CITY OF SHORELINE

 

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING

 

Monday, July 11, 2005                                                                                                            

Shoreline Conference Center

7:30 p.m.  Mt. Rainier Room

 

 

PRESENT:       Mayor Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang, Fimia, Grace, Gustafson, and Ransom

 

ABSENT:        none

 

1.                  CALL TO ORDER

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. by Mayor Hansen, who presided.

 

2.         FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL

 

Mayor Hansen led the flag salute.  Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.

 

(a)                Proclamation of High School Girls Tennis Week

 

Mayor Hansen read the proclamation honoring the achievements of the Shorewood High School Girls Tennis Team and their coach, Arnie Moreno.

 

Elaine Swanson, Shorewood High School Assistant Principal, along with several team members, accepted the proclamation and thanked the City for this recognition.

 

(b)               Shoreline Star – Jeff Lewis

 

Mayor Hansen presented the ninth Shoreline Star to Shoreline resident Jeff Lewis and outlined his many contributions to the community through his involvement in the Shoreline Bank, Shoreline Community College Board of Trustees, Shoreline Community College Foundation Board, Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council Advisory Board, Forward Shoreline, and the Shoreline Breakfast Rotary.  He described Mr. Lewis’ efforts to secure funding for the Showmobile as well as other volunteer and charitable activities.

 

Mr. Lewis thanked the City for this recognition and commented on the importance of recognizing the many opportunities for positive change in Shoreline.

 

(c)                King County Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds

 

 

Councilmember Carolyn Edmonds presented Mayor Hansen with a check for $1.1 million as mitigation for the County’s Hidden Lake Pump Station and Boeing Creek Trunk Sewer projects. 

 

3.         CITY MANAGER’S REPORT

 

§Steve Burkett, City Manager, provided his weekly report on the following items:

 

  • The groundbreaking ceremony for the Aurora Corridor project, which was attended by Senator Patty Murray and Congressman Jay Inslee;
  • the project schedule for the Aurora Corridor Project;
  • the 10-Year Anniversary Celebration at the Shoreline Historical Museum on July 14;
  • updates on the North City Project;
  • the new City Clerk, Scott Passey;
  • and the ongoing slurry seal program for City streets

 

Councilmember Grace commented favorably on the Aurora groundbreaking ceremony and on the high level of public cooperation and support for the project.

 

4.         REPORTS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS:  none

 

There was Council consensus to take the public hearing portion of agenda item 8(a) next.

 

8.         ACTION ITEMS: PUBLIC HEARING

 

(a)                Continued public hearing to consider citizens comments on the proposed 2006-2011 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

and the proposed 2006-2011 Transportation Improvement Plan (continued from June 20, 2005)

 

Mayor Hansen opened the continued public hearing.

 

            (a)        Ken Cottingham, Shoreline, pointed out that there are no sidewalks proposed for Carlyle Hall Road in the CIP.  He said that at Priority Level 4, it is unlikely that funds will even be spent to build sidewalks there.  He noted that several other factors that were not considered would qualify the road as a higher priority.

 

            (b)        Rob Hill, Shoreline, representing Hillwood Soccer and other soccer groups, thanked the Council and staff for raising the priority level of field turf for Shoreline Athletic Fields A and B to Priority Level 1A.  He said he is excited at the thought of more and safer use of the fields by soccer organizations.

 

Upon motion by Councilmember Gustafson, seconded by Councilmember Ransom and unanimously carried, the public hearing was closed.

 

There was Council consensus to defer action on Ordinance No. 395 until after Public Comment and Approval of the Agenda.

 

5.         PUBLIC COMMENT 

 

            (a)        Larry Newman, Shoreline, expressed excitement at the prospect of field turf for fields A and B.  He said his whole family is involved in soccer, and upgraded fields will greatly enhance the safety and enjoyment of the game.  He noted that many men’s teams refuse to play on the existing fields due to health and safety concerns.

 

            (b)        Virginia Paulsen, Shoreline, cited research showing that the natural environment facilitates physical and psychological well-being.  She commented on the many benefits that nature provides, pointing out that it should not be thought of only in terms of how it can benefit an individual or a corporation.  She emphasized the importance of equal access to nature facilities by the entire community.

