CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, October 5, 2020 Held Remotely via Zoom
7:00 p.m.
PRESENT: Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, Councilmembers McConnell, McGlashan, 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. ROLL CALL
Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.
3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided updates on COVID-19 and reports and information on various City meetings, projects and events.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
There were no Council Reports.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
Offering general Public Comment:
Gerard La Jeunesse, Everett resident, spoke on behalf of his mother, a Shoreline resident. He shared their negative experiences with Ziply Fiber.
Major General Raymond Coffey, Shoreline resident and Chair of the Shoreline Veterans Association, expressed support for the Guidelines for Use of the Veterans Plaza and listed requested amendments to the guidelines.
Rebecca Jones, Shoreline resident and representative of Save Shoreline Trees, said the City should retain large conifer trees and shared the environmental benefits of the trees scheduled for removal as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation office development project.
Douglas Cerretti, Shoreline resident and member of the Executive Committee of American Legion Post 227 and member of the Shoreline Veterans Association, spoke in support of Ordinance No. 900 and endorsed the suggested amendments as proposed by Major General Coffey.
Bergith Kayyali, Shoreline resident and representative of Save Shoreline Trees, expressed concern for the loss of landmark and canopy trees in the area and asked Council to limit the removal of trees and hold developers accountable for tree preservation.
Gayle Janzen, Seattle resident and member of Save Shoreline Trees, encouraged the City to save old growth trees and said there are common sense solutions to limit tree removal.
Speaking in opposition of the proposed Enhanced Shelter at 16357 Aurora Avenue N:
Barbara Twaddell, Shoreline resident, questioned the ability of Lake City Partners to adequately manage the facility and expressed disappointment in the content of the community meeting. She said low-barrier shelters increase the likelihood of continued addiction.
Vinay Venkatesh, Shoreline resident, listed what he identifies as inconsistencies in the information being shared about the Shelter and the proposed development regulations.
Margaret Willson, Shoreline resident, said she considers allowing low-barrier shelters to be reckless endangerment of City constituents and urged the Council to oppose the proposed development regulations that would permit them in R-48 zones.
Sudeeptha Jothiprakash, Shoreline resident, asked why the City is entrusting management of the low-barrier shelter to Lake City Partners, and shared examples of why she believes they are not experienced in managing a shelter of this sort.
Nancy Morris, Shoreline resident, said a shelter needs to be instituted with foresight and knowledge to best support and protect both clients and the neighborhood, and shared her questions and concerns.
Jackie Kurle, Shoreline resident, urged transparency and the opportunity for public input on this project.
Diane Pfeil, Shoreline resident, said she is concerned for the safety of the children she cares for at her daycare facility and asked to be able to operate her business safely. She said Lake City Partners has no history of managing a facility of this sort or size and she questioned the probability of success.
Dicky Leonardo, Shoreline resident, shared the negative experiences of an acquaintance who lives next to a low-barrier shelter.
6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Scully and seconded by Councilmember McGlashan and unanimously carried, 7-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 3, 2020
Approving Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 10, 2020
(b) Adopting Ordinance No. 894 - Granting a Non-Exclusive Franchise to Comcast to Construct, Maintain, Operate, Replace, and Repair a Cable System Over, Along, Under, and Through Designated Public Rights-of-way in the City of Shoreline
(c) Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with KPFF, Inc. in the Amount of $174,500 for On-Call Survey Services
8. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussing the 2019 Annual Traffic Report
Kendra Dedinsky, City Traffic Engineer; and Police Captain Anthony Garza delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Dedinsky said the Annual Traffic Report helps identify projects for inclusion into the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) for consideration of capital funding.
Ms. Dedinsky shared the collision statistics summary, which for 2019 illustrated a very slight uptick in overall collisions compared to 2018, showing about 13 new collisions per year. The major implication from this year’s data is the uptick in injury collisions, with a significant spike of serious and fatal injury collisions in 2019. Ms. Dedinsky compared Shoreline results to the region, stating that the State’s Target Zero plan is showing that these kinds of collisions are going in the wrong direction, which is mirrored in Shoreline’s 2019 data. While overall, the rate of collisions in Shoreline remains lower than King County as a whole, the trendline is increasing slightly. She said the 2019 spike in fatal and serious injury collision data moved Shoreline from the 2nd lowest position among 6 comparably sized cities, to 3rd highest.
In reviewing pedestrian and bicyclist collisions, Ms. Dedinsky said bicycle collisions are on a downward trend, and that bicyclist and pedestrian collisions accounted for their lowest proportion of injury collisions in the 2010-2019 data set. She cautioned that these types of collisions still account for a very large proportion of our City’s injury collisions and should remain a focus.
Ms. Dedinsky said that driver distraction remains a significant causal factor in general; noted travel speed is an important factor in injury collisions; and reported impairment as a factor shows no notable spikes or dips in 2019. She said arterial streets experience the vast majority of injury collisions, and that discontinuing the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program in 2020 has provided more traffic safety resources to be focused on data-driven countermeasures for injury collision reduction.
Ms. Dedinsky displayed a chart of the predominant intersection collision locations and outlined the improvements made to reduce collisions. She listed the segment collision locations and reviewed the projects under consideration or slated for action, identified within the TIP, and recently implemented. She shared the five-year history of pedestrian/bicyclist collision locations and reviewed the plans for safety updates and improvements.
Ms. Dedinsky identified the Aurora corridor as the area most in need of improvement and shared reasons for the uptick in collisions. She reviewed the plans to improve safety for pedestrians and said additional signage is being posted to strengthen the Business Access and Transit (BAT) lane intent. She warned that if this trend continues the City may need to consider broader measures, like speed reduction, in order to bring down injuries. In summarizing the preliminary collision data for Richmond Beach Road following the road diet implementation, she said all types of collisions are lower in comparison to comprehensive prior rates, but the injury rate after the project is slightly higher. She recognized the recent fatality on Richmond Beach Road and said midblock pedestrian crossing improvements are slated for completion by the end of 2021.
Ms. Dedinsky listed the ongoing collision reduction strategies being undertaken by the City.
Captain Garza shared enforcement statistics and said that the number of traffic citations dropped significantly in 2019, partially because of staffing vacancies and absences. He shared information on the traffic education and outreach work done in 2019, including DUI emphases through Target Zero/WTSC grants. He said parking and abandoned vehicles were a significant enforcement area in 2019. He displayed data on parking tickets issued and the increasing number of abandoned vehicles and the associated impounds and described the enforcement efforts directed to collision reduction. Ms. Dedinsky said Shoreline Police and Traffic Services continue to work together to identify priority streets for speed enforcement emphasis, and she noted that transit ridership and traffic volumes increased slightly in 2019, but COVID-19 has significantly reduced these numbers in 2020.
Councilmember Roberts asked if all streets are evaluated when looking at speeds and if there is a regional comparison for the speed limit study. Ms. Dedinsky said the primary focus is on arterials since they carry the most volume and added that enforcement on local streets is a challenge from a resource perspective. She said she will include regional context. Councilmember Roberts asked if there is data on what types of vehicles are involved in collisions and Ms. Dedinsky said large vehicles are a measure that Target Zero tracks, and while she runs an analysis every year, there has been no results that indicate areas to target for Shoreline.
Councilmember Chang asked what the cause of the increase in accidents on Aurora is. Ms. Dedinsky said the factors include increased pedestrian activity, growth of adjacent land uses, and more entrances and exits from driveways, and misuse of BAT lanes. She said the increase in activity is why she wants to evaluate the speed limit.
Deputy Mayor Scully said his understanding of Target Zero is that there will always be a human element at play, so the focus should be on changing traffic patterns to mitigate the possible problems. He expressed that the solution should be through infrastructure design, not an increase in enforcement, and he encouraged Ms. Dedinsky to think big when envisioning solutions. Captain Garza said the Washington State Traffic Coalition reports that citations are decreasing while collisions are increasing.
Mayor Hall said that design and systems approaches are important, but so is continuing education.
Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, Community Services Manager, delivered the staff presentation. She shared background on the establishment and disbursement of the CARES Act Relief Funds. She listed the categories of eligible uses for the relief funds and described the restrictions and requirements for expenses. She said the goal is to fully expend the CARES Act Relief Funds available to the City and explained that the plan originally adopted by Council divided the existing funding into three categories: City Direct COVID-19 Response, Small Business Support Program, and Human Services Support. She said the State has recently made additional funds available and has extended the contract deadlines, so Council approval is needed for the contract amendment and revised plan of use for the funds.
Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn shared the proposed allocations for the updated funding implementation plan and described the ways the relief funds would be used in each of the categories. She said there are challenges with expenditures of the Relief Act funds, primarily associated with the unknown and estimated costs. She summarized that Resolution No. 466 programs use of funds in three categories, allows the City Manager authorization to implement programs, and allows flexibility to shift funds, as necessary. She added that Council will receive a final report on how the funds were expended.
Councilmember Robertson said it is great to see additional funding coming to the City, and then back out to help the community. She said she hears that small businesses are suffering, and she would like to see more information on support resources made available to businesses.
Councilmember Chang asked for an update on this round of the business grant applications and awards. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn gave an overview of the short timeline and process for awards should the Resolution pass and said she would keep Council informed as it progresses.
It was agreed that Emergency Resolution No. 466 would return as a Consent Item.
(c) Discussing Ordinance No. 905 - Authorizing a One-Year Extension to the Right-of-Way Franchise with Northwest Fiber LLC (dba Ziply) Originally Granted to Verizon Northwest Inc. (Ordinance 522) to Construct, Maintain, Operate, Replace, and Repair a Cable System Over, Along, Under, and Through Designated Public Rights-of-way in the City of Shoreline
Christina Arcidy, Management Analyst, delivered the staff presentation. She said Northwest Fiber recently purchased Frontier Communications (known to consumers as Ziply). She shared the Franchise review process to date and said the current Franchise expires in November 2020. She said Northwest Fiber has been unable to resume the contract renegotiations that had begun with Frontier and has requested an extension, which staff believes is in both parties’ best interest to grant.
Ms. Arcidy said staff proposes a one-year extension to the Franchise, adding that it does not generate any financial impact to the City.
Ms. Arcidy responded to Mayor Hall’s question of the week prior, summarizing that although the City requested Verizon cable service expansion throughout the City in 2008, a smaller expansion area was agreed upon. She shared details of the service obligations and said that Verizon did not meet them prior to transfer of the Franchise to Frontier. Since rights and responsibilities transferred with the Franchise, and the agreed upon service line expansion was completed in 2013 by Frontier, Ziply is in compliance with the agreed upon terms.
It was agreed that Ordinance No. 905 would return as a Consent Item.
(d) Discussing Ordinance No. 900 - Amending SMC 8.12 to Establish the Purpose of and Authorizing Guidelines for Use of the Veterans Recognition Plaza at City Hall
Susana Villamarin, Senior Management Analyst, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Villamarin said the Veterans Recognition Plaza was developed and partially funded by the Shoreline Veterans Association (SVA) and was dedicated in 2016. She said that while regular events are held at the Plaza, there are no guidelines or policies for its purpose and use, and the proposed code amendment would help ensure the Plaza is used for its intended purpose.
She said the proposed Administrative Rules would establish the duration of display periods and locations where items may be left, define suitable and unsuitable items for placement in the Plaza as well as establish removal guidelines, and define the special events permitted in the space. She said the SVA was included in the drafting of the guidelines and that they requested their planned events not require a permit, but staff decided to require a permit for all groups and events to avoid scheduling conflicts. She said the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services/Tree Board unanimously recommended adoption of the Ordinance, as does staff.
Councilmember McGlashan said he could support giving the SVA priority for scheduling but expressed concern about the possibility that another group may book the Plaza for an event and then get bumped. Ms. Tarry said that priority reservations are not being extended to the SVA, but since most of their events are on established days, they could schedule well in advance.
Councilmember Robertson said she is proud of this community’s Veterans that made the Plaza possible. She confirmed that there has never been a request to use the Plaza by any group other than the SVA or the American Legion. Ms. Tarry said that there have been events in the courtyard that spill into the Plaza area, so that is a possibility for potential conflict. Councilmember Robertson asked if any unsuitable materials have been left in the Plaza, and Ms. Villamarin replied not to her knowledge. Councilmember Robertson recommended the City remain aware of SVA’s traditional dates of Plaza use when issuing other permits for the courtyard and Plaza.
Mayor Hall recalled that during recent gatherings at City Hall the Veterans have been concerned over the potential for misuse of the Plaza, so having policies in place makes it easier for the City to ensure proper use of the space.
Councilmember Roberts asked how early a group could request a permit and if the City has to obtain a permit when hosting or sponsoring an event on City facilities, and Ms. Villamarin responded that there is no limit to how early a permit can be requested and that the City does not have to obtain a permit for its own event but does reserve the space by making the dates unavailable for outside reservations.
Deputy Mayor Scully thanked all those who participated in the creation of the Plaza. He said he is fine with giving the City Manager authority to establish rules and regulations for the Plaza that preserve the sanctity of the space and still follow the law. He said a public space is for all of the public, and there should not be preferential reservations. He expressed support for staff’s proposal.
Mayor Hall said he supports the staff recommendation and appreciates ensuring that special places are well taken care of. He said, since many of the preferred dates are cyclical, the SVA and other interested agencies can grant themselves preference by reserving far in advance.
It was agreed that Ordinance No. 900 would return as a Consent Item.
9. ADJOURNMENT
At 8:39 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
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Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk