CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING
Monday, February 26, 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.
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At 7:35 p.m. the meeting was called to order by Mayor Ransom, who presided.
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The Mayor led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present.
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Mayor Ransom read the proclamation, which recognized the positive contributions that entrepreneurs and businesses have on the community.
Judy Smith, President of the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, and Tom Boydell, Economic Development Manager, accepted the proclamation and thanked the Council for this recognition. Mr. Boydell invited the public to participate in a small business seminar to be held on Saturday. Information on this event is also available from the Chamber of Commerce and on the City’s web site.
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Julie Modrzejewski, Assistant City Manager, provided the City Manager’s report and information on the following items:
Councilmember Hansen commented favorably on the Citizen’s Police Academy and strongly encouraged citizens to participate.
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Councilmember Ryu reported on her attendance at the SeaShore Transportation Forum and the fact that most agencies are in the process of approving the agreement, with the exception of Shoreline and Seattle. It was noted that as of today, Lake Forest Park has not yet signed the agreement. Councilmember Ryu encouraged citizens who qualify to avail themselves of the free income tax preparation service provided through Hopelink.
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(a) Wendy DiPeso, Shoreline, reported on the February 23 budget meeting sponsored by the Sustainable Shoreline Education Committee. She noted that Finance Director Debbie Tarry gave a very clear explanation of the City's fiscal condition, and Sustainable Shoreline hopes to sponsor additional forums on City matters.
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Councilmember Gustafson asked for Council consensus to move item 8(b), Adoption of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket, to the Consent Calendar; there was no consensus to make this change. Councilmember Hansen requested a friendly amendment to take item 8(b) as the first Action Item of the evening. Councilmember Gustafson moved approval of the agenda as amended. Councilmember Hansen seconded the motion, which carried 7-0 and the agenda was approved as amended.
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Mayor Ransom requested that the Minutes of February 5, 2007, be pulled from Consent and approved at a future meeting. Deputy Mayor Fimia moved approval of the Consent Calendar as amended. Councilmember Hansen seconded the motion, which carried 7-0 and the following Consent Items were approved:
(a) Minutes of Special Meeting of October 23, 2006
(b) Approval of expenses and payroll as of February 14, 2007
in the amount of $1,775,703.34
(c) Motion to Authorize the City Manager to enter into Agreements with King County and Public Safety Support Services in order to provide Planner Services for Emergency Management Zone 1
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(a) Motion to Adopt the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket |
Ms. Modrzejewski introduced Steve Cohn, Long Range Planner, who provided a brief staff report. He explained that the Growth Management Act dictates that the Council can only propose Comprehensive Plan amendments once each year; the proposed 2007 docket is presented for Council review and approval. He said putting these amendments on the list doesn’t prejudice the Council, it just means that these are the amendments the Council will consider. He briefly explained the substance of the amendments.
Councilmember Hansen moved to adopt the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket. Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion.
Councilmember Way asked staff to briefly explain the process of moving
forward with the amendments and how the public will be involved. She
asked if Aurora
businesses or other interested parties could receive additional notification,
and asked for more detailed explanation of the docket items.
Mr. Cohn said information would be sent to people within the radius of the
proposed subarea plan, and the public hearing process will be advertised in
Currents, on the City web site, and on the cable channel. He suggested
that staff could do an extra mailing to people within the borders of the
sub-area. Mr. Cohn explained the docket items. The NE 145th and Dayton amendment
is a privately-initiated site-specific proposal that modifies the
designation on the property at 416 and 422 NE
145th St. from Medium Density
Residential to Mixed Use with the intention of developing the property as
residential. The Cottage Housing amendment, which deletes the references
to cottage housing that remain in the Comprehensive Plan, would implement
Council’s action last year that deleted the cottage housing ordinance. It is a
companion piece to the recent Planning Commission decision to remove references
to cottage housing the Development Code. The South Aurora Triangle
amendment, discussed on January 16, 2007, would adopt a new designation and associated development
code language to a set of properties north of NE
145th Street between Aurora Avenue and the
Interurban Trail. He confirmed for Councilmember Way that while there
have been discussions about changing the current building height limits,
neither heights nor trade-offs have been analyzed by anyone.
