CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, February 10, 2020 Conference Room 303 - Shoreline City Hall
5:45 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, Councilmembers Chang, McConnell, McGlashan, and Robertson
ABSENT: Councilmember Roberts
STAFF: Debbie Tarry, City Manager; John Norris, Assistant City Manager; Jim Hammond, Intergovernmental Program Manager; and Allison Taylor, Deputy City Clerk
GUESTS: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services: Secretary Cheryl Strange; Dr. Brian Waiblinger, Medical Director; and Sean Murphy, Assistant Secretary – Behavioral Health
At 5:45 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Hall, who welcomed the guests from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Debbie Tarry, City Manager, gave an update on the use of the Fircrest Campus site by the Department of Health as a quarantine location for healthy travelers who were potentially exposed to the Corona virus.
Ms. Tarry then opened the conversation on the potential siting of a DSHS behavioral health/developmental disabilities facility on the Fircrest Campus. She explained that the City’s Planning Commission is currently reviewing the regulatory framework for Master Plan Development Permits. Secretary Strange said her team welcomes questions and introduced Dr. Waiblinger and Mr. Murphy. She gave an overview of the state goals to increase support for people with mental illness and the need to add capacity of 1,000 beds and associated wrap around services statewide.
When asked to describe a treatment facility, Secretary Strange stated the requirements of funding and siting for a 48 bed hospital that would physically be three separate 16 bed facilities. She outlined the benefits to using the Fircrest Campus and said they have not been able to move forward with exploring the possibility because of Shoreline’s Moratorium on Master Plan Development Permits and applications for Essential Public Facility Special Use Permits. She said the facilities are licensed by the Department of Health and closely managed and monitored.
Secretary Strange described the behavioral health supportive living staff and treatment teams’ responsibilities. When asked to define what “behavioral health” means in this context, Dr. Waiblinger shared details on the types of behaviors that often present in residents and the treatment methods and discharge planning done to support success. It was explained that the proposed facility would be an acute treatment facility and the residents would be civilly, not criminally, committed individuals.
The safety of both residents and neighbors were discussed and the precautions and security measures that would be in place were detailed. Dr. Waiblinger explained that people in crisis present differently than those receiving treatment, and he shared examples of how stabilization is a key factor in treatment.
Secretary Strange said one of the biggest challenges is the federal government restriction on the facility size, which is capped at 16 beds if local jurisdictions want to receive funding, and reiterated that the intent would be to place three 16 bed units on the Campus. Discussion of size and location for the facilities within the property followed, with Mayor Hall explaining that land is a scarce resource in Shoreline. Mr. Murphy explained the benefits and challenges to shared spaces and the value of abiding by the federal guidelines. Secretary Strange assured the Council that DSHS is conscientious of the placement on the Campus, and said it is a good opportunity for the City and DSHS to work together.
Councilmembers thanked the members of DSHS for the good conversation and information.
At 6:53 p.m. the meeting adjourned.
/s/Allison Taylor, Deputy City Clerk
CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, February 10, 2020 Council Chambers - Shoreline City Hall
7:00 p.m. 17500 Midvale Avenue North
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, Councilmembers McConnell, McGlashan, Chang, and Robertson
ABSENT: Councilmember Roberts
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 with the exception of Councilmember Roberts. Councilmember McConnell moved to excuse Councilmember Roberts for personal reasons. The motion was seconded by Deputy Mayor Scully and passed unanimously, 6-0.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided reports and updates on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Deputy Mayor Scully attended a meeting of the Continuum of Care (CoC) Board and said the process of reorganizing support levels from local to regional has sped up. He said King County and Seattle City Councils have approved a variety of agreements and the CoC Board is hoping to hire an Executive Director soon and are actively establishing replacement boards for the new entity. He added that tonight Council will be considering some steps Shoreline can take to address homelessness and reminded Council that the regional level support is focused on accountability and efficiencies and may not result in Shoreline getting additional services here in the short term.
Councilmember McGlashan said he and Councilmember McConnell attended the SeaShore Transportation Meeting and the big update from the Washington State Transportation Commission was on the Road Usage Charge (RUC), or pay by mile, pilot program. He said that the pilot program is complete, and the report is available online. He elaborated on the options available.
Councilmember Robertson said she attended the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Economic Development District Board. She said there was a discussion on the relationship between development and housing and shared details on the conversation and strategies being developed. Additionally, Councilmember Robertson shared that she presented the Best Film award for “Black Champagne” at the Shoreline Short Short Film Festival, and she described the efforts of the Shoreline Film Office, which is working to partner with the education and training of young filmmakers.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Ginny Scantlebury, Shoreline resident, said she recently attended Shoreline Community Court and described its purpose. She said she was impressed with Judge Campagna’s interaction with the participants and shared data on outcomes from other Community Courts.
Lee Keim, Shoreline resident, spoke regarding Ordinance No. 882. She said she is happy with the intent of the proposed revisions. She said she hopes the City commits to using environmentally sustainable site design and adhering to Deep Green Tier Four or equivalent energy regulations without exception.
Gayle Janzen, Seattle resident, asked the Council to help save the trees slated for removal as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) expansion on Dayton Avenue. She said it is frustrating that City officials talk about wanting to mitigate climate change but then allow mature trees to be cut down. She asked City officials to urge planners and developers to preserve trees.
Ann Bates, Shoreline resident, shared information and statistics on global warming and the environmental impacts of climate change. She said the Nature Conservancy recommends planting more trees to combat pollution.
Kathleen Russell, Shoreline resident and representative of Save Shoreline Trees, spoke on behalf of the trees on North 160th, North 155th, and Dayton Avenue North. She said the City has received over 300 letters expressing concern about the proposed removal of the trees and read excerpts from them. She asked the Council to speak to City staff to save the trees.
Barbara Johnstone, Shoreline resident, said she moved to Shoreline for the schools and the tall trees. She said Shoreline has made a commitment to be a Tree City, so need to lead. She said trees do not need to come down for the WSDOT expansion and that sidewalks should be built in a way that preserves trees.
Kara Pomeroy, Shoreline resident, said Shoreline needs to act like a Tree City. She said that the planet is in a crisis mode and we need to find alternatives to removing old growth trees.
Kristi Magee, Shoreline resident and Save Shoreline Trees representative, encouraged the Council to protect the trees on North 160th Street, Dayton Avenue, and North 155th Street. She said development should be balanced with preserving existing natural areas and mature trees and encouraged Council to direct City staff to work with WSDOT for a variance on the requirements for the frontage improvements.
Melody Fosmore, Shoreline resident and Co-Chair of Save Shoreline Trees, asked Council to request a variance to protect the trees in the WSDOT rebuild area. She described the impacts to both the City and the planet and asked if the consequences of recent actions have been considered. She said the people of Shoreline do not want healthy trees removed, and asked Council to listen to the resident input.
Evan Arraci, Shoreline resident, said it is morally wrong to cut down trees.
Janet Way, Shoreline resident, thanked everyone who participated in standing up for the trees in Shoreline. She asked Council to prevent the loss of valuable trees and to direct staff present flexible sidewalk design alternative to protect the trees on Dayton Avenue North.
Robert Seidman, Shoreline resident, spoke about the migratory bird greenway. He reflected on the many species of birds in the area and emphasized the opulence of the habitat in the trees on Dayton Avenue North and said they must be protected.
Ginger Hayra Gunn, Shoreline resident, said she is confident that the Council would like to save the trees on the perimeter of WSDOT’s property. She asked the Council to direct staff to investigate options to do so. She said Shoreline is blessed with trees and it is our responsibility to protect them.
Ann Lynch, Shoreline resident, shared her sorrow over the loss of trees in Shoreline and said the Briarcrest neighborhood has changed because of tree removal. She encouraged the Council to save the trees.
Derek Blackwell, Shoreline resident, spoke of safety concerns because of lack of sidewalks on Linden Avenue between 175th and 185th. He said Dayton Avenue is much safer for pedestrian and bicycle transit, so the WSDOT frontage area do not need improvements. He said trees are important and urged the City to reach out to the Department of Ecology.
Richard Ellison, Seattle resident, said he taught at Shoreline Community College and appreciated the big trees in the area. He shared information on a frontage improvement project in Seattle that preserved trees and said development code should allow for sidewalk variances to preserve trees.
Greg Spyridis, Shoreline resident, said that as a Dayton Avenue resident he loves the trees. He does not want to trade the view of the trees for the view of the WSDOT building. He advised Council to direct staff to design a path that preserves the trees.
Laethan Wene, Shoreline resident, said that it is not a good idea to build on the Fircrest property, and he supports the Light Rail and Sound Transit.
Arielle Simmons Steffen, Shoreline resident, said that Douglas Firs are one of the most climate and pest-resistant trees in the Pacific Northwest and urged Council to protect them.
Anna Murphy, Shoreline resident, said the commitment Shoreline has made to the City’s tree canopy is evident, and the current plan to remove trees on Dayton Avenue is a mistake. She said she opposes the current plans and requested an alternative for the walking path to protect the trees and their root systems.
Nancy Cole, Seattle resident, said many trees were lost with the Light Rail extension and the Northwest way of life is being threatened. She encouraged the Council to walk Dayton Avenue and to visit the Save Shoreline Trees website and Facebook page to appreciate the trees there and to reflect on what legacy is being left with this choice.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember McGlashan and seconded by Councilmember Robertson and unanimously carried, 6-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of November 25, 2019
Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of December 2, 2019
Approving Minutes of Workshop Dinner Meeting of January 27, 2020
(b) Approving Expenses and Payroll as of January 24, 2020 in the Amount of $2,806,320.13
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*Payroll and Benefits: |
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Payroll Period |
Payment Date |
EFT Numbers (EF) |
Payroll Checks (PR) |
Benefit Checks (AP) |
Amount Paid |
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|
12/29/19-1/11/20 |
1/17/2020 |
89419-89681 |
16886-16909 |
77609-77614 |
$718,045.42 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$718,045.42 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Accounts Payable Claims: |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
Expense Register Dated |
Check Number (Begin) |
Check Number (End) |
Amount Paid |
|
|
|
|
1/15/2020 |
77371 |
77390 |
$65,221.86 |
|
|
|
|
1/16/2020 |
77391 |
77517 |
$2,009.00 |
|
|
|
|
1/16/2020 |
77518 |
77534 |
$1,069,353.81 |
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|
|
|
1/16/2020 |
77535 |
77544 |
$1,748.31 |
|
|
|
|
1/16/2020 |
77545 |
77548 |
$17,590.63 |
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|
|
|
1/16/2020 |
77549 |
77554 |
$49,314.03 |
|
|
|
|
1/22/2020 |
77555 |
77555 |
$5,643.41 |
|
|
|
|
1/22/2020 |
77556 |
77557 |
$94,932.24 |
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|
|
|
1/22/2020 |
77191 |
77191 |
($36.04) |
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|
|
|
1/23/2020 |
77558 |
77584 |
$197,267.78 |
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|
|
|
1/23/2020 |
77585 |
77593 |
$13,379.78 |
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|
|
|
1/23/2020 |
77594 |
77605 |
$559,446.62 |
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|
|
|
1/23/2020 |
77606 |
77608 |
$12,403.28 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
$2,088,274.71 |
(c) Adopting Ordinance No. 876 - Amending Chapter 3.70 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Modify the System Improvements Eligible for Park Impact Fees
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Adopting Ordinance No. 879 - Amending Ord. No. 694 - Amending SMC 3.27 for Property Tax Exemption Conditions within the Shoreline Place Community Renewal Area
Nathan Daum, Economic Development Program Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Mr. Daum reviewed the previous discussion of the Property Tax Exemption (PTE) Program and shared background on the requirements and limitations of the program that incentivizes affordable housing. He displayed a hypothetical example of the resource and financial impact of PTE conditions during and after the program period. He reiterated the staff recommendation to repeal the 500-unit cap on PTE in the Community Renewal Area (CRA) and reminded Council the requested amendment language is available in the staff report but is not the recommended action. He said that after research staff was unable to find any other jurisdiction that imposes caps on available exemptions.
Councilmember McGlashan moved to adopt Ordinance No. 879 removing the 500 unit PTE cap the Shoreline Place Community Renewal Area. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Scully.
Deputy Mayor Scully and Councilmembers McGlashan and Robertson expressed support for the Ordinance.
