[ MUSIC PLAYING ]
>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THE OCTOBER 31st, 2025 SPECIAL
LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETING
WILL COME TO ORDER.
IT IS 10:02 A.M. I'M MARK
SOLOMON.
CHAIR OF THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JAUR
RAZ.
>>
HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER [ INAUDIBLE
].
>>
PRESENT.
>> CHAIR
SOLOMON.
>>
HERE.
>> THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS RIVERA
AND STRAUSS ARE EXCUSED FROM
TODAY'S
MEETING.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION THE
AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED: HEARING
NONE, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY
MUCH FOR COMING TO THIS
SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN
FRIDAY SPECIAL LAND USE
COMMITTEE
MEETING.
I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK
OUR CENTRAL STAFF, OUR FOLKS
FROM
SDCI AND THE BEST CLERK IN
THE WORLD FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> YES.
APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE.
THERE ARE, LET'S SEE --
THERE'S HALLOWEEN CANDY ON
THE TABLE OVER THERE, SO IF YOU
NEED
SUGAR, PLEASE HELP YOURSELVES.
WITH THAT WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT -- PUBLIC
HYBRID COMMENT PERIOD.
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
YEAH, THAT THING.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE
TO THOSE APPOINTMENTS ON THE
AGENDA AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF
THIS
COMMITTEE.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE REGISTERED
TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 6 AND 7 ON
THE AGENDA RELATED TO
SEPA THRESHOLDS FOR
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLANS,
WE WILL ACCEPT
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THOSE ITEMS
ONCE WE GET TO THOSE AND
OPEN PUBLIC HEARING.
NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO DO HAVE A TIME CONSTRAINT,
THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL
BE RELATIVELY BRIEF, SO
THAT YOU WILL HAVE YOUR
OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND ALSO TO BE CLEAR, YOU
KNOW, OTHER THAN THE ITEMS 1
THROUGH 5
ON THE AGENDA, THERE WILL BE
NO VOTES ON ITEMS 6 AND 7 TODAY.
SO JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THAT
GOING
FORWARD.
SO HOW MANY -- CLERK, HOW MANY
SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE SIGNED
UP
FOR TODAY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> WE CURRENTLY HAVE
ZERO IN- PERSON SPEAKERS AND
TWO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL GO WITH REMOTE SPEAKERS.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES.
CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE
MODERATED IN THE FINAL WAY, 20
MINUTES, THEY WILL BE
CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY ARE
REGISTERED. WE WILL MOVE TO
REMOTE SPEAKERS
UNTIL THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS CONCLUDED.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
SORRY, JUST ONE SECOND.
THAT PERSON WILL BE TOBY THALER.
JUST A REMINDER, THIS
SHOULD RELATE TO THE
APPOINTMENTS.
IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
SEPA THRESHOLDS, PLEASE
SPEAK ABOUT IT AT THE PUBLIC
HEARING.
>> OKAY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
AGAIN, EACH PERSON HAS TWO
MINUTES, NOT 20 SECONDS.
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6 AND
BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE
READY.
>> TOBY, ARE YOU HERE?
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE TOBY IS HERE.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO DAVID
HAINES.
DAVID -- AND IT DOESN'T LOOK
LIKE DAVID IS HERE, EITHER.
DAVID HAINES JUST POPPED
UP.
>> OKAY.
>> DAVID .
PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
>> HI.
DAVID HAINES.
THIS COUNCIL'S RACIST AGENDA
TO BUTTON PUSH POLITICS IS USED
TO DISTRACT FROM THE FACT
THAT YOU'RE WATER RING DOWN
THE INTEGRITY OF THE
ENVIRONMENTEL CONCERNS BY
FORCING PEOPLE TO
LIVE NEXT TO TOXIC,
LOUD, OBNOXIOUSLY MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS
CAUSING LOCATIONS OF BUSES AND
TRAINS.
TRANSIT ORIENTED HOUSING.
WHERE YOU ARE NOT
EVEN CONSIDERING NOISE- ABATED
WALLS TO GIVE PEOPLE A REPRIEVE.
WHERE SELF- DEALING LANDLORDS ON
THE COUNCIL ARE PERFECTLY FINE
WITH RENTERS LIVING IN THE
WORST LOCATIONS SPREAD
THROUGHOUT
THE CITY AS LONG AS IT
DOESN'T IMPACT CITY COUNCIL'S
RENTAL PROPERTIES DESIGNED TO
OPPRESS THE WORKING CLASS.
NOW COUNCIL CONTINUES
WITH THEIR RACE WAR BUTTON
PUSHING IGNORANCE TO DISTRACT
FROM THE
FACT THAT THEY'RE BACK
STABBING EVERYBODY WITH LOW-
QUALITY NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
DON'T
COMPETE WITH THEIR SECOND
MORTGAGE INVESTMENT DESIGNED TO
DRAIN
THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE WORKING
CLASS.
TAMMY MORALES IS ONE OF
THE WORST, MOST SWORN
LIVED EXPERIENCES TO DUMPED HER
TRAUMA MONGERING INTO HARDLY
BAD POLICIES THAT ARE BASED
ON BUTTON PUSHING BLACK AND
BROWN PEOPLE OF COLOR WHILE
HATING
ON THE GRINGOS AND YOU ALL
ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON THIS
GOD- GOD- FORSAKEN POLICY.
ON THE SIDE OF THE
TRANSIT ORIENTED LOCATION THAT
HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO NOISE
ABATEMENT WALLS OR ANY
CONSIDERATION
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THAT PEOPLE
ARE
GOING TO BE FORCED TO LIVE IN.
IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE MODERN
THIRD- WORLD INNER CITY SPREAD
THROUGHOUT.
IT'S GOING TO DRIVE THEM
TO DRINK
THEMSELVES TO SLEEP AND HAVE THE
WORST MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS WE'VE SEEN IN
21st
CENTURY ALL BECAUSE YOU ALL WANT
TO SABOTAGE THE INTEGRITY OF THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND ACT
LIKE YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING A
FAVOR PUTTING THEM RIGHT NEXT TO
THE
BUSES AND TRAINS AS IF THEY HAVE
NO EXCUSE TO GET TO WORK
BECAUSE NOW
THEY'VE GOT TRANSPORTATION
RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR DOOR.
WE NEED A MORE ROBUST,
PEDESTRIAN- CENTRIC,
RESIDENT- FRIENDLY
DEVELOPMENT, NOT THIS
REGURGITATION OF A
CAR CENTRIC THAT'S --
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
TOBY?
ARE YOU HERE?
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT.
>> OKAY.
>> CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR
SPEAKERS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THAT WAS OUR LAST PUBLIC
COMMENTER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW CLOSED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
FIRST ITEMS OF BUSINESS.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ
ITEMS 1 THROUGH 5 INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 1 THROUGH
5 APPOINTMENT 03323 THROUGH
3327.
DID HE HAVE MAN LAUK MAN
FOR TERM THROUGH FEBRUARY 28,
2026, ERIC ALIPIO A TERM
FEBRUARY 28,
2027 AND AMIRA
BEASLEY, ERNESTO OLIVA AND E.N.
WEST FOR A
TERM FEBRUARY 29,
2028.
>> THIS IS FOR A
BRIEF DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
THANK YOU.
SO DO WE HAVE OPCD
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
AND THE
WORK -- THE
REPRESENTATIVES BRING THESE
NOMINATIONS FORWARD?
I SEE IT SAYS
GIULIA?
>> GIULIA, WE CANNOT HEAR
YOU.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES.
THANK
YOU.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
HELLO, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS GIULIA PASCIUTO, I
AM THE FUNDING AND
COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS MANAGER
FOR
THE SEATTLE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE AND I'M
CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ACTING
DIRECTOR
FOR THE PROGRAM.
I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
COUNCIL MEB SOLOMON
AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
AND FOR SLOTTING US IN DURING
AN EXCEPTIONALLY BUSY MONTH.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO
THOSE FIVE COMMITTEE
APPOINTMENTS, OUR
BOARD APPOINTMENTS AND SHARE A
LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THE BOARD.
SO THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE ADVISORY
BOARD WAS
ESTABLISHED TO ADVISE AND
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE CITY IN CONNECTION WITH
ITS EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGIES AND GOALS, PROVIDE
GUIDANCE
AND RECOMMENDATION FOR
THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AND
PROMOTE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY
FOR HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF
COLOR, IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES, LGBTQIA COMMUNITIES
AND PEOPLE
WITH DISABILITIES WITHIN
SEATTLE.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOR
THE BOARD IS PROVIDED BY
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT STAFF.
THE EDI ADVISORY BOARD HAS
13 MEMBERS PURSUANT TO ORDINANCE
126173, ALL MEMBERS ARE
SUBJECT TO CITY OF SEATTLE
CONFIRMATION.
THE EDI ADVISORY BOARD TERMS
ARE THREE YEARS AND THEY
ARE STAGGERED SO WE DON'T
HAVE EVERYBODY COMING ON AND
OFF AT THE SAME TIME AND NO
MEMBER
SHALL SERVE MORE THAN TWO
CONSECUTIVE TERMS.
ONE UNIQUE THING ABOUT THE
EDI ADVISORY BOARD IS HOW
THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS ARE
MADE, SO THREE OF THEM ARE MADE
BY CITY COUNCIL, THREE OF THEM
ARE
APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND
SEVEN OF THEM ARE APPOINTED BY
THE ADVISORY BOARD THEMSELVES
TO RETAIN A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
BY THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY
AND SERVE AS ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE
PROGRAM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE
VACANCIES, TWO POSITIONS,
ONE AND TWO ARE MAYOR'S
OFFICE APPOINTMENTS AND POSITION
FOUR
AND SIXSIX COUNCIL
APPOINTMENTS, POSITION SEVEN IS
A BOARD APPOINTMENT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THREE
OF THE POSITIONS WERE VACATED
DUE TO THE TERM BEINGBEING AND
THE TWO ADDITIONAL ONES
WERE VACATED DUE TO THE CAPACITY
OF
THE PARTICIPANTS AT THAT TIME.
AND ALL FIVE OF THESE POSITIONS
WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RENEW FOR A SECOND TERM OF
THREE YEARS FROM THE TERM
EXPIRATION
DATE.
WE'RE SHARING HERE THE BIOS FOR
THE APPOINTED -- THE
FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED
FOR
APPOINTMENT.
THE FIRST PERSON, I'M NOT GOING
TO READ EVERY SINGLE THING
ABOUT THEM, BUT THE FIRST PERSON
IS
STEPHANIE LACHMAN WHO IS BEING
RECOMMENDED FOR POSITION 2.
STEPHANIE IS A LOAN
OFFICER AT THE PEOPLE'S SOLAR
ENERGY
FUND, A MEMBER- DIRECTED
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT
SUPPORTS COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH
AFFORDABLE FINANCING, CAPACITY
BUILDING
AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO
ADVANCE
COMMUNITY- ACCOUNTABLE
CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS.
AND PRIOR TO HER WORK AT THE
PEOPLE'S SOLAR ENERGY
FUND, STEPHANIE WAS A SMALL
BUSINESS LENDER AND JUST BRINGS
A
WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE TO THE
ADVISORY BOARD.
THE SECOND PERSON IS
AMIRA BEASLEY WHO IS BEING
RECOMMENDED FOR POSITION 1.
AMIRA IS A
CAPITAL PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE
KING
COUNTY WASTEWATER TREATMENT
DIVISION
WHERE SHE LEADS LARGE- SCALE
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
CENTERED ON EQUITY,
SUSTAINABILITY
AND COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND PRIOR
TO HER CURRENT ROLE AMIRA
MANAGED CONTRACTS AT THE PORT OF
SEATTLE FOR EQUITY- FOCUSED
INITIATIVES.
SO SOMEBODY WHO WILL
BRING EXPERIENCE WITH CAPITAL
PROJECTS
AND PUBLIC FUNDING.
THE THIRD PERSON
IS ERNESTO OLIVA WHO IS BEING
RECOMMENDED
FOR POSITION 4.
I BELIEVE AT THE TIME THAT
WE SUBMITTED THIS -- SINCE THEN
ERNESTO HAS CHANGED ROLES IN
THEIR WORK, SO HE -- WHEN
HE APPLIED HE WAS A
COALITION MANAGER WITH OVER A
DECADE
OF EXPERIENCE ADVANCING
EQUITY THROUGH THE NONPROFIT
SECTOR
IN ARIZONA AND OREGON.
I BELIEVE NOW WORKS WITH
THE WASHINGTON IMMIGRANT
SOLIDARITY
NETWORK.
HIS WORK SPANS HOUSING JUSTICE,
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT, POLICY ADVOCACY AND
CROSS- SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THEN E.N. WEST IS
BEING RECOMMENDED FOR POSITION
7.
PROUDLY HAILS FROM THE D.C.
METRO AREA BY WAY OF
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA.
E.N. BELIEVES THAT WE ARE
UNINHIBITED WHEN WE KNOW
OUR POWER AND IS COMMITTED TO
CO- CREATING IN A WORLD -- I GOT
CUT OFF THERE -- E.N. IS
A PROUD SOUTH END RESIDENT AND
LOVES
LIVING IN COLUMBIA CITY
WITH THEIR PARTNER,
CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN BARBER
SCHOOL AS A
DREAM OF USING HAIR WORK AS
CARE WORK IN MUTUAL AID
EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND
THEY
HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL
IN WORKING WITH FAITH
INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE WORKING TO
DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
THEIR
VACANT LAND.
AND THEN THE LAST PERSON IS ERIC
ALIPIO WHO IS BEING
RECOMMENDED FOR POSITION 6.
ERIC IS NAVAJO AND
FILIPINO GRADUATE STUDENT
PURSUING A
MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
SINCE MOVING TO SEATTLE IN 2016
ERIC HAS BEEN DEEPLY
INFLUENCED BY THE REGION'S LONG-
STANDING TRADITIONS OF CIVIC
ACTIVISM
AND HIS OWN CULTURAL
HERITAGE, SHAPING HIS
COMMITMENT TO CENSORING
HISTORICALLY
MARGINALIZED VOICES.
ERIC HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH
THE KING COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN
AS PART OF THE EQUITY WORK GROUP
AND DEVELOPING ANTI-
DISPLACEMENT POLICIES THROUGH
THE
CITY'S STRATEGY AND
IMPLEMENTATION
PLAN.
WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE
EXPANDING OUR BOARD
OR APPOINTING FOLKS TO OUR BOARD
TO
FILL UP THE VACANT POSITIONS.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER
ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE
ABOUT THE BOARD OR ABOUT THETHE
CANDIDATES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COLLEAGUES, FELLOW COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS FOR OUR
PRESENTER REGARDING THESE
APPOINTEES?
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NONE, I MOVE
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
THE CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENTS
3323 THROUGH 3327.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>>
SECOND.
>> ALL RIGHT.
IT HAS BEEN --
>>
SECOND.
>> OKAY.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE
COMMITTEE?
HEARING NONE WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER [ INAUDIBLE
].
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
>>
AYE.
>> THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION TO CONFIRM
APPOINTMENTS
3323 THROUGH 3327 WILL BE SENT
TO THE
NOVEMBER 12th CITY COUNCIL
MEETING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 6 ON
THE AGENDA, WILL CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM 6 INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 6, 121093
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO LAND
USE AND ZONING, REVISING
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW THRESHOLDS
AND RELATED PROVISIONS
ADDRESSING
TRANSPORTATION-RELATED
REQUIREMENTS AND ARCHEOLOGICAL
AND CULTURAL RESOURCE
PRESERVATION REQUIREMENTS,
AMENDING THE TITLE OF CHAPTER
OF THE SNC.
>> THIS ITEM IS FOR BRIEF
DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS LEGISLATION UPDATES
THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY ACT OR SEPA
THRESHOLDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW AND
OTHER PROVISIONS RELATED TO LAND
USING,
PERMITTING, TRANSPORTATION AND
ARCHEOLOGICAL
AND CULTURAL RESOURCE
PRESERVATION.
AS PRESIDING OFFICER I AM NOW
OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING
ON COUNCIL BILL 121093 RELATED
TO AMENDING THE CITY'S
SUBDIVISION
REGULATIONS.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING
ON 121093?
>> WE HAVE FOUR IN- PERSON
AND ONE
REMOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
EACH PERSON WILL HAVE
TWO MINUTES SO WE WILL CALL YOU
UP IN THE ORDER IN WHICH YOU
HAD SIGNED UP.
WE WILL PROCEED WITH
THE IN- PERSON COMMENTERS FIRST
AND THEN GO TO OUR REMOTE
COMMENTER.
AND, AGAIN, EACH
PERSON WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
DO WE REALLY NEED TO READ
THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOU AGAIN
OR Y'ALL GOT IT?
>> WE DO.
>> WE DO?
>>
YEAH.
>> I'M -- I KNOW YOU KNOW
IT, I HAVE TO READ IT.
>> [ INAUDIBLE ] --
REGISTRATION WILL REMAIN OPEN IN
THEEL CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
HEARING. THE SAME PUBLIC COMMENT
RULES APPLY TO THIS PUBLIC
HEARING.
TEN SECOND NOTICE MEANS
IT'S TIME TO WRAP UP COMMENTS.
PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO
COUNCIL BILL 121093 IS ONLY
BEING PRESENTED AT THIS PUBLIC
MEETING.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO
BEGIN THEIR COMMENTS BY STATING
THEIR
NAME.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> GREAT.
THANK
YOU.
>> PLEASE
BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING
US CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN.
>>
BOO.
>> GOOD MORNING.
SO I'M SANDY SHETLER.
I AM COMMENTING ON 121093.
PLEASE ASK HARD QUESTIONS
AND DON'T ALLOW THIS BILL TO
PASS OUT OF COMMITTEE.
BUILDING ABUNDANT HOUSING AND
GROWING OUR ECONOMY DOES NOT
NEED TO GO TOGETHER
WITH DEGRADING THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT WE DEPEND ON.
YESTERDAY I MET WITH ATLANTA'S
URBAN FORESTRY LEADERS.
ATLANTA HAS NEARLY 50%
TREE CANOPY AND THEY'RE GROWING
IT, EVEN AS THEY PLAN FOR
MORE HOUSING AND JOBS FOR 2
MILLION PEOPLE EXPECTED TO MOVE
TO THEIR
METRO REGION BY 2050.
THEY'RE PREPARING FOR
GROWTH WITH THOUGHTFUL POLICIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EVERY EIGHT NEW
PAVED PARKING SPOTS ADDED TO ANY
COMMERCIAL OR RESIDENTIAL
PROJECT, ONE LARGE SHADE TREE
WITH SPACE TO GROW IS REQUIRED.
IN CONTRAST, THE BILL BEFORE
YOU TODAY MORE THAN DOUBLES THE
NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES EXEMPT
FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
FROM 40 TO 90.
