CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, March 21, 2016 Council Chambers - Shoreline City Hall
7:00 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Mayor Roberts, Deputy Mayor Winstead,
Councilmembers McGlashan, Scully, Hall, McConnell, and Salomon
ABSENT: None
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Roberts who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Mayor Roberts led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided reports and updates on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Hall reported that the Puget Sound Regional Council is updating the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Brad Lancaster, Shoreline resident, reviewed previous proposals he has made to the City to help with homelessness. He talked about the Open Home Initiative that was started in Europe and recommended that it be implemented in Shoreline. He then presented criteria that would make the Initiative successful and asked Shoreline residents to open their home to the homeless.
Dan Jacoby, Shoreline resident, commented on an email he sent to Councilmembers regarding Ordinance No. 717. He said he supports eliminating the Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) for businesses. He commented that the City is driving business away with high fees and has the reputation of being hostile to businesses. He shared that new businesses may help decrease traffic because people will not have to drive farther for services. He said the TIF will send a message that the City is changing and now open for business.
Michael Ernst, Co-Owner Hemlock State Brewing Company, reiterated that his company is looking to expand and wants to stay in Shoreline. He stated that staff's proposed amendments will allow them to stay.
Megan Kogut, Shoreline resident, asked the Council to vote yes for Councilmember Scully's amendment and staff's recommendation to include light manufacturing as an exempted business.
Richard Shilling, Richmond Beach, commented that people with smart meters see an increase in electric bills, that the meters have been known to burst into flames. He said he is sending his research to Council. He asked that staff be assigned to do serious research about smart meters and that the Council consider writing an Ordinance banning smart meters in the Shoreline.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Winstead and seconded by Councilmember Hall and unanimously carried, 7-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Minutes of Strategic Planning Workshop of February 19-20,
2016 and
Minutes of Business Meeting of February 22,
2016
(b) Motion to Authorize the City Manager to Enter Into an Agreement with the
Brickman Group, LTD, LLC for Right-of-Way Landscape Services
(c) Adoption of Ord. No. 739 - Development Code Amendments
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Adoption of Ord. No. 717 - Transportation Impact Fee (TIF) Amendment for
Business
Mayor Roberts recalled that at the March 14, 2016, Council Meeting the Council approved postponing adoption of Ordinance No. 717 to tonight’s meeting.
John Norris, City
Manager recapped that the Council moved to adopt Ordinance No. 717 on March 14,
2016; the Ordinance was amended to provide a 100% TIF Exemption to Business;
and Councilmember Scully moved to further amend the Ordinance by amending
Section 1 SMC 12.40.070(i) by striking the word “may” and inserting
“shall”, and striking Section 1, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4 in their entirety. Mr. Norris
stated that staff is supportive of Councilmember Scully’s amendment to remove
the administrative fee and not require an application for an exemption. Mr.
Norris then presented the following two amendments proposed by staff:
·
Staff-Proposed
Amendment #1
New section, Section 1(b) of SMC 12.40.070(I) of Ordinance No. 717, be added to read as follows:
“If none of the ITE fee categories in Section 1(a) accurately describes or captures a new business, the director shall determine the applicable ITE fee category and whether that ITE category is the type of business intended to be eligible for exemption under this Section.”
· Staff-Proposed Amendment #2
Section 1(a) of SMC 12.40.070(I) of Ordinance No. 717 be amended to include Light industrial, ITE Code 110, and Manufacturing, ITE Code 140, as exempted businesses.
Councilmember McGlashan asked how the City will determine replacement TIF funding if the businesses are not required to submit an application. Ms. Tarry clarified that only the application for an exemption is being removed and said the ITE Code will still be identified to track trips and to determine what the TIF would have been.
The vote on the motion to amend Section 1: SMC 12.40.140(I) by striking the word "may" and inserting "shall", and striking 1, 2a, 2b, 3, and 4 passed unanimously, 7-0.
Deputy Mayor Winstead
moved that Ordinance No. 717 be amended to include
SMC 12.40.070(I) Business Exemption – New Section 1(b): "If none of the
ITE fee categories in Section 1(a) accurately describes or captures a new
business, the director shall determine the applicable ITE fee category and
whether that ITE category is the type of business intended to be eligible for
exemption under this Section." The motion was seconded by Councilmember
McConnell and pass unanimously, 7 -0.
Councilmember Scully moved that Section 1(a) of SMC 12.40.070(I) of Ordinance
No. 717 be amended to include Light industrial (ITE Code 110) and Manufacturing
(ITE Code 140) as exempted businesses. The motion was seconded by Councilmember
Salmon, and passed unanimously, 7-0.
The main motion to adopt Ordinance No. 717 as amended passed 6-1, with Councilmember Hall voting no.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussion of the Parks Community Survey Results and Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Process
Eric Friedli, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director, reviewed outreach conducted to solicit feedback for the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Plan and presented results from the Community Interest and Opinion Survey completed in January 2016. He shared that throughout the Survey it is recognized that the City has done a great job building a strong park system foundation. He talked about overall satisfaction, and shared that 92% of respondents found the physical condition of all the parks in good or excellent condition; 94% feel the overall quality of recreation programs their household has participated in are good or excellent; and 81% are satisfied with the overall value received from staff, whereas, 4% are dissatisfied.
Mr. Friedli shared park facilities calling for special attention are nature trails, small neighborhood parks, paved walking/biking trails, natural areas, and the desire for an indoor swimming pool/aquatic center. He shared programs calling for special attention are adult fitness and wellness programs, programs for adults 50 and over, and nature/environmental programs. He reviewed the most important actions respondents believe the City can take to improve and expand Parks and Recreation Facilities. He then displayed a chart identifying Facility budget allocations.
Deputy Mayor Winstead asked about the timeline for the PROS Plan. Mr. Friedli responded that background information will be conducted by June and July; Community Outreach, Input and Planning will take place August through November; Validation of the Plan with the Community will happened in December; and he anticipates Council’s review and approval taking place in the 2nd quarter of 2017.
Councilmember Hall commented that the information received regarding the emphasis on programs for adults and older adults is useful, and said it is encouraging that the Community believes it is important to maintain current facilities.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if respondents are tracked so the people that rated parks as poor can be identified for further outreach, and asked if they were from one location. Mr. Friedli responded that level of detail has not been addressed.
(b) Discussion of 145th Corridor Study Preferred Concept
Kurt Seeman, Senior Transportation Manager, Nytasha Sowers, Transportation Services Manager, and John McKinsey, CH2M Hill, provided the staff report. Mr. Seeman reviewed the Project’s background, process, timeline, goals and challenges, and concepts studied. He pointed out that the road is important on a regional level and to Shoreline residents. He stated that there were three Open Houses, an Inter-Agency Technical Team, and the Citizen Advisory Task Force to help influence a preferred concept. Mr. Seeman reviewed that the 4 Design Study Concepts are:
· Concept 1 – No build
· Concept 2 – 4 travel lanes and 8’ sidewalk
· Concept 3 – 4 travel lanes, 2-way left turn lane, 5” amenity zone, 5’ bike lane, and 8’ sidewalk
· Concept 4 - 4 travel lanes, dedicated bus lanes, planting amenity zone with underground utilities, and 14’ shared bike/pedestrian path
He provided an overview of the preferred concept from 3rd Avenue NW to Aurora Avenue N; I-5 Intersection; Aurora Avenue N. to I-5; and I-5 to Lake City Way. He shared that the City’s constrained right-of-way is the greatest challenge and said there is community support that the City is proposing the right amount of corridor improvements. He reviewed the timeline and next step in the process. He noted that Sound Transit is including I-5 to State R522 in the ST3 Package, and shared that the City is also working with the City of Seattle to make corridor improvements.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if King County is involved in the discussion addressing 3rd Avenue NW to Aurora. Mr. Seeman responded that they are.
Councilmember Hall expressed the importance of corridor improvements being finished before Light Rail opens in 2023. He said he appreciates the Community’s feedback and pointed out that data shows people want more work on the I-5 Interchange, pedestrian walkability, and transportation safety. He conveyed that he wants better safety for pedestrians crossing at I-5, and suggested moving the pedestrian bridge further north, having it cross over the I-5 off-ramp, and landing directly on the platform of the station.
Councilmember Salomon expressed that he is less concerned about the area from 3rd Avenue NW to Aurora, and commented that improvements to the I-5 Interchange and I-5 to Lake City Way are the most critical. He shared that he generally supports the concepts and would be interested to see if they can integrate Councilmember Hall’s suggestions.
Councilmember Scully expressed that the preferred design concept is good and the off corridor bike network is a great idea. He wants to ensure that there is enough money to do a good one and said the path needs to be protected, easy to find, and have signage directing users to it. He shared his concern that if the bike/pedestrian bridge is moved too far north people will not use it.
Deputy Mayor Winstead said she appreciates the balance between making improvements and respecting property rights, but expressed concern of underestimating what 145th Street is going to be like when Light Rail opens. She shared her preference is to make the road wider and allow space for bikes. She asked if there will be a left hand turn lane onto Meridian Avenue. Mr. Seeman responded that there is a left hand turn pocket in the preferred alternative that has some right-of-way impacts. He added that the Plan would look at the entire channelization to make it safer.
Councilmember Hall agreed that bicyclists will take the quickest route they can and commented that if the bike/pedestrian bridge were located at 147th Street and connected directly to the station, cyclists/pedestrians will be able to get to the Station more efficiently.
Councilmember McGlashan expressed the need to keep people on 145th Street so they can safely cross I-5. He said the road should be wider, bigger, and safe.
Councilmember McConnell shared that she rides her bike often but has never ridden a connector to another trail because of obstacles. She said signage and paths must be clear. She explained that she is not sure she likes 143rd Street and expressed that there is more work for the City to do regarding Interchange improvements.