Councilmember McGlashan said that the current PTE conditions put the CRA at a disadvantage over other areas and he thinks the revision is a good way to ensure a decent number of affordable units in the area.
Councilmember Chang said she is more interested in the amended version because the current zoning would allow 100 percent housing in the CRA. She reflected on the work done during the development agreement process to secure commercial units. She said she understands the need to change zoning or requirements to guarantee commercial be put in there, but lifting the cap decreases the incentive for this. She recognized how hard it is to bring retail in but does not want Shoreline Place to be purely residential.
Councilmember Chang moved to amend proposed Ordinance No. 879 to retail the existing Section 1 language but amend the number of total units from 500 to 1688 as stated in the staff report and renumber the remaining sections consecutively. The motion was seconded by Councilmember McConnell.
Councilmember Chang said she is trying to find a way for Shoreline Place to allow for placemaking. She said amending the cap on residential units allows the development to happen in accordance with the Development Agreement. She said she does not want to have to plead for commercial to be included in the CRA. She said the rules should be in place so that commercial development has a chance to pencil out financially along with housing.
Deputy Mayor Scully he does not support the amendment because although he shares the concerns related to placemaking, he is not sure the amendment will do it. He said he is concerned that if the city does not offer PTE incentives, development will turn into purely high end apartments and condominiums rather than a blend of uses. He stated he would like PTE policies revisited in the future and said it may be necessary to mandate including affordable housing in all development.
Councilmember McConnell asked for a response to Councilmember Chang’s concerns. Mr. Daum replied that at this early stage in the CRA project the Alexan is a very visible display of the redevelopment happening and sends a great signal that there is rebirth happening. He said the City is hopeful the Merlone Geier project will proceed as proposed but recognizes that housing is hot right now and is the place where the private market will invest, which comes with ground floor retail, open spaces, and plazas. He said this is an opportunity to transition current retail to into more of the type of commercial uses the City is interested in growing. He noted there is a deficit in food service establishments but stated that it won’t happen without a residential customer base moving in to help shape the space in the CRA. He said amending the PTE conditions is an opportunity to set the stage for future growth. Mr. Daum said he shares Councilmember Chang’s desire for mixed uses in the area, but he does not think the opportunity will be lost by removing the limit in this one area of the City.
Councilmember McConnell agreed that there is a decline in retail, and commented on the nightlife in Edmonds, asking if it happened organically or if the City planned the growth. Mr. Daum said great urban spaces are typically dictated by a partnership of investment and regulation. He said Edmonds is a very compact space and said many cities are moving back to a similar model of walkable urbanism.
Councilmember Robertson said for her, it comes down to the need for affordable housing, and this is the tool Shoreline has to encourage it.
Mayor Hall said he recognizes that the community wants more retail, dining, and entertainment options. He said he will be supporting the staff recommendation because the affordable housing benefit is extremely important right now and he likes the consistency of the regulation to be citywide.
The motion failed 1-5, with Councilmember Chang voting yes.
Mayor Hall said he appreciates staff’s work in bringing this forward since the PTE program has created a significant number of affordable housing units at a time when there is a housing crisis.
The main motion passed 5-1, with Councilmember Chang voting no.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussing Ordinance No. 882 Amending Master Development Plan and Special Use Permit Decision Criteria
Andrew Bauer, Senior Planner, delivered the staff presentation. Mr. Bauer reviewed the background, explaining that campus zones require Master Development Plans (MDPs) and that the Department of Health and Human Services has been working toward obtaining an MDP for the Fircrest Campus. He stated that it is the last remaining campus zone in the City without one. He said there is a possibility of citing a behavioral health facility, which is defined as an Essential Public Facility (EPF), on the campus. Mr. Bauer said that during the moratorium for MDPs and Special Use Permits (SUPs) staff has been working diligently to research how neighboring jurisdictions treat EPFs and doing further analysis on the existing code as it relates to MDPs and EPFs and how the two work in tandem.
He said the purpose of the amendments is to address the topics in the moratorium; to clarify the relationship between MDPs, EPFs, and SUPs; and to support the current goals and vision for Shoreline.
