>>> NOVEMBER 29, 2023 LAND USE
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER. I
AM CHAIR STRAUSS, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL ROLLCALL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> VICE CHAIR MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR STRAUSS? PRESENT.
>> FOUR PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE THREE
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, A BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION ON THE AUDIT OF
OUR CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING
PROCESS. WE HAVE COUNSEL BILL
120674. A BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION ON EXTENDING THE
TERM OF MASTER USE PERMITS,
AND COUNSEL BILL 120675 , A
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION OF
REMOVING THE MAXIMUM USE LIMIT
¿ THE MAXIMUM USE , THE
MAXIMUM SIZE FOR MEDICAL USES
WITHIN THE MARITIME
MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS ZONE.
SO BEFORE WE BEGIN, THE AGENDA
IS A:IN. ¿ ADOPTED. HEARING
NO OBJECTION, THE AGENDA IS
ADOPTED. WE WILL DO A LITTLE
BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING AND THEN
GET INTO THESE ITEMS.
COLLEAGUES, WE PASSED THE
TRANSPORTATION RESOLUTION OUT
OF THIS COMMITTEE REGARDING THE
MARITIME AND INDUSTRIAL ZONING
CHANGES . MY OFFICE HAS REACHED
OUT TO MANY STAKEHOLDERS FOR
ADDITIONAL INPUT. WE WILL BE
PRESENTING THE SUBSTITUTE BILL
FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AS SOON AS WE
FINISH MEETING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS THIS WEEK , AND WE
PLAN TO VOTE ON OR BEFORE THE
DECEMBER 12 MEETING. WE HAD
ALSO DISCUSSED A RESOLUTION
WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE TO
OUTLINE THE NEXT STEPS FOR OUR
TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCES.
HAVE WORKED TO PREPARE A
RESOLUTION OUTLINING THESE NEXT
STEPS AND IN THE WISDOM OF
COUNCIL PEDERSEN HE SPONSORED
LEGISLATIVE INTENT THAT I
COSPONSORED REQUESTING FURTHER
STUDY OF THE ORDINANCE AND TO
QUOTE, TO ENSURE THAT THE
REGULATIONS ARE ADVANCING THE
GOALS OF THE SILLY-- CITY.
SDCI AND OPCD ARE TO MONITOR
PROCESSES AND PROVIDE REGULAR
UP IT'S TO THE PUBLIC AND
COUNCIL ON TOPICS LIMITED TO
-- BUT NOT LIMITED TO
PRESERVATION OF TREES ON LOTS
UNDERGO DEVELOPMENT, AND THE
REPORT REQUESTED THAT WITHIN
ATTACHMENT 1 OF THE ORDINANCE
WHICH ALSO HAS A BUNCH OF
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS DUE IN
JULY OF THIS COMING YEAR, THIS
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
IS ALSO DUE IN JULY OF THIS
COMING YEAR. SO RATHER THAN
HAVING TWO COMPETING STREAMS
OF REQUESTS AND OUTLINING NEXT
STEPS, WE ARE GOING TO PAUSE ON
THE TREE RESOLUTION UNTIL WE
RECEIVE THESE REPORTS AND THEN
WE WILL FORMALIZE THE NEXT
STEPS AND CONTINUE MOVING
FORWARD TO CONTINUE PROTECTING,
ENHANCING, AND EXPANDING TREE
CANOPY WITHIN OUR CITY. RIGHT
NOW WE ARE IN THE FIRST OF TWO
MEETINGS IN OUR QUOTE UNQUOTE
DECEMBER TIME BECAUSE IT IS
CURRENTLY NOVEMBER 29 . I USED
DECEMBER IN AIR QUOTES SO AS
YOU ALL KNOW I LIKE TO HAVE
BILLS TWICE BEFORE PASSING THEM
OUT, SO TODAY IS THE FIRST OF
THE TWO MEETINGS REGARDING OUR
TWO BILLS. THE MASTER USE
EXPLANATION EXTENSION, AND THE
INDUSTRIAL AND MARITIME MEDICAL
USE SIZE LIMITS. AT OUR NEXT
MEETING WE WILL HAVE THE
KILLINGS AND I WILL BE ASKING
COLLEAGUES TO SUSPEND THE RULES
TO VOTE ON A BILL THE SAME DAY
AS THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO I'M
PREPARING FOR THAT TODAY AS
WELL AS THE NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING AFTER THE THURSDAY
NOON DEADLINE AHEAD OF OUR
FINAL FULL COUNCIL MEETING. I
WILL LEFT -- ALSO BE ASKING TO
SEND THOSE BILLS OUT OF
COMMITTEE TO FULL COUNCIL
PASSED THE THURSDAY NOON
DEADLINE. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A
PAUSE TO CHECK AND SEE IF THERE
ARE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR
CONCERNS ON THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> NO CONCERNS, JUST WANTED TO
SAY THANK YOU FOR CONVENING
THESE MEETINGS AND APOLOGIES
FOR BEING LATE AT THE
BEGINNING.
>> NOT A PROBLEM. ALLOW THE
RECORD TO REFLECT
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, WE HAVE
FULL ATTENDANCE TODAY. IN
ADDITION TO ALL OF THIS WORK ,
AT OUR DECEMBER 8 MEETING WE
WILL HAVE A CONTRACT RE-ZONE
AND DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.
TODAY WE HAVE OUR PERMIT AUDIT
REVIEW. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND
TIME THAT WE'VE HAD AUDITORS
IN SDCI, THANK YOU FOR BEING
PRESENT IN OCTOBER , THANK YOU
FOR BEING PRESENT TODAY. THERE
ARE SO MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS
THAT HAVE PERMIT REVIEW DESKS
BEYOND SDCI. THEY HOLD THE
LIONS SHARE WHICH IS WHY I
APPRECIATE YOU BEING READY TO
PRESENT HOW YOU ARE ADDRESSING
THE ISSUES OUTLINED IN THE
AUDIT TODAY. YOU'VE WORKED
QUICKLY SINCE OCTOBER TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO, SO FOR
THE GENERAL PUBLIC WE WILL BE
COMING BACK TO THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE REGARDING THE PERMIT
AUDIT WITH THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS. THEY ARE NOT
READY TO PRESENT RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON
SDCI WHO HAS THE LIONS SHARE
OF THESE PERMIT REVIEW DESKS.
THAT TO SAY, I DID MEET WITH
EVERY DEPARTMENT THIS WEEK . WE
WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE
MEETINGS AND NEXT YEAR I LOOK
FORWARD TO GOING THROUGH
RECOMMENDATION BY
RECOMMENDATION AND MEETING WITH
THE RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS AND
REVIEW DESKS. WE'VE GOT A LOT
OF WORK TO DO AND THERE'S A
LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS
AS WELL AS JURISDICTIONS THAT
COMPLICATE THE PROCESS THAT ,
THE CUSTOMERS IN OUR CITY, THEY
JUST NEED GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
AND NEED TO GET OUR PERMITS
REVIEWED AND ISSUED IN A TIMELY
MANNER SO THIS IS THE WORK TO
ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS. THAT IS
THE GENERAL OVERVIEW. WE ARE
GOING TO GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT
AND IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US AT
THE COMMITTEE TABLE, I KNOW
THINGS ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT
THAN PRE-PANDEMIC. WE NOW SIT
AT THE DAIS BUT ANYWHERE AT THE
TABLE YOU ARE WELCOME. I'M NOT
GOING TO PLAY THE VIDEO TODAY .
I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THE
RULES WHICH IS PLEASE BE NICE
AND SPEAK TO AN ITEM ON THE
AGENDA. AT THIS TIME THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN.
CLERK , DO WE HAVE IN PERSON
SPEAKERS? WE ARE GOING TO GO
WITH IN PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST
AND THEN GO TO ONLINE SPEAKERS.
SO PLEASE JUST REMEMBER TO
SPEAK TO AN ITEM ON THE
AGENDA. WELCOME, SANDY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM
ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO TWO ITEMS.
FASTING AND ALSO THE CITY
AUDITOR'S REPORT. FOR VESTING,
I WANT TO LET COUNCILMEMBERS
KNOW , IF YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT
SDCI HAS A NEW PROGRAM CALLED
CHOOSE YOUR OWN VESTING DATE
AND IT ALLOWS DEVELOPERS TO
CHOOSE THE VESTING DATE THAT
WORKS BEST FOR THEIR PROJECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT ALSO ALLOWS
THEM TO CHOOSE TO WORK IN A
PERIOD OF TIME WHEN RULES WERE
NOT AS STRINGENT AS THEY ARE
NOW. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS, AND
I CAN PROVIDE ADDRESSES AND
EVIDENCE, THAT DEVELOPERS ARE
SUBMITTING VERY THIN PAPERWORK
ON PROPERTIES THAT THEY DON'T
EVEN OWN THAT THE HOMEOWNER HAS
NOT AGREED TO SELL YET, SO
THEY HAVE NOT DESIGNATED AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE.
THIS IS BEING USED TO EXTEND
VESTING. HOW DOES THAT AFFECT
THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THE
COMMUNITY? WELL, THE TREE
SERVICE PROVIDER REGISTRY DOES
NOT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED. TWO
WEEKS AGO, TWO MEN AND A
RENTAL CAR WITH PAPER PLATES
THAT THEY PRINTED ON THEIR
HOME MACHINE TO DOWN A 120 FOOT
FOR A TREE NEXT TO A HOME IN
THE FALL LINE THAT HAD A
THREE-YEAR-OLD AND A
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD PLANE INSIDE.
WHEN WE CHOOSE TO ALLOW
DEVELOPERS NOT TO FOLLOW RULES
THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED FOR
PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPARENCY,
WE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING THE
PUBLIC AT RISK. THIS VESTING
IS NOT A SMALL THING. EXTENDING
TO 2029 , ONE DEVELOPERS ARE
ALLOWED TO USE ANYONE THEY WANT
, IS AN ISSUE. SEPARATELY I
HAVE SOMETHING FUN FOR YOU. I
WANT TO THANK THE CITY AUDITOR
FOR DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB AND
TREE ADVOCATES HAVE DONE THEIR
OWN REPORT BASED COMPLETELY ¿
>> THANK YOU, SANDY. HAPPY TO
TAKE YOUR HANDOUTS AS WELL.
I'M GOING TO MOVE TO ONLINE
PUBLIC COMMENTERS. WE HAVE TWO
PUBLIC COMMENTERS ONLINE, MEGAN
FOLLOWED BY STEVE . I SEE YOUR
THERE. IF YOU WANT TO PRESS
STAR SIX, THERE YOU ARE. TWO
MINUTES AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
WELCOME.
>> HELLO. I AM MEGAN, SPEAKING
TODAY ON CB 120674, A BILL TO
EXTEND MASTER USE PERMITS
THROUGH 2026 AND RELAX RENEWAL
REQUIREMENTS. FIRST I THINK
EXTENDING THEM FOR THESE 200+
MARKET RATE PROJECTS IS A GOOD
IDEA FOR THE ECONOMY. HOWEVER,
OTHER BILL PROVISIONS WILL
UNDERMINE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL
AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
CURRENTLY PERMIT EXTENSIONS
REQUIRE THAT A PROJECT ADOPT
CODE CHANGES MADE SINCE THE
ORIGINAL WAS ISSUED THAT IS NOT
THE CASE WITH THIS BILL. UNDER
THIS LEGISLATION PROJECT
APPROVED SIX YEARS AGO IN VERY
DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WILL BE
ALLOWED TO DISREGARD NEW
CODES, EFFECTIVELY NEGATING
TREE PROTECTION AND OTHER
CURRENT AND FUTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION.
UNDER THE SAME PROVISION
PROJECTS APPROVED BEFORE WILL
NOT HAVE TO PAY THOSE FEES
CAUSING THE CITY TO LOSE UP TO
$5 MILLION AND REVENUE. MHA
PROJECTS WILL PAY 3% TO 5%
LESS JUST BECAUSE OF THE
CURRENT POLICY, THEY WON'T
HAVE TO ADJUST THEIR PAYMENTS
FOR INFLATION. THE CITY IS IN
THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR , PLAN
AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE
WHICH WILL TAKE EFFECT BEFORE
THE BILL SUNSETS AND SHOULD SET
THE STANDARD FOR NEW
DEVELOPMENTS. WE NEED TO
SUPPORT THESE PLANS AND RETAIN
THE CODE UPDATES AS PART OF
THIS BILL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MEGAN. UP NEXT WE
HAVE STEVE. I SEE THAT YOUR
THERE. STAR SIX AT YOUR
CONVENIENCE. ANY TIME YOU LIKE
TO SPEAK, TWO MINUTES. THANK
YOU STEVE, WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS
STEVE AND I'M FROM SEATTLE
DRIVEN FOREST. WE OPPOSE THE
PASSAGE OF COUNCIL BILL 120674
AS WRITTEN. THE LENGTH OF UP TO
SIX YEARS DEALING WITH
LAND-USE REGULATIONS AND CODE
ENFORCEMENT FOR EXTENDED LONG
PERIODS, IS NOT GOOD PUBLIC
POLICY. HAVE IT COMPLY WITH
ANY NEW REGULATIONS. THAT ONLY
MAKES SENSE. 2026 FOR
INSTANCE, SAYING REAPPLY IN
2026 AND YOU CAN DO SIX MORE
YEARS MEANS ANY NEW CODE
LEGISLATION FOR SIX YEARS WILL
NOT AFFECT THOSE PROJECTS.
ANOTHER ISSUE I WANT TO COMMENT
ON IS SDCI NOT REQUIRING
DEVELOPMENT TO USE REGISTERED
TREE RECORDING PROVIDERS. THE
CODE IS WHAT TREE SERVICE
PROVIDERS NEED TO DO TO DO WORK
IN THE SEATTLE, REGISTERING
WITH THE CITY, POSTING WORK
ONLINE, POSTING SIGNS, AND
POSTING SIGNS ON VEHICLES. IT
IS NOT AFFECTING ZONING TO
LEGALLY REMOVE TREES AND THE
REQUIREMENTS TO REPLACE THEM
ON SITE OR ON CITY PROPERTY
WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE ORDINANCE
SINCE 2001. WE NEED TO VERIFY
AND ACT , WORK WITH COUNCIL,
THE LAW DEPARTMENT ET CETERA,
THE TREE SERVICE PROVIDER
LEGISLATION IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT THE MUNICIPAL RESEARCH
COUNCIL OF WASHINGTON WOULD
SAY IS A VESTED ITEM AND DOES
NOT AFFECT ZONING OR LAND USE
OF THE PROPERTY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, STEVE. SEEING AS
WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
COMMENTERS REMOTELY OR
PHYSICALLY PRESENT, THIS DOES
CONCLUDE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. CLERK,
IF YOU COULD READ THE FIRST
AGENDA ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
>> I DON'T ONE. INFORMATIONAL
ITEM 2358 AUDIT ON THE
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING PROCESS
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. THE FIRST THING
WE HAVE TO DATE IS A
PRESENTATION ABOUT THE AUDIT
THAT I REQUESTED REGARDING OUR
PERMITTING PROCESS FOR
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS. WE HAVE
AUDITOR JONES, MELISSA ALDERSON
AND ANDREW SCOGGINS WITH THE
CITY OFFICER. WE HAVE ANDY
HIGGINSON'S-- AGONY HIGGINS AS
WELL AS WAYNE BARNETT FROM
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS OFFICE. AS
I SAID IN OPENING REMARKS
REGARDING THE OVERVIEW OF THE
ENTIRE COMMITTEE PROCESS THIS
WEEK AND NEXT, WE WILL CONTINUE
TO MEET WITH ADDITIONAL
DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVE
SDOT, OFFICE OF HOUSING, I
ALMOST HAVE THIS. INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, CITY
LIGHT, SPU, FIRE DEPARTMENT.
KING COUNTY, SEATTLE KING
COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ALL
INVOLVED IN OUR PERMITTING
PROCESS. SDCI HOLDS THE LION'S
SHARE AND THEY ARE WITH US
TODAY BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOTTEN
TO WORK ADDRESSING THE ISSUES
RAISED IN THE PERMITTING AUDIT.
WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND LIKELY BE
BACK IN COMMITTEE. BUT FOR
TODAY, I'M GOING TO PASS IT
FIRST , WELL FIRST AND GOING TO
PASS IT OVER TO THE AUDITOR'S
OFFICE TO DO INTRODUCTIONS.
DAVID JONES YOU ARE HERE IN
PERSON. WE HAVE ANDREW SCOGGINS
ONLINE AS WELL AS MELISSA
ALDERSON AND THEN WE WILL PASS
IT DOWN TO MARCO AND THEN TO
SDCI . WAYNE, YOU DON'T HAVE
ANYTHING TO PRESENT BUT I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING
HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT
WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO.
WITH THAT, OVER TO AUDITOR
JONES.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR, FOR
INVITING US BACK TO YOUR
COMMITTEE TO PRESENT THE
FINDINGS ON THE CONSTRUCTION
PERMITTING PROCESS. TODAY AS
YOU REQUEST, WE ARE GOING TO GO
THROUGH THE AUDIT REPORTS
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN
MORE DETAIL THAN WE DID DURING
OUR INITIAL OCTOBER 20
PRESENTATION TO THIS
COMMITTEE. I'M ALSO GLAD THAT
WE HAVE OFFICIALS FROM THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS,
SDCI HERE AND THEY CAN SHARE
RESPONSES TO OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS. I KNOW IN
TALKING WITH ANDY HIGGINS,
THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING
ON THEM CEMENTING THOSE WHICH
IS A GREAT THING. I SHOULD SAY
BECAUSE I AM A PROFESSIONALLY
SKEPTICAL AUDITOR, WE HAVE NOT
VERIFIED ANY OF THE STATUS
UPDATES THAT SDCI WILL BE
SHARING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF RECOMMENDATIONS. HOWEVER,
WE WILL BE DOING THE
VERIFICATION WORK AS PART OF
OUR NORMAL ANNUAL AUDIT
RECOMMENDATION FOLLOW UP
PROCESS THAT WILL BE STARTING
NEXT YEAR. WE ALWAYS FOLLOW UP
TO MAKE SURE WHAT HAPPENS WITH
AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS SO THEY
DON'T JUST DISAPPEAR INTO THIN
AIR. FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WATCHING TODAY'S PRESENTATION
OR INTERESTED IN READING THE
REPORT YOU CAN GET IT ON THE
WEBSITE. GO TO SEATTLE.GOV/CITY
AUDITOR /REPORTS, AND CHOOSE
2023. YOU WILL FIND THE REPORT
THERE. I DO WANT TO SAY BOTH
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT TEAM ARE
RECOVERING FROM ILLNESSES, THAT
IS MELISSA AND AND DREW
COMMESSO OUT OF ABUNDANCE OF
CAUTION THEY ARE ATTENDING
REMOTELY. ANDREW IS GOING TO
TAKE YOU THROUGH THE REPORTS
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
AND NATHAN TORKELSON AND
ANDY HIGGINS AND MARCO WILL BE
OFFERING THEIR COMMENTARY AS WE
GO THROUGH AND HOPEFULLY THIS
WILL BE INTERACTIVE. ANDREW,
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU
>> ANDREW WEIR GOING TO JUST DO
INTRODUCTIONS FIRST.
>> YEAH, I'M SORRY.
>> WE CAN SAY HELLO AND THEN
PASS THAT DOWN THE TABLE.
>> I APOLOGIZE. I SAID YOUR
NAME A COUPLE TIMES AND I
FIGURED THEY WOULD BE SICK OF
HEARING IT.
>> I AM DAVID JONES THE CITY
AUDITOR.
>> I'M DAVID JONES, ALSO A
MEMBER OF THE AUDIT TEAM.
>> WE KNOW MELISSA IS WITH US
AND DID A LOT OF WORK ON THIS
SO I WILL GIVE HER THAT KUDOS
AND THEN PASS IT OVER.
>> NATHAN TORKELSON, DIRECTOR
OF -- .
>> I AM THE ENGINEERING
SERVICES DIRECTOR.
>> CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
>> WAYNE BARNETT, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE ETHICS AND
ELECTION COMMISSION.
>> WITH THAT, BACK TO YOU
ANDREW. TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU. I SHOULD SAY
MELISSA IS HERE, HER VOICE IS
ON THE MEND SO LAST TIME WHEN
WE WERE HERE BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE WE BOTH SPOKE BUT YOU
JUST GET ME TODAY . OUR
AUDITS , IF WE CAN MOVE TO THE
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? I WILL TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHICH PARTS
OF THE CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING
PRODUCT-- PROCESS WE LOOKED
AT. SO CONSTRUCTION PERMITS ARE
ONE TYPE OF PERMIT THAT THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION
ISSUES, AND CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS CAN BE FOR THINGS LIKE
NEW BUILDINGS OR ALTERATIONS .
OUR AUDIT FOCUSES ON PART OF
THIS PROCESS FROM INTAKE ,
WHICH IS THE FIRST HIGHLIGHTED
BOX HERE AND THAT IS WHEN THE
CITY CHECKS AN APPLICATION FOR
OVERALL COMPLETENESS. AND THEN
OUR PROJECT LOOKED AT THE
PROCESS OF CORRECTIONS WHICH
IS WHEN REVIEWERS PROVIDE
COMMENTS ON HOW TO FIX ISSUES
WITH AN APPLICATION. THE TIME
PERIOD FOR OUR AUDIT WAS
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT
APPLICATIONS THAT WERE UNDER
REVIEW IN 2021 AND 2022 .
>> INJURED BEFORE WE JUMP ON
IT GOT QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM.
THEY MAY BE ANSWERED IN THE
UPCOMING SLIDE AND IF THAT'S
THE CASE I WILL JUST SAY I
THINK WE'RE ABOUT TO GET TO
THAT BUT FOR THE CLARITY OF THE
PUBLIC, COULD YOU OR ANDY
SHARE WITH US WHAT HAPPENS
BETWEEN THE LAST SET OF
CORRECTIONS AND PERMIT
ISSUANCE?
>> SURE, THANK YOU FOR THAT
QUESTION. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER
THE FINAL CORRECTION IS
IMPROVED BY ANY VARIOUS
RELOCATION, WHICHEVER IS THE
FINAL ONE TO APPROVE THEIR
PLANS, WE HAVE A QUALITY
CONTROL STEP THAT THEY GO
THROUGH. THEY GO BACK TO THE
FINAL REVIEWER WHICH IS
TYPICALLY THE ORDINANCE AND
STRUCTURAL REVIEWER TO
CONSOLIDATE ANY OUTSTANDING
COMMENTS OR DETAILS THAT MAY
NEED TO BE WRAPPED UP. ONCE
THAT PERSON VALIDATES THE
QUALITY OF THAT PLAN SET WE
MOVE ON TO THE ROUTING GROUP
WHO DOES THE FINAL PREP TO
ISSUE PROCESS AND BASICALLY
WHAT THAT IS, IS FINALIZING
ISSUANCE FEES AND OUTSTANDING
DOCUMENTATION THAT MAY BE
REQUIRED AS OUTSTANDING
DOCUMENTS NOT HANDLED DURING
THE CORRECTION CYCLE PROCESS.
ONCE THAT HAPPENS THEY UPLOAD
AND APPROVAL PLAN SET THAT IS
HELD BEHIND THE SCENES AND
NOTIFY, THE SYSTEM NOTIFIES THE
APPLICANT AUTOMATICALLY WHAT
THE FINAL FEES ARE THAT WILL BE
OWED AND THEN IT IS INCUMBENT
UPON THE APPLICANT TO PAY THOSE
FEES. AS SOON AS THEY DO THE
SYSTEM IS AUTOMATED TO GO AHEAD
AND ISSUE THAT PERMIT, PRODUCE
THE REPORT THAT IS THE PERMIT
FACE WHICH RELEASES THE
APPROVED PLAN SET TO THE
APPLICANT AND PRODUCES A COVER
SHEET THAT THE APPLICANT CAN
PRINT OUT, ALL WHICH NEED TO
BE ON SITE FOR THE FIELD
INSPECTOR TO INSPECT THE
PROJECT ONCE THE PERMIT IS
ISSUED.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> I'M FOLLOWING ALONG IN PART
IN THE REPORT, AND ON PAGE 4
IT TALKS ABOUT ROUND ONE,
ROUND TO COME AROUND THREE ET
CETERA. THIS SLIDE THAT IS UP
RIGHT HERE THE LAST BOX, IS
CORRECTIONS. AM I TO ASSUME
THAT A CORRECTION IS A ROUND
OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT ROUNDS
FOR DIFFERENT PERMITS FROM
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS?
>> THE CORRECTIONS ARE THE
ROUNDS SO THAT IS CORRECT.
>> CYCLE ONE WOULD BE THE
INITIAL REVIEW AND ANY
SUBSEQUENT CYCLE IS DEALING
WITH CORRECTIONS.
>> THAT I WILL SAVE MY COMMENTS
ABOUT CORRECTIONS UNTIL LATER.
THANK YOU.
>> WONDERFUL. BACK TO YOU.
>> SO WE GROUP OUR FINDINGS
INTO FOUR CATEGORIES. THEY ARE
FOR THE CITY TO REINFORCE A
CUSTOMER FOCUS , PROMOTE
TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS,
STRENGTHEN THE CITYWIDE
APPROACH, AND TO STANDARDIZE
REVIEW COMMENTS. I WILL ALSO
BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE STATEMENTS
FOUND IN APPENDIX B OF THE
REPORT, AND THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION FOLKS FROM SDCI
WILL ALSO PROVIDE AN UPDATE
ON THEIR PART. OUR FIRST
CATEGORY THAT I WILL DISCUSS IS
ABOUT THE CITY NEEDING TO
REINFORCE A CUSTOMER FOCUS IN
THE PERMITTING PROCESS. I WILL
DISCUSS TWO POINTS HERE, THAT
SDCI SHOULD REEVALUATE TRACKING
METRICS AND REPORTING METHODS
TO REDUCE REVIEW TIMES AND THAT
THE CITY LACKS A PROCESS TO
ROUTINELY COLLECT CUSTOMER
FEEDBACK. WE FOUND THAT SDCI
FOCUSES MOST ON THE FIRST
ROUND REVIEW WHICH IS WHEN
REVIEWERS DO A FIRST PASS
THROUGH AND OFTEN THEY WILL
SEND THE APPLICATION BACK TO
THE CUSTOMER WITH CORRECTION
COMMENTS. SDCI DOES A GOOD JOB
OF TRACKING THE FIRST ROUND.
HOWEVER, WE FOUND THAT SDCI
DOES NOT PRIORITIZE TOTAL
REVIEW TIME WHILE APPLICATIONS
ARE BEING PROCESSED. INSTEAD,
SDCI IS -- SDCI FOCUSES ON
HOLDING REVIEWERS ACCOUNTABLE
FOR HOW LONG EACH INDIVIDUAL
REVIEW ROUND TAKES. THIS SET
UP CREATES AN INCENTIVE FOR
REVIEWERS TO CLEAR APPLICATIONS
RATHER THAN FOCUS ON HOW LONG
AN APPLICATION IS TAKING
OVERALL. ALSO WE FOUND THAT
REVIEWERS ARE LARGELY MEETING
THE INTERNAL SDCI TARGET FOR
FIRST ROUND REVIEW TIME BUT NOT
LATER ROUNDS. EACH OF THESE
VERTICAL BARS IN THE GRAPH ON
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE
MEDIAN AMOUNT OF TIME THAT EACH
ROUND IS TAKING. IT ALSO SHOWS
SDCI 'S INTERNAL TARGETS ON THE
HORIZONTAL BARS. THE FIRST
ROUND IS 49 DAYS AND SUBSEQUENT
REVIEW ROUND TARGET ARE 14
DAYS. YOU WILL SEE THE FIRST
TAKES A MEDIAN OF 36 DAYS
WHICH IS WITHIN THE SDCI
TARGET. BUT IN LATER ROUNDS
THEY ARE NOT WITHIN LATER
TARGETS. THE SECOND FINDING
HERE IS THAT SDCI LACKS A
PROCESS TO ROUTINELY COLLECT
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK AND MAY NOT
BE MEETING CUSTOMER NEEDS.
CUSTOMERS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH
ASPECTS OF THE PERMITTING
PROCESS SUCH AS KNOWING WHO TO
CONTACT AT THE CITY AND HOW
LONG THE REVIEW PROCESS TAKES.
AS PART OF LEARNING MORE ABOUT
THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS, SDCI
SHOULD CREATE ¿ SHOULD
COMPLETE A RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT TO UNDERSTAND THE
BARRIERS TO THE PROCESS. RACIAL
EQUITY TOOLKITS ARE PART OF
THE RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE AND CAN UNCOVER
EQUITY IMPACTS.
>> THANK YOU INJURY.
>> I WILL PAUSE FOR A MINUTE.
>> I THINK YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
ARE SPOT ON. I'VE GOT A COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
INFORMATION THAT YOU REVIEWED
AND TO THE SURPRISE OF NO ONE,
WE ARE EXCITED THAT THE FIRST
ROUND OF CORRECTIONS ARE
UNDERNEATH THE 49 DAYS. WE
WANT TO GET THOSE OTHER
CORRECTION CYCLES DOWN BELOW
THOSE. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT
I HAVE NOTICED THAT I WOULD
LOVE TO HAVE YOU FROM THE
AUDITOR TEAM OR SDCI, ARE ALL
OF THE CORRECTIONS FROM THAT
INITIAL PLAN SET INCLUDED IN
THE FIRST ROUND OF CORRECTIONS?
IF NOT, AS THERE ARE
CORRECTIONS IN ADDITIONAL
ROUNDS, ARE THEY CORRECTIONS
ON THE FIRST PLAN SET THAT ARE
OUTSIDE OF LIFE, FIRE, AND
SAFETY? I WILL GIVE YOU THE
LEADING POINT THAT I'M TRYING
TO MAKE, WHICH IS IT IS
ABSOLUTELY OKAY TO PUT AS MANY
CORRECTIONS AS YOU WANT IN THE
FIRST ROUND OF CORRECTIONS.
IT'S NOT OKAY TO PUT
CORRECTIONS FROM THE INITIAL
PLAN SET, SO NOT ON REVISIONS,
IN THE SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS OF
CORRECTIONS. WHAT WE ARE TRYING
TO DO IS MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF
TIMES THAT AN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
TO COME BACK TO SDCI. SO MY
QUESTIONS HERE ARE, ARE ALL
CORRECTIONS INCLUDED IN THE
FIRST ROUND? AND HOW MANY
CORRECTIONS ARE OCCURRING IN
OTHER ROUNDS THAT ARE NOT
RELATED TO LIFE FIRE OR SAFETY?
ANDREW I WILL PASS IT OVER TO
YOU FOR YOUR INITIAL FEEDBACK
AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE SDCI ON
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE MIGHT WANT
TO JUMP IN AS WELL.
>> I SHOULD SAY HERE AS WELL
IF MELISSA WANTS TO AND IS
ABLE , SEEING AS HER VOICE IS
ON THE MEND, WANTS TO JUMP IN
HERE AS WELL . THAT WAS
SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD ABOUT
ANECDOTALLY BUT SINCE WE ARE
NOT THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
WE FELT LIKE IT WAS BEST FOR
SDCI TO HAVE SOME KIND OF
SYSTEMATIC WAY TO EVALUATE
WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S HAPPENING
. LATER IN THE PRESENTATION
THERE ARE SOME FINDINGS THAT
SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY TO
CORRECTION COMMENTS.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. DID YOU NOTICE
THAT THERE WERE CONNECTIONS TO
BE INITIAL PLAN SET AFTER THE
FIRST ROUND?
>> I CAN ANSWER THAT. WE DID
NOT DO THAT TESTING
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE WE DID
NOT HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO MAKE
THAT DETERMINATION AS TO
WHETHER SUBSEQUENT CORRECTIONS
WERE UNNECESSARY OR WHETHER
THEY WERE A RESULT OF THE
CUSTOMER MAKING CHANGES TO THE
PLAN. AS ANDREW SAID, WE HEARD
FROM CUSTOMERS AND PERMIT
REVIEWERS THAT THAT WOULD
HAPPEN ON OCCASION.
>> ALL RIGHT. MARCO OR SDCI DO
YOU WANT TO JUMP IN?
>> I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THAT.
OUR PHILOSOPHY TRAINING THAT
WE GIVE WITHIN SDCI, I CAN'T
SPEAK EXACTLY FOR THE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS THAT IS PART OF
THE EFFORT, TO EVENTUALLY
CONSOLIDATE PHILOSOPHY
TRAININGS ACROSS THE CITY. IT
DOES SPEAK TO THIS, THE INTENT
OF TRYING TO GATHER ALL INITIAL
CORRECTIONS TO THAT INITIAL
REVIEW . THE SUBSTANTIAL
COMPLIANCE WITH CODE IS WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO GET TO. WE ARE
NOT TRYING TO GET TO PERFECT
PLAN SETS BEFORE WE ISSUE THEM.
THE FACT IS WE HAVE HUMANS
REVIEWING THESE PLANS AND
SOMETIMES PEOPLE MISS THINGS.
WHEN I WAS A REVIEWER I WOULD
MISS A THING OR TWO AND I
LEARNED FROM THE FEEDBACK THAT
I GOT FROM MY CUSTOMER AND
SUPERVISOR WHEN THEY COMPLAINED
DIRECTLY ABOUT IT. BUT THERE
ALSO MAY BE PIECES OF THE
PROCESS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE
CORRECTIONS THAT HAPPEN AFTER
THE FIRST CYCLE. FOR EXAMPLE
WITH THE MASTER USE PERMIT
PROCESS. SINCE WE ALLOW THAT TO
RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, THE
SEQUENCE OF WHEN THE PUBLIC
COMMENT HAPPENS VERSUS WHEN THE
INITIAL PLAN REVIEW HAPPENS MAY
NOT BE IN ALIGNMENT SO THE
ZONING REVIEW AND LAND USE MAY
NOT HAVE THE CONDITIONS AND
EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO FULLY
COMPLETE AN INITIAL REVIEW.
THEY MAY ADD A CORRECTION TO
THE PLANS THAT SAYS THEY MAY BE
, THERE MAY BE CORRECTIONS
LATER BASED ON THE OUTCOME.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE MIGHT BE IS IF
DURING SCREENING WE DIDN'T
REALIZE THE PLAN MIGHT NEED A
GEOTECH REPORT OR A DRAINAGE
REVIEW CALCULATION OR ANY
VARIOUS OTHER KIND OF ANALYSIS
THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED AND
IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR
THE PLAN REVIEW WERE TO DO A
COMPLETE REVIEW IF THAT
INITIAL ANALYSIS HAS NOT BEEN
PROVIDED UPON THE INITIAL
APPLICATION. IN THOSE CASES
THE COMPLETE REVIEW DOESN'T
REALLY HAPPEN DURING CYCLE ONE,
IT HAPPENS DURING CYCLE TWO
AND THEN YOU MAY END UP HAVING
CORRECTION CYCLES FROM THEIR.
TO MELISSA'S POINT, THERE COULD
BE APPLICANT INITIATED
REVISIONS THAT HAPPEN,
RESPONSES TO CERTAIN REVIEWS,
LIKE MAYBE A SETBACK IS NOT
BEING MET AND THE APPLICANT
NEEDS TO REVISE THE BUILDING TO
COMPLY WITH THE SETBACK AND
THAT IMPACTS STRUCTURAL
CALCULATIONS. VARIOUS THINGS
LIKE THAT LEAD TO THE
POTENTIAL FOR LATER CORRECTIONS
BUT ABSOLUTELY THE IN TENT ¿
THE INTENT IS TOGETHER AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE ON THE FIRST ROUND
OF CORRECTIONS AND WE TRAIN OUR
STAFF TO EXACTLY THAT
EXPECTATION.
>> GREAT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD THAT WE
TALKED BOTH TO THE MARKET AND
AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY AND WE
HEAR THIS A LOT, THAT LATER
CORRECTIONS ARE A REAL ISSUE.
WAS THIS WORTH A CORRECTION? WE
APPRECIATE THIS POINT QUITE A
BIT.
>> ANDY, WHAT I SHARED WITH
YOU IN THE PRE-MEETING I WILL
SHARE ON THE RECORD RIGHT NOW
WHICH IS WITH THOSE EXAMPLES
YOU HAVE JUST PROVIDED, THAT
MAKES SENSE. AND IF THERE ARE
PEOPLE REVIEWING PERMITS IN OUR
CITY WHETHER INTENTIONALLY OR
UNINTENTIONALLY MISSING
CORRECTIONS AND THEN ADDING
THEM AND LATER, ON THE FIRST
PLAN REVIEW IF THOSE
CORRECTIONS ARE POPPING UP
LATER ON THAT ARE NOT BECAUSE
OF LIFE FIRE OR SAFETY, WE HAVE
TO BE ABLE TO GET THOSE IN THE
FIRST ROUND. AND AGAIN, THE
EXTERNAL VARIABLES ON
INDIVIDUALS , IT'S THEIR
PROJECT . BUT FROM A CITY SIDE
AND A CUSTOMER SERVICE
STANDPOINT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE
TO PROVIDE THE FULL SET OF
CORRECTIONS IN THAT FIRST
ROUND. IF THERE IS A GEOTECH
OR SOME OF THESE OTHER
EXAMPLES, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE
WHEN THOSE ARE THE EXCEPTIONS.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE SENSE THAT
I'M GETTING IS THAT THE
EXCEPTION IS THE RULE AND THAT
IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO
ADDRESS.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT AND I
THINK THE FINDING ABOUT
ENGAGING CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY AND
HAVING FEEDBACK LOOPS BUILT-IN,
WE WILL TALK LATER ABOUT THAT
BUT IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
WHEN THOSE THINGS OCCUR WE
REALLY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT AS
IT OCCURS SO WE CAN ADDRESS
THE SPECIFIC SITUATION. IF IT'S
A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL
REPEATEDLY DOING THAT WE NEED
TO ADDRESS THAT WITH THE
INDIVIDUAL. IF IT'S A TEAM
THING OR A TRAINING ISSUE WE
HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT. BUT WHEN
IT'S ANECDOTAL FEEDBACK THAT IT
HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, IT'S
DIFFICULT. AS WE HEAR THE SAME
THING BUT WHEN IT'S NOT
IDENTIFIED THEM NOT SURE WHAT
WE CAN DO ABOUT IT IN THAT
MOMENT.
>> I APPRECIATE THE ANECDOTAL
STORY THAT I SHARED WITH YOU
EARLIER WHERE YOU SAID THAT
WOULD HAVE A PROFESSIONAL
REVIEW OCCUR IF IT WAS WITHIN
YOUR DEPARTMENT AND I THINK AT
THIS POINT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT
FEEDBACK LOOP BECAUSE THINGS
ARE SLIPPING THROUGH THE
CRACKS. I WON'T MAKE A DAD
JOKE.
>> I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY
SEAT. [ LAUGHTER ] I COMPLETELY
AGREE WITH YOU, CHAIR. AND I
COME AT THIS AS CHAIR OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE
I HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT SMALL
BUSINESS PROJECTS BEING SLOWED
DOWN AND IMPROVEMENTS THAT
CAN'T HAPPEN. TO MY MIND WHEN
I WAS READING THIS I WAS
THINKING IF THE CORRECTION IS
DUE TO SOMETHING THAT WAS
MISSED BY SDCI STAFF, THAT'S
ONE THING. IF IT WAS DUE TO
SOMETHING THAT CHANGED IN THE
PLAN BECAUSE OF SOMETHING ELSE,
THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING. THE
BASELINE BEING HEALTH FIRE AND
WHATEVER THAT TERM WAS USED ,
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
BUILDER OR THE SMALL BUSINESS
OWNER OR THE HOMEOWNER IS NOT
BEING PENALIZED FOR AN INTERNAL
FAULT OF THE CITY. BECAUSE,
TIME IS THE BIGGEST DRIVER OF
COST OVERRUNS IN A PROJECT.
AND IF WE ARE TRYING TO REDUCE
THE COST OF HOUSING AND WE
HAVE TO REDUCE THE TIME TO
BUILD. SAME THING IS, IF WE
WANT TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
DISTRICTS, SAME THING. YOU KNOW
WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS AND
IT IS A BIG CONCERN. I DO HAVE
A QUESTION BECAUSE YOU
MENTIONED THE ANALYSIS. ON
PAGE 7 OF THE REPORT RIGHT
BEFORE THE SECOND
RECOMMENDATION, IT NOTES
BASICALLY THE RET ,
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO DEALS
WITH DIFFICULTY ACCESSING THE
ONLINE TOOLS. THERE'S A BULLET
POINT THAT SAYS THE CITY DOES
NOT OFFER IN PERSON
APPOINTMENTS FOR PERMIT
CUSTOMERS TO MEET WITH CITY
STAFF. SO IF THERE'S AN ACCESS
PROBLEM WITH ONLINE TOOLS IN
THE IN PERSON COUNTER IS
CLOSED, WOULD THAT SOLVE A BIG
PART OF THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF
HAVING TO DO ENDLESS STUDIES
ABOUT HOW TO GIVE PEOPLE
ACCESS, GIVE MORE FORMS OF
ACCESS?
>> I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT
NOW BUT THAT IS PART OF OUR
PRESENTATION, HOW WE ARE
IMPROVING ACCESS , AND IN
PERSON ACCESS.
>> THANKS.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO PASS IT
BACK OVER TO ANDREW BECAUSE I
THINK WE WILL GET INTO SOME OF
THOSE SLIDES THAT COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON IS INTERESTED IN.
>> THANK YOU. OUR THREE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE
PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED FINDINGS
ON HOW TO REINFORCE THE
CUSTOMER FOCUS ARE TO TRACK
APPLICATIONS BY TOTAL REVIEW
TIME, TO COMPLETE A RACIAL
EQUITY TOOLKIT FOR THE PERMIT
PROCESS, AND INCLUDE THAT IN
DEVELOPING A STRATEGIC CUSTOMER
ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU
SAY TRACK BY TOTAL REVIEW TIME,
IT IS BEING TRACKED CURRENTLY.
THE TOTAL REVIEW TIME IS
CURRENTLY BEING TRACKED . WHAT
I BELIEVE WE ARE TRYING TO
FOCUS ON HERE ARE THE METRICS
IN WHICH WE EVALUATE OUR
SUCCESS ARE BASED UPON THE
RESPONSIVENESS TO THE ROUND OF
CORRECTIONS. WHAT I'M HEARING
FROM YOU IS THAT WE NEED TO BE
MORE MINDFUL OF THE ENTIRE
PROCESS OF RATHER THAN THE
SEGMENTED PROCESS. IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
>> I KNOW THE SDCI SLIDE IS UP
NEXT AND I WILL PROVIDE
COMMENTARY THAT I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE RACIAL EQUITY
ANALYSIS IS BECOMING SUCH
COMMONPLACE WITHIN
RECOMMENDATIONS ACROSS THE
BOARD . THIS IS STILL A QUOTE
UNQUOTE NEW PROGRAM . I BELIEVE
ABOUT A DECADE OLD OR YOUNGER
AND EVERY TIME THAT WE GO
THROUGH THESE REVIEWS OF HOW
THE CITY IS WORKING, THIS COMES
UP AS HOW WE SHOULD BE LEADING
THIS WORK. SO I APPRECIATE
THAT. THIS IS A SDCI SLIDE SO
FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC, WE HAVE
MERGED TWO SLIDE DECKS. ONE
FROM THE AUDITOR AND ONE FROM
SDCI SO IF IT'S A GREEN RIBBON
IT IS A SDCI SLIDE AND IF IT'S
A BLUE RIBBON, IT IS AN
AUDITOR SLIDE. ALTHOUGH I'M
SEEING THAT THE SEATTLE CHANNEL
BANNER MIGHT BE COVERING IT UP.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
DIRECTOR TORKELSON.
>> FIRST I APPRECIATE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. YOU AND
THE AUDITORS PROCESS . WE ARE
CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS
THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR
PROCESS, SO I APPRECIATE THE
WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING TOGETHER
ON THIS. I HAVE TOLD MY STAFF
THAT THIS AUDIT IS A TOP
PRIORITY AND I JUST WANT YOU
ALL TO KNOW, COUNCILMEMBERS,
THAT WE TAKE THIS VERY
SERIOUSLY. WE ARE CONSTANTLY
LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS. THIS
AUDIT WAS LOOKING AT THE
PERMITTING PROCESS IN 2021 AND
2022 AND THIS WAS IN THE PEAK
OF THE PANDEMIC. WE HAD A LOT
OF STAFF WHO WERE WORKING
COMPLETELY VIRTUALLY AT HOME .
