CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY
COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, July 16, 2007 - 7:00 p.m.
Shoreline Conference Center
Shoreline Room
PRESENT: Mayor Ransom, Deputy Mayor Fimia, Councilmember Gustafson, Councilmember Hansen, Councilmember McGlashan, Councilmember Ryu, and Councilmember Way
ABSENT: None
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Mayor Ransom called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
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Mayor Ransom led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.
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Bob Olander, City Manager, announced that the Fourth Annual Shoreline Solar Project and Renewable Energy Fair will be July 20 – 21 at Meridian Park Elementary School. He noted that the YMCA groundbreaking ceremony will be held tomorrow, July 17, at the Echo Lake Project site at the intersection of 192nd Street North and Aurora Avenue North. He encouraged the Council, City staff, and residents to attend the event. He concluded his remarks by stating that Swingin' Summer's Eve, one of Shoreline’s major events, will be on July 25th.
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Councilmember Hansen said that at the July 20th meeting the Flood Zone Control Advisory Committee will be making its recommendation to King County regarding the flood zone district.
Mayor Ransom announced that Medic One was passed by the King County Council with the 30 cent levy.
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(a) Chris Eggen, Shoreline, said he is on the Shoreline Solar Board. He thanked the City Manager for the advertising and that the kick-off for the Renewable Energy Fair starts with the fashion show on Friday at 7:00 p.m. He announced the silent auction and the Renewable Energy Fair on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and said a “Taste of Shoreline” will be at the event. He invited everyone to attend.
(b) Patty Crawford, Shoreline, said the oral decision on the Aegis Case will be heard on July 20 at 9:00 a.m. She said the case pertains to the side channel of Thornton Creek, which has been going on for over seven years. She said she is appealing the north building permit. In 2004, she said she won on summary judgment and then appealed on violations of the Critical Areas Ordinance, SEPA, and general public comment was lacking. She commented that the Ronald Bog project is on hold and the City is working with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on a compromise. She said she is concerned since our code standards are not the same as those of WDFW; thus there will be an appeal of our code. She added that there has been discussion that the project will add to storm flows downstream and said more water means further non-compliance. She felt she is in a position to file suit because she is not getting answers about the illegal pipe and flooding is still occurring.
(c) Judy Allen, Shoreline, said she has submitted a request to the City Clerk’s Office for the legal bills from Foster Pepper and has not received them yet. She said she believes $130,000 has been authorized, but the total was $109,000 a month ago. She thanked the people who started the Shoreline vision that began with pre-incorporation in 1995. The people responsible for the 1.2 miles being completed are Mayor Bob Ransom, Councilmember Rich Gustafson, Councilmember Ron Hansen, former Councilmembers Cheryl Lee, Linda Montgomery, Connie King, Scott Jepsen, Kevin Grossman, former City employee Joyce Nichols whose connections in Washington, D.C. and Olympia brought the City a huge amount in funding. She also thanked Dale Wright for getting the community behind the project.
(d) Patrick Reilly, Seattle Metro Self Storage, stated he was proud of their new self-storage facility and with what the City has done with Aurora Avenue.
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(a) Public hearing to receive citizens comments regarding the Preferred Alternative for the Aurora Corridor Multimodal Project, N. 165th Street to N. 205th Street
Mr. Olander said the official work on the Aurora Corridor began in 1998 and the first phase was finished a couple months ago. In 2006, the work and planning commenced for the next phases of Aurora Avenue. The work has led to the development of three alternatives, and the flexible alternative combines the best elements of all three alternatives. He said the Council is here to listen to public feedback on the alternatives and is expected to make a decision next week. Once an alternative is chosen, City staff and consultants can begin finalizing the environmental work and begin the design work. Therefore, by the end of 2007 the City hopes to finish the environmental work, design, and right-of-way acquisition.
Kirk McKinley, Aurora Corridor and Interurban Trail Project Manager, introduced Kris Overleese, Aurora Corridor Design Manager, Alicia Sherman, Aurora Corridor Planner, and Mark Relph, Public Works Director. He introduced Nelson Davis and Joe Jacobazzi, of KPG, Inc., who will provide assistance during the design phase of the project. He reviewed the community involvement process, the three alternatives, and the implementation strategies. He said in 2006 the City Manager appointed the Aurora Business Team (ABT Team), which developed Alternative A. Soon after that, the City staff and consultants developed Alternatives B & C. In late 2006, the scoping period was open for public comment on what the environmental process should entail, and there were two scoping meetings with over 200 individuals providing public comment with over 1,000 total oral and written comments during that period. The ABC Team has 23 members of varying experience and knowledge that conducted 11 meetings concerning the project. The ABC Team focused on several areas of enhanced interest. These areas include storm water concepts, economy and economics in the corridor, improving the construction process, and working through the implementation strategies. The City staff developed a draft recommended flexible alternative which was presented at the June 20th Open House. He explained that Alternatives A, B, & C all have the same base components such as sub-surface utilities, business access and transit lanes, seven-foot sidewalks, and medians with left and u-turns. He explains the draft recommended alternative features the “flexing” of the sidewalk width at Aurora Rents and other locations to avoid demolition of buildings. It also adds capacity at the intersection of Aurora Avenue and 175th/Midvale. The Interurban Trail (IT) will serve as the sidewalk on the east side of Aurora Avenue on Midvale, and sidewalks on the west side will be maintained.
Continuing, Mr. McKinley outlined that the City is negotiating with Seattle City Light at the 185th intersection on a land swap so the City can acquire land on the east edge of Aurora Avenue. The IT will run up the north edge of Bartell’s and will have a new signal on 185th and Midvale then run up the west side of Midvale Avenue. There is also a free right turn onto Aurora from 185th, a new signal at 182nd, and one at 196th. However, if the State does not approve the signals, the City has a design without them. Regarding the turn signal on 196th Avenue, City staff is committed to working with property owners to maintain the character of the neighborhood. He highlighted that there will be some sidewalk narrowing at 198th, 199th, and 200th Avenues and they have also added a right turn lane from 200th Avenue onto northbound Aurora. Additionally, the flexible plan adds a left turn lane at 202nd Avenue to serve businesses on the west side. He said the left and u-turn opportunities average every 300 feet. There are 26 businesses that will not have direct left turn access, he pointed out, but 6 businesses that do not presently have left-turn access will be getting it. He said the code has been changed to allow non-conforming signs to remain or be moved.
Mr. McKinley commented that there are unavoidable building impacts to five businesses resulting from this project. Two will require a total purchase and relocation of businesses located north of Walgreen’s at about 178th between Ronald Place and Aurora Avenue. If these businesses are purchased by the City, the property can be added to the “heritage park” inventory. The sidewalk has been narrowed in three to five locations to avoid buildings and also narrowed sidewalks as needed to minimize impacts to parking. He pointed out that the City won't have to purchase Aurora Rents, Key Bank, or the tattoo parlor. He pointed out that the implementation strategies have been refined from the "32 points" with new areas to note. He said there are still areas of continued discussion such as the SCL right-of-way, the signals at 182nd and 196th, a conflict with Ordinance 326 concerning a shift to the east in the 175th and 185th area, and the approval of discipline reports by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
Continuing, Mr. McKinley reviewed the preliminary environmental conclusions and noted that there are no significant impacts that cannot be mitigated. There are more opportunities for natural storm water treatment in these alternatives and the most property take is with Alternative C; Alternative A would require the least land taking. He noted that there will be mitigation plans for all potential construction effects. As far as funding, the first phase was 88% funded by non-City sources. Currently in the CIP, he said there is $32 million in grants with an unfunded gap of $40 to $50 million. He said there are many opportunities for funding, including the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID) ballot measure, which designates $40 million for Aurora Phase 2. Additionally, he pointed out that the City is currently pursuing grants with King County Metro, Federal Transit Authority (FTA), Transportation Improvement Board (TIB), WSDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The next steps for the Aurora Corridor Phase 2 are to finish the environmental phase in 2007, begin purchasing the right-of-way property and finish the design in 2008, and start construction in 2009.
Mr. Olander recognized the Aurora Corridor staff team, made up of Kirk McKinley, Kristen Overleese, Alicia Sherman, Mark Relph, the ABT Team, the ABC Team, and all property and business owners located on Aurora Avenue North. He said he is pleased with the community and the City staff involvement. He noted that if everyone involved can be respectful of each others opinions and ideas we all can come to reasonable compromises. This project, he commented, has helped build friendships and community. He personally thanked everyone who contacted the City staff or the City Council and thanked them for their patience and understanding.
Mayor Ransom called for public comment.
PUBLIC COMMENT
(a) Don Ding, Shoreline, on behalf of the ABC Team, said he has over 35 years in transportation planning with many projects similar to the Aurora Corridor. He thanked and recognized individual ABC Team members. He said the Aurora Corridor improvements will enhance the livability and attractiveness of Shoreline. He said the mission of the ABC Team is to provide public input and outreach to neighbors and businesses, to review the environmental information and alternatives, and to develop a position on the alternatives. The ABC Team had 11 meetings and in these meetings the team worked with City staff and consultants on topics which included land use issues, right-of-way, storm water issues, traffic, utilities, design, alternatives, and construction impacts. All opinions were investigated and reviewed. In the end, the ABC Team did a comprehensive review of the information and unanimously supported the flexible alternative. He concluded that this project has been one of the best examples of corridor development he has ever seen. He commented that everyone has done an excellent job.
(b) Rick Stephens, Shoreline property owner, said the ABC Team had a goal and came to a consensus among diverse groups, so the City could submit a unanimously supported categorical exemption. The City staff took the time to understand the concerns of the community and brought forth an acceptable plan for community-based project. He discussed the SEPA/NEPA review and said the consultant from SvR Design who is doing the storm water presented a number of ideas that were commented on by the members of the group. He said the City staff came up with a storm water toolkit that can be used in key spots along the corridor. This, he commented, was truly forward, progressive thinking, which has also been done in Portland. He noted that there wasn’t an economic review done on the first mile of the Aurora Corridor. He said he is looking forward to viewing the reports from Phase 2. He said there has been some in-depth discussions and analysis on how this road will affect businesses, and he is very pleased with the City’s consultant, Mr. Easton, who is very knowledgeable and understanding of how this project will affect small businesses. He stated that the Aurora Corridor businesses need accessibility, visibility, and ample parking. The implementation strategies (32 points) are great because they give the City staff room to manipulate and make solutions. He thanked the City Manager and the City staff.
(c) Dale Wright, Shoreline, Chair of Vision Aurora, stated that 1,050 people want this vision to be achieved in all three miles of the project. The community’s vision and goals were identified during the three year public process that included more than 300 public meetings. So far, he commented that the project is a success and the City staff is recommending the draft flexible plan design. He stated that Vision Aurora recommends adoption of basically the same plan. The plan retains all design components that are necessary to achieve the community visions and goals. He commented that all three miles will look the same when completed. The implementation strategies have been derived from the 32 points and there have been a few changes to respond to different conditions in Phases 2 and 3. These revisions contain primarily the removal of amenity zones for specific properties to prevent removal of buildings and retain parking. He concluded that Vision Aurora endorses the staff recommendation and he strongly urged the City Council adopt this plan.
(d) Judy Smith, Shoreline, said she is speaking as the President of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce. She read a letter on behalf of the Chamber. The Aurora Corridor project has restored the Chamber’s faith in the system and people have put aside their differences to work for the good of the community as a whole, she read. According to the letter, the Chamber of Commerce resolved that the new hybrid plan is best and is the most responsive to Shoreline business concerns. She added that the Chamber is pleased that the City staff has a willingness to learn lessons from Phase 1. Furthermore, she thanked the members of the ABC Team and looks forward to working with them.
