>>> ALL RIGHT, IS MY MICROPHONE
ON? WE'RE GOING TO START IT
OUT. ALL RIGHT, I DON'T WANT TO
HIT THE GAVEL, BUT HOLD ON. THAT
IS MY FIRST TIME HITTING THE
GAVEL. I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO
KNOW THAT. I'LL DO IT ONE MORE
TIME. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO COME
TO ORDER. THANK YOU. THE MAY 12
MEETING OF THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL WILL COME TO ORDER. IT
IS 2:04, IS THAT GOOD? 2:04 P.M.
I'M JOY HOLLINGSWORTH, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL?
>> RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> HOUSE MEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> HERE.
>> AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> NINE PRESENT.
>> AWESOME. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
HAS A PROCLAMATION FOR SIGNATURE
AND PRESENTATION TODAY. THE
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZES MAY 2026
AS BIKE EVERYWHERE MONTH. AFTER
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA MAKES
COMMENT, THE ROLL WILL BE
CALLED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO
PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION TO OUR
GUEST, AND ALLOW THE GUEST TO
PROVIDE BRIEF COMMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. IT IS MY DISTINCT
HONOR TO PRESENT THIS
PROCLAMATION, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING
MAY 2026 AS BIKE EVERYWHERE
MONTH. THIS IS A CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT PROCLAMATION NOW MORE
THAN EVER THAT WE'RE BRINGING
FORWARD ON BEHALF OF SEATTLE'S
BICYCLE COMMUNITY. WHICH HERE
WITH US TODAY INCLUDE FOLKS FROM
CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB, BUT ALSO
OUR BROADER BIKING COMMUNITY
INCLUDES WASHINGTON BIKES,
SEATTLE STREETS ALLIANCE, WEST
SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS, BIKE
WORKS, TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
COALITION, THE MAJOR TAILOR
PROJECT, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO WORK
TIRELESSLY EVERY SINGLE DAY TO
IMPROVE BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY ACROSS OUR CITY. BIKING
PLAYS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
ROLE IN SEATTLE. IT HELPS US
ADVANCE OUR CLIMATE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, REDUCES
CONGESTION ON OUR ROADS, AND
PROMOTES HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.
FOR MANY PEOPLE, BIKING IS ALSO
AN AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, AND
ENJOYABLE WAY TO GET AROUND THE
CITY. SEATTLE HAS ACCOMPLISHED A
GREAT DEAL OVER THE YEARS WHEN
IT COMES TO BUILDING OUT OUR
WONDERFUL BIKE NETWORK AND
SUPPORTING SAFER, MULTI-MODAL
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. IN MANY
WAYS, WE ARE VIEWED AS A MODEL
CITY, CERTAINLY A LEADING CITY,
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF
VOTERS, THE VOTER APPROVED THE
2024 TRANSPORTATION LEVY
CONTINUES THAT PROGRESS AND
BUILDS UPON IT, WITH MORE THAN
$133 MILLION DEDICATED TOWARDS
BICYCLE INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE
CITY. NOW THERE'S A LOT FOR US
TO BE PROUD OF AND CELEBRATE,
AND A LOT THAT OTHER CITIES LOOK
TO SEATTLE TO EMULATE BECAUSE,
AGAIN, WE'RE A LEADER. WITH
THAT SAID, WE KNOW THERE IS
STILL MORE WORK TO DO. TOO MANY
PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BE INJURED OR
DIE, WHILE BIKING ON OUR
STREETS. JUST LAST THURSDAY, A
YOUNG WOMAN WAS A VICTIM OF A
HIT-AND-RUN COLLISION WHILE
CYCLING IN THE ARBOR HEIGHTS
NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST SEATTLE.
INCIDENTS LIKE THESE ARE TOTALLY
INACCEPTABLE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY
ARE STILL FAR TOO COMMON. THEY
UNDERSCORE THE URGENCY AND
IMPORTANCE OF OUR CONTINUED
INVESTMENTS AND PROTECTING OUR
MOST VULNERABLE USERS ON THE
ROAD. CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
EVERY SEATTLE DESERVES TO FEEL
SAFE GETTING AROUND THEIR CITY,
REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY ARE
WALKING, BIKING, ROLLING, OR
DRIVING. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE
WORK THAT ORGANIZATIONS AND
ADVOCATES HERE TODAY DO TO KEEP
CYCLISTS SAFE AND CONTINUE
PUSHING OUR CITY FORWARD.
SEATTLE HAS A STRONG AND
PASSIONATE CYCLING COMMUNITY.
KNOW THIS FIRSTHAND. IT IS
SOMETHING I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD
OF. THANK YOU. ACTUALLY, MADAM
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I KNOW WE'RE
GOING TO DO THE SIGNING OF
SIGNATURES AT THIS MOMENT, BUT
I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
READ A FEW SELECT PASSAGES. THIS
IS A VERY WELL WRITTEN,
WELL-CRAFTED PROCLAMATION, SO
I'M NOT GOING TO -- I'M NOT
GOING TO READ THE ENTIRE THING.
BUT I WILL READ A FEW SELECT
PASSAGES. THE CITY OF SEATTLE
PROCLAMATION. IT'S A HEALTHY,
FINANCIAL, AND ACCESSIBLE FORM
OF TRANSPORTATION THAT REDUCES
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, EASES
TRAFFIC CONGESTION, AND PROVIDES
INDEPENDENT MOBILITY. PEOPLE OF
ALL AGES AND INABILITIES. FUNDED
BY THE LEVY AND THE SUSTAINED
WORK OF THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION, THE CITY HAS
DELIVERED TRANSFORMATIONAL
PROJECTS ACROSS SEATTLE'S BIKE
NETWORK, INCLUDING PROTECTED
BIKE LANES ON BEACON HILL, SODO,
AND ON THE WATER FRONT ALONG
ALASKA WAY, ADDING MORE THAN 20
MILES OF NEW FACILITIES SINCE
2021 ALONE. AND WHEREAS
BICYCLING IS PROVEN TO IMPROVE
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH,
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES,
PROVIDE LOW COST TRANSPORTATION
OPTIONS FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT
ACCESS TO A VEHICLE, AND ADVANCE
SEATTLE'S CLIMATE AND EQUITY
GOALS. AND WHEREAS CASCADE
BICYCLE CLUB, WASHINGTON BIKES,
SEATTLE STREETS ALLIANCE. I'LL
NEED TO REMEMBER THAT RECENT
REBRANDING. SEATTLE STREET
ALLIANCE, WEST SEATTLE BIKE
CONNECTIONS, BIKE WORKS,
TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
COALITION, AND DOZENS OF
COMMUNITY PARTNERS WILL HOST
RIDES, COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS,
AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY,
INCLUDING BIKE EVERYWHERE DAY ON
MAY 13, 2026, WHICH IS TOMORROW.
WHEREAS THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
CALLS UPON ALL RESIDENTS TO
CELEBRATE BY RIDING THEIR BIKES,
EXPLORING OUR GROWING NETWORK OF
PROTECTED ROUTES, AND JOINING
THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WORKING
TOGETHER TO MAKE SEATTLE A
SAFER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE
CONNECTED CITY FOR EVERYONE.
NOW, THEREFORE WE DO DECLARE
TODAY TO BE, WELL, THIS MONTH,
TO BE BIKE EVERYWHERE MONTH IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. ARE THERE
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE
PROCLAMATION TODAY? TAKING A
QUICK SCAN. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR BRINGING
THIS AND FOR CRAFTING A WELL
READ AND DELIVERED PROCLAMATION
AS WELL. WE LOVE BIKE EVERYWHERE
MONTH, AND WE'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO GETTING THIS SIGNED.
SO I WILL CALL, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL TO FIND OUT
WHICH COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD LIKE
TO AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURE TO THE
PROCLAMATION?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> NINE SIGNATURES WILL BE
AFFIXED TO THE PROCLAMATION.
>> AWESOME, SO EVERYONE ON
COUNCIL IS DECLARING IT. THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
THIS. I THINK NOW WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO, IF THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, WE'RE GOING TO
SUSPEND THE RULES, SO
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA CAN PRESENT
THE PROCLAMATION, AND THEN ARE
THERE A LIST OF SPEAKERS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE JOINING US TODAY
AS WELL?
>> YES, THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I WOULD NOW LIKE TO
INVITE TYLER VAZQUEZ FROM
CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB FORWARD TO
GIVE HIS REMARKS. WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS TYLER VAZQUEZ. I'M THE
POLICY AND ADVOCACY OFFICER FOR
CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB. WHEN YOU
LEARN TO RIDE A BIKE, THE FIRST
THING YOU NOTICE ISN'T THE WIND
IN YOUR HAIR OR THE FREEDOM
EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT, IT'S THE
GROUND. YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN,
WATCHING THE PAVEMENT, FIGURING
OUT WHERE IT'S SAFE TO GO. AND
IN SEATTLE, MORE AND MORE THAT
PAVEMENT IS FOR PEOPLE WHO BIKE
OR WANT TO. MAY IS BIKE
EVERYWHERE MONTH. BECAUSE OF
PROTECTED BIKE LANES, THE
GREENWAYS THAT IMPROVE CROSSINGS
GOING IN ACROSS THE CITY,
GETTING ON A BIKE DOESN'T FEEL
LIKE A DARE ANYWHERE. IT FEELS
LIKE A CHOICE, A REAL CHOICE.
AND TODAY WITH THIS BIKE MONTH
PROCLAMATION, OUR ELECTED
OFFICIALS ARE PUTTING THAT IN
WRITING. THEY'RE SAYING
OFFICIALLY ON RECORD, BIKES
BELONG IN SEATTLE. PEOPLE WHO
RIDE BELONG ON OUR STREETS.
PEOPLE WHO RIDE BELONG HERE.
THAT MATTERS MORE THAN I CAN
SAY. NOT JUST FOR THE SEASON
CYCLISTS WHO HAVE BEEN
ADVOCATING FOR YEARS FOR OUR
PROTECTED BIKE NETWORK, BUT TO
EVERY KID, EVERY NEWCOMER, EVERY
PERSON WHO LOOKS AT SEATTLE
STREETS AND WONDER IF THERE IS A
PLACE FOR THEM. WASHINGTON STATE
HAS EARNED THE MOST
BIKE-FRIENDLY STATE IN THE
UNITED STATES. AND SEATTLE IS
FORWARD THINKING, MAKING SURE
OUR STREETS ARE SAFE FOR PEOPLE
WHO BIKE. THIS HAS EARNED
NATIONAL RECREATION FOR BUILDING
A TRULY BIKABLE CITY, AND THAT
RECOGNITION BELONGS TO ADVOCATES
WHO SHOW UP MONTH AFTER MONTH,
MEETING AFTER MEETING, AND TO
THE LEADERS IN THE ROOM WHO
LISTENED AND ACTED, SO THANK
YOU. WHEN YOU FUNDED AND
CHAMPIONED, WHAT YOU FUNDED AND
CHAMPIONED HAS CHANGED WHAT'S
POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.
PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BIKE. SO
WHAT'S NEXT? THE SKYROCKETING,
MORE PEOPLE ARE DITCHING THEIR
CAR AND MOVING TOWARDS USING
THEIR BIKE OR CHOOSING TO WALK
OR CHOOSING TO ROLL. THIS MEANS
WE NEED SAFER STREETS BY ADDING
MORE PROTECTED BIKE LANES, AND
MAKING SURE WE SLOW DOWN OUR
DRIVERS. BETTER CONNECTIONS
ACROSS OUR CITY AND
NEIGHBORHOODS, A NETWORK THAT
TAKES SOMEONE FROM THEIR FIRST
WOBBLY RIDE AND TAKES THEIR
TRAINING WHEELS OFF TO BECOME A
CONFIDENT COMMUTER THROUGH AND
THROUGH THE CITY, AND MAKES
EVERY MILE IN BETWEEN FEEL SAFE.
BIKE EVERYWHERE MONTH IS OUR
MOMENT TO SHOW THE CITY WHAT'S
POSSIBLE WHEN PEOPLE FEEL SAFE
ENOUGH TO TRY. I FEEL LIKE WE'RE
GETTING CLOSER. SEATTLE, LET'S
GET THERE TOGETHER. THANK YOU,
COUNCIL, LET'S BIKE EVERYWHERE,
ESPECIALLY TOMORROW. [ APPLAUSE
]
>> MADAM COUNCIL PRESIDENT, IF
IT PLEASE THE COUNCIL HERE,
WOULD LIKE ONE OTHER PERSON,
REPRESENTATIVE, TO SPEAK. ON
BEHALF OF SEATTLE STREETS
ALLIANCE. WELCOME. AND THEN
WE'LL TAKE OUR PICTURE.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU.
>> HI, EVERYONE. IS THAT
WORKING? HI, EVERYONE, I'M
CLARA CANTER, A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER WITH SEATTLE STREET
ALLIANCE. WE ARE A GRASSROOTS,
PEOPLE-POWERED MOVEMENT. WE WORK
TO MAKE EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN
SEATTLE A SAFE PLACE TO WALK,
BIKE, AND LIVE. THIS YEAR WE'RE
CELEBRATING OUR 15th
ANNIVERSARY. I WANTED TO LOOK
BACK FOR A MOMENT AND LOOK BACK
AT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE CITY
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS. IN THAT
TIME, BIKING IN SEATTLE HAS
COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED. BACK IN
THE DAY, WE WERE CELEBRATING
WHEN SEATTLE WAS PAINTING THE
STREETS. WE CELEBRATED PUTTING
IN OUR FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD
GREENWAY UP IN WALLINGFORD. IN
2014 WE PASSED A BIKE MASTER
PLAN THAT AT THE TIME WAS ONE OF
THE MOST AMBITIOUS IN THE ENTIRE
COUNTRY. WHEN I FIRST STARTED
ORGANIZING WITH SEATTLE STREETS
ALLIANCE, MY VERY FIRST CAMPAIGN
WAS ADVOCATING FOR A DOWNTOWN
BASIC BIKE NETWORK, WHICH NOW IS
BUILT ON OUR STREETS AND USED BY
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
EVERY DAY. IT'S AMAZING. I'VE
BEEN A LIFELONG BIKE COMMUTER,
AND BIKING AROUND MY
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE SOUTH END
HAS CHANGED COMPLETELY, JUST IN
THE LAST FIVE, TEN YEARS. WE
HAVE NEW BIKE LANES ON MLK,
COLUMBIAN WAY, BEACON AVENUE,
THROUGH SODO, THE SOUTH PARK
TRAIL. WE NOW HAVE THE ABILITY
TO BIKE ALL THE WAY FROM THE
SHIP CANAL TRAIL, DOWN ALONG THE
SEATTLE WATERFRONT, AND ALL THE
WAY WITHOUT EVER MIXING WITH
VEHICLE TRAFFIC, WHICH IS
INCREDIBLE. IT'S AMAZING THAT
WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. OUR CITY
NOW HAS 31 MILES OF PROTECTED
BIKE LANES AND 55 MILES OF
NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS, AND
THAT'S THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN UP AND
SAID THIS ACTUALLY ISN'T SAFE
FOR ME TO BIKE WITH MY KIDS, AND
PUSHING FOR FUNDING ALLOCATION
FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS FOR MORE BIKE TEAM
STAFF MEMBERS AT SDOT, FOR
PASSING THE TRANSPORTATION LEVY
IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND
WE ARE SO, SO, SO GRATEFUL FOR
OUR ELECTED LEADERS WHO ARE
WILLING TO STAND UP AND SAY
IT'S IMPORTANT WE WORK TOWARDS
VISION ZERO. IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE END TRAFFIC DEATHS AND
SERIOUS INJURIES ON OUR STREETS,
WHO ARE WILLING TO SAY OUR
CLIMATE GOALS AND THE GEOMETRY
OF OUR STREETS DEMAND WE PROVIDE
WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GET AROUND
EFFICIENTLY WITHOUT A PRIVATE
VEHICLE. AND ELECTED LEADER WHO
IS ARE EXCITED TO BE STANDING
HERE, DECLARING MAY BIKE
EVERYWHERE MONTH. WE ARE VERY
EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS WORK
TOGETHER TO CLOSE THE GAPS IN
OUR BIKE NETWORK, TO MAKE IT
MORE USABLE, MORE INTUITIVE,
MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. EVERY
TIME WE COMPLETE A NEW BIKE
PROJECT IN SEATTLE, THAT
NEIGHBORHOOD BECOMES MORE
ACCESSIBLE. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE RIDING, WHO ARE WOMEN,
WHO ARE ELDERS, WHO ARE YOUNG
PEOPLE, WHO ARE KIDS, WHO ARE
DISABLED RIDERS, SKYROCKET EVERY
TIME WE BUILD NEW INFRASTRUCTURE
HERE IN SEATTLE. AND WE CAN
COMPLETE THOSE HARD GAPS, AND
COMPLETE THE HARD ROUTES,
CONNECTING NEIGHBORHOODS IN AND
NEAR RAINIER VALLEY, TO NEW
TRAIN STOPS IN THE NORTH END, TO
MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT COMPLETE
CONNECTED NETWORK, SO THAT WE
CAN SHARE THE JOY OF GETTING
AROUND OUR BIKE WITH OUR KIDS
AND OUR GRANDKIDS, AND SO WE CAN
ACTUALLY BIKE EVERYWHERE. LET'S
USE IT HAD MOMENTUM AND GET TO
WORK. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU. [
APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, ARE THERE ANY
OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE ASK
SOME OF THE FOLKS. I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING UP TO
TAKE OUR COUNCIL PHOTO FOR MAY.
IS T█HERE A COUPLE?
>> WELL, YES, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. WOULD LIKE TO INVITE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM CASCADE,
WASHINGTON BIKES, SEATTLE
STREETS ALLIANCE, BIKE WORKS,
TRANSPORTATION CHOICES COALITION
FORWARD TO TAKE OUR PHOTO.
>> AWESOME.
>> TOGETHER, AND THEN POINT OF
CLARIFICATION AS WELL. THIS IS
CLEARLY SIGNED BY ALL NINE OF
US, BUT ALSO IT'S A JOINT
PROCLAMATION THAT MAYOR WILSON
HAS SIGNED AS WELL.
>> AWESOME. SOUNDS GOOD.
AWESOME. ALL RIGHT, SO
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE
GROUPS, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD,
YOU CAN COME OVER HERE TO THE
RIGHT AND JUST COME UP, AND WE
WILL TAKE OUR COUNCIL PHOTO. AND
THEN SUE WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE.
SUE, YOU'LL GIVE US THE
COUNTDOWN TO WHEN. AWESOME.
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, YOU'LL
BE IN THE MIDDLE.
>> THANK YOU, ALL. THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT,
WE'LL RESUME.
>> ALL YOURS.
>> THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC. WHEN
WE HAVE THESE PROCLAMATIONS,
IT'S ALWAYS FUN, AND IT'S A
NEW THING WHERE WE'RE TAKING
GROUP PHOTOS, SO I APPRECIATE
YOU BEING PATIENT WITH US AS WE
DO THAT, AND THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, WE ARE VERY
EXCITED FOR MAY TO BE BIKE
EVERYWHERE MONTH. SO IF YOU
DON'T HAVE A CHANCE, YOU SHOULD
FLY DOWN MADISON IN THE BIKE
LANE AND BIKE, BE ON A BIKE OR
IN THE BUS LANE. IT'S THE MOST
FUN THING GOING EAST. IT IS,
FROM BROADWAY AND JUST FLYING
DOWN THE HILL IN YOUR BIKE. I
WANTED TO THROW THAT DOWN HERE.
SO COLLEAGUES AT THIS TIME,
WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE HYBRID
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. IT'S
LIMITED TO ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA OR THE INTRODUCTION AND
REFERRAL CALENDAR OR WITHIN THE
COUNCIL'S PER VIEW. SO OUR WORK
PROGRAM. THE COUNCIL CANNOT
ACCEPT COMMENTS ON QUASI
JUDICIAL ITEMS OR CAMPAIGN
RELATED MATTERS. SPEAKER, CLERK,
HOW MANY SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE
SIGNED UP?
>> WE HAVE 16 IN PERSON AND
THREE REMOTE.
>> AWESOME, 16, SO THAT'S 19.
EVERYONE WILL GET TWO MINUTES.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
WILL BE MODERATED IN THE
FOLLOWING MATTER. SPEAKERS WILL
BE CALLED IN WHICH THEY WERE
REGISTERED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME WHEN 10 SECONDS IS LEFT OF
THEIR TIME. SPEAKERS MICS WILL
BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON
THE NEXT SPEAKER. PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW OPEN, AND WE'LL
BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER ON
THE LIST.
>> AWESOME, IF YOU'RE ONLINE,
YOU KNOW WE GO TO IN-PERSON
SPEAKERS FIRST, THEN WE'LL JUMP
ONLINE TO YOU ALL. WE DO HAVE 16
IN PERSON, THEN WE'LL GO TO OUR
ONLINE FOLKS. THE FIRST PEOPLE
UP IS RUTH FOLLOWED BY JAN, SO
RUTH, FOLLOWED BY JAN JOHNSON,
NICK CURT, PAUL, YVONNE, AND
THEN WE HAVE HAMSON, . WELCOME.
>> MY NAME IS RUTH, HERE
REPRESENTING FRIENDS OF QUEEN
ANNE. BARNEY FRANK WHO IS IN
HOSPICE CARE OBSERVED THAT
OVERREACH BY THE LEFT WITH
STANCES THAT ALIENATE MODERATES
HAS SET DEMOCRATS BACK. WE, THE
MODERATES, COMPROMISE. WE TRY TO
UNDERSTAND THE OTHER SIDE, AND
FIND THE REASONABLE MIDDLE
GROUND. WE BELIEVE IN A BIG
TENT. WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO
UPZONE FROM OUR GROWTH, BUT
REALIZE UPZONING ALONE WON'T
MAKE HOUSING MORE AFFORDABLE FOR
THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WE THINK
WE CAN GROW SEAMLESSLY BLENDING
THE NEW WITH THE OLD TO TAKE A
PHRASE FROM OUR PLAN WITHOUT
LOSING OUR TREE CANOPY OR
ROLLING BACK IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS, LIKE
THE ONE BEING CONSIDERED
THURSDAY THAT WILL REDUCE STORM
WATER RUNOFF REQUIREMENTS. BUT
WE, MODERATES, ARE DROWNED OUT
BY A WELL-OILED SEATTLE MACHINE
OF PAID LOBBYISTS AND CITIZEN
ORGANIZERS WHOSE MESSAGE IS
AMPLIFIED BY THE URBANIST AND
OTHER BIAS ADVOCACY JOURNALISM.
THEY ARE RIDGED IN THEIR VIEWS
AND ATTACK AND VILIFY ANY
ATTEMPT AT MODERATION. MANY IN
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS REMAIN UNAWARE
OF THE ZONING CHANGES COMING.
MANY WHO DO FEEL TOO
DISHEARTENED OR DISTRACTED BY
NATIONAL POLITICS TO TAKE ON
ANOTHER BATTLE. BUT I'LL TELL
YOU THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
SUPPORTERS OF AFFORDABLE AND
SOCIAL HOUSING FIELD BEWILDERED
AND ANGRY ABOUT WHAT THE CITY IS
DOING. WHO GETS A SEAT AT THE
TABLE. SO WE ASK YOU, THE MAYOR
AND OBCD, TO GIVE US A SEAT AT
THE TABLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, RUTH. NEXT, JAN,
FOLLOWED BY NICK.
IS JAN HERE? JAN JOHNSON?
WELCOME. AND THEN NICK IS NEXT.
>> MY NAME IS JAN JOHNSON. I'VE
BEEN IN BUSINESS IN SEATTLE
SINCE 19, I DON'T KNOW, 84, THE
PANAMA HOTEL. I WANT TO SPEAK ON
BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN HOTEL THE
USE OF THE CID. I THINK THE BEST
USE IS A USE HOSTEL. A LOT OF
PEOPLE COME TO MY BUILDING.
IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF
CLIENTELE. THERE'S BACKPACKERS,
AND THEY WANT TO STAY HERE, BUT
THEY WANT TO PAY LESS. THEY'RE
FINE WITH SLEEPING IN BUNKS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. I'VE SHOWN
THEM WHERE THE AMERICAN HOTEL
IS. I THINK IT'S A GOOD USE,
AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT STAY
THAT WAY. I DON'T KNOW IF -- IS
THAT ENOUGH? TO SAY THANKS. IS
THAT ENOUGH? I'D LIKE TO LOOK
INTO IT MORE. I DON'T KNOW IF
THIS COUNCIL IS ON LAND USE FOR
THAT BUILDING. ALSO A LOT OF US
ARE FLOUNDERING, RIGHT? AS FAR
AS TAXES, LICENSE, IF THE CITY
WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH
BUSINESSES LIKE THEM. IF HE'S
HAVING A HARD TIME, WHATEVER IT
IS, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE IN
HERE. I THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD
WORK MORE ON THE OTHER END AS
OPPOSED TO PUNISHING US FOR
FINANCING DIFFERENT THINGS. IF
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS, I
CAN GET BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU, JAN. NEXT, WE HAVE
NICK. I WAS GOING TO SAY, MOVING
THAT MICROPHONE UP, IT WAS
BOTHERING ME. WE WERE OFF
BALANCE. THANK YOU. WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, ESTEEMED
COUNCILMEMBERS. I'D LIKE TO
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TODAY. MY NAME IS NICK,
AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING. I'M
ALSO A LIFELONG SEATTLITE. I
WENT TO ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL,
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON. SO I COME HERE NOT
JUST REPRESENTING SEATTLE LONG
SHOREMEN, BUT I FEEL QUALIFIED
TO REPRESENT SEATTLE. AS IT IS
THE ONLY HOME I'VE EVER KNOWN.
UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPPORT UNION MADE
CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
JUST NOT HOUSING IN SODO AND THE
INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT. OUR LOVE
FOR OUR UNION BROTHERS AND
SISTERS IN ALL INDUSTRIES RUN
DEEP, RUNS DEEP, AND AN INJURY
TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL. WE
WANT OUR UNION SIBLINGS WORKING,
AND WE'RE EXCITED WHEN WE SEE
THE CRANES UP ACROSS THE SEATTLE
SKYLINE. BUT I'M NOT JUST HERE
REPRESENTING, BUT HERE
REPRESENTING POTATO FARMERS IN
IDAHO, STEELWORKERS IN WEST
SEATTLE. TO IMPORT AND EXPORT
THEIR GOODS ACROSS THE GLOBE.
WE, AS AN INDUSTRY, DON'T
BELIEVE THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT
IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE,
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT HEARING BOARD AFFIRMS
THAT. ANY FUTURE HOUSING
DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO RUN INTO
THESE EXACT SAME ISSUES THAT
AREN'T GOING AWAY. AS A
LIFELONG SEATTLE RESIDENT, MY
QUESTION TO OUR LEADERSHIP IS
HOW MUCH DO WE FEEL SEATTLE IS A
GLOBAL CITY? OUR FOOTHOLD TO
RELEVANCE AND GLOBAL TRADE IS
RIGHT OUT THAT WINDOW. SEATTLE
IS TWO STOPLIGHTS AWAY FROM
MIAMI, NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES,
CHICAGO. ALL THOSE ARE VIBRANT
GLOBAL PORT CITIES THAT
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
INDUSTRIAL LANDS. WHOLEHEARTEDLY
SUPPORTS THIS LEGISLATION, AND I
THANK YOU, OUR FRIENDS ON THE
BOARD WHO HAVE THE INSIGHT AND
MENTAL FORTITUDE TO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE
INDUSTRIAL LANDS.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, NICK.
OKAY, AWESOME. THANK YOU. NICK.
NEXT WE HAVE KURT FOLLOWED BY
PAUL AND THEN YVONNE. I DON'T
SEE YOUR HELMET THOUGH, NICK.
YEAH, OKAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, THANKS FOR
HAVING US TODAY. AS ONE OF THE
FOUNDERS OF TOGETHER FOR
SEATTLE, A FACILITATION NETWORK
THAT IS BRINGING PEOPLE
TOGETHER. OUR PURPOSE FOLLOWING
COVID WAS TO BRING A CHURCH
TOGETHER TO MEET SOME NAMES.
COVID HIT THE CHURCH HARD, AND I
THINK IT HIT THE COMMUNITY HARD.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS
BRING THAT BACK BY BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS, HAVING SOME
DESIRED OUTCOMES TO MEET THE
NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WHAT
YOU'RE DOING HERE IN THE CITY
IS ON HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT
REALIZED IN GROUPS THAT ARE
COMING TOGETHER. ONE THING WE'RE
DOING NOW IS BRINGING DISTRICTS,
AND YOUR DISTRICTS, WE ARE
BRINGING CHURCHES TOGETHER,
BUSINESS PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SAY HOW CAN
WE FACILITATE VARIOUS THINGS
THAT ARE GOING ON WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY? RECENTLY WE HAD AN
EVENT IN WEST SEATTLE. ONE OF
THE ADMINS WERE THERE, AND I
THINK IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE
MEETING. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO
THAT. THERE WILL BE UPCOMING
MEETINGS IN BALLARD, YOU KNOW
WHERE BALLARD IS. THAT'S KIND
OF HARD TO GET TO. WEST SEATTLE,
VARIOUS PLACES. SORRY. ANY WAY
WE WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME TO
THESE MEETINGS WHEN THEY COME
TOGETHER, SO WE CAN HAVE AN
EXCHANGE OF QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS, AND TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU
NEED, AND WHAT WE MIGHT BE
HELPFUL. A RECENT GATHERING IN
RAINIER VALLEY, THE MAYOR CAME
AND SPOKE TO SEVERAL OF US. WE
HAD A WONDERFUL Q&A TIME
TOGETHER. SHE ACTUALLY SAID SHE
KIND OF PROMOTED THIS IDEA OF
NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD BE HELPFUL
TO HER. I THINK YOU HAVE A NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD CZAR THAT YOU
APPOINTED. SO WE'RE GOING TO
INVITE YOU TO COME. WE WILL WORK
WITH YOUR ADMINS FROM THE
STANDPOINT OF GETTING
INFORMATION FROM THEM AS TO WHEN
WE'RE DOING THINGS, AND WE
INVITE YOU TO COME BECAUSE WE
THINK THIS Q&A THING WILL BE
GOOD.
>> THANK YOU, PAUL. ARE YOU
CURT? AWESOME. COME ON, CURT,
THEN FOLLOWED CURT IS YVONNE AND
DON.
>> I'LL TAKE THE SHORTER ONE.
HELLO, COUNCILMEMBERS. I
APPRECIATE THE TIME TO BE HEARD.
MY NAME IS CURT WITH SPIRIT
TRANSPORT SYSTEMS TRUCKING
COMPANY, WAS BASED IN GEORGETOWN
FOR THE FIRST 14 YEARS, NOW IN
KENT. JUST SPEAKING HERE IN
SUPPORT OF THE SENATE BILL
121171, WHICH IS REPEALING
121791. FIRST AND FOREMOST,
VISION ZERO, THAT WAS ADOPTED
BACK IN 2015. BUILDING HOUSING
IN THE SODO DISTRICT IS IN
DIRECT CONFLICT TO THAT, THAT
MOVEMENT. WHAT THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAD ADOPTED BACK 11
YEARS AGO. SO SAFETY, HAVING
RESIDENTS COME INTO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'RE
JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF ALL
THE RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE
LIVING HERE. IT'S NOT THE PLACE
FOR HOUSING. MOST IMPORTANTLY,
IT'S THE ECONOMIC IMPACT. SO
IMPEDING FREIGHT MOBILITY IN
SEATTLE. NOT ONLY IMPACTS THE
ECONOMY HERE IN SEATTLE, BUT
ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE. TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES AND
PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF WORKERS. YOU KNOW, WHAT THE
AVERAGE CITIZEN MAY NOT KNOW IS
EVERYTHING YOU BUY IN THE STORE
IS BROUGHT THERE BY A TRUCK. SO
WHEN YOU IMPEDE, IMPACT THE
HEAVY HAUL CORRIDOR, YOU ARE
ACTUALLY IMPACTING EVEN THE WELL
BEING OF THOSE RESIDENTS WHEN
THEY GO TO THE STORES. MY
COMPANY ACTUALLY DELIVERS
PRODUCT FOR QUALITY BICYCLE
PRODUCTS. WE BRING FULL
CONTAINERS IN FOR BICYCLES. SO
IT IS VAST AND COMPREHENSIVE HOW
THE GATEWAY IMPACTS THE WELL
BEING OF THE WHOLE STATE AND
EVERY CITIZEN THAT RESIDES HERE.
ALTHOUGH IT MAY BENEFIT, YOU
KNOW, THE CARPENTERS UNION AND
SOME LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND MAYBE
RESIDENTS THAT MIGHT THINK, IT
MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO LIVE
HERE IN THE SODO DISTRICT, WHICH
IT IS NOT. IT WOULD NEGATIVELY
IMPACT EVEN THOSE THAT ARE
REAPING SOME OF THE BENEFITS, SO
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK. I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE YVONNE,
FOLLOWED BY DON.
>> IVAN.
>> SORRY. I WAS FRENCH WITH IT.
>> I'VE HEARD IT PRONOUNCED
WORST.
>> HI, I'M IVAN. I STAY AT
CHER'S BRICK HOUSE, WITH 36
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND NOW
SHELTERS 500 PEOPLE A DAY. OUR
SHELTERS THOUGH UNFORTUNATELY
ARE HAVING TO TURN AWAY PEOPLE
BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE
SPACE FOR IT. MORE SHELTERS
DESPERATELY NEED IT. AND CHER
CAN DO MORE. WE HAVE A
SUCCESSFUL SHELTER OPERATIONAL
TEMPLATE, WE JUST NEED THE
FUNDING OF THE SITES. BOTH TENT
CITY FOUR AND THREE ARE MOVING
THIS MONTH, AND IN FACT TENT
CITY FOUR IS MOVING FRIDAY.
INVITATIONS TO ANYBODY WHO CAN
MAKE IT, WHO IS WILLING TO HELP.
TENT CITY THREE ONLY HAS THREE
MONTHS WITH THEIR HOST, AND WE
WOULD LOVE TO GET IN ON THE CITY
SITE SEARCH EFFORTS. WE REALLY
WANT TO MOVE TO A YEAR-LONG
STAY. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, IVAN. NEXT,
WE HAVE DOM, FOLLOWED BY HAMSON.
>> HI, I'M WITH TENT CITY
THREE. AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE
HAVE 500 SPOTS, INDOORS, AND IN
TENT CITIES. TOGETHER, WE'VE
BEEN ASSISTING THE HOMELESS FOR
MY WHOLE LIFE FOR 36 YEARS NOW.
WE HAVE A TEMPLATE THAT IS
WORKING AND CAN BE DUPLICATED.
TO EXPAND THE HELP PROVIDED IN
OUR COMMUNITY. UNFORTUNATELY
WE'RE TURNING PEOPLE AWAY
BECAUSE WE NEED MORE FUNDING AND
MORE SITES. AND WHAT WE REALLY
NEED IS PERMANENT OR
SEMI-PERMANENT SITES AND MORE
FUNDING. WITHOUT SHELTER, PEOPLE
DIE ON THE STREETS ALONE LIKE
THE MAN KILLED RIGHT NEAR WHERE
I'M STAYING. WE NEED SAFETY,
COMPASSION, FUNDS, AND SUPPORT
GETTING LONG-TERM SITES. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, I THINK
IT'S HAMSON, FOLLOWED BY ANITRA
AND THEN ORIN.
AND THEN ANITRA IS NEXT AND THEN
ORIN, WELCOME.
>> I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO START
OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME TODAY ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK
BEFORE YOU. I'M HARRISON, AND I
STAY AT TENT CITY FOUR. HAS 36
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND NOW
SHELTERS 500 PEOPLE AT TENT
CITIES. MORE SHELTERS ARE
DESPERATELY NEEDED. I BELIEVE WE
CAN DO MORE WITH MORE FUNDING
SITES. WE CAN BRING IN AND HELP
MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF THE
STREETS. WITH TIME PROVEN AND
SUCCESSFUL SHELTER OPERATIONS
TEMPLATE. I WOULD LIKE TO USE MY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS AN
EXAMPLE. THREE WEEKS AGO, I WAS
HOMELESS AT THE PIER OF SEATTLE.
ALLOWED ME TO SLEEP SAFELY AND
EAT PROPER MEALS WITH A
COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED PEERS.
BOTH TC FOUR AND THREE ARE
MOVING THIS MONTH. TC THREE HAS
ONLY A THREE-MONTH HOST. WE
WOULD LOVE TO GET ON CITY SITES,
AND WE REALLY WANT TO MOVE TO
YEAR-LONG STAYS. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT, WE
HAVE ANITRA FOLLOWED BY ORIN.
>> THANK YOU. ANITRA FREE MAN.
AS YOU'VE HEARD, THEY HAVE 36
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, CURRENTLY
SHELTER 500 PEOPLE, AND IT IS
NOT ENOUGH. WE'RE TURNING
PEOPLE AWAY AT THE DOOR OF THE
WHEEL SHELTERS. WITHOUT SHELTER,
PEOPLE DIE. I GOT INVOLVED WITH
SHARE/WHEEL IN 1995, WHILE I WAS
HOMELESS. I GOT INTO HOUSING IN
1996, AND I STAYED INVOLVED
BECAUSE THIS IS MY COMMUNITY.
OVER 30 YEARS, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE
COME IN TO THIS COMMUNITY WITH
WHAT I CALL THE GREAT PAVEMENT
LOOK. THEY'RE TORN DOWN, TORN
UP, PRACTICALLY SLEEPWALKING,
AND THEY MAY SIT THERE DURING
MEETINGS, AND THERE'S SOMEBODY
ASKING FOR THEIR OPINION. IT'S
LIKE, WHAT? AND THEN THEY SLOWLY
COME BACK TO LIFE BECAUSE
EVERYWHERE TAKES FOR GRANTED
THAT YOU DO HAVE AN OPINION. YOU
DO HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN
CONTRIBUTE. YOU ARE NEEDED HERE,
AND YOU'RE WANTED AND YOU'RE
VALUED HERE. I SEE PEOPLE COMING
BACK TO LIFE EVERY DAY IN THE
COMMUNITY, AND I CONTRAST THAT
WITH STANDING VIGIL OUT THERE
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DIED WITHOUT
THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE HELP US
GIVE THAT COMMUNITY TO MANY,
MANY MORE PEOPLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE
ORIN. WE HAVE MS. YVETTE, KEN,
AARON, HOWARD, BECCA, AND
NATHAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS ORIN BOONE, I'M A
PARTICIPANT AT TENT CITY FOUR. I
FIND MYSELF TO BE IN A NEW
SITUATION IN LIFE ABOUT THREE
MONTHS AGO. AND THE TRANSITION
INTO THE TENT CITY HAS BEEN
SOMETHING I NEVER EXPECTED. I
THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A BIT LIKE
THE LORD OF THE FLIES. THE TRUTH
IS WE HAVE A SELF-REGULATED CAMP
THAT KEEPS THINGS FAIRLY
ORDERLY. I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED
ROLES AS KITCHEN MASTER,
SECURITY, CURRENTLY I'M THE
MOVE MASTER HELPING TO MOVE TO
THE NEXT LOCATION LATER THIS
WEEK. IT'S CHALLENGING, AND
IT'S VERY FULFILLING TO SEE
THINGS LIKE ANITA SPOKE ABOUT TO
SEE THE CHANGES COME ABOUT IN
PEOPLE, IF THEY'RE GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY. THERE ARE PEOPLE
BEING TURNED AWAY. THERE ARE NOT
ENOUGH TENTS AND NOT ENOUGH ROOM
AND NOT ENOUGH TIME. CURRENTLY
WE HAVE A NEW LEASE OUR OTHER
TENT CITY IS GOING INTO. IT'S
ONLY 90 DAYS. IT'S DIFFICULT TO
FIND THESE PLACES TIME AND TIME
AGAIN FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO
FAR. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST
HURDLES WE HAVE. AND I WOULD ASK
YOU GIVE CONSIDERATION TO THAT
WHEN GOING OVER THIS LAND USE
MOTION, AND TAKING THAT INTO
HEART THERE ARE THINGS THAT
WORK. I'M SEEING IT FIRSTHAND,
AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO MORE
INTO DETAIL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, MS. YVETTE
FOLLOWED BY KEN, AARON, HOWARD
GILL, BECCA, AND NATHAN.
WELCOME, MS. YVETTE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO
THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT
STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND
JUSTICE FOR ALL. I WATCHED THIS
MORNING'S PUBLIC SAFETY
MEETING, COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE,
AND THAT WAS INTERESTING. AFTER
A WHILE, IT GOT KIND OF RUCKUS.
ONCE YOU TOOK A BREAK, I HAD TO
GO DO OTHER THINGS. I'D LIKE TO
SAY THOSE WHO WERE DISRUPTIVE,
IF YOU ARE NOT A PART OF THE
SOLUTION, THEN YOU'RE A PART OF
THE PROBLEM. AND ALSO REGARDING
PUBLIC SAFETY -- DURING THE
RECENT WAVE OF MORE VIOLENCE IN
THIS TOWN, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE
TO KEEP THE CAMERAS UP AND
ROLLING. QUITE FRANKLY THOSE WHO
LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, WE
WANT MORE OF THEM. YOU KNOW THE
SECURITY CAMERAS HAVE BEEN
INVALUABLE IN SOLVING SEVERAL
RECENT CRIMES IN A TIMELY
MANNER. I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE
YOU BECAUSE YOU SET ASIDE
FUNDING FOR THE WORLD CUP, IF
YOU CAN KIND OF PASS A LITTLE
BIT ALONG OF THAT FUNDING TO PUT
UP OUR CAMERAS IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN WE WOULD
GREATLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE
I'VE TALKED TO OTHER COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND THEY AGREE AS WELL.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TENT
CITY RESIDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO
ADVOCATE FOR MORE HOUSING. THEY
WERE ELEGANT, TO THE POINT, I
LIKE THE SOLUTION AS WELL. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE KEN,
FOLLOWED BY AARON. IS KEN HERE?
KEN? NEXT, WE HAVE AARON. MS.
YVETTE CAME, SERVED US SOME TIE
DYE SPECIAL TODAY. AARON?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT JOY HOLLINGSWORTH AND
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I
SERVE AS THE LEGISLATIVE AID OF
GLOBAL STRATEGIES, AND WE BUILD
BACK BETTER ALLIANCE
REPRESENTING MORE THAN 110
BUSINESSES, NON-PROFITS, AND
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE. WE ARE HERE
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF WHAT SOME
MAY HAVE LABELED A BLACK BUDGET,
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT EXCLUSION
OR FAVORITISM, BUT WHETHER
SEATTLE IS GOING TO INVEST IN
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN
HISTORICALLY EXPERIENCING
DISPLACEMENT, DISINVESTMENT,
HOUSING INABILITY THAT,
VIOLENCE, AND BARRIERS TO
OPPORTUNITIES. I GREW UP IN
SEATTLE CENTRAL DISTRICT, WHERE
MANY WERE PUSHED OUT OF THE CITY
BECAUSE HOUSING COSTS
SKYROCKETED AND LONG-TERM
RESIDENTS AND WORKING FAMILIES
COULD NO LONGER AFFORD TO STAY.
SO WHEN WE DISCUSSED
GENTRIFICATION, RED LINING, I'M
NOT SPEAKING FROM VARY, BUT
LIVED EXPERIENCE. I ATTEND THESE
COUNCIL MEETINGS REGULARLY BOTH
IN PERSON AND ONLINE. I SEE THE
WORK HAPPENING HERE, AND I ALSO
SEE THE PRESSURE FROM PUBLIC
LEADERSHIP. ACCOUNTABILITY
MATTER, VOICE MATTERS, BUT
PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF
PUBLIC POLICY MOVES FORWARD TOO.
IF EVERY DECISION CONVERSATION
BECOMES THEATER. IT IS MORE THAN
A NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN CULTURE REMAINS POSSIBLE,
AND THE PEOPLE WHO DISAPPEAR. IT
ALSO MEANS THEY CARRY A
RESPONSIBILITY OF HOPE. I URGE
THE CITY COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE
INVESTMENTS SMALL BUSINESS
SUSTAINABILITY, YOUTH
MENTORSHIP, VIOLENCE PREVENTION,
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT,
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT, AND
JUVENILE SYSTEM PROGRAMS. THESE
ARE TOOLS FOR COMMUNITIES TO
CARRY DISPROPORTIONATE,
ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL BURDENS FOR
DECADES. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE
PEOPLE LIKE ME STILL CARE DEEPLY
ABOUT SEATTLE, AND WE WANT TO
PARTNERSHIP PROGRESS AND REAL
SOLUTIONS. OUR OFFICE RECENTLY
SENT MEETINGS AND INVITATIONS TO
EACH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AND
I LOOK TOWARD TO COLLABORATING
TOWARDS POLICIES THAT CREATE
MORE OF AN INCLUSION SEATTLE FOR
EVERYONE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AARON. NEXT WE
HAVE MR. HOWARD, FOLLOWED BY
BECCA AND THEN NATHAN.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS MORNING
IN PUBLIC SAFETY, THIS COUNCIL
GAVE VOICE TO THE PEOPLE THAT
WERE VICTIMIZED AT CAL ANDERSON
LAST YEAR BY THE SPD, AND GAVE
VOICE TO THE OPA, OIG, AND THE
CPC, WHO PROTECTED THE PEOPLE
WHO DID THE VICTIMIZATION, AND
YOU DENIED BY VOICE, TWO OF WHOM
ARE IN THIS CHAMBER. THIS IS
UNACCEPTABLE. FOR BRINGING THIS
TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, AND YES,
DISRUPTING THE MEETING BECAUSE
IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR YOU GUYS
TO MAKE DECISIONS WE DON'T
LIKE. IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR
YOU GUYS TO GASLIGHT US, AND TO
SILENCE VICTIMS. AND YET
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ DECIDED
THAT I WAS DUE A SANCTION, THAT
I WAS DISRUPTIVE. SO ALL I WOULD
ASK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ IS
THIS. THOSE ARE THE SAME WORDS
YOU WOULD TELL THE PEOPLE IN
1970 THAT TOOK OVER DISCOVERY
PARK TO MAKE THE DAYBREAK STAR
CENTER? ARE YOU THE PERSON THAT
WOULD ALSO SAY PEOPLE IN 19722
FOR TAKING OVER THE SCHOOL THAT
BECAME EL CENTRO? THEY WERE
DISRUPTIVE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE
HAVE A JUST CAUSE. WHAT HAPPENED
THIS MORNING WAS ACTUALLY
PRODUCTIVE DIALOGUE BECAUSE
THERE WAS A DISRUPTION. THAT
DISRUPTION WAS ABSOLUTELY PROPER
AND CORRECT. THANK YOU.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE BECCA, PLEASE,
NOT TODAY. PLEASE. NEXT, WE HAVE
BECCA AND THEN NATHAN, AND THEN
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ONLINE. WE
WILL BE RESPECTFUL IN THESE
CHAMBERS OR ELSE -- THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL. MY
NAME IS BECCA. BOTH OF MY
PARENTS ARE FROM SEATTLE. MY MOM
IS FOURTH GENERATION SEATTLE,
GROWING UP IN QUEEN ANNE. MY DAD
IS FIRST GENERATION FROM
SANTIAGO, CHILE, WHO MOVED HERE
GROWING UP WEST OF GREEN LAKE.
SO I'VE BEEN IN SEATTLE. I HAVE
GROWN UP HERE AND LIVED HERE FOR
THE LAST 15 YEARS SINCE I'VE
MOVED HERE FOR COLLEGE. FIRST I
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SERVICE, YOUR COURAGE, AND
YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THE WAYS
YOU'RE TACKLING THE HARD
ISSUES, THE WAY YOU'RE
LISTENING, BEING ABLE TO BE AN
OPEN AIR FOR ALL THE ISSUES AND
ALL THE WAYS WE WANT TO COME AND
VOICE WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR
COMMUNITY. I'M HERE WITH THE
BIG CHURCH, REPRESENTING MANY
MINISTRIES FROM DIFFERENT AGES.
MANY OF WHOM YOU'VE MET OVER
THE PAST FEW WEEKS. DIFFERENT
RACES, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,
DIFFERENT CREEDS. AND WHILE I
THINK THE CHURCH HAS NOT ALWAYS
DONE THE BEST JOB AT PARTNERING
WITH THE CITY AND WITH OUR LOCAL
GOVERNMENT. I THINK WE ARE HERE
NOT TO BUILD WALLS, BUT BUILD
BRIDGES. SO WE PRAY FOR YOU BY
NAME AND FOR THE WORK YOU DO. WE
PRAY YOU FIND WIDE COUNCIL, TO
BE PROTECTED FROM ALL THE THINGS
YOU GUYS WALK INTO. IF THERE IS
ANY WAY WE CAN SUPPORT, WE CAN
STAND WITH YOU, WE CAN PARTNER
WITH YOU, WE CAN DO BETTER TO
SHOW UP AS THE CHURCH TO HELP
MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES BETTER, TO
MAKE THEM STRONGER, AND TO MAKE
THEM SAFER FOR PERSON. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, REBECCA. NEXT, WE
HAVE NATHAN. WELCOME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I WAS ALSO
DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THE
TREATMENT OF VICTIMS AND
ADVOCATES WHO ATTEMPTED TO HAVE
THEIR VOICES HEARD. WHILE I KNOW
A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE CRITICIZE
YOU GUYS, I HAVE NOT ONCE SEEN
HOWARD, GABRIEL DIAZ, OR OTHERS
OTHER THAN A CERTAIN GROUP
ATTACK YOU PERSONALLY, RIGHT?
THEY CRITICIZE YOU HARSHLY FOR
YOUR POLICIES, BUT NOT -- OTHER
THAN A CERTAIN GROUP, AND YOU
KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOUR JOB IS TO LISTEN TO THE
PUBLIC. OUR JOB IS TO NOT PRAISE
YOU AND BE YOUR FRIENDS. OUR JOB
IS TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE. IF
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT DISRESPECT
THOUGH, WAS IT DISRESPECTFUL
WHEN COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
CHARACTERIZED PEOPLE WHO
CRITICIZED HER ATTACKS ON THE
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
FUNDING AS DEMONIZING HER AND
BEING MISINFORMED? I THINK IT IS
DISRESPECTFUL TO CALL PEOPLE
MISINFORMED. WAS IT
DISRESPECTFUL WHEN KATHY MOORE
AND SARA NELSON SCOLDED MORALES
DURING A PUBLIC COUNCIL
BRIEFING? HOW MANY OF YOU HELD
SARA NELSON ACCOUNTABLE FOR
RUNNING THIS PLACE LIKE A
DICTATORSHIP? IF WE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT RESPECT, IT IS IMPORTANT
TO SHOW RESPECT TO THE PUBLIC.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NATHAN. NEXT, WE
HAVE, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
ONLINE. WE HAVE SCOTT FOLLOWED
BY ROSE AND THEN DAVID. SO WE
HAVE SCOTT YOU'RE GOING TO PREZ
STAR SIX, SCOTT. TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> YEP. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SCOTT.
I OWN A COMPANY CALLED COURT
RIGHT ENTERPRISES IN MOSES LAKE
WASHINGTON. WE'RE A PROCESSOR
AND EXPORTER FROM THE EAST SIDE
OF THE STATE. I WANTED TO THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK. I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE
IN PERSON TODAY, BUT WE ALREADY
STARTED OUR HARVEST SEASON HERE
THIS LAST WEEK, SO WE'RE BUSY.
I DID WANT TO SPEAK OUT IN FAVOR
OF THE REPEAL OF THE
REDISTRICTING SODO. AS IT HAS
BEEN THE PORT OF SEATTLE, THE
PORT OF EASTERN WASHINGTON, PORT
OF IDAHO, PORT OF MONTANA, AND
ANY OTHER STATE AS WE RELY ON
THAT PORT TO SHIP OUR GOODS
OVERSEAS. A LITTLE KNOWN FACT,
THE HAY INDUSTRY IS ACTUALLY THE
SINGLE LARGEST COMPUTERIZED
PRODUCT THAT SHIPS OFF THE WEST
COAST. IN WASHINGTON STATE
ALONE, IT REPRESENTS MORE THAN
$600 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE
JUST ACROSS 20 DIFFERENT
EXPORTING COMPANIES WHO EMPLOYEE
MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLE. JUST
WITHIN OUR OWN BUSINESSES. THAT
HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
NUMBER OF FARMERS WHO. ALTHOUGH
THE WONDERFUL FRONT IS A
BEAUTIFUL PLACE, I FEEL STRONGLY
THERE IS NO BUSINESS IN REZONING
THE INDUSTRIAL GROUND IN THAT
AREA, TO BUILD A SMALL NUMBER OF
HOUSES, CONDOS, WHATEVER, WHILE
LIMITING ACCESS TO THE REST OF
WASHINGTON STATE AND THE PORTS
THAT WE RELY ON. SO THOSE
SIGNIFICANTLY, THOSE ARE A
PUBLIC ASSET. MANY OF US ACROSS
THE STATE, OUR TAX DOLLARS GO
TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT THERE, ALONG
WITH THE SEATTLE TO CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP. BUT LEADING THAT AREA
ALONE BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ON
A DAILY BASIS. WE MAKE LARGE
INVESTMENTS IN OUR FACILITIES
EVERY YEAR. WE CANNOT DO THIS IF
WE KEEP RUNNING INTO THE SAME
CONCERN THAT AT SOME POINT,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ACCESS
TO SUPPORT. AGAIN, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT. NEXT, WE
HAVE ROSE FOLLOWED BY DAVID.
YOU'LL PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE
YOURSELF, ROSE.
>> HELLO. ON SUNDAY NIGHT, THERE
WERE TWO TRAGEDIES THAT WENT
INTO THE TRANS COMMUNITY. THE
FIRST OF WHICH MOST PEOPLE ARE
AWARE A TRANS WOMAN WAS MURDERED
INSIDE HER DORM ROOM INSIDE WHAT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LOCKED
FACILITY. THE SECOND IS A TRANS
WOMAN WAS LEFT HOMELESS AND HAD
NO PLACE TO GO. BOTH OF THESE
WERE AVOIDABLE TRAGEDIES. NONE
OF THESE WERE THINGS THAT
SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED FOR NO
REASON. THEY BOTH HAPPENED
BECAUSE OF INTENTIONAL THINGS,
DECISIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN
OUR COMMUNITY. THE TRANS WOMAN
THAT WAS MURDERED IN UDUB WAS
BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOCKED KEY
CARD THAT WAS SPLIT OPEN, IT WAS
CUT WITH TOOLS, AND INSTEAD OF
GRAY START FIXING THE BUILDING,
THEY LET IT BE BROKEN FOR MONTHS
WHERE SOMEONE COULD COME IN AND
MURDER THIS WOMAN. NOT ONLY
THIS, WHEN IT WAS INVESTIGATED,
REPORTEDLY BY STUDENTS, ALL THE
EVIDENCE WAS THROWN AWAY. THERE
NEEDS TO BE PEOPLE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS, AND THERE
NEEDS TO BE PEOPLE HELD
CRIMINALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS
TRANS WOMAN BEING MURDERED FOR
NO REASON. SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SAFE. THERE IS NO REASON WHY
THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. WE
DON'T YET KNOW HER NAME, BUT WE
DO KNOW SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SAFE. SHE DESERVED TO BE SAFE,
AS EVERY OTHER STUDENT DOES, AND
AS THE COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY,
AND SOME MAYOR HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THE TRANS PEOPLE. WE CANNOT
LEAVE PEOPLE VULNERABLE. WE'RE
THE PEOPLE THAT GETS STARTED
FIRST. WE HAVE PEOPLE ALL OVER
SEATTLE THAT ARE BEING TARGETED
BY HOMOPHOBIC, TRANSPHOBIC SLURS
BEING ATTACKED, AND THEY FEEL NO
ONE IS STANDING UP FOR THEM. WE
NEED THE CITY TO BE WITH US. WE
NEED THE CITY TO STAND BY US.
THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE A STAND,
AND VERY PUBLICLY COME DOWN ON
THOSE THAT LET THIS TRANS WOMAN
BE MURDERED.
>> THANK YOU, ROSE. NEXT WE HAVE
DAVID HAINES. DAVID? MR. HAINES?
STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> HI, THANK YOU. WE NEED TO
INVEST IN TRANSIT SIGNAL. IT
REDUCES DELAYS FOR BUSES AND
LIGHT RAILS AND STREETCARS. BY
ALLOWING TRANSIT VEHICLES TO
COMMUNICATE WITH THE TRAFFIC
SIGNALS. TSP, TRANSIT SIGNAL
PRIORITY EXTENDS THE GREEN
LIGHTS OR SHORTENS THE RED
LIGHTS. IMPROVING SCHEDULED
RELIABILITY, THIS COULD BE
APPLIED ON THE ROUTE EIGHT
THAT'S ALWAYS LATE, AND THE
RAPID RIDE FROM DOWNTOWN
BALLARD, AND THE RAPID RIDE THEY
SPENT $140 MILLION GOING FROM
DOWNTOWN TO WEST SEATTLE. AND ON
THIRD AVENUE, SO YOU CAN HOP ON
A BUS FROM THE WEST LAKES AND
HAUL TO THE SEATTLE CENTER WITH
THE BUS THREE OR FOUR OR RAPID
RIDE D, OR I THINK THE 13. THAT
SAID, WE NEED TO STOP SHARING
THE STREETS WITH THE DRUG
CULTURES. WE NEED A BETTER
LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP OF THE
POLICE CHIEF, WHO SEEMS TO HAVE
THIS LIVED EXPERIENCE FROM THE
JIM CROW LAW SOUTH, WHICH SHOULD
BE EXEMPTED FROM JAIL BECAUSE
THEY'RE DEEMED THE MOST
VULNERABLE. AS IF THEY DON'T
KNOW ANYBODY. AND THEY'RE
ALLOWED TO DESTROY THEIR LIVES
AND RUIN THE PURSUIT TO
HAPPINESS, AND THEN PLAY ALL
THESE THEMES, AND BE EXEMPTED
FROM JAIL, THAT ARE CONNECTED TO
THE APPARATUS THAT ARE NOT
OVERSEEN PROPERLY AND NOT
BREAKING THE ADDICTION OF THE
CONSTRICTION OF ALL OF THESE
SELF-DESTRUCTIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO
WILL TAKE ALL THE CAPACITY AWAY
FROM INNOCENT HOUSELESS
RESIDENTS AND CITIZENS WHO ARE
BEING MISTREATED. WHATEVER YOU
DO, BEWARE BETWEEN THE BALLARD
BRIDGE AND ALL THE WAY UP.
>> THANK YOU. OKAY. SO WE HAVE
REACHED THE END OF THE LIST OF
REGISTERED SPEAKERS. PUBLIC
SERVICE PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.
THERE AREN'T ANYMORE PEOPLE
SIGNED UP. AND OH, I'M SORRY. I
WAS JUST GOING, MY APOLOGIES.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
JUST PUTTING ON THE RECORD TO
REFLECT. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME
I'VE NOTICED HOWARD GAYLE HAS
PERSONALLY IMPUGNED THE MOTIVES
OF COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS
COMPARED TO ANYONE ELSE ON THIS
COUNCIL. SO I'M JUST MAKING
THIS DIRECT COMMENT. THE RECORD
DOES NEED TO REFLECT I'M NOW
SEEING A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR OF
THIS PUBLIC COMMENTER TARGETING
A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL ON OUR
COUNCIL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS. SO
NOW -- SO BOTH Y'ALL ARE BEING
DISRUPTIVE. YOU ARE BEING
DISRUPTIVE NOW. OKAY. YOUNG LADY
RIGHT HERE, WE NEED TO CALM
DOWN. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE -- SO GUESS WHAT? WE'RE
GOING TO GO INTO A NICE RECESS
FOR FIVE MINUTES UNTIL WE CAN
CALM DOWN, AND YOU'RE NOT
DISRUPTIVE IN THESE CHAMBERS AND
BEING RESPECTFUL, AND THEN IF WE
COME BACK AND WE'RE CONTINUING
TO BE DISRUPTIVE AT THIS
COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT
ONLINE BECAUSE WE HAVE A TON OF
BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE TO GET
THROUGH THAT PEOPLE HAVE TOOK
THE TIME OUT OF THE DAY MAKING
SURE WE GET THROUGH THIS STUFF.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ON A
FIVE-MINUTE RECESS TO CALM DOWN
AND BE RESPECTFUL TO EACH OTHER.
[ MEETING WILL RESUME AFTER A
FIVE-MINUTE BREAK ]
>>> AWESOME, WELCOME BACK. WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL
FOR THE MEETING?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> SEVEN PRESENT.
>> ALL RIGHT, AWESOME. WE'RE
GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO OUR
AGENDA. IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE INTRODUCTION OF
THE REFERRAL CALENDAR WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NO OBJECTION,
THE INTRODUCTION REFERRAL
CALENDAR IS ADOPTED. THERE'S NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED. HEARING NONE, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE'RE GOING
TO NOW CONSIDER THE CONSENT
CALENDAR ITEMS INCLUDING
MINUTES OF MAY 5, 2026, AND
COUNCIL BILL 121206. ARE THERE
ANY ITEMS COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD
LIKE TO REMOVE FROM TODAY'S
CONSENT CALENDAR? HEARING NONE,
I MOVE TO ADOPT THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED
AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE ADOPTION OF
THE CONSENT CALENDAR?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> SEVEN IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> AWESOME, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
MINUTES AND LEGISLATION ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR ON MY BEHALF?
COLLEAGUES, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE
RIGHT INTO THE AGENDA. SO WILL
THE CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM
NUMBER ONE INTO THE RECORD? AND
FOR THE RECORD, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ IS PRESENT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE, COUNCIL BILL
121171, RELATED TO LAND USE AND
ZONING, REPEALING ORDINANCE
127191, WHICH ALLOWED
RESIDENTIAL USE WITHIN THE
STADIUM TRANSITION AREA OVERLAY
DISTRICT UNDER CHAPTER 23.74 OF
THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE. THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE BILL
PASS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STEADY READY
EDDIE LIN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED TO
PROVIDE COMMITTEE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COLLEAGUES, I THINK YOU ARE ALL
FAMILIAR WITH THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, BUT JUST FOR
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, LAST YEAR
ORDINANCE 127191 WAS PASSED,
WHICH ALLOWED RESIDENTIAL USE
WITHIN THE STADIUM TRANSITION
AREA OVERLAY DISTRICT. THAT
DECISION WAS APPEALED. IT WAS
BROUGHT TO THE MANAGEMENT
HEARING BOARD. WE LOST THAT
APPEAL. WE WERE ORDERED TO TAKE
ACTION, AND THIS BILL,
ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD REPEAL
THE PRIOR ORDINANCE 127191,
ADDRESSES COMPLIANCE WITH THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT HEARINGS
BOARD. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BILL
IS SIMPLY PROCEDURAL AND MEANT
TO COMPLY WITH THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT HEARING BOARD. IT IS
NOT INTENDED TO REVISIT PRIOR
POLICY DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT USES
SHOULD BE ALLOWED IN THIS AREA.
I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS
WITH MANY OF THE AFFECTED
PARTIES, INCLUDING THE BUILDING
TRADES, THE STADIUMS, THE PORT,
THE ILWU. AND MY MESSAGE HAS
BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE, I
THINK WE NEED TO FIND A
NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT WAY TO
FIND A USE THAT EVERYONE CAN
LIVE WITH. YOU KNOW, ELECTIVES
COME AND GO, ADMINISTRATIONS
COME AND GO. BUT THESE PARTNERS
THAT WORK IN THAT AREA, THEY'RE
GOING TO BE THERE LONG TERM. AND
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT IS NOT
HELPFUL WHEN THE PENDULUM SWINGS
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHEN, YOU
KNOW, SOMETHING GETS PASSED AND
THEN APPEALED AND LAWSUITS
HAPPEN. IF WE CAN FIND A
LONG-TERM SOLUTION, IF THE
PARTIES CAN WORK TOGETHER, AND
I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO WORK
WITH THE PARTIES TO DO
EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP FIND
THAT NEGOTIATING SOLUTION, I
THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER
LONG-TERM SOLUTION. IN THE
MEANTIME, WE DO NEED TO COMPLY
WITH THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT
HEARING BOARD. THE COMMITTEE
PASSES 5-0. AND I WOULD
ENCOURAGE YOUR SUPPORT. THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER LIN.
FOR THE RECORD, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS IS PRESENT. COLLEAGUES,
ARE THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER
COMMENTS REGARDING COUNCIL BILL
121171? COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> SORRY, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I
THINK I GOT KICKED OFF THE MAIN,
SO I CAN'T RAISE MY HAND, BUT
THANK YOU FOR CALLING ON ME.
COLLEAGUES, I WILL VOTE YES
TODAY BECAUSE THE GROWTH
MANAGEMENT BOARD IS REQUIRING US
TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, AND
THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT I DO WANT
TO PUBLICLY RESTATE MY SUPPORT
FOR THIS STADIUM HOUSING, WHICH
WOULD PROVIDE BADLY NEEDED
HOUSING AND JOBS. AND HAVING
FOLKS LIVING IN THE AREA WOULD
BE A PUBLIC SAFETY BENEFIT THERE
AS WELL. I KNOW THERE'S SOME
APPEALS GOING THROUGH THE
COURTS. DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS
OF THOSE APPEALS, I WOULD LOVE
TO SEE THIS PROPOSAL BROUGHT
BACK, AND YES, COUNCILMEMBER
LIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
THE PARTNERS TO ALL WORK
TOGETHER AND EVERYONE CAN
SUPPORT AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY
NEGOTIATED, THERE WERE SOME
LABOR PARTNERS THAT FELT LIKE
THEY WERE NOT A PART OF THAT
FINAL CONVERSATION, AND I DON'T
THINK THAT IS FAIR, AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS
FEEL GOOD AS PART OF A FINAL
NEGOTIATION, AND JOBS ARE
IMPORTANT, AND SO IS HOUSING. SO
ANY WAY I THINK THESE ARE ALL
OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THIS FORWARD LIKE YOU
SAID, THE BOARD IS REQUIRING US
TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE, AND WE
NEED TO DO THAT, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. FIRST, I WANT TO
THANK THE COMMITTEE CHAIR LIN
FOR USHERING THIS LEGISLATION
THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE. I THINK
WE COULD ALL AGREE. AND TO MAKE
SURE IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF
THINGS FEEL GOOD. AND THE
UNDERLINING ISSUES OF THE MERIT.
BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY UPFRONT
THAT MY VOTE TODAY IS BASED
SOLELY ON THE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS
OF THIS LEGISLATION. AND THAT'S
IT. THIS IS EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT
COMPLIANCE WITH THE BOARD'S
REQUIREMENT THAT OUR CITY
ADDRESS PROCEDURAL
IRREGULARITIES. I WISH IT WERE
MORE. WELL, SOME MAY WISH IT
WERE MORE INTRIGUING. AND ABOUT
REVERSALS AND REVISITING THE
SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES. AND THIS IS
ABOUT BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH
NITTY-GRITTY TECHNICAL
PROCEDURAL DETAILS. TO BE CLEAR,
THIS IS NOT ABOUT REVISITING THE
BROADER POLICY DEBATE AROUND
WHETHER HOUSING SHOULD OR SHOULD
NOT BE ALLOWED IN SODO. THOSE
REMAIN PENDING ISSUES. OUR CITY
WILL NEED TO CONFRONT AGAIN AT
SOME POINT. WITH THE PARTIES
THAT ARE GOING TO OUTLIVE ALL OF
US. BEING FRONT AND CENTER. AND
MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. AND A
PART OF THAT DEBATE EXTENDED
WHEN WE FIRST HAD THIS ORIGINAL
CONVERSATION. THE LATEST
ITERATION OF THE CONVERSATION
LAST YEAR. SO MY VOTE TODAY
SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS A
CHANGE IN MY UNDERLINING
POSITION, ON THE SUBSTANTIVE
POLICY, THE QUESTION ITSELF.
INSTEAD IT'S JUST COMPLIANCE
WITH NITTY-GRITTY PROCEDURAL
ASPECTS OF THIS LEGISLATION. I
STAND BY WHERE I -- WHERE I
STOOD ORIGINALLY. MY POSITION IS
CLEAR, KNOWN. WE ALSO NEED TO BE
COMPLIANT. AND THAT'S IT. IT'S
ABOUT PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE, NOT
THE SUBSTANTIVE NARRATIVE OF
THIS BILL OR THE UNDERLINING
LEGISLATION RATHER. SO THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS ON COUNCIL BILL 121171
BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE? I SHARE
THE SAME SENTIMENTS, COMMENTS OF
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA AND SAKA.
WITH MY VOTE, I SAID IT IN
COMMITTEE, THAT THIS IS
PROCEDURAL FROM MY END. IT DOES
NOT CHANGE MY OPINION AS WELL.
SO WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> AYE.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES. THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF. WE'RE
GOING TO JUMP INTO ITEM NUMBER
TWO. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
ITEM NUMBER TWO INTO THE RECORD?
>> THE FINANCE, NATIVE
COMMUNITIES, AND TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS COMMITTEE, COUNCIL
BILL 121201. THE FEDERATION
INTERNATIONALE DE FOOTBALL
ASSOCIATION WORLD CUP,
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OR THE
MAYOR'S DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN SEATTLE FWC26
AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THE BILL
PASSES AS AMENDED.
>> AWESOME. COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AS CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
WE HAVE FIFA COMING UP, IS IT IN
35 DAYS? 26 DAYS? IT'S COMING.
IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
WE ARE ALL VERY EXCITED. AND TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE WELL PREPARED,
WE ARE RECEIVING FUNDS, FUNDS
FROM THE FEDERAL AND FROM THE
STATE GOVERNMENT. AND WE ARE
ALSO RECEIVING SOME FUNDS FROM
OUR LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE.
AND WE ARE ENTERING INTO AN
AGREEMENT WITH OUR LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. AND SO
THIS $1 MILLION THAT WE'RE
RECEIVING FROM THE LOCAL
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE IS NOT
BEING APPROPRIATED IN THIS BILL.
WE WILL COME BACK AFTER FIFA, SO
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT DEPARTMENTS
HAVE SPENT AND HOW MUCH MONEY ON
WHICH THINGS, AND THEN WE'LL DO
OUR BEST. WE THEN ALSO HAVE $15
MILLION, WHICH IS ACCEPTED GRANT
AND APPROPRIATED FOR SAFETY AND
SECURITY, AND THEN WE HAVE A
THIRD GRANT, WHICH WE ARE
ACCEPTING AND APPROPRIATING FOR
COUNTERDRONE ACTIVITY. WE ARE
NOT BUYING. THIS IS SOLELY FOR
PERSONNEL TRAINING, PLANNING.
THERE IS NO EQUIPMENT, SO WE ARE
NOT GETTING ANY DRONE CATCHERS.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE
ELEMENTS, THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF
THE BILL. WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT,
WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS THAT
WE ARE ACCEPTING, BUT NOT
APPROPRIATING. WE HAVE $15
MILLION THAT WE ARE ACCEPTING
AND APPROPRIATING FOR SAFETY AND
SECURITY, AND THEN WE HAVE $2.1
MILLION THAT WE'RE ACCEPTING
AND APPROPRIATING TOWARDS
ANTI-DRONE ACTIVITY. I URGE A
YES VOTE BECAUSE THIS IS RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER, AND WE NEED
TO GET OUR CITY READY TO HOST AN
INTERNATIONAL SOCCER EVENT,
FOOTBALL EVENT. EXCUSE ME. AND I
WOULD BE REMISS TO SAY BALLARD
FC START THEIR SEASON THIS
SEASON. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING
YOU ALL AT INNER BAY PITCH.
>> AWESOME. THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. COUNCIL
BILL 121201. ANY CLOSING
COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO FIFA.
>> AWESOME. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON THE
PASSAGE OF THE BILL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THE BILL PASSES, THE CHAIR
WILL SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE AFFIX MY SIGNATURE ON THE
BILL ON MY BEHALF? NOW, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM NUMBER
THREE INTO THE RECORD?
>> THE REPORT, THE
TRANSPORTATION WATERFRONT
COMMITTEE, AGENDA THREE, COUNCIL
BILL 121171, RELATED TO SHARED
STREETS, ADDING A NEW CHAPTER,
11.45 TO THE SEATTLE OF
MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AS CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. I WOULD LOVE TO PASS
IT ON TO THE LEGISLATION
SPONSOR. BUT THANK YOU FOR
PUTTING THIS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO HEAR THIS
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION
IN OUR STEPS COMMITTEE LAST
WEEK. ON APRIL 20, TO SET THE
FOUNDATION FOR THIS, ON APRIL
2025, WASHINGTON PASSED SENATE
BILL 5595 AND BECAME THE FIRST
STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO
AUTHORIZE SHARED STREETS, A
PARADIGM SHIFT THAT COULD
RESHAPE HOW PEOPLE MOVE AND
CITIES ACROSS THE STATE, AND
SERVE AS A MODEL NATIONWIDE.
THIS CRITICAL DESIGNATION WILL
GIVE WALKERS AND BIKERS
PRIORITY, SLOWS VEHICLE TRAFFIC
TO 10 MILES PER HOUR, AND
REMOVES JAYWALKING RESTRICTIONS.
THIS IS A MAJOR STEP TOWARDS
SAFER PEOPLE CENTERED STREETS.
I'M EXCITED TO VOTE TO APPROVE
THIS BILL TODAY. I WANT TO THANK
THE BILL SPONSOR, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD AT THIS MOMENT.
COUNCILMEMBER PRESIDENT, I YIELD
THE FLOOR TO COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS AT YOUR PLEASURE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND REALLY
PROVIDE MY APPRECIATION FOR THE
HISTORY THAT YOU PROVIDED, THE
STAGE YOU SET AT YOUR COMMITTEE
LAST WEEK. I CAN TELL YOU CARED
A LOT ABOUT THIS BILL AND THAT
YOU WERE VERY EXCITED THIS WAS
COUNCIL GENERATED LEGISLATION
BECAUSE WE HAD WAITED FOR SDOT
FOR TOO LONG, AND WE'RE EXCITED
TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. SDOT
STILL NEEDS TO TAKE THE NEXT
STEPS OF THE IMPLEMENTING EITHER
POLICIES OR LEGISLATION. THIS
LAW IS, WOW, ABOUT FIVE YEARS IN
THE MAKING. IF YOU LOOK AT
PICTURES OF OLD TIME SEATTLE
HERE DOWN IN PIONEER SQUARE, YOU
SEE A MIX OF PEOPLE WALKING
ACROSS THE STREET WITH SOME
STREETCARS AND SOME HORSES. IT
LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY LEFT A
HELMET HERE. THERE WERE BICYCLES
EVEN IN THOSE PICTURES. WHAT YOU
SAW WAS ACTUALLY WHAT LOOKS LIKE
WHAT THEY HAVE LOOKED AT WITH
JUST LOTS OF ACTIVITY, ALL
MOVING VERY SLOWLY, ALL IN THE
PUBLIC REALM, WHICH IS THE
STREET. BUT SOMEHOW THEY BECAME
THE ANOMALY INSTEAD OF THE
REGULARITY OF OUR CITY. OVER THE
COURSE OF THAT TIME, WHAT WE
JUST BECAME, EVERYONE EITHER GOT
IN THE LANE OR IF THEY DIDN'T
HAVE A LANE, THEY GOT IN
SOMEBODY ELSE'S LANE, AND THEY
TOOK THE RISKS, RIGHT? AND SO
FAST FORWARD OR REWIND TO 2021.
WE WERE IN THE PANDEMIC. IN
BALLARD, WE WERE LOOKING AT HOW
WE COULD MAKE BALLARD AVENUE A
BUSINESS STREET THAT COULD
CONTINUE GENERATING ECONOMIC
ACTIVITY THAT COULD KEEP OUR
OWNER OPERATED RESTAURANTS THAT
ARE ON A THIN MARGIN, STILL
OPERATING, STILL MAKING MONEY,
STILL GIVING SEATTLE A VIBRANT
PLACE TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER,
DESPITE THIS PANDEMIC. AND SO WE
WOULD TURN BALLARD AVENUE FROM A
TWO-WAY STREET INTO A ONE-WAY
STREET, SO THOSE CAFES COULD
HAVE MORE SPACE TO OPERATE. AND
WE RAN A NUMBER OF DESIGN. THE
COUNCIL AND MANY DIFFERENT
ITERATIONS HAVE SUPPORTED MY
INCREMENTAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS
THAT FUND JUST ENOUGH TO GET US
TO THE NEXT STAGE. THAT'S ME
PREPPING US THAT I MIGHT HAVE
ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE INCREMENTAL
BUDGET AMENDMENTS COMING UP SOON
WITH THE NEXT STEP FOR BALLARD
AVENUE. AND WHEN WE WERE SITTING
THERE, WE HAD TRAFFIC SPEEDING
BY US. AND WHILE THE LOWEST
SPEED LIMITS CAN BE PUT DOWN TO
20 MILES AN HOUR, I THINK
BALLARD AVENUE IS STILL 25, BUT
LET'S PLAY IT SAFE AND SAY
IT'S 20. WHEN YOU ARE SITTING
THERE TRYING TO ENGAGE WITH THE
OTHER PEOPLE YOU'RE DINING
WITH, AND YOU'RE SITTING IN
PUBLIC SPACE, AND A VEHICLE
MOVES PAST YOU, YOU KNOW, THREE
TO FIVE FEET AWAY. IF IT'S
MOVING FIVE, TEN MILES AN HOUR,
EVERYTHING IS FINE. AS LONG AS
THE DRIVER MAINTAINS THEIR EYES
ON THE ROAD AND TWO HANDS ON THE
WHEEL, EVERYTHING IS FINE. BUT
WHEN EVERYONE IS MOVING SLOWLY
TOGETHER, WE ARE ABLE TO STOP
BAD THINGS FROM HAPPENING, ETC.
AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS THE STATE
HAD PREEMPTION AUTHORITY ON THE
CITY TO DETERMINE OUR SPEED
LIMITS FOR STREETS LIKE BALLARD
AVENUE, BIKE PLACE. I HEARD A
NUMBER OF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS
SHARE STREETS IN THEIR OWN
DISTRICTS THAT COULD BENEFIT
FROM THIS. AND WHEN WE HEARD
PUBLIC COMMENT, CHAIR SAKA, AT
YOUR COMMITTEE, I HEARD HEATHER
PEEL AND MARK ASTROS SPEAK
ELEGANTLY TO WHY THIS IS
IMPORTANT FOR SEATTLE TODAY. FOR
NOW FOR THE FUTURE, AND SO IN
THAT 2021 LUNCH DESIGN BREAK
THAT WE'RE EATING OUT ON
BALLARD AVENUE, AND THESE CARS
ARE WHIPPING PAST US, WE
REALIZED THE STATE HAD
PREEMPTION, SO WE STARTED TO
WORK TO HAVE THAT STATE LAW
CHANGED. SO 2025 IS WHEN THAT
BILL WAS INTRODUCED TO THE
LEGISLATURE, IT WAS PASSED OUT
OVER A YEAR AGO. AND SINCE THAT
TIME, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH
SDOT TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE'RE
MOVING SO SLOWLY, WHY WE CAN'T
MOVE FASTER, IF WE COULD MOVE
PAST THIS. AND SO THAT IS THE
GENESIS OF US DOING OUR
LEGISLATION, WHICH IS DIFFERENT
THAN RECEIVING LEGISLATION
GENERATED BY THE MAYOR OR BY THE
DEPARTMENT ITSELF. SO
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, AGAIN, I
APPRECIATE YOU HAVING THIS IN
YOUR COMMITTEE AND PUTTING IT
FORWARD, AND CLARIFYING FOR THE
PUBLIC, THERE'S A TWO-MEETING
RULE ON THE DEPARTMENT GENERATED
LEGISLATION. AND I'M JUST HERE
TO CELEBRATE WITH MARK, WITH
HEATHER, EVERYONE ELSE WHO HAS
ADVOCATED FOR THIS FOR SO LONG.
BECAUSE WHILE THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT STEP TO MOVE FORWARD,
IT IS ALSO NOT THE END BECAUSE
WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THESE
STREETS DESIGNATED, AND I'M
REALLY HOPEFUL THE MAYOR WILL
SENDS THAT LIST DOWN SOON. IF
NOT, IF WE JUST GENERATE OUR
LEGISLATION AGAIN. BUT IF YOU
LOOK BACK TO THE HISTORIC
PICTURES OF SEATTLE, PEOPLE LIKE
TO REMINISCE ABOUT THIS TIME OF
THE PAST. REMINISCE ABOUT THOSE
PICTURES WHERE EVERYONE WAS IN
THE STREETS TOGETHER BECAUSE IT
WAS A SHARED PUBLIC SPACE AS
COMPARED TO THE STREETS THAT WE
HAVE TODAY, AND THAT IS WHAT
THIS LEGISLATION INTENDS TO DO.