Councilmember McGlashan advised staff against going to the expense of advertising the cottage housing amendment because the community is already aware of this and it is redundant. Ms. Modrzejewski suggested that perhaps the City could send an e-mail advertisement since it is relatively easy to do and the City already has a list of interested parties.
Councilmember
Ryu said she would like to see as much public participation and notification
as possible. She reminded staff that she asked for additional
signage so that the proposals are more clearly visible to the
community. She also noted that the City web site needs some maintenance
work and that the projects should be put on Channel 21 as well.
Joe Tovar, Planning & Development Services Director, said that staff
will do as much as possible and utilize all its resources to advertise
these proposals. He commented that the City web site is scheduled to
undergo a more general overhaul to make it more user-friendly.
Deputy Mayor Fimia asked staff to
contrast the South Aurora Triangle docket item with the potential
proposal offered by Mr. Choi.
Mr. Cohn clarified that no formal application has been filed, but people have
inquired about current building regulations. He noted that the South
Aurora Triangle proposal would have to have a Planning
Commission recommendation to adopt changes to the Development Code;
this would then be submitted to Council for review and approval or denial.
It is possible a permit application could follow adoption of code
amendments. Regarding building heights, the current code allows 65
vertical feet, or roughly six stories, but there is no application for a
12-story building.
A vote was taken on the motion to adopt the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket, which carried 7-0.
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(b) Motion to Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract in the amount of $188,633 with RW Beck for Engineering Design Services for the Ronald Bog South Project |
Mark Relph, Public Works Director, and Jesus Sanchez, Public Works Operations Manager, provided the staff report. They explained that the Council previously approved the pre-design contract with RW Beck, and staff is now asking Council to consider the next step of awarding the remainder of the project scope.
Mr.
Sanchez explained the project objectives, which include resolving past
flooding problems downstream of Ronald Bog and identifying opportunities for
implementing project features that provide a water quality, habitat, and
community benefit. The project begins at the outlet to Ronald Bog and
ends at the intersection of N 167thStreet and Corliss Place N. The project scope
was originally identified as part of the Surface Water Master Plan. The
Council approved the 30% design last year, and this will be
formally submitted to the appropriate regulatory permitting agencies (U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) once the
City completes the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) process. The City
began the SEPA process based on the 30% design submittal on January 18, 2007.
Mr. Sanchez said while there has been no controversy over the project,
there was a concern that there wasn’t enough time to provide public
comment. In response to this, staff extended the public comment period
until February
20, 2007.
Also, some residents expressed concern that the project would increase
downstream flows. He clarified that the project will not increase flows
to downstream residents. He concluded that the City has been
pleased with RW Beck’s work on the 30% design and recommends that RW Beck
continue providing design services for this project. This new
professional service contract will complete the design of the project and
produce construction-ready documents. He noted that this contract will be
entirely funded by a Public Works Trust Fund loan obtained by the City in 2001.
There was no one wishing to provide public comment on this item.
Councilmember Gustafson moved that Council authorize the City Manger to sign a contract in the amount of $188,633 with RW Beck for engineering design services for the Ronald Bog South Project. Deputy Mayor Fimia seconded the motion.
Councilmember Way commented that even if the Council approves the contract tonight, it is still going to be a "work in progress." She noted that there will still be many opportunities for the public and experts to provide input on the design. She asked staff to describe the specific drainage features of the project.