Mr. Bauer shared the definition and examples of EPFs, and said they are typically difficult to site. He explained that the Growth Management Act require cities to contemplate the siting of EPFs and said this helps mitigate the impact they might have. He said the existing comprehensive plan has policies related to the EPFs, and the proposed amendments will help better implement policies.
Mr. Bauer reviewed the SUP amendments, which clarify that SUPs are required for EPFs, address siting process and equity, require a determination that emergency services are adequate for the use, and considers impacts from EPFs and requires mitigation and implements existing comprehensive plan policies. He pointed out the proposed staff revision to the SUP criteria that was not included with the Planning Commission recommendation and described the staff rationale behind the grammatical change.
Mr. Bauer stated that the updates to the MDP amendments clarify that an SUP is required for EPFs, in addition to MDPs; addresses MDPs with multiple property owners; requires that a community benefit to the adjacent neighborhood be incorporated in the MDP; addresses the need to plan campuses to grow in a compact manner; establishes design standards; and extends the approval timeframe to 20 years. Mr. Bauer stated that there are also amendments to land use classifications, defining facility types and clarifying existing categories and adding new ones.
He said the Review Process Amendments clarify that EPFs require SUPs and aligns the notification requirements with the MDP process.
Mr. Bauer reviewed the milestones and outreach of the amendment work and reviewed the code amendment criteria used in the process. He stated that the Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposed amendments, and said staff recommends approval of the Planning Commission recommendation with the incorporation of the minor proposed grammatical revision.
Deputy Mayor Scully thanked the staff for evaluating these requirements for citywide benefit and said it is a good set of amendments. He said he is hopeful the moratorium is not extended further. He asked what the intent was with the substitution of ‘shall’ for ‘should’ in the staff recommended amendment and Mr. Bauer explained that it was incorporated to align with existing code language.
Councilmember McGlashan said that at this evening’s dinner meeting with Cheryl Strange, the Secretary of the Department of Social and Human Services (DSHS), there was discussion around the Fircrest Campus. He agreed that the moratorium should not be extended, and the work done on the amendments makes him feel comfortable moving forward with the Planning Commission’s recommendations. He confirmed that a SUP is required for any EPF and could be done simultaneously with the MDP application.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if Shoreline Community College is supportive of the amendments. Mr. Bauer stated that an MDP would be required for any campus zoned area and that SCC would not go through a SUP unless they propose a special use, like an EPF, but they would need to go through a new MDP when their existing one expires. Councilmember Chang said it was her impression that their letter wondered if they would be required to provide an additional community benefit. Mr. Bauer said that staff tried to create flexibility within the requirements for campus planning to allow campuses to define classroom and meeting space as the community benefit piece.
Councilmember Chang noted that the Use Table included Enhanced Service Facility and Evaluation and Treatment Facility uses added as uses that are possible in Mixed-Use Zones. She asked for an explanation of the differences and for any examples in Shoreline. Mr. Bauer said he is not aware of any examples of either use in Shoreline currently, and said these are uses that staff, in coordination with DSHS staff, identified as two potential uses, so the RCW language was folded into the code language to include them as EPFs.
It was established that Ordinance No. 882 would return to Council as an Action Item on March 2, 2020.
(b) Discussing Recommendations to Address Gaps that Exist in Connecting those Experiencing Homelessness and/or Opioid Addiction with Services
Colleen Kelly, Community Services Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Kelly said her report is a follow up from the February 2019 staff report that identified the gaps in services related to homelessness and opioid addiction.
Ms. Kelly said the key developments include the King County Regional Homelessness Authority and pending Regional Action Plan, the creation of a severe weather shelter in Shoreline, the availability of Substitute House Bill 1406 – Local Sales Tax dollars, the forthcoming Department of Commerce Grant to develop a Shoreline Housing Action Plan, the exploration of collaboration opportunities related to affordable housing, and the potential for new state dollars targeted for homelessness response services. She displayed a list of the identified gaps and opportunity areas presented in 2019.
Ms. Kelly stated that the report was the jumping off point to identify the most critical needs and opportunities related specifically to homelessness. She said advocacy is the best opportunity for enhancement to opioid services, since treatment is led by other entities, which reduces the ability to make significant impact at the local level aside from the human services contributions currently being made.