WE ARE IN A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT SCENARIO RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE STAFF BACK IN THE
OFFICE AND I THINK THAT IS
REALLY HELPING TO IMPROVE
COMMUNICATION AND IMPROVE OUR
PERMITTING PROCESS. THIS SLIDE
JUST SHOWS HOW WE HAVE
IMPROVED OUR PROGRESS ON THE
PERMITTING TIME. THE SLIDE
THAT WE SAW BEFORE HAD 36 DAYS
FOR ROUND ONE, 27 DAYS FOR
ROUND TWO, 25 DAYS FOR ROUND
THREE, 22 DAYS FOR ROUND FOUR
AND 21 FOR ROUND FIVE AND YOU
CAN SEE THOSE NUMBERS HAVE
DECREASED. OF COURSE WE ARE
STILL NOT BEATING OUR TARGETS
BUT WE ARE IMPROVING. GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE IT.
>>> REINFORCING A CUSTOMER
FOCUS. JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE .
WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AT
SDCI AND THE KEY CORNERSTONE OF
THAT PROCESS IS HOW CAN WE
IMPROVE CUSTOMER SERVICE? THAT
IS BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL .
THAT IS A KEY COMPONENT OF HOW
WE CAN SERVE THE CUSTOMER
BETTER. WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF
CUSTOMERS ARE ACCESSING
VIRTUAL APPLICANT SERVICE
CENTER AND WE HAVE REALLY HIGH
RATINGS ON THAT BUT WE KNOW
THAT WE HAVE CUSTOMERS GETTING
LOST IN OUR SYSTEM AND THOSE
ARE THE CUSTOMERS WE NEED TO
REACH. WE ARE WORKING ON A
FRAMEWORK FOR KEY PERMITTING
METRICS FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, YOU HAD
MENTIONED THAT A LOT OF THE
PUBLIC FOCUS HAS BEEN ON THE
TIME THAT IT TAKES TO DO THE
FIRST CORRECTION ROUND, BUT WE
ARE NOW FOCUSING ON THE ENTIRE
PROCESS AND WILL BE PUTTING
THESE METRICS ON OUR WEBSITE .
FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS IS VERY
IMPORTANT. WE GET A LOT OF
FEEDBACK THROUGH PEOPLE WHO
ACCESS OUR VIRTUAL APPLICANT
SERVICE CENTER BUT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM ALL
OF OUR CUSTOMERS REGARDLESS OF
ACCESSING SDCI AND WE WILL
HAVE AN EIGHT NEXT YEAR IN
2024. FINALLY, I KNOW THAT A
VISUAL DASHBOARD IS SOMETHING
THAT IS OF KEEN INTEREST TO
ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND WE
ARE DEVELOPING A PROCESS TO PUT
THAT ON OUR WEBSITE FOR NEXT
YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES, ANY
QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? I
WILL SAY, I APPRECIATE WE ARE
GOING THROUGH THESE ITEM BY
ITEM AND WE WILL BE BACK NEXT
YEAR TO FIND OUT THE PROGRESS.
IF YOU WANT TO GO ON TO SLIDE
8? THANK YOU.
>> AT SDCI, WE HAVE ANTIRACIST
TASK FORCE, WE ALSO HAVE A
JOINT CHANGE TEAM WITH THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THAT
FOCUSES ON A LOT OF POLICIES.
WE ARE FOCUSING ON TRAINING AND
LOOKING AT CULTURAL
DIFFERENCES, LOOKING AT
APPLICANTS. WE ARE LOOKING AT
HOW WE GO ABOUT RECRUITING AND
HIRING EMPLOYEES, HAVE THE
INTERVIEW PROCESS WORKS, HOW WE
BROUGHT OUR EMPLOYEES BACK TO
THE TOWER, AND ALSO WORKING ON
THE EQUITY TOOLKIT FOR OUR
ENTIRE PERMITTING PROCESS. WE
ARE INCORPORATING THOSE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE PRINCIPLES
IN ALL OF THE HUMAN CENTERED
DESIGN WORK AND ONE OF THE WAYS
THAT WE ARE ADJUSTING THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE,
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON YOU
BROUGHT THIS UP, I'M REALLY
EXCITED THAT IN DECEMBER WE
ARE GOING TO BE OPENING UP AN
INFORMATION DESK ON THE FOURTH
FLOOR OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
TOWER . THIS WILL BE A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO
WANT THAT FACE-TO-FACE
COMMUNICATION . SOMEWHAT
SURPRISINGLY, WE STILL HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE IN SEATTLE WHO DO
NOT HAVE TECHNOLOGY ACCESS. A
MONTH AGO I MET A COUPLE IN
THE LOBBY THAT SECURITY POINTED
ME TO. THEY HAD A RENTAL UNIT
AND FOUND OUT THAT THEY NEEDED
TO REGISTER THAT RENTAL UNIT
THROUGH OUR RENTAL
REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION
PROGRAM. ENGLISH WAS THEIR
SECOND LANGUAGE. I WAS ABLE TO
GET STAFF IN OUR DEPARTMENT TO
COME DOWN AND HELP THEM FILL
OUT THE FORMS SO THEY COULD GET
REGISTERED. WE STILL HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE
TECHNOLOGY ACCESS AND THAT IN
PERSON INFORMATION DESK IS
GOING TO BE A GREAT TOOL FOR
THEM.
>> DIRECTOR TORKELSON,
SPINNING OFF OF THAT A LITTLE
BIT, I READ IN THE AUDIT AS
WELL THAT SOME PERMIT REVIEWERS
WILL TAKE PHONE CALLS AND SOME
WILL NOT. SOME USE THE BLUE
BEAM CHAT, SOME WON'T. IS
THERE A WAY TO HAVE A
CONSISTENT METHOD ACROSS
REVIEWERS? IS THERE A BARRIER
TO JUST PICKING UP THE PHONE?
>> WE ARE CONSTANTLY PUSHING
OUR STAFF THAT YOU NEED TO
RETURN PHONE CALLS AND YOU NEED
TO DO IT WITHIN 24 HOURS. IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT.
>> WE WILL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT
MORE TO THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CUSTOMER
SUCCESS TEAM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE ARE ALSO CONSTANTLY
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO BETTER
CONNECT WITH THE PUBLIC. ONE OF
MY FAVORITE EVENTS IS OUR
ANNUAL HOME FAIR. WE RECENTLY
HAD IT AT THE FILIPINO
COMMUNITY CENTER IN SOUTHEAST
SEATTLE. WE HAVE MULTIPLE ¿
IT IS A VERY LOW KEY, CUSTOMER
FRIENDLY WAY FOR MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC TO COME IN AND TALK TO
A VARIETY OF CITY STAFF ABOUT
HOW TO GET A PERMIT. THEY CAN
SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH STAFF.
WE HAVE VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS
AND IN PERSON PRESENTATIONS
ON HOW TO GET A PERMIT TO BUILD
A DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNIT. HOW TO EARTHQUAKE
RETROFIT YOUR HOUSE AND MANY
OTHER SESSIONS. IT REALLY IS
ONE OF MY FAVORITE PUBLIC
OUTREACH EVENTS THAT WE DO ON
AN ANNUAL BASIS. I ALSO WANTED
TO MENTION THAT WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF COMPLETELY REVAMPING
OUR PHONE LINE SYSTEM. WE
HAVE SEVERAL PHONE LINES, SOME
OF THOSE PHONE LINES DON'T
WORK WELL FOR CUSTOMERS SO WE
ARE GOING TO SET UP A WHOLE NEW
PHONE SYSTEM SO THAT HE WILL
GET FASTER AND BETTER CUSTOMER
SERVICE . THAT WILL BE COMING
ONLINE IN 2024.
>> GREAT. COLLEAGUES? ANY
QUESTIONS ON THIS SLIDE?
>> WHEN YOU SAY NEW PHONE LINES
DO YOU MEAN PHONE LINES FOR
PEOPLE TO CALL IN IF THEY HAVE
A QUESTION ABOUT SOME
CORRECTION THEY HAVE TO MAKE?
>> CORRECT. THERE'S A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT PHONE LINES, LIKE
IF YOU WANT TO CALL IN AND YOU
HAVE A CODE COMPLETE. IF YOU
WANT TO CHECK ON THE STATUS OF
A PERMIT. IF YOU ARE JUST A
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AND YOU
HAVE A BASIC QUESTION. CAN I
BUILD A DETACHED ACCESSORY
DWELLING UNIT IN MY BACKYARD?
IS IT OKAY THAT MY NEIGHBOR HAS
A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK AND
IT'S PARKED IN THEIR FRONT
YARD? THINGS LIKE THAT
>> GOT IT. WHILE I AM REALLY
GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT THE FOURTH
FLOOR WHAT DID YOU CALL IT?
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK
BECAUSE EVEN IF ONE DOES HAVE
COMPUTER INTERNET SOMETIMES
PEOPLE JUST WANT TO TALK TO A
HUMAN SO THEY CAN ASK
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS. SO
OFF-LINE I WILL-- I DO HAVE
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY
OF YOUR STAFF ARE BACK IN THE
OFFICE SO THAT IF SOMEONE ELSE
CAN ANSWER A QUESTION BETTER
THAN THE PERSON RIGHT IN FRONT
OF THEM, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
>> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY PART OF
THE PLAN, THAT WE CAN BRING
STAFF DOWN THAT ARE UP IN THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL TOWER. THE
BRING STAFF DOWN TO HELP
CUSTOMERS. IF THAT PERSON IS
NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. AND ALSO I
SHOULD MENTION THAT SDOT
STREET SECTION WILL ALSO BE
JOINING THAT INFORMATION DESK
EARLY IN 2024 IS A LOT OF
TIMES PERMITS INVOLVE A STREET
USE PERMIT AND A BUILDING
PERMIT
>> THAT'S REALLY GREAT BECAUSE
I ALSO AM A PAPER PERSON
WHERE SPEAKING TO A HUMAN IS
EASIER FOR ME THEN TRYING TO
NAVIGATE A CHAT OR A CHAT BOT
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE IN
PERSON CONNECTION REALLY IS
IMPORTANT AND I APPRECIATE YOU
GETTING THAT OFFICE REOPENED.
>> ANOTHER THING WE HEAR A LOT
IS THE BACK AND. YOU SAY
SOMETHING AND HOW LONG DOES
THAT PERSON HAS TO RESPOND
VERSUS IN PERSON, IT IS AN
IMMEDIATE DISCUSSION AND YOU
CAN COVER A LOT OF GROUND VERY
QUICKLY.
>> THAT'S THE BIT ABOUT PICKING
UP THE PHONE. CAN A PHONE CALL
RESULT A ROUND OF CORRECTIONS,
RIGHT? IF YOU ARE IN THE
SECOND ROUND OF CORRECTIONS
AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF ISSUES,
RATHER THAN MAKING YOUR BEST
GUESS, RESUBMITTING FOR YOUR
THIRD ROUND, IF YOU CAN GET ON
THE PHONE WITH THE REVIEWER AND
SAY DO I NEED TO GO LEFT? DO I
NEED TO GO RIGHT? DO I NEED TO
GO UP OR DOWN? THIS IS THE
TYPE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WE ARE
TRYING TO CREATE SO WE CAN GET
PERMITS ISSUED FASTER.
>> WE WANT TO MEET CUSTOMERS
WHERE THEY ARE AT. THE CHAT BOT
THAT YOU ALL MENTIONED THAT CAN
CONVERT TO VIRTUAL PHONE CALLS
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK TO
SOMEONE OVER A SCREEN, WE KNOW
WE HAVE MANY APPLICANTS WHO
LOVE THAT FEATURE AND DON'T
WANT TO DRIVE DOWNTOWN AND PAY
FOR PARKING ET CETERA, SO WE
TRY TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY
ARE AT AND WHAT IS MOST
CONVENIENT AND HELPFUL FOR
THEM.
>> WONDERFUL. LET'S GO ON TO
THE NEXT SLIDE, STILL A SDCI.
>> WE'VE GOT ONE MORE SLIDE
AND A CONTINUATION OF WHAT
DIRECTOR TORKELSON WAS TALKING
ABOUT WITH THE REVAMPED
CUSTOMER PHONE LINES. WE HAVE
A MULTITUDE OF PHONE NUMBERS
AND REALLY THE PHONE TREE
NEEDED TO BE REDONE FOR A LONG
TIME SO THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY
TO REVAMP THAT IN ALIGNMENT
WITH THAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH
A STRATEGIC REALIGNMENT PROCESS
ALONG WITH THE STRATEGIC
LANDING PROCESS THAT WILL PUT
TOGETHER A CUSTOMER SUCCESS
TEAM IN 2024 WHICH WILL BE MADE
UP OF VARIOUS PARTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT THAT ALREADY EXISTS
BUT THAT KIND OF REASSEMBLED TO
PROVIDE THIS END-TO-END
CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT. BASICALLY WE
ALLOW APPLICATION FACILITATION
FOR EVERYTHING PRE-APPLICATION,
STATUS CHECKS AND FACILITATION
DURING THE PROCESS SO IF
SOMETHING FEELS HUNG UP , THEY
WOULD HAVE SOMEONE TO CONTACT
AND GO TO. AND THEN IT ALSO
TALKS ABOUT USING CONTINUOUS
FEEDBACK LOOPS FOR CUSTOMERS
TO PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS AND
ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS. ONE
THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS
ADOPTING A REAL TIME SURVEY
TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN PEPPER
INTO THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT, SO
WE CAN HAVE THAT REAL TIME
ACCESS MORE READILY. TO THE
EXAMPLES ABOUT CORRECTIONS
BEING ADDED OR SOMETHING BEING
NOT PROVIDED IN GOOD CUSTOMER
SERVICE, THE FEEDBACK COULD BE
MORE DIRECT AND ALSO BE ABLE TO
GET GOOD FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT
WE ARE DOING WELL SO WE CAN
TELL THAT STORY AS WELL. RIGHT
NOW WE HAVE ANECDOTAL FEEDBACK
ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT BUT WE
DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO SUPPORT
HOW MUCH OF EITHER IS REALLY
OCCURRING. SO WE WANT TO GET
THAT IN PLACE IN SUPPORT OF THE
HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN EFFORTS.
PROVIDING INTERNAL TRAINING,
ONGOING SUPPORT, WE DEFINITELY
HAVE EXPECTATIONS AROUND WHAT
REVIEWERS SHOULD BE PICKING UP
THE PHONE ON IMMEDIATELY, AND
OTHER REVIEWERS WE ASK TO NOT
INTERRUPT THE REVIEW IF THEY
GET A PHONE CALL. STAY ON THE
LINE OF THINKING, DON'T BREAK
YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS, BE
EFFICIENT IN YOUR PLAN REVIEW
BUT TAKE THE TIME AFTER YOU'VE
COMPLETED THE REVIEW TO MAKE
THAT CALL. GIVING FOLKS 24
HOURS TO MAKE RETURN PHONE
CALLS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
IN THOSE PARTICULAR CASES. I
THINK WE ALSO MENTIONED THIS
BEFORE BUT DEVELOPING A
CENTRALIZED LOCATION TO SHARE
KEY PERMITTING METRICS. AS YOU
CAN SEE WE'VE ALREADY MADE
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN 2023
BRINGING DOWN THE THROUGHPUT
TIME ON CORRECTION CYCLES. AND
THE FOCUS ON INITIAL PLAN
REVIEW IS A CARRYOVER FROM THE
PRIOR PERMITTING SYSTEM THAT
WE IMPLEMENTED IN 2018. WE DID
A LOT OF DATA CONVERSION AND
CLEANUP IN 2019 BUT THE PRIOR
SYSTEM DID NOT HAVE A METHOD
FOR US TO TRACK CORRECTION
CYCLES IN AN APPROPRIATE WAY.
IT DOES HAVE THAT MECHANISM SO
WE ARE TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT
THAT WE NEED TO AND WANT TO
MOVE INTO MEASURING AND
REPORTING ON THE ABILITY TO
MEET CORRECTION TURNAROUND
TARGETS FOR THAT, AS WELL.
WHEN YOU SEE 2345 CYCLES, NOT
EVERY PROJECT GOES THROUGH
THAT. THERE'S DEFINITELY A
MOVING GRAPH AND TWO THIRDS OF
THE PROJECTS TYPICALLY END UP
IN TWO OR THREE CYCLES. THERE
IS A POTENTIAL SLICE THAT GOES
4 TO 5, AND THE ONES THAT ARE
SIX + ARE USUALLY OUTLIER
PROCESSES BUT TO YOUR POINT
BEING ABLE TO MAKE CORRECTION
CORRECTIONS ON BEHALF OF AN
APPLICANT, PICKING UP THE PHONE
AND SAYING CAN WE DO THAT ON
YOUR BEHALF? ABSOLUTELY. WE
USED TO TAKE OUT A RED PLAN ¿ A
RED PEN AND STAMP THOSE BY
HANDS AND SEND IT OUT TO THE
APPLICANTS BUT WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO DO THAT ELECTRONICALLY.
IT JUST HAS TO BE CONSISTENTLY
ACROSS ALL REVIEW LOCATIONS.
>> AS MUCH OF A LUDDITE AS I
AM, IF WE HAD NOT BEEN ON BLUE
BEAM DURING THE PANDEMIC WE
WOULD HAVE STOPPED.
>> THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT
OUT. WE BEAUTIFUL TRANSITION
BEGINNING IN 2014 AND
OFFICIALLY IN 2016 FOR
CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING AND
THE REST OF THE PROCESSES WENT
ELECTRONIC WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED
IN 2018. WE DID THAT THINKING
ABOUT AN EARTHQUAKE SITUATION
AND BEING PREPARED FOR A
NATURAL DISASTER OF THAT KIND.
THANK GOD WE DID IT WHEN WE
DID IT BECAUSE WHEN THE
EMERGENCY ORDER HIT IN MARCH
2020 WE WERE ABLE TO SEND
EVERYBODY HOME AND NOT SKIP A
BEAT IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO
DO PLAN REVIEW AND PROCESSING
OF PERMITS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING
THAT WORK WHILE ALSO REALIZING
THOSE THAT DO NOT HAVE THE
CAPABILITY OR THE TOOLS OR
RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
EASILY, THAT WE PROVIDE
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEM.
LASTLY, TO ENSURE THAT
DECISION-MAKING ACCOUNTABILITY
IS CLEAR AND ESCALATION POINTS
ARE CLEAR. IF YOU ARE AN
APPLICANT RUNNING INTO A
CONCERN, WHO TO CONTACT BUT
MAKING THAT MORE TRANSPARENT OR
CLEAR AND IF SOMEONE DOESN'T
KNOW WHERE TO FIND THAT , THE
CUSTOMER SUCCESS TEAM COULD
POINT THEM TO THAT RESOURCE AND
GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PERSON.
WE WANT TO SHORTEN THAT TIME
FROM CONTACTOR INQUIRY TO THE
RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUE.
>> THIS IS NOT A QUESTION THAT
I HAD PREVIOUSLY, BUT FROM
THIS CONVERSATION, LET'S SAY
THAT WE HAVE A PLACE TO REPORT
A REVIEWER FOR ANY REASON
WHETHER IT'S A PHONE CALL, AN
ANONYMOUS TIP. HOW ARE WE
UNDERSTANDING OF ITS THE SAME
REVIEW DESK OR REVIEWER TIME
AND TIME AGAIN? I WANT TO GO
BACK TO THIS EXAMPLE, NOT
INCLUDING ALL CORRECTIONS IN
THE FIRST ROUND? IF I AM AN
APPLICANT AND I GO TO THAT
EXPERIENCE, I DON'T SEE THAT
PATTERN NECESSARILY. HOW ARE WE
GOING TO CATCH THAT?
>> THE TOOLS WE ADOPT TO BE
ABLE TO INSERT THE FEEDBACK
MECHANISM IS GOING TO BE KEY.
WE ARE AWARE OF TYING THAT TO
THE RECORD NUMBER AND TYING
THAT TO THE REVIEW TASK
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT SO WE
WOULD INHERENTLY KNOW WHAT THE
REVIEW TASK AND WHEN IT WAS
ISSUED, WHO THE REVIEWER WAS.
ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK COULD COME
BACK BUT WE CAN DEDUCE WHERE
THE FEEDBACK WAS TO BE
DIRECTED. THERE ARE WAYS TO DO
THAT DIRECTLY AND MAKE SURE THE
CUSTOMER GETS FEEDBACK ABOUT
WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THAT AND
ALSO WAYS THAT WE CAN
POTENTIALLY DO IT ANONYMOUSLY
AND BE ABLE TO GATHER THE
FEEDBACK MORE HOLISTICALLY.
ULTIMATELY WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
OTHER TOOLS IN PLACE THAT MAY
BE ABLE TO DO THAT BEFORE WE
ISSUE A CORRECTION TO AN
APPLICANT BUT I DON'T THINK
TECHNOLOGY IS FAR ENOUGH ALONG
TO GET THERE.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
>> WHY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT
ANONYMOUSLY? IS IT BECAUSE IF
ONE IS A FREQUENT USER OF YOUR
PERMITTING SERVICE, IS IT
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF
IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS BECAUSE
THE NEXT TIME THEY GO TO DO A
PROJECT THEY MIGHT, IT MIGHT BE
SLOWED DOWN? IS THAT WHAT
YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE
IMPORTANCE OF THAT?
>> WE HAVE HEARD ANECDOTALLY
THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF
RETRIBUTION AND THAT IS
SOMETHING CONSISTENT ACROSS THE
INDUSTRY. I HEAR THAT THROUGH
MY COLLEAGUES AND OTHER
JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY SEEN THAT
HAPPEN BUT I KNOW THERE ARE
APPLICANTS OUT THERE WHO FEEL
THAT CAN BE AN ISSUE. WHETHER
PROVIDING THE FEEDBACK DIRECTLY
AND PUTTING THEIR NAME
ASSOCIATED WITH IT OR PROVIDING
IT ANONYMOUSLY AND GIVING AN
OUTLET TO GIVE THE FEEDBACK AND
NOT TIE THEIR NAME INTO IT ARE
BOTH IMPORTANT.
>> THANK YOU. CLERK , HAPPY TO
GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. BACK
TO THE CITY AUDITOR.
>> THE NEXT IS ABOUT
TRANSPARENCY OR FAIRNESS.