Mayor Roberts commented on the intersection at 30th Avenue and said that he was led to believe that there would not be unprotected lefts throughout the corridor. He commented on QFC and the Goodwill Store on 15th Avenue and said a lot of people turn left there. He asked about improvements to the SR523/522 Intersection. Mr. Seeman responded that the concept is to limit left hand turn lanes and said the SR523/522 Intersection is outside the scope of this project; but noted that staff knows it is important. John McKenzie, CH2M Hill Consultant, added that the layouts for the corridor were limited to typical intersections and the Inter-Agency Technical Team is considering improvements to other sections.
Councilmember Salomon left the meeting at 8:42 p.m.
Mayor Roberts conveyed that Councilmembers are concerned that the I-5 and 145th Street Interchange is not sufficient and asked what the next steps are to have staff bring back something that Council can approve. Ms. Sowers responded that the Interchange is an ongoing conversation with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the City can continue to look at non-motorized capacity. She explained that WSDOT requires capacity changes to be made to the bridge deck without rebuilding the bridge. She added that it does not preclude the ability to look at other additional pedestrian nonmotarized access. Ms. Tarry suggested that staff can develop a guiding principal to capture Council’s intent without coming up with specific schematics as the project moves from conceptual to design phase.
Councilmember Hall commented that the value of performing community outreach was so the City Council could express their preferred alternative to improve the corridor. He said that this is the one part of the corridor that could be widened without affecting property owners. He said he wants Shoreline's preferred alternative to reflect what the Community wants and that in good conscience he cannot say this section is a preferred alternative. He requested to see a broader range of options for the Intersection. He said he prefers a bigger bridge to accommodate a bus lane in each direction and 8 foot wide sidewalks. He also expressed concern about the Sound Transit bus loop.
Deputy Mayor Winstead agreed that the Interchange needs more work.
Mayor Roberts asked clarifying question regarding the motion that Council will be considering regarding the Preferred Alternative Design Concept. He agreed with Deputy Mayor Winstead and Councilmember Hall that the Interchange needs to be addressed.
Ms. Tarry advised Council to include the Interchange in the Preferred Alternative Design Concept for a grant application submittal to help secure funding for the final design of the I-5 Interchange.
(c) Discussion of the 2015 Annual Traffic Report
Kendra Dedinsky, Traffic Engineer, and Troy Olmstead, Shoreline Police Operations, provided the staff report.
Ms. Dedinsky reviewed the objectives of the Annual Traffic Report and presented Shoreline Collision Statistics. She reported that overall collisions are down and have been trending down since 2008. She said driver distraction and inattention are major circumstances contributing to collisions and that they are an enforcement area of emphasis. She provided data for injury collisions and Pedestrian and Bicycling Injury Collisions. She said although injury collisions are trending down, bike and pedestrian related injury collisions are increasing. She displayed a map of Pedestrian and Bike Collisions since 2011 and recommended mitigation strategies to address them.
Ms. Dedinsky stated that Engineering, Enforcement and Education strategies are used to address collisions. She presented data from high collisions by intersections, location segments, and pedestrian and bike collision locations. She displayed a map showing total collisions from 2013-2015. She reviewed Engineering next steps and the recommendations implemented in 2015.
Captain Olmstead presented data on Traffic Enforcement, Citizen Complaints, and Abandoned Vehicle Impounds. He conveyed that citation data includes citations written by the Traffic Unit and combined citations written by Traffic and Patrol. He presented data on the increase in traffic citation, arrests, and warnings, as well as data showing a decrease in complaints and abandon vehicles. He reviewed Traffic Education and Safety efforts, and next steps in Enforcement and Education. He concluded with displaying the 85th Percentile Speed Differential Map that assists in targeting enforcement.
Ms. Dedinsky then reviewed traffic volume and Transit ridership data.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if the City tracks who is at fault in bike/car accidents. He shared that he appreciates the improvements on 3rd Avenue and Richmond Beach Road. Ms. Dedinsky explained that the City does not typically use fault data.
Mayor Roberts clarified that the collision data consists only of collisions that are reported to the police. Ms. Dedinsky responded that the data mostly captures accidents in the City’s right-of-way.
Deputy Mayor Winstead commented that the Ashworth Avenue and 192nd Street improvements are great.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION
At 9:23 p.m., Mayor Roberts stated that the Council would recess into an Executive Session, to begin at 9:30 p.m., for a period of 15 minutes as authorized by RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) to discuss with legal counsel matters relating to agency enforcement actions, or litigation. He said the Council is not expected to take final action following the Executive Session. City staff attending Executive Session included: Debbie Tarry, City Manager; John Norris, Assistant City Manager; and Margaret King, City Attorney. At 9:45 p.m. the Executive Session ended.
11. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:45 p.m., Mayor Roberts declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk