CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

Monday, September 25, 2000

7:30 p.m.

Shoreline Conference Center

Mt. Rainier Room

PRESENT: Deputy Mayor Hansen, Councilmembers Grossman, Lee, Montgomery and Ransom

ABSENT: Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Gustafson

1. CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Deputy Mayor Hansen, who presided.

2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

Deputy Mayor Hansen led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the Deputy City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exceptions of Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Gustafson.

Councilmember Lee moved to excuse Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Gustafson. Councilmember Montgomery seconded the motion, which carried 5-0.

3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER

City Manager Robert Deis reported that QFC at 185^th Street and Midvale Avenue has renegotiated with the US Postal Service to continue to provide mail services.

Mr. Deis noted the open house regarding the Interurban Trail Project September 26. He said staff will present three design options addressing the Aurora Corridor Project and the Interurban Trail Project between 175^th and 185^th Streets. He explained that staff will prepare a preferred recommendation based on public input during the open house.

4. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None

5. PUBLIC COMMENT: None

6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Lee moved approval of the agenda. Councilmember Montgomery seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

7. CONSENT CALENDAR

Councilmember Ransom moved approval of the consent calendar. Councilmember Montgomery seconded the motion, which carried 5-0, and the following items were approved:

Minutes of Workshop Meeting of September 5, 2000
Minutes of Dinner Meeting of September 11, 2000
Minutes of Regular Meeting of September 11, 2000

Approval of expenses in the amount of $155,098.68

8. ACTION ITEMS: OTHER ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS

(a) City Council Beautification Awards Presentation and Clean Sweep Recap

Eric Swansen, Senior Management Analyst, provided an overview of Super Clean Sweep Day, which occurred September 16. He said 1,122 households participated in the event, and the City collected over 100 tons of materials for recycle and disposal. He also reviewed the Hamlin Park clean-up event, which occurred September 23.

Next, Mr. Swansen discussed the City Council Beautification Award Program. He said the purpose of the program is to recognize development projects that enhance quality of life, foster community pride, develop a better sense of community and create an incentive for urban renewal and economic development in Shoreline.

Deputy Mayor Hansen presented the City Council Beautification Award to the recipient in each of the following categories:

• Commercial: Cats Exclusive Veterinary Center, 19203 Aurora Avenue N (Dr. Dennis Wackerbarth accepting)
• Residential: Allen Residence, 12^th Avenue NW (Dr. Robert and Judy Allen accepting)
• Open: Central Market, 15505 Westminster Way (Jim Huffman and Larry Niccatta accepting)

Mr. Swansen mentioned the Coffee Shack, 14615 15^th Avenue NE, as the recipient of an honorable mention.

(b) Motion to authorize the City Manager to Transfer Grant Funds from the City of Shoreline to the Washington Traffic Safety Committee Pedestrian

Bill Conner, Public Works Director, reviewed the staff report.

Mandi Roberts, Senior Planner, OTAK, mentioned the following partners in the proposed project: the City; the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT); the Washington Traffic Safety Commission; and the Washington State Transportation Center (TRAC) at the University of Washington. She also noted input from the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center. She reviewed the past progress and the future schedule of the project. She explained that the planned engineering improvements are intended to "channelize" pedestrians at specific crossing points, where medians and advanced signing will improve safety.

Dave McCormick, WSDOT Project Manager, noted the number of vehicle-pedestrian accidents on Aurora Avenue in Shoreline. He discussed the improvements included in the proposed project. He mentioned that similar projects by the Cities of Federal Way, Kent, Des Moines and Tukwila on Highway 99 and by the City of Covington on Highway 516 resulted in increases in the number of pedestrians and transit ridership, decreases in the number of accidents and community and business acceptance.

Councilmember Lee moved to authorize the City Manager to transfer $90,000 of Hazard Elimination System (HES) grant funds from the City of Shoreline to the Washington Traffic Safety Committee Pedestrian Safety Program. Councilmember Ransom seconded the motion.

Councilmember Grossman supported the proposed project. He said it will provide an example of how Aurora Avenue "can be a safe place for pedestrians."

In response to Councilmember Montgomery, Mr. Conner described the operation of the "roving eyes" sign. Mr. McCormick explained that the sign draws drivers' attention to the side of the street from which the pedestrian is crossing.

In response to Deputy Mayor Hansen, Mr. Conner said the dimensions of the "roving eyes" sign is 30 inches by 20 inches.

Councilmember Lee supported the proposed project. She said she advocates projects in which government jurisdictions pool resources and collaborate to achieve "bigger and better" results.

Councilmember Lee asked if the budgeted funds will cover the costs of removing the improvements if they prove ineffective and of maintaining the proposed medians. Mr. Conner explained that the City will revise the crosswalks as part of the Aurora Corridor Project if they prove ineffective. He said the pedestrian safety demonstration project includes funds to cover the costs to remove the improvements. He said the City will maintain the medians.

Councilmember Ransom said the Richmond Highlands Neighborhood Association advocated that the City locate the crosswalk at N 170^th Street south of the intersection near the raised bus stop landing. Mr. Conner said traffic counts showed that traffic turning north onto Aurora Avenue from N 170^th Street causes most of the safety problems at the intersection. He explained that locating the crosswalk north of the intersection addresses this problem.

In response to Councilmember Ransom, Mr. Conner said the crosswalk and median at N 170^th Street will not affect the area of a proposed hotel on the east side of Aurora Avenue.

Deputy Mayor Hansen supported the proposed project. He asked if staff considered locating the improvements to accommodate the width of the Aurora Corridor Project. Mr. Conner explained that staff could not address the right-of-way and real estate issues of that approach within the budget of the pedestrian safety demonstration project. He noted that the sidewalk improvements will be smaller and less substantive to facilitate removal during the Aurora Corridor Project.

Deputy Mayor Hansen mentioned, and Mr. Conner concurred, that the Shoreline Pedestrian Safety Project, if successful, may become a standard throughout the country (through incorporation in the Manual of Uniform Traffic Code Devices).

A vote was taken on the motion to authorize the City Manager to transfer $90,000 of Hazard Elimination System (HES) grant funds from the City of Shoreline to the Washington Traffic Safety Committee Pedestrian Safety Program. The motion carried 5-0.

9. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT: None

10. ADJOURNMENT

At 8:40 p.m., Deputy Mayor Hansen declared the meeting adjourned.

__________________________
Ruth Ann Rose, CMC
Deputy City Clerk