FIRST I WILL TALK ABOUT HOW
PERMIT APPLICATIONS ARE
PRIORITIZED. IT IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE IT DETERMINES WHEN AN
APPLICATION IS WORKED ON
RELATIVE TO OTHERS AND HOW
FAST PERMIT REVIEWERS ARE
EXPECTED TO TURN IT AROUND. WE
FOUND THAT THE CITY PRIORITIZES
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT , THE WAY
THEY PRIORITIZE APPLICATIONS
IS INCONSISTENT, WHICH MEANS
THAT NOT ALL CUSTOMERS COULD
GET THE SAME EXPERIENCE. FOR
EXAMPLE, SDCI HAS INTERNAL
GUIDELINES FOR HOW STAFF SHOULD
PRIORITIZE APPLICATIONS BUT
OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT
ALSO DO PERMIT REVIEW WERE NOT
AWARE OF THESE GUIDELINES. AT
THE TIME OF OUR AUDIT, SDCI
DID NOT PUBLICIZE THESE
GUIDELINES WHICH WOULD MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR FIRST-TIME
PERMIT APPLICANTS TO KNOW WHAT
THEY NEED TO PUT ON THEIR
APPLICATION SO THAT THEY COULD
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A PRIORITY
RANKING. BEYOND THE OFFICIAL
PRIORITIZATION PROCESS WE FOUND
THAT SOMETIMES A PROJECT WILL
BE PRIORITIZED IF A CUSTOMER
CALLS AND ASKS ABOUT IT, EITHER
TO THE PERMIT REVIEWER DIRECTLY
OR TO A SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER.
THIS AGAIN CREATES A
TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS ISSUE
ESPECIALLY FOR CUSTOMERS THAT
ARE NEW TO THE PROCESS. THE
NEXT FINDING RELATES TO SDCI
ETHICAL CULTURE. DURING OUR
AUDIT, SDCI EMPLOYEES HAVE
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AROUND
ETHICAL BEHAVIOR AS IT RELATES
TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS WITH
THE BIGGEST THEME BEING AROUND
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. OUR GOAL
WITH THIS AUDIT IS TO FIND
WAYS TO MAKE THE PERMITTING
PROCESS BETTER FOR CUSTOMERS.
THE REASON WHY WE HIGHLIGHT
THIS ISSUE IS BECAUSE A
POSITIVE ETHICAL CULTURE
CONTRIBUTE TO A POSITIVE
WORKPLACE CULTURE WHICH IMPACTS
ALL ACCESS ¿ ALL PARTS OF AN
ORGANIZATION. IF THERE ARE
CONCERNS ABOUT FAIRNESS AND
ACCESS IT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE
ABILITY OF THE CITY TO HAVE A
FAIR, TRANSPARENT, AND
ULTIMATELY EFFECTIVE PERMITTING
PROCESS. WE DID NOT PERFORM AN
ETHICS INVESTIGATION TO
SUBSTANTIATE ANY OF THE
CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD, HOWEVER
WE DID EXAMINE THE POLICIES
THAT SDCI HAS IN PLACE TO
SUPPORT A POSITIVE ETHICAL
CULTURE. WE FOUND THAT SDCI
COULD PUT MORE EMPHASIS HERE
PARTICULARLY AROUND EMPLOYEE
EXPECTATIONS AND ETHICS
TRAINING SPECIFIC TO THE ROLE
OF AN EMPLOYEE.
>> THANK YOU ANDREW . THIS IS
ALSO WHY WE HAVE WAYNE BARNETT
WITH US TODAY. AFTER THIS
SECTION YOU ARE FREE TO STAY
BUT YOU CAN ALSO TAKE OFF
BECAUSE THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT
COUPLE OF SLIDES ARE WHY YOU
ARE HERE TODAY.
>> I MIGHT TAKE OFF.
>> FAIR ENOUGH. NO OFFENSE
TAKEN. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT WE
HAVE A VERY EXCITING AND LIVELY
TOPIC HERE . THERE'S A COUPLE
OF ISSUES HERE SO I'M GOING TO
START WITH THE PRIORITIZATION
OF PERMIT APPLICATIONS AND I
KNOW THAT SDCI, THROUGH OUR
CONVERSATIONS, HAVE YOU AT
THIS TIME MADE PUBLIC YOUR
INTERNAL DOCUMENTS?
>> YES.
>> THAT'S VERY HELPFUL BUT
AGAIN, THIS IS BEYOND JUST
SDCI SO I'M GOING TO PASS IT
OVER TO MARCO TO SPEAK ABOUT
HOW SDCI HAS PRIORITIZATION
GUIDELINES. NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS
TO. HOW DO WE, MOVING FROM
HERE, HOW DO WE SEEK THAT UP SO
THAT IT IS NOT OPAQUE AND SO
THE PUBLIC HAS A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING AND EMPLOYEES
ALSO HAVE A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING?
>> I THINK IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO
EARLIER, THAT THERE ARE MANY
DEPARTMENTS THAT TOUCH THESE
PROJECTS AND THEN BEING SYNCED
UP IS CRITICAL. YOU CAN GO
VERY QUICKLY THROUGH ONE AND BE
HELD UP VERY LONG AT ANOTHER.
WE HAVE INITIATED THE HOUSING
SUBCABINET, SO ALL DEPARTMENTS
THAT TOUCH PERMITTING, YOU
LISTED THEM, I THINK OH IS ALSO
A MEMBER BECAUSE THEY DEAL
WITH SOME OF THE FEES THAT WE
ASSESS AND WE ARE ALL MEETING
MONTHLY. EVERYBODY HAS SEEN
EVERYBODY'S WORK. ONE OF THE
GREATER CHALLENGES WE HAVE
FOUND IS NOT JUST
SYNCHRONIZING OF PERMITS AND
HOW IT'S MOVING THROUGH
MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS TO COME TO
AN ISSUANCE, BUT ALSO THE LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT ONE
DEPARTMENT MAY DO COULD PUT A
SLIGHT DELAY OR FEE ON A
PROJECT AND MAY BE IN CONCERT
WITH NINE OTHER ACTIONS IN THE
LAST YEAR ALSO PUT ON THAT
PROJECT. IT MAY LOOK LIKE A
SMALL STEP WHEN ACTUALLY
TOGETHER IT IS AN INCREDIBLE
BURDEN TO PUT ON THESE PROJECTS
AND THEY MAY NOT GET BUILT.
WITH THE SUBCABINET WE ARE
TRYING TO DAYLIGHT BOTH
SYNCHRONIZATION AND EFFECTS
THAT DECISIONS, FEES,
TIMELINES HAVE ON THESE
PROJECTS TO TRY TO BRING
EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL ALSO TAKE
THIS MOMENT TO THANK EVERYONE
WHO WORKS AT A PERMIT REVIEW
DESK. I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE IS
TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST AND
MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD. A LOT OF
THESE ISSUES WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY ARE SYSTEMIC AND
MARCO , I APPRECIATE YOUR
HOUSING SUBCABINET WITH THE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS, YOU
REPRESENTING THE EXECUTIVE
RIGHT NOW, THE THREAD BETWEEN
THESE SIDELOAD DEPARTMENTS IS
WHAT WILL BE THE SOLUTION TO A
LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS. I WILL
PASS IT OVER TO SDCI IF YOU
WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE
TO HOW YOU PRIORITIZE PERMITS
AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE
PUBLICLY AND THEN I WILL PASS
IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON.
>> NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> HANG ON. I WILL COME BACK
TO YOU THERE. COUNCIL MEMBER
NELSON DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?
>> YES, THIS HAS TO DO WITH
THIS SECTION. I WAS PREPARED
TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
PROCESSES OF HOW TO FIX
PERMITTING BUT THIS WAS NOT ON
MY RADAR , THE ETHICAL CONCERNS
TALKED ABOUT HERE. ELSEWHERE
IN THE AUDITOR'S REPORT, THE
SAMPLE SIZE IS ENUMERATED. I
THINK HE SPOKE WITH 38
CUSTOMERS. I WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW IF IT'S NOT TOO DIFFICULT
OF A QUESTION, HOW MANY OF THE
STAFF RAISED ETHICAL CONCERNS?
I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF
HOW BAD THIS IS.
>> TO ANDREW OR DAVID?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE
INTERVIEWED 38 SDCI EMPLOYEES
THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE
PERMITTING PROCESS AND ABOUT
30% SHARED CONCERNS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. HOW MANY
EMPLOYEES TO THIS WORK? 30% OF
38 IS , IS THAT A BIG PART OF
THE DEPARTMENT?
>> SDCI HAS ABOUT 420
EMPLOYEES. OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL
OF THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE DOING
PERMIT REVIEW. I WOULD GUESS
ABOUT 200?
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I
HEARD IS THAT PERMIT REVIEWERS
DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW A PERMIT
IS PRIORITIZE. I MEAN, YOU HAD
INTERNAL GUIDELINES. WAS IT
THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THEM?
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?
>> I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT IN
THE SLIDES COMING UP .
>> I'M TO JUST LET ANDREW KEEP
GOING AND HOLD MY QUESTIONS
JUST LIKE I ASKED MY COLLEAGUES
TO DO.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL WRAP UP
WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ,
WHICH IS THAT SDCI SHOULD
REVIEW AND FORMALIZE HOW THEY
PRIORITIZE PERMIT APPLICATIONS
AND COMMUNICATE THIS TO
CUSTOMERS . AND ALSO THAT SDCI
SHOULD EVALUATE ITS ETHICAL
CULTURE AND MAKE ANY NEEDED
IMPROVEMENTS . IN THE NEXT
SLIDES I HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
>> BEFORE WE GO THERE, THIS IS
WHERE I WILL JUMP OVER TO
WAYNE. IN THESE CONVERSATIONS
THAT WE'VE HAD, THERE WAS NOT
AN ETHICAL INVESTIGATION HERE .
THIS WAS AN AUDIT ON THE
PERMIT REVIEW SYSTEM . ONE
THING I'VE HEARD YOU SAY, AND
MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN IT IN A
BETTER WAY THAT I'M GOING TO
TRY TO REGURGITATE THIS, IS
THAT AN ACTION MAY NOT BE
UNETHICAL IF THERE'S NOT A
POLICY PROHIBITING IT, BUT THE
ACTION MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT
RAISES EYEBROWS. A GRAY SPACE
BETWEEN WHAT COULD BE
PERCEIVED AS NOT ABOVEBOARD
BUT NOT OUTRIGHT UNETHICAL
BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A POLICY OR
A RULE AGAINST IT. CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THIS GRAY ZONE?
>> YES. COULD YOU TRY ONE MORE
TIME?
>> SURE. IF THERE IS SOMETHING
THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE
SHOULD DO BUT IS NOT AGAINST
THE RULES, THERE'S A GRAY SPACE
IN ETHICS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN
HOW THAT MIGHT WORK IN THE
REAL WORLD? MAYBE I WILL USE
SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT AS AN
EXAMPLE. IF SOMEBODY HAS A
SECOND JOB THAT COULD TOUCH
OF THEIR CITY JOB , IF IT IS
NOT EXPLICITLY DISALLOWED, IT
MIGHT NOT BE AGAINST THE RULES
BUT IT MIGHT RAISE SOME
EYEBROWS.
>> YES. I THINK IT GOES TO
PRIORITIZATION. I THINK THAT'S
WHERE A LOT OF IT COMES UP,
THIS CONCERN ABOUT ETHICS.
PEOPLE WONDER, WHY IS THAT
PROJECT GETTING PREFERENCE AND
MINE IS LANGUISHING? I THINK
THIS IS ALSO AN AREA WHERE
PEOPLE ARE AT SDCI BECAUSE THEY
REALLY NEED A PERMIT . THEY'VE
GOT ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE LINED
UP AND IT'S VERY CRITICAL TO
THEM. THOSE ARE TWO THINGS
THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE TO JUMP TO BAD
CONCLUSIONS. I DO THINK, IF
THE PRIORITIZATION IS MADE MORE
CLEAR, THAT MAY HELP CUTTING
DOWN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
SUSPECT , TRUE OR NOT, THAT THE
BASIS FOR A PROJECT GETTING
PRIORITIZE IS NOT ETHICAL.
>> SURE. AND FAIR. SO YOU DO
NOT HAVE ETHICS COMPLAINTS
OUTSTANDING AT THIS TIME. IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> NOT AGAINST SDCI, NO .
>> FAIR ENOUGH. BUT IF
SOMEBODY DID FEEL THAT THERE
WAS AN ETHICAL VIOLATION THAT
OCCURRED, YOUR OFFICE WOULD BE
WHERE THAT COMPLAINT IS SENT
TO?
>> CORRECT. THEY SHOULD
CONTACT US, CORRECT.
>> AND YOU ARE A COMPLAINT
BASED ORGANIZATION.
>> LARGELY, SO FOR THE MOST
PART THERE IS NOT A COMPLAINT
FILED, YOU DON'T HAVE THE
STAFFING TO GO LOOK UNDER EVERY
SINGLE ROCK IN OUR CITY. IS
THAT A FAIR ESTIMATION?
>> VERY FAIR.
>> SO WE MIGHT GET INTO SOME
OF THESE. I JUST WANTED TO
PREFACE THAT BEFORE WE GO INTO
THE NEXT ROUND OF SLIDES.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE ABOUT ETHICS?
>> NOT PARTICULARLY. JUST HAPPY
TO BE HERE.
>> FANTASTIC.
>> CLERK , HAPPY TO MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT SLIDE AND WE ARE BACK
TO SDCI.
>> SO A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT
THE PERMITTING PRIORITIZATION
GUIDELINES. WE HAVE THAT
DOCUMENT ON THE PUBLICLY FACING
WEBSITE, SO ALL OF OUR
APPLICANTS AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC CAN SEE THAT. WE HAVE
ALWAYS HAD A GOOD PARTNERSHIP
WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON
PRIORITIZING 100% AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS . THAT HAS
BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE WORKED
REALLY HARD ON. WHERE WE NEED
TO DO A BETTER JOB IS EDUCATING
THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON THE
ENTIRE PRIORITIZATION MATRIX
SO WE ARE ABSOLUTELY WORKING ON
THAT AND IT IS NOW PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE. I WILL SAY THAT
STAFF DOES NOT 100% AGREE ON
THIS PRIORITIZATION. I WILL
JUST GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE. IN
PREVIOUS YEARS THE CITY HAD A
HUGE PRIORITY FOR CLIMATE
PLEDGE ARENA WHICH BECAME A
PRIORITY FOR OUR DEPARTMENT
BECAUSE KEY ARENA WAS A CITY
ASSET AND A CITY-OWNED
FACILITY, SEATTLE CENTER . IT
HAD PRETTY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINES
TO BE OPEN BY A CERTAIN TIME
SO WE PRIORITIZED THAT PERMIT.
I KNOW THAT ALL CITY STAFF DID
NOT AGREE ON THAT BUT AGAIN,
THAT WAS A PRIORITY GIVEN TO ME
BY THE MAYOR AT THE TIME AND
ALSO BY COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ARE
VERY INVESTED IN THAT PROJECT
SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE.
>> MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE IS
SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW WITH STAFF ABOUT HOW TO
PRIORITIZE THE PERMITS COMING
ACROSS THEIR DESK. WHAT WE NEED
TO DO IS BETTER EDUCATE THE
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, AS I
MENTIONED, ON HOW TO GO ABOUT
DOING THAT I THINK THIS PERMIT
PRIORITIZATION GUIDANCE WILL
HELP WITH THAT EFFORT. SOME OF
THE OTHER ETHICAL ISSUES THAT I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT, FINANCIAL
INTEREST STATEMENTS. WE CAN GO
TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS A
REQUIREMENT FOR STAFF TO FILL
OUT THAT HAVE AUTHORIZATION
FOR EXPENDITURES. WE DID NOT
HAVE 100% COMPLIANCE
APPLICABLE STAFF NEEDING TO
FILL OUT THIS DOCUMENT. WE NOW
HAVE 100% COMPLIANCE AND WE
HAVE INSTITUTED A SYSTEM TO
MAKE SURE THAT STAFF WHO NEED
TO FILL THIS OUT ARE FILLING
OUT THIS DOCUMENT. AN EXAMPLE
IS IF STAFF CAN ACCESS
EXPENDITURES WITHIN OUR
DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE TO
DISCLOSE IF THEY OWN PROPERTY
WITHIN THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE.
OR THEIR OWN PLACE OF RESIDENCE
OR RENTAL PROPERTY. WAYNE AND I
HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS
FORM AND HOW WE FILE THIS WITH
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS.
>> I WHAT YOU TO BURY THE LEAD
THERE, WHICH IS THAT AUDITOR
JONES AND MELISSA AND ANDREW
CONDUCTED AN AUDIT , FOUND AN
ISSUE, YOU WORKED WITH WAYNE
TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND THE
ISSUE HAS NOW BEEN RESOLVED
BEFORE WE EVEN HAD THE SECOND
COMMITTEE.
>> CORRECT. WE HAVE SOME
REALLY BIG PROBLEMS HERE. THE
PURPOSE OF THIS EXERCISE, AND
THANK YOU TO AUDITOR JONES AND
MELISSA AND ANDREW, FOR
HIGHLIGHTING. AS MANY TIMES AS
I'VE TRIED TO TAKE PERMITTING
101 WITH ANDY, I DON'T HAVE
THE RESOURCES AND THE BANDWIDTH
TO DO THIS PROFESSIONAL WORK
THAT AUDITOR JONES'S TEAM IS
CONDUCTING. SO THANK YOU ALSO
FOR BEING RESPONSIVE QUICKLY TO
THIS ISSUE. I'VE GOT SOME OTHER
QUESTIONS BUT KEEP GOING.
>> WE ACTUALLY HIRED A LOT OF
NEW EMPLOYEES DURING THE
PANDEMIC. WE HAD A LOT OF
RETIREMENTS AND PEOPLE WHO LEFT
FOR OTHER JOBS. WE ARE IN THE
PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF
RESCHEDULING MORE INTENSIVE
ETHICS TRAINING WITH WAYNE'S
OFFICE AND MARK MAYO.
TRAINING IS SCHEDULED IN
JANUARY AND WE WILL BE IN THE
PROCESS OF SCHEDULING TRAINING
FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN
2024. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
EXISTING EMPLOYEES AND ALL OF
OUR NEW EMPLOYEES . I ALSO
WANTED TO MENTION THAT WE ARE
CREATING AN ADVERTISING A SAFE
SPACE IF PEOPLE DO HAVE ETHICAL
CONCERNS, THAT THEY CAN FILE
THOSE CONCERNS WITH WAYNE'S
OFFICE, THEY CAN GO TO THE
EMPLOYEE ¿ AND OUR OWN
INTERNAL HUMAN RESOURCES
DEPARTMENT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
WE HAVE THAT VENUE. AND ALSO,
I HAD AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS
PURSUING DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
DID NOT DISCLOSE THAT . I TOOK
CARE OF THAT AND I TOLD THAT
EMPLOYEE THAT THEY NEED TO
DISCLOSE THAT TO LEADERSHIP IN
THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THEIR
SUPERVISOR. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
FRANKLY I HAD A VERY
UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WHERE I
HAD AN EMPLOYEE WHO WAS
REVIEWING A PERMIT ON AN
ADDITION TO HIS OWN RESIDENCE
AND THAT EMPLOYEE WAS
TERMINATED.
>> THANK YOU. IF YOU COULD GO
BACK ONE SLIDE THERE WAS A
QUESTION THAT I HAD. THE
PUBLISHED PERMIT PRIORITIZATION
GUIDELINES YOU SAID WAS
COMPLETED IN 2023. WAS THE
INTERNAL DOCUMENT ALSO
COMPLETED IN 2023?
>> THE INTERNAL DOCUMENT HAS
EXISTED FOR MANY YEARS AND WE
HAVE REVISED IT OVER THE YEARS
AS OUR CITY HAS CHAIN. THAT
HAS BEEN AVAILABLE INTERNALLY
FOR MANY YEARS ON OUR
INTERNALLY FACING WEBSITE.
>> THAT ACTUALLY GOES BACK
TROUBLE BE 20 YEARS TO THE
WORK PLAN 2000 AND THE PROCESS
IMPROVEMENT REGULATING
INSTRUCTION AND LAND-USE OUT OF
THE MID-90s. WHEN THE STATE
IMPLEMENTED THE ¿ THERE WAS AN
EFFORT TO REDO THE PERMITTING
PROCESS AT THAT POINT IN TIME
AND FOR HISTORICAL CONTEXT,
PLAN REVIEWS WERE SIX MONTHS
OR LONGER BACK THEN . THOSE
GUIDELINES HAVE BEEN IN PLACE
SINCE THEN AND A LOT OF THE
HANDSHAKE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER
DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE UNDER THE
COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF THOSE
GUIDELINES AT THAT POINT IN
TIME, PLAYERS HAVE CHANGED OUT
AND I THINK THAT HAS LED TO
WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN TODAY SO
THANK YOU TO MARCO FOR TALKING
ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT GET THAT I
CAN PLACE AND MAYBE FORMALIZE
THAT GOING FORWARD.
>> WAS THERE AN ISSUE WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT THAT STAFF DID
NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS
PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK AND
THEY DO NOW? THAT WAS ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I HEARD IN THIS
AUDIT, THAT STAFF DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND HOW PERMITS WERE
PRIORITIZED.
>> I THINK SOME STAFF KNEW
ABOUT IT AND SOME STAFF DID NOT
SO AGAIN WE APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUDITOR'S
OFFICE AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR
RAISING THESE ISSUES.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT
PRIORITY EMERGENCY PROJECTS,
STRUCTURALLY OUR LIFE SAFETY
PROJECTS, BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO
PRIORITY TWO IT'S MAYORAL,
COUNCIL OR DIRECTOR PRIORITY
AND SOMETIMES STAFF EITHER
DON'T AGREE LIKE DIRECTOR
TRICKLES AND TALKED ABOUT, LIKE
CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA OR THEY
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BACK STORY
IS. SO WHEN SOMEONE COMES TO
TALK TO US ABOUT IT, A
CRITICAL FUNDING ISSUE OR A
CRITICAL TIMELINE ISSUE OR
WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, WE ARE
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE STORY
FIRST. NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY
CONTACTED US AND ARE A SQUEAKY
WHEEL. IF THEY HAVE A STORY
THAT IS LEGITIMATE AND WE ARE
TRYING TO PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER
SERVICE WE MAY DECIDE FOR THE
SAKE OF MANY DIFFERENT REASONS
TO PRIORITIZE A PARTICULAR
PROJECT WITHIN THE CORRECTION
CYCLE ROUNDS TO TRY TO GET THAT
PERMIT ISSUED IN A TIMELY WAY
EITHER FOR HOUSING OR THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT., THERE ARE SO
MANY POTENTIAL EXAMPLES. THE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT
MEANS IN THE AGREEMENT WITH IT
I THINK THERE ARE TWO LAYERS
TO THAT .
>> THANK YOU. THAT WILL TAKE ME
TO MY NEXT POINT IF YOU COULD
GO TO SLIDE 13 WHICH IS, IF A
STAFF MEMBER , THE LAST BULLET
POINT IS IF A STAFF MEMBER
FEELS THERE HAS BEEN UNETHICAL
BEHAVIOR, THAT'S WHERE THEY GO
TO--?
>> OR THEY CAN GO TO DIRECTOR
BARNETT'S OFFICE OR GO TO OUR
HUMAN RESOURCES EMPLOYEES.
>> FOR AN EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER
WITH THEY JUST GO TO WAYNE OR
IS THERE A PROCESS WITHIN SDCI
THEY COULD COME TO?
>> THEY CAN CONTACT ME, AND
THAT HAS HAPPENED, OR THEY CAN
GO DIRECTLY TO THE OFFICE OF
ETHICS AND ELECTIONS.
>> WONDERFUL, THAT'S HELPFUL. I
WANT TO TALK ABOUT SECONDARY
EMPLOYMENT. YOU HAD RAISED AN
ISSUE OF AN INDIVIDUAL
REVIEWING THEIR OWN PERMIT .
THEY HAD BEEN TERMINATED, BUT
PEOPLE ARE NOT PROHIBITED FROM
HAVING A-- AND WHEN THEIR
SECONDARY JOB INTERACTS WITH
THEIR PRIMARY JOB, WHAT ARE THE
STANDARDS THAT YOU PUT IN
PLACE? WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS
AND HOW IS THAT ENFORCED?
>> OBVIOUSLY IF SOMEONE HAS A
SECONDARY JOB, THEY CANNOT USE
ANY CITY RESOURCES TO
FACILITATE THAT SECOND SOURCE
OF INCOME . WE DO HAVE SOME
EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE DOING
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OR
CONSULTING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE . WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE DOING
DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AND I HAVE TALKED WITH
WAYNE ABOUT THIS EXTENSIVELY.
THE GUIDANCE OF THEIR IS TO BE
ABOVEBOARD, TO DISCLOSE IT, AND
IF POSSIBLE, IF YOU HAVE A
PARTNER IN THAT ACTIVITY, USE
THEIR NAME.
>> YES.
>> WAYNE SAYS YES. ANYTHING
ELSE TO ADD?
>> IN THE VENN DIAGRAM THERE
SHOULD NOT BE OVERLAP DOING
YOUR EXTERNAL JOB. IF YOU ARE
IN SDCI YOU SHOULD NOT BE
CONTACTED SDCI ON BEHALF OF ONE
OF YOUR CLIENTS TO HELP THEM
GET A PERMIT. THAT'S JUST NOT
ALLOWED. YOU CAN WORK IN
RENTON OR CAMP .
>> IF YOU WORK IN SDCI YOU
SHOULD NOT BE WORKING WITH
PERMITS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH
SDCI?
>> EXACTLY.
>> THAT SEEMS VERY CLEAR TO ME.
>> IT'S NOT VERY HARD TO
UNDERSTAND BUT I THINK NATHAN
HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT
TAKING PERSONNEL ACTIONS. ONCE
SOMEONE HAS BEEN FIRED I DON'T
REALLY SEE MUCH OF A ROLE FOR
US.
>> I THINK THE POINT THAT I AM
HEARING VERY CLEARLY IS THAT IF
YOU
BUILDERS THAT ARE ALSO WORKING
AT SDCI? WHAT ARE WE TALKING
ABOUT?
>> WE COULD HAVE AN EMPLOYEE
WHO IS DOING A DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT IN EVERETT, FOR
EXAMPLE, OR THEY COULD BE A
CONSULTANT HELPING A
HOMEBUILDER IN BELLEVUE,
SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. CODE
DEVELOPMENT ADVICE TO A CLIENT
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
>> WE ALSO EMPLOY A LOT OF
LICENSED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERS AND
ARCHITECTS WHO MAY HAVE THIS
HIS ENTITIES OUTSIDE OF THE
CITY AND DO PERMIT
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS. DOING THAT
INSIDE THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED OVER AND
OVER AGAIN BY WAYNE'S
DEPARTMENT , PARTICULARLY FOR
ENGINEERING SERVICES, THAT THAT
IS THE LINE THEY CANNOT CROSS.
WHEN WE HAVE HAD THAT HAPPEN,
AND WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF TIMES
OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS OR SO
THAT I'VE BEEN OVERSEEING
ENGINEERING SERVICES, THEY HAVE
BEEN DEALT WITH SWIFTLY AND
WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE TERMINATIONS
IN THOSE CASES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT CONTEXT
BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON
A LIMB AND SUGGEST THAT THAT
KIND OF EXPERTISE IS GOOD TO
HAVE AROUND. IT WAS MENTIONED
THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF
TURNOVER AFTER COVID AND STAFF
LEFT. A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE HAD
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE
FIELD FOR A LOT OF YEARS
LOOKING AT PROJECTS AND
DIFFERENT WAYS OF INTERPRETING
THE APPLICATION OF THE CODE. SO
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT I
THINK IT COULD BE GOOD AS LONG
AS THERE IS NOT THE ETHICAL
ISSUE HERE, THAT WE SHOULD
EMBRACE HAVING SOMEBODY WITH
ON THE GROUND EXPERIENCE
BECAUSE THAT HELPS THE
DEPARTMENT. UNDERSTAND THE
SPECIFICS OF DIFFERENT SITES
AND ALSO THE PRACTICAL
KNOWLEDGE IS A POSITIVE THING.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE
RECORD.
>> WE HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO LEAVE
OUR DEPARTMENT AND WILL COME
BACK AT A LATER TIME IN A
CONSULTING ROLE. ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS AGAIN HAS VERY STRICT
GUIDELINES ON HOW LONG YOU HAVE
TO STAY AWAY FROM CITY BUSINESS
BEFORE COMING BACK.
>> VICE CHAIR?
>> THANK YOU. I'VE HEARD LOTS
OF AGREEMENTS THAT A BRIGHT
LINE IS OR SHOULD BE THAT IF
YOU HAVE A SECOND JOB AND YOUR
PROJECTS INVOLVE PERMITTING IN
THE CITY THAT IS NOT OKAY, SO
WE SHOULD NOT EMPLOY THOSE
FOLKS , OR SHOULD NOT BE
ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THAT WORK
. THEY CAN HAVE PROJECTS IN
OTHER CITIES. IS THERE AN
ACTUAL POLICY OR RULE ANYWHERE
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OR
WITHIN THE CITY THAT CLARIFIES
THAT? OR IS THIS JUST SOMETHING
THAT COMES UP WHEN YOU ON
OCCASION FIND OUT SOMEONE HAS A
PROJECT BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT
THAT THEY WORK FOR?
>> IT'S IN THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE, COUNCILMEMBER.
>> IT IS IN THE CODE?
>> YES, THE ETHICS CODE.
>> SO IT-- OKAY. SO I GUESS
THE QUESTION THEN IS, IF IT IS
CONTINUING TO HAPPEN WHAT IS
THE PROCESS AND HOW ARE WE
MORE REGULARLY PROVIDING
EDUCATION ? JUST INDICATED
THERE IS REGULAR TRAINING SO
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY
IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING. AND
EVEN IF IT ISN'T THAT FOLKS ARE
WORKING ON A PROJECT THAT IS
BEFORE THEM IN THE DEPARTMENT,
IF THERE WAS THE PERCEPTION
THAT THERE IS UNFAIRNESS OR
UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR HAPPENING IN
THE DEPARTMENT, WHAT IS THE
SOLUTION TO MAKING SURE THAT
THERE IS CLARITY AND THERE'S
PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT WHEN
THIS IS HAPPENING AND WHAT THE
CONSEQUENCES ARE FOR SOMEBODY?
>> IN RESPONSE TO THE
QUESTION FROM COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, I THINK RECOMMENDATION
FIVE IN THE REPORT SPEAKS TO
THAT . WE DID NOT DO ENOUGH
WORK , AND I'M GOING TO LOOK AT
ANDREW AND MELISSA , TO MAKE
DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION TO MAKE
SURE -- TO DETERMINE WHETHER
THERE IS AN ETHICAL VIOLATION
OR NOT. BUT WE DID FIND OUT
FROM ENOUGH PEOPLE SAYING THAT
THEY HAD CONCERNS, AND ONE WAY
TO DEAL WITH CONCERNS IS TO BE
VERY CLEAR WHERE THAT LINE IS
DRAWN. WE CAN SAY DO A SURVEY
AND FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE
CONCERNED ABOUT FROM AN ETHICS
POINT OF VIEW. TO TRAINING SO
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
SUPPOSED TO DO. HAVE POLICIES
SPECIFIC TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE OUR
TEAM KNOWS AND SDCI CAN SPEAK
TO THIS, HAVING THINGS THAT
ARE TAILORED AS SPECIFICALLY
AS YOU CAN TO THE WORK
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THESE
FOLKS WORK IN SO THAT IT'S VERY
CLEAR. THE ETHICS CODE IS A
GREAT THING. IT'S VERY GENERAL,
WE NOTED THAT IN THE REPORT,
AND PEOPLE MAY BE CONFUSED
ABOUT, DOES THIS APPLY IN MY
WORK ENVIRONMENT? I THINK OUR
RECOMMENDATION IS GEARED
TOWARD BEING AS CLEAR AND
TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN. PEOPLE
POSSIBLY MAKING THINGS UP IN
THEIR MINDS WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG GOING
ON. MAYBE THEY ARE RIGHT, BUT
IF WE CAN DO THESE -- IF THEY
CAN DO THESE THINGS HOPEFULLY
THAT WILL MINIMIZE CONCERNS OR
FALSE INFERENCES ABOUT WHETHER
OR NOT SOMETHING IS ETHICAL OR
NOT .
>> I APPRECIATE THAT THERE IS
WORK HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH
THE ETHICS COMMISSION AND HR
AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO
KNOW WHAT COMES OUT OF THAT IN
TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO MEASURE
IMPROVEMENT . IF THERE HAS NOT
BEEN A THOROUGH ETHICS
INVESTIGATION, THEN WHAT DO WE
KNOW IS THE PERCEPTION OF
ACTUAL OCCURRENCES AND WHAT
HAPPENS AFTER INTERVENTION SO
THAT WE KNOW IF THAT WAS THE
RIGHT INTERVENTION OR IF WE
HAVE TO TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER?
>> I WAS GOING TO MAKE A
COMMENT ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
UNFORTUNATELY AROUND
TRANSPARENCY, IF WE DO TAKE
ACTION TO FOLLOW UP ON
SOMETHING AND TERMINATE SOMEONE
WE CAN'T GO TELLING EVERYBODY
ABOUT IT. IT'S SORT OF A
CATCH-22 WHERE PEOPLE DON'T
REALLY KNOW WHAT THE
FOLLOW-THROUGH WAS AND OUR
HANDS ARE TIED BY THE
CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS OF
THOSE HR PROCESSES. DOING OUR
BEST TO CLARIFY AND TRAIN AND
WHEN THERE IS A GRAY AREA IT IS
ALWAYS THE RECOMMENDATION TO GO
TALK TO ETHICS AND ELECTIONS
AND YOU DISCLOSE IF IT IS YOUR
SITUATION OR ASK A QUESTION AND
MAYBE INITIATE AN INVESTIGATION
IF NOT. WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY
TO INVESTIGATE ANY KIND OF
COMPLAINT AND WE HAVE DEALT
WITH THEM WHEN THEY HAVE BUT
IT'S HARD TO DEAL WITH THE
PERSPECTIVE -- PERCEPTION WHEN
YOU CAN'T GIVE THEM THE
FOLLOW-UP OF WHAT THE OUTCOMES
WERE IN SITUATIONS THAT WERE
EGREGIOUS.
>> SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL OF THE
PUBLIC BELIEVES THERE'S AN
ETHICAL VIOLATION, IT IS BEST
TO EITHER GO TO WAYNE, OR TO
DIRECTOR TORKELSON, THE
DIRECTOR OF SDCI. OR I GUESS
YOU COULD EMAIL ME OR MARCO AS
WELL . MAYBE I SHOULDN'T OFFER
MARKET TO THE PUBLIC.
>> MY EMAILS ARE PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE.
>> THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL
BECAUSE IT DOES CREATE A CLEAR
CHANNEL. I THINK WE NEED TO DO
A LITTLE BIT BETTER OF A JOB OF
PUSHING THIS INFORMATION TO THE
PUBLIC. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I
DO WANT TO GIVE YOU A
HYPOTHETICAL BECAUSE LET'S SAY
WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS A
HOMEOWNER IN SEATTLE THAT WORKS
AT A PERMIT REVIEW DESK THAT
THEY ARE A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL,
THEY DON'T HAVE A PARTNER OR
ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER TO PUT
FORWARD THEIR PERMIT, BUT THEY
WANT TO MAKE AN ADDITION TO THE
HOUSE. THE PERMIT HAS GOTTEN
STUCK SOMEWHERE IN THE ROUNDS
OF CORRECTIONS OR SOME OF IT
HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN A BLACK
HOLE , FOR THEM TO MAKE A PHONE
CALL TO INQUIRE OR SEND AN
EMAIL TO INQUIRE, IS IT THAT
THEY NEED TO GO OFF OF CITY
PROPERTY TO MAKE US PHONE CALL
FROM THEIR PERSONAL DEVICE AT
LUNCHTIME? I HEARD THAT THERE
IS A LINE THAT YOU CANNOT WORK
ON YOUR OWN PERMITS ARE
ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. YOU
CAN'T HAVE A PERMIT WITHIN THE
CITY, BUT THERE ARE INSTANCES
WHERE THAT HAPPENS. SO WHAT
ARE THE BEST PRACTICES?
>> I SHOULD MAKE CLEAR FIRST,
YOU CAN WORK ON YOUR OWN PERMIT
. BECAUSE YOU AS A HOMEOWNER,
THAT PERSON IN YOUR
HYPOTHETICAL, THEY CAN'T RELY
ON ANYBODY ELSE. YOU HAVE TO
BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR OWN PERMIT
THROUGH BECAUSE THERE'S NO
OTHER ALTERNATIVE. WE CAN'T DO
IS BE OUT THERE SELLING THEIR
SERVICES TO GET THAT DONE. YOU
CAN HELP SOMEBODY ELSE BUT OF
COURSE YOU CAN HANDLE YOUR OWN
PERMIT. BUT THE SECOND PART
IS, YOU REALLY SHOULD NOT
IDENTIFY YOURSELF AS LIKE, IT'S
TED, I'M CALLING FROM THREE
DOORS DOWN, COULD YOU HELP ME
OUT? YOU SHOULDN'T DO ANYTHING
THAT WOULD MAKE IT LOOK LIKE
YOU ARE TRYING TO GET A
SHORTCUT. SO GO OUTSIDE, CALL
FROM THE LOBBY FOR PETE'S SAKE.
PERSONAL CELL PHONE.
>> THE OTHER TRAINING THAT
WAYNE HAS GIVEN US HIS -- IF
YOU ARE DO THAT, DISCLOSE IT,
GET IT IN WRITING THAT YOU'VE
DISCLOSED IT, AND THEN NOT BE A
PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS
BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BE INVOLVED
IN REVIEWING OR INSPECTING YOUR
OWN HOUSE OF AND YOU SHOULD
KEEP YOUR NAME AS FAR AWAY FROM
THAT AS HE CAN BUT YOU'RE
RIGHT. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO OWN
HOMES AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A
WAY TO OBTAIN A PERMIT.
>> FOR CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE
A PERMIT WITHIN THE CITY, THE
BEST PRACTICES ARE TO ALERT
YOUR SUPERVISOR, ALERT WAYNE,
TAKE IT ON YOUR LUNCH BREAK ,
TAKE IT OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE,
GO TO THE COLUMBIA TOWER LUNCH
ZONE. THERE'S GREAT CHAIRS
THERE, I'VE USE THEM IN THE
PAST, AND TO NOT USE YOUR CITY
EMPLOYMENT AS A WAY TO GET
FORWARD. AS I WAS CITY STAFF
PREVIOUSLY , I DID GO UP TO,
WHATEVER FLOOR IT WAS . I WILL
TELL YOU, I HAD A HORRIBLE
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. BUT THEY
ALSO DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS A
CITY EMPLOYEE. SO FOR ME THAT
WAS REVEALING WHAT AN EVERYDAY
PERSON EXPERIENCES IN THE
GRINDING GEARS OF OUR
BUREAUCRACY BECAUSE I HAD A
VERY BASIC QUESTION AND IT TOOK
ME MY ENTIRE LUNCH PERIOD TO
GET TO THE POINT WHERE I NEEDED
THE ANSWER AND THEN ONCE I HAD
THE INFORMATION I ONLY HAD FIVE
MINUTES LEFT AND HAD TO GET
BACK TO MY DESK.
>> ON A SEPARATE NOTE WE ARE
DIGITIZING ALL OF THAT AND IT
SHOULD BE WAY MORE ACCESSIBLE
IN THE FUTURE.
>> FANTASTIC. AS YOU KNOW I AM
A LUDDITE. THAT'S A REALLY
HELPFUL CLARIFICATION ON WHAT
EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE DOING AND
HOW TO DISCLOSE TO YOUR
SUPERVISOR . THE BRIGHT LINE
THAT I HEARD YOU CLARIFY THEIR
IS THAT IT IS OKAY TO WORK ON
A PERMIT FOR YOURSELF. IT IS
NOT OKAY TO BE REPRESENTING
ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL ON THEIR
PERMIT.
>> FANTASTIC. SORRY, I GOT
CARRIED AWAY.
>> SO THIS DISCUSSION HAS BEEN
MOSTLY DRIVEN BY, IT SEEMS AS
THOUGH EMPLOYEES OF SDCI
CALLING OUT IMPROPRIETIES THAT
OTHER EMPLOYEES ARE DOING,
VIOLATIONS OF PRIORITIZATION
WHICH IS WRITTEN DOWN NOW, SO
THAT'S ONE THING. IT'S
INTERNAL ISSUES THAT ARE
BROUGHT UP AND I'M LOOKING AT
THIS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
CONSTITUENTS AND I HAVE TO SAY
THAT I THINK MAYBE WE WON'T BE
TALKING ABOUT THIS AS MUCH NEXT
YEAR BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IF
WE IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF
PERMITTING , THERE MIGHT NOT BE
AS MUCH FRUSTRATION ON THE PART
OF THE CUSTOMERS WHO, IT SEEMS
BASED ON THESE QUOTES, ON PAGE
18 , NOBODY WILL TAKE PHONE
CALLS, REVIEWERS REGULARLY
IGNORE REQUEST FOR STATUS OR
INFO, IF I AM A CUSTOMER THAT
IS -- THAT HAS USED IT IN THE
PAST I WOULD BASICALLY CALL
SOMEONE THAT I KNOW WHOSE
DIRECT LINE I HAVE TO GET THEM
TO HELP ME AND THEN SOME OF
THE QUOTES ON PAGE 9 AND 10,
THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE
GREASE. IF I'M COMPLAINING I
CAN GET MINE FASTER. HOW WOULD
YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT
BEFORE? SUCH AND SUCH MANAGER
IS GREAT BECAUSE WE CALL THEM
AND THEY CAN PUSH THINGS
THROUGH. THESE ARE
MANIFESTATIONS OF FRUSTRATIONS
WITH THE PROCESS. CORRECTIONS
THAT GO ON ENDLESSLY NOT
BECAUSE OF THE FAULT OF THE
CUSTOMER BUT BECAUSE SOMETHING
WAS MISSED IN A PREVIOUS ROUND.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT
THINKING POSITIVELY, IT SEEMS
LIKE THAT IS WHAT HAS
ENGENDERED SOME OF THIS
PERCEPTION OF UNETHICAL LIST
BECAUSE SOMEONE IS HELPING
SOMEBODY OUT AND SOMEONE IS
SKIPPING A STEP OR USING SOME
KIND OF INFLUENCE. ON THAT
NOTE I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I
WAS CONCERNED , AND THIS IS THE
LAST COMMENT I WILL MAKE ON
THIS SECTION, BUT I WAS
CONCERNED WHEN I READ THE
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER
BUILDERS ASSOCIATION. THERE ARE
NOTES IN HERE ON PAGE 10 THAT
THERE IS CONCERN THAT THE
MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF
SNOHOMISH AND KING COUNTY HAS
UNDUE INFLUENCE. SO I CALLED
THEM TO TRY TO GET A SENSE OF
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. ARE
THEY ACTING ON BEHALF OF THEIR
MEMBERS PROJECTS? WHAT'S GOING
ON HERE? AND IT WAS EXPLAINED
TO ME AND I SAW AN AGENDA
FROM I THINK IT WAS JULY, IT
SEEMS LIKE THESE ARE REGULAR
MEETINGS WITH PEOPLE FROM THE
MASTER BUILDERS THAT GIVE THE
DEPARTMENT INPUT ON WHAT IS
GOING WELL AND WHAT IS NOT, AND
IF THERE'S A CHANGE IN
REGULATION HOW IS THAT IMPACT
THE REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE OF
TRYING TO BUILD A HOME OR A
TOWNHOME. I WANTED TO MENTION
THIS BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
GETTING CUSTOMER INPUT, LIKE
THEM OR NOT, THEY BUILD MOST
OF THE HOMES AND TOWNHOMES IN
THE CITY. SO ON THE ONE HAND,
HAVING THEIR EXPERIENCES ,
THEIR INPUT ON WHAT IS GOING
WELL HELPS EVERYBODY, I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY. THIS IS SOME OF
THE FEEDBACK THAT I GOT
TALKING WITH THEM AND OBVIOUSLY
IT TO THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY, WE
DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE
VALUE OF CUSTOMER INPUT FROM
WHOEVER IT IS. BECAUSE THAT
HELPS. AND IN HERE IT SAYS IN
PARTICULAR , THE MASTER
BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, THEY ARE
BIG DEVELOPERS. THEY ARE
NUMEROUS DEVELOPERS BUT NOT THE
BIG DOWNTOWN PEOPLE . THEY ARE
HOMES AND TOWNHOMES.
>> CAN I ADD TO THAT? WHICH IS
, WHAT I READ IN THE PERMIT
AUDIT IS THAT THIS CONCERN WAS
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SDCI
MEETING WITH THE MASTER
BUILDERS. CAN YOU SHARE WITH
ME, DO YOU MEET WITH OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL?
