Shoreline City Manager report 11-17-2014

Update for Week of 11/17/2014

Council Meeting Follow-Up

·         November 10 – There were a couple of follow-up questions from the 145^th Light Rail Station Sub-Area Zoning Scenario Action:

o   Liquefaction: Here is a map that indicates areas of moderate to high risk of liquefaction around and within portion of the Paramount Open Space. Planning and Community Development Director Rachael Markle has also created a response regarding the City’s Development Code for development in such areas. In very high landslide hazard areas development is prohibited unless a Critical Area Reasonable Use permit can be obtained. The liquefaction areas mapped around Paramount Open Space may or may not meet the definition of the very high landslide hazard area. These areas are also overlain with wetlands and erosion prone soils, which are regulated and place certain restrictions of development upon confirmation.

o   Property Tax Impacts: The City developed a flyer addressing property values and how increases in values affect property taxes. Analysis from more than twenty (20) reputable studies of property values near high capacity transit and TOD generally rise in value, from 0% to 32%, the closer they are to the stations for all land use types.

November 24 Council Meeting

Dinner Meeting

·         Draft agenda of the meeting with the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce

Regular Meeting

·         Adoption of the 2015 Property Tax Levy and Adoption of the 2015 Budget: Council will be adopting the 2015 Property Tax Levy and the 2015 City Budget.  Council has been reviewing the budget since October 13..

·         2014 Budget Amendment – Ordinance No. 700: Proposed Ordinance No. 700 totals $407,817, and increases both revenues and expenditures. The increase in expenditures is offset by the increase in grant revenue totaling $118,983 and the use of available fund balance totaling $288,834. This includes an Urban Forestry Grant from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) totaling $10,000; a grant from the King Conservation District totaling $18,004; a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Estuary Grant totaling $42,060; and an Emergency Management Performance (EMP) grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security totaling $48,919. The remaining $288,834 increase in appropriation is for two purposes: 1) to include a transfer of $260,823 to Fund 221 - Limited Tax General Obligation Bond 2013 Debt Service Fund for the principal and interest payments on the debt issued in 2013 for the North Maintenance Facility and 2) to increase the transfer to Fund 211- Limited Tax General Obligation Bond 2009 by $28,011 to provide additional funding for debt service payments as a result of the continued federal government sequestration that lowered the Build America Bonds subsidy payments. These bonds were issued for construction of City Hall.

·         Chronic Nuisance – Ordinance No. 698: On March 3, 2014, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 675 which enacted a new chapter of the Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC), Chapter 9.30 - Chronic Nuisance Properties. Subsequent to this adoption, a clerical error was discovered that results in the establishment of two appeal periods. An amendment is needed to correct this error so as to ensure a single appeal period.

·         Small Vendor Business License Waiver – Ordinance No. 693: The intent of proposed Ordinance No. 692 is to streamline the process for small vendors to participate in City and non-profit sponsored community building activities and functions. This proposed ordinance would add two exemptions to the Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC) Section 5.05.040. The first would be for small businesses that conduct limited retail sales as part of a City-sponsored event or a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization-sponsored event and have annual retail sales in the City of less than $5,000. The second exemption would apply to individuals and/or businesses who provide recreational instruction services as part of a City-sponsored event or a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization-sponsored event and who generate no more than $5,000 in gross receipts per calendar year within the City.

State Biennial Budget

The information regarding the State budget continues to worsen. Based on recent information the City received the State’s general fund budget gap is expected to grow by another $300 million, bringing the total budget gap to $1.2 billion without addressing the educational funding mandate from the McCleary case. The State is still targeting to release the proposed budget around December 15. The City continues to monitor as there may be state program reductions and reductions in state shared revenues to cities.

Sound City Association

·         Annual Meeting, December 3: This is the meeting in which SCA will adopt their 2015 budget, which the Council position is to oppose.

·         December PIC Meeting: Councilmember Roberts has forwarded two issues that the PIC will vote on next month.

o   Countywide Planning Policy PF-19A regarding school siting. The proposed SCA position is similar to the position that Shoreline took a few years ago. 

o   Taxation on E-Cigarettes and Other Vapor Products: SCA supports increased statewide funding for public health through additional revenue streams dedicated to public health. These sources may include but are not limited to taxes on e-cigarettes/vaping devices with funding dedicated to public health.

Financial Update

October 2014 sales tax, real estate excise tax (REET), and development revenue report. Year-to-date sales tax revenues of $5,657,181 are higher than revised projections of $5,401,949, by $255,232 or 4.7%. REET collections continue to be strong. Collections through October total $1,543,045, and are $38,934 or 2.6%, ahead of revised projections. Total development permit revenue through October 2014 is $1,122,047, which is 44.9% ahead projections and 14.8% ahead of the year-ago levels.

Third quarter line-item budget adjustments. This is a summary of the internal budget adjustments approved by the City Manager during the third quarter.

Council of Neighborhoods

Council will host a dinner with the Council of Neighborhoods on Monday, December 8.

Calendar Items

·         11/22        9:00am Holiday Craft Market – Spartan

·         12/9          5:30-7:00 p.m., 2014 Annual Human Services Awards and Membership Meeting, North Urban Human Services Alliance, Shoreline City Hall. King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski will be speaking.

This and That

·         Article from Urbanland regarding denser suburbs drawing homebuyers with walkable town centers.

·         Ebola briefing paper provided by King County Public Health.

·         List of new business licenses issued in October. 57 new businesses in Shoreline.

·         In 2014 the City’s budget included $45,000 in scholarships for eligible recreation participants. Earlier this week we hit this mark for the first time in City history. Next week will start the registration process for the final session of swim lessons in 2014. I anticipate that there may be a need for an additional $2,000 in scholarship funds in 2014. Given that other recreation revenues are exceeding budgeted revenues I have informed staff to proceed with allowing eligible participants to have access to scholarship funds. Staff will monitor this activity in the first half of 2015 to determine if there needs to be any adjustments made to the 2015 budget.