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Friday, July 31, 2020

Bambi lives in Lake Forest Park

Photo by Doug Gochanour

Doe, a deer, a female deer, and two little Bambis stroll along the side of the road in Lake Forest Park.

Watch for Bambi on the road
Second fawn is thrashing about in the ferns
Photo by Doug Gochanour


It's going to be a terrible shock to the animals when we all get outside again.

Did I mention they walked through ray, a drop of golden sun?

There's always one that has to explore the foliage
Photo by Doug Gochanour

I forget how pretty Lake Forest Park is until something like these photos reminds me. And the Bambis are pretty darn cute too.

Thanks to Doug Gochanour for these delightful photos.

--Diane




What goes where? Recology workshop August 5th


FREE “What Goes Where” Recycling Webinar with Recology – 6:30 pm, August 5

Recology and the City of Shoreline invite Shoreline residents to learn what happens to our waste and become recycling experts in a free one-hour webinar Wednesday, August 5 from 6:30-7:30pm via Zoom.

You want to do the right thing, but the rules around recycling can be confusing. Recology’s Waste Zero experts are here to help! 

In this free, one-hour session you’ll learn:
  • which materials are accepted in your blue recycling cart
  • how to properly prepare your recyclables for collection
  • guidance on items you may be seeing more of today such as cleaning wipes, masks, and disposable utensils
  • why proper sorting and preparation of your recyclables is so important

You’ll also get tips and information that will help make the recycling process easier, simpler, and less time-consuming.

Register for the Zoom webinar HERE



Register today for Food and Wine Pairing online class



Are you looking to impress during your next Zoom happy hour? 

Explore the various styles of winemaking and aromatics that occur during the process in this self-paced online course! 

Join facilitator Reggie Daigneault and learn about the anatomy of human sensory receptors and how individual culture, biology, and preference will assist you in understanding how you taste food and wine. A list of wines will be recommended for tasting along at home!

Register online HERE or contact continuing-ed@shoreline.edu.




Take the survey and share your feedback on plans for N 175th St


The City of Shoreline plans to improve N 175th Street between Stone Avenue N and I-5, making it easier and safer for people walking, using a wheelchair, pushing a stroller, biking, driving, and taking transit.

Since engaging the community in spring 2019, the city has developed two design concepts for the corridor. They have also developed two design concepts for improvements to the intersection at N 175th Street and Meridian Avenue N: a roundabout intersection option and an improved signalized intersection option. 



The concepts are based on the feedback received from people who live along the corridor, local businesses, Meridian Park Elementary School, community organizations, and people who travel on N 175th Street.

Share your feedback on the design concepts and how you think the designs rank against the key evaluation criteria.

This is the most critical stage of the process for you to let the city know your thoughts on the concepts and what you think is missing.

  • Project page HERE 
  • Online Open House HERE



King County and partners surpass goal of planting one million trees

County Executive Dow Constantine celebrates trees


King County Executive Dow Constantine thanked the partners, volunteers, and employees who surpassed the goal to plant one million trees throughout the region nearly a year ahead of schedule, achieving a major milestone for the county’s Strategic Climate Action Plan.

Executive Constantine in August will send the King County Council his proposal for the 2020 Strategic Climate Action Plan, which will include a 3 Million Trees initiative that will maintain the accelerated pace for tree planting, protect forests and natural areas before they are lost forever, and prepare native forests for the impacts of climate change.

“In King County, we don’t just set ambitious goals to confront climate change – we create strong partnerships and mobilize volunteers to surpass them ahead of schedule,” said Executive Constantine. 
“We will build on this successful model to promote healthy, resilient forests for cleaner air and water, healthier habitat, and more tree cover in underserved communities.”


Case updates July 30, 2020; Inslee issues contact tracing proclamation, protects personal information

Washington cases by sex and age


Gov. Jay Inslee issued a proclamation Thursday related to the state's contact tracing efforts and personal information protection. 

Proclamation 20-64 exempts personally identifiable information collected by COVID-19 case investigators from public disclosure. The proclamation does not provide additional exemptions for employees or volunteers who are conducting the contact tracing work, as the Public Records Act already exempts many types of personal information relating to public employees and volunteers.

"The success of the response to the COVID-19 epidemic depends in part on the free flow of information and individuals’ willingness to share information and cooperate with public health authorities," Inslee said. 
"Ensuring the protection of a person’s personally identifiable information may determine whether that person will fully cooperate with COVID-19 case investigators and contact tracers."

“While we believe that COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing information, and the personally identifiable information that is gathered as a part of that work, is already exempt under the Public Records Act, we need certainty because ensuring the protection of a person’s personally identifiable information is critical to our COVID-19 efforts,” said Secretary of Health John Wiesman.

The proclamation will expire on August 29.

Read the full proclamation here.


Case updates July 30, 2020

United States
  • cases 4,405,932 including 65,935 new cases in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 150,283 including 1,417 new deaths in the past 24 hours
Washington state
  • cases 55,803 - 818 new cases in past 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 5,568
  • deaths 1,564 - 9 new in past 24 hours
King county
  • cases 15,039 - 160 new cases in 24 hours (goal: less than 25 new in 24 hours)
  • hospitalizations 1,946 - 11 new in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 647 - 3 new in the past 24 hours
Shoreline
  • cases 486 - 3 new in the past 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 100 - 0 new in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 60 - 0 new in the past 24 hours
Lake Forest Park
  • cases 49 - 0 new in 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 4 - 0 new in 24 hours
  • deaths 1 - 0 new in the past 24 hours




Agenda for Aug 3 Shoreline Council; Climate impact and resiliency study

Shoreline City Council 2020


By Pam Cross

The Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting for August 3, 2020 includes the following Study Items:

8(a) Discussion of Ordinance No. 896 - Amending Certain Sections of Shoreline Municipal Code Title 20 to Permit Professional Offices in the R-8 and R-12 Zoning

On December 9, 2019, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 881 which adopted two Comprehensive Plan Amendments. The amendment in question, amendment #3, added “professional offices” to Land Use Element Policy LU2. To implement the policy adopted by Council, staff is proposing amendments to the Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC) Chapters 20.20 – Definitions, 20.30 – Procedures and Administration, and 20.40 – Uses. Staff prepared revised definitions for Professional Offices and Outdoor Storage to more narrowly define what uses qualify as a professional office. Staff is recommending that the newly defined uses be added to SMC Chapter 20.40 - Uses.

