CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
Monday, May 24, 2021 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.
(a) Proclamation of Pride Month
Mayor Hall announced the proclamation of June as LGBTQ Pride Month and emphasized that Shoreline is a safe and welcoming community for everyone.
3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
The agenda was approved by unanimous consent.
4. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER
Debbie Tarry, City Manager, provided an update on the COVID-19 pandemic and reported on various City meetings, projects and events.
5. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember McGlashan commended the work being done at the Shoreline Center COVID-19 vaccination site and encouraged people to get vaccinated.
6. PUBLIC COMMENT
Jackie Kurle, Shoreline resident, said the City Manager’s report on the Enhanced Shelter was encouraging. She suggested that the Shelter scale up the number of residents gradually and that appropriate levels of Emergency Response personnel be maintained to support the facility.
Kathleen Russell, Shoreline resident, spoke on behalf of Save Shoreline Trees. She asked for the opportunity for citizen input on sidewalk widths during discussion of the Transportation Master Plan. She shared information regarding the City standards for sidewalk widths and questioned the need for the eight-foot-wide sidewalk regulation.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Scully and seconded by Councilmember Chang and unanimously carried, 7-0, the following Consent Calendar items were approved:
(a) Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of May 3, 2021
Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of May 10, 2021
(b) Approval of Expenses and Payroll as of May 7, 2021 in the Amount of $2,038,439.29
|
*Payroll and Benefits: |
||||||
|
Payroll Period |
Payment Date |
EFT Numbers (EF) |
Payroll Checks (PR) |
Benefit Checks (AP) |
Amount Paid |
|
|
04/04/21-04/17/21 |
4/23/2021 |
96502-96715 |
17269-17282 |
82353-82359 |
$815,520.12 |
|
|
04/04/21-04/17/21 |
4/23/2021 |
WT1181-WT1182 |
$133,858.71 |
|||
|
Q1 2021 L&I |
4/28/2021 |
82360 |
$36,830.69 |
|||
|
Q1 2021 ESC |
4/28/2021 |
82361 |
$15,779.65 |
|||
|
$1,001,989.17 |
||||||
|
*Wire Transfers: |
||||||
|
Expense Register Dated |
Wire Transfer Number |
|
Amount Paid |
|||
|
4/26/2021 |
1180 |
$6,019.50 |
||||
|
$6,019.50 |
||||||
|
*Accounts Payable Claims: |
||||||
|
Expense Register Dated |
Check Number (Begin) |
Check Number (End) |
Amount Paid |
|||
|
4/26/2021 |
82280 |
82282 |
$106,906.88 |
|||
|
4/26/2021 |
82283 |
82283 |
$5,648.19 |
|||
|
4/28/2021 |
82284 |
82306 |
$429,831.37 |
|||
|
4/28/2021 |
82307 |
82331 |
$135,369.22 |
|||
|
4/28/2021 |
82232 |
82338 |
$21,922.22 |
|||
|
4/28/2021 |
82339 |
82352 |
$76,790.23 |
|||
|
5/5/2021 |
82362 |
82383 |
$204,876.18 |
|||
|
5/5/2021 |
82384 |
82392 |
$18,082.72 |
|||
|
5/5/2021 |
82393 |
82401 |
$31,003.61 |
|||
|
$1,030,430.62 |
||||||
(c) Adoption of Resolution No. 476 - Approving the 145th Street Corridor Project Phase 1 and Phase 2 Relocation Plan and the City Manager Property Acquisition Authority for the State Route 523/(N/NE 145th Street) Aurora Avenue N to Interstate 5, Phase 1 (Interstate 5 to Corliss Avenue) Project
(d) Authorize the City Manager to Approve Real Property Acquisitions for the 145th Corridor Phase 1 Project for Property Located at 126 NE 145th Street, 164 NE 145th Street, and 14509 3rd Avenue NE
(e) Adoption of Resolution No. 478 - Approving the Housing Action Plan
(f) Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Contract with Nature Vision, Inc. in the Amount of $200,000 for 2021-2025
(g) Authorize the City Manager to Execute Contract Documents with the Washington State Department of Commerce to Obligate $490,000 of Grant Funding for the Richmond Highlands Recreation Center Repairs Project
8. ACTION ITEMS
(a) Public Hearing and Discussion on the Reprogramming of 2021 Community Development Block Grant Funding
Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, Community Services Manager, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn stated that Shoreline receives Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds annually, of which approximately 48 percent of the allocation is available for local projects. She explained that establishing the fund allocations requires a public hearing and Council approval and must benefit low- and moderate- income persons, reviewed the steps toward approval of the 2021 CDBG funding, and said that upcoming action includes consideration of approval of funding for two local capital projects.
Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn stated that since CDBG funding is restricted, at times the City will accumulate contingency funding to pay for larger projects, an example of which is being presented to Council today. She reviewed the CDBG 2019 Capital Supplemental Process allocations to the Center for Human Services and to Compass Housing/Hopelink and said this request is for the addition of $71,885 in funding toward a leak repair project for Compass Housing. She stated that any funds not needed for the project will remain available for future CDBG-eligible Shoreline projects in the future.
Mayor Hall opened the Public Hearing. Seeing no members of the public wishing to offer testimony, Mayor Hall closed the Public Hearing.
In discussing the need for leak repairs, Councilmember Chang asked why such a systemic problem is not being remedied by the original contractors. Ms. Wolbrecht-Dunn said that the building opened in 2013 and the City asked that question when the problem was identified in 2019 and was told that litigation to pursue reimbursement was not an option. Deputy Mayor Scully confirmed that approving additional funds for the roof leak repair does not cause a reduction in other grants and he reflected on the research done in 2019 regarding the accountability for the leaks. He said he does not think CDBG funds should be used as a backstop for operational issues and he hopes that, in the future, CDBG funding can be steered towards direct services to residents or programs like the minor home repair one.
Mayor Hall, Deputy Mayor Scully, and Councilmember Robertson expressed support for the staff recommendation, noting that the facility is an asset for the community, and it is important to keep affordable housing safe.
It was agreed that the Reprogramming of 2021 Community Development Block Grant Funding would return as a Consent Item.
(b) Action on Ordinance No. 931 - Authorizing the Use of Eminent Domain for Acquisition of Certain Real Properties to Construct the State Route 523/(N/NE 145th Street) Aurora Avenue N to Interstate 5, Phase 1(Interstate 5 to Corliss Avenue) Project
Tricia Juhnke, City Engineer, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Juhnke said Ordinance No. 931 would provide authorization to utilize eminent domain for the acquisition of properties along Phase 1 of the 145th Corridor. She emphasized that eminent domain is intended to be used as a last resort if negotiations with property owners are unsuccessful.
Councilmember Chang moved to approve Ordinance No. 931, authorizing the use of eminent domain for acquisition of certain real properties to construct the State Route 523/(N/NE 145th Street) Aurora Avenue N to Interstate 5, Phase 1 (Interstate 5 to Corliss Avenue) Project. The motion was seconded by Councilmember McConnell.
The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
9. STUDY ITEMS
(a) Discussion of the Transportation Master Plan Update
Nora Daley-Peng, Senior Transportation Planner, delivered the staff presentation. Ms. Daley-Peng said the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is a long-range, realistic blueprint for multi-modal travel and mobility within Shoreline that results in action, guiding transportation investments based on community needs and priorities. She stated that the last update to the TMP was in 2011, and it must be updated by 2023 to align with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, meet the Growth Management Act requirements, support the City’s eligibility for pursuing certain grants, and set transportation policies for guiding the development of Shoreline. Ms. Daley-Peng said for the TMP to be successful, it must articulate a clear, consistent vision, contain priorities that reflect community and Council goals, include policies, programs, and projects that reflect existing work and future needs, and provide a feasible, financially sustainable roadmap. She displayed the two-year project timeline for the TMP update and described the status and process, including key considerations for the update.
Ms. Daley-Peng described the outreach process to date, and listed the transportation priorities, with safety being identified as the top priority. She shared the data gathered on travel habits pre-COVID, during COVID, and those predicted post-COVID and commented on the shifts in habits. Ms. Daley-Peng displayed a list of the key discussion topics of safety, transit, micromobility, sidewalks, neighborhood paths, bike facilities, and on-street parking.
Ms. Daley-Peng explained that the project team developed the draft Vision and Goals by taking into consideration public feedback and City staff input gathered during a TMP goal setting workshop. She displayed the draft Vision, and the goals from which it evolved, reviewing the intent of each of the draft goals. She summarized the next steps and concluded by asking for Council input on both the process and the draft Vision and Goals.
Councilmember Roberts thanked staff for the work to date and appreciated the commitment to public comment.
In discussion of sidewalk requirements, Councilmember Roberts wondered if the project proposal will address the potential differences in sidewalk requirements dependent on zoning. Ms. Daley-Peng said the current TMP policy around sidewalks has made a great start toward flexibility and site-specific adjustments. She offered that each of the travel modes will be looked at closely, and there is opportunity to revisit any potential flexibility possible for sidewalk widths. Mayor Hall encouraged everyone to measure the sidewalk width in areas they consider vibrant and walkable. He supports moving forward with sidewalks for pedestrian safety and said he has been pleased with the flexibility the staff has found to protect trees in several projects and how the tree canopy is still being maintained. Deputy Mayor Scully agreed with wide sidewalks to support walkability in areas zoned for Commercial or Mixed-Use, but in other areas where sidewalks are needed for safety, not as a congregation space, width is less important. He agreed that flexibility in sidewalk design can be useful preserving mature trees. He said he hopes the community continues to comment on their priorities so the TMP can reflect the concerns of the community.
Councilmember Roberts asked if overall speed on city streets will be addressed in this update, and Ms. Tarry replied that staff will follow up with an answer.
Councilmember McGlashan asked for an update for the Trail Along the Rail project. Nytasha Walters, Transportation Services Manager, shared specifics of strategic segment work being done, some in collaboration with Sound Transit, and said the City continues to look for funding to complete the project.
Councilmember Chang asked how this TMP update process interacts with transit entities. Ms. Walters said the City is carefully following the plans of King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit. She said as transit services are being reallocated, the City is trying to ensure that the City’s interests for Metro connections are well articulated within the TMP, that regional prioritizations are understood, and the City’s needs for transit service are communicated while also looking at capital improvements that could support that work.
Ms. Daley-Peng confirmed that the draft TMP Vision and Goals align with Council Goals.
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Property Acquisition – RCW 42.30.110(1)(b)
At 8:02 p.m. the Council recessed into an 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. He stated that Council is not expected to take final action following the Executive Session. The Executive Session ended at 8:22 p.m.
11. ADJOURNMENT
At 8:24 p.m., Mayor Hall declared the meeting adjourned.
/s/Jessica Simulcik Smith, City Clerk