CITY OF SHORELINE
SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL
SUMMARY MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING
Monday, December 10, 2007 - 7:30 p.m.
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.
|
1. |
At 7:30 p.m., the meeting was called to order by Mayor Ransom, who presided.
|
2. |
Mayor Ransom led the flag salute. Upon roll call by the City Clerk, all Councilmembers were present. Mayor Ransom noted that some Councilmembers would be leaving to attend the swearing-in ceremony for the Shoreline School District Board members.
|
3. |
Julie Modrzejewski, Acting City Manager, provided updates on City meetings, projects, and events. She said comments on the Mitigated Determination of Non-significance for the Aurora Corridor Project are due by December 12. She also noted that the "Parade Route" sculpture by artist Chris Bennett will be dedicated on December 17th at 3:00 p.m. in North City. Finally, she discussed the Pacific NW Magazine article highlighting the City of Shoreline called, "On the Edge of Opportunity."
Mark Relph, Public Works Director, and Debbie Tarry, Finance Director, provided an update on the storm event and the broken water main at 195th Avenue NW. He commented that the storm was an extraordinary event and although the City’s response wasn't perfect, City staff did their best to minimize the impact. He discussed the rain accumulation and displayed a map outlining the origin of the 184 calls received. He also reported that the basement at City Hall flooded. He said the City has been assisting residents with information regarding a possible federal disaster declaration and encouraging people to document their damage. He highlighted that the staff created a flood recovery tips information sheet. Mr. Relph discussed the debriefing that occurred and the pre-planning for future events. One strategy that came from the debriefing was the leasing of three large pumps. Two of the pumps would be placed at Ronald Bog and the other would be placed in the Happy Valley area.
Ms. Tarry reported on the relocation of the Finance Department to the City Hall Annex building. She commented on the flood response. She stated the pump truck arrived on Monday along with movers and a pump truck. She said there were critical records that were damaged in the flood and they are currently in the process of being freeze-dried. She added that her department is compiling a list of equipment lost, and the estimated dollar figure is $230,000 - $250,000. In addition, King County needed a preliminary public property damage assessment, and that estimate is $440,000.
Councilmember Ryu commended the City staff and said there have been some requests by Ronald Bog residents that there be some coordination of volunteer work to protect their property with the assistance of City’s resources. She wondered if Emergency Management and the Council of Neighborhoods could work together to help reduce the damage. She would like to strengthen the City’s storm water drainage policies to increase funding for more preventative measures.
Mr. Relph said debris pickup was an issue at Ronald Bog, noting that part of the reason the City staff is calling everyone back is to assess their level of need. He said the staff is looking at more strategic places to put sandbags.
Responding to Mayor Ransom regarding the Happy Valley community, Mr. Relph reported that there was flooding in yards and garages. He said he assumes that there is damage but hasn’t heard from everyone in that area.
Councilmember Way commended staff on their performance all week. She was concerned about the people who had damage but didn't report it; she wanted to ensure it gets figured into the whole damage assessment. She highlighted that (206) 546-1700 is the phone number for residents to call. She added that King County may still declare this a disaster area and people should report everything. She asked about the Hidden Lake situation and if it was included in the King County damage estimate. She also asked if someone has discussed with King County why there is so much sediment there.
Ms. Tarry responded that there was damage at Hidden Lake. However, it isn’t public property so it wasn’t added to the assessment.
Mr. Relph commented that sediment is one of the issues to follow up with King County because there is a significant clean-up effort that needs to take place. He added that he is happy to talk to any of the public at the meeting tonight about any specific issues.
|
4. |
Councilmember Gustafson asked for time at the end of the meeting to report to the Council.
Councilmember Way stated she will possibly have a report ready next week concerning the topics discussed at the Water Resource Inventory Area 8 meeting.
Mayor Ransom commented that he earned the National League of Cities (NLC) platinum level award for continuing education. He said that the Jail Assembly Group (JAG) passed a vote to study building a municipal jail in the north end, but it is unclear whether it includes the City of Seattle.
Ms. Modrzejewski said she will prepare a memorandum to the Council concerning the jail outcome. She said most of the work will be occurring in 2008 and she will be informing the new Council about it.
|
5. |
(a) Doug Reiss, Redmond, said he is a proponent of the Market Square Apartment Community, a proposed apartment complex at 20221 Aurora Avenue N. He said the proposed development is impacted by the moratorium. He urged the Council to exempt the development from the moratorium. He explained the site’s unique topography and the proposed building design. There has been a neighborhood meeting and a proposed schedule has been developed. Additionally, there is an agreement with Flexcar for them to have their first outlet in Shoreline at this development.
Councilmember Ryu asked if there is a written record of the comments at the neighborhood meeting. Mr. Reiss responded that he will deliver a summary of those comments to the City staff tomorrow. He also said there will be access to bus lines, shopping, and this will be a pedestrian-friendly building. He commented that the rent will be affordable. He added that this is the same development firm that completed their expansion of the Forest Hills Estates located next to Top Foods.
(b) Brian Derdowski, Issaquah, on behalf of Public Interest Associates, said that the Echo Lake Buffer Associates wanted him to look at the proposal concerning the Echo Lake property donation to the City. He said there was a meeting with the City staff and there are several stakeholders that should be involved, including Inland Construction, the property owners, YMCA, the Parks Board, the City, and all of the residents in the area. He said the negotiated contract rezone puts forth a quality environmental restoration plan and there are a number of things that would fit into it, including a pubic dock, a beach, a picnic area, public art, and a boat safety program. He advised that if the City doesn’t acquire the property, the owners will be prepared to sell the property, most likely to Inland Construction. He urged the Council to direct staff to move forward with the process and acquire the property.
(c) Walter Knox, Shoreline, said he resides along Ronald Bog, and the flooding resulted in 18 inches of water in his home. He said he is thankful for the City dumpsters, but he would like to prevent this from happening in the future. He knows the area has had a history of flooding problems when he bought it four years ago, and he knows the City has had a drainage design in the works for many years. However, he said he was disappointed in hearing the design only involves replacing the 18-inch pipe with one of the same diameter, which isn’t big enough for the drainage system. He said he has heard from unhappy neighbors that the City keeps making promises but nothing is happening.
(d) Cynthia Knox, Shoreline, commented on the impact that flooding has on a household. She said it ruins appliances, the furnace, cars, and furniture. She said it has cost her a weeks worth of income. She thanked Councilmember Ryu and Councilmember Way for their phone calls. She said the flooding happened quickly. She expressed concern because she is relatively new to the neighborhood and found out that this has been a persistent problem for years. She is depressed about whether the property will appreciate in value.
Councilmember Way asked if they had any advice for the staff about what they could do better next time.
Ms. Knox responded that she had no idea it could be this bad; she said it would have been nice to be taught how to use the sandbags. She also said it would have been nice to have had some type of flood warning.
(e) Les Nelson, Shoreline, urged the Council to consider the benefits of maintaining the current moratorium. He said there is a mismatch between current zoning and Comprehensive Plan maps. Joe Tovar, he commented, understands the problems, and this moratorium will allow him and his staff to come up with better protections for single family residents. He stated that it isn’t clear how the current zoning happened but it conflicts with the current Comprehensive Plan. He asked the citizens to attend the meeting next week and show support for single family neighborhoods so the City staff can devise a better development code.
(f) Karen Heidergott, an employee of King County Facilities Management, commented on the Cromwell Park Master Plan. She said that the King County District Court is a neighbor of the park and the District judges and staff are enthusiastic about the improvements. However, there are concerns about security, parking, the detention pond capacity, and safety. She added that the City’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department is already aware of these concerns.
(g) Boni Biery, Shoreline, said there are issues that need to be considered pertaining to Ronald Bog. An alarm is good, she said, but it is only an interim fix. Not having a flood at all is better, she noted. She commented that there is a lot of fill that was put in there and it would make sense to remove some of it. She also added that it may be a good idea to daylight the creek south of the Bog.
Ms. Modrzejewski extended the City staff’s regret for the flooding, noting that a home is the most precious asset anyone can have. She said she is very sorry resident experienced that. She said the City staff wants to find some relief and solutions for them. She commented favorably on the suggestions and ideas from the residents, adding that there is an update on the south Echo Lake property in the Council reading packet.
