>>> CERTAINLY , OKAY. ALL
RIGHT, GOOD MORNING, THE
FEBRUARY 20th , 2024 MEETING OF
THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
WILL WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS
9:32 A.M., I AM ROB SAKA.
CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL.
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> CHAIR , THERE ARE FIVE
MEMBERS PRESENT .
>> THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION. HEARING NO
OBJECTION, IT IS ADOPTED. WE
WILL OPEN THE HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. IT SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
CLERK, HOW MANY ARE SIGNED UP
TODAY?
>> WE HAVE TWO REMOTE AND NO
IN PERSON.
>> WE WILL START WITH THE
REMOTE. TODAY, EACH SPEAKER
WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY TWO
MINUTES. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MANNER.
>> I WILL CALL ON EACH SPEAKER
BY NAME, IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY REGISTERED ON THE SIGN UP
SHEET . I WILL ALTERNATE
BETWEEN SETS OF FIVE. AND
THAT IS UNTIL THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS CONCLUDED.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
, BUT YOU WOULD LIKE TO, YOU
CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END OF
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD BY
GOING TO THE WEBSITE OR BY
SIGNING UP ON THE SET UP SHEET
NEAR THE PUBLIC MICROPHONE. THE
PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS LISTED
ON TODAY'S AGENDA. ONCE I
CALL A REMOTE SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE. AND
THE PROMPT OF YOU HAVE BEEN
UNMUTE IT WILL BE THE CUE TO
SPEAK. THE SPEAKER MUST PRESS
STAR SIX TO BEGIN SPEAKING.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING. AS A REMINDER,
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO
AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY OR
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE TODAY. WHEN YOU HEAR
THE CHIME , WE ASK THAT YOU
BEGIN TO WRAP UP YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT. IF THEY DO NOT END AT
THE END OF THE ALLOTTED TIME,
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL IN THE NEXT
SPEAKER. WHEN YOU HAVE
COMPLETED YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT,
WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE. IF
YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING
THIS MEETING, PLEASE DO SO VIA
SEATTLE CHANNEL OR THE LISTING
OPTIONS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN. WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST,
PLEASE REMEMBER TO PRESS STAR
SIX AFTER YOU HEAR THE PROMPT
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNMUTE IT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JOHN GRANT IS OUR FIRST
SPEAKER.
>> MY NAME IS JOHN GRANT, I AM
THE CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER FOR
THE LOW INCOME HOUSING
INSTITUTE. I AM SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF FORMER SENATOR
FLEMING. WE OPENED GEORGE
FLEMING PLACE, NAMED IN HONOR
OF THE FORMER STATE SENATOR
AND WASHINGTON HUSKIES FOOTBALL
STAR GEORGE FLEMING WAS THE
FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN STATE
SENATOR. HE REPRESENTED THE
37th DISTRICT OF SEATTLE AND
THE RAINIER VALLEY. WE ARE
SPECIFICALLY HONORING HIM FOR
BEING THE CREATOR OF THE STATE
HOUSING TRUST FUND IN 1996.
GEORGE WAS ALSO THE PERSON
WHO ESTABLISHED THE WASHINGTON
STATE HOUSING FINANCE
COMMISSION TO ALSO
ESTABLISHING THE MINORITY WOMEN
IN BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. WE ASK
THAT YOU VOTE YES TO HONOR THIS
ICON . THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, WE WILL HAVE DAVID
HAYNES.
>> MY NAME IS DAVID HAYNES.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY
THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN
ORDER FOR PEOPLE TO COME BACK
TO USING PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION. IF THERE WAS
MONEY TO HELP THE METRO POLICE
WORK WITH THE CITY POLICE TO
BYPASS ALL OF THE JUNKIE
THIEVES , MAYBE THERE WOULD BE
AN IMPROVEMENT IN
TRANSPORTATION. PERHAPS, LIKE,
SOME POTHOLE , LIKE, FOCUS ,
WITH THE BUS DRIVERS REPORTING
ON THE POTHOLES THAT ARE
DAMAGING THE BUSES. MAYBE WE
COULD HAVE THAT INCLUDED. WE
NEED NOISE ABATEMENT AT
TRANSIT ORIENTED HOUSING SO
THAT PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO
LISTEN TO THE HORN HAUNTINGS
-- HONKING , AND THE AIR
PRESSURE RELEASE VALVES THAT
REALLY JUST SAID PEOPLE OFF,
YOU NEED TO CONSIDER HAVING
GREENLIGHT PRIORITY WHEN YOU
COME UP TO THE BRIDGE OR YOU
ARE GOING THROUGH
INTERSECTIONS. YOU NEED LIKE ,
A TRAINED. THAT RIDICULOUS
TROLLEY TRAIN. IT SITS THERE
COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH LAKE
UNION. IF YOU CATCH IT JUST IN
TIME, YOU CAN BEAT THE TRAIN
ALL THE WAY TO WESTLAKE, IT IS
A TELLTALE SIGN THAT WE HAVE
A BAD IDEA FOR TRANSPORTATION
THAT SEEMS TO IMPOSE A WHOLE
BUNCH OF NOISE POLLUTION THAT
IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY
THROUGHOUT THE RESIDENTIAL AND
COMMERCIAL AREAS. HOPEFULLY,
LIKE , YOU WILL REALIZE IT IS
NOT SAFE TO GO ANYWHERE BETWEEN
30 AND 4th AVENUE, BETWEEN PINE
AND PIKE, BECAUSE THEY ARE
MANIPULATING THE CRIME-FIGHTING
DATA TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THEY
ARE HAVING PROGRESS AND IT IS
VERY UNSAFE TO TAKE PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION AND, WE NEED
LAWS, BEFORE THE LEVEES ARE
EVEN CONSIDERED. I MEAN, IN THE
NEXT --
>> COUNCILMEMBER, OUR NEXT
SPEAKER IS MARGARET, WHO IS
WITH US HERE.
>> I HAVE PACKETS FOR THE
COUNCILMEMBERS . I WOULD BE
HAPPY TO FURNISH SOME LATER,
THIS ADDRESSES THE MULTIMODAL
TRANSPORTATION PLEASE DO NOT
SUPPORT FUNDING THE FIRST
AVENUE STREETCAR THROUGH THE
TRANSPORTATION LEVY OR ANY
OTHER FUNDING MECHANISM, I FEEL
IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS
REQUEST , BECAUSE THE PROJECT
HAS NOT BEEN ENDED
BENEFICIALLY BY THE MAYOR.
OPERATION OF THE STREETCAR
LINE WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY
INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF
PIKE PLACE MARKET. IT WOULD
ELIMINATE LEFT TURNS INTO THE
MARKET AND LOAD-UNLOAD SPACE
ALONG 1st AVENUE. I HAVE
ATTACHED SOME DOCUMENTS THAT
HAVE ANNOTATED TO EXPLAIN THE
ISSUE. IT IS A TREMENDOUS
DRIVER AND IT IS A RESILIENT
COMMUNITY THAT ALLOWS NOT
ONLY BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS,
BUT A SENIOR CENTER, MEDICAL
CLINIC, AND OFFICES, PIKE PLACE
FUNCTIONS AS THE ONLY LOADING
DOCK AT THE MARKET, IN
ADDITION TO BEING ITS FRONT
DOOR. THE MARKET DEPENDS ON ALL
ACCESS AT ALL TIMES. PIKE
PLACE MARKET, MOST OF ALL, IS
A VERY SPECIAL CULTURAL PLACE
IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY.
THERE WAS AN HISTORIC DISTRICT
TO PROTECT THE MARKET,
THEREFORE, WE SHOULD BE
THINKING VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT
IMPACTS OUTSIDE THIS SPECIAL
PLACE, INCLUDING
TRANSPORTATION, LET'S BRING
SOME OF THE ALREADY-FUNDED
BUSES BACK TO 1st AVENUE TO
CONNECT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. IT
WILL ENCOURAGE CONNECTING SOME
ROUTES TO 1st AVENUE TO
ALLEVIATE THE EFFECTS OF TOO
MANY BUSES ON THIRD AVENUE.
PLEASE ASK THE MAYOR TO WORK
WITH KING COUNTY METRO TO MOVE
THIS PLAN FORWARD. THANK YOU.
>> THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM
CLERK . IN CONCLUSION , I WANT
TO FIRST OFFER RECOGNIZE MY
ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE,
COUNCILMEMBER TAMMY MORALES.
I INVITED HER TO SPEAK ON
BEHALF OF THE FIRST ITEM ON THE
AGENDA TODAY AND I WILL
RECOGNIZE HER MOMENTARILY,
AFTER WE GET A BRIEFING FROM
OUR STAFF ON THE ITEM. WELCOME,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE. THE FIRST
ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM ONE
INTO THE RECORD.
>> RESOLUTION 32126, A
RESOLUTION PROVIDING AN
HONORARY DESIGNATION OF 43rd
AVENUE SOUTH BETWEEN SOUTH
FELLOW STREET AND SOUTH WEBSTER
STREET AS SENATOR GEORGE
FLEMING WAY.
>> ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROVIDE
AN OVERVIEW OF THE RESOLUTION ?
>> I AM DAN STRAUSS . THE
DESIGNATION BEFORE YOU IS IN
AN HONORARY DESIGNATION OF
43rd AVENUE SOUTH , IT WOULD
SEEM TO NAME THE STREET
SENATOR GEORGE FLEMING WAY. IS
APPROXIMATELY GOING TO COST
$2000, INCURRED BY THIRD PARTY.
I WILL LET COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF
THE LEGISLATION ISSUE MOVING
FORWARD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA.
THIS WOULD DESIGNATE ONE BLOCK
BETWEEN A FELLOW AND WEBSTER
AS SENATOR GEORGE FLEMING WAY.
GEORGE FLEMING WAS
WASHINGTON'S FIRST AFRICAN
AMERICAN SENATOR, ELECTED IN
1971, REPRESENTING THE 37th
DISTRICT WHICH INCLUDE SOUTH
SEATTLE AND PART OF THE CD.
HE WAS THE PRIME SPONSOR, AS
HAS BEEN NOTED, IN THE SENATE
FOR CREATING THE WASHINGTON
STATE HOUSING TRUST FUND. THAT
FUND HAS BECOME A NATIONALLY
-RECOGNIZED PROGRAM AND A WAY
FOR OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
TO ACTUALLY FINANCE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECTS IN DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES. HE ESTABLISHED
THE OFFICE OF MINORITY WOMEN
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. WHEN
LEHIGH OPENED THE GEORGE
FLEMING PLACE AT A FELLOW,
SENATOR FLEMING WAS THERE , HE
WANTED TO THANK LEHIGH FOR
NAMING IT AFTER HIM. IT WAS A
TOP PRIORITY AND AN
ACHIEVEMENT. I AM PLEASED TO
KNOW THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO
SERVE THE 37th DISTRICT IN
PERPETUITY. AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IS CLOSEST TO MY HEART. THERE
IS NO NOBLER WORK AND NO
CLEARER SIGN THAT EVERYTHING
IS WORKING WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS
HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME. LONG
BEFORE THE CURRENT HOMELESSNESS
CRISIS, SENATOR FLEMING
RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE THAT
IT PLAYS IN THE EVERYDAY
WELL-BEING OF THOSE IN OUR
COMMUNITY. WE ARE HONORING AND
RECOGNIZING THE LONG-LASTING
IMPACT THAT HIS WORK HAD ON
THE AREAS IN SOUTH SEATTLE.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. SO, I NEVER HAD THE
PLEASURE OF MEETING THE LATE
SENATOR FLEMING, BEFORE HE
PASSED . BUT I DO KNOW THAT HE
WAS THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS.
YOU KNOW, I MAKE NO APOLOGIES
ABOUT THE FACT AND I AM PROUD
OF THE FACT THAT I HAPPEN TO BE
A COUNCILMEMBER WHO IS BLACK
AND I BELIEVE THAT I AM
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF
GIANTS. NORM RICE, BRUCE
HARRELL, AND, YES, SENATOR
FLEMING. IT IS WITH GREAT HONOR
AND PRIVILEGE THAT THIS
RESOLUTION COMES THROUGH A
COMMITTEE THAT I HAVE THE
PLEASURE OF SHARING. SO,
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT, I
COORDINATED THIS WITH THE LATE
SENATOR'S DAUGHTER, A DEAR
FRIEND AND A PROFESSIONAL
MENTOR. I LET HER KNOW ABOUT
THIS TODAY AND SHE WAS VERY
EXCITED. AND, SO, I AM HONORED
AGAIN TO BE ABLE TO SHEPHERD
THIS THROUGH AT LEAST THIS
COMMITTEE HERE. NOW, WITH THAT
SAID, I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
ADOPT THE RESOLUTION 32126. IS
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR SAKA
TWO. IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED. ARE THERE ANY FURTHER
COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WILL BE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
32126?
>> VICE CHAIR SAKA TO ?
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ?
LOCATIONALITY STRAUSS ?
LOCATIONALITY WOO ? CHAIR
SAKA?
>> AYE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
THE MOTION THAT COMMITTEE
ADOPT RESOLUTION 32126 WILL BE
SENT TO THE COUNCIL MEETING.
THANK YOU . WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS. WILL BE CLERK PLEASE
READ ITEM TWO THREE
>> WE ARE GOING TO HEAR THE
LEVY TO MOVE SEATTLE BRIEFING.
