>>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. THE
APRIL 15, 2025 MEETING OF THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WILL
COME TO ORDER. IT IS 9: 33:00
A.M. I AM ROB SAKA. WILL THE
COMMITTEE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS?
VICE-CHAIR HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS
PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. THE AGENDA IS HEREBY
ADOPTED. WELCOME COLLEAGUES,
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US AT TODAY'S
MEETING. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
IS EXCUSED FROM TODAY'S
MEETING. THREE IMPORTANT TOPICS
ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND OUR
FIRST TOPIC WILL BE A BRIEF
PRESENTATION BY CENTRAL STAFF
AND A MORE FULL CONVERSATION AND
PRESENTATION BY SDOT REGARDING
THE DEPLOYMENT OF AUTOMATED
TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERAS IN OUR
CITY. RECALL, COLLEAGUES, THAT
FUNDING AND DEPLOYMENT OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN A HUGE
PRIORITY FOR ME AND THIS
COUNCIL. INDEED DURING THE
COUNCIL'S 2024 BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS, I LED THE CHARGE
FOR FUNDING $1.18 MILLION TO
SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF SCHOOL
ZONES OR CAMERAS OUTSIDE OF
SCHOOL ZONES TO ADDRESS THE
NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
CLAM MORING FOR THIS KIND OF
TECHNOLOGY AND CLAMORING FOR
RACING, UNSAFE DRIVING
CONDITIONS ON OUR ROADS. I WANT
TO THANK BUDGET CHAIR STRAUSS
FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP ON THIS
IMPORTANT BUDGET INVESTMENT
ITEM. TECHNOLOGY WHEN
RESPONSIBLY DEPLOYED IS A
CRUCIAL TOOL TO ADDRESSING
UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR IN OUR CITY.
I'VE BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF
WASHINGTON STATE AUTHORIZING
MUNICIPALITIES, INCLUDING
SEATTLE, TO DEPLOY AUTOMATED
NOISE ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY. A
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
FOR SPD TO STUDY THE DEPLOYMENT
OF AUTOMATED NOISE ENFORCEMENT
TECHNOLOGY COULD LOOK LIKE IN
OUR CITY SHOULD THE STATE DECIDE
TO ACT AND AUTHORIZE. I
TESTIFIED BEFORE THE STATE
LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT STATE
AUTHORIZATION OF THIS KIND OF
TECHNOLOGY, AND I ALSO LED
EFFORTS TO GET THIS WHOLE
COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THAT SAME
STATE AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION.
SO WE KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGY IS AN
IMPORTANT TOOL. IT'S A VITAL
TOOL, BUT IT'S NOT THE END
ALL-BE ALL. WE PROVIDED A
FUNDING PATH, AND IF THIS
LEGISLATION PASSES, WE CAN'T
JUST PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK,
WATCH THE DEPLOYMENT OF THESE,
AND SAY ATTA BOYS AND THINK
EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OKAY.
IT'S NOT THE SILVER BULLET. NO
SUCH THING. BUT WE DO KNOW IT IS
AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN THE
TOOLKIT. WE DO KNOW THAT IT IS
ONE OF 40 PLUS FEDERALLY PROVEN
ENGINEERING COUNTERMEASURES TO
IMPROVE ROAD SAFETY ON OUR
ROADS. SO REALLY IMPORTANT ITEM.
AS PART OF OUR BROADER ROAD SHOW
TO CONSIDER AND DELIBERATE ON
THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION,
COLLEAGUES RECALL THAT LAST
COUNCIL MEETING WE CONSIDERED,
WE HAD A BRIEFING FROM SDOT AT A
SLIGHTLY HIGHER LEVEL ON WHAT
THE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM CURRENTLY
LOOKS LIKE TODAY NOW THAT WE
HAVE FORMAL PROPOSED LEGISLATION
BEFORE US, WE'RE GOING TO GET A
MORE IMPLEMENTATION-SPECIFIC
VIEW AND PRESENTATION ALLOWING
FOR DISCUSSION BY US OF WHAT
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE
HERE IN SEATTLE. SO THAT ALONG
WITH AN IMPORTANT PROVISO LIFT
TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO SPEND
AND START DEPLOYING THIS
TECHNOLOGY AND OF COURSE AN
IMPORTANT ITEM PERTAINING TO A,
WHAT IS IT, IT'S NOT A SKY
BRIDGE, IT'S A PERMIT, IN
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'
DISTRICT. LOOKING FORWARD TO A
LIVELY DISCUSSION, COLLEAGUES,
AND I KNOW IT'S THESE ITEMS
COLLECTIVELY AND INDIVIDUALLY
ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL AS
WELL. WE WILL NOW OPEN THE
HYBRID PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO
ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA AND
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE. CLERK, HOW MANY
SPEAKERS HAVE SIGNED UP TODAY?
>> CURRENTLY, WE HAVE TWO
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP AND
THREE REMOTE.
>> ALL RIGHT. EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE TWO MINUTE S.
>> MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER. THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS UP TO 20 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY REGISTERED,
SPEAKERS WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN
SETS OF IN-PERSON AND REMOTE
SPEAKERS UNTIL THE COMMENT
PERIOD HAS ENDED. SPEAKERS WILL
HEAR A CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE
LEFT OF THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS
MICS WILL BE MUTED IF THEY DO
NOT END THEIR COMMENTS WITHIN
THE ALLOTTED TIME. THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN. WE
WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST. GORDON
PADDLEFORD.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SEATABLE
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS. THANK
YOU FOR TAKING UP THIS IMPORTANT
TOPIC TODAY. IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT WE DO THIS
THOUGHTFULLY, AND WE'RE EXCITED
TO SEE IT SCALE IN A THOUGHTFUL
WAY. IT'S IMPORTANT WE MAINTAIN
THE PUBLIC TRUST WHILE WE DO
THIS. AND TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO
DO IT TRANSPARENTLY, WE NEED TO
DO IT IN A FAIR WAY, AND WE NEED
TO DO IT EFFECTIVELY. AND YOU
KNOW, TRANSPARENCY IS A VALUE I
KNOW YOU ALL HOLD. IT'S
IMPORTANT IN THE BEST OF TIMES,
AND THESE ARE NOT THE BEST OF
TIMES WITH THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT SNATCHING PEOPLE OFF
OF OUR STREETS. IT'S
UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE PUBLIC
HAS CONCERNS THAT WE'RE MANAGING
THIS TECHNOLOGY IN THE MOST FAIR
AND TRANSPARENT WAY POSSIBLE SO
THAT WE'RE KEEPING EVERYONE
SAFE. AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT
WE HAVE WRITTEN POLICIES SO THAT
FOLKS CAN SEE HOW THESE CAMERAS
ARE BEING MANAGED. IN TERMS OF
FAIRNESS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD
FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THEY
BOTH FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN
OVERENFORCED AND UNDERINVESTED
IN WHEN IT COMES TO
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY. I THINK
THE DEPARTMENT IS STARTING TO
CHANGE THAT, AND THAT REALLY
NEEDS TO CONTINUE AS A STRONG
COMMITMENT FROM THIS BODY AND
THE CITY. YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE
GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
IS THERE'S A LOW RECIDIVISM
RATE. WHEN PEOPLE GET THESE
TICKETS, THEY DON'T TEND TO GET
THEM AGAIN. WE'RE ABOUT
CHANGING BEHAVIOR. THAT'S THE
POINT OF THIS. WE'RE ABOUT
KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE ON THESE
STREETS. LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE
GIVING OUT WARNINGS FOR THE
FIRST TIME AND THE FINES ARE SET
AT A LEVEL WHERE WE'RE CHANGING
BEHAVIOR, NOT JUST GENERATING
REVENUE. WE NEED TO DO THIS IN
AN EFFECTIVE WAY. THESE PROGRAMS
CAN BE HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL
AROUND THE COUNTRY. THAT TIGHT
NEXUS BETWEEN REVENUE AND
INVESTMENT IS REALLY CRITICAL.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS THE
SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY PROGRAM
HAS WORKED SO WELL IS THAT THOSE
REVENUES ARE BEING REINVESTED
BACK INTO SCHOOL SAFETY, EVEN
BETTER WOULD BE SITE-SPECIFIC
PLANS FOR WHERE THOSE CAMERAS
ARE LOCATED. IF WE'RE
GENERATING YEAR AFTER YEAR IN A
LOCATION, THAT MEANS THERE'S AN
ONGOING SAFETY PROBLEM, AND WE
SHOULD BE TRYING TO FIND OTHER
PROVEN TECHNOLOGIES LIKE
INVESTMENTS IN SPEED HUMPS TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE ON OUR STREETS
AS A PREVENTIVE MEASURE. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, GORDON.
>> LAST IN-PERSON SPEAKER, CLARA
CANTER.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO.
HELLO? THERE WE GO. HI. MY NAME
IS CLARA CANTER. SPEAKING TODAY
AS AN ORGANIZER OF WHO STREETS,
OUR STREETS. I LIKE TO REITERATE
SOME OF THE POINTS GORDON MADE
ALREADY. WE HAVE A LOT OF
STREETS IN SEATTLE, PARTICULARLY
THROUGH OUR BIPOC AND LOW-INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DESIGNED
FOR SPEED. THEY'RE DESIGNED TO
GET CARS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE
FROM POINT A TO POINT B. AND THE
STATED GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS
TO DECREASE THAT DANGEROUS
SPEEDING, TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON
OUR STREETS, AND YET MANY OF THE
POLICIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN
THIS NEW LEGISLATION ARE
POINTING MORE IN THE DIRECTION
OF TURNING THIS PROGRAM INTO A
WAY FOR THE CITY TO GENERATE
REVENUE. OFTENTIMES ON THE BACKS
OF THOSE BIPOC AND LOW-INCOME
NEIGHBORHOODS. WE ARE SETTING
THE FINE LEVELS AT THREE TO FIVE
TIMES THE LEVEL OF OTHER CITIES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE
DATA SHOWING THAT THOSE LOWER
FINE LEVELS DO, IN FACT,
DECREASE SPEEDING AND DANGEROUS
BEHAVIOR ON OUR STREETS AT ABOUT
THE SAME LEVELS. WE'RE
REPEALING WARNINGS FOR
FIRST-TIME OFFENDERS THAT SDOT
HAS BEEN ISSUING FOR YEARS
ALREADY. THAT SDOT DATA SHOWS
ARE 90% EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING
SECOND VIOLATIONS, AND WE'RE
NARROWING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO WILL GET WARNINGS FOR THE
FIRST 30 DAYS BY EXPLICITLY
CARVING OUT SCHOOL ZONE SPEED
CAMERAS FROM THAT WARNING
POLICY. AND THAT'S A POLICY
THAT SDOT STATED HELPS THEM
ADMINISTRATIVELY TO WORK OUT THE
KINKS OF A NEW CAMERA SITING.
AND WE'RE ALSO POOLING THE
REVENUE TOGETHER INTO A SINGLE
BUCKET AND ALLOWING IT TO BE
SPENT ON A PRETTY WIDE RANGE OF
TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, INSTEAD
OF KEEPING THE SCOPE NARROW AND
FUNDING THE SPEED HUMPS AND STOP
SIGNS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TO THE STREETS THAT
WE'RE SEEING THE DANGEROUS
BEHAVIOR ON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION ABOUT THIS
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. WE WILL NOW
MOVE ON TO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
FIRST UP WILL BE ETHAN CAMPBELL.
ETHAN, REMEMBER TO HIT STAR SIX.
>> HI. I'M A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE
RECENT REPORT ON BEST PRACTICES
FOR FAIR AND EFFECTIVE AUTOMATED
ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS. SDOT'S
LEGISLATION BEFORE YOU DEVIATES
FROM BEST PRACTICES IN FOUR WAYS
I URGE YOU TO CORRECT. ONE, THEY
WANT TO REPEAL FIRST VIOLATION
WARNINGS INSTEAD RELYING ON A
30-DAY WARNING PERIOD OR NEW
CAMERAS THAT EXCLUDE SCHOOL
ZONES. THE DATA SHOWS WARNINGS
ARE 90% EFFECTIVE AT PREVENTING
SECOND VIOLATIONS. THE FOCUS
SHOULD BE CHANGING BEHAVIOR, NOT
PUNISHMENT. THE 30-DAY WARNING
PERIOD SHOULD APPLY TO ALL
LOCATIONS. SECOND, REVENUE
SHOULD GO TOWARD STREET SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS. THIS IS A
UNIVERSAL BEST PRACTICE. THE
BROAD CATEGORY OF ABATEMENT
INVESTMENTS IN THE LIST OF
REVENUE USES, THIS CATEGORY
SHOULD BE STRUCK FROM THE BILL.
THE ANALYSIS FOR NEW CAMERAS
LEAVES IT OPTIONAL FOR SDOT TO
DETERMINE IF OTHER STRATEGIES
COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
TICKETING. SPEED CUSHIONS CAN BE
BUILT CHEAPLY AND MORE QUICKLY
THAN PERMITTING, ORDERING, AND
INSTALL CAMERAS IN SEATTLE.
CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVES ON
THESE SITE ANALYSES IS FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD NOT BE
OPTIONAL. FINES ARE SET AT $139,
NEARLY THE HIGHEST AMOUNT
ALLOWED BY STATE LAW. THIS IS
HIGHER THAN NEEDED FOR
DETERRENCE AND OUT OF LINE WITH
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK
CITY AND D.C. AS WELL AS NEW
PROGRAMS IN CALAL AND MINNESOTA
WHERE TICKETS START AT $40-$50.
I URGE SDOT AND COUNCIL TO
RECONSIDER THESE ASPECTS AND
AMEND THIS BILL BEFORE PASSAGE.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS RICK
GROSSMAN. RICK, REMEMBER TO HIT
STAR SIX.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS RICK
GROSSMAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF
PRIDE PLACE ON BROADWAY BETWEEN
PIKE AND PINE. AND THE SENIORS
HERE CERTAINLY DO HAVE ISSUES
WITH TRANSPORTATION THAT NEEDS
TO BE ADDRESSED. THE FIRST IS
RELEVANT TO THE TOPIC
SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT INVOLVES
NOISE CAMERAS. I REALIZE THAT
WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH STATE
LEGISLATION, AND THAT'S
UNDERWAY. BUT I HOPE YOU'LL
CONSIDER WHAT'S GOING ON THERE
AND CONSIDERING WHAT'S HAPPENED
IN NEW YORK CITY AND OTHER
LOCATIONS WITH THOSE NOISE
CAMERAS, WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO
ADDRESS PEOPLE WITH MODIFIED
MUFFLERS WHO CREATE INCREDIBLY
LOUD SOUNDS. ALSO, I HOPE THAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT SIDEWALK
SAFETY, WHICH IS DEALING WITH
BICYCLES AND SCOOTERS KNOCKING
SENIORS OVER RIGHT NOW. AND THAT
NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE
FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS. THERE ARE
SOME WAYS THAT CAN BE DONE
WITHOUT COST OR INCIDENT TO THE
CITY, SPECIFICALLY IN ASKING
BICYCLE RENTAL COMPANIES TO
CREATE AN AUDIBLE BEEP ON THE
BICYCLES SO ONE KNOWS WHEN
THERE'S A VEHICLE APPROACHING
FROM BEHIND THEM ON THE
SIDEWALK. WE KNOW THAT NOT
NECESSARILY MORE OF AN
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY, BUT
THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT
WOULD HELP US ACHIEVE THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS
DAVID HAYNES. DAVID, HIT STAR
SIX.
