Monday June 3rd Shoreline City Council Business Meeting

Monday June 3rd  Shoreline City Council Business Meeting
By Devon Vose Rickabaugh

At the Shoreline City Council meeting Shoreline Police Chief Shawn Ledford and Captain Scott Strathy explained a new pilot program called RADAR: "Risk Awareness, De-escalation and Referral". 

The Shoreline City Council hears about the RADAR program
from Chief Ledford and Captain Strathy

The RADAR concept is intended to change the way that police agencies do business.

“Officers focus resources on specific individuals with a history of violence, including violence related to substance abuse, dangerous mental conditions, or developmental disability. Through the establishment of voluntary, positive and cooperative relationships with these higher risk individuals and their circle of support RADAR breaks the chain of misunderstanding and escalation that often is a catalyst for use of force incidents. The RADAR concept systematically promotes community outreach, the development of individualized de-escalation strategies, the sharing of those strategies with other officers, and the use of those strategies to prevent violent events.” 

The city will evaluate the program to verify the positive impact of RADAR on citizen safety, officer safety, crime prevention, and supported re-entry of higher risk individuals. The city has applied for grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice and has been selected to move on to the final phase of examination for the grant.

City Manager Underwood said “We are really excited about this. Chief Ledford and Captain Strathy have really thought outside the box when it comes to protecting our citizens.

Regional Green Development Code

The Council heard from the Planning and Community Development Department about proposed amendments to the Regional Green Development Code to make it easier for developers to build green by having the same or similar codes in multiple, adjoining jurisdictions. The regional package of amendments includes provisions for electric vehicle infrastructure and bicycle parking, setback flexibility for rainwater catchment and exterior insulation, and light pollution and light trespass.

Subdivision approved

In the only action item Councilmembers approved an ordinance approving a Preliminary Formal Subdivision for five buildable lots at 17921 1st  Avenue Northeast.

Comments: City Light and Trees

Most of the public comment at the Monday night meeting centered around an upcoming renegotiation of the contract with Seattle City Light. Lance Young, a member of the Interurban Trail Tree Preservation Society, is concerned that Seattle City Light will insist that trees along the trail be cut 20 feet below the power lines instead of the 10 feet or twelve feet that he says other state utilities are trimming to. Also he and his neighbors in the Westminster Triangle are concerned that as 30 foot trees die and are removed along the trail that replacement trees (required to grow to no more than 12 feet) will not protect their homes from the noise and traffic from Aurora Avenue. Several audience members advocated for maintaining the taller tree canopy to support the many species of birds which will be “negatively impacted by the loss of this tall tree canopy”.

City Manager Julie Underwood said that Seattle City Light owns the trail and the trees along it but she believes they have no plans to cut the trees unless they are a hazard. Also she said the city staff plans to negotiate the height of the replacement trees along the trail to be taller than 12 feet. The contract with Seattle City Light will be signed by January 31, 2014 and nothing will be decided in June as some have indicated.