>> ALL RIGHT , THANK YOU. WILL
OUR PRESENTERS JOIN US AT THE
TABLE? ONCE READY, PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND BEGIN
YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
SDOT. I WOULD LIKE TO PAY
TRIBUTE TO THE SDOT DIRECTOR
OF INTERREGIONAL PROGRAMS, WHO
PASSED AWAY THIS WEEKEND AFTER
A LONG ILLNESS. JOHN HAS BEEN A
BELOVED FIGURE ADD SDOT. MOST
RECENTLY LEADING THE
INTERACTION WITH THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
NEIGHBORING CITIES, AND OTHER
GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES ON SOME
OF THE REGION'S LARGEST AND
MOST -COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION
PROJECT. I JOINED THE AGENCY IN
THE FALL OF 2022. JOHN WAS THE
LEAD WRITER AND EDITOR OF OUR
TOP TO BOTTOM VIEW OF VISION
ZERO, BRINGING KEEN INSIGHT
INTO THE ESSENTIAL PROJECT. IN
ADDITION TO HIS MANY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, JOHN WILL BE
REMEMBERED FOR HIS BRILLIANT
MIND, AND IS TIED AND
THOUGHTFUL MANNER AND HIS
THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP. THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PRESENT ITEM 2. I WILL BRIEFLY
INTRODUCE THE TOPIC AND THEN I
WILL PASS IT TO MY TEAM
MEMBERS. IT IS MAINTAINING AND
MODERNIZING THE NETWORK, THE
LEVY HAS MADE IT SAFER AND HAS
IMPROVED THE SPEED AND
RELIABILITY OF TRANSIT. IT HAS
MADE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND
CONVENIENT TO GET AROUND ON
BIKES, E-BIKES, AND SCOOTERS.
IT HAS PUT POTHOLES, PAVED
STREETS, AND IT HAS CONSTRUCTED
NEW SIDELINES. ALONG THE WAY,
WE HAVE ALIGNED OPPORTUNITIES
TO UPDATE WATER AND SEWERS .
IN THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING OUR
STREETS, THE Y HAS PROVIDED
STEADY IMPROVEMENT , WITHIN
SDOT ITSELF. ACROSS THE FIRST
EIGHT YEARS OF THE LEVY, SDOT
HAS STRENGTHENED THE ABILITY TO
ATTRACT AND MANAGE GRANTS, IT
HAS EXPANDED OUR CAPACITY TO
DELIVER PROJECTS LARGE AND
SMALL AND IT HAS ENRICHED OUR
COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITIES
AND NEIGHBORHOODS. DURING MY 18
MONTHS AS SDOT DIRECTOR, I
HAVE BEEN MOVING TOWARD
STRENGTHENING THE SAFETY
PROGRAMS AND FINISHING STRONG
ON THE LEVY . WITH A RELENTLESS
FOCUS ON DELIVERY, IN 2023, WE
COMPLETED DESIGN ON DOZENS OF
LEVY-FUNDED PROJECTS, WHICH YOU
WILL BE SEEING GOING INTO
CONSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT 2024.
ALL THREE OF MY DEPUTY
DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN LEADING THE
WAY ON THE LEVY PROJECTS AND
PROGRAMS. FOR THE PRESENTATION
TODAY, I AM FEATURING SENIOR
DIRECTOR, FRANCISCA STEFAN,
WHO OVERSEES BOTH OUR DESIGN
AND CAPITAL PROJECTS
DIVISIONS. TAKEN AWAY,
FRANCISCA STEFAN.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR SAKA,
VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH, I
REALLY APPRECIATE YOU WHILE
TAKING THE TIME WITH US THIS
MORNING TO FIND OUT MORE. I
WILL START WITH JUST A QUICK
OVERVIEW. I AM GOING TO GIVE
YOU SOME INFORMATION, THE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION. I AM
GOING TO GET YOU UP-TO-DATE ON
WHERE WE STAND WITH
ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE PROGRAM.
SERENA, SERENA LEHMAN, THE
PORTFOLIO PROGRAM MANAGER WILL
GIVE YOU INFORMATION AS WE
FINISH STRONG, AND WE WILL GET
YOU UP-TO-DATE ON THE LEVY
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. STARTING
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF THE
BACKGROUND. SO WE HAVE BEEN
REALLY FORTUNATE . WE FIRST
STARTED WITH THE 2006 BRIDGING
THE GAP LEVY, IT WAS THE FIRST
STUDY, CONSISTENT, FOCUSED
SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR
MAINTENANCE. IT WAS SET UP TO
ADDRESS A SERIOUS MAINTENANCE
BACKLOG. IT WAS DEDICATED 57%
OF ITS FUNDING TOWARDS PAVING
AND MAINTENANCE ALONE. IT WAS
EARLY MAINTENANCE FOCUS. IT
WAS COMING AT A TIME OF THE
CITY AND THE STATE WERE
STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO FUND THOSE TYPES OF
IMPROVEMENTS. IN 2015, THE
VOTERS AGAIN WENT BACK TO THE
BALLOT BOX AND THEY APPROVED A
TRIPLING OF THE LEVY SIZE TO
$930 MILLION. IT WAS AN
INTERESTING MOMENT. IT WAS A
MOMENT WHERE SEATTLE WAS
GROWING INCREDIBLY RAPIDLY.
THINK ABOUT IT, WE HAVE ADDED
100,000 NEW SEATTLE RESIDENTS,
SINCE WE PASSED THE MOVE
SEATTLE LEVY. TOP OF MIND FOR
VOTERS AT THE TIME WAS
CONGESTION. IT HAD A SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT FOCUS. IT CONTINUED
TO FOCUS ON SAFETY. IT
CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON
MAINTENANCE. BUT IT INTRODUCED
A NEW FOCUS ON MOVING PEOPLE
MORE EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY, LOWERING
EMISSIONS, WHICH WE CALL
CONGESTION MANAGEMENT. SO, IT
WAS AN INTERESTING RESPONSE TO
A VERY DISTINCT CHALLENGE AT
THAT TIME. AND THIS LEVY, IT IS
CURRENTLY IN EFFECT AND IT
EXPIRES DECEMBER 31st OF THIS
YEAR, IT FUNDS ABOUT 30% OF THE
SDOT BUDGET. WE ARE WORKING ON
DEVELOPING A RENEWAL LEVY AND
WE ARE WORKING ON TALKING MORE
WITH YOU ABOUT IT THIS SPRING.
NEXT. I THINK YOU MAY HAVE
SEEN THIS AT THE SDOT 101
PRESENTATION . AS A CONSISTENT
SOURCE , THE MOVE SEATTLE LEVY
IS OUR SINGLE LARGEST SOURCE
OF FUNDS, WE BENEFIT FROM ANY
OTHER FUNDS IN THE CITY, BUT
THEY ARE FLUCTUATING, AND THEY
ARE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT
CHANGES IN THE MARKET. NEXT.
SO, DIVING IN. APPROVED BY 58
PERCENT OF VOTERS IN 2015, WE
TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
TIMING, BUT IT HAS BEEN
ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT
OUTLINES 30 VERY SPECIFIC
DELIVERABLES. WE WILL TALK
QUITE A BIT ABOUT THAT TODAY,
SO THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH
HOW IT IS STRUCTURED AND WHAT
THOSE WERE. IT IS OVERSEEN BY
AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT IS
APPOINTED IN PART BY COUNCIL
AND IN PART BY THE MAYOR. THEY
MEET MONTHLY TO DELIVER REPORTS
AND DISCUSS AND PROVIDE
GUIDANCE FOR THE OVERALL LEVY.
I WILL SAY, THIS LEVY IS
IMPORTANT. IT IS A $930
MILLION LEVY. IN REALITY, IT
HAS LEVERAGED SIGNIFICANT GRANT
AND PARTNER FUNDS. WE HAVE
TAKEN THE SDOT APPROACH. IT IS
THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE . WE
ARE FULLY, 110% COMMITTED TO
IMPLEMENTING THIS LEVY. IN
ADDITION TO THAT $930 MILLION,
IT IS DOUBLE IN THE NUMBER OF
RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING
TOWARDS MAKING SURE THAT WE
MEET WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED.
NEXT. AS I MENTIONED, THERE
ARE THREE MAJOR GROUPINGS,
SAFE ROUTES, MAINTENANCE AND
REPAIR, AND CONGESTION RELIEF.
WITHIN THOSE ARE VERY SPECIFIC
PROGRAMS WITH VERY SPECIFIC
DELIVERABLES. THEY CAN GET AS
SPECIFIC AS, YOU KNOW? HOW MANY
, ONE, ONE OF THE METRICS, IT
IS THE SAFE ROUTES IMPROVEMENT
TO EVERY SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, WHICH WE WILL MEET AND
EXCEED IN THE TERM OF THIS
LEVY. OTHERS ARE A LITTLE BIT
MORE BROAD, MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE STAYING ON TOP OF SIDEWALK
REPAIRS. WHAT WE REPORT, WE
TRACK EVERY SINGLE REPAIR MADE
AND WE REPORT NUMERICALLY ON
HOW MANY ARE DONE. IN SOME OF
THE CATEGORIES, THERE ARE VERY
SPECIFIC PRODUCTS THAT HAVE
BEEN COMPLETED AND WE WILL SHOW
THOSE PHOTOS IN A MINUTE. SO,
IT IS A MIX OF OPERATIONS,
DISTINCT CAPITAL, REPAIR, AND
SERVICES. A KEY PIECE OF THE
LEVY, AS WELL, AS WE WERE
WORKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
MOVE PEOPLE MORE EFFICIENTLY
THROUGHOUT THE CITY WAS A HUGE
SURGE IN THE NETWORK OF
BICYCLE FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE
IN THE CITY. WE HAVE THIS LEVY
TO THANK, AS THEY MOVE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, MANY NEW
SIDEWALKS, AND MANY NEW KEY
PIECES OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
NEXT . SO, NINE YEARS IS A
LONG TIME, WE WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THIS, ESPECIALLY AS
WE THINK ABOUT PROJECTING INTO
THE FUTURE, WHEN WE ADOPT THE
ORDINANCE, WE COULD NOT HAVE
SEEN COVID-19 COMING. WE COULD
NOT HAVE SEEN THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE CRISIS THAT HAPPENED.
AND WE ALSO GOT DIRECTION IN
2018 TO REASSESS THE WORK
PLAN. THE GOOD NEWS, ALL OF
THIS, WE HAVE PIVOTED EVERY
TIME. IN 2021, WE STOPPED AND
WE SAID, WAIT A SECOND. THE
VOTERS IN 2015 ASKED US TO DO
SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC. THEY
STILL THINK THAT, WHAT WE DID
IN 2021, WE SAID, WHAT CAN WE
DO, TO PIVOT , TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CAN HIT AS MANY TARGETS
OF THE LEGISLATION AS HUMANLY
POSSIBLE. WE TRIED TO STICK
WITH THOSE INCREASES AND IN
SOME PLACES WE SAID , EVEN IF
WE HIT THE MINIMUM, THAT IS NOT
ENOUGH. IN 2021, WE
RECOMMITTED. AND SERENA IS
GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER,
THROUGH ALL THE BUMPS IN THE
ROAD, WE HAVE COME BACK TO THE
ORIGINAL FOUNDATION OF WHAT
PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE
GETTING, SO THEY WILL BE
GETTING WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
NEXT. SO, THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE. THIS IS A KEY ROLE,
THEY ARE THE RECIPIENT OF OUR
QUARTERLY REPORTS, ANNUAL
REPORTS, AND THE PLACE THAT
THEY GO WITH HER MIGHT BE
ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED. THE
NEIGHBORHOOD STREET FUND IS A
GOOD EXAMPLE. THAT IS ONE OF
THE PROGRAMS THAT WE DO, WHERE
WE PUT OUT A CALL, AND IT
OPENED CALL FOR PROJECTS THEY
WOULD LIKE TO DO. ULTIMATELY,
THE SELECTION OF THE 25 IS UP
TO THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. WE
ALSO BRING TO THEM AREAS WHERE
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A PIVOT.
SERENA WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THE PIT IN THE
BRIDGE SEISMIC PROGRAM, WE
BRING THAT TO THEM, AND WE ARE
REALLY GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR
THE VOLUNTEER LABOR WORK, IT IS
A LOT TO MONITOR AND IT IS A
LOT OF INFORMATION IN THAT, WE
HAVE THE 2023 REPORT ABOUT
READY TO HIT THE STREET AND IT
HAS ABOUT 100 PAGES. ALTHOUGH,
I KNOW THAT YOU WERE PROBABLY
EXPECTING MORE THAN THAT, BUT
IT IS A LOT, FOR A VOLUNTEER
BOARD. NEXT. SO, YOU KNOW,
THIS, THIS WILL TAKE A LITTLE
TIME TO GET THROUGH, I WILL NOT
WALK THROUGH EACH PIECE OF IT,
BUT WE TRY TO GIVE SOMEBODY, IN
ADDITION TO OUR ANNUAL REPORT,
WE TRY TO GIVE A SUMMARY
OVERVIEW ABOUT THE WORK THAT
HAS BEEN COMPLETED SO PEOPLE
CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF WHAT WE
DO. THE EXAMPLES IN HERE WOULD
BE THE SPOT IMPROVEMENTS, THE
PAINTED CROSSWALKS, LOTS OF NEW
SIDEWALKS. WE WILL BE TALKING
ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, JUST AN
IDEA OF HOW WE TRY TO MAKE IT
ACCESSIBLE TO SOMEONE WHO HAS
30 SECONDS TO SPEND ON THE
LEVY, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE
INVOLVED WITH US DOING
OVERSIGHT. SO, WHAT HAVE WE
DONE? A KEY PIECE OF WHAT WAS
HAPPENING IN 2015, METRO HAD
DECIDED THAT THEY HAD WANTED TO
CREATE A REALLY STRONG
BACKBONE OF RAPID RIDES IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. THAT WAS A
REALLY IMPORTANT FOUNDATION OF
THE MOVE SEATTLE LEVY, SO THAT
IS HOW WE GET PROJECTS LIKE THE
DELL RIDGE RAPID RIDE. AND HOW
YOU SEE THE CONNECTION WITH
RAPID RIDE G AND HOW WE ARE
ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE START OF
RAPID RIDE J. IN ADDITION,
THERE ARE SURGICAL INSERTIONS
THAT WE HAVE WORKED OUT, WITH
METRO, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
BRANDED AS SUCH, BUT THEY ARE,
I LIKE TO CALL THEM THE STRING
OF PEARLS OF TRANSIT
IMPROVEMENTS. THEY ARE IN
AREAS WHERE BUSES CANNOT
RELIABLY GET THROUGH IT, WE
ARE DOING CORRIDORS TO CREATE
DEDICATED RED LANES, WHERE
THERE IS CURRENT CONGESTION SO
THAT PEOPLE, THEY MIGHT BE
TAKING THE MOST ENERGY
EFFICIENT MODE OF TRAVEL AND
THEY WILL GET THROUGH IT, THAT
INCLUDES ABOUT 44, AND MANY
OTHER TRANSIT ROUTES, THESE ARE
KEY PIECES, HE PIECES OF OUR
CITY LANDSCAPE THAT THE CITY
HAS FUNDED. MOVING KIDS
RELIABLY, THIS IS VERY
IMPORTANT, THE LENDER STREET
BRIDGE , THE LEVY DID NOT PAY
FOR IT ALL. BUT, THE LEVY PAID
FOR AN IMPORTANT PORTION. THE
LEVY WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF
HAVING MATCHING FUNDS FOR THE
GOVERNMENT, AND INDICATING A
SERIOUSNESS AROUND MOVING THIS
PROJECT FORWARD. WE DO A VERY
CONSISTENT FREIGHT SPOT
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHERE IT
IS A RAILROAD CROSSING WITH
SAFETY CONCERNS, AND OTHER
PLACES WHERE TRUCKS AND MAYBE
THIS IS A KEY PART OF THE LEVY,
AS WELL, AND WHERE WE DO
PAVING, PAVING, IT WAS A HUGE
PART OF THIS LEVY, UPWARDS OF
$200 MILLION, AND WE HAVE
REALLY FOCUSED ON ARTERIALS
THAT SERVE THE FREIGHT NETWORK
AND THAT SERVE THE TRANSIT
NETWORK. IT IS AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THINKING ABOUT PAVING,
WE ARE DOING IT IN PLACES THAT
MOVE THE MOST PEOPLE, ON THE
BUSIEST STREETS. SAFE,
SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS, AS I MENTIONED, THIS
WAS A HUGE SURGE IN THE
NETWORK. A HUGE SURGE, 25
BLOCKS OF NEW SIDEWALKS PER
YEAR, LEADING TO 225 OVER THE
LIFE OF THE LEVY, THAT I SAY
225? EXCUSE ME, WHAT IF I'VE
BLOCKS PER YEAR, AND ALSO,
SAFETY CORRIDORS, AS I
MENTIONED EARLIER. NEXT.
CONNECTING PEOPLE AND PLACES,
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THE
JOHN LEWIS MEMORIAL BRIDGE, A
KEY PIECE OF INFRASTRUCTURE,
WE CREATED A SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN A
VERY HUGE ASSET TO THE
COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE OUR
IMPRESSIVE PUBLIC STAIRCASE
NETWORK AND WE HAVE EITHER
RECONSTRUCTED OR SIGNIFICANTLY
REPAIRED 45 OF OUR PUBLIC
STAIRCASES THROUGHOUT THE MOVE
SEATTLE LEVY. NEXT. LAST, BUT
NOT LEAST, INVESTING IN OUR
ASSETS, WE KNOW THAT BRIDGES
ARE A KEY PART OF HOW WE KEEP
THE CITY CONNECTED. OVER OUR
WATERWAYS, RAVINES, ALL OF
THOSE PLACES, THEY ARE THE T
CONNECTIONS. THIS PROGRAM, THE
MOVE SEATTLE LEVY, PUT
TOGETHER THE BRIDGE SEISMIC
PROGRAM IT REMOVED THE SPOT
REPAIRS AND ALSO A NUMBER OF
STRENGTHENING EFFORTS. IT WAS
A KEY STEP TO BEING MORE
PROACTIVE IN OUR BRIDGE ASSET
MANAGEMENT. AND I WILL JUST
LEAVE, OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN TAKE
SOME TIME TO READ THAT. BUT
KNOWING THAT THE PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE HAVE REALLY APPRECIATED
THIS EFFORT, IN MYRIAD WAYS .
IT HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT
THEY LIVE, THE WAY THAT THEY
MOVE, AND HOW THEY CAN GET TO
PLACES ON A REGULAR BASIS. I
WANT AND I'LL PASS THIS OFF TO
MY COLLEAGUE, SERENA LEHMAN.
>> NOW, WE ARE NEAR YEAR NINE.
OF MOVE SEATTLE. I WANT TO
TOUCH US ON THE REMAINING
PROGRAMS THAT FRANCISCA STEFAN
WALKED US THROUGH. DESPITE THE
CHALLENGES OVER THE LAST EIGHT
YEARS, INCLUDING COVID-19 AND
THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
CLOSURE, WE ARE ON TRACK TO
MEET 27 OF 30 COMMITMENTS, AS
OUTLINED IN THE 2017 LEVY
ORDINANCE. SO, THE GREEN BOXES,
THAT IS WHERE WE ARE MEETING OR
EXCEEDING THE 2015 GOALS. ON
THE NEXT SLIDES, I WILL WALK
THROUGH WHERE WE WILL NOT BE
MEETING OUR TARGETS. THE FIRST
ONE I WILL TOUCH ON IS THE
BICYCLE SAFETY PROGRAM, IN THE
ORIGINAL LEVY ORDINANCE, WE
COMMITTED TO BUILDING 50 MILES
OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES AND 60
OF GREENWAYS. WE ARE ON TRACK
TO CURRENTLY BILLED BETWEEN 90
AND 107 MILES OF THAT 110.
THE NEXT PROGRAM THAT I WILL
TOUCH ON, IT IS MULTIMODAL,
THIS IS A VERY LARGE PROGRAM
THAT ENCOMPASSES SEVEN TRANSIT
PLUS MULTIMODAL CORRIDORS. AND
SEVERAL , WELL, FOUR INDIVIDUAL
PROJECTS , WHICH I WILL TOUCH
ON NEXT. WE ARE ON TRACK TO
BEING COMPLETED BY THE END OF
2024, THAT INCLUDES PROJECTS
YOU HAVE SEEN IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING THE
MADISON RAPID RIDE G, THE
ROOSEVELT RAPID RIDE J,
ROUTES, 7, 40, 44, AND 48. AND
WE HAVE COMPLETED CONNECTIONS
ON NORTHEAST 45th AND WE ARE
ALSO CURRENTLY DOING THE AURORA
PLANNING STUDY. THE TWO PLACES
WE WILL NOT BE MEETING THE
COMMITMENTS, WE HAVE BEEN
DELAYED ON THE BURKE GILMAN
TRAIL , DUE TO ONGOING
LITIGATION. THE FAUNTLEROY
BOULEVARD SOUTHWEST PROJECT,
WE PAUSE TO THIS IN 2018, DUE
TO SOUND TRANSIT THREE
PLANNING. AND THEY WERE
LOOKING AT SITES, WE DID NOT
WANT TO DO THAT, WE WANT TO BE
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE WERE
USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS. WE DID
NOT WANT TO INVEST A BUNCH OF
TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING
THEY COULD BE POTENTIALLY BE
TORN UP. WE WILL NOT BE
MEETING OUR COMMITMENTS ON THE
GRAHAM STREET LIGHT RAIL
CONNECTION. SOUND TRANSIT IS
EVENTUALLY PLANNING ON DOING
THE STATION ON GRAHAM STREET
THROUGH SOUTH SEATTLE.
HOWEVER, THAT WORK WILL NOT BE
COMPLETE UNTIL 2031 AND IN
CONVERSATIONS WITH SOUND
TRANSIT, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THE WORK THAT SDOT WOULD BE
DOING, WE HAD TO PAUSE THAT
WORK. AND THEN, THE WEATHER WE
HAVE NOT HIGHLIGHTED HERE, THAT
IS THE BRIDGE SEISMIC PROGRAM,
WHICH WAS ALERTED THAT MAC
ALLUDED TO BY FRANCISCA
EARLIER. WHEN WE ORIGINALLY
PASSED THE LEVY, SDOT
COMMITTED TO A SERIES OF 16
BRIDGES. AS WE, YOU KNOW, HELD
OURSELVES TO HIGH STANDARDS,
WE REALIZED THAT A FEW OF THOSE
BRIDGES WOULD PRETTY MUCH EAT
UP THE ENTIRE BUDGET OF THE
BRIDGE SEISMIC PROGRAM AND
MORE. WE PAUSED THE PROGRAM.
AS FRANCISCO ALLUDED TO, WE
WERE LOOKING AT WHAT CAN WE DO,
WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET AS CLOSE
AS WE POSSIBLY CAN DO TO GET TO
THE COMMITMENT PROMISED TO
VOTERS THAT WE IDENTIFIED
ADDITIONAL BRIDGES THAT WE CAN
THEN DO SEISMIC RETROFITTING
ON THAT FITS WITHIN THE BUDGET
THAT WE HAVE. AND SO, WE WERE
ABLE TO IDENTIFY FOUR KEY
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES MOVING
FORWARD. AND WE WOULD BE
CONSTRUCTED -- STARTING
CONSTRUCTION ON THIS YEAR. SO,
NOW I WILL TALK ABOUT HOW WE
HAVE BEEN SPENDING ON THE LEVY
TO MOVE SEATTLE OVER THE LAST
NINE YEARS AT THIS GRAPH SHOWS
HOW WE SPENT EACH YEAR, THE
BLUE IS KIND OF OTHER FUNDS,
LOCAL FUNDS, AND OUR LEVY
DOLLARS. THIS IS A PRETTY
NORMAL SPENDING CURVE FOR A
LEVY THIS LARGE BID AS WE
MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING, THE
LEVY TO MOVE SEATTLE TRIPLED
THE BUDGET , INTO OUR CURRENT
LEVY. AND SO DURING THOSE FIRST
FEW YEARS, WE HAD BEEN RAMPING
UP. NOW YOU CAN SEE THAT WE
HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING A PRETTY
HIGH SPENDING RATE OVER THE
LAST FIVE YEARS AND WE ARE
SPENDING EVEN MORE GOING INTO
2024. THINKING ABOUT THESE BIG
PROJECTS THAT WE SEE ALL OVER
THE CITY. SO, TODAY, WE HAVE
SPENT $728 MILLION OF LEVY
DOLLARS, AND WE PROGRAMMED OUT
THE REST OF THE DEVILS --
DOLLARS FOR 2024 AND BEYOND,
WE HAVE BEEN VERY EXCITED. WE
PINNED THAT TO ALL OF OUR
PROJECTS. NEXT SLIDE, THIS
SHOWS A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON
OF WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE
GOING TO BE WHEN WE ORIGINALLY
PUT FORTH THE LEVY, AND WHERE
WE ARE NOW, IN TERMS OF
PARTNERSHIP AND GRANT FUNDS.
BACK IN 2015, WE HAD A WHOLE
PACKAGE ON WHAT WE COMMITTED ,
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE $1.8
BILLION, THIS INCLUDED $400
MILLION IN GRANTS AND $160
MILLION IN PARTNERSHIP FUNDS.
WE EXPECTED THOSE TO BE MOSTLY
FROM KING COUNTY METRO AS WE
WERE LOOKING TO EXPAND THE
RAPID RIDE NETWORK. YOU KNOW,
ZOOM FORWARD, NOW WE HAVE
COMPLETED EIGHT YEARS AND THE
WHOLE PACKAGE LOOKS CLOSER TO
$2 BILLION WITH THE LEVY
DOLLARS STAYING AT $932
MILLION. WE HAVE MET OUR GRANT
GOAL. OUR PARTNERSHIP FUNDING
WAS LOWER THAN EXPECTED, AS
KING COUNTY ENDED UP SCALING
BACK ON THE RAPID RIDE
DEPLOYMENT PLANS. AND SO, BACK
TO FRANCISCA.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU. THE
SUSTAINED DELIVERY THAT SDOT
HAS BEEN ABLE TO HOLD FOR THE
LAST FOUR YEARS, IT IS OVER
$200 MILLION PER YEAR WITH A
MIXED AMOUNT OF CONTRACT CREW
DELIVERY. WE HAVE FULLY
PROGRAMMED ALL OF THE MOVE
SEATTLE BUDGET TOWARD PROJECTS
WITHIN THE PORTFOLIO, AND WE
HAVE A TON OF PROJECTS COMING
FORWARD THIS YEAR, WITH SOME
REALLY BIG HIGHLIGHTS. IT
INCLUDES A START ON THE BRIDGE
SEISMIC RETROFIT PROJECTS, 10
OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD
REQUESTED PROJECT WILL BE
STARTING CONSTRUCTION, ABOUT
20+ MILES , THIS WILL BE A
REALLY EXCITING SUMMER TO BE
OUT AND ABOUT, WALKING AND
BIKING AND A REALLY GREAT WAY
TO CONNECT DIFFERENT
NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, WE ARE
EXCITED ABOUT DOING THESE
PROJECTS. WE ARE EXCITED TO
ENGAGE YOU IN THE NEXT PHASES
AND TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THE
WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. THIS
IS REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT HAS SHAPED THE FACE OF THE
CITY AND THE WAY THAT WE GET
AROUND IN THE PLACES WE CAN
GET TO AND HOW WE CAN GET
THERE, VERY EXCITED. THE LAST
SLIDE IS JUST WHERE YOU CAN SEE
MORE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO
TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY, IN ADDITION TO
ANNUAL QUARTERLY REPORTS, WE
HAVE THE LEVY PERFORMANCE
DASHBOARD AVAILABLE ONLINE AND
BE CAPITAL PROJECT DASHBOARD
ONLINE, THAT GOES TO
CONTRACTORS WITH LARGER
PROJECTS, THOSE ARE AVAILABLE
ANYTIME, YOU CAN FILTER
INFORMATION AND YOU CAN ZOOM IN
TO DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND
ORGANIZATIONS. PLEASE FEEL FREE
TO READ THIS AT YOUR LEISURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WE ARE
HERE FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS
ON THE CURRENT MOVE SEATTLE
LEVY WITH US. YOU KNOW? I WAS
STRUCK BY A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, THOSE FORCE MAJEURE
EVENTS, THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE CLOSURE, AND THE GLOBAL
PANDEMIC, WHICH OBVIOUSLY,
THEY WERE NOT AT ALL
ANTICIPATED , THEY WERE NOT
CONTEMPLATED ONCE THE ORIGINAL
LEVY WAS PASSED , BUT SEEING
ON THIS SLIDE . DESPITE THAT,
DESPITE THOSE CHALLENGES, WE
SUBSTANTIALLY PERFORMED . THERE
IS ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY FOR
CONTINUED GROWTH AND, YOU KNOW?
IMPROVEMENT. KUDOS TO THE TEAM
AT SDOT FOR WORKING HARD TO
LIVE UP TO THOSE COMMITMENTS. I
AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
ALONGSIDE YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE DO EVEN BETTER . BUT,
ONE THING, ANOTHER THING THAT
SORT OF STRUCK ME WITH THAT THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE, THE
CLOSURE THERE, AND THAT WAS NOT
SOMETHING THAT WAS RELATED TO,
NECESSARILY, A POOR QUALITY
BRIDGE, THAT WAS A DESIGN FLAW
THAT CAUSED THAT. HERE WE ARE
IN A POSITION . WE ARE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH THE 2021 AUDIT
AND THE CURRENT LEVEL ACROSS
THE STATE. WE WILL HAVE A
SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, TOPICAL
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION ABOUT
THE STATE OF OUR BRIDGES IN
THE COMING WEEKS, AND AS AN
ASIDE , I HAVE INVITED SOME
MEMBERS OF THE LEVY OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE. REGARDLESS, I
THINK THERE IS A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY, GOING FORWARD, TO
MAKE SURE THAT BRIDGE
MAINTENANCE AND MODERNIZATION
EFFORTS ARE BETTER FUNDED ,
NOT ONLY FOR THE UPCOMING
RENEWAL, BUT ANNUALLY, GOING
FORWARD. ONE OF MY GOALS,
BEING POTHOLE ROYALTY , TO
MAKE SURE THAT NO OTHER
COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES WHAT WE
DID IN MY SEATTLE WITH THE 2.5
CLOSURE OF AN EGRESS ROUTE. IN
ANY EVENT, THERE IS A HUGE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO BETTER, AND
THAT IS ONE PRIME EXAMPLE OF
WHAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
FIRST APPROACH LOOKS LIKE. SO
, I WOULD JUST BE CURIOUS TO
HEAR FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. HOW
DID THOSE TWO FORCE MAJEURE
EVENTS, THE PANDEMIC, AND THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE CLOSURE,
HOW DID THAT IMPACT ? I WOULD
BE CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
HOW THAT IMPACTED THE
PERFORMANCE.
>> I CAN TAKE THAT. ALTHOUGH ,
I WAS NOT HERE THEN. YOU KNOW?
FINDING A WAY TO DIAGNOSE
WHETHER THE WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE
COULD BE REPAIRED OR NOT, AND
THEN REPAIRING IT, THAT BECAME
THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF THE
AGENCY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND IT WAS THE NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY OF ELECTED OFFICIALS,
UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN, IN THIS
REGION. AND A LOT OF FEDERAL
FUNDS WERE BROUGHT IN. AND
STATE FUNDS. AND IT WAS
SIMULTANEOUSLY A VERY
DIFFICULT PERIOD FOR WEST
SEATTLE RESIDENTS. AN OVERLY
AMAZING, ALL HANDS ON DECK
EFFORT TO GET THAT BRIDGE BACK
UP AND RUNNING. THERE WAS ALSO
A STRIKE THAT HAS NOT BEEN
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. SO, THERE
WAS A CHANGE OF FOCUS DURING
THAT PERIOD IN TIME. BUT I
HAPPENED TO TURN UP, RIGHT
BEFORE THE BUDGET WAS
REOPENED, AND EARNING MY
CONFIRMATION HEARING, I
COMMITTED TO THIS COMMITTEE
REGARDING THE BRIDGES. I WOULD
ENSURE THAT SDOT HAD THE
ABILITY TO BRING A
CONTEMPORARY ASSET MANAGEMENT
APPROACH TO THE BUILDING. THAT
IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. WE HAVE
DELIVERED ON ALL OF THE BRIDGE
AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE
GONE BEYOND THAT. I HAVE
APPOINTED THE FIRST CHIEF
INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEER AS A
DEPUTY DIRECTOR , ELIZABETH
SHELDON, SO THAT I HAVE AN
ENGINEER ON THE TEAM OVERSEEING
THE ROADWAY STRUCTURES GROUP.
SO THAT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY
APPROVING THE ABILITY TO BE
GOOD STEWARDS OF THAT ASSET
CLASS. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
DIFFERENT REPORTS THAT WE WILL
BE PUBLISHING ABOUT THAT, TO
BRING THROUGH THE COMMITTEE,
THE NEXT LEVY OFFERS A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE
INVESTMENTS IN THAT AREA.
>> I AM CALVIN CHOW WITH
CENTRAL STAFF. FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, A LOT OF WHAT
HAPPENED, THE IMPACT OF THOSE
EVENTS WAS REALLY FINANCIAL,
THE PANDEMIC REALLY TOOK A HIT
AND FORCED A LOT OF
RETHINKING ABOUT HOW THAT WOULD
DELIVER ON ITS PROMISES. THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE REQUIRED US
TO USE A FAIR AMOUNT OF OUR
DEBT CAPACITY. WE HAD TO ISSUE
BONDS TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR
THAT. THAT LIMITS OUR ABILITY,
BECAUSE WE ARE SERVICING THAT
THAT NOW. BOTH OF THOSE EFFORTS
REQUIRED A LOT OF INTERNAL
WORK TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
DELIVER ON PROMISES ALREADY
MADE. THAT IS THE MAIN IMPACT
ON ALL OF THIS.
>> THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE
EVERY LAST ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE A QUESTION. I WILL GO IN
THE ORDER THAT THEY APPEAR,
STARTING FIRST.
>> THANK YOU, I AM NOT GOING
TO SPEAK A WHOLE LOT ON THE
DEPARTURE. EVERYONE , EVERYONE
HAS A COUGH. I HAVE AN AIR
PURIFIER , IF YOU NEED THIS.
>> I JUST LEARNED HERE ABOUT
JOHN'S PASSING . I DON'T KNOW
IF YOU HAD ANY INTERACTION ,
THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT
ARE STILL ALIVE, AND IT ALWAYS
HITS HARDEST WHEN SOMEONE OF
HIS STATURE PASSES. THE LAST
PERSON IN THIS CATEGORY WAS
ANGELA STEELE, IN OUR PUBLIC
SECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. THE REASON
JOHN'S PASSING HITS ME QUITE
HARD, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE
WATERFRONT, THE TUNNEL, WE
WOULD NOT HAVE SO MANY ASPECTS
OF OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN
PLACE WITHOUT HIM. BECAUSE HE
WAS BOTH FIRM AND KIND. HE WAS
ABLE TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW,
TELL YOU NO AND NOT BE A JERK.
AND STILL HAVE THAT RELATION.
THE EXAMPLE I WILL GIVE YOU, IF
YOU REMEMBER ALL OF THAT
LITIGATION, WHOSE FAULT WAS IT,
WAS THAT INSURANCE, WAS IT
WSDOT, THAT WAS JOHN
REPRESENTING THE CITY. HE WAS
INCREDIBLE. I STILL DISAGREE
ABOUT BATTERY STREET TUNNEL
BEING FILLED . I WILL LEAVE
THAT ANOTHER DAY, WHEN WE HAD
MARSHALL FOSTER HERE TALKING
ABOUT THE WATERFRONT , IT WAS
MARSHALL AND JOHN WORKING ON
THESE PROJECTS. AND SO IT WAS
ABOUT HOW TO SHOW UP IN THE
PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT. AND
SO WITH THE BURKE GILMAN TRAIL
, I NOTICED IT WAS INCOMPLETE.
IT HAS BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE. I DO
NOT NEED TO GO INTO IT HERE,
BUT DESPITE LITIGATION, WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO PUSH THAT PROJECT
FORWARD. EVEN THOUGH THE
SECTION ON MARKET STREET IS NOT
COMPLETE AND IT DOES NOT HAVE
FINAL MARKINGS , BECAUSE OF THE
ONGOING LITIGATION, THAT
SUGGESTION HAS MADE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE . I WOULD LIKE IT
DONE TODAY, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER
STATEMENT. THE QUESTION AND
THANK YOU SLIDER AT THE END ,
AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE THE
BALLARD BRIDGE TO STAY IN ITS
CURRENT FORM, I KNOW THAT WE
HAVE TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THIS
IS MY BLOG FOR THE NEXT 30.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE SO MUCH
BRIDGE INFRASTRUCTURE AND
SIDEWALK INFRASTRUCTURE, WE
NEED TO HAVE A LEVY ON THOSE
INDIVIDUALLY, WHEN I RAN FOR
OFFICE THE FIRST TIME, WE WERE
ON THE SCHEDULE , TO STAY ON
SCHEDULE IT WOULD'VE TAKEN 350
YEARS TO COMPLETE. HOW ARE THE
ALTERNATIVES TO SIDEWALKS
COMING ALONG? WORKING WITH
SPU, USING ASPHALT TREATMENTS,
I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
THEM OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, IN MY
DISTRICT, HOW ARE THINGS GOING
WITH SIDEWALK ALTERNATIVES ?
>> YES . I THINK THERE HAS BEEN
A WONDERFUL GROWTH AND ABILITY
TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE
CONTEXTUAL CHALLENGES. THEY
DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, THEY,
THEY VERY EACH TIME BASED ON
WIDTH AND WHAT DRAINAGE
CURRENTLY EXISTS . AND I WOULD
SAY, WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE
WITH HAVING DEMONSTRATED MANY
DIFFERENT VARIETIES AND WAYS TO
DELIVER THEM. AND WE STILL, I
THINK, IN , THERE IS DISCUSSION
UNDERWAY ABOUT HOW WE CAN
CONTINUE TO DO IT AND LOOP IN
ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE WORK THERE.
SO, I WOULD SAY, CONTINUES TO
IMPROVE AND MOVE FORWARD, WITH
IT BEING VERY SITE-SPECIFIC IN
HOW WE APPROACH EACH ONE.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. TRUST
ME , WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A
SEPARATE BRIEFING FOCUSED ON
SIDEWALKS. I WILL NOW
RECOGNIZE VICE CHAIR
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> DIRECTOR SAKA, I WAS
WAITING FOR YOU TO SAY FAST AND
FLAVORFUL FOR SOME VALUES, BUT
I KNOW THAT IS VERY CATCHY.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD, I
KNOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN A REALLY
BIG INCREASE IN THE MICRO
TRANSIT OPTIONS, LIKE THE
SCOOTERS AND WE HAVE A TON OF
EMAILS TO TALK ABOUT. LIKE,
SAFETY PIECES ABOUT SCOOTERS,
ARE THEY ON THE SIDEWALKS, IN
THE BIKE LANES, OR ON THE ROAD
? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING
WITH THE SCOOTER SAFETY PIECE?
WHAT IS SDOT KIND OF DOING
RIGHT NOW ?
>> THE GOOD NEWS IS, AS WE HAVE
MORE PROTECTED BIKE LANES,
PARTICULARLY IN DOWNTOWN.
