CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING
Monday, August 27, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
Shoreline Conference Center
Mt. Rainier Room
PRESENT: Mayor Ransom, Deputy Mayor Fimia, Councilmember Hansen, Councilmember McGlashan, Councilmember Ryu, and Councilmember Way
ABSENT: Councilmember Gustafson
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Mayor Ransom called the meeting to order at 7:36 p.m.
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Mayor Ransom led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present with the exception of Councilmember Gustafson.
Councilmember Hansen moved to excuse Councilmember Gustafson. Councilmember McGlashan seconded the motion, which carried 6-0.
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Bob Olander, City Manager, announced that the City will have new banners on the light poles along Aurora Avenue and Interurban Trail to celebrate the revitalization of Aurora Avenue and Interurban Park. These banners were funded by the City’s 1% for dedicated art project. He commented that the turf at Shoreline Fields A & B looks and feels great and continues to perform very well. Additionally, field use revenues this year have increased $139,000. He said that is well beyond the City’s expectations and has reduced some of the maintenance costs. He noted that the Dayton Avenue N project is underway, and the walkway on 25th Avenue NE is two-thirds complete; the contractor is scheduled to finish this project at the beginning of September. The 2007 slurry seal program is completed. As a reminder, City offices will be closed September 3, 2007 in observance of Labor Day, and the next City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 4th. There will be a Ridgecrest Vision Update on September 10 which will focus on the sustainable development of the Ridgecrest commercial neighborhood in the vicinity of 5th Avenue NE and NE 165th Street.
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Councilmember Ryu said Seashore did not meet in August but will meet in September. She asked the Council to give her or Mayor Ransom any comments or suggestions.
Mayor Ransom said the Jail Advisory Group (JAG) met in August and they are exploring options on whether or not to create a municipal jail in King County. These options will be brought to the Council some time in September or October. A key factor in the Council’s decision is what the City of Seattle will do; either join the JAG or go its own way. Currently, the City of Seattle has 440 beds, and it will make a big difference whether or not they join the group.
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(a) Vicki Westberg, Shoreline, commented that the current Council is a “breath of fresh air.” She said the previous Council based their decisions on money and ego and didn’t properly discuss items with the stakeholders. It was a period characterized by having a premature end to public comment by citizens at large, the stifling of applause, having a 20 minute total public comment period, and the stifling of fellow Council members. She said to return to a system of repressive rule is wrong.
(b) LaNita Wacker, Shoreline, thanked everyone in the City who did not vote for her, noting that she entered the race to give the public a choice. This is a good thing, she commented, because she isn’t responsible for what happens in the future. She came in third in the primary, and “the voters have spoken.” She said she has been compelled to fight injustice and has been a nurturer and caregiver. There is a freedom to be absolved of responsibility; however, if she had been elected, she wanted to bring back a respect for the staff. She presented the Council with candy as a metaphor for City staff – there is a hard outer shell, but underneath is a vulnerable soft center, just like human beings.
(c) Bronston Kenney, Shoreline, commented on the Open Public Meetings Act lawsuit. He asked why the plaintiffs are willing to spend so much when there's so little to gain. He said Pro Shoreline supporters have an expectation of gaining back much more, but it will come at the expense of the rest of us. He urged the plaintiffs to “clear the air.”
(d) Jacqueline Nilsson, Shoreline, discussed traffic on 180th Street NE between 15th Avenue and 10th Avenue. She said there is a pedestrian-dedicated walkway that is not marked, a school at the top of the hill, and people going to North City to shop and take the bus with no street lights. She highlighted that there is a five-story apartment (Arabella) there and traffic directed onto NE 180th Street NE. She asked the City to keep its promise to calm the traffic and protect the students in the area. The Arabella, she said, charges for parking, so many residents park on the street and hamper the crosswalk on 15th Avenue NE. Additionally, there is a proposal to build a six-story, 125-unit building. She inquired if the Council addressed the density in the area. She opposed any further development in the area, including the proposed six-story building.