 

            (c)        Brian Dimak, Lake Forest Park, urged the Council to move ahead with turf upgrades for Shoreline fields A and B.  He said the upgraded field turf would greatly improve the safety for the 2,300 soccer players in the area.  He added that new turf would decrease the City’s long-term maintenance costs.  He concluded by commenting on the health and safety hazards that dirt fields create. 

 

            (d)        Sadrina Dorn, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline School District teacher and sports coach for many years, said she has never allowed tennis players to play on unsafe surfaces, and the same should hold true for soccer.  She commented on the potential injuries and health problems that hard surfaces create, including asthma and torn ligaments.  She said she never wants to see a girl quit a sport because of health problems or injuries that could have been prevented. 

 

            (e)        Todd Linton, Shoreline, president of the Hillwood Soccer Club, stated that he would like to see the City move forward with field turf for fields A and B.  He noted that his organization has accumulated seed money to get the project started, and that the turf upgrades could be paid for through higher adult fees and increased usage.  He said he would like to see the fields be a source of pride for Shoreline rather than a source of shame. 

 

            (f)         Bruce Bosma, Shoreline, thanked the Council for its contributions to the Center for Human Services (CHS), a community program which has helped him stay clean and sober for the past two years. 

 

(g)                Ken Cottingham, Shoreline, said that traffic signals at the intersections of N 175th Street and Stone Avenue and N 175th Street and Ashworth are totally unjustified and should be deleted from the transportation master plan.  He said there is no warrant for a north-south traffic signal on Ashworth or at Stone Way due to the steep grade and lack of traffic. 

 

(h)                Jules Liptrap, Shoreline, felt the traffic signal proposed for the intersection of N 165th Street and Aurora Avenue is not justified due to the lack of east-west vehicular traffic on N 165th Street.  He noted that N 165th Street ends at Ashworth Avenue.  He felt the money could be better used elsewhere.

 

(i)                  Dan Mann, Shoreline, said he was disappointed to find that no members of the Shoreline Merchants Association (SMA) were included on the Economic Development Task Force.  He noted that the SMA was one of the few groups that have staunchly supported the business community.  He also noted that neither the Sno-King Environmental Council nor advocates for Thornton Creek were included on the task force.  He felt the Council should facilitate respectful dialogue with all community groups and avoid marginalizing any one group, which only invites further division within the City.

 

6.         APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

 

Upon motion by Councilmember Grace, seconded by Councilmember Fimia and unanimously carried, the agenda was approved.

 

7.         CONSENT CALENDAR

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen moved approval of the consent calendar.  Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried unanimously, and the following consent calendar items were approved:

           

            Minutes of Special Meeting of June 20, 2005

            Minutes of Regular Meeting of June 27, 2005

           

            Approval of expenses and payroll as of June 30,

            2005 in the amount of $2,018,988.46

 

            Ordinance No. 396 amending Ordinance No. 392

            related to the regulation of motorized foot scooters

            and similar devices

                       

 

8.         ACTION ITEMS: PUBLIC HEARING

 

Ordinance No. 395 adopting the 2006-2011 Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan

 

Councilmember Gustafson moved Ordinance No. 395, adopting the 2006-2011 Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan.  Deputy Mayor Jepsen seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Gustafson moved to allocate $1.6 million for synthetic infill turf for Shoreline Fields A and B, with installation to be completed on or before September 1, 2006.  This would be funded using $200,000 of community contribution, $400,000 from City gateways, and $1 million from sidewalk funding in the Capital Improvement Plan.  Councilmember Grace seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Gustafson explained the rationale for the motion, citing safety improvements, increased rental revenues, decreases maintenance costs, and economic development opportunities as a result of new field surfaces.  He said although he is reluctant to divert sidewalk funding, he encourages the Bond Advisory Committee to add $1 million back into sidewalks for a bond issue.  He stressed the urgency of improving the fields as soon as possible.

 

Councilmember Chang concurred, although he favored diverting $1 million from the City Hall Project instead of from sidewalks.  He noted the tremendous opportunities for safety and economic development that would result from improving the soccer fields.

 

Councilmember Ransom suggested that the $1 million be taken from the General Fund allocation to Aurora Corridor Phase 2.  He noted there is $10 million in funding for Aurora Corridor Phase 2, but $4 million of this is excess funding that could be used for sidewalks, South Woods, Hamlin Park, or other priorities.    

 

Councilmember Gustafson was amenable to the amendment, but requested clarification from staff as to how the funding could be achieved, either through a bond issue, borrowing, or other sources. 

 

Mr. Burkett said the issue of soccer fields versus sidewalks is a perfect example of the kinds of decisions the Council must make on its capital priorities.   He noted that the Capital Improvement Plan assumes potential bond issues totaling $13 million, so the question is which projects should be funded with available money in the CIP, and which should be put on a bond issue.  He said staff estimates a need of $9 million to $11 million of City funding in Aurora Corridor Phase 2 in order to attract grants for the project.   

 

Councilmember Grace questioned the estimates related to increased rental fees and reduced field maintenance. 

 

Mr. Burkett said although staff takes a more conservative approach as to how much revenue can be generated by field improvements, staff can find a way to fund the fields if it is a high Council priority. 

 

Dick Deal, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Director, advised caution in predicting significant increases in rental revenues and cost savings.  He said the City would anticipate increased use as a result of the field improvements, but increasing revenues by $100,000 would require unreasonably high rates.  He noted that the existing fields are used quite extensively.

 

Councilmember Gustafson said his estimates for rental revenues were based on other jurisdictions and were fairly conservative. 

 

Responding to Council, Mr. Deal said field turf is a relatively new product and its estimated life span is about 12-14 years. 

 

Debbie Tarry, Finance Director, noted that a State program would allow the City to borrow the funding based on estimated additional revenues.  She felt that borrowing half of the improvement cost would be reasonable in this situation (based on a ten-year loan).

 

Councilmember Chang commented that the improved fields would increase the City’s economic base, as teams and spectators would be traveling to Shoreline for tournaments.  He suggested that the resulting increases in tax revenue might be enough to cover the costs of the project.  He also felt the school district should become a partner with the City in improving its fields so there would be an adequate number of soccer fields. 

 

Mr. Burkett noted that the school district is considering a number of bond issues, one of which might include field turf.   He agreed that improved fields could have a positive economic impact but was reluctant to speculate on revenue projections.  

 

Councilmember Fimia supported accelerating the field turf option, but not at the expense of sidewalks.   She noted that the increased rental revenue could be “siphoned off” due to the projected gap between City revenues and expenditures in the future.    She felt the City could borrow half of the funding ($800,000), with the remainder coming from the community ($200,000), gateways ($400,000), and lower priority projects. 

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen emphasized the need to provide staff with concrete direction and to avoid “moving things around.”  He said the proposals to this point would require extensive modifications to the CIP.  He would support borrowing half ($800,000) and using funding from gateways ($400,000), community ($200,000), and sidewalks ($200,000).

 

Mayor Hansen felt since there is already expenditure for fields in 2007, it could simply be accelerated to 2006, so identifying additional funding sources may not be needed.

 

Mr. Burkett clarified that the future funding in 2007 is for grants or bonds, so it should not be considered secured funding.   

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen advocated for sizing the borrowing against the anticipated revenues and fees, and then reconciling the difference with other sources.

 

Councilmember Grace noted several other potential amendments to the CIP and emphasized the need to “look at the whole picture” before making a decision.    

 

Councilmember Fimia suggested looking at the Cromwell Park master plan as a potential source of additional funding.  She noted that the safety issues of the athletic fields outweigh the lower priorities of Cromwell Park.  Furthermore, the funding should come from another recreation budget item, not from an unrelated budget.  She suggested using the $455,000 from the Cromwell Park master plan to help fill the gap. 

 

Staff affirmed that the City’s cash flow situation could accommodate this change.  Mr. Deal requested that $55,000 remain in the Cromwell Park line item for site planning.

 

Councilmember Gustafson accepted as a friendly amendment that turf for fields A & B be funded using loans ($800,000), community contribution ($200,000), and transferring funding from Cromwell Park ($400,000) and City gateways ($200,000).   

 

After further discussion, a vote was taken on the amendment, which carried 7-0.

 

On another topic, Councilmember Ransom felt that rather than having a long list of gateway projects in the CIP, the City should only concentrate on the highest priority locations.  He felt strongly that the City should move forward with construction of the Dayton Avenue/Westminster Way gateway and complete it within a year’s time.  He commented on the unsightly condition of the site. 

 

Mayor Hansen expressed support for improving this site, although he doubted the City could complete any capital project within a one-year timeframe.  

