>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
IT IS FRIDAY, JANUARY
24, 9:30. AND
THIS IS THE SPECIAL MEETING OF
THE GUVANCE
ACCOUNTABILITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE.
WE WILL NOW COME TO ORDER.
THE PRECISE TIME IS 9:33.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLE?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER
HOLLINGSWORTH.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER
KETTLE.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERIA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA.
>>
PRESENT.
>> WE'RE ALL HERE.
AND THE REASON MORE THAN HALF
OF COMMITTEE IS JOINING REMOTELY
IS BECAUSE WE HAD TO HAVE A
MEETING WITH FULL COUNCIL
YESTERDAY TO
INTERVIEW OUR CANDIDATES FOR THE
VACANCIES. SO THAT IS WHY WE
MOVED THIS TO
TODAY, AND THAT IS WHY
SOME PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO BE
HERE
IN
PERSON. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL BE
HAVING
OUR FIRST BRIEFING AND
DISCUSSION
OF COUNCIL BILL 120933, WHICH
WOULD ALLOW FOR HOUSING IN THE
STADIUM DISTRICT, AND WE'LL
START WITH
A PRESENTATION THAT I PUT
TOGETHER TO -- TO BASICALLY
EXPLAIN
AND ESTABLISH THE WHY BEHIND
THIS
LEGISLATION. AND THEN FOLLOWING
THAT
WE'LL HEAR FROM PANELISTS.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE
A PRESENTATION FROM OUR CENTRAL
STAFF, AND THEN ONE FROM
RICO QUIN QUIRINDONGO.
HEARING NO OBJECTION THE AGENDA
IS
DOPTED.
>> I OBVIOUSLY APPROVE THE
AGENDA.
I WANTED TO STATE MY
OBJECTION OF THIS BILL HEARING
IN THIS
COMMITTEE AS OPPOSED TO A
LAND USE -- I VIEW IT AS A LAND
USE COMMITTEE ACTION OR THE
SELECT COMMITTEE ON
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE
THAT FOR
THE RECORD. I ALSO WANTED TO
PASS I
DID CHECK IN WITH LEGAL SINCE
THIS IS LAND USE, AND LAND USE
HAS
A LOT OF ISSUES.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE
THE VOTER APPROVED
TRANSPORTATION LEVY WITH ITS
FREIGHT
PROGRAM, WHICH IS VERY
INTERESTING.
I'VE LEARNED NOW I'M NO LONGER
A ROOKIE COUNCIL MEMBER THERE'S
A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
PARLIAMENTARY OKAY AND LEGAL
OKAY.
SHE HASN'T GOTTEN BACK TO
ME YET.
I SUSPECT IT
WILL BE OKAY, BUT I THOUGHT IT
WAS APPROPRIATE
TO ASK.
AND IT REMINDS ME OF THE IDEA
OF BECAUSE WE CAN DO IT
DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD.
AND I HOPE THIS PROCESS
THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO UNDERTAKE
HELPS US ANSWER WHETHER WE
SHOULD MOVE
FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THAT
FOR THE RECORD
PURPOSES.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT, AND WE
ALWAYS NEED TO HEAR
FROM COMMUNITY AND REALLY HAVE A
ROBUST DISCUSSION OF IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION. AND COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA
HAS JOINED US IN PERSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD MORNING.
ALL RIGHT, HEARING
SOME OBJECTIONS BUT NOT TO THE
ACTUAL
PROCEEDINGS OF TODAY'S
MEETING, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE'LL
NOW MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT ON
THAT AGENDA ITEM.
CLERK, HOW MANY PEOPLE
HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK?
>> CHAIR, WE HAVE 38 IN-
PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS AND 12
VIRTUAL.
>> OKAY, WE'LL GIVE FOLKS
ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE
INSTRUCTIONS.
>> OF COURSE.
I'LL CALL ON SPEAKERS IN
THE ORDER THEY SIGNED UP TO
SPEAK
STARTING WITH IN-
PERSON COMMENTERS.
SPEAKSERS WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE
CHIME, YOU'LL HAVE 10 SECONDS
LEFT.
WHEN YOU EXCEED THAT TIME, YOUR
MIC WILL BE CUT OUT.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO PRESS STAR 6
TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> LET'S DO INSTEAD OF ALL THE
IN- PERSON LET'S DO TEN AND
THEN
MOVE TO
REMOTE.
>> SOUNDS GREAT.
>> THANK
YOU.
EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. I PREPARED A 2-
MINUTE
SPEECH, BUT YOU WANT ME TO CUT
THIS IN
HALF.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, I'LL TALK
QUICKLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, PRESIDENT
NELSON -- PARDON MY COLD --
AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY
TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO THE
LAND
USE AMEND THAT WOULD REOPEN
THE MARITIME AND INDUSTRIAL
LAND POLICY THAT WAS PASSED IN
2023.
I'M PORT
OF CITY COMMISSIONER FRED
FELDMAN AND I'VE SERVED IN
MISCAPACITY SINCE 2016.
I'M ALSO A BALLARD
RESIDENT WHERE WE'VE WORKED
VERY HARD
TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HAVE
COMPATIBILITY WITH
OUR INDUSTRIAL LANDS AND
COMPATIBILITY.
THE PORT STRONGLY OPPOSES THIS
AMENDMENT, AND WE URGE YOU
TO OPPOSE IT AS WELL.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THE PORT IS
A CHAMPION AND SUPPORTER
OF ADDRESSING HOUSING IN
SEATTLE.
I TESTIFIED ON THE MISSING
MIDDLE BILL IN OLYMPIA AND
HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOU ALL AS WE
EMBARK ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
TO BUILD -- I'M SORRY TO
BUILD DENSITY IN OUR CITY.
BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR --
CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS PROPOSAL
IS
A SPOT REZONE TO BENEFIT
ONE WEALTHY OUT-OF- STATE
DEVELOPER.
THE INDUSTRIAL LANDS
PACKAGE THAT WAS TRANSMITTED BY
MAYOR HARRELL IN 2023 WAS
A CULMINATION OF OVER A DECADE
OF WORK WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS.
NOBODY GOT EXACTLY WHAT WE
WANTED, BUT WE GOT AN AGREEMENT.
AS A COMPROMISE THE
COURT AGREED TO HOTELS IN THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT
ACTIVATION AND FAN EXPERIENCE IS
KEY FOR
VISITORS. IT WASN'T POPULAR
WITH
EVER EVERYONE.
THE LONG- TERM HOUSING
AND INDUSTRIAL ZONE WITHOUT
BASIC AMENITIES IS UNACCEPTABLE
AND COMPROMISES OUR ABILITY
TO ATTRACT NEW TENANTS.
PLEASE DON'T PUT HOUSING IN
CONFLICT WITH
OUTGROWTH. INSTEAD FOCUS ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND COUNT
ON THE PORT OF SEATTLE AS A
KEY PARTNER IN SUPPORT OF THE
CITY'S PROSPERITY.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
THANK YOU.
THE NEXT IN- PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE LISA
HOWARD FOLLOWED BY AMY --
AMY W. I APOLOGIZE IF I
MISPRONOUNCE
YOUR LAST NAME.
FOLLOWED BY PETER HART.
>> BEFORE YOU BEGIN, WE HAVE
TRIED TO ESTABLISH A
TRADITION OF JAZZ HANDS OR
OTHERWISE OF
SHOWING SUPPORT SO THAT WE
CAN GET THROUGH PEOPLE A LITTLE
BIT
QUICKER, BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR -- YOU BEING
HERE AND
YOUR
ENGAGEMENT. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LISA
HOWARD AND
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
UH-
UH LICENSE FOR -- I'M HERE
TODAY FOR STRONG SUPPORT
FOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN THIS
CITY OF
TRANSITION OVERLAY AREA.
THE THOUGHTFUL PROPOSAL
THOUGHT THE TEAM WAS
WELL-VETTED AND THOUGHTFUL
TAKING IN THE
VARIOUS NEEDS OF THE
STAKEHOLDERS
INTO CONSIDERATION IN BOTH SIZE
AND
SCOPE OF
THE LEGISLATION. I ENCOURAGE YOU
TO LISTEN TO
THE PANEL TODAY AND REALLY ASK
THOSE
QUESTIONS. IT TRULY IS RIGHT
SIZED FOR
WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW AS A
CITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE
THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AND
STEADFAST
LEADERSHIP.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE AMY. FOLLOWING
AMY WE HAVE
PETER
HART. FOLLOWING PETER, WE HAVE
LAURA
TURNER.
>> AMY?
>> SORRY FOR THE POOR
HANDWRITING.
MY NAME IS ANDY.
>> MY APOLOGIES.
>> WE OWN FIVE OFFICE
PROPERTIES IN PINER SQUARE.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN
SEATTLE AND A BIG BELIEVER IN
PINER
SQUARE. WE'RE IN BIG SUPPORT OF
THIS
AMENDMENT.
I THINK IT WILL HAVE VIBRANCY TO
THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
THANK
YOU.
>>
THANK YOU. MY APOLOGIES, ANDY.
AND FOLLOWING THAT WE'VE GOT
PETER AND LARS AND
LINDSEY.
>> WORKED AT SEATTLE'S
WATERFRONT AS A MERCHANT
MARINER AND LABOR REPRESENTATIVE
FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
ALONG WITH OTHER MARITIME
EMPLOYERS, OUR WORK
PROVIDES LOTS OF TAXES FROM OUR
COMMUNITY FROM THESE
PROFESSIONAL MARITIME
CAREERS. BECAUSE OF THIS I SPEAK
STRUNGLY AGAINST COUNCIL BILL
12933 BECAUSE OF THE DIRE
CONSEQUENCES TO OUR LOCAL
ECONOMY AND COMMUNITY SUSTAINING
JOBS.
THERE WAS A COMPROMISE
THAT IDENTIFIED PARTS OF
GEORGETOWN AS ACCESSIBLE SPACES
TO EXPERIMENT
WITH THIS SORT OF MAKERS
DISTRICT WORKFORCE
HOUSING CONCEPT. THE CITY SHOULD
CONCENTRATE
ITS EFFORTS ON ALREADY AGREED TO
SUB- AREAS FOR THIS SORT OF
WORK.
WE ARE PRO- AFFORDABLE
HOUSING JUST IN PLACES WITH
COMPATIBLE LAND USES AND WHERE
IT
WOULDN'T CAUSE HARM TO OUR
RESIDENTS.
ULTIMATELY THE PROPOSAL WOULD
BENEFIT ONE ALREADY VERY WEALTHY
LANDOWNER, CHRIS HANSEN
ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE.
WE SHOULDN'T BEND
THE ENTIRE --
>> PETER?
>> SORRY, THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT WE'VE GOT
LARS.
>> PLEASE KNOW YOU
CAN PLEASE SEND IN THE REST OF
YOUR
COMMENTS.
SO JUST SEND IT ALL TO US,
AND IT WILL GO INTO THE RECORD
IN
COMPLETION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
LARS, GO
AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS LARS TURNER.
I'M THE INTERNATIONAL
SECRETARY TREASURY FOR THE
MASTER
MASONS
PILOTS UNION. I LIVE IN
SEATTLE'S 6th
DISTRICT. MY COMMENTS ARE IN
OPPOSITION
TO THE COUNCIL BILL
120933. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
HAVE
A STRONG WORKING INDUSTRIAL
CENTER IN OUR CITY.
THESE ARE GOOD JOBS, FAMILY WAGE
JOBS.
58,000 WASHINGTON
JOBS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS
INDUSTRIAL
LAND, 7,000 IN SEATTLE ITSELF.
THESE ARE LONG- TERM EMPLOYMENT,
GENERATIONAL ECONOMICAL
BENEFITS VERSUS A SHORT- TERM
LIMITED
JOB OPPORTUNITY.
ONCE WE LOSE HIGH
QUALITY, LONG- TERM JOBS, WE'LL
LOSE
THEM FOREVER.
INDUSTRIAL LANDS ARE NO
PLACE FOR HOUSING.
WE NEED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BUT NOT IN THIS PROPOSED
AREA.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN
OR ADJACENT TO INDUSTRIAL LANDS,
CORRIDORS. THESE AREAS HAVE HIGH
POLLUTION, HIGH NOISE, HIGH
FRIGHT
TRACK, HIGH PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
ISSUES.
THERE'S LOWER BANK --
>> THANK YOU, LARS.
THANK YOU.
NEXT WE
HAVE LINDSEY. FOLLOWING LINDSEY
WE HAVE RICH
AUSTIN, AND THEN ROBERT.
SO WE'VE GOT LINDSEY, RICH,
AND THEN ROBERT UP
NEXT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I AM LINDSEY HERE ON BEHALF
OF THE NORTH WEST PORT OF
ALLIANCE BETWEEN PORTS OF
SEATTLE
AND TACOMA RESPONSIBLE FOR
OPERATING IN
BOTH HARBORS. WE URGE YOU TO
OPPOSE
THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
AS YOU'VE HEARD IN FAVOR OF
THIS LEGISLATION POINTING TO THE
CITY'S 2022 FINAL EIS AS A
KEY REASON TO WHY THIS
AMENDMENT SHOULD MOVE
FORWARD. WE REJECT THIS
PERSPECTIVE.
TRANSPORTATION WAS
NOT ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED.
TO
DIRECTLY QUOTE FROM THE CITY'S
EIS, THIS ADDRESSES
AREA WIDE LAND USE ZONING
CHANGES
BECAUSE OF SPECIFIC
LOCATIONS AND SIZES IS UNKNOWN
AT THIS
TIME, IT'S
NOT KNOWN HOW FRIGHT ILWILL BE
IMPACTED.
WE WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH THE CITY AND OTHERS
IN CARRYING OUT A
TENTATIVE SOLUTION TO SUPPORT A
SAFER --
I HAD TO CUT THIS DOWN.
I'LL JUST GO TO THE VERY END.
WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
MANY PARTNERS HERE TODAY AND
ACROSS
THE STATE AS HAS BEEN
SHARED WITH THIS BODY MANY
TIMES.
>> I AM SORRY.
I SHOULD HAVE PUT OUT --
I SHOULD REMINDED FOLKS HOW
LONG.
WE HAVE UP TO 2 MINUTES.
ANYWAY, GO
AHEAD.
>> FOLLOWING LINDSEY WE'VE
GOT RICH AUSTIN JR. , ROBERT
RHODES,
ELAINE SMITH, AND THEN ALLIE.
MY
APOLOGIES. RICH?
FOLLOWING RICH WE'VE GOT
ROBERTS
RHODES, ELAINE SMITH, ALLIE V.
>> HELLO, I'M ROBERT
RHODES.
>> OKAY,
ROBERT.
>> I'M AGAINST -- WHAT IS
IT
CALLED? I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE
NAME OF
IT, BUT I'M AGAINST IT.
OKAY, I FEEL A LITTLE
OFFENDED BECAUSE THEY'RE COMING
AFTER MY
JOBS, MY BROTHER'S, MY
SISTER'S
JOBS,
MY KID'S JOBS. THIS IS
GENERATIONALLY A
THING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
I AM FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, OF COURSE.
I GREW UP IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE TO BE
HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ROBERT.
FOLLOWING ROBERT WE'VE
GOT ELAINE SMITH AND THEN
ALLIE V.
>> MORNING.
THIS IS ALLEN SMITH, LOCAL 19.
I'VE BEEN A LONGSHOREMAN ON THE
WATERFRONT GOING
ALMOST 20 YEARS
NOW. I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD
VERY
WELL.
I AM AGAINST THIS BILL.
THIS IS NOT A GOOD SPOT TO
BE LIVING IN.
THERE HAS BEEN
MULTIPLE PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES
INVOLVING TRUCKS IN MY TIME ON
THE
WATERFRONT.
IT'S
VERY DANGEROUS. THEY'RE HEAVY
HAUL CORRIDORS.
NOT TO MENTION THE FACT
THAT THIS WILL SEVERELY IMPACT
PIER
46, WHICH IS ONE OF
WASHINGTON'S ONLY NATURAL DEEP
WATER PORTS.
THIS CAN MAKE IMPACTS FOR
THINGS LIKE NATURAL DISASTERS,
MILITARY ISSUES, ALL KINDS OF
THINGS.
IT'S THE ONLY PORT OR TERMINAL
THAT DOES NOT NEED TO
BE DREDGED.
IT IMPACTS EVERYBODY
FROM THE EAST SIDE OF THE
MOUNTAINS
ALL THE WAY TO THE SALTWATER
HERE, SO I'M AGAINST THIS AND
HOPE
YOU GUYS WILL CONSIDER THOSE
POINTS.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
AND TO CONCLUDE THIS FIRST
ROUND OF IN- PERSON COMMENTERS,
WE HAVE
ALLIE V.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ALLIE.
I'M PROUD TO LIVE AND WORK
IN DISTRICT 1, AND I WORKED ON
THE
WATERFRONT FOR 22 YEARS.
FUTURE SOTO RESIDENTS WOULD
BE EXPOSED TO THE THE CITY.
EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION
IS LINKED TO A VARIETY
OF SIGNIFICANT HEALTH PROBLEMS
SUCH AS INCREASED HOSPITAL
ADMISSIONS AND EMERGENCY
DEPARTMENT
VISITS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR
AND RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS,
NONFATAL
HEART ATTACKS, AND PREMATURE
DEATHS. PEOPLE MOST AT RISK FOR
EXPOSURE ARE PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC
HEART DISEASE, CHILDREN, AND
THE ELDERLY.
SOTO HAS A DECIBEL THAT
EXCEEDS THE STANDARD FOR
EXTERIOR
NOISE LEVELS FOR RESIDENTIAL
AREAS.
ACCORDING TO THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH,
CHRONIC ENVIRONMENTAL NOISE
CAUSES
A VARIETY OF ADVERSE
HEALTH EFFECTS INCLUDING
CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE, HEARING LOSS, SLEEP
EFFECTS -- I RAISE IN STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THIS.
PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO OUR
JOBS. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE'LL DO TEN
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
FIRST WE'LL HAVE JOHN.
YOU HAVE TO UNMUTE.
JOHN?
>> THERE
WE GO. HELLO.
I'M JOHN.
WE CONNECTED AFTER
THE WASHINGTON STATE PUBLIC
STATE AUTHORITY.
AND WE ARE THE OWNERS OF
-- IN THE HEART OF THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
THE STADIUM
AUTHORITY'S FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF
COUNCIL BILL
120933. ADOPTING ALLOWANCES FOR
HOUSING AND SMALL BUSINESSES
CREATES A
NEW, FULLY- FORMED COMMUNITY.
THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD WILL
CONTAIN JOBS, HOUSING,
TRANSPORTATION,
AND ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE
WHOLE CITY.
A FULL- TIME ACTIVE
COMMUNITY PROVIDES SAFE SPACES
FOR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO
ENJOY.
AS PROPOSED THIS BILL,
THE STADIUM DISTRICT PROVIDES
A TRANSITION ZONE TO INDUSTRIAL
LAND AND IS COMPLEMENTARY TO
ITS NEIGHBORS, THE CID, PIONEERS
SQUARE, AND THE
SOTO
COMMUNITIES. THE CITY'S 2022
EIS DOCUMENTS
THAT THESE LAND USES WORK IN
THE STADIUM NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU AND PLEASE PASS
THE AMENDMENT ONTO THE FULL
COUNCIL.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
NEXT WE HAVE KESSA STEN.
YOU'VE BEEN UNMUTED.
KESSA?
CAN YOU HEAR US?
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PRESS STAR
6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
ONE MORE
TIME. STAR 6.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL COME BACK TO
YOU, KESSA.
NEXT UP WE HAVE CHRIS MARR.
CHRIS, FEEL FREE TO PRESS STAR
6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> YES.
AM I
UNMUTED?
>> WE CAN HEAR
YOU.
>> HELLO?
YES, CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
>> YES,
WE CAN. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING, I'M CHRIS.
CHAIR OF THE BASEBALL
STADIUM PUBLIC FACILITIES
DISTRICT, WHICH OVERSEES PUBLIC
OWNERSHIP OF T- MOBILE PARK, A
HALF
A BILLION DOLLAR PUBLIC ASSET.
T- MOBILE PARK
CONSISTENTLY RATES AMONG THE
BEST IN BASEBALL
AND SERVES AS A GREAT
COMMUNITY AMENITY.
IT BRINGS
MANY BENEFITS TO SEATTLE FROM
MARINERS GAMES
TO CONCERTS TO SCHOOL
GRADUATION AND MANY OTHER
EVENTS.
LAST YEAR THE PSD SHARED
OUR DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE
MARITIME AND INDUSTRIAL
LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE OMITTED A
KEY PART
OF STAKEHOLDER
RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED TO THE
MAYOR,
NAMELY THE INCLUSION OF A
LIMITED
NUMBER OF HOUSING
UNITS. THE CITY'S PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE HAD INCLUDED THAT
HOUSING AND THE DIRECTIVES
REPORT TRANSMITTED TO YOU ALONG
WITH
A LEGISLATION CLEARLY
STATED IT WOULD NOT NEGATIVELY
IMPACT
THE ROLE OF THE PORT OF SEATTLE
AND
OUR INDUSTRIAL NEIGHBORS
AND WHAT ROLE THEY PLAY IN SOTO.
TODAY I'D LIKE TO COMMEND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON FOR
HER LEADERSHIP IN CORRECTING
THAT OMISSION AND HELPING THE
BROAD COALITION OF
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING LABOR,
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, AND NEIGHBORHOOD
LEADERS.
HELP US REALIZE OUR
VISION.
>> NEXT WE HAVE GABRIEL GRANT.
PLEASE PRESS STAR
6 TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
GABRIEL?
>> HI, CAN YOU
HEAR ME?
>> YES,
WE CAN.
GO AHEAD.
>> HI, GABRIEL GRANT.
I AM A DOWNTOWN RESIDENT
AND ALSO DOWNTOWN BUSINESS
OWNER.
I SUPPORT THIS
COUNCIL BILL. THIS MEASURE WOULD
SUPPORT
THE CREATION OF A VIBRANT,
URBAN DISTRICT WITH JOBS,
HOUSING,
AND TRANSIT ACCESS IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO A LOT OF AMENITIES.
WE NEED MORE HOUSING IN
OUR URBAN AREAS
ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
AND
I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
FINALLY, A LOT OF THE
OPPOSITION COMMENTS I'VE HEARD
ABOUT
THIS ARE EMPHASIZING HOW
POLLUTED
AND DANGEROUS THIS AREA IS.
WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD WE
WANT TO CONTINUE PROMOTING
DANGEROUS AND POLLUTING
ACTIVITIES IN OUR
DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR WHEN INSTEAD
WE COULD HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
AND TRANSIT NEXT TO OUR
BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL STADIUMS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'VE GOT JOSHUA CURTIS.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JOSHUA
CURTIS. I'M THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF
THE BALLPARK COMMUNITY DISTRICT.