THERE ARE LESS SCOOTER RIDES
HAPPENING ON THE SIDEWALKS,
ALONG THOSE CORRIDORS, WHEN
THERE IS A SAFER PLACE TO RIDE
IN OUR SCOOTER PROGRAM , IT IS
VENDORS. THEY HAVE TAKEN OUT A
PERMIT TO OPERATE HERE. SO, WE
HAVE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY
WITH THEM. THAT INDUSTRY IS
CHANGING VERY FAST. WE ARE
PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE FEWER
VENDORS FUNCTIONING ON THE
STREET THIS YEAR THAN
PREVIOUS, BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN
THAT INDUSTRY. SO WE ARE
WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
VENDORS. IMPROVING TECHNOLOGY,
IMPROVING A KIND OF
GEO-FENCING, SO THAT YOU CAN
KEEP THE SCOOTER WHERE IT
NEEDS TO BE, AND ALSO
IMPROVING THE ABILITY OF THE
VENDOR TO COME AND CLEAN UP AND
PICK UP SCOOTERS THAT ARE IN
THE WRONG PLACE. I DID A WALK
WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR
VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMUNITIES
AND SHE SHOWED ME HOW JARRING
IT CAN BE WHEN THEY ARE
TRAVELING ALONG THE STREETS
WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND ALL
OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS A
SCOOTER WHERE YOU WERE NOT
EXPECTING IT TO BE. THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING
VERY HARD ON. AND IT IS
EVOLVING AS THE INDUSTRY IS
CHANGING.
>> MY SECOND QUESTION WAS,
SIDE ROADS. I KNOW THAT WE PAY
A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE
CORRIDORS , AND THE MAIN
PIECES, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT
OUR SIDE ROADS ARE CONTINUING
TO DECREASE, AS WELL, RIGHT?
THE WAY THEY LOOK. POTHOLES.
OLD COBBLESTONE ROADS, AND SO
FORTH, IS THERE, LIKE, MONEY
IN THE BUDGET? ARE THERE SOME
SIDE ROADS THAT WE ARE GOING
TO START, YOU KNOW, TAKING
CARE OF HER PRIORITIZING? 23rd
AVENUE, THAT HAS A LOT OF
TRAFFIC CALMING THAT HAS
CREATED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
HEAVY TRAFFIC, HEAVILY
TRAFFICKED AREAS . I AM
WONDERING IF THERE WILL BE
REPAIRS ON SOME OF THE MAIN
SIDE ROADS?
>> YOU KNOW, THIS CURRENT LEVY,
AND CONCENTRATED THE LARGE
PAVEMENT ON THE BIGGEST
ARTERIALS. THERE WERE ALSO
BIGGER CATEGORIES FOR SMALLER
PAVING PROJECTS, FOR PROJECTS
WHERE YOU ARE FACING, FIXING
THE ROADWAY, AND WE HAVE
STO DO WITHIN OUR
OWN SDOT STAFF AND I THINK THAT
AN IMPORTANT POINT OF
DISCUSSION, WHEN THERE IS A
LEVY PROPOSAL, IT WILL BE AT
THE BALANCE OF INVESTING IN THE
ROADWAY CONDITIONS OF OUR
ARTERIALS, VERSUS THE SIDE
ROADS.
>> AWESOME. I AM ASSUMING IT
WILL BE FAST AND FLAVORFUL FOR
THOSE SIDE ROADS.
>> THAT IS A NICE PLUG FROM
VICE CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH FOR A
FOCUS ON THE NON-ARTERIAL
STREETS. SUPER COOL. LET'S
SEE, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ?
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR , FOR
COMING HERE TODAY. AND THANK
YOU, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF YOUR
COLLEAGUE WHO WAS LOST, MR.
FLEMING. AND TO GIVE THE
OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCILMEMBER
DAN STRAUSS TO SPEAK TO IT. I
DID NOT KNOW HIM, BUT I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY IN AN OFFICIAL WAY
TO GET THAT IN. NOT KNOWING
HIM, I DO KNOW THAT THE VISION
ZERO PROGRAM, AS YOU
MENTIONED, WOULD LIKE TO THANK
HIM AND HIS LEGACY ON THAT. IT
IS VERY IMPORTANT. NOT JUST IN
QUEEN ANNE, BUT IN THE
SURROUNDING AREAS AS WELL,
QUITE OFTEN. THAT IS A VERY
IMPORTANT PIECE , TOO, BECAUSE
IT IS KIND OF THE OVERLAP IN
TERMS OF THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE. I WOULD LIKE TO
ADD, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO ME. PLAYING OFF
THE COMMENTS LASTLY, I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER JOY
HOLLINGSWORTH, THE SCOOTER
ISSUE IS WHAT I HAD BEEN
REFERRING TO LAST WEEKEND WHEN
YOU HAD THE MOBILITY BULLET ON
YOUR SLIDE, THAT IS A BIG ISSUE
FOR THE RESIDENTS DOWNTOWN AND
IN BELLTOWN, EVEN WITH THE BIKE
LANES I 110 SUPPORT THEM, LIKE
ON 2nd AVENUE, PARTICULARLY
WITH THE LIGHTING. IT IS SO
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE VERY
WELL DONE BIKE LANES, BECAUSE
THEY DO PROVIDE THAT SEPARATION
FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE
TRAVELING PUBLIC. AND I ALSO
SUPPORT THOSE NEW ONES, TOO
COMING UP OFF THE WATERFRONT,
IN BELLTOWN, OFF OF ELLIOTT, I
DEFINITELY SUPPORT THOSE BIKE
LANES, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY I WAS MAKING
NOTE OF A VERY DIFFERENT BIKE
LANE UP ON WEST LAKE. THAT IS
VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE BIKE
LANES THAT WE HAD BEEN BUILDING
THROUGH THE LEVY, I WANTED TO
JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT, AND THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. YOU HAD SOME
SLIDES THAT HAD PICTURES , WITH
THE SAFE SCHOOLS PROJECT THAT
IS SO IMPORTANT, ONE THING THAT
I HAVE LEARNED FROM BEING ON
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, AND NOW, AS
A COUNCILMEMBER, I WILL WORK
WITH MY COLLEAGUE FROM
DIFFERENT -- DISTRICT 6.
MAGNOLIA IS THE FORGOTTEN
PIECE, OUT OF THE WAY, OFF TO
THE SIDE, IF YOU WILL. BUT THE
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PIECE IS
THERE, ALL OF THE CALMING
PIECES THAT WE SEE IN PLACES
LIKE QUEEN ANNE. THEY DO NOT
NECESSARILY GET SEEN IN
MAGNOLIA. SO I WILL WORK WITH
MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS , TO MAKE SURE THAT IS
HIGHLIGHTED AND ADDRESSED. IN
TERMS OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ,
YOU HAVE THE AURORA PIECE AND
SADLY, ONE LADY WAS KILLED NOT
LONG AGO BECAUSE SHE TRIED TO
CROSS AURORA. SHE THOUGHT IT
WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO GO INTO
THE DEXTER UNDERPASS, AT LEAST
THAT IS THE UNDERSTANDING. SO,
THESE ARE THE THINGS, AGAIN,
WHERE WE HAVE THE PUBLIC
SAFETY, THE TRANSPORTATION
COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF
NON-TRANSPORT ISSUES WITH THAT
DEXTER UNDERPASS AREA OF
AURORA. THAT IS WHERE WE NEED
TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD
ANSWERS FOR PLACES LIKE THAT,
THE DEXTER UNDERPASS AND ALSO,
THANK YOU FOR THE PIECES ON THE
BRIDGES. YOU KNOW, DISTRICT 7,
BETWEEN MAGNOLIA AND QUEEN
ANNE, AND ALSO EAST LAKE.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT IS
GOING ON , VERY IMPORTANT TO
HAVE THAT DONE, A LOT OF PEOPLE
DO NOT EVEN REALIZE IT IS A
BRIDGE. THAT KIND OF BACKGROUND
MAINTENANCE WORK IS REALLY,
NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY, BUT IT
IS ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THE
FOUNDATIONAL PIECES. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. NOW, ONE QUESTION,
NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION , BUT,
BE ROUTE 40, I CANNOT SPEAK
TO THE OTHER ASPECTS OF IT, BUT
WEST LAKE, THEY REALLY NEED
THAT, I CAN IMAGINE, IF YOU
GET TO THE ENTIRE DISTANCE, I
DO NOT THINK THAT IT IS NEEDED
IN TERMS OF MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE, I WOULD JUST LIKE
YOU TO THINK ABOUT, NOT JUST
GIVING A BLANKET APPROACH, BUT
REALLY LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT
SEGMENTS OF THE PLAN, BECAUSE
THAT WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC FOR
WEST LAKE, IT SEEMS TO BE
COMING UP IN TRANSPORTATION
ISSUES. BUT THERE COULD BE
MAJOR IMPACTS WITH THE
RESIDENTS AND ALSO THE
BUSINESSES. REALLY INTERESTED
IN THE FREIGHT PIECE .
RELATING TO THE PORT. THIS IS
A QUESTION NOW, DO WE HAVE A
SPECIFIC PORT PROGRAM THAT
BRINGS IN ALL OF THE
TRANSPORTATION QUESTIONS, THE
FREIGHT MOBILITY AND THE LIKE,
DOES IT COME TOGETHER IN ONE
PACKAGE, ONE PROGRAM, AS IT
RELATES TO THE PORT?
>> SOMETIMES WE IDENTIFY
COINVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND
WE ARE ABOUT TO BREAK GROUND ON
AN EAST MARGINAL WAY PROJECT
WHICH IS A REALLY EXCITING
PAVING PROJECT AND IT WILL
CREATE A FULLY SEPARATED BY? SO
THAT TRUCKING AND BIKES CAN BE
PRIORITIZED AND SEPARATED AND
THE PORT WILL HAVE MONEY IN
THE PROJECT. WE CONTINUE TO
COLLABORATE AND TO LOOK AT
LARGE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE
CAN COINVEST IN SMALLER THINGS
AND MAKE THE SPOT REPAIRS THAT
THE FREIGHT COMMUNITY TELLS US
ARE NEEDED. I ALSO WANTED TO
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU SAID
ABOUT JOHN, WHEN I GOT HERE I
KNEW THAT I WAS TO
IMMEDIATELY DO A PERFORMANCE
AUDIT ON VISION ZERO BUT I
NEEDED TO TREAD CAREFULLY,
BEING BRAND-NEW ON THE JOB. THE
ONLY PERSON, EVERY TOLD ME ,
THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS THE
TRUST ACROSS THIS ENTIRE
ORGANIZATION , IN A WAY THAT
WOULD BRING FORWARD
COLLABORATION, RATHER THAN
HAVING PEOPLE FEEL UNDER
ATTACK , THE ONLY PERSON TO DO
THAT WITH INTEGRITY WAS JOHN.
THERE WAS NO SECOND CHOICE
OFFERED. IT IS INCREDIBLE TO
THINK ABOUT A PERSON WHO IS
REGARDED IN SUCH A WAY, IN SUCH
A LARGE AND COMPLEX PLACE LIKE
SDOT.
>> THAT IS AGAIN A GREAT
RECOGNITION OF HIS WORK, WHO
IS THE NEXT JOHN ? ARE YOU
DEVELOPING THE NEXT ONE ?
>> THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF MY JOB, TO DO JUST
THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER
WOO ?
>> I DID NOT KNOW JOHN. BUT HE
SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING PERSON.
I HAVE A QUESTION. WITH THE
MOVE SEATTLE LEVY, HOW CLOSELY
DO YOU WORK, AND WHAT GOES
INTO THE WORK , I GUESS, HOW DO
YOU PICK WHICH PROJECTS MOVE
SEATTLE WILL BE FOCUSING ON?
>> YOU KNOW, VERY INTERESTING
DESIGN QUESTION, THE BALANCE
BETWEEN FLEXIBILITY AND
SPECIFICITY. THE WAY THIS WAS
DESIGNED , A HIGH DEGREE OF
SPECIFICITY , IT PROMISED 16
BRIDGE SEISMIC PROJECTS. EVEN
THOUGH A BRIDGE SEISMIC
PROJECT CAN COST $800,000 OR
$30 MILLION DEPENDING ON WHAT
GRADE AND WHAT KIND OF SEISMIC
ISSUES ARE THERE WITH THE
BRIDGE. FOR THIS PARTICULAR
LEVY, BECAUSE OF THE
SPECIFICITY , A LOT OF IT WAS
WIRED RIGHT INTO THE ORIGINAL
ORDINANCE. TAKING DIRECTION
AND BRIEFING AND SEEKING
CONSULTATION WITH THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE ALONG THE WAY, I THINK
THAT AN INTERESTING QUESTION
AS WE TEE UP THE NEXT LEVY, IT
IS NOT JUST THE SIZE OF IT BUT
HOW TO BALANCE ENOUGH
SPECIFICITY SO THAT THE VOTERS
HAVE CONFIDENCE AND KNOW WHAT
THEY ARE GETTING. PERHAPS A
LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY,
RESPONDING TO THE CONCERNS THAT
HAVE EMERGED DURING THE COURSE
OF THE LEVY. IN SOME WAYS, MY
TENURE HERE SO FAR HAS BEEN
BUILDING A SET OF PROJECTS
THAT WERE PICKED IN 2014. THAT
IS WHAT I NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW,
I NEED TO FINISH STRONG ON
THAT COLLECTION OF PROJECTS.
BUT I THINK THAT IT COULD BE
INTRIGUING TO OFFER FUTURE
DIRECTIONS . INVOLVING
COMMUNITY NEEDS. WITH THESE
FUNDS IN SOME WAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, IF I MAY
ALSO ADD, THE LEVY LEGISLATION
ITSELF , IT PUTS RESTRICTIONS
ON WHAT THE MONEY CAN BE SPENT
FOR, THAT IS SORT OF THE
ULTIMATE LEGAL COMMITMENT. THE
MAYOR WILL PROPOSE A BUDGET
EVERY YEAR FOR WHAT PROJECTS
WILL ACTUALLY GET FUNDED, AND
THEN THAT WILL COME TO THE
COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, AND THAT
IS LARGELY SPENDING
RESTRICTIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN
SPEND ON, THAT REALLY SETS WHAT
THE CIP BUDGET WAS FOR THE LAST
FEW YEARS. THAT IS A DISCUSSION
BEFORE WE CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT
THE NEW ANNUAL.
>> LET'S SEE HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, IS THAT
ANOTHER QUESTION ?
>> IT IS THE LACK OF A LOWERED
HAND.
>> THANK YOU , THANK YOU TO THE
SDOT TEAM . WE APPRECIATE IT.
I ECHOED THE SENTIMENT OF MY
COLLEAGUES IN EXPRESSING OUR
SADNESS FOR THE PASSING OF JON
LAYZER , LONG TIME SDOT
EMPLOYEE , ON BEHALF OF THIS
COMMITTEE, I OFFER MY SINCERE
CONDOLENCES AND THOUGHTS DO
THE FAMILY OF JON LAYZER AND
EVERYONE WHO ES TOUCHED AND
THE BROADER COMMUNITY. IT IS
CLEAR THAT HIS IMPACT IS
PROFOUND. THANK YOU FOR SHARING
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LEGACY
OF THE LIFE OF JON LAYZER. WE
WILL NOW MOVE ON, ACTUALLY,
FIRST, FIRST, WHILE I AM HERE,
I AM HEARING THAT SOME OF MY
TEAM, THEY ARE PINGING ME ABOUT
SOME OF SOME SCHEDULING SNAFUS
, POTENTIALLY. I GOT TO
DIRECTOR SPOTS . WE HAVE HAD ON
THE CALENDAR, SOME POTHOLES I
WAS GOING TO VISIT SOME OF THE
FRONT-LINE CREWS TOMORROW,
DOING SOME POTHOLE WORK. AND IT
, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE
WORKING. I WOULD APPRECIATE
YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT HAPPENS. WE CANNOT
KEEP KICKING THIS DOWN THE
ROAD. SO, THANK YOU. ALL
RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO
OUR THIRD ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL BE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER THREE INTO THE RECORD?
>> PETITION OF THE YEW LLC FOR
THE VACATION OF A PORTION OF
THE ALLEY LYING WITHIN BLOCK
TWO, WEGENER 'S ADDITION TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, BEING THE
BLOCK BOUNDED BY NORTH 87th
STREET , FIRST AVENUE
NORTHWEST, PALATINE AVENUE
NORTH, AND NORTH 85th STREET ,
AT 8623 PALATINE AVENUE NORTH.
>> WELCOME. ALREADY HAD A
SEAT, PLEASE , SETTLE YOURSELF
IN , BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> BEVERLY BARNETT , SDOT.
>> I AM MICHAEL JENKINS,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
SEATTLE DESIGN COMMISSION.
>> YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT
A PETITION TO VACATE AN ALLEY .
APPROVAL OF THE PETITION WOULD
TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OF THE
ALLEY AND FACILITATE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI FAMILY
PROJECT. THIS IS AN EARLY
BRIEFING, INTENDED TO PROVIDE
YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT,
WHICH WE WILL BRING BACK TO YOU
AT A LATER TIME. IT WILL
PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
HIGHLIGHT ANY ISSUES YOU WOULD
LIKE TO RAISE AT THIS TIME TO
BE CONSIDERED DURING THE
DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW OF THE
PETITION. AND WITH THAT, I
WILL HAND IT OVER TO BEVERLY,
TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE VACATION
PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
BACK. HERE WE ARE, I DON'T
THINK WE WILL BE ON EVERY
COMMITTEE BUT WE WILL, AS OFTEN
AS INVITED SO WE WANTED TO
START WITH THIS SLIDE , AFTER
LISH WHITSON'S INTRODUCTION.
WE DID THAT WITH THE
ONE-ON-ONE PRESENTATION. AND I
GUESS THAT IT WENT AWAY. BUT,
AS LISH WHITSON INDICATED,
WHEN WE HAVE A NEW VACATION
PETITION, WE WILL BRING IT IN,
EARLY IN THE PROCESSING. WE DO
NOT HAVE AN SDOT
RECOMMENDATION. IT HAS NOT BEEN
THROUGH ALL OF THE PROCESSING,
SUCH AS THE DESIGN COMMISSION
REVIEW THAT MICHAEL WILL TALK
ABOUT. IT REALLY CREATES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE PROJECT
EARLY. AND YOU CAN FOCUS ON
THIS THROUGHOUT THE REVIEW. IF
YOU THINK THE NORMAL REVIEW IS
FINE , YOU CAN ALWAYS SHARE
THESE IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE
HEARD WITH THE COMMUNITY
MEMBER. WE ARE AT THE FIRST
GREEN BOX, THAT IS INTRODUCTION
TO CITY COUNCIL AND EARLY
COMMITTEE BRIEFING. AND WE ARE
KICKING THAT OFF TODAY WITH AN
OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND WE
ARE RECEPTIVE TO ANY IDEAS
THAT YOU WANT US TO CONSIDER
AND REVIEW. AND WE ARE GOING
TO HAVE MICHAEL JENKINS GO OVER
THE DESIGN COMMISSION, WHICH IS
A VERY SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE
REVIEW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE
KEY ISSUES AND THEN IT WILL BE
KEVIN CLEARY , FROM BAYLIS
ARCHITECTS , GIVING YOU SOME
OVERVIEW AND SOME CONTEXT TO
SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
OR MAYBE GUIDANCE FOR US,
THERE IS NO VOTE TODAY, SO ,
MICHAEL, DO YOU WANT TO GO
NEXT?
>> THERE IS A LOT OF
INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN SEE IN
THE POWER PLANT -- POWERPOINT
. THERE ARE MAYBE NEW FACES
THAT DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS.
VERY BRIEFLY, THE DESIGN
COMMISSION ADVISES THE MAYOR
AND CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE
DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPLICATIONS OF CITY CAPITAL
PROJECTS , AS WELL AS THE
PERMANENT USE OF A
RIGHT-OF-WAY, LIKE THIS
PROJECT. THE DESIGN COMMISSION
IS COMPRISED OF 10 PLAN
PROFESSIONALS APPOINTED BY THE
MAYOR BACK IN 2018 , THE
COUNCIL DID A SIGNIFICANT
UPDATE TO THE CELTIC VACATION
POLICIES. IN TERMS OF THE ROLE
OF THE COMMISSION, IT REALLY
FURTHER DEFINED AND PROVIDED
GUIDANCE TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IT
IS THAT YOU WANT THE COMMITTEE
TO LOOK AT, RELATIVE TO THESE
ISSUES. YOU CAN SEE,
PRE-SUBMITTAL IS A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK THAT
WE DO. THE PRE-SUBMITTAL WORK
IS PRIOR TO THE SUBMITTAL OF
THE PETITION. WE TRIED TO
PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL
DIRECTION TO THE APPLICANT
ABOUT THE KEY ISSUES THAT MAY
BE OF INTEREST TO THE
COMMISSION ABOUT WHEN YOU
REMOVE THAT ALLEYWAY WITH THE
REMAINING ROLL AND WHAT THE
FUNCTION LOOKS LIKE AND ANY
POTENTIAL PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT
MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO OFFSET
THE LOSS OF THAT STREET, ALLEY,
OR PUBLIC PLACE. WE DID THAT
IN MAY OF 2023 AND WE PROVIDED
THE DIRECTION THAT YOU ARE
GOING TO SEE IN JUST A MOMENT
WITH THE PREPARATION . YOU WILL
SEE MORE OF THAT IN A MOMENT.
>> I GUESS , I GUESS WE ARE
READY FOR THE PRESENTATION.
BILL ALWAYS HELPS US DO
EVERYTHING. KEVIN?
>> THANK YOU. I AM KEVIN
CLEARY , BAYLIS ARCHITECTS.
THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND
PROJECT. YOU CAN SEE THIS VIEW
LOOKING FROM THE NORTH, LOOKING
SOUTH , SORRY, SOUTHWEST. IT
IS ONE BLOCK WEST FROM
GREENWOOD, WITH THE CORNER OF
PALATINE AND 87th. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO, THE PROJECT
THAT WE ENVISIONED IT IS WHAT
WE WILL CALL 70 LARGER -SIZED
UNITS, MORE MARKETABLE UNITS.
WE ARE WORKING TO FINDING HOMES
THAT FIT THE SIZE OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD CAMA BASED ON THE
PREVIOUS PROJECT ACROSS THE
STREET. WE ARE TARGETING A 1 -
1 PARKING RATIO, WE ARE
LOOKING AT ENHANCED BIKE
STORAGE, SIDEWALK
IMPROVEMENTS, AND SOME OFF-SITE
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS.
SOMATIC SIGNAGE AND STREET
FURNITURE. AS WELL AS ASPHALT
RESURFACING ON NORTH 87th
STREET WE ARE HOPING TO GET
CONSTRUCTION GOING IN THE FALL,
2024, THIS YEAR. WE FEEL THAT
THE ALLEY LOCATION WILL PROVIDE
BETTER SECURITY. AS WELL AS
ALLOW THIS PROJECT TO RESPOND
TO THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT
BETTER. WHERE WE ARE AT,
PRETTY MUCH , WE ARE RIGHT
SQUARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
ORANGE DOT, RIGHT SQUARE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD,
WE HAVE FRED MEYER DIRECTLY TO
THE WEST OF US. AND WE ARE ON
THE EDGE OF THE GREENWOOD,
PHINNEY RIDGE URBAN VILLAGE.
THAT BIG PURPLE LINE, UP AND
DOWN, THAT IS GREENWOOD AVENUE,
THAT IS A PRINCIPAL ARTERIOLE.
AND WE HAVE 87th WHICH OF
COURSE CONNECTS ACROSS. AND IS
A RESIDENTIAL STREET. NEXT
SLIDE , PLEASE. THIS GIVES US
A CONTEXT AGAIN, THE FIRST
SLIDE ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE
THERE, WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED , IN
THE ALLEY, WHERE IT WOULD BE,
IT DOES NOT CURRENTLY EXIST AND
HAS NOT, IN SOME TIME, EXCEPT
FOR SOME DOTS ON A PIECE OF
PAPER. THE NEXT ONE, ON THE
RIGHT, SHOWS US THE LINE WHERE
THE RESIDENTIAL ZONE IS ACROSS
THE STREET, WHERE IT WOULD
ALIGN. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE
FIRST QUESTION, WHAT WOULD WE
DO IF WE DID NOT VACATE THE
ALLEY? THERE USED TO BE AN
ALLEY GOING MORE SOUTH OF THIS
ALLEY, IT WAS PREVIOUSLY
VACATED WHEN THE PROJECT WAS
DEVELOPED, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
AROUND THE EARLY 2000'S. AND
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO, WE WOULD
PROBABLY BUILD A SMALLER
PROJECT OF LIKELY SMALLER
SIZES, WE WOULD PROBABLY
ACHIEVE THAT OVER ON THE
RIGHT, AND THE ALLEY OF COURSE
WOULD BE RETAINED, WHAT I WILL
CALL A LITTLE SLIVER OF LAND
THAT REMAINS, WE WOULD
PROBABLY LOOK TO DO, AGAIN,
SORT OF A PROJECT . SO IT WOULD
BE KIND OF A BIFURCATED
BUILDING, IS WHAT IT WOULD BE,
YOU CAN SEE 87th, JUST OF THE
NORTH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE
RATIONALE OF OUR ALLEY
VACATION, BASICALLY AT THIS
POINT, IT IS A REMNANT OF THE
PREVIOUS ALLEY. IT IS A
REMNANT FUNCTION THAT SERVES NO
PURPOSE, AND BIFURCATE'S THE
SIDE, AS I MENTIONED, IT DOES
NOT HOLD ANY CURRENT UTILITY
FUNCTIONS THAT MOST ALLEYS
HAVE, BEING THAT THERE IS NO
DEVELOPED PROJECT ON THAT
SIDE, IT JUST WILL SERVE
ACCESS AS WELL, ONE MAJOR
BENEFIT THAT WE SEE, BEING ON
THE EDGE OF THE URBAN VILLAGE,
WE CAN CREATE A MARKETABLE,
LARGE-SCALE UNIT, AND I WILL
TOUCH ON THAT MORE. IT IS WAY
MORE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, YOU
CAN SAVE ON CIRCULATION CAUSE,
THE NUMBER OF ELEVATORS, THE
NUMBER OF STAIRS, OVERALL, JUST
CREATING MORE EFFICIENT
DEVELOPMENT . AND IT ALLOWS
MORE FOX ABILITY IN DESIGN.
AND WE SEE THAT ALLEY AS A BIT
OF A CONCERN FOR THE FAMILY
THAT OWNS THIS PROJECT AND
MAINTAINS THIS PROJECT, NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. WE DO COMMUNITY
OUTREACH AS PART OF THE EARLY
DESIGN AVERAGE, THIS IS KIND OF
A QUICK SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE
OUTRAGE THAT WE HAVE DONE.
WHAT WE HEARD, PEOPLE REALLY
WANT PARKING. THEY REALLY WANT
SIDEWALK CONNECTIONS IMPROVED.
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, OPEN
SPACE, STREET SAFETY. AUTHENTIC
ARCHITECTURE. SO, THAT KIND OF
INFORMED THE DESIGN AND HOW WE
LOOKED AT IT MOVING FORWARD.
ONE OF THE GOALS FROM THE
PREVIOUS PROJECT ACROSS THE
STREET WAS THE 1:1 DESIGN. WE
WANTED TO LOOK AT THESE
CONNECTIONS AND FIND WAYS TO DO
WHAT WE DO WITH OUR OPEN -SPACE
AREAS. THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD
PROPOSE, WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING
WAS A MIXED USE BUILDING, IT
IS ABOUT 70 UNITS. IT HAS LESS
STUDIOS AND MORE LARGER,
ONE-BEDROOM, MORE TWO-BEDROOMS.
WE TAKE THE ACCESS OFF OF 87th
AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME
LOCATION AS WHAT THE PREVIOUS
ALLEY SERVED, THAT WAS
INTENTIONAL, BECAUSE WE FELT
THAT WOULD PROVIDE A NETWORK OF
HOW THE STREET PREVIOUSLY
FUNCTIONED AND WE COULD
MAINTAIN THAT. IN THE CORNER,
THIS IS KIND OF WHY WE CALL IT
THE U. ACROSS THE STREET, ON
PALATINE, THERE WAS A TREE
THAT WAS SAVED AND MOVED TO THE
SITE, THAT IS WHAT CREATES THE
RATIONALE FOR THE U CORNER. IT
CREATES AN OPEN SPACE, WE SEE
THAT AS THE ANCHOR FOR OTHER
IMPROVEMENTS. BESIDES THE
LARGER ENHANCED STREET,
IMPROVING THE TRAFFIC CIRCLE,
IT HAS IMPROVING THE ENTIRE
WALK GOING PAST, THERE IS
CURRENTLY NO SIDEWALK IN THAT
AREA. THERE IS SOME BETTER
SECURITY FENCING AROUND A
GREEN DETENTION POND AREA THAT
HAS BEEN PRESERVED. NEXT
SLIDE. PROPOSED PUBLIC
BENEFITS, I TOUCHED ON BRIEFLY.
ENLARGED SIDEWALK, CONNECTING
THE STREETSCAPE EXPERIENCE ON
THAT NORTH BORDER ON 87th. THAT
WOULD INCLUDE LIGHTING,
DECORATIVE FENCING,
INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE. WE HAVE
HAD SOME EARLY CONVERSATIONS
THAT HAVE TALKED ABOUT EARLY
OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF
ENHANCE THAT. AGAIN, THAT
PUBLIC SPACE THAT I TALKED
ABOUT, WE SEE THAT AS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLIC
LANDSCAPE PLAZA, OPEN TO ALL,
AND OFFERING A PLACE FOR PEOPLE
TO PAUSE ALONG THE WAY, AND
ITEM 3, YOU CAN SEE THE
ASPHALT. IT IS A BIT OF A
ROLLER COASTER RIDE AS YOU GO
THROUGH IT. WE SEE THAT AS A
WAY TO CLEAN UP OUR FRONT DOOR
AND AGAIN HIGHLIGHT THE
STRENGTH OF THAT YEW PLAZA,
MAKE THE PLACE SAFER FOR
PEDESTRIANS. NEXT SLIDE. WE
LOOK MORE CLOSELY, HOW THE
IMPACT WOULD BE USED IF THIS
WAS VACATED. THIS IS A VERY
COLORFUL CHART, BUT IT SHOWS
SORT OF WHERE ALL OF THE PUBLIC
TRUST FUNCTIONS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO DIVE INTO , WITH SEC,
WHERE THE BICYCLES WOULD
CIRCULATE, THE WATER, THE
SEWER, THE UTILITIES THAT SERVE
THIS BUILDING. HOW AUTOMOBILES
AND PEDESTRIANS MOVE, NONE OF
THOSE FUNCTIONS ARE CURRENTLY
IN THIS CURRENTLY NONEXISTENT
ALLEY. SO, WE DO NOT SEE ANY
IMPACT TO THAT GRID. NEXT, NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE PRINT QUICK, AS
WE WILL DO THIS MORE, IT WAS A
SEATTLE SUBCOMMITTEE FEEDBACK,
THESE WERE KIND OF BULLET
POINTS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
PUBLIC BENEFIT IN THE
IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT,
ENVIRONMENTALLY-SUSTAINED
FOCUS. THAT IS WHAT WE TOUCH ON
WITH SOME OF THE SIGNAGE THAT
CAN KIND OF ENHANCE THAT
PUBLIC REALM AND SIDEWALK
IMPROVEMENTS. AND THE GENERAL
PERSPECTIVE WAS THAT THEY DID
NOT SEE THE ISSUE WITH THE
ALLEY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME, THIS IS HOW WE, AS
BAYLIS ARCHITECTS ENVISION THE
SPACE, THIS IS KIND OF LOOKING
AT THE YEW CORNER.
>> I WANTED TO BUILD ON THE
ROLE OF THE SEATTLE DESIGN
COMMISSION. IN MAY, 2023, WE
HELD WHAT IS CALLED A
SUBCOMMITTEE, IT IS NOT A
QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION, BUT
WE TRY TO BRING IN
COMMISSIONERS WITH A
SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN
MODIFICATIONS OR URBAN
LANDSCAPES. THIS IS VERY
TYPICAL OF THE KIND OF
DIRECTION THAT WE PROVIDE, IT
IS BEFORE THE POSITION HAS BEEN
SUBMITTED. IT IS A VERY HIGH
LEVEL MOVE THAT THE COMMISSION
HAS FLAGGED, AS THEY ADVANCED,
NOT ONLY THEIR COMMITMENTS TO
THE PUBLIC REALM, IT ALSO
HIGHLIGHTS THE WORK OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION ON
THE DESIGN REVIEW PROGRAM, ON
THE ACTUAL BUILDING, THOSE SIX
BULLET POINTS, IF YOU REMOVE
THAT ALLEY FROM SERVICE, WHAT
HAPPENS TO THE REMAINING
FUNCTION , WE HAVE HEARD
NUMEROUS TIMES, THIS ALLEY HAS
NOT BEEN DEVELOPED TO THE
DEGREE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO
SEE. IT STILL PROVIDES ACCESS
FOR CIRCULATION. HOW ARE THEY
OFFSETTING THE IMPACTS OF
MOVING THOSE OUT TO THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY, WHERE PEOPLE WILL
SEE THEM AND INTENTIONALLY ,
THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF
THAT ARE MOVING THROUGH THE
PUBLIC REALM. WE WILL BE
HOLDING OUR FIRST FULL MEETING
IN A MONTH , WHERE WE LOOK MORE
CLOSELY AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF
THE LOSS OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
AND HOW THEY INTEND TO OFFSET
THOSE THREE PUBLIC BENEFITS
PACKAGE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT, NOT ONLY IN
THE PRESENTATION, BUT HOW THE
PUBLIC HAS INDICATED HOW THEY
WILL HAVE THE REMAINING PUBLIC
SPACES ENHANCED FOR MOVEMENT,
FOR REST , AND WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL
FOR THIS INSIGHTFUL OVERVIEW
AND PRESENTATION. COLLEAGUES.
THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION. THIS
IS PART OF AN ONGOING
CONVERSATION AND BRIEFINGS THAT
WE WILL HAVE ON THIS, AND
SIMILAR MATTERS ON A DIFFERENT
BASIS. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT
A BLURB IN THIS MEMO. IT IS
DATED FOR A VERY 14, 2023. IT
IS FROM LISH WHITSON.
>> IT SHOULD BE 2024.
>> ALL GOOD. BUT ON THE SECOND
PAGE , IT SAID IN THE 2024
BUDGET, THE CELTIC ADDITIVE A
PRIVATE SO TO -- PROVISO TO
ADD THAT BETWEEN BALLANTINE
AVENUE NORTH, REGARDING THE
USE OF PROPERTY. WAS THAT FOR
THESE OH , WAS THAT AT THE TIME
, WAS THAT AT THE TIME, WAS
THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, AND
THIS PETITION CONTEMPLATED AT
THE TIME? PLEASE. GO AHEAD AND
>> THIS WAS A BUDGET PROVISO
THAT I BROUGHT. I HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH THE PROPERTY
OWNERS, A FAMILY. THE
ARCHITECTS, WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I
AM HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A MORE
IN-DEPTH UNDERSTANDING. THE
THOUGHT IS, I'M SORRY, I WAS
GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THIS.
HERE WE GO. COLLEAGUES, AS YOU
MAY KNOW, THIS PROJECT USED TO
BE CENTRALLY LOCATED IN
DISTRICT 6, UNTIL I HAD SOME OF
MY DISTRICT TAKEN FROM ME AND I
WILL TELL YOU THAT WAS NOT
APPRECIATED , TO LOSE ANGEL
AND GREENWOOD , THE DIRECT
CONNECTION IS PRETTY
INCREDIBLE. IF YOU COULD GO TO
SLIDE , OH, PAGE THREE,
ACCORDING TO YOUR NOTES.
COLLEAGUES, AS YOU CAN SEE
HERE , MY DISTRICT NOW HAS
THE BOUNDARY ON 87th ACTUALLY,
IF YOU GO UP TO THAT FIRST
SLIDE, IF YOU GO UP TO THAT
VERY FIRST SLIDE IT IS NOW THE
BOUNDARY, STAFF HAS BEEN IN THE
CHAMBERS, DURING DISCUSSION.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING PRETTY
INTENSELY. IF YOU CAN MOVE
BACK, TO PAGE THREE, WHAT WE
HAVE HERE, ON THAT SITE,
BETWEEN THE FRED MEYER AND
THE EASTERN EDGE OF THAT
ORANGE BUBBLE CALLED, THE
SITE. THAT IS THE ONLY BLOCK
THAT DOES NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS
BETWEEN , I THINK IT MIGHT EVEN
BE AURORA AND 3rd AVENUE. WHAT
WE HAVE HERE, IT IS A MISSING
LINK , IF YOU WILL, ABOUT HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE THAT AREA, ON
THE NORTH SIDE OF 87th, IT IS
HARD TO TELL, IS IT PUBLIC,
PRIVATE? IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF
A DIRT TRACK ON THE SIDE OF
THE ROAD. ON THE SOUTH SIDE, IF
YOU COULD GO BACK, ACTUALLY, TO
THAT FIRST SIDE, YOU ARE GOING
TO SEE THERE ARE CURBS, YOU CAN
SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE
UP TO SPEC, SINCE THE A.D.A.
CONSENT DECREE THAT THE CITY
HAS BEEN UNDER, YOU CAN ALREADY
SEE, THEY HAVE THE DRAINAGE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM
TO COME IN AND PUT IN ASPHALT.
IT WILL BE ONE OF THE CHEAPEST
ALTERNATIVES, BECAUSE YOU DO
NOT DO DRAINAGE, YOU ARE NOT
DOING THE A.D.A., AT THE SAME
TIME , I HAVE MADE AGREEMENTS
WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, THAT
IF THE CITY IS TO SPEND MONEY
IN THE INTERIM, THAT WE WOULD
NEED TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS.
BECAUSE YOU MAY ALSO KNOW
THAT THE PERMANENT AUDIT THAT
WAS DONE LAST YEAR, THEY ARE
TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN
PERMITS, OR PULLING PERMITS IN
FALL OF THIS YEAR. BUT, IF ,
FOR SOME REASON, ONE THING DOES
NOT GO CORRECTLY AND THEY DO
NOT HAVE THAT SUBMITTED TO US ,
THIS IS WHERE I AM ALSO GIVING
THAT ROADMAP , TO THE TEAM,
THAT WE CANNOT MISS. IF THE
TEAM WAS NOT TO TRANSMIT THIS
BY EARLY AUGUST, THAT MEANS WE
PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE TIME
IN SEPTEMBER, BEFORE WE GET
INTO THE BUDGET SESSION, WHICH
THEN GETS US TO THE EARLIEST
TIME OF PULLING PERMITS IN
DECEMBER , RIGHT? MUCH LESS
ALL OF THE OTHER ISSUES GOING
ON WITH THE PERMIT, AND IF
YOU LOOK AT THE PROVISO , WHAT
I HAVE SEEN , COSTING
175,000, MY BEST GUESS, YOU CAN
GET IT DOWN TO 30. ALL OF THE
ALTERNATIVE SIDEWALK WORK THAT
I HAVE DONE, THAT 30,000 OR
40,000 , IT MAY BE 175, IF YOU
PUT IN THAT GAP , THAT WOULD BE
PRESENT THROUGHOUT
CONSTRUCTION. WHEN I GO BACK TO
PAGE THREE, IF YOU WILL, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT MULTIPLE YEARS
OF IMPACT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO
GET FROM 3rd. SANDEL PARK IS
ABOUT ONE BLOCK NORTH OF HERE,
GREENWOOD IS ANOTHER TWO
BLOCKS TO THE EAST. THAT IS
WHERE THE BUDGET PROVISO COMES
FROM. I WOULD NOT HAVE PUT IT
IN THERE IF I HAD NOT HAD THESE
CONVERSATIONS . IF WE SPEND
CITY DOLLARS, I WILL REQUESTED
TO BE RECOUPED, WITHIN THE
ASPECTS OF THIS PLAN. PROBABLY
LATER THAN WE EXPECTED.
>> ALL GOOD. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT WOULD
BE A FAIR ITEM , AS PART OF MY
EXCHANGE, TO MAKE SURE, YOU
KNOW, THAT THE DEVELOPMENT
TAKES CARE OF THE SIDEWALK
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND ADDING
THAT ALONG THAT MISSING LINK
ALONG NORTH 87th STREET. BUT
ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE
SURROUNDING AREAS WERE
APPROPRIATE AND ALSO GOOD,
OVERALL, IN A GOOD STATE OF
REPAIRS AND MODERNIZATION IF
YOU WILL. THE ONLY OTHER THING
, THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT,
GUIDANCE , AS THESE DISCUSSIONS
EVOLVE THAT I HAVE, IN ADDITION
TO HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE
OF SIDEWALKS, THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING COMPONENT. AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, THIS PROPERTY IS
IN A NEIGHBORHOOD MARKED
COMMERCIAL. I AM READING
VERBATIM NOW. LET'S SEE.
FIFTH FULL PARAGRAPH, IT SAYS
THAT THE PROPERTY IS IN A
NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL 2- 25,
MANDATORY HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
DESIGNATION. YOU KNOW, UNDER
THE SUBLET , THAT SPECIFIC
DESIGNATION, COMBINED WITH THE
DESIGNATION OF THE PHINNEY
RIDGE URBAN VILLAGE, AS A
MEDIUM AREA, IT REQUIRES A
SPECIFIC PAYMENT . OR 10% OF
THE UNIT, FOR THAT PROJECT TO
BE AFFORDABLE. AND I THINK,
WHAT WE NEED , WE NEED TO DO
THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE, TO MAKE
SURE , AT THE END OF THE DAY
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS , AFTER
THE SHOVELS ARE ON THE GROUND,
THAT THIS GREAT PROJECT IS
FULLY BROUGHT TO LIFE . AND
THAT NO ONE PAYS A FEE. THAT WE
ACTUALLY LIVE UP TO THE 10%
INTENDED COMMITMENT OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THOSE WILL
BE MY ONLY COMMENTS. I
ACKNOWLEDGE AND I RECOGNIZE
COUNCILMEMBER WOO.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING,
WHO OWNS THE ALLEY?
>> IT IS CURRENTLY CITY OWNED.
THE STREETS , IT IS AN ODD
OWNERSHIP, BUT THE CITY OWNS
IT. AND WE ARE BEING REQUESTED
TO SELL IT.
>> CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS? WHAT
DOES IT LOOK LIKE AND WHERE
DOES THE MONEY GO?
>> THE MONEY WILL GO INTO THE
GENERAL FUND , I BELIEVE.
>> IT IS WHERE ONE HALF OF THE
MONEY GOES FOR OPEN-SPACE
PURPOSES AND ONE HALF OF THE
MONEY GOES INTO THE GENERAL
FUND TO BE DISPERSED THROUGH
THE NORMAL BUDGET PROCESS.
>> ANY PROPERTY OWNER HAS THE
RIGHT TO PETITION THE CITY FOR
A VACATION OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY
THAT IS NEXT TO THEIR PROPERTY.
GENERALLY, WE ONLY APPROVE
PETITIONS WHEN PROPERTY OWNERS
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PROPERTY
ARE SEEKING IT AND WHERE THERE
IS A PROJECT THAT WOULD USE
THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE A SET OF
CRITERIA IN OUR POLICIES, ABOUT
WHEN WE WOULD CONSIDER GIVING
UP THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. AND WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
PROTECTING THE PUBLIC'S
INTEREST IN HAVING THE ALLEY.
IF THE ALLEY IS GOING TO BE
USED FOR ACCESS, WE DO NOT
WANT TO GIVE IT UP, BECAUSE
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT ROLE.
ALY'S PROVIDE THAT TO THE
PROPERTY. THEY CAN ALSO BE
USED FOR UTILITY LINES. AND SO
, WE LOOK AT WHAT THE NEXT
STEPS ARE , TO REVIEW ALL OF
THOSE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS OF
THE ALLEY. AND TO SEE IF IT IS
APPROPRIATE TO VACATE IT AND
TRANSFER THE OWNERSHIP TO THE
YEW PROPERTY. THEY WILL COME
BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH THE
RECOMMENDATION, HOPEFULLY IN
AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER. AND THEN
THIS COMMITTEE WILL DECIDE
WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL IT IS
APPROPRIATE AND WHAT IS BEING
GIVEN UP AND OWNERSHIP , IF IT
IS BEING OFFSET BY THE PUBLIC
BENEFIT .
>> IS THAT ALY CURRENTLY BEING
RENTED OUT?
>> IT IS JUST SITTING THERE,
IN THIS CASE, UNDEVELOPED, YOU
KNOW, WALKING BY, YOU WOULD
NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THE ALLEY
EXISTS . BUT IT EXISTS LEGALLY.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU. MY SECOND
QUESTION IS, PARKING . YOU
MENTIONED THAT THERE MAY BE
PARKING. THANK YOU FOR THE
ALTERNATIVES, IT LOOKS LIKE AN
AMAZING PROJECT. I WANT TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT PARKING.
>> COMMUNITY OUTREACH, FOR
THIS PROJECT , AS WELL AS THE
PROJECT ACROSS THE STREET FROM
PALATINE, PARKING HAS COME UP
IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS A
CONCERN , WHETHER WE ARE
BASICALLY PROVIDING ENOUGH. I
KNOW, IN THIS ZONE, THE PARKING
REQUIREMENT IS VERY LIMITED.
HOWEVER, WE ARE WORKING WITH
OUR LEASING TEAM. THAT WAS
PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAIN
DRAWBACKS WHEN WE LEAST THE
PROJECT ACROSS THE STREET, IT
WAS PROVIDING ENOUGH PARKING.
AND PEOPLE DID NOT FEEL THEY
WANTED , YOU KNOW, TO LEAVE
THEIR CAR IN THE STREET , THEY
WANTED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE IN
ORDER TO HAVE IT. WHEN WE
STARTED LOOKING AT THIS
PROJECT, FROM THE OWNERSHIP
SIDE, THEY SAID THAT THEY
WANTED TO ATTRACT TENANTS TO
THE SIZE OF THE HOME THEY WERE
LOOKING AT. ON THE COMMUNITY
FEEDBACK SIDE, THE CONVERSATION
WAS GENERALLY, MAKE SURE YOU
HAVE PARKING SO THAT THEY DO
NOT PARK IN FRONT OF MY PLACE
AND TAKE MY SPOT, BASICALLY.
SO, THAT KIND OF DEVELOPED OUR
GOAL OF TRYING TO COME UP WITH
A DESIGN THAT STILL ALLOWED,
YOU KNOW , FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD-FRIENDLY FUNCTIONS
TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, BUT
PROVIDING A 1:1 PARKING RATIO,
ONE PARKING STALL PER UNIT,
INSIDE THE STRUCTURED PARKING.
SO, WE ARE A COUPLE STALLS
UNDER THAT GOAL. BUT WE ARE
REALLY CLOSE TO THAT GOAL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA.
BEFORE I START, I WOULD LIKE TO
NOTE THAT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
MAY HAVE LOST SOME OF DISTRICT
6, BUT THAT WAS MORE THAN
OFFSET WHAT CAME FROM DISTRICT
7. JUST TO POINT THAT OUT VERY
QUICKLY. THANK YOU FOR THE
BRIEFING . I APPRECIATE IT, I
HAVE SEEN SIMILAR THINGS IN
DISTRICT 7. THAT IS IN SOME OF
MY VOLUNTEER WORK. THE ALLEY
QUESTION IS VERY IMPORTANT. ONE
THING I HAVE LEARNED, THIS IS
MORE FOR THE COMMISSION SIDE,
VERSUS THE PROJECT, IN AND OF
ITSELF, AS IT RELATES TO THE
ALLEY VACATION POLICY, THIS IS
A BIG ISSUE IN DISTRICT 7,
PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN AND
BELLTOWN, IT BECOMES A QUESTION
OF LOGISTICS. I DID NOT SEE
LOGISTICS IN YOUR SIDE, BUT FOR
STAFF SIDE AND THE MAYOR'S
SIDE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE LOGISTICS IN ANY PROJECT IS
ADDRESSED, WHETHER RESIDENTIAL
OR MORE COMMERCIAL, BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN ALL OVER DISTRICT 7,
PARTICULARLY DOWNTOWN AND
BELLTOWN. WHAT ENDS UP
HAPPENING, IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS
THIS, YOU KNOW, FROM A PILE --
PLANNING AND LOGISTICS ZONE, WE
PUSH LOGISTICS ONTO THE STREET.
THAT CREATES OTHER PROBLEMS.
WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM,
ANYTHING , THE FIRST QUESTION
IS, WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICS?
THIS PROJECT WANTS TO DO THIS.
WE CAN DO THAT WELL, IN TERMS
OF ADDRESSING, RESIDENTIAL,
COMMERCIAL, I ALWAYS SAY IT
COMES DOWN TO TWO WORDS,
LOADING DOCKS. I HAVE SEEN BAD
LOADING DOCKS THROUGHOUT THE
DISTRICT 7, THIS GOES TO THE
ARCHITECT FRIEND. WE DESIGNED
THEM BOTH FOR COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL. I JUST WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT PIECE, AGAIN,
LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS,
LOGISTICS. ONE LAST POINT, TOO.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DESIGN
REVIEW SLIDE. BECAUSE THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT, TOO. I REALLY
DO BELIEVE IN DESIGN REVIEW. I
KNOW THAT SOME OTHERS DO NOT. I
REC
CANNOT LET THIS SLOW DOWN. BUT
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INPUT
COMING THROUGH DESIGN REVIEW
THAT HAS SHOWN UP IN THIS
BRIEFING. SO I APPRECIATE THAT
POINT. MR. CHAIR, I WANTED TO
GET THOSE TWO POINTS OUT VERY
QUICKLY. THAT IS IT FOR ME.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I
WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOME OF THE
INITIAL FEEDBACK. I AM GLAD TO
SEE THAT IT IS REFLECTED IN
THIS PRESENTATION FROM THE
COMMUNITY. BUT AS THIS PROCESS
EVOLVES. I WILL ALSO BE
CURIOUS TO HEAR IF THERE ARE
ANY MORE REFINED CONTOURS OF
THAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, FROM THE
COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE. GO
AHEAD.
>> SORRY, CHAIR . I GAVE YOU
WHAT I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU
ABOUT, THAT SIDEWALK
ALTERNATIVE AND PROVISO.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE 'S
POINT IS RIGHT. I AM VERY
EXCITED TO GET MAGNOLIA BACK.
I MAY HAVE GONE TO PRESCHOOL IN
MAGNOLIA. IF YOU COULD GO TO
SLIDE THREE, I BOUGHT MY
CHILDHOOD TOYS AT TOP 10
TOYS, IT IS GOOD TO BE LOCAL.
AND IF YOU COULD GO TO SLIDE
FOUR, TO HELP ANSWER
COUNCILMEMBER WOO 'S
QUESTION . IT IS HARD TO TELL
WHAT IS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. THE
PRIVATE ALLEY IS WORKING AS A
PUBLIC SPACE RIGHT NOW, EVEN
THOUGH IT IS PRIVATE. FOLKS ARE
MOVING BACK AND FORTH. I WALKED
ACROSS IT WHEN I WENT TO THE
TAPROOT THEATER LAST MONTH.
THAT IS GOOD. WHAT I AM
HEARING FROM THE NEIGHBORS,
YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE
PARKING, THE PARKING IS ALREADY
VERY TOUGH IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW THAT YOU
ALL ARE WORKING TO MEET THE
MINIMUM OF ZERO, TO PROVIDE
1:1, THAT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND.
THE PUBLIC MARKET CAN PROVIDE,
WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO. THE
SIDEWALK CONNECTIONS . IF YOU
LOOK, JUST ACROSS PALATINE,
ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER, THERE
IS A 15' SECTION OF SIDEWALK
THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIATED.
IT SEEMS LIKE IF IT WAS PUBLIC
, OR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT. IN
FRONT OF THAT HOUSE, THERE IS
NOT A SIDEWALK CONNECTED, JUST
TO THAT ONE LITTLE CORNER,
OVERALL, YOU KNOW, THAT IS
WHAT CHAIR SAKA SAID, TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTIAL ZONE.
THE MEETING PLACES , THEY ARE
ALL GREAT. YOU CAN GO TO THE
LAST SLIDE. DO WE HAVE TIME
HERE? I SAY THIS WITH LOVE .
IF WE CAN GET THIS , IT WILL
SURPRISE ME. IT IS NOTHING
ABOUT YOUR BUILDING, THE
GREENWOOD BOG, I WILL SAVE THAT
FOR ANOTHER DAY. BUT IF YOU
CAN GET THAT CIRCLE ON THE
SAME LEVEL AS THE SIDEWALK,
THAT WILL BE A FEAT OF
HISTORY. COLLEAGUES, RIGHT
NOW, THAT ROUNDABOUT, THAT HAS
WHAT IS POSSIBLY ABOVE WHERE
THE SIDEWALK IS AND THANK
YOU, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU MORE.
>> COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, FEEDBACK? THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR THIS VERY HELPFUL
OVERVIEW. I LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU ALL AS WE
PROCEED. HOPEFULLY WE GET THE
SHOVELS IN THE GROUND BY NEXT
YEAR. WE HAVE REACHED THE END
OF THE MEETING AGENDA, IS THERE
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE THE MEETING BEFORE WE
ADJOURN. HEARING NO MORE
BUSINESS COME BEFORE THE
MEETING, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT
11:16 A.M.