>> OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES
ARRIVED. I'LL MAKE SURE TO
ANNOUNCE THEM. WE HAVE TWO
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. COUNCIL
BILL 120749, GEORGETOWN HEIGHT
LEGISLATION THAT WE HEARD A
LITTLE ABOUT IN THE LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING AND
INFORMATIONAL ITEM 2460,
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ON THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE. WE WILL HAVE A
JOINT PRESENTATION BETWEEN OPCD
AND SDCI. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION , TODAY'S AGENDA
WILL BE ADOPTED. HEARING THE
EJECTA -- NO OBJECTION TODAY'S
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. WE WILL
NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD. THEY SHOULD RELATE TO
ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND WITHIN
THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> WITH TWO SPEAKERS ON LINE
AND ONE IN PERSON. SMACK RAY.
EACH SPEAKER WILL TWO MINUTES
AND WE WILL START WITH IN
PERSON FIRST. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE UP TO 20
MINUTES, SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED IN ORDER TO STIRRED AND
WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN IN
PERSON AND ONLINE. YOU WILL
HEAR A TIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE
LEFT. IF YOU ARE REMOTE,
PLEASE, YOUR MIC WILL BE MUTED
. IF YOU DO NOT AND YOUR
COMMENTS ON TIME SO WE CAN
ALLOW THE SPEAKER -- NECK
SPEAKER TO PROCEED. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. WE
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER. I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA'S HERE
AND, NAOMI WILL YOU READ THE
FIRST PERSON INTO THE RECORD.
>> THE FIRST AND ONLY IN PERSON
SPEAKER IS STEVE.
>> YOUR MIKE DOESN'T SEEM TO
BE LIVE. I CAN BARELY HEAR YOU.
>> THANK YOU. FOR SHARING THAT.
PLEASE PROCEED.
>> THE PROPOSALS FOR
GEORGETOWN, WE HAVE NOT LOOKED
AT HOW MANY TREES ARE THERE.
THIS IS MORE OF WHAT WE HAVE
HAD IN THE PAST WHERE DO WE
REALLY NEED RE-ZONES? JUST
SIMPLY COME TO THE COMMITTEE
AND YOU MAKE A PROPOSAL AND WHY
SHOULD YOU GO THROUGH THE
EXPENSE AND THE WORK OF A
RE-ZONE WHEN YOU COULD SIMPLY
GO TO THE COMMITTEE AND YOU GET
PROBABLY MORE THAN A REZONE
MIGHT GIVE YOU ANYWAY. SO, PART
OF THE CHANGE IN ZONING WAS
THIS WASN'T SUPPOSED TO
HAPPEN. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET
THE CONSOLE OUT OF MOST OF THE
LAND-USE DECISIONS ON A PARCEL
BY PARCEL BASIS AND UNDER THE
OWN SYSTEM , I'M UP SO OLD TO
REMEMBER THAT, THE CITY COUNCIL
WAS INVOLVED BECAUSE YOU HAD
MUCH TIGHTER ZONING AND YOU HAD
TO LET THE NEIGHBORS WILL KNOW
WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND IT WOULD
COME TO THE FULL COUNCIL .
USUALLY, IF YOUR NEIGHBORS WERE
NOT HAPPY AND THE LOCAL
PROPERTY OWNERS AROUND YOU ARE
NOT HAPPY, YOU DID NOT GET IT.
I DO REMEMBER SAM SMITH
COMFORTING A DEVELOPER WHEN HE
TOLD HIM I LIKE YOU STILL , BUT
I CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS BECAUSE
IT GOT IN THE NEWSPAPERS AND A
LITTLE ON TV AND YOU SEE THE
PEOPLE OUT THERE? AND THE
DEVELOPER UNDERSTOOD. NOWADAYS,
WE DON'T HAVE THE PUBLIC IN
THE PROCESS AT ALL. I'M ALSO
HAPPY TO SEE A REPORT ON
TODAY'S AGENDA. SOMETHING THAT
LOOKS MORE LIKE A LAND-USE
COMMITTEE FUNCTION RATHER THAN
HANDING OUT GOODIES. HOPEFULLY
THIS COMMITTEE WON'T BE KNOWN
AS A SANTA CLAUS -- OR THE
COMMITTEE THAT NEVER SAYS NO TO
DEVELOPERS. WE MIGHT ACTUALLY
LOOK TOWARDS A REGULAR ORDER --
[ INAUDIBLE ] .
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE RICHARD
CONLON FOLLOWED BY DAVID.
RICHARD, IF YOU PRESS STAR SIX
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> I DON'T SEE HIM ON -- OH,
THERE WE GO. YES, PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
>> AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS
RICHARD. I'M PART OF THE
WATERSHED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. I
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT
OF COUNCIL BILL 120749. WE HAVE
APPRECIATED YOUR ATTENTION AND
THE POSITIVE RESPONSES WE HAVE
RECEIVED FROM COUNCILMEMBERS. I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS
NOT A REZONE . THE DEVELOPMENT
CAN BE BUILT OUT RIGHT UNDER
THE EXISTING ZONING. ALL THIS
DOES IS MODIFY SLIGHTLY THE
DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS. WE DO
HOPE YOU WILL VOTE THE
LEGISLATION OUT OF COMMITTEE
TODAY. IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT WATERSHED, I
WOULD BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TODAY
OR AT YOUR CONVENIENCE. WE
WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE ANY
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO WOULD BE
INTERESTED TO TOUR OUR PROJECT
AREA. IF YOU'D LIKE TO DO
THAT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND WE
WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK THAT OUT
WITH YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU
AGAIN. AND, AGAIN, WE REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION AND
HOPE YOU WILL VOTE THIS OUT
TODAY.
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE DAVID HAYNES
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE HE DROPPED
OFF.
>> DAVID, ARE YOU THERE? I
DON'T.
>> WE HAVE LOST THE CALLER.
>> OKAY. OKAY, ANYONE ELSE
SIGNED UP. OKAY. GREAT. DAVID,
IF YOU DO WANT TO SUBMIT YOUR
COMMENTS YOU CAN DO SO IN
WRITING. OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO
AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD THEN. AND WE
WILL MOVE ON TO THE FIRST
AGENDA ITEM WHICH IS BRIEFING
DISCUSSION AND A POSSIBLE VOTE
ON COUNCIL BILL 120749. NAOMI,
WILL YOU READ THAT ITEM INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE .
>> THANK YOU. OH, YES, PLEASE.
I'M SORRY. PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE
VICE CHAIR STRAUSS IS HERE.
>> APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE I
WAS ATTENDING A MEETING.
>> THAT'S QUITE RIGHT. OKAY.
SO, WE ARE JOINED BY GEOFFREY
WENDLANDT AND OUR OWN LISH
WHITSON FROM COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF. THEY DID BRIEF US ON
THIS LEGISLATION AT THE
PREVIOUS LAND USE COMMITTEE
MEETING. WE ALSO HAD A HEARING
AT THAT MEETING AND, SO, WE ARE
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MAY HAVE BEFORE THE VOTE.
SO, I'M GOING TO MOVE THE BILL
IN THE AMENDMENT AND THEN WE
WILL GET INTO DISCUSSION AND
MAYBE I WILL LET Y'ALL
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AGAIN JUST
FOR THE RECORD.
>> LISH WHITSON, COUNCIL
CENTRAL STAFF.
>> COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF,
LAND-USE POLICY MANAGER IN THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY. SMACK THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. OKAY, SO, I'M GOING TO
MOVE THE COUNCIL BILL 120749
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECONDED. I WILL GO AHEAD
AND HANDED OVER. ARE YOU GOING
TO BE BREAKING THIS?
>> I HAD NOT PLANNED ON DOING A
PRESENTATION. HE WILL TAKE YOU
THROUGH IT AND I'M HERE TO BE
A RESOURCE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
>> A BRIEF REFRESHER WOULD BE
GREAT.
>> LET ME PULL UP ONE PAGE FROM
THE PRESENTATION WE SAW LAST
TIME. IT'S A MAP OF THE AREA
THAT IS AFFECTED BY THE
PROPOSED ZONING TEXT AMENDMENT.
IT'S IN AREAS OWN C1 75 ALONG
FOURTH AVENUE SOUTH NEAR
GEORGETOWN. IT SURROUNDED BY A
MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL
ZONES WITH 85 FOOT HEIGHT
LIMITS. AND THE PROPOSAL IS TO
ALLOW AN ADDITIONAL 10 FEET IN
THIS AREAS ZONE FOR 75 FOOT
HEIGHT DEVELOPMENT. UNDER A
NUMBER OF CONDITIONS. IT WOULD
APPLY TO PROJECTS THAT WILL BE
GREEN BUILDINGS THAT HAVE AT
LEAST FIVE RESIDENTIAL FLOORS
WITH SOUND INSULATING WINDOWS
AND AIR COOLING AND VENTILATION
SYSTEMS. THEY PROVIDE
GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL OR OTHER
COMMUNITY SERVING USES FOR AT
LEAST 20% OF THE STREET
FRONTAGE AND HAVE A 20 FOOT
TALL GROUND-FLOOR. THERE IS AN
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD ADJUST
THAT LAST PROVISION.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. SO, AGAIN,
THIS IS REALLY -- ALLOWING AT
LEAST ON THE GROUND FLOOR AND
FIRST TWO FLOORS ARTIST LIVE
WORKSPACE ALONG WITH THE
ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL AND THE
CULTURAL SPACE AND COMMERCIAL
SPACE THAT YOU INDICATED ON THE
GROUND FLOOR. IT WOULD ALSO
UPDATE THE RECITAL TO THE BILL
TO REFLECT THE NAME OF THE
WATERSHED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
WHICH WAS FORMALLY THE
GEORGETOWN COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION RADIO,
ACTUALLY THAT IS IN THE
AMENDMENT. SO, EXCUSE ME. OKAY,
I'M GOING TO SEE IF COLLEAGUES
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS BILL
FOR LISH OR GEOFF.
>> I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. SO,
THE WATERSHED AREA, IS THAT
CARVED OUT AREA IN TOTALITY?
>> YES. THEY ARE A COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. THEY
COULD BE BUILDING IN OTHER
PLACES BUT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON
DEVELOPING IN THIS RED AREA
SURROUNDED BY YELLOW.
>> WHERE EXACTLY IS THEIR
DEVELOPMENT PLANS ON THIS MAP?
>> SO, I KNOW THAT ALONG FOURTH
AVENUE DO YOU SEE THE DESIGN
CENTER? THE BLOCKS JUST NORTH
OF THERE? I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE
ACQUIRED SOME PROPERTY IN THOSE
BLOCKS.
>> IN ORDER FOR THEIR DESIGN OR
THE BUILDING TO BE BUILT, WE
WOULD HAVE TO PASS THIS
LEGISLATION?
>> AS DESIGNED, OTHERWISE THEY
WOULD BUILD IT 75 FEET.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M JUST
CURIOUS. MY UNDERSTANDING BASED
ON WHAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED IN
THE EMAIL IS THAT IN THIS 85
FOOT HEIGHT ZONE, 80% OF THE
STREET FRONTAGE NEEDS TO BE IN
ONE OR MORE OF THOSE COMMUNITY
-- COMPLETE COMMUNITY USES
WHICH ARE ITERATED IN THE
STATUTE AND THIS IS ONLY 20%
AND DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS THE
CASE? LIKE, WHY THE DEVELOPMENT
GROUP HAS DECIDED TO HAVE A
SMALLER PERCENTAGE?
>> SURE. I WILL TAKE THIS
QUESTION. THE 20% IS FOR THE,
KIND OF, ACTIVE MORE RETAIL
ORIENTED USES. THE REMAINDER OF
THAT GROUND-FLOOR WOULD BE GOOD
SPACE FOR MAKER TYPE BUSINESSES
, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TYPE USES,
ART SPACE AND THE LIKES. SO,
THOSE DON'T FIT IN THAT
LAND-USE CATEGORY OF THE 20%
ACTIVE USES BUT WE THINK THOSE
OTHER ARTS AND MAKER USES WOULD
BE A GREAT FIT FOR THE
REMAINING 80%.
>> AND THIS BILL WOULD NOT
PREVENT THAT FROM -- I MEAN,
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO USE THAT
SPACE EVEN WITH THE AMENDMENT?
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO,
AS I SAID, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS
INTENDED TO PROVIDE, SORTER, --
SORT OF, MORE STREET ACTIVATION
MORE MIXED-USE ALONG THE COURT
OR A FOURTH AVENUE. IT
SURROUNDED BY INDUSTRIAL BUT
THE SPACE, THIS IS PART OF
GEORGETOWN WHERE THERE IS A
RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THERE ARE
LOTS OF ARTISTS, LOTS OF
MIXED-USE . THIS WOULD ALLOW
FOR THE, KIND OF, MAKER SPACE
AND OTHER LIVE WORKSPACES THAT
FOLKS IN THE AREA ARE ASKING
FOR AND CAN MORE EASILY AFFORD,
I'M SURE. OKAY. SO, IF THERE
ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN I
AM GOING TO MOVE MY AMENDMENT
-- OH.
>> SORRY, CHAIR. JUST
CONFIRMING, I MEAN, THIS JUST
BRINGS IT UP TO WHAT THE OTHER
BUILDINGS ARE ZONED FOR IN THE
AREA.
>> CORRECT. ALL OF THE ZONING
SURROUNDING THIS --
>> ALL IS 85 FEET AND THIS WILL
BRING IT UP TO 85 FEE. JUST
WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> SURE. OKAY, SO, I THINK WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY
AMENDMENT LAST TIME, I WILL
BRIEF THAT AGAIN TOO BUT JUST
WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE
THAT AMENDMENT ONE. IS THERE A
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. SO, THIS WOULD
REQUIRE THAT THE GROUND-FLOOR
THE 20 FOOT TALL FOR THAT 20%
OF THE GROUND-FLOOR THAT IS A
NONRESIDENTIAL USE. THE POINT
OF THIS IS TO ALLOW GREATER
FLEXIBILITY FOR PROJECTS IN THE
AREA TO BE ABLE TO INCLUDE
GROUND-FLOOR RESIDENTIAL USES
WITH MORE APPROPRIATE
RESIDENTIAL HEIGHTS. IS THERE
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO
ADD, LISH, ABOUT WHAT THE
AMENDMENT WOULD DO?
>> NO.
>> OKAY, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE
AMENDMENT? OKAY. SEEING NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS, WITH THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT ONE?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ?
>> AYE.
>> FIVE IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU. THE AMENDMENT
CARRIES. IS THERE ANY FURTHER
DISCUSSION ON THE BILL AS
AMENDED BEFORE I REQUEST A ROLL
CALL?
>> COUNCIL --
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOORE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT
THE WATERSHED CDA HAS INDICATED
THEY WILL BE PROVIDING MOST
UNITS AT 60% AMI AND SOME AT
80% AND THAT THERE IS AN
AGREEMENT IN PLACE WITH THE
HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR SOME
THREE-BEDROOM UNITS AND THE
PLAN IS TO DEVELOP AT LEAST 900
NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS IN
ADDITION TO PROVIDING FOR MAKER
SPACE AND OTHER COMMUNITY
NEEDED SERVICES AND RETAIL. SO,
I'M VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF
THE EFFORT AND THE COMMITMENT .
I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE AMI
LOWER BUT 60 AND 80% IS A GOOD
START AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT
COMMITMENT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY
OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. CLERK,
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
ON THE AMENDED --
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ] FIVE
IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU. THE MOTION
CARRIES AND THE LEGISLATION
WILL BE SENT TO THE MAY 7th
FULL CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR A
FINAL VOTE. THANKS VERY MUCH,
YOU GUYS. OKAY, WILL YOU READ
ITEM TWO INTO THE RECORD
PLEASE, NAOMI.
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO. THE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
REPORT FOR BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE FOLKS
FROM SDCI AND OPCD COMING GOOD
AS YOU ARE COMING TO THE TABLE,
THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL
ITEM. IT IS A JOINT REPORT FROM
OPCD AND SDCI. THEY WERE
CLOSELY TOGETHER ON THE WORK OF
THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
GOALS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY.
SO, I WILL LET YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> THAT AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
MEMBERS. NATHAN TORGELSON,
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
>> GOOD EVENING. DIRECTOR OF
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
>> I AM KATIE SHEEHY WITH THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. BEAR
WITH ME, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME
WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND I AM A
LITTLE LIKE WHERE'S THE
SLIDESHOW? SO, NOT A PROBLEM.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE SOME
FOLKS ONLINE AS WELL.
>> YES, GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M
PATRICIA SPEARS WITH SDCI.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. ANYONE ELSE
ON THE ZOOM? I DON'T THINK I
SEE ANYONE ELSE. OKAY. OKAY,
GREAT. ARE YOU READY TO SHARE?
>> ONE MOMENT.
>> YES, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT
ONE. I'M SORRY. I DON'T KNOW
WHERE THE PRESENTATION IS.
>> YOU WANT ME TO ROLL?
>> HERE YOU GO. IS THIS --
NAOMI, ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE?
OKAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
>> OKAY. SURE. GIVE US JUST A
MINUTE.
>> [ SILENCE ] OKAY. HERE WE
GO. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> SO, GO AHEAD, PATRICIA.
>> ALL RIGHT. I WILL READ. WE
ACKNOWLEDGE THE ROLE OF
TRADITIONAL WESTERN CENTRIC
PLANNING PRACTICES HAVE PLAYED
IN HARMING, DISPLACING, AND
ATTEMPTING TO ERASE NATIVE
COMMUNITIES. WE COMMIT TO
IDENTIFYING RACIST PRACTICES
AND PRACTICE ALLEY SHIP AND
STRIVE TO RESTORATIVE LAND
STEWARDSHIP RATHER THAN ON
SUSTAINABLE AND EXTRACTIVE USE
OF THE LAND. WE HUMBLY
RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ON
INDIGENOUS LAND, THEIR
TRADITIONAL AND CURRENT
TERRITORIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO
HAVE RESERVED TREATY RIGHTS TO
THIS LAND. INCLUDING THE
DUWAMISH, SNOW, MUCKLESHOOT AND
STILL QUAM-ISH. WE THINK THESE
CARETAKERS OF THESE LAND WHO
HAVE LIVED AND CONTINUED TO
LIVE HERE SINCE TIME
IMMEMORIAL. PRACTICING ALLEY
SHIP, AND STRIVING .
>> OUR RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
ECOSYSTEM IS DIFFERENT THAN
OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE WE
HAVE A JOINT CHANGE TEAM. WHEN
HER OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS WERE CREATED ALMOST
10 YEARS AGO, WE HAD BEEN THE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING JOINT
TEAM AND WHEN WE SPLIT UP ARE
WE DECIDED TO KEEP HER CHANGE
TEAM TOGETHER BECAUSE OUR WORK
REALLY OVERLAPS AND INFORMS
EACH OTHER AND WE REALLY
APPRECIATE THE ECOSYSTEM. THERE
IS A CHANGE TEAM AND WITHIN
SDCI THERE IS A WIDE
ACCOUNTABILITY ACTION GROUP AND
AN ANTIRACIST TASK FORCE AND
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ALSO HAS
RACE-BASED CAUCUSING AND THE
LEADING WITH EQUITY TEAM THAT
SHAPES OUR BROADER WORKPLAN AND
THIS ECOSYSTEM HELPS US DO
INTERNAL WORK AND BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS ACROSS OUR
DEPARTMENTS SO THAT THE
POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND
PROCEDURES THAT WE CREATE
BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.
>> CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE CHANGE TEAMS IN
THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO BRIDGE
FOR OTHER FOLKS ON THE TEAMS?
>> I THINK WE ARE GOING TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
>> SURE.
>> OKAY. AS KATIE MENTIONED
PRIOR TO 2016 WE WERE ONE
DEPARTMENT, THE DEPARTMENT OF
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND
WHEN WERE WE CREATED INTO TWO
DEPARTMENTS WE THOUGHT IT WAS
REALLY IMPORTANT SINCE WE WORK
SO CLOSELY TOGETHER THAT WE
HAVE A JOINT CHANGE TEAM. SO,
WE ARE EXCITED TO TALK TO YOU
TODAY ABOUT OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
IN 2022 AND 2023. LOOK AND
DISCUSS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT WE HAVE HAD, TALK ABOUT
OUR RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS AND
TALK ABOUT OUR GOALS THAT ARE
UNDERWAY THIS YEAR IN 2024.
>> SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
THAT THE CHANGE TEAM HAD WAS
LEAP TRAINING FOR BOTH
DEPARTMENTS. THE CHANGE TEAM
READING GROUP WHERE WE READ
ARTICLES, BOOKS, WATCHED FILMS,
TO LEAD TO DISCUSSIONS
IDENTIFYING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OH PCD DEVELOPED AND SHARED A
PRESENTATION CALLED LAND-USE
101 WHICH FOCUSED ON THE
HISTORY OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT
COLONIZATION, SEGREGATION, AND
EXCLUSION.
>> SO, AMONGST ALL OF THE WORK
THAT WE DO AS OUR TWO
DEPARTMENTS, I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS
THAT WE HAVE DONE UNDER THE
LEADERSHIP OF THE CHANGE TEAM
AND ALSO ARE LEADING WITH
EQUITY TEAM. OUR OPCD STAFF,
THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, EVERY YEAR
THAT WE GO THROUGH OUR
BUDGETING PROCESS WE DO IT AS A
COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENT, NOT
ONLY AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE
MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH THEIR
STAFF THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR AND ALSO TO BRING THE
OUTCOMES AND CONSIDERATIONS OF
THOSE DELIBERATIONS TO OUR
LEADING WITH EQUITY TEAM TO
LOOK AT WEATHER WE ARE MAKING
DECISIONS THAT ARE EQUITABLE
AND BALANCED AND TAKE INTO
CONSIDERATION , YOU KNOW, EVEN
POTENTIALLY UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES . AS IS ON THE
PREVIOUS SLIDE, WE HAD HOSTED,
YOU KNOW, THIS COLLABORATIVE
EVENTS SUCH AS THE SINCE I HAVE
BEEN DOWN FILM SHOWING AND ALSO
A VISIT TO THE WING LUKE
MUSEUM. WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE INCREASING
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OPCD AND
SDCI. WE SEE EACH OTHER ON A
REGULAR BASIS BUT THAT
INTERCONNECTEDNESS WE HAD
MAINTAINED WITH THE CHANGE
TEAM, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING
ON EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT ZONING
WORK TOGETHER AND DESIGN REVIEW
WORK TOGETHER AND THERE HAS
BEEN GROWING PARTICIPATION IN
OTHER GROUPS INCLUDING THE
BIPOC CAUCUS, THE WHITE CAUCUS
AND OUR LEADING EQUITY TEAM.
>> YES, I WILL JUST ADD THAT WE
WORK CLOSELY WITH THE SEATTLE
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS TO HELP
SHAPE THE RS J ORDINANCE AT THE
PREVIOUS COUNCIL PASSED. WE
TALKED TO MAYOR HARRELL A LOT
ABOUT THESE ISSUES. THERE WAS A
LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT
BRINGING EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL TOWER AND TO
SEATTLE CITY HALL AND TRYING TO
ACHIEVE THAT RIGHT BALANCE. A
LOT OF OUR LOWEST PAID
EMPLOYEES HAPPEN TO LIVE THE
FURTHEST AWAY BUT WE ALSO
UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND
COMMUNITY AND AT THE CITY. SO,
ACHIEVING THAT BALANCE WAS AN
IMPORTANT DISCUSSION THAT WE
HAD WITH THE MAYOR.
>> CHAIR?
>> SDCI HAS AN ANTIRACIST TAX
FORCE.
>> NATHAN, HOLD ONE MINUTE.
I'M SORRY. I'M NOT GETTING
INTO THIS MIKE VERY WELL.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, PLEASE
GO AHEAD.
>> A WHOLE MY COMMENTS, AS THE
CHAIR OF LAND-USE DURING THE
PANDEMIC I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THE FACT THAT MANY OF YOU --
YOUR EMPLOYEES DID NOT HAVE THE
CHOICE TO COME IN THE OFFICE.