Councilmember Way commented on the need to be proactive regarding Ronald Bog, since there will be short-term and long-term solutions relating to both upstream and downstream issues.
Deputy Mayor Fimia recalled that the Council received a briefing on Ronald Bog a long time ago, and part of the reason to install larger pipes and not daylight was due to the historical resistance from the neighborhood. The reason the larger pipes were not installed is because the State said if you put in the pipes, the City has to daylight the Bog.
Mr. Relph responded that the basin is very difficult to solve from a flood protection standpoint. He announced that it isn’t realistic to eliminate flooding or design and build infrastructure to accommodate 100-year storm events such as this one. He said that the issue is discharging at no more than the historic rate of the City limits of Seattle. For the City to capture all of storm water and distribute it would leave Shoreline liable for flooding the City of Seattle. The challenge, he stated, is trying to capture and retain the headwaters and release the water slowly. There are two strategies, he said, that the City has been looking into. The first is for the detention to occur at Cromwell Park, and the second is to detain the flow at Ronald Bog itself. He maintained that the opportunity to increase the detention capability there is good, and he is convinced that this is where the attention needs to be focused. This will help the size of the conduit that is used to channel the water downstream. He said some of the work has started in the basin and the capacity has been added, but it needs to be raised incrementally. He concluded that this will take some maintenance and balancing with all the City’s resources.
Councilmember Ryu is happy that relief is coming and the Council needs to support and lead the push for it. She said there needs to be political pressure by citizens so the City gets funding assistance. She commented that it is helpful that the Ronald Bog residents are engaged in the process. She asked if everyone should be keeping written records so they can be passed to the legislature and others for reference.
Mr. Relph responded that documentation is very helpful to make the case. Additionally, he said that becoming a flood control zone district would be good, but “politically tough” for the City to accomplish.
Councilmember McGlashan questioned if the detention pond is working at the transfer station and if it flooded as a result of this event. He also wondered about the ponds downstream from the transfer station. Mr. Relph confirmed that the transfer station detention pond did fill up.
Councilmember Way also noted that the two ponds at Twin Ponds ended up becoming one because they both flooded. Mr. Relph restated that detention is a vital solution if it is done at the upper end of the basin. He commented that there is some calculus and thought involved. He communicated that James Keogh Park may also be a good place to look for detention solutions.
Councilmember McGlashan wondered if some of the fill in Ronald Bog can be dredged out to create more capacity. Mr. Relph responded that it will be a part of the evaluation process as a solution is sought after.
Councilmember Hansen asked if the two detention ponds at 185th Street and 10th Avenue and 15th Avenue and 175th Street were full. Mr. Relph responded that they were both full. Councilmember Hansen stated that he visited the pond at 175th and 10th and it was empty as of 1:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. He commented that an example of detention at the source is the Howard Hansen Dam which protects the Green and Snoqualmie Rivers. He added that the Green River didn't have problems during this storm event and this is an opportunity for us to show what happened at Ronald Bog as leverage to get some funds. Mr. Relph said he would like to partner with the City of Seattle on this. Councilmember Hansen agreed and said the City will have to because the water would dump into the Thornton Basin which causes problems in Meadowbrook Pond.
Mayor Ransom said he has lived in this area for 36 years with the Ronald Bog and Corliss Avenue flooding issues. He noted that there were floods that were three feet deep with regular amounts of rainfall. He stated the City has spent millions trying to correct problems and the City has done more work on surface water than King County. He said it is bad at Corliss Avenue, but not as bad as it used to be.
Deputy Mayor Fimia said there needs to be an interdepartmental solution. This event, she said, is a good “wakeup call” regarding climate change and development. She felt there needs to be more work done on detention, and the legislators and planners shouldn’t make matters worse. She added that the City should ask businesses, churches, and the residents where it makes sense to reclaim wetlands. She commented there may be incentives for people who remove impervious surfaces on their property. She questioned if the Seattle Public Utilities pipe break was a coincidence. She commented that it probably was not isolated and it will happen again. She felt there needs to be some accountability in the utility firms and wanted to know if the City can obtain the written assessments and get an idea if it will happening again. She wondered if there could be a settlement of who is legally responsible.
Councilmember Way suggested the Council switch Item 8(a) with Item 9(a).
|
6. |
Councilmember Hansen moved approval of the agenda. Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion. Councilmember Way moved to switch Item 8(a) with Item 9(a), seconded by Councilmember Ryu. Councilmember Hansen commented that the Council shouldn’t postpone Ordinance No. 476. A vote was taken on the motion to switch Item 8(a) with Item 9(a), which failed 3-4, with Deputy Mayor Fimia, Councilmember Ryu, and Councilmember Way voting in the affirmative. A vote was taken on the motion to approve the agenda, which carried 6-0, with Councilmember Way abstaining.
|
7. |
Councilmember Hansen moved approval of the Consent Calendar. Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion, which carried 7-0, and the following items were approved:
|
|
(a) Approval of expenses and payroll as of November 28, 2007 in the amount of $804,016.47, specified in the following detail: |
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
*Payroll and Benefits: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
Payroll Period |
Payment Date |
EFT Numbers (EF) |
Payroll Checks (PR) |
Benefit Checks (AP) |
Amount Paid |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
10/21/07-11/03/07 |
11/9/2007 |
21396-21586 |
7054-7101 |
34599-34608 |
$371,132.00 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$371,132.00 |
|
||||||||
|
|
*Accounts Payable Claims: |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
Expense Register Dated |
Check Number (Begin) |
Check Number (End) |
Amount Paid |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/15/2007 |
34570 |
34579 |
$47,108.40 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/15/2007 |
34580 |
34598 |
$62,058.23 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/16/2007 |
34609 |
34620 |
$2,506.39 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/19/2007 |
34621 |
34638 |
$64,925.46 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/19/2007 |
34639 |
34655 |
$20,121.14 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/27/2007 |
34656 |
34657 |
$4,060.00 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/27/2007 |
34658 |
34660 |
$26,044.13 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/27/2007 |
34661 |
34679 |
$29,655.42 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
11/28/2007 |
34680 |
34709 |
$176,405.30 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$432,884.47 |
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(b) Acceptance of Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) Grant to Complete the Shoreline Master Program |
|
|
(c) Motion to Authorize the City Manager to Obligate $3,600,000 of Surface Transportation Program (STP) Grant Funds for the Right-of-Way Phase of the Aurora Corridor Project (N. 165th Street - N. 205th Street) |
|
|
(d) Ordinance No. 477 amending the International Building Code, International Residential Code and International Fire Code and amending Sections 15.05.010, 15.05.030, 15.05.040 and 15.05.050 of the Shoreline Municipal Code |
|
|
(e) Ordinance No. 487 amending Ordinance No. 449, Ordinance No. 457, Ordinance No. 463, Ordinance No. 467, and 483 by Increasing the Appropriation for the Equipment Replacement Fund |
|
8. |
|
|
Joe Tovar, Planning and Development Services Director and Steve Szafran, Project Planner introduced the staff report.
Mr. Szafran commented that there are two medium-density parcels surrounded by the MU land use. He continued and explained how this proposal meets the Comprehensive Plan (CP) requirements.
Ian Sievers, City Attorney, highlighted that a CP amendment is legislative and a site specific zone is quasi-judicial. However, both of these are often brought together. He stated that comments should be taken on the CP land use designation, but there should be a closed record for the rezone.
Mr. Tovar added that there are two hearings and the hearing body is the Planning Commission. This is not a public hearing on the amendment. However, he explained the Council could take public comment on the CP amendment and not speak to the zoning issue.
Mayor Ransom opened the item to public comment.
(a) Dennis Lee, Shoreline, commented that the City can only amend the CP once per year and urged the Council not to amend it at this time if it prevents an amendment in 2008.
(b) Brian Derdowski, Issaquah, said a CP amendment and a site-specific rezone makes sense to be coupled if it includes a number of properties, as opposed to a site-specific rezone. He added that mixing a quasi-judicial site-specific rezone with a CP amendment corrupts both processes. This is a complex legal question that is abused by many jurisdictions, he said. He added that it is within the Council authority to direct the staff to separate these. He added that it is clear there needs to be more clarity. He urged the Council to postpone the item until next week and ask for a memorandum from the City Attorney to adopt some findings as to why it is appropriate to adopt both of the actions at the same time. He commented that he isn’t addressing the merits of the actual rezone, just the process that the Council is following with this. He also said that there are significant SEPA related issues because the site-specific rezone didn't look at SEPA impacts. The item is a legislative action and a quasi-judicial action, he concluded.
(c) Les Nelson, Shoreline, highlighted that he has been talking about the CP review process at recent Council meetings. He said the review process, by the Revised Code of Washington, requires that the amendments be broadly disseminated to public. He questioned what happened in the past with CP amendments. He concluded that there are lots of residents that don’t understand the process.
Mr. Sievers said he has discussed this issue with land use attorneys and they even say the CP is confusing for the public when both of these two actions are put together. He said he didn't think it was when discussion of the CP was done separately. He felt since the CP is not a regulation it might be a good idea to separate them and close the public hearing record. However, he added that this process is obviously more efficient for the property owner.
Mr. Tovar commented that the City got to this point by having to deal with a zoning map that the City inherited from King County. It has been amended several times by the Council but there are still pieces that aren’t consistent with the CP. He revealed that the City still has a lot of reform and rethinking to do on the CP itself, the zoning code, and how they fit together.
Councilmember Hansen moved to approve Ordinance No. 476 amending the City’s Comprehensive Plan Land Use Designation and the City’s Official Zoning Map Tile No. 480 changing the Comprehensive Land Use Designation from Medium Density Residential to Mixed Use (MU) and the zoning from Residential 12 DU-AC (R-12) to Residential 48 DU-AC (R-48) of two parcels located at 146 and 422 N. 145th Street. Councilmember Gustafson seconded the motion.
Councilmember Hansen explained that this isn’t a site-specific change because there are two pieces of property, owned by two different property owners. Thus, this isn’t a normal spot-zone, he commented, and this makes a larger area more consistent. He supported the item. Councilmember Gustafson concurred.
Councilmember Way said she is finding it difficult to separate the CP amendment and the rezone. She is concerned about the water tower and doesn’t know if the infrastructure question has been properly addressed.
Councilmember Ryu questioned how old the underground pipes are at the site and the number of units the developer can build at the site.
Mr. Szafran replied that according to the approved site plan the developer can already build ten (10) units and the rezone would allow one more unit.
Councilmember Ryu wondered who would be responsible for damages if 11 units are built and the pipes burst.
Deputy Mayor Fimia moved to divide the question. Councilmember Way seconded the motion. Councilmember Ryu stated she supported the motion for record keeping and legality purposes. Mayor Ransom supported dividing the question. A vote was taken on the motion to divide the question, which carried 5-1, with Councilmember Hansen dissenting and Councilmember Gustafson abstaining.
Councilmember Ryu moved to amend the Comprehensive Land Use Designation from Medium Density Residential (MDR) to Mixed Use (MU) of two parcels located at 146 and 422 N. 145th Street. Councilmember McGlashan seconded the motion.
Councilmember Way discussed the issue of the infrastructure and the water tower. She noted that capital facilities goal CF-1 addresses providing adequate infrastructure. She asked if there is information concerning the infrastructure.
Mr. Tovar responded that the City staff and the Planning Commission didn't focus on this since this isn’t the level of analysis required for a zoning code amendment. However, he added that the City staff isn’t aware of any service problems on that property.
Councilmember Way asked about the impervious surface issue and stated that LU-145 in the CP Land Use Element discusses adding pervious surfaces and she doesn’t see it adequately addressed.
Mr. Tovar said there are many goals in the CP which provide some direction. He said there is sufficient infrastructure and there is no impervious surface threshold that will be tipped if this site is developed as R-48. Additionally, he said the Planning Commission concluded that there is sufficient infrastructure.
Councilmember Way questioned how there is sufficient infrastructure when the cumulative impacts have led to major flooding in the City. She commented that the residents always hear that there won’t be any cumulative impacts.
Mr. Tovar responded that this item is about one piece of ground and it doesn’t make a large difference based on what is in place in the entire neighborhood.
Councilmember McGlashan commented that this rezone has got to be more than 10% of the total area. He supported the CP amendment because this is exactly what he has been hearing from the community regarding tiered developments.
A vote was taken on the motion to amend the Comprehensive Land Use Designation from Medium Density Residential (MDR) to Mixed Use (MU) of two parcels located at 146 and 422 N. 145th Street, which carried 6-0, with Councilmember Ryu abstaining.
Councilmember Gustafson moved to approve the zoning from Residential 12 DU-AC (R-12) to Residential 48 DU-AC (R-48) of two parcels located at 146 and 422 N 145th Street. Councilmember Hansen seconded the motion.
Councilmember Ryu referred to page 47 of the staff report and expressed concerns about increasing the building coverage from 55% to 70% and an increase in the amount of impervious surfaces from 75% to 90%. She is also concerned about adequate parking for the residents and the neighborhood.
Mr. Tovar commented that this is only a zone map change and there will be two spaces per unit if there are 11 units built.
Councilmember Hansen clarified that the permitting process will require the building owner to retain flow on property regardless of pervious surface.
A vote was taken on the motion to amend the zoning from Residential 12 DU-AC (R-12) to Residential 48 DU-AC (R-48) of two parcels located at 146 and 422 N 145th Street, which carried 6-0, with Councilmember Ryu abstaining.
Councilmember Way moved to adopt Ordinance No. 476 and affirm the findings of the Planning Commission. Councilmember McGlashan seconded the motion, which carried 6-0, with Councilmember Ryu abstaining.
MEETING EXTENSION
At 10:00 p.m., Councilmember Ryu moved to extend the meeting until 10:30 p.m. Councilmember Way seconded the motion, which carried 5-2, with Councilmember Gustafson and Councilmember Hansen dissenting.
|
9. |
|
|
(a) Draft Master Plan for Cromwell Park |
Ms. Modrzejewski introduced Parks, Recreation and Cultural Service (PRCS) Director Dick Deal, Surface Water & Environmental Services Manager Jerry Shuster, and Parks Project Coordinator Maureen Colaizzi, who reviewed the staff report.
Mr. Deal stated this item is a joint-use project between the Public Works and PRCS Departments. The project provides recreation facilities and fulfills the City’s need for storm water cleaning and detention. He thanked the community for attending public meetings and sharing their thoughts. He said the City staff are proud of the design and feel it will be a great enhancement to the neighborhood, the parks system, and the City’s storm water detention system. He explained that funding for the project comes from the Parks bond and storm water improvement funds. He commented that a master site plan is a general assessment, so the details will come later after the initial master site plan is approved.
Ms. Colaizzi stated that the process started a year ago when the City hired a consultant team. She introduced Chuck Warsinske and Peg Gaynor, who both have experience in integrating storm water projects with parks projects.
Mr. Warsinske commented favorably on the process of working with citizens and the City departments. He highlighted that the design plan functions for storm water and recreation. He displayed slides of Cromwell Park. He reviewed the park’s present configuration.
Ms. Gaynor added that they did some historic research and discussed the history of the topography at the park. She discussed that there used to be a school, a fill site, and a buried peat bog located in the outfield of the current baseball field.
Mr. Warsinske reviewed the site analysis and the soils at the site. Ms. Gaynor discussed the water flow at the area after the storms of December 1-3, 2007. The preferred and alternate plans A and B have storm water plans integrated into the site design. However, in plans C & D the storm water plans are not included, she pointed out. She explained that the bog will serve as storm water detention and provide water polishing. She added that the site will also have a new acre of wetlands.
Mr. Warsinske said he discussed the proposed development with the neighbors and asked them what kind of buffer they wanted; they stated they wanted to be able to see the park and still maintain privacy. He also noted that there will be an improved water detention feature on the ball fields. Additionally, there will be an amphitheater, a walking path system, and about 230 total parking spaces around the park located along Corliss Avenue, Meridian Avenue, 179th Street, the church, and in the District court lot. He added that during the public process there was a concern about parking, but he thinks it has been addressed. He concluded that the cost summary for the entire project is $1.6 million, with $1 million coming from the Parks bond and $650,000 coming from the storm water budget.
Ms. Colaizzi said this item went through an extensive public process and the PRCS board unanimously recommended approval of the master plan.
MEETING EXTENSION
At 10:30 p.m., Councilmember Way moved extend the meeting until 10:45 p.m. Councilmember Ryu seconded the motion, which carried 7-0.
Councilmember Hansen commented that this looks like a regrading project. He asked how many cubic yards would be moved.
Ms. Gaynor said she thinks it will be about 12,000 cubic yards because it is a balanced cut and fill on site, basically utilizing the same 12,000 cubic yards twice.
Councilmember Hansen asked about the additional acre of wetland that is going to be created. He said he knows that the Public Works Director is hoping to get two acre-feet.
Ms. Gaynor responded that the wetland doesn’t do all of the detention. She discussed the wetland system at the park and said she would get more details to the Council concerning all of the work they are proposing.
Councilmember Hansen assumed that the consultants will be metering the flow out of the wetland at the southwest corner of the property. He commented that the houses flood on the north side of 175th Street.
Ms. Gaynor commented that that entire area used to be bog.
Mayor Ransom called for public comment. There was no one wishing to speak on this item.
Councilmember Gustafson applauded the efforts of PRCS board and staff and expressed his excitement about the project. He liked the idea of being able to combine play areas and storm water detention. However, he is concerned about sand-based fields because they deteriorate due to a lack of maintenance. He said there needs to be a commitment by the City to maintain this area once it is built. He hoped that there will be art work and a system of trails. He also said he would like to see the park have a dedicated fitness/exercising area as well as plenty of benches. He asked if Meridian is the best location for the main entrance and if there will be more entrances.
Ms. Gaynor noted that most of the people that utilize the site enter from Meridian Avenue. However, there are several ways to get into the park.
Councilmember Gustafson also expressed his concerns about security for children in the evening. He felt the neighbors need to be able to see through to the park to watch neighborhood children and discourage vandalism.
Councilmember Way said she hoped there will be interpretive signs noting that the area serves as the headwaters of Thornton Creek. She said she received a letter from a sixth-grader who wants sidewalks. She inquired if all the plantings at the site will be native. Ms. Gaynor said most of them will be native, but the plant palette is not established yet.
Councilmember Way confirmed the direction of the water flow with Ms. Gaynor. She also stated that she would like to see pervious pavement used at the site.
Deputy Mayor Fimia noted that parents will be able to watch their older children and the younger children at the same time at this park. She said there is more visibility and as well as more choices, which may include local artists and functional art. She said it is a beautiful plan.
MEETING EXTENSION
At 10:45 p.m., Councilmember Ryu moved extend the meeting until 10:55 p.m. Councilmember Way seconded the motion, which carried 4-3, with Councilmember Gustafson, Councilmember Hansen, and Councilmember McGlashan dissenting.
Councilmember Ryu thanked the PRCS and Public Works staff for this. She asked if there are enough funds for Phase 2, the completion of the detention system.
Mr. Warsinske confirmed that there are enough funds for Phase 1. He added that the challenge is going to be coming up with Phase 2 funding. He also responded to the comments of Deputy Mayor Fimia and Councilmember Way stating that he supported pervious pavement, local artists, and having a functional park. He concluded that it will be a great resource for nearby neighbors.
Councilmember McGlashan thanked the City staff and consultants for their work. He verified that the basketball court was going to be a full-size court.
Councilmember Gustafson felt this is an opportunity to seek grant funding, especially because it concerns increasing the wetlands in the City. He encouraged the City staff to research it.
Mayor Ransom thanked the City staff and consultants. He stated he is pleased to see end result. Additionally, he commented that his son went to kindergarten at Cromwell.
Councilmember McGlashan said he is excited that there is discussion on how to make an empty, rarely-used park more user-friendly in a City that is discussing increased densities. He is thrilled that Cromwell Park will be used more after this project is complete.
|
10. |
At 10:55 p.m., Mayor Ransom declared the meeting adjourned.
/S/ Scott Passey, City Clerk