Shoreline City Manager's update

Update for Week of 11/3/2014

from Shoreline City Manager Debbie Tarry

Council Meeting Follow-Up

·         Updated 2015 Budget Question Matrix: The City Council is scheduled to adopt the 2015 budget on November 24.

November 3 Council Meeting

Dinner Meeting

·         Senator Chase and Representatives Kagi and Ryu met with Council.

Transportation Benefit District

·         Approval of expenses and the 2015 TBD budget.

Regular Meeting

·         Proclamation of America Recycles Day: Students and teachers from Syre Elementary School and Parkwood Elementary School accepted the Proclamation and $5,000 monetary awards from Recology Cleanscapes for each school to enhance their recycling efforts.

·         Adopted 2015 Legislative Priorities

·         Adopted Resolution No. 365, Public Defense Standards

·         2015 Budget Public Hearing: This was the first Public Hearing on the proposed budget. Staff provided a brief presentation following the Hearing.

·         Discussion of Sound Cities Association (SCA) 2015 Budget and the City’s Membership:  The City Council determined that they wanted to continue the City’s membership, but oppose the proposed membership increase for 2015.

November 10 Council Meeting

Regular Meeting

·         Proclamation of Veteran’s Day: Shoreline Veterans Association President Dwight Stevens, and members Bob Grasmick and Gerry Shogren will be present to accept the proclamation this evening.

·         Adoption of Resolution No. 366 Authorizing an Interfund Loan: The City purchased the North Maintenance Facility, formerly known as the Brugger's Bog Maintenance Facility, by issuing bonds in 2013. As part of that purchase the City decided that the Surface Water Maintenance Fund should make the debt service payments in the first several years. This creates an interfund loan between the Surface Water Fund and the General Fund. Resolution No. 366 authorizes a five-year loan between the two funds.

·         Interlocal Agreement with Shoreline School District for Einstein Safe Route to Schools Project: The Einstein Safe Route to Schools Project will install new sidewalks along NW 195^th Street from 3rd Avenue NW to 8th Avenue NW and along 5th Avenue NW from NW 196th Street to NW 196th Place. The Safe Routes to School Grant includes two elements that require the interlocal agreement with the school district:

o   Construction improvements on school district property to provide access between the Right of Way and the school that meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

o   The school district and the City will work collaboratively to create pedestrian/bicycle education and safety information and encouragement to the students of Einstein Middle School.

·             2015 Budget Public Hearing & Council Deliberations: The public hearing will focus on revenue sources. Following the Public Hearing Council will have time to deliberate on any proposed amendments to the 2015 Proposed Budget.

·             Selection of Zoning Scenarios for Analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the 145^th Street Station Subarea Plan: Council has received the comments submitted during the EIS Scoping period (October 1-31) and will determine which zoning scenarios should be analyzed in the draft Environmental Impact Statement.

·             Ordinance No. 694, Corrections to the Shoreline Municipal Code for Property Tax Exemption: Analysis of the PTE Program has revealed that the City’s stated duration in SMC 3.27.030(B) of five (5) years is not expressly provided for by RCW 84.14, the statute authorizing the PTE Program, and therefore additional amendment/policy consideration is needed. In addition, SMC 3.27.040(D) states that the City shall not accept an application for this incentive program after December 31, 2015 unless the City Council evaluates and extends the program. Given the current state of sub-area planning related to the light rail stations, staff believes it is prudent for the City Council to consider the life of this program at this time. This analysis occurred in conjunction with staff’s recommendation to codify the previously adopted five year PTE Program.

  

Right-of-Way Tree List Meeting

On Tuesday, November 4, the Park/Tree Board held a public meeting on the proposed Draft Tree List for Improved Right-of-Way. It reflects the recently adopted Seattle list with a few trees removed because of pest issues, shallow roots, etc. It has several more trees than the current list and has more detail on leaf color, flower color, good tree under power lines, planting width needed for tree, etc. All trees listed as approved for under power lines have been approved by Seattle City Light. There are no large coniferous native trees (there are deciduous conifers) on this list, as these are not appropriate trees for improved right-of-way planting strips because of their size, interference with overhead and underground utility structures and potential root impacts to sidewalks and other infrastructure. Some smaller native trees have been included for locations capable of providing adequate conditions for the tree to thrive.  Large conifers need room to grow. Our parks and open spaces are by far the best locations for these significant trees where they have the room and understory needed for their success.

Shoreline has a total of more than 15,000 trees in the right of way.  Since January 2012 a total of 25 right-of-way trees, (13 deciduous and 12 coniferous), have been removed by citizens via permits. Some were trees that were failing, some causing infrastructure damage to private property, and 5 were healthy trees removed for reasons such as views. We monitor permit activity frequently and do not anticipate there will be increased permit activity to remove coniferous trees from the improved right-of-way as a result of them not being included on the tree list of improved right-of-way.

We continue to plant right-of-way trees from the approved tree list to maintain the canopy cover to our community.

Light Rail Station Planning

November 6^th Planning Commission staff report on Development Regulations for the 185^th Street Light Rail Station Subarea Plan.

2015 Classification / Compensation Study

The City issued a Request for Proposal last week for its 2015 Classification & Compensation Study. We have requested to receive proposals by November 17. It is anticipated that the City Council will authorize the City Manager to execute a contract for this service on January 5, 2015.

King County Youth Action Plan

On October 28, the City hosted a gathering of youth and adults to gather information for the creation of King County’s Youth Action Plan. The Plan will be used to determine how to allocate the County’s approximately $75 million in youth program funding every year. The City hosted the event at the request of King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski. We had great turnout. Sixty-three youth and adults attended and were very engaged in the process, most staying past the intended end of the program to continue sharing their thoughts. It was the largest turnout of youth at the series of meetings held countywide, and a big thanks to our incredible teen staff for getting out the message and engaging with our youth. Shoreline School District Boardmembers, along with elected officials from Lake Forest Park were also in attendance. Deputy Mayor Eggen and Councilmember Salomon attended.

Response to Marysville-Pilchuck Tragedy

On Tuesday, the City of Marysville issued a request for help for recreation staff to assist with programming of youth activities for students out of school this week as a result of the shooting at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School. We had staff who assisted Wednesday through Friday. Mayor Winstead sent a letter on behalf of the City Council to the City of Marysville, Tulalip Tribe and the Marysville-Pilchuck School District Superintendent to express Shoreline’s support as these organizations work through their grief.

12^th Ave NE Parking Meeting

On Monday, October 27, Kendra Dedinsky (Assistant Traffic Engineer), held a meeting with approximately 28 residents (invitees were addresses from NE 175^th to NE 180^th on 12^th Ave NE) to discuss parking issues in this neighborhood and possible solutions. Kendra will be working with both the individuals and the street as a whole to implement available tools such as: installing no parking signs around driveways, painting white edge lines to define boundary of where cars need to park, painting “no parking” yellow under mail box areas, identifying a load zone and signing it, demarcating the 30’ no parking area by the stop sign at NE 175^th, asking police for additional enforcement, and working through the Neighborhood Traffic Safety Program to address concerns about speed and cut-through traffic. Staff will also be following-up with appropriate representatives from the Polaris apartments to discuss how they may be able to assist in helping to resolve these issues. 

This and That

·         The Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation to informed the City that the Firland Sanatorium/ CRISTA Ministries Campus has been listed in the Washington Heritage Register.

·         The City has received four medals this month as part of the Let’s Move! Cities, Towns and Counties program through the National League of Cities. As a result Shoreline ranks #6 nationally and among participating cities in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington Shoreline is tied at the #3 spot! The next round of medals will be announced at the NLC’s conference at the end of November.