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON ALLUDED
TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE THESE
MEETINGS ARE NOT ABOUT SPECIFIC
PERMITS. RATHER, ABOUT THE
INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE AND YOUR
CONNECTION. ARE THERE OTHER
GROUPS THAT YOU MEET WITH? IS
THIS A REGULAR MEETING? IS
THIS AN AD HOC MEETING? WHAT IS
THE PURPOSE OF THESE MEETINGS?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC
AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET
PERMITS FROM SDCI. WE MEET
WITH A VARIETY OF GROUPS. WE
MEET WITH THE MASTER BUILDERS,
WE'VE MET WITH AIA, THE
DOWNTOWN SEATTLE ASSOCIATION.
THE CHAMBER. FOR A LONG TIME
WE MET WITH BIPOC DEVELOPERS
GOING TO THE DESIGN REVIEW
PROCESS AND HOW WE CAN BETTER
SERVE THAT CONSTITUENCY.
THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB, TO
REACH OUT WITH THE PUBLIC AND
MEET WITH THE PUBLIC
>> ARE THESE REGULAR MEETINGS?
>> SOME OF THEM ARE REGULAR
AND SOME OF THEM ARE AD HOC.
>> I WAS GOING TO ADD, WE MEET
REGULARLY ON THE AFFORDABLE
SIDE AND THE COUNTERPART TO
THE HOUSING SUBCABINET IS THAT
WE HAVE BUILDERS FROM TOWERS
TO TOWNHOMES, THE AFFORDABLE
COMMUNITY AND THEY MEET WITH
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AS WELL SO
THE DIRECTORS HERE WHAT THE
IMPACT IS FIRSTHAND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE ALSO MEET WITH THE PORT
OF SEATTLE AND THE SEATTLE
SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT IS CONSTANTLY GETTING
PERMITS THROUGH CAPITAL LEVIES
.
>> AND CONSTANTLY ASKING FOR
DEPARTURES BECAUSE THEY HAVE
NOT GIVEN US A LIST OF THINGS
CHANGING IN THE CODE, IF YOU'RE
LISTENING.
>> ONE MORE THING, I THINK
THERE'S VERY LITTLE CONFUSION
ABOUT THE RULES ON THIS. I'M
NOT SURE WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE
HAS BEEN BUT I THINK THE
PEOPLE YOU ARE TERMINATING
LIKELY KNEW THEY WERE DOING
SOMETHING WRONG. I DON'T
BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
WHO WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR THEY
SHOULD NOT BE TRYING TO GET A
PERMIT THROUGH THEIR OWN
DEPARTMENT. MAYBE I'M WRONG ON
THAT BUT I'M PRETTY SURE
THAT'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN.
>> FAIR ENOUGH.
>> AGREED.
>> ANDREW I SAW YOUR HAND UP.
>> YES. I SHOULD CLARIFY THAT
BY HIGHLIGHTING THIS IN THE
AUDIT, WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT
MEETINGS SHOULD OCCUR. THIS
WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME TO OUR
ATTENTION BECAUSE EMPLOYEES
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IT
MIGHT BE GIVING MORE ACCESS OR
ADVANTAGE TO APPLICANTS WITH
MORE EXPERIENCE OR MORE
RESOURCES TO ADVOCATE FOR
THEMSELVES. THAT'S WHY WE
RECOMMEND THAT SDCI BE
STRATEGIC ABOUT HOW IT
ENGAGES WITH CUSTOMERS, TO
ENSURE THAT IT'S MAKING
DECISIONS ABOUT THE PERMITTING
PROCESS THAT REFLECT THE
INTERESTS OF ALL CUSTOMERS.
>> THANK YOU, THAT IS HELPFUL
CLARIFICATION IF THERE ARE
EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE THESE
CONCERNS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE
CORRECT WAY TO ADDRESS THIS IS
THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCES OR
THROUGH WAYNE WORK ETHICS AND
ELECTIONS.
>> WILL THANK YOU. SHALL WE
MOVE ON?
>> DIRECTOR BARNETT, THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US FOR THE ETHICS
REFRESHER IN CONVERSATION. WE
WILL SEE YOU SOON.
>> GOODBYE WAY IN. ¿ GOODBYE,
WAYNE .
>> I WILL TALK ABOUT HOW THERE
CAN BE A STRONGER CITYWIDE
APPROACH TO THE PERMITTING
PROCESS. MANY CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS REQUIRE THE REVIEW OF
MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT .
HOWEVER WE NOTED THAT SDCI HAS
SEEN US , THEY DO NOT HAVE
CONTROL OVER WHAT OTHER
DEPARTMENTS DO. THE FIRST ITEM
ON THE SLIDE NOTES HOW THE CITY
WAS ENGAGED IN MULTIPLE PRIOR
IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS BUT NOT
ALL IDENTIFIED CHANGES HAVE
BEEN MADE. WE FOUND THE CITY
DOES NOT HAVE A SYSTEM TO
MANAGE AND FOLLOW THROUGH NOR
IS THERE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
IMPLEMENT ACROSS ¿ LINES.
CUSTOMERS NOTED COORDINATION
BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS AS AN ISSUE
INCLUDING COMMUNICATION OR
INCONSISTENCIES BETWEEN
DEPARTMENTS. THE SECOND PART
IS THAT THERE'S NOT A UNIFIED
APPROACH ACROSS DEPARTMENTS,
NOR IS THERE AN EFFECTIVE
STRATEGY TO SUPPORT THE
SOFTWARE THAT IS USED TO
PROCESS AND REVIEW PERMITS.
WHILE SDCI HAS A CORE SET OF
REVIEWERS AND A BUDGET TO HIRE
WHEN APPLE -- APPLICATIONS ARE
HIGH, -- DOES NOT HAVE THIS.
THE PERMANENT , THE PERMITTING
PORTAL HAS LAUNCHED IN 2018.
WHILE THE CITY HAS MADE EFFORTS
TO IMPROVE THE PORTAL, STAFF
AND CUSTOMERS TOLD US THAT
THERE ARE ISSUES SUCH AS
WORKING SLOWLY OR NOT SEATING
INFORMATION. ALSO THE GOAL OF
THE CITY FOR THE ONLINE PORTAL
WAS NOT ALWAYS MET DURING THE
PERIOD OF OUR REVIEW. THE
INTERNAL GOAL OF THE CITY IS
TO BE UP 99.5% OF THE TIME BUT
FOR DECEMBER 2022 WHICH WAS
FELT IN THE PERIOD OF OUR
REVIEW, THE UPTIME WAS 90.4%.
WE ALSO NOTED THAT DEPARTMENTS
OTHER THAN SDCI WHO ARE
INVOLVED IN PERMITTING ARE NOT
FULLY INTEGRATED INTO EXCELLA
WHICH CREATES A DISJOINTED
EXPERIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS WHO
MAY VIEW THE CITY IS ONE
HOLISTIC ENTITY. I WILL PAUSE
HERE BEFORE THE NEXT SLIDE
WHERE WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE
ANDY BRINGING UP THE PREVIOUS
ATTEMPTS TO REDO PERMITTING
TO CREATE THESE IMPROVEMENTS
AND I HAVE FOUND AS AN ELECTED
LEADER THAT IT IS NOT ALWAYS
HELPFUL TO RESTART. WE SEE THAT
WITH EXCELLA AND WILL GET INTO
THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. IT'S
NOT PERFORMING TO THE LEVEL
THAT WE WANT ACROSS EVERY
SINGLE PERMIT REVIEW , BUT TO
RESTART THAT PROCESS FROM
SCRATCH WOULD CREATE MORE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAN
PROBLEMS THAT ARE SOLVED. MANY
TIMES WE HAVE OVERLOOKED THESE
PERMITTING IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS
AND NOT ALL IDENTIFIED CHANGES
HAVE BEEN MADE. IF YOU WANT ME
TO WAIT UNTIL THE SLIDES COMING
UP I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. BUT
ARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ALL
HELD IN THE SAME PLACE, AND
HOW ARE WE REVIEWING
IMPLEMENTATION OF
RECOMMENDATIONS IN ADDITION TO
THE AUDITOR AND , DAVID JONES
WILL BE COMING BACK AND
REVIEWING AND ANDREW AND
MELISSA'S RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT
WHAT IS THE INTERNAL PROCESS
AND WHERE THEY ARE STORED?
>> WE WILL DEFINITELY BE
TALKING ABOUT THAT IN OUR
SLIDES.
>> FANTASTIC .
>> THE LAST BIT HERE AND WE
WILL SAVE THIS FOR THE FUTURE
REGARDING A UNIFIED APPROACH
TO THE CONTINGENT BUDGET
AUTHORITY AND FEE-BASED
REVENUES THAT SUPPORT
STAFFING, THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT IS VERY CONSISTENT WITH
SDCI WHICH IS WHY WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GET INTO IT DEEPLY
HERE. FOR OTHER DEPARTMENTS
WHO HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE THAT
PART OF THE WORK IS PERMIT
REVIEW, IT IS DIFFICULT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH FUNDING
FROM FEE GENERATED SERVICES IS
ABLE TO FUND THAT POSITION OR
THOSE POSITIONS. AND, WE MUST
IDENTIFY A WAY TO HIGHER THE
AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT ARE NEEDED
TO REVIEW IT IN A GIVEN DESK
AND HE GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF, IF
YOU HAVE A REVIEW DESK THAT HAS
28 PEOPLE AND TWO PEOPLE ARE
VACANT OR ON LONG-TERM LEAVE ,
THERE'S A VERY SMALL IMPACT.
YOU HAVE A PERMIT REVIEW DESK
THAT ONLY HAS ONE OR FOUR
PEOPLE AND ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE
ARE ON LONG-TERM LEAVE OUT FOR
VACATION, YOU HAVE A COURT OF
YOUR STAFF AND THOSE PEOPLE MAY
ALSO HAVE OTHER JOB DUTIES.
THAT HAS BEEN , THAT IS ONE OF
THE THINGS WE WILL BE
INVESTIGATING AS WE MOVE INTO
THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
NOT A QUESTION, MORE OF A
STATEMENT TO SUPPORT ANDREW,
DAVID AND MELISSA'S WORK .
>> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
THIS. TO THESE STAFF HAVE TO
BE COMPENSATED BY THE FEES OR
DOES IT HAVE TO BE USER PAID
FOR? DOES THAT MATTER? COULD
WE GENERAL FUND MORE STAFF OR
DOES IT HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY
AN INCREASED NUMBER OF PERMIT
FEES?
>> IT CAN BE PERMIT FEES OR
GENERAL FUND.
>> IN STATE LAW, 82.02 ¿ TALKS
ABOUT THE COLOR OF MONEY AND IF
YOU TAKE IN BUILDING PERMIT
FEES THEY NEED TO BE USED TO
PROCESS BUILDING PERMITS.
ELECTRICAL PERMIT FEES NEED TO
BE USED TO PROCESS ELECTRICAL
PERMITS. BUILDING PERMIT FEES
CANNOT BE USED AS GENERAL FUND,
TO FUND GENERAL FUND
ACTIVITIES BUT VICE VERSA,
GENERAL FUND COULD SUPPLEMENT
THAT COULD SUPPLEMENT BUILDING
FEE . I THINK THERE IS SOME
SLICING AND DICING BUT WHY SOME
OF THE SMALLER DEPARTMENTS TO
HAVE CHALLENGES BECAUSE THEY
ARE GENERAL FUNDED AND NOT FEE
FUNDED. WHEN THEY ARE COMPETING
FOR RESOURCES WITH MANY OTHER
PRIORITIES SOMETIMES THE VOLUME
OR CAPACITY THAT THEY GET IS
NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL TO THE
DEMAND THAT THEY FACED.
>> COULD YOU EXPLAIN
CONTINGENT BUDGET AUTHORITY?
>> SO BASICALLY FOR OUR
DEPARTMENT IT ALLOWS US KIND OF
AN APPROVED BUDGET AMOUNT
THAT IS NOT TENABLE WITHOUT
APPROVAL FROM THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE BUT ALLOWS US THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT IF DEMAND IS
HIGHER THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED
AND WE NEED TO RAMP UP
CAPACITY VERY QUICKLY WE CAN
MAKE A QUICK JUSTIFICATION TO
SHOW WHAT THOSE DEMANDS ARE AND
TAP THE RESOURCES THAT WE
WOULD NEED TO ADD CAPACITY
QUICKLY AND NOT WAIT FOR A
BUDGET CYCLE TO ADD CAPACITY.
WE KNOW IN AN ECONOMIC UPTURN
AFTER A DOWNTURN, IT TAKES A
YEAR OR TWO TO ADD CAPACITY. WE
KNOW IN AN ECONOMIC UPTURN
AFTER A DOWNTURN, IT TAKES A
YEAR OR 2 TO REALIZE YOU ARE IN
THE TURN AND VOLUMES ARE
INCREASING AND AT THAT TIME WE
WOULD BE WAY BEHIND THE CURVE
TRYING TO CHASE THE DOG UP THE
HILL. SO INSTEAD WE ARE ABLE TO
QUICKLY TAP THOSE CONTINGENT
RESOURCES AND STAFF UP MORE
QUICKLY. THIS TIME AROUND WE
ALSO HAVE A CORE STAFFING
RESERVE SO THAT IN A DOWNTURN
OR SLOW DOWN LIKE WE ARE
EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW WE ARE
NOT HAVING TO GO INTO LAYOFFS
EVEN THOUGH REVENUES MAY BE
LOWER BECAUSE WE HAVE SET ASIDE
FUNDS TO HANG ON TO THOSE
PEOPLE. TO HANG ON TO THOSE
RESOURCES THROUGH A DOWNTURN SO
THAT WHEN THE UPTURN DOES
HAPPEN , WHICH WE KNOW THE
CYCLE WILL ALWAYS COME AROUND,
WE'VE ALREADY GOT RESOURCES IN
PLACE WHO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE,
WHO HAVE THE TRAINING, WHO
HAVE BEEN ON BOARD AND HAVE
CONSISTENT INTERPRETATIONS OF
CODE TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC
RECOVERY RATHER THAN BEING THE
ROADBLOCK OR BOTTLENECK . WE
HAVE INSTITUTED THAT SINCE THE
GREAT RECESSION AND ONE OF MY
FIRST JOBS COMING BACK TO
SEATTLE FROM SAMMAMISH IN 2008
WAS IN FORTUNATELY TO GO TO THE
LAYOFFS AND MAKE DECISIONS
ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES. I NEVER
WANTED TO HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN
IN MY CAREER AND WE FOUND A WAY
BETWEEN THEN AND NOW TO
BASICALLY JUSTIFY BUDGET
AUTHORITY AND CORE STAFFING. WE
DID A FEE AND FUNDING STUDY
AND THEN IMPLEMENTED A NEW FEE
SUBTITLE THAT ADOPTED A LOT OF
THOSE CHANGES TO BE ABLE TO BE
IN THE POSITION THAT WE ARE IN
TODAY. NOT EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS
BEEN ABLE TO DO THE SAME. NOT
MANY CITIES AROUND HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO THE SAME. WE ARE NOT
FACING LAYOFFS AT THE MOMENT
NOR ARE WE ANTICIPATING ANY BUT
I AM HEARING ABOUT A LOT OF
OTHER JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE
STATE AND REGION WHO MAY BE
BECAUSE OF THE PENDING SLOW
DOWN OF THE ECONOMY.
>> WE KNOW THE ECONOMY WILL
PICK BACK UP AGAIN AS IT ALWAYS
DOES AND WE WON'T BE IN A
POSITION WHERE WE GO THROUGH A
YEAR-LONG PROCESS ADVERTISING
HIRING AND TRAINING. WE WON'T
BE WAY BEHIND. WE WILL BE READY
TO PICK RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN
BECAUSE OF THAT RESERVE WHICH
IS HUGE. THE OTHER THING I
WANTED TO POINT OUT WAS WITH A
CONTINGENT BUDGET AUTHORITY.
THOSE ARE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES
AND IT'S USUALLY A TWO-YEAR
TERM. BUT THERE'S ALWAYS
TURNOVER ON STAFF SO THOSE
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING
EXCELLENT TRAINING AND ARE VERY
COMPETITIVE CANDIDATES WHEN
PERMITTED POSITIONS OPEN UP.
>> SHALL I KEEP MOVING ON?
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IF YOU
COULD OPERATE COMMITTEE I WILL
BE RIGHT BACK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I CAN GO THROUGH
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE AND I
THINK THE FIRST ONE IS
SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS WAS SPEAKING TO, WHICH
IS TO EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE
PAST RECOMMENDATIONS TO
IMPROVE THE PROCESS SO THAT IT
IS A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT
RECOMMENDATIONS . AND THE OTHER
ONES HERE ARE TWO LOOK AT
GOVERNANCE AND FINDING
STRUCTURES TO ENSURE THAT THERE
IS ENOUGH STAFF TO MEET
FLUCTUATIONS AND DEMAND AND
CREATE A STRATEGY FOR HOW TO
SUPPORT THE ONGOING USE OF
PERMITTING SOFTWARE AND TO
EVALUATE HOW TO BETTER
INTEGRATE DEPARTMENTS WHO USE
ESTELLA FOR CONSTRUCTION
PERMIT REVIEW. THE NEXT
SLIDES ARE FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF SDCI.
>> WE ALREADY HIT ON SOME OF
THESE POINTS BUT THE FIRST
BULLET IS REALLY WORKING WITH
THE CITY BUDGET OFFICE, OTHER
CITY DEPARTMENTS AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE TO LOOK AT
OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT HANDLE
PERMITTING AND IF THOSE
POSITIONS CAN BE FUNDED BY
PERMIT FEES TO BETTER MEET
PERMITTING DEMAND AT THAT TIME.
>> THE SECOND BULLET, AND THE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CAN HIT
ON THIS AS WELL. THE MAYOR HAS
A HOUSING SUBCABINET WHERE WE
LOOK AT WAYS TO PROMOTE AND
IMPROVE THE PROCESS TO INCREASE
THE HOUSING SUPPLY IN SEATTLE.
AND AS PART OF THAT HOUSING
SUBCABINET WE HAVE AN
INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORKGROUP
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE
THE PERMITTING PROCESS . SO
THAT IS REALLY LOOKING AT
SYSTEMWIDE IMPROVEMENTS. WE
HOPE TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND IMPLEMENT THOSE IN 2024.
FINALLY, SDCI IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS HAS CREATED DEDICATED
TEAMS TO IMPROVE THE USER
EXPERIENCE FOR CUSTOMERS AND
EMPLOYEES AND I JUST WANT TO
GIVE SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES .
THEY HAVE WORKED OUT NEW
PROCESSES TO BETTER TRACK OUR
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
CONTRIBUTIONS, THE PERMIT
HISTORY RESEARCH THAT ANDY
ALLUDED TO, AND PUTTING ALL
THAT INFORMATION ONLINE .
FIGURING OUT A BETTER WAY TO
COLLECT FEES, FIGURING OUT HOW
TO BETTER PROCESS
CANCELLATIONS, HOW TO BETTER
LOOK AT CODE CHANGES THAT ARE
NECESSARY IN THE FUTURE .
LOOKING AT HOW TO BETTER HANDLE
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, ALL
OF OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES.
THOSE TEAMS ARE UP AND RUNNING
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS IN A
FITTING CUSTOMERS AND
EMPLOYEES.
>> FANTASTIC .
>> FOR A LITTLE FURTHER
CONTEXT, WE WANTED TO POINT
OUT HERE THAT THIS IS NOT A NEW
CONCEPT STRENGTHENING THE
CITYWIDE APPROACH. THIS IS
SOMETHING WE BEEN ADVOCATING
FOR FOR AT LEAST A DECADE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PERMITTING
SYSTEM INTEGRATION EVER SINCE
SDCI OR FORMALLY DPD ADOPTED
EXCELLA AS A PLATFORM. WE
PURCHASED AN ENTERPRISE LICENSE
WITH THE HOPE THAT OF THE
DEPARTMENTS WILL COME ON BOARD,
KIND OF FINGERS CROSSED. NOT
SURE IF OTHERS WOULD BUT AT
THAT TIME WE WERE SITTING IN A
SYSTEM THAT DID NOT TALK TO
OTHER SYSTEMS, THE SAME SYSTEM
BUT NOT INTEGRATED WHATSOEVER
AND AS MANAGERS WE WERE ALL
FRUSTRATED BY THAT. SO WE
LAUNCHED THIS EFFORT WITH A
NUMBER OF ACTIVE CITY
DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IN THAT.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SPU AND
OTHERS , SO WE'VE DONE A LOT
AND I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT
SINCE 2017 WE STARTED WITH OUR
DEPARTMENT BUT NOW IT'S UP TO
11 CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AT
LEAST SOMEWHAT INTEGRATED WITH
EXCELLA. THE PUBLIC USER
VOLUMES HAVE JUMPED FROM ABOUT
1000 USERS TO ABOUT 195,000
USERS AND THAT PERIOD FOR A
VARIETY OF REASONS. THERE IS
OVER 1200 CITY STAFF USING THE
EXCELLA SYSTEM. THERE'S 31
INTEGRATIONS WITH OTHER CITY
SYSTEMS THAT EXCELLA TOUCHES
AND THEN WE DO ROUTINE
USABILITY STUDIES WITH OUR
USERS AS WELL . SO A LOT OF
WHAT THIS AUDIT IS TALKING
ABOUT GOES DIRECTLY WITH ,
DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH WHAT WE
BEEN TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR
MANY YEARS. WE ARE NOT THERE
YET AND I'M GLAD THE AUDIT IS
POINTING OUT THAT WE STILL HAVE
WORK TO DO BUT TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCIL MEMBER STRESS, TO START
OVER FROM HOW FAR WE'VE COME
WOULD BE A MISTAKE I. THIS
TRENDSETTER AWARD THAT THE CITY
WON RECENTLY WAS ALL ABOUT
BEING A TRENDSETTER IN PERMIT
SYSTEM INTEGRATION. ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WE ARE ACTUALLY LEADING
THAT CHARGE IN THE NEXT YEAR WE
WILL BE CONVERTING FROM AN ON
PREMISES SELF HOSTED SYSTEM,
WHICH, TO THEIR FINDING,
CAUSED A LOT OF THOSE
PROBLEMATIC UPTIME AND DOWNTIME
PERCENTAGES. THERE WAS A
PARTICULAR FINDING AFTER THE
AUDIT OCCURRED OF AN ISSUE THAT
WAS OCCURRING THAT HAS SINCE
DRAMATICALLY INCREASED UPTIME
SO I SEATTLE IT COULD TALK
PACIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY.
UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE THE
NUMBERS ON THAT BUT WE ARE
MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AND
WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS THE LAST 10 YEARS TO
TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL AS
WE INTEGRATE INTO THE SOFTWARE
AS A SERVICE CLOUD MIGRATION IN
2024. WE WILL BE MOVING OFF THE
ON PREMISES SELF HOSTED
SOLUTION INTO THEIR CLOUD
SOLUTION AND THERE'S A NUMBER
OF OTHER SERVICES AND
OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME ALONG
FROM THE VENDOR WITH THAT AT
THE SAME TIME. SO WE'RE EXCITED
ABOUT THE MOVEMENT WE ARE GOING
TO MAKE. I WANT TO POINT OUT
THERE WILL BE A CODE FREEZE
WITHIN THE FIRST HALF OR SO OF
2024 SO MAKING MAJOR CHANGES TO
THE SYSTEM WILL BE PROBLEMATIC
DURING PERIOD AS WE CONVERT TO
THE CLOUD BUT WE CAN STILL BE
QUEUING UP SOLUTIONS THAT
ADDRESS THE AUDIT SO WE CAN
IMPLEMENT THINGS IN THE SUMMER
AND FALL OF NEXT YEAR IF THEY
HAVE TO DEAL WITH EXCELLA
INTEGRATION.
>> FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
PUBLIC WE HAD A GREAT
CONVERSATION EARLIER THIS WEEK
IDENTIFYING SOME OF THIS. ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
PRESENTED TO ME THAT I THINK IS
VERY IMPORTANT IS WHEN WE HAVE
DIFFERENT REVIEW DESKS WHERE
THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT
INTEGRATED PROPERLY, THAT'S
WHERE THE CONVERSATION COMES
TO, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A NEW
TECHNOLOGY? BECAUSE THE COST IS
VERY HIGH TO INTEGRATE THAT
REVIEW DESK. SO THE OPERATION
AND MAINTENANCE OF A SYSTEM
CAN FEEL LIKE A LOT OF MONEY
BUT IS ACTUALLY A SMALLER SUM
OF MONEY THAN IF WE JUST WE
BUILT. AND, THE COST OF NOT
SPENDING THAT MONEY IS BORN
UPON OUR CUSTOMERS WHO ARE
EXPERIENCING THAT DELAY AND
LACK OF INTEGRATION WHICH IS
ALSO UNDERSTANDABLE--
UNACCEPTABLE. WE ARE IN THE
PRIVATE MARKET, OR I GUESS WE
ARE IN THE PUBLIC MARKET,
EXCUSE ME. WE ARE NOT IN THE
PRIVATE MARKET. WE FUNCTIONALLY
SERVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES. THE
CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE IS SET HERE TO RUN THE
CORPORATION FOR THE PUBLIC ,
FOR PUBLIC GOVERNANCE. THAT
REQUIRES US TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE ARE SPENDING THE MONEY THAT
THESE DESKS ARE INTEGRATING
EVEN IF IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF
MONEY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A
BUDGET HOLD. BECAUSE AT THE END
OF THE DAY IT'S THE CUSTOMERS
WHO NEED TO HAVE THAT
INTEGRATION PRESENTED TO THEM.
THAT'S MY SOAPBOX FOR THE DAY
OR AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT
BECAUSE THIS IS A TOPIC WHERE I
AM GETTING ON MY SOAP BOX.
>> YOU MENTIONED IT. I'M
PICKING UP THAT WE ARE NOT
GOING TO GET A DIFFERENT
SOFTWARE PROGRAM BECAUSE I
THINK THAT IS PART OF THIS WHAT
LEVERAGE DO WE HAVE WITH OUR
VENDOR TO UP THE PERFORMANCE?
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
BUT I WAS GOING TO MY EMAILS
AND IN MAY OF LAST YEAR , I
REMEMBER OFFERING TO THROW SOME
MONEY AT TECHNOLOGICAL
IMPROVEMENTS TO SOLVING
PERMITTING AND THAT WAS WHEN I
WAS QUITE NEW AND DIDN'T KNOW
WHO WAS DOING WHAT AND I ALSO
DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO TAKE
OVER TECHNOLOGY BUT I DO THINK
THIS IS A PRIORITY. THAT'S IT.
>> FANTASTIC. WE WILL DIVE
DEEPER. I'M RECOGNIZING WE ARE
AT THE TWO-HOUR MARK AND WE
HAVE FOUR MORE SLIDES IN THIS
SECTION AND TWO OTHER BILLS TO
BRIEF. THEY WILL BE QUICK. I'M
HOPING TO BE OUT OF HERE IN THE
NEXT 20 TO 30 MINUTES.
>> ON THIS SLIDE JUST A COUPLE
OF QUICK THINGS. WE HAVE
IDENTIFIED A FEW THINGS ALONG
WITH THE HOUSING SUBCABINET
WORK TRYING TO GET ALL
RELEVANT REVIEWS REPRESENTED
AS EARLY IN THE PROCESS AS
POSSIBLE. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED
THAT THERE HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN
CLEAR PARTICIPATION FROM NOT
ONLY EVERY DIVISION WITHIN
SDCI BUT ALSO EVERY DEPARTMENT
WITHIN THE CITY. I THINK THERE
IS WORK TO BE DONE AND WITH
HOUSING SUBCABINET WORK AND THE
INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAMS THAT
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THERE
WILL BE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE
THAT EFFORT. THE NOVICE PERMIT
SYSTEM PROGRAM IS SOMETHING
THAT HAS BEEN BANTERED AROUND
FOR QUITE A WHILE AND I THINK
THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE
SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO AND IT
GOES ALONG WITH THE WORK IN
THE HOME FAIR , THAT TRAINING
110 USERS OR NEW APPLICANTS ON
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, I USED
TO FIND WHEN I WAS DOING
COACHING AT THE FRONT COUNTER
THAT FOR A LOT OF FOLKS IT
REALLY IS A CHOICE OF TIME OR
MONEY. HIRE SOMEONE THAT KNOWS
WHAT THEY ARE DOING OR
NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND
THE PROCESS THEMSELVES AND IT'S
GOING TO TAKE A LOT LONGER, TO
YOUR POINT, IF THEY DO IT ON
THEIR OWN VERSUS IF THEY HAVE
THE RESOURCES TO HIRE SOMEONE
TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE
SYSTEM. HAVING THAT IN PLACE
WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE
DEFINITELY CAN PURSUE. AND THEN
WE USED TO HAVE A CONSISTENTLY
PREPARED APPLICANT PROGRAM. WE
HAD THAT ALL THE WAY THROUGH
OUR LIFE OF HANSEN UNTIL WE
IMPLEMENTED EXCELLA .
CONVERTING THAT OVER WAS NOT
WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THAT BUT
WHAT THAT PROGRAM DID BASICALLY
WAS TRAIN APPLICANTS ON HOW TO
PROVIDE A COMPLETE BUILDING
PERMIT APPLICATION AND IF THEY
WERE CONSISTENTLY PREPARED,
FOUR OUT OF EVERY FIVE TIMES
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THAT TRAINING OR PRESCREENING
PROCESS EVERY SINGLE TIME.
THEY COULD GO STRAIGHT TO AN
INTAKE APPOINTMENT. IT DID HELP
INCREASE QUALITY OF INTAKES.
PEOPLE TOOK PRIDE IN THOSE
NUMBERS AND STRIVED TO
COMPLETE THOSE APPLICATIONS. I
THINK THE PERSON WHO TALKED
ABOUT TAKING INCOMPLETE
APPLICATIONS AT THE FRONT DOOR,
WE TAKE PRIDE IN THAT AND MAKE
SURE WE HAVE A COMPLETE
APPLICATION AND HAVING SOMEONE
THAT IS CONSISTENTLY PREPARED
AND KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING
SAVES US TIME FROM HAVING TO
DEDICATE RESOURCES TO TRAINING
THEM WHICH THEN ALLOWS US TO
HAVE RESOURCES FOCUSED ON THE
FOLKS WHO ARE MORE NOVICE OR
NEW TO THE SYSTEM.
>> FANTASTIC. I DON'T HAVE ANY
QUESTION ON THOSE SLIDES. BACK
TO ANDREW, THIS IS CITY
AUDITOR.
>> SO THIS IS OUR LAST CATEGORY
. THE LAST TWO FINDINGS ARE
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE
CORRECTIONS PART OF THE PROCESS
WHICH IS WHEN PERMIT REVIEWERS
MAKE COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS
ON AN APPLICATION. WE FOUND
THAT THE CITY IS INCONSISTENT
WITH HOW THEY ISSUE
CORRECTIONS. THIS INCLUDED
THINGS LIKE DECIDING WHICH
ISSUES ROSE TO THE LEVEL OF
MEETING TO BE AN OFFICIAL
CORRECTION OR HOW TO
COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS,
WHICH IS SOMETHING WE TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER. MORE
STANDARDIZATION IS IMPORTANT SO
THAT CUSTOMERS KNOW WHAT TO
EXPECT AND THEY ALSO RECEIVE A
SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. OUR LAST
FINDING IS THAT THE CITY DOES
NOT CONSISTENTLY EVALUATE THE
QUALITY AND NECESSITY OF
CORRECTIONS. WE HEARD FROM
SUPERVISORS THAT AS TIME
ALLOWS, THEY WILL DO A
RETROACTIVE EVALUATION OF THEIR
STAFF CORRECTIONS TO SEE IF
THEY ARE MEETING SDCI
GUIDELINES, BUT THIS DOES NOT
HAPPEN ROUTINELY OR AT THE
CITYWIDE LEVEL . DOING THIS ON
A REGULAR BASIS WILL HELP THE
CITY FIGURE OUT WHERE TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEN THERE
ARE RECOMMENDATIONS HERE TO
CREATE POLICY FOR HOW
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT CORRECTIONS
SHOULD BE HANDLED AND ALSO TO
DEVELOP A PROCESS TO MONITOR
AND EVALUATE PERMIT CORRECTIONS
SO THAT THERE IS CONSISTENCY
AMONG WORKGROUPS.
>> GREAT. I'M GOING TO TURN IT
OVER TO SDCI BEFORE I START
ASKING MY QUESTIONS.
>> THESE WILL BE THE LAST
POINTS WE MAKE ON THE SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ARE IN
AGREEMENT. WE HAVE EXISTING
POLICIES IN PLACE BUT THERE IS
NOT ONE CONSISTENT
COMPREHENSIVE POSSIBLE POLICY
ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT NOR
ACROSS THE CITY SO WE ARE
COMMITTED TO DEALING WITH THAT
AND WORKING ON THAT. EXPANDING
THE USE OF CORRECTION LEVEL
AUDITS AND COLLECTING FEEDBACK
FROM APPLICANTS IS ANOTHER
THING WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING
WHICH WE'VE TALKED EARLIER
ABOUT. IN DIFFERENT REVIEW
LOCATIONS ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT
WE DO PROACTIVE CORRECTION
LETTER AUDITS PARTICULARLY
WITH NEW STAFF WHILE THEY ARE
IN PROBATION . SUPERVISORS ARE
CONSISTENTLY REVIEWING
CORRECTIONS BEFORE THEY HIT AN
APPLICANT BUT AFTER THEY GET
TO A CERTAIN POINT THEY STOP
DOING THAT AND IT'S MORE
PERIODIC THAN REGULAR . IT'S
INCREDIBLY TIME-CONSUMING AND
LABOR-INTENSIVE FOR
SUPERVISORS SO UNTIL WE CAN GET
A BETTER SET OF TOOLS IN PLACE,
OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN USE
THAT FEEDBACK MECHANISM ,
GETTING FEEDBACK FROM CUSTOMERS
MORE DIRECTLY AND READILY ABOUT
WAS THIS A CLEAR SET OF
CORRECTIONS? WAS IT POINTING TO
A CODE REQUIREMENT? AND THEN
IF NOT, WHY? AND ADDRESSING
THOSE FEEDBACK MECHANISMS IN A
REALTIME WAY. IN TERMS OF THE
LAST PIECE, THIS GETS TO YOUR
POINT ABOUT STAFF CORRECTED
PLANS FOR SIMPLE CHANGES. BACK
TO THE PAPER DAYS WHEN WE
COULD RED LINE CORRECTIONS.
WHEN WE CONVERTED TO ELECTRONIC
LANE REVIEW THE LOCKED PDF
FILES AND VERSION CONTROL
LIMITED US FROM DOING THAT SO
WE ESTABLISHED A POLICY THAT
SAID EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL
CORRECTION WE WOULD CALL THE
APPLICANT, TELL THEM WHAT IT
WAS, REVIEW IT AND TRY TO GET
IT OUT THE DOOR WHICH HAS ADDED
TO OUR NUMBERS. SO THE
CORRECTIONS CYCLE NUMBERS ARE
INFLATED A BIT THAT POLICY
CHOICE BUT WE ARE WORKING ON A
WAY TO ELIMINATE THAT STEP AND
BE ABLE TO ALLOW STAFF TO PUT
CORRECTIONS DIRECTLY ON THE
PLANS WHICH SHOULD HELP OUR
DATA PRETTY READILY BY DOING
THAT. AND THEN LASTLY,
REMOVING ELEMENTS OF THE PERMIT
REVIEW PROCESS THAT DON'T
BELONG. DIRECTOR TORKELSON
MENTIONED , EVEN HOUSING IS A
DEPARTMENT THAT'S INVOLVED
AND REALLY THAT IS PROBABLY NOT
THE WAY TO DO THAT AND WE'VE
IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT WAYS INTERNALLY AND
WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS
THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE
SOME THINGS LIKE DOCUMENTS OR
SPECIAL INSPECTION REPORTS OUT
OF CORRECTION CYCLES TO BE
ABLE TO NOT HOLD UP THE REST OF
THROUGHPUT TIME AND FOCUS ON
WHAT THE AUDITOR HAS POINTED
OUT BEING THE TOTAL THROUGHPUT
TIME BOTH REDUCING CORRECTION
CYCLES AND SHORTENING THE TIME
THEY SIT IN CUES IS THE
PRIORITY. COLLECTIVELY ALL OF
THESE THINGS ARE IN ALIGNMENT
IN THE PROCESS BETTER BE MET
BEFORE WE GO INTO THIS, JUST TO
STATE , I'M GOING TO TELL THE
GENERAL PUBLIC THE QUESTIONS
THAT I'M ASKING BECAUSE WE ARE
A LITTLE OVER TIME, WHICH IS
THAT A PERMIT SHOULD REALLY
ONLY HAVE ONE ROUND OF
CORRECTIONS. THAT'S THE GOAL.
>> A PLAN SET SHOULD REALLY
ONLY HAVE ONE ROUND OF
CORRECTIONS. IF THERE ARE
ELEMENTS OF LIFE FIRE SAFETY
THAT NEED TO COME INTO PLAY
LATER THAT WERE NOT CAUGHT IN
THE FIRST ROUND, WE ALWAYS WANT
TO PRIORITIZE LIFE FIRE
SAFETY. THIS IS A MESSAGE TO
EVERYONE . PEOPLE TELL ME THAT
ONE SEATTLE IS A CORNY MESSAGE
BUT I BELIEVE IT IN MY HEART
BECAUSE WE ARE ALL TOGETHER IN
THIS NO MATTER WHAT DEPARTMENT
OR NO MATTER WHAT YOUR ROLE IN
THE CITY, PERMIT REVIEWERS ARE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. AS IS
EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
CITY FAMILY. AND, IT NEEDS TO
BE OUR GOAL TO GET PLAN SETS
SENT OUT WITH ONE ROUND OF
CORRECTIONS . WE WILL FIND OUT
IN FUTURE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
HOW WE GET THERE IF WE NEED TO
CHANGE OR IMPLEMENT POLICY BUT
AGAIN, THE CONVERSATIONS WE
HAD EARLIER THIS WEEK.
CHANGING POLICY FOR THE
BEHAVIOR OF A FEW PEOPLE IS NOT
USUALLY A GOOD IDEA . THIS IS A
CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE HAD
ABOUT COUNCIL RULES. DO WE
NEED TO MAKE RULES ABOUT THINGS
THAT COUNCILMEMBER SHOULD JUST
BE DOING? HOPEFULLY NOT . SO
FOR THE PUBLIC, THE QUESTIONS
THAT I'M ASKING IN OUR
MEETINGS , WHAT ARE THE
BARRIERS TO HAVING ALL
CORRECTIONS IN THE FIRST ROUND
? WHAT IS NEEDED TO REVIEW THE
LIFE FIRE SAFETY IN LATER
ROUNDS? CORRECTIONS TO
REVISIONS ARE OKAY IN THOSE
LATER ROUNDS BUT IT'S THE
INITIAL PLAN SET THAT WE
CANNOT CONTINUE HAVING
CORRECTIONS TO. WHAT IS NEEDED
FOR CROSS DEPARTMENT
CONSISTENCY? ARE THERE ITEMS
THAT NEED TO BE STREAMLINED OR
TAKEN OUT OF CORRECTIONS? HOW
DO CUSTOMERS ELEVATE THEIR
FEEDBACK IN REAL TIME? AND HOW
ARE THESE EXPECTATIONS
COMMUNICATED ACROSS DIVISIONS
WITHIN A SINGLE DEPARTMENT ,
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN A
SINGLE CITY, OR ACROSS
MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS THAT
TOUCH THE PERMIT? THOSE ARE THE
QUESTIONS THAT I'M ASKING IN
OUR MEETINGS AND THAT I
CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THE
ANSWERS TO. IF YOU WANT TO
PASS THE NEXT SLIDE FOR FOLKS
WATCHING AT HOME OR ONLINE.
YOU CAN CLICK THIS QR CODE AND
IT WILL TAKE IT TO THE REPORT.
YOU CAN ALSO FIND IT ON THE
WEBSITE. I'M GOING TO SEE SOME
CLOSING STATEMENTS AND THEN
PASS IT TO SDCI IN THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE AND BACK TO THE
AUDITOR'S TEAM. FOR THE GENERAL
PUBLIC, WE HAVE JUST REACHED
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. WE
HAVEN'T EVEN FULLY DISCUSSED
EVERYTHING WITHIN ONE
DEPARTMENT AND THERE ARE
MULTIPLE. THIS SPEAKS TO THE
AMOUNT OF WORK THAT MELISSA
ALDERSON, ANDREW SCOGGINS AND
AUDITOR JONES HAVE COMPLETED.
WE HAD A NEARLY 2 HOUR MEETING
EARLIER THIS WEEK FOCUSING ON
REFINING WHAT WE WERE GOING TO
FOCUS ON FOR THIS TO PLUS OUR
MEETING, AND WE ARE GOING TO
NEED TO COMBAT QUARTERLY AND
MORE REGULARLY TO EVALUATE
IMPROVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
REGARDING PERMIT ISSUANCE TIMES
AND HOW WE ARE RESPONDING TO
THIS AUDIT. WE WILL NEED TO GO
RECOMMENDATION BY
RECOMMENDATION AND PROBABLY
WILL NEED TO GO DEPARTMENT BY
DEPARTMENT. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT AND THEY ARE SO
CRITICAL. I JUST STATE FOR THE
GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THIS IS
ONLY THE SECOND MEETING WE'VE
HAD ON THIS AND THERE WILL BE
MORE. I WILL PASS IT OVER TO
SDCI AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
AND THE AUDITOR'S TEAM FOR
CLOSING STATEMENTS. AND I WILL
PASS IT OVER TO COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON FIRST. BUT TO SAY , I
KNOW MELISSA HAS NOT BEEN
SPEAKING BECAUSE OF HER VOICE
BUT IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE
THAT SHE HAS BEEN LEADING THE
MAJORITY OF THIS WORK. I KNOW
ANDREW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF
WORK BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK
MELISSA FOR ALL OF HER WORK
BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX
SET OF INFORMATION. BEING
ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK HONESTLY
IS A UNIQUE SKILL SET.
COUNCILMAN NELSON?
>> FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO THANK
YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS, BECAUSE
THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE AND I
APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS
FORWARD TO GIVE US A FRAMEWORK
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE
ISSUES. IT'S PROBABLY THE
COMPLAINT THAT I HEAR THE MOST
ABOUT, A GENERAL THEME IN THE
WORLD AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR HAVING
THE HOUSING SUB CABINETS. I
KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON
THE ISSUES AND A COUPLE THINGS
I WANT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T
HAVE TO RE-CREATE THE WHEEL AND
HOW WE ARE GOING TO FIX IT.
HERE ON PAGE 19 OR SOMETHING
YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS AND
DOCUMENTS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE. I JUST WANT TO HELP YOU
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THERE.
IF IT'S MORE STAFFING, I DON'T
KNOW. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT
LATER BUT THIS IS MORE THAN I
WOULD SAY AN ADDITIONAL SOURCE
OF REVENUE. THIS IS IMPORTANT
FOR THE ECONOMIC HEALTH AND
WELL-BEING OF THE CITY BECAUSE
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PERMITTING
DOES DRIVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
AND IT'S ALSO A REASON WHY
BUSINESSES LEAVE OR PROJECTS
DON'T HAPPEN. THAT IS VERY
IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES. I WILL GET OFF MY
SOAP BOX AND JUST SAY I'M GLAD
THIS EXAMINATION IS HAPPENING.
LET'S NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE
FACT THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW A
LOT AND JUST LET US KNOW HOW
WE CAN HELP.
>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR
TORKELSON AND ANDY? I WILL
JUST CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION
AGAIN BY THINKING
COUNCILMEMBERS AND THINKING THE
AUDITOR'S OFFICE FOR YOUR
ASSISTANCE AND HELP ON
COOPERATION WITH THIS ISSUE.
AS FAR AS PROGRESSING, IT'S
GOING TO TAKE THE 3T'S.
TORKELSON, THAT'S ME, AND THE
DIRECTOR AT THE END OF THE DAY
THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME , AND
I'M TOTALLY COMMITTED TO
IMPROVING THE PROCESS AND
ETHICAL CLIMATE. THE SECOND IS
TRAINING. WE NEED TO CONTINUE
TO TRAIN EMPLOYEES , AND THE
THIRD IS TRANSPARENCY.
EVERYONE IN THE CITY AND
LEADERSHIP AND ALL OF OUR
APPLICANTS KNOW WHAT WE ARE
DOING AND IT'S VERY VISIBLE AND
APPARENT TO THEM.
>> I JUST WANTED TO THANK CHAIR
AND COUNCIL FOR THEIR
CONTINUED EXPERTISE. I THOUGHT
THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE DID A
WONDERFUL JOB ON THIS REPORT. I
WANTED TO ADD THAT THE MAYOR
HAS MADE THIS A HUGE PRIORITY
AND IS CONSTANTLY IN CONTACT
ABOUT HOW WE ARE DOING AND
WATCH WHAT HE SAYS IS WHAT I
HEARD TODAY. THE ONLY THING I
WOULD ADD, THE FIRST REVISION
OF CORRECTIONS SHOULD BE OUR
GOAL. ULTIMATELY WE NEED A--
FOR HOUSING AND AS WE DO CODES
AND PERMITTING, JUST LEANING
TOWARDS YES TO GET THE NEXT
ROOF THAT SOMEONE CAN LIVE IN,
IS A KEY FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, BUT JUST
ADDRESSING OUR HOUSING CRISIS,
AS WELL.
>> MY NEXT BIG GOAL IS CODE
SIMPLIFICATION. WE HAVE SO
MANY REGULATIONS AND CODES SO
THAT IS A HUGE GOAL FOR THE
FUTURE.
>> AS I TURN IT BACK OVER TO
THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO CLOSE
THIS OUT I KNOW THAT CHRISTINA
IN YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN A
BIG MOVER BEHIND THE SCENES
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE. FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC,
WE WERE THINKING ABOUT DOING
THIS MEETING ON THE EIGHTH BUT
THAT WOULD HAVE RUN US TO 6:00
P.M., I'M SURE, AND SDCI IS
READY TO PRESENT TODAY. THE
OTHER DEPARTMENTS WERE NOT
QUITE THERE YET. SO RATHER THAN
HAVING FEWER PEOPLE FROM THE
TEAM, WE PUSHED FORWARD, PUSHED
THIS UP AND A LOT OF IT IS
BECAUSE OF ANDY, DIRECTOR
TORKELSON, AND CHRISTINA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT WORK.
AUDITOR JONES, ANDREW, I WILL
LET YOU CLOSE US OUT.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK SDCI ,
DIRECTOR TORKELSON AND ANDY
HIGGINS. THEY REALLY SET A
GREAT TONE AT THE TOP FOR
TELLING THEIR FOLKS TO TALK
WITH OUR FOLKS, COOPERATE.
GETTING BACK TO US ON TIME,
BEING VERY HONEST. NOT BEING
DEFENSIVE. I KNOW IT'S NO FUN
TO HAVE US COME IN AND POKE
AROUND AND THEY JUST REALLY
WERE A MODEL OF BEHAVING
APPROPRIATELY AND REALLY
TAKING ON THESE CHALLENGES,
MANY OF WHICH THERE ARE A LOT
OF PARTIES INVOLVED IN SOME OF
THE THINGS THAT LED TO AUDIT
RECOMMENDATIONS BEYOND SDCI SO
I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR
THEIR COOPERATION AND THE TONE
THEY SET. I ALSO WANT TO THANK
MELISSA AND ANDREW WHO DID THE
WORK ON THIS AND TOO BAD THEY
COULDN'T BE HERE IN PERSON BUT
THEY DIDN'T WANT TO INFECT ALL
OF YOU WITH WHAT THEY HAD. AND
THE LAST THING, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO
REQUESTED THIS WORK SO IT
WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT
YOUR INQUIRY. SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW WE WILL
HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE
ANDREW AND MELISSA BACK WITH US
IN THE FUTURE AS THIS IS NOT
THE END OF THE CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US.
WE ARE GOING TO SWITCH INTO THE
NEXT TOPICS. WE HAVE TWO MORE
ITEMS AND I'M HOPING WE CAN GET
THEM DONE IN 15 MINUTES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR
JOINING US TODAY. IF YOU COULD
READ THE SHORT TITLE OF THE
NEXT AGENDA ITEM ABOUT THE
MASTER USE PERMIT EXTENSION
INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 120674. MASTER
USE PERMIT APPROVAL FOR
ISSUANCE.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW
WORDS TO INTRODUCE THE
SUBJECT. TODAY THERE WAS AN
INITIAL BRIEFING ON COUNCIL
BILL 120674 WHICH PUT US IN THE
LIFE OF MASTER USE PERMITS FOR
APPROVAL AND ISSUANCE BY MARCH
1, 2020 THROUGH DECEMBER 31,
2026. NORMALLY MASTER USE
PERMITS EXPIRE AFTER THREE
YEARS AND THIS WOULD JUST
PROVIDE A SIX-YEAR LIFE .
>> HANG ON. DO WE HAVE A
POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING?
>> MIKE HAS ONE AND WILL BE
STARTING IN JUST A MINUTE. I
JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A
ROADMAP HERE. THERE IS A MEMO
IDENTIFYING PRELIMINARY ISSUES
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME I
WILL TURN IT OVER TO MIKE.
THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING COMING
UP ON DECEMBER 8 IF
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE ANY
AMENDMENTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO MIKE PODOWSKI.
>> THANK YOU. IS THAT COMING
THROUGH? ALL RIGHT. SO THE
GOAL OF THE PROPOSAL IS TO
HELP PEOPLE IN THE PERMIT
PROCESS AND WHO ARE
ANTICIPATING WITH THAT DEAL
WITH SOME OF THE ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE RIGHT
NOW . THE PROPOSAL WOULD GIVE
MORE TIME AND SOME FLEXIBILITY
FOR PERMIT APPLICANTS WHO
RECEIVED A MASTER USE PERMIT
BUT NEED MORE TIME TO COMPLETE
THE RELATED BUILDING PERMIT. I
WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THE
DIFFERENCES IN A MINUTE. THE
PROPOSAL WOULD SIMPLIFY THE
PROCESS AND REDUCE UNCERTAINTY
AND WOULD HELP THE CITY
REALIZE THE BENEFITS OF
RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT THAT MAY NOT
OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO COME TO
FRUITION WITHOUT SOME
ASSISTANCE THAT THE PROPOSAL
WOULD PROVIDE. THE CHALLENGES
OUR NATIONAL AND REGIONAL IN
NATURE . THEY POSE CHALLENGES
FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ,
HIGH INTEREST RATES FOR LOANS,
PARTICULARLY CONSTRUCTION LOANS
, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS AND LABOR AS WELL AS
A VERY UNCERTAIN MARKET IN
PARTICULAR FOR OFFICE
DEVELOPMENT. HERE ARE THE TWO
TYPES OF PERMITS WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT. THE MASTER USE PERMIT
WHICH HE SPOKE ABOUT IN YOUR
PREVIOUS PRESENTATION BUT I
WILL SAY IT IS A CONCEPTUAL
TYPE OF PERMIT THAT APPROVES
THE USE OR USES THAT WILL BE
CONTAINED IN A DEVELOPMENT AND
GIVES THE GENERAL BUILDING
APPEARANCE AND HOW THEY WOULD
SIT ON SITE. AND THEN YOU
WOULD ADD A BUILDING PERMIT TO
THE MASTER USE PERMIT THAT
ADDRESSES VERY DETAILED
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS ABOUT
ENGINEERING AND HOW MECHANICAL
SYSTEMS WORK. ELECTRICAL, WATER
SERVICE AND FIRE AND LIFE
SAFETY TYPES OF ISSUES. THE
IDEA BEHIND THE PROPOSAL IS TO
ALLOW MORE TIME IN PARTICULAR
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
ANTICIPATING GETTING MUPS
COMPLETED AND APPROVED SO THEY
CAN START CONSTRUCTION. WE
HAVE TWO SLIDES THAT OUTLINE
THE BASICS OF THE PROPOSAL. THE
FIRST ONE HAS BEEN ENLARGED
AND THE NEXT ONE HAS A DIAGRAM
ON IT SO WE WILL TRY TO WAYS
TO LAY OUT THE BASICS OF THE
PROPOSAL. THE OVERALL LIFESPAN
FOR A MASTER USE PERMIT
CURRENTLY IN THE CODE IS FIVE
YEARS AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING
TO DO IS EXTEND IT TO SIX
YEARS. THE WAY THAT ONE
ACHIEVES FIVE YEARS IS THAT
THERE IS A STANDARD LIFE SPAN
OF THREE YEARS BUT IT WOULD
ALLOW APPLICANTS TO HAVE THE
OPTION OF A NEW RENEWING IT FOR
AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS SO THE
3+ THE TWO GETS YOU TO FIVE.
WHEREAS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING
IS JUST A STRAIGHT UP OF SIX
YEARS. AT THE RENEWAL POINT
CURRENTLY UNDER THE RULES, THE
MASTER USE PERMITS HAVE TO BE
UPDATED SO THAT THEY WOULD
MEET ANY CHANGES TO THE CODES
THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE WHILE IN
THE REVIEW PROCESS. WHAT WE
ARE PROPOSING WOULD NOT INCLUDE
THE RENEWAL STEP IN IT SO THAT
IS THE SIMPLIFICATION AND THE
FLEXIBILITY. JUST NOTING AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE THAT
THE RENEWAL DOES NOT APPLY TO
THE BUILDING PERMIT , THE FIRE
LIFE SAFETY AND ENGINEERING
STANDARDS . THOSE MUST BE MET ,
SO THE PROPOSAL WOULD NOT
AFFECT THE NEED TO COMPLY
WITH THOSE PROVISIONS. IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE DIAGRAM IS A BOLD
LINE THAT IS BASICALLY A
TIMELINE WITH MILESTONES AND
ON THE TOP OF THE SLIDE IS THE
CURRENT PROCESS. IN THE BOTTOM
IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE
SIMPLIFIED PROPOSAL . STARTING
WITH THE CURRENT PROCESS OF
THE TIMELINE, THE CLOCK STARTS
TICKING ON THE MASTER USE
PERMIT LIFESPAN WHEN IT IS
ISSUED . THAT COUNTS FOR AN
APPEAL PROCESS THAT COULD OCCUR
AFTER A DECISION PUBLICATION.
SO ONCE YOU REACH THE END OF
THAT PROCESS THE THREE YEARS
STARTS TICKING. THAT IS
REPRESENTED IN THE DIAGRAM
UNTIL YOU REACH THE END OF THAT
EXPIRATION DATE OR THE
LIFESPAN OF THE INITIAL PERMIT.
AT THAT POINT THE PERMIT WOULD
EITHER BE RENEWED FOR AN
ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS OR IF IT
HAS CHANGED TO COMPLY WITH
CODE CHANGES , OR IT WOULD
EXPIRE. AT THE END OF THE
PROCESS IN ORDER TO MOVE TO
CONSTRUCTION AND HAVE A
BUILDING THAT CAN BE OCCUPIED
YOU WOULD ADD TO YOUR BUILDING
PERMITS. TYPICALLY APPLICANTS
GET THE MASTER USE PERMIT FIRST
BECAUSE IT IS LESS DETAILED
AND EXPENSIVE AND ADD THE
BUILDING PERMIT AFTER THAT.
ONCE THE BUILDING PERMIT IS
APPLIED FOR THERE ARE RULES
WITHIN THE BUILDING CODE THAT
DID TAKE THE EXPIRATION AND
RENEWALS. IN CONTRAST, THE
CURRENT PROCESS WITH THE
PROPOSAL UNDERNEATH , ONCE THE
MASTER USE PERMIT IS READY TO
BE ISSUED, THE CLOCK WOULD
START. THERE WOULD BE NO
RENEWAL STEP IN BETWEEN AND IT
WOULD LIVE FOR SIX YEARS UNTIL
THE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION
IS ADDED TO IT. I WILL PAUSE
AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU MIKE. THIS DIAGRAM
MAKES THIS PROPOSAL VERY
STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHERE WE HAVE
A CYCLE RIGHT NOW THAT YOU
COULD GET , IF YOU INCLUDE THE
BUILDING PERMIT TO SIX YEARS,
THIS PROPOSAL MAKES IT SIMPLE
AND STRAIGHTFORWARD FOR THE
SIX-YEAR LIFESPAN . IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME YOU DON'T NEED
TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION NOW BUT
IN COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK I WOULD
LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, HOW
DID WE GET TO SIX YEARS? WHY
NOT FEWER YEARS? WHY NOT MORE?
I KNOW THE ANSWERS BUT I THINK
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION
TO ASK AND ANSWER AT OUR NEXT
COMMITTEE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. IN THE INTEREST
OF TIME I WILL KEEP GOING. A
COUPLE OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THE
PROPOSAL . THE PROPOSAL WOULD
HAVE A SIX-YEAR LIFESPAN. WE
ARE LOOKING AT MAKING THIS
APPLY TO ALL ESTHER USE
PERMITS THAT WOULD REACH THAT
ISSUANCE MILESTONE THROUGH
MARCH 1 OF 2020. THE LIFESPAN
OF THE MASTER USE PERMITS ALSO
COINCIDES WITH THE DECLARATION
OF THE CODE EMERGENCY AND
INTRODUCED THEIR OWN
CHALLENGES INTO THE ECONOMY AND
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET. THE
PROPOSAL WOULD APPLY ALSO TO
MASTER USE PERMITS IN THE
PROCESS NOW OR THAT WOULD REACH
THIS MILESTONE BY THE END OF
2026. THIS PROPOSAL IS MODELED
AFTER SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL
DID IN RESPONSE TO SIMILAR BUT
DIFFERENT ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
THAT OCCURRED AROUND THE GREAT
RECEPTION AND ADOPT A VERY
SIMILAR PROPOSAL IN 2009. THE
TIME PERIOD IS ON THAT ALTHOUGH
THE COMMITTEE CAN TALK ABOUT
POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT.
WE DID DO AN ANALYSIS AND LOOK
AT THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND
THE LOCATION OF THEM IN SOME
UPCOMING SLIDES, BUT 11
ELIGIBLE PROJECTS WOULD BE
VESTED PRIOR TO THE
AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS SO
WE ARE JUST NOTING THAT IT
WOULD BE ONE FACTOR TO CONSIDER
IN TERMS OF GOING FORWARD WITH
THIS PROPOSAL. THERE WOULD BE
SOME IMPACTS TO REVENUES BUT
THEY ARE MINOR. AND AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE VARIOUS
TYPES OF PERMITS IN WHICH THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON HAS RULES
FOR THEM THAT ARE DIFFERENT SO
THOSE ARE NOT PART OF THE
PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU MIKE. BEFORE YOU
MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE I
WILL NOTE TO THE PUBLIC THAT
I'M CONSIDERING AN AMENDMENT TO
CHANGE THE START DATE
PROPOSALS THAT THIS COULD
APPLY TO PRIOR TO MARCH 1 OF
2020. WE KNOW THAT IN OUR
OFFICE, WE WENT HOME AND DID
NOT RETURN FOR QUITE SOME TIME
ON MARCH 5 OF 2020. AND
PROJECTS THAT WERE GETTING
READY TO HAVE THEIR MUPS
ISSUED IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP
TO THE PANDEMIC ALSO DID NOT
FORESEE THAT PANDEMIC COMING.
SO THIS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION
AT THIS TIME.
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS JUST A
BREAKDOWN OF PERMITS THAT
WOULD BE ELIGIBLE IN THAT
ANALYSIS . ON THE RIGHT-HAND
SIDE OR NUMBERS, ROUGHLY 200
MASTER USE PERMITS THAT HAVE
REACHED THAT DECISION ISSUANCE
AND THIS IS BROKEN OUT INTO
ONE-YEAR PERIODS AND THEN
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 150
PERMITS IN THE PIPELINE THAT WE
WOULD ANTICIPATE BEING
ELIGIBLE FOR THE LONGER
LIFESPAN IF COUNCIL ADOPTS
THE END DATE. THERE COULD BE
SOME ADDITIONAL ONES. THE VAST
MAJORITY OF PERMITS THAT WOULD
BE ELIGIBLE ARE FOR
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, APARTMENTS
AND CONDOS IN SOME RURAL
HOUSES AND TOWNHOUSES THAT ARE
THE NEXT LARGEST PIECE OF THE
PIE IN SOME OFFICE AND HOTEL
PROJECTS. THE SCALE OF THE
PROJECTS, THESE ARE FOCUSING
MAINLY ON BUILDING SCALE. MOST
OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WOULD BE
ELIGIBLE ARE MULTI FAMILY IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE SLIDE. THERE
ARE 67 OF THOSE AND THEN SOME
THAT ARE HIGH-RISE TOWERS MOST
LIKELY LOCATED DOWNTOWN OR IN
THE ENGLEWOOD URBAN CENTER
NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOME SMALLER
SCALE PROJECTS. THIS JUST
SHOWS THE LOCATIONS OF THOSE
PROJECTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE OR
WOULD POTENTIALLY BE ELIGIBLE
FOR THE PROPOSAL. WHEN I LOOK
AT THIS I SEE THAT THE BULK OF
THE PROJECTS ARE LOCATED IN
WHAT WE WOULD CALL THE CENTER
CITY AREA AROUND DOWNTOWN AS WE
WOULD EXPECT, AND REMAINING
ONES ARE CLUSTERED AROUND THE
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS
THAT HUGGED THE ARTERIAL AS
WELL AS MULTIFAMILY ZONES AND
THAT'S IT .
>> THANK YOU, MIKE. THIS
LEGISLATION IS PART OF THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN WE
WILL HAVE THIS LEGISLATION COME
BACK ON DECEMBER 8 AND MOTION
TO SUSPEND THE RULES IN ORDER
TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND A
VOTE ON THE SAME MEETING AND
SUSPEND THE RULES FOR FULL
COUNCIL CONSIDERATION . BEFORE
WE CLOSE I WANT TO CHECK WITH
COLLEAGUES. OTHER QUESTIONS? I
SEE VICE CHAIR MORALES HAS A
QUESTION. YOU MAY NEED TO PULL
YOUR SLIDES BACK UP.
>>> I WILL APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I
ACTUALLY CANNOT STAY ANY
LONGER. I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T GET
TO THIS BUT I DO HAVE
QUESTIONS AND I CAN FOLLOW UP
ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WERE
RAISED. I WILL FOLLOW UP ON
THAT AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT
WOULD BE A REQUIRED
CONVERSATION AS WELL BUT SO
EVERYBODY IS CLEAR I DO WANT TO
FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE ISSUES
RAISED THERE SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> I WILL BE NOT HERE ON THE
EIGHTH SO YOU KNOW. I
RESCHEDULED SOMETHING THAT WAS
GOING TO BE THIS WEEK. THANK
YOU.
>>> FANTASTIC. WITH THAT, WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE
NEXT ITEM. APPRECIATE YOU BEING
HERE AND WE WILL HAVE YOU BACK
NEXT FRIDAY. FOR THE FINAL ITEM
ON THE AGENDA IS A DISCUSSION
ON COUNCIL BILL ¿ WHICH WILL
CHANGE THE SIZE OF USED LIMITS
FOR MEDICAL USES IN THE
MARITIME MANUFACTURING AND
LOGISTICS ZONE. WILL YOU
PLEASE READ THE SHORT TITLE
INTO THE RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL -- AMENDMENT
FOR BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. WE ARE JOINED BY
JIM HOLMES FROM THE OFFICE OF
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND
CENTRAL STAFF FOR THIS
DISCUSSION. PASSING STRONGEST
PROTECTIONS FOR MANUFACTURING
AND MARITIME ZONES IN OUR
CITY. ONE OF THE ISSUES IS THAT
WE DON'T WANT RADICAL USES TO
EXPAND IN A GREAT FASHION
THROUGHOUT INDUSTRIAL ZONES
AND THERE ARE TIMES AND PLACES
, ZONES WITHIN MML THAT CAN
TAKE ON ADDITIONAL FLOOR AREA
FOR A MEDICAL USES. IF YOU
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN THE
PRESENTATION IT'S A VERY SIMPLE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WILL
ULTIMATELY ALLOW A HEALTHCARE
CLINIC TO BE DEVELOPED FOR
PEOPLE WHO NEED THEIR
ASSISTANCE.
>> SORRY GENTLEMAN.
>> CENTRAL STAFF.
>> JIM HOLMES WITH OPC D .
THIS WILL BE SHORT. IT'S A
FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD PIECE OF
LEGISLATION . THIS PROPOSED
AMENDMENT WOULD EXEMPT
EXISTING MEDICAL SERVICE USES
FROM SIZE OF USED LIMITS IN
THE MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS
ZONE AND INCLUDES LOCATIONAL
CRITERIA THAT LIMITS WHERE
THIS CAN HAPPEN TO PREVENT A
PROLIFERATION ON INDUSTRIAL
LAND. IT DOES PROVIDE
EXPANSION OF EXISTING SERVICE
PROVIDERS SERVING DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE . QUICKLY ON USED
LIMITS, IN 2007 SIZE OF USED
LIMITS FOR MEDICAL SERVICES AND
OTHER NONINDUSTRIAL LAND USES
WERE AN ACT DID. IN THE
RECENTLY ADOPTED INDUSTRIAL
MARITIME STRATEGY LEGISLATION
WE CARRIED THOSE USED LIMITS
FORWARD TO MOVE IN THE
DIRECTION OF PROTECTING
INDUSTRIAL LAND FROM INDUSTRIAL
USES. THE INTENT IS TO LIMIT
INCOMPATIBLE USES THAT HAVE
THE DISPLACEMENT OF INDUSTRIAL
USES. THIS IS TAILORED IN A
WAY THAT WILL PREVENT THAT FROM
HAPPENING. IT CAN ONLY BE ON
LAND LOCATED EAST OF AIRPORT
WAY, SOUTH WHICH IS A LONG,
THIN STRIP THAT WOULD RUN FROM
THE TOP OF THE MANUFACTURING
INDUSTRIAL CENTER TO THE
SOUTHERN CITY LIMIT. WE ARE
UNAWARE OF THEM.
>> FANTASTIC. IS THAT THE END
OF THE PRESENTATION?
>> THAT IS THE END OF THE
PRESENTATION.
>> ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
I AM SEEING NONE . WITH THAT,
I APPRECIATE YOU AND COLLEAGUES
I'M GOING TO BE ON DECEMBER 8
REQUESTING TO SUSPEND THE RULES
TO VOTE THE BILL OUT ON THE
SAME DAY AS THE PUBLIC HEARING
AND VOTE TO SUSPEND THE RULES
TO SEND IT TO FULL COUNCIL
AFTER THE THURSDAY NOON
DEADLINE. IF THERE ARE NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS , WE WILL
HAVE THIS BACK IN COMMITTEE ON
DECEMBER 8. THANK YOU FOR
WAITING FOR THAT ENTIRE 2 1/2
HOUR PRESENTATION TO GET TO
THIS VERY QUICK ITEM. WITH
THAT THIS CONCLUDES THE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2023
LAND USE COMMITTEE AND THE NEXT
MEETING IS A SPECIAL MEETING ON
DECEMBER 8, 2023 AT 2:00 P.M.
P.M. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.