW
CONSTRUCTION SERVES MODERATE
AND HIGH INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
THAT PROVIDES THE BENEFIT OF
INCREASING OUR OVERALL HOUSING
SUPPLY AS WELL AND THAT TAKES
PRESSURE OFF OF RENT FOR
OTHER HOUSING MARKET. IT'S ALL
CONNECT DID AND THERE ARE PROS
AND CONS BUT THE DEVELOPMENT
WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU. WHAT'S
IMPORTANT , WITH A FAIRLY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOWER ,
ABOUT $9 MILLION, SO BACK OF
THE ENVELOPE MATH, THAT MEANS
264 ONE BEDROOM UNIT OR 88
THREE BEDROOM ITEMS THAT I
ABSOLUTELY HEARING THOSE
QUESTIONS , BUT I WOULD JUST
RAISE THAT MARKET RATE DOES
CONTRIBUTE TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
>> NO, I APPRECIATE THAT AND
THE ONLY POINT I'M TRYING TO
MAKE IS THAT GIVEN THAT 4.2 TO
8.4 MILLION , THAT OVER 20
YEARS . WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
$300,000 , ABOUT 30 UNIT . IT
IS NOT NOTHING, BUT IT'S NOT
SIGNIFICANT.
>> I WANT TO BEAT YOU, BUT I
THINK THAT IS MORE TO THE
ISSUES REGARDING MANDATORY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AS
COMPARED TO A FREE ZONE. WE
CAN KEEP TALKING OFF-LINE, I
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
>> THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC
HEARING, CORRECT?
>> YOU WANT TO STAY UNTIL THEN?
WE WILL SAVE THOSE UNTIL AFTER
PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL OPEN
THE PUBLIC COMMENT , COUNTABLE
120-3632 . THAT PUBLIC HEARING
IS NOW OPEN AND I WILL DO IN
PERSON FIRST AND WE'VE GOT
STEVE , LARS ERICKSON ARTIE
SPOKE IN HIS EARLIER COMMENTS
AND WE HAVE RICHARD, SHARON LEE
AND ONLINE WE HAVE AT MARK
AND. GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> THE MICROPHONE IS DOING
SOMETHING WEIRD, MAYBE PULL IT
CLOSER.
>> DOES THAT WORK?
>> MAYBE TRY TO PULL THAT
CLOSER. CAN YOU TRY THE OTHER
MICROPHONE?
>> VERY IMPORTANT. DOES THAT
WORK?
>> HARD TO TELL.
>> TURN THAT UP.
>> SEE IF THE BUTTON IS PUSHED.
IS THERE A BUTTON ON THERE?
>> OKAY.
>> LET'S SEE, NOW. DOES IT
WORK?
>> THERE WE GO, I CAN HEAR YOU.
>> I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ON
THIRD AVENUE BETWEEN PIKE AND
PINE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR
EFFORTS AND ARE PART OF THE
CITY. WE HAVE ONE CONCERN ,
THAT WE ASK TO THE BILL TO
ALLOW FOR MORE SPACING FOR
NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE BILL
NOW. THIS IS MUCH LESS THAN
UNDER THE EXISTING ZONING SO
THIS WOULD LARGELY RESTORE
SPACING AND STRENGTHEN SPACING
THAT HAS EXISTED FOR A LONG
TIME. OUR BUILDING PROVIDE
AFFORDABILITY AND WE NEED THIS
TO KEEP OUR BUILDING VIABLE SO
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SUPPORT.
.
>> WELCOME.
>> MY FIRST QUESTION IS, ARE
YOU GOING TO BE USING ANY LESS
THAN NORMAL MARKET HOUSING?
OLDER BUILDINGS ARE ACCEPTABLE
TO MANY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE
SKY HIGH INCOMES IN THE LOSS
OF THOSE IS A GOOD PART OF OUR
HOUSING PROBLEM. THIS AREA IS
ALSO A GOOD CASE FOR SOMETHING
I HAVE FAVORED FOR A LONG
TIME, MAKING SURE IF YOU ARE
GOING TO CHANGE THESE
BUILDINGS, YOU HAVE A PLACE
FOR TRUCKS TO LOAD AND UNLOAD.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE
PEOPLE IN AND OUT FOR AMAZON ,
U.P.S., ALL THE OTHERS COMING
THROUGH, THEN THAT IS A WAY
FOR DISASTER . ARE WE GOING
TO GET ANY LOSS , AND ARE WE
GOING TO MAKE SURE?
>> ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. WE HAVE
THE LEADING OWNER , FOCUSED ON
THE WEST COAST. WE HAVE 20
PROPERTIES IN THE SEATTLE METRO
AREA INCLUDING THIRD AND
PIKE. IT HAS BEEN VACANT FOR
SOME TIME. WE HEAR FROM
TENANTS AND IT'S CRITICAL FOR
RETAIL SUCCESS. WE ARE EXCITED
TO WORK WITH THE OTHER OWNERS
WITH ACTIVE STREETSCAPE ON
THIRD AVENUE. WE BELIEVE THE
CREST BUILDING CAN SUPPORT
HUNDREDS OF NEW UNIT OVER A NEW
VARIETY OF STREET RELATED
ISSUES . WE WORK TO IMPLEMENT
THIS IF THE NEW ZONING IS
ADOPTED.
>> THANK YOU. AS SOON AS I
GET THAT PARTIAL ANSWER. WE
WILL MOVE ONLINE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. WE OWN THE
HOTEL IN THE BLOCK FOR THE
REZONE AND I WANT TO SAY THAT
OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VERY
FEARFUL AND TRAUMATIZED ON
THIRD AVENUE. ONE OF OUR
RESIDENTS WAS KILLED. WE
PROPOSE AND REPORT A SAFE
PLACE AND A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF THERE IS A SALE OR A
REPLACEMENT OR REDEVELOPMENT
THAT WE GET LOW INCOME HOUSING.
WE BELIEVE THAT DOWNTOWN
NEEDS TO BE REVITALIZED AND WE
SUPPORT THAT LODGING PROVISION
AND WE SUPPORT YOUR AMENDMENT
FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT A
PARTIAL ANSWER TO YOUR
QUESTION. UP NEXT IS RICK
YODER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MYSELF AND
MY WIFE OWN AND OPERATE THE
TRIPLE DOOR AND WE OWN THE
BUILDING ON THIRD AND UNION.
WE'VE BEEN OPERATING IN
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE FOR 34 YEARS.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF THE REZONE
AND ENCOURAGE CITY COUNT TO
ADOPT THIS PUZZLE TO SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN VIBRANCY. THE REASON
-- REZONE WILL HELP DOWNTOWN
AND IT WILL SUPPORT AND BEST
AND AND BRING YOU RESIDENTS
INTO DOWNTOWN TO SUPPORT LOCAL
BUSINESSES. WE STRONGLY
BELIEVE THAT THE NEW
DEVELOPMENT WILL HELP THIRD
AVENUE. I AM ASKING CITY
COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE REZONE TO
INCREASE THE PODIUM HEIGHT FOR
THE RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS 85.
THIS WILL IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY
AND HELP REAL ESTATE
DEVELOPMENT. I BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS ANOTHER REASON IS A
POSITIVE THE CITY .
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE MEGAN CRUZ
AND THE NICHOLAS WILKINS IS THE
LAST SPEAKER. STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE. WELCOME.
>> AND ASKED COMMITTEE TO ADD
OP CD. IT IS WHERE WE AND
OTHERS RAISE A FAMILY. THE
CITY NOMINATED AS FOR LANDMARK
STATUS. WE HAVE SUCCEEDED IN
PRESERVING FOR PEOPLE OF
DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND
INCOMES. WE HAVE ACHIEVE THAT
ELUSIVE GOAL BUT THAT IS IN
DANGER WITHOUT AN AMENDMENT.
IT'S ONLY POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN
THEM IF THEY ARE CONSIDERED
HEALTHY AND FINANCIALLY VIABLE
FOR A NEW GENERATION. WE
RECOGNIZE THIS AMENDMENT. WE
WILL NOT LIFT UP THIRD AVENUE
UNLESS ALL BUILDINGS AFFECTED
BY THIS PLAN SUCCEED.
>> ED, STAR SIX TO UNMUTE.
GO AHEAD. TAKE IT AWAY AT YOUR
CONVENIENCE.
>> I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THIS
REQUEST FOR OP CD. TO ALLOW
HISTORIC PROPERTIES. I HEARD A
LOT TODAY ABOUT NEW RESIDENTS
MOVING IN BECAUSE THE SPACES
THEY LIVE IN ARE NOT A NET
GAIN. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN
SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT . THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE LAST
SPEAKER REMOTELY OR PHYSICALLY
PRESENT IS NICHOLAS WILKINS.
WELCOME.
>> IF ANYONE KNOWS NICHOLAS,
NOW IS THE TIME. IF YOU COULD
ASK HIM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
HAVE THAT TRIP.
>> I DO.
>> GOING ONCE. WELCOME.
>> I'M ADDRESSING THIS ITEM
AS A RESIDENT AND ARCHITECT ,
59th AND THIRD AVENUE. THE
MINOR AMENDMENT , BEING
PROPOSED . WE SUPPORT THE
REZONE AMENDMENT WITH
PROXIMITY AND DAYLIGHT ISSUES
TO OUR LANDMARK BUILDING.
THERE'S A CRITICAL 15 FOOT
OPERATION . WITHOUT THE
AMENDMENT , THIS WOULD GO AWAY
. THIS IS FIVE FEET AWAY FROM
OUR BUILDING . IN ADDITION ,
THIS WOULD REMOVE ACCESS.
>> FEEL FREE TO SEND IN ANY
FURTHER WRITTEN COMMENTS. WITH
NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENT , I
WILL CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING .
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON? I WILL
GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY IF YOU
WANT TO SHARE.
>> I WILL SIMPLY SAY I HAVE NOT
LOOKED AT THIS IN AS MUCH
DETAIL AS YOU HAVE AND I AM
INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR
AMENDMENTS ARE. THERE ARE
WAYS OF IMPROVING THIS THAT I
DON'T KNOW ABOUT AND MAYBE
THERE ARE PROBLEMS I DO NOT SEE
BUT I CAN ONLY SAY THAT WE
HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AND I
DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF WE DON'T DO THIS AND THAT IS
WHAT I AM RESPONDING TO. WE
HAD THIRD AVENUE DOCUMENTS IN
THE PAST RESOLUTION ENDORSING
THAT AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A
LOT OF PUBLIC INVESTMENT. THE
STATUS QUO JUST IS NOT WORKABLE
GOING FORWARD . I DON'T KNOW
IF THERE IS , HOW MUCH INTEREST
THERE HAS BEEN FOR INDEPENDENT
DEVELOPMENT SO THAT IS WHAT I
AM MEETING WITH AND YOU
MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM
TO MIX INCOMES AND I WOULD OF
COURSE . I THINK THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I AM JUST
TRYING TO SAY THAT I AM
PROCEEDING WITH THE DESIRE TO
HELP DOWNTOWN AND ALSO FIX
SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF THIRD
AVENUE RIGHT NOW AND WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT THIS, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THE LABOR THAT WILL END
UP BUILDING WHAT EVER GETS
BUILT AND THE FRONT-LINE
WORKERS THAT REPORT OUR SMALL
BUSINESS IS THROUGHOUT
DOWNTOWN AND THE SMALL
BUSINESSES THEMSELVES.
>> WELL SAID. WITH THAT, I
WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM
IN THE COMMITTEE. 120 IS SIX .
>> CAN I RESPOND?
>> SORRY, I DID NOT YOUR HAND.
>> I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS AND THERE WAS AN
AMENDMENT MENTIONED SO I GUESS
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO JUST THE
IS THERE IS SOMETHING DRAFTED
THAT COULD BE CIRCULATED . I AM
ALSO SENSITIVE TO THE
DISTRICTS COUNCILMEMBERS
DISTRICT AND I WANT TO REACH
OUT BEFORE THE 18th JUST TO
MAKE SURE HE IS FINE WITH
THESE PROPOSALS BUT WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN HAVING THAT
AMENDMENT CIRCULATED TO SEE IF
ANYONE IS INTERESTED.
>> 120632 WILL BE HEARD NEXT
MONDAY AT THE SEPTEMBER 18th
2023 SPECIAL LAND-USE
COMMITTING -- COMMITTEE
MEETING. WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION, WELL DONE. OUR
NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS COUNCIL
BILL 120622 THAT WILL
STRENGTHEN THE STANDARDS FOR
THE MONITORING PROGRAM. WILL
YOU PLEASE READ THAT INTO THE
RECORD?
>> WONDERFUL. I CAME TO AS
DCI, WITH A STRENGTHENING OF
THE PROGRAM AND HAD A LIST OF
ITEMS I WILL SEE ADDRESS .
THERE ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION APPROVING THE
EFFECTIVENESS. SPECIFICALLY,
STRENGTHENING THE STANDARD
WITH SOLID DRAWERS, STRONGER
DEADBOLTS, POLYCARBONATE
WHICH IS TRANSPARENT, ANY
NOTICE OF VIOLATION WITH THE
MONITORING PROGRAM DID AFFECT
THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION. THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WAS CRITICAL
TO ME. ALSO SIMPLIFYING THE
PROCESS FOR POLICE AND FIRE TO
REFER BUILDINGS , WITH
MONITORING FEES AND ABATEMENT
COSTS BECAUSE THE CURRENT
SITUATION IS THAT PEOPLE CHOOSE
NOT TO PAY. THE OPPOSED --
PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD
INCREASE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND SAFETY. WITH THAT, WE ARE
JOINED BY THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS MR.
FREEMAN. FROM COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES AND I DO NOT HAVE
ANYONE SIGNED UP. THE FLOOR IS
YOURS.
>> THANK YOU , CHAIR STRAUSS
AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
YES, I AM A POLICY ANALYST
AND I AM JOINED TODAY BY THE
CODE COMPLIANCE MANAGER.