 

Mr. Burkett said the Dayton Avenue gateway was next on the priority list.  The estimated cost of this gateway is $250,000, with a total gateway budget of $450,000. 

 

Councilmember Fimia said she could not justify spending $250,000 for a City gateway at this site since it is not conducive to multipurpose use or safe pedestrian circulation.  Noting the future need for reconfiguration of this intersection, she felt the money would be better spent on reconfiguring the site now and installing modest signage.  She felt that spending $250,000 on signage and not addressing the functional aspects of the site would not be a good use of funds.  She asked if the $450,000 line item for reconfiguration was an accurate estimate, noting that the item is not even funded in the 20-year plan. 

 

Paul Haines, Public Works Director, said the $450,000 is a “ballpark estimate,” since the project is not slated as a high priority.  He said staff has done some preliminary sketches and knows enough about the site to avoid disruption to the areas defined for reconfiguration. 

 

Councilmember Fimia enumerated the various options for the site, noting that it could be used for a gateway, for reconfiguration and signage, or for modest signage only (with the balance to be allocated to other City projects).

 

Given the limitations associated with the site, Deputy Mayor Jepsen felt that selling the site would be a viable solution to the problem.  Selling the site would allow more funding to be allocated to other gateway projects throughout the City.  Councilmember Chang agreed that selling the site might be a good option.

 

The Council then discussed the size of the site and associated environmental conditions.

 

Mr. Burkett summarized that much more work and discussion is needed on this particular item.  He recommended that staff return at a future time to present further options.  Mr. Haines added that selling the site increases the options that staff can explore. 

 

Councilmember Ransom moved to increase the Hamlin Park open space acquisition from $2 million to $3.8 million, to be funded using $1.8 million from the General Fund allocation to Aurora Corridor Phase 2.  Councilmember Fimia seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Ransom noted that appraisals for the Hamlin Park property have increased considerably over the past few years, from about $1.5 million to the current appraisal of $3.8 million.  He felt the City should acquire this property as quickly as possible in order to prevent paying higher costs later.  He said he wants the City to move on this acquisition as soon as the second property appraisal is completed.  He felt that only $6 million of City funding would be needed for Aurora Corridor Phase 2. 

 

Responding to Council, Ms. Tarry clarified that this budget transfer could be accomplished by transferring the funding to the General Capital Fund. 

 

Mr. Burkett noted that the City has received a grant of $450,000 for this open space acquisition.   

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen clarified that the General Fund allocation to the Aurora Corridor Phase 2 project is really accumulated reserves.  He felt this should be made clear to the public.  He also felt the Council is “being rather sloppy” about how it is considering these funding options. 

 

Bob Olander, Deputy City Manager, noted that property acquisition is a high priority among members of the recently reconvened bond subcommittee.  He advised the Council to delay action on this item until the bond subcommittee can outline its recommendations later this year. 

 

Councilmember Grace agreed that acquisition of this property is a high priority for the City, but it should be pursued through the bond committee.  He felt there would be sufficient community support to propose a bond issue. 

 

Councilmember Gustafson concurred, noting that the bond committee is considering several properties, including Hamlin Park, South Woods, and Kruckeberg Gardens.  He felt the voters should help the Council decide this question. 

 

Mayor Hansen felt the acquisition should be contingent upon bond approval, because even though the Council allocated $2 million to South Woods as part of the Capital Facilities Element, it is mostly bond funding.

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen moved to substitute “increase the expenditure for Hamlin Park Open Space Acquisition to $3.4 million ($3.8 million less the $450,000 King County Conservation Futures Trust grant), to be funded by bonds” for the pending motion.  Councilmember Grace seconded the motion.

 

The Council then discussed the timeline for a bond election.  It was noted that the earliest a bond issue could be voted on is spring of 2006. 

 

Councilmember Fimia noted that it could take up to a year before the City secures the property, and by then the price would have likely increased or the property might not even be available.  She felt it would be a risk to rely on a bond issue, noting that voter sentiment is not very positive. 

 

Mr. Burkett stated that the City has been negotiating with the current property owner (Seattle Public Utility) in an attempt to secure a longer-term financing plan.  Mr. Olander felt the current property owners have been cooperative and are willing to work with the City, whether on a direct purchase or a bond,  as long as the timeframe is reasonable.

 

Mr. Burkett was comfortable that the property owners would reserve the property if they know that the City plans to propose a bond issue in the spring. 