8(b) Discussing the Results of the Climate Impacts and Resiliency Study

Christy Shelton from Cascadia Consulting Group and Matt Fontaine from Herrera Environmental Consultants will present the results of the Climate Impacts and Resiliency Study. The study identified climate change impacts and areas of vulnerability for the City, with a core focus on the City’s surface water system.


The meeting will be held remotely. Instructions on how to view the agenda and the meeting and how to submit a comment can be viewed HERE

Council provides opportunities for public comment by submitting written comment or calling into the meeting to provide oral testimony. To provide oral testimony you must sign-up by 6:30pm the night of the meeting.



Funding approved to provide statewide technology training for educators

Chris Reykdal, Supt.
of Public Instruction

This week, the state Office of Financial Management (OFM) released $2.5 million in federal funds to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to expand training for educators on the use of online learning management systems.

In partnership with OSPI, the state’s nine regional educational service districts will provide support and training with no registration cost. These supports will help districts with platform selection, provide training for educators and families, and will launch networks for educators to share best practices

In total, Congress allocated approximately $195 million to Washington’s local school districts and $21 million to OSPI to address impacts resulting from COVID-19. 

While all funds have been released to local school districts, OFM has held back the vast majority of the funds allocated to OSPI; this $2.5 million for professional learning represents the first major step in scalable statewide solutions to improve the online learning experience.

As OFM considers a release of the remainder of the state’s portion of federal funds, OSPI intends to cover the costs of internet for students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and to partner with community-based organizations to help families secure childcare, engage in language translation services, and other parent and family engagement strategies.

More information from OSPI here.



8X8 Photo Exhibition Sale begins August 1



An virtual exhibit featuring hundreds of photographs

Sales Begin on August 1 at 10am - $36 Each


The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is proud to present this brand new program and fundraiser!

About 8X8Photo

Photography exhibition and fundraiser, 8X8Photo features hundreds of 8x8-inch photographs from talent locally, and all over the country, all available to purchase for $36 each. Free pickup or add a $9 shipping fee.

The photographs have been exhibited online for one week from July 24 - and now sales will open online at 10am Saturday the 1st of August, and continue for the entire month of August. 

There is just ONE of each photograph available, so you need to get in quick!

Create an account and put together your wishlist, save your address, credit card, and be ready to buy at 10am, 1st August.

Proceeds from the event support Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council programming.

Why $36? This show is a spinoff of our much loved 6X6NW show (6 x 6 = $36!). This price also allows art to be more accessible and give people a taste for what you do - let's hope they come back for more!

We will announce People’s Choice, Director’s Choice, and Sponsor’s Choice Awards at 12pm PST Friday, July 31st via Facebook Live. Awards are for the photographer's work as a whole and the prizes are $100 each.

Thank you to our sponsor Jack Malek | Windermere Broker and Realtor!

Questions? Email Terri Price at programs@shorelinearts.net

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to cultivate creativity and inspire our community through the arts.




SCC student residence hall awarded prestigious LEED Green Building Certification

Shoreline Community College is pleased to announce it has been awarded official LEED Silver certification for its student residence hall, 7000 Campus Living, which opened in fall 2019.


LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. 

Certification is proof that buildings are constructed and operated at the highest level of sustainability.

“Achieving LEED Silver certification speaks to our values as a College,” said Shoreline Community College President Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D. 
“We know it provides a healthier and more comfortable space for our students to live and pursue their educational goals, and it exhibits our commitment to being positive stewards of the land on which our campus sits.”

The 249-unit building at the front of the College’s 83-acre campus thoughtfully weaves in practical and measurable sustainability features, such as water savings, enhanced thermal performance, a roof-top solar array, and energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building.

A new engraved bronze plaque has been installed in the vestibule at the main entrance of the building to showcase this building achievement. 
 

While the College is operating remotely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students are able to continue living in 7000 Campus Living with reduced occupancy and appropriate sanitation and distancing measures being taken. The building’s original design and construction team included WG Clark Construction, Encore Architects, and Spectrum Development Solutions.

Learn more about living on campus.



Local students on Dean's List at Baylor University

Baylor University, Waco Texas

More than 5,300 Baylor University students have been named to the Dean's Academic Honor List for the spring 2020 semester.

Students honored on the Dean's List are Baylor undergraduates with a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.7 with no grade lower than a "C" while enrolled in a minimum of 12 graded semester hours.

From Shoreline 98177

  • Jacob Alan Arnold, Hankamer School of Business
  • John David Hollinrake III, Hankamer School of Business


Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 18,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship.

Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.




Thursday, July 30, 2020

Department of Health launches survey on impacts of COVID-19 in communities

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) launched the Community Recovery-Oriented Needs Assessment, or the CORONA survey.

The survey is an effort to assess the behavioral, economic, social, and emotional impacts and the needs of communities across the state as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The CORONA survey results will inform immediate, long-term, and ongoing actions that DOH and local health jurisdictions can take to address the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on Washingtonians.

In order to appropriately and equitably inform recovery plans at the state and local levels, DOH is requesting residents from across Washington to go to the survey page to take part in the survey. (To take the survey by phone, call 855-530-5787—interpreters are available to assist.)

The survey is voluntary and confidential. At the end of the survey, participants will be given the option to provide their name, phone number and/or email address. Each week of the survey, three participants will receive a $100 Amazon.com gift code as a thank you for their time and participation. If you have additional questions about the CORONA Survey, you can call the Washington State Department of Health at 1-800-525-0127.

Learn more about reopening and the statewide response to COVID-19 HERE

Individuals can also find COVID-19 information on the Department of Health’s website or call 1-800-525-0127. Individuals can text the word “coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates on their phone wherever they are.

The Department of Health works with others to protect and improve the health of all people in Washington State.



Baseball Stadium Galore - retired local teacher featured in Seattle Times

Jim Siscel with Ridgecrest elementary kids raising salmon from eggs.
Now he's doing the same thing in Lynnwood
Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools


Have you missed baseball? Then this is for you and non-baseball fans too.

Our local retired school teacher Jim Siscel and his wife Andrea are documented in an engaging Seattle Times article about their 323 trips to baseball stadiums around the country. 

Jim was a teacher at Echo Lake Elementary for many years before he retired. His love of teaching was reflected through his students and their parents too, and he’s still involved today, being active in the Sno-King School Retirees Association.

"Even though he was a tough teacher, all his students loved him. He cared deeply about each and every one, and taught them many useful traits - Like cursive writing. Oh and parents loved him too!"

After retiring, he helped three different Shoreline schools raise salmon from eggs and release them in local streams. Now he's doing the same thing in Lynnwood schools.

Another passion is baseball, and he and Andrea share their experiences about all of the stadiums they have visited on their website. There is everything from highlights about the stadium, attendance, seating, scores, mascots, and, in some cases, even the price of a hot dog.

Enjoy this recent Seattle Times article and then check out their website at baseballroadtrip.net.

The Seattle Times: 323 ballparks down, only 2 to go: Lynnwood couple’s quest on hold due to COVID

We’re rooting for them to reach their goal of 325 stadiums – when it’s safe.

--Three former Echo Lake parents contributed to our article



Curbside service at local libraries starting Aug 5

Richmond Beach Library
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Curbside service will expand to new KCLS library locations, starting August 5. 

All locations will be closed on August 4 while we prepare to offer these new services.

Find current hours of operation and curbside locations and preview upcoming changes HERE.

To pick up holds: make an appointment with the myLIBRO app, call the library to make an appointment, or walk up without an appointment (without an appointment it will take about 15 minutes for us to get your holds ready).

Find information about the myLIBRO app HERE.

Beginning August 5, Curbside To Go service will be expanded at the Shoreline Library and will begin at the Lake Forest Park and Richmond Beach Libraries:

Lake Forest Park
  • Tuesday-Wednesday 1pm-7:30pm
  • Thursday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm
  • Call (206) 362-8860
Richmond Beach
  • Tuesday-Wednesday 1pm-7:30pm
  • Thursday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm
  • Call 206) 546-3522
Shoreline
  • Tuesday-Wednesday 1pm-7:30pm
  • Thursday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm
  • Call (425) 507-3247

Case updates July 29, 2020; Inslee extends protections for high risk employees

King county positive cases over time


Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the extension of proclamation 20-46.1, first issued in April, which relates to protections for high-risk employees and workers' rights.

As a result of new CDC guidance regarding people at increased risk for severe illness, the extension will provide a clarifying guidance memo. The guidance memo confirms that employees who are 65 and older continue to be covered by the proclamation and clarifies processes for employers of individuals with certain medical conditions.

The proclamation will remain in effect through the duration of the state of emergency, or until otherwise rescinded or amended.


United States
  • cases 4,339,997 including 59,862 new cases in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 148,866 including 1,194 new deaths in the past 24 hours
Washington state
  • cases 54,985 - 780 new cases in past 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 5,476 - 2 new in past 24 hours
  • deaths 1,555 - 7 new in past 24 hours
King county
  • cases 14,879 - 150 new cases in 24 hours (goal: less than 25 new in 24 hours)
  • hospitalizations 1,935 - 35 new in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 644 - 0 new in the past 24 hours
Shoreline
  • cases 483 - -1 (data adjustment)
  • hospitalizations 100 - 0 new in the past 24 hours
  • deaths 60 - 0 new in the past 24 hours
Lake Forest Park
  • cases 49 - 0 new in 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 4 - 0 new in 24 hours
  • deaths 1 - 0 new in the past 24 hours



Regional public sector employers extend teleworking until 2021

Shoreline Mayor Will Hall

King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, the cities of Everett, Kenmore, Redmond, Seattle, Shoreline, and Tacoma, and the Port of Seattle and Port of Everett are taking a united approach to slow the spread of COVID-19 and maximize physical distancing by extending teleworking for eligible employees until 2021.

County Executive Dow Constantine stated
"We are determined to do all that we can to slow the spread of this virus in our communities and keep our employees and residents as safe as possible. 
"We’ve learned a lot about our ability to adapt and respond amid this pandemic, and by taking a regional approach to telework, we can continue to meet the needs of residents, maximize physical distancing for people who need to report to work in person, and further stem the spread of COVID-19."

Shoreline Mayor Will Hall said
"We have to do all we can to slow the spread of COVID-19. Many businesses and governments have found that remote work can be good for the organization and good for the employee. 
"Having some people telecommute makes way for others to report to a work site more safely. I am proud to support our regional efforts to promote telecommuting."