>> WE ALWAYS LIKE TO LEAD WITH
THE PURPOSE AND VALUES. I AM
SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
THESE, AND I WANT TO REMIND
FOLKS THAT THEY ARE HERE. WE
GET UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY, TO BE
FREE OF OVERGROWN VEGETATION.
IN LATE 2018 AND IN 2019, THE
COUNCIL LEGISLATION ASSOCIATED
WITH A VACANT BUILDING
MONITORING PROGRAM TO ENSURE
THAT VACANT BUILDINGS ARE IN
COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE
STANDARDS. I DON'T BELIEVE SHE
IS HERE ON THE CALL BUT I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF
COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD IN
SPEARHEADING THAT EFFORT.
THERE ARE THREE PRINCIPAL WAYS
ON THE VACANT BUILDING
MONITORING PROGRAM. WE KNOW
THERE IS A VACANT PROPERTY, IF
THOSE ARE NOT BEING MET, THERE
IS A NOTICE OF VIOLATION. THEN
THEY GO ON TO THE MONITORING
PROGRAM AND RECEIVE NOTICES OF
VIOLATION. THE SECOND WAY IS
REDEVELOPMENT . IF THERE IS A
PROPERTY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT
APPLICATION IT IS NOT ADDED TO
THE LIST . THE BUILDING IS
GOING TO DEVELOPMENT WILL BE
VACANT FOR SOME TIME AND THEN
FINALLY, HOLDINGS REFERRED TO
US BY SPD OR SFD ARE
GENERATING CALLS FOR DISPATCH
AND CAN BE ADDED TO OUR VACANT
BUILDING MONITOR. FOR FILLED
-- BUILDINGS IN MONITORING,
AFTER THREE CONSECUTIVE
INSPECTIONS WITH NO
VIOLATIONS, THEY ARE REMOVED.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY
WE BROUGHT THIS LEGISLATION
BEFORE YOU. WE ARE SEEING AN
INCREASE IN ACTIVITY. THIS IS
WHAT WE HAVE WITH MOST RECENT
ANNUAL DATA. THOSE OF THE
WORST ONES, THAT WE DO NOT WANT
TO SEE. WE HAVE MAINTENANCE OR
SAFETY VIOLATION AND I KNOW
THAT DOES NOT SOUND QUITE AS
BAD, NOT ENTERING THEM
UNLAWFULLY. WE DO NOT HAVE
THAT PHONE NUMBER YET. WE WILL
EXCEED THAT FROM 2022. THE
OTHER ITERATION IS THE VACANT
BUILDING MONITORING FEE .
NONPAYMENT IS UP , WHICH IS
COLLECTION OF THOSE FEES IS
DOWN. THE COLLECTION HAS FALLEN
FROM 57% , TO ABOUT 37% LAST
YEAR. SOME OF THAT ACCOUNTED
THROUGH A DELAY AND WE WILL
ISSUE THAT INVOICE AND THERE
ARE INSTANCES WHERE WE DO MAKE
A MISS TAKE AN ISSUE A
CORRECTION BUT THAT CERTAINLY
DOES NOT MAKE A SIGNIFICANT
NONPAYMENT RATE WE ARE SEEING
BECAUSE OUR CURRENT PROCESS IS
PRETTY LABOR AND TIME AND
RESOURCE INTENSE LIVE AND
REQUIRES US TO WORK IN THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO
OBTAIN A COURT ORDER FOR A
PROPERTY LIEN AND THAT TAKES A
LOT OF TIME AND RESOURCES AS
WELL AS FROM THE COURT SYSTEM,
ALL OF WHICH EXPERIENCE
RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS RIGHT NOW
AND WE KNOW AS PART OF THIS ,
THERE IS AN ONGOING PUBLIC
SAFETY RISK. THANK YOU SO MUCH
. THE ORDINANCE WOULD REQUIRE
VACANT BUILDINGS TO BE KEPT
FREE OF GRAFFITI AND WOULD
REQUIRE ANY BUILDING TO CHANGE
THE STANDARD FOR HOW COMPLAINTS
AND NOTICES OF VIOLATION
WORK, SO RIGHT NOW, AS I
MENTIONED, IF THE BUILDING
RECEIVES A NOTICE OF VIOLATION
, TYPICALLY THE 30 DAY
DEADLINE, WE'VE HEARD FROM A
NUMBER OF COUNCIL OFFICES INTO
COMPLIANCE ON THE LAST FEW
DAYS OF THAT 30 DAY PERIOD,
AND ENDING UP WITH UNSECURED
ARE OTHERWISE UNSAFE VACANT
BUILDINGS. THIS WILL CHANGE IT
SO IF THERE'S A NOTICE OF
VIOLATION , DEFINED AT THE
BUILDING IS UNSECURED ARE
UNSAFE, IT IS AUTOMATICALLY
ENROLLED. IT WOULD ALSO
SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR
VACANT BUILDINGS TO MONITOR TO
US AND WOULD AUTHORIZE FILING
PROPERTY TAX LIENS
ADMINISTRATIVELY WITHOUT
HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE
PROCESS OF SECURING A COURT
ORDER. THAT SLIDE WAS
INTENDED AS LESS OF A TEXT
HEAVY INTRODUCTION , SO I WANT
TO WALK THROUGH THAT IN MORE
DEPTH . IN TERMS OF
STRENGTHENING STANDARD , WE
PROPOSE A COUPLE THINGS , THAT
DOORS BE SOLID CORE, RATHER
THAN HOLLOW. THEY ARE MUCH
HARDER TO REMOVE OR DESTROY,
SIMILARLY REQUIRING DEADBOLTS
THAT ARE MORE SECURE AND THIS
WOULD NOT BE , RATHER THAN
PLYWOOD TO BOARD UP BUILDINGS .
THE REASON WE MIGHT DO THIS IS
SEEING REPEATED ACTIVITY . WE
HAVE CLEAR POLYCARBONATE WHICH
ALLOWS THEM TO SEE INTO THAT
STRUCTURE TO HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING . THE EXCHANGE
IS A NEW REQUIREMENT, AS ONE
OF THE STANDARDS TO BE SECURE
AND MAINTAINED AND SAFE. THIS
WOULD ADD A REQUIREMENT THAT
THEY BE KEPT FREE OF GRAFFITI
AND WE KNOW THAT GRAFFITI IS A
BIG TARGET . WHEN THE BUILDING
HAS GRAFFITI IT IS QUITE LIKELY
THAT IT WILL BE TARGETED FOR
FUTURE ACTIVITY. ADDING THAT
TO THE LIST WILL HELP TO
MINIMIZE THE VISIBILITY AND
THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT
ACTIVITY OCCURRING AT THAT
SITE. THIS IS NOT A NEW
REQUIREMENT , THAT HOLDINGS BE
KEPT FREE OF GRAFFITI. THE
CODE ALREADY REQUIRES PROPERTY
OWNERS TO KEEP THEIR
PROPERTIES FREE OF GRAFFITI
AND THIS WOULD SIMPLY ADD
GRAFFITI TO THE LIST FOR BEING
CLEARED ON VACANT LOT. I
MENTIONED THE CHANGE ABOUT
VIOLATIONS , REALLY RESPONDING
TO WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM
FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT A
LOT OF THESE PROPERTIES ARE
COMING INTO COMPLIANCE AND THEN
FALLING OUT PRETTY QUICKLY. IT
IS SOMETHING OUR INSPECTORS ARE
SEEING AND WE ARE TRYING TO
ADDRESS THAT PROPERTIES THAT
RECEIVE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION.
THE NEXT CHANGE INVOLVES
POLICE AND FIRE REFERRALS DID
POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE
DEPARTMENT MAINTAIN A LIST OF
PROPERTIES THAT THEY REFER TO
US THAT HAVE GENERATED CALLS
FOR DISPATCH. WE HAVE AN
EXTENSIVE SYSTEM FOR TRACKING
COMPLAINTS AND INSPECTIONS SO
THE LIST IS REALLY REDUNDANT .
WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED TO
BETTER STREAMLINE OUR
COOPERATION IS SIMPLY TO
REQUIRE THAT POLICE AND FIRE
REMOVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT
THEY HAVE ON THIS SEPARATE
LIST TO ALLOW THEM TO REFER
PROPERTIES THAT HAVE GENERATED
CALLS FOR DISPATCH. FINALLY,
THE LAST TO BE AUTHORIZING THE
DEPARTMENT TO FILE PROPERTY
TAX LIENS ADMINISTRATIVELY
WHICH IS AGAIN, RESOURCE AND
STAFF AND TIME INTENSIVE SO
THAT IT SELDOM MAKES SENSE TO
GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THIS
WOULD ALLOW US TO MORE
EFFECTIVELY COLLECT THE
CHARGES THAT WE ARE SEEING
WITH NONPAYMENT. WE IDENTIFIED
A HANDFUL OF CLARIFICATIONS.
WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> WONDERFUL. I CANNOT THANK
YOU ENOUGH AND YOUR TEAM AND
YOUR INSPECT IS , WHO ARE OFTEN
THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS OR THE
CONVEYOR OF INFORMATION THAT
YOU DO NOT WANT TO HEAR. WE
HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT VACANT
BUILDINGS WERE BEING MONITORED.
I WAS OUT IN BALLARD , GETTING
CLOSE WITH INSPECTORS WHO I
BELIEVE THERE WAS NOT OVERTIME
FOR BEING OUT THERE UNTIL 10:00
AT NIGHT AND I MADE THAT
CHOICE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO
ENSURE EVERYTHING GETTING
PUMPED OUT WAS ACTUALLY MAKING
IT IN, RIGHT? THIS IS THE
DEDICATION THAT I AND I WANTED
TO TAKE THAT MOMENT. I MEAN,
ESPECIALLY WITH THAT TABLE, IT
FELT LIKE YOU WERE GETTING ME A
GIFT WITH SUCH A WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION BEFORE IS BECAUSE
WHAT I HAVE FOUND IN MY
DISTRICT AND MAYBE YOURS AND
MAYBE BECAUSE I HAVE INDUSTRIAL
ZONES IN MY TEXT WHICH IS THAT
IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET
ONTO THE MONITORING LIST AND
ONCE IT WAS ON IT WOULD BE
REMOVED BECAUSE THEY WOULD
CHANGE ONE DEBT VOLTS. BUT THE
PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. THE
NEXT PROBLEM WOULD COME AND
THEY WOULD MAKE SMALL CHANGES
AND IT WAS VERY CLUNKY AND
THERE WAS NOT A REASON TO
COMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN JUST
CHOOSE NOT TO PAY THEIR FEE.
THIS IS A WELL-ROUNDED PIECE OF
LEGISLATION . WITH THAT , FOR
THE RECORD, WE WILL HAVE A
PUBLIC HEARING, BUT NO ONE HAS
SIGNED UP. 10. OF THIS
LEGISLATION WAS 10 I
IMMEDIATELY ASKED STAFF AND I
HAVE BEEN WAITING THERE . NOW
THAT YOU ARE HERE, I SOME
QUESTION. WHY ARE THESE
PROPERTIES VACANT? OF THE 700
COMMON , COMPLAINTS REFERENCE ,
HOW MANY WERE PLANNED FOR
DEMOLITION? WHAT HAS BEEN THE
OUTREACH PROCESS IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROPOSAL?
>> I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT.
ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE
PROPERTIES BECAUSE
APPLICATION. THERE ARE A MIX
OF REASONS, THE PROPERTY COULD
BE FOR SALE, IT COULD BE A
PROBATE, ALTHOUGH GENERALLY IT
TENDS TO BE THAT MAKES OF
LEGAL, TRANSACTIONAL ISSUES
AND THERE ARE DERELICT PROPERTY
OWNERS, BUT THOSE ARE TYPICALLY
THE REASONS WE SEE.
>> YOU SAID SOME ARE GOING TO
DEVELOPMENT AND THAT IS WHAT
I'M TRYING TO GET AT BECAUSE IT
OCCURS TO ME, WHY ARE THEY NOT
JUST DEMOLISHED? I'VE BEEN
ASKING STAFF WHY IS IT SO HARD
TO GET A DEMOLITION PERMIT.
THAT WOULD SOLVE A PROBLEM IF
THEY WANTED TO REDEVELOP.
>> THERE ARE A HANDFUL , FOR
HOUSING BUT I APOLOGIZE,
THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT IN
PLACE. THERE ARE SITE PLAN,
AND AND ASSESS AND UTILITY
DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION AND
HANDFUL OF OTHER REQUIREMENTS
BUT THAT WOULD BE A
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND
OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE
REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS .
>> I UNDERSTAND THOSE, BUT I
WILL BELABOR THIS. A SITE PLAN
BECAUSE THAT WOULD HELP THE
CITY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF
THE ACTUAL DEMOLITION PROCESS ,
SO THE TRUCK IS GOING TO GO
HERE?
>> JUST FOR WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE
TAKING PLACE AND A MAP OF THE
DEMOLITION PLAN.
>> AND I GOT THE ANSWER FROM
CHRISTINA TODAY THAT ONCE THE
APPLICATION IS RECEIVED AND
PROCESSED TEST IT IS TWO WEEKS
BUT IT COULD TAKE TIME , IS
THAT THE CASE?
>> WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET
OUR PERMIT DONE PRETTY QUICKLY
AND WE ARE WORKING ON A WAY
BETWEEN US AND THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO GET BUILDINGS DOWN
EVEN FASTER, SO WE ARE WORKING
WITH PARTNERS ON WAYS TO DO
THAT BUT IN TERMS OF GETTING
PERMITS , WE ARE WORKING ON
HAVING A FACILITATOR HELP
PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING PROBLEMS
GETTING TO THE PROCESS THAT WE
DO NOT FIND THAT THAT IS THE
CASE. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
TWO WEEKS TURNAROUND AND WE'VE
BEEN TOLD BY STAFF THAT THEY
WILL HELP US AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE BUT THEY DO NEED THE
COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION .
>> OKAY, GOT IT. TO MY
QUESTION ABOUT THESE
COMPLAINTS, FOR THOSE IN
BUILDINGS AWAITING DEMOLITION?
>> WE DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN
FRONT OF US BUT WE COULD FIND
OUT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
DEMOLITION PERMIT SITTING
VACANT AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE
IMPETUS TO MAKE BUILDING OWNERS
TAKE THOSE DOWN YET BUT ARE
WORKING ON WAYS TO FIND IN THE
FIRE CODE IF THERE ARE WAYS TO
ORDER THEM TO BE DEMOLISHED .
IT'S A VERY LONG PROCESS .
>> OKAY. AND WHAT KIND OF
OUTREACH HAS BEEN CONDUCT DID
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
LEGISLATION?
>> WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY
OUTREACH EXCEPT FOR TO OUR
PARTNERS.
>> OKAY, SO I'M ASKING THESE
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT ,
THIS IS NOT A CASE OF ADDING
INSULT TO INJURY OR BLAMING THE
THEM AND I WILL SAY IT NOW.
THERE ARE BAD ACTORS THAT ARE
NOT TAKING CARE OF THEIR
PROPERTY , THERE IS DUMPING
GOING ON OR WATER DAMAGE,
ELECTRICITY DAMAGE, IT CAN MAKE
SURROUNDING BUILDINGS
VULNERABLE. I GET THAT. NO
ONE WANTS TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO
AN ASSET PROBABLY MORE THAN
THE PROPERTY OWNER, I WOULD
ASSUME . NOW IF THEY ARE GOING
TO DEMOLISH, LET MAKE THAT EASY
FOR THEM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT
IF THE BIG PROBLEM IS TRESPASS,
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE
CANNOT ADDRESS BECAUSE THERE
ARE MANY PROPERTIES , THEY
PARTICIPATED IN THE NO
TRESPASSING PROGRAM, THERE IS
INSUFFICIENT SPD STAFFING TO
RESPOND TO TRESPASSING IN THE
BUILDING AND BAD THINGS GOING
ON THERE, AND IT SEEMS LIKE
THE ONLY THING WE KNOW HOW TO
DO IS TO PUT MORE REQUIREMENTS
ON THE PROPERTY OWNERS WHO DO
NOT WANT TO BE IN THE SITUATION
IN THE FIRST PLACE. I
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ELSE TO BE
DONE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT , AND I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THE PROCESS , THE
NOTIFICATION PROCESS FOR
PUTTING A LIEN ON SOMEONE'S
PROPERTY, THAT SEEMS HARD-CORE.
THAT THE NEW THING IN ADDITION
TO THE PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN
MODIFIED TWICE . I DON'T KNOW
HOW RIGOROUS THAT IS, HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS TO NOTIFY A
PROPERTY OWNER THAT THEY HAVE
MISSED A PAYMENT
YOU MENTIONED THAT THESE
BUILDINGS ARE UNSECURED
BECAUSE THEY ARE BROKEN INTO.
AGAIN, THAT IS A DIFFICULTY
WITH THE INABILITY TO
INVESTIGATE AND ARREST FOR
BREAK-INS THAT WE HEAR ABOUT A
LOT. SO I AM NOT JUST
COMPLAINING, BECAUSE THERE IS
A BETTER WAY NOW AND SOME OF
THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT ACQUIRED STRUCTUR
PROGRAM.
SO I TALKED TO THE HEAD OF
LOCAL 27 LAST NIGHT. IN FACT, I
HEARD ABOUT THIS FIRST WHEN WE
WERE TALKING AS THE SEVEN
GABLS THEATER WAS BURNING
DOWN, WHICH IS NEAR MY HOUSE.
PERHAPS THERE IS A WAY OF
ALLOWING THESE VACANT
STRUCTURES TO BE USED FOR
TRAINING FOR THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT. RIGHT NOW THEY NEED
TRAINING. I ATTENDED THE FINAL
EXAM FOR A COHORT OF RECRUITS
IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHEN
THEY BURNED DOWN A HOUSE IN
TREMONTON AND THEY DID A LOT OF
THE EXERCISES. SO THAT IS ONE
EXAMPLE OF VACANT BUILDINGS
THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS
FOR TRAINING, BUT YOU DON'T
HAVE TO BURN IT DOWN FOR IT TO
BE OF USE. THERE ARE
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW BUILDINGS
ARE BUILT. THERE IS VALUE IN
SIMPLY BEING ABLE TO TEAR OUT
THE WALLS, THAT RECRUITS CAN
SEE, WHERE IS THE CONDUIT, ET
CETERA? SO IT SEEMS THAT THERE
IS A BENEFIT FOR THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT, WHICH HAS 31
STATIONS ALL OVER THE CITY AND
WHEN THOSE FIREFIGHTERS NEED
TO LEARN SOMETHING, THE ONLY
PLACE THEY CAN GO ON A
RELIABLE BASIS IS THE TRAINING
CENTER, WHICH IS WAY DOWN
SOUTH. SO THE MORE BUILDINGS
THEY HAVE AT THEIR DISPOSAL FOR
TRAINING, THE BETTER. ALSO, IF
ONE IS NOT DEMOLISHING OR IF
IT CAN BE A BUILDING, FOR
EXAMPLE ON THIRD AVENUE, THAT
CAN BE USED OVER AND OVER AGAIN
FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, BECAUSE
IT IS NOT DAMAGED OR TORN
DOWN, THAT IS ACTIVATION. I AM
NOT SAYING WE DON'T IMPLEMENT
THIS. I DO WANT TO HEAR WHAT
THE INPUT IS FROM PROPERTY
OWNERS ABOUT THE LIENS AND SOME
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THE
BOTTOM LINE IS, RIGHT NOW THE
REQUIREMENT IS A HALF INCH
BOLT AND NOW YOU REQUIRE A ONE
INCH BOLT AND NEXT TIME YOU
RENEW THIS IT IS GOING TO BE
ONE AND A HALF INCH. SO IT IS
VERY DIFFICULT FOR PROPERTY
OWNERS TO SECURE AND I AM JUST
LOOKING FOR A BETTER WAY TO
ACTIVATE THESE PROPERTIES, IF
THEY CAN'T BE DEMOLISHED
FASTER, AND JUST TO HAVE A
BROADER RANGE OF OPTIONS AT OUR
DISPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON. WE ARE FULLY SUPPORTIVE
OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND
OTHERS USING VACANT BUILDINGS,
BUT REALLY IT SPEAKS TO YOUR
POINT ABOUT HOW OWNERS GET
STUCK IN THIS PROCESS. THEY
REALLY DO HAVE OPTIONS, WHICH
IS TO KEEP THE BUILDING
OCCUPIED OR TO TEAR IT DOWN,
SO THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO
ENCOURAGE. IF THEY CAN KEEP IT
OCCUPIED OR HAVE ANOTHER
ENTITY USING IT, THAT IS
BENEFICIAL TO US.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. SO MAYBE
LISH OR SOMEBODY, CAN YOU WALK
ME THROUGH THE ACQUISITION
PROCESS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL,
THANKS.
>> I TELL YOU WHAT MY
UNDERSTANDING IS, BUT IT IS
PROBABLY THE SAME AS YOURS.
THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR
NOTIFICATION WHEN A LIEN IS
PUT ON A PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE
HAVE TO LET THE PROPERTY OWNER
NO THAT THE PROVISIONS ARE
THERE AND ACTUALLY -- THOSE
ARE ALL STEPS THAT THE SDCI
DIRECTOR WOULD HAVE TO TAKE.
YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT
DEMOLITION. THE SDCI DIRECTOR
IS AUTHORIZED TO COMPEL
DEMOLITION OF STRUCTURES UNDER
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES AND
SPEAKING TO THE FACT THAT IT IS
NOT NECESSARILY AN EASY
PROCESS, BECAUSE THERE HAS TO
BE NOTIFICATION THERE.
OPPORTUNITY FOR REMEDY, SO IT
IS SOMETHING THAT CAN TAKE A
WHILE. STEPPING BACK TO 2017,
THE COUNCIL PROVIDED A
REGULATORY GIVE IN SOME WAYS
TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY BY
SHORTENING THE LENGTH OF TIME
THAT A BUILDING HAS TO BE
OCCUPIED WHEN IT HAS A
RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE REPORT TO
BE DEMOLISHED. PREVIOUSLY IT
WAS 12 MONTHS. NOW IT IS FOUR
MONTHS. THAT WAS INTENDED TO
FACILITATE DEMOLITION OF
STRUCTURES, WITH INTENDED
REDEVELOPMENT. MAYBE LOOKING
BACK IT SEEMS THERE WAS
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE THERE
WHERE DEVELOPERS ARE NOT
AVAILING THEMSELVES OF THAT
OPPORTUNITY AND LEAVING
PROPERTIES VACANT THAT COULD BE
AN EYESORE FOR NEIGHBORS. IT
WOULD BE AN INTERESTING
RETROSPECTIVE LOOK TO SEE IF
THAT HAD UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES. I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, ABOUT
WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR NOTICE TO
PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT THERE ARE
REQUIREMENTS UNDER STATE LAW
AND CITY CODE TO NOTIFY
PROPERTY OWNERS BEFORE
APPLYING A LIEN AND ALSO BEFORE
COMPELLING DEMOLITION.
>> THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND WE
CAN'T DO NOTHING, RIGHT? I
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS TO THE
COMMUNITY ARE REALLY NEGATIVE.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING BETWEEN
THIS AND SOMETHING ELSE? THOSE
ARE THE SORTS OF THINGS I AM
ASKING. RIGHT NOW THERE IS JUST
ONE GUY THAT IS THE POINT
PERSON TO THE CONTRACTORS ALL
OVER TOWN, SO IT IS A ONE-OFF
RELATIONSHIP OR IF CONTRACTORS
KNOW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM THEY
CAN APPROACH. THERE IS A
WEBSITE THAT THEY CAN FILL OUT
TO OFFER UP THEIR PROPERTY, BUT
IMPROVING OPERATIONS WOULD BE
GOOD AND I THINK BENEFICIAL TO
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANKS.
AND ALSO, POLICE. THEY CAN DO
TRAININGS THERE AS WELL. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON. VICE
CHAIR MORALES.
>> INC. YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I
WANT TO GO BACK TO
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON'S POINT
ABOUT WHY IT TAKES SO LONG.
UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE SEEN THIS
A LOT ON RAINIER AVENUE, WHERE
WE HAD MULTIPLE BUILDINGS THAT
WERE BURNED. WE HAD ONE IN
PARTICULAR THAT TOOK MONTHS
AND MONTHS FOR DEMOLITION. I
CALLED THE DIRECTOR MYSELF
SEVERAL TIMES TO FIGURE OUT WHY
IT WAS NOT BEING TORN DOWN
WHEN THE ROOF WAS SLOPING AND
STARTING TO FALL ON THE
SIDEWALK AND THE RESPONSE WAS
THAT THEY WERE GIVING THE
PROPERTY OWNER TIME TO
NEGOTIATE WITH THE INSURANCE
COMPANY AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE
WHAT THAT MEANT. IF AN
ADJUSTER COULDN'T COME OUT. I
DO FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO DO
SOMETHING, PARTICULARLY IF
THESE BUILDINGS ARE POSING AN
IMMINENT SAFETY RISK TO OUR
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TO FIGURE
THIS OUT SO THAT WE CAN GET
THESE BUILDINGS DEMOLISHED
SOONER AND MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE ARE NOT PUT IN
JEOPARDY. I HAVE A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE. SO, WE MONITOR VACANT
BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN
DISREPAIR. THESE COULD BE
SPECULATIVE ASSETS. I THINK WE
HAVE ALL HEARD STORIES ABOUT
SOME OF THIS BEING RELATED TO
SPECULATION, BUT THEY COULD
ALSO BELONG TO PEOPLE WHO
CAN'T AFFORD TO MAINTAIN THE
PROPERTY ANYMORE. SO I AM
WONDERING WHY THE FOCUS ON
THESE KINDS OF BUILDINGS AND
NOT ALL VACANT PROPERTIES? WE
HAVE A LOT OF CONDOS, FOR
EXAMPLE, THAT ARE SITTING
VACANT, SO I AM TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND, RATHER THAN PUTTING
A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, THAT
IS ONE QUESTION, AND THE
OTHER QUESTION IS, RATHER THAN
PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, IF
SDCI IS EXPLORING ACQUIRING
SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES,
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A VERY REAL
HOUSING CRISIS IN THE CITY AND
IT SEEMS FOR VACANT'S BUT NOT
UNINHABITABLE, THERE IS A
POTENTIAL TO ACQUIRE THOSE AS
A CITY. I WONDER IF YOU COULD
ADDRESS THOSE TWO THINGS.
>> CERTAINLY. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES. SO TO
YOUR FIRST POINT ABOUT WHY OR
SORT OF THE SPECIFIC VACANT
BUILDINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT
HERE, THE INTENT OF THE VACANT
BUILDING MONITORING PROGRAM IS
TO ENSURE THAT PROPERTIES ARE
SECURE AGAINST UNLAWFUL ENTRY
AND ARE MAINTAINED TO
SPECIFIC SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE
STANDARDS, SO WE DON'T SEE THE
KINDS OF INCIDENCES YOU
DESCRIBED ON RAINIER AND OTHER
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. IT
IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO
INSPECT OR TO SEE OR FOR
NEIGHBORS TO SEE IF A CONDO IS
VACANT, OFTEN TIMES, AND
ADDITIONALLY THOSE TEND TO BE
MORE SECURE, GIVEN THAT THE
BUILDINGS ARE GENERALLY SECURE,
EVEN IF A PARTICULAR CONDO UNIT
IS VACANT. SO THAT IS THE
STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM. IN
TERMS OF ACQUIRING PROPERTIES,
SDCI DOESN'T HAVE THE
AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE PRIVATE
PROPERTY. I KNOW THAT THE
OFFICE OF HOUSING HAS FUNDS
FOR RAPID ACQUISITION AND I
KNOW, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD NOT
SAY I KNOW. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT
THE CITY THROUGH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS HAS ENCOURAGED
NONPROFITS TO HELP FOLKS IN
NEED HOUSING, EVEN ON A
TEMPORARY BASIS, FOR BUILDINGS
THAT ARE SLATED FOR DEMOLITION,
TO OCCUPY THOSE BUILDINGS ON A
TEMPORARY BASIS IF THEY ARE
ABLE TO DO SO. SO I AM NOT
TRYING TO DEFLECT HERE, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY OUR DEPARTMENT
IS NOT STATUTORILY EQUIPPED TO
ACQUIRE PROPERTY.
>> IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT
WOULD BE UP TO THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING TO ACQUIRE PROPERTIES.
THAT IS THE DEPARTMENT TO
ENGAGE IN THOSE TYPES OF
ACQUISITIONS. AS YOU KNOW, THEY
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FUND, SO
TO SPEAK. IF IT LOOKS LIKE A
PROPERTY THAT MIGHT BE
SUITABLE FOR REDEVELOPMENT IN
THE FUTURE, THEY CAN ACQUIRE
THAT PROPERTY. I SUSPECT THAT
MANY OF THE PROPERTIES IN THE
VACANT BUILDING MONITORING
PROGRAM ARE IN PARTS OF TOWN
WHERE THEY WOULD PREFER NOT TO
DEVELOP BECAUSE THEY ARE IN
LOW DENSIY ZONES, SO YOU WILL
NOT GET AS MUCH BANG FOR YOUR
BUCK. WITH RESPECT TO THE
LIENS QUESTION, ONE THING WE
CAN EXPLORE WITH SDCI AND THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS
WHETHER THERE ARE OTHER
MECHANISMS FOR COST RECOVERY.
WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY
ENVISIONED, THE VACANT BUILDING
MONITORING PROGRAM WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-SUSTAINING
AND AT A LEVEL WHERE THE STAFF
NEEDED WOULD BE PAID FOR BY
THOSE NEEDS, FOR THE MOST PART.
THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS TO GET
COST RECOVERY OF ABOUT THREE
QUARTERS OF THE BUILDINGS ARE
IN SOME PHASE OF THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. ONE THING
THAT WE CAN EXPLORE WITH THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SDCI
IS REQUIRING PAYMENT AS A
COMPONENT OF BUILDING PERMIT
APPLICATIONS. SO, SOME COST
RECOVERY THERE THAT HELPS IF
THE PAYMENT IS LAGGED, OR AS A
CONDITION OF ISSUANCE OF THE
BUILDING PERMIT. THERE HAS TO
BE A CONTINUITY OF OWNERSHIP.
THERE CAN'T BE SOMEBODY WHO IS
GOING TO SELL A PIECE OF
PROPERTY TO A DEVELOPER AND
DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A
DEVELOPER IN HAND AND IS NOT
SECURING THE BUILDING. HAS TO
BE THE SAME PERSON APPLYING FOR
THE BUILDING PERMIT BEING THE
ONE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY. THAT
CAN BE ANOTHER REMEDY FOR
BETTER COST RECOVERY FOR THE
PROGRAM.
>> WELL SAID. I REALLY LIKE
THESE QUESTIONS. VICE CHAIR
MORALES, COUNCILMEMBER NELSON,
WELL SAID. I WAS TAKING NOTES
AS YOU WERE SPEAKING BECAUSE I
BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT. VACANT
BUILDINGS THAT HAVE PERMITS
THAT ARE NOT BEING DEMOLISHED,
THE CURRENT LAWS ON THE BOOKS
DO NOT INCENTIVIZE THESE
BUILDINGS TO BE DEMOLISHED. SO
THEY HAVE A DEMOLITION PERMIT,
BUT THEY ARE STILL STANDING AND
THEY ARE STILL UNSECURED AND
THERE ARE NO REAL TEETH IN THE
CURRENT LEGISLATION.
>> THEY ARE NOT DEMOLISHING,
WHY? IF THEY HAVE A PERMIT TO
DEMOLISH?
>> SO YOUR QUESTION WAS, A
BUILDING HAS A DEMOLITION
PERMIT. IT IS STILL STANDING
TODAY. CAN WE INCENTIVIZE THEM
TO DEMOLISH IT?
>> MY QUESTION WAS MORE, WHY
AREN'T THEY DEMOLISHING? NO, I
DID NOT ASK THAT. I SAID IF A
PROPERTY OWNER WANTS TO
DEMOLISH, WHAT ARE THE
BARRIERS FOR THEM TO DEMOLISH?
IS IT DIFFICULT GETTING THE
PERMIT?
>> RIGHT AND WE HAVE TALKED
ABOUT THAT. THE TWO WEEKS
TURNAROUND IS BETTER THAN IT
WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND THAT
WAS A QUESTION I HAD FOR THE
TEAM, BECAUSE DEMOLITION
PERMITS CAN'T BE A BARRIER. WE
WILL ALSO BE RECEIVING AN
AUDIT ON THE ENTIRE PERMITTING
PROCESS FOR ALL PERMITS
SHORTLY THAT WILL SHED MORE
LIGHT ON THAT. I DID HEAR THE
QUESTION. MAYBE I TOOK THE
WORDS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH
INCORRECTLY, BUT WHY WOULD A
VACANT BUILDING THAT HAS A
DEMOLITION PERMIT NOT BE
DEMOLISHED? I THINK MICHELLE
ANSWERED AS TO HOW THE DIRECTOR
CAN COMPEL THAT DEMOLITION. IT
IS A CUMBERSOME PROCESS. THIS
IS ANOTHER INCENTIVE TO HAVE
THAT DEMOLITION PERMIT
EXECUTED. BECAUSE THE CURRENT
LAWS ON THE BOOKS DON'T HAVE
TEETH.
>> I DON'T REMEMBER ASKING
THAT, BUT THAT IS A GOOD THING
TO KNOW.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> WHERE MY JOURNEY ON THIS
VACANT BUILDING MONITORING
PROGRAM CHANGES CAME FROM WAS
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE SKILLS
BUILDING ON 8th AVENUE
NORTHWEST, NOT FAR FROM YOUR
BREWERY. WHICH WAS ROUTINELY
BROKEN INTO. WE WOULD PUT IT
ON THE VACANT BUILDING
MONITORING PROGRAM. ONE DOOR
WOULD BE FIXED AND IT WOULD BE
REMOVED FROM THE PROGRAM. THE
NEXT WEEK A DIFFERENT DOOR
WOULD BE BROKEN INTO. THAT
DOOR WOULD THEN BE FIXED AND IT
WAS JUST A VERY ROUNDABOUT
SITUATION.
>> I CAN SEE THAT. WE WILL
TAKE THIS OFF-LINE.
>> SURE, ALSO NOTING THAT I
BELIEVE THE TRAINING FOR THE
FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO REQUIRES A
DEMOLITION PERMIT TO BE IN
PLACE AND WHAT I RECOGNIZE THE
WALL OF MY WORK WITH VACANT
BUILDINGS IS THAT PEOPLE
IMPLEMENT THE SOLUTIONS TO THE
CODE. IF THE CODE SAYS USE
PLYWOOD OR IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT KIND OF DOOR YOU USE, THEY
WILL CHOOSE THE CHEAPEST DOOR.
SO CLARIFYING ASPECTS OF OUR
CODE ARE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
WE ARE ACTUALLY USING
MATERIALS THAT CANNOT BE EASILY
BROKEN INTO.
>> AND THE SOLID CORE IS A LOT
MORE EXPENSIVE, PROBABLY
BECAUSE IT IS SOLID.
>> CORRECT. IT IS SOLID. SO
YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE
INCENTIVE TO THE PROPERTY
OWNER. IF THEY ARE GOING TO
RETAIN THAT VACANT BUILDING IS
VACANT, MAYBE RATHER THAN BY
THE SOLID CORE DOOR THEY GET A
DEMOLITION PERMIT. THIS IS
WHERE WE MOVE THESE PROPERTY
OWNERS TO MAKE THE IMPORTANT
DECISIONS THAT IMPROVE THE
VITALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
VICE CHAIR MORALES, YOU BROUGHT
UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT VACANT
BUILDINGS AND VACANT UNITS.
NOTING THAT IT IS DIFFERENT AND
A DIFFERENT INCENTIVE TO
ACHIEVE THE GOAL THAT YOU WERE
ALLUDING TO, A VACANCY TAX.
IN THAT WAY. AND THEN IF WE
WERE TO TAKE A VACANT PARCEL
OR A VACANT BUILDING AND TURN
IT INTO HOUSING, IT REQUIRES
US TO PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE.
QUINN DID A NICE JOB. I THINK
THE REALITY IS THAT WHEN YOU
LOOK AT THE HOUSING PROJECTS,
YOU ARE LOOKING AT PUBLIC
LAND, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION
LAND, OR WHATEVER LAND CAN BE
PROVIDED AT A BELOW MARKET
VALUE, WHICH ISWHY WE DON'T
TYPICALLY USE CONDEMNATION.
NOT TRYING TO PLAY SUBJECT
MATTER EXPERT, JUST SHARING MY
EXPERIENCES WITH EACH OF THESE
POINTS. I REALLY APPRECIATE,
COLLEAGUES, YOUR LINE OF
QUESTIONS. THIS WILL BE BACK
NEXT WEEK, ON THE 18th, FOR
FINAL VOTE. ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW BEFORE I
OPEN AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC
HEARING?
>> THE PUBLIC HEARING OR THE
MEETING ALTOGETHER? I WOULD
JUST LIKE TO ASK SDCI STAFF.
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO
HAVE A DEMOLITION PERMIT AND
ARE NOT DEMOLISHING, I JUST
NEED TO KNOW THE NATURE OF THE
PROBLEM. IS THAT THE MOST
COMMON ISSUE THAT WE ARE TRYING
TO SOLVE FOR? THANKS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER. I
THINK WE WILL HAVE TO GET BACK
TO YOU ON THAT AND A HANDFUL
OF OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I LOOK
FORWARD TO RESPONDING SHORTLY.
>> OKAY, THANKS.
>> S, JUST THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER, WE DO HAVE TWO
MORE ITEMS IN COMMITTEE TODAY.
SO, THE PUBLIC HEARING ON
COUNCIL BILL 120622 IS NOW
OPEN. AT THIS TIME I DO NOT
HAVE ANYONE PRESENT TO SPEAK.
OH, I AM SORRY. PLEASE.
>> I USUALLY DON'T SPEAK FOR
LANDOWNERS. I USUALLY DON'T
SPEAK FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN
BUILDINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY
THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT IS
MUCH, MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST THE
BUILDINGS. WE HAVE A SECURITY
PROBLEM IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR
PRIVATE SECURITY, BECAUSE THE
CITY DOES NOT RESPOND. AND THAT
IS EVEN WHEN PEOPLE ARE
TRYING. SO I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS YOU COULD DO TO HELP
THIS PROBLEM AND A WHOLE LOT
OF OTHER SECURITY PROBLEMS IN
THE CITY IS TO TAKE A LOOK AT
WHAT USED TO BE ONE OF THE MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS FOR CITY
GOVERNMENT. IT WAS, OH GEE,
PUBLIC SAFETY. I THINK THE
POLICE FORCE, WHAT ARE WE DOWN,
400, PROBABLY 500 BY NOW? AND
THEY DON'T COME WHEN YOU CALL
AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD PART
OF THIS PROBLEM. YOU CAN RAISE
THE BUILDING, BUT THAT WILL NOT
STOP THE PROBLEM. PEOPLE WILL
CAMP OUT ON THE BUILDING SITE
AND THEY'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME
TO KNOCK DOWN THINGS.
>> THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS.
BENEVOLENT RESIDENT OF FREMONT,
FORMERLY GREEN LAKE. ALWAYS A
PLEASURE. WITH THAT, WE HAVE
NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT
REGISTRANTS VIRTUALLY OR
PHYSICALLY PRESENT, SO THE
PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED
WE WILL HAVE THIS BILL BACK AT
COMMITTEE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER
18, FOR A POSSIBLE VOTE. OUR
NEXT ITEM, THANK YOU, MR.
MAJESKI. MICHELLE, WONDERFUL TO
SEE YOU. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE
AGENDA -- AND LISH, THANK YOU
FOR HANGING OUT. I THINK WE ARE
GOING TO OPEN AND CLOSE THIS
ITEM BECAUSE WE ARE 20 MINUTES
OVER ALREADY. THE NEXT ITEM IS
A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON
RESOLUTION 32097, A RESOLUTION
ENDORSING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE
MARITIME AREAS.
>> RESOLUTION 32097,
INDUSTRIAL AND MARITIME
RESOLUTION FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE ATTACHED
THE SUBSTITUTE TO THE AGENDA.
WE ARE ALSO ENGAGING WITH A
LITTLE BIT MORE STAKEHOLDER
OUTREACH BEFORE FINAL PASSAGE.
WE HOPE WE WILL HAVE THIS BILL
BACK BEFORE COMMITTEE AND
PASSED ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18.