WE'VE LONG ADVOCATED
THE ADDITION OF HOUSING TO THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
AS PARTICIPANT OF
THE MARITIME INDUSTRIAL LANDS
ADVISORY
GROUP OUR MAKERS DISTRICT VISION
SERVE
AS A MODEL FOR THE NEW
LAND USE. WE WERE DISAPPOINT WHD
WE
BECAME THE ONLY URBAN
INDUSTRIAL ZONE NOT ALLOWED TO
BUILD HOUSING.
THE LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF
YOU REMEDIES THIS OMISSION.
IT WILL HELP TO ADJUST THE
CITY'S AFFORDABLE
HOUSING SHORTAGE, BRING UNION
JOBS ALONGALONG
WAY.
ULTIMATELY, IT WILL CREATE
A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WILL NOT
ONLY VITALIZE OUR AREA BUT BOOST
THE
ECONOMIC VITALITY
OF PINERS
SQUARE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRUST
THE ANALYSIS AND FULFILL THE
PROMISE OF THE RECOMMENDATION
THAT
CULMINATED FROM YEARS OF HARD
WORK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
UP NEXT WE'VE GOT ERIC
FITCH.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
NELSON, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE.
MY NAME IS
ERIC FITCH. I'M HERE IN
RESPECTFUL OPPOSITION TO COUNCIL
BILL
120933.
AROUND WASHINGTON STATE MY
MEMBER PORTS OPERATE
CRITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL
FACILITIES
THAT PROVIDE GOOD JOBS IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES AND KEEP OUR
STATE
TIED TO GLOBAL TRADE.
THOSE PORTS AND THEIR
OPERATIONS ARE CONSTANTLY BESET
BY THE TYPE
OF OVERT GENTRIFICATION AND
LAND USE PRESSURES YOU'RE
CONSIDERING
TODAY. WHAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING
TODAY
IS THE SAME THING, THE SAME
GROUP OF SEATTLE'S
WEALTHIEST REAL ESTATE
DEVELOPERS HAVE
BEEN PROPOSING EVERY YEAR
FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
AND EACH TIME FOR A SHINY
NEW REASON.
TEN YEARS AGO THEY TOLD THE
CITY COUNCIL THAT THE
STADIUM DISTRICT SHOULD BE
REZONED
TO SUPPORT THE NEW
BASKETBALL STADIUM AND
ENTERTAINMENT
DISTRICT.
THERE IS NO NEW
BASKETBALL
STADIUM THERE. DURING THE
PANDEMIC THAT
SAME ADVOCATE CAME TO THE
SEATTLE AND
ASK THE STADIUM DISTRICT BE
REZONED TO CREATE A
MAKERS DISTRICT THAT THEY
CLAIMED
COULD HELP FIGHT GLOBAL
CLIMATE
CHANGE. NOW THEY'RE TELLING YOU
THESE FEW BLOCKS PRESERVED FOR
INDUSTRIAL USE FOR DECADES
WILL HELP YOU SOLVE OUR
CITY'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING
CRISIS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE GOT
KESSA -- [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE THING.
FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT
ARE ONLINE TO GIVE REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENT, STAR 6 IS HOW YOU
INITIATE YOUR SPEAKING.
AND THEN WHEN YOU
HEAR THE CHIME THAT MEANS YOU'VE
GOT 10
MINUTES --
10 SECONDS REMAINING
TO SPEAK.
>> KESSA.
I SEE YOU'RE BACK ON.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PRESS STAR
6.
KESSA, GO AHEAD.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT
VIRTUAL COMMENTER, WHICH WOULD
BE HERB.
HERB, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HELLO, THIS IS HERB.
I'M
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6, LOCAL
CHAIR PERSON FOR SMART
TRANSPORTATION DIVISION LOCAL
38 RAILROAD WORKERS IN THE
SOTO AREA.
THESE ARE THE
INDUSTRIAL LANDS THAT CANNOT BE
REPLACED.
THEY PROVIDE MIDDLE WAGE
JOBS, AND THE MATTER SHOULD HAVE
BEEN SETTLED WITH THE 2023
ORDINANCE OF THE RAILROADS AND
RESIDENTIAL
USE -- AND USES SUCH
AS THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS
DON'T MIX.
THAT IS THE MAJOR RAIL
CORRIDOR IN THESE FEW BLOCKS FOR
THE WESTERN PART OF WASHINGTON,
AND IT CREATES A HUGE HAZARD IF
WE
ALLOW PEOPLE TO BUILD
MORE RESIDENTIAL UNITS
IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAILROAD
DISTRICT.
I URGE YOU TO OPPOSE IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU. NEXT VIRTUAL COMMENTER IS
CHAD C.
GO AHEAD, CHAD.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> I EXPRESS MY STRONG
OPPOSITION TO THE AMENDMENT TO
COUNCIL
BILL 120933. I SERVED ON THE
CITY'S STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE TO
REACH AN AGREEMENT OF OUR
INDUSTRIAL
LAND. I'M PROUD OF THE WORK OF
MY COMMITTEE THAT
BALANCES STAKEHOLDER INTEREST
INCLUDING THE MARITIME INDUSTRY
AND THE
DEVELOPERS.
WE SHOULD NOT BE REVISITING
THIS DEAL JUST APPROVED BY THE
CITY
LAST YEAR TO ADDRESS A SINGLE
STAKEHOLDER INTEREST. WE RELY ON
EFFICIENT ACCESS OF
GOODS TO AND FROM THE PORT.
I URGE YOU NOT TO MOVE
THIS ACTION FORWARD.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU,
CHAD.
>> IS THAT TEN?
>> THE LAST VIRTUAL PUBLIC
COMMENTER KESSA, LET'S
TRY AGAIN.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO
PRESS STAR 6 TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> WE CAN.
THANK
YOU.
>> I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION
TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO
REZONE INDUSTRIAL LAND
LEGISLATION
THAT THIS COUNCIL
SOLIDIFIED LESS THAN TWO
YEARS AGO. THE WORKING
WATERFRONT
FRIGHT CORRIDORS AND INDUSTRIAL
LANDS LEADING TO AND FROM THE
PORTS ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF
THE
SUPPLY CHAIN. TO ALLOW HOUSING
TO BE BUILT
IN SURROUNDING AREAS IS COUNTER
INTUITIVE TO THE PORT AND
WATERFRONT.
WHERE WOULD THESE
RESIDENTS ACCESS GROCERY STORES,
SCHOOLS, TRANSIT, LET ALONE
ACCESS THEM
SAFELY? EVENTUALLY IF HOUSING IS
BUILT IN THE AREA, IT WILL LEAD
TO
A SLIPPERY SLOPE THAT ERODES
THE EFFECTIVENESS AND ABILITY OF
THE
PORT TO OPERATE.
THERE WILL
BE PRESSURE TO LIMITPHRECTOMY
ACCESS
AND MOBILITY LEADING TO
SHIPPING DELAYS ACROSS THE AREA.
ALL THIS WILL LEAD
SHIPPERS AND PORT CUSTOMERS TO
LOOK ELSEWHERE
FOR SERVICE.
LET THE WORKING WATERFRONT
BE JUST THAT, A WORKING
WATERFRONT.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WE WILL
RESUME WITH THE IN- PERSON
PUBLIC
COMMENTERS. THE FIRST THREE ON
DECK WILL BE
J.J. , ALLISON, AND -- AND
I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF I
MISPRONOUNCE YOUR FIRST OR LAST
NAME.
THANK YOU.
T.J. ,
J.J.?
>> THANK YOU.
T. J. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN
STRONG OPPOSITION TO WHAT WE
HAVE GOING
ON HERE.
SEATTLE WOULDN'T BE THE
CITY IT IS WITHOUT THE STRONG
LOGGING AND WATERFRONT INDUSTRY
THAT IT
WAS IN THE 19th CENTURY.
IF NOT FOR THE WATERFRONT
HOW ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO GET
ALL
OF YOUR GOODS AND SERVICES
PROVIDED THROUGH THIS WATERWAY?
TERMINAL 46, AS ALLEN HAD
MENTIONED, THE NATURAL DEEP
WATER BERTH THAT IT IS, IS
AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED
TO
MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE TO
BRING CARGO THROUGH.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE CARGO
AND THE ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE THAT
IT
IS, THE AVERAGE PRICE OF
CARGO GOING THROUGH IS 3 TO
$6,000.
ON A GIVEN DAY WHEN WE MOVE
750 CANS THROUGH JUST TERMINAL
36, WE'RE MOVING $2. 25
MILLIONMILLION
CARGO.
I THINK THAT'S THE
STRONGEST THING WE CAN DO FOR
OUR CITY
IS CONTINUE THAT
ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE THAT IT IS.
THANK YOU.
>> AND JUST A REMINDER IF
YOU HEAR THE CHIME, YOU'VE GOT
10 SECONDS LEFT.
THANK
YOU.
>> HELLO.
ALLISON.
I AM ONCE AGAIN BEFORE
YOU REQUESTING THAT INDUSTRIAL
LANDS
STAY INDUSTRIAL. PER RESOLUTION
32097,
WHICH REQUIRES A STUDY FOR
NONINDUSTRIAL USES, A STUDY
WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE.
THE UNEQUITY OF THIS
IS
APPALLING. JUST LOOK AT ALL THE
DOCK WORKERS WHO HAD TO TAKE
OFF WORK TO STAND UP FOR OUR
JOBS
AND
INDUSTRY. FOR ALL OF YOU TO
RENEGE ON
A DEAL TO BENEFIT ONE
WEALTHY LANDOWNER AND AGAINST
THE
VERY NAMESAKE OF THE ZONED AREA
IS
QUITE FRANKLY DESPICABLE. I URGE
YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND
HONOR YOUR PRIOR
COMMITMENTS.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I'M SORRY, BUT I'M
JUST GOING TO HAVE TO REMIND
FOLKS THAT TO
PLEASE FOLLOW THE -- THE
RULES THAT I'VE ASKED TO KEEP
CLAPPING TO A MINIMUM OR JUST
SILENT SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN MOVE THROUGH
OUR SPEAKING
LIST FASTER. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
IOW LOCAL 19.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE THESE
INDUSTRIAL LANDS PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR
BLUE COLLAR MEMBERS THRIVE ON.
NOT ONLY DO THESE
INDUSTRIAL LANDS PROVIDE A
SOURCE OF
INCOME TO US BUT TO THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON
STATE.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE
REMEMBER THE CONNECTION FROM A
GLOBAL STANDPOINT TO OUR
BEAUTIFUL
PORT IN SEATTLE.
THESE INDUSTRIAL LANDS SHOULD
BE PROTECTED FROM DEVELOPERS
WHO WANT TO ADD MORE HOUSING.
YES, OUR POPULATION IS GROWING,
BUT AT WHAT COST DO WE
SACRIFICE THE BACKBONE OF OUR
ECONOMY TO FILL HOUSING?
IT WON'T JUST START OR
STOP
THERE. WITH NEW HOUSING MORE
TRAFFIC WILL OCCUR, AND MORE
BUILDING
WILL NEED TO BE CREATED
TO SUPPORT THE POPULATION COMING
IN SUCH AS GROCERY STORES,
GAS STATIONS, ET CETERA.
LET'S KEEP IN MIND THAT
THIS LAND IS OUR FUTURE AND THE
FUTURE OF THE NEXT
GENERATION, OUR CHILDREN.
I KNOW A LOT -- I
KNOW MANY WOULD AGREE THAT
PROTECTING
THIS LAND WOULD ALSO SECURE
OUR CONNECTION WITH THE
WORLD THROUGH OUR PORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT THREE IN- PERSON
COMMENTERS WILL BE CHARLIE,
NICK STEN, AND THEN BRITTANY
WILSON.
CHARLIE, NICK, AND BRITTANY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS CHARLIE
BENDOCK. THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THE TIME
TO LISTEN TO US TODAY.
WE ALL APPRECIATE
THAT
OPPORTUNITY. I'M A LIFELONG
SEATTLE
RESIDENT, ALMOST 50 YEARS NOW.
AND I'VE BEEN WORKING AS A
LONGSHOREMAN COMING UP
ON ALMOST
20 YEARS. MY WORKING BROTHERS
AND
SISTERS, UNION BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
AND OUR LEADERSHIP I'M SURE
TALKING
ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPACTS,
AND WE ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW
HARD IT WAS TO GET SUPPLIES
DURING THE
PANDEMIC.
SO THIS TRADE INFRASTRUCTURE
IS
IMPORTANT. IT'S BIGGER THAN
JUST SEATTLE.
I HAVE RELATIVES EAST OF THE
MOUNTAINS, AND WHENEVER
THERE'S TROUBLE AT THE PORT
GETTING
AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS OUT,
THEY'RE TALKING TO ME.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, WHAT'S
GOING
ON? THE BIGGEST THING I WANT TO
SAY
IS, YES, WE NEED HOUSINGCH
WE WANT TO KEEP OUR FRIENDS IN
THE
TRADE BUSY BUILDING HOUSING FOR
PEOPLE, BUT THIS IS AN
IN HOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT
BUILDING
HOUSING FOR PEOPLE DOWN HERE.
SEATTLE CAN DO SO MUCH BETTER.
THIS IS NOT THE PLACE.
WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER
BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOODS WE CAN
DEVELOP
HOUSING TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO
DO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WE GOT NICK AND THEN
FOLLOWING NICK,
BRITTANY.
>> HEY,
COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANKS FOR
HAVING ME.
NICK STEN REPRESENTING THE
IOW WEST SEATTLE LINE.
I'M NOT HERE JUST REPRESENTING
IOWU. I'M HERE REPRESENTING
POTATO AND
MUSHROOM FARMERS ON
EASTERN WASHINGTON, POTATO
FARMERS
IN IDAHO AND STEEL MAKERS IN
WEST
SEATTLE. I MEAN, THIS IS A
GLOBAL
ECONOMY THAT WE'RE A PART OF.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING
TO OUR -- WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT INFRINGING ON OUR PLACE IN
THE WORLD
ECONOMY, AND I URGE YOU NOT TO
SUCCUMB TO THE WHIMS OF A
BILLIONAIRE WHO'S JUST GOING
TO TRY AND MAKE A QUICK PROFIT
HERE.
THIS IS ABOUT WORKING WAGE
JOBS IN SEATTLE.
WE CAN AFFORD HOUSES IN
YOUR DISTRICTS.
THAT'S WHERE WE LIVE.
I PLEAD YOU DO THE RIGHT THING
HERE. THANK
YOU.
>>
GOOD MORNING. I'M BRITTANY
WILSON.
I AM AGAINST THIS BILL.
LIKE THEY SAID, IT IS FOR
OUR WORKING PEOPLE.
I DON'T SEE HOW THE BENEFIT
OF PUTTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
IN THIS AREA WITH ALL THE
TRAFFIC THAT'S ALREADY IN
DOWNTOWN,
THAT WOULD JUST CAUSE
MORE FRUSTRATION FOR THE NEW
RESIDENTS ANYWAY AND
THE POLLUTION AND EVERYTHING
ELSE.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY
I'M AGAINST THIS BILL AND KEEP
IT HOW IT
IS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THE NEXT THREE IN- PERSON
COMMENTERS, WE'VE GOT MARK,
JORDAN ROYER, AND GORDON BAXTER.
MARK, JORDAN, AND GORDON.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MARK.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL
19
SEATTLE. I'M IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS BILL.
SEATTLE'S THE ECONOMIC ENGINE
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
THE PORT OF SEATTLE JUST SPENT
$500 BILLION TO REPAIR PIER 5 TO
MAKE IT A WORLD CLASS PIER.
WE BRING IN THE CARGO FOR
CHICAGO, DENVER, ALL
OF
WASHINGTON. WHAT IS THE DECISION
WE'RE
GOING TO MAKE FOR THE PORT OF
SEATTLE?
YOU NEED TO MAKE THE
RIGHT DECISIONS.
IN 2023 YOU MADE THE RIGHT
DECISION. PLEASE STAND WITH THAT
DEAL
THAT YOU
MADE.
THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> NEXT WE'VE GOT JORDAN
AND THEN FOLLOWING JORDAN, WE'VE
GOT GORDON
BAXTER.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
MY NAME IS JORDAN ROYER, AND I
WORK FOR THE PACIFIC
MERCHANT SHIPPING ASSOCIATION,
AND
WE REPRESENT THE MARINE
TERMINAL OPERATORS AND THE
SHIPPING
LINES THAT SERVE THE WEST COAST
OF
THE UNITED STATES.
OBVIOUSLY, WE OPERATE HERE
IN THE PORT OF SEATTLE IN THE
PORT
OF TACOMA.
I WAS PART OF THIS
WHOLE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS, WHICH
WAS
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
ISSUE FOR THE BETTER PART OF A
DECADE.
I THOUGHT WE HAD IT DONE.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE HERE
TODAY, BUT HERE I AM.
I AM, UNFORTUNATELY,
IN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
I'M WORK IN ON A
DISSIMILAR PROCESS IN THE TACOMA
AREA,
AND I HAVE TO SAY THE PROCESS
IN TACOMA WHEN THERE'S A DEAL,
IT
STICKS. YOU CAN COUNT
ON IT. OUR MEMBERS WHEN WE MAKE
BIG INVESTMENTS IN
INFRASTRUCTURE IN
A PORT WE LOOK FOR
COSTS, REGULATORY CERTAINTY, AND
RELIABILITY. AND UNFORTUNATELY,
SEATTLE
IS GAINING A REPUTATION OF
NOT BEING VERY RELIABLE, SO I
URGE YOU TO STICK WITH THE DEAL
THAT WE HAD, SHOW THAT WE ARE
RELIABLE. WE ARE A GOOD PLACE TO
DO BUSINESS.
I LIVE HERE, I'M FROM HERE,
AND I WOULD LIKE SEATTLE
TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF
INVESTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
GORDON?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M GORDON BAXTER OF I'M
SECRETARY OF THE TRADE COUNCIL
MADE OF 18 LOCALS, ALL
THE SAILING
UNIONS ON THE WATER AS WELL AS
THE IOW LONG SHORE
WAREHOUSE, THE SHIPYARD
UNION, ONE OF THE BIG UNIONS AS
WELL
AS THE LARGEST DRIVERS LOCAL
AND STATE TEAMSTERS LOCAL 174,
WHICH HAS OVER 7,000 MEMBERS.
WE HAVE OVER 30,000 JOBS
LOCALLY DEPENDENT ON TRADE.
40% OF THE JOBS, THEY TELL ME --
THE STATE TELLS ME 40% OF
THE JOBS IN THIS STATE ARE
DEPENDENT
ON TRADE. OUR JOBS ARE FAMILY
WAGE JOBS,
NOT LOW WAGE AND PART-
TIME SERVICE JOBS.
WE DON'T WORK THREE MONTHS A
YEAR OR SIX MONTHS A YEARYEAR
THEN TAKE UNEMPLOYMENT OR
HAVE TO GO TO ARIZONA OR SOUTH
DAKOTA FOR WORK.
WE STAY HERE AND SPEND OUR
MONEY HERE.
LET'S NOT PUT OUR SENIORS,
CHILDREN, DISABLED IN A
AREA THAT'S A FOOD DESERT,
SCHOOL
DESERT, AND SERVICE DESERT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL BUT
I'M SICK AND TIRED OF
BILLIONAIRES LIKE ELON
MUSK PUSHING US AROUND AND
TELLING WHAT TO DO AND
BEING LAND SPECULATORS AT OUR
EXPENSE.
>> THANK
YOU, GORDON. THE NEXT THREE
IN-PERSON
COMMENTERS ARE GOING TO BE
CARLIN SMITH, RON, AND
NOAH.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS CARLIN SMITH.
I WAS BORN IN THIS CITY AND
LIVE IN
THIS CITY. ERODING ACCESS FOR
HEAVY HAUL
CORRIDORS AND SURROUNDING
CONGESTION WILL
WEAKEN THE
ABILITY. MORE IDLING TRUCKS
TRYING TO
GET IN AND OUT OF THE PORT AREA
WILL
WORSEN OUR AIR QUALITY.
YOU CAN BUILD HOUSING ANYWHERE.
YOU CANNOT BUILD A DEEP
WATER PORT.
ONCE YOU LOSE IT, IT'S
GONE FOREVER.
THEY HAVE FOOD
DESERTS, NO COMMUNITY PLAYGROUN
THIS IS NOT THE PLACE.
THIS IS AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
WE HAD A DEAL.
YOU SPENT LONGER
NEGOTIATING THAT DEAL THAN YOU
HAVE
SPENT HONORING IT.
DON'T BE THE SEATTLE
COUNCIL THAT IS REMEMBERED FOR
SELLING SEATTLE SHORT FOR A
HEDGE FUND
BILLIONAIRE.
>> SO I'M NOAHNOAH BAIRD, RANK
AND FILE MEMBER OF LOCAL 19.
YOU'LL NOTICE THIS ROOM IS
FULL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE
WORKING
IN SEATTLE.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WE'VE HEARD
IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL ARE
THE LAWYERS
OF BILLIONAIRES. THIS COUNCIL
SHOULD NOT BEND
THE KNEE TO YET ANOTHER
BILLIONAIRE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A
QUICK BUCK
AND BURNING REAL JOBS IN
THE CITY
FOR IT. YOU DO HAVE A DEAL IN
PLACE.
YOU SPENT A LONG TIME AS
A COUNCIL WORKING ON IT.
YOU SHOULD NOT JUST IGNORE YOUR
OWN --
SORRY. YOU'VE IGNORED YOUR OWN
COMMITTEES TO SEND THIS TO
YOURSELF SO THAT YOU CAN DECIDE
WHETHER IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
THANK YOU.
>> THE NEXT REMAINING IN-
PERSON COMMENTERS WE'VE GOT
JOE, NICOLE
GRANT, JACK SNYDER, AND JESSE
SCOTT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M SPEAKING AGAINST
THIS
ACTION. I'VE WORKED ON THE
WATERFRONT OVER 37 YEARS.
LOCAL 19 HAS APPROXIMATELY
700 FULL- TIME WORKERS AS WELL
AS
ANOTHER 1,000 PART TIME WORKERS.
ALONG WITH THOSE DIRECT JOBS
ON THE WATERFRONT ACCORDING TO A
MERCHANT SHIPPING
ASSOCIATION STUDY FROM OCTOBER
2024
TRADE- RELATED JOBS ACCOUNT FOR
1 OUT OF EVERY 8 JOBS.
40% OF WASHINGTON STATE
JOBS ARE DIRECT RELATED TO PORT
ACTIVITY.
FOR OVER 110 YEARS THESE
JOBS HAVE BEEN YEAR- ROUND,
HIGH PAYING FAMILY WAGE JOBS
THAT HAVE SUPPORTED
FAMILIES, CONTRIBUTED TO THE TAX
BASE
OF WASHINGTON STATE FOR OVER
110 YEARS.
WHY AFTER PREVIOUSLY REACHING
A DEAL ON THIS AREA'S
LAND USE JUST A YEAR AGO WOULD
YOU NOW
IN A RUSH VOTE JEOPARDIZE
THE VITALITY OF THE INDUSTRIAL
DISTRICT AND THE JOBS
IT PROVIDES FOR A FLASH IN
THE PAN CONSTRUCTION JOBS THAT
WILL
BE HERE AND GONE IN A YEAR OR
TWO AND FOREVER HARM THE ABILITY
TO INCREASE THOSE PORT- RELATED
JOBS BY PUSHING HOUSING IN
INCOMPATIBLE
AREAS.
>> THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE GOT JOE, JACK
SNYDER AND THEN JESSE SCOTT
CANDLE.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO STAFF THESE VERY
CHALLENGING POSITIONS THAT YOU
HOLD.
A FEW THOUGHTS ON THE PROPOSED
CHANGES. I'D LIKE YOU TO BE
QUESTIONING OF ARTFUL
TERMINOLOGY.
LIKE I'M LOOKING AT ONE OF
THESE RENDERINGS IT SAYS --
IT CONTINUES THE TERM
"URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE."
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT
THAT
MEANS. IT LOOKS WHAT THEY REALLY
ARE
TRYING TO PROMOTE HERE IS
A RESIDENTIAL
INDUSTRIAL ZONE. LIKE A
RESTAURANT THAT'S
A HOSPITAL OR SUCH THINGS.
THE BASEBALL -- THE STADIUM
DISTRICT GUYS THAT
ALLEGEDLY REPRESENT US AS A
PUBLIC
DISTRICT, I DIDN'T HEAR
ANY OF THEM SAY WE'RE GOING
TO LOWER THE PRICE OF A MARINERS
TICKET OR A SEAHAWKS TICKET IF
THIS GOES THROUGH.
IT'S JUST WHAT ARE WE GETTING
OUT OF IT?
THEY'RE GOING TO GET
SOMETHING, BUT THEY DIDN'T
REALLY SAY
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET OUT
OF IT.
BOY, THAT GOES QUICK.
THE STATE- WIDE UP ZONE MUST
BE CONTINUED AT THE
STATE LEVEL. WE'VE UPZONED
EVERY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE STATE.
WE DON'T NEED THIS ON TOP OF
THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK
YOU.
>> HELLO.
NIGH NAME IS NICOLE GRANT.
I'M A JOURNEY LEVEL LICENSED
ELECTRICIAN, AND I REPRESENT
6,200 ELECTRICIANS LIKE MYSELF
IN LOCAL 46.
WE ARE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR
OF THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE A UNION THAT SUPPORTS
UNION- BUILT AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
NOW, WHETHER THAT'S SOCIAL
HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S
THE HOUSING THAT'S PROPOSED BY
--
THROUGH THE BONDING MEASURE,
OR WHETHER IT'S
THIS PROJECT. UNION- BUILT
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING IS A BIG DEAL FOR OUR
MEMBERS, AND WE CAN HAVE IT
HERE.
I WAS THE COCHAIR OF THE
INDUSTRIAL LANDS
ADVISORY COMMITTEE UNDER MAYOR
JENNY
DIRKEN, AND I WILL TELL YOU
THAT THIS PROJECT WAS ALWAYS ON
THE
TABLE, BUT IT HAD TO BE
STUDIED FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT
IT
WOULD NOT COMPROMISE THE PORT
OF SEATTLE.
AND IT WAS STUDIED, AND IT
DOES NOT COMPROMISE THE PORT.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE THE REMAINING
IN- PERSON COMMENTERS IS -- JACK
SNYDER, JESSE SCOTT
CANDLE.
>> GOOD MORNING, CITY
COUNCIL. I COME FROM
WEST AFRICA. I LIVE IN THE
UNITED STATES FOR
35 YEARS, AND I MOVE TO
SEATTLE
FROM NEW YORK TO HERE. I'VE GOT
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE
CARE OF MY FAMILY HERE IN
BEAUTIFUL CITY AND GOOD JOB.
AND PLEASE, PLEASE, I
BEG YOU DON'T APPROVE FOR THIS
PROJECT.
I'M FROM LOCAL 19.
ALL MY FAMILY MEMBER HERE,
AND ALL THE MEMBER THAT COME
HERE ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK BUT
TAKE
OFF SPECIAL FOR THIS DAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE
STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE, THAT
WOULD BE
GREAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>>÷÷ MORNING. I'M ZACK SNYDER,
DISTRICT
3 RESIDENT.
JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY
ON THE MAKERS ASPECT OF THIS.
LIVING DOWNTOWN, A LOT
OF GROWING PAINS, A LOT OF
CHANGES.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO ME IS A VIBRANT CITY
THAT'S REALLY FUN TO HANG OUT
IN.
ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR MAKERS TO
HAVE A PLACE THAT'S
AFFORDABLE, THAT SERVES AS
TESTING GROUNDS
FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND CREATIVE
ARTS IS DEFINITELY
SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO SEE
SEATTLE FOR
MORE OF.
THANK
YOU.
>> THAURNG.
AND THE LAST GROUP OF IN- PERSON
COMMENTERS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT
WILL BE AARON HOBBS, SHALEN
HOBBS, BRELAN HOBBS.
AND FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE
BILLY
HEMMINGTON.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS JESSE SCOTT CANDLE.
I'M THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR
THE WESTERN STATES REGIONAL
COUNCIL CARPENTERS.
WE HAVE 15,000 MEMBERS LOCALLY.
I'M ALSO THE FINANCIAL
SECRETARY
OF LOCAL 196.
I AM A WEST SEATTLE
RESIDENT, DISTRICT 1, A PCO FOR
THE 34th.
THIS IS
MY DISTRICT. I'M HERE TO SPEAK
IN FAVOR
OF THE STADIUM DISTRICT PROJECT.
THOUSANDS OF UNION JOBS WILL
BE CREATED OUT OF THIS.
THOUSANDS OF HOMES WILL BE
CREATED. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU
DRIVE THROUGH THE AREA, BUT
THERE'S
A LOT OF HOMELESS IN THAT AREA.
YOU KNOW, BROKEN DOWN
CARS, PEOPLE CAMPING OUT THERE.
IT'S IN
THE WINTERTIME. IT'S RAINING.
IT'S COLD.
THEY NEED A PLACE TO GO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO HAVE
A COMMUNITY
WORKFORCE AGREEMENT ON IT.
THAT MEANS UNION JOBS,
PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY,
PEOPLE
FROM DIFFERENT ZIP CODES,
MINORITIES, WOMEN.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIG DEAL
FOR
US. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE'VE GOT AARON HOBBS,
SHALEN HOBBS AND THEN BRELAN
HOBBS.
>> MY NAME IS AARON HOBBS.
I'M HERE WITH LOCAL 19.
I DON'T SEE HOW MAKING A
HOMELESS SHELTER DOWN IN AN
AREA WHERE THERE'S HOMELESS
PEOPLE RIGHT NOW IS A HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT. I THINK THAT'S
ALREADY
BEEN
MENTIONED. THIS IS A PLACE
THAT'S NOT SAFE
OR HEALTHY.
I THINK THERE'S SOMEHOW A
STUDY DONE BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN
THE
RESULTS, OR AT LEAST I HAVEN'T.
THIS IS NOT A
GOOD IDEA. THE TEMPORARY JOBS
THAT
WE CREATE WOULD DEVASTATE THE
JOBS WE HAVE THAT ARE
GENERATIONAL, OVER 100 YEARS.
WE HAVE AN INDUSTRY DOWN
THERE. IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL
DISTRICT NOT
A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT.
WE HAD A DEAL.
THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED
THE ENTIRE TIME I'VE BEEN
HERE FOR AN HOUR, AND I DON'T
SEE ANYTHING NEW COMING FROM
THE OPPOSING SIDE THAT SAY WE
SHOULD BE DOING THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A CRAZY
IDEA, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY
OBVIOUS.
I THINK IT'S QUICK MONEY
FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE.
I DON'T GET IT.
I THINK IT'S A BAD
IDEA.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> LOCAL 19.
I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS AT ALL.
EVEN IF I WASN'T IN THE UNION
HERE, I'VE BEEN HERE MY
WHOLE
LIFE. AND IF YOU SEE THAT AREA,
IT
IS NOT SAFE.
IT'S GOING TO RISK THE LIVES
OF THE FUTURE RESIDENTS LIVING
THERE, SO I DON'T SUPPORT
THIS, AND I'M JUST HERE TO
SUPPORT
MY FAMILY OVER HERE, SO THANK
YOU.
>> BRELAN HOBBS, LOCAL 19.
I ALSO STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH
THIS. I THINK IT'S UNSAFE.
AND HONESTLY, YOU COULD
PROBABLY FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE
THAT'S A
LOT MORE SAFE FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE GOING TO BE LIVING
THERECH.
THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THE LAST FOUR COMMENTERS WILL BE
BILLY, DAN, HERALD, AND THEN
JOHN.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF
THE
COMMITTEE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN
FAVOR OF
COUNCIL BILL 120933 AND
ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO
THE PRESENTATION WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE
TODAY.
I SEE THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL
SOLVES THREE
THINGS, HOUSING IN THE CITY HALF
OF WHICH WOULD
BE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE
HOUSING THAT WOULD BE AFFORDABLE
FOR
75 YEARS IS A HUGE WIN FOR THE
CITY
OF SEATTLE.
PUBLIC SAFETY,
DRIVING GOING THROUGH THAT AREA
THE
LANDOWNERS DOWN THERE HAVE PUT
SIX
MOBILE CAMERA STATIONS DOWN
THERE
TO COVER ALMOST EVERY SQUARE
INCH OF THAT AREA BECAUSE THEY
FEEL IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY
ISSUE.
SO HAVING THIS, PASSING
THIS WOULD SOLVE A PUBLIC
SAFETY ISSUE IN
THAT AREA. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
THE STADIUM DISTRICT DRAWS
5 MILLION VISITORS EVERY SINGLE
YEAR.
I COULDN'T NOT THINK OF A
BETTER AREA TO PUT HUNDREDS OF
MAKERS
DOWN THERE THAT HAVE ACCESS TO 5
MILLION VISITORS TO OUR
STATE EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AND LASTLY THE CURRENT ZONING OF
HEAVY COMMERCIAL OFFICE
STUDIES SHOW CREATE MORE CAR
TRIPS
PER DAY THAN HAVING
HOUSING.
>> THANK YOU,
BILLY.
>> DAN WITH THE IOW.
I SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO
THIS AMENDMENT.
LOOK, HERE WE ARE AGAIN.
JUST
EIGHT YEARS AGO WE WENT THROUGH
THIS, RIGHT? AT THAT TIME WE HAD
FIVE STRONG
COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTE AGAINST
THE STREET VACATION, BUT THEY
GOT
BATTERED. BUT THEY SURVIVED IT
AND
MOVED
ON. THIS CHRIS HANSEN AND
BILLIONAIRE BUDDIES ARE
TRYING TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF
THIS
AREA. THIS AREA HAS LOTS OF
FRIGHT
ON THE EAST SIDE THAT GOES
THROUGH
THERE.
IT SUPPORTS THE PORT.
YOU HAVE A PANEL
COMING UP. I'M REALLY
DISAPPOINTED
THAT IT'S JUST ONE-SIDED.
WE WEREN'T ASKED TO
BE PRESENTERS TO TALK ABOUT THIS
ISSUE. THE
STADIUMS, RIGHT?
THEY WERE IN FAVOR OF NOT
HAVING THE ARENA LAST TIME.
NOW THEY'RE NOT BECAUSE
IT'S
SOMETHING ELSE. AND LOOK AT THE
ONE STADIUM,
THE PSA, IT'S TWO ARCHITECTS, A
CONTRACTOR.
I MEAN IT'S ALL
INDUSTRIAL PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT
FROM
THIS, SO I'M AGAINST IT.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE HERALD,
AND FOLLOWING HERALD THE LAST
IN- PERSON COMMENTER WILL
BE
JOHN.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS HAROLD.
IT'S MY 45th YEAR ON THE
WATERFRONT AND LIKE MY BROTHER,
DAN, JUST SAID, HERE WE GO
AGAIN.
WE HAD A DEAL.
NOW THROW SOME MONEY AT IT,
LET'S CHANGE THE DEAL.
WAY BACK IN THE 2000s WE HAD
A DEAL.
WE WORKED WITH THE MAYORS
OFFICE, WE WORKED WITH
THE MARINERS TO GET SR 519, WE
GOT MONEY -- I'VE GOT A PICTURE
OF ME OVER THERE AT THE
STADIUMS ALL HAPPY THAT WE
DID IT, TO MAKE SURE THE FRIGHT
CORRIDOR STAYS.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO
OUR UNION BROTHERS, TEMPORARY
JOBS WITH FULL- TIME YEAR- ROUND
JOBS.
THEIR JOBS CAN GO OTHER PLACES.
I DO NOT WANT TO ELIMINATE OUR
JOBS FOR OUR MEMBERS OUT
HERE WHEN WE STOOD AGAINST THE
BASKETBALL
STADIUM 46. THOSE JOBS FOR THE
BASEBALL
DIDN'T
GO AWAY. YOU GUYS BUILT -- SO
STAY AWAY.
HONOR YOUR
DEAL.
>> THANK YOU, HAROLD.
>> MY NAME IS JOHN.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 7 SINCE
2004, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING
THROUGH LOCAL 19 SINCE 2011, AND
I'M OPPOSED TO THIS CHANGE
IN ESTABLISHED LAND USE
PLANNING.
WE DON'T ALLOW PEDESTRIANS
ON OUR PORT TERMINALS, RIGHT?
AND OUR YARD EQUIPMENT
HAS GREATER VISIBILITY AND
LOWER SPEEDS THAN WHAT IS OUT
THERE
ON THE ROADS IN SOTO, RIGHT?
SEATTLE HAS A COMMITMENT
TO REDUCING PEDESTRIAN DEATHS
THAT
IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH
PLACING INDUSTRY AND HOUSING
TOGETHER.
WE JUST HAD AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT
HAPPENS IN THAT
INTERSECTION WITH THE DEATH FROM
A TRAIN IN
MY DISTRICT 7 JUST BLOCKS
FROM WHERE I LIVE, RIGHT?
WE DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE
MORE OF THOSE INTERSECTIONS --
THOSE
INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN HOUSING,
PEDESTRIANS, AND INDUSTRY
SHOULD BE LIMITED.
ALL RIGHT?
THIS IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE MIX.
I'M IN FAVOR OF AFFORDABLE
HOUSING BUILT BY MY BROTHERS AND
SISTERS JUST NOT IN THE WRONG
PLACE.
THANKS.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES BOTH
VIRTUAL AND
IN- PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO HERE'S THE RUN OF SHOW.
AS I SAID, I HAVE A --
WELL, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT I
HEAR THE COMMENTS THAT ARE MADE,
AND
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SUPPORTER
OF THE PORT, ITS OPERATIONS, ET
CETERA, AND IT -- I'M GOING TO
PUT IT ON THE TABLE RIGHT
NOW THIS DOES PAIN ME TO GO
AGAINST
AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION, THE PORT THAT IS
IT'S MISSION AS THE CHAIR OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO THAT IS WHY I'M -- I
WANTED TO PRESENT THE WHY I'M
DOING THIS -- THESE REASONS
TO TRY TO EXPLAIN WHY I'M
TAKING
THIS -- THIS STEP.
IT DOES BRING UP SOME
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE FOR MYSELF
IN
WHY IT'S HAPPENING NOW.
SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND
PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION.
PULL IT UP HERE.
>> YOU HAVE TO SAY THE ITEM
OF THE
AGENDA.
>> OH, YES.
PLEASE READ THE ITEM INTO
THE
AGENDA.
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1,
COUNCIL BILL 120933 AN ORDINANCE
RELATED TO LAND USE AND ZONE
UGMENDING SECTIONS 23.74. 002
AND 23.74.
008 OF THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
CODE
TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE
STADIUM TRANSITION AREA
OVERLAY DISTRICT AND
DISCUSSION.
>> THE RUN OF SHOW I
PRESENT SOME SLIDES AND THEN HAD
HEAD OF THE BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
SPEAKS AS THE
REPORTER OF THE SEATTLE
MAIN ASSOCIATION WILL SPEAK
ABOUT THEIR ROLES IN THE
BEGINNING
OF THIS COALITION, AND THEN
OUR CENTRAL STAFF ANALYST
WILL PRESENT ACTUALLY WHAT
THE LEGISLATION DOES.
AND TAKING RICO QUIRINDONGO
IS HERE AS THE OFFICE OF
THE PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO TALK TO
THE UNDERLYING LEGISLATION.
SO WE'VE GOT KIND OF A
FULL HOUSE
HERE TODAY. SO GO AHEAD AND
PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES.
>> I'M
RICO QUIRINDONGO. I'M THE
DIRECTOR OF THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> THE LYONS CONSULTING
DISTRICT WHICH IS T- MOBILE, AND
THE LUMEN
FIELD.
>> REPRESENTING SEATTLE MADE
MEMBERS.
>> MOBTY ANDERSON WITH
THE SEATTLE BUILDING
TRADES.
>> OKAY, LET'S
GO AHEAD --
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, JUST TO BE
CLEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
GIVING THIS BRIEF?
>> YES, AND THIS IS -- I
THREW TOGETHER SOME SLIDES
BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE IMAGES
OF THE CURRENT NEIGHBORHOOD AND
THEN SOME OF THE RENDERINGS
OF THE -- OF WHAT COULD BE BUILT
THERE,
AND THEN I WILL -- AND THIS
WAS SENT OUT THIS MORNING TO
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND WILL BE
ATTACHED
TO THE AGENDA AFTER THE
MEETING.
>> AND CAN WE ASK QUESTIONS
AT THE END, OR YOU WANT THEM
DURING THE COURSE OF THE
BRIEFING?
>> IF YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS, IT WOULD BE MORE
HELPFUL
IF YOU COULD ASK THEM AT THE END
OF THE
PRESENTATION.
>> OKAY, WILL DO.
>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE
--
JUST TO SET THE
STAGE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT
PUTTING SOME HOUSING THAT
IS GOING TO BE AFFORDABLE,
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT, WHICH IS ONE OF
SIX DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS IN
THE --
IN MAYOR HARRELL'S
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN.
AND WHEN THE LEGISLATION IN
2023 WAS APPROVE, THE ZONE
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS
URBAN INDUSTRIAL.
NEXT SLIDE. AHEAD WITH THE NEXT
SLIDE,
PLEASE. OKAY, GOT IT.
SO IN 2023, AS EVERYBODY IN
THIS ROOM KNOWS, THE MAYOR PUT
FORWARD THE INDUSTRIAL
AND MARITIME STRATEGY AND
AFFORDED
THE ACCOMPANYING LEGISLATION
FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL.
ONE OF THE SUB- AREA ZONES
WITHIN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA WAS
THE
URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE, AND 50%
OF THE HOUSING THAT
IS EVER BUILT IS ED TO
BE AFFORDABLE AT 60 TO 90%
AMI. AND THAT, I BELIEVE, BUT I
CAN
CONFIRM THAT LATER ON, IS
THE ONLY ZONE IN SEATTLE THAT
HAS AN
ACTUAL PRESCRIPTION FOR
THE AFFORDABILITY LEVELS THAT
ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE OF
THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT INCLUDED UP TO
990 UNITS OF HOUSING IN THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT. THE OPCD DIRECTORS
REPORT IN
PAGES 43 TO 45 SAID A DISTRICT
WITH A VARIETY OF SMALL
BUSINESSES AND MAKERS
COMBINED WITH BUSINESSES
SUPPORTING EVENTS AT THE
STADIUMS
AND ENTERTAINMENT
VENUES WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY THE
UI ZONE.
AND THEN
ANOTHER QUOTE. SOME LIMITED
AMOUNT OF
HOWING WOULD BE
COMPATIBLE WITH THE SURROUNDING
USE PATTERN
AND WOULD NOT CAUSE
ADDITIONAL ADVERSE IMPACTS ON
NEARBY INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES
OUTSIDE OF THE STADIUM DISTRICT
IF CAREFULLY IMPLEMENTED.
AND HOWEVER THE
ACCOMPANYING LEGISLATION COUNCIL
BILL
120567 ALLOWED HOUSE IN THE UI
ZONE EVERYWHERE EXCEPT IN THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO
ASK QUESTIONS WHY IS IT NOT
INCLUDED?
THAT WAS PART OF MY PROCESS.
I WAS ON THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE, BUT THE -- THIS WAS
IN
MY FIRST YEAR MORE OR LESS OF
SENDING UNDER COUNCILMAN NUMBER
2023.
MOVING ON SOME IMAGES OF
THE CURRENT ZONING AND CURRENT
STATE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND
WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF
THE LEGISLATION IS ADOPTED
AND CONSTRUCTION IS
ACTUALLY
ACCOMPLISHED. SO THIS IS FIRST
AVENUE LOOKING
SOUTH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THIS IS -- OKAY, GOT IT.
THIS IS OCCIDENTAL AVENUE
SOUTH LOOKING
SOUTH. AND THEN NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS OCCIDENTAL
LOOKING NORTH, AND THEN FINALLY
THIS
IS AN OVERVIEW OF
THE STADIUM DISTRICT AREA.
AND SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS
THAT RIGHT
NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS
MOTIVATING ME IS RIGHT
NOW THE CONDITIONS IN THAT
AREAAREA -- ARE NOT LIVING UP
TO THEIR POTENTIAL AS -- AS PART
OF THE -- THE TWO BLOCKS THAT
ARE JUST SOUTH OF THE -- OF T-
MOBILE
PARK. SO GO AHEAD, PLEASE, WITH
THE
NEXT SLIDES.
SO I HAVE SOME SLIDES THAT
DO ADDRESS -- AND THERE WILL
BE A PUBLIC HEARING WHERE
THESE ISSUES CAN BE DUG INTO
MORE.
ACCORDING TO MY READING AND
THE READING OF THE COALITION
THAT BROUGHT THIS IDEA FORWARD
TO
ME, THE -- IT IS CONTENDED
THAT HOUSING NEXT TO T- MOBILE
PARK WILL NOT IMPEDE PORT
OPERATIONS.
AND GO AHEAD NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE TERMINALS FOR THE --
FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND
PORT ROUTES USED BRING THOSE TO
PIER
86 TERMINAL, AND THEN
ALL AGRICULTURAL SHIPS THROUGH
THREE INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS.
S- DOT C PORT CONNECTORS
DIRECTS TRUCKS COMING INTO
SEATTLE
90 AND HEADING INTO T18, T30 OR
T5 TO REACH THOSE TERMINALS.
SOMETIMES DURING COMMUTE
HOURS TRUCKS MIGHT CHOOSE TO GO
DOWN ATLANTIC INSTEAD AND
TURNTURN
ALASKA AVENUE.
NO CENTRAL WASHINGTON OR EAST
WASHINGTON OR
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT WOULD NEED
TO USE
FIRST AVENUE AND OCCIDENTAL,
WHICH IS
WHERE THE HOUSING AND THE
MAKERS BUSINESSES WOULD BE
LOCATED.
GO
ON, PLEASE. I HEARD CONCERNS
ABOUT PUBLIC
SAFETY.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
STADIUMS DRAW 5 MILLION VISITORS
A
YEAR, AND THE HOUSING WILL BE
BUILT
IN THIS AREA IS LIKELY
TO BE FRONT- FACING ONTO
OCCIDENTAL
AND NARROW A FREQUENTLY USED
STREET AND PEDESTRIAN AREAS WILL
BE FACING THAT STREET AND NOT
FIRST
AVENUE.
MAYOR HARRELL, AGAIN,
HAS PUBLISHED A
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE EXEMPTED
THE
STADIUM FROM THE REQUIREMENT
THAT
NO HOUSING BUILT WITHIN 200 FEET
OF A MAJOR TRUCK STREET GIVEN
THE
UNIQUE NATURE OF THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
AND THERE ARE 142 MILES OF
MAJOR TRUCK STREETS IN SEATTLE
THAT
CARRY FREIGHT AND A LARGE
NUMBER OF THOSE CORRIDORS
HAVE SIGNIFICANT HOUSING ALONG
OR NEAR THEM.
AND THIS LEGISLATION, AS
KETTLE WILL POINT OUT, GETS TO
THE
EXEMPTION OF HOWING NEAR THE
200 METER
TRUCK ROUTES. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
THIS REITERATES MY POINT OF
THE MAJOR TRUCK STREETS ALONG
WHICH WE DO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT
OF HOUSE. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
AND HERE ARE A LOT OF EXAMPLES
OF THOSE -- OF THOSE
TRUCK ROUTES THAT DO HAVE
HOUSING ALONG THEM.
SO I'M -- MY POINT IS
SIMPLY THAT I UNDERSTAND THE
TOPIC --
THE CONCERN ABOUT
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND FREIGHT.
IN FACT, I EARNED
A NON- ENDORSEMENT FROM
THE CASCADE BIKE CLUB FOR
OPPOSING
BIKES, FOR EXAMPLE, ON SHALE
SHOAL,
SO I DO UNDERSTAND THAT
ARGUMENT.
BUT THE FACT THERE IS OCCIDENTAL
RIGHT THERE THAT COULD --
TWO BLOCKS NORTH IS
PEDESTRIANIZED
IS A MITIGATION FOR SOME OF
THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY CONCERNS.
GO ON, PLEASE.
FINALLY, WHAT HAS BEEN NOTED
BY SOME COMMENTERS, WHICH I'M
SURE
WILL BE SPOKEN OF MUCH
LATER IS THAT A SIDE BENEFIT OF
THIS
PROPOSAL IS THAT IT WILL
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS AN AREA -- THIS
SLIDE TALKS ABOUT RECENT --
VERY SERIOUS FELONIES IN SOTO,
BUT WE -- BUT IF YOU'RE ON THIS
JOB, YOU HEAR A LOT OF
COMPLAINTS
REGULARLY FROM
CONSTITUENTS THAT DO TALK ABOUT
THE
DETERIORATING PUBLIC SAFETY IN
THAT AREA.
AND THAT IS WHY
ADJACENT NEIGHBORHOODS OF
PIONEER
SQUARE AND CHINATOWN-
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT DO
STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL
TO BRING
MORE ACTIVITY AND MORE -- AND
MORE RESIDENTS FOR A 24/7
PRESENCE
IN THE REGION.
ALL RIGHT, GO
AHEAD, PLEASE. LAST SLIDE.
AND THEN, FINALLY, THE --
THIS CONCEPT WAS BROUGHT TO ME
ORIGINALLY FROM A
COALITION THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT
SMALLER THAN
ALL THE LOGOS ON THIS PAGE,
BUT IT WAS A STRONG COITION ALL
OF
LABOR, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS THAT --
THAT TALKED TO ME EARLY ON IN
THE DELIBERATION PROCESS IN
2023, AND THAT ISIS
I -- I CAME FORWARD AND I ASKED
WHY
CAN'T THERE BE AN AMENDMENT.
AND WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS
THAT THIS AGREEMENT HAD BEEN
YEARS
IN THE MAKING AND THAT THE
PORT WOULD AMEASLIEST THE WHOLE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION IF THE --
IF HOUSING WAS ADDED.
AND SO AT THAT POINT I -- I
DIDN'T WANT TO RUIN
THAT STAKEHOLDER PROCESS AT THE
LAST MINUTE AND BLOW THE WHOLE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION, AND SO I
DID NOT
CARRY FORWARD AN AMENDMENT
AT THAT POINT.
HOWEVER, THE UNDERLYING ZONING
DOES SUPPORT HOUSING,
AND IT'S -- AS OTHER FOLKS HERE
AT THE TABLE WILL SPEAK, IT IS
TWO BLOCKS SOUTH OF T- MOBILE,
AND THE -- AND THE HOUSING
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WILL
BE
50% AFFORDABLE AT THE WORKFORCE
LEVEL, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF.
OUR HOUSING LEVEE DOESDOES
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, OF COURSE, BUT THAT
GOES PRIMARILY 0 TO 30%
AND WORKFORCE HOUSING IS
A MISSING -- IT'S A MISSING
COMPONENTS OF THE -- OF
THE HOUSING TYPES THAT
SEATTLE SUPPORTS TO THE SAME
LEVEL
AS OTHER HOUSING TYPES.
AND SO GO AHEAD NEXT
SLIDE,
PLEASE. OKAY, THAT IS THE LAST
ONE.
SO MY POINT IS SIMPLY THAT,
AGAIN, IT DOES RAISE QUITE A BIT
OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE FOR ME
TO BE GOING AGAINST THE
MARITIME COMMUNITY AND ALSO THE
UNION THAT IS REPRESENTING THE
WORKERS THEMSELVES.
I DECIDED TO DO SO
BECAUSE THE -- HERE WE ARE GOING
TO
BE UPDATING OUR COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
FACING A LOT OF OPPOSITION FROM
PEOPLE WHO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT
HOUSING DOES NOT BELONG IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
TO ME THE STADIUM DISTRICT
FEELS MORE LIKE DOWNTOWN THAN
THE
HEAVILY INDUSTRIAL AREAS TO THE
SOUTH, AND SO THAT IS WHY
I'M GIVING THIS ANOTHER GO
AND PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR
SOME OF THE -- THE PROPONENTS
TO ADDRESS COUNCIL SO THAT WE
CAN MAKE A DECISION GOING
FORWARD.
SO JUST ONE FINAL THOUGHT.
I HEAR YOU ABOUT THE
IMPACTIMPACT
FREIGHT MOBILITY IN THE
AREA, BUT WHAT STRUCK ME WHEN I
WAS
LOOKING AT THIS AND TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHY THE
FINAL LEGISLATION HAVE WHAT THE
FINAL ALTERNATIVE INCLUDED.
ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT IS
THAT PART OF THE REZONE OF
THE INDUSTRIAL LANDS THAT
HAPPENED
IN 2023 DID CREATE AN
INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION ZONE
WHERE
160- FOOT TOWERS ARE PERMITTED.
AND WHAT WAS IN MY
MIND AT THAT POINT IS THAT WILL
BRING A
LOT OF VEHICLES TO THE AREA AS
WELL. AND IN ADDITION, I
UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT IT IS A
HARD FELT
AND ENDURING PHILOSOPHY OF
LONGSHORE AND THE PORT TO OPPOSE
ANY
NET LOSS OF INDUSTRIAL LANDS,
AND
I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I
HEAR THAT. BUT 11 -- THERE WAS
AN
AMENDMENT TO THIS LEGISLATION,
AMENDMENT
12, WHICH REMOVED A WHOLE BLOCK
TO THE NORTH AND BALLARD
AND THAT AREA.
THAT MADE ME FEEL THAT LOSS OF
INDUSTRIAL LAND WAS
BEING APPLIED INCONSISTENTLY,
AND
SO THAT LED ME TO ALSO THE
DESIRE TO PUT FORWARD AN
AMENDMENT, WHICH I THEN TOOK
AWAY
BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO RUIN
THE WHOLE
COMPLETION OF THE LEGISLATION.
WHAT I AM DOING RIGHT NOW IS
TRYING TO EXPLAIN MY THINKING.
IT MIGHT NOT GO OVER VERY WELL,
BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO LET YOU
KNOW THAT I DID LOOK AT
THESE
ISSUES, AND THESE ARE SOME OF
THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME TO
MIND BACK THEN WHEN WE HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THIS
IN
THE INDUSTRIAL LANDS
LEGISLATION.
ALL RIGHT, MOVINGEN TO
SOMEBODY ELSE
TO TALK --
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
MY
QUESTIONS.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> FIRST, THANK YOU FOR
THE BRIEFING.
FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IN ALL
THE SERIES OF QUESTIONS FOR THE
BRIEFING, FIRST I WANT TO SAY IS
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE
THAT'S COME HERE TODAY.
AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, I
DO SUPPORT LABOR.
I SUPPORT LABOR AND ITS
ABILITY TO COME TOGETHER, TO
HAVE A
SEAT AT THE TABLE, AND TO HAVE
YOUR
VOICE HEARD AND TO NEGOTIATE
TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITIES.
AND THAT IS FOR WHETHER IT'S
ON THIS SIDE OR ON THIS SIDE OF
THE
CHAMBER, AND THIS SIDE AND THIS
SIDE GEOGRAPHY, TOO.
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY
IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, AT THE END
OF THE
DAY I THINK THAT POINT IS KEY.
AND I WOULD ALSO ADD AS A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, ALT PLAN 5
GUY, MY POSITION ON THAT
COMPARED TO WHAT IT COULD BE,
WILL IT TURN INTO JOBS THAT
WILL DWARF -- PROJECTS THAT
WILL DWARF WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT
HERE? SO WE ALSO SHOULD KEEP THE
BIG PICTURE IN THE SENSE THAT
MY POSITION ON THIS IS PRETTY
CLEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
UNION REPS ON MY LEFT, I DO
SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER
THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES
HERE, AND ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER
LIKE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
THE AMOUNT OF BUILDING, THE
AMOUNT
OF WORK IS GOING TO DWARF
THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT
TODAY. SOMEBODY CALLED IT A SPOT
REZONE.
I WANTED TO SAY THAT UP
FRONT BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE IT'S
A
CHALLENGING PIECE. AND COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, IF YOU GO
TO WHERE -- IF YOU GO TO
DISTRICT 2, JUST AS A QUICK NOTE
BECAUSE WE WERE AT AN EVENT
TOGETHER LAST NIGHT, I THINK
OUR CITY NEEDS TO HAVE UPDATED
PS BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A
DOWNTOWN
COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
PERHAPS WE COULD WORK DOWNTOWN
AREAS, CAPITAL "D" DOWNTOWN
AS OPPOSED TO COMMERCIAL CORP,
AND I'LL PASS YOU ONE OF
THESE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY
COUNCIL.
RELATED TO PAGE 3, FIRST IS I
THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
ATTENTION
ON THE FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT,
BUT IN A
LOT OF WAYS THE "F" REALLY
SHOULD STAND FOR FLAWED
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT BECAUSE OF
THE RESTRICTIONS THAT DIDN'T
REALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE
UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THAT'S POINT ONE ON THIS
SLIDE. AND, YES, REGARDING THE
BULLET 3
THAT HOUSING WOULD BE
AVAILABLE WITH THE PROHIBITIONS
IN
PLACE, THE 200 FEET PROHIBITION,
WHICH WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT FOR
THE OPERATIONS OF THE PORT BUT
PRACTICAL THINGS LIKE OUR
CONTINUATION TO REACH
OUR EMISSION
ZERO GOALS. AND BULLET 4,
ANYWHERE EXCEPT
IN THE STADIUM DISTRICT.
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE OF
UNIQUE FACTORS HERE.
AS NOTED ON SLIDE 5, YES, SPOT
REZONE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE
PICTURES PARTICULARLY FIRST
AVENUE SOUTH. THAT'S
PROBLEMATIC IN THE
SENSE OF THE CONFLICT THAT'S
GOING
TO CREATE RELATED TO THE HEAVY
HAUL NETWORK AND THE MAJOR
TRUCK
ROUTES. I JUST WANTED TO MOVE TO
THE --
TO NUMBERS 9 AND 10.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS
HERE -- I FIND IT INTERESTING
FOR THESE SLIDES, BASICALLY 8,
9, AND 10 BASICALLY.
AS SOMEONE WHO'S SERVED ON
THE QUEEN ANNE COUNCIL, WE GOT A
LITTLE OF REPRIEVE.
PIER 86, ALL THE TRAFFIC ISSUES
WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH,
AND THAT IMPACTS
THE OPERATIONS. THAT ALSO
ENCOURAGES THE PUSH
BACK AND PUTS UNDER RISK THOSE
AREAS LIKE PIER
86, PIER 91.
AND WE GET THESE PIECES. TRUST
ME AS SOMEONE WHO'S
SERVED ON THE QUEEN ANNE
COMMUNITY
COUNCIL, WE'VE HEARD IT OFTEN
IN
TERMS OF THAT.
THOSE EXAMPLES IN A LOT OF
WAYS SHOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN
THE FUTURE REGARDING RIGHT HERE
IN FRONT OF US, AND THAT IS A
MAJOR CONCERN.
AND, YOU KNOW, OF THE 11
LOCATIONS ON SLIDE 14, FIVE
OF THEM ARE WITHIN DISTRICT 7,
AND,
YES, INCREASE HOUSING
BUT INCREASED TRAFFIC.
AND THAT INCREASED
TRAFFIC IMPACTS OUR ABILITY NOT
JUST FOR
THE PORTS BUT FOR THE FREIGHT.
THE IDEA AS WE WENT THROUGH
THE SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN
--
THE
SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION LEVEE,
THE IDEA OF THE FREIGHT
PROGRAM, THE IDEA OF IT BEING A
15- MINUTE WALKABLE CITY,
IT RELIES ON THE FREIGHT
PROGRAM.
AND THE FREIGHT PROGRAM
IS IMPACTED BY ALL THESE --
I WOULD TAKE AWAY WEST
LAKE, BUT AURORA IS BEING
IMPACTED, DEXTER,
DENNY WAY, AS I SAID GETTING TO
THE
WATER. IT'S NOT JUST THE PORT
BUT
EXPEDIA AND OTHER LOCATIONS, AND
15th
AVENUE WEST. THE CONGESTION IS
IMPACTING THE
BUSINESS. IT'S IMPACTING THE
FREIGHT
PROGRAM. IT'S IMPACTING THE
PORT.
SO IN WAYS THESE ARE EXAMPLES
OF IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS
PAST, CHRISTMAS FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING
HERE IS BASICALLY PORTENDING
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AGAIN,
JUST
ACROSS FROM US.
I GUESS THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF QUESTIONS HERE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A FEW
STATEMENTS. AND SO I'LL JUST
END HERE ON
PUBLIC SAFETY.
AS CHAIR OF OF SAFETY,
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE AS
NOTED
IN OUR EVENT LAST NIGHT WITH
THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY
COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
10,000
RESIDENTS IN DOWNTOWN.
I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER
OF RESIDENTS IN
THE CID, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF
RESIDENTS
IN PIONEER SQUARE.
IF RESIDENTS WAS THE
DETERMINING FACTOR OF PUBLIC
SAFETY, THOSE
SHOULD BE THE THREE
SAFEST PLACES IN THE CITY, BUT
THEY'RE
NOT. THEY'RE NOT.
YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES
THEM SAFE? OUR STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK
PLAN, OUR DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION PLAN THAT WE'VE DONE
WITH THE MAYOR.
THAT'S WHAT CREATES A SAFE
CITY.
PUTTING PEOPLE IN SOTO,
IT DOESN'T
CREATE A SAFE CITY. I WILL SAY
ONCE WE DO
THE EFFORTS WITH THE
DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN AND OUR
EFFORTS ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE AND ALL THOSE 11 MAJOR
BILLS WE
PASSED, THAT CREATES
THE CONDITIONS SO RESIDENTS CAN
ACTIVATE.
BUT THAT'S
PART 2 OF A TWO-STEP PROCESS,
AND PART ONE IS
WHAT CREATES PUBLIC SAFETY.
HOUSING WILL NOT CREATE
PUBLIC
SAFETY. HOUSING WILL ASSIST IN
THE
GAINS TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC
SAFETY
POSTURE. SO I WANT TO PUSH BACK
ON
THAT, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S
AN ARGUMENT FOR THIS.
OTHERWISE LIKE I SAID THE
CID, PIONEERS SQUARE, DOWNTOWN,
BELLTOWN WOULD ALL BE SAFE
RIGHT
NOW. SO
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT,
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS HAS
JOINED THE
COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUFF.
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS
HAS JOINED THE COMMIT
EIN PERSON.
>> COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
>> YES IN.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST NOTING
YOU EXCEEDED THE 10
MINUTES ALLOTTED TO COUNCIL
MEMBERS
TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM, SO I'M JUST
ASKING FOR PERMISSION IF ANY OF
US GO OVER 10 MINUTES, WE
HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE AS
WELL.
>> I WAS NOT TIMING COUNCIL
MEMBER KETTLE.
WERE YOU?
>> I WAS REFERRING TO
YOUR STATEMENTS
EARLIER.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION.
>> SIR, THIS IS NOT THE TIME.
I WILL RETAIN MY PRIVILEGES
TO GO THROUGH AND PRESENT
WHY I AM DOING
THIS, AND WE CAN GO
FORWARD. IF YOU WANT THAT RULE
APPLIED, THEN GOING
FORWARD THAT'S GOING TO BE A
LITTLE BIT -- I WOULD
HATE TO ALWAYS HAVE TO BE
TAKING OUT OUR CLOCKS TO TIME
EACH OTHER.
I'M SURE THAT THAT WOULD --
THAT WOULD JUST BE A LITTLE BIT
UNSEEMLY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND, IF THAT'S
THE WAY YOU WANT TO GO, GO
AHEAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU HAVE A
POINT TO MAKE --
>> I DO.
I'LL BREAK MY COMMENTS INTO
A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT SECTIONS. I'M EXCITED
TO HEAR THE
PRESENTATION TODAY.
VERY CLEARLY I
SUPPORT UNION BUILT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING.
THIS PROJECT AND THE ZONING
CONCEPTS, THEY HAVE SOME
MERIT, AND THIS IS WHY THEY
WERE INCLUDED IN INFACILITATED
WORK THAT LASTED SIX YEARS IF
YOU COUNT WERE OURK INCLUDED
DURING THE
PANDEMIC.
ULTIMATELY IT WAS AGREED
WE CHANGE INDUSTRIAL HOUSING
ACROSS THE CITY AND THAT HOUSING
IN
THE STADIUM DISTRICT WAS A
POISON
PILL.
YOU SAID THE CHAIR SAID
THEMSELVES -- WELL,
I'LL TAKE ANOTHER STEP BACK.
IF THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT ON
HOUSING IN THE STADIUM AREA,
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN
THE
MAYOR'S PROPOSAL THAT CAME TO
US TWO YEARS AGO, OR IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED DURING THE
COUNCIL PROCESS.
AND I HEARD THE SPONSOR
STATE DURING THIS MEETING
THEIR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT IF
THEY
HAD RUN THIS BILL OR THIS
AMENDMENT DURING THAT PROCESS,
IT WOULD
HAVE BLOWN UP THE WHOLE DEAL
FOR ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO WHY ARE WE HERE
AGAIN LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER
WITHOUT
A
STAKEHOLDER PROCESS? I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO
HEARING THE PRESENTATION TODAY,
AND I
ALSO WONDER WHY IT IS NOT
A BALANCED COMMITTEE TABLE WITH
ALL SIDES REPRESENTED.
I'LL CLOSE FOR THIS MOMENT,
AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO SOME
THINGS IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT I
I ALSO HEARD THE SPONSORS
SPEAK ABOUT 142 MILES OF
FREIGHT ROUTES THROUGH OUR CITY
THAT ARE
NEAR HOUSING, AND NONE OF THEM
ARE THE DIRECT CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE PORT AND I- 90 AND
I-5. I'VE ALSO HEARD STATEMENTS
TODAY THAT THIS
PROPOSAL WOULD NOT IMPACT THE
PORT.
I CAN TELL YOU TODAY THERE
ARE IMPACTS ON THE PORT WITHOUT
THIS PROPOSAL, AND THOSE HAVE TO
BE
MITIGATED. THAT'S WHY COUNCIL
MEMBER
SAKA INCLUDED SO MUCH MONEY IN
THE FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION
LEVEE.
THAT'S WHY I THANK YOU
FOR TAKING MY AMENDMENT
TO SPECIFICALLY CONNECTING THE
PORT
TO I- 90 AND
I-5. SPONSOR MENTIONED BURKE
GILLMAN TRAIL AND NOT WANTING TO
PUT
IT ON SHELL SHOAL YET
VOTING AGAINST THE PROPOSAL TO
PUT IT
ON MARKET AND WEARY.
I'LL END THESE COMMENTS
RIGHT NOW IN JUST SAYING THE
FACILITATED STAKEHOLDER
WORK GROUP STARTED BEFORE I WAS
ELECTED. IT WAS AT THAT TIME
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT BRUCE HARRELL NOW IN
OFFICE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT --
BRUCE HARRELL HAS BEEN IN
OFFICE LONGER THAN I HAVE, AND
OTHER
THAN THAT I AM THE LONGEST
CONSECUTIVE SERVING
MEMBER SERVING IN SEATTLE.
AND THIS PROCESS HAS
TAKEN LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN
ELECTED.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'LL GO BACK.
THE CONVERSATION HAS MERIT.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO
BE ADDRESSED BEFORE WE CAN TAKE
IT UP, AND THAT'S ADDRESSING
THE COAST GUARD SITUATION AT THE
PORT. THAT'S ENSURING THAT WE
KNOW
HOW T-46 IS GOING TO BE
USED, UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S
GOING
TO HAPPEN TO THE WASKA SITE
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ENSURING
THE CARGO CAN MOVE FROM THE PORT
OF SEATTLE AND ONTO I- 90 AND
I-5 WITHOUT BEING DELAYED.
THERE ARE OTHER PORTS TO
THE NORTH AND SOUTH THAT COULD
JUST AS EASILY TAKE THIS
TRAFFIC,
AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF THEY
START TAKING OUR CARGO BECAUSE
I- 90 THAT CONNECTS SEATTLE
TO THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA AND
TO
BOSTON CAN'T GET THROUGH THAT
LAST HALF MILE TO THE END
TO MEET THE PORT.
I WILL WRAP UP RIGHT NOW.
I'M STILL UNDER 10
MINUTES.
>> 10 MINUTES ARE
ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR WHEN
THERE'S
AN ACTUAL MOTION ON THE
TABLE. I'VE NOT MOVED THIS
LEGISLATION, SO GO
AHEAD.
>> IT'S BEEN READ INTO
THE
RECORD. I'M PRETTY CONCERNED
HERE.
>> I
UNDERSTAND.
>> AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE PROCESS.
WHEN THE INTRODUCTION
REFERRAL CALENDER WAS SENT TO
COUNCIL, IT WAS SENT AT THE END
OF
THE COUNCIL BRIEFING THAT IT
WAS
INTRODUCED. COMMENT WAS LIMITED
DURING THAT
COUNCIL BRIEFING.
AND CHAIR, WHEN I WAS
SPEAKING ON THIS TOPIC DURING
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
CONVERSATION, IT WAS ATTEMPTED
TO LIMIT
MY SPEECH.
AND SO I HAVE GREAT
CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS.
I HAVE GREAT CONCERNS ABOUT
THE THROUGH PUT
WITHOUT THIS
PROPOSAL. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, I
HAVE GREAT CONCERNS ABOUT THE
THROUGH PUT WITHOUT THIS
PROPOSAL ON THE
I-90 --
>> NOTED.
I AM GOING TO ASK THAT YOU
WRAP UP SO WE CAN CONTINUE WITH
THE PRESENTERS,
PLEASE.
>> I LOOK FORWARD TO
CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION,
AND I
APPRECIATE A BALANCED
STAKEHOLDER WORK GROUP TO
LEAD US THROUGH THIS WORK.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> ONE COULD ARGUE THAT
THE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS AND
THE PRESENTATIONS AND THE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WERE
HELD
BEFORE THE VOTE ON
THIS LEGISLATION ALSO LACKED A
BIT OF
BALANCE, THAT IT HAS BEEN NOTED
AS WELL.
AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WHY
YOU REMOVED INDUSTRIAL LAND FROM
THE BENMIC AND THEN CHANGED IT
INTO
RESIDENTIAL. THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT IS
INCONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'RE
ALL SAYING HERE IS THE
IMPORTANCE OF
INDUSTRIAL LANDS, AND THE REASON
THAT THIS WAS NOT PUT FORWARD
AS AN AMENDMENT DURING THE
FINAL VOTE IS THAT YOU HAVE
DISCOURAGED AMENDMENTS AT
THE VOTES OF
FULL COUNCIL. SO WHAT I'M
TRYING TO SAY
IS THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
I JUST PULLED OUT
OF A HAT RIGHT NOW.
THE CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE PROPONENTS HAVE BEEN
ONGOING SINCE THEN.
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON.
MONTY, WOULD YOU PLEASE LIKE TO
BEGIN SPEAKING?
YOU'RE
UP.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANK YOU, EVERYBODY,
FOR YOUR TIME.
ONCE AGAIN MY NAME IS MONTY
ANDERSON.
I REPRESENT ABOUT
20,000 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS HERE
IN KING COUNTY.
THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THIS
MAKERS ZONE
IS CRITICAL. WE HAVE A HUGE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HERE, AND
I'VE BEEN
A PART OF THIS -- I'VE BEEN
A PART OF LABOR FOR 35 YEARS
NOW.
AND ONE OF THE OLDEST
TRICKS YOU CAN DO IS MAKE IT A
-- THIS
IS AN
EITHER/OR CHOICE. I'VE SEEN
THAT FOR
YEARS ABOUT -- I CAN'T TELL
YOU HOW MANY PROJECTS I'VE
SPOKEN
ON, AND THAT IS AN OLD TRICK YOU
BRING OUT.
YOU TRY TO SAY WHO OWNS THE
PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, AND THEN
TRY TO DEMONIZE ONE UNION
OVER ANOTHER.
WE'VE BEEN TO THIS SHOW BEFORE.
I REPRESENT HUNDREDS OF
WORKERS AT THE PORT.
IT WOULD BE AGAINST MY MORAL
AND FIRST MY DUTY OF
FAIR REPRESENTATION TO DO
ANYTHING I
THOUGHT WOULD HARM THEM.
I'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS
THING ALSO.
WE ALL HAVE.
AND THE FACTS BEAR OUT
EXACTLY WHY WE'RE HERE.
WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THIS MAKES
SENSE.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN PENCILLED
OUT.
WE'VE TALKED WITH -- I'VE
TALKED WITH EVERYBODY AD NAUSEAM
THE LAST 18 MONTHS AT THE PORT,
AT THE TRUCK PEOPLE.
I'VE MET WITH -- THE
SEATTLE COUNCIL.
I'VE MET WITH COMMUNITY
GROUPS, WITH THE
CID. I WORKED WITH TANYA WU AT
THE TIME WHEN SHE WAS
HERE ALSO. EVERYBODY SAYS THE
SAME THING. GEE, MONTY, WE WANT
TO DO
IT, BUT WHAT'S NEXT?
WHAT IF WE BUILD A MARINA?
WHAT IF WE GET
OFFSHORE WIND? EVERYBODY WANTS
TO DO
THIS
THING. EVERYBODY KNOWS
THE GIG. IT'S JUST DELAY,
DELAY, DELAY.
>> COUNCIL
PRESIDENT?
>> IF YOU DELAY IT ENOUGH,
SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS
PROJECT. IT CREATES A LOT OF
JOBS, AND
IT ALSO SETS A PRECEDENT
FOR PRIVATE INVESTMENT
IN-HOUSING.
YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A LOT OF
TIME PASSING THAT HOUSING LEVEE,
BUT THERE'S STILL NOT ENOUGH
MONEY.
THIS IS PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
SOMEONE IS GOING TO TAKE
THEIR OWN MONEY AND SUBSIDIZE
HOUSING FOR WORKING CLASS PEOPLE
AND
IN THE MEANTIME KEEP IT
AFFORDABLE FOR 75 YEARS AND HELP
THE
MAKERS OUT AND HAVE A ZONE WHERE
PEOPLE
CAN ACTUALLY LIVE AND WORK
AND CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
AND THE ONLY ARGUMENT THAT
WE HAVE ABOUT IT IS THE
BOOGEYMAN THAT SOMEDAY THAT'S
ALL
GOING TO FALL APART AND
NOBODY'S
GOING TO -- AND THE
WATERFRONT'S
GOING TO
SHUTDOWN. I BROUGHT UP THE FACT
I
WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT I
THOUGHT OR ANYBODY PRESENTED TO
ME
IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS THAT
WOULD PROHIBIT
OR SLOW DOWN JOBS AT
THE PORT. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO
HERE.
WE SIT ON MANY THINGS TOGETHER,
AND THOSE ACCUSATIONS I GET IT
WHEN PEOPLE ARE FED LINES
TO
READ. THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
I MEAN, WE ALL DO THAT.
I HEAR SOME TALKING POINTS.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU AS THE FACT
OF REPRESENTING 20,000
WORKERS HERE AND WORKERS AT THE
PORT, THIS MAKES SENSE.
AND TO THIS DAY NOBODY HAS
SHOWN ME THAT IT DOESN'T, SO I
WANT
TO THANK EVERYBODY HERE FOR
TAKING
THE
TIME.
>> EXCUSE ME, MR. ANDERSON.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU CAN FINISH YOUR
COMMENTS, IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE
TO, SIR,
MONTY. GO
AHEAD.
>> MR. ANDERSON, A LOT OF WHAT I
UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING,
BUT YOU'RE ALSO NOTING THE
TRICKS AND THIS OR WHATEVER.
ONE COULD HAD INFER FROM THAT
YOU'RE ASSOCIATING THAT WITH
THE COUNCIL, THAT YOU'RE
ASSOCIATING THAT WITH ME.
AND I WILL SAY I'M A
RETIRED NAVAL OFFICER WHO HAS
DECADES
OF SERVICE AS A NAVAL OFFICER,
AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
EXPERT, UNDERSTANDS
INTERNATIONAL
TRADE, MARITIME TRADE.
MY POSITION ON THIS EVEN WHEN I
WAS A CANDIDATE WHEN MY
NORTH STAR WAS FROM
THAT EXPERIENCE AND
UNDERSTANDING
THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
DIRTY TRICKS OR THESE KIND OF
THINGS THAT YOU'RE INSINUATING.
SO IF YOU CAN, PLEASE EXEMPT
THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL
MEMBERS FROM THAT BECAUSE MY
POSITION
ON THIS WAS -- BY THE WAY, AS
A NAVAL OFFICER I ALSO
HAVE A COAST GUARD CHIEF OF
STAFF, FORMER COAST GUARD.
THAT IS WHERE THAT COMES FROM.
THIS IDEA I'M GETTING
TALKING POINTS AND I'M JUST
MOUTHING
THESE, IF THAT'S WHAT
YOU'RE IMPUGNING IS ABSOLUTELY
FALSE, AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT
POINT
CLEAR. I'M A RETIRED NAVAL
OFFICER.
THAT DRIVES MY STUDIES,
MY ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, THAT
DRIVES
MY POSITION.
MY POSITION ON QUEEN
ANNE COMMUNITY COUNCIL IN TERMS
OF LOCAL HERE IN SEATTLE,
THAT DRIVES MY POSITION.
I'M NOT BEING A MOUTHPIECE FOR
ANYBODY THAT'S OUT HERE, AND
I JUST WANT TO MY MAKE MY POINT
CLEAR BECAUSE THE WAY
YOU PRESENTED IT, ONE CAN
INFER THAT'S WHEN POINT YOU'RE
MAKING.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS AND SINCE YOU'RE
INTELLIGENT
AND SMART AND I'M JUST A
STUPID MEXICAN CONSTRUCTION
WORKER, I'LL --
>> THAT IS
WRONG.
>> OKAY.
>> MR. ANDERSON, MR. ANDERSON --
MR. ANDERSON, STOP.
YOU KNOW, STOP.
THAT LAST POINT -- THAT LAST
POINT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
TODAY IS THE 60th ANNIVERSARY
OF
MY MOTHER COMING TO AMERICA. MY
FATHER CAME THREE MONTHS
BEFOREHAND, $80 IN HIS POCKET.
HE WAS A
WELDER.
WHAT?
>> MY GRANDPARENTS CAME HERE AS
IMMIGRANT FRUIT PICKERS AND
THEY STILL ARE, AND THE LAST
TIME WE WERE HERE YOU HAD THE
GALL TO ASK ME IF I CARED ABOUT
PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN EASTERN
WASHINGTON
AND SPOKANE. THOSE WERE YOUR
WORDS
ABOUT MIGRANT FRUIT PICKERS.
SO THE IDEA
THAT YOU THINK THAT I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT
IT'S LIKE -- YOU SAID IT
FIRST.
>> I ASK PEOPLE TO -- LET'S
STOP THIS PEOPLE INTERRUPTING
OTHER
PEOPLE AND HAVE RESPECT AND
CIVILITY, OKAY?
SO
PAUSE.
>> I
APOLOGIZE.
>> I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA, YOU HAD YOUR
HAND UP.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M JUST
CONCERNED -- PERHAPS I'M
JUST GOING TO SUGGEST, AND WE
DON'T
HAVE TO DO THIS, BUT A 5- MINUTE
RECESS BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
THERE'S A LOT OF HEATED
CONVERSATION THAT'S GONE BACK
AND FORTH, AND I DON'T THINK
THAT'S, WELL, FIRST OF
ALL, RESPECTFUL TO THE PANELISTS
WHO
HAVE COME HERE BEFORE US
TODAY, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE
NEED
A LEVEL SET.
SO JUST FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> HOW DO PEOPLE FEEL ON THE
TABLE?
I WILL -- WOULD YOU PREFER TO --
OKAY, LET'S -- AND I WOULD
HAVE TO SAY IT IS UNCLEAR TO ME
WHEN I WAS HEARING MONTY'S
COMMENTS
WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS
REALLY SPEAKING OF COMMENTS THAT
CAME
FROM PREVIOUS PUBLIC
COMMENT AND NOT DIRECTLY TO YOU.
SO IT -- SO LET'S MOVE ON,
TAKE A DEEP BREATH, EVERYBODY,
AND PROCEED.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OF MR. ANDERSON,
YOU'RE
WELCOME
TO ASK. GO AHEAD, ANDREA, PLEASE
BEGIN
SPEAKING.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ANDREA PORTER.
I'M THE SEATTLE MADE AT
THE NON- PROFIT BUSINESS
GOOD NETWORK.
SEATTLE MADE IS NETWORK
OF NEARLY 700 LOCAL
MADE MANUFACTURING
BUSINESSES PRODUCING RIGHT HERE
IN THE
SEATTLE.
WE SUPPORT THE SEATTLE
MAKERS
DISTRICT. SEATTLE MADE
BUSINESSES
INCLUDE BREWERS, CHOCOLATIERS,
FASHION
DESIGNERS,
JEWELRY ARTISANS, GLASS BLOWERS
AND
ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU
CAN THINK OF THAT IS MADE
LOCALLY HERE
IN THE CITY.
70% OF OUR MEMBERSHIP IS WOMEN
MANY WITH FIVE EMPLOYEES
OR LESS.
THESE BUSINESSES
EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL
OWNERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT.
THEY BUILD OUR
REGION'S LONG-TERM RESILIENCY.
THEIR PRODUCTS AND BUSINESSES
SHOWCASE SEATTLE'S UNIQUE
CULTURAL IDENTITY.
I HEAR WEEKLY ABOUT
THE CHALLENGES OF MANUFACTURING
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
ONE OF THE TOP CHALLENGES
IS THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE
PRODUCTION
SPACE.
WE SEE TWO TO THREE SEATTLE MADE
MEMBER BUSINESSES LEAVE
SEATTLE MONTHLY TO RELOCATE
SOMEWHERE ELSE MORE AFFORDABLE.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE
CITY, BUT THEY FEEL COMPELLED TO
LOCATE ELSEWHERE IN ORDER TO
SUCCESSFULLY SCALE
THEIR BUSINESSES.
AS WE LOSE THESE BUSINESSES
IN OUR CITY WE ARE LOSING
THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HOPE YOU'LL KEEP THEM TOP
OF MIND AS YOU CONSIDER THIS
PROPOSAL.
THANK
YOU.
>>
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE
-- FOR MY
COLLEAGUES? I RECEIVED I BELIEVE
IT WAS
AN E- MAIL FROM YOU A LONG TIME
AGO ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF
MAKERS
DEFINED SPACE, AND I DID USE A
QUOTE, I THINK, FROM A
PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION THAT WE
HAD THAT TWO OR THREE PER MONTH
THAT
ARE LEAVING SEATTLE.
CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT
MORE
ABOUT THAT?
>> YEAH, IT'S NOT THAT THEY ARE
CLOSING THEIR BUSINESSES. THEY
JUST CAN'T FIND THE
RIGHT
SPACES HERE. THEY CAN'T FIND --
THEY'LL EITHER FIND
VERY, VERY LARGE SPACES THAT
THEY CAN'T
POSSIBLY AFFORD OR THESE VERY
MICRO- SMALL
SPACES. SO THIS SORT OF PROPOSAL
CREATES A COMMUNITY, CREATES
SPACE
THAT ALLOWS THEM TO STAY.
THEY CAN ALSO SHARE
INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS HUGE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE ARE
FOUR WINERIES AND THEY'RE ALL
GOING TO SHARE THE SAME SORT OF
MACHINE, AND THEY DON'T HAVE
TO EACH FOUR INDIVIDUALLY
HAVE
THESE FOUR DIFFERENT COMPONENTS
TO THEIR BUSINESS.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE
IN BRINGING THESE SMALL
BUSINESSES TOGETHER IN ONE AREA
OF TOWN
SO THEY CAN SHARE THE
INFRASTRUCTURE, SHARE THE
RESOURCES, SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN I
FIRST STARTED THIS JOB TEN YEARS
AGO WE WERE HAVING NEW
BUSINESSES LAUNCH EVERY MONTH,
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING A
DOWNWARD TREND. THE CITY IS
CHANGING, AND
WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE
SAS FOR THESE MAKERS IN
THE CITY.
>> THANKS FOR THAT COMMENT.
I DO HAVE TO SAY A BIT OF MY
OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TRYING
TO FIND A MANUFACTURING SITE
IN SEATTLE WAS WHAT -- WHAT
REALLY DID MOTIVATE MY INTEREST
IN
THIS PROPOSAL AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ONTO
WHAT THE -- ONE QUESTION,
LIZANNE, I
DID ASK YOU HERE IF I HAVE
MISREPRESENTED ANY OF THE
FACTS THAT YOU AND I
HAVE WORKED THROUGH OR WHAT'S
IN
THE
DOCUMENTS. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING
TO
ADD BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THE
ACTUAL
LEGISLATION?
>> ONE THING, I
GUESS, THAT I WOULD NOTE.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE
ISSUES. IN A FORMER LIFE I HAD
DIRECTOR
QUIRINDONGO'S JOB AND HEADED
PUP THE SEATTLE OF CITY THE
STRATEGIC PLANNING
DEPARTMENT, HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THESE
ISSUES FOR SOME TIME.
MORE RECENTLY THE LAST 6
1/2 YEARS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER --
A SUPPORTER FOR US.
I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY
SMALL AREA,
ESSENTIALLY TWO
BLOCKS IMMEDIATELY FROM T-
MOBILE
PARK FROM EDWARD MARTINEZ DOWN
TO
HOLGATE FROM FIRST AVENUE
SOUTH AND OCCIDENTAL.
OTHER THAN WASKA, THAT'S
THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY ZONE FOR US
TO DO ANYTHING LEFT IN THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT.
WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING OVER THE
TRACK IN THE NORTH
EASTERN SECTION.
CAN'T DO MUCH ON THE
WESTERN SIDE BECAUSE IT'S
WITHIN
200 FEET OF A SHORELINE.
THAT AREA HAS BEEN ZONED
FOR COMMERCIAL SINCE THE YEAR
2000.
THERE HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST
PART BEEN ALMOST NO INDUSTRY
LEFT
IN THOSE TWO BLOCKS NEXT TO
THE BASEBALL PARK FOR DECADES.
IT'S, AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM THE
PHOTOS, IT'S A LOT OF
VACANT BUILDINGS AND
DETERIORATING WAREHOUSES AND
VACANT
LOTS. OTHER THAN SOME GOOD
DEVELOPMENT
ON FIRST AVENUE.
SO IT'S -- IT'S A
TRANSITION ZONE.
AND OUT OF THE
STAKEHOLDER PROCESS WAS BORNE
THE URBAN
INDUSTRIAL ZONE OUT OF
RECOMMENDATIONS NUMBER 7
AND NUMBER 8, OUT OF THOSE
11 STRATEGIES THAT WERE AGREED
UPON WAS BORNE THE URBAN
INDUSTRIAL
ZONE. HOUSING WAS THE
UNDERPINNING
OF THIS NEW URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONE.
THE STADIUM DISTRICT IS AS
OF TODAY URBAN INDUSTRIAL.
WE ARE LISTED IN
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS URBAN
INDUSTRIAL.
WE WERE TOLD WAIT FOR THE
EIS TO BE CONDUCTED.
WE DID THAT.
THE EIS WENT
UNCHALLENGED, IT WAS NOT
APPEALED.
AND THE EIS SAID THERE WILL
BE NO CHANGE IN IT LEVEL OF
TRAFFIC, NO ECHANGE IN
TRAVEL TIMES IF ANY HOUSING
WITHIN
190 UNITS IS ADDED TO THE
STADIUM DISTRICT.
SO IF WE TRUST THE
TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS THE
BURKE CONSULTING THAT DID THAT
EIS
THEY SAID THE LEVEL OF TRAFFIC
WILL REMAIN A LEVEL "C.
" THE TRAFFIC TIMES WILL BE
11 TO 12 MINUTES.
THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IF
WE ADD 990 UNITS OF HOUSING.
THAT'S WHAT THE
TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS
CONCLUDED.
IT WAS IN THE EIS.
AND JUST THE LAST THING I'LL
SAY IN TERMS OF PROCESS, THE
PUBLISHED
PREFERRED RECOMMENDATION FROM
THE MAYOR
INCLUDED UP TO 990 UNITS OF
HOUSING IN THE STADIUM DISTRICT.
YES, IT DID GET YANKED IN
THE LEGISLATION THAT WENT TO
THE CITY COUNCIL.
UNBEKNOWNST TO A LARGE
MAJORITY OF THE STAKEHOLDERS
PART OF
THAT PROCESS.
IT WAS WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE
AND WITHOUT OUR CONSENT.
AND IT WAS FRANKLY THE
11th HOUR WE WERE INFORMED THE
DEAL
WE THOUGHT WE HAD -- WHICH WE
HAD BEEN TOLD WE HAD THE 990
UNITS WE HAD IN THE
STADIUM DISTRICT WAS TAKEN OUT
AT THE
LAST MINUTE.
EVERYTHING WAS SET, YOU'VE
GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED IN THE
COMP PLAN, WHICH BACK IN A
YEAR, AND GET THE ZONING CHANGE
YOU NEED
TO ACTUALLY ENACT THE
HOUSING THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY
TOLD
YOU YOU COULD HAVE.
SO FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE,
WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT PROCESS
IN
GOOD FAITH, AND AT THE VERY LAST
MINUTE WE'RE TOLD THE TIMING
IS A LITTLE SENSITIVE NOW,
TABLE'S BEEN SET, YOU HAVE WHAT
YOU
NEED IN THE COMP PLAN, YOU'RE
ON
THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF
HAVING URBAN INDUSTRIAL, JUST GO
BACK TO URBAN HOUSING TO SEAL
THE
DEAL.
>>
THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD.
>>
COUNCIL PRESIDENT --
>> NO, I AM GOING TO --
>> A
QUESTION.
>> I AM GOING TO PROCEED
WITH THE -- YOU CAN WAIT UNTIL
AFTERWARDS, BUT I WOULD
LIKE KETIL TO GO FORWARD AND
PRESENT COMMENTS THAT COULD
ALUCIDATE SOME QUESTIONS
COLLEAGUES MIGHT
HAVE.
>> KETIL FREEMAN.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE CURRENT
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS JUST TO
SORT OF
SET THE STAGE AND TALK ABOUT
WHAT
COUNCIL BILL 120933 WOULD DO.
THE STADIUM TRANSITION AREA
OVERLAY DISTRICT WAS CREATED
IN 2000 JUST TO DEMYSTIFY
SOME TERMS HERE.
AN OVERLAY DISTRICT IS
A DISTRICT THAT OVERLAYS
AN UNDERLYING SET OF ZONING.
TYPICALLY OVERLAY DISTRICTS
ARE MORE RESTRICTIVE.
AN EXAMPLE OF AN OVERLAY
DISTRICT THE CITY OF SEATTLE
HAS ON THE SHORELINES IS THE
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM.
I SEE THAT WE ARE -- I
DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO FIX
THAT. OKAY.
YEAH, I THINK -- TYPICALLY
OVERLAY DISTRICTS ARE
MORE RESTRICTIVE AS IS THE CASE
HERE
WITH THE STADIUM TRANSITION AREA
OVER LAY DISTRICT.
NEW INDUSTRIAL ZONES WERE
CREATED AND MAPPED IN
2023. THE RESULTS OF THE
2023 AMENDMENTS FOR THE
STADIUM TRANSITION AREA OVERLAY
DISTRICT FOR SOME NEW ZONE
DESTINATIONS, WHICH I'LL TALK
ABOUT IN
A MINUTE BUT ALSO ALLOWING
LODGING USES, INCREASING THE
FLOW RATIO
FOR ALLOWED USES, INCREASING
STREET LEVEL USES FOR FLOOR
AREA RATIO CALCULATIONS, WHICH
IS A
TECHNIQUE TO ENCOURAGE
THOSE USES TO BE AT THE
STREET LEVEL AND PROHIBITING A
MAJOR
STREET WITHIN 200 FEET OF A
TRUCK
STREET. AND THAT
APPLIES WITH THE UNDERLYING
URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONE, WHICH I'LL TALK
ABOUT HERE IN A
MINUTE. UNDERLYING ZONING,
URBAN INDUSTRIAL YOU CAN SEE
SOME
MARITIME MANUFACTURING LOGISTICS
ZONE DESTINATION UP IN THE
NORTH WEST CORNER.
AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED IT'S
ESSENTIALLY A
TRANSSITIONING ZONE THE PIONEER
SQUARE DISTRICT
COMES DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE
THERE, FIRST AVENUE SOUTH.
THE URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE,
HERE'S
SORT OF AN IMAGE OF THE INTENDED
USES IN THE
URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE WITHIN
THE OVERLAY DISTRICT,
TRANSITION ZONE ALLOWING A MIX
OF USES
INCLUDING REZ DENGS SIDENTIAL
USES,
INCLUDING WHICH IS NEW.
SO THIS IS, AGAIN, NOT
A DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED BILL
BUT
CURRENT REGULATION.
SO IN THE URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONE, NOT SPEAKING OF
THE URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE WITH
THE
STADIUM TRANSITION AREA
OVERLAY DISTRICT -- HOUSING
COULD
BE ALLOWED AS A ADMINISTRATIVE
CONDITIONAL USE, AS A
DISCRETIONARY DECISION MADE
BY THE STI DIRECTOR PERMITTED
IF ALL THE CONDITIONS ARE MET.
THERE'S A LONG LIST
OF
CONDITIONS. THESE ARE NOT ALL OF
THE
CONDITIONS.
YOU CAN FIND THEM ON PAGE 2
AND 3 OF THE MEMO, WHICH IS PART
OF
YOUR PACKET.
THERE ARE SOME
OTHER THINGS INCLUDED TO
MITIGATE SORT OF THE
CONFLICTS OF USE INCLUDING
SOUND, INSULATING AND
AIR- CONDITIONING, CUV
KNTS FUTURE OWNERS AND LAND USE
COULD APPRISE THEMSELVES OF SO
THEY
WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED THERE
ARE LIMITS NEXT TO THEM.
AND ALSO LIMITATIONS
ON PROXIMITY TO THE SHORELINE
AND ALSO PROXIMITY TO MAJOR
TRUCK
STREETS. SO THROUGHOUT THE
URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE, HOUSING
WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED WITHIN
200 FEET
OF A MAJOR TRUCK STREET.
THAT IS THE CONDITIONING
THAT HAS TO BE MET TO ALLOW
HOUSING. SO COUNCIL BILL 120933,
WHAT WOULD IT DO?
IT WOULD MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE
OVERLAY DISTRICT.
SO THERE'S SOME REGULATIONS
THAT
APPLY TO THE OVERLAY DISTRICT.
IT WOULD AMEND THOSE
REGULATIONS TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL
USES,
SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WOULD
HAVE TO HAPPEN.
THE BILL WOULD LIMIT --
WOULD REMOVE THE PROHIBITION
ON RESIDENTIAL USES WITHIN THE
TRANSITION AREA OVERLAY
DISTRICT.
IT WOULD ALSO REMOVE THE
LIMITATION ON HOUSING WITHIN
200 FEET OF MAJOR TRUCK STREETS,
BUT OTHERWISE HOUSING WOULD
BE PERMITTED IF IT MET ALL THE
OTHER CONDITIONAL USE CRITERIA
THAT APPLY IN
OTHER URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONES.
LITTLE BIT HERE ABOUT
NEXT STEPS.
THIS IS LAND USE BILL,
SO OF COURSE THERE'S SOME
ADDITIONAL
PROCEDURAL FRICTION.
THERE'S A PUBLIC HEARING
THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY
24th
, WHICH MEANS A POSSIBLE
VOTE COULD HAPPEN AS SOON AS
FEBRUARY 27th.
AND THAT'S IT FOR
ME.
>> OKAY, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE
PRECISE LEGISLATION? GO AHEAD
COUNCIL MEMBER,
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT AND THANK YOU FOR
THE CENTRAL STAFF HERE AND THANK
YOU TO
ALL THE PRESENTERS BEING HERE
TODAY.
APPRECIATE THE CENTRAL
STAFF ANALYSIS HERE.
WANT TO MOVE TO SLIDE 4, IF YOU
MAY, PLEASE, WHERE IT JUST
KIND OF HAS GOOD, SUCCINCT
BULLET POINTS OF THE CONDITIONS
THAT WOULD BE IMPOSED BY THE
PROPOSED
LEGISLATION HERE. THAT LAST
BULLET UNDER
THE REQUIRED HEADING, COVENANT
STATING LETTING RESIDENTS KNOW
THEY ARE AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
IS THAT A COVENANT THAT IS JUST
AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, OR --
AND WOULD THAT COVENANT RUN WITH
THE LAND PERMANENTLY AND
INDEFINITELY? AND AS TITLE
PASSES OVER
AND OVER IT WOULD CONTINUE TO
RUN WITH THE LAND IN PERPETUITY?
CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THAT
COVENANT.
>> THE SHORT ANSWER
IS YES --
>> I'M A LAWYER, AND SO I
CARE ABOUT THESE CUVDANT
DETAILS.
>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, AND
I'LL JUST READ WHAT
THE CONDITION IS.
SO THIS IS A CONDITION THAT
CURRENTLY APPLIES TO
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN
INDUSTRIAL ZONES IN OTHER PARTS
OF
THE CITY.
SO THE OWNER OF A BUILDING
SEEKING A CONDITIONAL USE
FOR THE RESIDENTIAL USE MUST
SIGN AND RECORD A COVENANT
IN EQUITABLE SERVITUDE IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE DIRECTOR.
THAT'S THE STIC DIRECTOR
THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE OWNER
AND OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING
ACCEPT THE INDUSTRIAL CHARACTER
OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AGREE
EXISTING OR INDUSTRIAL PERMITTED
USES
DO NOT CONSTITUTE USES OR
INAPPROPRIATE OR UNLAWFUL USE
LAND. SUCH COVENANT IN
ECWOULDABLE
SERVITUDE MUST STATE IT
IS BINDING ON THE OWNER,
SUCCESSORS, HEIRS, INCLUDING
LEASEES OF RESIDENTIAL USE.
>> IS THAT DURATION
IMPERPETUITY, INDEFINITELY?
>> WHAT'S BEING
DESCRIBED HERE IS SOMETHING
RECORDED AGAINST THE PROPERTY.
SO IT WOULD BE THERE AS LONG
AS IT'S RECORDED AGAINST
THE PROPERTY IN
PERPETUITY.
>>
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANKS TO MR. KETIL FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
ALSO THANK YOU,
EVERYONE, THAT
YOU'RE HERE. TO BE CLEAR
EARLIER REGARDING
WHAT COULD BE INFERRED
OBVIOUSLY
BECAUSE THERE'S COUNCIL MEMBERS
THAT ARE OPPOSED.
FOR YOUR -- IT'S ACTUALLY MR.
WHITSON'S CENTRAL STAFF MEMO.
HE SAYS THE STADIUM DISTRICT
IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE A SAFE
WHILE MINIMIZING CONFLICTS
WITH INDUSTRIAL USES.
AND THEN LATER HE SAID,
HOWEVER, RESIDENTIAL USES WHICH
MAY
BE PERMITTED AS CONDITIONAL
USES AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL ZONES
ARE PROHIBITED IN THE STADIUM
DISTRICT. IS THAT WHAT THE
200-FOOT SETBACK
REQUIREMENT
ACCOMPLISHES?
>> NO, THIS IS
ACTUALLY A STRAIGHT PROHIBITION
AGAINST RESIDENTIAL USES WITHIN
THE OVERLAY DISTRICT.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD ACTUALLY
BE SOMEWHAT LESS RESTRICTIVE
THAN
THE CONDITIONAL USE CRITERIA IN
OTHER URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONES BECAUSE THAT 200-FOOT
LIMITATION WOULD
NOT APPLY.
>> WHY IS THE THE 200- FOOT
RECOMMENDATION INCLUDED IN
THE AGREEMENT OR INTO THE -- AND
SO WHY DO WE HAVE THE 200- FOOT
SETBACK
REQUIREMENT?
>> IT'S TO MITIGATE
RESIDENTIAL IMPACTS
ON HEAVY TRUCK USE AND ALSO SORT
OF VICE
VERSA?
>> SO FOR THAT PURPOSE --
AND BY THE WAY, WE'LL HAVE THIS
CHART FOR EVERYONE.
THIS IS A GREAT CHART
THAT SHOWS THE PORT, THAT SHOWS
THE MAJOR TRUCK ROUTES, AND THE
HEAVY
HAUL NETWORK.
AND EACH OF US IN THE
COUNCIL WILL
GET THIS. IT'S REALLY HELPFUL
IN TERMS OF
UNDERSTANDING THAT POINT
IN TERMS OF THE IMPACTS.
I LIKE TO FOLLOW UP ON
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA'S QUESTION.
AS YOU NOTED, THE -- WITH MR.
WHITSON'S -- SORRY, HE'S NOT
HERE, BUT
YOU'RE REPRESENTING. THE
MEMBERS OF THE BUILDING MUST
SIGN AND RECORD A COVENANT AND
EQUITABLE SERVITUDE ON A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE DIRECTOR
THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THE OWNER,
OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF THE
BUILDING ACCEPT THE INDUSTRIAL
CHARACTER OF THE BUILDING AND
MEET THAT
USES DO NOT CONSTITUTE
A NUISANCE OR INAPPROPRIATE USE
OF THE LAND.
SUCH EQUITABLE SERVITUDE
MUST STATE IT'S BINDING ON THE
SUCCESSORS, HEIRS, INCLUDING
ANY LESSEES OF THE RESIDENTIAL
USE AND SO FORTH.
I READ THAT, AND WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN?
AND THE
CONTEXT I LIKE TO ASK THAT
QUESTION IS MY FIRST
OPERATIONAL TOUR WAS UP AT
NAVAL AIR STATION WHEN WAS
ASSIGNED
BACK IN THE EARLY '90s.
AS YOU KNOW EVERY
DEED HAS A
STATEMENT SIMILAR TO THIS THAT
SAYS THERE'S AN AIR
STATION, ALSO A PRACTICE FIELD
ON THE
ISLAND. YET HOUSING WAS PUT IN
PLACE, AND NOW THERE'S LAWSUITS
AGAINST
THE NAVY, AGAINST THE DOD
GENERALLY, DEPARTMENT
OF
DEFENSE. SO GIVEN THAT EXAMPLE,
AND THERE'S MANY MORE ACROSS
THE
COUNTRY WITH MILITARY BASES
ACROSS THE SERVICES,
ACROSS IT COUNTRY, SHOULD WE
EXPECT ANYTHING DIFFERENT HERE?
SHOULD WE EXPECT LAWSUITS
EVEN THOUGH THIS PIECE, THIS IS
IN THE LEGISLATION RIGHT
HERE?
>> I'LL TAKE THAT QUESTION AS
RHETORICAL. WE COULD DO A LITTLE
BIT OF
LOOKING.
I THINK THERE'S A PLACE WHERE
IN THE PAST THE CITY HAS HAD
A SIMILAR REQUIREMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS
REQUIREMENT
WHEN SOME RESIDENTIAL USES
WERE PERMITTED IN BENMIC AND
THE INTERSECTION THERE WAS A
SIMILAR
REQUIREMENT THAT WENT ALONG
WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE
BUILDINGS.
WE COULD DO A LITTLE BIT
OF RESEARCH TO SEE IF THERE
HAVE BEEN ANY LAWSUITS RELATED
TO THE
PROXIMITY
THERE.
>> THANK YOU.
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, THOUGH,
WHY PEOPLE CAN, YOU
KNOW, CONNECT THE DOTS BECAUSE
THE DOTS HAVE BEEN CONNECTED IN
SO
MANY PLACES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AS IT RELATES TO THAT,
THAT COVENANT POINT.
AND SO, AGAIN, IT'S THE --
SEEING INTO THE FUTURE
IN TERMS OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE
EXPECTED.
AND WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK TO
THE NORTH, NOT TOO FAR AWAY TO
SEE THE IMPACTS OF THAT AND
THE IMPACTS ON NAVAL OPERATIONS
AND
OUR DEFENSE.
SO THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> CAN I ADD A
POINT?
>> GO
AHEAD.
>> I JUST WANT TO ALSO POINT
OUT THAT THE
MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES WE WORK
WITH LIKE
MANUFACTURING, THEY WOULD
BE VERY INTERESTED IN BEING
IN THESE HOUSING UNITS
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE CLOSER
TO
THEIR BUSINESSES.
SO BEING IN THESE
INDUSTRIES
THEY'RE AWARE OF THE SOUND THAT
WILL BE OCCURRING.
AND THE MORE WE CAN HAVE MORE
OF THESE MANUFACTURING CLOSER
TO THE MAKER SPACES, THE BETTER.
SO I'LL JUST PUT THAT IN
THERE THAT THERE WOULD BE
SOME AWARENESS OF WHAT THEY'RE
MOVING
INTO.
>> AND I SEE YOUR HAND UP,
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA,
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO CONTINUE --
DID YOU HAVE ONE FINAL POINT ON
THIS?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, FOR RECOGNIZING
ME. WHY DON'T WE FINISH WITH
THE
PRESENTATION, AND THEN I CAN
ASK MY QUESTION.
THANK
YOU.
>> GO AHEAD.
ONE MOMENT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE
SPEAK TO THE
ISSUE THAT WAS BEING
TALKED ABOUT
BEFORE.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD
THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE 200-
FOOT
BUFFER BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND
MAJOR TRUCK STREETS IN THE
MAYOR'S
PUBLISHED PROPOSED
ALTERNATIVE THAT WAS WAIVED
IN RECOGNITION OF THE UNIQUE
NATURE OF
THE STADIUM DISTRICT.
THERE ARE 40,000- PLUS
FANS NAVIGATING FIRST AVENUE
SOUTH THERE FOR MARINERS GAMES.
THERE ARE ALMOST 70-
PLUS THOUSAND FANS FOR SEAHAWKS
GAMES.
THERE ARE EVENTS
THERE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
IT'S A HEAVILY USED PEDESTRIAN
AREA. AND SOMEHOW WITH THOSE
TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF PEDESTRIANS IN
THE
AREA, IT WORKS.
IT HAS NEVER SHUTDOWN THE PORT.
SO IT'S RECOGNIZED AS BEING
VERY
UNIQUE. I WOULD ALSO JUST SAY ON
COVENANTS THAT THE WAVE AND THE
NOLO ARE EXAMPLES OF RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENTS RIGHT THERE ON THE
NORTH PLOT OF LUMEN FIELD,
AND THEY DID SIGN COVENANTS AND
THEY DO COMPLAIN ABOUT STADIUM
AND
PORT ACTIVITIES.
BUT THEY DID SIGN COVENANTS
AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE
IN TERMS OF NO LAWSUITS OR
COMPLAINTS.
>> OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS.
I MEAN, ONE MOMENT PLEASE.
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA STILL
HAS HER
HAND UP. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> I'LL GO AFTER WE'RE DONE
WITH
ALL THE PRESENTATIONS.
THE PANELISTS, I MEAN.
THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I REALLY APPRECIATED MONTY
AND ANDREA AND LIZANNE, ALL
THE THINGS YOU SAID.
WHAT YOU SHARED IS WHY
THERE'S MERIT IN THE
CONVERSATION.
THERE'S STILL THINGS WE HAVE TO
DO.
LIZANNE, YOU WERE
SHARING SOMEONE FROM THE CITY
HAD INDICATED TO YOU THAT
INCLUDING HOUSING IN THE STADIUM
AREA WAS NOT PART OF THE
PROPOSAL
THAT WAS SENT TO COUNCIL AND
THAT YOU SHOULD COME BACK A YEAR
LATER.
I NEVER GAVE YOU THAT ADVICE.
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE SHARING
ON THE RECORD WHO GAVE YOU THAT
ADVICE?
BECAUSE IT SOUNDED THE WAY
YOU PRESENTED IT, AND THERE'S
NO FINGER POINTING HERE.
THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED WAS
THAT THAT WAS A DONE DEAL, THAT
WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH
THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME AND
COME BACK IN A YEAR,
AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS
THE GENERAL -- THAT WASN'T
MY UNDERSTANDING AT THE TIME.
AND SO DID I SHARE THAT WITH
YOU?
>>
NO.
>>
OKAY.
>> IT WAS NOT YOU, BUT MANY
PEOPLE AND IT WAS JUST NOT
MYSELF.
THERE WERE MANY, MANY FOLKS IN
THAT STAKEHOLDER
PROCESS THAT WERE TOLD THAT THE
TABLE HAS BEEN SET, WE GAVE YOU
WHAT
YOU NEED IN THE COMP PLAN, COME
BACK AT A LATER TIME FROM THE
EXECUTIVE. BUT, NO, IT WAS NOT
FROM YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS.
>> THE ONLY REASON I ASK THAT
ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE YEAR
ASPECT IS I TOO --
>> I PLEASE ASK IF YOU CAN
CONTINUE WITH YOUR QUESTIONING
OF THE
PANEL.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU'VE
PROVIDED EVERYONE ELSE THAT
SAME ABILITY TO CONTINUE THEIR
CONVERSATION, AND I'M
REQUESTING THE SAME OPPORTUNITY
THAT EVERY OTHER ELECTED COUNCIL
MEMBER --
>> I WILL LET YOU ASK A
QUESTION, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE
TO MOVE ONTO OUR
LAST PRESENTATION,
PLEASE.
>> I'LL JUST SUM UP WITH SAYING
I DON'T EVER REMEMBERING
SAYING.
WHAT I REMEMBER IS
SAYING THERE'S MERIT TO THE
CONVERSATION AND THERE ARE
IMPORTANT THINGS THAT NEED TO
GO FORWARD BEFORE I'M
COMFORTABLE WITH HOUSING IN THE
STADIUM DISTRICT BECAUSE
THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
BETWEEN THE PORT AND I- 90, IN
MY
OPINION, IS NOT WORKING
TODAY MUCH LESS WITH ANY CHANGE.
AND MR. ANDERSON, I
UNDERSTAND YOUR ARGUMENT ABOUT
PROCESS
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT WEAPONIZED
IN THE PAST, AND I UST
AND PLEDGE TO YOU I'M NOT
USING PROCESS IN
THAT WAY. I'M TRYING TO GET US
TO A
COMPROMISE.
>> IT COULD ALSO BE I WOULD
LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
WHERE NG PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT
THEY ACTUALLY HEARD INFORMATION
COULD BE VERY SENSITIVE, AND I
WOULD ASK THAT WE ALSO RESPECT
THOSE
CONVERSATIONS. GO AHEAD.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER -- OKAY.
DIRECTOR OF OPCD, DO YOU WANT TO
PLEASE TALK ABOUT PERHAPS
A LITTLE BIT WHAT'S GOING ON
THE
EXECUTIVE SIDE AS
THESE DOCUMENTS WERE BEING
PREPARED AND THEN FORMING THE
BASIS
OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WE VOTED
ON IN
2023?
>> OF COURSE.
IF WE WERE FINISHED WITH
YOURS, KETIL.
>>÷÷ YES, WE WERE.
I WAS NOT LOOKING UP THERE
BUT LOOKING AT THE SCREEN IN
FRONT
OF ME.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO
YOU ALL.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO START WITH
WAS A REMINDER OF THE
CONTEXT FOR THE LEGISLATION THAT
YOU
ALL PASSED IN JULY OF '23.
SO WITH THE -- WELL, I
JOINED THE CITY OF SEATTLE IN
2021,
AND THE PROCESS THAT I
WAS INTRODUCED TO AT THAT TIME
AND THAT WE CONDUCTED FOR 2
1/2 YEARS WAS RELATED TO
THE CREATION OF 11 CONSENSUS
ITEMS
WITH LARGE STAKEHOLDER GROUP
OVER 60 ORGANIZATIONS.
THAT'S BEEN REFERRED TO
EARLIER.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THE
SLIDEX AND YOU CAN LOOK AT
THE DETAILS LATER.
AS IT RELATES TO THE
LEGISLATION PASSED THERE WERE 7
OF THE
11 RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE
INCORPORATED INTO
THE LEGISLATION.
SO THAT INCLUDED
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND
CLIMATE
ACTION, STRONGER PROTECTIONS
FOR INDUSTRIAL ZONED LANDS, HIGH
DENSITY INDUSTRIAL
DEVELOPMENT, HEALTHY TRANSITION
AREAS
NEAR URBAN VILLAGES, NO
NEW RESIDENTIAL USES, AND
GEORGETOWN
AND SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD
GOALS AS WELL AS A MASTER --
AS WELL AS THE IDENTIFICATION OF
A MASTER PLANNING PROCESS --
FUTURE MASTER PLANNING
PROCESS FOR THE WASKA AND ARMORY
SITES.
AND THE WASKA FUTURE MASTER
PLANNING EFFORT IS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE STATE.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS JUST A SLIDE
TO INDICATE WHAT THE CURRENT
UNDERLAYING ZONING IS THAT
WAS ADOPTED WITH THE LEGISLATION
THAT WAS PASSED ON JULY OF '23.
AND KETIL HAS ALREADY
GONE THROUGH THAT, SO WE CAN GO
TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE
DIAGRAM, THE INDUSTRY AND
INNOVATION ZONE
THAT I WAS REFERRING TO THAT
DID HAVE VERY TALL TOWERS
ALLOWED
IN IT, THAT'S THE PURPLE AREA.
I DID NOT HAVE THE BET OF
THIS MAP FOR MY
PRESENTATION. GO AHEAD,
PLEASE.
>> EXCELLENT.
AND JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW THIS --
GO BACK TO THE SLIDE FOR A
QUICK SECOND.