THEY WERE OUT DOING INSPECTIONS
TO CONTINUE OUR CITY BUILDING
AND MOVING AND I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT FACT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> SO, SDCI HAS AN ANTIRACIST
TASK FORCE AND WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON WHAT WE CALL AN
ACCOUNTABILITY AGREEMENT THAT
PROVIDES FRAMEWORK FOR
ADDRESSING WORKPLACE
DISCRIMINATION AND IMPROVING
STAFF AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT
ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES. WE
HAVE A PROCESS INTERNALLY WHERE
STAFF CAN RAISE CONCERNS TO OUR
INTERNAL TASK FORCE IF THEY ARE
SEEING PROBLEMS WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A POLICY, A
GUIDELINE, THAT WHEN WE MAKE
POLICY DECISIONS INTERNALLY, WE
WANT TO TRY, WE AIM TO HAVE AT
LEAST 50% OF THE PEOPLE MAKING
THAT DECISION BE BIPOC
EMPLOYEES. WE ALSO HAVE A
PROCESS WHEN WE BRING ON NEW
EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THERE IS
ALWAYS TURNOVER AMONGST CITY
STAFF. PEOPLE LEAVE TO GET NEW
JOBS, NEW EMPLOYEES COME ON TO
HAVE ON BOARDING OF RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE TRAINING. OUR
NEW EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND THE
FRAMEWORK WITHIN THE CITY AND
HOW WE OPERATE.
>> SO, WITH THE OPCD CAUCUSES
WE CREATED THESE IN THE SUMMER
OF 2020 EVEN THOUGH WE HAD BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THAT A BIT BEFORE
THEN AND WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON
AN ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK
SIMILAR TO WHAT NATHAN
DESCRIBED WITH THE SDCI AND
OURS IS STILL A DRAFT BUT WITH
OUR CHANGE TEAM WE ARE ABLE TO
CO-INFORM EACH OTHER AND
SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN CREATING
THESE FRAMEWORKS SO THAT THEY
ARE CONSISTENT IN IMPLEMENTING
THE RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
ORDINANCE AND WE ALSO IT WAS
MENTIONED EARLIER, WE CO-LED A
VISIT TO THE WING LUKE MUSEUM
FOR THE NOBODY LIVES HERE
EXHIBIT THAT FOCUSES ON HOW THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PLANNING
AROUND THE EYE-5 FREEWAY
IMPACTED THE CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND WE
ARE CURRENTLY CO-DESIGNING AND
ALL STAFF RETREAT TO FOCUS ON
HER WORK MOVING FORWARD.
>> ARE LEADING WITH EQUITY TEAM
OPERATES IN ADDITION TO OUR
INVOLVEMENT ON OUR CO-CHANGE
TEAM EFFORTS LEADING WITH
EQUITY TEAM FOCUSES MORE ON OUR
INTERNAL OFFICE CULTURE AND
SOME OPCD PACIFIC EFFORTS. WE
CONDUCTED A STAFF SURVEY LAST
YEAR UNDERSCORING IMPORTANT
LONG-STANDING ISSUES AND
DISPARITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR
STAFF AND HOW WE ARE AFFECTING
OFFICE CULTURE. THEY'VE
CELEBRATED AND UPLIFTED ON HOW
WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS OUR
CULTURE. WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN A
NUMBER OF DIFFERENT IMPORTANT
EFFORTS OF SCALE. WERE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT THAT IN AN UPCOMING
SLIDE. WE ALSO CREATED A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EGOS WHEN
I JOINED OPCD THREE YEARS AGO
WHICH INFORMS OUR WORK. I WOULD
LIKE TO POSIT THAT WE ENGAGE
COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT IS
COLLABORATIVE AND NOT
EXTRACTIVE AND HOW DO WE CROSS
COORDINATE WITH OUR OTHER
DEPARTMENTS WHEN WE ARE DOING
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
HOW DO WE DO COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT THAT IS AUTHENTIC
AND INTENTIONAL AND LEADS TO
BETTER OUTCOMES FOR COMMUNITY.
>> SO, VERY PROUD OF THE
INDIGENOUS SEATTLE PROGRAM THAT
IS A PART OF OUR OFFICE. OUR
FORMER INTERN DAKOTA MURRAY IS
NOW ONE OF OUR EDI PROJECT
MANAGERS IN THE OFFICE AND, AS
ALL OF YOU KNOW, WE CREATED THE
CITY'S FIRST EVER INDIGENOUS
PLANNER STRATEGIST POSITION
WHICH WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO
FILL THIS YEAR. WITH TIM
SERVING IN THIS ROLE, REALLY
IMPORTANT GETTING TO OUR
CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS
THE NEEDS OF OUR URBAN
INDIGENOUS AND WORK WITH OIR ON
TRAVEL RELATED ISSUES. DAKOTA
AND TIM HAVE PARTNERED WITH
POKER ARTISTS FOR DIFFERENT
NAMES FOR OUR CONFERENCE ROOMS
THAT HAVE INDIGENOUS ROOTS WE
ARE POTENTIALLY WORKING ON A
FILM PROJECT IN THAT REGARDS
JUST TO TALK ABOUT THAT
TRANSFORMATION. AND THERE'S
ALSO A FUTURE INSULATION OF NEW
INDIGENOUS ARTWORK IN OUR OPCD
LOBBY AS WELL. YOU KNOW, I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE,
WE HAVE TO OPERATE ON MULTIPLE
FRONTS AT MULTIPLE SCALES AND I
THINK THAT WHILE WE ARE MAKING
PROGRESS WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF
WORK TO DO AND IT'S GREAT TO
HAVE TIM AND DAKOTA IN THE
OFFICE TO HELP GUIDE US AS WE
DO THIS WORK. THANK YOU. SO,
OUR EDI PROGRAM , AS YOU ALL
KNOW, JUST KIND OF AS AN
AVERAGE, WE PUT OUT AROUND $20
MILLION A YEAR IN EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FUNDS TO
NON-FOR PROFIT BIPOC
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES IN
THE COMMUNITY LIKE BLACK AND
BROWN FACES FOR THE COMMUNITIES
THAT THEY ARE A PART OF. SUPER
IMPORTANT PROGRAM FOR THE CITY
BECAUSE WE ARE DEMONSTRATING
THE VALUE AND WE ARE ALSO
HELPING THOSE ORGANIZATIONS
REMAIN IN PLACE. THIS WAS
IDENTIFIED AS A SPECIFIC
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY , I
BELIEVE THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS
AGO NOW THAT IT WAS IDENTIFIED
AS A PROGRAM OPPORTUNITY AND
THE REASON IT IS IMPORTANT FOR
COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE IT ENSURES
THAT THERE ARE BIPOC NON-FOR
PROFITS THAT HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL THEIR
OWN SPACE, TO OWN THEIR OWN
SPACE AND REMAIN IN PLACE IN
OUR COMMUNITIES IN COLOR TO
SUPPORT FAMILIES , SMALL
BUSINESS, AND COMMUNITY AND
CULTURE WE ADMINISTERED AN RFP
IN THE SUMMER FOR '22 AND TWO
RFPs IN 2023. WE OFTEN WILL DO
ONE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE
YEAR THAT'S ABOUT SIDE
ACQUISITION AND IN THE SECOND
HALF OF THE YEAR THAT'S FOR
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS . WE
CLOSE TRANSACTIONS IN 2023 FOR
SIX ORGANIZATIONS WORRIED I
WON'T GO THROUGH THE LIST BUT
YOU CAN SEE IT THERE ON THE
SCREEN AND THEN, WE CONTINUED
TO HOUSING GROW OUR INDIGENOUS
SEATTLE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
WHICH IS THE INTENT OF WHICH IS
TO CULTIVATE NEW TALENT IN
PLANNING WITH INDIGENOUS
PLANNING PROFESSIONALS IN THE
REGION.
>> I WILL ADD THIS HAS BEEN A
GREAT COLLABORATION WITH D.C.
BECAUSE SOME OF THESE EDI
GRANTS LEAD INTO CAPITAL
PROJECTS THAT HAVE TO GET A
PERMIT. WE WORK VERY CLOSELY
WITH RICO'S TEAM TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS A SEAMLESS TRANSITION
AS THEY MOVE INTO PERMITTING
AND DEVELOPMENT. SO, WORKFORCE
EQUITY, WE ARE REALLY PROUD
EVERY SUMMER TO SUPPORT AND
HIRE SEATTLE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
PROGRAM INTERNS WITHIN OUR
DEPARTMENT. MANY OF THESE YOUTH
ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, NOT
EXCLUSIVELY, BUT THIS IS A
FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO
EDUCATE THE YOUTH AND FUTURE
LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT
WHAT CITY EMPLOYMENT AND CITY
GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT AND OUR
HOPE IS THAT SOME OF THE YOUTH
IN THESE PROGRAMS BECOME
EVENTUAL CITY EMPLOYEES IN OUR
DEPARTMENTS. ALSO, I WANT TO
MENTION THAT OVER THE PAST TWO
YEARS WE HAVE UPDATED OUR
HIRING PRACTICES PRETTY
SIGNIFICANTLY. WE NOW GIVE
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS A FEW HOURS
IN ADVANCE TO THE PROSPECTIVE
APPLICANTS. WE KNOW THAT SOME
PEOPLE DON'T THINK AS QUICKLY
ON THE SPOT IF THEY ARE GIVEN
AN INTERVIEW QUESTION IN THE
INTERVIEW. WE WANT TO GIVE
PEOPLE SOME TIME TO REFLECT AND
THINK BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GO
INTO THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
ANOTHER CHANGE WE HAVE MADE IS
IN A LOT OF OUR INTERVIEWS WE
DO NOT GIVE PROSPECTIVE
APPLICANTS RESUMES TO THE
INTERVIEW PANEL WAY IN
ADVANCED. ONE OF THE THINGS WE
REALLY WANT OUR EMPLOYEES WHO
ARE INTERVIEW PANELS TO THINK
ABOUT IS A PERSON'S LIVED
EXPERIENCE, NOT NECESSARILY
FOCUSING ON WHERE THAT PERSON
WENT TO COLLEGE AND THE
PROCEDURE OF THAT PARTICULAR
COLLEGE BUT THEIR TOTAL LIFE
EXPERIENCE AND WE THINK THAT'S
REALLY AN IMPORTANT PROCESS. WE
HAVE HIRED AN EQUITY ADVISER ON
OUR HR TEAM THAT HAS BEEN AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OUR SJ
WORK AND WE HAVE MONTHLY
LEADERSHIP MEETINGS WITHIN OUR
LEADERSHIP TEAM AT SDCI AND
EVERY EMPLOYEE PUT TOGETHER A
PERSONAL ACTION PLAN LOOKING AT
HOW YOU CAN ADDRESS RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES WITHIN
OUR DEPARTMENT AND ALSO, VERY
IMPORTANT IN THE WORK THAT WE
DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
>> THE RACE AND SOCIAL EQUITY
INDEX IS AN EXAMPLE OF CDs WORK
TO DO SOME EXCELLENT DATA
ANALYSIS. THIS WAS LED BY OUR
CITIES DEMOGRAPHER AND IT WAS
INITIALLY CREATED IN 2017 AND
HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH CURRENT
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND IT LOOKS
-- IT HELPS US AS CITY PLANNERS
AND STAFF IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS
WHO ALSO DO PLANNING UNDERSTAND
THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHERE THERE
ARE MORE HIGH PRIORITY AREAS
WERE COMMUNITIES ARE LOWER
INCOME, LESS LIKELY TO SPEAK
ENGLISH AS A FIRST LANGUAGE AND
HAVE OTHER NEEDS THAT WE WANT
TO ALIGN CITY RESOURCES TO
BETTER SERVE THESE COMMUNITIES
WERE AT HIGHER RISK OF
DISPLACEMENT AND, CERTAINLY,
WERE ON THE FRONT LINES AND
HARDEST HIT BY COVID.
>> IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THIS INDEX AS WELL AS OUR
DISPLACEMENT INDEX MAP ARE USED
BY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY
AS IT RELATES TO THEIR
DECISION-MAKING ABOUT HOW THEY
ARE MAKING INVESTMENTS IN
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT
POINT. I WAS GOING TO TALK
ABOUT THAT TOO. IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHAT THEY
LOOK LIKE, WHAT KIND OF
RESOURCES THEY NEED AND I KNOW
WE WERE MEETING WITH
S.RECENTLY, THEY MENTIONED THIS
MAP.