SO IN CLOSING, THIS BILL WILL
BE BACK ON SEPTEMBER 18 FOR A
POSSIBLE VOTE. THE FINAL ITEM
ON THE AGENDA IS A BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL BILL
120635, TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEES. CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE
READ THE SHORT TITLE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCIL BILL 120635,
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU AND WE HAVE KETIL
FREEMAN HERE. AS I SAID AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THE
HEARING EXAMINER IS STILL
DECIDING ON THE ISSUE, WHICH
IS WHY I MADE THE DECISION TO
POSTPONE THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC
HEARING UNTIL AFTER THE
EXAMINERS DETERMINATION. I AM
HOPING TO GET A BIT OF AN
UPDATE FROM YOU ON THAT
PROCESS. I CAN TELL YOU FROM
PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, I CAN
TELL WHY IT IS TAKING A LITTLE
LONGER THAN EXPECTED. THE 30
DAY PUBLIC NOTICE WAS INITIALLY
POSTED. I ANTICIPATED THAT WE
WOULD REACH THAT FINAL
DECISION TODAY. WHEN THE
HEARING IS SCHEDULED, WE WILL
PROVIDE AT LEAST 30 DAYS
NOTICE IN THE PAPERS OF RECORD.
THIS LEGISLATION IS SPONSORED
BY COUNCILMEMBERS PEDERSEN AND
-- PEDERSEN AND HERBOLD. I
WILL LET YOU SPEAK WHILE
CENTRAL STAFF PROVIDES THE
BRIEFING AND WE WILL TAKE IT
FROM THERE. I KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE THIS BILL IN THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. YOU
HAD A BRIEFING IN THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. HAPPY TO
HEAR FROM KETIL FREEMAN FIRST
AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD WILL BE JOINING US TO
LEND SOME COMMENTS. I DIDN'T
ACTUALLY HEAR THE BILL ITSELF.
IT WAS JUST SOME OF THE
ATTACHMENTS.
>> GREAT. DID YOU HAVE ANY
COMMENTS BEFORE KETIL'S
PRESENTATION?
>> NO OPENING COMMENTS.
>> OKAY, KETIL, PLEASE TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> I WILL WALK THROUGH SOME
HISTORY HERE. I WILL TALK ABOUT
CONTEXT. AND REMIND
COUNCILMEMBERS ABOUT WHAT THE
COUNCIL BILL WILL DO AND LET
YOU KNOW WHEN OUR BEST GUESS
IS ABOUT WHEN THERE MIGHT BE A
DECISION. SO I WILL SHARE MY
SCREEN HERE. ALL RIGHT,
HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY CAN SEE
THAT. SO THIS PRESENTATION IS
AN EXPANDED PRESENTATION OF
THE PRESENTATION WE DID TO THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE BACK
IN MARCH. BY WAY OF REMINDER,
THE MOST RECENT CONSIDERATION
OF TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES
AND OTHER TYPES OF FEES. IN
2014 THE COUNCIL APPROPRIATED
THE FUND BALANCE TO STUDY
IMPACT FEES. THEN THE MAYOR
MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE
COUNCIL TO PURSUE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES,
PARKS IMPACT FEES. THE WORK ON
IMPACT FEES WAS TABLED WHILE
THE AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM WAS
REVIEWED BY THE COUNCIL AND IT
WAS NEVER REALLY TAKEN UP AGAIN
BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SINCE
2017 THE COUNCIL HAS, EVERY
YEAR, SAID WE WANT TO CONSIDER
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES AND
THROUGH THE POLICY DOCKET. IN
2018 UNDER COUNCILMEMBER
O'BRIEN, THEN CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, THE COUNCIL
INITIATED COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AMENDMENTS FOR TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEES. THAT WAS REPEALED
BY AN UNAFFILIATED COALITION OF
DEVELOPERS CALLED THE SEATTLE
MOBILITY COALITION. IN 2019
COUNCILMEMBERS RECEIVED A
DECISION RELATED TO THAT APPEAL
AND THE THRESHOLD DETERMINATION
WAS GIVEN BY THE HEARING
EXAMINER. MORE RECENTLY IN
2020 AS PART OF THE SALES TAX
INCREASE FOR TRANSIT, THE
COUNCIL WAS TO CONSIDER FEES
AS AN IMPACT SOURCE AND
BEGINNING IN 2022, BUT
CULMINATING IN A THRESHOLD
DETERMINATION IN EARLY 2023
ABOUT IMPACT FEES BACK ON THE
TABLE, BY COUNCILMEMBERS
PEDERSEN AND HERBOLD. WE ISSUED
A PROFESSIONAL DETERMINATION
THAT REMAND TO THE COUNCIL AND
THAT WAS AGAIN APPEALED BY THE
COALITION. SO, STEPPING BACK
HERE, FOR THOSE FOLKS WERE
WATCHING AND THEY WONDER WHAT
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES ARE,
THEY ARE FEES CHARGED FOR NEW
DEVELOPMENT TO PARTIALLY FUND
THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED TO
ACCOMMODATE GROWTH.
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES
AREN'T THE ONLY FEE AUTHORIZED
BY THE ACT. IMPACT FEES CAN
ALSO BE CHARGED FOR PARKS,
SCHOOLS, AND FIRE FACILITIES.
THERE IS A PROCEDURE DESCRIBED
UNDER RCW 808 TWO THAT DEALS
WITH EXCISE TAXES, AT LEAST ON
SOME LEVELS. IT PRESCRIBES
KIND OF A THREE-STEP PROCESS.
FIRST, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A RATE
STUDY THAT ESTABLISHES THE
NEXUS BETWEEN NEW DEVELOPMENTS
AND MITIGATING HIGH DEMAND ON
THE SYSTEM ASSOCIATED WITH
GROWTH AND YOU HAVE TO AMEND
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO
INCLUDE A LIST OF
TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS OR
PARKS OR FACILITIES TO MITIGATE
THESE IMPACTS. AFTER THAT IS
DONE, YOU CAN DEVELOPMENT
IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION. SO
THEY ARE A NECESSARY, BUT NOT
SUFFICIENT STEP TO IMPLEMENT
AN IMPACT PROGRAM. UNDER STATE
LAW YOU CAN EXEMPT CERTAIN USES
AND A OF IT IS FROM FEES. LOW
INCOME HOUSING, WHICH IS
DEFINED IN STATE STATUTE AS
HOUSING SERVING HOUSEHOLDS AND
80% OF MEDIAN INCOME, CAN BE
EXEMPTED. EARLY LEARNING
FACILITIES CAN BE EXEMPTED.
OTHER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES
WITH A BROAD PURPOSE OF
INSTITUTIONS AND THINGS LIKE
THAT CAN ALSO BE EXEMPTED FROM
IMPACT FEES. BY WAY OF EXAMPLE,
SOME JURISDICTIONS IDENTIFY
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS. HOW
MUCH REVENUE COULD A
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
PROGRAM GENERATE? THE ANSWER TO
THAT IS, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON A
LOT OF FACTORS THAT WOULD, YOU
KNOW, REQUIRE DIRECTION FROM
THIS COUNCIL LORI FUTURE
COUNCIL. TWO BIG FACTORS
INCLUDE THE FEE LEVEL SET BY
THE CITY BY LAND USE AND WHAT
EXEMPTIONS APPLY AND ALSO THE
RATE OF FUTURE EMPLOYMENT AND
RESIDENCY GROWTH. SO IMPACT
FEES ARE KIND OF A LUMPY SOURCE
OF REVENUE. YOU ONLY GET THE
REVENUE WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS
HAPPENING. YOU DON'T GET THE
REVENUE WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS NOT
HAPPENING. SOME EXAMPLES THAT
WE USED BACK IN MARCH THAT ARE
REPRODUCED HERE, IF THE CITY
WERE TO SET A BASE RATE ON THE
LOW-END OVER 10 YEARS OF AN
IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, WE COULD
GENERATE ABOUT $200 MILLION. A
BASE RATE SIMILAR TO THE
WESTERN WASHINGTON AVERAGE
COST, ABOUT $400,000 OVER A
10 YEAR PERIOD. RELATIVELY
ON THE HIGH-END. THAT COULD
GENERATE APPROXIMATELY $764
MILLION OVER 10 YEARS, BUT
ULTIMATELY IT WOULD DEPEND ON
WHAT FEE LEVEL THE COUNCIL SETS
FOR IMPACT FEES. SO WHAT DO
OTHER JURISDICTIONS DO? I THINK
YOU HEARD TESTIMONY TODAY
ABOUT HOW JURISDICTIONS USE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES.
THIS WAS FROM A SLIDE THAT THE
CONSULTANT ON IMPACT FEES PUT
TOGETHER FOR THE PRESENTATION
BACK IN MARCH. ON THE LOW-END,
A FEE RATE THAT IS LESS THAN
$12,000 PER PERSON TRIP. ON
THE HIGH-END, A MUCH HIGHER
COST PER PERSON TRIP.
RELATIVELY MORE EXPENSIVE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
PROGRAM. I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT WHAT THEY PUT TOGETHER
WAS SOMETHING BASED ON
INFORMATION THAT IS COLLECTED
ANNUALLY BY A TRANSPORTATION
PLANNER IN BELLINGHAM AND THAT
IS PUBLISHED -- SO, COMPARING
SEATTLE NOW, WHAT SEATTLE
COULD DO, TO OTHER
JURISDICTIONS AND WE HAVE A
COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE.
SINGLE-FAMILY AND MULTIFAMILY.
IT IS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT HARD
TO READ AT HOME, BUT THE BLUE
BOXES ACTUALLY A FEE --
IMPOSED BY KING COUNTY AND
PASSED THROUGH BY THOSE
JURISDICTIONS AS A SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT CHARGE. AS YOU CAN
SEE FOR SINGLE-FAMILY
DEVELOPMENT, SEATTLE CHARGES
RELATIVELY LESS WHICH NOT ONLY
HAS PARKS, SCHOOL, AND FIRE
FEES IN SOME CASES, BUT ALSO
CHARGES FOR WASTEWATER,
DRAINAGE, AND WATER. LOOKING AT
A MULTIFAMILY EXAMPLE. THERE
ARE ALWAYS VARIATIONS BETWEEN
JURISDICTIONS. I AM NOTICING
THAT THE KEY DOES NOT INCLUDE
WHAT IS THE TOP PART OF THESE
BAR GRAPHS BECAUSE OF
OBLIGATION FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. BELLEVUE AND KIRKLAND
HAVE ESSENTIALLY PROGRAMS WHERE
YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL AREA
IF YOU PROVIDE UNITS ON SITE,
SO IT IS NOT AN APPLES TO
APPLES COMPARISON. THERE IS AN
OBLIGATION THAT DEVELOPERS HAVE
TO PAY AND SO IS THAT
PASS-THROUGH CHARGE FROM KING
COUNTY. RELATIVELY SPEAKING,
PLACES LIKE PORTLAND AND
KIRKLAND CHARGE GREATER
CHARGES. WHAT WE CHARGE NOW
AND COULD CHARGE IN THE FUTURE
WOULD BE SIMILAR, DEPENDING ON
FUTURE DECISIONS BY THE
COUNCIL. AGAIN, THAT IS NOT
CURRENTLY THE FEE IMPOSED.
JUST TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHERE
IT IS COMING FROM, WE ARE
ASSUMING THE WESTERN
WASHINGTON AVERAGE FOR THE SAKE
OF SIMPLICITY. SO WHAT DOES
THE COMPOSED AMENDMENT DO?
IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. TO
IDENTIFY DEFICIENCIES. IT
UPDATES THE PROJECT LIST THAT
WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LIST
PROPOSED BACK IN 2018 TO
ELIMINATE SOME OF THE PROJECTS
THAT ARE NOT NEEDED OR HAVE
BEEN ABANDONED OR OTHERWISE
CHANGED AND IT ESTABLISHES A
POLICY FOR GUIDANCE TO THIS
COUNCIL OR FUTURE COUNCIL ABOUT
SETTING RATES AND MORE OF
TRANSIT RICH ENVIRONMENTS. IT
ALSO SAYS TO CONSIDER THOSE
TYPES OF USES AUTHORIZED BY
STATE LAW. FACILITIES AND OTHER
ACTIVITIES WITH PUBLIC PURPOSE.
NEXT STEPS, THIS IS WHERE I
WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE HEARING EXAMINER. THE
APPEAL HEARING WAS LAST WEEK.
IT WENT THREE DAYS. CLOSING
BRIEFS ARE DUE AT THE END OF
THE MONTH, SEPTEMBER 28. WHEN
WILL THE HEARING EXAMINER ISSUE
A DECISION ON THE APPEAL? YOUR
GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE, GIVEN
THE TIME IT USUALLY TAKES. IT
IS PROBABLY A MID OCTOBER TO
MID NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME. IN
NOVEMBER IF THERE IS A
FAVORABLE DECISION, THEN THE
COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER
CONFERENCE OF PLAN AMENDMENTS
CONCURRENT WITH THE BUDGET.
THERE IS AN EXCEPTION UNDER
STATE LAW FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE
PLAN THAT ARE RELATED TO
CAPITAL FACILITIES SUCH AS
IMPACT FEES. SO THAT IS AN
OPTION FOR THE COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER, AN ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENT OPPORTUNITY. SO THAT
IS THE PRESENTATION. I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY THAT
YOU HAVE.
>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
THE SPONSORS HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN AND WE
HAVE COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD WITH
US TODAY. COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE
OFF MUTE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK
YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND
JOIN YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEE
TODAY TO TALK ABOUT AN ISSUE I
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WITH SOME
PASSION. AS KETIL MENTIONED,
FOR A DECADE NOW I THINK. I
WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY READ AN
EXCERPT FROM A LETTER TO THE
EDITOR, AUTHORED BY MYSELF,
COUNCILMEMBER BAGSHAW AND
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN IN 2017.
MAYBE A COUPLE OF SENTENCES,
BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE IRONIC
ABOUT THE PLACE THAT WE WERE AT
AT THAT TIME AND THE PLACE WE
ARE AT TODAY. HERE IS OUR PATH
FORWARD. ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1,
WE WILL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
THAT ESTABLISHES THE 2018
DOCKET OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
TO THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN. THE DOCUMENT THAT GUIDES
HOW WE GROW. THE RESOLUTION
DIRECTS DEPARTMENTS TO ANALYZE
AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ANY
PROPOSED CHANGE TO OUR PLAN
MUST UNDERGO ANALYSIS BEFORE
THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS IT
FOR APPROVAL. YOU KNOW, THAT
WAS IN 2018. FIVE YEARS LATER
WE ARE IN THE SAME PLACE, AS
KETIL EXPLAINED. THE PLAN
AMENDMENT WAS APPEALED THEN.