ORIENTATION NORTH IS TO
THE
RIGHT. DIFFERENT FROM THE SLIDES
WE
WERE LOOKING AT BEFORE JUST
SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE
LOOKING
AT. SO THE URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONE, THAT ADOPTED ZONING HAS
A CRITERIA WHICH SAYS THAT
FOR LIMITED HOUSING THAT MEET
THE
CRITERIA, THAT THERE CAN BE
NO MORE THAN 50 UNITS PER ACRE,
AND THAT ZONING HAS BEEN ADOPTED
AND CAN BE FOUND
IN NUMEROUS PARTS OF
THE CITY, WHICH YOU CAN SEE
THERE IN THE THIRD
BULLET. NEXT ONE.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY SEEN
THIS DIAGRAM, BUT THE
FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF THE
URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE IS
INTENDED TO
POSTURE VIBRANT DISTRICTS
THAT SUPPORT A MIX OF LOCAL
MANUFACTURING, PRODUCTION,
ARTS, AND THE ZONE ADVANCES
THE STAKEHOLDER STRATEGY OF
CREATING HEALTHY TRANSITIONS
BETWEEN
CORE INDUSTRIAL AREAS AND
NONINDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THIS IS A ZONE THAT DUE TO
THE
PROXIMITY TO NONINDUSTRIAL AREAS
AND BUSINESSES COULD
DRAW CUSTOMERS FROM
ADJACENT
NEIGHBORHOODS. IT INCLUDES
PROGRESSES FOR
SAFE MOVEMENT OF PEDESTRIANS
AND FREIGHT.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO RELATED TO THE
ZONING STANDARDS FOR URBAN
INDUSTRIAL, THERE'S
IDENTIFICATION OF
ANCILLER USES AND ACCOMMODATION
FOR LIMITED
WORK HOUSING THAT CONDITIONS
MUST BE MET IN ORDER
TO DEVELOP
WORK HOUSING INCLUDE THE 50
DWELLING UNITS PER
ACRE NOT WITHIN 200 FEET OF A
SHORELINE, NOT WITHIN 200
FEET OF A MAJOR TRUCK STREET,
AND MUST INCLUDEINCLUDE -- MUST
BE EITHER LIVE/WORK HOUSING OR
QUALIFY AS CARETAKER UNITS OR
BE PROVIDED AS WORKFORCE
HOUSING.
NEXT SLIDE. SO RELATED TO THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
THAT
WAS CONDUCTED
FOR INDUSTRIAL AND MARITIME, THE
EIS FOUND
THAT HOUSING AS PROPOSED TO BE
ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM AREA VIA
THE AREA INDUSTRIAL
ZONE REQUIREMENTS AND
LIMITATIONS WOULD NOT
SIGNIFICANTLY --
WOULD NOT CAUSE SIGNIFICANT
ADVERSE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
HAVING SAID THAT, THE ADOPTED
LEGISLATION DOES NOT
CURRENTLY ALLOW FOR HOUSING IN
THE
STADIUM TRANSITION AREA OVERLAY.
LOOKING BACK AT SLIDE 2, WHICH
IDENTIFIES THE CONSENSUS
RECOMMENDATIONS JUST AS
A INFORMATION FOR KNOWLEDGE OF
THE
COUNCIL.
AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THE
CITY OF SEATTLE ENTERED INTO A
SOUTH DOWNTOWN SEATTLE CROSS
AGENCY
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COLLABORATION
AG
THAT AGREEMENT IS SIGNED ONTO BY
CITY OF SEATTLE, KENT
COUNTY, PORT OF CITY, SAN
TRANSIT,
TO CONTINUE RESPONSIBLE
STEWARDSHIP
OF WHAT WE'RE DOING IN
SOUTH DOWNTOWN AND RELATED TO
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
CONSIDERATIONS
AND LARGE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE
ALL
STEWARDING TOGETHER IN SOTO.
AND SO I -- I -- IT'S A
POSITIVE STEP FORWARD
FOR US AS WE LOOK AT CONTINUED
STEWARDSHIP OF
THE CONVERSATION THAT WE CONVENE
FOR 2 1/2 YEARS AND CONTINUE TO
WORK
FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU.
SO WHAT I'M GATHERING --
THERE IS ONGOING PLANNING.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN WITH THIS
-- WELL, ARE YOU SAYING IT'S
NOT
CONTEMPLATED TO HAVE HOUSING
WHERE WE
ARE PROPOSING IT?
BUT YOU'RE ALSO REFERRING TO A
LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S
OWNED BY WASHDOT, THE WASKA
SITE, ET CETERA, AND EXTENDS
EVEN BEYOND THAT.
SO THERE'S SOME QUESTION
ABOUT HOW MUCH HOUSING GOING TO
GO INTO THE AREA AND WHERE IT
COULD GO, ET CETERA IN ADDITION?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING
TO? WHY DO YOU MENTION
THAT?
>> WITH REFERENCE TO THE
AGREEMENT, THERE ARE A LIST OF
PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW
AND CONSIDERATIONS IN SOUTH
DOWNTOWN THAT WE KNOW THAT WE
NEED TO BE
AWARE OF AND CROSS
COORDINATE AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT
WHAT WE
ARE DOING WITHIN THE
PUBLIC REALM IS IN CONSIDERATION
OF
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS AND ALL
OF THE MISSIONS OF OUR -- EACH
OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND
AGENCIES.
SO THOSE INCLUDE
CONSIDERATION OF THE KING COUNTY
CIVIC MASTER
PLAN, PIER 48, PUBLIC RAIL
IMPROVEMENTS, SOUTH DOWNTOWN HUB
AND UNION STATION, SOUTH
AMTRAK EXPANSION, SHORT
AND LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS ON
THIRD
AVENUE, THE WASKA SITE
REDEVELOPMENT.
THE ZERO EMISSION UPDATES
FOR THE METROBUS STATION -- OR
THE
METROBUS BASE AS WELL
AS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
NEAR FUTURE LIGHT
RAIL STATIONS.
>>
GOT IT. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
THAT,
THAT DOES -- THAT'S SORT OF
WHAT I WAS THINKING BEFORE IS
THERE POTENTIALLY A LOT OF
CHANGES
THAT CAN HAPPEN.
WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN
WITH THESE
LARGE SITES. THERE COULD BE
HOUSING, COULD
NOT.
IT'S WITHIN THE AREA OF PORT
OPERATIONS, AND SOMETIMES IT
FEELS LIKE WE'RE JUST
TALKING TWO BLOCKS AND THIS
WOULD
BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHEN ALL
OF THIS OTHER IS GOING ON,
AND THERE ARE TOWERS WITH 160
FEET
POTENTIAL, AND SO SOMETIMES
IT JUST FEELS LIKE THIS IS A
SMALL THING TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT COMPARED TO A LOT OF
CHANGES THAT COULD TAKE PLACE,
BUT
I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO TALK
THAT THROUGH YOU AND ALSO THE
PORT
REPRESENTATIVES SO I
CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THE
--
WHERE THE FUTURE RISKS LIE.
COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
FIRST I JUST WANT TO THANK
ALL THE PANELISTS HAVE BEING
HERE AS WELL AS ALL THE FOLKS
THAT
CAME OUT TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT
BOTH IN CHAMBERS AND ONLINE
TODAY.
VERY MUCH
APPRECIATE FROM HEARING FROM
EVERYONE, AS WE
ARE REVIEWING THIS
POLICY. DIRECTOR QUIRINDONGO,
I'M WONDERING THIS HOUSING WAS
NOT INCLUDED IN THE COMP PLAN,
WHICH IS, OF COURSE, OUR 20-
YEAR
PLAN FOR GROWTH PLANNING.
AND I'M WONDERING WHY -- AND
I'M COGNIZANT, I'M MINDFUL IN
THE
COMP PLAN THERE
IS RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BEYOND
HB- 1110 IN A VERY ROBUST WAY.
YOU ALL HAVE STARTED THIS --
YOU CREATED THIS NEIGHBORHOOD
CENTER PIECE THAT HASN'T BEEN
PART
OF THE CITY AND THE COMP
PLAN IN THE PAST, AND IT IS TO
ADD MORE
DENSITY ACROSS THE CITY IN
THIS, LIKE I SAID,
ROBUST WAY. I'M WONDERING WHY
THIS WAS
NOT INCLUDED IN THE
COMP PLAN. AND ALSO I WANT TO --
I
WANT TO -- I HAD THAT QUESTION
IN
MY MIND AS I WAS
REVIEWING THIS. AND IT'S
HELPFUL TO HEAR --
LIZANNE, THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING UP THE CONTEXT OF SOME
OF
THIS BECAUSE I WAS NOT AWARE
THAT
AS PART OF THE
STAKEHOLDERING PROCESS AND ALL
THE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THIS IN
THE PAST,
THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE,
AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG,
BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD
YOU SAY AND WHAT I'M
HEARING IS THAT THIS PROPOSAL
FOR THIS 990
UNITS, IT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING
THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE
INCLUDED AS PART OF THE COMP
PLAN, AND
I KNOW IT'S NOT
IN THERE. SO, DIRECTOR, CAN YOU
PLEASE TALK ABOUT WHY IT'S NOT
IN THERE
AND WHY YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE
HOUSING PLANNING FOR THIS
AREA IN THE COMP
PLAN?
>> CAN I JUST ADD TO YOUR
QUESTION, AND I
THINK ALSO YOU'RE REFERRING TO
WHY
IT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE
ACTUAL LEGISLATION THAT WE VOTED
ON IN
2023?
>> CORRECT, SORRY. WELL, THEN OR
NOW.
>> OKAY.
>> I'M GOING TO START WITH
THE QUESTION RELATED TO THE COMP
PLAN. SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT
THE WORK THAT WE DID FOR THE 2
1/2
YEARS WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUP
RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY
AND THEN THE
ADOPTIVE LEGISLATION THAT WAS
SENT
DOWN TO COUNCIL, IN A LOT OF
WAYS THAT WAS EARLY WORK RELATED
TO COMP PLANS, SO IF YOU THINK
ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, REQUIRED BY
THE STATE TO UPDATE THAT
PLAN EVERY TEN YEARS RELATED TO
JOB
GROWTH AND HOUSING GROWTH
ACROSS THE CITY.
THE FIRST BODY OF WORK THAT WE
TOOK ON WAS INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY.
SO AHEAD OF THE WORK FOR
THETHE OF THE ZONING FOR THE
CITY, WE PUT FORTH THIS
LEGISLATION THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO
INDUSTRIAL
MARITIME.
BECAUSE THAT WAS
ADOPTED AND WE SAW THAT PROCESS
FORWARD, WE DID
NOT REVISIT ANY OF THAT WORK
IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE
NEXT PHASE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
WORK, WHICH IS THE WORK THAT
WE'VE DOING FOR THE LAST 2
1/2 YEARS.
SO THE OTHER QUESTION WAS --
>> IF IT WAS IN THE PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE, THEN WHAT
HAPPENED BETWEEN THE
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE AND THE
LEGISLATION THAT WAS SENT
DOWN?
>>
CORRECT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> SO OUR JOB AS STAFF IS
TO LOOK AT THE FINDINGS OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT, AND OUT OF THOSE
FINDINGS THAT
A PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS
PUT FORTH TO THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE,
AND THERE'S A DISTINCTION TO BE
MADE BETWEEN WHAT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS IS OR THE
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT
DETERMINATIONS ARE.
THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING
AS WHATEVER IS PUT
INTO LEGISLATION.
ONE IS ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS.
THE OTHER IS ABOUT
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
AND DETERMINATIONS BY BOTH
BODIES.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE
DIFFERENT.
>> GOT
IT.
>> RIGHT, BUT -- IS IT OKAY IF
I ASK A FOLLOW- UP QUESTION?
YOU KNOW, MY FOLLOW- UP QUESTION
IS, DIRECTOR
QUIRINDONGO, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE
SAYING THE EIS
TELLS YOU INFORMATION.
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT INCLUDE IT
AS PART OF THE COMP PLAN.
BUT RIGHT NOW IN THIS
CURRENT COMP PLAN -- AND THAT
WAS THE
DECISION MADE IN 2023, BUT
RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A
COMP
PLAN AND LEGISLATION WAS SENT
DOWN HERE WITHOUT A FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT, WHICH TO ME IS
PUTTING THE CART
BEFORE THE HORSE,
WHICH NEVERTHELESS IT'S NOT
ALWAYS THE
CASE THAT YOU'RE -- THE
FACT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE
AN EIS THEY CAN GIVE YOU
INFORMATION, BUT WE'RE
NOT NECESSARILY INCLUDING IT,
AND
NOW WE HAVE -- WE'RE WAITING
ON AN EIS, AND YOU MADE
SOME DECISIONS WITHOUT
EVEN INCLUDING THE INFORMATION
FROM THE
EIS, THAT DOESN'T -- I
DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT DECISION
MAKING
PROCESS.
SO I -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND --
AND I
ALSO, LIKE I SAID, I'M HEARING
FROM LIZANNE THERE
WAS THIS EXPECTATION AS PART OF
THIS
HUGE STAKEHOLDER PROCESS
THAT SOMEHOW THIS WAS GOING TO
BE
ADDRESSED IN THAT LEGISLATION
IN '23, AND IT WASN'T.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND WHY THESE DECISIONS
WERE
MADE, AND I'M SORRY, BUT I'M
NOT
CLEAR ON FROM YOUR EXPLANATION
WHY
IF THAT WAS THE PROCESS THAT --
THAT HAD BEEN ENGAGED IN WITH
ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WHY THEN --
AND IT WAS IN THE
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE -- WHY
THEN IT WAS
EXCLUDED.
DID SOMETHING HAPPEN?
WAS THERE MORE CONVERSATION?
HOW DID THAT COME TO BE?
DOES THAT -- SORRY, ARE YOU
UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING MY
QUESTION?
>> I THINK SO, SO LET ME TRY
TO TAKE A
STAB AT IT. AND IF I GET IT
WRONG, YOU CAN
TELL
ME. SO IT IS A NORMAL PART
OF PROCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR POLICY WORK AND LEGISLATION
THAT WE DO DRAFTS OF THINGS THAT
ARE INFORMED VERY DIRECTLY
BY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND
INPUT.
AND AFTER THAT
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT
ARE
COMPLETE, WE TAKE THE NEXT STEP
FORWARD AND DRAFT
LEGISLATION FOR CONSIDERATION OF
FIRST THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE.
AND AFTER DOING THAT POLICY
WORK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE,
ULTIMATELY, LEGISLATION
GETS SENT DOWN TO COUNCIL FOR
CONSIDERATION.
SO THAT PROCESS
TRANSPIRED RELATED TO WHAT WAS A
VERY
COMPLICATED PIECE OF
LEGISLATION.
SO THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
IS SPECIFIC TO THE EIS.
THAT'S NOT THE -- IT ISN'T
THE SAME THING AS THE --
THE LEGISLATION COMPONENT,
THE POLICY WORK, SO I -- I
DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ANSWERING
THE QUESTION BUT --
>> THERE'S A TERM OF ART
HERE AND THAT IS A
PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE. AND A PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE
DOESN'T NECESSARILY INDICATE A
STRONG POLICY
PREFERENCE BY ANY OF THE
DECISION MAKERS. IT'S REALLY
KIND OF A --
MAYBE NOT POINT OF DEPARTURE BUT
MAY BE SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO
WHAT IS PROPOSED BY IN THIS
CASE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND
OBCD,
BUT JUST THE FACT IT'S
LABELED PREFERRED
DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT IS
THE POLICY
DIRECTION FROM
THAT BODY. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT
HELPS.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SORT
OF ASKING ABOUT WAS A DEAL AND
WAS THERE A DEAL.
AND I DON'T KNOW, I WASN'T
PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, BUT
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE MAY HAVE
BEEN A DEAL
OR MAYBE POSSIBLY TWO
DEALS. AND I CAN'T -- I'M NOT
IN
A POSITION TO SPEAK TO THE
DEAL MAKING INVOLVED AND THE
DECISION BY THE EXECUTIVE TO
SEND
DOWN SOMETHING THAT DID NOT
ALLOW RESIDENTIAL USES IN THAT
AREA.
>> I'M HAPPY TO -- JUST A
BIT MORE I THINK YOUR QUESTION,
COUNCIL MEMBER, RIVERA, IS A
GOOD
ONE, YOUR
POINT ON. THE MAYOR DID
PUBLISH PREFERABLY
A PUBLISHED ALTERNATIVE. THAT
PUBLISHED ALTERNATIVE
DID INCLUDE UP TO 990 UNITS
OF HOUSING FOR THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT. WE DO HAVE WHAT WE
NEED IN
THE COMP
PLAN. WE ARE NOW ON THE FUTURE
LAND USE MAP ZONED AS
URBAN INDUSTRIAL.
THAT URBAN INDUSTRIAL ZONE IS
BASED ON SMALL MAKERS,
BUSINESSES, HOUSING, ET CETERA.
GOT WHAT WE NEED IN THE COMP
PLAN.
BUT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THAT
PUBLISHED PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
AND THE
LEGISLATION THAT WAS SENT DOWN
TO THE
COUNCIL, THERE WERE VERY PRIVATE
DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN JUST A VERY
SELECT FEW
MEMBERS OF THIS
LARGE STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
AND THE LARGE MAJORITY OF
STAKEHOLDERS WERE NOT PART
OF THAT.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S POLITICS.
BUT WE WERE THEN SHOCKED TO
FIND OUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE
MAKERS, THE UNIONS, THE
STADIUMS, THE TEAMS, MANY
DIFFERENT FOLKS, MEMBERS OF
OUR COALITION -- WHICH IS VERY
BROAD AND VERY DEEP -- WERE
SURPRISED
THAT THAT PUBLISHED
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS NOT
WHAT WAS
SENT DOWN TO THE COUNCIL.
WHAT WE WERE TOLD AND JUST
BEING VERY DIRECT HERE, IS WE
GAVE
YOU HALF A LOAF.
WE GOT WHAT YOU NEEDED IN
THE COMP PLAN.
WE SET THE TABLE
FOR YOU. COME BACK LATER AND GET
THE
REST OF IT.
NOW YOU JUST NEED A
NARROW ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE.
YOU DON'T NEED TO CHANGE A
COMP
PLAN. YOU GOT WHAT YOU NEED
THERE.
COME BACK FOR THAT NARROW
ZONING ORDINANCE.
AGAIN, I'M BEING CANDID AND
DIRECT, BUT YOUR QUESTION
WAS
RIGHT ON.
>> YES, THANK YOU,
LIZANNE, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE
--
THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE,
KETIL,
NORMALLY THERE'S A PREFERRED
STAKEHOLDER PROCESS AND
THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
IS PERFORMED BY
THAT PROCESS. IT GOT INCLUDED IN
THE COMP
PLAN BUT AT THE POINT IN WHICH
LEGISLATION WAS IN THE
ZONING THAT GOT LEFT OUT, EVEN
THOUGH
EIS SAID THERE WOULD BE
NO ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW,
THE TRAFFIC, TRANSIT COMPONENT
OF THE MOBILITY COMPONENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT IS BETWEEN
THIS PREFERRED ALTERATIVE THAT
HAD BEEN PUBLISHED PRESUMABLY
WITH
THE INPUT FROM ALL
THE STAKEHOLDERS AND THEN
THE LEGISLATION THAT DID GET
SENT
DOWN, WHY GIVEN THAT THE
EIS SAID THERE WOULD BE NO
ISSUE,
WITH THAT MOBILITY PIECE, WHICH
I HEAR TO BE A BIG CONCERN AND
I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN,
WHY THEN IT WAS LEFT OUT OF THE
LEGISLATION. THAT WAS REALLY
MY QUESTION. SO THANK
YOU, LIZANNE. YOU ARTICULATED
BETTER WHAT I WAS TRYING TO
ASK.
>> AND I'D LIKE TO ADD
THAT,
TOO. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO DAN'S
QUESTION, TOO, THAT
COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA KIND OF
CAME
OVER THE SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, I HOLD MY ETHICS
PRETTY
HIGH HERE. THAT'S WHY I CAN
SPEAK WITH
ALL PEOPLE HERE AND I'M NOT
GOING
TO SAY ANYTHING LATER, RIGHT?
IT'S A TRUST YOU HAVE
WITH
PEOPLE. BUT I'LL TELL YOU
STRAIGHT OUT
I WAS TOLD BY THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE TO COME BACK IN A YEAR,
IT WOULD
BE SIMPLE LEGISLATION, WE
COULD
SUPPORT IT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
I WAS TOLD
ALMOST TO THE ERBATIM.
IT'S THERE, MONTY.
I TOLD THEM PATIENCE IS FOR
LOSERS. I'M NOT
GOING TO -- AND THEY SAID JUST
WAIT, SO I DID.
AND, I MEAN, I'M NO SNITCH,
I'M
GOING TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW,
BUT I'M GOING TOTELL YOU
THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT I HEARD.
TO COME BACK HERE, I KNEW
BETTER THEN AS WELL AS I COULD
SAY, BUT
YOU CAN'T GO BACK IN TIME.
IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN IT
WOULD BE TREATED LIKE THIS OR I
WOULD HAVE HAD THESE KIND OF
ACCUSATIONS OR COMMENTS
MADE ABOUT ME AND SOMETHING
AROUND
THIS, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE
TOOK A DIFFERENT PATH, BUT I DID
NOT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY
FOR ME PERSONALLY.
THANK
YOU.
>> AND I SEE YOU -- YOU
HAVE YOUR HAND RAISED.
I WILL JUST NOTE THAT THE FINAL
LEGISLATION DID --
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS'
DECISION DID ADD
ABOUT 900 UNITS COINCIDENTLY
TO GEORGETOWN AND TO BALLARD
AND SOUTH PARK.
AND SO THERE WAS A LOT
OF BACK AND FORTH ON HOUSING
THAT WAS --
THAT WAS ADDED, AND SOME OF IT
CAN HAPPEN DURING AMENDMENTS.
LIKE I NOTED, THERE WAS
REMOVAL OF -- THERE WAS A
SCALING
BACK TO PROVIDE FOR SOME
HOUSING. COUNCIL
KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
I LIKE TO SAY FIRST, MR.
ANDERSON, I THINK YOU'RE
ETHICAL IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING
AND
YOUR APPROACH AND I
RESPECT YOU. MY EARLIER EXCHANGE
WAS IN
TERMS OF THE POINT MADE, AND SO
I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I ECHO
YOUR
POINT THAT IN TERMS OF
THE ETHICAL APPROACH.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR, FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU ALSO FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT THE MARITIME
INDUSTRIAL --
THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY OF THE PLAN SHEPHERDED
BY MY
COLLEAGUE WHEN HE WAS LAND USE
COMMITTEE CHAIR WAS
BASICALLY THE FIRST STAGE OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES
NOT INCLUDE THIS BILL, SO THANK
YOU FOR RESTATING THAT POINT.
ON YOUR BRIEFING, AND THIS
WOULD PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT
OF
A
RHETORICAL QUESTION BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
IS NOT -- AT LEAST PUBLICLY IS
NOT
WEIGHING IN. BUT IN TERMS OF
LAND
USE STRATEGIES
IMPLEMENTING CONSENSUS
RECOMMENDATIONS
PAGE 2, TWO OF THEM IS REZONING
FOR LAND AND THE FOURTH IS NO
NEW
RESIDENTIAL YUTSS.