County Council sends seven charter amendments to November ballot for voter approval

With the approval of three more measures on Tuesday, the King County will now send seven county charter amendments to the November ballot for a public vote to approve or reject them.

The Charter Review Commission recommended 11 amendments in its final report last year, though it wasn’t expected that all the amendments would be considered by voters in the same year.

The following amendments will now appear on the November ballot:
  1. Specify that inquests should be performed for deaths in the county’s jails and provide the family of the deceased with legal representation during the inquest process.
  2. Include subpoena power for the King County Office of Law Enforcement Oversight to aid in its investigations.
  3. Make the King County Sheriff an appointed rather than elected position.
  4. Remove the Charter impediment to the sale of county-owned property below market value for affordable housing purposes, in accordance with recent amendments to state law.
  5. Update the Charter to change references to “citizen” to “resident” or “public” depending on the circumstances. This change would address several references in the Charter to the concept of citizenship being necessary to access certain aspects of county government.
  6. Prohibit discrimination in county employment and contracting based on someone’s status as a family caregiver, military status, or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or discharged solely as a result of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“I am pleased to give the voters the opportunity to decide on these amendments to the way our county is governed,” said Council Chair Claudia Balducci.

7. The seventh amendment set for a vote in the fall was not a recommendation of the Charter Review Commission, but instead was a council-proposed amendment. This amendment would allow the Council to establish the duties of the Sheriff’s Office. Those duties are currently set by the charter.



County council approves Kohl-Welles’ amendment to keep gun stores away from schools

Jeanne Kohl-Wells represents
Seattle District 4 on the County Council

The King County Council on Friday approved an amendment that will keep new gun stores at least 500 feet away from schools. 

Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles brought the amendment forward to be included in an extensive update of the Comprehensive Plan, which was approved as amended.

“The hard truth is there is little we can do at the county-level to enact thoughtful measures pertaining to firearms and gun violence because of federal and state preemptions,” Kohl-Welles said. 
“But we have to be creative. When the recreational use and sale of marijuana was legalized at the state-level, we added buffer zones to help ensure children and youth would not have easy access to the drug – for their protection.
“I’m sponsoring this amendment under the same principle. If we consider it a priority to protect our kids from marijuana establishments, we should do the same for gun stores – especially considering that guns are a greater public health threat in our county.”

Any new businesses selling firearms that have open hours and signs or advertising would fall under the requirement. Businesses established before June 30 would not be impacted.

The Comprehensive Plan update includes subarea plans for six rural communities and five urban unincorporated areas, as well as several other midpoint updates to the plan. You can read a full staff report on the update HERE.



Seattle Times discovers some Shoreline restaurants

Waken Bacon counter
Photo by Cynthia Sheridan


We knew they were there but the folk in that big city south of us had no idea. But now, thanks to an article published on Wednesday, they know about four great places to eat in Shoreline.

From pretty poke bowls to huge barbecue platters that will feed you for days, Shoreline boasts these great eats

Hint to The Times: here's a few more



High-strung Hester hovered humorlessly, hating unhurried honeybees...

Photo by Gloria Z Nagler


(No, I don't hate 'em, said Hester, I just wish she'd hasten her sips!)



Shoreline woman arrested in Edmonds for armed robbery and drug charges

Photo courtesy Edmonds Police
Edmonds Officers responded to a 911 call where a male said that a female pulled a gun on him. 

The female suspect was located by student officer and trainer as the suspect walked along busy Hwy 99. Suspect was safely taken into custody and the gun recovered.

Investigation led to the 40-year old female from Shoreline being arrested for armed robbery and drug charges. The weapon was determined to be a BB gun.

This started as a shoplifting incident at a local Edmonds business where the suspect pulled the gun on the employee.



Shoreline police arrest suspect who was using someone else's credit cards

Photo courtesy KCSO

Quick work by Shoreline Police led to the arrest of a suspect fraudulently using credit cards belonging to someone else.

On July 7, 2020, at approximately 2pm, a victim reported that his credit cards were used for unauthorized transactions at the Fred Meyer in Shoreline.

Security camera footage showed a suspect use the victim's credit cards to purchase prepaid Visa debit cards.

Asset protection at Fred Meyer helped confirm the 29 year old suspect's identity, as they were familiar with him being a persistent shoplifter.

A Shoreline deputy spotted the suspect nearby and took him into custody. After being read his Miranda rights, the suspect said he found the cards on the ground and admitted to using them to purchase prepaid Visa debit cards in the amount of $210.

The suspect was booked into SCORE jail for Theft in the 3rd Degree.

*Note: Police do not show the faces of arrest subjects until they have been named and formally charged.



Photos from Ronald Bog Park and Pacific NW Conifer Arboretum

Steve Robinson took a stroll through Ronald Bog Park, which opened to the public on Monday, July 27, 2020 and photographed scenes from the park, as well as some of the informational posters.




All the paths are gravel. The fence is around the critical area. The sculpture is called The Kiss. It was moved as part of the renovation. It's owned by King county.


The sign very politely tells people to keep out. The critical area will be a functional wetland. Check it in October when it's raining.


Some of the park's history, including how it was saved and named a park by a group of local women in the 1970s nicknamed the "kitchen activists."


Inside the critical area.


During the rainy season (which is most of the year) most of this area will be wet and when there is a lot of rain, there may be a small pond in the middle.


The picnic shelter was rebuilt but the mossy roof is the same. It sits right between the two zones and is right next to the lake. The designers wanted to have a section where visitors could get next to the water.