(e) Virginia Paulsen, Shoreline, thanked the Council and City staff for the opportunity to review the plans for a new City Hall. She is concerned that the podium has been used as a place to conduct verbal “guillotine” of Councilmembers, which she finds highly inappropriate. She commented that past and present Pro Shoreline members and former Councilmembers should identify themselves so the City can understand their backgrounds. She supported the continued legal funding.
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(f) Joseph Fugate, Shoreline, said there has been a crash of the world financial system for some time and there has been speculation that it has flooded the mortgage market. The current system is finished, he said, and will never recover in its present form. This is systemic and is not caused by the mortgage market, but it will cause the downfall of our citizens’ livelihoods. Counties and cities are faced with a serious problem. There is a national breakdown which will decimate large sections of the population. He added that the City must act to pass local legislation for federal government to step in. He concluded that this has been done before and the City must become the chorus to lead that solution forward.
(g) Nancy Morris, Shoreline, said people should focus on the positive changes the have occurred in Shoreline with Deputy Mayor Fimia, Councilmember Way, and Councilmember Ryu in office. She commented that they have taken a great deal of time to listen to people and the City staff. They have allowed for greater public input and more openness in the decision-making process. Progress made that has been specific to these Councilmember have been the Parks bond, the City’s Economic Development strategy, the enhanced Critical Areas Ordinance, the Aurora Corridor, and the committee to start a Comprehensive Housing Strategy. These Councilmembers deserve a great deal more support from the City. She asked residents to read the brochure called “Creating an Environmentally Sustainable Community.”
(h) Dennis Lee, Shoreline, said he tries to sign up late to speak to counteract the vitriol that comes from the podium. Regarding the jail issue, he said there used to be a North Rehabilitation Facility (NRF) in Briarcrest which was located on some of the Fircrest property. He expressed concern because every jurisdiction is looking to build more jails. The NRF facility had non-violent prisoners and was very successful. He noted that it is cost-effective to rehabilitate people and it is nice to have a more creative process so we can do something to solve the problems in our society.
(i) Gretchen Atkinson, Shoreline, said she belongs to a volksport walking club and they have a 6K and 11K events scheduled on September 3rd on the Interurban Trail. They both begin at the Senior Center. She said both of the events begin at 8:00 a.m. and she invited the pubic to join the club. The group expects nearly 300 walkers that day. She commented that the trail is “gorgeous.”
(j) Wendy DiPeso, Shoreline, said she attended the Puget Sound Regional Council (PRSC) presentation on Vision 2040. She noted that they talked about collaboration, environmental needs, housing, employment, and it all sounded high-minded, but Deputy Mayor Fimia took time to read the details. She said the PSRC documentation shows that traffic congestion and delays continue to increase despite spending $140 billion over 40 years. However, the PSRC representative maintained that stress on the transportation infrastructure would be reduced by changes in land use. She said the City needs to make land use changes anyway so that middle and lower income residents can afford to live here. She said there was no mention of bus rapid transit because it costs less, and the repair of SR520 and the Viaduct would be more attainable because the region wouldn’t be putting so much money into other things. She appreciated Deputy Mayor Fimia for researching the issue and raising some important questions.
Mr. Olander responded that City staff will look into Ms. Nilsson’s concerns about traffic on 180th. Regarding Mr. Lee’s comments, he said in the recent past the City has had few options for jail alternatives; however, now they are looking at a whole range of treatment to include rehabilitation and work release.
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Councilmember McGlashan suggested moving Item 8(a) to consent calendar. Mr. Olander said he would like to pull that item from the agenda based on some issues that have come up with KPG that need to be resolved.
Deputy Mayor Fimia moved approval of the agenda. Councilmember Hansen seconded the motion, which carried 6-0.
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Deputy Mayor Fimia moved approval of the Consent Calendar. Councilmember Way seconded the motion, which carried unanimously, and the following items were approved:
(a) Minutes of Special Meeting of June 18, 2007
Minutes of Business Meeting of June 25, 2007
Minutes of Study Session of July 2, 2007
Minutes of Business Meeting of July 9, 2007
Minutes of Workshop Dinner Meeting of July 23, 2007
Minutes of Business Meeting of July 23, 2007
Minutes of Special Meeting of August 13, 2007
(b) Approval of expenses and payroll as of August 14, 2007 in the amount of $ 3,762,186.90
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(a) Motion to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Contract with KPG, Inc. for Design Services for the Aurora Corridor Project (N. 165th Street to N. 205th Street)
This item was removed from the agenda.
9. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
(a) Motion to Adopt a Public Process for Consideration of Development
Code Amendments (Ordinance No. 478) relating to SEPA Categorical Exemptions and Densities and Dimensions for Residential Development
in Non-residential Zones
Mr. Olander noted that Planning and Development Services Director Joe Tovar suggested having a public workshop regarding this topic, which would be more of a dialogue with residents. This would allow the City staff to handle public concerns more closely and then hold the formal public hearing.
Mayor Ransom inquired if this would include the Ballinger Way area meeting.
Mr. Olander responded that these amendments do include the Ballinger area, so they would have to be properly notified of these meetings.
Councilmember Way commented that the residents in the Ballinger Way area might need encouragement to come out to the meetings. She suggested holding a workshop in their area.
Mr. Olander said the location of meetings is always questionable, however, the City staff can make a dedicated effort to inform the residents around Ballinger Way.
Mr. Tovar added that the City staff needs to let the whole community know about this and perhaps there should be notification printed in the Currents about both meetings.
Councilmember Ryu commented that the meetings will take place during school hours and maybe the City should post the notice at the schools. Mr. Olander said the City can also target the mail carrier routes.
Councilmember Way thought the businesses on Ballinger and Aurora need extra special attention.
Mr. Tovar said the City staff will locate and notify everyone that they can. He added that the Chamber of Commerce is another resource, noting that the area in question is already zoned commercial.
Deputy Mayor Fimia moved for the Council to direct the City staff to give notice of one public workshop and one joint public hearing of the City Council and Planning Commission regarding Ordinance 478. Furthermore, the City staff is directed to present a final recommendation to the Council. Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion.
Deputy Mayor Fimia stated it is obvious that there was not a level of comfort with the public. She felt it would be better to have one workshop and one public hearing. She felt that a workshop would provide a more community-driven process.
Mayor Ransom called for public comment on this item.
(a) LaNita Wacker, Shoreline, felt that the issues should be divided because there are two separate questions. She said there is a misunderstanding on the Council because the Planning Commission recommendation as well as Ordinance No. 478 acknowledge that there are five properties that are already commercially zoned, and there are no changes to that. She said the confusion surrounding these amendments is emanating from the Council itself. Regarding Amendment #5, she said the Planning Commission simply stated that the City already has environmental protections in the code, so the SEPA checklist isn’t needed. The Planning Commission made the recommendation based on the laws passed by the Council and these hearings are not necessary.
(b) Dennis Lee, Shoreline, said there was time when the public meeting process was ignored and citizens were ignored. He noted that the City staff, including Joe Tovar has done great job, but this issue seems to inflame a lot of residents. The perceived process is what matters, and it is important that the City struggles with process. He felt the SEPA issue should be separated out. When it concerns commercial property, the stakeholders are the whole City, not just the landholders. He urged the Council to take its time and hold the public process. He suggested that City staff talk at PTA meetings about land use and process. He said citizens are the City’s biggest asset on how to handle the process.
(c) Pat Murray, Shoreline, said the Planning Commission tends to give more weight to developers and land owners. He asked that the playing field be leveled and said citizens should have same amount of time. Developers don't deserve anything more or less than we do, he commented.
Mayor Ransom said that even though developers went through the process, Councilmembers feel that they represent the residents, and about 100 people were either confused or concerned about this. Council voted to allow more public process because this involved their homes and livelihood. He added that the town center idea inflamed people in the past. He said the Council and the City staff need to communicate with the people, much like the process with the Aurora Corridor. He hoped this process would resolve the public’s concerns.
Deputy Mayor Fimia remarked that there are about 20 amendments that came through the Planning Commission process to the City Council and all of them were adopted but three because there were concerns. That, she stated, is the nature of the Council’s job, not to “rubber stamp” everything. She commented that City staff has been adaptive to that and in regulating land use in a way that collects information in advance of the legislation. She said whenever a public process doesn't work for 70 - 80% of the City, the Council and the staff need to go back and review the process.
Councilmember McGlashan noted that there have already been two public hearings held by the Planning Commission on these amendments. He said not acting on this adds another meeting to their workload. Additionally, maybe the Council needs to discuss the continuation of the Planning Commission, because this devalues their contribution by asking them to deliberate more on an item for which they’ve already given a recommendation. He noted that the majority of the speakers at the Planning Commission spoke against Amendment #9, and they were up at the podium tonight saying they just heard about it today. He felt there were rumors circulating, and he hoped this helps the Planning Commission and the City staff. He commented that the City staff already has too many meetings to plan, attend, and facilitate.
Councilmember Ryu supported the amendment and said the City staff has heard the same voices ask for more time and input. She was also glad to see that they have been willing to work with Deputy Mayor Fimia on a schedule. She was interested in knowing if Councilmember McGlashan has heard if any Commissioners have complained about the process. She pointed out that the Planning Commission is appointed by the Council, and its job is to examine and screen land use issues for the Council. It is ultimately the Council’s responsibility to make the final decision. She said she would be happy to have another screening body because not all these decisions were unanimous. She said three of the speakers were representing 2-3 parcels and their recommendation was based on a limited amount of public comment. She pointed out that the Council passes most of the Commission’s recommendations.
Councilmember Way supported the amendment and said having two formats for the two meetings is fine as long as there is a good record of what is said at each meeting.
Mr. Olander thought that there was some misinformation in the public, and the workshop will assist the public in understanding the true impact of the amendments.
Mr. Tovar said the purpose of the workshop is two-way communication, and informed comment is even more useful to the City staff and the Planning Commission.
Staff confirmed for Councilmember Hansen that they do not object to the motion.
A vote was taken on the motion to direct the City staff to give notice of one public workshop and one joint public hearing of the City Council and Planning Commission regarding Ordinance No. 478, with a final staff recommendation to be presented to the Council. The motion carried 6-0.
(b) 15th Avenue NE Roadway Configuration Options
Mark Relph, Public Works Director and Jesus Sanchez, Public Works Operations Manager provided the staff presentation.
Mr. Relph said this item was discussed with the Council in May and at that time the Council asked staff to go back and look at concepts to come up with alternatives.
Mr. Sanchez said Rich Meredith, Traffic Engineer, presented an analysis of the behavior on 15th Avenue during May 2007 concerning vehicle accident data, driver behavior, traffic volumes, and public concerns that were raised. He also discussed a series of roadway configurations and options. Mr. Meredith stated that he looked at the area between 150th Avenue and 175th Avenue on 15th Avenue NE and attempted to come up with different configurations. He highlighted that Option #1A is the existing configuration which has one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. It accommodates bicycle lanes and the center lane facilitates making turns. It also mitigates multiple threats, which are a common accident pattern.
Option #2, he said, is a four-lane option with two lanes in each direction with no center turn lane or bicycle lanes. This allows for more traffic volume and bicycles sharing the travel lanes. Option #3A and #3B are variations of the four-lane configuration. The advantage of this option is that bicycles will share the travel lane and it features a center turn lane and center islands are also options. This configuration may need some intersection modification to facilitate right turns because of the narrow lanes the vehicles would turn into. Option #4A and #4B are three-lane options and the center lane is a through lane. In this configuration left turns could not be made. City staff, he said, is not recommending Options #3A, #3B, #4A, or #4B. Option #5 has four lanes with BAT lanes on the right. This option allows for bicycles to ride in the curb lane and accommodates buses and right turns. Ultimately, he felt this reduces the capacity of this option because all of the through traffic would be in one lane, including any turning vehicles and would slow traffic even more than what is currently there. Option #6 would require the City to purchase an 11-foot strip of right-of-way to accommodate the five lanes. The City staff felt the existing configuration can handle the traffic volumes, accommodates bicycle traffic, and still retain the safety benefits, but there is a need for traffic islands, restriping, and lane alignments.
Mayor Ransom called for public comment on this item.
(a) LaNita Wacker, Shoreline, said this issue has been before the City for eight years and the original design was for two through lanes and center turn lanes which was called the “road diet.” Recently, according to Dan Burden’s presentation “Walkable Communities,” the road diet configuration is the safest and has the capacity equal to the four lane configuration. She said that this is not just about 159th to 170th; it extends beyond Perkins lane. The City needs a bike lane to go through North City to connect with 24th Avenue NE. She added that the City needs to be concerned about the Forest Hills condominiums and Lena's Café, because both need a center turn lane. She said Mr. Burden stated that lanes should be ten feet wide and must allow safe crossing. She added that all multiple threats must be removed in this City and that a three lane configuration is a safer roadway. She commented that the Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA) has a risk management group that looks at these things. She concluded that Tia Townsend was killed as a direct result of having a four-lane street.
(b) Gretchen Atkinson, Shoreline, said she was involved in the development of North City, noting that she attended 50 meetings with the North City and Ridgecrest neighborhoods. She said that mailers were sent out to 5,000 people and there were meetings that were attended by at least 150 people. She favored the three lane configuration because of the safety factor. She said the speed has dropped through that area and it makes it much safer. She urged the Council to keep the three lanes and extend it through the business district to enhance safety for all pedestrians.
(c) Charlotte Haines, Shoreline, asked why the Council is discussing changing the lanes on 15th Avenue NE. She said this decision was made almost four years ago and safety has increased. She noted that studies have shown that local residents are the main culprits of cut-through traffic. She added that additional stop signs and lights won't help. She inquired where the letters were that protested the change from four to three lanes on 155th and 185th. She asked why there was continued protest concerning the configuration on 15th Avenue and who keeps it going. She said the residents need to listen to the traffic engineers. She concluded that there is no need for more meetings and studies to prolong what has become a political issue.
(d) Sally Granger, Shoreline, read a Seattle-Post Intelligencer editorial concerning road diets. She said the City of Seattle is reducing the number of lanes on two new streets. National traffic engineering standards suggest that such configurations are considerably safer for pedestrians. She said she would have preferred a full three-lane configuration on Stone Way rather than the City listening to business concerns. She noted that the fears of having three lanes have been proven false elsewhere. The City of Seattle agrees that three lanes is preferred. She said she was an eyewitness to a vehicle-pedestrian accident in North City on August 1, which could have been prevented if there was a center lane.
(e) Virginia Paulsen, Shoreline, said she lives near 15th Avenue NE and said there has been an increase in traffic volume and speeds on 12th Avenue NE. She supported the motion by Deputy Mayor Fimia and was impressed by the discussion in the packet concerning the costs of each alternative. The pros and cons were clearly articulated, but she noticed there were no criteria for deciding among the six options. She commented that the City may want to think about expanded bus rapid transit and to facilitate bike use. Another option is to speed up traffic or to slow down traffic; this would vary depending on whether you drive or are a pedestrian. Furthermore, there could be an option to facilitate safety issues. She felt it is critical to establish criteria and priorities. Personally, she said she prefers an increase in bus rapid transit, and there is an issue concerning the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians. She added that she is glad for the pedestrian crossing lights along 15th Avenue which allow her to cross the streets.
(f) Dennis Heller, Shoreline, favored the staff recommendation and the existing street. He noted that the original recommendation came from the City staff in May and the Council is wasting time on this subject. He said this decision has no place in public policy and it is important that everyone look at who is supporting campaigns and where the donations are coming from. He said there seems to be no reason to debate an issue that should have been resolved a long time ago. He also said that he appreciates the fact that Councilmember Way said she'd never vote to take away bike lanes. He urged the Council to move on and do what the rest of the country is doing by supporting alternative transportation options.
(g) Loretta Schneider, Shoreline, said she has a copy of an extensive study that was done regarding the traffic on 15th Avenue NE. The 12-page study was submitted to the City Council in November 2006, which reflected that a three-lane configuration is safer with fewer injuries and traffic collisions. She highlighted that the City’s traffic engineers reviewed the findings with the Council in May 2007. However, some Councilmembers decided that more studies were needed. The City’s plan was to develop a pedestrian-friendly shopping area corridor with three lanes, she stated. However, she said four of the Council members decided that they wanted to have 15th Avenue NE changed to four lanes. The Door Store, she said, wants four lanes, yet they don't have any pedestrian customers. It is common knowledge that the Door Store is supporting the campaigns of Maggie Fimia and Terry Scott. However, the public should expect Councilmembers to vote responsibly, not based on what would be politically expedient. She said the City doesn’t need more studies and meetings because safety should take precedence over everything else.
(h) Gary Batch, Shoreline, said he has lived and worked in North City for 28 years, and when the street was proposed to be changed from four to three lanes, he thought it was a dumb idea. However, he said he is wrong and it works well. He felt that the traffic flows much better, and he asked the Council to extend the three-lane configuration throughout North City. He said it should be re-striped so there could be on-street parking for businesses and drivers can turn left on 180th Street.
(i) Dennis Lee, Shoreline, said he isn’t proposing any changes to 15th Avenue NE. He discussed the history of this item. He stated that there were CPAC meetings when the City was incorporated, and North City was an interesting community issue because it has a steep slope on one side. However, the problem is that it turned into a business district which was isolated from the neighborhood. Therefore, the Door Store got caught in middle. He added that the only level piece of property that increased in density was an old house that was demolished. He commented that the process could have been a little slower, because densities were left out. He said now the Council is stuck with “blowback” from the business district, which wants to be isolated from the community and do their own thing.
(j) Chris Eggen, Shoreline, said he is a candidate for the City Council. He said that two years ago about 75 percent of the residents were upset with the 15th Avenue corridor, but now the average is about 50 percent. He said businesses get their customers from traffic, and they are going to be alarmed if the number of lanes on the street in front of their establishment is going to be reduced. He said that he isn’t saying the Council should wholeheartedly support these businesses, but he felt the Council should realize that those are jobs in our community. He said his opinion is that statistically the City doesn’t have a firm conclusion about the safety statistics in Shoreline. He concluded that it is a good time to delay a decision, to collect more data, and figure out where the citizens stand on this.
(k) Pat Murray, Shoreline, commented on the last lane option and asked why the City can’t purchase land on both sides of the road, because that would be fair to the property owners. He felt it would be safer for bikes to be on adjacent streets instead of in the traffic flow on 15th Avenue NE. He also stated that there aren’t many pedestrians in the City of Shoreline to justify a three-lane configuration anywhere in this City. He also asked why property owners are penalized for graffiti. He said three lanes may be safer, but it increases cut-through traffic. There also need to be bus turnouts. He concluded that he has to cut through on side streets himself just to get home.
Mr. Relph stated that the three-lane configuration meets safety goals. He noted that he has only been with the City for six months and doesn’t understand all the goals the City pursued from the beginning of the project. He highlighted that whatever option the Council decides upon, the City staff will have to monitor it. Even if the solution is the existing configuration, a discussion will need to take place on how it fits the City’s goals. He said the City staff is ready to work with the Council and the public on this.
Mr. Olander pointed out that staff’s recommendation is that three lanes with some enhancements is the best solution. He commented that he doesn’t really think 15th Avenue NE is the issue. The issue is the cut-through traffic and speeding through them and that will continue regardless of the option. He said it exists on Aurora Avenue and studies found cut-through traffic shifted to I-5 and 175th. He added that even if the City goes back to four lanes, with growth, that capacity will get used up very quickly. He said Dan Burden commented that the City has a good grid system which can spread the impact around the community. The City needs to concentrate not on just 15th Avenue, but on what can be done throughout the community to accelerate and improve traffic calming measures. Additionally, new traffic signals will help with access to 15th Avenue.
Deputy Mayor Fimia moved to direct staff to schedule a town meeting regarding 15th Avenue NE in September for the purpose of presenting findings from the follow-up study, options, and recommended enhancements and for receiving input regarding effectiveness of existing and proposed changes and any remaining issues not addressed by the staff recommendations. The meeting should be held in the North City area. Besides the usual notification of meetings, notice should be given to area residents, businesses, City of Seattle, Metro, bicycling, and pedestrian organizations. Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion.
