CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF WORKSHOP MEETING

Monday, March 4, 2002

6:30 p.m.

Shoreline Conference Center

Mt. Rainier Room

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

ABSENT: None

1. CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 6:34 p.m. by Mayor Jepsen, who presided.

2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

Mayor Jepsen led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exception of Councilmember Ransom, who arrived shortly thereafter.

3. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT AND FUTURE AGENDAS

Assistant City Manager Larry Bauman said staff met with Wong Han and spoke with James Kim to address the concerns each raised during the February 25 Council meeting about the impact of the Aurora Corridor Project on their development projects on Aurora Avenue.

4. COUNCIL REPORTS

Councilmember Hansen said he visited City park projects earlier in the day. He described the Shoreview Park Project as impressive. He said he attended the March 13 Suburban Cities Association Management Board meeting and a February 28 joint neighborhood association meeting.

Councilmember Gustafson attended the February 28 Joint Recommendations Committee (JRC) meeting. He said the consortium of King County cities annually allocates entitlement program funds of approximately $10,450,000. He shared with Council a JRC report of approved and completed activities and projects.

Continuing, Councilmember Gustafson mentioned opportunities for public input on the Draft Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8 Near-term Action Agenda for Salmon Habitat Conservation. He noted a public workshop in Seattle March 14 and one in Redmond March 21.

Councilmember Ransom arrived at 6:40 p.m.

Deputy Mayor Grossman said he visited third-grade students at Echo Lake Elementary School to participate in their consideration of community and government.

Councilmember Ransom mentioned his participation in the School District Land Bank Task Force. He noted discussion of proposals for the Alderwood Annex.

In response to Councilmember Ransom, Mayor Jepsen said Council is scheduled to receive a presentation on the Alderwood Annex proposals during its March 25 dinner meeting.

Continuing, Councilmember Ransom said he attended a WRIA 8 meeting in Council-member Gustafson's absence. He also mentioned a King County proposal to require the City to fund the District Court.

Mayor Jepsen reported that he presented the State of the City Address to the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce February 13. He mentioned coverage in the Shoreline Enterprise and the inclusion of the address in Currents, the City newsletter.

Rob Beem, Assistant Director, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, introduced Teen Program Supervisor Sigrid Batara. Ms. Batara and teen participants in Empowering Youth Everywhere (EYE) discussed the Richmond Highlands Recreation Center grand reopening activities scheduled March 23, 4:30-9 p.m.

5. PUBLIC COMMENT

(a) Stan Terry, Shoreline, praised City emphasis on sidewalks and pedestrian safety in specific capital projects (e.g., Aurora Corridor Project, North City Business District Improvements Project) and in general.

(b) Les Nelson, Shoreline, addressed the relocation of power poles behind the Safeway store at 155^th Street and Aurora Avenue N. He asserted that plans for the Safeway project do not comply with City Ordinance No. 182, which addresses undergrounding. He questioned the time line for a City response to his February 24 letter. He asked how he can become a party of record to insure the City notifies him of changes in the Safeway project plans.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, City Attorney Ian Sievers said anyone can request to receive further information on a particular permit application. Mr. Bauman said he will ask Planning and Development Services staff to note the file to make sure to advise Mr. Nelson of any significant administrative actions that are not publicly noticed concerning the Safeway project.

Councilmember Chang suggested that City staff meet with Mr. Nelson and Safeway representatives to allow Mr. Nelson to address his concerns. Mr. Bauman said the City cannot require Safeway representatives to meet with Mr. Nelson, but staff can ask if they would be willing to do so.

In response to Mayor Jepsen, Mr. Bauman agreed that staff will provide information to Council about the undergrounding requirements and exemption that Mr. Nelson discussed.

6. WORKSHOP ITEMS

(a) Police Survey Results

Shoreline Police Chief Denise Pentony reviewed the staff report. She said the results of the 2001 Police Services Survey are consistent with those of the 1998 survey. She noted that the 2001 survey helped Shoreline Police identify areas for improvement, including: customer service; crime prevention; and two-way communication.

Chief Pentony said survey respondents were unaware of many Shoreline Police community policing programs. She said the police department will work with Communications Specialist Susan Will to create a media plan to educate Shoreline citizens about opportunities to work with Shoreline Police to prevent crime. She mentioned that the department will focus on the following in its 2002 strategic plan:

• improving crime prevention;
• establishing more Block Watches;
• police newsletters/communication;
• school programs; and
• citizen advisory boards.

Reviewing the top ten crime concerns of the respondents of the 2001 survey, Chief Pentony noted a drop in concern about violent crime. She mentioned greater concern about violent crime in other cities surveyed. Regarding traffic and speeding (the third highest crime concern), she said the police department is addressing complaints about residential streets through the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program and complaints about arterial streets through the Traffic Complaint Form.

Councilmember Montgomery questioned the drop in the perception of Shoreline police as "effective" or "very effective" from 76 percent in 1998 to 56 percent in 2001. Chief Pentony said she does not know the reason for the decline. She stated her intent to investigate it.

Councilmember Chang said he has worked with Chief Pentony. He praised her professionalism. He asserted a day-and-night difference between the services of the Shoreline Police Department and police services in Shoreline before incorporation. He stated his tremendous respect for the department and its officers.

Councilmember Ransom noted burglary and drug-related issues among top police priorities in 1995. He said Shoreline Police "busted" 185 drug houses during the first few years after incorporation, and drug houses then seemed to disappear. Noting the relationship between drug-related crimes and burglary and auto prowls in the past, he asked if the reemergence of burglary and auto prowls as top crime concerns indicates a reemergence of drug-related crimes. Chief Pentony said Shoreline has not experienced a significant amount of drug-related crime. She asserted the lack of a drug problem in Shoreline schools. She explained that burglaries and auto prowls are usually crimes of opportunity. She offered to research burglary and auto prowl cases the department has solved to determine whether they related to drugs. She noted that the top crime concerns represent citizen perception, not necessarily the reality, of crime in Shoreline.

In response to Councilmember Ransom, Chief Pentony confirmed the survey finding that citizens feel very safe in Shoreline parks.

Councilmember Ransom attributed part of the drop in the perception of police effectiveness to the need for additional follow-up. He said the Customer Response Team (CRT) has been very effective at gathering data. He suggested CRT as a resource for the police department. Chief Pentony said the department works with CRT. She said the service efforts and accomplishments report, due out next month, will provide more information about police effectiveness.

Councilmember Ransom said the survey results show the community's positive feelings about the police department and reflect the input he receives from citizens. He complimented Chief Pentony.

In response to Deputy Mayor Grossman, Chief Pentony confirmed that 1,900 Part I crimes occurred in Shoreline in 2001. She explained that 800 of these were larcenies (thefts of $250). She said the number of Part I violent crimes was very low (one homicide, 16 forcible rapes, 46 robberies and 47 aggravated assaults).

Deputy Mayor Grossman expressed surprise that approximately 30 percent of the residents surveyed had contact with police during the previous year. Chief Pentony commented that the high percentage reflects the interaction of Shoreline citizens with the department.

Deputy Mayor Grossman asserted the value of the School Resource Officer (SRO) program. He noted that the third graders with whom he visited recently at Echo Lake Elementary School have a very positive perception of police as a result of their interaction with SRO Mike Phill.

Councilmember Gustafson noted that gang activity fell from number five on the 1998 list of citizen crime concerns to number 12 on the 2001 list. Chief Pentony said police experience confirms this perception: Shoreline Police no longer see gang activity. She mentioned that police in Seattle and Tacoma still have problems with gangs.

In response to Councilmember Gustafson, Chief Pentony said vandalism is not increasing in Shoreline.

Councilmember Gustafson praised the communication he received from the police department after his home was burglarized. However, he said he received little communication after the case went to the prosecutor's office. He asserted the need for ongoing contact. He mentioned that his property has been held in evidence for nearly two years. Chief Pentony agreed with the need for ongoing communication. She advocated efforts to bridge the gap between the police department and the prosecutor's office. She suggested that police detectives follow up on cases and report back to crime victims.

Councilmember Hansen asserted that the prosecutor's office should be responsible for communicating about cases it receives and that Shoreline Police should not use their time to follow up on these cases. He noted his participation in the Citizens Academy during the previous year, and he encouraged others to participate in the program. He expressed concern at the perception of a slight deterioration in police services. He commented that citizens generally seem satisfied with the police department. He stated his satisfaction with the department.

Mayor Jepsen estimated that the total of Part I and Part II crimes during 2001 (approximately 3,800) averages to approximately ten crimes per day. He reiterated the concern that Councilmember Hansen expressed about the perception of a deterioration in police services. He noted his interest in comparing the results of the police services survey to the results of the recent City survey.

Councilmember Montgomery said, overall, Shoreline residents are very satisfied with the services of the Shoreline Police. She expressed concern about the County financial crisis. She stated her hope that the City can maintain a good police contract at a reasonable cost.

Mr. Bauman said City Manager Steve Burkett participates with staff from other contracting cities in a group that is considering how to control police services costs over time.

Councilmember Ransom commented that the perceptions of the survey participants do not always reflect the reality of the time period in question.

(b) King County 2001 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan

Public Works Operations Manager Jesus Sanchez provided a brief overview of the staff report.

In response to Councilmember Montgomery, Mr. Sanchez confirmed that policy RTS-4 (page 28 of the Council packet) would preclude limiting the standard hours of operation at County transfer facilities for self-haul customers without an ordinance approved by the County Council.

Councilmember Montgomery asked if the "incentive rates . . . to minimize conflicts between self-haulers and commercial haulers" (page 28 of the Council packet) will mean higher rates for self-haulers. Mr. Sanchez explained the intent to create alternatives and incentives to reduce the amount of traffic congestion at transfer sites. He said this might result in increased fees for self-haulers at certain times during the day.

Councilmember Montgomery noted a high number of self-haulers at the time the City incorporated. Mr. Bauman said the number of self-haulers using the First Northeast Transfer Station includes residents of Seattle and Lake Forest Park.

In response to Councilmember Gustafson, Mr. Sanchez said the State Department of Ecology will not begin reviewing the 2001 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan until cities representing 75 percent of the population take action to adopt it.

Councilmember Gustafson questioned the status of City efforts to achieve direct access to the First Northeast Transfer Station from Interstate 5. Mr. Bauman noted the need for federal approval for use of the on- and off-ramps at the Metro bus base. He identified this as one of the high-priority goals for the lobbyist in Washington, D.C. with whom the City has contracted. He agreed that Council will be able to discuss the issue when it meets with federal legislators representing Shoreline during the National League of Cities Conference.

Mayor Jepsen said he remembered a previous draft of the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan that addressed financial compensation for communities in which transfer stations are located. Mr. Sanchez said the finance section of the plan alludes to mitigation fees that cities could adopt in consultation with King County. He commented that private haulers often pass on fee increases to ratepayers. Mayor Jepsen said he remembered provisions under which the Countywide program would compensate cities affected by major transfer facilities.

Mayor Jepsen said the name of the First Northeast Transfer Station makes it easy to gloss over the impacts to the City of its location within Shoreline. He noted that other transfer stations are named by city. Mr. Sanchez offered to address this issue with the County.

Councilmember Chang suggested a City yard waste compost center with a dumping fee of $40 per ton. He mentioned the County dumping fee of $82.50 per ton. He said the City could use the compost in parks and sell it to residents. Recycling Coordinator Rika Cecil asserted that a compost center for Shoreline residents would require a large piece of land. She explained City plans to create a compost facility for municipal green waste. She said the master plan for the First Northeast Transfer Station includes the expansion of the recycling facility to provide an area for self-haulers to dump yard waste for subsequent transfer to Cedar Grove.

Mayor Jepsen reiterated that Council wants to maintain the self-hauling option for Shoreline residents. He noted the goal to include "Shoreline" or "City of Shoreline" in the name of the First Northeast Transfer Station. He asked staff to confirm that the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan still addresses financial compensation for cities with transfer stations within their boundaries.

7. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT

(a) Les Nelson, Shoreline, clarified that his objections to the relocation of electrical power facilities behind the 155^th Street and Aurora Avenue N Safeway store concern City staff interpretation of Ordinance No. 82. He asked if the City has applied the ordinance to require undergrounding anywhere in Shoreline.

(b) Dale Wright, Shoreline, noted discussion during the February 25 Council meeting of the raised medians included in the Aurora Corridor Project. He cited a study by the Texas Department of Transportation that found that adjacent businesses benefited economically from raised medians. He asserted safety as a more important consideration. He cited a Georgia Department of Transportation study comparing accident rates on roads with two-way left-turn lanes and roads with raised medians. He said the study showed that roads with raised medians had a 45-percent lower accident rate, a 43-percent lower injury rate and a 78-percent lower rate of pedestrian fatalities than roads with two-way left-turn lanes. He asserted that raised medians are essential to making Aurora Avenue safer.

Mayor Jepsen said the City has enforced the undergrounding requirements of Ordinance No. 82 in many situations. He said staff is preparing a response to Mr. Nelson's February 24 letter. He noted that Council has asked staff to provide information about its interpretation of City undergrounding requirements regarding the Safeway project.

8. ADJOURNMENT

At 8:05 p.m., Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned.

_____________________________
Sharon Mattioli, CMC
City Clerk