CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE
CITY COUNCIL
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
Shoreline Conference Center
PRESENT: Mayor Hansen, Deputy Mayor Jepsen, Councilmembers Chang,
Grace, and Ransom
ABSENT: Councilmembers Fimia and Gustafson
1.
CALL TO ORDER
The
meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Hansen, who presided.
2. FLAG SALUTE/ROLL CALL
Mayor
Hansen led the flag salute. Upon roll
call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present, with the exceptions of
Councilmembers Fimia and Gustafson.
Upon motion by Deputy Mayor
Jepsen, seconded by Councilmember Grace and carried 5-0, Councilmembers Fimia
and Gustafson were excused.
(a) Proclamation
of “Emergency Preparedness Month”
Mayor Hansen read the proclamation recognizing September as “National Preparedness and Weather Radio Awareness Month” and proclaiming “Emergency Preparedness Month” in Shoreline. Shoreline Police Captain Carl Cole and Gail Marsh, the City’s new Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, accepted the proclamation.
3. CITY MANAGER’S REPORT AND FUTURE
AGENDAS
Steve Burkett, City Manager,
announced that Sergeant Michelle Bennett would be leaving the Shoreline Police
Department to assume the position of police chief in Maple Valley. He commented on the Connie King Skateboard
Park dedication and on the success of Celebrate Shoreline. He noted that staff would be proposing a
special allocation of funds in the 2005 budget to celebrate Shoreline’s tenth
anniversary. He expressed appreciation
to the sponsors of Celebrate Shoreline.
Continuing,
Mr. Burkett commented on the completion of the City’s street overlay projects,
and the slurry seal projects that will commence this week. He noted the efforts of the Public Works
Department to make landscaping improvements at several key intersections and
noted that the bid for construction of the Interurban Trail North Section B and
South Central Section would be brought to Council next week. Finally, he commented on the success of the
employee appreciation picnic, noting that City Clerk Sharon Mattioli was named
Employee of the Year for 2004. The
100-Year Storm Response Team, comprised of staff from nearly every department,
was named Team of the Year.
4. COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilmember Chang commented on the enthusiastic and
energetic atmosphere he observed at the employee appreciation picnic. He emphasized the importance of having good
staff in order to succeed as a city.
Councilmember Ransom reported that he and Councilmember
Chang attended the Association of Washington Cities budget workshop in
Leavenworth. He also noted his
participation at the skateboard park dedication, the parade, and employee
picnic.
5. PUBLIC COMMENT
(a) Sally
Granger, Shoreline, reported there were thirteen traffic accidents on 15th
Avenue NE between NE 175th Street and NE 180th Street for
the first seven months of 2004. Four of
these involved injuries. She said that
seven to nine speeding citations per hour are issued in just a two-block area
of 15th Avenue NE. Regarding
the change from four lanes to three, she said she counted only 703 letters
protesting the North City Project. She
said people dislike change, and they say they want sidewalks but are not
willing to pay for them. She said she is
tired of drivers making 15th Avenue NE their “personal
freeway.”
(b) Bob
Phelps, Shoreline, thanked the Mayor and Council for recognizing Emergency
Preparedness Month. As team manager of
the Shoreline Auxiliary Communication Service (Amateur Radio group), he
announced there would be a nationwide emergency communications exercise on
October 2. He said his group would be
among 1,100 teams in western Washington participating in the exercise, which
would simulate a massive power/telephone outage. He said this is valuable training and the team is looking forward
to the challenge.
(c) Jane
Hinton, Seattle, coordinator of the Ballinger Homes Family Support Center (part
of the Center for Human Services), thanked the City and the Parks, Recreation
and Cultural Services Department for collaborating on the academic enrichment
camp this past summer. She said the
program provided a valuable service to the low-income residents of Ballinger
Homes, many of whom are immigrants who lack the resources or opportunities to
get out and meet their neighbors. She
thanked Jill Rogers of the Parks Department for her efforts in making this
program a success.
(d) Patty
Crawford, Shoreline, asserted that the City has acted “immorally” in its
handling of the Aegis project, noting that the City is just now asking the
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) how to measure the high
water mark of the stream at the Aegis site.
Continuing, she said the Planning and Development Services Director, Mr.
Stewart, has not responded appropriately to her concern about the change in the
definition of Reasonable Use, and that the City Attorney should not bring back
things from seminars and integrate them into the code. She said the Stream Inventory should be
revised to protect migrating fish, since the City has now documented a
migrating steelhead. She said there
should be no distinction between migrating and non-migrating fish since there
are no longer any non-migrating fish.
(e) Tim
Crawford, Shoreline, also commented on the steelhead sighting in the north fork
of Thornton Creek. He said if the Mayor
is going to get involved in code enforcement issues, he should treat all
Shoreline citizens equally and maintain the appropriate “appearance of
fairness.” He referred to a letter from
WDFW to the City, which indicates that the Aegis building on the north site is
a “mirror image” of the south site. He
expressed his hope that the City finally establishes the “ordinary high water mark”
on Peverly Pond.
(f) Mark
Deutsch, Shoreline, expressed support for an economic development plan that
balances the needs of vibrant neighborhoods with environmental protection and
neighborhood businesses. He said
although the City is mandated to follow Growth Management Act regulations, the
City should try to capitalize on work already underway in Richmond Beach,
Richmond Highlands, Ballinger, North City, and along Aurora Avenue. He said the primary focus of economic
development in Shoreline should be on communities and neighborhoods. This is reinforced by the fact that the
Puget Sound Regional Council has not identified Shoreline as a target urban
area. Therefore, the City should
develop business areas similar to what is occurring in the Comprehensive Plan
for Ballinger. He said development of
Aurora Avenue would allow more pedestrians to access local businesses, which
would create less cut-through traffic and decrease the need for enhanced city
streets. He expressed disappointment
with the outcome of the North City Project, noting that stakeholders from many
groups participated in the discussions.
He emphasized the need to find “win-win” solutions for both
neighborhoods and businesses.
(g) Janet
Way, Shoreline, felt the Stream Inventory report did not include enough
information on fish use/habitat and vegetation. Noting the steelhead sighting, she emphasized that Thornton Creek
up to Ronald Bog is fish habitat and should have all the required
protections. She felt the report mostly
discounted the fish in Thornton Creek.
She suggested that the report include all the priority species of plants
that contribute to wildlife habitat.
She felt there were many streams in Shoreline that could offer fish
habitat. She identified a roadside
ditch in Richmond Beach that should be protected as a stream because it flows
year-round. Finally, she suggested that
the “Kim Wetland” as outlined in the stream inventory be changed to a different
name.
Councilmember Ransom noted
that there were two volumes containing letters protesting the North City
Project. He questioned whether Ms.
Granger’s count included both volumes, noting that 1,500 letters were
reportedly received.
6. WORKSHOP ITEMS
(a)
Planning
Commission Report on Stream and Wetland Inventory
Tim
Stewart, Planning and Development Services Director, and Matt Torpey, Project
Planner, presented the final Stream Basin and Characterization Reports for the
City of Shoreline. He explained that
the reports have been developed for many years and have undergone extensive
scientific and public review. The
Planning Commission conducted a series of meetings and directed staff to
provide further changes to the Draft Stream Basin and Characterization
Study. Staff contracted with Tetra
Tech/KCM to expand further on the work performed up to that point based on the
required changes in the Planning Commission’s resolution. The changes made to the report as
recommended by the Planning Commission are as follows:
1)
Remove
all references to “Artificial Open Water Course” from the reports.
2)
Conduct
further delineation and study of the wetland to the south of Twin Ponds.
3)
Apply
the tri-County Urban Stream Baseline Evaluation Method (USBEM), especially in
the Thornton Creek, TC-2 and TC-8 reaches.
4)
Conduct
further scientific study of reaches previously identified as
“Artificial Open Water
Courses.”
Mr. Stewart concluded that
these reports do not constitute a proposed adoption of policy nor a change to
the current Shoreline Municipal Code.
He said they also do not establish stream /wetland classifications or stream/wetland
buffers, but they are part of the “best available science” that the City and
community can use in determining its future.
Mr. Stewart then responded to
Councilmember Grace’s question regarding how the reports integrate with other
studies in neighboring jurisdictions.
He said staff would likely propose an update to the Comprehensive Plan
policy that encourages data sharing and joint planning through interlocal
agreements in order to look at Thornton Creek as a whole ecosystem rather than
on a jurisdictional basis. He said the
report has an appendix with an extensive amount of data on the quality and
quantity of stream basins, which can be used in establishing a baseline for
future studies. This could help
determine which projects might enhance resources or help eliminate
hazards. He clarified that piped
watercourses have been identified but the report does not include detailed data
on them. He said the reports could play
an important role in the Surface Water Master Plan and future capital projects
in determining appropriate levels of funding for storm water management and
habitat enhancement.
Councilmember Grace applauded
the approach to stream basin planning that focuses on watersheds rather than
jurisdictional boundaries. He wondered
if other jurisdictions were conducting scientific studies that might be of
value to Shoreline.
Mr. Stewart replied that
Seattle Public Utility (SPU) is doing extensive work on Thornton Creek that
would likely pay dividends for Shoreline.
He said the removal of fish barriers is one area of focus.
Councilmember Grace wondered
if the City could collaborate with Lake Forest Park on comparable work for on
MacAleer Creek. Mr. Stewart said that
members of a Lake Forest Park environmental group have attended Planning
Commission meetings and are aware of the proposal to encourage interlocal
cooperation on resource protection measures.
Councilmember Ransom
suggested that the report should clarify that Thornton Creek runs through
Paramount Park Open Space, not Paramount Park itself. He also commented that the wording for the definition of
“reasonable use” as contained in the Development Code could make a significant
difference in how the law is interpreted.
He challenged the Planning Director’s prior written statement that the
use of the term “liberally construed” made no difference. He proposed that the language be changed
from “liberally construed” to “narrowly construed.” He felt that court decisions have helped determine the definition
of reasonable use, but it is much easier to interpret the words "narrowly
construed" than "liberally construed."
Mr. Stewart felt the process
for changing the reasonable use definition was very clear. He pointed out that the Council could
initiate an amendment to the definition.
Councilmember Ransom felt
that returning to the original definition might be the best option since the
change seems to be a point of contention.
He questioned whether environmental groups agree with the report. He thought a consensus had been reached with
them.
Mr. Burkett said it is not a
matter of trying to reach a consensus, but a matter of experts trying to come
to some conclusion. He said it is
unlikely to arrive at a document upon which all scientists would agree.
Mr. Stewart concurred, noting
that such a document is never really complete because new information will be
added as the resource is further studied through the scientific method. He said the steelhead sighting is a good
example of the type of new information that will be added to the report.
Mayor Hansen questioned
whether SPU had actually confirmed the steelhead sighting. It was his understanding that SPU
representatives were not able to identify it.
Mr. Stewart said he was
satisfied with the reports he received, although it should be classified as
anecdotal information. He did not
recall anyone characterizing the fish as “migratory.”
Councilmember Chang asked how
the reports would be used in the future.
Mr. Stewart said scientists would use the reports in conducting
wetland/stream delineation studies for development permits and in appeals
before the hearing examiner. The
reports will be utilized as part of the “best available science” as the City
embarks on changes to the critical areas ordinance later this year as required
by state law. He clarified that as new
information becomes available, it will supplement these reports.
Councilmember Chang asked how
the City might achieve a more productive, two-way communication with the
environmental groups in Shoreline. He
felt that the process of developing the reports is important and that the
community should be involved in these studies.
Mr. Stewart said the City has
that opportunity as it considers changes to the critical areas ordinance and
Storm Water Master Plan as part of the Comprehensive Plan amendments.
Councilmember Ransom said he
had expected the reports to contain more scientific criteria related to water
quality rather than just a descriptive analysis.
Mr. Stewart responded that
this information is the data upon which the City can reach an objective
assessment of the condition of the habitat.
He noted that there is not very high quality habitat in most of the
City’s stream reaches.
Deputy Mayor Jepsen said he
would like to have recommendations regarding the best opportunities for funding
improvements. He felt that paving over
drainage ditches with sidewalks, as some have advocated, would be the wrong
direction in terms of resource protection.
He felt the City should take an organized approach by categorizing the
highest priority salvageable streams.
Mr. Stewart said the City
could put together a matrix that ranks the stream corridors so the Council can
decide what makes sense in terms of habitat/water quality restoration.
Mr. Burkett said the analysis
could be done in much the same way the street index or storm water master plan
were created, i.e., identifying opportunities to make investments that yield
the highest returns.
(b)
Economic Development
Strategic Plan
Mr.
Burkett said the current vacancy in the Economic Development Coordinator
position presents a good opportunity to review the City’s goals, strategies,
and resource allocation for economic development. He explained that while Shoreline has a low crime rate, strong
schools and good neighborhoods, its residential character means that 86% of
property taxes are paid by residential properties. Furthermore, Shoreline residents purchase more than 50% of their
retail goods/services outside of Shoreline.
He did not consider this a healthy balance. He suggested that the City focus on developing commercial areas
insofar as they can be developed within Shoreline’s limited land area. Based on past Council discussion and public
forums, he said the new strategies for updating and implementing the Economic
Development Strategic Plan are found in tonight’s Council packet.
Mr. Burkett said that the
City’s primary role is to provide quality infrastructure, facilities, and
services in order to attract people to live, work, and invest in Shoreline. He felt that economic development could be
accomplished most effectively by a full-time position devoted to working with
developers and partners as the City’s representative. He recommended that Council concur in refilling the Economic
Development Coordinator position (renaming it Economic Development Program
Manager); increasing the salary range 5% as recommended by the Human Resources
Director; and updating the economic development strategic plan to include the
new proposed strategies. If Council
concurs, this action would be brought back for formal adoption at a future
meeting.
Councilmember Grace agreed
that a full-time position is necessary so that Shoreline can compete in
attracting new businesses and assisting those in the process of development. He felt that dividing economic development
responsibilities among different staff members would dilute the effort.
Mr. Burkett noted that a new
project manager has been hired in Public Works. Part of the role of the Economic Development Manager will be to
argue in favor of growth in our commercial areas as well as to consider how
City projects affect existing businesses.
He/she is proposed to work with current business owners who want to know
the impacts of the Aurora Corridor Project and how to adapt to them.
Councilmember Ransom
explained that he opposes the prior practice of having the position divide its
time between economic development and capital projects. He felt that over $1 million was spent on
the position over an eight-year period without any visible results. He felt that major capital projects such as
North City/15th Avenue NE should have a dedicated, full-time project
manager. He said that cities successful
in attracting new businesses have Councilmembers who are actively involved in
the process. He felt the City Council
has been “kept in the dark” about development proposals while staff
simultaneously asks it to fund economic development. He felt the City should invest in the King County Economic
Development Council at the $50,000 membership level so it can more effectively
attract new businesses to Shoreline.
Deputy Mayor Jepsen clarified
that this group is now called “Enterprise Seattle” and a dinner meeting is
scheduled in November to discuss membership options.
Councilmember Ransom
reiterated his concern that economic development is going on as a “hidden
pursuit.” He felt the Council should
either be fully involved in the program or there should be no program at all. He emphasized the need to promote office space
in addition to retail sales, since retail is likely to locate near office
development. He stressed the importance
of working with smaller existing businesses to help them expand and grow,
noting that other cities have tried to attract large businesses with dubious
success. He felt the City should either
move forward in a wholehearted and aggressive way with full Council involvement
or not at all.
Councilmember Chang suggested
that the City should create an ad hoc committee to find out what the community
wants before investing more money in economic development. He raised the possibility that Shoreline
citizens may not want to expand Shoreline’s limited commercial zones. He emphasized the need to find out “what’s
works for Shoreline,” noting that the Council vision should reflect community
desires.
Deputy Mayor Jepsen said this
is an important position and part of the job will be to assist current
businesses to leverage their existing investments. He noted that the Council letter to Washington State Department
of Transportation identified several businesses expressing a desire to
redevelop their properties.
Councilmember Grace was
uncomfortable with the proposal that the Council work proactively and directly
with developers and businesses. He felt
the Council role is to set policies that provide good services and reliable
infrastructure. He wondered what the
practice is in other jurisdictions.
Mr. Burkett said while
Council’s role includes setting goals, vision, and policies, it should be involved
when there are major economic development issues being considered. He said normally the whole Council does not
need to meet with prospective developers, and often such projects are kept
confidential due to competition. He
said the Council should ensure it lives up to its commitments if developers are
making decisions based upon those commitments.
Mayor Hansen favored a
full-time position devoted to economic development, noting his belief that a
part-time Council should not be significantly involved. He felt the City must improve its
infrastructure in order to attract new businesses or assist existing businesses
to expand. He said developers want to
be assured that the City will do what it promises.
Councilmember Ransom
described his efforts to bring 50 discount businesses to Shoreline, noting that
business representatives lost interest when they learned Shoreline would not
cover their $15,000 travel expenses for all 50 businesses ($300 per
business). He felt the City should be
willing to make such investments if it wants to succeed in attracting viable
businesses.
Mr. Burkett summarized that
three Councilmembers support the position; that Councilmember Ransom supports
it if the Council is fully involved; and that Councilmember Chang wants to get
the community involved.
Councilmember Ransom
clarified that the individual in the position must be very aggressive in
identifying companies to approach. He
said the City should invest in a promotional video and prepare presentations
tailored to attract a variety of businesses.
He suggested that a hospital might be encouraged to locate in
Shoreline. He also suggested that a
more accelerated one-stop building permit approval process, rather than the
current sequential process, would help attract business. He concluded there are several things the
Council can do to make Shoreline a more business-friendly community.
Councilmember Chang
reemphasized the importance of finding out what existing businesses need, since
Shoreline attracts very few new businesses.
He stressed the need for vision and direction.
Mr. Burkett noted that there
has been quite a bit of development occurring in local businesses, and more new
development would likely occur in the future.
Mayor Hansen concurred.
(c) Second Quarter Financial Report
Debbie Tarry, Finance Director, provided a summary of the second quarter financial activities for the City’s major funds: General, Streets, Surface Water Operations, Development Services, General Capital, Roads Capital and Surface Water Capital. Her report included the following points:
Mayor Hansen said the City is
well on its way to a ninth consecutive year of a surplus budget due to the
Council’s conservative fiscal policies.
Councilmember Chang asked for
more detail on the City’s permit activity.
Ms. Tarry said based on activity to-date, permitting should remain
fairly constant through 2005 with no significant increase in revenue.
Mayor Hansen speculated about
the reason for the significant increase in REET revenue, wondering if it was
caused by a single real estate transaction.
Ms. Tarry said staff is hoping to get more information from the county.
Councilmember Ransom wondered
why the City only expects to spend $2 million of the $15 million in 2004
General Capital Expenditures. He
wondered if the decision on the North City/15th Avenue NE Project
accounted for this difference.
Ms. Tarry clarified that the
North City/15th Avenue NE Project was included in the Roads Capital
Fund. The City Hall Project largely
accounts for the difference in the General Capital Fund.
Mr. Burkett noted that
Councilmember Chang’s question about building permits links directly to
economic development. He explained that
Fred Meyer has recently expressed plans to renovate their store, which could
positively impact the City in terms of property tax, sales tax, and permit
revenues.
7. CONTINUED PUBLIC COMMENT
(a) Janet
Way, Shoreline, felt the public was not provided with adequate notice regarding
the finalization of the Stream Inventory Report. She noted that neither the Lake Forest Park Stewardship
Foundation nor SPU were aware of the report.
She agreed with Councilmember Ransom’s suggestion that reasonable use be
“narrowly construed,” and that the City find consensus with environmental
groups as Councilmember Chang suggested.
She commented on the success of the Northgate Mall development and how
the developer worked closely with community stakeholders. She suggested the City consider “sea
streets” as an answer to Deputy Mayor Jepsen’s concern about paving over
drainage ditches. She felt the Fred
Meyer redevelopment might be an opportunity to improve storm drainage for
MacAleer and Boeing Creeks. She said
“best available science” requires that the City seek opinions from all sides,
including WDFW.
(b) Tim
Crawford, Shoreline, noted that the Department of Ecology and WDFW both
encourage wetlands management in the context of entire watersheds, as opposed
to a “site-by-site, project-by-project” approach. He said there is a credibility gap in Shoreline because it is not
“best available science” to construct buildings in salmon buffers. He said Mayor Hansen and Deputy Mayor Jepsen
have incorrectly stated that there is only one salmon stream in Shoreline. He said the Mayor and Planning and
Development Services Director voice their bias against best available science
by characterizing the sighting of sea-running salmon in Thornton Creek as
“anecdotal.” He said citizens have been
shut out of the planning process.
(c) Patty
Crawford, Shoreline, concurred, adding that the Stream Inventory is not best
available science and is in “total conflict” with the Comprehensive Plan. The report says the City is supposed to
protect salmonids, but then the City tries to discount any evidence of
salmonids. She asserted that Mayor
Hansen is trying to discount any evidence of salmonids in Thornton Creek by
calling SPU and questioning the fish sighting.
She said the Stream Inventory did not include credible information
provided by WDFW, noting the City hired a WDFW employee as a stream biologist
in the past. She said the City tried to
condemn her property so a fire station could be built to serve the Aegis
facility.
8. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:10 p.m., Mayor Hansen
declared the meeting adjourned.
_________________________
Sharon Mattioli, City Clerk