CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

Monday, October 8, 2001

7:30 p.m.

Shoreline Conference Center

Mt. Rainier Room

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

ABSENT: Councilmember Gustafson

1. CALL TO ORDER

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

2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exception of Councilmember Gustafson.

Councilmember Lee moved to excuse Councilmember Gustafson. Councilmember Grossman seconded the motion, which carried unanimously, and Councilmember Gustafson was excused.

3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER

City Manager Steve Burkett requested that Council add consideration of the 2001-2002 Work Plan to the meeting agenda.

Mr. Burkett noted that recent events pose uncertainties for the City budget. He said staff has reduced projected sales tax revenues for the remainder of 2001 and for 2002. He will present the draft 2002 City Budget to Council on October 22.

Mr. Burkett also mentioned the following:

• The Central Shoreline Subarea Plan charrette is taking place through October 11.
• An article in the Briarcrest Neighborhood Newsletter thanked the City for work in August that corrected a longstanding flooding problem on 26^th Avenue NE.
• Engineers will be conducting soil tests as part of the Ronald Bog Subbasin Study during the week of October 15.
• City staff has been working closely with other local jurisdictions (e.g., the Shoreline Fire District, the Shoreline Water District) to identify potential problems and prepare responses in the event of further domestic terrorism.

Councilmember Ransom mentioned a pedestrian-vehicle accident September 29 on Aurora Avenue at 170^th Street. He asked about pedestrian safety improvements planned at this location. Mr. Burkett confirmed that Council approved improvements there by the Washington Traffic Safety Committee Pedestrian Safety Program over a year ago. The improvements were supposed to have been completed last winter, but at this point the project has just gone to bid. He mentioned that he and Mayor Jepsen met last week with State Secretary of Transportation Douglas MacDonald to discuss this and other projects. Mr. Burkett noted reconsideration of the improvements previously planned at 165^th Street and Aurora Avenue because of the Aurora Corridor Project. He said he will have more information about the project schedule later in the week.

Deputy Mayor Hansen recommended 182^nd Street and Aurora Avenue as an alternative location for the improvements previously planned at 165^th Street and Aurora Avenue. Councilmember Ransom supported this recommendation.

4. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None

5. PUBLIC COMMENT

(a) Cecile Henault spoke as the Director of Senior and Adult Services for the Fremont Public Association (FPA), 1501 N 45^th Street, Seattle. She reviewed the services the agency provides in Shoreline through its Neighbor to Neighbor program. Noting a reduction in King County funding, she requested an allocation of $30,000 to insure the agency’s ability to provide the services to Shoreline residents.

(b) Martha Mues, 1313 N 200^th Street, discussed the value of the Neighbor to Neighbor Program to residents of Lake House. She urged Council to seriously consider the funding request.

(c) Abram Gutkin, 1313 N 200^th Street, discussed the activities that the Neighbor to Neighbor program provides to otherwise isolated senior citizens. He requested Council assistance for the program.

(d) Bill Ingraham, 18568 Densmore Avenue N, described his efforts to have the City repair "sinkholes" on Densmore Avenue and on 188^th Street between Densmore Avenue and Wallingford Avenue. He said the City has repaired some, but not all, of the sinkholes. He asked when the remaining problems will be corrected.

Regarding the FPA Neighbor to Neighbor program, Mayor Jepsen said the City has expressed concern to King County Executive Ron Sims "that the County can abandon these programs and expect cities to pick them up." He said the City will continue to monitor County decisions as it begins consideration of its 2002 budget. He recommended that FPA lobby the County to maintain the program funding.

Mr. Burkett expressed concern that "the County is proceeding unilaterally to unravel the system of local services." He said most cities are not in a position to replace County funding. He asserted the need for regional discussion about regional services and financing.

Mr. Burkett said he will address the problems that Mr. Ingraham described and report back to Council at its next meeting.

6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Deputy Mayor Hansen moved that Council approve the agenda. Councilmember Lee seconded the motion. Deputy Mayor Hansen moved that Council add "Motion to approve the City Council 2001-2002 Work Plan" as agenda item 8 (c). Councilmember Ransom seconded the motion.

Councilmember Montgomery suggested that Council add "Approval of 2001-2002 Council Work Plan" to the consent calendar instead.

Deputy Mayor Hansen and Councilmember Ransom restated the amendment to add "Motion to approve the City Council 2001-2002 Work Plan" as agenda item 7 (e). A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 6-0. Then a vote was taken on the motion to approve the agenda, as amended, which carried 6-0.

7. CONSENT CALENDAR

Councilmember Montgomery moved that Council approve the consent calendar. Deputy Mayor Hansen seconded the motion. Councilmember Ransom suggested an amendment to the minutes of the Regular Meeting of September 10. A vote was taken on the motion to approve the consent calendar, which carried unanimously, and the following items were approved:

Minutes of Joint Dinner Meeting of September 10, 2001
Minutes of Regular Meeting of September 10, 2001 (as amended)
Minutes of Workshop Meeting of September 17, 2001
Minutes of Joint Dinner Meeting of September 24, 2001
Minutes of Regular Meeting of September 24, 2001

Approval of expenses and payroll as of September 28, 2001 in the amount of $1,321,194.60

Motion to authorize the City Manager to amend the design services contract with OTAK Inc to add up to $155,000 for the design of the south central segment of the Interurban Trail Project

Motion to authorize the City Manager to execute a project agreement with the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation to receive funding for the Interurban Trail Project

Motion to approve the City Council 2001-2002 Work Plan

8. ACTION ITEMS: OTHER ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS

(a) Motion to authorize the City Manager to execute an interlocal agreement with the Shoreline Water District relating to Water Service Issues

Kristoff Bauer, Assistant to the City Manager, reviewed the staff report.

Mayor Jepsen said the City and the Shoreline Water District have come a long way in working out an agreement to move forward together on issues of mutual concern. He supported the proposed interlocal agreement.

Councilmember Montgomery moved to authorize the City Manager to execute the interlocal agreement with the Shoreline Water District relating to water services within the City of Shoreline (Attachment A, pages 50-53 of the Council packet). Deputy Mayor Hansen seconded the motion.

Shoreline Water District Board President Bob Chute said he looks forward to proceeding with the interlocal agreement. He stated that the District wants to build a well-functioning waterworks for the entire area.

A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 6-0 and the City Manager was authorized to execute the interlocal agreement with the Shoreline Water District relating to water services within the City of Shoreline. The motion carried 6-0.

Mr. Burkett said the City is working with the District and the City of Seattle to delete the provision in the water supply contract that the District is negotiating with Seattle that would terminate the contract if the District merged with the City.

(b) Motion to Adopt the Economic Development Program

Economic Development Coordinator Jan Briggs reviewed the staff report, highlighting the issues raised at the dinner meeting with the Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Jepsen invited public comment.

(1) Marlin Gabbert, 17743 25^th Avenue NE, reported on the recent American Planning Association Conference in Spokane, Washington, where he learned about the City of Renton’s economic development program. He said Renton has been successful because it has been very aggressive in its approach to economic development and has developed a business plan for the city. He recommended that the City Council consider the information he distributed from the conference and become more proactive.

Councilmember Lee moved to adopt the Economic Development Program. Deputy Mayor Hansen seconded the motion.

Commenting on the issue of additional office space in Shoreline, Councilmember Lee commented on the importance of knowing the type of office space that Shoreline should focus on. She agreed that Shoreline is probably not competitive for large office space, but it should be able to the fill the niche for businesses looking for small, inexpensive office and medical/dental space. The offices will need the latest technology.

Councilmember Lee moved to add a tenth item to the Short Term Strategies: "Pursue the installation of facilities that support fiber optic cable and other high-technology infrastructure desired in office development as part of the City’s future capital improvement projects." Deputy Mayor Hansen seconded the motion.

Councilmember Grossman wished to make sure that this does not imply that Shoreline is going to take actions to install facilities.

Councilmember Lee said the City should be a facilitator.

Councilmember Montgomery advised that the City should focus on the types of development that are likely to happen.

Councilmember Ransom noted that he has heard there is a real need for medical and dental offices, as well as other small offices, in Shoreline. He said there is a need for "low-end office space" at $19/$20 per square foot. He noted developers usually want to build structures that will bring higher rents.

Councilmember Lee felt the slowing in demand for office space is short-term and having this strategy reminds the City of the importance of technological capabilities.

A vote was taken on the amendment, which carried 6 – 0.

Councilmember Ransom moved to add a fifth bullet to Measurements of Success: "Increased sales revenue, jobs, and square footage of office and retail space." Councilmember Lee seconded the motion. He felt it will be important for the council to have periodic reports on the increases in retail sales, jobs and square footage of office/retail space.

Councilmember Montgomery felt that bullets three and four already say this. Councilmember Ransom said these are more generalized statements and he wanted to have reported the actual dollar increase or square footage increase. He preferred the specificity.

Councilmember Grossman commented that with the softness in the office space market right now, it may be that good quality renovation is what Shoreline should aim for.

Deputy Mayor Hansen agreed that there is an excess of office space. Edmonds has such an excess and has amenities to draw on that Shoreline doesn’t have. He concurred with Councilmember Montgomery that the third and fourth bullets cover what is needed. He commented on Shoreline’s role in providing entertainment through gambling and said he did not know where Shoreline will go in terms of growth. He did not want to tie growth down to the proposed specific items.

A vote was taken on the amendment, which failed 1 – 5, with Councilmember Ransom voting in the affirmative.

A vote was taken on the motion to adopt the Economic Development Program as amended, which carried 6 – 0.

9. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT

(a) Dale Wright, 18546 Burke Ave. N., commented on the Aurora Corridor design. He provided several reasons for relying on the judgment of professional traffic engineers rather than the opinions of opponents to the plan:

• N. 185^th Street is an analogous situation, where professional traffic engineers proposed changes that were opposed by members of the public--the design has worked as the professional engineers said it would and the annual accident rate on 185^th Street has been reduced from 34 per year to 8 per year;
• professionals have formal training in traffic and access management, in-depth knowledge and expertise, and knowledge of what has been effective elsewhere;
• professionals do not represent narrow special interests but have designed a configuration as directed by the Council; and
• professionals’ careers would be impacted by a poor project.

For these reasons he supported the Aurora Corridor Project as designed by the professionals.

(b) Mary Jo Heller, 14804 N. Park Ave. N., supported the proposed sidewalk widths in the Aurora Corridor Plan, as well as the medians. She said Californians have seen the use of medians and used U-turns to get into businesses. She said the medians will beautify the Corridor and make it safer.

10. ADJOURNMENT

Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.

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Sharon Mattioli, CMC
City Clerk