Deputy Mayor Fimia said she has received e-mails stating the street should revert back to four lanes and that speeding occurs often in the business district. She also outlined that the collision rate is increasing and there are 25 percent more pedestrian collisions. She felt there is still angst on both sides and there is still cut-through traffic in the neighborhoods. She said she thought the Council asked the City staff to come back with a problem list, not solutions and mitigations. She said there is an incredible list of problems going on. She explained that because there is a lack of consensus, she isn’t comfortable moving forward with this. The road diet, she said, might not make sense for the corridor. The Aurora process was good and it solved problems, so it should also work for 15th Avenue NE.
Councilmember Ryu concurred. She said the City needs to look at the long-term and the Puget Sound Regional Council states that arterial vehicle miles traveled in larger cities will increase by 53% by the year 2040. She said 15th Avenue NE is the only other arterial besides Aurora and I-5. She stated that the City needs to plan for the future now. She urged residents to give input based on the City’s long-term vision and there should be discussion on what the City should look like in the future.
Councilmember Way commented that there was a Council decision two or three years ago and a plan was implemented. Now there is an outcome and North City is beautiful and attractive and people have enjoyed themselves in the four lane section, but we have a “mixed bag.” There are opposing viewpoints and issues with side streets and the surrounding area. She agreed that the issue will be played out in the neighborhood and it shows people are assessing what has been done since the revitalization was completed. She felt that now is good time for the public to come back and do the due diligence again.
Councilmember Way asked if there are four lanes plus a center lane in Seattle. Mr. Meredith said he didn’t know what the lane configuration was in Seattle. Councilmember Way said it would be useful to look at that. She inquired if he looked at options with a bus turnout. Mr. Meredith said he did, but there isn’t enough existing right-of-way. Having bus turnout lanes would require property acquisition, he explained.
Councilmember Way added that bus route turnouts are a high priority. She discussed the accident rates and inquired if Mr. Meredith looked at the accident rates of bicyclist and auto collisions. Mr. Meredith said there are some statistics, but he doesn’t remember seeing a high number of bicyclist and auto collisions occurring. Councilmember Way also asked about how many cyclists are using the route. Mr. Meredith said that the data from October 2006 showed that 30 to 80 bicyclists were using the route per day. Councilmember Way asked about the accidents on side streets and how many involved pedestrians. Mr. Meredith responded that he did an overall area collision analysis and didn't break the information down specifically.
Councilmember Way replied that it is an important part of whatever outcome the City comes to because some people want traffic calming and some people are against it. She noted that it is useful to have some of that data. She remembered that there was discussion about four-way stops versus roundabouts and a lot of concern about them. She said she was in favor of the motion because the Council needs this opportunity to discuss this.
Councilmember McGlashan asked if there was a grant coming for the signal on N. 170th Street referred to on page 84. Mr. Meredith said there was. Councilmember McGlashan asked if there was a way to find out about pedestrian accidents and where they happened on that road. Mr. Meredith responded that the area of study was between 175th to 155th, south of the business district. Councilmember McGlashan asked if bicycle accidents were tracked separately. Mr. Meredith responded that the database that is maintained will separate pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Councilmember McGlashan confirmed that these figures are from 2006 and asked if there was any data for 2007. Mr. Meredith replied that the City does have the figures through June 2007.
Councilmember McGlashan did not support the motion and believed road diets are still the safest way to go and are proven nationally. He commented that the City of Seattle has taken some of their commuter routes and reduced them. He was glad to see more options, but the only options offering bike lanes are numbers 1 and 4. He said there are regional and local issues coming up in the future, but local issues need to be addressed now. He noted that residents would have to step into traffic to get their mail under the four-lane configuration. He also said he would do away with Option 6. He urged the Council not to consider options that return the multiple threat scenario or property-taking. The reports show increases in accidents, but there hasn’t been one death since the re-striping. He also highlighted that left-turn collisions have been cut in half and there has been a 23% reduction in injuries. He pointed out that there will be accidents and one of the increases is in rear-end accidents, either by people not paying attention or driving too close. He thinks there are criteria for choosing between the number of lanes, and the main objectives should be safety and risk to the City. The City knows now that road diets are safer and he felt if the road is returned to four lanes the City is at risk if there is a fatality. He supported three lanes from 145th to 205th. He felt that four lanes would provide for cut-through traffic to other cities. He also felt traffic along the North City business district is still unsafe. He felt that having additional meetings would be a waste of time.
Mayor Ransom stated that the City of Seattle has three lanes with bus turnouts and there is a very significant difference. He said the estimated volume of traffic being discussed is 17,000 cars per day on 15th Avenue NE, meanwhile at 175th Avenue the volume used to be 22,000 cars. This indicates how much volume there used to be. If the viaduct is demolished, he said it will back up Aurora Avenue and I-5 and could eventually increase the volume on 15th Avenue to 25,000 to 30,000 cars per day. This would be more than a three-lane configuration could handle. He noted that the move to three lanes has not significantly affected speeds. He said there is a need for bike routes that lead to the different parks, down 10th Street and along Perkins Way into Lake Forest Park connecting to the Burke-Gilman Trail. Now, there is only a one-mile bike lane on 15th Avenue NE, and that doesn’t make sense. He commented that based on between 8 and 9 million car trips measured over an 18-month time period, 30-36 accidents is not significant. He understood that there are people complaining about not being about to get out of their homes, but said there are businesses, specifically the China Clipper, which closed their doors, and Demitri’s Pizza, which bitterly complained that traffic congestion on 15th Avenue greatly decreased their business. The Anderson House, he said, has 300 employees and 200 patients, and something needs to be done to help them with access. He noted that the owner said three lanes are better than four, but more is needed. He suggested moving the pedestrian light because the Anderson House expects 50 percent growth in the future. The statistics quoted were from 2005, he noted, and he said he had over 140 calls favoring four lanes and 30 calls favoring three lanes. He commented that residents still favor four lanes but there isn’t enough Council support for four lanes. There have been studies done over the past 4.5 years and he is willing to have a town hall meeting to hopefully get an update of public sentiment and resolve the polarization. He supported the motion.
MEETING EXTENSION
At 10:00 p.m., Deputy Mayor Fimia moved to extend the meeting to 10:15 p.m. Councilmember McGlashan seconded the motion, which carried 6-0.
Councilmember Hansen said he has just returned from a trip to England and felt they would be laughing at us over 15th Avenue. He noted that he drove a car for 775 miles on the roads in England for five days. He said after the first day he adjusted to their roadways. He highlighted that they have lots of roundabouts and they are wonderful. Dan Burden, he pointed out, talked about roundabouts. He said Mr. Burden discussed a road in Fort Lauderdale that had a roundabout installed 14 years ago that had an average of one death per year prior to its installation; since then there hasn’t even been an automobile collision. Additionally, the volume prior to installing that roundabout was 40,000 vehicles, and it increased to 60,000. He said there needs to be some study north of the business district, and bike lanes need to be created. He commented that if Europe is any precursor, then bikes are part of the mix. He supported three lanes, but said he is not going to make a decision at this meeting.
Councilmember Ryu said it sounds like Councilmember McGlashan would advocate for a road diet on Richmond Beach Road. She said roundabouts can be wonderful in England, but check with the Highland Terrace residents and you may get another opinion. Shoreline residents are unique and are different from other streets and the residents deserve another chance for the Council to discuss and provide input.
Deputy Mayor Fimia said she would like to see the Council and public stop trying to formulate policy with a “take it or leave it” position. She added that this motion is not to go back to four lanes and it is not to take away bike lanes. She said it recognizes that there are still some outstanding issues, and if safety is the priority then there is work to do. That is what legislating is about and that's all the motion says. She stated that no one business or person should direct the process. The City has an outstanding staff that can create solutions for that corridor, she commented. She felt the City doesn’t have a very good grid system.
A vote was taken on the motion, which carried 4-1, with Councilmember Hansen abstaining.
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At 10:11 p.m., Mayor Ransom declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Scott Passey, City Clerk