Monday, January 8, 2007 - 7:30 PM
Shoreline Conference Center
Mt. Rainier Room

PRESENT:    Mayor Ransom, Deputy Mayor Fimia, Councilmember Gustafson, Councilmember Hansen, Councilmember McGlashan, Councilmember Ryu, and Councilmember Way.

ABSENT:        None.

At 7:35 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Ransom, who presided.

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

Mayor Ransom read the proclamation declaring January 15, 2007 as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the City of Shoreline. Rob Beem, Human Services Manager, and Sigrid Batara, Teen Program Coordinator, introduced several students from Shorewood and Shorecrest High Schools, who accepted the proclamation and spoke of the positive impact of Dr. King’s legacy.

Councilmembers thanked the students for their speeches and for practicing the principles that Dr. King espoused.

Mayor Ransom delivered the State of the City address, emphasizing the City’s past accomplishments, current projects, and future opportunities. He outlined the City’s major goals, objectives and values that have shaped the City’s development over the past ten years.  He noted that as a new city, we concentrated on repairing aging infrastructure and building for future growth while creating a fiscally sound organization, setting aside money for future capital projects and much-needed improvements.  Since 2001, the City has invested $19.8 million of general purpose revenues to improve transportation and park systems along with $9.9 million for street operations.  The City has also been able to set-aside money to establish general reserves to address unexpected emergencies.  He emphasized the value of community involvement and expressed appreciation for the level of public participation shown by Shoreline residents.

He commented on the $18.795 million Park Bond levy approved by a 70% vote of Shoreline residents.  These bonds will pay for 25 acres of open space, a variety of park improvements and trails throughout the City.  In December, the City Council ratified the purchase agreement for the South Woods property.  In addition, the City purchased two properties totaling nearly three acres on the corner of N. 175th Street and Midvale Avenue N., the site of the future City Hall.  

He commented on the progress of capital projects, including completion of the North City Project.  Sidewalks, street lights, underground utilities, benches and new signal poles now line 15th Avenue NE as part of the commercial district and neighborhood transformation.  In just a few months, Shoreline’s first mile of the Aurora Corridor Project will be complete with new business access/transit lanes, sidewalks, underground utilities, improved lighting, u-turn pockets, and landscaped medians.   

He reported that the environmental process for the next two miles of Aurora is now under way, and the Aurora and N. 155th Street Bridges for the Interurban Trail are also on schedule for completion early this year. When these bridges and the central section of the trail are complete, the vision of a linked trail system through Shoreline will be a reality.

Mayor Ransom described the many capital projects that have improved the quality of life for Shoreline residents, including roads, street lights, installation of sidewalks near schools, signage upgrades, and traffic calming on residential streets. The City also completed drainage projects to protect residents from flooding.  November of last year brought some of the wettest weather on record, but the City’s Public Works Department had no reports of major flooding or property damage.  Mayor Ransom concluded his address by stating that the City will continue to focus on the goals set by the City Council and the community to improve safety, infrastructure and the quality of life in Shoreline.

Bob Olander, City Manager, provided updates and reports on various City activities and events.  He introduced Trisha Juhnke, a new capital projects manager for the City.  He also reported on the City’s response to the recent wind storms and plans to explore improvements in emergency preparedness.  He noted that free debris recycling is available at the Snohomish County Transfer Station in Mountlake Terrace this month.  Next, he asked Scott Passey, City Clerk, to explain the availability of online Council meetings.

Mr. Passey explained that Council meetings can now be viewed from the City’s website.  A link provided on the City’s home page will take viewers to the Archived Media page, which includes a list of past Council meetings.  Viewers can choose to watch the entire meeting or selected portions by clicking on the appropriate agenda items. 

Mr. Olander provided details on the investigation of the recent homicide in the Ridgecrest neighborhood.  Detectives arrested a suspect, and Shoreline police officer Dahlia Corona played a key role in the arrest.  Mr. Olander reported on the December 12 Comprehensive Housing Strategy Citizen Advisory Committee meeting and on a project undertaken by volunteers at Ronald Bog on December 9.  He noted that the comment period for the Aurora Corridor Phase 2 environmental scoping has been extended to January 16, and City Hall will be closed January 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  The next City Council meeting will be held Tuesday, January 16.

There were no scheduled reports of boards or commissions.  Mayor Ransom explained that there are three standing committees in the City: the Library Board, the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Board, and the Planning Commission.  There are also a number of ad hoc and regional committees that Councilmembers serve on within the context of the National League of Cities and Suburban Cities Association.

(a)  Vance McElmurray, Shoreline, disagreed with a public comment made at last week's meeting that the City should try to increase its revenues.  He said residents want Shoreline to be a comfortable, safe place to live, but increased revenues should not be the motivating factor.  He noted that the City spent more than half of the General Fund on capital improvements.

(b)  Fred Clingan, Shoreline, urged the Council to rescind the budget for surface water management fund fees.  He said this budget amendment diverts $20,000 from surface water projects to special interest projects, and this will be considered an entitlement.  He noted that there is still flooding occurring in "Happy Valley," but the problem originates elsewhere.  He asked that the surface water improvements deleted from the Pan Terra Pond project be added back.  Responding to Council questions, he explained that the flooding in Happy Valley is due to capacity problems at the intersection of N. 183rd Street and Dayton Place N.

(c)  Joseph and Melissa, Irons, Shoreline, urged the Council to identify what can be done to address the increased traffic volumes on Ashworth Avenue N.  They commented on the daily traffic volumes, which have been consistently high for many years.  Although they have enrolled in the City's Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program (NTSP), they object to the NTSP classification of Ashworth Avenue as a neighborhood collector arterial because it is exclusively a residential street.

(d)  George Mauer, Shoreline, requested that the City Council and City Manager state the City’s policy and procedures regarding eminent domain.  On another topic, he said the City Manager and Council must strengthen Shoreline’s role with regard to Fircrest, because Fircrest residents are also residents of Shoreline.  He pointed out that Fircrest has an impact on the local economy and surrounding neighborhoods.  He urged the City to act early and substantially in its legitimate role, particularly because the State and DSHS have a history of abusing the interests of local communities.

Mr. Olander responded to public comment, noting that the Pan Terra Pond Pump Station project was postponed in order to determine how the 3rd Ave NW drainage project is performing.  He said staff can provide an update on the project and any flooding issues in Happy Valley.  Staff will also respond to the complaint involving Ashworth Avenue traffic volumes.  Regarding eminent domain, Mr. Olander noted that Shoreline has met and in some cases exceeded all federal and court requirements and as a practice only exercises eminent domain as a last resort.  He noted that the state constitution is even more stringent than the federal requirements, so Washington citizens have even more protections.

Mayor Ransom estimated that Shoreline has exercised eminent domain very infrequently, possibly twice, since the City’s inception. 

Upon motion by Councilmember Hansen, seconded by Councilmember McGlashan and unanimously carried, the agenda was approved. 

Deputy Mayor Fimia moved to approve the Consent Calendar.  Councilmember Hansen seconded the motion, which carried unanimously, and the following items were approved:

     (a)  Minutes of Special Meeting of October 16, 2006         
           Minutes of Workshop Dinner Meeting of November 13, 2006   
           Minutes of Business Meeting of November 27, 2006      
           Minutes of Special Meeting of November 29, 2006         
           Minutes of Special Meeting of December 4, 2006         
           Minutes of Workshop Dinner Meeting of December 11, 2006   
           Minutes of Business Meeting of December 11, 2006

     (b)  Approval of expenses and payroll as of December 27, 2006 in the amount of $2,692,295.45

     (c)  Amendment to Interlocal Agreement between the City of Shoreline and the City of Lake Forest Park relating to Recreation Program Reimbursement

     (d)  Ordinance No. 456 to amend the 2006 budget and Ordinance No. 457 to amend the 2007 budget to add appropriations for the Unlimited Tax General Obligation Bond-2006 Fund (UTGO Bond-2006 fund)

Deputy Mayor Fimia moved approval of Resolution No. 254, recognizing the work of the Planning Commission and providing direction regarding the City's Planning Work Program.  Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion.

Mr. Tovar and Mr. Piro responded to Council questions relating to the Council role in legislative rezones and quasi-judicial actions.  Mr. Tovar noted that the Council plays two roles - one as legislators, and another as judges.  In the legislative process, citizens can speak to Councilmembers as legislators, but in quasi-judicial matters, Councilmembers act as judges, applying adopted laws to the facts of the case. 

Mr. Piro said the Planning Commission sentiment is to ensure that the best process takes place so their recommendation helps the Council's decision-making process. 

Responding to Councilmember Way, Mr. Piro said that the Planning Commission encourages the public to provide input on land use matters and considers it very seriously.

Mr. Tovar added that there are no legal constraints on individuals speaking to Planning Commissioners or Councilmembers regarding legislative actions, but they should be encouraged to put their comments in writing so other Councilmembers or Commissioners can benefit.

Mr. Tovar clarified that quasi-judicial actions usually involve specific properties or individual interests, whereas legislative actions have broader policy implications.

Councilmember Ryu thanked the Planning Commission for volunteering their service and to Mr. Tovar for using part of the Planning budget to sponsor a speaker series.  At Councilmember Ryu’s request, there was Council consensus to remove "in April" and "in October" from Section 1 of Resolution No. 254.

Deputy Mayor Fimia expressed support for the proposal.  She emphasized her desire to follow up with staff and the Planning Commission on what happened with the Shoreline Central Subarea Plan.

A vote was taken on the motion, which carried unanimously, and Resolution No. 254 was adopted.

RECESS

At 9:20 p.m., Mayor Ransom called for a 10 minute break.  At 9:31 p.m., the Council meeting reconvened.

Jesus Sanchez, Interim Public Works Director, and Rich Meredith, City Traffic Engineer, provided a presentation on arterial speed limits as a follow-up to a report given on July 17, 2006.  Mr. Meredith discussed the factors involved in establishing appropriate speed limits, which include the arterial grid system, street classifications, geography, and the Transportation Master Plan.  He pointed out that the 85^th percentile speed is a nationally recognized standard for setting speed limits.  Other factors include driver and pedestrian safety, roadway geometrics, and land use.  If it is determined that a change in speed limits is warranted, a proposed speed limit ordinance with technical findings can be submitted to the City Council for adoption.  Mr. Meredith then discussed the advantages of setting appropriate speed limits, which include: reduced driver confusion; increased compliance; consistency with current road classifications; and freeing up police resources for other enforcement efforts. Disadvantages of raising speed limits include: negative public perception; a need for more resources to defend speeding citations; and a potential need for additional projects to maintain or improve driver compliance and safety.  He added that in his experience, changing a sign doesn’t necessarily change driver behavior.

Mr. Meredith then reviewed the list of arterials in the staff report that are recommended for speed limit changes and discussed the rationale for each.

Councilmember Way wondered if the current speed limit of 25 mph on N. 160th Street is due to a past history of accidents there.  She suggested that the City find out what people think before the speed limit is raised, since there may be a good reason for the 25 mph speed limit. 

Councilmember Way expressed interest in revisiting some of the streets suggested for speed limit changes as outlined on pages 100-102 of the staff report. Referring to Mr. and Mrs. Irons public comments, she asked about the speed limit analysis for Ashworth Avenue N.

Mr. Sanchez said there seems to be mistake in the roadway mapping for Ashworth Avenue, which staff plans on addressing.  He said segments of Ashworth Avenue N will likely be slated for future sidewalk improvements and traffic calming.  He noted that the Irons just entered the NTSP, and the first phase focuses on education. 

Mr. Meredith said that from a speed standpoint, that section of Ashworth Avenue N. is operating fairly well but the volume is a valid concern.

MEETING EXTENSION

At 10:00 p.m., Councilmember Hansen moved to extend the meeting until 11:00 p.m.  Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion, which carried 6-1, with Councilmember Gustafson dissenting. 

Councilmember McGlashan felt that installing traffic calming devices on N 152nd Street between Aurora Avenue and Ashworth Avenue might help traffic speeds, but they probably won’t do anything to address traffic volumes, since a lot of the traffic comes from the casino and the gym.

Mr. Meredith noted that the Aurora Corridor project includes a left turn signal onto Aurora Avenue from N. 152nd Street, which might help improve the situation.

Councilmember Gustafson suggested that the Council focus on those streets proposed for increases or decreases and then consider the remaining streets later.  He felt Council should direct staff to move forward with the proposed list of streets, and Councilmembers could raise concerns on individual streets as necessary.

Councilmember Ryu noted that the 153rd-155th segment of Ashworth Avenue N. is much wider than the 152nd-153rd segment, which is narrow and curved.  She emphasized the need to maintain safe speeds along that stretch of residential road.  Mr. Meredith noted that the traffic counts were taken in the 153rd-155th segment because of the relatively flat ground.

Councilmember Hansen questioned the rationale for increasing the speed limit on N. 172nd Street and both increasing and decreasing different segments of N. 160th Street.  Staff noted that a speed limit increase on N. 172nd Street would make it more consistent with surrounding streets.  However, N. 160th Street requires a mix of speed limit changes as well as enforcement and education to improve safety along that arterial.

Councilmember Ryu noted that Shoreline Community College had discussed potential revisions to the intersection of Greenwood Avenue N and N 160th Street.  She asked if the college consulted with the school district or the City regarding these revisions, and whether they are still planning revisions.  

Mr. Olander noted that the City's Planning Director met with Shoreline Community College to help get their master plan back on track.  He said the City and the college are committed to moving that process forward.

Deputy Mayor Fimia expressed appreciation for all the work that went into preparing the report.  She supported all the proposed changes with the exception of N. 172nd Street since it’s near a school and it’s hard for drivers to know when to slow down. She also suggested that N. 160th Street between Aurora Avenue and Dayton Avenue be reduced to 30 mph due to proximity to the college and the frequent pedestrian movements occurring there.  She supported the suggestion to amend the Transportation Master Plan to reclassify a segment of Ashworth Avenue N.  She challenged the assumption on page 93 of the staff report that the "intended use" of roads is primarily for vehicles.  She said that pedestrians have priority on local streets and cars have access.  She said it is imperative to get cars to slow down.  She recommended amending the Transportation Master Plan to reduce the speed limits on residential streets to 20-25 mph, noting that most residential streets should be posted at 20 mph.  She acknowledged the need for education and community process for implementing such changes. 

Mayor Ransom said he initially had mixed feelings about the proposed increase on N 172nd Street but said he would support it.  He noted that most complaints in the community are in favor of lower speed limits.  He said many 35 mph roads should be 30 mph, such as Meridian Avenue N.  He said Seattle’s basic premise is that residential streets are 25 mph and arterials are 30 mph.  He favored lowering the speed limit on Aurora Avenue to 35 mph because that’s what the business district has been asking for for 10 years.

Mr. Olander appreciated Council's input and invited the Council to please contact the City Manager's office regarding any other areas of interest.  He summarized that there appeared to be Council consensus to support the staff recommendation, with the exception of changing the 25 mile-per-hour speed limit on N 172^nd Street.

Jon Jordan, Capital Projects Manager, explained that a number of projects must be completed in sequence in order to alleviate drainage issues in the area.  A conveyance line from Pan Terra Pond to 3rd Avenue NW has been "stubbed out" for future installation, but completion depends on completion of the Boeing Creek storm water facility. 

Councilmember Way wondered if there is anything the City can do to address the immediate need expressed by Mr. Clingan.  Mr. Sanchez said he is planning on meeting with Mr. Clingan to explore some temporary resolutions; the City has implemented temporary measures in areas of the City that have effectively addressed flooding issues.

Deputy Mayor Fimia announced for the record that no one signed up to comment on last three agenda items.

Mr. Jordan provided a PowerPoint presentation describing the 2006 accomplishments and staff recommendation for future priority sidewalk routes.  The list of future routes totals over 11,000 linear feet of sidewalk, but the budget allows for constructing approximately half that amount.  The construction timeframe for 2007 sidewalks is June-September.  Staff responded to Council questions regarding sidewalk locations, materials, and design.  Mr. Jordan noted that the list of proposed routes can be reprioritized in the event that Sunset Elementary School closes.

Mr. Jordan continued his presentation and explained the proposed routes and next steps, which will include survey mapping, preliminary design, public input, plan development, and advertising for bids.  He noted the opportunities to implement "green street" design and drainage improvements into the designs. 

Mr. Sanchez asked for Council preferences on the proposed routes, reiterating that the budget allows for funding about half of the proposal.

Mayor Ransom noted sidewalks near Syre Elementary will be a priority in the event that Sunset Elementary closes.

Councilmember Way concurred with the 25th Avenue NE proposal and the effort to implement drainage improvement into the design.  Although it’s not on the list, she encouraged staff to consider future sidewalk improvements on Linden Avenue.  Councilmember Gustafson concurred.

MEETING EXTENSION

At 11:00 pm., Councilmember Ryu moved to extend the meeting until 11:15 p.m. Deputy Mayor Fimia seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.

Councilmember McGlashan raised a concern about the short time frame for the design and bidding process.  He recalled that it was difficult to find anyone interested in building sidewalks under such a short time frame last year.  He also expressed concern that asphalt paths won't last as long as concrete. 

Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Olander expressed confidence that the plan is on schedule for 2007. 

Councilmember Hansen concurred with Councilmember McGlashan’s preference for concrete sidewalks.

Councilmember McGlashan noted that while asphalt may be functional, it but doesn’t look anything like concrete and will break down easier.  He suggested that Council discuss potential funding sources for concrete sidewalks at its upcoming financial strategy meeting so the City doesn’t have to replace sidewalks in 10-15 years.

Mr. Olander noted the Council decision to install asphalt sidewalks because more linear footage could be installed.   He said staff would continue monitor the cost differential between asphalt and concrete.

Councilmember Gustafson said he is not necessarily opposed to asphalt.  He said his first priority is sidewalks near elementary schools, and then sidewalks near secondary schools.

Councilmember Ryu concurred.  She pointed out that if the City can build more sidewalks with the money we already have, it will ease the burden on Shoreline residents to fund sidewalks through local improvement districts (LID).  She agreed with the staff direction and priorities.

Councilmember Gustafson noted that some people prefer concrete, so perhaps citizen should be given the option if they are willing to fund it.

Councilmember Ryu wished to include additional language relating to the Aurora Avenue Project, Fircrest Habilitation Center, and emergency preparedness so the Legislative Priorities reflect the Council goals more closely.  After further discussion, there was agreement that Councilmember Ryu would work on additional language with the City Manager to incorporate into the Legislative Priorities at a later date.

MEETING EXTENSION

At 11:17 p.m., Deputy Mayor Fimia moved to extend the meeting until 11:22 p.m.  Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion, which carried 5-2, with Councilmembers Hansen and McGlashan dissenting. 

A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 7-0, and the 2007 Legislative Priorities were adopted.

Regarding Priority No. 1, Deputy Mayor Fimia emphasized to staff that the Council doesn't necessarily support projects from other jurisdictions in exchange for their support of our capital projects.

Joyce Nichols, Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Director, responded that staff’s goal is to advance the Council’s priorities, so things that deviate from those priorities do not get support.

Councilmember Ryu announced that the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is meeting on January 12th at the Normandy Park Community Center to consider reclassifying St. Edwards State Park.  She noted that this issue could have implications for Shoreline.

At 11:23 p.m., Mayor Ransom declared the meeting adjourned. 

_______________________________

Scott Passey, CMC

City Clerk