 

A vote was taken on the substitute, which carried 7-0.

 

Councilmember Fimia emphasized the importance of securing the entire South Woods property, noting she would consider councilmanic bonds if necessary to retain this site.   

 

Mr. Burkett explained that the proposal to purchase three acres now came in response to the school district’s cash flow needs.  Aside from this, the water and school districts are not in a hurry to sell the property.  This would give the City more time to consider funding for the remainder of the property.

 

Council and staff discussed the need to schedule a meeting with the two districts in order to understand all the issues involved.

 

Councilmember Chang felt the City could expedite the purchase by the City by expediting the process for acquiring the water district.  Mayor Hansen commented on the complex legal process involved in annexing the water district. 

 

Councilmember Ransom emphasized the need to partner with one or both districts, since the City does not currently have the funding to purchase the entire site.  He noted that one school board member stated that he has never voted on the sale of this property.  Furthermore, the bond committee is not contemplating preservation of the entire parcel.   

 

Responding to Councilmember Grace, Mr. Burkett expressed his view that the school district would consider an offer of $720,000 for three acres ($240,000/acre). 

 

Councilmember Grace recommended purchasing three acres now while the City negotiates with the districts for the balance of the parcel.  He supported moving as quickly as possible on this option. 

 

Councilmember Fimia moved to increase the allocation for South Woods Acquisition to $6 million, with the funding sources identified as future grants, bond issue, and General Fund, and that the entire property be included in the purchase.  Councilmember Chang seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Fimia emphasized the importance of communicating to the districts that the City is serious about this acquisition.  She felt the public strongly supports this acquisition since there are very few forested areas on Shoreline’s eastside.  

 

Councilmember Gustafson felt the City should meet with the districts and consider its options before passing this motion.  He supported purchasing three acres now and negotiating with the property owners.

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen suggested a friendly amendment to encourage the districts not to sell the property, because in its current status it is already preserved in public ownership.   He felt the City should explore the district’s reasons for selling the property and try to reach an agreement on maintaining the property in public ownership.  Councilmember Fimia did not feel this amendment would be in order.

 

Mayor Hansen noted that the districts are currently engaged in a process to subdivide the property, and this is a prerequisite to buying a portion of the parcel. 

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen moved an amendment to limit the purchase price to the amount the school district and water district paid for the property.  This motion died for lack of a second. 

 

Councilmember Fimia accepted as a friendly amendment the addition of “co-ownership” as a funding source.

 

MEETING EXTENSION

 

At 10:00 p.m. Councilmember Gustafson moved to extend the meeting to 10:30 pm.  Councilmember Ransom seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

Deputy Mayor Jepsen felt that identifying the specific figure of $6 million in the CIP sends the wrong message to the districts. 

 

Councilmember Fimia replied that the $6 million figure does not mean the City is committed to spending $6 million on acquisition.  It simply relates the City’s intentions and provides a basis for a discussion with the districts. 

 

Councilmember Ransom expressed support for the motion, noting that it is simply a planning document.

 

A vote was taken on the amendment, which carried 5-2, with Deputy Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Gustafson dissenting.

 

Councilmember Grace moved to allocate $720,000 to purchase three acres of the South Woods property at $240,000 per acre, with the funding sources identified as future grants, bond proceeds, other City funds, and $350,000 from the Conservation Futures Trust grant.  Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

A vote was taken on Ordinance No. 395 as amended, which carried unanimously.

 

 

9.         ACTION ITEMS: OTHER ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS

 

(a)                Resolution No. 236 adopting a Six-Year (2006-2011) Transportation Improvement Program and directing the same to be filed with the State

Secretary of Transportation and Transportation Improvement Board

 

Upon motion by Deputy Mayor Jepsen, seconded by Councilmember Grace and unanimously carried, Resolution No. 236 adopting a Six-Year (2006-2011) Transportation Improvement Program was adopted.   

 

10.       UNFINISHED BUSINESS

 

(a)                Resolution No. 234 adopting the City’s Transportation Master Plan

 

Mr. Haines explained that the Transportation Master Plan serves as a vision and bridge between the Comprehensive Plan and CIP.   The plan provides concurrency and guidance on project priorities, service needs, and funding expectations for the next 20 years.