This talks about the importance of wetlands and about some of the critters that inhabit Ronald Bog. 


Inviting pathway.


The Conifer Arboretum was well established on the site. The information sign is new and the pathways have been greatly improved. You can learn about and see all the different types of conifers. Looks like a future Shoreline Walks or Tree Walks.


Several varieties of conifers flank the sign.


Conifers are trees that have cones. For more details, here is the webpage for the American Conifer Society.

All photos by Steven H. Robinson



Notes from Shoreline Council meeting July 27, 2020

Pam Cross, Reporter

Shoreline City Council Meeting
July 27, 2020

Notes by Pam Cross

The meeting was held online using the Zoom platform.

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

All Councilmembers were present.

Report of the City Manager’s Office
Debbie Tarry, City Manager

COVID-19 Update

King County has seen a sharp increase in the rate of COVID-19 cases in the past couple of weeks, bringing King County close to the peak number of cases experienced in March. The safest thing you can do is to stay home if at all possible.

Face coverings are required in all indoor public places, and outdoors when you may be unable to maintain six feet of distance from others. Businesses are required to enforce the use of face coverings for all customers and visitors. Governor Inslee has updated the mask requirement to include wearing masks in common spaces like elevators and public hallways, even when you are alone in those spaces.

Please continue to practice physical distancing of six feet or more, minimize contact with those outside of your home, wash and sanitize your hands frequently, and avoid large gatherings and poorly ventilated spaces.

Children from Shoreline United Methodist Church got creative and tie-died some masks. They are distributing them through the Church and the Little Free Pantry at NE 145th St and 25th Ave NE.

Seattle and King County distributed free masks for King County Residents on July 28th

175th Corridor Project Webinar Wednesday, July 29th 6:00 - 7:00pm online via Zoom. The link is available at shorelinewa.gov/175corridor. Learn about the design concepts developed for roadway, bike and pedestrian improvements on the N 175th St corridor between Stone Ave N and I-5.

Shoreline Farmers Market

The market will be open on Saturdays through October 3rd at 155th and Westminster Way. Current health and safety guidelines limit the number of shoppers at one time, mandate face coverings, prohibit pets except service animals, and encourage pre-orders. Additional information: shorelinefarmersmarket.org

Public Reminders

There is a Public Hearing scheduled before the Hearing Examiner on Wednesday, July 29, at 6:00pm. The hearing will be held remotely via Zoom. The subject is the preliminary formal subdivision application to divide three parcels of land into 19 lots at 18002, 18008, and 18016 12th Ave NE. Link to Zoom and additional details at shorelinewa.gov/calendar

Council Reports

Councilmember Roberts attended the Puget Sound Regional Council Executive Board Meeting where they approved funding 128 different transportation projects totaling $549M. In Shoreline, the 145th and I-5 intersection was funded. They are also moving forward with Vision 2050. The biggest challenge is an amendment proposed by Snohomish County regarding the amount of development planned in rural Snohomish County.

Public Comment

Laethan Wene, Shoreline, stated that the stabbing at 175h and Linden happened outside his residence. He spoke with police officers at the scene but did not witness the event.

Approval of the Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.

The Consent Calendar adopted unanimously by roll call vote.

ACTION ITEM

8(a) Adopting Ordinance No. 895 – Interim Regulations for Outdoor Dining

As discussed at last week’s Council meeting, this would adopt interim regulations to remove regulatory barriers and fees for eating and drinking establishments to create outdoor seating areas thereby allowing these businesses to resume table service within COVID-induced seating and capacity restrictions.

Andrew Bauer, Sr. Planner did the presentation

Last week Governor Inslee added additional restrictions to Safe Start Washington with respect to bars and restaurants. Indoor table seating can be shared only by members of the same household, seating at bars, taverns, and breweries is not allowed, and game areas are closed (pool tables, darts etc). However, outdoor seating is allowed emphasizing the need for the interim regulations being proposed.

The drafted interim regulations based on Council’s recommendations
  • Outdoor seating on private property will not require a temporary use permit, and there will be no fees or parking requirement. Instead, the business would file an Outdoor Seating Registration with the City. The outdoor areas can open immediately after filing the registration.
  • Right-of-Way use requires a site permit but there are no fees. There will be an expedited review, and discretion to the public works director to modify the standards in the engineering design manual to further implement the intent of the interim regulations without having to go through the normal deviation process.

DISCUSSION

Since this was pretty thoroughly discussed at last week’s meeting, Councilmembers had no additional questions. Staff was thanked for their hard work in making the multiple revisions in just one week.

Ordinance 895 passed unanimously 7-0


STUDY ITEMS

9(a) Discussion of the Structure of Law Enforcement in Shoreline and King County, Including Current Policy Changes Under Consideration

Jim Hammond, Intergovernmental Relations Program Manager did the staff report, with
Shawn Ledford, Chief of Police, Shoreline
Patti Cole-Tindall, Undersheriff for King Co Sheriff’s Office
Debora Jacobs, Director of Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO)

The death of George Floyd has started a national, regional and local conversation on policing. As part of this, Shoreline is taking a look at how law enforcement is delivered. Tonight laid the foundation for this discussion by covering roles and responsibilities as well as proposals for change that are already on the table. This discussion is meant to provide a common understanding of the current structure and framework of law enforcement in Shoreline, and pave the way for future conversations about this important topic.

The City contracts with the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) for law enforcement services. Shoreline’s Precinct has dedicated Shoreline police. There are 54 full time positions, 51 of them sworn personnel. The 2020 Budget is 25% of the City’s General Fund for a total of $13.2M.

Roles and responsibilities of the police department, sheriff’s office, and County oversight are intertwined and complex. 

However, simply put: 
  • the King County Executive has responsibility for proposing a budget to City Council, and on the labor side is responsible for negotiating wages and benefits as well as civilian oversight;
  • the County Council is responsible for approving the budget and providing policy direction which is subject to labor negotiations; 
  • the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) provides civilian oversight of law enforcement operations; 
  • the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) has a broad range of basic law enforcement responsibilities; and 
  • labor unions address working conditions and compensation.

The Office of Law Enforcement Oversight is mandated by County charter with authority established by ordinance. Its work covers quality assurance review of the Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) internal investigations, systemic reviews of CSO operations, and feedback on KCSO policy. They have a citizens advisory committee to maintain community engagement.

The King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) is the “conservator of the peace” and its policies are granted by State law. These policies are stated in the General Orders Manual (GOM). This lengthy manual sets standards for conduct, use of force, training and accountability with guidelines for discipline. They have an Internal Investigations Unit to make this happen.

State Labor Law covers working conditions such as use of force, training, overtime and discipline that are subject to bargaining and include civilian oversight. Law enforcement labor rights include interest arbitration for bargaining and individual cases of discipline. This allows an unresolved dispute to go to a neutral third party for a final decision.

Recent Developments

The Law Enforcement Safety and Community Training Act (I-940) contains statewide mandatory training relating to de-escalation and crisis intervention/mental health, the requirement for an independent investigation when there’s use of deadly force.

8 Can’t Wait is an initiative developed by Campaign Zero, a nationwide police reform campaign to reduce police use of force and brutality.

There are proposed Amendments to the King County Charter that will appear on this November’s ballot:
  • Having the King County Sheriff be an appointed position instead of elected;
  • Having the King County Council determine the Sheriff’s duties instead of state law to provide more flexibility;
  • Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO) subpoena power (subject to subsequent labor negotiations);
  • Modifications to inquest process supporting families of victims (subject to subsequent labor negotiations).
Other measures in discussion include use of body and dashboard cameras, changes to State labor law, and shifting funding to prevention programs. Increased use of body and dashboard cameras is more involved than it sounds. Considerations include the equipment cost and additional staff to manage the data and to provide the ability to respond to public requests under the Freedom Of Information Act. There is the issue of public privacy vs police transparency. And it would be subject to labor negotiations.

Already happening in Shoreline
  • Nurturing Trust provides outreach workshops primarily to Spanish speakers.
  • RADAR (Response, Awareness, De-escalation and Referral) is a partnership bringing mental health professionals into the process of working with people with mental health or behavioral issues.
DISCUSSION

What kind of statistics can be made available to help us determine if there is a disparity by race in Shoreline? Arrests, traffic stops by race?

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) use of force is ranked in many ways and shown on their site Dashboard. It provides more information than most offices but is not perfect.

Reply: Debora Jacobs (County Oversight) They have provided some statistics and complaint data to Debbie Tarry. This information needs to be tracked over time to judge whether results are low or high. “They are what they are” until viewed over time. For race you need to look at data for stops, arrests, and complaints to see what the nature of the complaints are. We have a good complaint process but some people don’t bother to complain thinking that nothing will happen with it. If state law required keeping statistics it would be ideal.

We have lot of positive feedback on RADAR. Is there a need to expand this program? Who responds first? Police or professional? If they respond together, who takes the lead?

Reply: Chief Shawn Ledford. Shoreline partners with Kenmore, Bothell, LFP, and Kirkland to share 4 mental health part-time professionals. Communication systems are being improved. Would like to see RADAR expand to other cities on the Eastside that have shown some interest. Typically, a plan is made to determine who goes in first depending on the circumstances. Mental health professionals can help de-escalate, but if there’s an immediate need, police will take the lead.

What is the point of subpoena power for the Office of Law Enforcement Oversight (OLEO)?

Reply: Debora Jacobs (OLEO) They are doing independent administrative investigations, not criminal. Subpoena power would allow access to records and compel witness statements. The main advantage is the threat of subpoena. There are a number of OLEO offices across the country and many have subpoena power.

We need to hear what the individual experiences of Shoreline residents are. Not everyone publicly talks about it. And experiences vary greatly. Some residents are fearful of the police. There was a written comment to Council about more frequent stops of motor vehicles driven by Blacks.

Reply: Chief Ledford. Shoreline has about 5-6% Black population and about 10% of citations go to black motorists. But you can’t compare population to citations because citations are not issued just to Shoreline residents. Drivers from other cities, states, and Canada drive through Shoreline. Right now there is no way to get the type of data Council is asking about. The implicit bias training has proven very helpful. We need more of a discussion to see if this is a common problem in nearby cities and with the State Patrol as well so we can see how we compare to them.

What about type of traffic ticket? Want to know if they are “citations of poverty” for a broken headlight or expired registration instead of actual violations such as speeding.

Reply: Chief Ledford believes he can pull out this information.

Budget for policing needs to also consider the additional costs of jail and criminal justice system operations. Police are called for noise complaints, parking violations etc. Could some of these be handled by someone else? Or should they all be answered by police?

Reply: Chief Ledford. He thinks of this as quality of life vs criminal issues. Police are dispatched to both. Not sure non-police would feel safe handling these calls. He’s in favor of someone else responding to someone sleeping in a park or panhandling for example. But who would respond? Do other entities have the resources? Would they feel safe without police? Also, the police are often asked to accompany fire or mental health professionals if they need a safety net. This would be a VERY large discussion.

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) is also interested in this. The public wants something different from what we have now. Agreed, but what is that? Need community outreach to find out what the community wants, but we must keep in mind that funding is limited or just not available for every program.

According to the 2019 Police Report there were 25,610 contacts. That converts to 70/day or 3/hour. That’s a lot. Is this trend increasing?

Reply: Chief Ledford. Dispatch calls are included in this number (when someone calls 911), as well as when an officer takes action after seeing something suspicious. While we are seeing an increase in dispatch calls for service, our response time has remained constant.

Are we too reliant on the police? It seems like the first thought is “call the cops.” We need to spread calls out to other agencies. Are calls for police support of the Fire Department or CPS tracked?

Reply: Chief Ledford. We could find out whether police turned out to be necessary when along for support. We need to identify how many of these calls we could have deferred to others.

Reply: Debora Jacobs (OLEO) it would be interesting to see how to reduce unnecessary police support calls, and to see what are the outcomes when police step in. Low level engagements should be looked at.

What about dispatch centers? Do they use other resources?

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) The police dispatcher receives calls from 911. 911 operators have a resource guide to assist them in directing the call. But often it’s not clear from the caller what they actually need. 911 does try to de-escalate or refer to supervisors when they can’t determine what the caller really needs. De-escalation and implicit bias training are provided to dispatchers.

Do you feel the departments are adequately funded? Overfunded? Underfunded?

Reply: Chief Ledford. Adequately funded.

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) There are many resource needs. The cuts come to unincorporated areas or to something the contract is not paying for. Maybe some funds could be redirected. Probably not going to get additional money at this time.

Reply: Debora Jacobs (OLEO). Oversight is underfunded. A lot of cuts were made during the last recession. Cutbacks affect training and supervision as staff is reduced. There is a state-wide 24 hour annual training requirement. Not all training should be online (de-escalation for example) so hope they don’t lose money for this in-person training.

The police contract does not seem to offer the kind of flexibility Shoreline had when we established RADAR. It is difficult to make changes especially when labor negotiations are required (choke holds, tear gas). Is the County the one who calls the shot here?

Reply: Chief Ledford. Shoreline police follow the Sheriff’s office General Orders Manual (GOM) which covers choke holds etc. But the police department is asked how some policy changes actually work in the field, how does it apply to best practices and if it has to be bargained (not everything does).

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) a bit of clarification. The City contracts with Sheriff’s Office for police services. The Sheriff’s Office sets the direction on what the officers do/don’t do with the use of chemical agents etc and decisions are very conservative. What weapons (taser, firearm) officers use is not negotiated with the officers. The Sheriff decides. That being said, if certain weapons are prohibited, the union could say it’s an officer safety issue which makes it subject to bargaining.

What control does the City of Shoreline have? As a contract city, what can the Shoreline do? Can we say “no tear gas”?

Reply: Patti Cole-Tindall (Sheriff’s Office) Shoreline has an Interlocal Agreement which spells out what the terms are. Not sure if it gets down to discussing issues like chemical use. As a customer, Shoreline decides what the City wants. If the Sheriff’s office can’t do that, then Shoreline has a choice to make. Deputies only have pepper spray, same as the public. This is a valid concern and needs to be part of the conversation.

Believe we need a civilian body completely separate from the Sheriff’s office to oversee Shoreline police.

Reply: Debora Jacobs (OLEO). While both are King County departments, OLEO is completely independent from the Sheriff’s office. They can bring the Sheriff’s office recommendations but cannot get them to do anything.

We can always do better. Use of force and implicit bias are important issues and we need to own that we as individuals need to continue to work on Race.

Council speaks for the community so we need to be informed by the community. Community needs to be invited to speak.

9(b) Discussing the Update of the Feasibility Study for Transfer of Development Rights and the Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program (LCLIP) in Shoreline

Steven Szafran, AICP , Senior Planner made the presentation
Sara Lane, Administrative Services Director
With guests
  • Nick Bratton, Senior Policy Director for Forterra
  • Morgan Shook, Project Director ECONorthwest
  • Mike Murphy TDR Program Manager for King County
What is a TDR? (Transferable Development Rights)

The right to develop land for residential or commercial purposes is one of the rights associated with land ownership. King County’s TDR Program allows landowners of rural or resource lands with farm, forest, open space, or regional trail amenities to turn the right to develop property into into a tradable commodity that can be bought and sold. These transferable development rights or “TDRs” are typically bought by developers of urban areas eligible for increased density. The purchased TDRs give developers the ability to build additional units, floor space or height that exceed the number allowed by the zoning density.

Why use it?

Cities can’t afford to get big developments and provide the infrastructure for them. Infrastructure includes parks, stormwater, transportation, streetscapes, and utilities. TDRs are encouraged by the Growth Management Act because they encourage growth where it’s desired, and preserve farms and forests that are important to the region’s health. This is a voluntary market based approach so only private money is used.

How can we make TDRs better?

We can utilize LCLIP (Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program RCW 39.108). This is a combination of TDR (Transfer of Development Rights) and a form of TIF (Tax Increment Financing). In Washington, TIFs are used to take a portion of the regular property taxes that would normally go to the County and provide it to the City for public improvement projects. It does not create a new tax.

Program requirements


AV = City’s assess value

In 2015 the City received a grant to study the feasibility of applying LCLIP in the 145th and 185th light rail station subareas, Town Center, and the Community Renewal Area (Aurora Square).

The updated LCLIP Feasibility 2020 Study Area includes those, plus along Aurora, and as per the map below. The results find that the City stands to gain $8.5M to $12.4M for infrastructure improvements from revenue generated by new development over a 25-year period if all the City’s allocated TDR credits are placed.