(e) Scott Jepsen, Shoreline, representing Pro Shoreline, stated that he served on the Council for 11 years and was the Mayor for six of them. He thanked the City staff, especially Kirk McKinley, Kris Overleese, Alicia Sherman, Mark Relph, and the ABC Team. He commented that the project is consistent with the vision and leadership established by the City Council in 1999 when the original 32 points were adopted. He noted that past critics are now supporters of plan with minor adjustments of the first mile. Just as in the first mile, the staff recommendation features underground utilities, new lighting, 7-foot sidewalks, business access and transit (BAT) lanes, intersection safety improvements, planted medians, and the flexibility to modify the design to reduce business impacts in limited locations. He read a letter from Pro Shoreline to the City Council. The letter supported the staff recommendation and read that the citizens want to continue working on the design, safety, environment, and economic development along the Aurora Corridor. Pro Shoreline, he said, supports the staff recommendation. He noted that Ordinance 326 was adopted in 2003 and stipulated that the improvements from 172nd Avenue NE to 192nd Avenue NE were to move to the east. He said the completed first mile of Aurora Avenue North has stimulated tremendous business re-investment. Therefore, he concluded that Pro Shoreline is supportive of the City staff recommendation, as it is consistent with the completed section of Aurora. The City staff should evaluate the trade-offs between paved medians and planted medians for left turns. He said there has been a 14% increase in left turn pockets in Phase 2 and this will increase paved impervious surface making it hard to take advantage of surface water improvements. Finally, he hoped the Council acknowledges the benefits of the completed first mile and votes to support the City staff recommendation.
(f) Dan Mann, Shoreline, commented that he is a Shoreline resident and business owner. He said he lives about 200 yards from Aurora Avenue and isn’t representing any particular group. He announced that he is the founding member of the Aurora Merchants Association and a past president of the Chamber of Commerce. He thanked the City Council, the City Manager, and City staff for involving the residents and businesses in deliberations. He also added that the plan is setting a high standard for Kenmore, Seattle, Bothell and other autocratic jurisdictions. He noted that the first mile was costly due to a waste of resources and energy. He said the merchant-citizens are grateful for the changes relating to business access. He highlighted that the merchants have never changed their position “since day one.” Access, he pointed out, and increased visibility allows property values to increase. Additionally, the left turns along the road allow for fewer u-turns at the intersections, thus making for fewer vehicles at traffic signals. He hoped that the collaboration between the residents, businesses, and the City staff will continue. He concluded that the merchants along Aurora Avenue support this plan and asked that the Council endorse it.
(g) Bob Phelps, Shoreline, speaking on behalf of the Shoreline Historical Museum, noted that there are 15 historic properties near the Aurora Corridor, and the City should make every effort to preserve and minimize the impacts to them. The 15 sites are on or near the next phase of the Aurora Corridor Project. These properties include the north trunk road (Ronald Place red brick road), which was finished in 1913 and provided the roots of Shoreline’s economic success. He said there are several other landmarks such as the Erickson House, which won the Trillium Heritage Award from the Shoreline Historical Museum. Additionally, the Echo Lake Tavern was built in the 1920's and is a rare example of a commercial building from that time period. He concluded that regardless of which plan is chosen, the Council should work to preserve the rich heritage in Shoreline.
(h) Chris Eggen, Shoreline, expressed support for the flexible plan. He said the plan has BAT lanes and there is a need for rapid transit capability. Other items such as the natural storm water management and access to businesses are so important to this project, he said. However, the job isn't done and the project still lacks $50 - $60 million in funding. He urged the citizens to contribute to the project if they support it.
(i) William Vincent, Shoreline, said he is an ABC Team member. He has lived here since 1973 and has learned a lot about Shoreline. He commented that he has two interests, and the first one is politics. He noted that he witnessed the political impacts of first 1.2 miles and that it upset the Council. His second interest is history and it would be foolish if the City doesn’t learn from the mistakes made in Phase 1. He noted that the Chamber of Commerce thoughts have changed, but he believed the events that have happened in the first phase have been “seared” into the minds of people that it won’t happen again. He endorsed the flexible plan.
(j) Virginia Paulsen, Shoreline, reminded everyone of cost considerations. She said one of the early estimates was $21 million and as of July 3, 2007 the project has cost $39 million which is $119,000 over the projected cost. The full costs of Phase 1 are not yet known. Aurora Corridor Phase 2 has an estimated cost of $93.4 million plus $12 million for utility improvements; currently less than half of the funding is available. She said the construction cost increases are concerning, especially since there are declining resources available. She said the Shoreline CIP also stated that Shoreline citizens and business could be expected to pay for cost overruns and she reminded everyone that they will be paying for it.
(k) Pat Scott, Shoreline, said she has lived on the same property here in Shoreline for 65 years and has a very strong interest in the project. She thanked Kirk McKinley and Kris Overleese for all their work on the project. She asked to see the North 196th slide and said she is opposed to the plan to put a stoplight at 196th and Aurora. She said she is being asked to give up 20 - 40 feet of right-of-way to provide an entrance for an eight-unit condominium. She commented that motorists have always used 195th for access. She encouraged the Council to come out and look at the property. She is concerned with the environmental impact of destroying trees and urged the Council to keep it as an historic site.
(l) Robert Scott, Shoreline, said he has been a resident for 40 years. He is also concerned with traffic going down to Echo Lake Place. He said his family wasn’t contacted about this item until March 2007. Since then, he said he spoke with Kirk and Kris and has had several conversations with them. He said the State wants to close off Echo Lake Place and doesn’t want a five-way intersection there. He suggested that the City close off Echo Lake Place and put an access road down to Echo Lake Place for the condominiums. He stated that even with Echo Lake Place being closed they would still be able to exit from 195th Avenue into the BAT lane.
(m) Kim Scott, Shoreline, said she sent an e-mail to Councilmember McGlashan and discussed its highlights. She is concerned about the proposed light at 196th Avenue NE. She felt strongly about the property at 19502 Aurora Avenue N. She said a road traversing the property would be very upsetting and doesn’t see any benefit in that happening. This would divert traffic from 195th Avenue NE onto Echo Lake Place. Echo Lake Place isn’t a through street, therefore it can't be used as an alternative to Aurora, she commented. She noted that she has spoken to the condominium residents and they believe this proposal is creating a new problem. They felt it would be easier to install a new light at 195th instead of 196th Avenue NE. She reminded the Council that one of the properties that may be affected in this plan is a Trillium Award winner and has historical significance in the City of Shoreline.
(n) LaNita Wacker, Shoreline, supported the hybrid plan. She added that in horticulture you take the best qualities of plants to make a new one. This plan does that, she said. The trees are the best part of this plan. Trees filter the water and the air, she added. She felt that the addition of the trees in the center median is critical because they provide a safety zone for pedestrians and an amenity zone which causes separation between vehicles and pedestrian traffic. The u-turn lanes and pockets allow for reduction in rear-end accidents. She concluded that the Scott family should work with Kirk to come to some agreeable solution. She commended Kirk McKinley for his efforts and Dale Wright for his efforts with the public.
(o) Pam Meeth, Shoreline, expressed concerns about the cost and financing of the project. She asked if there were any estimates of costs done between the various alternatives. Additionally, she wondered if the City was going to wait until grants are received before beginning the project. She asked if there was a fallback plan and if the cost overruns are shared by the City and State. She also asked what a discipline report was.
(p) Peter Berquist, Shoreline, commented that he has been a resident for 42 years. He commended everyone for their work on the first phase of Aurora Avenue N. He commented that it is beautiful and a credit to the City. He said he has noticed an increase of new construction, new businesses, upgrading, and lot of money being spent due to what is taking place on the corridor. He highlighted that the Council should support the flexible plan because it is consistent with Aurora Phase 1.
(q) Harley O'Neill, Shoreline, thanked the members of previous City Councils. He supported the flexible plan and is pleased the business community came together. He commented that the City of Shoreline has something to be proud of. He said he was involved in this 10 years ago and those involved have done a great job. He again thanked the Council, past and present.
(r) Dennis Heller, Shoreline, said he has been a resident for 15 years and congratulated everyone involved in the project. He supported the hybrid alternative. He pointed out that a year ago there was a feeling that the City would end up with the Lynnwood alternative. He thanked Dale Wright. He added that this work is being done for the future generations and thanked everyone who has worked on this project.
(s) Paulette Gust, Shoreline, supported the flexible alternative because it is consistent with the first phase. She thanked the past Councilmembers for their support.
(t) Gretchen Atkinson, Shoreline, stated she is an ABC Team member. She commented that the ABC Team wants a safe and beautiful Aurora Avenue Corridor that enhances the business community and provides environmental solutions. She noted that the team discussed environmental solutions and researched other water purification systems. The group discussed its ideas on construction management and improving traffic flows, which should relieve some of the issues during the difficult construction period. She said this flexible plan takes the best of all plans. The plan, she added, is business-friendly and narrows sidewalks to preserve property where possible. She added that this decision to move forward carries out the vision that early Council members supported. This project is 80 - 90% funded, she announced, and it is a big bonus to citizens. She expressed her support for the modified plan and is pleased KPG will be part of the design team.
(u) Cindy Neff, Shoreline, supported the hybrid plan and thanked the City Council of 1999 for having the vision to look forward 50 to 100 years into the future. She added that the first phase is great and hoped the City continues on this positive trend.
(v) Joe Ripley, Shoreline, congratulated the City staff, City Manager, and City Council on this accomplishment. However, he said he is concerned about the big gap in the financing and hoped it can be worked. He supported the flexible plan.
(w) Evan Voltsis, Shoreline, said that he remembers when there was about a 50/50 split on whether to develop the Aurora Avenue Corridor. He added that it is nice to see that the City has come together, noting that the positive motion is from the City’s leadership and City staff. He supported the draft recommended plan. He is concerned about the Seattle City Light (SCL) issue. He added that he has been logging his calls to the City and said he has called Kirk McKinley about fifty times. He thanked Kirk for his responsiveness. He empathized with the Scott family and has confidence that the City will work out the issues with them. He invited everyone to the YMCA groundbreaking.
(x) Cheryl Lee, Shoreline, said she chose to live here because of the community; she enjoys living in Shoreline. She said she loves driving down Aurora Avenue now. She commented that people are noticing the differences. She said it takes courage and effort to come together and she commended the participants for that. Additionally, she said the City has demonstrated that it can receive grants, so she is confident the City will raise the money for the project. There were lots of lessons learned in the first phase, and the City will finish the dream. She encouraged everyone to think about the next 50 - 75 years.
(y) Stan Terry, Shoreline, said that since 1971, the Seattle side of Aurora Avenue has been a derelict business community. However, at 145th Avenue it turns into a community where the people and their government care. He said this really shows in the quality of work on the first phase. He commended City Manager Bob Olander, Kirk McKinley, and the City staff for a job well done.
There was Council consensus to keep this item open for written comments until noon on Friday, July 20.
Mr. Olander said there was a request to answer questions regarding the project. He said Mr. McKinley will address them. However, he reminded everyone that this is the beginning of project. He noted that there will be time to pursue other funding and address unresolved issues.
Mr. McKinley said that the first mile was 88% funded by other sources. Additionally, SCL has paid $5 million for the undergrounding work on the first mile. He noted that the CIP has segmented out utility costs from the road costs for Phase 2 and 3. Additionally, the CIP also includes $40 million, and $10 million of this is from Roads Capital. He planned on spreading out this $10 million over the next two years. He is confident that the City can get funding because it is a regional transportation priority. He commented that the Regional Transit Improvement District (RTID) has $40 million for next two miles.
Deputy Mayor Fimia departed the meeting at 8:55 p.m.
Mr. Olander said that the City staff will bring back alternatives for phasing and funding by September. He noted that there is very strong regional support for Highway 99 projects such as those in SeaTac, Kent, Federal Way, and Burien. He was optimistic that the City will continue to receive State funding. Transit Now, he outlined, will provide more rapid transit services, and this project qualifies for Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) money. He added that the City has been very successful in the first phase at the federal level, even with a mixed Congress. He believed our congressional delegation could secure the needed funding. He said the City staff is very optimistic that the funding can be obtained and that the City only paid 12% of the total cost for the first phase, so the City is successful in leveraging grants. He pointed out that a stronger, more unified community sends a stronger political message and obtaining grants should not be a problem. If all fails, he said, the City will have a fallback plan to build what the City can afford and look at the alternatives. He pointed out that if Shoreline doesn’t receive the grant funding, then some other community will. He felt the City would do well because the City ranks highly because of the need.
Mr. McKinley introduced Jennifer Barnes from Jones & Stokes. He said a discipline report is a technical analysis of several different disciplines. Types of disciplines include transportation, traffic, storm water, economics, cultural historical resources, wetlands, noise, hazardous materials, etc. When these reports are available they are submitted to the State, he said. When the State of Washington is satisfied with them, they approve them and release them back to the City. Currently, the City has received two of them back and is awaiting 10 more. They will be posted on the City web site when complete.
Councilmember Ryu asked if Seattle Public Utilities was going to pay for the cost overruns or will it be recovered from ratepayers.
Mr. Olander responded that in the first phase, SPU used the opportunity to upgrade water lines; it hopes to do same for the next two miles. All the utilities are self-funding, meaning that the rates go to operating or capital costs. A couple of years ago, SPU decided to capture those costs from Shoreline; however, Shoreline won’t pay for undergrounding in other areas. He concluded that SPU does add something to the rate structure.
Councilmember Gustafson said he would submit his questions in writing and provide them to the City Manager for answers. He read a letter from a resident in favor of the Aurora Corridor. He also thanked everyone for coming to speak as well as former Councilmembers who started this vision in 1999. He thanked Mr. Wright for ensuring the vision continues. He noted that the City will be providing something for the future. He urged the City staff and everyone involved to “do it right.”
Councilmember Hansen announced that he won't be at the Council meeting next week. He said he will provide a written statement for the Council supporting the flexible, hybrid alternative.
Councilmember Way thanked the citizens, businesses and City staff on the flexible alternative plan. She commented that it is a miraculous outcome. She was pleased that certain aspects will actually allow it to be a true environmental improvement for the Aurora Corridor, Echo Lake, and the whole community.
Councilmember McGlashan thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. He said the community and the City staff have come up with very workable solution.
Councilmember Ryu commented that she got involved in the first mile and “survived.” She felt that the first mile processes weren’t made visible to the public. She added that there are 14% more access points; however, the City still needs to have more permeable surfaces and a more environmentally-responsible plan. She said she is looking forward to implementing the plan. She appreciated the staff and their efforts to understand the concerns from the community. She thanked people for their flexibility in their discussions on this and supported the flexible alternative. She asked for an explanation concerning the intersection at 195th Avenue N.
Mr. McKinley said this intersection was initially designed to turn 195th Avenue N. into a five-way intersection and shut down Firlands Way southbound to deter speeders in the neighborhood. However, the State wouldn't approve a signal at a five-way intersection. The City responded with several alternatives and the State felt the option shown was the most reasonable.
Councilmember Ryu thanked the Scott family for their patience and expressed confidence that the City staff will keep working with them.
Mr. Olander said the City staff will work on it; he noted that all the build alternatives had the same impact on the Scott property.
Councilmember Ryu appreciated the economic discipline reports. She pointed out that the City has to address it under NEPA. She commented that there is much less angst with this portion of the Aurora Corridor. She said she appreciated the efforts of the City staff and the Council.
Mayor Ransom commented that this has been very long 12 years and he has been here since the original Council. He described this item as a “lovefest,” with nothing but support and agreement coming from the residents. The City has resolved its differences, he said. He added that he is very appreciative of the RTID, which has $40 million in it. He said the City will receive this funding in 2008 if it passes; if not, then hopefully other grants will come in. He commented that the Aurora Corridor looks wonderful.
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At 9:28 p.m., Mayor Ransom declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Scott Passey, City Clerk