IT IS BEING APPEALED NOW. I
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE
WORK THAT KETIL HAS DONE IN
THIS AREA. THE CITY HAS
INVESTED IN A CONSULTANT
REPORT THAT HAS MADE A RATE
STUDY. THESE ARE FUNDS THAT I
BELIEVE THE COUNCIL IDENTIFIED
THROUGH OUR CONSULTANT BUDGET
AND I AM REALLY HOPING THAT
THE FUNDS SPENT AND THE TIME
SPENT NOT JUST BY COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND STAFF, BUT ALSO
AGAIN, KETIL FREEMAN HAS SPENT
MANY HOURS IN THE HEARING
EXAMINER'S HEARING. NOT THIS
TIME, BUT THE PRIOR TIME, AS
WELL. TO REPRESENT THE CITY
POSITION THAT WE CAN MOVE
FORWARD WITH THIS SMALL,
PROCEDURAL STEP OF AMENDING
THE COMP PLAN AND ADDING THIS
PROJECT LIST. SO I THINK I
WOULD LIKE TO ASK TWO
QUESTIONS. ONE, CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NATURE OF
THE PROJECTS ON THE PROJECT
LIST? AND SECONDLY, I JUST WANT
TO FLAG AN ISSUE. WE HEARD A
COUPLE OF TIMES FROM SEATTLE
FOR EVERYONE. YOU KNOW, LAST
TIME THEY REACHED OUT ONE OF
THE STATEMENTS THAT THEY MADE
IS THAT NOW WAS NOT THE TIME TO
CONSIDER ADDING NEW FEES TO
HOUSING. WE RECOMMEND A BROADER
APPROACH TO IDENTIFY REVENUE
TOOLS FOR TRANSPORTATION
PRIORITIES AS A COMPLEMENT TO
THE LEVY RENEWAL DISCUSSION.
WHEN THEY CONTACTED COUNCIL
WITH THAT MESSAGE SEVERAL
MONTHS AGO, I SAID I AGREED,
BUT IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION WE NEEDED TO
CLEAR THIS PROCEDURAL HURDLE.
AGAIN, THE PLAN IS NOT TO
ESTABLISH TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEES NOW. IT IS, AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, TO CONSIDER THEM
AS A COMPLEMENT TO THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY RENEWAL IN
THE FUTURE, BUT WE CANNOT HAVE
THAT CONVERSATION UNTIL THE
COMP PLAN IS AMENDED. AGAIN,
YESTERDAY, THE EMAIL HAD THAT
SAME, SAME MESSAGE. THE LETTER
ATTACHMENT. READING IT, I
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT CONCERNS. EVERYBODY HAS
BEEN TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS IS
REALLY COMPLEX AND IT IS NOT
COMPLEX. THE BILL, AGAIN, IT
IS A PROJECT LIST AND A RATE
STUDY AND SOME CHANGES TO THE
COMP PLAN. READING THE LETTER,
THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE
LISTING IS LANGUAGE IN THE
COMP PLAN CHANGE, WHERE IT
GOES FROM CONSIDER THE USE OF
IMPACT FEES TO USE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEES. SO
THE CONCERN I THINK, IS THAT
THE PAIN IN THE PUMP PLAN
SUGGESTS THAT A DECISION HAS
BEEN MADE TO USE IMPACT FEES
AND THAT IS NOT HOW I HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBING IT. I HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBING IT AS, IT CLEARS THE
WAY TO HAVE THIS LIST OF
PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE FOR IMPACT FEES,
SHOULD IMPACT FEES BE
AUTHORIZED. I THINK THIS
LANGUAGE, TO USE, CHANGING
CONSIDER TO TO USE, IS
CREATING CONSTERNATION. THAT
MAKING THIS PROCEDURAL CHANGE
IN THE COMP PLAN, THAT WE ARE
SOMEHOW BOXING AND COUNCIL TO
PASS A TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
FEE PROGRAM. I AM WONDERING IF
YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
>> SURE, SHARING MY SCREEN
HERE. I WILL SEE IF I CAN MAKE
THIS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. THIS
IS A MAP FROM THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, BUT ALSO
FROM THE RATE STUDY WHICH
IDENTIFIES THE PROJECTS THAT
WOULD BE IMPACTED AND BE
ELIGIBLE. MOST OF THESE
PROJECTS ARE DRAWN FROM THE
VARIOUS PLANS. PLANS ADOPTED
BY THE COUNCIL BY RESOLUTION,
SO THE PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN,
THE BIKE MASTER PLAN, THE
TRANSIT MASTER PLAN. WHAT IS
SHOWN ON THE MAP IS NOT THE
UNIVERSAL PROJECTS, BECAUSE
THAT WOULD BE TOO BUSY. IT
WOULD BE SHOWING EVERY STREET
IN THE CITY. WHAT IS SHOWN
HERE ARE MOST OF THE BIG
PROJECTS THAT ARE CORRIDOR
PLANS AND SOME OF THEM ARE
SPECIFIC TO FREIGHT. MOST OF
THEM ARE COMPLETE STREET
PROJECTS. GENERALLY SPEAKING,
THIS IS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THAT IS NOT ON THIS LIST.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE
PROJECT AND THE PLANS ALSO IN
THE VISION DOCUMENT THAT
CONTEMPLATED PROJECTS THAT
MIGHT BE COMPLETED OUTSIDE --
SO THAT IS WHERE THE PROJECTS
COME FROM.
>> THE NEXT THING. THE REASON
WHY WE FOCUS ON THE MASTER
PLAN PROJECTS AND THE
PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN PROJECTS
IS BECAUSE THOSE ARE PROJECTS
LINKED TO GROWTH, CORRECT? WE
CAN'T WITH IMPACT FEES PAY FOR
ANYTHING IN A BACKLOG. WE CAN
ONLY PAY FOR THINGS ASSOCIATED
WITH GROWTH AND THESE TYPES OF
PROJECTS ARE IMPROVEMENTS WE
ARE MAKING TO OUR
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE,
BECAUSE OF GROWTH.
>> THAT'S RIGHT AND FOR EACH OF
THESE PROJECTS THE CONSULTANT
ESSENTIALLY DID TWO THINGS.
IDENTIFIED A PORTION OF THE
PROJECT THAT IS A CAPACITY
IMPROVEMENT, ASSOCIATED WITH
GROWTH. AND TOOK THAT AMOUNT
AND SUBTRACTED FROM THE TOTAL
PROJECT COST. THE EXISTING
DEFICIENCY ON THINGS LIKE
THAT. TOOK THAT OUT AND ALSO
CREATED THESE CORRIDOR PROJECTS
AND IDENTIFIED CITY OF SEATTLE
TRIPS, NOT NECESSARILY
PASS-THROUGH TRIPS. COMING
FROM SHORELINE AND GOING
THROUGH SEATTLE. SO, THERE WAS
A FACTOR THAT WAS INCLUDED TO
REACH A COST THAT WOULD BE,
FOR EACH OF THESE PROJECTS,
THAT IS A COST ASSOCIATED WITH
A CAPACITY RELATED IMPROVEMENT.
WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION
ABOUT CONSIDERING USE AND THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
IMPROVEMENTS, THAT LANGUAGE
USED IS ACTUALLY FROM 2018. I
THINK ONE THING THAT IS WORTH
THINKING ABOUT IN THE CONTEXT
OF ANY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A
PREAMBLE IN THE PLAN THAT
SPELLS THIS OUT. IT SAYS
EVERY POLICY AND GOAL, THE
READER SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT
IT IS THE GENERAL POLICY -- THE
FACT THAT IT CHANGES SOMETHING
FROM CONSIDER TO USE DOES NOT
NECESSARILY COMPEL THE CITY TO
ADOPT AN IMPACT FEE AND
IMPLEMENTING AN IMPACT PROGRAM.
IT MAY MAKE IT SOMEWHAT MORE
LIKELY. THE PROJECT LIST ALSO
MAKES IT SOMEWHAT MORE LIKELY,
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING IT IS A
REFLECTION OF EMPHASIS, BUT NOT
NECESSARILY LANGUAGE THAT IS
BINDING FOR FUTURE COUNCIL
ABOUT IMPLEMENTING A PROGRM.
>> THANK YOU. I MIGHT HAVE SOME
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, BUT I
SEE COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA IN
THE QUEUE, SO MAYBE IF MY
OTHER QUESTIONS COME BACK TO
ME, MISTER CHAIR, CAN LOOP
BACK AROUND.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD. I JUST WANT TO CHECK
BACK WITH YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR. I
WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT THE
PROCESS WAS HERE, BECAUSE I
HAVE A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE
PROJECT LIST, QUESTIONS RELATED
TO EXEMPTIONS, QUESTIONS
RELATED TO THE HOUSING
PRODUCTION ISSUES, QUESTIONS
RELATED TO OUTREACH. DO YOU
WANT ME TO DO ONE SET OF
QUESTIONS AND THEN I WILL WAIT
OR WHAT IS THE BEST PROCESS TO
GET THESE QUESTIONS OUT THERE?
>> I THINK ASKING THE QUESTIONS
THAT YOU'VE GOT IS THE BEST WAY
TO MOVE FORWARD. LET'S ROLL
THROUGH THE QUESTIONS AND GET
THEM ON THE RECORD.
>> OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR
THE BACKGROUND HERE. ON THIS
ISSUE. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN
HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
I RAISED, YESTERDAY, THAT I
THINK THAT THIS REQUIRES QUITE
A BIT OF CONVERSATION, SO I
APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE TEEING
IT UP TODAY. ON THE PROJECT
LIST, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS
A GOOD WAY TO DISPLAY THAT.
FOR CENTRAL STAFF. CAN YOU HELP
EXPLAIN HOW THE PROJECT LIST
CORRESPONDS TO FUTURE
LEGISLATION ABOUT IMPACT FEES?
HOW DOES THIS LIST INFORM HOW
THE PROPOSED FEE SCHEDULE IS
DETERMINED?
>> THE PROJECT LIST SERVES A
COUPLE OF PURPOSES. ONE IS
THAT THE LIST IS INCORPORATED
INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
ASSUMING THAT THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AMENDMENT PASSES AND THE
CITY AND THE FUTURE
ESTABLISHES TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, WHAT THAT
MEANS IS THAT THOSE PROJECTS
WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE
EXPENDITURES FROM REVENUE FROM
AN IMPACT FEE PROGRAM. SO IT
DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL OF THE
MONEY THAT THE MONEY IS USED
ENTIRELY TO FUND THOSE
PROJECTS. OR THAT IT HAS TO BE
SPREAD OUT EVENLY AMONG THOSE
PROJECTS. IT JUST MEANS THEY
ARE ELIGIBLE. THE BUDGET, FOR
EXAMPLE, CONSIDERING THE CIP.
CONSIDERING A DIRECTIVE
DEVELOPED AT SOME POINT IN THE
FUTURE. THE COUNCIL WOULD MAKE
A DECISION ABOUT HOW TO
ALLOCATE IMPACT FEE REVENUE.
BUT THE COUNCIL CANNOT ALLOCATE
REVENUE TO A PROJECT THAT IS
NOT ON THE BOOKS. SO IT IS
CONSTRAINING IN THAT WAY. BUT
ULTIMATELY A DECISION ABOUT
WHERE IS THE REVENUE -- WOULD
BE A DECISION THAT THE COUNCIL
MAKES AND THAT THE MAYOR
RECOMMENDS AS PART OF THE
BUDGET PROCESS.
>> HOW WAS THE PROJECT LIST
DEVELOPED? ARE THERE PARTICULAR
STAKEHOLDERS THAT IDENTIFY
THESE PROJECTS, GIVEN THIS?
>> I MENTIONED THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME LIST THAT
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN PUT
TOGETHER. THERE WERE
STAKEHOLDERS HE WAS WORKING ON
THEN. THE QUESTION IS REALLY A
QUESTION FOR COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND PEDERSEN AND THEY
CAN SPEAK ON THIS.
>> I TAKE THAT, IF I MAY,
CHAIR, AND COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. I WILL TRY. AS I
UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT YOU ARE
SHOWING, THE LIST OF PROJECTS,
THE REASON THEY ARE LISTED IS A
LOT OF THOSE ARE CROSS CUTTING
OVER MULTIPLE MODAL PLANS. SO
YOU HAVE STREET PROJECTS, FOR
EXAMPLE. SO YOU'RE DEALING
WITH TRANSIT AND PEDESTRIAN
MASTER PLAN. WHAT WE ARE REALLY
INCORPORATING INTO THE PLAN
WOULD BE ALL OF THOSE MODAL
PLANS. THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH
EXTENSIVE STATE MONITORING TO
GET THE TRANSIT PLAN AND THE
BIKE MASTER PLAN AND THE
FREIGHT MASTER PLAN. REVENUE
COULD BE USED FOR ALL OF THOSE
PROJECTS. THANK YOU.
>> I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF
THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT LIST
DETERMINES HOW BIG THE FEES
ARE, THEN WHAT PROCESS DO WE
NEED TO UNDERGO TWO EVALUATE
THE LIST OF PROJECTS THAT AT
THIS POINT MIGHT STILL BE
NECESSARY, BUT ALSO COMING
FROM A LIST THAT IS FIVE OR SIX
YEARS OLD? I GUESS GIVEN THE
RANGE OF THE DOLLARS THAT CAN
BE GENERATED FROM THE IMPACT
FEES, HOW HAS IT BEEN DECIDED
TO PUT DOLLARS TOWARD THESE
SPECIFIC PROJECTS? IS THERE A
METHODOLOGY? WAS THERE A
PROCESS? WAS THERE AN EQUITY
ANALYSIS THAT WE CAN GO BACK
TO, TO POINT TO THESE
PRIORITIES, AMONGST MANY
PRIORITIES IN THE CITY? I
AGREE IT IS IMPORTANT, BUT HOW
ARE THESE IDENTIFIED AMONG ALL
OF THE THINGS TO SEE WHAT
METHODOLOGY WAS USED?