>> ABSOLUTELY. ESPECIALLY
BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO BE USING
DATA IN A SIMILAR WAY AND NOT
REINVENTING THE WHEEL ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS BUT THAT WE HAVE A
SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS YOU ALL KNOW, OP OPCD
HOUSES THE PLANNING COMMISSION
AND THE DESIGN COMMISSION
UNDERNEATH THE UMBRELLA OF OUR
OFFICE. THEY BOTH HAVE
INDEPENDENT CHARTERS AND ACT
INDEPENDENTLY BUT COLLABORATE
WITH US IN OUR WORK AND AS A
PART OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM.
THE SEATTLE PLANNING COMMISSION
PRESENTED FOR ISSUE BRIEFS LAST
YEAR FOCUSED ON EQUITABLE
GROWTH AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES TO INFORM OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WORK . THE
PLANNING COMMISSION ALSO DID
GUIDED TOWARDS OF THE WING LUKE
MUSEUM AND A DEBRIEF OF
PLANNING COMMISSIONERS, KIND
OF, GIVING THEM SOME REAL-LIFE
CONTEXT THAT INFORMS THE
DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY HAVE
AMONGST THEMSELVES . WHETHER
WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE PLAN
THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY. ALL
COMMISSION MEETINGS CAN NOW BE
VIEWED ON OUR WEBSITE TO
INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND FOR
PEOPLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS
INFORMATION. THE DESIGN
COMMISSION ADOPTED AN EQUITY
WORK PLAN TO GUIDE BEST
PRACTICES FOR COMMISSIONERS .
RECENTLY COSPONSORED AN AND
DIGITIZING PUBLIC TRANSIT EVENT
WITH OUR PLANNER ELIZABETH THE
, I HOPE I'M PRONOUNCING IT
CORRECTLY. THE PLANNING
COMMISSION ALSO CONTINUED
INCLUSION OF EQUITY IN REGARDS
TO DESIGN OF PUBLIC SPACES.
THAT REALLY DRIVES THE HEART OF
THEIR WORK AND THEIR
DELIBERATIONS REGARDING PUBLIC
FACING PROJECTS.
>> SO, DIGITAL EQUITY, WE
REALIZE THAT A LOT OF OUR
INTERACTION WITH MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC IS DONE ONLINE AND
THROUGH TECHNOLOGY. SO, IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE
UNDERSTAND HOW THAT'S WORKING
OR NOT WORKING FOR OUR
CUSTOMERS AND MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND I JUST WANTED TO
GIVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES . THE
COUNCIL COUPLE OF YEARS AGO
PAST THE ECONOMIC DISPLACEMENT
AND RELOCATION ACT LEGISLATION
THAT HELPS THOSE TENANTS THAT
ARE SEEING RENTAL INCREASES OF
10% OR MORE GET ASSISTANCE IF
THEY DO NEED TO MOVE. SO, WE
INTERVIEWED MANY OF THOSE
TENANTS TO FIGURE OUT HOW THAT
PROCESS IS WORKING FOR THEM.
THERE ARE FORMS THAT THEY HAVE
TO FILL OUT , PAPER FORMS,
DIGITAL FORMS, AND WE DID THE
WHOLE APPLICATION PROCESS BASED
ON FEEDBACK THAT WE ARE GETTING
FROM THOSE TENANTS. THAT'S A
WAY WHERE WE REACH OUT DIRECTLY
TO OUR CUSTOMERS TO IMPROVE OUR
TECHNOLOGY ASSETS. -- ACCESS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS OUR TREE
SERVICE PROVIDER LEGISLATION .
OUR CUSTOMERS WHO NEED TO HAVE
TREES REMOVED FOR DEVELOPMENT
HAVE TO HIRE A TREE SERVICE
PROVIDER TO TAKE THE TREE DOWN
OR TRIM THAT TREE AND THEY HAVE
TO BE REGISTERED THROUGH THE
CITY. SO, WE CONDUCTED
INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE TREE
SERVICE PROVIDERS TO FIGURE OUT
HOW OUR FORMS AND OUR
TECHNOLOGY COULD BETTER HELP
THEM.
>> AS I RECALL, PART OF THE
ISSUE THERE WAS THAT MANY OF
OUR LANDSCAPING COMPANIES OR
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAYBE DON'T
SPEAK ENGLISH AS A PRIMARY
LANGUAGE.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> THERE'S A LANGUAGE BARRIER
TO UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME
RULES MIGHT BE CHANGING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
>> A SUMMARY OF OUR '22 '23
RSJI CHALLENGES IS HAVING
DEDICATED TIME TO DO THIS WORK,
I MEAN, WE ALL ARE REALLY
SUPPORTIVE TO THE PAID WORK
THAT WE DO , THAT'S VERY
VALUABLE TO THE CITY BUT WE
WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TIME TO
BE ABLE TO DO OUR RSJI WORK.
ALSO, A SENSE OF URGENCY FOR
OUR PROJECTS, MAKE IT DIFFICULT
TO ESTABLISH TRUST AND BUILD A
RELATIONAL CO-CHAIR WITHIN OUR
DEPARTMENTS WHILE PERFORMING
THE RSJI WORK. WE FEEL RUSHED
IN TRYING TO DO THAT WORK WITH
THE OTHER MANY DUTIES THAT WE
HAVE. SOME OF THE ONGOING
PROJECTS THAT WE DO HAVE IS
CREATING A RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKIT LIBRARY THAT WE SHARED
BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS ,
CREATING THE ACCOUNTABILITY
AGREEMENT, WORKING WITH OCR AND
SD HR IN IDENTIFYING GOOD RSJI
TRAININGS THAT WE CURRENTLY DO
NOT HAVE RIGHT NOW . SO, WE
HAVE BEEN, KIND OF, WORKING ON
THAT. LASTLY, TRANSPARENCY IN
DECISION-MAKING BY THE CITY ,
SOMETIMES IT AFFECTS THE RSJI
WORK WHICH CAN MAKE IT
CHALLENGING FOR US. SOME OF OUR
OPPORTUNITIES, TO HAVE FEWER
PROJECTS WHERE WE CAN FOCUS
MORE TIME AND ENERGY WHICH WILL
ALLOW US TO BUILD STRONG AND
ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO BUILD
SPACES AND CULTURE OF BELONGING
AND INCLUSION WHERE VOICES ARE
HEARD. WE REALLY WANT TO
RECOGNIZE ANYONE WHO HAS
ANYTHING TO SAY AND WE WANT TO
JUST KEEP AN OPEN, COMFORTABLE
SPACE.
>> SO, I WILL START OUT BY JUST
HIGHLIGHTING A COUPLE OF THE
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS THAT WE
HAVE DONE WITHIN SDCI. WE HAVE
A SMALL BUSINESS LIAISON
POSITION, I'M GETTING SOME
FEEDBACK. WE HAVE A SMALL
BUSINESS LIAISON POSITION
WITHIN SDCI. WE DID OUTREACH
WITH THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN NINE DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES TO A VARIETY OF
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS. MANY OF THESE
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE BIPOC
OWNED BUSINESSES AND WERE
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED
DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHAT WE
WANT TO DO IS MEET WITH THESE
BUSINESSES OR NEW BUSINESSES
BEFORE THEY COME IN FOR A
PERMIT TO HELP GUIDE THEM
THROUGH THE PROCESS AND LET
THEM KNOW ABOUT POTENTIAL
PERMIT REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY
MAY NOT BE AWARE OF. SO, THAT
HAS BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM WHERE WE HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES AND ARTS AND
CULTURAL BUSINESSES WITHIN
SEATTLE. ALSO, I WANTED TO
MENTION , TREE PROTECTION ,
WHEN WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS ON THE
NUTRI PROTECTION ORDINANCE , WE
WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT AND ALSO WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMUNITY LIAISONS WHERE WE
TARGETED IN LANGUAGE OUTREACH
TO VARIOUS COMMUNITIES IN
SEATTLE AND ALSO THE NEW
LEGISLATION THAT WAS ADOPTED
PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR PLANTING
TREES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
DON'T HAVE A GREAT TREE CANOPY
. IN MANY CASES, THAT HAS BEEN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE AS PART OF
THE FEE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
NEW TREES ARE PLANTED ELSEWHERE
AS A PART OF OUR OVERALL URBAN
CANOPY. CAN YOU GO BACK TO
THAT? THANK YOU. SO, LAST YEAR,
WHEN WE WERE IN FRONT OF YOU,
WE PRESENTED ON THE JOINT THAT
WE DID ON ST3 AS WELL AS THE
RET THAT WE DID FOR THE
LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED
LAST JUNE, I THINK IT WAS? BUT
WITH EQUITABLE ZONING , WE HAVE
AN ONGOING RET THERE AND, OF
COURSE, I MEAN, THAT IS ONE
WHERE I FEEL LIKE THE WORK IS
TOTALLY, INHERENTLY
INCORPORATED INTO THE WORK THAT
WE ARE DOING FOR THAT POLICY
WORK, RESEARCH WORK, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, AND CORRESPONDING
LEGISLATION WHEN WE DO BRING
THINGS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO
DO IS REMOVE BARRIERS FOR BIPOC
ORGANIZATIONS TO DO THEIR OWN
DEVELOPMENT WORK. SO, THAT RET
IS BEATEN BY DESIGN. I DO WANT
TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME
TALKING ABOUT OUR RET FOR THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS. WE COULD
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO, WE
ARE WORKING -- I MEAN, AS YOU
KNOW, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR OVER
TWO YEARS, WE ARE NOW IN OUR
THIRD YEAR AND WE WILL BE
DELIVERING A FINAL
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, DRAFT, TO
YOU FOR THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO, WE HAVE REPORTS THAT IS IN
PROCESS AT THIS TIME . THAT
REPORT DESCRIBES HOW OUR TEAM
IS OPERATING AND DOING THE
WORK. WE HAVE BUILT ON THE
POLICY LENGTHS 2021 RASUL
EQUITY ANALYSIS TO PRODUCE
DRAFT RACIAL EQUITY OUTCOMES
FOR THE PLAN. WE HAVE USE THE
FRAMEWORK TO INFORM OUR
ENGAGEMENT APPROACH WHICH
CENTERS THE VOICES OF
HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE CONDUCTED
EQUITY INFORMED DATA ANALYSIS
TO UNDERSTAND HOW FUTURE GROWTH
WOULD BENEFIT OR BURDEN
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALONG THE
LINES OF GRACE. WE WORK TO
REFLECT THE DRAFT RACIAL EQUITY
OUTCOMES A CRUTCH EACH OF THE
PLANS 13 ELEMENTS IN THE FORM
OF SPECIFIC GOALS AND POLICIES
WHICH WILL ADVANCE THESE
OUTCOMES. WE HAVE ALSO BUILT ON
OUR DRAFT RACIAL EQUITY
OUTCOMES, ENGAGEMENT AND
ANALYSIS TO INFORM OUR
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FRAMEWORK
WHICH YOU CAN PULL DOWN ONLINE
TO LOOK AT IN MORE DETAIL. THIS
WAS RELEASED JUST A COUPLE OF
WEEKS AFTER THE DRAFT PLAN. THE
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FRAMEWORK
REFLECTS ON MANY OF THE
EXISTING CITY POLICIES AND
PROGRAMS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED
THROUGH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
AS STRATEGIES THAT COLLECTIVELY
PLAY AN IMPORTANT AND ONGOING
ROLE IN ADDRESSING DISPLACEMENT
THROUGHOUT THE CITY. WE ARE
CONTINUING TO SEEK FEEDBACK ON
THE FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGIES
THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE
CITY TO PRIORITIZE. THIS WILL
BE AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGING
FOLKS IN IN OUR OPEN HOUSES. WE
HAVE AN ONLINE OPEN HOUSE THIS
THURSDAY. WE WILL ALSO CARRY
THAT CONVERSATION INTO OUR
ZONING IMPLEMENTATION IN THE
LATE SUMMER AND THIS FALL.
>> SO, STATE LEGISLATIVE INTENT
ON DESIGN REVIEW, DESIGN REVIEW
HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF GREAT
INTEREST TO OUR COUNCILMEMBERS
AND TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
AND TO MEMBERS OF THE DESIGN
COMMUNITY. WE WENT THROUGH THE
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
PROCESS WITH THE STAKEHOLDER
GROUP WHO PROVIDED A VARIETY OF
RECOMMENDATIONS . WE WENT
THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH AN
EQUITY CONSULTANT AND ALSO A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT
, COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, WE ARE
CLOSE TO BRIEFING YOU ON THE
RESULTS OF THAT ANALYSIS AND
LOOK FORWARD TO BRIEFING YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE RECENT STATE
LEGISLATION THAT LIMITS THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS TO ONE
MEETING . WE KNOW THAT
COMMUNITY INPUT IS OFTEN THE
MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE
DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS BECAUSE
PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD KNOW THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS BEST. WE
UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF GOOD
DESIGN BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND
THE URGENT NEED IN OUR
COMMUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL
HOUSING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO, WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES A SERIES
OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW TO
MOVE FORWARD TO CHANGES THAT
ADDRESS ALL OF THESE ISSUES.
>> WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT OUR
2024 GOALS FOR THE WORK THAT WE
DO . FOR AN EXAMPLE, WE WANT TO
PRIORITIZE RACIAL EQUITY AND
BUILD CAPACITY FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT. WE ALSO WANT TO
SHARE IMPACTS OF OUR CHANGE
TEAMWORK TO COMMUNITY IS
INCLUDING THE USE OF SOCIAL
MEDIA. ALSO, WE WANT TO INVEST
IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES ,
COLLABORATE WITH REGIONAL AND
NATIONAL RACIAL JUSTICE LEADERS
, ARE JUST A FEW OF THE GOALS
THAT WE HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS
YEAR.
>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW,
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS AND,
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE, I WAS PART
OF THE WALKING TOUR IN LAKE
CITY LAST WEEK. I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE WALKING
TOURS WITHIN COMMUNITY ARE LED
BY COMMUNITY SO THAT CITIES CAN
HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS SO THAT,
AGAIN, WE CAN LEVERAGE EXISTING
CITY RESOURCES TO BETTER MEET
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.
>> [ SILENCE ]
>> SO, ARE LEADING WITH EQUITY
GOALS FROM ARE LEADING WITH
EQUITY TEAM FOR THIS YEAR,
FOCUSING ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND
PUTTING FORTH A RS J RELATIONAL
CULTURE INTO PRACTICE
INTERNALLY. WE ARE EVOLVING
PEOPLE ACROSS THE OFFICE IN OUR
INTERNAL WORK AT OPCD
COORDINATING MULTIPLE EFFORTS
WITH MULTIPLE GROUPS ALONGSIDE
THE JOINT CHANGE TEAM. WE ARE
CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK , OUR
EQUITABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WORKBOOK AND, THEN, THE
CONTINUED PROCESS FOR THE
RENAMING OF ALL OF OUR
CONFERENCE ROOM WITH INDIGENOUS
NAMES. WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW
AND IMPROVE ON BOARD FOR NEW
STAFF AND INTERNS AND
COMMISSIONERS. WE ARE
DEVELOPING AN RSJ I TRAINING
APPROACH FOR 2024 INCLUDING
INVESTING IN QUARTERLY
COMMUNITY WALKING TOURS LIKE
KATIE WAS JUST DESCRIBING AND
COORDINATION WITH AND OUR JOINT
CHANGE TEAM AND WE ARE
CONTINUING TO WORK ON CULTURE
SHIFT USE OF OUR INTERNAL
RESOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM
OUR EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS AND
OTHERS AND CENTERING RACE
EQUITY AS WE DEVELOP OUR 2025
BUDGET PROPOSAL AND, OF COURSE,
CONTINUING TO TRACK OUR RACIAL
EQUITY TOOLKIT.
>> AS FAR AS SDCI GOALS FOR
2024, A LOT OF THEM ARE
CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE
STARTED IN 2022 AND 2023. I
TALKED ABOUT THE HIRING PROCESS
AND MAKING SURE THAT IS
TRANSPARENT FOR APPLICANTS AND
FOR SDCI STAFF SO THEY
UNDERSTAND WHO WAS HIRED AND
WHY AND THAT ALL APPLICANTS
RECEIVE THE SAME TREATMENT.
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY CULTURE AT SDCI
IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT
STARTS WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN
THE DEPARTMENT'S . THAT IS
TAKING WORDS AND BRINGING THEM
INTO ACTION. JUST ONE EXAMPLE,
OUR APEX SAM EMPLOYEES OR
EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT
REPRESENTED BY UNIONS AND ARE
NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME CAN
RECEIVE MERIT DAYS AT THE END
OF THE YEAR AND IN ORDER FOR
THOSE EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MERIT DAYS,
THEY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THEY
HAVE FURTHERED THE RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE CULTURE WITHIN
OUR DEPARTMENT. THAT IS
SOMETHING WE HAVE ADDED TO THE
ACCOUNTABILITY AGREEMENT. AT
THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE
TRYING TO DO AT SDCI EVERY DAY
IS REPLACING A WHITE SUPREMACY
CULTURE WITH A RELATIONAL
CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS
VALUED AND EQUAL. AND THAT
CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. WE
REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND
SUPPORTS AND WE ARE HAPPY TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. I DO HAVE SEVERAL
QUESTIONS . COLLEAGUES, I'M
GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW OF
THEM AND THEN IF OTHER FOLKS
HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO CHIME IN. SO, I GUESS
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY
IS THANK YOU FOR BEING CLEARLY
DEDICATED TO DOING THIS WORK. I
KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY WORK. IT
IS REALLY CHALLENGING. IT IS
HARD TO HAVE SOME OF THESE
CONVERSATIONS AND IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE,
SORT OF, MOVE THROUGH THAT
DISCOMFORT AND GET THROUGH THE
OTHER SIDE OF BEING ABLE TO
TALK ABOUT HOW TO USE THIS
INFORMATION IN THESE
RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD BETTER
WORK CULTURE AND ULTIMATELY TO
BE ABLE TO SERVE SEATTLE
BETTER. SO, I APPRECIATE THAT
YOU COMMITTED TO THIS WORK.
NAOMI, CAN YOU GO TO SLIDE
FIVE? I THINK THERE IS A
GRAPHIC IN HERE THAT JUST FOR
ME ILLUSTRATES THE LAYERS OF
WORK THAT NEED TO BE. YOU START
WITH YOURSELF BUT IN ORDER TO
HAVE THE IMPACT THAT WE ARE
HOPING, THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO
WORK THROUGH STARTING WITH
YOURSELF, YOUR COWORKERS, YOUR
DEPARTMENT AND EVENTUALLY IT
BECOMES REFLECTED IN POLICY
CHANGE, RIGHT? I GUESS THAT IS
THE GOAL. IF WE GO TO SLIDE
NINE, I THINK THIS IS AN
INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF THAT .
WAIT, IS IT SLIDE NINE? I'M
INTERESTED, COULD YOU TALK
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO AND
DIGITIZE THE CONFERENCE PLAN?
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
CHANGES IN THE DRAFT PLAN MIGHT
REFLECT THIS AND I'M ALSO
INTERESTED SPECIFICALLY AND HOW
WE NEGOTIATE WITH THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITY TO PRIORITIZE LAND
TRANSPARENCY AS A STRATEGY FOR
REPAIRING HARM, IF THAT'S
ANYTHING YOU CAN ADDRESS.
>> SURE. YOU WANT SLIDE 10?
>> SLIDE 10. MY APOLOGIES.
>> SO, AS FAR AS IN DIGITIZING
THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN, OVER
THE YEARS OUR INDIGENOUS
SEATTLE INTERNS HAVE TAKEN A
DEEP LOOK AT THE CITY'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND
RECOGNIZED THAT IN THE CURRENT
PLAN THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE
TRIBE. THERE'S NO MENTION OF
OUR REGION'S HISTORY AND PRIOR
TO WHITE COLONIZERS MOVING TO
THE REGION, I'M TRYING TO PUT
THIS INTO GOOD WORDS, THE
NATIVE COMMUNITIES LIVED HERE
IN HARMONY WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT. AND DID NOT SEE
HUMANS AS SEPARATE FROM THE
ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? WE ARE PART
OF A LARGER ECOSYSTEM AND IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US AS HUMANS TO
BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
ECOSYSTEM AND TO HELP BE A PART
OF IT AND BE GOOD STEWARDS FOR
THE FUTURE INSTEAD OF THINKING
ABOUT THE NEEDS OF TODAY AND
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO REBUILD
AS PART OF THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE INITIATIVE HAS BEEN
MENTIONED A NUMBER OF TIMES, A
MORE RELATIONAL CULTURE WHERE
WE DON'T OTHER EACH OTHER BUT
WE SUPPORT AND UPLIFT EACH
OTHER, WE CELEBRATE OUR
DIFFERENCES AND STRIVE TO WORK
ACROSS THE DIFFERENCES AND BE
BETTER STEWARDS OF EACH OTHER
TODAY BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT HOW
THE WORK WE ARE DOING NOW IS
GOING TO IMPACT SEVEN
GENERATIONS INTO THE FUTURE AND
HOW CAN WE BRING THAT SENSE OF
URGENCY INTO OUR COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AND THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT
THAT THE DECISIONS WE ARE
MAKING TODAY HAVE A LASTING
IMPACT AND HOW CAN WE MAKE
DECISIONS THAT ARE -- CREATE A
MORE HEALTHY AND JUST SOCIETY.
THAT IS PART OF WHAT IT MEANS
TO INDIGENOUS THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AND I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE, IT
IS A LOT OF WORK TO, SORT OF,
RESHAPED THE CITY'S
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO CENTER
THESE VALUES AND WE ARE JUST
GETTING STARTED WITH THE HELP
OF DAKOTA AND TIM , WE ARE
LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING MORE.
THAT IS THE START. I'M HOPING
THAT WAS --
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> -- A DECENT EXPLANATION.
>> IF I COULD ADD A COUPLE MORE
THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE
REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF OUR
URBAN INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS
ACROSS THE CITY THAT ARE
SUPPORTING OUR URBAN INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY TO ASK WHAT THEY FEEL
AS ORGANIZATIONS WE SHOULD BE
COMMITTING SEE THE CITY
RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THAT WORK.
WE HAVE BEGUN TO INCORPORATE
SOME OF THAT INPUT AND CONTEXT
INTO SOME OF OUR LANGUAGE THAT
YOU WILL FIND IN THE DRAFT PLAN
ITSELF. WE ALSO HAVE DONE
INITIAL OUTREACH AND
COORDINATION WITH TIM ATTAWAY
ARE TO ALL OF OUR TRIBES AND
ASKED FOR THEIR INPUT RELATED
TO THE PLAN AND WE HAVE GOTTEN
SOME GOOD FEEDBACK ON A COUPLE
OF ISSUES AND KNOW THERE'S
GOING TO BE IMPORTANT
CONVERSATIONS MOVING FORWARD AS
WELL WITH A NUMBER OF THE
TRIBES. AS KATIE IS SAYING,
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT WE
HAVE TO DO BUT IT IS VERY MUCH
AN ACTIVE PART OF OUR AGENDA.
AND WORK PLAN.
>> YES. THERE IS ONE, WE HIRED
OWEN OLIVER WHO WAS OUR FIRST
INDIGENOUS SEATTLE INTERN TO
WRITE AN INTRODUCTION TO THE
ARTS AND CULTURE ELEMENT OF THE
PLAN THAT DESCRIBES A FUTURE IN
WHICH A TRIBAL MEMBER FROM 300
YEARS AGO COULD BE TRANSPORTED
TO A FUTURE SEATTLE AND STILL
RECOGNIZE SEATTLE AS THEIR
HOMELAND.
>> THAT'S REALLY COOL.
>> YES, IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH
FINDING THAT TO RITA. IT'S
AMAZING.
>> TALKED ABOUT BEFORE LAST
YEAR, TALKED ABOUT HOW WHAT WE
REALLY NEED IS TO HAVE AN
ARTIST EMBEDDED IN EVERY
DEPARTMENT WE HAVE SO THAT COOL
IDEAS LIKE THIS CAN, YOU KNOW,
COME UP AND WE CAN REALLY THINK
ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT
THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW WE
HONOR THAT. THANK YOU.
>> CAN I ADD ONE OTHER THING? I
FORGOT TO MENTION, WE ALSO ARE
WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS SEATTLE
AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY REGARDING NATIVE
NEIGHBORHOODS WHICH IS A VISION
FROM COMMUNITY . WE OBVIOUSLY
ARE MAKING A NUMBER OF
INVESTMENTS IN THAT REGARD NOW
BUT WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT
OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
>> THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S
GREAT. PLACE MAKING THAT
REFLECTS THE RICH HERITAGE AND
DIVERSITY OF THE CITY. THAT
WOULD BE GREAT. SPEAKING OF
THAT, IF I COULD GO TO SLIDE
10, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT EDI
AND IF YOU COULD, YOU MENTIONED
WHEN YOU WERE INTRODUCING THIS
--
>> SLIDE 11. THAT ONE.