IT DOUBLES THE AMOUNT OF SOIL
THAT CAN BE SCRAPED FROM A
SITE FROM 500 TO 1,000 CUBIC
YARDS, FILLING A DUMP TRUCK
100 TIMES. INSTEAD OF BEING THE
EMERALD
GREEN CITY SEATTLE COULD
BE KNOWN AS THE GREEN WASHING
CITY.
PLEASE PLAN TO VOTE NO AND
THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE DAVE --
>>
GLOGER.
>> OF
COURSE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAMED IS DAVE GLOGER AND I
LIVE IN DISTRICT 5.
I HAVE TO SAY I'M SHOCKED
THAT COUNCIL BILL 121093
WOULD CONSIDER THE EIS FOR THE
ONE SEATTLE PLAN TO BE ANY KIND
OF ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARD.
THE CIS IS ALREADY OUT OF DATE.
IT WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE NUMBER
OF HOUSING UNITS COVERED BY THE
ONE SEATTLE PLAN WAS MORE THAN
DOUBLED, EFFECTIVELY
RENDERING IT INVALID.
YET IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE
THE STANDARD FOR THE NEXT 20
YEARS.
THE EIS DOES NOT MENTION THE
KILLER WHALS IN PUGET SOUND.
HOW MANY MORE ORCA DEATHS DO
WE NEED TO READ ABOUT AS WE
SEE IN THE PAPER BEFORE WE TAKE
SOME
ACTION?
WE ARE NOT THE ONLY
INTELLIGENCE BEINGS ON THIS
PLANET
BUT IGNORING THE WHALES WOULD
INDICATE THAT WE ARE NOT SO
INTELLIGENT. THE EIS STATES FOR
GREEN
LAKE THAT THERE IS NO WATER
CLARITY
IMPAIRMENT, HOWEVER,
THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT
OF
ECOLOGY STATES THAT GREEN LAKE
HAS A LEVEL 5 WATER
QUALITY IMPAIRMENT.
THIS IS DUE TO HARMFUL ALGAE
BLOOMS, PHOSPHOROUS IN THE
WATER AND ORGANIC CHEMICALS AND
FISH TISSUES LIKE PESTICIDES AND
PCBs.
HOW DID THE PEOPLE WHO DID THE
EIS MISS THIS VITAL DATA
WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE
WEBSITE FOR A STATE AGENCY?
AND THE EIS ALSO STATES THAT
THE CURRENT STORM WATER RUNOFF
INTO SEATTLE STREAMS IS A
RESULTING IN 86% MORTALITY OF
CO- HOST
SALMON, BUT IT DOESN'T
LIST ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN
INCREASE THE --
HOW INCREASING THE DENSITY
WILL AFFECT THIS, SO HOW CAN WE
HAVE AN EIS THAT CLAIMS TO BE
OUR STANDARD BUT IT DOESN'T
EVEN
SAY HOW TO MAINTAIN OUR
STANDARDS
OR IMPROVE OUR IMPACTS ON
WHALES AND FISH?
THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS A
CLAIM THAT SEATTLE WAS A
PROGRESSIVE
CITY, WHICH DOES
MEAN CARING ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT.
DON'T GIVE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTIONS AWAY WITH
COUNCIL BILL 121093 AS IT IS
CURRENTLY
WRITTEN.
FIX IT SO WE CAN ADJUST OUR --
ADJUST OUR ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEWS AS TIMES CHANGE.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
MENTION UP WE HAVE MARTHA BROWN.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS MARTHA BROWN
AND I AM A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT
4
AND I'M HERE TO COMMENT ON
121093.
I'M URGING THAT THE COUNCIL NOT
PASS THIS WITHOUT THE FOLLOWING
CONSIDERATIONS,
PROVIDING ANALYSIS OF
APPLICATION OF
SEPA FOR IMPERVIOUS SURFACES
INCREASES, THE COMP PLAN DID NOT
ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THIS.
ALSO PROVIDING ANALYSIS OF THE
SDCI AND
OTHER REGULATORY AGENCIES TO
ENFORCE EQUIVALENT PROTECTIONS
AS SEPA.
SDCI CANNOT ENFORCE
THEIR CURRENT VIOLATIONS.
PROTECTING PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL
INPUT, CONTINUE SEPA UNTIL
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
UPDATES ARE COMPLETED TO ENSURE
ADEQUATE PROTECTIONS FOR ORCAS,
SALMON, WATER, HUMANS,
TREES AND OUR GREEN SPACES.
CONSULTING LOCAL TRIBES
TO DEVELOP AN ADEQUATE EIS
FOR CULTURALLY MODIFIED TREES
AND STORM WATER IMPACTS
BEFORE REMOVING SEPA REVIEW.
REMOVING THE '90s BASED PARKING
LOTS AND 330,000 SQUARE
FOOT RETAIL EXEMPTIONS TO ALIGN
WITH
RCW 29293, RESTORING THE
50% FLOOR AREA HOUSING
BACKUP FROM
ONE UNIT OF HOUSING IN THE
PROPOSED BILL, LINING THE
EXEMPTION THRESHOLD TO THE
120,000 HOUSING UNITS COVERED
BY THE COMP PLAN -- COMP PLAN
EIS.
INCREASING THE HOUSING UNITS
AFTER THE EIS WAS COMPLETED
INN VALIDATES IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
THANKS FOR THE HALLOWEEN
CANDY.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE JENNIFER
GOTFREED.
>> THANK YOU.
JENNIFER.
OUR 74 NATIVE KIT CLEE
ENDANGERED ORCA BABIES ARE
DYING AT HIGH RATES.
SCIENTISTS KEEP SAYING WE NEED
TO TRY SOMETHING
MASSIVELY DIFFERENT RIGHT AWAY
OR THEY WILL GO AWAY.
THE RECOVERY PLAN WAS WRITTEN
IN 2008 YET SEATTLE WAS IGNORED
THE RECOMMENDATIONS NOT JUST ON
HALLOWEEN.
SEATTLE USES ORCAS FOR
TOURISM ADVERTISING YET THIS
BILL
STRIPS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
FOR BUILDING THE HARD SURFACES
THAT INCREASE ONE OF THEIR TOP
THREATS.
WHEN IT RAINS POLLUTANTS
ARE WASHED OFF OF HARD SURFACES
DOWN TO STORM DRAINS, LIKE MAN
MADE
STREAMS INTO WATERWAYS.
EVERYWHERE THERE IS A STREAM
THERE IS A WATERSHED.
SB 5412 IS NOT MANDATORY.
SEATTLE'S RESPONSE WITH
121093 LEAVE ENFORCEMENT WITH
AGENCIES
LIKE SDCI WHO HAVE
LARGELY FAILED TO ENFORCE A TREE
CODE.
I'M FRIGHTENED TO SEE THIS
LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ROLL-
BACKS IN A
SO- CALLED PROGRESSIVE CITY.
THE WHEREAS SECTION
IT INCORRECTLY STATES THE COMP
PLAN EIS WAS ADEQUATE WHEN IT
DOESN'T MEET LOTS OF THE RC --
RC
W- 4321C 230 C.
SO PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER THIS
BILL WITHOUT ASSESSING
THE ACTUAL IMPACTS.
PLEASE ANALYZE THE HARD
SURFACE AND STORM WATER IMPACTS
ON ENDANGERED SPECIES.
THE CAPACITY OF
OVERBURDENED AGENCIES TO TAKE ON
MORE
ENFORCEMENT.
PLEASE REMOVE THE 30,000
SQUARE FOOT RETAIL ALLOWANCE
WHICH
IS NOT FOUND IN SB 5412 AT ALL.
REMOVE THE REDUCTION IN
HOUSING INCENTIVES THAT REDUCES
THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS
REQUIRED TO GET ENVIRONMENTAL --
THIS EXEMPTION FROM 50% FLOOR
AREA DOWN TO ONLY ONE UNIT.
IT ALSO DOUBLES
THE PARKING LOT SIZE FROM 40 TO
90
SPACES [ INAUDIBLE ] ALIGN WITH
THE ACTUAL 120,000 HOUSING
UNITS ACTUALLY SCUD YEED IN THE
EIS
TO TRIGGER
THIS. WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE ORCAS
US.
THANK
YOU.
>> THAT IS OUR LAST IN- PERSON
COMMENTER.
WE DO HAVE ONE REMOTE COMMENTER
AND THAT IS TOBY THALER.
TAUPY, -- TOBY, ARE YOU HERE?
TOBY DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE
PRESENT.
WE WILL HAVE A SECOND
PUBLIC HEARING AFTER THIS
PRESENTATION.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU KNOW, THE CHAIR'S
PRIVILEGE IS JUST ASK ARE ANY OF
YOU HERE FOR THE PUBLIC
HEARING REGARDING THE SECOND
ITEM
OR ITEM 7 ON THE AGENDA?
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT
IF YOU WERE HERE TO
OFFER COMMENTARY OR DURING THE
PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE SECOND
ITEM
ON THE AGENDA, THAT YOU HAD TIME
DO SO GIVEN THAT SOME OF YOU
HAVE SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS.
SO IF YOU ARE NOT HERE
TO COMMENT ON THAT ONE,
THEN WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE
PRESENTATION FROM OUR FOLKS FROM
SDCI REGARDING ITEM 6 ON
THE AGENDA.
SO, PLEASE, INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES FOR THE RECORD AND
BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE READY.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SOLOMON.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU
ALL FOR HOLDING THIS DURING WHAT
I KNOW IS A VERY BUSY BUDGET
TIME.
THIS CHAIR IN PARTICULAR
HAS DONE A MARVELOUS JOB IN
MANAGING ALL OF THE COMPETING
REGULATIONS SO WE DO WANT TO SAY
THANK
YOU FOR THAT.
I WILL INTRODUCE MYSELF, I'M
THE
POLICY DIRECTOR AT SDCI, I
WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES
WHO I WILL LET THEM INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES.
I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW
BRIEF THINGS ABOUT SEPA
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THIS IS A
RELATIVELY
STRAIGHT- FORWARD PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT IS ENACTING
STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN
DIRECTED BY THE STATE TO
CONSIDER,
IT CAN BE CONFUSING.
JUST AS A WAY OF BACKGROUND,
THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF SEPA WAS
AS A
BACKSTOP TO REGULATIONS.
SINCE THE 1970s OUR
LOCAL REGULATIONS HAVE GOTTEN
INCREASINGLY
COMPLEX, INCREASINGLY INTEGRATED
WITH
STATE LAW AND FEDERAL LAW
AND THEY HAVE OVER TIME
PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE THE
MORE ADEQUATE AND EFFECTIVE WAY
OF REGULATING AND
MITIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS.
SUCH THAT WE SEE THE NEED FOR
SEPA OVER TIME HAS DROPPED
DOWN, AS EVIDENCED BY THE NUMBER
OF REVIEWS THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO
SUCCESSFULLY PASS PERMITTING,
VERY LIMITED NUMBERS OF
APPEALS, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE
LAST TIME
A SEPA DECISION WAS ACTUALLY
OVERTURNED.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME THAT HAVE
BEEN REMANDED AND THAT'S PART
OF
THE PROCESS.
BUT ULTIMATELY THE PURPOSE
OF SEPA AS A BACKSTOP HAS BEEN
SOMETHING THAT HAS SHIFTED
AND AS IT HAS SHIFTED TO THE
NEED FOR A LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT
SDCI IS RESPONDING AS THE CITY
WAS DIRECTED TO CONSIDER BY THE
STATE.
IN ESSENCE THIS PACKAGE IS
TO ALIGN US WITH NOT JUST
A PRACTICE THAT WE'VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN SINCE 2023 WHEN THE
STATE
PASSED 5412 WITH YOU TO
RIGHT SIZE THE REGULATIONS IN
OUR
SEPA ORDINANCE WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING
THAT OUR CODES ARE
VOLUMINOUS INADEQUATE TO ADDRESS
MOST
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND
THAT SEPA IS NEEDED LESS AND
LESS.
WITH THAT I WILL TURN TO MY
COLLEAGUES AND LET THEM
SPEAK.
>> HI, I'M GORDON CLOWERS WITH
SDCI.
SHARING THE PRESENTATION,
THERE IT IS.
OKAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE
LEGISLATION
HERE ON SEPA THRESHOLD UPDATES
AND I WILL JUST DESCRIBE A FEW
BASIC THINGS ABOUT THIS TO START
OUT WITH AND THEN WE WILL SHARE
A NUMBER OF OUR OBSERVATIONS AND
PROPOSALS.
SEPA STANDS FOR THE
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT,
STATE LAWS SINCE THE EARLY
1970s.
THE SEPA RULES AS USED
BY SEATTLE OFTEN REQUIRE
AN ANALYSIS OF WHETHER
DEVELOPMENT WILL GENERATE
SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS OR
NOT.
AND THEN THE SEPA THRESHOLDS
ARE THE -- THEY DEFINE THE
LINE BETWEEN PROJECTS THAT DO
REQUIRE THE SEPA REVIEW AND
PROJECTS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE THE
SEPA
REVIEW.
SO WE'RE RECONSIDERING THAT.
AND AS DAVID HAS
SAID, THE STATE -- OR THE RANGE
OF CITY
LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO
OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS
HAVE HELPED TO COVER A LOT OF
THE BASES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT
PROTECTION, THINGS LIKE
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITICAL
AREAS ORDINANCE AND SO ON, SUCH
THAT WE HAVE LESS RELIANCE ON
SEPA
REVIEW THAN WE HAVE HAD IN THE
PAST.
SO -- HERE WE GO. OUTLINE OF OUR
DISCUSSION
TODAY WILL BE FIRST TO TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES
AND LEGISLATION AND KEY FINDINGS
AND THEN DESCRIBE THE RANGE
OF PROPOSED FINDINGS TO
THE THRESHOLDS AND THEN HOW
THESE RELATE TO GROWTH
ESTIMATES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN AND COVER
OTHER DETAILS ABOUT ARCHAEOLOGIC
RESOURCES AND TRANSPORTATION
REGULATION UPDATES.
THOSE LATTER TWO, SOME THINGS
THAT ARE REQUESTED BY THE STATE
FOR US TO REVIEW AS PART OF THIS
PROCESS.
AND SO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE
LEGISLATION HERE REALLY
RELATE TO THE -- THEY RESPOND TO
STATE
GUIDANCE ON -- THAT'S EVOLVING
QUICKLY ON SUPPORTING HOUSING
AND SUPPORTING STREAMLINING OF
PERMITTING AND TRANS --
DEVELOPMENT. THIS GOES ALONG
WITH THE
CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
UPDATE
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SEEKING TO,
YOU
KNOW, ESTABLISH A NEW
PATTERN FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS OF
GROWTH.
SO OVERALL WE'RE TRIED TO
ALIGN THE SEPA REGULATIONS AND
RELATED
PROVISIONS WITH THE
INTENT OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
AS WELL
AS RECENT STATE LEGISLATION.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS, YOU
KNOW, REALLY -- AND THIS IS A
REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO
SUPPORT FASTER HOUSING
PRODUCTION, STREAMLINING OF THE
PERMIT
PROCESS AND MIDDLE HOUSING,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WE CAN DO
THAT BY REDUCING
THE NUMBER OF TIMES WHICH
AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS
REQUIRED FOR NEW HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS A STEP WHERE OUR STAFF
OTHERWISE HAVE TO ANALYZE
THE POTENTIAL FOR THE
SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS.
IT TAKES TIME, IT ADDS SOME RISK
TO THE PERMIT REVIEW TIME FRAME.
SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME
TANGIBLE PROCESS ON
THESE EFFORTS AND ALL OF THESE
GOALS.
ALSO NOTED HERE IS THAT WE
LOOK TO SUPPORT EASIER
PERMITTING FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN KINDS
OF CHANGES THAT A SMALL
BUSINESS WILL BECOME IN LOOKING
FOR,
CHANGING OF USE WITHIN
AN EXISTING STRUCTURE.
THAT CAN BE CAUGHT UP IN A
SEPA REVIEW AND WE LOOK TO
EASE THAT -- EASE THOSE RULES SO
THAT
WE CAN MORE OFTEN JUST GRANT
THE SMALL BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT WITHOUT A SEPA
REVIEW AND MUCH
QUICKER.
SO THE BIG CONCEPT HERE FOR OUR
CHANGES IS TO ADDRESS THE
RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT --
SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
WITH EASIER PERMITTING AND
TO RELATE IT TO THE CITY- WIDE
PERSPECTIVE, CITY- WIDE
APPROACH TO COMPREHENSIVE
PLANNING
THAT WE ARE PURSUING NOW AND TO
REORIENT THE SEPA
THRESHOLDS FROM BEING ON A
CENTER BY CENTER
OR URBAN VILLAGE BY
URBAN VILLAGE BASIS TO BEING SET
AT
CITY- WIDE LEVELS THAT APPLIED
CITY-WIDE FOR BOTH
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL USES.
AND THE -- ALONG WITH THAT
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MONITOR
GROWTH
OVER THE TIME THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS IN EFFECT
AND GAUGE HOW
MUCH GROWTH HAS HAPPENED
AND THAT WILL INFORM THE CITY-
WIDE APPLICATION OF THE HIGHER
SEPA
THRESHOLDS.
THE BIGGER -- THE BIG MOVE
THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE IS TO
PROPOSE
THAT ALL DEVELOPMENT
THAT INCLUDES RESIDENTIAL USES,
INCLUDING MIXED USE
DEVELOPMENT, WOULD BE EXEMPT
FROM SEPA
REVIEW AS LONG AS THE CITY IS
STILL GROWING HAS NOT MET THE
CITY-WIDE GROWTH TARGET.
SO THAT IS -- THAT IS A
CHANGE FROM OUR CURRENT SYSTEM
THATTHAT
HAD ZONE BY ZONE OR CENTER BY
CENTER- DEFINED THRESHOLDS.
AND WE WOULD ALSO BE
UPDATING THE NONRESIDENTIAL USE
THRESHOLDS TO THE HIGHEST
LEVELS THAT ARE ACCOMMODATED BY
THE
STATE.
THOSE ARE IN THE -- THE
STATE LAWS CALLED THE WAC, THE
SEPA RULES THAT ALLOW US TO
RAISE THE
THRESHOLDS HIGHER THAN THEY
ARE TODAY IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE
UP
TO A CERTAIN LEVEL AND WE
ARE PROPOSING TO GO TO THE
HIGHEST
LEVELS. AND JUST AS AN OVERVIEW
HERE,
MENTIONING, AGAIN, THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AT CERTAIN
TOPICS RELATED TO ARCHAEOLOGIC
RESOURCES, BRINGING THOSE UP TO
MATCH STATE LAW AND ALSO
UPDATING CERTAIN
TRANSPORTATION- RELATED CODE
ITEMS.
SO THE COLLARS ON
THE NONRESIDENTIAL SEPA
THRESHOLDS ARE TO HAVE A MAXIMUM
SEPA THRESHOLD OF 30,000 SQUARE
FEET FOR RETAIL USES, BELOW THAT
SIZE WE WOULD NOT NEED SEPA
REVIEW, BUT ABOVE THAT SIZE WE
WOULD.
AND FOR OTHER NONRETAIL
NONRESIDENTIAL USES SUCH
AS INDUSTRIAL USES OR SO ON,
THAT LIMIT WOULD GO UP TO 65,000
SQUARE FEET.
AND OTHER LISTED CHANGES HERE
ARE ONES THAT THE STATE ALSO
HAD RAISED IN THE PAST TO
HIGHER MAXIMUMS THAN WE
CURRENTLY HAVE.
SO A STAND- ALONE PARKING LOT
BEING RAISED, I BELIEVE IT WAS
FROM 50 TO 90 SPACES,
NOT NEEDING SEPA REVIEW.
AND THE OTHER ADJUSTING
OF GRADING REGS -- GRADING
MINIMUMS AND SO ON.
SO AS I HAD MENTIONED, THE
CITY- WIDE PROPOSAL, CITY-
WIDE SEPA THRESHOLD SETTING
WOULD
ALLOW US TO REPLACE THE INFIELD
TARGETS.
IN THE PAST WE HAVE DEFINED
CENTER BY CENTER, VILLAGE
BY VILLAGE AND JUST MONITOR ON A
CITY- WIDE BASIS.
IF WE DO MEET THE CITY-
WIDE GROWTH TARGETS WITHIN THE
NEXT 20 YEARS AT THAT POINT WE
WOULD
NEED TO FALL BACK TO A LOWER --
A LOWER SEPA REVIEW LEVEL.
200 DWELLING UNITS, FOR
EXAMPLE, WE HAVE HAD IN DOWNTOWN
AND OTHER MAJOR URBAN CENTERS
UNDER THE PAST COMP PLAN.
SO THAT IS A LEVEL AT WHICH,
YOU KNOW, WE ARE EXEMPTING
SEPA REVIEW ALL TOGETHER IN
DOWNTOWN
UP UNTIL RECENTLY AND WE HAD
BEEN SEEING NOT MUCH --
NOT A LOT OF SEPA MITIGATION
BEING
IMPOSED ON DEVELOPMENT UP TO
THAT SIZE.
SO THE ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCE
TOPIC, THE STATE ASKED US TO --
ASKED ALL JURISDICTIONS
CONSIDERING THESE CHANGES TO
REVIEW THEIR ARCHEOLOGICAL
RESOURCE, CULTURAL RESOURCE
REGULATIONS AND POLICIES AND
PRACTICES.
WE HAVE TAKEN AN EFFORT TO
UPDATE OUR RULES AND
REGULATIONS TO FIT WITH THE
STATE LAW
AS IT
IS TODAY. THAT RETAINS A LOT OF
THE
EARLY WORK FOR ASSESSING
WHETHER THERE ARE CULTURAL
RESOURCES
OR ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
LIKELY
TO BE PRESENT IN AN AREA AND
ALSO FOR GRADING PERMITS, IN
PARTICULAR IF THEY ARE
OCCURRING IN CERTAIN AREAS WE'VE
ADDED A LITTLE BIT MORE
INFORMATION
TO EXPLORE THAT TOPIC IF THEY
ARE IN THOSE AREAS.
AND STATE LAW APPLIES TODAY AND
IT STILL WOULD WITH STOP
WORK ORDERS AND THINGS OF THAT
NATURE IF CULTURAL RESOURCES,
ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES
ARE FOUND ON A GIVEN SITE.
IF WE SUSPECT THOSE ARE
PRESENT AS WELL, WE CAN HAVE
MORE
UP- FRONT PRE- GRADING SORTS OF
INVESTIGATIONS. SO THE AREA THAT
WE HAVE
ADDED THOSE PROTECTIONS TO IS
CALLED THE MEANDER LINE BUFFER
AREA.
THIS IS THE MOST
INTERESTING PART OF THAT.
MEANDER LINE BUFFER MAP,
BUT PRIMARILY IN THE
DUOMISH RIVER VICINITY OR SOTO,
THE AREA IN
PURPLE SHOWS THE PRIOR
COURSE OF THE DUOMISH RIVER AND
WE KNOW
THERE WAS A LOT OF OCCUPATION
BY DUOMISH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN
THE PAST ALONG THE DUOMISH AREA.
SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT
HAVE SOME ELEVATED POTENTIAL FOR
THESE RESOURCES AND THE
PROPOSED GRADING REGULATION
ENHANCEMENTS
WOULD ALLOW FOR THAT TO
BE CONSIDERED IF A PROJECT
COMES ALONG IN THOSE AREAS.
I CAN PAUSE HERE AND
SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT
WHAT I'VE COVERED SO
FAR.
>> ACTUALLY, MR. CHAIR, I DO
HAVE A
QUESTION.
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
JUST BRIEFLY ON THE -- FIRST OF
ALL, YOU'VE GOT TO PUT
PAGE NUMBERS ON YOUR SLIDES,
GUY, BECAUSE IT DRIVES ME CRAZY
WHEN
I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE
AT. SO GOING BACK TO
THE ARCHEOLOGICAL PROTECTION
AND THEN THIS PIECE AND THE
DUOMISH AND SOME OTHER ISSUES
WE HAVE HAD WITH CULTURALLY
MODIFIED
TREES, ET CETERA.
SO DOES THE CITY CODE
CURRENTLY HAVE TRIBAL
NOTIFICATION AND DISCUSSION?
BECAUSE I KNOW SEPA DOES
OBVIOUSLY.
OUR STATE LAW, UNDER
THE STATE -- ALLISON BROOKS,
HER
OFFICE FOR THE STATE. SO IS THE
CITY -- DO
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE THAT AND IS
THAT IN THE WORKS?
>> WE DO HAVE THAT PRACTICE AND
IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE'RE LOOKING TO REINFORCE AND
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, YOU
KNOW, DOING IT MORE COMPLETELY.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL,
YES, WE DO CONTACT THE STATE,
ALLISON BROOKS AT THE DEPARTMENT
OF --
WHAT IS
IT -- ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORIC
PRESERVATION.
>>
YEAH.
>> THE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THAT
RESEARCH WORK CAN TAP A
NUMBER OF LITERATURE SOURCES AS
WELL
AS KNOWLEDGE FROM THAT
DEPARTMENT
OR ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, CONTACTS
WITH STRIKES AND SO ON
THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING AS
APPROPRIATE.
>> SO AS YOU WORK WITH THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND YOU
TRACK WITH THE STATE LAW I
THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A LANGUAGE
FOR TRAVEL NOTIFICATION
AND CONSULTATION BECAUSE
THAT'S REQUIRED UNDER FEDERAL
AND STATE
LAW.
AND I KNOW YOU WILL LOOK AT THE
STATE, IT ISN'T ENOUGH TO
JUST LOOK AT THE HISTORIC
LITERATURE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
THAT WRITE
THAT IT'S NOT REALLY THEIR
HISTORY, IT'S A DIFFERENT
NARRATIVE, AND WE'VE COME
UP AGAINST THIS MANY TIMES.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THE
PERSPECTIVE AND THE TRIBES ALL
HAVE ARCHEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL
RESOURCE OFFICERS.
>> YES.
>> EVERY TRIBE I KNOW IN THE
SOUND HAS CULTURAL RESOURCE
OFFICERS.
SO I'M HOPING WHEN YOU WORK WITH
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE AND YOU TRACK WITH THE
STATE
LAW, WHICH IS PRETTY
GOOD BECAUSE THEY TRACK WITH THE
FEDERAL LAW.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE
ALL SORTS OF CULTURAL
RESOURCE OFFICERS AND I'M SURE
THIS
IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO COME BACK
AT SOME POINT FOR A VOTE
SO I WILL BE TRACKING THIS AT
LEAST FOR
THE NEXT YEAR SO THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
AND WE DID NOTIFY THOSE
TRIBES FOR PART OF THIS PROPOSAL
THAT A SEPA REVIEW RECENTLY.
SO WE DID RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM
A COUPLE OF THEM, SO
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, DO YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
>> ALL
RIGHT.
>> NO, CHAIR, THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO, AGAIN,
PROCEED.
>> OKAY.
HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE
WITH THE -- ALMOST HAD IT.
THERE WE GO.
OKAY.
SO AS PART OF THETHE
HERE THE STATE ALSO ASKED US TO
LOOK
AT TRANSPORTATION CODES AND
PRACTICES AND THE GOAL IS
TO ENSURE THAT OUR CODES PROVIDE
THAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND GOOD -- PROVIDE
FOR GOOD TRANSPORTATION
OUTCOMES AND WE DID REVIEW
THE REGULATIONS WE HAVE ON A
COUPLE
IMPACT- RELATED MATTERS AND ARE
PROPOSING SOME
CLARIFICATION, SIMPLIFICATION OF
IT.
ONE OF THE -- WE HAVE TWO
TOPICS HERE, ONE IS
TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PLANS.
IT IS ONE OF THE IMPACT REDUCING
METHODS CONTAINED IN
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND WE
ARE CONTINUING ALONG THE
PROGRAM HERE THAT BUILDS OF A
CERTAIN SIZE ARE REQUIRED TO
HAVE A
TMP PLAN THAT REQUIRES OCCUPANTS
TO ENCOURAGE NONSINGLE
OCCUPANT VEHICLE TRAVEL, BUS,
LIGHT
RAIL, CARPOOL, BICYCLES AND SO
ON AND
THAT THAT PLAN IS MONITORED BY
SDOT OVER TIME AND THE
PERFORMANCE AND SO ON,
THE BUILDING OWNERS AS WELL AS
THE BUILDING OCCUPANTS ARE
EXPECTED
TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM AND VERY
ACTIVELY MANAGED BY SDOT.
WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS
TO REPHRASE THE MINIMUM
THRESHOLDS FOR HAVING A TMP.
TODAY THEY'RE QUITE HARD
TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE
THEY'RE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF A
BUILDING
THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, 50 PMP
TRIPS OR SOMETHING OF THAT
NATURE.
NO ONE KNOWS WHETHER THEY NEED A
TMP OR NOT, YOU KNOW,
EVEN DURING THE TIME THE PERMIT
ISIS
REVIEWED.
SO WE ARE REPHRASING THAT FOR
MINIMUM SIZES OF DEVELOPMENT AND
THAT SHOULD BE A LOT EASIER TO
FOLLOW.
WE'RE ALSO CONSOLIDATING
THOSE INTO ONE SECTION OF THE
LAND USE
CODE, ZONES LIKE SEATTLE
MIXED AND DOWNTOWN AND NORTHGATE
ARE THE KINDS OF ZONES THAT
HAVE THESE MINIMUM TMP
REQUIREMENTS
IN THE CODE.
SO THAT SHOULD WORK A LOT
BETTER.
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
PLANS ARE ANOTHER SUBJECT THAT
SDOT ACTIVITY MANSION AND THE
GOAL
THERE IS TO HAVE SDOT HELP
THE APPLICANTS TO PLAN THEIR
ACCESS OF EQUIPMENT TO CERTAIN
TIMES OF
THE DAY, COORDINATING
LOGISTICS BETWEEN MULTIPLE
PROJECTS WITH THE GOAL OF
MAINTAINING GOODGOOD
TRAFFIC FLOWS ON NEARBY STREETS
AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND SO ON.
THAT HAS BEEN A VERY
BENEFICIAL EFFORT TO, YOU KNOW,
ESPECIALLY IN SPECIAL CASES WHEN
PROJECTS MAY OTHERWISE BLOCK
STREETS TOO
MUCH, SDOT CAN HELP.
SO THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON
SEPA MITIGATION
MEASURE THAT WE HAVE HAD AND
MOST PROJECTS OF
ANY LARGE SIZE WE TELL THEM TO
GO WORK WITH SDOT ON A CMP
AND THAT'S -- WE HAVE MISSED
THAT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, BUT
WE PROPOSE TO HAVE -- TO REQUIRE
IT
FOR CERTAIN SIZE BUILDINGS
AND THAT WOULD BE LARGER THAN
25- UNIT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
OR GREATER THAN 25,000 SQUARE
FOOT NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
SO THAT'S JUST A WAY TO MAKE
SURE OUR CODES COVER THIS TOPIC
WELL.
AND JUST ONE LAST ITEM TO NOTE.
PART OF THE STATE LAWS ACTUALLY
ASKED AND REQUIRE
JURISDICTIONS TO CONSULT WITH
WASH DOT ABOUT
OUR PROJECT REFERRAL
PRACTICES SO THAT WASH DOT HAS
GOOD
NOTICE AND CAN COMMENT ON THE
IMPACTS OF DEVELOPMENT FOR THEIR
--
ON THEIR FACILITIES, INCLUDING
I-
5 BUT ALSO PLACES LIKE AURORA
AVENUE.
SO WE HAVE AN OPC D AND OUR
DEPARTMENT MET WITH WASH DOT
TWO TIMES TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND
WE
JUST NEED TO, YOU KNOW, CHECK
IN AND REFRESH OUR
REFERRAL PRACTICES FOR PROJECTS
TO
WASH DOT AND WE CAN TAKE CARE OF
THAT WITHOUT ANY CODE CHANGE,
JUST ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
FOLLOWING THE TOPICS THAT ARE
RAISED IN THE STATE LAW IN ORDER
TO PASS THRESHOLD INCREASES
AND, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT WE
HAVE COVERED THE BASES HERE.
THANK
YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE,
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
OUR
PRESENTERS?
COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS -- LET ME SAY TWO
THINGS. THIS IS CITY- WIDE
BUT PARTICULARLY IN D 5 WE
HAVE THREE STATE HIGHWAYS, 522,
523 IN AURORA AND OF COURSE WE
HAVE
I- 5 THAT RUNS THROUGH SEATTLE.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT
WE CONTINUALLY HAVE WITH WSDOT
IN STREAMLINING COMMUNICATION
TO CLEANING UP ENCAMPMENTS ON I-
5
AND ON STATE HIGHWAYS.
SO ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT
YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO
STREAMLINE THIS SO WE DON'T
HAVE -- LIKE
I'M JUST THINKING OF ALL
THE TIMES THAT WE GOT THE RUN
AROUND THROUGH SDCI AND THE
STATE
TO CLEAN UP ENCAMPMENTS AND
TENTS
UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGES OR WE
WOULD GO TO THE CITY AND
THE CITY SAID IT'S NOT OUR
PROPERTY, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE
STATE.
IT JUST TURNED INTO THIS --
BETWEEN S DOT, WSDOT, SDCI
WE COULDN'T GET FOLKS INTO
HOUSING OR THE RUN TO CLEAN IT
UP.
THROUGH GOVERNOR AINSLEY I THINK
WE GOT $70 MILLION.
WE DIDN'T GET IT.
SOMETHING LIKE 50 OR 60
MILLION WAS SET ASIDE TO CLEAN
AND
IT DIDN'T ALL COME TO THE
CITY WHICH WE
WERE HOPING IT WOULD. CAN YOU
HELP ME
UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE HOW YOU
ENVISION TO HAVE A MORE
STREAMLINED
PROCESS SO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
CAN WORK
WITH SDCI AND WSDOT TO CLEAN
UP NOT JUST ENCAMPMENTS AND
GRAFFITI BUT THE OTHER ISSUES
WE SEE ALONG STATE
HIGHWAYS.
>> LET ME SEE IF I CAN TACKLE
THAT.
THE CHANGES WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT WITHIN THIS ORDINANCE ARE
REALLY
FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT
WHEN IT COMES TO A PROJECT
REVIEW
WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT
CONSULTATION. THEY÷÷ WANT A
HEADS UP FROM US.
I ACKNOWLEDGE THE ISSUE THAT YOU
RAISE AND HAVE HAD SIMILAR
EXPERIENCES MYSELF IN TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND WHO OWNS WHAT
AND WHAT'S THE RIGHT CONTACT.
THAT'S A PROBLEM SET
THAT PROBABLY LIES OUTSIDE OF
SOMETHING THAT SDCI
CONTROLS DIRECTLY BUT I WANT TO
DO MORE
RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO
YOUR OFFICE ON WHAT WE
UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT PROBLEM.
THE STREAMLINING
OF COMMUNICATION WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT IS REALLY THAT
WHICH
IS REQUIRED UNDER LAW WHEN
A PROJECT IS PROPOSED
ANDAND WHAT YOU DESCRIBING IS
KIND OF
A LARGER ISSUE FOR SURE, BUT
HOW WE COULD HELP ILLUMINATE HOW
THAT WORKS AND IF THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY, I DON'T KNOW,
BUT I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET
BACK
TO YOUR OFFICE WITH
SOME MORE
SPECIFICS.
>> WELL, I'M SAYING
THAT THIS IS -- YES, I
UNDERSTAND PROJECT
REVIEW, BUT I'M
SAYING WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH
IS
MORE EMERGENT WITH PEOPLE AND
TENTS AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF.
I JUST WANT A SYSTEM WHERE
WE CAN WORK WITH SDCI AND SDOT
SO
MAKE SURE WE GET IT DONE AND
WHAT WE LOOK AT AS FAR AS
ASSISTANCE.
SO THIS IS WHERE I GET A LITTLE
FRUSTRATED, THE SILO EFFECT.
I WANT SDCI TO BE WORKING WITH
SDOT AND WSDOT.
I WOULD LOVE ONE PERSON TO
TALK US THROUGH WITH
CONSTITUENTS
AND÷÷GROUPS WHO HOUSE OUR
HOMELESS NEIGHBORS, HOW WE GET
THAT
AND CLEAN THOSE THINGS UP
INSTEAD
OF JUST HEARING THAT'S
STATE PROPERTY AND WE ONLY DO
STUFF WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT
MY FRUSTRATION IS.
SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> OKAY.
YEAH.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
THE POINT IS WELL
TAKEN AND MAYBE IT'S A
DISCUSSION
OUTSIDE OF THIS, BUT I HAVE
HEARD --
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?
THIS IS THE SEATTLE SALUTE.
RIGHT?
IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S ISSUE
TO DEAL WITH AND, YOU KNOW,
SO OFTEN WE GET THAT -- YOU
KNOW,
I KNOW I'VE DEALT WITH THIS
BEFORE. GREEN BELT, NO, THAT'S
PARKS, THAT'S WSDOT, THAT'S
SDOT, THAT'S PRIVATELY OWNED.
WE JUST WANT IS IT TAKEN CARE
OF.
PROBABLY ISSUE OUTSIDE OF
THIS COMMITTEE BUT
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ
FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I WANTED TO BUILD ON
THIS DISCUSSION ONE TO EMPHASIZE
THE POINT OF THE IMPORTANCE
BETWEEN
COOPERATION AND
DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES
WITHIN THE
SEATTLE OF SEATTLE BUT ALSO
ACROSS DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS
WHILE ALSO ADDING TO A
BIT OF THE DISCUSSION JUST
ABOUT SPECIFICALLY
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION ON
STATE RIGHT-OF- WAYS JUST TO --
IF I
MAY -- FILL IN SOME OF
THE BLANKS OF MY COLLEAGUE
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS
SPECIFICALLY ON HOW THAT WORK IS
GOING AND HOW WE'VE HIT KIND
OF A STANDSTILL.
UNDER GOVERNOR AINSLEY
HE ESTABLISHED THE STATE RIGHT
AWAY
INITIATIVE AND [ INAUDIBLE ]
APPLIED FOR THAT MONEY
AND SECURED IT AND THE PROGRAM
HAS BEEN OPERATED THROUGH PDA
AND LEAD AND THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF SUCCESSFUL
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTIONS ON STATE
RIGHT
OF WAYS THAT RUN THROUGH
SEATTLE AND I KNOW A LOT OF
GOOD PARTNERSHIP HAD GONE
INTO WORKING WITH
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE
CITY AND
KCHA I THINK THE MOST
POIGNANT
EXAMPLE FROM THE PROGRAM IS THE
CLEARING OF THE
DEARBORN ENCAMPMENT AND JUST THE
MAJOR
CHANGE OF COURSE THAT CAME WITH
THAT. WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
JUST TO ADD TO THE DISCUSSION
IN COMMITTEE TODAY, THERE WAS A
CUT TO THE PROGRAM, THIS WAS A
STATE- FUNDED PROGRAM AND
I JOINED A NUMBER OF LEADERS,
COUNTY, CITY, TO TRY TO PUSH FOR
THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO
FULLY FUND THE PROGRAM SO WE
CAN CONTINUE TO CLEAR
ENCAMPMENTS
IN STATE RIGHT OF WAYS.
WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN
THAT EFFORT SO RIGHT NOW THERE
WAS
NO NEW MONEY THIS YEAR TO
DO ADDITIONAL
ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTIONS BUT
RATHER
JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO KEEP
FOLKS WHO ARE HOUSED WITHIN THAT
PROGRAM REMAIN HOUSED.
AS WE ARE TAKING UP THE STATE
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THIS YEAR
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HOW WE
CAN RESTORE FUNDING FOR THAT
PROGRAM BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE
MORE COOPERATION BETWEEN
DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS IN THIS
AREA,
PARTICULARLY ON THIS MATTER.
THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME,
CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE
CONVERSATION AND FILL IN
SOME OF THE BLANKS HERE AS IT
RELATES
TO ENCAMPMENT RESOLUTION ON
STATE RIGHT OF
WAY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
SO, AGAIN, FOR OUR
SDCI REPRESENTATIVES, ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO ADD REGARDING THE
SEPA
THRESHOLD LEGISLATION THAT
WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT?
>> I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING
THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SORT
OF GOTTEN A FULL RUNDOWN ON.
AGAIN, I WOULD JUST
REITERATE THAT FOR
THE MOST PART THE PERSPECTIVE
THAT I WAS TRYING
TO BRING THEY BEGINNING
THAT THIS IS RIGHT SIZING
SOMETHING WE
HAD TO RECOGNIZE OVER TIME.
OUR REGULATIONS ARE THE BETTER
PLACE, THE TMP EXAMPLE
THAT GORDON REFERRED TO, THIS IS
A
BETTER WAY WITH
STRONGER ENFORCEMENT WHEN IT'S
NESTED IN THE CODE RATHER THAN
RELYING
ON A BACKSTOP PROCESS THAT
SOMETIMES APPLIES AND RELIES ON
APPEAL. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THIS
CAN MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
AGAIN, THIS WAS -- PURPOSE
OF THIS PRESENTATION IS FOR
INFORMATION, FOR DISCUSSION.
HAVING THE PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT
THAT. NO VOTE IS GOING TO BE
TAKEN AT THIS TIME.
THE VOTE ON THIS
LEGISLATION WILL HAPPEN UNDER MY
SUCCESSOR'S WATCH, WE WILL JUST
SAY IT THAT
WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MOVING ON, CLERK, PLEASE
READ ITEM 7 INTO THE
AGENDA.
>> ITEM 7 INFORMATION ITEM,
SEPA THRESHOLD
EXEMPTION TRANSPORTATION
MANAGEMENT PLAN
LEGISLATION.
>> OKAY.
SO THIS LEGISLATION WILL WORK
ALONGSIDE WITH COUNCIL BILL
1210th 3 AND CONSIST OF
CODE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
ANALYSIS, TRANSPORTATION
MANAGEMENT
PROGRAMS AND
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT --
CONSTRUCTION
MANAGEMENT PLAN TOPICS.
AS
PRESIDING OFFICER I AM NOW
OPENING THE PUBLIC HEARING
ON SEPA THRESHOLD
EXEMPTION TRANSPORTATION
MANAGEMENT PLAN
LEGISLATION.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS HAVE
SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC
HEARING?
>> WE HAVE ONE IN-PERSON AND ONE
REMOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
EACH SPEAKER WILL GET TWO
MINUTES.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ
THE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING
PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
REGISTERED.
THE PUBLIC HEARING
REGISTRATION WILL REMAIN OPEN
UNTIL
THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PUBLIC
HEARING.
THE SAME PUBLIC COMMENT RULES
APPLY TO THIS PUBLIC HEARING, A
TEN SECOND CHIME WILL BE
YOUR NOTICE THAT IT IS TIME TO
WRAP
UP COMMENTS.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE
MUTED AT THE END OF THE ALLOTTED
TIME.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO BEGIN
THEIR COMMENTS BY STATING THEIR
NAME.
WE WILL START WITH THE IN-
PERSON
SPEAKER AND THAT IS CHILUMBI.
>> GET CLOSE TO THE MIC.
EITHER
ONE.
>> IS THIS BETTER?
>>
YES.
>> ANYONE WHO SAYS MY
NAME CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME
NEED
AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR
EVERYONE THAT GETS THAT.
IT IS CHILINBOY WASHINGTON
AND MY STATEMENT IS THIS, I TRY
TO BREAK THINGS DOWN VERY
SIMPLY.
WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY?
WHO DECIDES -- WHO IS THE
OVERALL PERSON THAT GOES,
HEY, YOU CAN'T DO THIS ON MY
PROPERTY BECAUSE WE PAY FOR THE
PROPERTY?
I'M THINKING OF LIKE AS A
PARENT
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING
ON THIS PROPERTY.
NOW, IF YOU WANT TO DO IT
ON THIS PROPERTY IT'S GOING TO
BE
OUTSIDE THIS HOUSE.
NOW, THINK ABOUT THAT.
IF I PAY FOR IT, THIS IS WHAT
MY RESPONSIBILITY IS.
IF YOU PAY FOR IT, OKAY,
JUST DON'T DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL
ON IT.
NOW, WHO OWNS THE PROPERTY?
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING
THE PROPERTY?
IF I PAY FOR IT AND I'M
MAKING THE RULES, WELL, GUESS
WHAT,
I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING
EVERYTHING
UNDER THAT -- UNDER THAT
UMBRELLA, RIGHT?
NOW, WHO OWNS THETHE PROPERTY?
STATE.
IF WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT HIGHWAYS.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
UPKEEP OF THAT?
WELL, STATE, ET CETERA, ET
CETERA.
HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES MORE
SENSE EVEN NOT THINKING AS A
PARENT.
I SHALL -- I DIGRESS.
AND THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE TOBY
THALER.
>> HELLO -- EXCUSE ME.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>>
YES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
TOBY THALER.
I AM A LONG
EXPERIENCED PERSON WITH SEPA AND
THIS APPLICATION.
IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE
CITY'S SEPA REVIEWS OF VMA AND
THE RELATIONSHIP REQUIRE
ACTIONS THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN
LARGELY
INEFFECTIVE.
THE CITY SEPA REVIEWS ARE
FLAWED IN THREE MAJOR WAYS.
ONE, PROPOSALS DON'T
ADEQUATELY PUT NONPROJECT
ACTIONS IN THE
PROPER FRAMEWORK.
IMPLEMENT [ INAUDIBLE ] -- EVER
CONDUCTED.
TWO, THE LIKELY
SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS ARE
OFTEN INADEQUATELY ASSESSED.
THREE, WITHOUT
ADEQUATE MONITORING OF THE
SUCCESSES AND
FAILURES OF PAST
MEDICATION MEASURES IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE CITY TO ENACT AND
IMPLEMENT
EFFECTIVE MITIGATION MEASURES
GOING FORWARD.
THERE IS A SOLUTION.
I RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE
YOUR POWER IN THE BUDGET PROCESS
TO ADOPT A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE
INTENT, A SLI, TO DIRECT THE
LAW DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH
THE EXECUTIVE TO CONDUCT A
THOROUGH
REVIEW OF THE CITY'S SEPA AND
GMA COMPLIANCE PROCESSES
AND PO POSE ADMINISTRATIVE
AND PROCEDURAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UNDER THE CURRENT STRUCTURE
THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH REGULATORY
CAPTURE BY ECONOMIC INTERESTS.
PLEASE FIX THE CITY'S SEPA
PROCESS.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, TOBY.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR
SPEAKERS.
>> OKAY.
AS THAT WAS OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR
THE PUBLIC HEARING,
PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
OUR SDCI REPRESENTATIVES
ARE STILL WITH US.
SO AS WE MOVE
INTO THE SECTION AGAIN IF YOU
COULD
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE
RECORD
AND PLEASE BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE
READY.
>> I WILL BE BRIEFER THIS TIME,
I'M DAVE VanSKIKE THE
POLICY DIRECTOR AND MY COLLEAGUE
GORDON CLOWERS ARE GOING TO
BE PRESENTING THIS -- APPARENTLY
THIS LEGISLATION WHICH PAIRS
WITH THE PRIOR SEPA
UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
I ACTUALLY PRESENTED PART OF
THE SUBJECT MATTER A FEW MINUTES
AGO, BUT WE CAN COVER THAT AGAIN
AS WELL AS THIS OTHER PIECE HERE
TO START WITH.
FOR -- IN RELATION TO
SETTING THE SEPA THRESHOLDS, ONE
OF
THE TASKS INDICATED BY THE STATE
IS TO TAKE STOCK OF WHETHER
THERE
COULD BE IMPACTS THAT OCCUR
FOR THE EXEMPTED RANGE OF
PROJECTS.
SO A SMALLER PROJECT, DOES
IT STILL WARRANT HAVING AN
IMPACT ANALYSIS OF ANY KIND?
WELL, TEN YEARS AGO, IF NOT
MORE, WE INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT
OF A NONS&P
PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION
IMPACT STUDY THAT
WOULD COVER -- THAT WOULD
BE REQUIRED FOR PROJECTS OF
A CERTAIN SIZE THAT
MIGHT HAVE SOME LOCAL TRAFFIC
IMPACTS AND
SHOULD BE STUDIED.
WE HAVE -- I THINK THAT'S BEEN
FAIRLY RARELY REQUIRED BECAUSE
THE PROJECT SIZES ARE NOT
HAPPENING THAT MUCH AND
WHERE IT'S -- WHERE IT'S
REQUIRED.
SO WITH THIS NEW
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT IS
REORIENTING THE
CITY-WIDE PLANNING AND
EXPECTED HOUSING GROWTH AND SO
ON PATTERN
ACROSS THE CITY, WE ARE
UPDATING THIS NON- SEPA
TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDY WHEN
IT IS
REQUIRED. AND WE ARE PROPOSING
THAT
IT WOULD HAPPEN FOR NON-
RESIDENTIAL
PROJECTS THAT ARE 40,000 SQUARE
FEET OR GREATER THAT WOULD BE
OCCURRING IN PLACES OUTSIDE
OF OUR GROWTH CENTERS.
SO PERHAPS A PLACE LIKE INTER
BAY, 15th AVENUE OR SAND POINT
WAY. IF A CERTAIN SIZE PROJECT
COMES
ALONG, THERE COULD BE A
TRAFFIC IMPACT AND PERHAPS WE
SHOULD
REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY FOR
THAT.
THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF
REVIEW, BUT WE HAVE
WRITTEN INTO THE CODE THE
ABILITY
TO REQUIRE ANY MITIGATION
THAT COULD RESULT FROM THAT.
SO THIS IS IN A WAY
SIMPLIFYING THIS STUDY TO REALLY
TO APPLY
TO PLACES WHERE THE PROJECT
IMPACTS
MIGHT BE LARGE ENOUGH TO WARRANT
SOME MITIGATION.
AND BECAUSE -- BECAUSE WE
HAVE SUCH AN EMPHASIS ON
SUPPORTING TRANSPORTATION
ORIENTED
GROWTH AND CENTERS -- GROWTH IN
OUR MAJOR CENTERS, WE DON'T
BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A NEED FOR
THIS
STUDY, BUT THAT WE CAN
EXEMPT THE LARGER PROJECTS FROM
SEPA
GOING FORWARD.
AND THE PART OF THE TMP --
I THINK BOTH PARTS OF THE TMP
WORK HERE AND THE CMP PROPOSAL
ARE BOTH IN THIS SEPARATE
LEGISLATION.
WE CONNECTED THE SEPA REVIEW FOR
THIS PROPOSAL AND IT,
AGAIN, SORT OF -- IT CHANGES
MORE CODE
TO CONSOLIDATE IT IN ONE PLACE
IN THE CODE AND THEN MAKE
IT CONSISTENT IN THE ZONES
WHERE IT'S REQUIRED.
SEATTLE MIXED, DOWNTOWN AND
NORTHGATE ZONES.
AND THIS WILL -- THE TMP
LANGUAGE WILL MAKE IT MUCH
EASIER FOR APPLICANTS TO
UNDERSTAND IF THEY NEED A TMP
OR NOT, THEY CAN FACTOR THAT
INTO
THEIR WORK DURING OR AFTER THE
PROCESS.
AND THEN CMPs -- SINCE THIS
IS SUCH A GOOD PRACTICE FOR --
AND EFFECTIVE IN ENSURING GOOD
PROTECTION OF ROAD FLOW AND
SAFETY IN PLACES WHERE
PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING, WE
PROPOSED
THIS AT A NEW THRESHOLD OF
PROJECT SIZE SO THAT WE GET THAT
CMP
COORDINATION WITH SDOT
WHERE IT'S
NEEDED.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
COLLEAGUES, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FOR
OUR PRESENTERS ON
THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF
LEGISLATION?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION
TODAY. JUST HONING IN ON ONE
POINT, WHAT IS THE GOAL WE'RE
TRYING
TO ACHIEVE BY EXEMPTING STAND-
ALONE PARKING LOTS UP TO 90
SPACES?
WHILE EXEMPTIONS FOR HOUSING
AND COMMERCIAL SPACES MAKE
INTUITIVE SENSE AS WE NEED MORE
HOUSING AND DENSER HOUSING, I
SEE NO
NEED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF
ADDITIONAL STAND- ALONE
PARKING LOTS AND IF ANYTHING
THAT
WOULD CAUSE DIRECT HARM TO OUR
ENVIRONMENT. SO COULD YOU PLEASE
ELABORATE ON THIS POLICY CHOICE?
>> YEAH, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
THE SHIFT IN THE NUMBER FROM
40 TO 90 REPRESENTS SORT OF THE
HIGHEST NUMBER THAT THE STATE
CONSIDERED REASONABLE
FOR PRIG RING SEPA FOR PARKING.
THE NOTION THAT IT'S ONLY
STAND- ALONE PARKING LOTS I
THINK
IS NOT ENTIRELY CORRECT ININ
PARKING IN AND OF ITSELF CAN
BE A TRIGGER FOR SEPA.
SO YOU COULD HAVE A USE, LET'S
SAY, OF A
MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT THAT
UNDER OUR
PRIOR RULES WE SAID, WELL,
THE RESIDENTIAL MAY BE EXEMPT
BUT THE PARKING BECAUSE
IT'S ASSOCIATED MAKES THE
PROJECT
NOT EXEMPT.
SO IT WOULD BE TRIGGERING SEPA
JUST FOR THAT DIFFERENCE IN
PARKING.
SO THE NOTION IS NOT TO EASE
SEPA REVIEW FOR STAND- ALONE
PARKING LOTS.
THERE COULD BE GOOD REASONS
TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE
INTENT HERE.
>> OKAY.
OKAY.
I MIGHT HAVE SOME FOLLOW- UP
ON THIS POINT, BUT THANK YOU FOR
THAT ANSWER.
AND THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS
I HAVE RIGHT NOW, CHAIR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
YOU?
>> I AM GOOD.
THANK YOU,
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
FOR YOU ALL, EITHER.
SO FLY.
BE FREE.
I DO THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND FOR THE
INFORMATION, AGAIN.
THIS ITEM IS NOT UP FOR A VOTE
TODAY, BUT WILL BE TAKEN AT
A LATER TIME.
PROBABLY BEFORE THE END OF THE
YEAR. THAT DEPENDS ON THE
INCOMING
LAND USE CHAIR.
SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR TIME HERE AND FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE REACHED THE END
OF OUR AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
TO COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THERE WE ARE.
CHAIR, I WANTED TO TAKE
A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE
SINCE I BELIEVE TODAY IS
YOUR LAST TIME CHAIRING LAND USE
COMMITTEE. I WANTED TO THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
CHAIRMANSHIP AND, THADDEUS,
ALSO OUR CLERK OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR WORK.
UNDER INJURE LEADERSHIP
AND SUPPORT I THINK WE'VE
ADVANCED REALLY IMPORTANT
LEGISLATION.
YOU'VE CERTAINLY GUIDED US
THROUGH SPICY POLICY DEBATES
AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR HARD WORK, FOR YOUR
PARTNERSHIP AND SERVICE TO THE
BODY.
YOU ARE SO APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
YES, THIS IS THE LAST COMMITTEE
I WILL BE CHAIRING, AT LEAST
FOR
NOW.
>> YEAH, I DON'T THINK IT IS.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT A FEW MORE
LEFT IN YOU.
I DON'T THINK YOU'RE DONE.
YEAH, I'M NOT BUYING IT.
SO --
>> WELL, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER.
YOU GOT ME ALL CHOKED UP HERE.
GEEZ.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
OKAY.
I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE CHAIR
OF THIS COMMITTEE AND I WANT
TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF, I WANT
TO THANK THE CLERK.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE
CHAIR OF THE LAND USE COMMITTEE
AND YOU HAVE A LAND USE LAWYER
AS YOUR
POLICY GUY, I
MEAN, COME ON, THAT'S A WIN.
REALLY?
SO COMING INTO THIS POSITION
I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT LAND USE.
NOW HAVING BEEN HERE FOR A
WHILE I STILL KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
LAND
USE BUT JUST ENOUGH TO
BE DANGEROUS AND A LOT OF
WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO I DO
CREDIT CENTRAL STAFF AND THE
CLERK AND MY STAFF FOR USUS TO
ABLE TO ADVANCE AS MANY
THINGS AS WE HAVE IN THE TIME
THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST.
AND WITH THAT, IT IS 11:14 AND
THIS SPECIAL COMMITTEE
MEETING OF THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE
WI