The plan considers a priority evaluation system to rank the various transportation systems while also considering revenue sources.  Responding to earlier comments regarding concerns about Stone Avenue and Ashworth Avenue, Mr. Haines clarified that the plan contains no proposal to create an intersection at Stone Avenue and N. 175th Street.  However, the plan does contemplate the need to relocate the traffic signal at Midvale Avenue and N 175th Street further to the east to allow traffic progression from the freeway to Aurora Avenue.  The plan includes a variety of programs related to safety, street lighting, growing utility needs, “green streets,” street classifications, business access routes, local funding options, arterial speeds, and level of service (LOS) methodology. 

 

Councilmember Gustafson moved Resolution No. 234, adopting the City’s Transportation Plan.  Councilmember Grace seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Ransom requested further clarification of Mr. Cottingham’s concerns related to Stone Avenue, Ashworth Avenue, and the lack of sidewalks along Carlyle Hall Road. 

 

MEETING EXTENSION

 

At 10:30 p.m. Councilmember Ransom moved to extend the meeting to 11:00 p.m.  Councilmember Grace seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

 

Mr. Haines noted that Stone Avenue was identified early on in the plan as a geographic reference for a future signal along N. 175th Street, but there is no proposal to extend Stone Avenue to adjoin N. 175th Street.  Early on in the process, someone suggested a north-south continuation of Ashworth Avenue through an intersection at N 175th Street, but this idea was also dismissed.  Regarding sidewalks for Carlyle Hall Road, Mr. Haines clarified that staff will bring back recommendations for priority walkways.  He said staff has not analyzed the need for sidewalks on Carlyle Hall Road in relation to other areas, but it has identified grade schools as a high priority need for sidewalks.  Responding to Councilmember Fimia, Mr. Haines said he would provide statistics on the amount of sidewalks considered in the 20-year plan.  

 

Councilmember Fimia spoke against the motion, noting that it does not resolve issues related to traffic congestion, neighborhood traffic, pedestrian safety, or the LOS deficiency.  She did not agree with the plan’s priorities, since 70% of the 20-year funding is allocated to three miles of Aurora Avenue and to eight blocks of North City.  She noted there is $77 million worth of unfunded priorities, and that sidewalks are not considered a high priority in the plan. 

 

Councilmember Gustafson expressed support for the motion, noting that the plan is designed to be flexible to meet changing circumstances, and it does not commit the City to any specific financial obligations.  He noted the plan considers all forms of personal travel, including, walking, biking, bus, automobile, and freight.

 

Councilmember Chang agreed that the plan spends a disproportionate amount of money on only a few projects.  He indicated he would vote against the motion. 

 

Councilmember Ransom said he would vote for the motion since all of his concerns have been discussed and fought for.”  The vote is on the compromise master plan.

 

A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 5-2, with Councilmembers Chang and Fimia dissenting.

 

(b)               Resolution No. 235 adopting the City’s Surface Water Master Plan

 

Councilmember Grace moved Resolution No. 235, adopting the City’s Surface Water Master Plan.  Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion.

 

Councilmember Ransom asked staff to explain the recent problems associated with the 3rd Avenue NW Drainage project. 

 

Mr. Haines explained that resources had to be shifted from landscaping in order to reconstruct the failing roadway.  The road failed because it was not capable of handling the heavy construction loads, but staff was not aware of this problem until after it started the drainage project.  He assured Councilmember Ransom that the new drainage infrastructure is capable of handling much larger quantities of water. 

 

Councilmember Fimia asked when the City became aware that a full road reconstruction would be needed.  Mr. Haines explained that staff noticed the problem after the project reached about one-third completion.  Staff concluded that the problem would only worsen as construction proceeded, and there was no indication or prior data to suggest that the road might fail.  He said the loads carried by the trucks are fairly standard for large construction projects, and most other City streets can adequately accommodate such loads.

 

Councilmember Gustafson pointed out that the Surface Water Master Plan is aligned with the Water Resource Inventory Area 8 Salmon Conservation Plan.  

 

A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 6-1, with Councilmember Fimia dissenting.

 

Responding to Mr. Mann’s comment earlier in the meeting, Deputy Mayor Jepsen noted that one member of the Economic Development Task Force is also a member of the Shoreline Merchants Association.

 

11.       ADJOURNMENT

 

At 10:52 p.m., Mayor Hansen declared the meeting adjourned.

 

 

 

_________________________

Scott Passey, City Clerk