>> THE FUNDS ARE FOR
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
PROVIDING SERVICES BUT IT IS A
LOT MORE THAN THAT. IT IS ALSO
SUPPORTING THE CAPACITY TO
BUILD THEIR OWN PROJECTS AND
THAT IS COMMUNITY LED
DEVELOPMENT. CAN YOU TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE
PROJECTS AND THE MIX OF
SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED THERE?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT A
COUPLE OF THE PROJECTS THAT I
PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR. SO, ONE OF
THEM IS LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE
AND THEY STARTED , SORT OF,
CESAR AND PEGGY STARTED THEIR
OWN COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT
PARTICULARLY IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES IN THE LAKE CITY
AND NORTH SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOODS. AND IT IS REALLY
AMAZING TO HAVE SEEN THEM WHEN
THEY FIRST APPLIED FOR THEIR
COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING
GRANTS, THEY WEREN'T -- THEY
HAD TO BE SPONSORED BY A
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION BECAUSE
THEY WERE NOT A NONPROFIT YET.
IN THE FIVE, SIX YEARS THAT
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM,
THEY HAVE GROWN TO BECOME A
REALLY AMAZING ORGANIZATION AND
THEY HAVE BUILT -- THEY ARE
RENTING A COMMUNITY SPACE AND
LAKE CITY WHERE THEY PROVIDE A
LOT OF SERVICES. THEY HELP
YOUNG KIDS THINK ABOUT HOW TO
GET INTO COLLEGE AND WHY
COLLEGE MATTERS AND PROVIDE A
LOT OF GREAT CULTURAL
ACTIVITIES FOR FOLKS AND RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AND WHEN COVID HIT,
THEY IMMEDIATELY WERE ABLE TO
SHIFT AND HELP GET CITY
RESOURCES LIKE EMERGENCY
GROCERY VOUCHERS, MASKS,
VACCINE CLINICS, THEY WERE ABLE
TO PIVOT AND PROVIDE ESSENTIAL
SERVICES TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND
, ALSO, DURING THE PANDEMIC,
THROUGH AN EDI GRANT THEY WERE
LABOR TO PURCHASE PROPERTY
WHICH IS A SURFACE PARKING LOT
AND IT'S BEING USED BY --
ANYWAY, THAT PART IS A MATTER.
THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN STAYING IN
CONTACT AND WORKING WITH SDOT
AROUND COMPLETE STREET AND BIKE
LANES THAT ARE AN SDOT ADJACENT
TO THEIR PROPERTY. THEY'VE
ALSO BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH
PUBLIC FACILITIES AND THEY BEEN
WORKING WITH MILLER WHOLE TO
DESIGN A COMMUNITY-BASED
RESILIENCY HUB THAT LOOKS
REALLY GORGEOUS. THEY ARE
APPLYING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY GRANT WITH
THE SUPPORT OF THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY, OSD. TO
NATHAN'S POINT ABOUT
PARTNERING WITH SDCI FOR THESE
EDI PROJECTS WE HAD EARLY
DESIGN GUIDANCE MEETING A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND IT WAS
AMAZING BECAUSE THE PERMITTING
STAFF AT SDOT AND SPU AND CITY
LIGHT WERE LIKE WE KNOW ABOUT
THIS PROJECT, WE ARE PROJECTS
ADJACENT TO IT, OR TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE CITIES WORK SUPPORTS,
LIKE, CITY COLLECTIVE WORK SO
THAT CAN HELP STREAMLINE AND
ADVANCE THEIR PROJECT MORE
QUICKLY. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL
AND IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.
ANOTHER ONE THAT IS ALSO REALLY
GREAT IS HIP-HOP IS GREEN. THEY
ARE BUILDING CHERRY STREET FARM
ON -- BETWEEN 16th AND 17th AND
CHERRY AND KEITH HAS ACQUIRED A
SHIPPING CONTAINER THAT HAS
BEEN CONVERTED INTO A
HYDROPONIC FARM THAT CAN GROW
UP TO FIVE ACRES OF FOOD JUST
IN THE SHIPPING CONTAINER AND
THEY ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF
BUILDING A COMMUNITY KITCHEN
ADJACENT TO THAT. SO THAT THEY
CAN HAVE FOOD DEMOS AND COOKING
DEMOS BECAUSE HIP-HOP IS GREEN
STARTED AS AN ORGANIZATION TO
BRING HEALTH AND NUTRITION AS
THE 10th ELEMENT OF HIP-HOP, TO
HELP YOUNG KIDS LEARN HOW TO
EAT HEALTHY, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES
TO GET OUT OF THE CITY AND INTO
NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS AND THEY
HOST -- FOR YEARS NOW THEY HAVE
BEEN HOSTING A YOUTH COHORT
PROGRAM WHERE THEY PROVIDE
STIPENDS TO THE YOUTH TO DO ALL
OF THESE GREAT SUMMER
ACTIVITIES AND LEARN HOW TO
GROW HEALTHY FOOD. SO, THOSE
ARE TWO FANTASTIC EXAMPLES.
>> AND HIP-HOP IS GREEN IS ALSO
DOING AN AWESOME CONFERENCE
THIS SUMMER.
>> I THINK IT'S IN NOVEMBER.
>> KEEP US POSTED.
>> IF YOU ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA,
GIVE THEM A FOLLOW.
>> YES, WE LOVE TO SHARE THAT.
>> KEEPS PROPERTY HAS BEEN AND
KEEPS FAMILY FOR A FEW
GENERATIONS AND KEEPS
GRANDPARENTS WERE KNOWN AND WON
AWARDS FOR THEIR GARDENS THAT
THEY BUILT ON THE SITE YEARS
AGO. IT'S SOME OF THE BEST
THINGS TO SUPPORT AS A CITY
EMPLOYEE.
>> I WILL TOUCH IN ON A COUPLE
OF OTHERS AND I WILL BE BRIEF.
WE ARE INVESTING IN THE
DAYBREAK STAR FACILITY AND
COORDINATION WITH UNITED UNIONS
OF ALL TRIBES AND THEIR
CONTINUED IMPORTANT WORK ON
THAT SITE . OUR NOIR IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF A NEW NON-FOR PROFIT
THAT WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT
BLACK AND BROWN ARTISTS LIKE IN
THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND THE
AREA IN THE REGION WHICH IS
HOUSED NOW AT 23rd AND UNION
WHICH IS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION
WHERE WE SUPPORT THEIR PROGRAM.
AFRICA TOWN PLAZA IN COURT IN
COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF
HOUSING. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE
FUNDING , YOU KNOW, THE 134
UNITS. I THINK IT'S HUNDRED
AND 34 UNITS, THAT IS UPSTAIRS
AND WE ARE FUNDING THE
COMMERCIAL UNIT WHICH IS AFRICA
TOWNS NEW OFFICES ON THE GROUND
FLOOR. SO, IT'S GREAT. WE HAVE
MANY, MANY EXCITING PROJECTS.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
I HAVE ONE MORE LITTLE SET OF
QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES. I'M NOT
SEEING ANY HANDS YOU. ANYBODY?
NO? OKAY. I WILL ASK. IF WE
COULD GO TO SLIDE 20, CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF -- IS THAT THE RIGHT SIDE?
DESIGN REVIEW, HOUSE BILL 2093
THAT STREAMLINES DESIGN REVIEW
AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT ONE OF
THE THINGS I'M INTERESTED IN
LEARNING MORE ABOUT IS
INCENTIVE ZONING TOOLS THAT
HAVE WORKED BEST TO HELP FOLKS,
PARTICULARLY BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITY MEMBERS , RESIDENTS
DEVELOP THEIR PROPERTY AND HOW
THIS MIGHT BE CONNECTED. ARE WE
LOOKING AT THE SAME THING? YES.
SO, FIRST, JUST HOW THE HOUSE
BILL STREAMLINES DESIGN REVIEW.
I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON IT A
LITTLE BIT.
>> WE HAVE A SHORT TIMEFRAME ON
THE HOUSE BILL. WE HAVE TO HAVE
A PROPOSAL ADOPTED BY COUNCIL
BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR AND WE
NEED TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH. WE
ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE RIGHT NOW ABOUT HOW BEST
TO TACKLE THIS HOUSE BILL AND
TO IMPLEMENT MEANINGFUL CHANGES
TO DESIGN REVIEW. OF COURSE,
THE ONE BIG ISSUE IN THE HOUSE
BILL IS ONLY ONE PUBLIC
MEETING. SO, HOW DO WE MAKE
THAT PUBLIC MEETING EFFECTIVE
FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
ALSO MEANINGFUL FOR STAFF? TO
TAKE FEEDBACK . THE OTHER ISSUE
THAT WE ARE LOOKING CLOSELY AT
HIS WE HAVE LITERALLY THOUSANDS
OF DESIGN REVIEW GUIDELINES. WE
HAVE NAY REVIEW -- NEIGHBORHOOD
DESIGN GUIDELINES. HOW DO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
DESIGN REVIEW BOARDS AND STAFF
LOOK AT THOSE GUIDELINES OR DO
WE NEED TO SOMEHOW STREAMLINE
THOSE GUIDELINES?
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF
WORK.
>> IT IS. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT.
>> YES. ALL RIGHT, SO, WE LOOK
FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM
YOU AS THAT PROCESS, SORT OF,
UNFOLDS. AND THEN, THE OTHER
QUESTION IS AROUND INCENTIVE
ZONING TOOLS FOR SUPPORTING. WE
ARE HEARING A LOT FROM
NEIGHBORS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
REDEVELOPING THE PROPERTY BUT
WHO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES. I
THINK WE HAVE TALKED WITH FOLKS
WHO WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS BETTER SO
THAT THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
OPPORTUNITIES . I'M ALSO JUST
WONDERING IF YOU CAN TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT INCENTIVE
ZONING TOOLS AND HOW THAT
IMPACTS THOSE DECISIONS.
>> OPCD, DO YOU HAVE ANY
FEEDBACK ON THAT ISSUE? ONE
THING I WANT TO ADD, IT'S A
TANGENT TO YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, BUT I
ALWAYS HAVE TO PROMOTE THIS AND
THAT SDCI AND SDOT HAVE AN
INFORMATION DESK ON THE FOURTH
FLOOR OF THE SEATTLE TOWER.
THEY ARE CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC
NOW. YOU CAN BE ESCORTED AND
MEET WITH STAFF BUT WE HAVE
MANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
APPLICANTS THAT DO NOT HAVE
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES. IT'S
CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE
CAN WALK INTO SMT AND ASK STAFF
QUESTIONS . THAT IS A GREAT
SERVICE THAT WE STARTED
PROVIDING AT THE END OF LAST
YEAR. I'M JUST USING EVERY
AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET
THE WORD OUT ABOUT THAT SERVICE
BECAUSE THERE IS STILL A LOT OF
PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALIZE THAT
THAT IS A RESOURCE THAT IS
AVAILABLE. WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC THAT YOU HAVE
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES BUT REALLY
WANT TO TALK TO A PERSON
FACE-TO-FACE.
>> YES, THAT WOULD BE ME. I
DEFINITELY PREFER TO TALK TO
SOMEBODY FACE-TO-FACE. WERE YOU
GOING TO SAY SOMETHING, RICO?
>> SO, I'M NOT SURE THIS
ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU
ARE ASKING. YOU MAY NEED TO
REPHRASE IT BUT I WAS JUST
THINKING ABOUT THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND HOW WE
ARE LOOKING AT WHETHER THERE IS
A WAY FOR US TO CREATE A POLICY
AROUND LEGACY HOMEOWNERS THAT
INCENTIVIZES BLACK AND BROWN
FAMILIES THAT OWN HOMES
CURRENTLY TO INVEST IN THEIR
OWN PROPERTIES, BUILD THAT
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT AND
DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING
UNIT OR AS WE ADOPT THIS NEW
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT ABSORBS
THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN
BUILD TWO OR THREE ADDITIONAL
UNITS ON THEIR LOT AND HAVE A
REVERSE MORTGAGE AND BUILDS
GENERATIONAL WEALTH. THERE IS A
NUMBER OF WAYS THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN
ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO MAKE THAT
INVESTMENT AND THEN ALSO CREATE
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND FILL
HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS THE CITY THAT ACTUALLY
ALLOWS FOR FIRST TIME HOME
OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT
ACTUALLY INVITE PEOPLE BACK
THAT DID NOT FEEL LIKE THEY
COULD AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE
CITY.
>> SO, THAT IS A PART OF WHAT
WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT,
RIGHT? WE HAVE GOALS IN THE
COMP PLAN AROUND
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES,
AROUND THE GROWTH STRATEGY,
WHICHEVER GROWTH STRATEGY WE
DECIDE ON, BUT WHAT ARE THE
TOOLS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT THOSE GOALS? AND THIS
IS DEFINITELY A PART OF THAT
QUESTION. MAYBE THIS IS JUST
FURTHER CONVERSATION BUT I
THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN
IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE
DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE AROUND
THE COMP PLAN OVER THE NEXT
YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE HEARING A
LOT FROM NEIGHBORS WHO WANT TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, YOU KNOW,
THE INCREASED VALUE OF THEIR
HOME DUE TO WHERE WE LIVE AND
DON'T WANT TO JUST SELL, THEY
WANT TO STAY PUT. THEY ALSO
WANT TO BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM
THAT INCREASED VALUE. SO, YOU
KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE
CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD IN THE
LAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT THE
CONNECTED COMMUNITIES
LEGISLATION AND PART OF WHAT WE
ARE LEARNING IS THAT THERE IS A
NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT CONSULTING
ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUAL
HOMEOWNERS WHO WANT TO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BUT REALLY
DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO GET
STARTED AND , I GUESS THE
QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO
WE MARSHAL THE RESOURCES THAT
EXIST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED
AND THEY'RE PROTECTED IN THAT
PROCESS?
>> YES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO NOTE THAT THERE IS NOT ONE
SILVER BULLET.
>> SURE.
>> I DO THINK THE ZONING
LEGISLATION WE ARE PUTTING IN
PLACE MATTERS A LOT. THE
POLICIES THAT SUPPORTED AN
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS THAT
WE HAVE MATTER A LOT, WHETHER
IT IS RELATED TO PROVIDING
PEOPLE ASSISTANCE FOR THE 20%
THAT THEY NEED TO PUT DOWN FOR
FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS OR RENTAL
ASSISTANCE OR MAINTENANCE AND
OPERATIONS FUNDING SO THAT YOU
CAN MAINTAIN YOUR EXISTING HOME
OR ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO, LIKE,
BUILD. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS
THAT WE ARE DOING AND THAT WE
WILL WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO AND
THEN NEW THINGS THAT WE ARE,
YOU KNOW, STARTING TO TALK
ABOUT. GOSH, THERE WAS
SOMETHING ELSE THERE. THERE IS
A LOT ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW
AND I DO ACTUALLY WANT TO SAY
THAT I THINK OUR CONTINUED
INVESTMENT IN THE EDI PROGRAM
WHICH WAS THIS ANTI-DISPLACEMEN
T STRATEGY THAT WAS CONCEIVED
OF EIGHT YEARS AGO, LIKE, STILL
WILL MATTER A LOT IN THE YEARS
MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF
BEING ABLE TO ALLOW PLACE
KEEPING. ALLOW BIPOC
ORGANIZATIONS ALSO TO AFFORD TO
STAY IN THE CITY AND SUPPORT
BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES AND ON
THE UNITS THAT THEY OPERATE OUT
OF.
>> AND SMALL BUSINESSES. A LOT
OF IT IS ABOUT AFFORDABLE
COMMERCIAL FOR FOLKS AS WELL.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> OKAY. ANY COMMENTS?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU,
ALL, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND
GIVING THIS GREAT PRESENTATION.
I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND
FOR THE INTENTIONALITY THAT
GOES INTO THE WORK THAT YOU DO
ON THE RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
SPACE OR IN THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE SPACE. THERE IS A
COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE, RICO,
WHEN YOU MENTIONED ABOUT
COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING, I
VERY MUCH SUPPORT -- EXCUSE ME,
ABOUT GENERATIONAL WEALTH
BUILDING. I VERY MUCH SUPPORT
GENERATIONAL WEALTH BUILDING.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR BLACK AND
BROWN FAMILIES TO KEEP THEIR
LAND, IF THEY ARE LUCKY ENOUGH
TO BE LANDOWNERS AND BE ABLE TO
PASS THAT DOWN THROUGH
GENERATIONS, THAT IS HOW YOU
BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND ,
YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF
DEVELOPING ON THE LAND THAT
THEY CONTINUE TO OWN, I THINK
THAT IS A GREAT WAY FOR THEM TO
INVEST IN THEIR OWN LAND
OWNERSHIP INVESTMENT. I CAUTION
ON THE REVERSE MORTGAGES ISSUES
BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE '00 EIGHT
REAL ESTATE BUST WAS THAT BANKS
WERE GIVING REVERSE MORTGAGES
TO FOLKS WHO DID NOT
NECESSARILY QUALIFY AND THAT
BECAME ACTUALLY FOLKS LOST
THEIR ASSETS. SO, I JUST -- YOU
KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
WE NEED TO --
>> SORRY, JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M
REFERRING TO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT THERE IS THE IDEA
THAT IF WE CAN HELP PROVIDE
ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR EXISTING
HOMEOWNERS , PARTICULARLY ONES
THAT MAY HAVE LESS THAN
$100,000 A YEAR IN HOUSEHOLD
INCOME, THAT BY BUILDING AN
A.D. WHERE THERE RENTING OUT
THOSE UNITS ARE SELLING THOSE
UNITS THAT THAT IS RETURNING
INCOME TO THE EXISTING
HOMEOWNER THAT CAN ULTIMATELY ,
I MEAN, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THE PERFORMANCE OF A HOUSEHOLD,
IT CAN ULTIMATELY LOOK LIKE A
REVERSE MORTGAGE. I'M NOT
ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT ANY OF
OUR --
>> AN ACTUAL REVERSE MORTGAGE.
ALSO, I MEAN, UNDERSTANDING
THAT IF THEY SELL A PORTION OF
THEIR LAND IT IS NOT
NECESSARILY AN INVESTMENT. NOW
THEY LOSE THAT PORTION OF THEIR
LAND. SO, THERE IS JUST
CAUTION, I GUESS, THAT I WOULD
DATE IN THAT SPACE. IN GENERAL,
I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO
SUPPORT FOLKS STAYING IN THEIR
HOMES AND KEEPING THEIR LANDS.
I WILL SAY, I WAS LOOKING ON
PAGE 13, ON SLIDE 13 ON THE
INDEX, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
FIND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS
INDEX IS, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE
MICRO -- I'M GOING TO CALL
THEM, THAT'S NOT THE CORRECT
TERM PROBABLY BUT I'M GOING TO
USE IT, IS NEIGHBORHOODS WITH
IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS. FOR
INSTANCE, IN DISTRICT 4, THERE
IS THAT YELLOW IN MAGNUSON
PARK. I KNOW WE HAVE HOUSING --
EXCUSE ME, MERCY HOUSING AND
SOLID GROUND THERE. I ACTUALLY
THINK A PORTION OF THAT YELLOW
IS PROBABLY ACTUALLY CLOSER TO
THE PURPLE BUT BECAUSE WE ARE
LOOKING AT IT AS THE BIGGER
NEIGHBORHOOD, IT PULLS DOWN THE
WHOLE PIECE TO BEING MIDDLE.
SO, I WORRY. I KEEP SEEING
THIS, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS ACROSS
THE CITY ARE CHANGING. WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY TO FOLKS
BLACK AND BROWN, IMMIGRANTS,
THAT ARE IN THESE OTHER AREAS
OF THE CITY THAT MAYBE THEY
WERE BEFORE BUT THEY ARE NOW.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE
NOT EXCLUDED BECAUSE NOW THEY
ARE NOT SHOWING UP IN THE INDEX
IN THE WAY SOME OF THESE OTHER
AREAS DO. SO, THAT IS REALLY A
PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO ME
BECAUSE I VERY MUCH CARE ABOUT
THE FOLKS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE
LIVING AT MAGNUSON PARK IN
PARTICULAR. I KNOW THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MOORE ALSO HAS A
NUMBER OF BLACK AND BROWN
FAMILIES IN HER DISTRICT AS
WELL. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
SOMEHOW , I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE
DO TO ENSURE THAT THOSE FOLKS
WHO ARE ALSO CAPTURED IN THE
WORK THAT WE DO BECAUSE IF YOU
LOOK AT THE INDEX, THEY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY GOING TO POP UP.
SO, IF WE ARE RELYING JUST ON
THE INDEX, THEN I WORRY.
>> AND I THINK THAT GOES -- I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE POINT. I
THINK THAT GOES BACK TO THIS
IDEA THAT THERE IS -- IT'S
ABOUT AN ECOSYSTEM OF TOOLS AND
PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND
COMMUNICATIONS. THERE IS NOT
JUST, LIKE, ONE MAGIC BULLET. I
THINK THAT, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE WERE DOING THESE
INTERVIEWS AROUND URBAN
INDIGENOUS ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE,
BUILDING THOSE TRUST
RELATIONSHIPS WHERE WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE WORK
THAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT'S
THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AND
HOW DO WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN
OUR QUESTS TO UPLIFT THE NEEDS
OF BIPOC COMMUNITIES, LIKE, THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU ARE
TALKING ABOUT IN YOUR DISTRICT,
LIKE, WE JUST NEED TO BE DOING
MORE OF THAT, RIGHT? AND I
THINK THAT BY DOING IT IN
MULTIPLE WAYS, WE CAN MOVE
PAST, KIND OF, THIS
INVISIBILITY OF BOTH
ORGANIZATIONAL WORK BUT ALSO,
KIND OF, THE RICH TAPESTRY OF,
LIKE, HISTORY AND CULTURE
ACROSS THE CITY THAT IS UNSEEN
BY MANY. SO, I TOTALLY AM ON
THE SAME PAGE WITH YOU.
>> YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING?
>> JUST THAT THAT IS ALSO WHY
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US AS
PLANNERS TO NOT JUST DO ALL OF
OUR WORK IN CITY HALL BUT TO
ACTUALLY GET OUT INTO OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUILD
RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY SO
THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE MORE
SPECIFIC NUANCED NEEDS THAT
DON'T SHOW UP ON MAPS.
>> AGREED. THAT SOME OF THE
WORK THAT WE DO ALSO.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT YOU
ARE DOING.
>> YES, PARTNERSHIP IS
IMPORTANT AND I DO APPRECIATE
THE PARTNERSHIP. THE LAST POINT
I WANTED TO MAKE WAS I KNOW
THAT WE HAVE SOME ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK AND
THEY GET MULTIPLE FUNDING FROM
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN
THE CITY. MY CONCERN REALLY IS
ABOUT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT
MIGHT NOT -- IN COMMUNITY, AND
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT
MIGHT BE DOING SOME WORK OR
THAT ARE DOING, MIGHT NOT BE
DOING WORK BUT THEY ARE NOT AS
WELL KNOWN. I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE AS WELL BECAUSE
SOMETIMES THE BETTER-KNOWN
ORGANIZATIONS GET MORE
ATTENTION AND I WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY
GROWING . AS YOU UPDATED THIS,
RACIAL INDEX, BASED ON THE NEW
CENSUS NUMBERS THAT WE ARE
CONSTANTLY DOING OUR REACH TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT
UNINTENTIONALLY GOING TO THE
SAME ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ALSO
TRYING TO PLAY IN THIS SPACE
LIKE THE ORGANIZATION YOU
MENTIONED AT LAKE CITY WAY ARE
ALSO ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
CITY FUNDING.
>> AGREED.