>> HI. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO
START ISSUING TICKETS FOR A
MULTITUDE OF VIOLATIONS,
STARTING WITH CUSTOM EXHAUST
PIPES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
BACKFIRE LIKE GUNSHOTS THAT
BOTHER THE COMMUNITY. AND EVEN
CIGARETTE SMOKING AND VAPORIZING
AND MARIJUANA SMOKING, THEY
DESERVE A $25 TICKET. BUT THE
ROAD RAGE THAT CONTINUES DOES
NOT DESERVE ANY MORE WARNINGS,
AND QUITE FRANKLY I THINK WE
NEED AT LEAST ONE AUTOMATIC
ELECTRIC STREET LIGHT
ENFORCEMENT ZONE LIKE THE VIDEO
AT THE STADIUM INTERSECTION
WHERE THE PORT AUTHORITY THINKS
THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SPEED
AND RUN THROUGH THE RED LIGHT
AND HONK THEIR HORNS FROM THE
PORT ALL THE WAY TO THE HIGHWAY
LIKE THEY NEED TO GET A RUNNING
START. WE NEED TO ENFORCE A TYPE
OF CALMING OF THE ROAD, AND
TICKET THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
ROAD RAGING. BUT OBVIOUSLY, THE
SCHOOLS NEED IT AS WELL. BUT YOU
KNOW, GIVING A WARNING, AND THEN
JUMPING UP TO $139 IS KIND OF
RIDICULOUS. YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T
YOU CRANK OUT SOME $50, $75,
$100 TICKETS? THE CUSTOM
EXHAUST PIPES, I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVEN'T MADE
A LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T DO
THIS ANYMORE. AND SEPARATELY,
JUST TO POINT OUT WE HAVE A LINK
LIGHT RAIL THAT COSTS BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS, AND WE HAVE BUSES
THAT COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN
EFFICIENT TRANSFER FROM SAY
148th AT THE NEW LINK LIGHT
RAIL STOP UP BY SHORELINE, WHEN
WE GET OFF THAT TRAIN AND
THERE'S SIX BUSES ON BREAK
BECAUSE OF AN ABUSIVE UNION, ONE
OF THOSE BUSES IS SUPPOSED TO
STEP UP AND COMBINE SERVICE LIKE
FOR THE NUMBER 65. WHEN YOU TAKE
THE 65 AND GO LIKE FOUR STOPS,
THERE'S SO MUCH POTHOLES THAT
IT HURTS YOUR BACK, MESSES UP
THE BUS, AND WE NEED
EFFICIENCIES FOR OUR
TRANSPORTATION INSTEAD OF
CONSTANTLY MISSING THE
TRANSFERS. KEEP THE UNION...
>> THANK YOU, DAVID. THAT IS ALL
THE TESTIMONY WE HAVE.
>> ALL RIGHT. SINCE THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS,
WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS
OF BUSINESS. LET US MOVE ON TO
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, AUTOMATED
TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERA
LEGISLATION.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND
WHILE OUR PRESENTERS ARE JOINING
US AT THE TABLE, PLEASE IN A
MOMENT SHARE YOUR PRESENTATIONS,
AND IN A MOMENT INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND BEGIN YOUR
PRESENTATIONS. BEFORE YOU DO
THAT, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO FRAME THIS SPECIFIC
CONVERSATION A LITTLE MORE. SO
WE KNOW THAT AUTOMATED TRAFFIC
SAFETY CAMERAS ARE AN IMPORTANT
TO SUPPORT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF
BASIC TRAFFIC SAFETY IN OUR
CITY, AND I WAS READING THE
SEATTLE TIMES RANT AND RAVE
SECTION A FEW DAYS AGO, EARLIER
THIS WEEK WHERE A SEATTLE TIMES
READER WROTE OVER THIS WEEKEND
THAT RAVE TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE
FOR SPEED BUMPS AND OTHER
TRAFFIC CALMING ON ARTERIALS.
ANYTHING TO GET US ALL TO SLOW
DOWN AND BE LESS DANGEROUS TO
PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS WHO
HAVE AS MUCH RIGHT TO EXIST AND
MOVE SAFELY AS CARS DO. I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE. SO THANK
YOU TO THE SEATTLE TIMES READER
FOR THAT VERY KIND RAVE ABOUT
THE CITY'S TRAFFIC CALMING
MEASURES ON ARTERIALS. I'LL
SPEAK HIGHLY OF THE IMPACT OF
TRAFFIC CUSHIONS. THE DEPARTMENT
UNDERTOOK A HURCHULEAN EFFORT TO
INSTALL SPEED HUMPS, AND I SEE
IT ALL THE TIME. IT DOES SLOW
CARS DOWN. IT WORKS. IT DOESN'T
DO MUCH FOR THE PROBLEM NOISE
ACTIVITY IN THE AREA, BUT IT
DOES SLOW CARS DOWN. IT'S NOT
THE ONLY THING EITHER. WE ALSO
NEED IN THAT AREA IN PARTICULAR,
I DO BELIEVE WE NEED NON-SCHOOL
SPEED CAMERAS, AND THAT'S WHAT
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
AUTHORIZE. TO THAT READER, RIVER
I GUESS FROM THE SEATTLE TIMES,
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERAS
ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE
BROADER SOLUTION TO KEEP
EVERYONE SAFE, WHETHER THEY
DRIVE, BIKE, WALK, TAKE TRANSIT.
FOR ME, I PERSONALLY DO ALL THE
ABOVE. PROUD OF IT. TODAY'S
PRESENTATION BY SDOT WILL
HIGHLIGHT PROPOSED CITY
LEGISLATION THAT IS NEEDED IN
LIGHT OF CHANGES TO STATE LAW
LATE LAST YEAR TO DEPLOY
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY
CAMERAS. COLLEAGUES RECALL THAT
LAST YEAR'S CHANGES TO STATE
LAW CONSOLIDATED SEVERAL
COMPONENTS OF WASHINGTON CODE,
INCLUDING RED LIGHT AND SCHOOL
SPEED ZONE CAMERAS. THE NEW
STATE LAW ALSO REPEALED
AUTHORITY FOR ENFORCING
DESIGNATED RACING ZONE CAMERAS
AND MODIFIED CERTAIN PROVISIONS
GOVERNING THE USE OF REVENUES
COLLECTED RANS. SO 2022 OR 2023
WAS ON CENTRAL STAFF'S SLIDE
FROM THE LAST PRESENTATION WHEN
THE COUNCIL DESIGNATED A TOP 10
LIST OF RACING ZONES IN THE CITY
WITH THE 24 STATE CHANGES TO
LAW, TO STATE LAW THAT REPEALED
THAT AUTHORITY. SO HENCE WHY
WE'RE HERE TODAY IN PART.
ULTIMATELY, THIS LEGISLATION
ALIGNS CITY CODE WITH NEW STATE
LAW, SO WANT TO THANK SDOT AND
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR THE WORK
ON THIS IMPORTANT MATTER AND
THEIR PARTNERSHIP ON THIS
IMPORTANT MATTER. THIS IS THE
NEXT STEP IN OUR COLLECTIVE
JOURNEY, AND UNLESS AND UNTIL WE
START TO DEPLOY THESE CAMERAS,
THE WORK CONTINUES. I APPRECIATE
THE PARTNERSHIP SO FAR. PLEASE
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND START
YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD MORNING. I'M THE CHIEF
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY OFFICER
AND TRAFFIC ENGINEER WITH SDOT.
>> AND KEVIN CHOW WITH CENTRAL
STAFF.
>> AGAIN, GOOD MORNING. THANK
YOU FOR HOSTING US AGAIN TODAY
ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC OF
SAFETY CAMERA LEGISLATION. TODAY
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED LOCAL
LEGISLATION AS IT RELATES TO OUR
SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM. BEFORE I
GET STARTED, WE UPDATED OUR
VISION, VALUES, AND GOALS HERE
AT THE START. AND LET ME START
BY READING THEM VERBATIM.
SEATTLE IS AN EQUITABLE,
VIBRANT, AND DIVERSE CITY WHERE
MOVING AROUND IS SAFE, FAIR, AND
SUSTAINABLE. ALL PEOPLE AND
BUSINESSES CAN ACCESS THEIR
DAILY NEEDS AND FEEL CONNECTED
TO THEIR COMMUNITY. OUR VALUES
INCLUDE SAFETY, EQUITY,
SUSTAINABILITY, MOBILITY, AND
ECONOMIC VITALITY, LIVABILITY,
MAINTENANCE, AND MODERNIZATION
AND EXCELLENCE. IN TODAY'S
PRESENTATION, I'LL PROVIDE A
BRIEF BACKGROUND ON THE SAFETY
CAMERA PROGRAM. I'LL HIGHLIGHT
THE KEY CHANGES IN THE 2024
STATE LAW. I'LL TALK ABOUT THE
AVAILABLE CAMERA TYPES, AND THEN
GO INTO THE DETAILS OF WHAT
SEATTLE PROVISIONS NEED TO BE
CHANGED TO ALIGN WITH THE
CHANGES IN THE STATE LAW AND
SOME OTHER PROVISIONS THAT WE
ARE RECOMMENDING. AND TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAMS
THAT WE HAVE TO REDUCE THE
IMPACT OF THESE FINES AND TOUCH
UPON THE PRIVACY PROTECTION AND
DATA RETENTION POLICIES THAT WE
HAVE ADOPTED AND FINALLY GIVE A
BRIEF OVERVIEW INTO THE
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE WHICH
WILL BE FORTHCOMING AFTER THIS
LEGISLATION. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU
A BACKGROUND, SAFER SPEEDS IS A
KEY ELEMENT OF THE APPROACH.
SAFETY CAMERAS ARE IDENTIFIED AS
A SAFETY COUNTERMEASURE WITHIN A
NUMBER OF ENGINEERING
IMPROVEMENTS. WE HERE IN SEATTLE
HAVE USED SAFETY CAMERAS SINCE
2006. WE OPERATE RED LIGHT
CAMERAS AT 23 LOCATIONS. AND
SCHOOL ZONE SAFE SPEED CAMERAS
AT 19 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS ACROSS
THE CITY WITH 19 MORE COMING
ONLINE LATER THIS YEAR. NOW, IN
2024, THE STATE CHANGED SEVERAL
PROVISIONS WITH RESPECT TO HOW
SAFETY CAMERAS CAN BE OPERATED
AND MANAGED WITHIN THE STATE AND
GAVE US THE OPTION TO RETHINK
OUR OWN SEATTLE SAFETY CAMERA
PROGRAM. ONE NOTE I'D LIKE TO
MAKE IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
OF THE SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM
HERE IN THE CITY IS SHARED BY
THREE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS SDOT
ALONG WITH SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND THE MUNICIPAL
COURT. THE STATE LAW NOW ALLOWS
FOR A REVIEW OF CITATIONS BY
POLICE AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
BOTH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. IT EXPLICITLY
REQUIRES US COMPLETING SAFETY
AND EQUITY ANALYSES BEFORE WE
LOCATE ANY NEW CAMERAS OR
RELOCATE EXISTING CAMERAS. IT
INCREASES OUR ANNUAL REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS TO THE STATE, AND
IT PERMANENTLY AUTHORIZES THE
PILOT SAFETY CAMERAS PERMANENTLY
AND REPEALS THE RACING ZONE
CAMERAS AS YOU HAVE JUST STATED
AND SIMPLIFIES THE ALLOWABLE
TYPES OF SPEED, FULL-TIME SPEED
ENFORCEMENT CAMERAS THAT WE
COULD USE WITHIN THIS PROGRAM.
THE STATE LAW ALSO REQUIRES OR
ALSO ALLOWS LOCAL JURISDICTIONS
TO EXPLORE TO PAY LATER THROUGH
A GRANT TO REDUCE PENALTIES. AND
IT REQUIRES THAT JURISDICTIONS
GRANT 50% PENALTY REDUCTIONS FOR
FIRST VIOLATION TO RECIPIENTS OF
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE. HERE IS A
QUICK LIST OF THE ALLOWABLE
CAMERA TYPES, AND THOSE CAMERA
TYPES IDENTIFIED IN THE GRAY
FONT ARE TYPES WE HAVE ALREADY
USED OR ARE CURRENTLY IN USE.
AND WITH THE NEW TYPES OF
CAMERAS ARE SHOWN IN BLACK.
LET'S DIVE INTO THE SPECIFIC
PROVISIONS WITHIN THE SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL CODE THAT NEED TO BE
UPDATED. THE FIRST ONE IS TITLE
11, CHAPTER 50, AND CTIOIS ENTI
TO AUTOMATED SAFETY CAMERAS, AND
WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS PART FOR
THE ALLOWABLE CAMERAS THAT ARE
LISTED IN THE NEW STATE LAW,
REMOVE ANY REFERENCES TO THE
RACING ZONE CAMERAS THAT ARE
INCLUDED IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT
RIGHT NOW, AND ADD SAFETY AND
EQUITY ANALYSES FOR LOCATING ANY
NEW OR RELOCATED CAMERAS. WE
NEED TO UPDATE OUR ANNUAL REPORT
PER STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS SO WE
PROVIDE AND PUBLISH THAT
INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING TO
UPDATE THE PROVISION WITHIN THE
STATE LAW THAT REQUIRES US TO
INSTALL STREET SIGNAGE 30 DAYS
BEFORE WE ACTIVATE A CAMERA AT
ANY SPECIFIC LOCATION. NOW
CONTINUING IN THE SAME
PROVISION, IN THE SAME PART OF
THE CORD, WE ARE TAKING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE OUR CODE
LANGUAGE AROUND CAMERA
ACTIVATION AND WARNING PERIODS.
I WANT TO STRESS THAT THESE
CHANGES ARE NOT REQUIRED BY
STATE LAW. WE ARE NOT REQUIRED
TO GIVE ANY WARNINGS ONCE WE
START ACTIVATING, ONCE WE HAVE
ACTIVATED A SAFETY CAMERA. BUT
WE ARE UPDATING THE CODE TO
ESTABLISH A 30-DAY WARNINGS-ONLY
PERIOD AFTER ACTIVATION OF ANY
CAMERA TYPE, EXCEPT FOR SCHOOL
ZONES. WE ARE ALSO REPEALING
LANGUAGE RELATED TO FIRST
VIOLATION WARNINGS THAT ARE
PROVIDEED FOR SPEED CAMERAS,
INCLUDING SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS,
BLOCK THE BOX AND PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION CAMERAS. SO
MOVING ON TO A DIFFERENT PART OF
THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE AND
THE SAME TITLE WITH CHAPTER 31
THAT RELATES TO TRAFFIC
OFFENSES. HERE WE NEED TO UPDATE
OUR CODE TO INCLUDE AND ALIGN
WITH THE STATE LAW ABOUT WHO CAN
REVIEW AND ISSUE CITATIONS. THIS
NOW INCLUDES CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
BOTH IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION WHO ARE NOW
ELIGIBLE, EVERYONE BEYOND THE
PEACE OFFICERS WHO HAVE
TRADITIONALLY REVIEWED AND
ISSUED CITATIONS FROM SAFETY
CAMERAS. THESE CIVILIAN
EMPLOYEES WILL OF COURSE HAVE TO
BE TRAINED BEFORE THEY ARE
ALLOWED TO UNDERTAKE SUCH
RESPONSIBILITIES. IN THE SAME
SECTION, WE ARE ALSO UPDATING
THE PENALTIES BY UPDATING THE
SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW CAMERA
TYPES THAT ARE INCLUDED. THE
FINES ISSUED BY A SAFETY CAMERA
MAY NOT EXCEED $145. WE ARE, BUT
SCHOOL ZONE VIOLATIONS AND
INFRACTIONS SHALL BE DOUBLED
WITHIN THE STATE LAW. AND THERE
IS A DIFFERENT PROVISION WITHIN
THE STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT
WORK ZONE SPEED INFRACTIONS MUST
BE DOUBLED WITHIN THE STATE LAW.
SO GIVEN THESE CHANGES, HERE IS
A QUICK TABLE THAT SUMMARIZES
THE VARIOUS SAFETY CAMERA TYPES
AND THE FINE AMOUNTS THAT ARE
PROPOSED. THE TABLE ON THE LEFT
SIDE INDICATES ALL THE EXISTING
FINES AND FINE AMOUNTS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY IN PLACE. AND THE
TABLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE INCLUDES
THE FINE AMOUNTS FOR THE NEW
TYPES OF CAMERAS THAT ARE
AUTHORIZED. AS YOU CAN SEE, ALL
THE FINE AMOUNTS ARE LESS THAN
THE STATE-REQUIRED $144, EXCEPT
FOR THE SCHOOL ZONE AND WORK
ZONE CAMERA TYPES. SO WE ARE
ALSO TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
UPDATE ANOTHER PORTION OF OUR
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE IN TITLE
FIVE, SECTION 82. THESE RELATE
TO FINANCIAL POLICIES ON THE USE
OF REVENUES FROM SAFETY CAMERAS.
NOW, TODAY AS IT IS WRITTEN, WE
HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS OR
LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE CAN DO
WITH THE REVENUE GENERATED BY A
CERTAIN TYPE OF CAMERA. TO BE
SPECIFIC, THE REVENUE FOR A
CERTAIN TYPE OF CAMERA CANNOT BE
USED TO ADMINISTER ANOTHER TYPE
OF CAMERA, AND THIS IS A
SELF-IMPOSED FINANCIAL POLICY
WITHIN THE MUNICIPAL CODE. SO WE
ARE DEFINITELY WORKING TO REMOVE
THOSE KINDS OF LIMITATIONS IN
ORDER TO ESTABLISH A MORE
HOLISTIC SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM.
WE ARE ALSO CREATING AN
AUTOMATED TRAFFIC CAMERA SAFETY
FUND TO REPLACE THE EXISTING
SCHOOL SAFETY TRAFFIC AND
PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT FUND THAT
MOST OF THE CAMERA REVENUE IS
GOING INTO. THIS NEW CAMERA FUND
WILL HOST ALL THE REVENUE
GENERATED BY SAFETY CAMERAS,
EXCEPT FOR THE REVENUE THAT ARE
DEPOSITED INTO THE GENERAL FUND
AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. SO
AGAIN, WE ARE NOT CHANGING HOW
THE REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE
USED THAT ARE GENERATED BY THE
SAFETY CAMERA, SAFETY CAMERAS.
THE NET REVENUES THAT ARE
PROPOSED TO BE USED IN PRETTY
MUCH THE SAME WAY WHEREIN WE ARE
USING AFTER PAYING FOR
INSTALLATION, PROGRAM
ADMINISTRATION, EXPANSION OF ANY
CAMERA TYPES. THE NET REVENUES
THAT ARE ME INNING ARE GOING TO
BE USED PRIMARILY TO DEVELOP AND
IMPLEMENT SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS. AND THESE
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE
AIMED TO PROVIDE MORE EQUITABLE
ACCESS TO PEOPLE WHO USE OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND THOSE
PROJECTS THAT ARE AIMED AT
REDUCING OUR SPEEDS AND ALSO
THIS ALLOWS US TO USE CAMERAS
DOING A MORE HOLISTIC
EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO TALK
ABOUT SAFETY CAMERAS AND SAFER
BEHAVIORS ON OUR STREETS. SO A
QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE FINE
PROGRAMS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO
REDUCE THE IMPACT OF FINES. NOW,
ANY CITATION THAT IS ISSUED
UNDER THE SAFETY CAMERA STREET
LIGHT AND PARKING CITATION, IT
DOES NOT GO ON THE DRIVING
RECORD OF AN INDIVIDUAL. AND
THERE ARE EXISTING PROGRAMS
WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE AIMED
AT REDUCING THE IMPACT,
ESPECIALLY ON THOSE OF US WHO
ARE MORE FINANCIALLY
DISADVANTAGED THAN OTHERS. NOW,
THESE INCLUDE DEBT REDUCTION
HEARINGS, IMPLEMENTING A PAYMENT
PLAN TO PAY THESE FINES, ASKING
FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS
IN LIEU, AND LOOKING AT A
UNIFIED PAYMENT PLAN IF YOU HAVE
A NUMBER OF TYPES OF OUTSTANDING
FINES THAT ARE DUE TO THE CITY.
SO THESE ARE AVAILABLE, AND WE
ALSO IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE ARE
ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE 50% FINE
REDUCTION REQUIREMENT FOR FIRST
VIOLATIONS FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE ON GOVERNMENT
ASSISTANCE. SO THIS GIVES OUR
CONSTITUENTS A FEW MORE WAYS TO
LOOK AT HOW THEY CAN MITIGATE
THE IMPACT OF THESE FINES, WHICH
WE KNOW ARE SOMETIMES CAN BE
FINANCIALLY BURDENSOME. WITH THE
STATE LAW AND THE CITY TAKE
PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION VERY
SERIOUSLY. I CAN'T EMPHASIZE
ENOUGH THAT ANY DATA, IMAGES,
VIDEOS THAT ARE COLLECTED TO
ISSUE OUR TRAFFIC INFRACTION BY
A SAFETY CAMERA CANNOT BE USED
FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE OTHER THAN
ENFORCING TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS
UNDER THE STATE LAW. NOW, THIS
IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND WE HAVE
PROTECTED THE PRIVACY PROTECTION
ALL THESE YEARS THAT WE HAVE
BEEN USING SAFETY CAMERAS, AND
THIS CAMERA THE WAY WE CAPTURE
THESE IMAGES, WE ARE ONLY
CAPTURING THE IMAGE OF THE
VEHICLE LICENSE PLATE
PURELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF
ISSUING A CITATION. WE HAVE
EXPLICIT LANGUAGE IN OUR CODE
THAT SAYS THAT IT CANNOT LOOK
INTO A CAR. IT CANNOT CAPTURE
THE FACES OF THE DRIVER OR
PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, AND THERE
ARE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS AND
SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT ARE TAKEN
TO PROTECT THAT PRIVACY AND USE
THIS TOOL FOR WHAT IT IS
INTENDED. NOW, GOING BEYOND
THAT, THE CITY HAS ALSO ADOPTED
SOME PRACTICES RELATED TO THE
DATA RETENTION POLICIES. NOW,
ANY CITATION THAT RESULTS IN
ISSUING ONLY A WARNING OR AN
INFRACTION THAT IS CAPTURED AND
WAS ULTIMATELY REJECTED BY THE
PERSON WHO IS ISSUING THE
CITATION FOR THE PEACE OFFICER,
THOSE KIND OF EVIDENCE ARE
DELETED 31 DAYS AFTER SUCH A
DETERMINATION IS MADE. NOW,
THOSE INFRACTIONS THAT ACTUALLY
BECOME CITATIONS, THAT DATA IS
HELD FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS
AFTER WHICH THEY ARE, AGAIN,
PERMANENTLY DELETED. SO WE KNOW
THAT PRIVACY AND PROTECTION AND
DATA RETENTION IS VERY IMPORTANT
IN THIS PROGRAM, AND WE HAVE
ADHERED TO AND WILL CONTINUE TO
ADHERE TO THE STATE LAW AND
CONTINUE TO PRACTICE OUR DATA
RETENTION POLICIES AS WE HAVE
ENVISIONED THEM. SO HERE IS KIND
OF A QUICK IMAGE OF WHAT KIND OF
INFORMATION THAT IS CAPTURED BY
THESE CAMERAS. SO UP TOP, YOU
HAVE THE RED LIGHT CAMERA IMAGE,
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE LANE
CAMERA WE USED ON THE LOW BRIDGE
NOT SO LONG GO. AN IMAGE FROM
THE SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS. AS YOU
CAN SEE, IMAGES ARE ALWAYS
CAPTURED FROM BEHIND LOOKING AT
THE VEHICLE AND MORE FOCUSED ON
TRYING TO PICK UP THE LICENSE
NUMBER DURING THE INFRACTION IF
AND WHEN IT HAPPENS. SO A QUICK
NOTE ABOUT OUR DRAFT SAFETY
CAMERA IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE.
NOW, THE UPDATE THAT YOU SEE IN
THE STATE LEGISLATION AND THE
CURRENT PROPOSED LOCAL
LEGISLATION CAPTURES SOME
IMPORTANT PROVISIONS THAT NEED
TO BE REFLECTED IN THE LOCAL
LAWS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE
STATE LAWS. BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY
DEVELOPING IMPLEMENTATION
GUIDANCE THAT WILL HELP US
IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM MORE
HOLISTICALLY, TO ADMINISTER THIS
PROGRAM, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE
DETAIL ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE A
DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH FOR SITING
NEW CAMERAS. AND ALSO, PROVIDE A
FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT SO THAT WE PUBLICIZE
THIS AND WE EDUCATE OUR
COMMUNITIES ON THE SAFETY
CAMERAS AND WHAT THEY'RE
INTENDED TO DO AND EDUCATE ABOUT
SAFER BEHAVIORS AND OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS DRAFT
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE WILL BE
FORTHCOMING AFTER THE LOCAL
LEGISLATION HAS PASSED AND TAKES
EFFECT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE DOVETAILS WITH WHAT THE
LOCAL LEGISLATION AND THE STATE
LAWS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN
PLACE. ONCE THIS IS DONE
PROBABLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
MONTHS AFTER THE LOCAL
LEGISLATION IS PASSED THROUGH,
WE'LL BE PASSING IMPLEMENTATION
GUIDANCE THAT GOES INTO MORE
DETAIL ABOUT HOW WE ARE LOOKING
TO OR ENVISIONING ADMINISTERING
THE SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM MORE
HOLISTICALLY. WITH THAT SAID, IN
CLOSING I WANT TO SAY THAT WE
VIEWED THE SAFETY CAMERA PROGRAM
AS A TOOL AMONG MANY TOOLS THAT
WE HAVE TO IMPROVE SAFETY ON OUR
STREETS. WE LOOK AT THIS AS A
BEHAVIORAL CHANGE TOOL, AND WE
HAVE SEEN EVIDENCE OF THAT
BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN OUR OWN DATA
HERE IN THE CITY, AND WE'LL
CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY
AND MOVE FORWARD TO DEPLOYING A
MORE SAFE AND EQUITABLE SAFETY
CAMERA PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THIS
PRESENTATION. AND BEFORE I TAKE
QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, I
WILL ALLOW OUR CENTRAL STAFF
EXPERT CAL, MR. CHOW, DO YOU
HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? ANY
COMMENTS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M STILL
REVIEWING THE LEGISLATION, AND
I'LL HAVE A MEMO FOR YOU. A FEW
ITEMS THAT JUMP TO THE TOP OF MY
THINKING, ONE IS THAT THE
EXISTING CITY LAW REALLY DOES
REPRESENT THE EVOLUTION OF
CAMERA AUTHORIZATION FROM THE
STATE OVER TIME, SO A LOT OF THE
REASONS WHY YOU SEE THE
FINANCIAL PLANS, THE FINANCIAL
POLICIES THE WAY THEY LOOK IS
BECAUSE OF HOW STATE AUTHORITY
WAS ROLLED OUT, AND WE HAD TO
KEEP SOME OF THOSE THINGS
SEPARATE. ONE OF THE THINGS IN
FRONT OF YOU IS THIS PROPOSAL TO
LUMP ALL THE NEW CAMERA REVENUES
TOGETHER IN ONE FINANCIAL
POLICY. YOU COULD STILL SPEND
THAT MONEY IN THE SAME WAY WE
SPEND IT NOW, IT JUST CHANGES IT
FROM A FINANCIAL POLICY OF
KEEPING THOSE DISTINCT THAT
BECOMES A BUDGET DECISION STILL
FOR SAFETY BUT THE AMOUNT OF
MONEY THAT COULD GO TO SCHOOL
PROGRAMS OR OTHER PROGRAMS, THAT
WOULD BE MORE OF A BUDGET
DECISION ABOUT THAT MONEY AS A
AS OPPOSED TO A FINANCIAL
POLICY. ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS
FIRST-TIME WARNINGS. THAT'S
LARGELY AN ADMINISTRATIVE
BARRIER. THE PROPOSAL AS I
UNDERSTAND IT IS TO FOCUS ON
WARNING, A WARNING FOR THE FIRST
MONTH OF CAMERA LOCATION, WHICH
IS VERY EASY TO ADMINISTER
BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T ISSUE
TICKETS FOR THE FIRST MONTH OF
VIOLATIONS. WHEREAS IF IT'S A
FIRST-TIME VIOLATOR FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL, YOU HAVE TO TRACK
THAT, YOU HAVE TO KEEP A
DATABASE OF THAT VEHICLE TO KNOW
WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN A VIOLATOR
BEFORE. IT BECOMES MORE OF AN
ACCOUNTING ISSUE. THAT'S ONE OF
THE CONSIDERATIONS THERE. AND
LASTLY, I JUST NOTE THAT THE
CITY'S SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE
DOES EXEMPT THIS TYPE OF
TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS A STATE
AUTHORIZED TECHNOLOGY SPECIFIC
FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY, AND THAT IS
EXEMPTED IN THE ORDINANCE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHOW. I WAS
GOING TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOUR
ANALYSIS IS FORTHCOMING AND
YOU'RE STILL REVIEWING. TOTALLY
UNDERSTAND. I WAS GOING TO ASK A
QUESTION ABOUT THE HIGH-LEVEL
POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR US TO
CONSIDER. AND THANK YOU FOR
PREEMPTING ME, AND WE'LL LEARN
MORE WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO SEE
YOUR MEMO. BUT THANK YOU FOR
THAT INITIAL INSIGHT.
COLLEAGUES, AT THIS TIME, I
WELCOME ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS
FROM YOU ALL. STARTING WITH THE
DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM
QUEEN ANN. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA OF THE
GREAT DISTRICT 1. SDOT, REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU COMING TODAY, AND
ALSO OF COURSE OUR STAFF
COLLEAGUES AS WELL TO PRESENT ON
THIS. AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK A
FEW QUESTIONS RELATED TO
BASICALLY ECHO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT STARTING WITH MR.
PEDDLEFORD FROM SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS. THERE'S
A QUESTION REGARDING THE PENALTY
AMOUNTS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW
THOSE NUMBERS WERE DERIVED IN
TERMS OF THE CALCULUS THAT WENT
BEHIND THEM IN TERMS OF, I MEAN,
STATE LAW TALKS ABOUT EQUITY AND
SO FORTH, BUT EFFECTIVENESS AND
ALL THE VARIOUS PIECES THAT GO
INTO THOSE NUMBERS AND
UNDERSTANDING THE TWO THAT CAN
BE, THE TWO THAT COULD BE
INCREASED, THE SCHOOL AND THE
WORK ZONE. BUT CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THE CALCULUS BEHIND ASCERTAINING
THOSE NUMBERS?
>> IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT-
>> [OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS]
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER. IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FINE
AMOUNTS ARE SET BY THE CODE
SYSTEM. THE ONE PROVISION IN THE
STATE LAW IS THAT THE FINE
AMOUNT SHALL NOT EXCEED THE $140
FOR A SAFETY CAMERA, WHICH MOST
OF THESE CAMERAS DO NOT EXCEED
THAT AMOUNT. EXCEPT FOR THE TWO
PROVISIONS FOR THE SCHOOL ZONES
AND WORK ZONES. BEYOND THAT,
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE KIND OF
LIKE HOW THE CODE SYSTEM DECIDES
WHAT THESE PENALTY AMOUNTS
SHOULD BE. I DON'T THINK THAT
IS DONE, THE CALCULUS IS WITHIN
SDOT.
>> MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT THIS
REALLY REPRESENTS HOW THE
EVOLUTION OF CAMERAS HAVE BEEN
DELIVERED OVER THE YEARS. SO
WHEN THIS WAS A NEW TECHNOLOGY,
WE'RE PUTTING OUT A TRAFFIC
VIOLATION EVEN THOUGH IT IS
COMING UNDER A VIOLATION ON THE
VEHICLE AS OPPOSED TO A DRIVER.
THE INTENT WAS TO CAPTURE
SPEEDING. THE INTENT WAS TO
CAPTURE A RED LIGHT CROSSING, SO
IT WAS VIEWED AS A TICKET. IF
YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE,
THOSE GENERALLY FOLLOW OUR
TICKETING SCHEDULE, FEE SCHEDULE
FOR WHAT WE CHARGE PEOPLE WHEN
THEY A POLICE OFFICER STOPS A
VEHICLE FOR DOING THAT
VIOLATION. SO THAT IS WHY OUR
CAMERA FEE SCHEDULE REALLY LOOKS
LIKE OUR TRAFFIC SCHEDULE. THE
ITEMS ON THE RIGHT, THE NEW ONES
ARE CAMERA PROPOSALS THAT ARE
NOT, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE IN
OUR CODE. THEY'RE NEWLY
AUTHORIZED BY 2024, SO THEY'RE
LARGELY IN LINE WITH WHAT'S
EXISTED. FOR US, IT REALLY COMES
FROM ESSENTIALLY TREATING IT THE
SAME AS A SPEEDING TICKET.
>> THE ONE EXCEPTION I WOULD SAY
TO THAT IS THE RESTRICTED LANE
AND BUS LANE BLOCK THE BOX
TICKETS WERE SET AT $75
ORIGINALLY IN THE PILOT BY STATE
LEGISLATION, AND THAT'S JUST
CARRIED THROUGH TO THIS NEW
POLICY.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU,
MR. CHOW FOR THAT. IT POINTS TO
THE GENESIS OF THE FINE AMOUNTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. KIND OF
ANSWERS THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF
HOW WE GOT FROM A TO B. ALONG
THOSE LINES, WE ALSO HAD THE
QUESTION REGARDING PLACING BACK
THE MONEY GAINED FROM THESE
FINES INTO THE SYSTEM, THE
SAFETY SYSTEM OF VISION ZERO AND
THE LIKE. SO THE AUTOMATIC
TRAFFIC SAFETY FUND I THINK IS
GOOD, AND AS MR. CHOW NOTED, IT
COULD BE MOVED WITHIN THAT. IF
IT'S KEPT WITHIN THE INTENT, I
THINK THAT'S GREAT. BUT CAN YOU
SIMILARLY KIND OF HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND, MAYBE YOU DON'T
KNOW, BUT REGARDING THE 80% FOR
THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS, WHY IS
THAT SEPARATED AND PULLED OUT
FOR THE GENERAL FUND?
>> WHEN THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS
WERE FIRST INTRODUCED, THEY WERE
GENERAL FUND ELIGIBLE, SO THE
MONEY JUST WENT DIRECTLY TO THE
GENERAL FUND AS AUTHORIZED. WHEN
WE INITIATED THE SCHOOL ZONE
CAMERAS, S, WE CREATED A SCHOOL
SAFETY TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT AND I
FORGET EXACTLY THE SAME OF IT,
BUT THE SSTPI FUND. IT WAS MEANT
TO COVER ALL THE FUNDING THAT
CAME FROM TRAFFIC CAMERAS. AT
THE TIME, THE COUNCIL ALSO
AUTHORIZED FINANCIAL POLICIES TO
DIRECT 10% OF RED LIGHT CAMERA
REVENUE INTO THAT FUND, AND THEN
LATER ON DOUBLED THAT TO 20% OF
THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS. THAT WAS
WHEN WE HAD TWO TYPES OF CAMERAS
THAT WE COULD IMPLEMENT. NOW
THAT WE HAVE SEEN THE PILOT
PROJECT FOR OTHER TYPES OF
CAMERAS AND THERE'S
ANTICIPATION THAT WE WILL DO
MORE OF THESE OTHER TYPES OF
CAMERAS, THE IDEA HERE IS TO
EXPAND THAT POOL OF FUNDING,
STILL HAVE IT FOR VISION ZERO
TYPES OF PROJECTS, STILL HAVE IT
FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY, BUT KIND OF
REMOVE THAT SPECIFIC RESTRICTION
ABOUT IT ALL BEING USED FOR
SCHOOL SAFETY PROJECTS. I THINK
IT IS A POLICY DECISION ABOUT
HOW THAT MONEY GETS SPENT. IT
COULD STILL BE SPENT TO BE
CONSISTENT WITH HOW THE MONEY
WILL BE RAISED. IT CAN COME TO
YOU FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS.
YOU COULD CONSIDER OTHER CHANGES
TO FINANCIAL POLICIES AS THIS
GOES AS WELL.
>> THE ONE PIECE I WOULD ADD TO
THAT IS THAT WHEN THE PILOT WAS
PASSED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE
AUTHORIZING SEATTLE TO DO A
RESTRICTION FOR BLOCK THE BOX
TRANSIT LANE, THE REQUIREMENT
WAS REVENUES THAT COULD STAY
WITH THE CITY WENT TO IMPROVING
ADA ACCESS, AND SO WE WANNA
RETAIN THAT ABILITY WITH THIS
NEW FUND. SO THOSE FUNDS THAT WE
USED FOR THE PILOT WENT INTO
SEPARATE FUNDS AND WERE
DEDICATED FROM THOSE FUNDS TO I
THINK ADOPTING PEDESTRIAN
SIGNALS FOR ADA ACCESS, AND SO
WE WANT TO RETAIN THAT ABILITY
WITH THIS NEW REVISION. SO
THAT'S ANOTHER WAY THAT THE
SCOPE OF PERMISSIBLE SPENDING
HAS EXPANDED.
>> I THINK THE POINT IS THAT
PRIOR TO THE 2024 LAW, STATE LAW
HAD DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS FOR
DIFFERENT CAMERA RESOURCE. AND
THAT'S CHANGED. SO NOW WE HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THAT A LITTLE
BIT EASIER.
>> OKAY.
>> AND MORE TRANSPARENT AS WELL.
>> ADA, THAT'S ANOTHER
IMPORTANT AREA TO THIS IN TERMS
OF, YOU KNOW, SENDING THAT MONEY
TO ADA IS VERY IMPORTANT. THANK
YOU. SEE, THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO
HAVE LONG-TENURED INDIVIDUALS
HERE AT THE CITY LEVEL, BOTH IN
CENTRAL STAFF AND ON THE
EXECUTIVE SIDE. ARGUABLY
SOMETHING THE FEDERAL LEVEL
COULD LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT. BUT
YOU MENTIONED BUDGET PROCEDURES
FOR THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS
OF THE CALCULATIONS? I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THEY'RE RESOURCED IN
ORDER TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY
OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE. CAN YOU
SPEAK TO THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
COURT PIECE OF THIS?
>> WE'LL GO TO THE LAST SLIDE.
SO WE'RE STILL KIND OF DRAFTING
OUR IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE, AND
IN THERE WE HAVE A SECTION TO
TALK ABOUT BUDGET PROCEDURES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE
GOING TO BE DOING AND IT KIND OF
COMES FROM THE STATE LAW IS TO
DO AN ANNUAL EVALUATION OF ALL
CAMERA LOCATIONS, AND MAKE
DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH CAMERAS TO
KEEP, WHICH CAMERAS TO
POTENTIALLY RELOCATE OR REMOVE.
OR HOW MANY NEW TYPES OF CAMERAS
TO ADD. SO WE ARE WRITING SOME
PROCEDURES TO COMPLETE THE
VALUATION AND LINE UP THAT
EVALUATION AND NEEDS PROCESS
THAT THE BUDGET DELIBERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR SO THAT WE CAN BE
CLEAR ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES ARE
NEEDED. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR POINTING IT OUT THAT ANY
RESOURCES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO
ADMINISTER ANY NEW CAMERAS OR
ADMINISTER EXISTING CAMERAS,
THOSE RESOURCES NEED TO BE
PROVIDED FOR ALL THREE
DEPARTMENTS. BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE
DIFFERENT ROLES IN HOW WE
ADMINISTER THESE PROGRAMS. SPD
INITIATES ANY NEW CAMERA
RELOCATIONS BY WORKING WITH THE
VENDOR. THEY HAVE THE CONTRACT
WITH THE VENDOR. SDOT PROVIDES
THE ENGINEERING SUPPORT AND THE
PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT. SO THAT IS
KIND OF WHAT WE ARE INTENDING TO
WRITE IN THE BUDGET PROCEDURES
TO EXPLAIN THAT RESOURCES NEED
TO BE ALLOCATED TO ALL THREE
DEPARTMENTS WHEN WE ARE
CONSIDERING CHANGES OR
MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THAT.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE AS THE PUBLIC
SAFETY CHAIR, I'M WELL
CONNECTED TO SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
COURT. IF YOU NEED ANY
ASSISTANCE, MY CHIEF OF STAFF
WORKS CLOSELY WITH THEIR CHIEF
OF STAFF. I HAVE REGULAR
MEETINGS WITH JUDGE WILLIS. I'M
WELL AWARE AND SENSITIVE TO THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT'S
ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES
BECAUSE THE MARGINS ARE RAZOR
THIN. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THIS DOESN'T CREATE A CHALLENGE
FOR THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT.
JUST ONE LAST THING. AND I SAY
THIS BECAUSE I RECENTLY GOT
INTERVIEWED LAST WEEK I THINK IT
WAS ON SURVEILLANCE. I
UNDERSTAND THIS IS EXEMPTED FROM
THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE. TO
BE CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PIECE, WHEN WE DESIGN THESE
PIECES, WE DO THE SEATTLE VALUES
WAY, AND VERY MUCH DIFFERENT
FROM JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. AND THESE ARE THE
THINGS THAT WILL BE GUIDING US
AS WE LOOK AT EVEN THINGS
OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC SAFETY REALM
HERE IN THE TRANSPORTATION WORLD
AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO IN TERMS OF
SURVEILLANCE HAVING THOSE LITTLE
PIECES THAT SEPARATE US, NOT
LITTLE ACTUALLY. THOSE POLICY
CHOICES THAT WE MAKE IN TERMS OF
HOW WE DO THINGS, HOW WE COLLECT
THINGS, WHAT'S KEPT, WHAT'S
NOT, FACIAL RECOGNITION FOR
EXAMPLE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT
PIECES, THESE DIFFERENT
PARAMETERS, WE ARE AT A
DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY. AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO BE RAISED IN PUBLIC
COMMENT, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY THAT AND
WE'RE BEING MINDFUL OF THAT
WITH ANY LEGISLATION TO ENSURE
THAT WE, TO THE BEST OF OUR
ABILITIES, NOTHING CAN BE
PERFECT BUT TO REALLY ENSURE
THAT WE'RE MINDFUL AND TAKE
POSITIONS THAT HELP IN THOSE
SITUATIONS. SO THANK YOU, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MR. CHOW.
>> COULDN'T AGREE MORE. FOR
CLARITY, THERE'S NO FACIAL
RECOGNITION GOING ON ASSOCIATED
WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY. UH-UH,
UH-UH, UH-UH. NO FACIAL
RECOGNITION. JUST FOR CRYSTAL
CLARITY. NONE OF THAT! ANYWAYS,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M GOING
TO START A COUPLE OF MY
QUESTIONS OFF WITH CENTRAL
STAFF, CALVIN. DO YOU PREFER TO
GO BY CAL, BY THE WAY?
>> EITHER ONE IS FINE.
>> THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TODAY'S
PRESENTATION. JUST GIVEN SOME OF
THE DISCUSSION ON THE REVENUES,
IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THAT WE
HAVE A POLICY DECISION AHEAD OF
US AS COUNCIL WHETHER TO ALLOW
FOR THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS TO BE
PRESCRIBED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS
OR BEING ABLE TO PRESCRIBE
WITHIN THIS LEGISLATION HOW
THOSE FUNDS CAN BE EXPENDED. AM
I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY?
>> YEAH. ULTIMATELY, THESE ARE
RESTRICTIONS THAT WE WOULD BE
PUTTING ON OURSELVES. IF YOU PUT
IT IN THE FINANCIAL POLICIES,
THEN IT'S GUIDANCE TO THE
EXECUTIVE OF WHAT THEY SHOULD
PROPOSE AND WHERE THAT MONEY
SHOULD GO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN THE
BUDGET. I THINK THEY LARGELY
INTEND TO DO THAT UNDER EITHER
SCENARIO, SO IT BECOMES A
QUESTION OF HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY
DO YOU WANT TO PROVIDE? I THINK
IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO CHANGE THE
FINANCIAL POLICIES BECAUSE THE
STATE LAW HAS FUNDAMENTALLY
CHANGED, AND WE DO HAVE MORE
REVENUES CONSIDER. HAVING ONE
FUND TO CAPTURE ALL THAT REVENUE
MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR YOU AND
THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHERE IT'S
GOING AND WHAT IT'S BEING SPENT
ON. IN TERMS OF THE ISSUE OF DO
YOU WANT TO PRESERVE FUNDING FOR
A SPECIFIC CAMERA GENERALLY
GOING TO A SPECIFIC THING, HOW
TIGHTLY DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE?
DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE
PRESCRIPTIVE OR ALLOW
FLEXIBILITY FOR UNKNOWN
CIRCUMSTANCES?
>> UNDERSTOOD. AND I KNOW
COMMUNITY IS REQUESTED THAT
THESE REVENUES GO DIRECTLY BACK
INTO COMMUNITY, SAFE STREETS
PROJECTS, AND SO ON SO WE CAN
ADDRESS THAT IN THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU FOR LAYING THAT OUT.
TO THE SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE
PIECE, UNDERSTANDING THERE IS AN
EXEMPTION HERE FOR THESE
CAMERAS, CAN YOU LAY OUT WHAT
KIND OF RISKS THAT MAY PRESENT
TO RESIDENTS?
>> I'M NOT SURE I'M QUALIFIED
TO DO THAT PART OF IT. I WOULD
NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
THE PRIVACY RESTRICTIONS HERE
ARE IN THE STATE CODE. SO THEY
ARE ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF WHAT
THE STATE AUTHORIZED FROM THE
INCEPTION. SO THINGS LIKE NOT
BEING ABLE TO TAKE PICTURES OF
THE DRIVER OR PASSENGERS, NOT
BEING ABLE TO USE FOR ANY OTHER
ENFORCEMENT, THOSE ARE ALL
WRITTEN INTO THE STATE CODE. THE
ONE PIECE THAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT THAT'S MORE DISCRETIONARY
IS ON THE RETENTION POLICIES WE
HAVE. AS FAR AS RISKS, I'M NOT
SURE I'M QUALIFIED TO SPEAK TO
THAT.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. I WOULD
LIKE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION
SINCE THIS TECHNOLOGY IS
PARTICULARLY EXEMPT FROM A
SEATTLE ORDINANCE, JUST WANTING
TO GET THAT CLARIFICATION. I'LL
BE REQUESTING FOLLOW-UP
INFORMATION ON THAT POINT.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE ASKED A
GREAT QUESTION AROUND SEATTLE
MUNICIPAL COURT. MY INTEREST IS
AROUND HOW WE'RE ENSURING THAT
WHEN A PERSON GETS A TICKET OR A
FINE, THAT FOLKS WHO MAY BE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
UNDERSTAND ALL THESE DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE
IMPACT OF THESE FINES.
>> CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL?
>> YEAH. I MEAN, I CAN'T REALLY
SPEAK TO IT IN THE SENSE OF I
KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SEATTLE
MUNI COURT HAS PRACTICES TO MAKE
THIS INFORMATION MORE
ACCESSIBLE, BUT I CAN'T SAY
WHETHER IT'S ACCESSIBLE ENOUGH,
AND I THINK THOSE ARE PROBABLY
QUESTIONS MORE FOR SEATTLE MUNI
COURT.
>> THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING I
CAN DO SOME LOOKING AT. WE CAN
SEE WHAT THE PORTAL LOOKS LIKE
AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE
EXPERIENCING AS THEY'RE TRYING
TO NAVIGATE OUR SYSTEMS.
>> ONE MORE THING I'D ADD IS
THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO KIND OF
ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM MORE
HOLISTICALLY BY CREATING AN
INTER-DEPARTMENTAL TEAM. THESE
ARE THINGS WE CAN TALK TO OUR
PARTNERS AND SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE
THOSE OPTIONS MORE AVAILABLE TO
PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM.
AND WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO
DEVELOP PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
CAMPING FOR HOW WE TALK ABOUT
THESE CAMERAS, HOW WE EDUCATE
OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WHAT DO WE
WANT TO DO BEFORE WE TURN ON ANY
POTENTIAL NEW CAMERAS. ALL OF
THOSE THAT WOULD PLAY TOWARD
BUILDING THAT AWARENESS AND MAKE
SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE FOR FINE REDUCTION BE
MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
>> THANK YOU. AND GOING TO SOME
OF THE SET FINE AMOUNTS, THANK
YOU FOR PROVIDING THE TABLE OF
LIKE CURRENT FINES AND, YOU
KNOW, WHAT THE NEW FINE AMOUNTS
WOULD BE. JUST WANNA NOTE THAT
THESE FINES, EVEN IF THEIR
EXISTING FINE AMOUNTS, SEEM HIGH
WHEN COMPARED ACROSS THE U.S.
NEW YORK CITY AUTOMATED SPEED
TICKETS START AT $50. SAME WITH
CONNECTICUT. SAME WITH
CALIFORNIA. SO HOW DID WE LAND
ON THIS FINE AMOUNT, JUST BY WAY
OF A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, AND
HAVE WE LOOKED AT THINGS LIKE
TIERED FINE STRUCTURES?
>> I DON'T THINK WE HAVE. WE
HAVE HISTORICALLY VIEWED THEM AS
SPEEDING TICKETS, AND I DON'T
KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN WORK TO
-- I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S
BEEN, IN MY TIME HERE, THAT HAS
NOT COME UP AS AN ISSUE.
>> YEAH. I WOULD SAY THE FIRST
TIME THEY'VE REALLY COME UP IS
WITH THE PILOT FOR THE NEW
CAMERA TYPES. I DON'T KNOW THAT
THE $75 FINES ACTUALLY REFLECT,
MAYBE THEY DO, BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF THEY REFLECT THE FINE AMOUNTS
IF A POLICE OFFICER WAS TO ISSUE
A VIOLATION FOR BLOCK THE BOX
FOR EXAMPLE OR USING A TRANSIT
LANE. I DO KNOW THAT THE OTHER
ONES PRETTY MUCH REFLECT THE
SAME, THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH THE
SAME WHETHER IT'S AN AUTOMATED
TICKET OR NOT. AS CAL WAS SAYING
EARLIER, THAT'S HOW THE SYSTEM
EVOLVED.
>> AND THIS LEGISLATION IS
REMOVING THAT 30-DAY WARNING FOR
NEW SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS. I'VE
COME TO UNDERSTAND THIS HAS BEEN
A PRACTICE. THIS WOULD BE A
CHANGE. THIS
POLOGIES
IF I MISSED THIS POINT, BUT WHY
ARE WE REMOVING IT NOW IF NOT
UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION,
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR ASKING THAT. LET ME
REITERATE THAT ISSUING A WARNING
IS NOT A STATE LAW REQUIREMENT,
RIGHT? IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
IN THE CITY ARE DOING FOR GOING
ABOVE AND BEYOND THE STATE LAW,
RIGHT? YES, WE HAVE A PRACTICE
OF ISSUING WARNINGS WITHIN THE
FIRST 30 DAYS FOR SCHOOL ZONE
CAMERAS, BUT SCHOOL ZONE
CAMERASSEN LIKE ALL THE OTHER
CAMERA TYPES ARE SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT IN HOW WE APPROACH
THEM, RIGHT? BEFORE WE CONSIDER
INSTALLING A CAMERA WITHIN A
SCHOOL ZONE, WE ALWAYS DO
STUDIES TO MONITOR THE SPEEDS OF
VEHICLES IN THE SCHOOL ZONES. WE
IMPLEMENT ALL THE REQUIRED
SIGNING TO DESIGNATE THAT AS A
SCHOOL ZONE, AND ON TOP OF THAT,
WE ALWAYS LEAD WITH INSTALLING
FLASHING BEACONS THAT RAISE THE
AWARENESS OF MOTORISTS WHO ARE
COMING, KIND OF LIKE APPROACHING
A SCHOOL ZONE. SO THESE
ENGINEERING MEASURES ARE TAKEN
EVEN BEFORE WE CAN INSTALL A
POTENTIAL CAMERA. THEN WE
EVALUATE WHAT THE SPEEDS ARE AND
IF THOSE MEASURES HAVE ANY
IMPACT. THEN WE CONSIDER A
PARTICULAR LOCATION FOR A
CAMERA. IN OUR DELIBERATIONS, WE
FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR
US TO IMPROVE AND CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE OUR SAFETY IN SCHOOL
ZONES WHERE SOME OF OUR MOST
VULNERABLE YOUTH NEED TO WALK TO
OR BIKE TO AND FROM OUR SCHOOLS.
SO GIVEN THAT PRACTICE AND ALSO
THERE IS A PROVISION WITHIN THE
STATE LAW THAT SAYS THAT FINES
WITHIN A SCHOOL ZONE SHALL NOT
BE REDUCED OR MITIGATED, WE
LOOKED AT THE CONSENSUS AND WE
AS A CITY DECIDED TO NOT ISSUE
WARNINGS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE
IMPLEMENTED PROPER SIGNAGE. WE
HAVE IMPLEMENTED FLASHING
BEACONS TO RAISE AWARENESS. WE
HAVE, AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW,
WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING
ADDITIONAL SIGNS TO SAY THAT
THERE ARE PHOTO ENFORCEMENT
CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING TO BE
OPERATIONAL AT LEAST 30 DAYS
BEFORE WE ACTIVATE THEM. SO IT
CONVEYS THE TOTALITY OF THE
SITUATION. WE CHOSE TO EXEMPT
SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS FROM THAT
30-DAY WARNING PERIOD.
>> THE ONE THING I WOULD ADD TO
THAT, SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS ARE
ONLY IN OPERATION ON DAYS SCHOOL
IS IN SESSION AND 45 MINUTES
BEFORE THE BELL TIME AND 45
MINUTES AFTER THE AFTERNOON BELL
TIME. THEIR OPERATION IS MUCH
MORE LIMITED THAN RED LIGHT OR
RESTRICTED LANE THAT ARE 24/7
AND THE NEW SPEED CAMERA TYPES
WOULD BE 24/7 AS WELL.
>> APPRECIATE THAT RESPONSE. AS
A FINAL QUESTION, THIS IS TO
SDOT TEAM, IT'S BEEN SAID THAT
SDOT WOULD CONSIDER ALL CAMERAS
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TEMPORARY.
WHAT WOULD TRIGGER A CAMERA
BEING REMOVED?
>> EXCELLENT QUESTION AGAIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT THE DETAIL THAT
WE ARE TRYING TO WRITE INTO OUR
IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE, WE
HAVEN'T QUITE FINALIZED, RIGHT?
BUT I CAN KIND OF GIVE YOU A
PREVIEW OF WHAT WE CONSIDER. WE
ARE COMMITTED TO LOOKING AT
THESE CAMERAS AS TEMPORARY
MEASURES BEFORE A MORE
CAPITAL-INTENSIVE SAFETY
PROJECT. WE ARE COMMITTED TO
DOING AN ANNUAL EVALUATION OF
ALL THE CAMERA TYPES. WE'RE
GOING TO LOOK AT A VARIETY OF
FACTORS. IF IT'S A SPEED CAMERA
OR A SCHOOL ZONE CAMERA, WE'RE
GOING TO LOOK AT SPEEDS AFTER WE
HAVE IMPLEMENTED. WE'LL LOOK AT
THE HISTORY OF WANTING
CITATIONS. WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT
ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS HAVE WE
IMPLEMENTED AT THAT PARTICULAR
CAMERA LOCATION? AND HAVE THOSE
MEASURES TAKEN HOLD IN CHANGING
BEHAVIORS, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE
CITATIONS THAT ARE ISSUED AND
ALSO IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL DATA
POINTS THAT WE ARE SEEING, THE
TRAFFIC DATA POINTS THAT WE ARE
SEEING. WE WANT TO KIND OF USE
THAT SET OF INFORMATION TO MAKE
THE DECISION ON WHETHER WE WANT
TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE CAMERA
OR SAY HEY, WE HAVE DONE
ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS AND WE
CAN TRY REMOVING THE CAMERA OR
RELOCATING THE CAMERA TO A
DIFFERENT LOCATION. MAKE THAT
DECISION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TO
CONTINUE GOING FORWARD. AGAIN, I
CAN EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS, WE
LOOK AT THIS AS A TEMPORARY
BEHAVIORAL CHANGE TOOL TO
ENHANCE SAFETY IN AREAS WHERE WE
ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM. IT'S ONE
OF MANY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE THAT
WE WILL HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX
GOING FORWARD TO IMPROVE SAFETY
ON OUR STREETS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, I THINK
THERE'S A POINT IN THERE THAT
THE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, THE
OTHER CHANGES THAT MAKE IT MORE
PERMANENT BECAUSE IF YOU MOVE
IT, IF YOU'RE JUST RELYING ON
CAMERAS AND YOU MOVE THAT AWAY,
WHAT DO WE EXPECT BEHAVIOR TO
CHANGE OVER TIME? I THINK IT'S
TIED DOWN TO THAT BROADER
ANALYSIS OF HOW THAT CORRIDOR,
HOW THAT LOCATION IS
FUNCTIONING, AND WHAT OTHER
CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED THERE THAT
GIVE US CERTAINTY THAT WE HAVE,
UH, DURABLE TRAFFIC BENEFIT.
>> AMAZING. THANK YOU ALL. JUST
TO WRAP THIS UP, AND THANK YOU
FOR ANSWERING ALL OF MY
QUESTIONS IN THIS AND CERTAINLY
HAVE SOME PIECES TO FOLLOW UP ON
AS WE DIVE MORE INTO THIS
LEGISLATION, THE SPIRIT OF WHY
I'M ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS
IS TO READ INTO THE MOMENT THAT
THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCERNS
ABOUT SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY,
AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER
CORRECT AND ACCURATE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE STATUS OF THAT TO OUR
COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME WHEN
THERE IS A LOT OF HEIGHTENED
FEAR. AND PAIRED WITH THAT,
IT'S BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY
CHALLENGING LOCAL ECONOMY AS WE
NAVIGATE INTO WHATEVER SEEMS TO
BE HAPPENING. AND SO MINDFUL
ABOUT IN POSITION OF FINES AND
FOLKS BEING HIT WITH A HIGHER
FINE THAT COULD BE DESTABILIZING
FOR THEM. WE ALL CAN AGREE WE
WANT SAFER STREETS. WE NEED IT.
AND THE WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN
IMPLEMENT THIS TECHNOLOGY TO
CURB BEHAVIORS THAT CREATE SAFER
STREETS CERTAINLY SUPPORT THAT
IN MANY WAYS. THAT'S A BIT OF
THE ROOT OF MY LINE OF QUESTIONS
FOR TODAY AND WHAT I HOPE TO
CONTINUE WORKING ON WITH YOU
ALL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, ONE THING THAT
OCCURRED TO ME ABOUT THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, I DO
BELIEVE THAT LICENSE PLATE
READERS WENT THROUGH THE
SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, AND
LARGELY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A
HIGH LENS PLATE READER. WE'RE
NOT ALLOWED TO LOOK AT
INDIVIDUALS. THAT'S HOW WE
TRACK WHAT THESE THINGS LOOK
LIKE. THAT MAY BE A PROXY FOR
SOME OF THE RISKS. I HAVEN'T
READ THAT, SO I'LL HAVE TO TAKE
A LOOK AND SEE. THAT MIGHT HELP
ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU ALL.
AND THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK HERE.
WITH RESPECT TO I THINK IT IS
ACCURATE BASED OFF MY
UNDERSTANDING I THINK IT IS, AN
ACCURATE ASSESSMENT THAT THIS IS
ESSENTIALLY A LICENSE PLATE, A
FORM OF LICENSE PLATE READER
TECHNOLOGY. CAN WE CLARIFY THE
SHARING, IF ANY, OF THIS DATA
AND INFORMATION WITH OTHER
AGENCIES OR EXTERNALLY OUTSIDE
OF THE CITY OR INTERNALLY WITHIN
THE CITY? SO FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD
ANY OF THIS DATA BE SHARED WITH
SPD, FOR EXAMPLE?
>> SPD RECEIVES, SPD RUNS THE
PROGRAM, SO THEY DO RECEIVE IF
THERE'S A VIOLATION TRIGGERED,
A CAMERA VIOLATION IS TRIGGERED,
THEY RECEIVE AN IMAGE, AND
DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S A
CITABLE VIOLATION AND ISSUE A
TICKET OR NOT. AND SO BUT, IT'S
STATE GUIDANCE FOR THE RETENTION
POLICIES WE TALKED ABOUT EARLY.
THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SHARE
WITH OTHER AGENCIES. BOTH BY
CITY LAW AND STATE LAW.
>> MUNICIPAL COURT ALSO RECEIVES
INFORMATION, THE NEED TO PROCESS
THESE CITATIONS. BEYOND THAT, I
DON'T THINK EVEN SDOT HAS
ACCESS TO THE ACTUAL IMAGES OR
VIDEOS THAT ARE COLLECTED. WE
JUST USE THEM FOR PRESENTATION
PURPOSES OR WE LOOK AT HOW MANY
WARNING OR CITATIONS ARE ISSUED
AT A PARTICULAR LOCATION.
>> THANK YOU. SO FURTHER TO
COUNCILMEMBER'S KETTLE EARLIER
LINE OF QUESTIONING, I WOULD BE
CURIOUS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE
ANTICIPATED VOLUME, NEW VOLUME
OF ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS THAT
NEED TO BE ADJUDICATED THROUGH
SMC. I IMAGINE THERE'S GOING TO
BE ONCE ANY NEW SITE THERE'S
DEPLOYMENT AT ANY NEW SITE,
YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEE A RAMP
UP INITIALLY OVER A CERTAIN
PERIOD, A COUPLE MONTHS, A YEAR
POTENTIALLY, AND THEN OVER TIME
WE'D LIKELY SEE THOSE FINE AND
VIOLATIONS DECREASE. WOULD BE
CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE
ANTICIPATED NEW VOLUME OF THESE
FINES ARE GOING TO BE. BECAUSE
WE AUTHORIZED LAST YEAR AND
PROVIDED A FUNDING MECHANISM TO
DE38 SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS, IN 38
NEW LOCATIONS. TWO OR THREE IN
MY DISTRICT, INCLUDING ELK HIGH
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SO WHAT WE
TALKED A MOMENT AGO EARLIER
ABOUT IS HOW COUNCIL HAS
AUTHORIZED IT AND WE'RE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT A SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS IS COUNCIL
APPROPRIATIONS AND
AUTHORIZATIONS FOR NON-SCHOOL
SPEED CAMERAS, WHATEVER $1.18
MILLION CAN BUY THE CITY IN
TERMS OF BANG FOR THE BUCK.
WOULD BE CURIOUS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHEN THAT INFORMATION
AND THOSE ASSESSMENTS BECOME
AVAILABLE. THE ANTICIPATED NEW
VOLUME OF ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS
THAT WILL NEED TO BE
ADJUDICATED. I'LL PAUSE THERE
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS.
>> JUST TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT
FOR THESE SPEED CAMERA
DEPLOYMENTS IN NON-SCHOOL ZONE
AREAS, THIS IS A COMPLETELY NEW
TYPE OF CAMERA THAT WE HAVE NOT
USED BEFORE. SO TO PROJECT WHAT
WOULD BE THE VOLUME OF CITATIONS
OR WARNINGS TO BE ISSUED,
THAT'S A LOT OF ASSUMPTIONS.
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE
DELIBERATING ABOUT AN INITIAL
DEPLOYMENT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE
KINDS OF THINGS AND MAKE SURE
THAT ALL OF OUR THREE
DEPARTMENTS ARE PROPERLY
RESOURCED TO HANDLE WHAT IS
COMING. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME
INSIGHT INTO THE NUMBER OF
CITATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE
EXISTING CAMERAS. .I CAN'T
RECALL THOSE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP
OF MY HEAD, BUT I CAN SHARE WHAT
WE'RE SEEING FOR A SCHOOL ZONE
CAMERA OR A BUS LANE CAMERA OR A
RED LIGHT CAMERA.
>> UNDERSTAND THE NEW DEPLOYMENT
AND NEW ASSUMPTIONS AND IT'S
COMPLICATED. BY THE WAY, NO ONE
IS EXPECTING THE DEPARTMENT TO,
YOU KNOW, RAISE ITS RIGHT HAND
AND SWEAR ON THE BIBLE. THESE
ARE THE NUMBERS, THIS IS WHAT WE
CAN EXPECT. IT'S A BEST GUESS
BASED OFF THE INFORMATION,
MAKING REASONABLE ASSUMPTIONS.
SO AT OUR NEXT PRESENTATION,
WOULD LOVE TO SEE AT LEAST SOME
INITIAL ASSESSMENTS IN TERMS OF
WHAT THAT VOLUME COB EXPECTED TO
LOOK LIKE. I THINK THAT IS A
FAIR AND APPROPRIATE
TRANSPARENCY-ENHANCING MEASURE
AND PIECE OF DATA THAT WE CAN
ALL BENEFIT FROM. LET'S SEE
HERE. GOING ON TO SLIDE SIX, THE
ALLOWABLE CAMERA TYPES AND OUR
STATE LAWS. SO WE KNOW,
MENTIONED EARLIER IN MY CHAIR'S
REMARKS THAT THE STATE IS
CURRENTLY CONSIDERING ADDING
SOMETHING TO THIS ENUMERATED
LIST OF ALLOWABLE CAMERA TYPES
WITH RESPECT TO NOISE, AUTOMATED
NOISE ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY. SO
IF THAT, SHOULD THAT CHANGE
HAPPEN THIS YEAR BASED OFF OF
HOW THE ROLL OUT OF NEW
TECHNOLOGIES HAS GONE IN THE
STATE OVER TIME, SHOULD THAT
CHANGE IN THE STATE LAW HAPPEN
THIS YEAR IN ADDING NOISE
REDUCTION TO THE ENUMERATED
LIST, WOULD THAT REQUIRE FURTHER
INCORPORATION INTO CITY CODE OR
REQUIRE US TO MAKE ADDITIONAL
ALIGNMENT AND CONFORMITY TWEAKS
TO CITY CODE IN ORDER TO CONFORM
WITH STATE LAW? OR WOULD THIS
PROPOSED LEGISLATION CAPTURE ALL
FUTURE ADDITIONS?
>> I MEAN, NOISE ENFORCEMENT IS
NOT A TRAFFIC VIOLATION. SO IT
IS A DIFFERENT, IT WOULD
PROBABLY NECESSITATE DIFFERENT
SECTIONS OF CODE THAT WOULD HAVE
TO BE RESOLVED. I DON'T THINK
THAT OUR CODE CURRENTLY
CONTEMPLATES THAT AT ALL. SO
THERE WOULD BE LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD BE REQUIRED. I'M NOT SURE
SDOT WOULD BE THE DEPARTMENT TO
ENFORCE. IT WOULD SEEM TO BE
MORE SOLELY A POLICE DEPARTMENT
FUNCTION. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO
BE DETERMINED WHEN WE SEE WHAT
THE STATE ALLOWS AND WE HAVE THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
DOING NOISE ENFORCEMENT ADDRESS
THAT ISSUE AS WELL.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. ALL
RIGHT. SO I'VE MADE CLEAR THAT
THIS TECHNOLOGY IS A VITAL TOOL
AMONG A BROADER SET OF TOOLS IN
THE TOOLKIT THAT WHEN
RESPONSIBLY DEPLOYED CAN HELP
ADDRESS UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOR IN AND
AROUND OUR ROADS. SO IT'S NOT
THE END ALL-BE ALL, IT'S NOT
THE SILVER BULLET, IT'S NOT THE
PANACEA. BUT IT IS NEEDED NOW
MORE THAN EVER. AND WHEN
RESPONSIBLY DEPLOYED, BY THAT I
MEAN GOING AFTER TWO KEY
CONSIDERATIONS: EQUITY
CONSIDERATIONS AND MAKING SURE
WE ADDRESS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE
THE VARIOUS PRIVACY AND SECURITY
CONCERNS VALID UNDERLYING THE
DEPLOYMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY.
SO EQUITY CONCERNS WE HEARD
EARLIER FROM PUBLIC COMMENT THAT
COMMUNITIES, BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES HISTORICALLY HAVE
BORE THE BRUNT, SO TO SPEAK, OF
DEPLOYMENT AND OF THESE KIND OF
PUNITIVE AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT
TECHNOLOGIES. AND THAT'S TRUE.
ABSOLUTELY TRUE. WHICH IS WHY I
APPROACH THIS DEPLOYMENT OF THIS
TECHNOLOGY WITH A CAUTIOUS
SKEPTICISM AND OPTIMISM, MINDFUL
OF THOSE FACTS. AND I THINK THE
DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A GOOD JOB
OF TRYING TO ADDRESS AND
REMEDIATE SOME OF THOSE VALID
EQUITY CONCERNS AND ACTUALLY
LATER IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS
WE'LL HEAR FROM THE
DEPARTMENT'S EQUITY TEAM TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF ITS
WORK BROADLY AT A HIGHER LEVEL,
AND I THINK INFORMED BY THAT
IMPORTANT WORK GROUP AND NEW
PROGRAM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE GREAT
STRIDES, AND I THINK THOSE ARE
REFLECTED IN THIS PROPOSAL.
EQUITY IS ONE AREA WHERE THE
WORK CONTINUES. MILESTONES
HAPPEN, BUT THE WORK, IT'S A
JOURNEY. THE WORK IS A JOURNEY,
NOT A DESTINATION. SO THE SECOND
THING WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF
IS AS COUNCILMEMBER RINCK'S
QUESTION ILLUMINATED EARLIER IS
THE VALID PRIVACY CONCERNS. WE
NEED TO DEPLOY THIS IN A
PRIVACY-CONSCIOUS WAY. HAVE
APPROPRIATE GUARDRAILS THAT
GOVERN THE COLLECTION, USE, AND
SHARING OF THIS INFORMATION.
THAT INCLUDES MAKING SURE WE
ADHERE TO SOUND DATA
MINIMIZEIZATION PRINCIPLES TO
INTEND OUT THIS INTENDED GOAL
AND PURPOSE. WE STORE THAT
INFORMATION FOR THE BARE MINIMUM
AMOUNT OF TIME. WE HAVE TIGHT
GUARDRAILS AROUND SHARING IT.
AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT I'M GONNA BE
LOOKING FOR AS WE REVIEW THIS. I
KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE GONNA BE
LOOKING FOR, AND I THINK TO
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE'S POINT
EARLIER, ALIGNED WITH CITY'S
VALUES. APPROACH THIS IN AN
EQUITY FOCUSED AND PRIVACY
FOCUSED MANNER, VERY IMPORTANT
TO THIS BODY. THE OTHER THING
I'LL NOTE IS THAT WE'RE ALL
SORT OF, AS THE DEPARTMENT
INDICATED, THESE DEPLOYMENTS OF
THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE INTENDED
TO BE TEMPORARY ONLY. WE TALKED
ABOUT THE TRIGGERS OR POTENTIAL
TRIGGERS AND BASICALLY ADHERING
TO A DATABASE APPROACH FOR
DETERMINING WHEN IT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO REMOVE A SPECIFIC
DEPLOYMENT LOCATION. AND I'LL
SAY THAT IS ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S
A GOAL I SHARE. THESE SHOULD
IDEALLY BE TEMPORARY ONLY. I
THINK SOME OF BROADER POLICY
CONSIDERATIONS TEED UP AS PART
OF THIS PROPOSAL WILL HELP US BE
MINDFUL OF THAT AS WELL
DEPENDING ON HOW WE ACT. I HEARD
MR. PADDLEFORD IN PUBLIC COMMENT
EARLIER MENTION THAT WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEPLOYMENT,
WE'RE NOT JUST COLLECTING
REVENUE, WE'RE CHANGING
BEHAVIOR. COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
AND I WILL BE HONEST, I DON'T
KNOW UNDER THE PROPOSED
FINANCIAL POLICIES AND
ALLOCATIONS OF WHAT SHOULD GO
TOWARD THE GENERAL FUND VERSUS
PROVEN ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
OR WHATEVER THE NEW PROGRAM IS
CALLED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT
HELPS GET US THERE. I ALSO
DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT CONVINCED
YET THAT THE PROPOSED REVENUE
ALLOCATION STRUCTURE HELPS
ADDRESS THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION
AMONG SOME THAT THESE KIND OF
AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT
TECHNOLOGIES ARE A MERE REVENUE
COLLECTION MECHANISM ONLY FOR
MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENTS.
IF A CERTAIN AMOUNT IS ALLOCATED
TOWARD THE GENERAL FUND, AND YOU
KNOW NEXT MONTH DURING
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK'S FEDERAL
SELECT COMMITTEE, WE'RE GOING
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS ABOUT THE
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. AND
WE'RE, SPOILER ALERT, YOU KNOW
THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST AREAS
THAT OUR CITY IS BEING IMPACTED
BY UNDER THE NEW TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION. AND SO IF WE USE
X AMOUNT OR X PROPORTION OR
PERCENTAGE OF THE NEW REVENUES
AS A BACKSTOP FOR OUR BUDGET
WOES AND ALLOCATE IT TOWARD THE
GENERAL FUND, I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT HELPS GET US TO HAVING, SAY
STREETS FOR ALL. I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT HELPS GET US TO MAKING
SURE THAT THESE ARE
TEMPORARY-ONLY SOLUTIONS.
THERE'S NOTHING BETTER AND MORE
EFFECTIVE IN MY MIND THAT I CAN
THINK OF THAN MAKING SURE THAT
AS MUCH AS THE REVENUE AS
POSSIBLE IS NOT INVESTED IN THE
GENERAL FUND BACKSTOP FOR
LIBRARIES. I LOVE OUR LIBRARIES
OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THESE ARE
SPECIFICALLY ROAD SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS. THAT'S THE
INTENT. THAT'S THE GOAL. I
DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER MECHANISM
TO ENSURE THAT THESE ARE
ULTIMATELY TEMPORARY ONLY
DEPLOYMENTS AND MEANT TO CHANGE
BEHAVIOR AND TO REINVEST THAT
MONEY TO DESIGN SOLUTIONS THAT
WORK. YES, IT HAS A GOOD
RECIDIVISM RATE. IT'S NOT ZERO
EITHER. THAT'S WHY I THINK AS
MUCH OF THE REVENUE AS POSSIBLE
SHOULD BE DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY
TOWARD TRAFFIC ROAD SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS, SCHOOLS, NEW
SIDEWALKS. I'M AN UNAPOLOGETIC
CHAMPION OF NEW SIDEWALKS. ADA
ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, THOSE
KIND OF ROAD DESIGNS AND
INVESTMENTS CAN BETTER OBVIATE
THE NEED OVER TIME. I DON'T
KNOW IF THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION
HELPS US GET THERE, BUT WE'LL
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATIONS, AND
FINALLY I'LL NOTE THAT WE'RE
ALL MARCHING TOWARD THE MUTUALLY
AGREED UPON EXECUTIVE
LEGISLATIVE TIMELINE OF STARTING
TO DEPLOY THE SCHOOL SPEED ZONE
CAMERAS THIS YEAR STARTING TO
INITIALLY DEPLOY THE NON-SCHOOL
SPEED CAMERAS TOWARD THE END OF
THIS YEAR, AND TURNING THOSE ON
IF YOU WILL AT LEAST THAT FIRST
WAVE EARLY NEXT YEAR AND
CONTINUING THE ROLLOUT AND
DEPLOYMENT IN '26 AND BEYOND.
IN ANY EVENT, THANK YOU ALL.
REALLY IMPORTANT POLICY
DISCUSSION WE JUST HAD, AND
WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE AS WE
CONSIDER THIS ON A GOING-FORWARD
BASIS. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, WE WILL
NOW MOVE ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM
OF BUSINESS. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE READ ITEM TWO INTO THE
RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM TWO, NON-SCHOOL
ZONE AUTOMATED TRAFFIC SAFETY
CAMERA PROVISO LIFT.
>> THANK YOU. IT LOOKS LIKE ONE
OF OUR PRESENTERS IS HERE.
PLEASE JOIN US AT THIS TABLE.
YOU'RE ALREADY HERE. WELCOME.
REINTRODUCE YOURSELF AND BEGIN.
>> THIS IS DRAFT LEGISLATION
THAT I PREPARED AT YOUR
DIRECTION TO LIFT PROVIDE BUDGET
AUTHORIZATION FOR THE SPENDING
OF $1.18 MILLION OF GENERAL FUND
FOR NON-SCHOOL TRAFFIC SAFETY
CAMERAS. THIS WAS A BUDGET
ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL PUT IN
PLACE LAST YEAR. THE PROPOSED,
THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET
IDENTIFIED THE DOUBLING OF THE
SCHOOL ZONE CAMERA PROGRAM AND
THE COUNCIL WISHED TO PROVIDE
SOME RESOURCES TO FUND EXPANSION
OF OTHER CAMERA PROGRAMS
COPESETIC WITH THE 2024 STATE
LEGISLATURE. SO REALLY THE, THIS
IS PURE BUDGET LEGISLATION. IF
YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE
PLEASE, IT MAKES SOME LANGUAGE
CHANGES. IT STILL RESTRICTS THE
MONEY FOR THIS PURPOSE OF
DEPLOYING AUTOMATED TRAFFIC
ENFORCEMENT OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
ZONES, IT LIFTS THE RESTRICTION
THAT HALTED SPENDING, SO IS
THE LEGISLATION THAT I PREPARED
AT YOUR REQUEST.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU. AT THIS
TIME, I WELCOME ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON THIS PROPOSED
BUDGET PROVISO LIFT. HEARING AND
SEEING NONE, JUST TO REITERATE
THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARD A
MUTUALLY AGREED UPON TIMELINE
THAT I MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO,
AND I THINK THIS PROVISO LIFT
WILL HELP GET US THERE AND
REMOVE SOME BARRIERS AND HELP
EXPEDITE THIS WORK STREAM. THE
STRATEGIC WORK STREAM FOR OUR
CITY. ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR
OUR EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
PARTNERS HERE, SDOT, MR. LABORT
FROM SDOT, HOW CAN THE COUNCIL
PARTNER WITH SDOT TO HELP
FACILITATE THE PROCUREMENT AND
DEPLOYMENT OF THESE VITAL
TECHNOLOGIES AS EXPEDITIOUS AS
POSSIBLE MANNER?
>> I THINK AS WE STATED AT THE
LAST MEETING, THE TEAM IS
WORKING ON THE POLICIES FOR
DOING THE SAFETY AND EQUITY
ANALYSIS, AND THAT'LL LEAD TO
WHERE CAMERAS SHOULD BE SITED
STARTING WITH A FEW NON-SCHOOL
SPEED CAMERAS SO WE CAN START TO
GET THAT DATA AND INFORMATION.
THERE ARE DEPENDENCIES ON OTHER
DEPARTMENT S. SPD OWNS THE
CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR. THEY
HAVE TO ISSUE THE WORK ORDERS,
AND THEN ON THE TAIL END OF
IMPLEMENTATION, THERE ALSO MAY
BE SITES WHERE THERE ARE
FREQUENTLY SITES WHERE WE NEED
POWER HOOKUPS. SO THAT COULD BE
A FACTOR IN THE TIMING OF CAMERA
DEPLOYMENTS AND CAMERAS GOING
INTO OPERATION. AND THEN ONCE
THE CAMERAS ARE IN PLACE AND
TAKING PICTURES OF POTENTIAL
VIOLATIONS, THEY DO HAVE TO BE
REVIEWED WITHIN, A CITATION
ISSUED WITHIN 14 DAYS FOR IT TO
BE VALID. SO THAT REQUIRES,
AGAIN, THAT'S A PIECE THAT'S
OWNED BY SPD THAT CAN REQUEST
BOTH WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT
NON-POLICE OFFICERS TO REVIEW
CITATIONS AND CAN REQUEST WITH
SDOT TO SEE WHAT RESOURCES WE
COULD ADD TO THOSE CITATION
REVIEWS. BUT YOU KNOW, THOSE
PIECES ALL NEED TO BE PUT INTO
PLACE IN A TIMELY WAY FOR NEW
CAMERA TYPES TO BE DEPLOYED.
>> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE
COMMENTS THERE, THE INSIGHTS.
AND KNOWING THAT THERE ARE VERY,
THERE'S ALWAYS DEPENDENCIES,
CAN'T LAUNCH A STRATEGIC
INITIATIVE IN SEATTLE WITHOUT
ANY DEPARTMENT CAN'T LAUNCH A
STRATEGIC INITIATIVE WITHOUT
COLLABORATING IN SOME MANNER
WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT
AGREE THERE ARE VERY TIGHT AND
INTEGRAL DEPENDENCIES HERE IN
PARTICULAR WITH RESPECT TO SPD.
AND SO YOU KNOW, I MIGHT
CONSIDER INVITING THEM TO JOIN
US AT OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING
TO TALK ABOUT THEIR
IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH AS WELL
BECAUSE THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT
PARTNER AND GOVERNING PARTNER
AND PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. IN ANY
EVENT, ALL GOOD. ANYONE ELSE
HAVE FINAL QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS? COUNCILMEMBER RINCK,
GO AHEAD.
>> THAT'S MY POINT OF CURIOSITY
AS WELL. MR. CHAIR, I THINK I
HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, IS THE
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY WORK GROUP
COMING TO COME BEFORE COMMITTEE
SOON?
>> YEAH. I'VE INVITED THE
PROGRAM MANAGER ANYA, RIGHT?
YEP, YEP, YEP. SO THEY'LL BE
COMING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS. YEP.
>> FABULOUS. I AM SO EXCITED TO
HEAR THAT AND THINKING
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS. JUST
MY PRIMARY QUESTIONS HAVE TO DO
WITH TIMELINE, HOW THAT GROUP IS
BEING CONSULTED, AS WELL AS
OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
>> YEAH. SO THEY, I BELIEVE EVEN
TODAY THEY'RE HAVING, THERE'S
A SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK GROUP
WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION EQUITY
WORK GROUP. I BELIEVE TODAY
THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE
REVIEWING I THINK THE PREVIOUS
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION, MAYBE GETTING INTO
THIS ONE AS WELL, AND LOOKING AT
THE -- THEY HAVE LOOKED AT THE
OUTLINE OF THE LEGISLATION
BEFORE IT WAS EVEN COMPLETED,
AND ARE GONNA BE REVIEWING I
THINK THE LEGISLATION AS WELL AS
THE POLICIES THAT THE VISION
ZERO TEAM WILL BE WORKING ON IN
TERMS OF WHERE CAMERAS WILL BE
SITED.
>> FABULOUS.
>> I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT WE
HAVE A REALLY STRONG WORKING
RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR WORK
GROUP. DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF
SCHOOL ZONE CAMERAS, THE
THINKING WE DEVELOPED WAS IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY WORK GROUP
THAT ENDED UP SITING AND
DEPLOYING A MORE EQUITABLE
DEPLOYMENT OF SCHOOL ZONE
CAMERAS THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO
EXPAND.
>> GREAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH THEM.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THEY'LL BE
COMING BEFORE COMMITTEE. THANK
YOU, CHAIR.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU. FOR
CLARITY, I'VE EXTENDED THE
INVITE TO ANYA, THE PROGRAM
MANAGER, WHO OVERSEES THE
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY WORK
GROUP. LOOKING FORWARD TO
LEARNING MORE FROM ANYA ABOUT
THE IMPORTANT WORK, THE
CROSS-CUTTING WORK THAT PROGRAM
TOUCHES. OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO OUR THIRD ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
TWO INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM THREE, AN
ORDINANCE VACATING THE ALLEY IN
BLOCK 52AA DENNY'S EXTENSION TO
THE TERRY'S FIRST EDITION IN
THE FIRST HILL NEIGHBORHOOD AND
ACKNOWLEDGING THE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT EASEMENT ON THE PETITION
OF NORTH BLOCK SPRING STREET.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELCOME. BIG GROUP
HERE TODAY. EXCITED FOR YOU ALL
TO JOIN US. SO THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US AT THE TABLE. PLEASE
SHARE YOUR PRESENTATION, AND
WHENCE READY, PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND START YOUR
PRESENTATIONS.
>> CENTRAL STAFF.
>> BEVERLY BARNETT, SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
>> I'M MICHAEL JENKINS, THE
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE DESIGN
COMMISSION.
>> AND I'M LAND USE COUNCIL.
>> SO THE LEGISLATION IN FRONT
OF YOU TODAY IS COUNCIL BILL TO
FINALIZE AN ALLEY VACATION FOR A
PROJECT ON FIRST HILL. YOU
PROBABLY KNOW IT. IT'S THE
BLOCK THAT INCLUDES TOWN HALL
AND TWO APARTMENT TOWERS. THE
VACATION WAS APPROVED IN 2017
WITH A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS. THE
PETITIONERS HAVE MET ALL OF
THOSE CONDITIONS, AND SO THE
LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF YOU IS
BASICALLY THE FINAL STEP. IF YOU
AGREE THAT THE CONDITIONS HAVE
BEEN MET, YOU SHOULD APPROVE THE
ORDINANCE.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US UP TODAY. IT
REALLY IS A LOT OF FUN FOR US TO
BRING PROJECTS FOR THE VERY LAST
STEP, AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR ALL OF US TO SEE HOW OUR
WORK TURNED OUT. SO I'M GONNA
TALK JUST FOR A MINUTE ABOUT THE
STEPS AND THE REVIEW PROCESS.
THEN MICHAEL IS GONNA TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DESIGN
COMMISSION ROLE, AND THEN PETER
IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE
PowerPoint. BUT WE WANTED TO SET
THE STAGE A LITTLE BIT WITH
LISHA'S BACKGROUND. WE WANT TO
FOCUS ON THE PROJECT ITSELF. SO
THE CITY COUNCIL THROUGH THE
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE SEES
EACH VACATION THREE TIMES. AND
THE FIRST REVIEW IS THE EARLY
COMMITTEE REVIEW WHEN WE HAVE A
BRAND-NEW PETITION, AND THIS
PROJECT ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE
THAT OBLIGATION WAS IMPOSED. BUT
NOW YOU SEE IT VERY EARLY ON,
WHICH I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL.
THE SECOND REVIEW IS WHEN WE
HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND THE
CITY COUNCIL LOOKS AT THE
PROJECT AND THE SDOT
RECOMMENDATION AND HEARS FROM
ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT PLAY A
ROLE, EVERYONE, AND THE CITY
COUNCIL IS REQUIRED UNDER STATE
LAW TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND AT THAT STAGE AFTER THE
HEARING AND THE RECOMMENDATION
AND THE COMMITTEE'S DISCUSSION
AND ANALYSIS, THE CITY WILL, THE
CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE A
DECISION TO GRANT THE VACATION
AND WHAT CONDITIONS SHOULD BE
IMPOSED. THAT ACTUALLY IS THE
SUBSTANTIVE DECISION THAT THE
COMMITTEE MAKES. SO ONCE THAT
SUBSTANTIVE, CONCEPTUAL
PROVISION IS GRANTED, THE
DEVELOPER IS BEGIN PHYSICAL WORK
ON THE SITE. AND WILL WORK ON
BUILDING THEIR PROJECT AND
MEETING ALL THE CONDITIONS
IMPOSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND
ALSO JUST THE NORMAL REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS. THE THIRD STEP IS
WHERE WE ARE TODAY WHEN ALL OF
THE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN MET AND
WE'RE BACK SAYING HERE, OKAY,
WE DID IT, THEY DID IT, IT'S
READY TO GO. AND THIS IS REALLY
AN ADMINISTRATIVE FINAL REVIEW.
THE SUBSTANTIVE DECISION IS THE
ACTION ON THE CLERK FILE, AND
THIS IS HOLDING THE VACATION
ORDINANCE OUT UNTIL THE END IS A
POWERFUL TOOL TO ENSURE YOU
DON'T FINISH THE WORK UNTIL ALL
THE OBLIGATIONS HAVE BEEN MET.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY IS
THE VACATION FEE HAS BEEN PAID.
THAT WAS PAID IN 2020. AND WE
HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF THE OTHER
SITE CONDITIONS THAT ARE EASIER
TO SEE WHEN WE LOOK AT PETER'S
PRESENTATION AND THEY'RE OPEN,
READY TO GO. IN FACT, I WAS
TELLING ANN I'M GOING TO TOWN
HALL TONIGHT, SO IT'S READY FOR
YOUR ACTION. IT IS ONE THAT I
THINK, YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO
BE NEUTRAL IN OUR PRESENTATIONS.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE VALUE OF
OUR COMING BACK AT THE END FOR
THE COUNCIL TO SEE THE PRODUCT,
THE RESULT OF THEIR WORK, THIS I
THINK IS A VERY ENGAGING AND
HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC BENEFIT
PACKAGE. SO I THINK IN LOOKING
AT HOW WE MIGHT REPLICATE THIS
ON OTHER PROJECTS, IT REALLY IS
GOOD FOR US TO SEE IT. BUT I
THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT
PUT IN BY THE DEVELOPER ON BEING
A PART OF A COMMUNITY AND NOT
JUST LET'S GET OUR PROJECT AND
WE'RE DONE. SO I THINK THIS ONE
WORKED REALLY WELL, AND WE'LL
SEE WHAT YOU THINK. AND WE'RE
LOOKING TO TRY TO REPLICATE SOME
OF THE BEST ELEMENTS OF THIS IN
FUTURE PROJECTS. MICHAEL, I WAS
GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE DESIGN
COMMISSION ROLE, AND THEN WE'LL
LOOK AT ALL THE COOL PICTURES OF
THE PROJECT.
>> I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF
TO DESIGN COMMISSION ON THIS
REALLY UNIQUE AND REALLY
IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN
RESULTED IN THE CREATION OF
SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO DO IN OUR DENSEST
NEIGHBORHOODS, CREATING PUBLIC
SPACES IN PLACES THAT SERVE NOT
ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE
BUT THE COMMUNITY. FIRST HILL IS
A VERY DIFFICULT PLACE TO FIND
NEW OPEN SPACE. CLEARLY, WE HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE WITH
FREEWAY PARK. BUT FINDING AND
HAVING A DEVELOPER WHO'S
WILLING TO COMMIT TO PROVIDING
HIGH QUALITY, HIGH DESIGN,
HIGH-FUNCTIONING PUBLIC SPACES
AND PLACES, NOT ONLY FOR THEM
BUT FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS. WE HAVE
TWO SIGNIFICANT HOSPITALS IN THE
AREA, CLEARY AND TOWN HALL THAT
ABUTS IT, THEY WENT ABOVE AND
BEYOND IN CREATING THIS RESOURCE
FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOU'LL SEE
IT IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
WALK THE SITE, I'D ENCOU'LL SEEF
BUT ALSO RELATES TO FREEWAY
PARK, RELATES TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. REALLY CREATES A
NEW FRONT DOOR FOR TOWN HALL.
PREVIOUSLY, PRIOR TO THIS
DEVELOPMENT THAT FACADE YOU'LL
SEE IN THE PRESENTATION WAS KIND
OF THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. WHAT
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS TO
CREATE A NEW WELCOMING ENTRANCE
AS PART OF THEIR PUBLIC BENEFIT
PROPOSAL FOR THE COMMUNITY TO
USE AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
ATTENDING TO USE THOSE SPACES.
THEY CREATED SIGNIFICANT RIGHT
OF WAY IMPROVEMENTS AROUND THE
SITE THAT NOT ONLY WORK FOR THE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE BUILDING
BUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE
IMMEDIATE AREA. THEY HAVE DIRECT
ACCESS TO THE SPACES FROM THE
RIGHT OF WAY TO THE PUBLIC
SPACES. AND FINALLY, THEY PULLED
OFF A REALLY DIFFICULT CHALLENGE
THAT WAS PART OF THIS PROPOSAL.
TURNING AN ALLEY INTO AN ACCESS
EASEMENT, MAINTAINING ACCESS
THAT NEEDED TO BE MAINTAINED FOR
TOWN HALL, BUT DOING IT IN A WAY
THAT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE AN
ACCESS EASEMENT. IT FEELS LIKE A
PLACE THAT PEOPLE USED BEFORE
THE ACCESS EASEMENT. SO THEY
HAVE THIS FUNCTION RETAINED, BUT
YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW
IT IF YOU WERE OUT THERE. YOU
WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SEE IT WAS
SOMETHING WHERE AUTOMOBILES WERE
PRIORITIZED. YOU SEE IT'S A
PLACE FOR PEOPLE AND
PEDESTRIANS, AND THEY'RE A
PRIORITY OVER THE AUTOMOBILE.
THEY DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF
BALANCING BOTH ISSUES AND DID IT
IN A WAY THAT MADE A STRONGER
PUBLIC SPACE. SO WITH THAT, I
THINK I'LL SEND IT OVER TO
PETER.
>> APPRECIATE YOUR KIND COMMENTS
THERE, AND WE CERTAINLY AGREE AS
THE OWNER AND MANAGER OF
OVATION. SO OVATION ITSELF IS A
TWIN TOWER APARTMENT COMMUNITY
WITH 548 APARTMENT HOMES AND
APPROXIMATELY 7,000 SQUARE FEET
OF RETAIL LOCATED AT 702 AND 704
SPRING STREET. THERE'S A GOOD
LOOK OF IT THERE. BUILT BETWEEN
2018 AND 2022, OVATION RECEIVED
ITS TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE OF
OCCUPANCY IN JUNE OF 2022 AND
ULTIMATELY FINAL CERTIFICATE OF
OCCUPANCY IN FEBRUARY OF 2023.
THIS IS A LOOK AT THE PRIOR
CONDITION HERE AS WE MENTIONED
SHARE THE BLOCK WITH THE TOWN
HALL ASSOCIATION IN THE UPPER
RIGHT THERE, BUT YEAH PREVIOUS
CONDITION SURFACE PARKING LOT
WITH A NORTH-SOUTH ALLEY. THE
NEW LOOK IS HERE. SO THE OVATION
WEST AND EAST TOWERS ARE ON THE
SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE SITE.
THE PUBLIC PLAZA IS IN THE UPPER
LEFT AND THE ALLEY TRANSECTING
THE SITE GENERALLY BOUNDED BY
SPRING, EIGHTH, SENATE, AND
HUBBLE. STARTING OFF WITH THE
BENEFITS, WE'LL KICK IT OFF
WITH THE PLAZA. THIS IS A PUBLIC
ACCESS PLAZA APPROXIMATELY 5,500
SQUARE FEET. HAS A NUMBER OF
PLACES FOR PEDESTRIAN SEATING
AND LIGHTING. WE'VE POSTED
PUBLIC ACCESS AND FREE SPEECH
SIGNAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SDOT
STANDARDS. THERE'S A WATER
FEATURE, SPECIAL PAVING, A
NUMBER OF LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS,
AND THERE ARE BOLLARDS
PROTECTING THE PLAZA FROM THE
ALLEY. A NUMBER ARE REMOVABLE SO
YOU CAN GET FOOD TRUCKS AND
OTHER PROGRAMMING IN THERE,
WHICH IN COORDINATION WITH TOWN
HALL WE'VE ALREADY DONE ON A
FEW TIMES. REALLY GREAT
ACTIVATION OF THE SPACE.
SPEAKING OF TOWN HALL, SO BACK
IN 2019 I BELIEVE THEY DID A
RENOVATION AND WE PROVIDED
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEM
FOR IMPROVEMENTS OF THEIR
SIDEWALK AS WELL AS FOR SOME
SHORING. WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED
THEM A NUMBER OF LANDSCAPING
ENHANCEMENTS AND HELPED ADDRESS
A BUILDING ENVELOPE
WATERPROOFING ISSUE THAT WAS
ENCOUNTERED DURING THE COURSE OF
OUR CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN AS
DISCUSSED, WE ARE UNDER A
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND
THERE IS AN ACCESS EASEMENT
AGREEMENT IN PLACE, AND THAT'S
MEMORIALIZED IN OUR PROPERTY USE
AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT
WAS RECORDED LAST YEAR. AND THEN
YEAH, THE ALLEY ITSELF. IN
ALIGNMENT WITH THE ORIGINAL
PLAN, IT ACCOMMODATES TWO-WAY
TRAFFIC BUT IS A SOUTHBOUND
ALLEY AND ASSIGNED AS SUCH. IT
HAS SPECIAL PAVING IN THE FORM
OF SANDSET PAVERS ON THE NORTH
SIDE AND STAMPED CONCRETE ON THE
SOUTH. AROUND THE SITE, SPEAKING
OF NEW SIDEWALKS, WE BUILT A
NUMBER OF NEW SIDEWALKS WITH ADA
RAMPS AND PEDESTRIAN
SIGNALIZATION, STRIPING,
SEATING, BIKE RACKS, AND THE
LIKE. AND THEN FINALLY, YEAH,
CONNECTION TO FREEWAY PARK. SO
IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE
PROPERTY, MORE RAMPS AND
STRIPING AND SIGNALIZATION AS
WELL AS ENCOUNTERED AN
UNFORESEEN CONDITION BELOW THE
SIDEWALK ACROSS THE STREET THAT
WE HELPED REMEDIATE. SO. AND
THEN JUST THIS IS IN THE
PROPERTY USE AND DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT, BUT JUST A
REITERATION OF THE IMPROVEMENTS
THAT WERE DONE AND THE
APPROXIMATE VALUES ASSOCIATED
WITH EACH. AND THEN YEAH, A
COUPLE PHOTOS OF HOW IT TURNED
OUT. THIS IS LOOKING AT OUR WEST
TOWER FROM SENECA. AND THEN THE
NEXT ONE FROM OUR WEST TOWER
LACKING LOOKING TOWARD TOWN
HALL. WHAT USED TO BE THE BACK
END IS PART OF OUR RENOVATION
AND OUR WORK WITH THE RIGHT OF
WAY, MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE FROM
THIS SIDE OF THE PROPERTY. A
COUPLE MORE PHOTOS IN HERE FOR
CONTEXT, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
>> AWESOME.
>> ALL RIGHT. COOL. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. APPRECIATE THE
PRESENTATION HERE AND THE
PROPOSAL. AT THIS POINT, I WILL
OPEN IT UP FOR ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF MY
COLLEAGUES. OF COURSE. OF
COURSE. THE DISTINGUISHED
GENTLEMAN FROM QUEEN ANN. THE
FLOOR IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA. I JUST
HAD A QUESTION. I'VE BEEN TO
TOWN HALL MANY TIME, SO I'VE
SEEN THIS FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE
AS SOMEONE WHO'S GONE TO TOWN
HALL. AND THE TOWERS LOOK GREAT.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, SO IT'S NOT
REALLY IN THE BRIEFING, SO THIS
IS MORE OF A CURIOSITY QUESTION.
IN TERMS OF HOW YOU WORKED
LOGISTICS FOR THE TWO BUILDINGS
THEMSELVES, IS IT COMING FROM
HUBBLE PLACE IN TERMS OF GARAGES
AND THE LIKE?
>> FOR THE APARTMENT COMMUNITY?
OR?
>> YES, FOR THE APARTMENT
COMMUNITY. AND/OR THE
STREET-LEVEL RETAIL.
>> YEAH. SO THE ACCESS IS OFF OF
HUBBLE FOR THE APARTMENT
COMMUNITY. THE GARAGE, YOU KIND
OF SEE IT WHERE IT SAYS BOUNDARY
ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE, THAT'S
THE PRIMARY BUILDING ENTRANCE.
AND YOU CAN'T TELL IT FROM THIS
VIEW, BUT BOTH TOWERS ARE
ACTUALLY ATOP A COMMON GARAGE.
SO THE ALLEY RUNS A TOP
STRUCTURE. AND SO THAT GARAGE IS
ACCESSED FROM THAT SINGLE
LOCATION.
>> OKAY. AND THEN THAT SUPPORTS
THE RETAIL OPERATIONS AS WELL.
>> CORRECT. THE FIRST LEVEL ONE
AND A HALF OF THE PARKING GARAGE
IS OPEN FOR COMMERCIAL USE.
>> AND I GUESS FOR TOWN HALL,
THEY'RE NOT HER'RE
NOT HERE REPRESENTED, BUT DID
THEY HAVE ANY LOGISTICAL SUPPORT
NEEDS, YOU'D COME FROM THE
BACK?
>> YEAH. TOWN HALL, THE ALLEY
PROVIDES THE NOW PRIVATE ALLEY
PROVIDES FOR DROP OFF AND ADA
ACCESS, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE
STEEP SLOPES AND THE STEPS AT
THE MAIN ENTRY CAN BE A LITTLE
PROBLEMATIC. SO WE DO SEE I
THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN
USES IS THE SMALL DROP OFF AND
THAT SUPPORT FOR ADA ACCESS. IT
WAS THE PHOTO WITH THE RED
DOORS, THE TOWN HALL RED DOORS.
>> YEAH, OKAY. I ASKED JUST TO
BE CONSISTENT. THAT'S WHAT I
ASKED. OBVIOUSLY, I WASN'T ON
THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AT
THE BEGINNING, BUT THAT'S ONE
OF MY STANDARD QUESTIONS AS THE
CENTRAL STAFF AND THE SDOT FOLKS
KNOW. LOGISTICS, LOADING DOCKS,
COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL. AND SO
I FELT THE NEED TO ASK EVEN
THOUGH I WASN'T HERE PREVIOUSLY
IN THE EARLIER VERSIONS OF THE
COMMITTEE. BECAUSE IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. I CAN TELL, YOU
CONFIRMED WHAT I WAS THINKING,
AND I UNDERSTAND THE POINT
REGARDING THE TOWN HALL PIECE
TOO. BECAUSE AND THE REASON WHY
I ASKED IS BECAUSE IF WE PUSH
LOGISTICS ON TO THE STREET, THAT
CREATES OTHER PROBLEMS. IT
SOUNDS LIKE EVERYTHING'S
INTERNAL, EVERYTHING'S SORTED.
>> AND I THINK THAT WAS A KEY
DISCUSSION WHEN THE PREVIOUS
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE WAS
REVIEWING THIS, AND YOU KNOW THE
VACATION ALLOWS THE BELOW-GRADE
CONNECTION WITH THE ALLEY GONE,
AND SO THE TWO TOWERS CAN
CONSOLIDATE USES, AND THE
ENTIRETY OF THEIR ACCESS FOR
MOVE IN, MOVE OUT, YOU KNOW ALL
THAT KIND OF STUFF IS ON HUBBLE.
AND THEN ON SPRING STREET, THERE
IS SOME DROP-OFF STUFF. IF
YOU'RE GETTING A PIZZA
DELIVERED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
GO IN THE PARKING GARAGE, SO
THAT ACCOMMODATES SOME OF THAT.
SO SPRING STREET FOR THE LIGHT
DROP OFFS, HUBBLE PLACE FOR ALL
OF THE CORE FUNCTIONS, AND THEN
FOR TOWN HALL THE ALLEY, THE
NOW-PRIVATE ALLEY PROVIDES FOR
MORE OF THEIR ACCESS.
>> OKAY. WITH MY LOGISTICAL DUE
DILIGENCE COMPLETE, THANK YOU,
AND AGAIN I'VE BEEN THERE. I'VE
BEEN TO TOWN HALL A NUMBER OF
TIMES, AND THE SQUARE IS
BEAUTIFUL. SO WELL DONE ON THAT.
AND THEN REALLY IMPORTANT TOO
AND IT'S KIND OF GIVEN A QUICK
MENTION, AND THIS IS NOT PARKS
COMMITTEE, BUT TREEWAY PARK
NEEDS A LOT OF HELP. THERE'S
SOME WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE
DONE LEADING UP TO THE FIFA
WORLD CUP NEXT YEAR. AND SO THIS
IS A NICE KIND OF NEIGHBOR TO
THAT. SO I APPRECIATE THE
LINKAGES TO FREEWAY PARK ACROSS
THE STREET FROM SENECA THERE. SO
THANK YOU. CHAIR?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD
HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION GIVEN
THIS IS YOUR DISTRICT. AND YES,
YOU ARE ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS ON
THIS COUNCIL OF LOGISTICS,
THINKING THROUGH THE
NITTY-GRITTY OPERATIONAL DETAILS
OF ENABLEMENT, DETAILS THAT GO
UNSEEN FOR MANY PEOPLE, BUT WE
ALL RELY ON SO DEEPLY AND SO
HEAVILY IN SO MANY PROFOUND,
IMPACTFUL WAYS INCLUDING
MOBILITY, SANITATION SERVICES,
CLEANUP, ETC. THE LIST GOES ON
AND ON. NOTICE I SAID YOU ARE
ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS ON THIS
COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. FIRST TIME
WE'RE HEARING THIS ORDINANCE.
IT IS THE FINAL STAGES. SO I
ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL BE
VOTING ON THIS AT OUR NEXT
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. DO ANY
OF MY OTHER TRANSPORTATION
COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY
FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
OKAY. THANK YOU, EVERYONE,
AGAIN. APPRECIATE THE
CONVERSATION. WE HAVE REACHED
THE END OF TODAY'S MEETING
AGENDA. OUR NEXT MEETING IS MAY
6th AT 9:30 A.M. IS THERE ANY
FINAL BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE FOR THE GOOD OF
THE ORDER BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
HEARING AND SEEING NONE, NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, IT IS 11:23.
WE ARE ADJOUR