ESSENTIALLY AND IT'S
A RHETORICAL QUESTION, BUT THIS
BILL VIOLATES THOSE TWO
POINTS REALLY WITH THE REMOVAL
OF THE
200- FOOT RULE, I WOULD ARGUE.
AGAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
COMMENT ON THAT BUT I JUST
WANTED TO
PUT THAT QUESTION OUT THERE.
AND THANK YOU FOR
HIGHLIGHTING THAT IN THE
BRIEFING.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE
OTHER POINTS, BUT I JUST WANT TO
GO TO THE END, AND
THE LAST SLIDE SAYS THE EIS SAYS
HOUSING HAS BEEN
PROPOSED VIA URBAN INDUSTRIAL
ZONE REQUIREMENTS AND
LIMITITATIONS WOULD NOT CAUSE
SIGNIFICANT AND
ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
THE INVERSE OF THIS IS FOR ME IS
BUT WITH THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE
HAVE ADVERSE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ON THE
HOUSING, ON
THE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD LIVE IN
THAT LOCATION?
IS THERE A EIS IN TERMS
OF, YOU KNOW, THE CONSIDERATIONS
OF THAT?
AND THE REASON WHY -- AND THE
REASON WHY I ASK THIS
QUESTION GOING BACK TO THE
EARLIER
EXCHANGE WHERE
I HIGHLIGHTED THAT TODAY'S THE
60th ANNIVERSARY OF MY MOTHER
COMING TO AMERICA THREE MONTHS
BEFORE
MY FATHER CAME TO AMERICA, MY
FATHER'S ELDEST SISTER MARRIED
A GI AFTER THE WAR AND HE WAS
FROM
WESTERN NEW YORK, AND
SO THEREFORE I'M FROM WESTERN
NEW YORK.
WHEN I WAS A BOY I
STARTED READING THE BUFFALO
EVENING
NEWS REPORTS ABOUT LOVE CANAL,
AND I THINK THIS IS
CONSIDERATION THAT WE SHOULD BE
TALKING ABOUT,
AND THERE'S NOT BEEN ANY
TALKING ABOUT LOVE CANAL-
TYPE CONSIDERATIONS FOR
THIS LOCATION.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING IN
THE BACK OF MY MIND THAT
INFORMS MY DECISION ON THIS.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO
EIS IN TERM OF PUTTING HOUSING
ON TOP OF A CURRENT INDUSTRIAL
ZONE, IS
THAT CORRECT?
>> THE EIS WAS SPECIFICALLY
STUDIED THE INCLUSION OF HOUSING
IN AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE.
>> SO I -- WE DO NEED TO WRAP
UP A BIT.
>> CAN I ASK THIS ONE
LAST QUESTION?
AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT
THE SEATTLE HAZARDS
EXPLORE HIGHLIGHTS THAT SOTO IS
BETWEEN TWO FAULT LINES.
GREAT DAMAGE FROM
EARLIER EARTHQUAKES BACK IN 2001
AND
ITS LIQUEFACTION ZONE.
AND MY THOUGHTS ON THIS IS
LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING
TO
WORK THROUGH THIS, AND I'LL
PASS --
HIGHLIGHT MY COLLEAGUE TO
THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, BUT THESE
ARE MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS FROM
AN EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS POINT. AS CHAIR OF
THE PUBLIC
SAFETY, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
IS A KEY
PIECE, AND THESE
CONSIDERATIONS, AGAIN, HAVE NOT
BEEN
TALKED ABOUT, LIQUEFACTION ZONE,
TSUNAMI, IN TERMS OF THE
ELEVATION, IN TERMS
OF INUNDATION OF THE WATERS OFOF
TSUNAMI.
THIS IS A VERY
VULNERABLE
LOCATION. MY QUESTION IS
INSURANCE HOW DOES THIS WORK?
WE LOOK AT THE L.A. FIRES RIGHT
NOW, LOOK AT THE
HURRICANES HITTING THE GULF
COAST
AND
FLORIDA? THESE ARE MAJOR
IMPACTS.
I WANT TO END ON THAT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> I UNDERSTAND.
AND LIKE I SAID GEORGETOWN,
BEENMIC, SOUTH TOWN, PRETTY
MUCH STILL IN THE FOOTPRINT OF
THE BIG ONE, AND I
COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE
OF
EMERGENCY. I'M GETTING TO THE
POINT
THERE WAS ADDITIONAL HOUSING HAS
BEEN
ADDED TO THE DELIBERATIVE
PROCESS.
>> THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
CONSORTIUM REPRESENTS
200 MEMBERS IN KING
COUNTY COMMITTED TO ENSURING ALL
PEOPLE LIVE
WITH THE DIGNITY IN SAFE,
HEALTHY, AND AFFORDABLE HOMES
WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF
OPPORTUNITY.
WE'RE WRITING TO VOICE OUR
STRONG SUPPORT OF 120933
FOR RESIDENTIAL USES IN THE
STADIUM
OVERLAY DISTRICT.
AS WE KNOW THERE'S AN
IMMEDIATE NEED FOR MORE
AFFORDABLE
HOUSING THROUGHOUT SEATTLE AT
EVERY
LEVEL INCLUDING WORK
FORCE
HOUSING. AND HOUSING IN THE
STADIUM
DISTRICT WILL BOTH
PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOMES TO MANY
WHO NEED THEM AND ALSO
SUBSIDIZE SMALL MAKER BUSINESSES
THAT CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
WOMEN AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
TO CREATE MUCH NEEDED
GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
WE ARE FORTUNATE THERE IS
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY IN
WHAT MAYOR HAROLD HAS
DESCRIBED AS ONE OF DOWNTOWN'S
SIX
NEIGHBORHOODS, THE
STADIUM DISTRICT TO BUILD UP TO
990 UNITS OF HOUSING
THROUGH PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT WITH
HALF OF
THAT REQUIRED TO COME AT 60 TO
90%
AMI.
THIS AFFORDABILITY
REQUIREMENT IS FOR 75 YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
ON THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION,
SINCERELY PATIENCE,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM.
COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH, I
AM GOING TO CALL ON
YOU. YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN YET.
GO AHEAD, AND THEN WE'RE
GOING TO WRAP
UP.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I HAVE MY TIMER ON AS WELL,
BUT I WON'T NEED THE TEN
MINUTES.
I JUST HAD A QUICK COMMENT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A
QUESTION.
THIS
IS -- I JUST WANTED TO THANK ALL
THE
PRESENTERS AND PUBLIC COMMENTERS
WHO CAME
IN TODAY AND THE PEOPLE
WHO LITERALLY TOOK OFF WORK TO
COME DOWN TO THE COUNCIL
MEETING
TODAY. I KNOW IT MEANS A LOT TO
MY
COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF.
I KNOW
SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ALSO HAVE
BETTER KNOWLEDGE
ON THE HISTORY BECAUSE OF
THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH SOME OF
THIS
LEGISLATION, AND I KNOW
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE FOR HIS
HISTORY
IN MARITIME SERVICE AS WELL,
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT
OUT
THERE. AND JUST WANTED TO
PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST THE
APPROACH,
MEETING WITH ALL SIDES FROM OUR
OFFICE,
LABOR UNIONS TO EDUCATE
OURSELVES. WE'LL BE CONTINUING
TO
DO THAT. I ALSO WANT TO NOTE I
UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES ABOUT
HOUSING IN
THE NEED FOR OUR CITY, THE
ECONOMIC
ENGINE IN OUR CITY, AS WE
ARE GROWING AS A CITY AND HOW
THINGS
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND CHANGE.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND IT FROM
A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE.
THERE WASN'T A TIME
IN THE LAST EIGHT, NINE YEARS
WHERE
OUR FAMILY WAS ORDERING STUFF
FROM
OVERSEAS AND WOULD HAVE TO
WAIT SIX TO EIGHT
WEEKS TO GET THESE MASSIVE
AMOUNTS OF SUPPLIES
TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY AND OUR
GOVERNMENT.
AND I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT
THAT WAS AS WELL AND
UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THE
PORT IS.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO THROW
THAT OUT THERE THAT I APPRECIATE
THE
CONVERSATIONS.
I APPRECIATE PEOPLE COMING
TO THE TABLE PRESENTING THIS,
AND THEN THE PROCESS TRYING
TO RESPECT THE PROCESS AS WELL.
AND I UNDERSTAND ALSO, TOO, A
LOT OF OUR OTHER
COLLEAGUES HOW MUCH KNOWLEDGE
THEY HAVE FROM
COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS,
COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW
THAT OUT THERE.
THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
>>
COUNCIL PRESIDENT?
>> AND THIS IS WHY I WAS
VERY HAPPY WHEN YOU STEPPED UP
TO
CHAIR THE COMP -- THE
SELECT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
COMMITTEE, SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE
THOUGHTS.
I WILL -- ONE MOMENT, PLEASE.
I SEE THAT THERE ARE
TWO HANDS UP HERE, AND THEN I
WILL CALL
ON YOU IN A MOMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER
RIVERA.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A QUICK
COMMENT. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE
PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE THAT HAS
BEEN
BROUGHT UP, AND I WILL SAY
THAT, YOU KNOW, THE -- THE
PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS, THE
REASON WHY I AROUND WHEN MAYOR
HARRELL BROUGHT UP HIS DOWNTOWN
ACT VAGDS PLAN, AND I WAS IN
FULL SUPPORT AND A LOT OF IT HAD
TO DO WITH THE FACT DURING
COVID PEOPLE WERE WORKING FROM
HOME, THERE WASN'T AS MANY
PEOPLE WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN,
AND THAT MADE IT SO SOME WHAT I
CALL
NEGATIVE ACTIVITY WAS
HAPPENING
DOWNTOWN. AND I THINK A BIG
PIECE OF
THAT DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION PLAN
WAS
TO ACTIVATE THE STATE -- THE
SPACE
POSITIVELY TO MAKE IT SAFER.
SO I DO THINK THAT POSITIVE
ACTIVATION OF SPACES IS
AN ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN PIECE TO
MAKE SPACES SAFER.
AND HAVING WORKED IN BETWEEN
PIONEERS SQUARE AND THE ID
RIGHT NEXT TO THE STADIUMS AND
BEING THERE AT NIGHT, I KNOW IT
DOES NOT FEEL SAFE.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME EVENTS
THAT HAPPEN IN THAT
AREA AT NIGHT, AND IT JUST
DOESN'T FEEL
SAFE BECAUSE THERE AREN'T
PEOPLE AROUND THERE.
SO THERE IS A PUBLIC SAFETY
COMPONENT TO THIS, AND I --
I'M GOING TO RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE ON
THE
PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE BECAUSE I'VE
SEEN
IT, AND I DO THINK IT IS A
LEGITIMATE CONCERN FOR
THAT
AREA. SO I DID WANT TO SAY THAT,
AND
I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT POSITIVE ACTIVATION OF
SPACES DOES KEEP SPACES SAFE.
THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY, GO AHEAD AND LET'S
KEEP
COMMENTS QUICK.
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
OUT OF HERE I WAS HOPING BY
NOON.
BUT GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU,
COUNCIL PRESIDENT. YES, I ALSO
HAVE A NEW MEETING
I'M LATE TO, BUT I'LL BE AS
FAST AS POSSIBLE, BUT I'VE
TAKEN NOTES THROUGHOUT THIS
MEETING
SO I CAN SPEAK JUST ONCE.
MR. ANDERSON, YOU WOULD BE
A GOOD MEDICAL DOCTOR
BECAUSE YOU'RE SMART AND YOU
HAVE A
LOT OF PATIENCE.
I'M TRYING TO ADD A LITTLE
BIT OF HUMOR TO A TENSE ROOM,
BUT
I DEEPLY RESPECT YOU.
TO THE CHAIR, NO NET LOSS
OF INDUSTRIAL
LANDS IS IMPORTANT. IT'S
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE
WON'T GET THESE LANDS BACK.
I HOLD A NO NET LOSS PHILOSOPHY.
AND CLEARLY FROM MY ACTIONS IN
2023 THAT WITH A GOOD
PROCESS I CAN BE COMFORTABLE
WITH
ADDING HOUSING TO INDUSTRIAL
ZONES.
WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE
DEEP WATER PORT 0. 5 MILES
FROM HIGH- WATER ACCESS.
AND THE ENTIRE INDUSTRIAL LAND
MARITIME STRATEGY WAS BASED
ON COMPROMISE FROM THESE HARD
AND FAST POSITIONS EVEN LIKE THE
NO CAN TELL YOU FROM FIRST-
HAND EXPERIENCE THAT WE SAW A
LILT BIT OF CONFLICT IN THE ROOM
TODAY, AND THAT WAS 1% AS
INTENSE AS THE CONFLICTS THAT
I WITNESSED DURING THE
FACILITATED
STAKEHOLDER WORK GROUP, WHICH
IS WHY WE
HAD AN OUTSIDE
FACILITATOR. THIS WORK GROUP WAS
A MEETING
OF THE MINDS FROM DIVERGENT
POINTS OF VIEW, AND WE WERE ABLE
TO ACHIEVE 80% CONSENSUS OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS. NOT EVERY
RECOMMENDATION
HAD EVERYONE IN CONSENSUS THERE.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
THE REASON THAT HOUSING IN
THE STADIUM AREA WAS NOT
INCLUDED
IN THE TRANSLATED LANGUAGE OR
THIS
YEAR'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
IS BECAUSE A BILL LIKE THE
ONE BEFORE US TODAY WOULD BLOW
UP
THAT DEAL FROM 2023 AND
THE COMPROMISES MADE THEN.
PART OF THOSE COMPROMISES WAS
TO INCREASE
HOUSING IN INDUSTRIAL AREAS
ACROSS THE
CITY, TO MAKE CHANGES AS THE
SPONSOR NOTED
IN THE BALLO INDUSTRIAL, TO ADD
900 ADDITIONAL UNITS TO PLACES
LIKE GEORGETOWN AND UPPER
BALLARD,
ADHOTELS TO THE
STADIUM AREA. IT INCREASES THAT
VIBRANCY OF
HUMAN
ACTIVITY, BUT A NEIGHBOR THAT
LIVES
NEXT TO AN INDUSTRIAL ZONE WILL
CALL THE
POLICE. A PERSON IN A HOTEL WILL
CALL THE FRONT DESK TO COMPLAIN
ABOUT
THE NOISE.
PART OF THAT DEAL WAS TO INCLUDE
THE STADIUM AREA IN
URBAN INDUSTRIAL LIKE LIZANNE
SHARED
WITH US. THESE CHANGES WERE
POSED BY THE
STAKEHOLDERS, AND THEY
BEGRUDGINGLY AGREED. THE
STAKEHOLDERS IN THE
ROOM RIGHT NOW WHO WERE AGAINST
THE BILL BEFORE US HAD AT ONE
POINT TOLD ME I HAD SOLD THEM
OUT BECAUSE OF THE COMPROMISES
THAT WE MADE ACROSS OUR
CITY. I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH
THOSE COMPROMISES THAT WE
REACHED BECAUSE WE HAD A DEAL,
BUT
NOW WE ARE BACK WITHOUT A
PROCESS, AND THE ONLY PROCESS
THAT
HAS OCCURRED WAS A SURPRISE
INTRODUCTION WITH THE FIRST TIME
IN A LONG TIME HAVING A LAND
USE BILL BEING REFERRED OUTSIDE
OF A LAND USE COMMITTEE.
I'LL BE CLEAR THAT EIS',
OUR ALLOWANCES -- I EVEN JUST
ASKED FOR THE SEPA ANALYSIS TO
BE
MORE BROAD THAN EVEN WHAT
I BELIEVE A FINAL BILL WILL BE
BECAUSE
ONCE IT'S PUBLISHED, IF YOU
WANT
TO HAVE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE
NET EIS, ONCE IT'S PUBLISHED,
IT'S ONLY WHAT HAS BEEN
PUBLISHED.
YOU CAN'T INCREASE
FLEXIBILITY
FROM THERE. THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN
THE PORT AND I- 90 NEEDS TO BE
FIXED
TODAY WITH JUST THE CURRENT
SITUATION WE HAVE BETWEEN THE
PORT AND
I-90, WITHOUT ANY CHANGES.
THAT CONNECTION IS
CRITICAL BECAUSE PART OF WHAT
NEEDS TO
BE ADDRESSED IS BETWEEN
OUR DEEP WATER PORT AND THE
INTERSTATES
THAT CONNECT US TO THE
PORT OF
BOSTON, TO CANADA, AND TO
MEXICO, WE HAD A DEAL IN 2023.
WAS I TOTALLY SATISFIED WITH
THAT DEAL? NO.
BUT IT WAS A COMPROMISE,
AND THAT'S HOW COMPROMISES
WORK.
AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT
THERE'S A DEAL TO BE MADE WITH
THIS.
BUT THIS IS NOT IT.
THE PROCESS THAT LED US TO THE
MARITIME AND INDUSTRIAL
CHANGES WAS CENTERED
AROUND COMMUNICATION,
COMPROMISE, AND
CONSENSUS, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
TODAY WE HAVE DIVIDED ROOM.
WE HAVE IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS
AT THE TABLE BUT NOT ALL
STAKEHOLDERS AND
THE PROCESSES BEFORE US TODAY
HAS BEEN ONE OF
SURPRISES, ATTEMPTS AT SILENCING
COLLEAGUES AND
IRREGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
>> I EXPLAINED BEFORE YOU
GOT HERE WHY THE MEETING IS ON A
FRIDAY, AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR
REVERENCE FOR INDUSTRIAL LANDS.
AND THERE WAS
RESIDENTIAL PUT RIGHT ACROSS THE
STREET FROM
A MANUFACTURING BUSINESS
IN BALLARD
AND ELSEWHERE. SO COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA,
CAN YOU -- GO
AHEAD.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MADAM
COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. JUST WANT TO EXPRESS
MY SINCERE
GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION
TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE
TIME TO SHOW UP TODAY,
TESTIFY, LISTENING TO A VERY
LENGTHY PROCEEDING, AND A FAIRLY
INTENSE ONE AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T TAKEN
A POSITION ON THIS ISSUE YET.
I'M ON MY JOURNEY TO LEARN
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND EDUCATE
MYSELF. AND AS PART OF THAT THEN
MEETING WITH STAKEHOLDERS, WILL
CONTINUE TO DO SO.
HAD A PRODUCTIVE
MEETING YESTERDAY WITH -- FOR
EXAMPLE, WITH FOLKS FROM THE
PORT,
COMMISSIONER AND OTHERS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MEET, DO MORE
WALKING TOURS OF THE AREA,
MEET WITH BROTHERS AND SISTERS
OF
THE BUILDING TRADES AND
THEIR INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS
AND
OTHERS, ALL SIDES.
BUT I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS
A VERY DELICATE ISSUE.
I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER
STRAUSS WHO JUST LEFT US
FOR TODAY IN HIS
HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE
AND EXPERTISE. DELICATE ISSUE.
THIS WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING
JUST FOR CLARITY THAT I WOULD
HAVE PERSONALLY PROPOSED.
IT WOULD NOT BE A PRIET OF
MINE TO PROPOSE,
BUT NOW THAT I'M HERE I WILL
HAVE TO
EVENTUALLY AT SOME POINT TAKE A
POSITION ON
IT, WHICH LEADS ME TO MY
OTHER THOUGHT, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT.
I APPLAUD YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND BRAVERY IN
BRINGING THIS
FORWARD. IRRESPECTIVE OF THE
OUTCOME,
THERE ARE SO MANY DECISIONS
THAT -- STRONG
POLITICAL DECISIONS AND STRONG
FOR
AND AGAINST AND IT'S DIFFICULT
AND IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE
TO BRING SOMETHING UP.
AND THE EASY THING TO DO IS
STAY ON THE SIDELINES AND KICK
THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND --
BUT
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE BRAVERY AND COURAGE FROM
YOU, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THIS
GOES, BUT JUST WANT TO
RE-EMPHASIZE, YOU KNOW, MY
COMMITMENT
TO LEARNING AS MUCH AS I CAN AND
HEARING FROM -- FROM EVERYONE
IMPACTED.
AND THERE WAS A DEALDEAL
CUT, NEGOTIATED.
SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS SOME
LAST MINUTE STUFF BY A FEW
VOICES.
OTHERS THINK THAT IT WAS
THE FINAL END- ALL, BE ALL.
HERE WE
ARE. SO ANYWAYS, THANK YOU,
EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE.
AND APPRECIATE THIS
CONVERSATION KICKING IT OFF
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THOSE
WORDS.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL THINGS
THAT YOU WANT TO SAY?
YOU'RE SICK
OF IT.
OKAY. YOU'RE RIGHT, AND I AM
DOING THIS BECAUSE I FELT THAT
IT
WAS AN -- I LACK THE COURAGE
TO BRING FORWARD AN AMENDMENT
BACK IN 2023, WASN'T ALLOWED TO
DO
IT AT THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING
AND HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION
WITH THE PROPONENTS OF THIS --
OF HOUSING IN THE STADIUM
DISTRICTS FOR OVER A YEAR.
SO I JUST WANT TO -- TO SIMPLY
CLOSE BY -- BY NOTING THAT --
REMINDING PEOPLE WHY I'M
DOING
THIS. AND WHAT I WANT IS MORE
SPACE FOR MAKERS
BUSINESS. I WANT AFFORDABLE
HOUSING
IN A SPACE THAT SEEMS LIKE IT
MAKES SENSE AS IT WAS IDENTIFIED
IN
A PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, WHICH
IS
THE STADIUM DISTRICT WHICH
FEELS MORE LIKE DOWNTOWN WITH
THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL TO THE
SOUTH
OF
IT. AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO
IMPROVE
PUBLIC SAFETY, AS HAS BEEN
NOTED HERE
MANY TIMES. AND SO THAT IS WHY
THIS IS SO
STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THIS -- BY
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
GROUPS REPRESENTING THE CID
AND PIONEERS SQUARE
THAT COULDN'T
COME HERE TODAY. I'M SURE THERE
WILL BE
MORE PEOPLE THAT COME
FORWARD AT OUR PUBLIC HEARING
THAT IS SCHEDULED
FOR FEBRUARY 24th.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
PLUG FOR THE COALITION OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE BRINGING THIS FORWARD
AND THE BROAD BASE OF SUPPORT IT
HAS, THAT THIS PUTS -- THIS IS
THE WIND UNDERNEATH MY SAILS.
WE ALL RECEIVED THIS LETTER FROM
THE COALITION, LOTS
OF LOGOS. I DO BELIEVE THAT A
LETTER
WAS SENT OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS,
AGAIN, WITH ADDITIONAL LOGOS OF
SUPPORT INCLUDING
ADDITIONALLY THE OCW 3,000,
WHICH IT'S GOOD
TO BE ON THE SAME SIDE ON SOME
THINGS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
EVERYONE, AND THIS WILL
BE CONTINUED OVER THE NEXT MONTH
OR
SO. THE NEXT MEETING IS THE 24th
AT
9:30.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BYE-BYE.
MEETING ADJOURNED.