>> I'M SORRY. COUNCILMEMBER
WOO AND STRAUSS, I DO NOT SEE
WHOSE HANDS WENT UP FIRST. GO
AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER WOO.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WANTING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
SYSTEM WAS NOT MADE FOR PEOPLE
OF COLOR, FOR INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE. IT'S GREAT THAT YOU
ARE LEARNING THE PROCESS AND
PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE THE
PROCESS CAN SLOWLY MAKE THOSE
CHANGES AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL
SLOWLY TRICKLE DOWN TO POLICY
AND HOW WE ARE LOOKING AT
DIFFERENT THINGS WITH AN EQUITY
LENS. THERE IS A LOT OF STARK
RACISM, A LOT OF THINGS WITHIN
THE SYSTEM THAT DEFINITELY NEED
TO BE CHANGED. THANK YOU FOR
DOING THAT WORK. I KNOW MANY OF
YOU HAVE WORK A REGULAR JOB AND
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DO EXTRA.
SO, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. I
TOO AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE
STREAMLINED DESIGN PROCESS
WOULD LOOK LIKE, ESPECIALLY
WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY
INPUTS AND MAKING SURE THAT
COMMUNITY INPUT IS SOLICITED
FROM THE BEGINNING OF EVERY
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. I KNOW
MANY DEVELOPMENTS IN CERTAIN
NEIGHBORHOODS WILL HAVE A
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER WHERE THEY
UPDATE THE COMMUNITY ON
DEVELOPMENTS. WE LOVE TO SEE
THAT AND HOW THAT WAS FIT IN
BECAUSE WHEN I WAS ON DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD OUR MAIN QUESTION
WAS DID YOU TALK TO COMMUNITY?
IS COMMUNITY WHERE ABOUT YOU
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ? WHAT IS
COMMUNITY THING? MANY TIMES
THAT WAS THE REASON WHY GROUPS
HAD TO COME BACK. HOPEFULLY
WITH HAVING GROUPS GO TO DESIGN
REVIEW AT ONE MEETING IT WOULD
BE GREAT TO HAVE THEM PREPARED
AND READY TO PRESENT COMMUNITY
THOUGHTS AND OUTREACH. ANOTHER
THING I WANTED TO -- I'M
EXCITED THAT THERE IS A HELP
DESK AVAILABLE ON THE GROUND
FLOOR OF S AND T. I WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT REASONABLE
EXPECTATIONS ARE SET AND I
WANTED TO ASK IS THERE ANY HOPE
THAT THE HELP DESK WILL TURN
INTO WHAT IT USED TO BE
PRE-PANDEMIC WHEN PEOPLE CAN
SHOW PLANS TO GET THEIR
QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I WENT TO
THE HELP DESK ABOUT A MONTH AGO
WITH SOME QUESTIONS AND
BASICALLY WAS TOLD, LIKE, HERE,
THIS IS THE NUMBER TO CALL TO
GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED. WE
HELP PEOPLE GET ONLINE AND SEND
THEM NUMBERS ON WHO THEY CAN
CALL BUT CAN'T ANSWER ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS. THERE WAS
SOMEONE WHO HAD A LANGUAGE
ACCESS NEED AND, BASICALLY, WAS
TOLD WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
SPOKEN TO A REAL PERSON BUT WAS
TOLD CALL THIS NUMBER AND WE
WILL CONNECT YOU TO SOMEONE VIA
THE PHONE. I WAS WONDERING IF
YOU THINK HAVING THAT HELP DESK
BE AS IT WAS PRE-PANDEMIC, IS
THAT IN THE PLANS IN THE
FUTURE?
>> WE DEFTLY WANT TO KEEP THE
HELP DESK GOING INTO
PERPETUITY. I THINK WE NEED TO
LOOK AT OUR RESOURCES AND CAN
WE BRING ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE
DOWN TO THE HELP DESK. IT IS,
YOU KNOW, KIND OF ON THE BASIS
WE OFTEN TIMES ARE ABLE TO CALL
STAFF DOWN TO ASSIST A CUSTOMER
WITH A PARTICULAR ISSUE BUT
SOMETIMES STAFF MAY BE WORKING
VIRTUALLY THAT DAY OR NOT IN
THE TOWER. SO, I THINK THOSE
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES YOU
ARE RAISING. COUNCILMEMBER WOO,
WE WILL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK
AT THAT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO, I WANTED
TO ADD TO SPEAK TO SOMETHING
THAT YOU LEAD WITH, THIS IS
NOT EXTRA. THIS IS WHAT GETS ME
OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING. THIS
IS THE WORK. THERE IS NO OTHER
WORK, AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED.
THE WORK OF OUR OFFICE IS TO
BUILD AN EQUITABLE CITY AND
THAT HAS TO BE EVIDENCED IN ALL
OF OUR POLICY WORK, ALL OF OUR
PROGRAMS, ALL OF OUR
INVESTMENTS, AND NOT JUST OUR
DEPARTMENT BUT ALL OF OUR CITY
DEPARTMENTS. SO, WE LIVE AND
BREATHE IT. SUPER IMPORTANT
STUFF. SUPERHARD BUT, LIKE, IT
IS THE WORK FULL TIME, ALL THE
TIME.
>> YES, I WOULD LIKE TO
REITERATE THAT I JOKE THAT I'M
A SECOND-GENERATION BUREAUCRAT
BECAUSE MY DAD WORKED FOR THE
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND
EVEN AS A KID, GROWING UP JUST
SEEING HOW MUCH BUREAUCRACY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CREATES TOO,
KIND OF, SEPARATE ITSELF FROM
THE COMMITMENT TO SERVE OUR
VETERANS, THAT SOMETHING I GREW
UP KNOWING ABOUT. WHEN I
REALIZE THAT URBAN PLANNING WAS
A THINK I WAS LIKE OH, YES,
THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING.
I SHOULD BE WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY. WORK FOR GOVERNMENT
BUT LISTENING TO COMMUNITY
DISSENTER COMMUNITY NEEDS, AS
I'VE SAID, TO BETTER ALIGN
EXISTING CITY RESOURCES TO MEET
THOSE NEEDS AND TO BRIDGE THE
GAP BETWEEN OUR LONG-RANGE
POLICIES AND NOT DO THOSE IN
ISOLATION FROM HOW WE ACTUALLY
IMPLEMENT PLANS AND POLICIES. I
WANT TO REITERATE THAT WHAT
RICO SAID, THIS IS THE WORK.
THIS IS THE WORK OF GOVERNMENT,
RIGHT? WE CREATE OUR LAWS, WE
CREATE OUR PRACTICES AND
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND WE
CAN REWRITE THEM AND REMAKE
THEM TO CREATE A MORE EQUITABLE
SOCIETY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER WOO, WE ARE
TRYING TO GET OUT INTO THE
COMMUNITY MORE . THE PANDEMIC
RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED.
SDCI HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OCR
AND WE HAVE POSTED OUR FIRST
ONE AND HAVE THREE MORE
LANDLORDS SESSIONS IN THE
BERTHA NIGHT LANDIS ROOM GIVEN
THE COMPLEXITY OF
LANDLORD-TENANT REGULATIONS WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
WORKING WITH OUR LANDLORD
COMMUNITIES SO THEY UNDERSTAND
THE PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE
ALSO WORKING ON THE
REINFORCEMENT TOO. MANY OF
THOSE BUILDINGS ARE WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL BE HEARING MUCH MORE
ABOUT THAT LATER, THAT IS FOR
SURE. ARE YOU DONE,
COUNCILMEMBER WOO?
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST
OPENING SLIDE. SECOND SLIDE. MY
APOLOGIES. MY COMMENTS TODAY
ARE PRETTY SHORT. I'VE HEARD
THIS PRESENTATION MANY TIMES
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND
WHAT IMPRESSES ME AND WHAT I'M
THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR IS
EVERY TIME YOU COME, YOU HAVE
DONE SOMETHING MORE. YOU'VE
TAKEN IT ANOTHER STEP AND YOU
HAVE IMPROVED ON THE PROCESS.
SO, I DON'T HAVE DIRECT
QUESTIONS. I DON'T HAVE DIRECT
COMMENTS OTHER THAN THE CULTURE
OF CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IS
HERE AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND
THAT IS ONE OF THE MORE
IMPORTANT THINGS. THE REASON
THAT I SIT ON THE SLIDE, I WILL
NOT COMMENT ON LAND
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, THAT IS FOR A
DIFFERENT DAY BUT WHAT I WILL
SAY IS THIS IS A REALLY AMAZING
PHOTO. YOU -- I'M NOT SURE IF
YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT THIS IS
-- THE PHOTO ON THE RIGHT IS A
LOCATION . SO, THESE ARE PAST
AND PRESENT AND THEN THE SAME
LOCATION AND IT ALWAYS STANDS
OUT TO ME, THAT PHOTO ON THE
RIGHT, BECAUSE AS WE CREATED
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, WE
CONTINUED PUSHING OUR
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FARTHER AND
FARTHER NORTH. YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE FIRST ORDINANCES IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE, DESPITE BEING
NAMED AFTER CHIEF, DESPITE
HAVING HIS NAME ON HER SEAL,
WAS FOR BIDDING NATIVE
AMERICANS IN OUR CITY AND THAT
IS IN PART WHY WE HAD THESE
CANOES UP IN BELLTOWN BECAUSE
WE PUSH THEM FARTHER AND
FARTHER NORTH AND, SO, THIS
PICTURE BRINGS ME GREAT JOY
BECAUSE IT IS SHOWING PAST AND
PRESENT AND ACKNOWLEDGING WHERE
WE HAVE BEEN AND, MAYBE, GIVING
US A LITTLE BIT OF A CHARGED
STATEMENT THAT WE NEED TO MOVE
FASTER, FARTHER, QUICKER AND DO
BETTER. THAT IS WHY I STARTED
FROM BOTH OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS
AND A CULTURE OF CONTINUED
IMPROVEMENT AND I APPRECIATE
THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> OKAY, WELL, SINCE I HAVE THE
MIKE, I DO WANT TO REMIND THE
VIEWING PUBLIC THAT YOU HAVE
UNTIL MAY 6th TO COMMENT ON THE
DRAFT EIS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN. I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO SEND THEIR EMAILS
DIRECTLY WHETHER IT IS A
PARTICULAR CODE, LINE ITEM,
PARTICULAR ISSUE IN THE EIS OR
EVEN JUST A BROAD REQUESTS,
CONCERN , SUGGESTION, YOU CAN
SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO ONE
SEATTLE PLAN AT SEATTLE.GOV. I
WILL SAY AGAIN, I THINK WE ARE
CONTINUING TO GET EMAILS FROM
PEOPLE ABOUT THE DRAFT EIS. I
WILL REITERATE FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC, WE AS CITY COUNCIL
RIGHT NOW ARE NOT IN THAT. WE
AREN'T CRAFTING WHAT THE NEXT
VERSION WILL LOOK LIKE. THAT'S
WHY WE KEEP REITERATING THAT IF
YOU WANT YOUR COMMENTS TO BE
INCLUDED IN THE FINAL DRAFT ARE
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION
IN THE FINAL DRAFT, YOU HAVE
UNTIL MAY SIXTH TO SEND THOSE
COMMENTS AND AND YOU DO HAVE TO
SEND THEM DIRECTLY TO OPCD. ONE
MORE TIME, AT ONE SEATTLE PLAN
AT ONE SEATTLE.GOV. SO, I WANT
TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE. THIS HAS BEEN REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND
THE DEPTH AND BREATH THAT ALL
OF YOU ARE DOING TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE
REALLY PROACTIVELY REFLECTING
THE PRIORITIES AROUND THE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK AND
APPRECIATE THAT. DID I MESS UP
SOMETHING, RICO?
>> WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY,
IF YOU GO TO ENGAGE .ONE
SEATTLE PLAN.COM, THAT IS A
REALLY GOOD PLACE TO GET
INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN AND
MAKE COMMENTS AND PULLED ON
EITHER COPY OF THE DRAFT PLAN,
THE DRAFT EIS, THE
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY, OR
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL.
>> ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.
YES. THANK YOU. GOOD POINT.
>> WELL, AGAIN, THIS WAS AN
INFORMATIONAL ITEM. I DO
APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY AND
THE DEEP REFLECTION THAT THE
DEPARTMENTS HAVE CLEARLY BEEN
DOING FOR SOME TIME TO GET US
TO THIS POINT. SO, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. IF THERE ARE NO
FURTHER COMMENTS, THIS
CONCLUDES THE MAY 1st, 2024
LAND USE COMMITTEE. THE NEXT
LAND-USE COMMITTEE MEETING IS
ON MAY 15th, 2024 AT 2:00 P.M.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE,
EVERYONE. WE ARE ADJOURNED. ♪