Council News Release

Council President Richard Conlin

Seattle City Council introduces legislation that reaffirms Seattle Department of Transportation as co-lead on AWV project

Seattle - Today the Seattle City Council introduced an ordinance that will codify the City’s commitment to remaining as a co-lead on the Alaskan Way Viaduct environmental review, known as the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SDEIS).  This ordinance will ratify and confirm Council President Conlin’s signature on the document thereby allows the SDEIS to go forward to the public for comments. This action ensures the City to remain as co-lead on the SDEIS.

“I am pleased that my colleagues are ready to reaffirm the City’s policy position that we have had for nine years, as a partner with the State on this critical project,” commented Council President Conlin.  “We had no idea that our co-lead status was in jeopardy until the Mayor’s actions last Thursday raised that possibility. 

“My signature signals Council interest in remaining as a co-lead during the SDEIS process, confirming our policy to remain as a co-lead through this ordinance. WSDOT, as the responsible entity, will certify when the SDEIS is complete. None of these actions usurp the power of the Executive and there has been no Charter violation. The City Council can determine City policy to remain as co-lead and will continue to do so.

“We are not just standing by on the sidelines. We are a very strong partner and numerous City staff are engaged in the constant review of this project.”

The "ratify and confirm" clause is a standard element in the codification of City policy by ordinance, which allows action to be taken in a timely fashion when there is not time for the Council legislative process to be completed.  At the Council's September 20, 2010 meeting, for example, four of the ordinances that were approved by the Council included ratify and confirm clauses.