CITY OF SHORELINE

SHORELINE CITY COUNCIL

SUMMARY MINUTES OF JOINT DINNER MEETING

Monday, December 14, 1998

6:00 p.m.

Shoreline Conference Center

Highlander Room

Shoreline City Council

PRESENT: Deputy Mayor Montgomery, Councilmembers Gustafson, King, Lee and Ransom

ABSENT: Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Hansen

STAFF: Robert Deis, City Manager; Larry Bauman, Assistant City Manager; Joyce Nichols, Community and Government Relations Manager

32^nd District State Representatives

PRESENT: Representatives Carolyn Edmonds and Ruth Kagi

The meeting convened at 6:25 p.m. All Councilmembers were present except Mayor Jepsen and Councilmember Hansen. State Representatives Carolyn Edmonds and Ruth Kagi arrived shortly thereafter.

In response to Councilmember Gustafson, Robert Deis, City Manager, explained that the Dohner application for a preliminary long subdivision is the only item on the agenda of the regular Council meeting later in the evening that is a closed record hearing.

Representatives Edmonds and Kagi arrived at 6:35 p.m.

Representative Edmonds explained that she will serve on the Judiciary Committee and that she will serve as vice chair on the Capital Budget Committee.

Representative Kagi advised that she will serve on the Children and Families Committee. She said she is waiting to hear about her other committee assignment. She noted that she requested assignment to the Appropriations Committee but that many other representa-tives requested assignment to the same committee.

Representative Edmonds reported that State Senator Darlene Fairley will serve on the Senate Ways and Means Committee and that she will chair a new committee concerning labor, Work First and health care. She noted that Senator Fairley may also serve on the Health Care Committee or on the Telecommunications Committee.

Deputy Mayor Montgomery welcomed Representatives Edmonds and Kagi. She explained that the purpose of the joint meeting is to develop the Council’s working relationships with its partners. She noted that both Representatives had received a copy of the City’s Legislative Policies.

Representative Kagi asked if the City’s policies regarding annexation are unique to it. Joyce Nichols, Community and Government Relations Manager, explained the interest of many other cities in similar annexation issues. She said the statutes of the Growth Management Act (GMA) related to annexation or incorporation of unincorporated areas conflict with statutes that existed before the GMA.

Deputy Mayor Montgomery suggested that City Council and staff review the City’s legislative priorities with the Representatives, beginning with transportation funding.

Mr. Deis identified Route 99, Aurora Avenue, as the City’s highest priority transportation project and the southern portion of Route 99 in Shoreline as that with the greatest needs. He mentioned the need for pedestrian safety improvements in particular. He said Aurora Avenue is also critical to the City’s economic development efforts.

Councilmember Gustafson asked if the City can package the development of the Interurban Trail with improvements to Aurora Avenue to improve the competitiveness of these projects for funding. Mr. Deis agreed that the Interurban Trail is inextricably linked with improvements to Aurora Avenue.

Councilmember Gustafson said I-5 from the boundary of Snohomish and King Counties south to Northgate is also in need of attention.

Mr. Deis noted that many State highways act as local arterials. He pointed out that 205^th Street and Aurora Avenue are both State highways. Regarding economic development, he advised that the City is working with Shoreline Community College to develop a technology center at the park-and-ride lot at 192^nd Street and Aurora Avenue. He said the college has a $10 million grant, and it is looking for another $10 million to begin the project. He commented that other cities have been creative in developing legislation for redevelopment tools. He stressed that Shoreline is very supportive of the creation of any additional tools to assist in redevelopment.

Councilmember Lee asked if there is any legislative means to encourage various taxing districts to work together more effectively. Mr. Deis referred to utilities and telecommunications. He said utilities and private telecommunication companies regularly introduce legislation to reduce the ability of cities to manage their rights-of-way. In addition, he explained that, under the GMA, cities are responsible for the provision of utilities in their jurisdictions. However, some special districts are trying to reduce the ability of cities to assume special districts. He commented that Shoreline is working with its local utilities to make the most efficient use of public tax revenues.

Representative Edmonds asked if there is a more proactive way to gain protections through legislation for City rights-of-way. Ms. Nichols said such legislation would be ideal; however, she asserted that efforts of this type would attract a great deal of opposition from private corporations.

Ms. Nichols went on to discuss issues related to the Endangered Species Act and the potential financial impacts.

Mr. Deis mentioned a recent street improvement project in Lynnwood. He said the City of Lynnwood must mitigate all existing pavement, as well as the new pavement, in the project area.

Ms. Nichols explained the City’s perspective on Fircrest and the impact of this State facility on City services and planning. She said the City seeks State mitigation of these costs. Representative Edmonds requested a list of other State facilities that create similar impacts.

Ms. Nichols went on to discuss the City’s perspective on human services. She stressed the need to reinvest savings resulting from welfare reform. She also mentioned the need for investments in youth programs.

Mr. Deis said the City is concerned about the impact of any effort to eliminate the Motor Vehicle Excise Tax (MVET). MVET revenues represent 15 percent of the City’s budget.

Representative Kagi questioned the effect of Referendum 49 on the City. Mr. Deis advised that funding to the City will increase in 1999 as a result of Referendum 49. However, he said the State may reduce this funding in future years in order to finance the debt service for Referendum 49. Representative Kagi acknowledged that Referendum 49 will result in increased pressure on the State general fund.

Representative Edmonds said the most important role the City can serve for her and Representative Kagi, as new legislators, is to act as a watchdog to bring concerns to their attention.

Councilmember Gustafson commented that the City is, likewise, eager to hear if the legislators have questions.

Deputy Mayor Montgomery thanked Representatives Edmonds and Kagi for attending the joint dinner meeting.

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Larry Bauman
Assistant City Manager