>> I SPEAK WITH MY EXPERIENCE
WHEN DOING SOME OF THE
STAKEHOLDER WORK, BUT I DON'T
KNOW HOW RELEVANT THAT IS.
>> NO, I THINK THERE WAS A
MISSTATEMENT THAT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. SORRY.
>> IT'S TOTALLY FINE. I'M GOING
TO ASK THAT EVERYONE RAISE
HANDS TO MAINTAIN DECORUM
WITHIN THIS MEETING. SO,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA ASKED A
QUESTION OF KETIL FREEMAN.
KETIL, YOU HAD A FAIR ANSWER
AND COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU
WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO IT.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> INC. YOU AND MAYBE,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, YOU
MISSPOKE, BUT THE COST OF THE
PROJECTS ON THE PROJECT LIST DO
NOT DRIVE THE IMPACT FEE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, IF
YOU WOULD LIKE --
>> THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY.
>> KETIL FREEMAN, CAN YOU HELP
ME UNDERSTAND?
>> SURE, SO WHAT IS THE
INTERSECTION OF THIS PROJECT
LIST WITH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
IT AND OUR RATE SETTING OF AN
IMPACT FEE? THERE IS THIS
NUMBER HERE AND GIVEN THIS
PARTICULAR PROJECT LIST, THIS
IS THE PORTION OF ALL OF THESE
PROJECTS THAT ARE IMPACT FEE
ELIGIBLE. SO THERE IS A
SUMMATION. ALL OF THE PORTION
THAT IS IMPACT FEE ELIGIBLE.
YOU TAKE THAT AND YOU DIVIDE
THAT BY ASSUMED FUTURE GROWTH
AND YOU COME UP WITH A COST
PER PERSON TRIP AND THAT
REPRESENTS A CEILING, I WILL
GO TO WHERE IT IS NOW. IT
REPRESENTS A CEILING ABOVE
WHICH THE CITY CANNOT COLLECT
IMPACT FEES. SO IT REPRESENTS
THE UPPER LIMIT FOR POLICY
DELIBERATION ABOUT WHERE TO SET
A FEE IN THE FUTURE. SO THAT
WILL BE THE UPPER LIMIT ABOVE
WHICH A FEE CANNOT BE SET AND
HERE IS THAT COST PER PERSON
TRIP, GIVEN THAT PROJECT. SO
ANY FEE IN THE FUTURE, THE
COST PER PERSON TRIP CANNOT
EXCEED THAT AMOUNT. THERE ARE
DIFFERENT LAND USES AND
CHARACTERISTICS. SOMETHING
LIKE A GAS STATION GENERATES A
WHOLE LOT MORE TRIPS THAN A
HOTEL, FOR EXAMPLE. IT
GENERATES A LOT OF TRIPS.
THERE IS A MANUAL CALLED THE
INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION
ENGINEERS TRIP GENERATION
MANUAL THAT SETS OUT WHAT THE
TRIP GENERATION CHARACTERISTICS
ARE FOR A PARTICULAR LAND-USE
AND SO YOU TAKE THIS FEE AND
YOU APPLY AT USING THE
CHARACTERISTICS AND YOU CAN
COME UP WITH WHAT A FEE WOULD
BE FOR EACH TYPE OF LAND USE.
IT IS REALLY JUST AN
ALGORITHM. YOU PLUG IN THE
MAXIMUM SUPPORTABLE FEE AND IT
TELLS YOU BY LAND-USE THE
CEILING THAT YOU CANNOT CHARGE.
IF YOU MAKE A DIFFERENT POLICY
DECISION THAT THE CITY SHOULD
HAVE SOMETHING LIKE WESTERN
WASHINGTON FEES OR BURIEN FEES
OR BELLEVUE FEES, YOU PLUG IN
THAT COST PER PERSON TRIP AND
IT IS SORT OF WHAT THE FEE
WOULD BE BY LAND-USE. THAT IS
HOW SOME FUTURE RATE SETTING
WOULD HAPPEN. BUT THE RATE
SETTING DOES NOT SET THE RATE.
IT ESTABLISHES THE MAXIMUM FEE,
SO THE FEE ABOVE WHICH THE CITY
CANNOT CHARGE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA, DO YOU STILL HAVE
QUESTIONS?
>> YES, IN JUST THIS CATEGORY.
I APPRECIATE THIS AND THIS IS
THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN PART
OF A COMMITTEE MEETING TO
DISCUSS THE CONCEPT. I KNOW IT
HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE I CAME
INTO OFFICE. HERE WE ARE, FIVE
YEARS LATER HAVING THE
CONVERSATION THAT WAS TEED UP
IN 2018. SO I AM STILL
LEARNING AND I AM NOT TRYING
TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE, BUT I
THOUGHT THE ANSWER THAT KETIL
PROVIDED POINTED BACK TO THE
FACT THAT THE TOTAL SUM ON
THAT LIST WAS BEING GENERATED
FROM THE PROJECTS IDENTIFIED.
PERHAPS I DID NOT UNDERSTAND
THE ANSWER, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE
THE TOTAL THAT YOU SHOWED US
WAS THE TOTAL BASED ON THE
PROJECT LIST THAT WAS
IDENTIFIED, SO I AM STILL
CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT
THE PROJECT LIST THAT IS BEING
PUT TOGETHER IS ACTUALLY
HELPING TO DETERMINE THE SIZE
OF THE OVERALL ASK, THE FEES
THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
GENERATING. I GUESS ON TO THE
NEXT QUESTION, I AM HAPPY TO
CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THAT.
LASTLY THE PROJECT LIST, I SEE
THAT THESE LISTS ARE DEFINED OR
LISTED AS SYSTEM EFFICIENCIES.
ARE THERE SPECIFIC PROJECTS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE REQUESTED
OR REQUIRED TO CONTRIBUTE FEES
TO SPECIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS? DO YOU UNDERSTAND
WHAT I AM SAYING? SPECIFIC
AREAS TO SPECIFIC
INFRASTRUCTURE OR DOES IT ALL
GO TO ONE BIG POT?
>> SO, THE WAY THIS IS
STRUCTURED IT WOULD ALL GO
INTO ONE BIG POT AND THE
COUNCIL COULD DECIDE HOW TO
ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS. IF THERE
WAS A DIFFERENT STUDY, IF AT
SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE THE
COUNCIL WANTED TO DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT, LIKE SUBAREAS, THAT
IS ANOTHER POLICY DECISION THE
COUNCIL COULD MAKE. THAT IS
ANOTHER WAY THAT JURISDICTIONS
DO IT. THE SERVICE AREA
AFFECTS THE ENTIRE CITY AND
THAT IS WHAT THIS CONTEMPLATES.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES IN THE
CITY WHERE WE CHARGE IMPACT
FEES. WE HAVE IMPACT FEES
THAT ARE NORTHGATE AND SOUTH
LAKE UNION. MOST PROJECTS NOW
ARE CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT, SO
THEY WILL NOT BE PAYING INTO
THE PROGRAMS. IN THOSE IMPACT
FEE PROGRAMS THERE WAS A
SPECIFIC LIST OF PROJECTS A
DEVELOPER COULD CHOOSE IF THEY
WANTED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION
TO A PROJECT IDENTIFIED IN SOME
STUDY FOR THAT SUBAREA OR IF
THEY WANTED TO PAY A FEE THAT
THE CITY COULD USE ON A PROJECT
IN THAT SUBAREA. THAT IS AN
EXAMPLE OF HOW WHEN THERE IS A
SUBAREA THERE MAY BE A
CONTRIBUTION TO A SPECIFIC
PROJECT. BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE
ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS NOW.
THOSE ARE IMPLEMENTED
ADMINISTRATIVELY.
>> YEAH, KEEP GOING,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA. ONCE
YOU ARE DONE, I WILL TAKE IT
FROM THERE.
>> OKAY, I HAVE A LOT. I HAVE
A WHOLE OTHER CATEGORY.
>> WE ARE AT 4:58 P.M. RIGHT
NOW. ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER WE
ANTICIPATED COMMITTEE ENDING
AND YOU KNOW, THE ROBUST PUBLIC
COMMENT TODAY AT INTRO. BOTH
THE OTHER UNDERSTANDING THIS
IS NOT A CLEAR-CUT ISSUE. THIS
PRESENTATION ALONE HAS RAISED A
NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FOR ME TO
BRING TO KETIL. EVEN THOUGH I
HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS, ONCE
FOR SURE IN THE LAST WEEK AND
MY CLERK HAS ATTEMPTED TO BRIEF
ME I THINK 10 TIMES ON THIS IN
THE LAST WEEK, WHERE I JUST
HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. SO THIS
IS DEFINITELY ENLIGHTENING. I
WILL POSE IT TO THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. DO WE WANT TO
CONTINUE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION NOW OR WOULD YOU
PREFER US TO TAKE IT OFF-LINE
INTO INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS? I
AM JUST KIND OF DOING A GUT
CHECK HERE.
>> I WOULD DEFER TO THE CHAIR.
I DO HAVE THINGS --
>> LOUD AND CLEAR.
>> I REALIZE I WAS PART OF THE
PROBLEM EARLIER.
>> POLICY QUESTIONS ARE NEVER A
PROBLEM. I WILL STAND FOR THAT
ONE.
>> CHAIR, MAYBE THERE COULD BE
A HYBRID WHERE SOME ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ARE ASKED AND THE
REST ARE JUST SUBMITTED TO
KETIL. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE
INFORMATION HAS BEEN OUT THERE
FOR A WHILE AND SEVERAL OTHER
CITIES DO IT. THE METHODOLOGY
FOR EXAMPLE THAT THE OTHER
CITIES HAVE DONE, MAYBE WE
COULD ASK QUESTIONS, SOME
QUESTIONS, AND SEND WRITTEN
ONES LATER.
>> MY QUESTION IS ABOUT TIME.
>> I STAY HERE ALL NIGHT.
>> ONE OF THE FEW OF US.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, DO YOU
HAVE A PREFERENCE HERE?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ALREADY
LEFT. ALL RIGHT. WHAT I WILL
SAY IS LET'S GO FOR ABOUT 10
MORE MINUTES AND THEN LET'S
WRAP IT UP. I THINK THAT IS A
FAIR WAY TO GO ABOUT IT. SO,
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, I'M
GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE MORE
MINUTES AND THEN I'M GOING TO
GIVE IT BACK TO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AND COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN TO CLOSE US OUT FOR
FIVE MINUTES. I HAVE A BUNCH OF
QUESTIONS I HAVE WRITTEN DOWN
AND I WILL TAKE THAT UP WITH
KETIL.
>> OKAY, THANKS, MISTER CHAIR.
AND I REALLY DON'T HAVE A
POINT OF REFERENCE AS TO WHERE
THE INFORMATION WOULD BE OUT. I
HAVE BEEN ON THE LAND-USE
COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST FOUR
YEARS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT HERE. I
AM NOT ON THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT
CONVERSATION TO UNDERSTAND THE
IMPACT, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE LAST COMMENT THAT WAS MADE.
I WILL, FOR THE RECORD, GET ALL
OF MY QUESTIONS OUT THERE WITH
THE HOPE THAT IT DOES NOT TAKE
FIVE MINUTES AND LOOK FORWARD
TO HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT
THESE. SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
HOUSING AND HOUSING PRODUCTION.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT WE ARE SEEING WITH HOUSING
PROJECTS IN SEATTLE? THE DATA
THAT WE RECEIVED FROM SDCI
TODAY INCLUDES COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL MASTER USE PERMIT
APPLICATIONS WHICH SHOW A STEEP
DECLINE SINCE BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC. SO THIS GOES BACK TO
LOOKING AT THE IMPACT NUMBERS
FROM 2008 THROUGH 2023. WE
SEE NUMBERS DECLINING TO 441,
VERSUS A HIGH AND 2015 OF
975. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE
REASONS FOR THE DECLINE WE ARE
SEEING IS COMPLEX. I DO WONDER
ABOUT WHAT IMPACT WE WOULD HAVE
IF YOU LAYER ON. I UNDERSTAND
THE BAR CHART THAT YOU SHOWED
FROM CENTRAL STAFF. THANK YOU
FOR PROVIDING THAT COMPARISON.
GIVEN THAT WE HAVE THIS ALSO
LAYERED ON, I WONDER WHAT THE
IMPACT OF A NEW FEE WOULD BE
TO THE IMPACT OF BUILDING
ADDITIONAL HOUSING. WHERE ARE
THE PROJECTIONS WE CAN GO TO TO
SEE IF THERE IS ANY SLOWDOWN
ON HOUSING PROJECTS?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION AND
ONE I CANNOT ANSWER TODAY. YO
MENTIONED THE SLOWDOWN AND
PERMIT ACTIVITY. I THINK THAT
IS ONE GOOD INDICATION OF
WHERE THE APPETITE FOR
DEVELOPMENT IS WITH MARKET
CONDITIONS AND HIGH INTEREST
RATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT IN
THE CITY. THERE ARE PROBABLY
SOME OTHER THINGS WE SHOULD
LOOK AT, AS WELL. ONE THING TO
THINK ABOUT IS THE METRIC WE
COULD USE LOOKING AT CURRENT
TRENDS, THE VALUE OF
CONSTRUCTION. THAT IS ONE WAY
THAT THE CITY MEASURES
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY. SO,
BUILDING PERMIT ISSUANCE IS AN
IMPORTANT METRIC AND MAYBE A
LITTLE BIT MORE ACCURATE THAN
PERMIT ACTIVITIES. OFTEN THE
CASE IN ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS THAT
PEOPLE APPLY FOR MASTER USE
PERMITS TO SET THEMSELVES UP
FOR WHEN CONDITIONS GET BETTER
AND THEN THEY APPLY FOR THE
BUILDING PERMIT WHEN CONDITIONS
GET BETTER. SO THE LESS
EXPENSIVE PERMIT. THEY SHOP
THINGS AROUND AND WAIT FOR
CONDITIONS TO GET RIGHT AND
THEN APPLY FOR A BUILDING
PERMIT. WHAT I HAVE ON THE
SCREEN IS LOOKING AT
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
ACTIVITY. IN THE CITY. THIS IS
A REPORT THAT SDCI PUTS OUT.