NOT ON EVERY CITY STREET, JUST
ON A FEW. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS FOR ALL YOUR WORK IN
BRINGING THIS, AND THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR HEARING
IT IN YOUR COMMITTEE. I JUST
WANT TO PAUSE HERE. ARE THERE
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE
BILL? I KNOW THERE IS AN
AMENDMENT, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY
FURTHER COMMENTS? OKAY,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, YOU ARE
RECOGNIZED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M
REQUESTING COUNCIL RULES BE
SUSPENDED TO ALLOW CONSIDERATION
OF AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS
CIRCULATED AFTER THE RULED
DEADLINE.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, IS
THERE ANY OBJECTION?
>> I OBJECTION.
>> THERE IS AN OBJECTION. THAT
SENDS US TO A VOTE TO VOTE ON
THE COUNCIL RULES BEING
SUSPENDED. SO RIGHT NOW,
COLLEAGUES, I'LL EXPLAIN.
THERE'S A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE
RULES TO BRING A WALK-ON
AMENDMENT TO THIS LEGISLATION.
THERE IS AN OBJECTION. SO WE
HAVE TO VOTE. WE ARE VOTING ON
YES TO ALLOW THE RULES TO BE
SUSPENDED. IS THAT CORRECT? YES
IS TO ALLOW THE RULES TO BE
SUSPENDED. NO IS TO -- WAIT, CAN
YOU -- YES TO ALLOW THE RULES TO
BE SUSPENDED. NO TO NOT ALLOW
THE RULES TO BE SUSPENDED. YES,
IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE
AMENDMENT. NO FOR US NOT TO HEAR
THE AMENDMENT FOR THE RULES TO
BE SUSPENDED. IS EVERYONE CLEAR
ON THAT? JUST LOOKING LEFT AND
RIGHT. EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT YES
AND NO MEANS? AWESOME. WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL FOR
THE OBJECTION TO THE RULES BEING
SUSPENDED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> NO.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> IT IS FIVE IN FAVOR, FOUR
OPPOSED.
>> SO THE RULES, PARDON ME? SO
NO, IT NEEDED THE MAJORITY,
TWO-THIRDS. SO MOTION FAILS OR
THAT MOTION IS -- WAIT.
>> WILL IT FAILS.
>> THAT MOTION FAILS. SO THAT
MEANS WE CANNOT HEAR THE
AMENDMENT, SORRY. I'M CONFUSING
YES OR NO AND WHICH ONE. I
APOLOGIZE. SO WE CAN'T HEAR
THAT. WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
HEAR THE AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR.
AND NOW DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY,
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS
REGARDING THE BILL AT HAND?
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA FOLLOWED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA.
>> GO AHEAD. I'LL HAVE LAST, IF
YOU DON'T MIND. I'LL HAVE LAST
WORD.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT
AND THOSE OF YOU WHO VOTED TO AT
LEAST HEAR THE AMENDMENT. I WILL
SAY THIS IS DISAPPOINTING. YOU
DIDN'T HAVE TO VOTE FOR THE
AMENDMENT, BUT I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO EXTEND EACH
OTHER THE COURTESY TO ALWAYS AT
LEAST LISTEN. I WILL SAY THE
AMENDMENT, I WAS TRYING TO BRING
IN AN AMENDMENT. IT WAS LAST
MINUTE, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I
DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS COMING
BEFORE FULL COUNCIL TODAY. THE
AMENDMENT WAS REALLY TO REQUIRE
SDOT TO BRING THEIR PLANS
THROUGH COUNCIL THROUGH A PUBLIC
COUNCIL MEETING FOR TRANSPARENCY
AFTER LEARNING FROM CENTRAL
STAFF THAT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT
STREETS WILL LOOK LIKE. THIS IS
NOT A PROGRAM LIKE HEALTHY
STREETS. THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
HEALTHY STREETS WHEREBY WE CAN
CLOSE STREETS OFF. THIS IS NOT
THAT. THIS IS A BROADER APPROACH
AND PLAN. I UNDERSTAND THAT A
BIG PORTION OF THIS, WHICH I
SUPPORT IS TOWARDS OUR VISION
ZERO GOALS. I JUST SIMPLY WANTED
SDOT TO HAVE TO BRING SOMETHING
BACK TO COUNCIL, SO WE KNEW WHAT
THEY WERE DOING, AND THEN WE
COULD SHARE THAT WITH OUR
CONSTITUENTS. YES, WHILE WE'RE
WITHIN OUR RIGHT TO REACH OUT TO
SDOT, DEPARTMENTS DON'T ALWAYS
READILY SHARE AHEAD OF TIME.
SOMETIMES WE DON'T FIND THINGS
OUT UNTIL THE BACK END, WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, AND THIS WOULD
HAVE PROVIDED THAT OPPORTUNITY
TO GET THAT TRANSPARENCY ON THE
FRONT END. UNFORTUNATELY THIS
WON'T GO FORWARD, BUT I WANTED
TO STATE FOR THE RECORD AND LET
THE PUBLIC KNOW WHAT THE
AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE DONE, AND
REALLY IT WAS TO PROVIDE THAT
TRANSPARENCY, WOULD NOT HAVE
PREVENTED THE SHARED STREETS
FROM MOVING FORWARD, AND TO
PROVIDE LIKE I SAID, THAT I DO
HEAR FROM MANY CONSTITUENTS. AND
SO THAT IS WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE
FOLLOWED BY LIN AND THEN SAKA,
LAST WORDS.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER SAKA FOR
WORKING THIS AS COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS NOTED. IT IS VERY
IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
IN FACT, I DROVE BY THAT AREA
COMING BACK FROM THE NORDIC
MUSEUM LAST NIGHT. WE HAD A
MEETING TOWN HALL IN BALLARD.
DRIVING BY THAT AREA, JUST
SEEING THE ACTIVITY THAT'S
HAPPENING IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT
IS NOT JUST BALLARD, ALL ACROSS
THE CITY TO INCLUDE DISTRICT
SEVEN. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
LOOKING TO DO IS FIND THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES IN DISTRICT SEVEN.
WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE A CIVIC
CAMPUS ON THE QUEEN ANNE. YOU
KNOW, IN THAT AREA. BUT ALSO
REALLY BUILDING UP TO QUEEN ANNE
PARKS. WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO
REALLY CREATE THIS SHARED STREET
EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE CITY
TO INCLUDE DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ON THE
TRANSPORTATION SIDE,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA, BUT ALSO THE
EFFICACY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S
BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS, SO THANK
YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU TO COUNCILMEMBER SAKA,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS FOR YOUR
LEADERSHIP WITH THIS BILL. AND
JUST BRIEFLY ON THE PROCEDURAL
FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE
SHARED STREETS, I CERTAINLY
HOPE THERE IS ENGAGEMENT FROM
SDOT, AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET
UPDATES THROUGH THE STEPS
COMMITTEE FOR THAT BECAUSE I DO
THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE
TO THE NEXT STEP, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ?
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM
CHAIR OR MADAM PRESIDENT. I WANT
TO SAY FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. I
REMEMBER HOW THEY GREW OUT OF
COVID, WHEN WE SHUT DOWN THE
STREETS. I THINK THAT'S WHEN
YOU BROUGHT SOME LEGISLATION FOR
US, RIGHT? IS THAT AT THE SAME
TIME?
>> YEAH, YOU STILL CAN. THAT LAW
IS STILL ON THE BOOKS.
>> SO I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT I
WANTED TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA BECAUSE I KNOW THE POINT
SHE WAS TRYING TO MAKE. I ALWAYS
TRY TO VOTE YES AS A COURTESY
BECAUSE I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO
HEAR MORE, AND I'M SORRY THAT
IT GOT IN TOO LATE. BESIDES THE
TRANSPARENCY PIECE, AND THE
QUESTION THAT WAS PUT TO ME THAT
I WANTED TO EXAMINE UNDER THE
BILL ITSELF AND LOOKING AT THE
FISCAL NOTE IN THE SUMMARY AND
BACKGROUND OF THE LEGISLATION.
I'M GUESSING COUNCIL PRESIDENT
RIVERA, THAT YOU WERE NOT
CONVINCED OR NOT SATISFIED THAT
WHEN THEY SAY THE LEGISLATION
WOULD ESTABLISH THE SHARED
STREETS AND WOULD ASSIGN THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ESTABLISHING
PROCEDURES FOR THE DESIGNATION
OF SHARED STREETS TO THE CITY
TRAFFIC ENGINEER. SO I'M
GUESSING YOU FELT THAT WAS NOT
ENOUGH. IF WE HAD THE VOTES TO
VOTE ON THIS, I WOULD HAVE VOTED
ON THIS AMENDMENT, AND I'LL
TELL YOU WHY. I'LL BE VERY
BRIEF. IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE HAD
A HISTORY OF TRYING TO DECIDE
WHO GETS A SHARED STREET AND
HOW. WE'VE HAD -- I CAN'T
SPEAK FOR EVERY DISTRICT, BUT
SPECIFICALLY FOR A WHILE THERE
IN D5, WE HAD ISSUES WHERE A LOT
OF NEIGHBORHOODS DID NOT WANT
THEIR STREETS CLOSED. IT WAS
PARKING, WHATEVER, AND WHO MADE
THE DECISION AND HOW IS IT MADE?
WE'VE HAD TIMES WHERE PARKS AND
SOME PROPERTIES ALONG LAKE
WASHINGTON STREET WERE CLOSED,
AND IT BLOCKED OFF FOLKS FROM
NOT GETTING THERE. WE LOOKED AT
OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS, I COULD
READ ALL OF THOSE OFF THAT THEY
ARE NOT CLOSED. SO PEOPLE
STARTED GETTING ANGRY. WHY IS MY
STREET CLOSED? BUT THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN TOUCH. AND SO
I GUESS THE QUESTION WAS, AND I
WAS HOPING WE WOULD HAVE MORE OF
A DISCUSSION WITH COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA'S AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T NECESSARILY THINK WE
SHOULD MAKE THEM DRAG IT IN
FRONT OF US EVERY TIME THEY WANT
A STREET, BUT AT LEAST SHARE
WITH US, AND I'M HOPING THEY DO
THIS WITH THE CITY ENGINEER TO
TELL US WHAT THEY LOOK AT WHEN
THEY MAKE THESE DETERMINATIONS.
AND AS OF TODAY'S DATE SINCE
I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I HAVE
NEVER SEEN HOW THAT WORKS, AND
I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 10
YEARS, ESPECIALLY AFTER COVID.
THEY WOULD TELL US THEY'RE
CLOSING THE STREETS. WE'RE
LIKE, OKAY. SO THAT WAS MY
POINT. I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE,
YOU KNOW, MAKE POINTS WITH ANY
PARTICULAR VOTING BLOCK OR GROUP
OR BASE. I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW
YOU GOT THERE AND WHAT THE
FACTORS WERE USED, AND IF THERE
IS ANY INPUT FROM FOLKS LIKE US
WHO ARE ASKING TRULY IN SOME OF
THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE
SMALL BUSINESSES, WHERE PEOPLE
COULDN'T GET THERE OR TO PARK,
AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. SO I
JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT. AND SO
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PUT MY
FAITH IN COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS'
LEGISLATION AND COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA'S WISDOM AS WELL, THAT THE
CITY ENGINEER WILL MAKE THE
CHOICES. IF WE COULD HAVE THOSE
FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, IF THEY
COULD BE ANSWERED IN A TIMELY
MANNER, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS? THERE IS,
COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA, SORRY, I
WAS LOOKING FOR YOUR NAME AND I
FORGOT.
>> HERE I AM, HERE, MY HANDS'
UP. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ. YOU'RE CORRECT, AND I
FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS
IS MY THIRD YEAR, AND I DON'T
ALWAYS KNOW HOW SDOT MAKES THEIR
DECISIONS. I OFTEN AM FEELING
LIKE I'M GETTING THINGS POST
FACTO, AND THEN OUR CONSTITUENTS
ARE REACHING OUT TO US, AND THEN
SOME OF THEM GET UPSET. I JUST
WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY. I WILL
SAY, HOWEVER, THAT WHEN I WAS
TALKING TO CENTRAL STAFF TODAY
ABOUT THE SHARED STREETS, I WAS
TRYING TO GET THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SHARED STREETS AND
HEALTHY STREETS BECAUSE WE DID
HEALTHY STREETS DURING COVID TO
GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE OUTDOORS IN A SAFE WAY. THIS
IS NOT THAT. THEY'RE ACTUALLY
NOT THE SAME THING. SHARED
STREETS IS MORE OF A CITY-WIDE
APPROACH. OUR NON-MATERIALS GO
FROM 25 MILES AN HOUR TO 10.
THAT KIND OF THING. THAT'S NOT
US STREET, THAT'S EVERY STREET,
AND THAT'S -- I MEAN, THAT'S
JUST AN EXAMPLE. I'M NOT SAYING
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT
IT'S AN EXAMPLE. AND SO THIS
PERSON WHO WILL GO BACK, I
SUPPOSE WITH A TEAM OF PEOPLE, I
CAN ONLY ASSUME, AND THEN THEY
WILL SAY OVERALL ACROSS THE
CITY, THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT
THINGS WE WILL IMPLEMENT. I JUST
WANT TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT
THEY'RE COMING UP WITH, SO
PEOPLE AREN'T BLINDSIDED ON THE
BACK END, REALLY, AT THE END OF
THE DAY. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE
PREVENTED THEM FROM IMPLEMENTING
ANYTHING OR MOVING FORWARD. THIS
WOULD JUST TELL US AS A FULL
COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC THAT
COULD HAVE BEEN DURING A COUNCIL
BRIEFING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
DOING. AND THE ABSENCE OF THAT,
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THAT, LIKE
I SAID EARLIER AHEAD OF TIME
FROM THE DEPARTMENT, AND IT IS
THAT ONE PERSON THAT GETS TO
DICTATE HOW ALL OF THIS GOADS.
BECAUSE THERE WAS THAT LACK OF
CLARITY ON WHAT THE SHARED
STREETS WERE THAT CENTRAL STAFF,
WHO HAD BEEN TRACKING THIS THE
WHOLE TIME, IT WASN'T ACTUALLY
DEFINED IN THE LEGISLATION AT
THE STATE LEVEL WHAT THIS WOULD
LOOK LIKE. IT'S UP TO EVERY
CITY TO DETERMINE WHAT THIS
LOOKS LIKE. AND SO SDOT WILL
HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT THIS
LOOKS LIKE. WE HAVE NO IDEA
TODAY WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.
BECAUSE OF THAT, I THOUGHT IT
WAS PRUDENT FOR US TO REQUIRE
THE DEPARTMENT TO COME AND, YOU
KNOW, AT SOME FULL COUNCIL VENUE
TO LET US KNOW. SO THANK YOU. I
WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT. I WANTED
TO EXPLAIN THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN HEALTHY STREETS, WHICH
WE STILL HAVE AND THE SHARED
STREETS APPROACH. AND ALSO
AGAIN, I -- I WANT TO STATE
AGAIN FOR THE RECORD, I VERY
MUCH SUPPORT THE VISION ZERO. WE
HAVE A LOT OF KIDS IN MY
DISTRICT AND MANY SCHOOLS, AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE
SAFE CROSSING, BIKING, ETC.,
ROLLING. SO THIS MY -- OUR
VISION ZERO AND OUR COLLECTIVE
DESIRES TO HAVE OUR VISION ZERO
GOALS MET. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH ASKING THE DEPARTMENT TO
COME AND BRING US A PLAN AND
HAVE THAT TRANSPARENCY. I DON'T
THINK ONE IS IN CONFLICT WITH
THE OTHER. THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
CP.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM COUNCIL
PRESIDENT. FIRST, I WANT TO JUST
COMMENT ON THE UNSUCCESSFUL
AMENDMENT HERE. FIRST OFF I WANT
TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I
WAS, LIKE COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
WELL KIND OF. I WAS GOING TO BE
IN A POSITION WHERE I AT LEAST
SUPPORTED THE -- I CERTAINLY
SUPPORTED THE NOTION THAT WE
SHOULD AT LEAST -- THIS
AMENDMENT IDEA SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED, HEARD, DEBATED, THEN
VOTED UPON. I THOUGHT WE WERE
ROCKING TOGETHER, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, UNTIL YOU SAID YOU WERE
GOING TO VOTE FOR IT. FOR FOLKS
WHO HAVE BEEN PAYING CLOSE
ATTENTION. YOU'LL KNOW I'VE
BEEN CLEAR AND CONSISTENT IN
PRINCIPLES AND MY POSITION THAT
WE ALL DESERVE TO HAVE OUR IDEAS
VOTED AND DEBAT ED AND DECIDED.
AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORTED THAT
SORT OF PROCEDURAL MOTION TO DO
THAT, EXACTLY THAT WITH THIS
AMENDMENT. I DID LAND THE OTHER
WAY WITH HOW I WOULD HAVE VOTED
ON THIS AMENDMENT ON THE MERITS.
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD
BECAUSE IN MY MIND AT A HIGH
LEVEL, THIS IS A GOOD GOVERNANCE
AMENDMENT, AND THIS IS A
TRANSPARENCY PIECE. THOSE ARE
ALLOTTABLE, COMMENDABLE,
WORTHWHILE PUBLIC POLICY GOALS
IT AIMS. THIS COUNCIL HAS
CONSISTENTLY SOUGHT TO ADDRESS
IN VARIOUS PUBLIC POLICY
DECISIONS OVER THE YEARS. WE
SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WHERE I DIVERGE ON THIS ONE
THOUGH IS THE REPORTING PIECE
BEFORE THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE
AND IMPLEMENTED. WE'RE
CONFRONTING A TRAFFIC SAFETY
RIGHT NOW. TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE
DYING ON OUR ROADS AND SUFFERING
BODILY INJURIES AND OUR RIGHTS
AWAY. AND I'M AS ONE OF THE
LAWMAKERS ON THE BODY, I AM
PERSONALLY TRYING TO FIND WAYS
TO EXPEDITE PROJECT DELIVERY.
I'M TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO
DRIVE PROJECT VELOCITY OF THESE
CRITICAL TRAFFIC SAFETY
PROJECTS, AND ACCELERATE THE
PLANNING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
OF THESE SAFETY PROJECTS ACROSS
OUR CITY. AND SO IF THERE WAS A
MINOR TWEAK THAT SAID THE
DEPARTMENT SHOULD REPORT ON THIS
KIND OF ON A LOOKING BACK BASIS
AS OPPOSED TO BEFORE THE
PROJECTS ARE IMPLEMENTED, I
COULD PROBABLY GET COMFORTABLE
WITH THAT. IT IS REALLY THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN LOOKING BACK
ON PROJECTS THAT ARE DELIVERED
VERSES SOMETHING FORWARD LOOKING
AND PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THAT
KIND OF REPORTING. ONE IN MY
MIND IMPOSES A HIGHER HURDLE, A
BIGGER BURDEN, AND THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY -- I WORRY ABOUT THE
UNINTENTIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF
SLOWING DOWN WHEN WE'RE IN A
POINT WHERE WE NEED TO TRY TO
EXPEDITE THESE PROJECTS. BUT I
DO STRONGLY SUPPORT AND STAND BY
THE UNDERLYING GOAL. I
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA
FOR BRINGING FORWARD AND DOING
HER BEST TO CENTER THAT GOAL OF
IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY. I JUST
WOULD HAVE PREFERRED KIND OF
LOOKING BACK REPORTING. IN ANY
EVENT, THE MAIN BILL AS AMENDED
OR NOT, THE MAIN BILL IS
TERRIFIC. EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT IT TODAY. I WANT TO
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
AGAIN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD
AND PARTNERING SO CLOSELY WITH
ME IN MY OFFICE, TO GET TO THIS
POINT. SHOUT OUT TO STATE
SENATOR EMILY, I THINK ALVARADO,
RIGHT? WHO WAS THE STATE
LEGISLATIVE PRIME SPONSOR OF
THIS BILL, SO SHE IS ALSO MY
STATE SENATOR, AND THE 34th AND
SORT OF VICE VERSA. BUT THANK
YOU, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I
ENCOURAGE UNANIMOUS SUPPORT HERE
TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> THANK YOU. EVEN THOUGH, I
GUESS, LET ME RECONFIRM. CALVIN
CHOW WROTE THIS BILL. WE COULD
NOT HAVE DONE THAT WITHOUT
SDOT'S ASSISTANCE. I MADE IT
SOUND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL,
THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL, SO JUST
WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP. I
REALIZE WHAT I SAID, AND HOW IT
CAME ACROSS. JUST WANTED TO
THANK SDOT FOR ALL OF YOUR
SUPPORT ON THIS. AND THEN ALSO
AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
HERE. SOMETIMES THE TRAFFIC
ENGINEER DOES THINGS THAT I
DON'T UNDERSTAND. FOR INSTANCE,
I RECENTLY REQUESTED A BIKE LANE
IN MY DISTRICT. WHAT WE RECEIVED
WERE SPEED BUMPS. I DIDN'T
REALIZE A SPEED HUMP IS A BIKE
LANE, BUT MAYBE I'M NEW HERE.
ALL THAT TO SAY. I THINK IT
WOULD BE GOOD IF SDOT CAME BACK
TO YOUR COMMITTEE, CHAIR SAKA,
TO PRESENT THEIR PROGRAM AT
WHATEVER DISCRETION YOU WANT TO
HAVE WITH THEM, WHATEVER TIME
FRAME AND HOWEVER THAT WORKS. I
DO THINK MORE INFORMATION IS
BETTER, AND THAT WE DO NEED TO
BE ABLE TO REDUCE SPEEDS DOWN TO
10 MILES AN HOUR ON CERTAIN
STREETS, AND WE SHOULDN'T WAIT
ANY LONGER. SO I WANT TO THANK
SDOT FOR ALL YOUR WORK. THANK
YOU, CALVIN CHOW, FOR ALL YOUR
WORK. THANK YOU TO SENATOR
ALVARADO AND EVERYONE WHO
CHAMPIONED THIS FROM 2021
THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE AND TO
TODAY. THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. AS LONG
AS I CAN STILL GO 20 ON MY BIKE,
I'M GOOD.
>> THERE IS NOTHING HERE.
>> OKAY. SO ARE WE GOING TO
VOTE? COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> WELL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I
REALLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE IT
ON THE TABLE THAT SDOT IS GOING
TO CHANGE OUR STREETS AT 10
MILES AN HOUR. THAT IS JUST AN
EXAMPLE. SO I WANT TO BE REALLY
CLEAR. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO
BE CONFUSED ABOUT THAT. BUT I DO
KNOW THIS IS ABOUT VISION ZERO,
AND I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> AWESOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT, SO ARE WE READY TO
VOTE, COLLEAGUES?
>> YES.
>> ALL RIGHT. PRAISE GOD. CAN WE
VOTE FOR COUNCIL BILL 121176.
OKAY. I'M GOING TO SAY THIS
LEFT SIDE DOWN HERE, HOT MESS,
OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> CALL THE ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAKA?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LIN?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> NINE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> BILL PASSES. THE CHAIR WILL
SIGN IT. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
AFFIX MY SIGNATURE TO THE
LEGISLATION ON MY BEHALF?
COLLEAGUES THERE, WERE NO ITEMS
REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT
CALENDAR. THERE'S NO RESOLUTION
FOR INTRODUCTION TODAY. ARE
THERE ANYMORE ITEMS TO COME
BEFORE THE COUNCIL BEFORE WE
ADJOURN? LOOKING LEFT, LOOKING
RIGHT. LET ME LOOK TO THE LEFT
AGAIN. COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS?
>> SORRY, THAT WASN'T A JOKE.
COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO GIVE YOU
AN UPDATE ON SOUND TRANSIT.
KETTLE JOINED ME AND MYSELF IN
THE 36th LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT,
YESTERDAY AT THE MUSEUM TO
DISCUSS THE CURRENT STATUS OF
THE SOUND TRANSIT APPROACHES.
SINCE THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU
ALL, WE HAD THE THREE APPROACHES
THAT SOUND TRANSIT STAFF
PRESENTED, NONE OF WHICH
PRIORITIZED RIDERSHIP. FROM
THERE, CHAIR SUMMERS AND THE
ENTIRE 18-MEMBER BOARD PRESENTED
THE CHAIR'S PACKAGE ON HOW TO
MOVE FORWARD. THIS PACKAGE DOES
MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. I WON'T
GET INTO THOSE DETAILS. I SENT
YOU ALL AN E-MAIL AND HOW YOU
CAN TESTIFY AT EITHER THE
EXECUTIVE MEETING THIS WEEK OR
THE EXECUTIVE MEETING, THE FULL
BOARD MEETING NEXT WEEK. THOSE
ARE THE ONLY TWO OPPORTUNITIES
TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
BETWEEN NOW AND FINAL PASSAGE OF
THE CHAIR'S PACKAGE, UNLESS THE
PROCESS SLOWS DOWN. WE DO HAVE
100% DESIGN FOR THE STREET IN
THERE. WE ARE GETTING ALL THE
WAY TO THE WEST SEATTLE
JUNCTION. WE ARE STOPPING SHORT
AT SEATTLE CENTER AND WHAT
THEY'RE STILL CALLING THE
BALLARD SEGMENT, EVEN THOUGH
SEATTLE CENTER AS COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE PUT IT IS NOT EVEN
ADJACENT TO BALLARD. NORTH KING
CAUCUS IS GOING TO BE PUTTING
FORWARD SOME AMENDMENTS. I'M
GOING TO BE PUTTING FORWARD SOME
OF MY OWN AMENDMENTS. IT WOULD
BE REALLY GREAT TO HAVE YOUR
VOICE HEARD AT SOUND TRANSIT. IF
YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND,
PLEASE JUST LET MY OFFICE KNOW,
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE
SMALL DETAILS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS. ARE THERE ANY
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? IT'S GREAT
TO GET AN UPDATE FROM YOU, AND
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD
WORK. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT
HERE PUTTING ON FORUMS AND TOWN
HALLS, HAVE BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN
MAKING SURE WE CAN BUILD THE
TRAINS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS. REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK ON
THAT. AND REPRESENTING THE CITY
OF SEATTLE ON THE SOUND TRANSIT
BOARD. COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE
ANYMORE ITEMS TO COME BEFORE THE
COUNCIL? I'M LOOKING TO THE
RIGHT. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE HAS
HIS STUFF, HE'S READY TO GO.
I'M LOOKING TO THE RIGHT. ALL
RIGHT, THIS MEETING IS
ADJOURNED. NEXT MEETING WILL BE
MAY 19 AT 2:00 P.M. HEARING NO
FURTHER BUSINESS, WE'RE
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.