CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF WORKSHOP MEETING

 

Tuesday, February 22, 2005                                                                                                    

Shoreline Conference Center

6:30 p.m.  Mt. Rainier Room

 

 

PRESENT:       Mayor Hansen, Councilmembers Fimia, Grace, and Ransom

 

ABSENT:        Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang and Gustafson

 

1.                  CALL TO ORDER

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 p.m. by Mayor Hansen, who presided.

 

2.         FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

 

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

 

Upon motion by Councilmember Grace, seconded by Councilmember Ransom and unanimously carried, Deputy Mayor Jepsen was excused.

 

Councilmember Chang requested to be excused from the meeting due to vision problems.  Upon motion by Councilmember Grace, seconded by Councilmember Ransom and unanimously carried, Councilmember Chang was excused.  Councilmember Chang left the meeting at 6:45 p.m.

 

(At 9:48 p.m. Councilmember Grace moved to excuse Councilmember Gustafson.  Councilmember Ransom seconded the motion, which carried unanimously and Councilmember Gustafson was excused.)

 

3.         CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

 

City Manager Steve Burkett briefly reported on the following items:

 

  • Dinner event hosted by Shoreline Community College for a student delegation from sister city Boryeong, Korea
  • Map depicting major City construction projects now available on the City website
  • Paving/construction on phases of the Interurban Trail
  • 3rd Avenue NW Drainage Project
  • Landscaping improvements at the entrance of Hamlin Park, completed by Public Works
  • Citizens Police Academy

 

Mayor Hansen remarked on the value of the Citizens Police Academy.

 

4.         REPORTS OF BOARD AND COMMISSIONS:  none

 

5.         PUBLIC COMMENT 

 

(a)                Nancy Rust, Shoreline, commented on her 16 years of service in the state legislature and her work on the original Growth Management Act.  She emphasized the importance of protecting critical areas, noting her concern about certain Comprehensive Plan proposals that weaken critical areas protection.  She opposed the proposal to allow tree cutting in critical areas, and said the people who spoke at last week’s meeting do not speak for all Innis Arden residents. 

 

(b)               Elaine Phelps, Shoreline, vice president of the Association for Responsible Management (ARM) of Innis Arden, concurred with the previous speaker and asserted that a City staff member called an Innis Arden resident to testify in favor of tree cutting last week.  She said Mr. Eglick represents the Innis Arden Club board, not a majority of Innis Arden shareholders.  She said the shareholders are not privy to the board’s actions, and that Mr. Rasch was pressured to resign from the board.

 

(c)                Janet Way, Shoreline, invited people to attend forums sponsored by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce and the Sno-King Environmental Council.  The Chamber forum will focus on City Hall, and the Sno-King forum will focus on the Comprehensive Plan and the critical areas ordinance.

 

(d)               Jules Liptrap, Shoreline, wondered if the City would be forced into another permanent lease agreement with the Design/Build alternative for City Hall.  He noted that the City stands to gain nothing from another lease.

 

Mr. Burkett noted that a lease/purchase agreement gives the Council the option to buy at any time.

 

6.         WORKSHOP ITEMS

 

(b)               2004 Comprehensive Plan Update and master plans for Transportation, Surface Water, and Parks, Recreation and Open Space

 

Tim Stewart, Planning and Development Services Director, provided a brief staff report and responded to Councilmember Fimia regarding whether the current review process complies with land use policy LU7 of the Comprehensive Plan.  He said it did, noting that the impacts and criteria have been evaluated as part of the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) process.  He said this current process is a major update, and most criteria have been applied to the update.

 

Councilmember Ransom observed that the proposed plan does not include a statement of anticipated impacts, nor does it demonstrate how it complies with GMA goals.

 

Mr. Stewart said the detailed SEPA checklists show the impacts the plan needs to meet all state and local requirements.  He said the Planning Commission’s amendments are recommended because they are not considered substantive changes.

 

Councilmember Ransom noted that the Council has not been provided this detailed data on SEPA and GMA.  Mr. Stewart said the issue is what level of detail and analysis the Council wishes to undertake. 

 

Mayor Hansen called for public comment.

 

(a)                Nancy Rust, Shoreline, commented on the history of legal disputes regarding the Innis Arden Reserves.  She noted that the appellate court affirmed the legality of the Innis Arden covenant allowing trees to be cut on residential tracts.  However, the King County sensitive areas ordinance was adopted shortly thereafter, which allowed some trees to be saved.  She opposed the Comprehensive Plan proposal to allow cutting of up to six trees in critical areas. 

 

(b)               Janet Way, Shoreline, concurred with the previous speaker, noting that the intent of the law is to protect critical areas.  She pointed out that Item #384 of the Comprehensive Plan matrix only identifies acquisition as a mechanism for enhancing open space/natural areas.  She felt more methods should be identified.  She noted that there are no tools to evaluate the values of parks.

 

(c)                Elaine Phelps, Shoreline, concurred with previous speakers, expressing strong support for protecting significant trees and steep slopes.  She noted that the Innis Arden Club cut over 80 trees in the Innis Arden Reserves, but wanted to cut 120.  She pointed out that Seattle is writing laws preventing tree cutting on public land.  She said she would prefer that some trees never be cut.

 

(d)               George Mauer, Shoreline, expressed concern about the potential for public takings as well as environmental degradation.  He said the City must be careful to craft legislation that balances private property rights with environmental preservation.  He urged the City not to enter into public/private partnerships unless the public can be assured of an equity position in such relationships.  He said average citizens do not understand what is being discussed regarding the Comprehensive Plan, and that there should be no “waffling” on land use policy LU7.

 

(e)                Brian Derdowski, Bellevue, on behalf of Public Interest Associates, Thornton Creek Legal Defense Fund, and Sno-King Environmental Council, stated that certain substantive amendments to the Comprehensive Plan would address most of the issues of the organizations he represents.  He said if there are no substantive changes to the Comprehensive Plan, then the City must follow land use policy LU7.  He felt each item under this policy should be addressed.  He thanked the Council for its deliberative approach to the plan update.

                                                                                               

Councilmember Fimia suggested the alternate approach of putting the burden on staff and the Planning Commission to justify why any changes should be made to the Comprehensive Plan.  She also requested documentation on how the plan complies with SEPA on a policy-by-policy basis.  She suggested that the planning staff show which amendments are the highest priority.

 

Councilmember Grace expressed concern that under such an approach, another week would pass without having a substantive discussion on the amendments.  He suggested that the Council continue reviewing the policies rather than changing the process.

 

There was Council consensus to continue reviewing the proposed policies on an item-by-item basis. Members of the Council requested that the following items be “logged” for further discussion:

 

·                    #132-133 (Fimia)

·                    #134 (Ransom)

·                    #135, #137, #139 (Grace)

·                    #141-142 (Ransom)

·                    #143 (Fimia)

·                    #148 (Fimia)

·                    #150-152 (Fimia)

·                    #153 (Ransom)

·                    #156 (Fimia)

·                    #157 (Ransom)

·                    #158 (Fimia)

·                    #159-161 (Ransom)

·                    #163-164 (Fimia)

·                    #166 (Fimia)

·                    #173 (Ransom)

·                    #178 (Fimia)

·                    #180-183 (Fimia)

·                    #187 (Fimia)

·                    #191-193 (Fimia)

·                    #195-196 (Fimia)

·                    #204-205 (Fimia)

·                    #207-212 (Fimia)

·                    #213

·                    #218 (Grace)

·                    #226 (Ransom)

·                    #238-239 (Fimia)

·                    #241-242 (Fimia)

·                    #244 (Fimia)

·                    #247 (Fimia)

·                    #250 (Fimia)

·                    #252 (Fimia)

·                    #254-255 (Fimia)

·                    #263 (Ransom)

·                    #264 (Fimia)

·                    #268 (Fimia)

·                    #272-273 (Fimia)

·                    #277 (Ransom)

·                    #285 (Ransom)

·                    #289 (Fimia)

·                    #292 (Fimia)

·                    #294 (Grace)

·                    #301 (Fimia, Ransom)

·                    #306 (Ransom)

·                    #315 (Ransom)

·                    #321 (Ransom)

·                    #332-337 (Fimia, Grace)

·                    #344 (Ransom)

·                    #345 (Fimia)

·                    #346 (Grace)

·                    #357 (Grace)

·                    #359 (Fimia)

·                    #361 (Fimia)

·                    #365 (Fimia)

·                    #366-369 (Ransom)

·                    #372-375 (Fimia)

·                    #381 (Fimia)

·                    #382 (Ransom)

·                    #383-384 (Fimia)

·                    #386 (Fimia)

·                    #390 (Fimia)

·                    #392-394 (Fimia)

·                    #399 (Grace)

·                    #401 (Fimia)

·                    #404 (Ransom)

·                    #406 (Ransom)

·                    #409 (Ransom)

·                    #424 (Grace)

·                    #427 (Fimia)

·                    #430 (Fimia)

·                    #432 (Ransom)

·                    #443 (Ransom)

·                    #446-448 (Fimia)

·                    #450-451 (Fimia)

·                    #452-453 (Fimia, Ransom)

·                    #454-459 (Fimia)

·                    #460 (Fimia, Ransom)

·                    #461 (Fimia)

·                    #466-470 (Fimia)

·                    #473 (Fimia)

·                    #475 (Fimia)

·                    #477 (Ransom)

·                    #479 (Fimia)

·                    #480 (Ransom)

·                    #482-484 (Fimia)

·                    #485 (Grace)

·                    #486-487 (Fimia)

·                    #492 (Ransom)

·                    #496-497 (Ransom)

·                    #498 (Fimia)

·                    #506 (Fimia)

·                    #509 (Ransom)

·                    #511-512 (Ransom)

·                    #514 (Ransom)

·                    #522 (Fimia)

·                    #523 (Ransom)

·                    #527 (Ransom)

·                    #531-532 (Fimia)

·                    #545 (Ransom)

·                    #547 (Fimia)

·                    #550-552 (Fimia)

·                    #554 (Ransom)

·                    #558 (Ransom)

·                    #559 (Fimia)

·                    #562-566 (Ransom)

·                    #570 (Ransom)

·                    #576 (Ransom)

·                    #579 (Ransom)

·                    #582-583 (Fimia)

·                    #586-587 (Fimia)

·                    #589-591 (Fimia)

·                    #596 (Fimia)

·                    #604-605 (Fimia)

·                    #607 (Fimia)

·                    #608 (Ransom)

·                    #611 (Fimia, Ransom)

·                    #613 (Fimia)

·                    #619 (Ransom)

 

Following this exercise, Mr. Stewart indicated that staff would prepare an updated matrix, including rationale for the amendments.

 

Councilmember Grace suggested that recently received comments may need to be logged and included in the matrix.

 

Councilmember Fimia suggested that members of the Council should also be prepared to submit any amendments at the next meeting.  She then expressed concern about the City’s policy on sidewalk construction in residential neighborhoods.  She noted the potential conflict between building sidewalks and the removal of trees in the right-of-way.  She wondered if the policy could be modified to achieve both goals related to sidewalks and tree preservation.

 

Mr. Stewart explained the City’s “payment in lieu of” policy, which allows developers to contribute to a fund for sidewalk construction.

 

Jill Marilley, City Engineer, noted that the fund has collected only about $50,000 in the past 2.5 years of activity.  Responding to Councilmember Ransom, Ms. Marilley noted that $200/lineal foot is a fairly reasonable estimate for the average cost of building sidewalks. 

 

Councilmember Ransom commented on the extra wide sidewalks proposed for 15th Avenue NE and Aurora Avenue.  He noted that many neighborhoods are asking for sidewalks, but cost is an issue.

 

Paul Haines, Public Works Director, responded to Council questions related to sidewalk widths, average cost per lineal foot of sidewalk, and funding options.  He said staff is exploring alternatives to traditional concrete sidewalks as part of the Transportation Master Plan.  He said this might be a way to achieve less expensive pedestrian solutions.

Staff is also considering all school routes as part of the planning process.  He noted that the 7-foot sidewalks proposed for Aurora Avenue are actually less than the standard width of 8 feet for commercial zones. 

 

Councilmember Fimia expressed interest in modifying the policies to include alternatives to concrete sidewalks, which could have less impact on the environment.  Ms. Marilley noted that the transportation policies include a new provision for “flexible sidewalk standards.”

 

The Council then discussed next steps and the process for completing its review of the Comprehensive Plan. 

 

Councilmember Ransom indicated that he might be absent at the March 7 meeting due to a previously scheduled engagement.

 

Mayor Hansen was optimistic that the Council would be able to resolve many of the outstanding items relatively quickly.  He suggested that the Council begin its deliberation at the next meeting.

 

Councilmember Fimia suggested that separating the technical and substantive amendments would help facilitate the process.  She felt that any significant changes or amendments that tend to “weaken” the policies could be considered substantive changes.  She also requested the policy basis for not following land use policy LU7.

 

Mr. Stewart commented on the difficulty of achieving a consensus regarding which amendments are considered technical and which are substantive.  He noted that such a determination takes discretion. 

 

Councilmember Grace pointed out that the Council has only logged certain items up to this point.  He felt that a sorting process would be premature since the Council has not yet had a substantive discussion on the merits of the amendments.

 

Turning to the upcoming vacancies on the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Board, Mayor Hansen appointed Councilmembers Chang, Gustafson and Ransom to serve on a subcommittee to review applications for these positions.

 

7.         ADJOURNMENT

 

At 9:50 p.m., Mayor Hansen declared the meeting adjourned.

 

 

 

_________________________

Scott Passey, Deputy City Clerk