Findings

To make LCLIP work, Development Code revisions are needed to create viable incentive mechanism for development to use Transferable Development Rights (TDR). The current incentive structure is cost-prohibitive in MUR-70. This will provide opportunities for small height increases in mixed use and commercial zones.

Example of TDR placement in MUR-70 zone increase in height from 65’ to 140’ showing narrower building on same lot size.

Recommendations
  • Create effective TDR incentive structure and make achieving bonus height in MUR-70 an administrative decision rather than requiring a developer agreement.
  • Start LCLIP before light rail stations open
  • Develop implementation strategy
  • Incentives explored included added height in commercial and mixed-use zones, multifamily tax exemption, flexibility in parking requirements, and additional height in certain zones
  • Incentives to consider include utilizing Transferable Development Rights in lieu of affordable units, using TDR for tree removal allowing removal of significant trees and planting fewer replacement trees, and expedited permit review.

DISCUSSION

There is a lot of information here. Has any thought been given to rethinking the push towards density in the COVID era?

Reply: no.

Washington’s LCLIP (Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program) is the only program of its kind in the nation, and there are 35 cities in the Puget Sound area that are eligible, but only Seattle and Tacoma have functioning programs in place now. Right?

Reply: Seattle is the only city as of this date. There is a lot of interest and several cities, like Shoreline, are looking into it. Others are too small or are counties so they are not using the LCLIP tool but are using Transferable Development Rights (TDR).

Is TDR only here in this region, or has it worked someplace else?

Reply: there are about 220 TDR programs in use around the country. King County is the the most successful. Redmond has been using theirs to great effect. This is not unique to King County.

We want to save farmland and forests, but also want to preserve Shoreline trees and parks. In order to make this work, you need the right incentives to appeal to developers, who can be very difficult to please. Their interests seldom overlap with ours.

Let’s see if we have this right: Say you’re a farmer and you want to sell your farm. You can sell it as a farm for $100k. Or sell it to a developer for $1M. You want to keep it as farmland. So you can take advantage of TDR where you can leave it as farm, and get $750k representing the best of both worlds. LCLIP provides the incentive for Shoreline to purchase these TDR credits.

Reply: spot on.

There are some concerns: 140’ vs 70’ building makes an impact. It’s important to make this work. We need to gauge the impact on the City. Don’t want to go to that kind of height everywhere.

Reply: 140’ came up because it is already allowed by code in MUR-70.

TDR makes sense and helps protect farmlands and other critical areas. Hope it expands into Snohomish and Pierce counties too. When we worked on MUR-70, we wanted to make sure people built efficiently on their property. We wanted to put more restrictions on developers who did less than developers that did more. If you have a large frontage area, we want your building on the frontage area. We didn’t want long narrow strips built on lots. LCLIP appears to be going the other way as well as asking for increased height and losing affordable housing. We are giving up a lot for what? Need to see how this really fits into our concept for developing the MUR 70 zones. We have a good process now and LCLIP should only be a part of it, not the dominating force.

How do the incentives work? Do we offer them all for the developer to pick and choose from? Or do we pick incentives that we think will work within our density framework?

Reply: you are not tied to recommendations in the staff report. Council can decide the incentives they want to include in LCLIP.

If we do that, can a developer then choose what they want from the shorter list?

Reply: it’s up to Council how this will work. We listed the various incentives for Council’s consideration. We need to be able to sell this program to the developers, and it’s not cheap. We need LCLIP in order to get that portion of the King County money for the City to use. The most attractive incentives are height, parking reductions, and a Multifamily Property tax exception.

We already have all of these incentives for MUR-70. How would this work?

Reply: I see this coming back as a group of development code amendments available for Transferable Development Rights. These incentives would be described including the area of the City where they would apply and the number of TDR credits needed for different incentives. So these would be different incentives from what already exists.

In planning the MUR zones, we really worked hard at a “wedding cake design” so as not to overpower the neighborhoods with tall buildings. We included transition zones to protect our R-6 neighborhoods. The “small height increase” staff presented (see above picture) doubled the height. The Cons shown in the staff report create a sizable impact on our city.

We like trees and open space and feeling safe. We can address some concerns to get the benefits we want. While we are calling these “incentives” what we are really saying is you can construct a building this tall, but if you want to build it taller, then you have to do a lot more stuff that costs you a lot of money.

We should keep working on this. In 2014 we adopted TDR but haven’t done anything with it yet. We need to pursue LCLIP because it’s a big plus for the city, but need to be mindful of the tradeoffs and its effect on the community.

This program will provide the City with revenue which we need.

Scheduled for another study session with additional information from staff.

We don’t need to start the conversation over again, we just want to be confident that what we decide on has the potential to work out. What would the numbers look like if we include only the few incentives we liked? Does it still pencil out if we select just one or two incentives? We need to see some hypothetical revenue numbers.

It would be nice to visualize what these buildings will look like - maybe staff can locate some of the old graphics we used when we first talked about MUR 70.

Need to take a good look at the second map that extends into other areas of the City with this height, remembering that we don’t want MUR-70 on Aurora and need to protect our transition areas.

Council voted to extend the meeting to 10:30 to make sure there’s time for the executive session.

Council held an Executive Session on a separate Zoom meeting beginning at 9:55PM. They are not anticipating any action following this session.

Executive Session: Property Acquisition - RCW 42.30.110(1)(b)

The Council may hold Executive Sessions from which the public may be excluded for those purposes set for in RCW 42.30.110 and RCW 42.30.140. Before convening an Executive Session the presiding officer shall announce the purpose of the Session and the anticipated time when the Session will be concluded. Should the Session require more time a public announcement shall be made that the Session is being extended.

Meeting adjourned.