2022 WAS ESSENTIALLY A BANNER
YEAR AND THAT WAS ALL THE WAY
BACK TO 2019 LEVELS IN TERMS OF
HOUSING UNITS --
>> KETIL? CAN YOU ZOOM IN A
LITTLE BIT? I HAVE SEEN YOUR
HANDWRITING. YOU HAVE BETTER
VISION I THINK THAN AN EAGLE.
>> I'M SORRY, IS THAT BETTER?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT
FOR EACH OF THESE YEARS, 2023
FOR EXAMPLE, THE NUMBER OF
UNITS -- SO FAR THROUGH JUNE
30 THERE ARE 5735 NEW UNITS
CREATED. THERE ARE A LOT OF
PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN
PERMITTED. SO, ACTUALLY HAVE
BUILDING PERMITS IN HAND, BUT
HAVE NOT GOTTEN A CERTIFICATE
OF OCCUPANCY FOR A FINAL
INSPECTION. THESE ARE PROJECTS
THAT EITHER HAVE NOT BROKEN
GROUND YET OR THEY ARE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW AND
THAT IS ALMOST TWO YEARS WORTH
OF RESIDENTIAL PERMITS.
PROBABLY A LOT OF THOSE ARE
PROJECTS BEFORE THE ENERGY CODE
BECAME EFFECTIVE AND THE
MAYOR, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE
MARIJUANA -- THAT THE MAYOR
MAY WANT TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF
THE BUILDING PERMITS THAT THEY
HAVE, TOO. SO A TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT FEE -- GO AHEAD.
>> I'M SO SORRY, KETIL. THANK
YOU FOR ATTEMPTING TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION. I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE ANSWER WAS NOT
PART OF THE FIVE MINUTES.
>> I AM SORRY. I DID NOT MEAN
TO GO ON.
>> NO, IT IS GREAT AND THAT
LAST POINT IS IMPORTANT. SO
THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR
SHARING THIS CHART. FOR THE
SAKE OF GETTING THE QUESTIONS
OUT, MISTER CHAIR, DO YOU WANT
ME TO LIST THE REST OF THEM?
>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> SO THANK YOU, KETIL, FOR
THAT INITIAL ANSWER. THE
CONCERN THAT I HAD IS WANTING
TO SEE A REAL-TIME ANALYSIS OF
POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THE
PRODUCTION, GIVEN THE IMPACT
OF THE PANDEMIC ON HOUSING
PRODUCTION AND THE SLOWDOWN WE
HAVE SEEN AND THE DECREASES --
ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS IMPORTANT FACTORS
FOR WHY WE NEED ADDITIONAL
FUNDING, BUT WE ALSO NEED
ADDITIONAL HOUSING. SO I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T
USE OLD DATA AND THAT WE LOOK
AT THE CURRENT MARKET
UNCERTAINTY AND FACTOR IN THE
CURRENT MARKET REALITIES AND
HOW THE HOUSING SECTOR
PRODUCTION HAS ALREADY SLOWED
DOWN AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY
POTENTIAL IMPACT TO COME OUT OF
THAT, GIVEN THE HOUSING CRISIS
THAT WE FACE ACROSS SEATTLE AND
THE STATE. I HOPE THAT WE CAN
ALL AGREE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE
THAT REAL-TIME DATA. THE SECOND
CATEGORY OF QUESTIONS I HAVE IS
ABOUT OUTREACH AND I AM
WONDERING IF THERE IS A PLAN
FOR A PHASE IN OF POTENTIAL
IMPACT FEES GIVEN WHAT WE ARE
HEARING ABOUT CONCERNS, OVER
THE PACE OF THIS DISCUSSION.
SOME OF THIS DESCRIBED BY THE
CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC. IS THERE A PLAN TO
INFORM DETAILS OF FUTURE
LEGISLATION? I'M WONDERING IF
THERE HAS BEEN ANY ANALYSIS
DONE ON THIS PROPOSAL. I
UNDERSTAND COMMENTS MADE ABOUT
HOW EVERY STAKEHOLDER HAS
INFORMED TRANSIT PLANS, BUT
THAT DOES NOT EQUAL TO ME AND
EQUITY ANALYSIS FOR THIS
PROPOSAL AND I HAVE HEARD THIS
IS ROUTINE AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE DETAILS AND
COMPLEXITY OF THE PROPOSALS,
GIVEN WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS
AN ARGUMENT, THAT WE LOOK
CLOSELY AT WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS A DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACT ON EQUITY ISSUES THAT
OUR CITY CLOSELY MONITORS. AND
HOW CLOSELY INTERTWINED THE
STEPS ARE TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF IMPACT FEES
TO SEE ON THE LEGISLATION.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS
HAVE SEEN A FULL PIECE OF
LEGISLATION OR IF THAT IS WHAT
IS TIED UP WITH THE DECISION
THAT IS COMING UP IN OCTOBER OR
NOVEMBER, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN
THE FULL PIECE OF LEGISLATION
AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
A FULL ANALYSIS HAS BEEN DONE
ON THAT LEGISLATION FOR US TO
HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. AND IF
THERE IS A DRAFT PROPOSAL FOR
THE LEGISLATION, I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE THAT AND WOULD WANT TO
KNOW HOW SOON -- AND MISTER
CHAIR, LASTLY, RELATED TO
EXEMPTIONS. INTERESTED TO KNOW
WHAT THE EXPLANATION IS FOR
HOW THE LEGISLATION RELATES TO
EXEMPTIONS. ARE EXEMPTIONS
IDENTIFIED IN THE LEGISLATION?
WILL IT BE IDENTIFIED IN THE
FUTURE LEGISLATION? THE PROCESS
FOR WHICH TYPES OF PROJECTS ARE
EXEMPT. WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT HOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS PERMISSIBLE TO BE EXEMPTED
IN THE STATE STATUTE, BUT I AM
ALSO INTERESTED IN, CAN WE
APPLY THAT WALL HOUSING, FOR
EXAMPLE? AND PROJECTS THAT
INCLUDE A MIX OF MARKET-RATE
AND AFFORDABLE UNITS, IS THERE
A SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR
THEM? YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF
THE EXEMPTIONS. INTERESTED TO
KNOW WHAT THE RATIONALE WAS
FOR SOME OTHER CITIES AND
FINALLY FOR SINGLE-FAMILY AND
MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS, I WONDER,
ARE ALL OF THOSE INCLUDED OR
HOW ARE THE FEES DETERMINED FOR
DIFFERENT HOUSING TYPES? AN
OVERALL CONCERN ABOUT THE
APPLICATION OF THIS TO HOUSING
PRODUCTION AND THANKS AGAIN
FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND. IF
THERE IS ANY UPDATED CURRENT
MARKET ANALYSIS WITH POTENTIAL
IMPACTS ON HOUSING PRODUCTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA. KETIL, THANK YOU
ALSO FOR NOT TAKING THE TIME TO
ANSWER ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS
RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE MIGHT BE
HERE FOR A WHILE. I ALSO HAVE
A LIST OF QUESTIONS I WILL
BRING UP WITH YOU IN PRIVATE
THAT I THINK DEMONSTRATES
THAT, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD,
YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
FOR MANY YEARS. IT FEELS LIKE
SECOND NATURE FOR YOU. FOR
THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN
TRACKING IT BUT NOT AT A
DETAILED LEVEL, THERE IS A
LEARNING CURVE OCCURRING. I'M
GOING TO PASS IT BACK TO
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN AND
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, I SEE
YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
>> ONE THOUGHT, I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD MIGHT
WANT TO ADD SOME INFORMATION
AND I CLOSE THIS OUT, IF THAT
IS ALL RIGHT.
>> I WILL GIVE YOU BOTH AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THEN
I WILL NOT HAVE ANYONE ELSE
SPEAK. I WILL GIVE EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY TO CLOSE THIS OUT
AND THEN I WILL INTO THE
MEETING. SO COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, TO YOU, AND THEN
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO
REITERATE THAT THIS
LEGISLATION DOES NOT CREATE A
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE AND A
LOT OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I
HEARD TODAY ARE QUESTIONS THAT
WOULD BE RIGHTLY ASKED. IN
CONSIDERATION OF A FUTURE
BILL, ONE THAT IS NOT BEFORE
US TODAY, CREATING A
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO
CLEAR THE WAY TO HAVE A FUTURE
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POLICY
OF A TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE
PROGRAM. THE BILL THAT WE HAVE
DOES NOT DO THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD AS COSPONSOR FOR THIS
COUNCIL BILL 120635. EXACTLY,
THIS IS A PROCEDURAL STEP
NEEDED TO ENABLE THE CITY
COUNCIL TO CONSIDER REASONABLE
PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE, SO THAT
THE CITY HAS THAT TOOL
AVAILABLE AS A POSSIBLE FUNDING
SOURCE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.
YES, WE CAN EXEMPT LOW INCOME
HOUSING. WE CAN EXEMPT CHILD
CARE. WE CAN EXEMPT NONPROFIT
FACILITIES. I DO WANT TO THANK
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WHO GENERATED
PUBLICLY ON SEPTEMBER 5, THEIR
SUPPORT FOR PASSING THE COUNCIL
BILL TO AMEND THE COMP PLAN TO
ENABLE FUTURE DELIBERATION OF
AN ACTUAL IMPACT FEE PROGRAM.
REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS TODAY. I
AM EXCITED THAT THESE QUESTIONS
ARE GETTING OUT THERE, BECAUSE
IT IS LIKE WE ARE LEANING INTO
THAT PROCESS OF THINKING ABOUT
THE PROGRAM AND WHAT THAT COULD
LOOK LIKE. THIS IS VERY BRIEF.
IT IS JUST THE PROCEDURAL STEP
THAT IS NEEDED. THE SUPPORT
FROM TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, THAT IS IN ADDITION TO
A RECENT SURVEY SHOWING 75%
SUPPORT AMONG THE GENERAL
PUBLIC IN SEATTLE. THAT IS IN
ADDITION TO THE SUPPORT FROM
THE TRANSIT RIDERS UNION AND
THE DISABILITY MOBILITY
INITIATIVE. IN ADDITION TO
REASONABLE IMPACT FEES UTILIZED
IN 70 OTHER WASHINGTON CITIES,
WHICH MAKES SEATTLE AN OUTLIER
THAT KEEPS THE COST ON
PROPERTY TAXES INSTEAD. A
COUPLE OF THE BAR CHARTS
ALREADY INCORPORATED THE FEES
INTO THE CHART, SHOWING THAT WE
WOULD STILL BE COMPETITIVE
WITH OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THIS
IS AN URGENT DISCUSSION,
BECAUSE CITY HALL WILL NEED, I
BELIEVE, THIS FUNDING SOURCE
AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION WHEN
THE HARRELL ADMINISTRATION
ATTEMPTS TO RENEW THE PACKAGE
NEXT YEAR. I DON'T THINK THEIR
GOAL WOULD BE TO PILE
EVERYTHING ONTO PROPERTY TAXES
AND RENTERS AGAIN. THAT HAS
RECENTLY BEEN DONE ON SEVERAL
MEASURES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PROPERTY TAXES
ARE ALSO A COST OF HOUSING AND
PROPERTY TAXES IMPACT
EVERYONE. HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS,
SMALL BUSINESSES, NOT JUST
FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS. I DO
WANT TO THANK KETIL FREEMAN
AND CENTRAL STAFF FOR ALL OF
THE WORK. THEY HAVE DONE THIS
FOR YEARS. I THINK THIS WAS
INITIATED BY COUNCILMEMBER TOM
RASMUSSEN, A FORMER CHAIR OF
THE COMMITTEE BACK IN 2014.
SO, REALLY JUST HOPING WE CAN
GET THIS PROCEDURAL STEP DONE
THAT WOULD REQUIRE A 30 DAYS
NOTICE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE DONE IN
TIME FOR THAT PROCEDURAL STEP
IN NOVEMBER. IT IS GREAT THAT
WE ARE GETTING THESE QUESTIONS
OUT TODAY. IT MIGHT BE A
BLESSING IN DISGUISE TO HAVE
THIS TWO-STEP PROCESS OF THESE
QUESTIONS CAN GET ANSWERED, BUT
I KNOW THAT LOOKING POSITIVELY
TO THE FUTURE, WE DO NEED THIS
FUNDING FOR SIDEWALKS AND
BRIDGES AND TRANSIT AND FREIGHT
AND VISION ZERO SAFETY
PROJECTS, SO I HOPE WE CAN LEAN
INTO THIS AND GET IT DONE IN
THE NEXT 90 DAYS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD. AND
THANK YOU TO KETIL FOR YOUR
WORK OVER A DECADE . I TRIED TO
MEET WITH YOU TWO TIMES LAST
WEEK AND YOU ARE BUSY IN
HEARINGS, SO I APPRECIATE ALL
OF THE WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING
FOR US. THIS DOES CONCLUDE THE
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023
LAND-USE COMMITTEE. THE NEXT
MEETING IS A SPECIAL MEETING ON
SEPTEMBER 18 AT 9:30 A.M.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING. WE
ARE ADJOURNED.