Mr. Sanchez described the features of the drainage plan based on a color map he distributed. The plan involves replacing the existing conveyance system, realigning for positive slope, and upsizing the existing conveyance pipelines. The habitat of the existing open channel system south of N. 170th Street will be improved through re-grading, re-vegetating, and stabilizing new bank slopes to create a more natural open channel system with more stable side slopes. In addition, existing culverts will be replaced with fish-friendly bottomless arch or box culverts. A new high-flow, bypass piped conveyance system that parallels the upgraded open channel system to prevent channel scour and provide flood protection to adjacent homes located on Corliss Place N.
Responding to Mayor Ransom, Mr. Sanchez clarified the areas in which the existing pipe would be replaced with new 48-inch pipe. The green area on the map reflects the current open channel.
Councilmember Way expressed interest in working with the experts and the
community to consider alternatives that might eliminate the need for a bypass
pipeline in the future by creating increased retention/capacity in
the system.
Mr. Sanchez noted that the consultants have been asked to look at dredging and
capacity at Ronald Bog, and there might be opportunities south of Ronald
Bog to include the First Avenue Transfer Station property. He said staff
is working with King County and looking at all possibilities for providing
additional detention as well as the best habitat and water quality.
Councilmember Gustafson pointed out that this project started long ago, and the idea of daylighting was discussed but it was determined that it was not a practical alternative. He expressed support for the proposal and said he is excited about the possibilities of creating additional retention/capacity as discussed by Mr. Sanchez.
Deputy Mayor Fimia expressed general support for the plan and said she is glad that it appears to support Council Goal #6, creating an Environmentally Sustainable Community.
Councilmember Ryu appreciated Mr. Sanchez’s comments from a couple weeks ago in which he pledged not to build a project that creates increased water flows to downstream residents. She said she's happy to hear about the opportunities to manage water quality and flows and asked that staff work with King County on the Transfer Station design to ensure that the flow volumes are improved. She expressed support for the motion.
Councilmember Hansen expressed support for the plan but asked staff to consider the effects of "unarmoring" the creek. He was concerned that if the banks are not protected, there could be erosion and flooding of neighbor’s backyards. He noted that erosion and setbacks were the principle concerns expressed by the neighbors when the subject of daylighting was initially addressed.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if
the high-flow pipe is going to impact the Crawford’s property.
Mr. Sanchez said the diverter, which is north of N. 155th Street and
is a contracted agreement with the state, only allows 17 cubic feet per
second (cfs) of water through the Crawford property, and any excess is diverted
over to TC-9. He assured the Council that the City wants to ensure the
project doesn’t negatively impact properties south of Ronald Bog.
He said he will watch the system because he will not start a project
that increases flows south of the Bog.
Councilmember McGlashan asked why a water quality vault is proposed for only
one length of the parallel-running culverts and not at the point where the
two converge. Mr. Sanchez said he would follow up with the
engineers; they are still in the pre-engineering phase, so the final
design could be modified at that location.
Mayor Ransom commented that
several years ago the neighbors had severe flooding issues, but the City
has largely addressed those concerns. He inquired about the 75-foot
setback requirement as applied to creeks.
Mr. Sanchez clarified that if culverts are converted to open channels, then
setback requirements would apply. However, in this neighborhood there are
already existing open channels adjacent to private properties.
Councilmember Way noted that if artificial banks are constructed along creeks, the erosive power of the water increases. However, if the channel is more naturalized and made to meander, it tends to dissipate the erosive power. She advocated for working to remove the artificial banks and then addressing issues related to upstream capacity.
Mr. Sanchez said the
City wants to be careful not to destroy and weaken the banks and
at the same time install some energy dissipation. He
advised a balancing of energy dissipation with bank protection while also
allowing the creek to become more natural.
Councilmember Way also advised that the City do everything possible
to preserve the existing trees because they provide strength to the
creek bank.
Councilmember Gustafson moved to call the previous question. A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 7-0.
A vote was taken on the motion to authorize the City Manger to sign a contract in the amount of $188,633 with RW Beck for engineering design services for the Ronald Bog South Project, which carried 7-0.
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At 8:46 p.m., Mayor Ransom declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Scott Passey, City Clerk, CMC