Ms. Kelly stated that the recommendation is to recognize that the highest priority and greatest need in North King County is for a 24/7 Year-Round Shelter and Navigation Center. She said siting it is the biggest challenge, so embedded in the recommended priority is the need for thinking about how staff and Council can enhance partnerships across the north part of the County, to collectively address the problem. She explained that it is important to have conversations about identifying a potential site so that when resources become available, the City would be poised to request funding. She explained that the facility could serve as a North King County Navigation Center, which would provide somewhere people could leave their belongings and act as a day center with staffing sufficient to support case management. She said another upside to a 24/7 navigation center would be that they often have capacity for severe weather events, eliminating the need for a separate location.
Ms. Kelly stated that the greatest enhancement is that this recommendation would provide a more comprehensive approach to the City’s homeless outreach operation, which would include having a fully integrated City staff position to work with partner agencies, rather than the part time shared position that currently exists. She stated that the King County funding that contributes to this is not secure, so there is a potential that Shoreline would not have the financial ability to keep the program going without it. She said another limitation of the current program is that the outreach worker is reactive, and there is not a lot of capacity for proactive work and partnership building. She said the notion of hiring in house would also allow for the City to adapt and direct activities as needed as opposed to having to work through an agency and provides the ability to attract a skilled staff person who is likely to stay in the role for a long time, which is critical for creating and maintaining relationship continuity with the various partners working with homeless individuals. She said the funding commitment required is a challenge to creating a dedicated staff position.
Ms. Kelly shared data on a United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) study that highlights the approaches that create strong partnerships between entities as emerging best practices. She listed examples of lessons learned from programs that demonstrate the greatest success and shared a video highlighting the recommended principles in action in the City of Redmond. She said she has met with the Shoreline Police Department to discuss partnering in a similar approach. She said that in addition to recommendations, the staff report includes information to consider on potential opportunities and next steps for each of the initial gap areas identified. She stated that staff has confirmed that Hopelink could utilize Shoreline’s State House Bill (SHB) 1406 funding to provide rental assistance and asked for Council direction on whether to proceed with contracting the funds for this purpose.
Councilmember McGlashan said he is happy to see progress. He cautioned against putting too much weight on the Governor's supplemental budget proposal because he thinks most of the funds will go to larger cities. He asked if the City has talked to other cities about siting a Navigation Center. Ms. Kelly replied that although she is in regular conversation with the other cities, formal discussion on siting specifics have not begun. She mentioned the lost opportunity at the Value Village site in Lake City, saying resources could not be mobilized quickly enough to take advantage of the opportunity.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if a youth facility would be similar to the adult services offered. Colleen said typically youth and adults should be separated, and that she is waiting for upcoming recommendations from King County, which might include host homes.
Deputy Mayor Scully said he appreciates the work done to date by the Community Services Division. He agreed that the highest priority and greatest need is housing. He said he hopes that Shoreline will take the lead on working with partner cities and creating a proposal for siting a facility, while continuing to be flexible since there is an evolving list of funding resources. He asked that staff create partnerships and begin to evaluate the associated funding, property, and staff needs and return to Council for further discussion.
Councilmember Robertson said the staff report does a good job of defining a framework from which to work from. She asked for more information on the discussion and collaboration with the Police on a Navigation Center. Ms. Kelly replied that she is in the early stages of developing a relationship with the Police Department and that Chief Ledford is very supportive of creating a more robust outreach approach. She said a commonly expressed concern with siting a shelter is that it will bring additional homeless people to the City but having a shelter would reduce the number of people sleeping outside. She said concerns from all stakeholders would be addressed.
Mayor Hall asked for a status update on the City’s affordable housing project on 198th and Aurora Avenue. Ms. Kelly said there were some delays with the County partners, and that James Hammond, Intergovernmental Program Manager, could better respond when he addresses Council on the final discussion item tonight. The Mayor said it is important to complete the project to reap the benefit the City has already committed to. He recommended that the request for a full-time staff person would be best considered as part of the budget proposal process, and he suggested reallocating an existing FTE rather than adding a position. He also encouraged seeking regional partnerships and grant funding. He said it is fantastic to be moving forward.
Ms. Kelly asked for Council guidance on the SHB 1406 allocation and there was consensus that, since the demand for rental assistance is high, the dollars should be allocated to Hopelink's Rental Assistance program.
(c) Discussing the Federal Legislative Agenda
James Hammond, Intergovernmental Program Manager, delivered the staff presentation and was joined by Jake Johnston of The Johnston Group, the City’s Governmental Affairs Consultant for Federal issues.
Prior to his presentation, Mr. Hammond shared an update on the timing of the affordable housing project on 198th and Aurora Avenue. He said the original operational partner, Community Psychiatric Clinic, was merged into the Sound Mental Health organization. He elaborated that Sound Mental Health does not do the kind of program that was contemplated for this property, so the project was put in limbo until it was decided that Catholic Housing Services will take the lead on the project. He added that Community Psychiatric Clinic’s capital contribution will still be attached to the project, but the transference process took time. He said there is a potentially a nine-month delay and promised to update Council on the revised timeline once it is finalized.
Mr. Hammond stated that the role of legislative priorities is to give clear direction and consistent information about City priorities; provide policy guidance in a dynamic legislative environment; and by establishing guidelines, allow the City to embrace opportunities.
Mr. Hammond said the top priority in Shoreline is the funding and support for the NE 145th Corridor transportation projects. Mr. Johnston elaborated that finding federal funding and policy support for the City’s goals to redevelop its infrastructure is the number one goal. He said BUILD grant support has been hard to find for the types of projects the City has identified, but with the infrastructure improvements needed in the Light Rail Station areas, federal support is necessary. He said he is focusing on building political support for a BUILD grant application for the interchange, the corridor, and the bicycle/pedestrian bridge.
Mr. Johnston explained that at the federal level, Shoreline competes with every other urban city in America, and so the smaller population of Shoreline makes it impossible to compete equitably in this arena. He said the good news is that this inequity is beginning to be recognized by the legislature and said the idea for the BUILD UP component of the BUILD program came out the state of Washington. He outlined the proposed BUILD UP program and described the proposed scope of allocations for cities with populations between 10,000 and 75,000 as an appropriation of one-third of the BUILD program funding for BUILD UP, serving mid-sized cities. He said it has taken time to get the National League of Cities’ attention on this proposition. Mr. Hammond said this priority will be the focus of Mayor Hall’s upcoming lobbying trip. He said Shoreline is a poster child for why there needs to be BUILD funding allocated for medium sized cities and should assume a place of leadership in advocacy.
Mr. Hammond recapped the additional legislative priorities as: supporting community and economic development programs, strengthening federal tools for climate and environmental issues, preserving municipal taxing authority, addressing social policies, and creating enhanced tools for funding local needs. Mr. Johnston emphasized that the Federal Legislative Agenda is geared to be a calling card, not an exclusionary list.
There was a consensus that the Legislative Priorities should return as a Consent item.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Property Acquisition – RCW 42.30.110(1)(b)
At 9:25 p.m., Mayor Hall recessed into Executive Session for a period of 20 minutes as authorized by RCW 42.30.110(1)(b) to consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate by lease or purchase and stated Council will potentially take final action following the Executive Session. Staff attending the Executive Session included Debbie Tarry, City Manager; John Norris, Assistant City Manager; Margaret King, City Attorney; Eric Friedli, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Director; and Nathan Daum, Economic Development Program Manager. The Executive Session ended at 9:45 p.m.
Councilmember Robertson moved to authorize the City Manager to authorize the City’s real estate broker to negotiate a purchase and sale agreement for the property located at 709 150th Street, Westminster Triangle, and fund the initial acquisition through the Bond Anticipation Note (BAN). The motion was seconded by Councilmember McConnell.
Councilmember Robertson offered that the Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces (PROS) Plan includes goals of adding to the parks systems and ensuring that anyone in the City can access a park by walking within a 15 minute radius of their home and there is a deficit in the Westminster neighborhood. She encouraged the City to move forward with the purchase.
Councilmember McConnell said this is a great solution to the need for a park in the Westminster Triangle area and said the property owner is interested in maintaining open space rather than selling to a developer.
Mayor Hall said that while the PROS plan calls for acquisition of additional open space properties, funding is always a challenge. He said this is a short-term BAN to allow the City to look at other acquisitions.
The motion passed unanimously, 6-0.
11. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:49 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
/s/Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk