CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

Monday, May 13, 2002
7:30 p.m.
Shoreline Conference Center
Mt. Rainier Room

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

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 Montgomery.

3. REPORT OF CITY MANAGER

City Manager Steve Burkett congratulated Larry Bauman on his appointment as the new City Manager of the City of Snohomish. Mayor Jepsen wished Mr. Bauman well.

Mr. Burkett commented on the funding issues regarding King County swimming pools. He said the City is concerned because Shoreline taxpayers are paying for both the Shoreline pool and the County’s sixteen other pools. Shoreline will be suggesting an alternative method of funding these county pools by those who use them locally.

4. REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: None

5. PUBLIC COMMENT:

(a) Alisa Brooks, Shoreline, advocated for a traffic signal at 15^th Avenue NE and NE 170^th Street ("intersection"). She said the overhead crosswalk sign at this intersection is not effective. She also pointed out that the North City Plan does not include a traffic signal here, even though it is aimed at attracting more people into North City. Ms. Brooks turned in postcards signed by neighbors with comments asking for improved pedestrian safety.

(b) David Townsend, Shoreline, the father of the elementary student killed in the intersection, said that three people have died there in the past five years. He said the overhead crosswalk sign gives a false sense of security. He distributed a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation called "Safety Effects of Marked vs. Unmarked Crosswalks at Uncontrolled Locations." Emphasizing the danger of this intersection, he said marked crosswalks without traffic signals are particularly dangerous to the elderly and children, who do not move as quickly. He pointed out that the Seven-Eleven entices children to cross the street at this intersection. He concluded that the overhead crosswalk sign makes a dangerous intersection more dangerous. He advocated for a traffic signal.

(c) Gretchen Atkinson, Shoreline, said the traffic in North City has not increased too much. When the North City Plan is implemented, additional safety measures will be put in. She thanked the Council and the City for installing the overhead crosswalk sign.

(d) Bob Thelen, Seattle, spoke as an adult crossing guard with the Seattle Police. He agreed that the overhead crosswalk sign has not made the intersection safer. He said this type of signage should be used for general pedestrian crossings, not in school zones. He questioned why the area is not marked as a school zone. He said this is a very dangerous intersection that is not being treated with appropriate concern. He demonstrated the green neon sign used in Seattle at crosswalks.

(e) Jim Shea, Shoreline, commented on the free-standing Starbucks that opened recently on Aurora Avenue. He felt Starbucks was encouraged in its choice by the Aurora Corridor Plan. He thanked the Council and staff for working with business owners in the first phase of the project. He felt that Aurora Avenue merchants should be pleased that they will not have to pay for the improvements themselves through a Local Improvement District (LID).

Mayor Jepsen thanked Mr. Thelen for bringing in the sign. Councilmember Gustafson added that this type of sign is useful. He saw its impact in Seattle and felt the City should pursue using such signs.

Mayor Jepsen said the Shoreline School District tries to draw school district boundaries so that children do not have to cross arterials. So this intersection is not in a school zone. It is acknowledged that the convenience store draws school children across the street. He said Councilmembers are looking at what is being used in other cities and are reviewing these options.

Mr. Burkett said staff and Council want to work with the "Tia Group" to make that intersection as safe was possible. The intent of the North City Business Plan is not to increase traffic. It is to discourage high speed traffic and make the area more pedestrian-friendly. He concluded that "experts" in pedestrian safety do not agree on the best methods, and no methods are infallible. Staff will continue to evaluate the options and bring back the best choice for making the intersection safe.

Councilmember Ransom was concerned about the validity of the traffic numbers mentioned by one of the speakers. He said he would be concerned about an increase to 19,000 daily trips when the North City Plan reduces 15^th Avenue NE to three lanes. He wished to ensure the accuracy of the City’s traffic counts.

Mr. Burkett said this is one of the major items to be provided in the design study.

Councilmember Hansen commented on the pleasing look of the Starbuck’s building and asked if there is more development going in up the street.

6. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

7. CONSENT CALENDAR

8. ACTION ITEMS: OTHER ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS

(a) Ordinance No. 303 adopting a voluntary payment-in-lieu-of construction program

Tim Stewart, Planning and Development Services Director, said this amendment addresses the "sidewalk to nowhere" problem. It allows developers to choose to donate funds to be allocated to a Capital Improvement Project in the general neighborhood rather than build a sidewalk in front of their project that does not connect to other sidewalks.

Councilmember Chang suggested that the developer should be required to ask the whole block to participate in an LID. Only if the residents decline, would the developer place the money in the fund. This would mean the improvement would be done immediately, rather than waiting up to five years. It would contribute to an upgrade of the whole block, and, if it happened everywhere, to the entire city.

Mr. Stewart said the Development Code allows for an exemption to making an improvement or donating to the CIP if the street will be improved as a whole through an LID within five years of project approval.

Councilmember Chang said the developer should have to go out to the community to initiate the LID, rather than the City.

Councilmember Gustafson was concerned about the flexibility allowed by the ordinance. Mr. Stewart said this was extensively debated by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission wanted to be sure that participation in the program was not discouraged by requiring a larger contribution to the in-lieu-of program than it would cost to build the improvement. The ordinance requires the developer and the applicant to agree on the amount of the payment, and it must be based on the construction costs of the improvement required.

Councilmember Gustafson was pleased to see that, in addition to sidewalks, the program includes bikeways, trails, etc.

Responding to Councilmember Ransom’s concern about having to expend the money in five years, City Attorney Ian Sievers said this is statutorily regulated. However, the money can be spent for design as well as construction, which allows some additional time.

9. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT

Councilmember Chang announced that the Seattle Korean Association is sponsoring a free healthcare day for Shoreline residents on Saturday, June 8. He thanked Mr. Burkett and Rob Beem, Assistant Parks Director, for their assistance in organizing this program.

(a) Alisa Brooks, Shoreline, mentioned another traffic sign to address pedestrian safety. She noted that middle school children who live on the east side of 15^th Avenue NE must cross the street to catch their bus. She said that all her neighbors are concerned about pedestrian safety and want a traffic signal at this intersection. She offered the help of the Tia Group and asked the City to form a pedestrian advisory committee in order to link citizens and the City.

(b) Randy Ferrell, Shoreline, spoke as a board member of the Shoreline Merchants Association to address factual inaccuracies regarding the Aurora Corridor Project. He said Shoreline plans to spend $28.2 million on the first mile of the project. Lynnwood averaged $4.1 million per mile and SeaTac $6.6 million per mile for the completed phases of their projects. He provided figures for other cities and said Shoreline is spending more than twice the next highest amount. He asked Mr. Burkett to clarify his previous comment that Shoreline and SeaTac’s figures are similar. Mr. Ferrell said the total cost of the project is $80 million, half of which will come from the City’s budget. He felt there were better uses for this money. He asked the Council to negotiate with Aurora businesses on the plan.

(c) David Townsend, Shoreline, noted that the North City Plan shows the improvements to 152^nd Street NE to 172^nd Street NE as the last part of the project. He felt this should come first to benefit children and other walkers. Otherwise, nothing will happen here until 2006.

Mr. Townsend also had a negative comment about a City employee who works with roadways.

(d) Anthony Polin, Shoreline, opposed asking developers/property owners in the Richmond Beach area to install curbs and sidewalks, which he felt is the City’s responsibility. He also mentioned a California court decision relating to railroad tracks and denying beach access by private property owners. He said this is occurring in Appletree Lane. The California decision requires both the railroad and homeowners to open up access to saltwater beaches.

(e) Don Scoby, Shoreline, noted he is meeting on Saturdays at the intersection with other Tia supporters. He reported witnessing numerous near-misses in the crosswalk and several traffic violations. He commented on three police cars in the area that did nothing to cite violators while he was there. He encouraged Council to address the pedestrian situation in Shoreline.

(f) Bob Thelen, Seattle, said the concern for pedestrian safety is going beyond Shoreline. He explained what is necessary for crosswalk safety near schools. He said Shoreline should not reinvent the wheel, but duplicate what works. He said the sign he brought is a standard in the State of Washington. He asked Council to put safety first.

Responding to Mr. Townsend’s comment, Mayor Jepsen noted that Council has already made the 152^nd Street to 172^nd Street segment a priority in the North City Plan.

Councilmember Ransom said he has asked staff about Appletree Lane and whether homeowners have grandfathered rights to close off access to the beach. He said there has been no building on the northend until recently, so he doubted there could be any grandfathered rights there. He asked staff to review this. He also brought up the idea of the two-acre parcel south of Appletree Lane as a potential addition to Saltwater Park.

Councilmember Ransom commented that the City has to comply with certain regulations before a traffic signal can be added to the system. He said the City is moving through this process as quickly as it can.

10. EXECUTIVE SESSION

At 8:40 p.m. the Mayor announced that the Council would recess into executive session for 30 minutes to discuss potential litigation. At 9:15 p.m., he announced that the executive session would be extended for another half hour. At 9:54 p.m. the executive session concluded and the regular meeting reconvened.

10. ADJOURNMENT

At 9:55 p.m., Mayor Jepsen declared the meeting adjourned.

______________________

Sharon Mattioli, City Clerk