Showing posts with label city council. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city council. Show all posts

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Mayor Roberts presents proclamation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month
to KCSARC Executive Krug
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

On behalf of the Shoreline City Council, Mayor Chris Roberts has declared the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Shoreline. In observing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we recognize the serious and widespread problem of sexual assault and the importance of support and advocacy in the aftermath of trauma.

In Washington State, 45% of women and 22% of men report having experienced sexual violence in their lifetime. Only an estimated 28% of rape and sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement officials, making them the most under-reported crimes in the United States. 

This form of violence is a serious public health problem, both physically and psychologically. Individual and community impacts of sexual violence are rooted in and compounded by racism, sexism, heterosexism, and other forms of oppression, and Black, Indigenous and other people of color, people living in poverty, LGBTQ+ people, elders, people with disabilities, and other people targeted by oppression are disproportionately affected by sexual violence in significant ways.

It is critical to have a coordinated response and system of care in place to address the consequences of sexual assault. Community education is a vital component of eliminating sexual violence. Anyone can be a leader in preventing and ending sexual violence, and as employers, educators, parents, and friends, we all have an obligation to uphold the basic principle that every individual should be free from violence and fear. 

The City encourages everyone to join advocates and communities throughout King County in taking action to prevent sexual violence by standing with survivors.

Kate Krug, the Chief Executive Officer of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC), accepted the Proclamation presented by Mayor Roberts. 

KCSARC is the City’s local sexual assault service provider and its purpose is to alleviate, as much as possible, the trauma of sexual assault for victims and their families. Their mission is to give voice to victims, their families, and the community; create change in beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors about violence; and instill courage for people to speak out about sexual assault.


Read more...

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts met President Biden during National League of Cities conference

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts with President Joe Biden

On a recent trip to Washington D.C. for the National League of Cities conference, Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts had an opportunity to meet President Joe Biden and express Shoreline’s appreciation for the federal government’s partnership in making key infrastructure investments in our community. 

Roberts thanked Biden for $20 million in transportation funding

Recently, the City received a $20 million federal RAISE grant, which will help fund transportation improvements west of I-5, including an off-corridor bike network, a bicycle/pedestrian bridge across I-5 at 148th (which will directly connect to the light rail station), and better sidewalks and roadway along 145th St. itself.

Photos courtesy of THE WHITE HOUSE.


Read more...

Shoreline City Councilmembers help shape policy on regional, state, and federal levels

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Back row (l-r): Councilmembers John Ramsdell, Betsy Robertson, Annette Ademasu, Eben Pobee, Keith Scully; Front row (l-r): Mayor Chris Roberts, Deputy Mayor Laura Mork.

In addition to their duties of setting City policy, laws, and regulations; establishing the City’s budget; and approving contracts for services, Shoreline City Councilmembers also represent Shoreline residents on many different local and national committees. These committees play critical roles in establishing regional, state, and federal policies.

Below is a list of the many different committees Shoreline Councilmembers have been appointed to for 2024.

Association of Washington Cities
  • Legislative Priorities Committee - Chris Roberts
  • Federal Legislative Committee (Chair) - Chris Roberts
  • Education Training Advisory Committee - Eben Pobee
  • Shoreline Hearings Board - Keith Scully
  • Sentencing Guidelines Commission - Keith Scully
King County-Cities Climate Collaboration (K4C) - Laura Mork

King County Flood Control District Advisory Committee - Annette Ademasu

Lake Ballinger Forum - Keith Scully / Laura Mork - alt

National League of Cities
  • Board of Directors - Chris Roberts
  • Local Indigenous Leaders - Chris Roberts
  • Racial, Equity and Leadership Council (REAL) - Chris Roberts
  • Energy, Environment & Natural Resources Committee - Laura Mork
North King County Coalition on Homelessness - Betsy Robertson

Puget Sound Regional Council
  • Executive Board - Chris Roberts
  • Operations Committee - Chris Roberts
Regional Crisis Response (RCR) Agency
  • John Ramsdell
  • Betsy Robertson – alt
Regional Water Quality Committee (RWQC) - Laura Mork

SeaShore Transportation Forum - Eben Pobee / John Ramsdell

Sound Cities Association
  • Board - Chris Roberts
  • Equity Cabinet - Chris Roberts
  • Joint Recommendations Committee (JRC) - John Ramsdell alt.
  • Public Issues Committee - Chris Roberts (Chair) / Keith Scully alt.
  • Regional Transit Committee - Betsy Robertson
  • Solid Waste Advisory Committee - Laura Mork
WRIA 8 - Annette Ademasu / Laura Mork - alt


Read more...

Shoreline City Council Agenda for Monday, March 4

Monday, March 4, 2024

Shoreline City Council

Shoreline City Council Agenda for Monday, March 4, 2024, 7pm

It’s possible that not everyone in Shoreline looks forward with anticipation to hear the city council discuss agenda topics such as “Adoption of the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Docket” and “Discussion of Ordinance No. 1009 - Establishing a Transfer of Development Rights Program, and Discussion of Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program”. But residents who are concerned about what our city looks like in the future may want to dial in to the Monday, March 4 council meeting.

The Docket includes amendments to the Comprehensive Plan proposed by residents and city staff including a proposal to build a bike bridge to Edmonds, designating Firlands Way a green street, and rezoning the southwest quadrant of the Fircrest campus to allow for development.

It is reasonable to wonder what “Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)” means and how exactly the “Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program (LCLIP)” works. 

Essentially, this is a complicated scheme which aims to protect undeveloped forests and farm land in rural areas of King County by concentrating dense development in urban growth areas. The council will be discussing whether participating in the scheme makes sense for Shoreline.

Neighbors can attend council meetings on line or in person.

--Oliver Moffat


Read more...

Residents want Shoreline to address homelessness but City has no plan

Thursday, February 29, 2024

A chart from the 2022 Resident Satisfaction Survey shows
residents want the city to do more about homelessness
By Oliver Moffat

Every two years Shoreline surveys residents to get feedback on its performance. 

In the 2020 survey and again in 2022, residents told the city that addressing homelessness should be its top priority. 

And residents rated the city’s response to homelessness as the service they were most dissatisfied with.

Nevertheless, the city’s budget for homelessness and human services has remained flat for over ten years. 

And the number of city staff Shoreline dedicates to homelessness and human services is below average compared to other cities in the region according to data from the city.

Last year the city hired a consultant to study the problem and write a comprehensive Human Service Strategic Plan which would, for the first time, provide a coordinated plan for addressing homelessness and behavior health services in Shoreline.

The city council read a second draft of that plan at the February 26 meeting but some members were not satisfied with the results.

Councilmember Keith Scully said
“this is not what I was hoping for”
about the plan
Councilmember Keith Scully did not mince words. “I'm not sure if there were communication issues or if I just set my expectations in the wrong place, but this is not what I was hoping for,” he said. 
Scully had expected the plan to include specific actions the city could take. But instead, the plan recommended continuing to study the problem. 
“I had thought we were past that,” he said.

Currently Shoreline allocates 1% ($759,357) from the general fund each year towards human services. Most of that money is given to local nonprofits who apply to fund services. One problem with this model, according to staff, is that the city isn’t able to direct the money to the highest priority projects.

The city allocated some American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds towards human services, but that money will be gone by the end of 2024, creating an urgent funding cliff the council will need to address this year.

Screenshot from staff presentation compares Shoreline's
human services staff against other cities in the region.

Shoreline already participates in the state’s Affordable Housing Sales Tax Credit program which provided the city with $118,516.24 in 2023; part of those funds were spent to provide rental assistance to 28 low income households, according to the state’s department of commerce.

According to data from the city, the city’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program has so far enrolled 476 homes of affordable housing with 1,168 units planned to be built.
A graph from the King County Housing Needs
Dashboard shows Shoreline needs 9,542 new
affordable homes by 2044.

Yet the King County Housing Needs Dashboard says Shoreline needs to build 9,542 new affordable homes in the next twenty years.

According to the nonprofit Municipal Research and Services Center, cities in Washington have a number of other ways to fund affordable housing. 

Cities can also use some revenue from Real Estate Excise Taxes and they can apply for state and federal grants.

Shoreline could also ask voters to approve a property tax levy to fund affordable housing for very low-income households and affordable homeownership, owner-occupied home repair, and foreclosure prevention programs for low-income households. Seattle voters approved such a Housing Levy in 2023.

Asking the feds, state or voters for more money requires a specific plan. But right now, the city doesn’t have one.

Read more...

No Shoreline council meeting Monday - Presidents' Day

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Please note that the Monday, February 19, 2024 Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting has been cancelled in recognition of Presidents Day.

The next regular meeting will be held on February 26, 2024. The Council Agenda Planner shows two potential discussion items:
  1. Discussion of Draft Human Services Strategic Plan, and
  2. Discussion of Ordinance 987 - Amending SMC Title 15 - Construction Codes
As soon as the agenda has been finalized, we will provide an updated agenda.

--Pam Cross


Read more...

Shoreline City Council meeting February 5, 2024 to discuss Federal legislative priorities

Thursday, February 1, 2024

Shoreline City Council 2024

The Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting on Monday, February 5, 2024 will be held in the Council Chamber using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed.

In person public commenters must sign up in person prior to the start of Agenda Item 6, and remote public commenters must sign-up online by 6:30pm the night of the meeting. 
To access the meeting remotely: 

There is only one item on the agenda:

Discussion of the City’s Proposed 2024 Federal Legislative Priorities

These identified federal priorities are complementary with state and regional priorities. The proposed Shoreline-Specific priorities that will be discussed:

Federal Capital Funding Requests—Present and Future
  • Express appreciation/highlight Shoreline leadership related to $20 million RAISE grant award for the infrastructure connections to the 148th Street Light Rail Station, and $4 million Congressionally directed spending award for 148th Street Bridge.
  • Lay the groundwork for future funding requests by highlighting coming capital projects, including, but not limited to: 185th Station Area, 175th Corridor, Trail along the Rail, and Mobility hubs and related transportation alternatives.
  • Continue pursuit of funding from Infrastructure Programs funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
  • In partnership with the City of Lake Forest Park, continue to advance work with the US Army Corps of Engineers for the Ballinger Creek Project under the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).
Prepare the Groundwork for the Next Transportation Authorization Bill (Est. 2026 Timeframe)
  • Monitor implementation of current transportation authorization (Bipartisan Infrastructure) bill and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Continue efforts to expand upon and improve competitiveness of medium-sized cities in federal grant programs (as well as in federal grant programs outside of transportation). Prioritize transit and non-motorized transportation funding.
No action is required. Staff recommends that the City Council discuss the 2024 Federal Legislative Priorities and provide staff with direction on the Priorities. Staff further recommends that Council adopt the 2024 Federal Legislative Priorities when they are scheduled to return to Council on February 26, 2024.

--Pam Cross


Read more...

Mayor Roberts proclaimed January 30, 2024 as Edwin T. Pratt Day of Remembrance in the City of Shoreline

Mayor Chris Roberts with Sarah Haycock, who was responsible for having the Shoreline Children's Center named for Edwin T. Pratt. (See previous article) Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Edwin T. Pratt, born December 6, 1930, was a civil rights leader and the Executive Director of the Urban Metropolitan League of Seattle. His work was pivotal in implementing the Equal Opportunity Act in the Greater Seattle area, fighting housing discrimination, segregation, employment bias, and police brutality.

He intentionally moved to Shoreline with his family to highlight the segregation within housing communities. On January 26, 1969, Edwin Pratt was killed outside his home in Shoreline, and the crime remains unsolved.

Following the murder of Edwin Pratt, Thursday, January 30, 1969, was declared a public day of mourning. At that time, acting Seattle Mayor Floyd Miller issued a proclamation ordering all flags to be flown at half-staff and urged the public to attend a memorial service for Pratt at Saint Mark's Cathedral in Seattle.

At the Tuesday, January 30, 2024 council meeting, Mayor Chris Roberts proclaimed January 30, 2024 as Edwin T. Pratt Day of Remembrance in the City of Shoreline.

To honor this Day of Remembrance, the City Hall flag was flown at half-staff. 


Read more...

Shoreline city council meeting Monday, January 29, 2024 includes public hearing on proposal to extend application deadlines for multifamily projects

Thursday, January 25, 2024

Shoreline City Council 2024
The Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting will be held Monday, January 29, 2024 in the Council Chamber using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed. 

You may attend the meeting in person, join via Zoom webinar, or listen to the meeting over the telephone. 

Council is providing opportunities for public comment in person, remotely, or by submitting written comment. 
Council Links:
These three items are on the agenda:

ACTION ITEM  
  • Public Hearing and Discussion of Ordinance No. 1003 – Extension of Interim Regulations to Extend Application Deadlines for Multifamily and Mixed-Use Projects That Are Ready to Issue and Delayed Due to the Unavailability of Construction Financing
Excerpts from the staff report:

In the Puget Sound region, slower tenant growth, record-high vacancy rates, and higher interest rates continue to stifle new construction in the region and leasing activity has slowed. More new apartments came onto the market in 2022 and 2023 than in any previous two-year period, and current vacancy rates are at a 15-year high.

Developers are still experiencing difficulties in securing lending for certain projects in Shoreline. Some developers were also met with unanticipated development costs in the 148th Street Station Area related to high ground water and lack of adequate utilities to serve multifamily and mixed-use developments.

Staff have heard from developers in Shoreline that long identified and secured by option financing for multifamily and mixed-use projects in our area is being terminated and not extended. Additionally, the cost of construction is high, rents are leveling out, the cost of lending and insurance has also dramatically increased

Proposed Ordinance No. 1003 has the potential to protect the time and financial investment of applicants for mixed use and multifamily developments. Supporting the viability of approved Ready to Issue permit applications supports the greater economy and community with little or no impact on the City’s resources.

STUDY ITEMS

(a) Discussion of Law Enforcement Accountability Study (No action will be taken)

The City of Shoreline retained the Center for Public Safety Management, LLC (CPSM) to provide a third-party assessment of law enforcement services and accountability in Shoreline, including the internal mechanisms of the King County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) – both from a preventative and reactive perspective. The intent of this study was to ensure public trust and safety and to improve the relationship between Shoreline Police and the community they serve.

The City Council will receive a brief update on the finding of the study. The City Council will be joined by the Public Safety Consultant and Team Leader, Jarrod Burguan, from CPSM. Chief Kelly Park will also be present to provide context to some of the findings highlighted in the study. The report is attached to the staff report.

(b) Discussion of Next Steps for the Distributed City Maintenance Facility Plan (CMF) (No action will be taken)

The execution of the Distributed City Maintenance Facility Plan (CMF), approved by the City Council in 2019, is nearing completion. The CMF authorized and funded “early work” improvements at the North Maintenance Facility (North MF), design and construction of improvements at the Ballinger Maintenance Facility (Ballinger MF) and schematic level and final design for the Hamlin Maintenance Facility (Hamlin MF) and North MF. The early work at North MF is complete, the Ballinger MF improvements are scheduled for completion in the first half of 2024 and the schematic design phase of the Hamlin MF is complete. With completion of the schematic design, the next step in thePlan is to complete the final design for Hamlin MF and North MF.

There are impediments to implementing the CMF as originally envisioned however, with the most notable barrier being insufficient funding to construct facility improvements at Hamlin MF and North MF. As a result, staff have identified a revised strategy for the maintenance facilities.

--Pam Cross


Read more...

Cities strengthen rules of decorum For public comments

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Shoreline City Council 2023
Back row from left: Councilmembers Doris McConnell (former), John Ramsdell, Eben Pobee, Deputy Mayor Laura Mork, Mayor Chris Roberts; Front row from left: Betsy Robertson, Keith Scully, Not pictured: Councilmember Annette Ademasu

By Oliver Moffat

At the Monday, January 22, 2024 Shoreline City Council meeting, the council voted without discussion to amend its rules on decorum to clarify the definition of disruptive comments and restrict the content of public comments to topics related to city business. Residents will now be allowed to speak on topics only germane to city business.

The new rules follow a region-wide surge of hate speech attacks (commonly referred to as “zoom bombing” by online “trolls”) and a series of disorderly public hearings in Kenmore that prompted that city to also implement stricter decorum rules.

Shoreline Area News reported previously on the surge of anonymous users dialing in to city council meetings across the region with disruptive hate speech that was not related to any topic under discussion.

After an instance of “zoom bombing” in October, the Kenmore City Council temporarily suspended virtual public comments before implementing a pre-registration requirement for virtual public comments. Since making the switch, the city has not had any more attacks, according to Kenmore’s Deputy City Clerk.

Trolls have disrupted meetings in all local cities.
This troll was crafted by LFP resident Josh Rosenau.
As reported in the MLT News and Lynnwood Today, in response to repeated instances of hateful, disruptive and racist comments the Cities of Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood now require speakers to register at least 24 hours in advance to make virtual public comments. 

After registering, the cities provide meeting login instructions via the commenter’s preferred contact method.

According to an email from the Edmonds City Clerk’s Office, Edmonds does not require citizens to signup in advance to make virtual public comments, but the host can mute public speakers.

The Lake Forest Park City Council has experienced hate-speech “zoom bombing” attacks; most recently on the November 9 and January 11 meetings

In emailed comments, Lake Forest Park’s City Clerk said the city has strengthened rules for public comments to items on the agenda or items the Council has purview or control over. The city requires speakers to register in advance and quickly cuts off speakers who violate the rules of decorum. (A previous version of this article mistakenly reported that Lake Forest Park has not experienced “zoom bombing” attacks. That was an error and has been corrected).

Shoreline does not require citizens to preregister to make virtual public comments.

Shoreline’s new decorum rules also follow a series of raucous public hearings in Kenmore regarding a proposal to build affordable housing. As reported earlier, at a nine hour meeting on Monday, December 11, Kenmore’s Mayor Nigel Herbig struggled at times to maintain order and decorum.

The Kenmore City Council passed new rules in January on decorum for public comments that restrict comments to agenda topics, forbid interruptions such as shouting, booing, and sign waving, and give the council the authority to expel people engaging in disorderly conduct from the council chambers.

1-24-2024 Correction: Information about Lake Forest Park's experience with 'zoom bombing' and their response has been correction.


Read more...

Corrected: Shoreline City Council meetings Monday, January 22, 2024

Thursday, January 18, 2024

stock photo
January 22, 2024 City Council Workshop Dinner Meeting

A Shoreline City Council Workshop Dinner Meeting will be held in Conference Room 303 on Monday, January 22, 2024 using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed. 

You may attend the meeting in person, join via Zoom webinar, or listen to the meeting over the telephone.
Date: 01/22/2024 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm
Location: Shoreline City Hall Conference Room 303
17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline WA 98133

Link to Meeting Agenda

This Dinner Meeting will be with representatives from the City’s three primary human services partners in the Shoreline community: 
  • Hopelink, 
  • the Center for Human Services, and 
  • Lake City Partners Ending Homelessness.
This will furnish an opportunity for each organization to provide information about their organization, their impact in the Shoreline community and information on the changing human services landscape.

January 22, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting

Following the Dinner Meeting, the Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting will be held at 7:00pm in the Council Chamber using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed. You may attend the meeting in person, join via Zoom webinar, or listen to the meeting over the telephone.
Council is providing opportunities for public comment in person, remotely, or by submitting written comment
The Consent Calendar includes, among other routine items,

c) Adoption of Resolution No. 517 - Amending the Council Rules of Procedure.

The following changes will be made:

Regarding General Decorum:

Any person making disruptive, impertinent, slanderous or threatening remarks while addressing the Council during public comment or public testimony that disrupt, disturb, or otherwise renders orderly conduct of the meeting unfeasible shall be asked to leave the Council Chambers by the Presiding Officer and barred from further audience before the Council for that meeting. If the person is participating in the meeting remotely, the Presiding Officer shall ask the City Clerk to remove them from their permission to talk in the videoconferencing application.

Regarding Public Testimony:

Members of the public may address the City Council in-person in the Council Chambers or remotely through the telephone or online at the beginning of any Regular Meeting under Agenda Item 6 Public Comment.

During the Public Comment portion of the meeting, individuals may speak to agenda items or any other topic matter pertaining to City business except those scheduled for a Public Hearing or pertaining to a quasi- judicial action.

There is one Action Item
: (a) Action on Ordinance No. 999 - Amending Chapters 20.20, 20.30 and 20.40 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Establish Permanent Regulations for Major and Minor Fleet Bases

There is one Study Item: (a) Discussion of Ordinance No. 1005 - Fee Schedule for Transportation Impact Fees

Although the Fee schedule has been adjusted since its July 2014 establishment, this ordinance will include an updated rate schedule.

Link to Agenda:
https://shoreline.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=1535

--Pam Cross

Corrected: in the section Consent Calendar, the formatting showing the changes to General Decorum and Public Testimony was lost in transmission in the original story.


Read more...

Chris Roberts elected mayor at first 2024 meeting of Shoreline City Council

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Shoreline District Court Judge Raul Martinez (left) performs the oath of office to Councilmembers Keith Scully, Annette Ademasu and Betsy Robertson

At the first regular Shoreline City Council meeting of 2024, Shoreline District Court Judge Raul Martinez performed the oath of office ceremony to swear in Keith Scully, Annette Ademasu and Betsy Robertson.

In comments, Judge Martinez said, “We're grateful that these three individuals stopped to ask themselves the question. What am I doing for others? And we're grateful that they accepted the challenge of serving as our elected council members.”

Councilmember Keith Scully was first elected to the City Council in 2015 and was reelected after running unopposed in 2023. He served as mayor in 2022 and 2023. Councilmember Betsy Robertson was appointed to the council in 2019 and elected in 2019. She ran unopposed in 2023. Councilmember Annette Ademasu was elected to the council in 2023 after winning in the only opposed contest.

Mayor Chris Roberts
Councilmember Chris Roberts was elected mayor and Councilmember Laura Mork was elected deputy mayor. First elected to the council in 2009, Chris Roberts is the council's longest serving Councilmember and held the position of mayor once before. 

In Shoreline's form of government, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen by the City Council, rather than being elected directly. The Mayor runs the council meetings and represents the city at public events and regional groups.

Deputy Mayor Laura Mork
The council voted to extend the city’s moratorium on Bus Bases after hearing public comments from representatives from King County Metro and Black Brandt LLC, the owners of the Access Bus Base in the Ridgecrest neighborhood. 

The city is involved in litigation after halting the sale of the Ridgecrest bus base to Metro Transit. In public comments, Metro and Black Brandt again pleaded with the city not to extend the moratorium and warned of possible further litigation and disruption to bus service for disabled riders in the north King County region. For more details, see previous reporting in the Shoreline Area News.

The council also heard a staff update on the city’s new Human Service Strategic Plan which will for the first time provide a coordinated plan for addressing homelessness and behavior health services in Shoreline. 
Shoreline's human services staff compared to other cities in the region.
Graphic courtesy City of Shoreline

In the 2022 Resident Satisfaction Survey, Shoreline residents ranked homelessness and human services as the number one and number three services that should receive the most emphasis. Nevertheless, staff presented data showing that the number of city staff Shoreline dedicates to human services is lower than the average for other cities in the region. 

The council challenged staff to “think big” and come back with a more strategic approach. Specifically, to identify the problem that needs to be solved and to propose the solutions needed.

Shoreline City Council meetings are held most Monday evenings at Shoreline City Hall, broadcast online, and recorded. Because of Martin Luther King Day, there will be no council meeting on January 15; the next city council meeting is January 22. 

--Oliver Moffat

Correction: Chris Roberts held the position of mayor once before for a two year term, not twice as originally reported.


Read more...

Shoreline City Council meeting Monday, January 8, 2023 - oath of office for new councilmember terms; moratorium on transit bus bases

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Shoreline City Hall
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline
The Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting on Monday, January 8, 2024 will be held at 7:00pm in the Council Chamber using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed. 

You may attend the meeting in person, join via Zoom webinar, or listen to the meeting over the telephone. 

Council is providing opportunities for public comment in person, remotely, or by submitting written comment. 

In person public commenters must sign up in person prior to the start of public comment (around 7:15pm), and remote public commenters must sign-up online by 6:30pm the night of the meeting. 

Please see information listed below to access the meeting remotely:
Oath of Office and Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor
  • At tonight’s meeting there will be an Oath of Office Ceremony for the newly elected Councilmembers: Council Position No. 2 Keith Scully, No. 4 Annette Ademasu, and No. 6 Betsy Robertson.
  • This will be followed by election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor by the new Council.

Items on the Consent Calendar include:
  • Authorize the City Manager to execute a Trail Lease Agreement with WSDOT for the 148th St. Non-Motorized Bridge Project (required to in order to use the space over I-5). No additional funding required.
  • Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Purchase Order with SHI (SHI International Corp) in the Amount of $275,225.09 to Procure Replacement Network Infrastructure for Shoreline City Hall. Most of the City’s computer network infrastructure at City Hall has been in place for five or more years. This includes the core firewalls, switches, and wireless access points. The lifespan of most core infrastructure is five to six years.
  • Authorize the City Manager to Enter into an Interagency Agreement with the Washington State Department of Commerce and to Accept $50,000 in Grant Funding to Prepare a Development Code Compliant with Washington State House Bill 1110 Adding Middle Housing Development Types in Zones Which Currently Only Allow Single-Family Development. The grant funds will be used to fund consultant tasks specific for middle housing such as evaluating compliance options detailed in HB 1110, public engagement on the topic of middle housing, and draft and final middle housing regulations.
What is the Consent Calendar?

*To expedite meetings and reserve time for matters that need to be discussed, many local agencies have a section on their agendas labeled as the “consent calendar.” Items on the consent calendar are generally non-controversial items that do not require much, if any, discussion. 

Or they are items which have been studied and discussed and a consensus reached at previous meetings and all that is left is the formality of voting them through.

The consent calendar allows decision-makers to group such items together under one heading and vote them through in one action.

Any councilmember can ask for an item to be removed from the consent calendar for separate discussion. This enables the item to be considered and voted upon separately if discussion is needed or if a Councilmember needs to not vote on that item because of a disqualifying conflict of interest.

*Institute for Local Government

There is one Action Item and one Study Item on the Agenda.

Action Item: Public Hearing and Action on Ordinance No. 1004 - Extending the Moratorium on Transit Bus Bases and Individual Transportation and Taxi Facilities for 30 Days

City staff have developed permanent code amendments which were reviewed by the Planning Commission in the fall of 2023 and discussed by City Council on December 11, 2023. The permanent code amendments were tentatively scheduled for action at tonight’s meeting. However, staff requests that potential action on the permanent regulations be taken on January 22, 2024, and that the emergency moratorium be extended for 30 days via Ordinance No. 1004 tonight.

Note that tonight’s action has to do with the extension. This will allow additional time for public comment on the permanent code amendments scheduled to be adopted on January 22.

Study Item: Discussion of the Human Services Strategic Plan

The City has provided funding for human services that serve Shoreline residents since 1996, shortly after the City’s incorporation. As the City grew, components of the Human Services program have been modified and shifted along with our changing community. A Human Services Strategic Plan will allow the City to review City programs, policies, staffing and best practices to make recommendations that will guide the work of the City. No action is required tonight. Staff are scheduled to return to Council at their February 26, 2024 Council meeting to present draft recommendations for further review and discussion.

--Pam Cross


Read more...

First Shoreline Council regular meeting of 2024 on Monday, January 8

Thursday, December 28, 2023

The Monday, January 1, 2024 Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting has been cancelled due to the New Year’s Holiday. 

The first City Council Meeting of 2024 will take place on Monday, January 8. The dinner meeting has been cancelled. The regular council meeting is at 7pm

Details of the agenda will follow as soon as released. 


Read more...

Shoreline Council approves $42 Million for 145th Project after hearing comments on tree removals

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

By Oliver Moffat

The Shoreline City Council voted to approve more than $42 million in funding for the 145th roadway improvement on Monday night December 11, 2023, paving the way to support increased car traffic on the border between Seattle and Shoreline. 


In another indication of the complex challenges Shoreline faces as our city grows, more than 60 residents provided public comments pleading for a halt to save trees that will be removed to make way for the expanded roadway.

A rendering from the city’s website showing the roundabouts, on-ramp improvements, and improved sidewalks and bike lanes that will be built as part of the 145th project.


A rendering from the city’s website shows the placement of the new 145th center turn-lane and widened sidewalk

It has been over twenty years since 145th last was repaved and restriped - the only improvements made to the busy motorway in decades. The project will widen the I-5 on-ramps and off-ramps and replace the traffic lights, currently plagued with traffic jams, with roundabouts

The project will widen the roadway to add a fifth, center turn lane to reduce traffic jams caused by drivers turning south. And the project will widen the sidewalk to create a multi-use path that is accessible to wheelchair users and bicyclists.

The action by the City Council on Monday night was little more than a procedural formality as the 145th Street Projects have been in planning for a decade, with multiple rounds of public open houses, and published reports. 

According to reports by city staff, the Council had to approve the funds or risk millions of dollars in cost overruns and with the 145th light rail station opening soon, upgrades to provide safe pedestrian pathways will become a life-or-death safety measure.

Despite the procedural nature of the Council action, dozens of public comments highlighted how rapid development and change is causing frustration for some residents. 

Public comments voiced disappointment and surprise that more than 300 trees will be removed to make way for the 145th project. 

Although most comments did not question the need for improving the roadway for drivers, many comments specifically questioned the need for a thirteen foot multi-use path that can accommodate bicyclists, suggesting that a narrower sidewalk would save trees while sending bicyclists into the roadway.

A screen shot from a city staff report shows areas where trees will be removed to make way for 145th improvements.

A screen shot from a city staff report shows the number of trees that will be planted to mitigate the impacts of the removal of more than 300 trees.

Deputy Mayor Betsy Robertson pointed out the dire consequences of not approving the funds,
“This is not a Shoreline project. This is a regional project… There are millions and millions of dollars that are threatened by us not proceeding tonight… 
We would be sacrificing the safety of commuters, bikers, walkers, all those things, if this were not to get done… the train has left the station.”

Councilmember Chris Roberts emphasized the complexities inherent in a massive project such as this, saying, 

“I think this project really illustrates the trade offs that are going to be necessary and that we have to think about as we move forward with these bigger projects… moving forward, we need to be clear about what our priorities are. 
"We need to be clear with these road infrastructure projects our priority must be safety, safety for all users.”
Mayor Keith Skully emphasized the broader environmental context of the project “

The point of this is environmental. The point of this is to save trees in areas other than Shoreline. We can build affordable, dense housing here, so we don’t have to build it somewhere that is currently forested or farmland.”

In retrospect, the Mayor promised more transparency going forward, 

“what we learned on other projects recently is folks telling us we didn’t know how many trees were coming down. And so what we’ve started doing is putting that front and center. That’s always been available but we haven’t necessarily been leading with that. That’s an improvement that we need to make.” 

Looking forward, he said, “I think council and I are ready to say let’s start prioritizing trees. Both preservation and adding them in.”


Read more...

Shoreline Council bids farewell to Doris McConnell

Doris McConnell delivering parting remarks at her last City Council meeting.
Screenshot from council recording

The Shoreline City Council’s final regular meeting of 2023 on Monday night, December 11, 2023, had a fully packed agenda, but found time to honor one of the city’s longest serving elected officials. The Council bid farewell to longtime Councilmember Doris Fujioka McConnell.

Monday night’s short ceremony - juxtaposed against actions by the council to address regional challenges - was emblematic of the changes (and growing pains) our city faces in the coming decades.

Mayor Keith Scully presented Doris with a plaque.
Screenshot from council recording.

As a City Councilmember, she served on the King County Regional Water Quality Committee, the Domestic Violence Initiative Regional Task Force and Seashore Transportation Forum. For the National League of Cities, she served on the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) board, and the Advisory Council on Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee (TIS).

Before and during her time on the Council, McConnell played a key role in significant accomplishments for the City. In 2006, she helped pass the first parks bond and recently helped to pass a renewal of that bond. She worked to complete phases two and three of the Aurora Corridor Project, and worked with Sound Transit and many other partners on making light rail a reality for Shoreline.

Doris was active in Shoreline PTAs and the Richmond Beach Community Association.
In prepared remarks, Mayor Keith Scully said “It is fair to say that the Shoreline of today is a very different Shoreline then when she first joined the Council and she could and should take credit for many of those accomplishments.”
Doris Fujioka McConnell was elected to the City Council in 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019 and served as Deputy Mayor in 2019. Photos courtesy City of Shoreline

A slide show was presented that included the highlights of CM McConnell’s 16 year career as a member of the Shoreline City Council. She was first elected in 2007 and served as Deputy Mayor in 2019.

Doris was well connected, available to the community, and was known to drive out to locations that were being heatedly discussed in council meetings.

She presented the voice of the community whose members may have been unable to attend council meetings.

In her parting remarks, she lavished praise and appreciation on the staff of the city, commenting that Shoreline is fortunate to have such capable people.

--Story by Oliver Moffat and Pam Cross


Read more...

Shoreline City Council passes tenant protections

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

On December 11, 2023, the Shoreline City Council approved Ordinance No. 966, which establishes additional protections for Shoreline tenants, above those already provided under the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA, RCW, 59.18).

Below is a summary of the adopted protections. 
  • It adds additional notice requirements for base rent increases. For base rent increases greater than three percent but less than 10%, landlords are required to provide 120-day notice. For base rent increases of 10% or greater, landlords must give at least 180 days notice.
  • All move in fees and security deposits cannot exceed a combined one month’s rent. Tenants have the right to pay these fees in installments. The number of installments depends upon the length of the lease.
  • Late fees cannot exceed 1.5% of the tenant’s monthly rent.
  • A tenant may propose, in writing, that the landlord change the due date for rent in the rental agreement to a different day of the month if the tenant’s primary source of income is a regular, monthly source of government assistance.
  • A landlord may request, but can’t require, a prospective tenant to provide a social security number or other type of tax identification number for screening purposes.
  • Fees 
    • All fees must be listed in the rental agreement.
    • A landlord may not charge a fee for a tenant’s access to common areas and/or a prorate share of utilities for such areas or for the performance of any landlord duty required by the RLTA.
    • A landlord may not charge a fee associated with the issuance of a notice to a tenant, even if the notice is required by state law, including but not limited to a fee for preparing and delivering a notice regarding late payment of rent, a notice to pay or vacate, or a notice of noncompliance with a rental agreement.
  • Tenants have the right to sue their landlord for violation of the code.
Ordinance 996 will add a new chapter to the Shoreline Municipal Code (Chapter 9.35 – Residential Tenant Protections).


Read more...

City of Shoreline proposes protections for renters

Thursday, December 7, 2023

The Shoreline City Council discussed proposed tenant protections on December 4th.
Photo by Oliver Moffat

The City of Shoreline is considering enacting stronger protections for renters. The proposed ordinance (no 996) would lengthen the notice period for rent increases, cap fees and security deposits, give tenants the right to payment plans, allow rent due date flexibility for tenets on government assistance, forbid landlords from requiring a social security number from applicants, and allow tenants to seek legal action in court.

At the December 4th Shoreline City Council meeting, over 20 people provided public comments and eleven written public comments were received. 

Some supporters of the measure commented that with the expiration of COVID era tenant protections, evictions across Washington state are spiking - contributing to homelessness. 

Critics of the proposed ordinance raised concerns that it would disproportionately harm small housing providers know as “mom-and-pop” landlords because it would increase cost and legal risks of owning a rental property. 

Supporters of the ordinance pointed to a recent case study from researchers at the University of Washington that found no evidence that Seattle’s strict tenant protection laws drove “mom-and-pop” landlords out of the rental market.

On December 11, the City Council will vote on whether to adopt Ordinance 996.

--Oliver Moffat

Read more...

Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting December 11, 2023

Monday’s Shoreline City Council meeting, 7pm to 10pm, will be held in the Council Chamber using a hybrid format where both in-person and online attendance is allowed. Public comment may be provided in writing, remotely, or in person.
Recognition of Outgoing Councilmember Doris Fujioka McConnell.

The agenda includes two Action Items and one Study Item.

Action Item (a). Action on Ordinance No. 996 - Establishing a New Chapter, Chapter 9.35, of the Shoreline Municipal Code Requiring Tenant Protections



Action Item (b)
. Action on Ordinance No. 997 - Amending Title 20 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Update Transportation Level of Service (LOS) and Concurrency. 

Under the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA), Shoreline is required to ensure that the transportation system adequately accommodates planned land use growth – a requirement known as transportation concurrency. The City Council discussed this at their November 27, 2023 meeting. 

Cities must have a plan in place to provide an adequate transportation system. Strategies can include, but are not limited to, building bike lanes and trails, providing services such as e-bike or car share, or a combination of several strategies.The available capacity for transportation facilities would shift from current calculations of vehicle trip capacity to person trip capacity. This shift requires edits to the SMC which are in proposed Ordinance No. 997.

Study Item (a) Discussion of Ordinance No. 999 - Amending Chapters 20.20, 20.30 and 20.40 of the Shoreline Municipal Code to Establish Permanent Regulations for Major and Minor Fleet Bases. No action is proposed tonight as this item is presented for City Council discussion only.

The word “facilities” in the name indicates something beyond the actual service of the taxi, such as vehicle storage, repair, maintenance, and dispatch.

There are two (2) facilities operating in the City that meet the definition of Transit Bus Base.

  • The King County Metro North Base bus base is located and operating in the Meridian Park neighborhood, situated just west of I-5, where N 165th St dead ends. It was built before the City was incorporated. It is now designated a “public facility.”
  • The other transit base is operating in the Ridgecrest neighborhood at the southwest corner of 5th Ave NE and NE 165th St, with frontage extending south to NE 163rd St. It is being used as an Access Van storage, repair and dispatch site. The property consists of one (1) 2.58-acre parcel. It is located with the Crest theater to the north, a café, auto shop and homes to the east, and single-family homes to the south and west. The site was originally developed in the 1950s as a bingo hall and grocery store at various points. The site is zoned CB (Community Business) with a Comprehensive Plan land use designation of Mixed Use-2.

They did a review of neighboring cities to see what they did. However, most of them have commercial zoning districts or industrial zoning districts that we do not have, and those cities locate the bus bases there.

Staff will present the Planning Commission’s recommended development code amendments for newly defined Major and Minor Fleet Bases making sure they are in compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan.


Read more...
ShorelineAreaNews.com
Facebook: Shoreline Area News
Twitter: @ShorelineArea
Daily Email edition (don't forget to respond to the Follow.it email)

  © Blogger template The Professional Template II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP