Shoreline City Council Meeting April 2, 2012

Shoreline City Council Meeting April 2, 2012

By Devon Vose Rickabaugh

Tiered rate for surface water run-off?

The public works department asked the council to consider charging a tiered rate for surface water runoff for residential properties. The rate would be determined by the size of the property with the goal of more fairly charging city residents. Council member Solomon pointed out that lot size is not an accurate way to charge people since someone with a large lot could have very little impervious surface. Council member Hall mentioned several examples of this. The council decided to stay with the current flat fee for all residential customers for now.

Hefty King County utility tax on Shoreline Schools arrives 16 years late

Due to a “glitch” King County has neglected to charge Shoreline School District $180,000 a year surface water fee for 16 years. A school district representative said the district has lost $6,000,000 in the last four year in funding. She said to take on a utility tax at this time would be difficult and she requested that a fee waiver be put in place. Several council members were not comfortable charging the school district an unexpected fee at this time. Mayor McGlashan said, “ It’s money owed, but we didn’t know we were owed it.” City Manager Underwood said that the city could not continue to not charge the school district, but other districts had figured out an educational component equivalent to the fee. Underwood said they would come back to the council with possible suggestions in exchange for the fee.

Sound Transit light rail station locations

Sound Transit has been evaluating where to best build light rail transit stations extending from north of Northgate to Lynnwood. I-5 will be the corridor the light rail will follow. The transit board is considering stations at NE 125th Street, NE 130th, NE 155, NE 145th Street, NE 185th Street, and possibly 236th SW. The extension of light rail into Shoreline will greatly influence transit service in the city and has the potential to affect the surrounding neighborhoods including land use patterns and traffic.

The city council had previously discussed the options and decided to support stations at 145th and 185th with an alignment east of I-5. Mayor McGlashand directed Alicia McIntire, Senior Transportation Planner, to write a letter to Sound Transit with the Shoreline’s decision. Final alignment and station locations will be determined in 2014.

Council member Roberts expressed concern that Seattle seems to be partial to a station at 130th rather than 145th and he hoped Shoreline would get at least two members on the transit board since Seattle has three. He said he “is not convinced that the development potential at 130th is better than at 145th” since 130th is constrained by a golf course on one side and a park on the other. Council member Eggen was concerned that there be enough parking wherever the stations are. Council member Hall said the “key is to make the whole system work.” He said Metro bus service and Community Transit buses aren’t coordinated in Shoreline and since bus service is sparse between Shoreline and downtown Seattle it is important to have a light rail station where we want it.