>>> I AM JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN.
MOVING ONTO THE CHAIR'S REPORT,
WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA TODAY.
A BRIEFING ON CB 119471 WHICH
CLARIFIES THE DEFINITION OF A
VESSEL IN THE SHORELINE MASTER
PROGRAM.
TWO, AN ANNUAL UPDATE FROM THE
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
THREE, AN UPDATE FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
AND FOR, A JOINT RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
INITIATIVE REPORT.
THE NEXT MEETING IS WEDNESDAY,
MAY 13, HERE IN COUNCIL
CHAMBERS.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL TAKE
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS THAT
APPEAR ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE HAVE 10 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO
MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THE COMMENT EXCEEDS TWO
MINUTES, THE MICROPHONE WILL
TURN OFF.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO BEGIN
THEIR COMMENTS BY IDENTIFYING
THEMSELVES AND THE AGENDA ITEM
THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS.
AS A REMINDER, PUBLIC COMMENT
IS LIMITED TO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA OR IN THE PURVIEW OF THE
COMMITTEE.
FIRST ON OUR LIST IS JOHN
CHANEY.
OH, SORRY.
MY APOLOGIES.
FIRST WE HAVE MARGARET RICHARD.
>> YES, MS. RICHARD HERE AND I
AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE
UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH THIS
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT.
I NOTICED YOU TALK ABOUT RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AND I AM A
REAL STICKLER WHEN IT COMES TO
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHICH
I FEEL, THAT WE AS A PEOPLE, I
AM BLACK, ARE NOT GETTING IT.
IT IS BECAUSE OF THE CORRUPTION
AND CONSPIRACY AND RACKETEERING
THAT IS GOING ON AT SAID TIME.
SO I AM DEMANDING YOU DO AN
INVESTIGATION.
PULL UP MY NAME, I AM ON GOOGLE
NOW, ALL THE WAY TO THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT FOR FIGHTING FOR
THIS STUFF.
YOU TOOK A JOB.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS LITTLE
HAND IS, BECAUSE I CAN RAISE MY
HAND, TOO, AND IT CAN BE THE
OTHER ONE, HANDS UP, DON'T
SHOOT.
I AM TALKING ABOUT THE
CONSPIRACY THAT YOU HAVE DONE
TO ME, AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND WE
STILL HAVE RACISM GOING ON AND
DISCRIMINATION, SO WHAT IS
WRONG WITH ME FIGHTING AGAINST
IT?
I AM FIGHTING AGAINST IT.
THIS IS WHAT I AM TALKING
ABOUT.
THIS KIND OF STUFF HAS TO COME
TO AN END.
JUST LIKE THAT MASS IN
WASHINGTON DC, YOU CAN BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE, TOO, FOR
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE.
SO I AM DEMANDING YOU AND IT IS
NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE CRANE
WENT DOWN ON THE HEAD OF
SOMEONE WORKING FOR PLANNING
AND DEVELOPMENT AND I DON'T
HAVE NO MERCY FOR IT, EITHER,
UNTIL YOU FIX IT.
FIX IT.
21.
22.
OH YEAH, OKAY.
SO WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY?
ALL THOSE PEOPLE UP UNDER
NATHAN AND WHATNOT, YOU NEED TO
CHECK THEM OUT, TOO, BECAUSE
THAT IS CALLED COLLUSION WHEN
YOU GO UP IN THERE AND YOU TAKE
FILES AND YOU SHRED THEM.
WHERE IS ALL THIS STUFF YOU
REDACTED UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP?
WE WANT TO SEE IT.
WE WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN
FIND OUT.
>> THANK YOU, MS. RICHARD.
NEXT ON OUR LIST, I APOLOGIZE.
IS IT -- I CAN'T READ THE
SECOND NAME ON THE LIST.
WHO IS THE SECOND PERSON --
>> THE HONORABLE MICHAEL
FULLER.
>> OH, THE HONORABLE MICHAEL
FULLER.
>> NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD AND
LET THE RECORD REFLECT, I HAVE
A PROBLEM WITH PLANNING
DEVELOPMENT, WHERE YOU ARE NOT
DOING INSPECTION FOR THE
DISABLED, WHICH VIOLATES GEORGE
WASHINGTON.
I SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES
NAVY DURING WORLD WAR II AND
ROBERT SUNRISE WHO SERVED IN
THE UNITED STATES ARMY DURING
WORLD WAR II, JUNE 6, 1944.
AND JOHNNY FULLER WHO SERVED IN
THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS
DURING BOTH KOREAN WAR AND
VIETNAM WAR AND MY LITTLE
BROTHER THAT SERVED IN THE
PERSIAN GULF WAR.
I'M LOOKING AT THIS ORGANIZED
CRIME CONTROL ACT WITH YOU ALL
THAT TOOK AN OATH.
THAT OATH DON'T ADMIT YOU --
YOUR OATH OF OFFICE, RCW 2.20
POINT -- NOW YOU ARE VIOLATING
ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE WITH
PUBLIC DUTY AND FREEDOM FROM
DISCRIMINATION AND RIGHTS AND
LIBERTIES AND OBLIGATION AND
GOOD FAITH AND CODE BEING
VIOLATED, THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT, JUNE 26,
1990, THAT WAS SIGNED BY
PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W.
BUSH.
I AM TIRED OF BEING SICK AND
TIRED.
I AM TRYING TO SEND YOU ALL TO
THE FEDERAL PENITENTIARY FOR
VIOLATING YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.
I AM NOT NEW TO THIS, I AM TRUE
TO THIS.
LABOR READY, ONLY JOB TRAINING.
IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BLACK LIVES
MATTER.
THIS IS NOT THE CHANGES OR THE
DREAM BLACK LIVES MATTER TO
BELIEVE IN.
FEMALES AND MALES WHO FOUGHT TO
MAKE THIS COUNTRY FREE AND
SECURE AND GEORGE WASHINGTON,
1889, HE WAS THE PRESIDENT IN
1789 AND THE 23rd PRESIDENT --
>> THANK YOU.
>> FROM 1889 TO 1893.
YOU HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING?
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT IS MAINE CRUISE.
>> HI, IS THIS WORKING?
GREAT, THANKS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT DESIGN
REVIEW ISSUES TODAY SINCE IT IS
ON THE MENU AND TWO THINGS THAT
ARE GOING TO COME UP LATER ARE
SPECIFICALLY THAT EARLY
OUTREACH PROGRAM INSTITUTED
EARLIER THIS YEAR AND ALSO --
FIRST OF ALL MY ISSUES ARE NOT
WITH THE PEOPLE OF DCI, I THINK
THE PLANNERS ARE AMAZING.
THEY HAVE A HUGE WORKLOAD.
IT IS ABOUT THE PROCESS, NOT
THE PEOPLE.
WITH RESPECT TO EARLY OUTREACH,
IT WAS INTENDED TO BROADEN
PARTICIPATION AND FOCUS ON
EQUITY AREAS AND ALLOW DESIGN
REVIEW MEETINGS TO FOCUS ON
DESIGN.
I THINK IT WAS INTENDED IN THAT
SPIRIT, BUT IT IS NOT
HAPPENING.
THE EARLY OUTAGE MEETINGS ARE
NOT REGULATED IN ANY WAY.
DESIGNERS ARE PRESENTING THEIR
PROJECTS FOR THE CLIENT.
THE PUBLIC CAN SPEAK, BUT THERE
IS NO REAL OBLIGATION ON THEIR
BEHALF TO TAKE THESE
CONSIDERATIONS AND IT IS NOT
DONE.
IT IS JUST CHECKING A BOX.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THE PUBLIC
GETS TO DESIGN REVIEW AND THE
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD THINKS IT
HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND THEY
DON'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OF
THIS.
SO I GETS PAST THE SOMEBODIES
DESK AND GOES ON FOR QUITE A
WHILE.
IF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T LIKE WHAT
COMES OUT AT THE END, THEIR
OPTION IS TO GO TO THE HEARING
EXAMINER OR THE APPEALS COURT
AND INCREASINGLY WE ARE SEEING
THAT HAPPEN.
THAT IS NOT EQUITY.
WE NEED BETTER PARTICIPATION.
THE SECOND THING IS OX SELLA.
IT WAS INTENDED AS AN
EFFICIENCY, BUT IT IS NOT
WORKING OUT.
NOW THERE ARE TWO PROJECT
PORTALS YOU HAVE TO CHECK AS A
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS JIVE AND
SOMETIMES THE INFO YOU WANT IS
NOT ON EITHER OF THE PORTALS,
SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS GOT
TO BE FIXED AND I HOPE YOU CAN
TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO
REFORMING THIS.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT IS STEVE COSTELLO.
>> WE STILL DON'T HAVE A TREE
ORDINANCE IN SEATTLE.
WE ARE A VERY, VERY GREEN CITY
THAT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT TREES,
OR AT LEAST TO DO ANYTHING
LEGISLATIVELY THAT MIGHT
PRESERVE TREES.
I AM SURE YOU WILL PASS A TREE
ORDINANCE AFTER THE LAST TREE
HAS FALLEN IN FRONT OF THE
DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, BECAUSE
WHEN IT WILL BE MEANINGLESS YOU
WILL BE ABLE TO ACT.
UNTIL THAT, IT APPEARS YOU HAVE
BEEN UNABLE TO ACT OR CERTAINLY
UNWILLING TO ACT.
WE HAVE A CARBON PROBLEM.
WE ARE WILLING TO SPEND GREAT
DEALS OF MONEY ON.
BIG HERITAGE TREES DO IT VERY
EFFICIENTLY, BUT IT TAKES A
LONG TIME TO GET THEM THERE.
AS YOU KNOCK THEM DOWN FOR THE
MIGHTY, MIGHTY STAKEHOLDERS,
WHICH OF COURSE ARE FAR MORE
IMPORTANT THAN THE CITIZENS,
BECAUSE PLANNING IN THE CITY
DOESN'T REALLY INVOLVE CITIZENS
ANYMORE.
I AM SO OLD I REMEMBER WHEN A
LOT OF DEVELOPERS USED TO HAVE
TO COME TO LAND-USE MEETINGS
BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE DID ITS
BUSINESS IN PUBLIC.
NOW WE SELDOM SEE A DEVELOPER
OR PRO-DEVELOPER PEOPLE,
BECAUSE THEY ALREADY MADE THE
BARGAINS WITH YOU, THEY LINED
UP THE VOTES AND THEN WE GET
TWO MINUTES AT THE END OF THE
LONG PROCESS TO SAY, HEY, WE
HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED AGAIN.
BIG, SHOCKING SURPRISE.
IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BOTHER YOU
THAT MUCH, BUT IT DOES BOTHER
SOME OF US IN THE CITY.
I AM FOR DEMOCRACY.
I THINK LAND-USE LIKE ALL THE
OTHER THINGS SHOULD BE BOTTOM-
UP AND I HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF
THAT IN THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE
YEARS IN THE CITY.
NOW, LAND-USE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
SPECIAL AND MONEY HAS ALWAYS
HAD A BIGGER PLACE THAN I THINK
IT SHOULD HAVE, BUT I SEE
ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR OF THE
CITIZENS, WHETHER IT IS PROCESS
OR OTHERWISE AND I THINK IT IS
TIME TO CHANGE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WOULD ANYONE WHO DID NOT
SPEAK LIKE TO SPEAK?
SEEING AS WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS, WE WILL MOVE ON TO
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THE FIRST BUSINESS IS BRIEFING
ON COUNSEL BELL 119471
CLARIFYING THE DEFINITION OF A
VESSEL.
WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE TITLE
INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, CB 119471,
CLARIFYING THE DEFINITION OF A
VESSEL AND CONSISTENTLY USING
THE WORD VESSEL IN THE
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM AND
AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> WILL MISSY BLAIR, DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY PLEASE JOIN US AS
WELL.
THANK YOU.
I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC
HEARING ON CB 119471.
SPEAKERS ARE LIMITED TO TWO
MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THE SPEAKER EXCEEDS TWO
MINUTES, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE
TURNED OFF.
FIRST ON OUR LIST IS JOHN
CHANEY.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS JOHN CHANEY.
I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE
LAKE UNION LIVERMORE
ASSOCIATION.
I AM KIND OF SURPRISED THAT AS
AN ORGANIZATION WE ARE LIMITED
TO TWO MINUTES, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> CORRECT, OKAY.
WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE
LEGISLATION.
WE THINK IN KEEPING WITH WHAT
WE TRIED TO DO THE LAST TIME WE
WERE HERE, WHICH WAS TALK ABOUT
SAVING OUR HOUSEBOATS.
EXCEPT THEN IT WAS DPD.
IT IS NOW DCI.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT YOU WILL
CONTINUE THIS PUBLIC HEARING TO
ANOTHER MEETING, SO MORE
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN
PARTICIPATE IN THIS.
THIS IS A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY.
WE BELIEVE IT WAS NOT FULLY
NOTICED, BOTH TO OUR MEMBERS
AND TO THOSE PEOPLE MOST
AFFECTED.
THERE IS A TINY GROUP OF PEOPLE
IN THIS CITY WHICH WILL BE
AFFECTED.
PERHAPS 200 VERIFIED HOUSE
BARGES AND FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCES.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
EVERYONE A CONTACT NAMES, PHONE
NUMBERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE,
BECAUSE WE ARE VERIFIED.
THE QUESTION TO THE CITY IS,
DID YOU NOTIFY ALL OF THE
PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED
BY THIS?
WE ARE HOPING THAT IS POSSIBLE
TO DO.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT
THOUSANDS, NOT TALKING ABOUT
HUNDREDS, JUST 200.
IF I WERE TO SIT AT THE TABLE
TODAY, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS I
WOULD ASK FOR DCI.
HOW MANY HAVE BEEN VERIFIED AND
LEGALLY ESTABLISHED? HOW MANY
DEAD ENGINE VESSELS HAVE BEEN
VERIFIED AS FLOWERS OR ARE
PENDING AS FLOWERS?
WHY DOES THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUE
TO QUOTE CHAPTER 1 7326 OF THE
WAC, WHICH IS THE DEPARTMENT OF
ECOLOGY STATEMENT ON OVER WATER
RESIDENCES, WHEN THE
LEGISLATURE CHANGED THAT TO
INCLUDE FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCES.
WE THINK THERE ARE SERIOUS
ISSUES WITH THIS AND WE WOULD
LOOK FORWARD TO BRIEFING THE
COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS AND
BRIEFING YOU AS THE CHAIR ON
THIS, AS THIS IS MY
UNDERSTANDING THIS IS YOUR
FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING ON
THIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND WE ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED
THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION, YOU
KEEP US AT TWO MINUTES.
>> NEXT ON OUR LIST IS STEVE
ROSSELLO.
>> HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH
SOMETHING THAT COMES OUT WHERE
THE CITY HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME
AND THE CITIZENS GET THEY ARE
TWO MINUTES AND IT LOOKS LIKE
RIGHT NOW YOU ARE ONLY
COMMITTED, THIS IS IT.
AND YOU HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING,
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NOTICE TO
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST
INVOLVED, LET ALONE THE REST OF
THE CITY?
THE CITY HAS NOT DONE A GOOD
JOB OF COMMUNICATING.
IT HAS NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF
PUBLICLY DOING BUSINESS AND
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
LAND-USE IS NOT BETWEEN YOU AND
THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
THE CITIZENS SHOULD ACTUALLY BE
INVOLVED.
THIS IS A DEMOCRACY.
THIS IS NOT A STAKEHOLDER --
ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN FOCUSING
AS SUCH IN THE LAST COUPLE
YEARS.
IT HAS DONE A GREAT DEAL TO
RAISE HOMELESSNESS IN SEATTLE
BY RAISING THE COST OF LIVING
IN SEATTLE.
WHEN YOU UP THE COST OF THE
GROUND, THE STATE LAW IS
HIGHEST AND BEST USE.
YOU RAISE THE COST.
SOMEONE HAS A ONE OR TWO STORY
APARTMENT HOUSE.
IT SUDDENLY BECOMES UNVIABLE
BECAUSE YOU HAVE PUT UP FOR 10
STORIES OR MORE AND YOU JUST
CAN'T RAISE ENOUGH MONEY TO
MAKE IT WORK.
SO WE ARE SEEING A LOT QUICKER
MOVEMENT OF DESTRUCTION OF WHAT
IS THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
SEATTLE.
BUT NOTICE IS THE MAIN REASON
ON THIS.
I THINK THE FLOATING HOMES
COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TREATED LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE AND I THINK IT
IS ABOUT TIME YOU GAVE THEM A
CHANCE TO EXPLAIN THEIR
SITUATION.
SEATTLE ADVERTISES FLOATING
HOMES.
THEY ARE REALLY WONDERFUL.
IT IS PART OF THE UNIQUENESS OF
SEATTLE, BUT IF SOMEONE CAN
MAKE A BUCK, LET'S SINK A FEW.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT ON OUR LIST IS RAIN
OTTERMAN.
>> GOOD MORNING.
WASHINGTON ENVIRONMENTAL
COUNCIL HERE, IN FRONT OF YOU
TODAY, TO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED
AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD CLARIFY
THE USE OF VESSEL.
WAC WAS INVOLVED IN PASSING THE
ACT IN 1972 AND HAS REMAINED IN
ENGAGING IN SMP THROUGHOUT THE
REGION.
WE ENCOURAGE THESE IMPORTANT
TOOLS FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO
ENCOURAGE SHORELINES, CLEAN
HEALTH AND CLEAN WATER.
WE SUPPORT THIS CODE REVISION
THAT AMEND SEVERAL SECTIONS OF
CHAPTER 23.6 0A, IN ORDER TO
INCLUDE INOPERABLE SHIPS, BOATS
AND BARGES.
IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT
THIS IS NECESSARY TO AVOID
MISIDENTIFICATION OF VESSELS AS
FLOATING ON WATER RESIDENCES.
úTHIS IS GOOD POLICY THAT WILL
ELIMINATE AN EXISTING LOOPHOLE
úTHAT ALLOWS BOATS THAT HAVEN'T
BEEN USED IN A LONG TIME AS
NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES TO CALL
THEMSELVES FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCES, WHICH MEANS THEY
GET, QUOTE, PREFERRED TO USE
STATUS UNDER THE SCM A. THIS
MAKES THEM DIFFICULT TO
REGULATE IN ORDER FOR THE
OBJECTIVES OF THE SMP FOR
PROTECTING WATER, PUBLIC ACCESS
TO SHORELINES IN THE SHORELINE
HEALTH.
THIS RESOLUTION WILL ENSURE
THAT FLOATING RESIDENCES WILL
BE REFERRED TO AS VESSELS AND
SUBJECT TO THE REGULATIONS.
SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN
CLARIFYING THIS IMPORTANT
ELEMENT OF THE SMP AND FOR YOUR
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
WOULD ANYONE ELSE WHO DID NOT
SIGN UP LIKE TO SPEAK?
SEEING AS HOW WE HAVE NO
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS, I WILL NOW
CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON CB
119471.
THANK YOU REPRESENTATIVE SEND
EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO THE
PUBLIC HEARING.
THIS ITEM WILL LIKELY BE BACK
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE IN JUNE
FOR A POSSIBLE VOTE, DEPENDING
ON THE TIMELINE OF THE
NECESSARY DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY
WORK.
OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS --
OH, SORRY, THERE IS A
PRESENTATION.
MY APOLOGIES.
>> SURE.
KETIL FREEMAN, CENTRAL STAFF.
>> MAGGIE GLOWACKI, DEPARTMENT
OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PACHECO
MENTIONED, TODAY IS AN INITIAL
BRIEFING AND WE ARTIE HELD A
PUBLIC HEARING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY ON A BILL
THAT WOULD CLARIFY THE
DEFINITION OF VESSEL.
PROCEDURALLY THIS IS A LITTLE
BIT OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH FOR
THE COUNCIL, WHEREIN WE ARE
USING A LIMITED AMENDMENT
PROCESS AUTHORIZED UNDER THE
WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATIVE CODE,
SO THERE IS A HEARING TODAY,
RESPONSES THAT WILL FOLLOW AND
AS COUNCILMEMBER PACHECO
MENTIONED, AFTER THIS THERE
WILL BE A COMMITTEE VOTE IN
JUNE, WITH A FULL COUNCIL VOTE
TO FOLLOW AFTER FEEDBACK FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY.
>> GOOD MORNING COUNCIL CHAIR
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US AT YOUR COMMITTEE
THIS MORNING.
I AM GOING TO START WITH
REMINDING EVERYONE OF SDCI'S
PUPOSE AND VALUES.
I WILL LEAVE THIS UP HERE FOR
EVERYBODY TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
MY PRESENTATION IS GOING TO
COVER AN OVERVIEW.
I WILL TALK ABOUT THE
BACKGROUND OF THE SHORELINE
MASTER PROGRAM, THE PURPOSE AND
INTENT OF THE AMENDMENT BEFORE
YOU AND THE UPDATE PROCESS FOR
THIS AMENDMENT.
BACK IN 1971 THE STATE
SHORELINE MANAGEMENT ACT WAS
ENACTED.
IN 1972 SEATTLE HAD ITS FIRST
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM.
IN 2015 IS WHEN SEATTLE
COMPREHENSIVELY UPDATED THE
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM.
SO, THE SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM
IS A RESULT OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF ECOLOGY SHORELINE MASTER
PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND THESE
GUIDELINES ESTABLISH THE RULES
THAT THE LOCAL SHORELINE, OR
THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, USED
TO CREATE THEIR SHORELINE
MASTER PROGRAMS, BOTH FOR
WRITING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE REGULATIONS.
IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A BALANCE
OF AUTHORITY BETWEEN LOCAL AND
STATE GOVERNMENT.
CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE THE
PRIMARY IMPLEMENTERS AND
REGULATORS OF THE SHORELINE
MASTER PROGRAM AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY HAS
AUTHORITY TO REVIEW LOCAL
SHORELINE PROGRAMS.
THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND
REQUIREMENT TO DO THAT AND THEY
CAN REVIEW INDIVIDUAL
DECISIONS, AS WELL, AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL.
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE, OUR
SHORELINE INCLUDES PUGET SOUND,
SHOAL SHOAL BAY, ELLIOTT BAY,
THE DUWAMISH RIVER, SHIP CANAL
AND LAKE UNION, LAKE WASHINGTON
AND GREEN LAKE.
AND THE WATER ADJACENT TO THOSE
WATER BODIES AND LAND THAT
EXTENDS 200 FEET FROM THE HIGH
WATERMARK AS WELL AS ASSOCIATED
FLOODPLAINS AND RIVER DELTAS OF
THOSE WATER BODIES.
SO, THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU
AMENDS THE DEFINITION OF VESSEL
WITHIN THE SHORELINE MASTER
PROGRAM.
THE REASON FOR THIS AMENDMENT
IS TO ADDRESS THE UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES OF A 2016 SEATTLE
HEARING EXAMINER'S DECISION
THAT RULED AN EXISTING
CONVENTIONAL RECREATIONAL
VESSEL WITH A BROKEN ENGINE WAS
NOT A VESSEL.
AS A RESULT OF THAT IT COULD BE
CONSIDERED A STRUCTURE AND
POTENTIALLY BE VERIFIED AS A
FLOATING ON WATER RESIDENCE.
SO PRIOR TO THE CITY'S 2015
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM UPDATE,
STATE LEGISLATORS TO FIND A
CATEGORY OF NEW OVERWATER
RESIDENCES AND THESE WERE
CALLED FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCES.
THEY LIMITED THE C█ATEGORY OF
THESE RESIDENCES TO THOSE THAT
EXISTED PRIOR TO JULY 1, 2014.
THE STATE ALSO DEFINED AND ON
WATER RESIDENCE AS A FLOATING
STRUCTURE AND THAT IT IS USED
PRIMARILY AS A RESIDENCE.
TEREFORE, AS A RESULT OF
LEGISLATION, THE 2015 SMP
UPDATE INCLUDED PROVISIONS FOR
ON WATER RESIDENCES, BUT AS A
RESULT OF THE HEARING
EXAMINER, THIS LED TO THE
POTENTIAL OF MANY MORE FLOATING
ON WATER RESIDENCES THAN WERE
CONTEMPLATED AT THE STATE LEVEL
AND CITY COUNCIL LEVEL WHEN THE
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM WAS
ADOPTED.
>> COUNCILMEMBER --
>> THANK YOU.
GIVEN THAT THE DEFINITION
INCLUDES THE REQUIREMENT THAT
IT MUST'VE BEEN IN A MARINA
PRIOR TO 2014, HOW IS IT THAT
WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT NEW
VESSELS THAT ARE BROKEN
BECOMING FLOWERS?
>> SO, IF A VESSEL CAN
DEMONSTRATE IT WAS BROKEN PRIOR
TO JULY 1, 2014.
AS IN THIS CASE, IT HAD A
BROKEN ENGINE, THEN IT WAS
RULED NOT A VESSEL.
>> ARE THERE MORE EXAMPLES OF
THAT?
>> WE HAVE MORE --
>> OF VESSELS IN THE WATER
SINCE BEFORE 2014 --
>> WE HAVE LOTS OF VESSELS IN
THE WATER SINCE BEFORE 2014.
>> AS FAR AS DEMONSTRATING,
THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS, BUT
IT'S POSSIBLE.
WE JUST HAD THREE MORE LAST
WEEK.
>> THREE MORE WITH BROKEN
ENGINES AND TRYING TO CERTIFY.
>> THEY WERE VERIFIED.
>> JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, WAS IT
A SENIOR EXAMINER RULING OR A
STATE EXAMINER RULING?
>> SO THE APPEALS PROCESS GOES
TO THE CITY, THE EXAMINER.
>> OKAY, DID DID THE EXAMINER
RULE THAT THESE WERE FOWR'S OR
THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER
VESSELS --
>> THE EXAMINER RULED THEY
WERE NO LONGER VESSELS.
>> GOT IT.
>> SORRY, I CAN'T SEEM TO
ACCESS THE PART OF MY BRAIN
THAT STORE THIS INFORMATION
FROM 2015, BUT CAN YOU REMIND
ME OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES
OF TYPES OF LIVE ABOARD
RESIDENCES THAT WE REGULATE?
>> THERE ARE FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCES, THERE IS LIVE
ABOARD ON CONVENTIONAL VESSELS
THAT WE DON'T REGULATE, AND
THERE IS, I WOULD CALL IT THE
LEFTOVER CATEGORY OF HOUSE
BARGES THAT WERE GRANDFATHERED
IN IN THE EARLY 1980S, THAT IS
PART OF THE UPDATE THEY HAD THE
OPTION TO STAY AS A HOUSE
BARGE.
TO GET VERIFIED AS A HOUSE
BARGE OR VERIFIED AS A FLOATING
ON WATER RESIDENCE.
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN THE
REGULATIONS BETWEEN, SO
BASICALLY IT IS SEMANTICS.
>> THERE WERE A COUPLE DOZEN
BARGES?
>> I WOULD SAY 34.
>> OKAY.
AND THEN WHAT ARE THE HOUSES
WITH SEWER HOOKUP AND
EVERYTHING?
>> THOSE ARE FLOATING HOMES.
>> AND THOSE ARE COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT?
>> THOSE ARE DIFFERENT AND
DON'T FALL UNDER THIS
AMENDMENT.
>> SO WE HAVE FLOATING HOMES
THAT ARE A DIFFERENT THING,
ALTHOUGH THOSE ARE THE ICONIC
THING THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT
OFTEN.
WE HAVE VESSELS, THE SAILBOAT
THAT YOU GO AND SALE.
THEY LIVE ABOARD SAILBOAT, BUT
MORE THAN A SALE BOAT.
THEN WE HAVE THE FLOATING ON
WATER RESIDENCES AND THE
BARGES, WHICH WE TREAT THEM IT
SOUNDS LIKE, IDENTICALLY OR
ALMOST IDENTICALLY.
BUT THOSE ARE THE FOUR
CATEGORIES OF THINGS ON THE
WATER THAT PEOPLE LIVE IN.
>> YEAH, AND THEN THERE IS ALSO
LIKE A VESSEL WITH A DWELLING
UNIT, WHICH IS A MUCH SMALLER
CATEGORY, BUT WAS THE RESULT OF
THOSE VESSELS THAT DIDN'T END UP
IN ANY CATEGORY THAT CAME INTO
EXISTENCE BETWEEN JULY 2014 AND
WHEN WE PASSED THE SHORELINE
MASTER PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE PROBABLY LESS THAN
FIVE OF THOSE REGISTERED.
>> WERE THOSE NEW CONSTRUCTION
THINGS BASICALLY LIKE HOUSES
WITH A STIRRING WELL TYPE OF
THING OR IS THAT DIFFERENT?
>> NO, THAT IS A LITTLE
DIFFERENT.
>> THANKS FOR JOGGING MY
MEMORY, MAGGIE.
>> SURE.
SO, TO DESCRIBE THE PROPOSED
LEGISLATION, IT CLARIFIES THE
TERMS OF DESIGNED FOR
NAVIGATION AND USED FOR
NAVIGATION IN THE DEFINITION OF
VESSEL IN THE SHORELINE MASTER
PROGRAM.
SO THERE IS THE REFERENCE TO THE
SMC.
WHAT THIS DOES IS SAYS IF A
VESSEL HAS BEEN USED FOR
NAVIGATION IN THE PAST AND CAN
BE USED FOR NAVIGATION IN THE
FUTURE, THAT IT IS STILL A
VESSEL.
BASICALLY IF THERE ARE THINGS
NON-OPERABLE ON THE VESSEL, AS
A RESULT OF THE CURRENT OWNER,
THAT IS FIXABLE.
SUCH AS A BROKEN ENGINE THAT
CAN BE FIXED OR WITH THE
SAILBOAT IF THE SALES HAVE BEEN
REMOVED.
OR, YOU KNOW, DAMAGE TO THE
HOLE, THAT DOESN'T TAKE IT OUT
OF THE CATEGORY OF A VESSEL.
THOSE ARE CONDITIONS THAT CAN
BE FIXED.
OR IN THE CASE OF THE RULING BY
THE HEARING EXAMINER, IF YOU,
POTENTIALLY IF YOU JUST HAVEN'T
USED YOUR VESSEL, IT WOULD BE
NO LONGER A VESSEL.
SO YOU TAKE AN EXTENDED LEAVE
IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND CAN
DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU NEVER USED
YOUR VESSEL, THAT COULD BE A
WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU
HAVEN'T USED YOUR VESSEL,
THEREFORE IT DOESN'T MEET THE
LITERAL DEFINITION OF USED FOR
NAVIGATION.
AND THEN THE OTHER TWO
AMENDMENTS HAVE MORE TO DO WITH
THAT HOUSE BARGE CATEGORY.
IT IS LEFT OVER FROM OUR PRIOR
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM WHERE
WE DID CALL A HOUSE BARGE A
VESSEL, BUT WITH THE UPDATE AND
THE NEW CATEGORY OF FLOATING ON
WATER RESIDENCE AND THE STATE
LEGISLATURE DEFINING THOSE AS
STRUCTURES, WE WANTED TO REMOVE
THE TERM VESSEL WHEN IT WAS
USED WITH HOUSE BARGE, TO
REMOVE ANY CONFUSION AROUND
THAT.
SO THAT IS WHAT THE LAST TWO
AMENDMENTS DO WITH THE
AMENDMENT.
SO THEN ON TO THE AMENDMENT
PROCESS.
AS WAS STATED EARLIER, THIS IS
A JOINT REVIEW PROCESS WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE 30 DAY
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY.
AND AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE 30
DAYS, SDCI WILL REVIEW THE
COMMENTS AND MAKE ANY
APPROPRIATE CHANGES TO THE
AMENDMENT AND THEN SUBMIT THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY.
ECOLOGY WILL PROVIDE THEIR
INITIAL DETERMINATION WITHIN 30
DAYS.
AND THEN SDCI WILL WORK WITH
ECOLOGY ON ANY NEEDED CHANGES.
THEN ECOLOGY WILL PROVIDE A
WRITTEN DETERMINATION ON
CONSISTENCY.
AT THAT POINT, THAT IS WHEN WE
CAN BRING IT TO FULL COUNCIL
FOR A VOTE AND THEN IT GOES
BACK TO ECOLOGY FOR THEIR FINAL
REVIEW AND APPROVAL AS AN
ORDINANCE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN.
>> SO, THERE IS A LOT OF BACK
AND FORTH HERE AND I IMAGINE
THE TIMELINE IS MAYBE NOT
TOTALLY CLEAR, BUT ARE WE
TALKING LIKE THREE MONTHS OR
SIX MONTHS FOR THIS PROCESS?
>> IT SHOULD BE LESS THAN THAT.
>> THE HOPE IS THAT WE WOULD
PASS SOMETHING BY JUNE.
>> A LOT OF THOSE DATES, THOSE
TIMELINES ARE MAXIMUMS, SO THE
CITY HAS 30 DAYS TO REVIEW AND
RESPOND TO THEIR COMMENTS, BUT
THAT COULD HAPPEN IN A LESS
AMOUNT OF TIME.
ONCE IT IS INITIALLY SUBMITTED,
WE HAVE 30 DAYS.
COULD ASK FOR AN EXTENSION UP
TO 45, NOT LIKELY IN THIS
SCENARIO, BECAUSE OF SCOPE.
SO WE COULD BE LOOKING AT 30 TO
60 DAYS AFTER THE COMMENTS ARE
RESPONDED TO, TO HAVE IT BACK,
I WOULD THINK.
>> WE DON'T EXPECT IT TO TAKE
LONG ON OUR END, BECAUSE OF THE
SIZE OF THE ORDINANCE.
BECAUSE IT IS SMALL.
>> THE JOINT, 30 DAY COMMENT
PERIOD.
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
IS THIS THE BEGINNING, THE
MIDDLE OR THE END?
>> THIS IS THE END OF THE 30
DAY COMMENT PERIOD.
>> OKAY, SO I APPRECIATE THE
FORMAL PROCESS.
SEEING SOME FRIENDS IN THE
AUDIENCE TODAY THAT I HAVEN'T
SEEN IN A WHILE.
IT IS NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
IT IS NOT MUTUAL, BUT -- I
IMAGINE THAT CITY COUNCIL WILL
BE ENGAGING IN CONVERSATIONS
AND DEPENDING ON WHAT WE LEARN
AS WE GET REEDUCATED ON THIS
ISSUE AND UNDERSTAND IT, IF WE
HAVE THINGS WE WANT TO CONSIDER
AS AMENDMENTS TO THE AMENDMENTS
WE ARE PROPOSING, I RECOGNIZE
THAT THIS PROCESS -- I GUESS WE
CAN DO IT UNILATERALLY, BUT
ECOLOGY HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY
THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE
LAW AND SEND IT BACK TO US.
IN THE SPIRIT OF NOT WANTING
TOO MUCH BACK AND FORTH, WHAT
IS THE TIMELINE OF US GETTING
INFORMED AND DISCUSS -- WE
HEARD A FEW DIFFERENT COMMENTS
TODAY AND TO GET UP TO SPEED ON
THOSE VIEWS AND UNDERSTAND IF
THERE IS A PATH TO
UNDERSTANDING OR
MISUNDERSTANDING OR WHATEVER IS
GOING ON.
>> WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IS
A LITTLE BIT ATYPICAL.
NORMALLY A BILL AFTER COMMITTEE
IS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TAKEN UP
BY THE FULL COUNCIL.
IN ORDER FOR ECOLOGY TO HAVE
CERTAINTY ON WHAT THEY WOULD BE
COMMENTING ON FOR THE PURPOSES
OF CONSISTENCY, WE ARE
IMAGINING A JUNE VOTE,
CONSISTENT ON THE ABILITY TO
LOOK AT THE COMMENTS WE HAVE
RECEIVED AND MAYBE ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS FROM YOU ALL AND OTHER
FOLKS, AS WELL.
THE JUNE VOTE WOULD BE A VOTE
ON THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT COULD BE INFORMED BY THE
COMMENT THAT COUNSEL HAS HEARD.
ECOLOGY WOULD OPINE ON THAT,
MAKE A CONSISTENCY
DETERMINATION ON THAT PRIOR TO
A FULL COUNCIL VOTE WHICH WOULD
HAPPEN AFTER ECOLOGY HAS
REVIEWED THE COMMITTEE'S
RECOMMENDATION.
>> SO IN THAT SCENARIO, WE
CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO
BRING NEW AMENDMENTS TO THE
FULL COUNCIL, WE WANT TO
FINISH OUR WORK WHEN IT COMES
OUT OF COMMITTEE.
>> CORRECT.
>> SO ONE OF THE COMMENTS IN
PUBLIC HEARING WAS A QUESTION
ABOUT WHETHER SOME PEOPLE
LIVING ON THESE VESSELS
ACTUALLY KNOW THIS IS GOING ON.
SO EVEN IF THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS CLOSED, I ASSUME IT
IS OKAY THAT THE COUNCIL
CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH FOLKS
AND RECEIVE THEIR FEEDBACK ON
THIS.
IT'S NOT LIKE THERE IS --
>> NO, THERE IS NOT.
>> SO THE FORMAL COMMENT PERIOD
IS OVER, WE WILL CONTINUE TO
EDUCATE OURSELVES.
IF OUT OF THAT PROCESS, BASED
ON OUR RECOLLECTION AND A
VARIETY OF THINGS, IT MAY BE
THERE IS UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR
ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT
INTERPRETATIONS.
THERE MAY BE CERTAIN THINGS WE
WANT TO ADDRESS.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE WOULD VET
IN ADVANCE OF A COMMITTEE
MEETING IN JUNE, BUT I ASSUME
IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO BE
ENGAGING WITH ECOLOGY
THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS TO SEE
IF WE ARE ON A PATH THAT IS
VIABLE OR NOT.
>> CORRECT.
>> OKAY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO OFFER
SOME CLARITY THAT THIS
AMENDMENT DOES NOT AFFECT ANY
FLOATING ON WATER RESIDENCES
THAT HAVE BEEN VERIFIED OR ANY
RESIDENCE OR HOUSE BARGE, OR
ANY OF THE RESIDENTIAL USES
THAT HAVE BEEN VERIFIED.
>> IF THAT IS THE CASE, AGAIN I
NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT VERIFIED
AND NOT VERIFIED MEANS AND ALL
THOSE THINGS, BUT IT MAY BE A
MATTER OF CONVENING SOME FOLKS
AND HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS
WERE IT MAY BE THAT THERE IS
DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS THERE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU WORKING ON
THIS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU, JUST A LITTLE BIT
MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO
RECEIVED NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
DID THE FOLKS WHO ARE
REGISTERED AS FOWR'S RECEIVED
NOTICE?
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE SING THIS
ON THE AGENDA WAS THE FIRST
THEY LEARNED OF THIS.
>> SO, WE HAVE A LISTSERV OF
THE SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM.
I DON'T KNOW WHO IS ON IT.
IT IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ENGAGED
IN THE PAST, BUT WE DID NOT GO
INTO OUR RECORDS AND I DON'T
THINK WE'VE GOT EMAIL FOR EVERY
VERIFIED FLOATING ON WATER
RESIDENCE, SO WE DID NOT LOOK
FOR ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO ADD TO
THE LIST.
>> I ASSUME SOME OF THOSE
PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE
SHORELINE MASTER PROGRAM
LISTSERV AND SOME HAVEN'T.
>> RIGHT.
AND WE KNOW THAT LULA WAS
NOTIFIED OF THIS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS,
QUESTIONS?
WELL, THANK YOU.
I MIGHT HAVE GIVEN A SNEAK
PEEK, POTENTIALLY, BUT I
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND
CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS TODAY
IS THE ANNUAL UPDATE
PRESENTATION FROM THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO,
OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 2018
ANNUAL UPDATE.
>> WE WILL BE JOINED AT THE
TABLE TODAY BY THE DIRECTOR OF
OPCD, SAM ASSEFA, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU AND WELCOME.
I AM SAM ASSEFA, DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
I WILL GIVE YOU A REPORT ON OPCD
AND NATHAN TORGELSON IS HERE
WITH ME AS WELL.
WE WILL CO-PRESENT THE REPORT
AFTER MY INITIAL PRESENTATION.
LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THE
PRESENTATION HERE.
GREAT.
THANK YOU.
SO, JUST BRIEFLY, THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT, WE CELEBRATED OUR
THIRD YEAR JANUARY OF THIS
YEAR.
THE OFFICE WAS CREATED IN
JANUARY, 2016.
SINCE THEN, AS A NEW OFFICE, WE
HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK
INTERNALLY TO BUILD SORT OF A
GROUND-UP MISSION AND VISION,
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.
THIS WAS DEVELOPED BY STAFF,
CONSISTENT TO THE PURPOSE OF
THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE.
PRIMARILY TO HELP COORDINATE
CITYWIDE ON PLANNING, GROWTH
AND DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, TO
ADDRESS EQUITY AND HOW THE
OFFICE COULD HELP SUPPORT
PLANNING TO ADDRESS THE GROWTH
THAT WE ARE FACING OVER THE
NEXT 20 YEARS.
THE DEPARTMENT IS ORGANIZED
AROUND THREE PRIMARY WORK AREAS
AND SUPPORTING TWO COMMISSIONS.
THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE THREE
PRIMARY AREAS, CITYWIDE
INITIATIVES.
THESE ARE POLICIES THAT AFFECT
THE CITY, CITYWIDE.
SUCH AS COMPREHENSIVE PLANS,
LAND-USE POLICIES.
THE RECENTLY ADOPTED HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM, WHICH
AGAIN, IS CITYWIDE.
AND ALSO THIS GROUP SUPPORTS
RESEARCH AND DATA, INCLUDING
DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, HOUSING DATA,
ANNUALLY, QUARTERLY AND IN
DIFFERENT AREAS.
THE SECOND AREA IS COMMUNITY
PLANNING AND ACTION.
THIS IS VERY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY
AREA PLANNING WORK.
THE NEW INITIATIVES, SUCH AS
THE EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE, WHICH IS PRIMARIL
GEOGRAPHIC BASED.
AND SOME LOCALIZED PLANNING
DEVELOPMENTS, SUCH AS MOUNT
BAKER, THESE ARE SPECIFIC
NEIGHBORHOODS, SPECIFIC AREA
PLANNING PRACTICE.
THE THIRD GROUP FOCUSES
PRIMARILY ON WHAT WE ARE
CALLING PLACE MAKING.
THIS FOCUSES ON HOW THE
ENVIRONMENT IS BUILT FROM A
DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, INCLUDING
THE PUBLIC REALM, SPACES
BETWEEN BUILDINGS, PUBLIC
SPACES, BUT ALSO A NUMBER OF
DESIGN GUIDELINES THAT ACCOMPANY
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS AND
COMMUNITY PLANS THAT WE
DEVELOPMENT. THEN THE OPCD
SUPPORTS TWO COMMISSIONS.
THE DESIGN COMMISSION WHICH IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING
COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ON ANY
PUBLIC PROJECTS, AND ALSO STREET
ISSUES.
THE PLANNINGCOMMISSION ADVISES
AGAIN, BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE
MAYOR ON CITYWIDE POLICIES,
SPECIFICALLY POLICIES SUCH AS
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS
TECHNICALLY AN INDEPENDENT
BODY, BUT IT IS HOUSED, JOINT
WITH OPCD TO SHARE STAFFING AND
THE PLANNING COMMISSION
DIRECTOR IS HIRED BY THE
COMMISSION AND REPORTS
PRIMARILY TO THE COMMISSION.
SO, OUR 2019 STAFFING HAS ABOUT
44 FTE, OR FORTH -- FULL-TIME
EQUIVALENCY, TO COVER THE FIVE
AREAS I OUTLINED EARLIER.
THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND
DESIGN COMMISSION EACH HAVE 3.5
FTE.
THE REST OF THE STAFF SUPPORTS
VARIOUS ACTIVITIES OF THEIR
DEPARTMENT.
JUST WANTING TO KNOW, I
MENTIONED IT IS A NEW
DEPARTMENT.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES ON THE
NEXT PRESENTATION, BUT ONE OF
THE OBJECTIVES FOR THE
DEPARTMENT WAS FROM THE
BEGINNING THAT WE WORK TO
ADVANCE RACE WORKFORCE EQUITY.
THROUGHOUT THE LAST THREE
YEARS, I JOINED IN JUNE, 2016,
WE HAVE MET AND DELIVERED
EFFORTS TO MAKE OUR DEPARTMENT
MORE DIVERSE. WHAT YOU SEE ON
THAT IS THE REFLECTION OF WHERE
WE ARE TODAY.
ABOUT 30% OF STAFF ARE
IDENTIFIED AS PEOPLE OF COLOR.
60% OF OUR WORKFORCE ARE
FEMALE, WOMEN.
LAST YEAR WE ADDED SEVEN NEW
EMPLOYEES.
ABOUT 43% OF THEM IDENTIFIED AS
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND ALMOST 70%,
OVER 70%, AS WOMEN.
WE DO THAT IN PROMOTIONS AS
WELL, TO ADVANCE BOTH GENDER AND
RACE EQUITY WITHIN OUR
WORKFORCE.
ONE THING YOU DON'T SEE THERE,
WE ALSO MADE AN EFFORT TO
ACTUALLY HAVE PAY EQUITY, AS
WELL.
THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, 2
1/2 YEARS, THE DIRECTOR HAS
DISCRETION, WE HAVE USED THAT
OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE PAY
EQUITY IN THAT APARTMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT 28 OF OUR
STAFF ARE WHAT ARE CALLED
STRATEGIC ADVISORS OR
MANAGERIAL POSITIONS, WHERE I
HAVE DISCRETION.
WE HAVE REACHED PAY EQUITY
BETWEEN GENDER, PRETTY MUCH THE
MEN AND WOMEN ARE PAID EQUALLY.
IN FACT, WOMEN SLIGHTLY AGE UP,
BUT THAT WAS A DELIBERATE
ACTION CONSISTENT WITH THE
VISION AND MISSION WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT.
NEXT I WILL TALK ABOUT OUR 2019
ADOPTED BUDGET AND ENDORSED
2020 BUDGET.
CURRENTLY WE ARE JUST ABOUT
$13.3 MILLION FOR 2019.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT
BETWEEN 2018 AND 2019, THERE
WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE,
CLOSE TO $6 MILLION OR MORE FOR
THE OPCD BUDGET.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE, BECAUSE OF THE ONE-
TIME FUNDING THAT CAME UP FROM
THE SALE OF THE CIVIC SQUARE,
AND THEN TO GET THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE GOING.
THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE 2020
ENDORSED BUDGET, YOU CAN SEE
SOME REDUCTION.
THAT HAS SPECIFICALLY TO DO WITH
COUNCIL HAD PUT A ONE MILLION-
DOLLAR ADDITIONAL ONE TIME FOR
2019 FOR EDI, EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.
THAT IS A ONE TIME INCREASE, SO
THAT IS WHAT IS REFLECTED
THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME BUDGET
REDUCTION, MINIMAL AMOUNT.
WHEN YOU SEE THE DISCREPANCY,
THT IS PRIMARILY WHY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN.
>> JUST SO I AM CLEAR, THE $13
MILLION TOTAL BUDGET INCLUDES
THE $5 MILLION OF GRANTS THAT
GO TO EDI?
>> EXACTLY.
>> OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE A TEAM
THAT ADMINISTERS IT.
>> EXACTLY.
>> THAT IS $5 MILLION IN 2019.
WE DIDN'T RESTORE THE $1
MILLION, SO THAT IS ONLY $4
MILLION IN 2020, UNTIL WE GET
OUR HANDS ON IT.
>> CORRECT.
>> THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT AND
OVERVIEW OF OUR WORK PLAN.
ON THE LEFT COLUMN YOU SEE 2018
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
ON THE RIGHT, A NUMBER OF
ONGOING PROJECTS STARTED THIS
YEAR OR CONTINUING FROM LAST
YEAR.
THE LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE.
I JUST HIGHLIGHTED THE KEY
PROJECTS.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS YOU SEE ON
THE RIGHT COLUMN A 2019
PROJECTS STARTED IN 2018, BUT
ONGOING AS WELL.
AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AGAIN,
IT IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE, BUT I
HIGHLIGHTED SOME KEY PROJECTS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE SEEING THE
WESTWOOD/HIGHLAND PARK PLANNING
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED AS A 2019
WORK PROGRAM.
I RECALL THAT IN THE OPCD SLIDE
RESPONSE, 1351 A1.
HAD TO LOOK AT MY PHONE, I JUST
GOT TEXTED IT.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE ALSO HAD
BEEN ASKED ABOUT THE STATIONARY
PLANNING AND WEST SEATTLE AS
WELL AND I BELIEVE THE RESPONSE
YOU GAVE US WAS THAT YOU WOULD
START PLANNING IN EARNEST IN
2020, BUT THAT YOU WOULD BE
BEGINNING SOME INITIAL STEPS
TOWARDS PLANNING, SPECIFICALLY
FOR JUNCTION AND OUTAGE IN
2019.
I KNOW WE ARE NOT GETTING INTO
TOO MUCH OF THE WEEDS HERE,
THIS IS HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW,
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE
AND I KNOW YOUR STAFF HAS BEEN
OUT TO TALK TO FOLKS IN THE
JUNCTION AND GET MORE OF A
HANDLE ON WHAT THE WORKPLAN
LOOKS LIKE FOR THOSE
ENGAGEMENTS THIS YEAR.
>> SURE, I WILL TALK BRIEFLY
ABOUT THE STATIONARY PLANNING,
BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.
WE WILL BE SCOPING THAT WORK
THIS YEAR AND WE WILL BE
WORKING ON THAT JUNCTION AND
OTHER AREAS OF STATIONARY
PLANNING IN 2019.
IN 2020, SORRY.
JUST ABOUT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THE
BIGGEST WORK HAS BEEN FOCUSED
ON THE MANDATORY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBERS, THEY
VOTED 9-0 TO PASS THAT THIS
YEAR, BUT THE BULK OF THE WORK
WAS COMPLETED FROM MY OFFICE IN
2018.
THE EQUITABLEDEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE, THE SECOND ROUND
FUNDING WAS COMPLETED IN 2018.
THROUGH THAT PROCESS,
APPROXIMATELY $16 MILLION WERE
SPOKEN FOR FOR 15 DIFFERENT
ORGANIZATIONS WITH DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF CAPACITY AND FUNDING
PROGRAM.
THAT INCLUDES THOSE 15 PROJECTS
AND ORGANIZATIONS.
WORKING WITH THEM, MANAGING
THEIR CONTRACTS.
SO, STAFF IS WORKING WITH EACH
ONE OF THEM.
ALL OF THEM ARE IN DIFFERENT
STAGES.
SOME RN CAPACITY BUILDING,
OTHERS IN PROPERTY ACQUISITION
OR CAPITAL.
AN EXAMPLE IS THE REFUGEE AND
IMMIGRANT CENTER WHICH RECENTLY
ACQUIRED ITS OWN PROPERTY.
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION IN
DELRIDGE THAT HAS BEEN
SUPPORTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR
OVER THREE DECADES.
THEY WERE THREATENED BY
DISPLACEMENT LAST YEAR.
THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY PUT
THE PROPERTY UP FOR SALE.
THE GROUP APPLIED FOR THE
FUNDING AND I BELIEVE THEY GOT
$850,000 TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE
THE BUILDING THEY WERE OPERATED
IN. NOW THEY HAVE A PERMANENT
HOME AND IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE
OF WHERE THE EDI PROGRAM HAS
BEEN EFFECTIVE.
ANOTHER PROJECT, THE DUWAMISH
VALLEY ACTION PLAN.
WE COMPLETED LAST YEAR, BUT
THIS IS ALSO AN ONGOING
PROJECT, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY
GROUPS.
THIS IS THE EXAMPLE, THE PILOT
WE USED WHEN OPCD STARTED, TO
DEMONSTRATE HOW WE WORK ACROSS
DEPARTMENTS.
THIS WAS A PILOT FOR THE
CAPITAL CABINET STRUCTURE THAT
STARTED LATE 2016, BUT NOW UNDER
MAYOR JENNY DURKAN IT CONTINUES
AS PART OF THIS CAPITAL SUB
PROJECT.
SO THE ACTION PLAN IS ONE
PROJECT LAST YEAR WHICH WILL
CONTINUE.
NOW I WILL GO SORT OF QUICKLY
ON THE 2019 WORKPLAN.
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS THE
KEY PROJECT OVER THE NEXT FEW
YEARS.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO ADOPT THE
NEXT UPDATE BY JUNE 2023.
WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN EARLY
SCOPING OF THAT WORK. INITIALLY
WORKING AT ENGAGEMENT.
OUR RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
PROCESS AND RACIAL EQUITY
ANALYSIS, THIS YEAR, AS PART OF
THE PRECURSOR TO SOME OF THE
POLICY ISSUES WE IDENTIFY.
WE WILL STUDY IN 2021 THE FULL-
BLOWN PROCESS WILL BE STARTED.
THERE IS ALSO SOME
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT
WORK.
I GUESS THIS YEAR.
THAT WILL ALSO ENGAGE THE
PLANNING PROCESS.
ANOTHER FOCUS THIS YEAR AND A
PRIORITY HAS BEEN LOOKING AT
HOUSING CHOICES ISSUES.
THIS IS PUTTING TOGETHER DATA
ANALYSIS REPORTS WE WILL
COMPLETE IN MAY, TO INFORM HOW
THE MARKET FOR HOUSING IS
DOING, WHAT IT IS MISSING AND
WHAT THE MARKET IS PROVIDING
THAT WE SHOULD START THINKING
ABOUT TO ADDRESS GAPS IN
HOUSING CHOICES.
THIS IS BACKGROUND INFORMATION
THAT WILL INFORM MAYOR DURKAN'S
AFFORDABLE AND MIDDLE INCOME
HOUSING COMMITTEE THAT IS
WORKING TO IDENTIFY WAYS WE
CAN FILL THE GAP WHERE THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSINGPROGRAM OR
THE MARKET IS NOT PROVIDING.
SO THE HOUSING CHOICES REPORT
WILL HELP INFORM THAT
CONVERSATION AND POLICY THAT
WOULD COME OUT OF THAT.
AND IN 2019 WE WILL BE HAVING
EDI FUNDING.
THE THIRD ROUND WE ANNOUNCED
LAST APRIL.
$5 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR.
WE EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 6
ORGANIZATIONS TO BE SUPPORTED
THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A JUNE 5 DEADLINE FOR
APPLICATIONS.
THAT WORK WILL BE SIGNIFICANT
THIS YEAR, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A
REQUIRED MONITORING PROGRAM AS
PART OF THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO BY THIRD QUARTER 2019, WE
WILL BE DEVELOPING THE
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME
INDICATORS REPORT.
THIS IS PHASE 1 OF A TWO PHASE
REPORT.
THE SECOND PHASE SCHEDULED FOR
2020 WILL HIGHLIGHT
DISPLACEMENT RISK INDICATORS.
THOSE ARE KEY PROJECT ITEMS FOR
THIS YEAR.
WE WILL ALSO BE PUTTING
TOGETHER A PERMANENT ADVISORY
BOARD BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, YOU
ASKED ABOUT STATION AREA
PLANNING.
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT OF WORK IN THE 130th AND
145th STATION AREA THAT STARTED
THIS YEAR.
IT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THAT.
THIS LOOKS AT STATION ACCESS,
STATION PLANNING AND LAND-USE
ISSUES.
WE ARE WORKING ON MOBILITY
PLANNING FOR THE AREA.
AND SOME POTENTIAL RELEVANT
INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
THERE.
ANOTHER WORK THAT WAS INITIATED
THIS YEAR, IF YOU RECALL, AS
PART OF THE WASHINGTON STATE
CONVENTION CENTER APPROVAL
PROCESS.
THERE WAS $1.5 MILLION
IDENTIFIED TO CONDUCT A
TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR
POTENTIALLY PUTTING A LID OVER
I-5, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN DENNY,
ALL THE WAY TO MADISON STREET.
THIS IS A STUDY WE ALREADY
INITIATED.
WE HIRED A LOCAL CONSULTANT
FIRM AS A PROJECT CONSULTANT.
THERE IS A BIG COMMUNITY
ADVISORY GROUP THAT WAS PUT
TOGETHER TO HELP STEER AND
DIRECT A LOT OF THE OPTIONS AND
EVALUATION.
THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY IS TO
HAVE FEASIBILITY, MOSTLY
STRUCTURAL AND ENGINEERING, AND
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, POTENTIAL
PARK VERSUS LAND DEVELOPMENT
POTENTIAL, SO WE KNOW WHAT IT
WOULD COST AND WHAT IT WOULD
TAKE TO ACTUALLY LID I-5. THAT
STUDY IS EXPECTED TO BE
COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE
YEAR OR EARLY 2020.
>> CAN YOU OUTLINE WHO IS IN
THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP?
>> I CAN SEND YOU THE LIST.
THERE ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM
A WIDE VARIETY, BOTH TECHNICAL
AND COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THE
LIST.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BROAD AREA PLANNING AS PART
OF ST3.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
DEPARTMENTS, PRIMARILY S STOTT
AND SOUND TRANSIT TO SCOPE OUT
NEW TRACINGS -- NEW STATIONS.
BY FAR THIS WILL PROBABLY BE
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
PROBABLY EVER, THAT WILL IMPACT
AND TRANSFORM THE CITY
SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE NEXT FEW
YEARS.
SO WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES, AND
CITY DEPARTMENTS, TO START
SCOPING AND OUTLINING THE WORK
PLAN AROUND STATION AREA
PLANNING.
SOUND TRANSIT IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE STATION ITSELF.
THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING
TRANSCENDENT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, LAND-
USE, ALL OF THE THINGS, LAND-
USE RELATED USES THAT AFFECT
HOW A STATION FUNCTIONS AND I
WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT IS
A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THAT
STUDY, STARTING FROM JUNCTION
TO ANY NUMBER OF STATION AREAS
THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
QUICKLY AS PART OF THE
MANDATORY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY, AS A FOLLOW-UP,
WE HAVE TWO AREAS OF
POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT WORK
ITEMS.
COUNSELS COMPANION RESOLUTION
HAS A NUMBER OF REQUIREMENTS
THAT AFFECT OPCD.
THIS IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE.
THINGS SUCH AS MONITORING
CHANGES IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT,
TREE CANOPY, PLANNING IN
SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD AREAS.
AND A NUMBER OF COMPANION
RESOLUTIONS THAT WOULD FOLLOW-
UP ON MHA.
THE MAYOR HAS ALSO BEEN VERY
MUCH FOCUSED THROUGH EXECUTIVE
ORDER ON DISPLACEMENT, BUT ALSO
A NUMBER OF OTHER ACTIONS SHE
WANTS TO ADDRESS RELEVANT TO
MHA, THAT WOULD BE A
SIGNIFICANT WORK PLAN FOR 2019,
PRIMARILY, BUT WOULD CONTINUE
IN 2020 AND PROBABLY BEYOND,
FOR SOME OF THEM.
SO THAT IS KIND OF THE HIGH
LEVEL OVERVIEW FOR OPCD IN
2018, 2019 AND 2020.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> THANK YOU.
YESTERDAY, COINCIDENTALLY.
I MET WITH THE RESIDENTS OF THE
MANUFACTURED HOME ASSOCIATION
AND THEY WERE DOING THE ROUNDS
WITH COUNCILMEMBERS, TO FIND
OUT WHERE THINGS WERE AT WITH
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
LEGISLATION THAT COUNCIL SORT
OF SKETCHED OUT A WORK PLAN FOR,
WHEN COUNCIL PASSED THE
MORATORIUM.
I AM LOOKING AT BOTH OF YOU,
BECAUSE THE WORK PLAN THAT WAS
IN THE LEGISLATION IDENTIFIED
RULES FOR BOTH DEPARTMENTS AND
SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS DUE RIGHT
ABOUT NOW, IN ORDER TO DO ALL
OF THE REVIEW AND DETERMINATION
OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND
ALL THAT, SO WE HAVE A BILL
BEFORE US BEFORE THE MORATORIUM
ROLLS OUT, WHICH I THINK IS
SOMETIME IN THE FALL.
RIGHT ABOUT NOW WE ARE SUPPOSED
TO HAVE AN ANALYSIS OF THE
CURRENT LAND-USE, DEVELOPMENT
TRENDS, DRAFT LEGISLATION AND
HAVE CONDUCTED REVIEW ON
PROPOSED REGULATIONS.
SO THAT WAS IN THE WORK PLAN
THAT ACCOMPANIED THE ORDINANCE.
THE MAYOR SENT US A LETTER, A
SORT OF DECLINE TO SIGN THE
LETTER.
FOR INFORMATION AND REFRESHING
OF MEMORY.
THE LETTER REFERRED TO THAT
ADVISORY IN NATURE. INANCE AS
AND I DON'T SEE REFERENCE TO IT
IN YOUR PROPOSED WORK PLANS, SO
CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT IT IS YOU ARE
LOOKING TO DO?
IT LOOKS LIKE THE MAYOR IS
CONSIDERING THIS WORK PLAN
ADVISORY, BUT SHE REFERRED IN
HER DECLINE TO SIGN LETTER TO
SOME OTHER WORK THAT WAS
HAPPENING, THAT INVOLVES
RESIDENCE, THAT RESIDENTS ARE
UNAWARE OF.
ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES BEING
DEVELOPED.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LEARN
MORE.
THIS IS AN ELDERLY COMMUNITY.
THERE IS A LOT OF ANXIETY THAT
PEOPLE ARE EXHIBITING MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES BECAUSE OF THE
HOUSING AND SECURITY THEY ARE
EXPERIENCING.
>> SO WE HAVE STARTED SOME OF
THE PRELIMINARY WORK TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT LAND-USE
OPTIONS EXIST AND OTHER
MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS THAT
ISSUE.
WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED IT WITH
THE MAYOR YET.
WE ARE PREPARING THAT AS WE
SPEAK AND ONCE I KNOW, IN TERMS
OF THE DIRECTION SHE WANTS TO
GO, I WILL BE HAPPY TO TELL
YOU, BUT THE WORK HAS STARTED.
STAFF IS WORKING AT WHAT OTHER
ISSUES AND THE MAYOR IS
CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AS WELL.
I KNOW SOME OF HER STAFF ARE
EXPLORING IT, AS WELL.
BUT MY OFFICE HAS STARTED
LOOKING AT THE SITE ISSUES.
WHAT ARE THE GUARDRAILS, WHAT
LEVERAGE DO WE HAVE OR DON'T
HAVE AND WHAT ARE THE
POSSIBILITIES FOR MHA, VERSUS
CURRENT LAND ZONING.
SO THAT EARLY ANALYSIS IS
STARTED, BUT WE HAVE NOT
REVIEWED IT WITH THE EXECUTIVE
YET.
>> AND IS THE PROPOSING OF A
NEW ZONING DESIGNATION TO
PROTECT THE EXISTING USE, IS
THAT AMONG THE OPTIONS --
>> WE ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE. WE
HAVE VERY PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS,
OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS THERE
CURRENTLY AND ASKING THE
QUESTION, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU PUT
THAT IN A WAY TO RESTRICT.
I HAVE NO IDEA.
THERE IS A LIST OF OPTIONS.
>> THE NEXT STEP IS PUBLISHING
THE THRESHOLD DETERMINATION IN
JUNE.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THERE ARE
LEGAL TIMELINES WITH ALL OF
THESE DIFFERENT STEPS AND IF WE
DON'T DO THEM, WE RUN UP
AGAINST THE MORATORIUM AND WE
RUN OUT OF TIME TO TAKE FINAL
ACTION, IF WE HAVEN'T TAKEN THE
STEPS.
SO I AM SHARING WITH YOU THE
ANXIETY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS I
MET WITH YESTERDAY.
>> I WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH
A TIMELINE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER O BRIAN.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION
TO THIS, COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
I KNOW THE INTERVENTION WE DID
A FEW MONTHS AGO WAS A GREAT
STEP AND I KNOW IT IS A TRICKY
ISSUE, BUT THANKS --
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I WILL JUST MENTION, YOU
GUYS HAVE A LOT OF WORK.
YOU HAVE A ROBUST TEAM OVER
THERE.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PASSION
AND DEDICATION OF YOUR TEAM,
SAM.
YOU KNOW, JUST THE SINGLE TOPIC
OF STATIONARY PLANNING WITH
LIGHT RAIL TO SO MANY
NEIGHBORHOODS ALONE COULD KEEP
44 PEOPLE OVERWHELMED AND THE
EDI WORK, YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT
PROVIDES AND YOU HAVE AN
AMAZING TEAM THERE, TOO, SO
THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM.
I KNOW THEY ARE PROBABLY
OVERWORKED, BUT I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE DEDICATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NATHAN TORGELSON, DIRECTOR
OF THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS.
WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS
COUNCILMEMBER PACHECO.
IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON
BOARD.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANT TO START OUT --
SAM IS A TECHNOLOGY EXPERT, AS
WELL.
>> OF COURSE.
>> DO YOU MIND DRIVING?
>> SURE.
>> SO JUST REMIND THE COMMITTEE
OF SDCI'S PURPOSE AND VALUES.
NEXT SLIDE.
EVERY DAY WE COME TO WORK AND
ADHERE TO THIS PURPOSE AND
VALUES.
THIS IS SOMETHING REALLY
INHERENT TO OUR WORK.
NEXT SLIDE.
WE HAVE 375 CURRENT EMPLOYEES
IN SIX DIVISIONS AND I REALLY
WANT TO THANK THE STAFF.
STAFF ARE WORKING UNDER
UNPRECEDENTED PERMITTING LEVELS
AND UNPRECEDENTED CO-COMPLIANCE
ISSUES AND DEPENDING ON WHO YOU
ARE TALKING TO, WE ARE MAKING
DECISIONS TOO QUICKLY OR NOT
MAKING DECISIONS NEARLY QUICKLY
ENOUGH, OR THERE IS TOO MUCH
REGULATION OR NOT ENOUGH
REGULATION, SO I THINK STAFF DO
A REMARKABLE JOB BALANCING
THOSE DEMANDS EVERY DAY ON THE
JOB.
LIKE MISTER ASSEFA HIGHLIGHTED,
WE HAVE A COMMITMENT TO
DIVERSITY IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
LOOKING AT THE STATS.
NEW HIRES, 50% IDENTIFIED AS
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND 52% AS
WOMEN.
PROMOTIONS, 45% PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND 32% WOMEN.
AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE A BUDGET OF ALMOST $85
MILLION AND AGAIN, A REMINDER
THAT 91% OF THAT BUDGET IS
FUNDED BY PERMIT AND OTHER
REVENUES, NOT GENERAL FUND.
WE ISSUED OVER 51,000 PERMITS
IN 2018.
WE REVIEWED OVER 9800
ENFORCEMENT COMPLAINTS.
WE REGISTERED OVER 31,000
RENTAL PROPERTIES, COMPRISED OF
159,000 UNITS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A NEW AND
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR
WORK.
WE RESPONDED TO OVER 1700
TENANT ASSISTANCE INQUIRIES AND
THAT RESULTED IN A LOT OF CASES
FOR OUR LANDLORD-TENANT UNIT
AND OUR RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM.
SO, WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
WE REVIEW AND ISSUE PERMITS.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING 17 CITY
CODES.
WE RUN THE CITY'S DESIGN REVIEW
PROGRAM.
WE DO INSPECTIONS.
WE DO CODE ENFORCEMENT.
WE RUN THE TENANT PROTECTION
AND RENTAL INSPECTION PROGRAM.
WE WORK ON A VARIETY OF LAND USE
CODE REVISIONS, IN ADDITIONTO
THE GREAT WORK THAT OPCD DOES
AND WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY
EVERY DAY ENGAGING, ESPECIALLY
IN OUR LANDLORD/TENANT UNIT.
IN 2018 WE ISSUED ALMOST 700
MASTER USE PERMITS.
6600 BUILDING PERMITS.
OVER 20,000 ELECTRICAL PERMITS.
LAST YEAR WE PERMITTED IT ABOUT
7800 NET NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
JUST AS A COMPARISON, WE ARE A
SMALLER CITY THAN OUR CITY TO
THE SOUTH, SAN FRANCISCO.
AND THEY ARE ISSUING ABOUT 3000
NEW BUILDING UNITS A YEAR, SO
WE ARE GOING FASTER ON
PRODUCTION AND AS WE KNOW, WE
DESPERATELY NEED NEW HOUSING
UNITS.
>> WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS PACE
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
>> CORRECT.
WHAT WE DO, AGAIN, OVER 194,000
INSPECTIONS IN 2018.
YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF
THE DIFFERENT TYPES.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE
RESPONDED TO ABOUT 9800
COMPLAINTS IN 2018.
EVERYTHING FROM ILLEGAL
CONSTRUCTION, TO WEEDS, TO
VACANT BUILDINGS, WHICH HAS
TAKEN ON MORE IMPORTANCE IN THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS, TO TREES.
AGAIN, AS COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN
REFERRED TO, PERMIT INTAKE
ACTUALLY INCREASED FROM 2000
18/2017.
THE INTAKE VALUE INCREASED.
THE ISSUANCE VALUE IS ACTUALLY
DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THAT PERMIT COUNT INCLUDES
BUILDING PERMITS, MECHANICAL
PERMITS AND TENANT IMPROVEMENT
PERMITS.
HERE IS A GRAPH THAT SHOWS THE
NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL UNITS
THAT WE PERMITTED.
WE ARE THINKING MOST OF THESE
UNITS ARE GETTING BELT, GIVEN
THE ROBUST HOUSING MARKET.
AGAIN, WE WERE A LITTLE BIT
DOWN IN 2018, BUT THE LAST FOUR
YEARS ARE THE HIGHEST IN THE
CITY'S ISTORY.
AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT BUILDING
PERMIT INTAKE, THE LAST THREE
YEARS, OVER 7000 BUILDING
PERMITS COMING IN EVERY YEAR.
>> NATHAN, ON THE GRAPH YOU SHOW
8353.
THIS MAY BE THE SUM OF BOTH.
IS THE DIFFERENCE THE REDLINE
THERE, THE DEMOLITIONS OR
SOMETHING?
>> CORRECT.
SO THEN THE TOTAL NUMBER IS
8300, BUT THERE ARE SOME DEMOS
AS PART OF THOSE PERMITS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NUMBER OF
UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED
IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF
THE OVERALL NUMBER OF NEW
UNITS.
>> A LOT MORE BLUE THAN RED.
>> RIGHT.
>> PROBABLY 85% OF THAT BLUE IS
UNAFFORDABLE.
I THINK I SAW A STAT IN THE
TIMES RECENTLY, REALTY TRAC,
ANALYZED HOUSING PRODUCTION IN
THE REGION OVER THE LAST 10
YEARS AND 85% OF IT IS DEFINED
AS LUXURY HOUSING.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
TERM FOR LUXURY IS, BUT WE KNOW
THAT MARKET RATE IN THE CITY IS
BEYOND THE REACH OF SO MANY
FOLKS.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> WE ARE PRODUCING MORE
AFFORDABLE UNITS THAN EVER,
GIVING THE LEVY AMOUNTS.
THE MAYOR IS FOCUSED ON THE
AFFORDABLE/MIDDLE INCOME RANGE,
BUT A LOT OF THE UNITS BEING
PRODUCED ARE AT THE HIGHER
INCOME LEVELS.
>> CAN YOU SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT
THE PERMIT REVIEW TIMES.
>> YES, I WILL GET TO THAT AND
EXPLAIN WHAT WE ARE DOING TO
ADDRESS THAT.
THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT
QUESTION.
SO, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE
CITY COUNCIL FOR LAST YEAR, AS
PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS,
ADOPTING OUR NEW FEE ORDINANCE.
WE DID RAISE AND RESTRUCTURE
OUR BUILDING PERMIT AND LAND-
USE HOURLY FEES.
THIS HELPS SUPPORT TERM LIMITED
POSITIONS, SO WE HAVE STAFF ON
BOARD TO RESPOND TO THE LEVELS
OF PERMITS AND IT ALSO HELPS US
FULLY FUND CORE STAFFING
RESERVE.
SO WHAT ARE DEPARTMENT
EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST IS WHEN
THE ECONOMY COOLED OFF, BECAUSE
OVER 90% OF OUR BUDGET IS FEE
DRIVEN, WE ARE IN A POSITION
WHERE WE HAVE TO LAY OFF A LOT
OF STAFF.
THEN WHEN THE ECONOMY COMES
ROARING BACK, WHICH IT ALWAYS
DOES, WE ARE ALWAYS BEHIND.
WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE
HIRING PROCESS AND TRAIN STAFF
AND WE ARE ALWAYS BEHIND.
SO WITH THESE FEE CHANGES, WE
WILL BE IN A POSITION IN THE
NEXT DOWNTURN WHERE WE DON'T
HAVE TO LAY OFF AS MANY STAFF
AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO RETAIN
CORE STAFFING RESERVE.
SO THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE
TRAINED AND HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE
WILL BE READY WHEN THE ECONOMY
COMES ROARING BACK.
AGAIN, I WANT TO REALLY THANK
COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING US ON
THAT.
IT IS A HUGE INVESTMENT IN THE
FUTURE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.
JUST BRIEFLY, FROM 2000-2016,
OUR LAND-USE HOURLY BILLING
RATE WAS UNCHANGED.
WE SLOWLY STARTED TO CHANGE
THAT.
LAST FALL, COUNSEL, YOU VOTED
TO RAISE THAT RATE TO $386 PER
HOUR, WHICH FULLY CATCHES US UP
TO THE RATE OF INFLATION.
AND ON BUILDING PERMIT FEES, WE
DID RAISE THE FEES FOR PROJECTS
WITH VALUATION OVER $1 MILLION.
WE DID NOT TOUCH THOSE PROJECTS
UNDER $1 MILLION, RECOGNIZING
THE SMALLER BUILDERS.
WE ALSO SORT OF RESET THE
BUILDING VALUATION DATA TABLE,
SO FEES ARE BASED ON THE VALUE
OF THE PROJECT.
WE HAD NOT COURSE CORRECTED THE
VALUES OF PROJECT BASED ON
INSTRUCTION COSTS IN THIS
REGION, SO THAT WAS AN
IMPORTANT PROJECT AS WELL, TO
AFFECT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE
MARKET IN THE SEATTLE
METROPOLITAN AREA.
>> SO, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE
THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY A YEAR AGO
YESTERDAY THAT WE ROLLED OUT
OUR NEW PERMITTING SYSTEM.
THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM, HANSON,
WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE FORGET
WAS OUT OF DATE, UNSUPPORTED
AND FAILING DAILY.
SO IT WAS CRUCIAL THAT WE
MIGRATED TO A NEW SYSTEM.
IT DOES ALLOW FOR A CITYWIDE
PLATFORM.
SDOT AND THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT ARE USING THIS
PLATFORM AS THEY MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS AND ACCELA WILL
RESULT IN BETTER PROCESS
EFFICIENCIES, INCREASED
COORDINATION AND BETTER
AUTOMATION.
HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE A ROCKY
ROLLOUT THAT NEGATIVELY
IMPACTED OUR CUSTOMERS AND ALSO
PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN
SEATTLE AND ARE TRYING TO TRACK
PERMITS.
WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD OVER
THE PAST YEAR TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO ACCELA.
I AM VERY SORRY ABOUT THE
CHALLENGES WE HAVE HAD.
WE HAVE INVESTED OVER $3 MILLION
WITH SEATTLE I.T.
TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE ARE GETTING THERE, BUT WE
ARE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE BIT
MORE TIME.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> WHAT ARE THE TOP LEVEL
IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU FEEL A
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR SDCI TO
FOCUS ON?
>> WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THE
PLATFORM MORE CUSTOMER
FRIENDLY.
I WILL SAY, ADDRESSING
COUNCILMEMBER PACHECO'S
CONCERNS, WE ARE HIRING
ADDITIONAL STAFF.
OUR PERMIT LAND-USE TIMES ARE
WAY BEHIND.
WE HAVE HAD MAJOR RETIREMENTS
IN LAND USE THIS YEAR.
WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING
ADDITIONAL STAFF.
WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
STEPS AS A RESULT OF THE ZONING
AUDIT AND THE MANDATORY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
CAPTURING THE CORRECT NUMBER OF
DOLLARS AS PART OF THAT, SO WE
ARE WORKING TO BETTER
STREAMLINE THAT PROCESS, AS
WELL.
AND WE ARE USING CONTINGENT
BUDGET AUTHORITY TO HIRE
ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR UP TO TWO
YEARS AND WE EXTENDED THAT.
SO WHEN WE DO HAVE TURNOVER OR
PEOPLE RETIRE, THOSE PEOPLE IN
THE CONTINGENT BUDGET AUTHORITY
POSITIONS ARE WELL POSITIONED
TO BE COMPETITIVE FOR THOSE
PERMANENT POSITIONS.
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FLAVOR OF
WHAT YOU DEFINE AS MAKING
ACCELA MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
>> SO, WE HAVE CREATED SHORT
VIDEOS ONLINE TO HELP PEOPLE
THROUGH THE PROCESS.
WE FIND PEOPLE RESPOND MUCH
BETTER TO VIDEOS THAN TO
INFORMATION ONLINE.
WE HAVE A HELP CENTER THAT
HELPS PEOPLE GET THROUGH THAT
PROCESS.
IN THE BEGINNING WHEN THINGS
WERE SO COMPLICATED, WE HAD A
DIRECT PHONE LINE THAT PEOPLE
COULD CALL IN AND GET FEEDBACK,
IMMEDIATELY THAT DAY, TO HELP
THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THERE IS A DROP-DOWN MENU THAT
WE JUST ADDED TO ACCELA, SO
PEOPLE CAN ZOOM IN ON THE EXACT
TYPE OF PERMIT THEY ARE LOOKING
FOR.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU --
THERE HAVE BEEN A TON OF
IMPROVEMENTS.
>> I'M LOOKING MORE AT WHAT THE
CUSTOMER SERVICE RELATED
IMPROVEMENTS ARE, MOVING
FORWARD.
>> IT IS PRIMARILY HIRING
ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES AND SEATTLE I.T.
>> WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO
REPORT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE
IN TERMS OF PERMIT STATUSES AND
CUSTOMER SERVICE?
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE CITY'S DESIGN REVIEW
PROGRAM THAT WAS UPDATED IN 2017
AS A REMINDER, THE PRIMARY UST
CHANGES WERE TO SIMPLIFY AND
RAISE THE THRESHOLDS FOR DESIGN
REVIEW AND TO FOCUS THE BOARD
ON LARGER, MORE COMPLEX
PROJECTS.
WE ADDED A REQUIREMENT FOR
EARLY COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
THAT IS OUR PROCESS THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
OVERSEAS AND WE DID INCLUDE
TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGN
BOARD MEMBERS.
ALL DESIGN BOARD MEMBERS GO
THROUGH RCI TRAINING, FOR
EXAMPLE.
THE EARLY OUTREACH PROCESS
AGAIN WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, IT REQUIRES
DEVELOPERS TO NOTIFY RESIDENTS
AND BUSINESSES OF PROJECTS
COMING UP IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT MAP ON THE
POWERPOINT SLIDE.
WE HAVE EQUITY AREAS WHERE WE
DO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR
THE DEVELOPERS AS FAR AS
PROVIDING INFORMATION IN OTHER
LANGUAGES AND REACHING OUT TO
UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
>> ARE LISTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD
COUNCILS GIVEN TO DEVELOPERS AS
WELL?
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD
IN PUBLIC COMMENT IS THAT THERE
IS A PERCEPTION THAT THE EARLY
OUTREACH COMPONENT ISN'T
FUNCTIONING AS PEOPLE HOPED IT
WOULD.
THIS WAS THE POSITION OR
TESTIMONY OF A SINGLE PERSON,
BUT THE FEELING WAS THAT DURING
EARLY OUTREACH, IT IS NOT
PERCEIVED THAT THERE ARE
ACTUALLY CHANGES TO THE PROJECT
DURING THAT COMPONENT.
SO WHEN DESIGN REVIEW BEGINS
ITS WORK, IN THEIR MINDS, ALL
OF THOSE ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE
COME UP IN DESIGN REVIEW HAVE
BEEN ADDRESSED.
SO YOU KNOW, ONE OF YOUR
BULLETS IS THAT IT ALLOWS
DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS TO FOCUS
ON DESIGN, WHICH WAS THE INTENT
. BUT I THINK THE PERCEPTION WAS
THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE
HAPPENING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY
AFFECT A PROPOSAL DURING THE
EARLY OUTREACH PIECE.
>> I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT SDCI
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD COME BACK
TO YOUR COMMITTEE AND TALK MORE
ABOUT THAT.
THIS WAS I THINK, I DON'T WANT
TO SAY EXPERIMENTS, BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS COUNSEL THOUGHT WAS
WORTH TRYING AS PART OF THE
DESIGN REVIEW ADMINISTRATION
WHEN YOU AMENDED THE
LEGISLATION.
WE ARE LEARNING THROUGH THAT
PROCESS.
I AM SURE THERE ARE EXAMPLES
WHERE IT HASN'T BEEN
SATISFACTORY TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER EXAMPLES
WHERE PERHAPS IT HAS BEEN
HELPFUL.
WHEN THE DEVELOPER REACHES OUT
TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE
PROJECT IS STILL VERY
CONCEPTUAL.
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO TALK
TO SOME DEVELOPERS ABOUT HOW
THEY SEE THE PROCESS.
IS IT HELPING THEM OR DID THEY
JUST SEE IT AS A BOX THEY HAD
TO CHECK?
>> RIGHT, THE TERM WAS USED IN
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN.
>> I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION.
I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT
ANECDOTALLY IN CONVERSATIONS MY
SENSE IS THE FRUSTRATION IS
LESS ABOUT DATES EVEN THE
COMMENT TODAY, IS LESS ABOUT
THE PROCESS NECESSARILY THEN
ABOUT THE OUTCOMES.
I THINK THERE IS A CHOICE WE
MAKE THAT SAYS THINGS LIKE
PARKING ARE NOT DESIGNED TO BE
SUBJECT TO DESIGN REVIEW.
WE SAY YOU CAN BUILD A FOUR
STORY APARTMENT BUILDING.
THERE ARE NARROW THINGS WE WANT
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON AND I
THINK A LOT OF FOLKS ARE
FRUSTRATED, THE CONSTRAINTS AT
WHICH WE CAN DO THAT.
I THINK THAT IS A FAIR POLICY
QUESTION.
THERE ARE OTHER JURISDICTIONS,
SAN FRANCISCO BEING ONE DOING
ABOUT A THIRD AS MUCH HOUSING
AS WE ARE.
IT IS A LONG PROCESS THAT
ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN NOT
HAPPENING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE
INTENTIONALLY NOT DONE THAT.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO
TRY TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE
CONCERNS ARE I AM NOT BEING
NOTIFIED OR WHEN I SHOW UP IT
IS TOO EARLY IN THE PROCESS,
VERSUS I JUST WANT ANOTHER
THING BUILT AND THEY AREN'T
LISTENING TO ME AND CHANGING IT
AND THE CITY IS NOT TELLING THEM
TO MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THAT IS ALL ON THE SPECTRUM.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, LAST YEAR COUNCIL PAST
NEIGHBORHOOD PARKING
LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE MORE
FLEXIBILITY.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT
THIS LEGISLATION AS IT ALLOWS
OWNERS OF EXISTING MULTI FAMILY
BUILDINGS WHO HAVE UNUSED
PARKING, WHICH WE FOUND THERE
WERE QUITE A FEW, TO BE ABLE TO
LEASE OUT THAT PARKING TO
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE
SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LEGISLATION ALSO REQUIRES
THAT PARKING LEASES ARE
SEPARATE FROM THE LEASES FOR
HOUSING UNITS, SO WE DO HAVE A
LOT OF PEOPLE IN SEATTLE THAT
DON'T OWN CARS.
THEY SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE
PAYING FOR A PARKING SPACE THAT
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO USE.
RENTING IN SEATTLE --
>> COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD.
>> I JUST REMEMBERED ANOTHER
PIECE AROUND THIS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT AND I THOUGHT
THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE
COMING BACK TO US.
THE EXPERIMENT GOING ON UP ON
CAPITOL HILL, ABOUT PUBLIC USE
OF UNDERUTILIZED BUILDING
PARKING.
>> CAPITOL HILL HOUSING WAS
WORKING ON THAT.
WE WILL CHECK ON THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
>> SO NEXT, RENTING IN SEATTLE.
AGAIN, I REALLY WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR CHAMPIONING
THIS PROGRAM.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD IN
PARTICULAR AND OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS.
THE IDEA HERE IS THAT THERE ARE
A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED
IN TENANTS RIGHTS AND
REGULATIONS AND ASSISTING
TENANTS, SO LATE LAST YEAR WE
LAUNCHED A SORT OF ONE-STOP,
DEDICATED WEBSITE FOR TENANTS
AND LANDLORDS AND ESTABLISHED A
DEDICATED HELPLINE.
SO WE ARE WORKING HARD TO GET
THE WORD OUT ABOUT THIS WEBSITE
AND WE ARE SEEING INCREASED
TRAFFIC ON THE PHONE LINE AND
THE WEBSITE AND I ENCOURAGE YOU
ALL TO CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE.
I THINK WE DID A GREAT JOB AND
NICE GRAPHICS AND PRETTY EASY
TO NAVIGATE, SO A GREAT, NEW
TOOL AND THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBERS.
WE CONTINUE TO DO A LOT OF
OUTREACH TO OUR TENANT AND
LANDLORD COMMUNITIES. WE DID
OVER 30 EVENTS IN 2018 AND WE
HAVE OVER 50 PLANNED IN 2019,
WHEN THE YEAR WILL BE DONE.
WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
AND A JOINT TRAINING CURRICULUM
FOR LANDLORDS.
WE DO QUARTERLY LANDLORD
WORKSHOPS.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE SEATTLE
HOUSING AUTHORITY AT THEIR
VOUCHER ORIENTATION.
AND WE HAVE DONE TARGETED
OUTREACH IN VARIOUS
NEIGHBORHOODS, SUCH AS SOUTH
PARK AND NEW HOLLY.
AND WE HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF
ADVERTISING ABOUT THIS RESOURCE
IN VARIOUS ETHNIC MEDIA
PUBLICATIONS IN THE CITY.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO 2019,
SOME OF THE LEGISLATION.
THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
LEGISLATION THAT O'BRIEN HAS
BEEN HELPING CHAMPION I BELIEVE
JUST PASSED THROUGH FULL
COUNSEL.
>> THREE DAYS AGO.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
THE VESSEL DEFINITION YOU JUST
HEARD ABOUT.
WE WILL ALSO BE BRINGING TO YOU
SOME ZONING CHANGES FOR SEATTLE
PACIFIC UNIVERSITY AS THEY WANT
TO EXPAND.
SOME OF THE ISSUES WE ARE
WORKING WITH THIS YEAR, WE HAVE
AWARDED OUR TENANT OUTREACH
GRANTS.
THIS WAS MONEY THAT COUNSEL GAVE
TO THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS.
MHA IMPLEMENTATION.
AGAIN, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.
THE PROGRAM IS IN EFFECT.
THE VACANT BUILDING MONITORING
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, UNDER
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD'S
LEADERSHIP.
TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE ROLE
LOOKING AT VACANT BUILDINGS IN
SEATTLE.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO HUGE
COMPLEX PROJECTS GOING THROUGH
OUR PERMITTING PROCESS.
ONE IS OBVIOUSLY THE SEATTLE
CENTER ARENA.
THE DEMOLITION AND SITE WORK
HAS STARTED ON THAT PROJECT FOR
THE NHL FACILITY.
AND FINALLY, NORTHGATE.
IT HAS BEEN UNDER THE RADAR
SCREEN, BUT IT WILL RADICALLY
CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
LIGHT RAIL OPENING IN 2021.
SIMON PROPERTIES IS PROPOSING
OVER 1500 UNITS OF HOUSING,
WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT.
THAT IS WHERE WE WANT HOUSING,
NEXT TO THE LIGHT RAIL STATION.
AND THEN NHL PRACTICE FACILITY
WHICH AT THIS POINT IS PROPOSED
TO BE THREE RINKS.
THAT WILL BE A GREAT AMENITY IN
NORTH SEATTLE.
>> ON THE LIGHT RAIL TRAINS IN
ADDITION TO THE BIKE RACK, LIKE
A HOCKEY GEAR RACK FOR FOLKS
GOING TO PRACTICE.
>> SO I KNOW --
>> I JUST HAD A FEW FOLLOW-UP
QUESTIONS.
WHAT PROACTIVE OUTREACH ARE YOU
DOING WITH BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC
INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
ACROSS THE CITY, WITH REGARDS
TO PROACTIVE OUTREACH FOR
STUDENTS OR YOUNG PEOPLE MOVING
TO SEATTLE?
TALK ABOUT THE RENTING TOOL.
>> THAT IS AN EXCELLENT
QUESTION.
I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU
ON THAT, WHAT OUTREACH WE ARE
DOING FOR STUDENTS.
I KNOW WE HAVE GET ENGAGED
MEMBERS ON OUR VARIOUS BOARDS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE ON OUR
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD.
AS FAR AS OUTREACH TO STUDENTS
AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
LEARNING, I DON'T KNOW.
I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
>> IF YOU ARE REFERRING
SPECIFICALLY TO THE RENTING
PIECE AND LETTING FOLKS KNOW
WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, I KNOW
THE FACT THAT ONE OF OUR
UNIVERSITIES HAS A PROGRAM
CERTAINLY ISN'T SUFFICIENT, BUT
I NO ONE IN PARTICULAR.
THERE IS A PROGRAM AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE PEOPLE
BECOMING NEW TENANTS KNOW WHAT
THEIR RIGHTS ARE.
AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY, AS YOU
SAY, IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR
NEW TENANTS TO HAVE, REGARDLESS
OF WHAT INSTITUTE OF HIGHER
LEARNING THEY ARE ATTENDING.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
>> SO AS FOLLOW-UP, JUST GIVEN
SOME OF THE DELAYS, THE BACKLOG
OF PERMITS, DO YOU HAVE ANY
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU CAN
REPORT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE --
>> YES, WE ARE INVOLVED IN A
LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT THIS.
IT IS SOMETHING OF GREAT
INTEREST TO THE AFFORDABLE
/MIDDLE INCOME ADVISORY
COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW, SO WE ARE
WORKING HARD ON THAT.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK
TO THIS COMMITTEE.
>> ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT WORK
PLAN, BEFORE I THINK YOU WILL
MOVE INTO ANOTHER DISCUSSION,
BUT JUST ANOTHER WORK PLAN
RELATED DISCUSSION.
IN 2018, AFTER RECEIVING A
SIMILAR BRIEFING, BEFORE THE
PLUS COMMITTEE, MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE, INCLUDING OUR
ALTERNATE, WROTE TO MAYOR
DURKAN ABOUT OUR CONCERN THAT
A REALLY HIGH PRIORITY ISSUE
WAS NOT CALLED OUT ON SDCI'S
WORK PLAN AND THAT IS
IMPLEMENTATION OF
RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO
UNREINFORCED MASONRY.
SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP
AGAIN.
THERE ARE 77 BUILDINGS WITH A
CRITICAL VULNERABILITY.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO
STAGE OUR RESPONSES BY FOCUSING
FIRST ON THOSE 77 BUILDINGS,
WHICH MEANS WE CAN'T GET TO THE
OTHER 200 OR SO BUILDINGS THAT
ARE LESS VULNERABLE, UNTIL WE
START MOVING ON THOSE.
IT IS ESTIMATED TO GET THROUGH
THE LIST OF BUILDINGS BETWEEN
SEVEN AND 13 YEARS, BUT WE
CAN'T GET TO A SEVEN YEAR
TIMEFRAME UNTIL WE STARTED.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
HERBOLD, FOR BRINGING UP
UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS.
A REALLY COMPLEX ISSUE AND
REALLY THE ONE ISSUE THAT KEEPS
ME UP AT NIGHT.
IF YOU RECALL LAST YEAR, THE
CITY HIRED THE NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, WHICH IS A
NATIONAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, TO
COME UP WITH A FINANCING
STRATEGY FOR HOW TO ADDRESS
THESE BUILDINGS IN SEATTLE.
WE ARE JUST COMPLETING THAT
REPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD,
HOPEFULLY, TO COMING BACK TO
COUNCIL SOON WITH THE RESULTS
OF THAT ANALYSIS.
>> SO IT IS A WORKPLAN ITEM --
>> CORRECT.
THANK YOU.
>> I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT
AS WE TRANSITION TO SAY, FOR
ALL THOSE IMPACTED, AS WELL AS
WE LEARNED ONE OF THE VICTIMS
WAS A FORMER STAFF MEMBER AND
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF YOUR
DEPARTMENT.
WHILE I KNOW WE HAVE LIMITED
INFORMATION AT THIS POINT, I
WANTED TO GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO
SPEAK TO THE ROLE THAT SDCI
PLAYED IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE
INCIDENT.
>> THANK YOU.
SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE
THAT ONE OF THE VICTIMS WAS THE
FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT.
HE WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR 31
YEARS.
IS SURVIVED BY THREE DAUGHTERS.
I AM IN CONTACT WITH THE
FAMILY.
WE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE
MEMORIAL SERVICE IS.
HE WAS ALSO OUR MEDIA
SPOKESPERSON.
IT IS JUST A TRAGIC IRONY.
BOTH THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT IN THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTIONS IS REALLY GRIEVING
THROUGH THIS LOSS.
>> WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
CERTIFYING AND INSPECTING THE
TOWER CRANES?
IS THAT SDCI OR A DIFFERENT
ENTITY?
>> UNDER STATE LAW, STATE LABOR
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TOWER
CRANES.
THEY HAVE A RIGOROUS PROCESS
FOR CERTIFYING THE CRANES AND
THE SETUP AND REMOVAL OF THOSE
CRANES.
>> SO, SDCI HAS NO REGULATORY
AUTHORITY UNDER THE CURRENT
POLICY CONSTRUCT THAT EXISTS?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS
BEEN SUGGESTED IS WE MIGHT WANT
TO LOOK AT ADDITIONAL
REGULATIONS, ABOVE AND BEYOND
WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES.
ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN
SUGGESTED IS WE COULD HAVE OUR
OWN REGULATION THAT COULD
REQUIRE THAT A TECHNICIAN
ACCOMPANY THE WORKER WHO IS
TAKING APART THE CRANE.
THERE HAS BEEN SPECULATION THAT
THE PINS WERE POLLED, GOING UP
INSTEAD OF COMING DOWN AT THE
END, IN ORDER TO SAVE TIME.
BUT THERE IS A RIGHT WAY TO DO
IT AND A WRONG WAY TO DO IT AND
HAVING A TECHNICIAN ACCOMPANY
THE WORKER TO MAKE SURE IT IS
BEING DONE THE CORRECT WAY IS
ONE THING THAT HAS BEEN
SUGGESTED.
ANOTHER HAS BEEN SUGGESTED,
THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY
REQUIRE A SEATTLE ORDINANCE,
THAT THERE BE A FLAGGER ON THE
STREET WHEN THE CRANE IS BEING
TAKEN APART ITSELF.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
THE AUTHORITY TO DO OR IS IT
SOMEHOW PREEMPTED?
>> SO, I DON'T WANT TO
SPECULATE ON WHAT HAPPENED ON
SITE.
I THINK WE NEED TO WAIT FOR THE
INVESTIGATION OF STATE LABOR
AND INDUSTRIES.
I WOULD RECOMMEND FINDING OUT
WHAT HAPPENED THERE, BEFORE THE
CITY LOOKS AT ADDITIONAL
REGULATIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE
AUTHORITY OR NOT.
>> I THINK THAT IS GOOD ADVICE.
WE SHOULD FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED, BEFORE TRYING TO MAKE
ANY SORT OF REGULATORY
CORRECTION HERE.
I WAS MORE GIVING THAT AS AN
EXAMPLE, TO SEE IF WE HAD THE
AUTHORITY OR NOT, BUT I
UNDERSTAND THAT IS SOMETHING WE
SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO TAKE A
LOOK AT INTERNALLY, TO SEE
WHETHER OR NOT THE AREA IS
PREEMPTED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AGAIN, OUR CONDOLENCES GO TO
THE FAMILY AND THOSE IMPACTED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AS WELL AS THE WORKERS.
WE HAVE LABOR REPRESENTED HERE
IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
THEY LOST A NUMBER OF FOLKS AND
IT IS DEFINITELY VERY TRAGIC.
>> I JUST WANTED TO STRESS THAT
I HAVE BEEN OUT TO THE SITE.
ONE OF OUR SENIOR BUILDING
INSPECTORS HAS BEEN OUT THERE.
ONE OF OUR LEAD STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERS HAS BEEN OUT TO THE
SITE.
WE WILL BEGIN WORKING VERY
CAREFULLY WITH THE ENGINEER OF
RECORD AND THE BUILDING OWNER,
DEVELOPER AND CONTRACTOR, ON
THE PATH FORWARD.
THEY WILL NEED SEVERAL PERMITS
FROM OUR DEPARTMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR FINAL ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY IS THE 2018 RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE FOR
BOTH OPCD AND SDCI.
>> AGENDA ITEM 4, OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS
2018 RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE REPORT.
>> DIRECTOR TORGELSON AND
STAFF.
>> AND WE HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF
COMING UP AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
COULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND KICK US OFF.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS IAN DAPIAOEN, WITH
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
>> I AM JARED BIGELOW WITH
SDCI.
>> GREAT, WELL, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US HERE AGAIN.
WE WILL GIVE YOU SORT OF AN
OVERVIEW OF OUR COLLABORATION
AND WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR TEAM.
JUST TO NOTE, BOTH SDCI AND
OPCD CONSISTENTLY COLLABORATE
TO ADVANCE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE AND NATHAN AND I WORK
CLOSELY, AS WELL AS OUR STAFF.
SO WE WILL GIVE YOU SORT OF A
GENERAL UPDATE WHERE WE ARE.
BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO
SAY ON BEHALF OF SDCI AND OPCD
THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACTIVELY
RECOGNIZE THAT WE LIVE AND ENJOY
A LAND THAT INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
LIVED HERE BEFORE US FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS AND CONTINUE
TO DO, ESPECIALLY THE CURRENT
AND TRADITIONAL TERRITORIES OF
THE COAST SALISH.
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US WITH
CITY LAND POLICY THAT WE KNOW
THE PAST IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR
THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE BEEN
MAKING A LOT OF EFFORT IN THAT
AREA.
THE STARTING POINT FOR US IS TO
RECOGNIZE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED
HERE BEFORE.
AS WE TALKED THROUGH THIS, WE
WILL SHOW YOU EXAMPLES OF HOW
WE ARE OPERATIONALIZING THAT
THOUGHT.
AN IDEA, WHERE IT BECOMES A
VERY EFFECTIVE ACT BY OUR
DEPARTMENTS.
SO, WITH THAT --
>> I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT WE OBVIOUSLY USED TO BE
THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE TWO DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS, BUT WE HAVE
DECIDED TO KEEP A JOINT CHANGE
TEAM, WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN
EFFECTIVE.
WE WORK TOGETHER EVERY DAY IS
TWO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND
IT MADE SENSE TO US TO KEEP ONE
CHANGE TEAM.
WE DO A LOT OF THE CURRENT
PLANNING AND OPCD DOES A LOT OF
THE IMPLEMENTATION DEVELOPMENT.
SO COUNCILMEMBERS, I KNOW YOU
ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR HOME
FARES.
FOCUSING ON 2018
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE HAD A SOUTH
SEATTLE HOME FAIR.
ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE
ATTENDEES WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND WE HAD 150+ ATTENDEES.
I KNOW I AM JUMPING INTO 2019
AND THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE PART
OF MY PRESENTATION NEXT YEAR,
BUT THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED.
WE HAD A HOME FAIR IN SOUTH
SEATTLE AND ONE IN NORTH
SEATTLE.
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN, I WANT
TO THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTEND
THE HOME FAIR IN YOUR DISTRICT
AND I KNOW STAFF AND THE PEOPLE
WHO ATTENDED REALLY APPRECIATED
HAVING YOU THERE.
>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATED
BEING THERE.
I WAS BLOWN AWAY AT THE
ATTENDANCE AT THE FAIR AND I
CAN TELL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE
COMMITTED TO DOING THIS WORK
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A WINTER
WEEKEND, BUT IT WAS A SUNNY DAY
AND THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF
FOLKS WHO CAME IN, PACKED INTO
THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
ALL SORTS OF INFORMATION BEING
SHARED AND IT IS A GREAT FACE
OF THE CITY TO THE COMMUNITY,
SO THANKS FOR THAT.
>> FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE
WATCHING ON TV, AT THE HOME FAIR
THERE ARE SDCI STAFF, BUT ALSO
STAFF FROM OTHER AGENCIES
WITHIN THE CITY AND OUTSIDE THE
CITY.
IT IS A RELAXED ENVIRONMENT
WHERE HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS
CAN TALK TO STAFF AND WE ALSO
HAVE PRESENTATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE
LANDSLIDE AWARENESS, EARTHQUAKE
RETROFITTING YOUR HOME, AND
VARIOUS TOPICS LIKE THAT.
WE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT,
BUT I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT
SERVICE WE PROVIDE TO THE
COMMUNITY.
ALSO AS I MENTIONED IN MY
PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, WE
CONTINUE TO DO MORE AND MORE
TENANT OUTREACH TO VARIOUS
TENANT GROUPS AND INDIVIDUAL
TENANTS AND THAT IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WORK.
>> AND OPCD ALSO CONTINUES TO
ADVANCE ISSUES IN COMMUNITY
PLANNING AND EACH OF THE AREAS.
IMAGINE GREATER DOWNTOWN, WE
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT.
IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS WE
MADE EXTRA EFFORT TO GET THE
VOICES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO
DON'T NORMALLY FEEL LIKE THEY
CAN COME TO DOWNTOWN, TO ASK
THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEED TO DO
AS WE PLAN FOR THE DOWNTOWN.
HOW TO RESPOND TO SOME OF THE
ISSUES THAT WE HEARD ALREADY
THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE TO COME TO
DOWNTOWN.
WE REACHED OUT TO INDIGENOUS
GOUPS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND HOW THAT
COULD HELP THEM INFORM THE
FUTURE.
THE WATERFRONT PLANNING AND A
LOT OF THE FOCUS IN THE
DOWNTOWN AREA, TO BE AFFECTED
BY THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT.
WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND
INCREASE OUR EFFORTS, INCLUDING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH A MAJOR
TRANSFORMATION TO ADVANCE AND
IMPROVE OUR ENGAGEMENT,
ESPECIALLY OUTREACH TO PEOPLE
WHO DON'T NORMALLY ENGAGE.
>> FOR THE EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, WE
ASSEMBLED A 15 MEMBER ADVISORY
BOARD TO HELP DETERMINE
CRITERIA FOR PROJECTS RECEIVING
EDI FUNDING.
THEY WILL ALSO HELP US REVIEW
STORIES THAT WILL BE IN THE EDI
MONITORING REPORT.
WE HAD TWO GREAT EVENTS LAST
YEAR.
AND EDI MINICONFERENCE AT THE
SEATTLE DESIGN FESTIVAL AND A
CONVENING EVENT IN NOVEMBER.
ANOTHER ACCOMPLISHMENT, OUR
INDIGENOUS SEATTLE INITIATIVE,
THIS WAS CREATED EARLY LAST YEAR
TO EDUCATE OUR DEPARTMENT AND
COMMUNITIES ABOUT INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE, THEIR CULTURE, HISTORY
AND HOW THEY CAN INFLUENCE OUR
WORK IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
WE HAD FOUR TRAININGS, EVENTS
LAST YEAR, AS YOU CAN SEE ON
THE SCREEN.
IN ADDITION, IN THE OFFICE WE
HAVE AN INDIGENOUS SEATTLE
INTERN BY THE NAME OF ON
OLIVER, WHO HAS BEEN EXCELLENT.
HE ORGANIZED THE CONVERSATION
CIRCLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON BETWEEN OPCD AND
FIRST NATIONS AND HE COWROTE
THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT
SAM READ EARLIER.
>> SO, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WE
STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO AT
OPCD, THIS URBAN INNOVATION
SPEAKER SERIES.
WE HOLD ABOUT THREE EVENTS A
YEAR AROUND TOPICAL ISSUES THAT
AFFECT SEATTLEITES.
IN 2018 WE FOCUSED THE THEMES
AROUND RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
ISSUES IN THE ROLE OF PLANNING,
ZONING, AND POLICIES OF LAND-USE
AND HOW THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE OF
COLOR.
LAST FEBRUARY, WE LAUNCHED THE
CENTRAL VISION.
IT IS A DOCUMENTARY IN THE
CENTRAL AREA THAT WE WORKED WITH
LOCAL ARTISTS AND LOCAL
ACTIVISTS AND WE FUNDED THE
PROGRAM TO HAVE THEM TELL THEIR
STORIES ABOUT THE IMPACTS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD IS GOING THROUGH
AS A RESULT OF DISPLACEMENT
RISKS.
IN MAY, WE HELD AN EVENT,
EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INVESTMENT FOCUSED.
WE BROUGHT SPEAKERS FROM
OUTSIDE THE CITY, FROM OTHER
CITIES, AS WELL AS LOCAL.
WE HELD IT AT THE ETHIOPIAN
COMMUNITY OF SEATTLE.
WE STARTED TAKING THE URBAN
INNOVATION SPEAKER SERIES TO
NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL.
AND LAST DECEMBER WE HELD A
COLOR OF LAW.
IT IS A SEMINAL BOOK HE
RECENTLY WROTE ABOUT THE
HISTORY OF ZONING AND ITS
IMPACT ON HOW RACE-BASED IT IS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
SEATTLE IS ONE OF THEM.
IT WAS A VERY INFORMATIVE
DISCUSSION.
OTHER PANELISTS, AS WELL.
AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR STAFF
TO READ IT AS WELL, INTERNALLY.
IT IS HELPING US INFORM OUR
WORK, IN TERMS OF THE HISTORY
OF IT AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO
MITIGATE THAT AS WE ARE
CRAFTING POLICIES AS CITY
DEPARTMENTS.
THE SPEAKER SERIES WILL
CONTINUE THIS YEAR.
I AM ENCOURAGING NATHAN TO
CEATE ONE LIKE THAT AT SDCI.
WE COMPETE, OFTEN.
>> BUT WE ARE UP HERE TOGETHER.
IT SOUNDS LIKE SIBLINGS.
>> TWINS.
>> I DO GET YOU GUYS MIXED UP A
LOT.
>> AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, LATE
LAST YEAR, OUR RENTING IN
SEATTLE WEBSITE WENT LIVE.
INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE IS
AVAILABLE IN 13 LANGUAGES.
WE ALSO INCLUDED VOTER
REGISTRATION INFORMATION AS
PART OF THAT WEBSITE.
AND WE HAVE A CENTRAL PHONE
NUMBER AND WE ARE GETTING ABOUT
100 CALLS PER MONTH.
I AM EXPECTING AS WE GET THE
WORD OUT, THAT NUMBER WILL PICK
UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
>> SO, FOR 2018, SDCI FOCUSED
ON INTERNAL TRAINING TO REBUILD
OUR RSJI COMMITMENT.
WE STARTED OUT WITH GETTING
ABOUT 75% OF OUR EXECUTIVE,
STRATEGIC ADVISOR AND
MANAGEMENT TEAMS INTO A MORE
COMPREHENSIVE IMPLICIT BIAS
TRAINING.
ADDITIONALLY, WE REVAMPED OUR
HIRING PROCESS.
NOW WE ALLOW POTENTIAL
CANDIDATES TO HAVE ACCESS TO
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 15 MINUTES
BEFORE, WHICH WE FOUND IS A BIG
HELP TO APPLICANTS THAT DON'T
SPEAK ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST
LANGUAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, WE REQUIRE FEWER
COVER LETTERS FOR CERTAIN
POSITIONS, WHICH IS ALSO A
BARRIER FOR ACCESS.
FINALLY, WE ARE WITHHOLDING THE
NAMES AND RESUMES PRIOR TO THE
START OF THE INTERVIEWS FOR
CERTAIN POSITIONS, WHICH HAS
ALSO HELPED REDUCE THE BIAS IN
THE HIRING PROCESS.
FINALLY, WE HAVE THE CENTRAL
VISION SHOWINGS.
WE DID THE ONE SHOWING BACK IN
FEBRUARY WITH OPCD AND THEN WE
HAD FOUR INTERNAL STAFF SHOWINGS
IN OCTOBER, 2018.
WE KIND OF GOT OUR STAFF
THINKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF
THE WORK.
>> I APPRECIATE THE RANGE OF
THINGS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE AND THE SPECIFIC ONE ABOUT
ALLOWING INTERVIEWEES TO HAVE
ACCESS TO THE QUESTIONS 15
MINUTES BEFORE IS SOMETHING MY
OFFICE RECENTLY DID.
SOMEONE PICKED IT UP FROM
SOMEONE ELSE DOING IT IN THE
CITY.
LIKE A LOT OF THINGS, WHEN WE
FOCUS ON HOW TO MAKE SURE
EVERYONE HAS EQUAL ACCESS, AND
MAKES THE PROCESS BETTER FOR
EVERYONE.
>> WE HAVE HEARD POSITIVE
THINGS ABOUT IT.
>> IT IS GREAT TO HEAR THAT AND
I AM HAPPY TO HAVE STOLEN IT
FROM SOMEONE IN THE CITY.
>> US, TOO.
>> THANKS.
>> NATHAN.
>> DESIGN REVIEW BOARDS.
>> AS I MENTIONED EARLIER,
DESIGN REVIEW BOARDS ARE GOING
THROUGH RSJI TRAINING,
ESPECIALLY AS NEW BOARD MEMBERS
COME ON.
SAM WILL REFER TO -- SAM'S
DEPARTMENT OVERSEES THE DESIGN
COMMISSION, THE ADVISORY BOARD,
AND OF COURSE THE DAWN REVIEW
BOARDS ARE ALL GOING THROUGH
THAT TRAINING.
>> LIKE WILL THE NORTHEAST
REVIEW BOARD GO THROUGH IT
TOGETHER OR IS IT MORE THAT AS
A CITY THERE ARE TRAINING AND
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT --
>> JARED CAN CORRECT ME, BUT I
THINK WE HAVE MULTIPLE
OPPORTUNITIES AND BOARD MEMBERS
GO TO THE ONES THEY CAN GO TO.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE DESIGN REVIEW
BOARD MEMBERS FROM NORTHEAST
AND WEST SEATTLE GOING TO THE
SAME TRAINING, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> AND THEN BOTH DESIGN
COMMISSION AND PLANNING
DIRECTOR STAFF, WORKING WITH
THEIR COMMISSIONS ON SPECIFIC
TRAININGS FOR COMMISSIONERS
THEMSELVES, AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE BEEN COLLABORATING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD SPACE PROGRAM.
PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE DID A LAND-USE 101 URBAN
PLANNING AS SETTLER COLONIALISM
TRAINING.
IN INVOLVED THE UW MASTER
PLANNING PROGRAM AS PART OF
THAT TRAINING.
>> ONE MORE PIECE THERE THAT I
DIDN'T MENTION IS THAT THE
PROGRAM DOES ALLOW LANDLORDS TO
HIRE PRIVATE INSPECTORS AND
THOSE PRIVATE INSPECTORS ALSO
GO THROUGH THE RSJI TRAINING.
>> DIRECTOR TORGELSON JUMPED
BACK TO THE BULLET I WAS GOING
TO RETURN TO, SO I AM TAKEN
CARE OF.
I AM CURIOUS, THOUGH.
WHAT IS THE SPLIT WE ARE SEEING
RIGHT NOW ON THE PROGRAM
BETWEEN LANDLORDS USING PRIVATE
INSPECTORS VERSUS YOURS?
>> I DON'T KNOW, BUT I WILL GET
THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
>> IN TERMS OF WORKFORCE
EQUITY, WE HAD THE SEATTLE
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AS IN
YEARS PAST.
LAST YEAR WE HAD FOUR PEOPLE
JOIN US.
THREE YOUNG MEN AND ONE WOMAN
OF COLOR.
THEY SPENT TIME GOING THROUGH
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WITHIN
OUR WORK GROUP IN OUR
DEPARTMENT, EXCUSE ME, SING THE
FULL SCOPE OF WHAT WE DO.
THEY WENT WITH THE INSPECTION
TEAM, REVIEW TEAMS, WITH THE
COMMUNICATION TEAM.
AT THE END OF THAT THEY DID
PRODUCE A VIDEO CAPSTONE
PROJECT, WHICH ALLOWED THEM TO
GET VIDEO EDITING SKILLS AS
WELL.
ADDITIONALLY WE EXPANDED THE
JOB SHADOWING PROGRAM FOR SDCI
EMPLOYEES.
THIS ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO SIT
WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS FOR
TWO OPPORTUNITIES OF UP TO
EIGHT HOURS OF PEACE, SO THEY
COULD SEE THE SORTS OF JOBS
THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE IN.
>> SO BOTH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS
ARE ENGAGED IN RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKITS.
BUT THE OPCD AND SDCI ARE GOING
TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THOSE
TOOLKITS IN THE NEXT SLIDES.
SO WE ARE UNDERTAKING A PRETTY
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATION
PLAN WITH A RSJI FILTER AND WE
ARE PROVIDING TRAINING FOR
WORKGROUPS THAT DON'T
NECESSARILY INTERACT WITH
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
WE ARE TALKING TO HISTORICALLY
UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS TO
FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN BETTER
ACCESS OUR DEPARTMENT,
PROVIDING MORE MATERIALS IN
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
YOU KNOW, IN 2017 AND 2018 WE
DID HAVE UNFORTUNATE
CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SOME OF OUR
INSPECTORS WENT OUT INTO THE
FIELD AND THERE WERE IMMIGRANT
AND REFUGEE GROUPS WHO THOUGHT
OUR EMPLOYEES WERE FROM THE INS,
SO WE MADE UP CARDS IN
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TO GIVE TO
THOSE POPULATIONS, SAYING WE
ARE FROM THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
HERE TO HELP YOU WITH TENANT
ISSUES.
SO WE EXPERIENCE THOSE TYPES OF
ISSUES WHEN WE ARE OUT IN THE
FIELD.
>> SIMILARLY WITH OPCD THIS
YEAR.
IT ACTUALLY STARTED LAST YEAR.
WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON THREE
RACIAL TOOLKIT AREAS.
ONE IN CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT, IN COLLABORATION WITH
OCR AND DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, AS PART OF THE
ST3 SCOPING AND PLANNING WORK.
AND IMAGINE GREATER DOWNTOWN,
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
ALSO USING OUR ET FOR THAT
PROJECT.
>> NEXT SLIDE.
>> I'M SORRY?
>> YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> SO, IMAGINE GREATER
DOWNTOWN, AS I MENTIONED.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE
SPECIFICS.
WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSING A LOT
ABOUT THE PUBLIC REALM IN THE
DOWNTOWN AND HOW IT IS USED.
FOR THAT, THE EQUITY OUTCOMES
ARE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE HEARD A LOT OF RESPONSES
FROM MULTIPLE GROUPS WHO FELT
WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, IN TERMS
FOR THEM TO BE COMFORTABLE IN
COMING TO DOWNTOWN, SO WE COULD
TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS
PART OF OUR SORT OF POLICY
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT, FOR SDCI, THE
MAIN THING WE ARE LOOKING AT
FOR 2019 IS TO INITIATE THE
STAFF TRAINING PLAN THAT WE
DEVELOPED IN 2017 AND HAD
APPROVED IN 2018.
THIS FOCUSES ON OUR CHANGE TEAM
MEMBERS.
JUST MAKING SURE WE GET MORE
TRAINING IN IMPLICIT BIAS,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
ADDITIONALLY WE LOOKED AT
INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF
REQUIRED RSJI COURSES FOR ALL
STAFF.
WE ARE PLANNING ON ROLLING OUT
A WORKSHOP WHICH IS BASICALLY
WORK GROUP WORKSHOPS TO LOOK AT
RSJI ISSUES ON A SMALLER
SCHEDULE THAN WOULD REQUIRE THE
TOOLKIT.
AND FINALLY WE ARE LOOKING AT
UPDATING OUR COMBINED CHANGE
TEAM CHARTER TO BETTER REFLECT
THE SCOPE OF THE WORK WE ARE
TRYING TO DO NOW, AS WELL AS
BETTER TO FIND COMMITMENTS FROM
STAFF THAT WE REQUIRE.
>> FOR OPCD, JUST STRENGTHENING
OUR PRACTICES AND TEAMBUILDING.
I THINK WORKING OUR PLAN AND
PLANNING OUR WORK.
PUTTING EVERYTHING INTO
PRACTICE IS IMPORTANT.
TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR
INDIGENOUS INTERN.
AND WE HOPE TO TAKE A FIELD
TRIP TO THE REDLINING EXHIBIT,
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
THAT.
>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING THAT UPDATE ON VERY
IMPORTANT WORK.
AND THANK YOU, MY COLLEAGUES,
FOR BEING GREAT ALLIES IN THIS
WORK.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU
STARTED OFF WITH HOW WE DESIGN
OUR CITY HAS A HUGE IMPACT AND
HOW WE DESIGNED THE CITY OVER
THE LAST 100 YEARS HAS A HUGE
IMPACT ON WHO BENEFITS AND WHO
HAS CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE IN
THE CITY AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR
TEAMS DO ON A DAY IN DAY OUT
BASIS.
WE HAVE ADDED A WHOLE HOST OF
THINGS THAT YOUR DEPARTMENTS
COVER.
BUT IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
WORK AND IT IS GREAT TO SEE THE
COMMITMENT.
I REALLY WANT TO LIFT THAT UP
AND THANKS TO YOUR TEAM MEMBERS
FOR DOING THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
AS WELL, ON THESE ISSUES.
>> THIS CONCLUDES OUR MAY 1,
2019 MEETING OF THE PLANNING,
LAND USE, AND ZONING COMMITTEE.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON
MAY 13 STARTING AT 9:30 IN
COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.