Notes from Shoreline council meeting March 29, 2021

Pam Cross, reporter

Shoreline City Council Meeting

March 29, 2021

Notes by Pam Cross

Mayor Hall called the remote meeting to order at 7:00pm.

All Councilmembers were present.

Proclamation

I, Will Hall, Mayor of the City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2021 as CESAR CHAVEZ DAY in the City of Shoreline, and encourage all residents to observe this day by remembering the contributions of farm workers whose labor feeds the nation and to engage in action that honors Cesar Chavez's enduring legacy.

Mayor Hall also advised that he has joined with other Mayors throughout King County to Proclaim April 21, 2021 as Hopelink Day. We wanted to recognize all the great work that Hopelink does for people in our community and throughout the County.

Approval of the Agenda

Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.

Report of the City Manager, Debbie Tarry

COVID-19 update

King County has been showing an increase in new cases. At first we thought it would just be a few cases, but as you can see this is clearly a trend. In fact our current increase shows we are above the peaks we saw in the first and second waves. We may be looking at a fourth wave of infections.

Shoreline is also showing an increase in new cases with 45 new cases in the past 14 days.

The next Phase evaluation for King County is April 12th.

Please continue to protect our community:

• Wear a face covering, especially indoors in public settings regardless of the distance between people.
• Wash or sanitize your hands regularly.
• Maintain six (6) feet of distance, indoors and outdoors.
• Outdoor gatherings with a limit of 15 people from ONLY TWO households.
• Get tested at the first sign of illness. Then please stay home.
• It is always safest to stay at home.

City Hall remains closed to the public. Most services can be accessed online, by phone, or by drop off. For more information visit shorelinewa.gov/remoteservices

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Go to the Department of Health for the most up-to date information on eligibility and locations providing vaccines. Supply has increased so appointments should be easier to schedule.

Proposition 1 Presentations

Wednesday March 31 at 7PM online via Zoom

For more information go to shorelinewa.gov/prop1

Earth Day

Shoreline Walks

Take a COVID-safe walk with your neighbors on some of the best walking routes in the City! Designed for adults 50+ but open to all. Each walk is led by a volunteer walk leader. No need to sign up in advance. Walks begin on Saturday, April 3 at 10am with a walk in the Echo Lake neighborhood. Masks and social distancing required.

For more information including a schedule of walks, go to shorelinewa.gov/shorelinewalks

Public Reminders

The Planning Commission will hold a remote meeting Thursday, April 1 at 7:00pm. There will be a PUBLIC HEARING on 2021 Development Code Amendments.

Council Reports

Councilmember Roberts: last week the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board met. They authorized $6.9M to fund phase one of the 148th St non-motorized bridge.

Public Comment (written comments available on line)

David Klein, Shoreline

Replacing a 35’ asphalt driveway requires a $600 permit. Why is Shoreline so much higher than neighboring cities for a simple driveway resurface?

Kathleen Russell, Shoreline, Save Shoreline Trees

Requests that Amendment #1 not be added to the Docket (Agenda item 8b)

Dale Turner, Shoreline, Save Shoreline Trees

Save Shoreline Trees proposed code amendments in December. What is the status of the City’s review of these tree codes?

Jackie Kurle, Shoreline

Underscored the need for oversight since the operator does not have experience for this type of shelter (enhanced shelter).

Marlin Gabbert, Shoreline

Speaking on behalf of his client regarding change in zoning from R16 to R48 by the 192nd street Park n Ride. His client has paid $26k to go through the Comp Plan process and he would like Amendment #1 added to the Docket for additional study (Agenda item 8b)

Approval of the Consent Calendar

Consent Calendar approved unanimously by roll call vote.

Action Item 8(a) PUBLIC HEARING and Discussion on the Community Development Block (CDBG) Grant Round 3 Funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

Bethany Wolbrecht-Dunn, Community Services Manager

Shoreline receives CDBG funds on an annual basis. Approximately 48% is available for local projects.

Round 3 funding totals $2 Billion. The CARES Act allocated $322,398 in CDBG-CV Round 3 funds for the City of Shoreline. King County, who manages planning and administration of the funds with HUD on behalf of Shoreline, is estimated to retain $6,448 (2%); providing a total of $315,950 to allocate to eligible programs.

Our request for proposals focused on food assistance, rent assistance, behavioral health, and services for students affected by school closure. We received 5 applications from 4 agencies, totaling $606,179.

Staff is proposing the following funding plan for this CDBG-CV funding:

• Hopelink – Rent Assistance - $137,771
• Center for Human Services – Mental Health Case Management - $78,179
• Lake City Partners – Rent Assistance – $100,000

King County has not confirmed their administrative percentage. Once they do, if changes are necessary to the above figures, we recommend additional funds be provided to Hopelink. But if a reduction in funds is necessary, the first $5,000 would be taken from Hopelink, and the second $5,000 from Lake City Partners.

PUBLIC TESTIMONY

None.

DISCUSSION

Very pleased we are providing assistance with mental health management.

Will all of the rental assistance funds go to people living in Shoreline? We need to prevent people from becoming homeless so we need to assure that the currently housed are not shortchanged by funds going to the unhoused.

Reply: Recipients must be Shoreline residents, whether currently housed or not. Round 1 in May funded Hopelink for rent assistance. There is also funding coming for rental assistance through the American Rescue Plan through King County.

We will need to have a full discussion when those funds become available from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Council agrees to see on Consent April 12.

Action Item 8(b) Action on the 2021 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket

Steven Szafran, AICP, Senior Planner

The City Council discussed the Preliminary 2021 Docket, as recommended by the Planning Commission, on March 15, 2021.

Adding to the Docket does not mean approval of the amendment.

At the last meeting Council was concerned about significant impact on the neighborhood in amendment #1, changing the land use map from public facilities to high density residential, and from R18 to R48.

 

Location 192nd and Firlands Way by Shoreline Park n Ride

Amendment #2 proposes changing the Park n Ride land use from public facility to mixed use business allowing additional development.

DISCUSSION

Motion and second to approve the 2021 Docket.

Motion and second to include amendment #2 in the Docket.

VOTE to include amendment #2 in the Docket.
Approved unanimously

Motion and second to exclude amendment #1 from the Docket.

There was a lengthy conversation at the March 15th meeting. Even learning today of the large amount of money spent on this, the more intensive usage increasing the number of people and vehicles is not my vision of that parcel.

Can you remove more trees in R48 with a permit and replant than you can in R18?

Reply: yes

Even with similarities in R18 and R48 outlined in the staff report, this is really right next to a residential area. The purchase was R18. It is a shame about the money spent, however this is a risk you take when you purchase a property and then want to rezone it. Also there is a steep slope. If Council generally agrees, why have this for further study when it will result in a more emotional issue with neighbors.

The City never owned this land, did it?

Reply: No, the State of Washington owned it.

I support taking a broad look at the Comprehensive Plan for consistency and see if it makes sense along a corridor such as Aurora. But flat maps do not make the topography apparent and some parcels need to stay lower intensity use.

I disagree. We are not making a decision to change it right now. And R48 and R18 are similar. It’s a slope but not a major slope critical area and can be mitigated with a rock wall or other support. And 35’ is going to be below the housing and isn’t going to tower over it. But the Park n Ride as MB could allow 6 stories? That would tower over them.

Reply: Mixed business allows 70’.

Note: 7 story = 7*10 = 70 feet. The height of each story = ceiling height of the rooms plus the thickness of the floors between each pane.

Why have the applicant spend more money by studying this more? The slope is problematic. It is a shallow slope so there is not much of a height difference between that parcel and R6. The applicant currently plans to put a 20’ building there. If it’s not 20’, it will be a significant impact on the people in the R6. There are parcels like this in the City, but they are a problem and that’s not what we should be repeating.

Where should growth go? That’s what the Comprehensive Plan is supposed to guide. This parcel is immediately adjacent to a Park n Ride on the east, and single family homes on the west. We have transition standards. At end of the day, our region is growing more rapidly than a lot of residents want. People are having to move farther out. The Comprehensive Plan is not supposed to limit growth, but to guide where growth goes. It will still be developed as R18. I think it’s fine to further study it since it’s close enough to the Aurora Corridor.

VOTE to exclude amendment #1 in the Docket
Passes 5-2
Mayor Hall and Councilmember McGlashan opposed

VOTE to approve the Amended 2021 Docket including only Amendment #2
Passes 6-1
Councilmember McGlashan opposed

Study Item 9(a) Discussing Ordinance No. 928 and Resolution No. 474 – Repealing Ordinance No. 780 and Resolution No. 417 - to Provide for a New Shoreline Municipal Code Chapter 13.05 and Wastewater Financial Policies

Randy Witt, Public Works Director

The assumption of the Ronald Wastewater District (RWD) requires that the City of Shoreline develop and implement a new municipal code chapter to establish its governing authority by which the City will own and operate the wastewater utility.

Staff reviewed existing regulations for the Wastewater Utility using experience providing contract services on behalf of the RWD since October 2017. They account for updates in City code and RWD regulations that have occurred since that time. And worked to align the wastewater financial policies with recent City policy.

We found a number of things to improve or update. Ordinance 928 includes these issues.

Organization of the Code is patterned after other provisions of the SMC so people can use them more easily. Cross references applicable SMC provisions with the Engineering Development Manual which is also being updated, are included.

The effective date is April 30, 2021, the date of formal RWD assumption by the City.

DISCUSSION

Regarding late fees, and the ability to potentially waive late fees: this does not appear in the code. Currently the Governor has banned late fees and interest. Should it be in the code that the City Manager has the ability to waive late fees in the event of something like a City emergency?

Reply: this should probably be addressed in the financial policies rather the code itself. That document will developed between now and assumption time.

Reply (Debbie Tarry): We will follow up on that question.

It will be helpful if we can have that by April 12th when this comes back to us, even if it’s not finalized.

Is there any discussion of build-over in any part of the code?

Reply: it would be in the engineering design manual.

If it takes additional time to obtain clarity on late fees, and bearing in the mind the importance of moving forward with the assumption, do we agree that we can move forward to get this taken care even if we have to come back and address late fees later?

Returning as an quick Action item instead of Consent on April 12th will allow us to address this before voting. Just in case staff is able to come back with something.

Reply: that will work for staff.

Item is coming back as Action Item for response and discussion on that aspect only. Don’t need to go over the whole thing again.

It’s very nice to have the end in sight for this 20-year long process.

Study Item 9(b) Discussing the 2021-2023 City Council Goals and Work Plan

John Norris, Assistant City Manager

At the City Council’s annual Strategic Planning Workshop, which was held March 5 and 6, 2021, the Council discussed their proposed 2021-2023 Council Goals and Work Plan. The Council Goals continue to focus on achievement of Vision 2029 and being a sustainable city in all respects.

There were slight amendments to Council Goal #4 and three Action Steps were added:

Goal #1: MUR70 regulation review and American Rescue Plan Act implementation; and

Goal #5: public safety service delivery.

DISCUSSION

Does Mr. Norris have an answer to the question brought up during public comment regarding when we will be reviewing the proposed changes to the tree code?

Reply: we are still looking at the timing of how the regulations will fit together, maybe the end of the third or fourth quarter of the year when the batch amendments are reviewed. Council did discuss tree regulations at the strategic planning workshop.

I’m looking forward to taking action on Goal #5 concerning alternatives to police safety and servicing.

In addition to working through the North Sound Cities partnership, should we also mention working with King County and our State legislators because it has to happen at different levels?

Reply: It’s up to Council but this is really a complex issue and we would be reaching out to different partners. I don’t think it needs to be mentioned in the already wordy action step.

We haven’t had community conversations yet and we need to do that first before pushing the King County Sheriff’s office about things that we’d like to see.

Adding “anti-racist” to Goal 4 has been long time in coming. Delighted it’s in there.

This will be returning on consent April 12.

Meeting Adjourned.