CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, September 16, 2019 Council Chambers - Shoreline City Hall
7:00 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor McConnell, Councilmembers McGlashan, Scully, Chang, Robertson, and Roberts
ABSENT: None.
1. CALL TO ORDER
At 7:00 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Hall who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Mayor Hall led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.
(a) Proclaiming Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry
Mayor Hall read a proclamation declaring September 21, 2019 as the Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry in Shoreline. James Pabiniak, Shoreline Hopelink’s Food Bank Supervisor, was present to accept the proclamation. Mr. Pabiniak thanked the City and community for addressing food insecurity in Shoreline and shared information on the increased need for support over the past year. He commended Trader Joe’s for the store’s ongoing contributions to Hopelink’s efforts.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided reports and updates on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Scully said the recent Continuum of Care (COC) Homelessness Advisory meeting focused on defining the details of the Agreement between the City of Seattle and King County. He explained the current goal is to get the major central piece in place and running smoothly between those entities before expanding to the suburban cities.
Councilmember Roberts reported that the Sound Cities Association discussed concerns about the COC Agreement. He said his sense is that the general perception is the development and implementation of coordinated services is not going as fast as some originally thought it would.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Zhen Li, Kenmore resident and Shoreline property owner, said Sound Transit recently informed him that a portion of his properties along 145th Street would be assumed as part of the corridor improvement project. He described the negative impacts losing this land would have on his planned development. He asked the Council to help adjust the zoning in order to accommodate his project design. He said he has been in contact with the Planning Department and would like to minimize his loss in this situation.
Theresa LaCroix, Shoreline resident and Executive Director of the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center; and Ginny Scantlebury, Shoreline resident; shared information on the Center’s work to create partnerships with other regional agencies and secure grant funding from King County. They listed the programming the Senior Center has identified as priorities but is unable to fund. They encouraged people to contact Councilmember Dembowski to express support for dedicating additional funding for the Senior Center.
Mike Dee, Lake Forest Park resident, declared that he appreciates Shoreline considering a moratorium on Master Plan Development Permit applications in order to reevaluate the needs of the City.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember McGlashan and seconded by Councilmember McConnell and unanimously carried, 7-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 5, 2019
Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 12, 2019
(b) Adopting Resolution No. 443 - Approving Transfer of Cable Franchise from Frontier Communications Corporation to Northwest Fiber, LLC
(c) Adopting Resolution No. 446 - Setting a Public Hearing Date Before the City of Shoreline Hearing Examiner to Consider Vacation of a Portion of the Right-of-way on 7th Avenue NE
8. ACTION ITEM
(a) Public Hearing and Discussing Ordinance No. 865 - Amending the City's Commute Trip Reduction Plan
Nytasha Walters, Transportation Services Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Walters gave on overview of proposed Ordinance No. 865 and the City’s Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) Plan. She explained that the City is required to have a CTR Plan to aid in reducing single-occupant vehicle trips. She said King County is contracted to support the program, which must be updated at least every four years. Ordinance No. 865 utilizes the State CTR Board exemption, extending the current plan through 2023. She said, starting in 2020, the City intends to update the CTR Plan in concurrence with the Transportation Master Plan Update.
Mayor Hall opened the Public Hearing.
Mike Dee, Lake Forest Park resident, expressed gratitude for the forum for public feedback. He said if the CTR Plan means fewer single-occupant driver trips, it is a good thing.
Mayor Hall closed the Public Hearing.
Councilmember McGlashan said he supports passage of Ordinance No. 865 because it is important to look at the Transportation Master Plan in conjunction with the CTR Plan. He encouraged the use of the extra time being offered by the state.
Mayor Hall added that he agrees this is an opportunity to increase efficiency in City processes and that the objective of easing the burden on roadways is important. He recognized the struggle to keep up with infrastructure improvements.
It was unanimously agreed that the Ordinance should return to Council on consent.
8. STUDY ITEM
(b) Discussing Ordinance No. 868 – Establishing a Citywide Moratorium on the Filing, Acceptance, Processing, and/or Approval of Applications for Master Plan Development Permits and Applications for Essential Public Facility Special Use Permits
Rachael Markle, Planning and Community Development Director, delivered the staff presentation. She said Ordinance No. 868 would enact a six-month moratorium on the acceptance and filing of all applications for Master Development Plan Permits (MDPP) and Essential Public Facility Special Use Permits. She explained that it would give the City the time to review applicable zoning, regulations, and processes to implement the City’s vision, goals, and policies and then she reviewed the rationale for the recommendation. She said staff was recently invited to reengage with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to discuss the development of a MDPP for the Fircrest Campus. She reflected that staff has worked with DSHS on other attempts to master plan the site that have not progressed to an application phase. She noted the most recent DSHS plan included a new use and an expansion of existing uses in ways previously not contemplated by the City. She added that other State agencies have expressed interest in advancing their missions on the Campus. She said that land use laws, zoning, permitting, and development standards are the City’s strongest tools to maintain local control over current and future uses. She listed the recommended next steps for proposed Ordinance No. 868.
Deputy Mayor McConnell and Councilmembers Scully, McGlashan, Chang, and Robertson expressed support for the mortarium.
Councilmember Scully said that moratoria are not ideal, and that he would hesitate to support one beyond six months. He continued that as DSHS’s plans shift, it is important to be prepared to deal with changes as the process continues.
Councilmember McGlashan said he is also not a fan of moratoria in general, but feels that the State partners are not listening to the public nor are they including space for public benefit in the plan. He said the State is moving fast so Shoreline needs to be prepared, and he would support a moratorium longer than six months if necessary.
Deputy Mayor McConnell said she would also support a moratorium of longer than six months, if needed.
Councilmembers Chang and Robertson thanked Ms. Markle for the rationale for imposing the moratorium now. Councilmember Robertson said she recognizes how important it would be for development with multiple owners.
Councilmember Roberts said there are lots of questions about what the State is currently proposing for development of the Fircrest Campus, but he feels the work to improve the MDPP criteria can be done without implementing a moratorium.
Mayor Hall said he too does not like the idea of a moratorium but the State’s approach to planning for the Fircrest Campus has been frustrating and he has some concerns over their plans. He opined that the State agencies are not united, and that their public process is not as responsive to the local community as the City's is. He said he hopes the land can be used efficiently, to both benefit the vulnerable population it houses as well as the surrounding community. His preference is for resolving intergovernmental issue through methods other than moratoria but acknowledged that the City’s MDPP process is not designed to mediate disputes between state agencies.
Mayor Hall added that he would like it kept in mind that land is scarce, and efficiency is important, so there should be an awareness of design specifications to maximize the needs of the community while preserving open spaces. He said he is scheduled to meet with DSHS Secretary Cheryl Strange on October 14, 2019, and suggested the Council consider waiting to put a moratorium in place until there is a chance for feedback from that meeting.
Councilmember McGlashan said he sees no reason to delay for meeting feedback, since a moratorium can be lifted, if needed.
Mayor Hall confirmed that despite individual objections, the Council as a whole would like to see proposed Ordinance No. 868 come forward as recommended by staff for Hearing and Action on October 7, 2019.
9. ADJOURNMENT
At 7:48 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
/s/Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk