>>> WE ARE RECORDING.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.
THE FEBRUARY 24th, 2021
COMMITTEE MEETING OF LAND USE
AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE.
IT IS 9:30 ON THE DOT.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS.
>> PRESENT.
WE BEGIN ALL OF OUR LAND USE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS BY
ACKNOWLEDGING WE ARE ON THE
REGIONAL AND ANCESTRAL LANDS OF
PEOPLE OF THIS REGION.
WE HONOR WITH GRATITUDE THE
LAND ITSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF
THIS LAND.
WE START WITH THIS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT WE ARE GUESTS ON
THIS LAND, AND THAT WE SHOULD
STEWARD OUR LAND AS SUCH, AS
GUESTS.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO START
úOUR MEETINGS THIS WAY, BECAUSE
THE DECISIONS WE MAKE IN THIS
COMMITTEE ARE DIRECTLY RELATED
TO LAND AND NEIGHBORHOODS, AND
WE NEED TO KEEP AT THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND TO MAKE
DECISIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE
OF GUESTS ON THIS LAND.
WE ARE ONLY HERE FOR A SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON
THEIR RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIAL ITTIVE REPORT.
A PRESENTATION FROM THE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION.
AND A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION
OF COUNSEL BILL 120001.
THE BRINGING BUSINESS HOME
BILL.
A SMALL BUSINESS FLEXIBILITY
BILL.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL IT THE
GARAGE ENTREPRENEURIAL BILL.
BUT BRINGING BUSINESS HOME IS A
LITTLE MORE CONCISE.
THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED
MEETING OF THE THE LAND USE, IS
ON MARCH 10th STARTING AT 9:00
A.M.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I ASK THAT
EVERYONE PLEASE BE PATIENT AS
WE LEARN TO OPERATE THIS NEW
SYSTEM IN REALTIME.
WHILE IT REMAINS OUR STRONG
INTENT TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT,
THE CITY COUNCIL RESERVES THE
RIGHT TO END THESE COMMENTS AT
ANYTIME, IF WE BELIEVE THE
SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED, OR IS
UNSUITABLE TO ALLOW OUR PUBLIC
MEETINGS TO BE DONE
EFFICIENTLY, OR IN AN EFFORT
THAT IS NECESSARY FOR US TO
CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR
THIS MEETING IS UP TO TEN
MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN UP
TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL ON EACH SPEAKER IN
THE ORDER THEY HAVE REGISTERED
ON THEC COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
THE STAFF WILL UNMUTE AN
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE.
YOU MUST PRESS STAR 6, NOT
POUND 6. BUT STAR 6 ON YOUR END
TO UNMUTE.
PLEASE BEGIN BY SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME, AND WHICH
ITEM OF THE AGENDA YOU WILL BE
ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
THERE IS 10 SECONDS REMAINING.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS, THE SPEAKER'S
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED TO
ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
PUBLIC SPEAKER.
IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, PLEASE
DO SO VIA THE SILENT CHANNEL OR
THE LISTING ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AT 9:34 A.M., AND WE
GO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER
ON THE LIST.
STEVE ZEMKE, CAITLYN BRAND, AND
JESSICA DIXON.
STEVE, WELCOME.
I SEE YOU THERE.
CAN YOU UNMUTE?
STAR 6 ON YOUR END.
THERE WE ARE, GOOD MORNING,
STEVE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME'S STEVE ZEMKE.
I'M A FORMER MEMBER OF THE
SEATTLE URBAN FOREST
COMMISSION.
HAVING SERVED OVER SIX YEARS.
IT'S MY OPINION AFTER BEING
INVOLVED OVER 12 YEARS AND
TRYING TO WORK FOR AN UPDATED
TREE AND URBAN FOREST
PROTECTION ORDINANCE, THAT THE
URBAN FOREST COMMISSION HAS
BECOME IN LARGE PART JUST
ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
IT'S MOSTLY ON THE OUTSIDE
LOOKING IN.
TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS, ONE IS
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE URBAN
FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN.
THE DRAFT PLAN PRODUCED THAT
MOSTLY THE COMMISSIONERS HAD
SEVERAL TALKING SESSIONS, BUT
WERE NOT INVOLVED IN WRITING OR
REVIEWING THE DRAFT PRIOR TO
ITS RELEASE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE COMMISSION REVIEWED THE
PUBLICLY RELEASED DRAFT, AND
SUBMITTED COMMENTS LIKE OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND WE DO NOT KNOW WHETHER
THESE WILL BE INCORPORATED IN
THE FINAL DRAFT PRESENTED TO
YOU.
THE OTHER IS THE CONFUSION OVER
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH UPDATING
THE URBAN FOREST TREE
PROTECTION ORDINANCE, THAT IT
SAYS IN THE WORK PLAN INVOLVED
IN THE DELIVERY OF SESSIONS IN
THE TREE AND URBAN PREDICTION
ORDINANCE WITH SCEO, AND OSE.
THERE WERE NO DELIBERATIVE
SESSIONS HELD IN 2020
SPECIFICALLY RELATING TO THE
DRAFT TREE ORDINANCE.
THE COMMISSION WAS INVOLVED IN
REVIEWING REGULATIONS, BUT NOT
IN DISCUSSING POTENTIAL
ORDINANCE LANGUAGE.
AND A NOTE IN THE URBAN FOREST
LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN SAYS SPCI
WILL BE INVOLVED ALONE IN THE
UPDATE OF CITY TREE
REGULATIONS.
NOWHERE IS THERE A MENTION OF
THE UPDATE OF THE ORDINANCE.
NOR DOES IT MENTION THAT THE
URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION HAS
BEEN INVOLVED.
SO WE THINK YOU NEED TO BE
AWARE.
WE THINK THIS IS JUST MORE
CONTINUATION OF PROLONGING THIS
PROCESS WITHOUT ACTION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, STEVE.
UP NEXT, WE HAVE CAITLYN BRAHM,
FOLLOWED BY JESSICA DIXON.
GOOD MORNING, CAITLYN.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THIS IS CAITLYN BRAHM, THE
FOUNDER OF YONDER CIDER.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
YONDER CIDER HAD A SMALL GARAGE
TASTING ROOM, OUT OF MY
PERSONAL GARAGE IN THE PHINNEY
RIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE ENDED UP CLOSING ON DOORS ON
FEBRUARY 15th, DUE TO ZONING
ISSUES.
I'M CALL IN SUPPORT OF THE
BILL, BECAUSE I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE WHAT OPENING IN OUR
GARAGE DID FOR YONDER CIDER.
WE HAD PLANS FOR A FULL TASTING
ROOM WHEN WE BEGAN THIS
PROCESS, BUT OF COURSE THAT WAS
IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR, AND
THE PANDEMIC HIT IN MARCH SO
ALL OF OUR PLANS CHANGED.
BEING ABLE TO LAUNCH A BRAND,
WITH NO TASTING ROOM, AND NO
RETAIL PRESENCE IS A CHALLENGE.
BY OPENING OUR BUSINESS IN OUR
GARAGE, WE WERE ABLE TO KICK
START YONDER AND TO GROW ITS
SUCCESS FROM THE GROUND UP.
BEFORE WE OPENED, AND SLOWLY,
BUT SURELY GAINED SUPPORT OF
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DID ANNOUNCE ABOUT THREE OR
FOUR WEEKS AGO, THAT WE WERE
CLOSING OUR DOORS, AND HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH ZONING TO TRY
AND FIND THE SOLUTION, BUT THE
SOLUTION THAT WAS GIVEN DID NOT
MAKE IT ABLE FOR US TO CONTINUE
STAYING OPEN.
WE HAD TO CLOSURE DOORS, BUT
DID RECEIVE 4200 SIGNATURES IN
SUPPORT.
WHAT YONDER CIDER HAS DONE, IS
PROVIDE A VIBRANT PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO WALK TO DURING THE
PANDEMIC.
IT'S ALSO PROVIDED A FRIENDLY
NEIGHBORHOOD FEELING, AND IT'S
PROVIDED YONDER CIDER WITH THE
ABILITY TO SUCCEED.
>> THANK YOU, CAITLYN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH ANY MORE COMMENTS, FEEL
FREE TO EMAIL US DAN
STRAUSS@SEATTLE.GOV.
IF ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP,
PLEASE DO, AND WE WILL CALL
YOU.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL END PUBLIC
COMMENT AFTER JESSICA SPEAKS.
GOOD MORNING, JESSICA, I SEE
YOU'RE UNMUTED.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
SPEAK.
AGAIN, I'M JESSICA DIXON, I'M A
VOLUNTEER WITH PLANT AMNESTY.
I'M CALLING ON THE COUNCIL TO
UPSET THE TREE DIRECTOR'S RULE
AND TREE ORDINANCE.
SEATTLE'S URBAN FOREST IS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF OUR CITY.
TREES HELP CLEAN OUR AIR,
ENHANCE PUBLIC HEALTH, REDUCE
STORMWATER RUNOFF.
MITIGATE CLIMB CHANGE, DECREASE
THE IMPACTS OF EXCESSIVE WIND,
AND CONNECT US WITH NATURE IN
OUR URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
SEATTLE'S CURRENT RULES
REGARDING TREE REMOVAL HAVE NOT
BEEN EFFECTIVE IN IDENTIFYING,
AND PRESERVING TREES.
WHERE ACCORDING TO THE 2016
STUDY 72% OF OUR TREES ARE
LOCATED, SEATTLE IS RAPIDLY
LOSING ITS URBAN CANOPY.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE
COUNCIL PASS NOT ONLY AN
UPDATED DIRECTOR'S RULE, BUT [
INAUDIBLE ] IT BALANCES TREE
PRESERVATION AND GROWTH WITH A
NET INCREASE TO REACH THE
CITY'S STATED GOAL OF 30% TREE
CANOPY.
IT IS URGENT THAT THE MAYOR AND
THE CITY COUNCIL ACT NOW TO
STOP THE LOSS OF TREES,
PARTICULARLY EXCEPTIONAL TREES,
HERITAGE TREES, AND TREE GROWTH
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND TO
PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA.
MR. AHN, OUR I.T., CAN YOU
CONFIRM WE HAVE NO OTHER
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN.
>> AFFIRMATIVE.
THERE ARE NO MORE REGISTRANTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE WILL MOVE ONTO THE NEXT
AGENDA ITEM.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, SEEK AS
WE HAVE NO FURTHER SPEAKERS
SIGNED UP, THE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED, WE WILL
MOVE ONTO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
OUR FIRST IS FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS ON
THEIR RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE REPORT.
MR. AHN, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THIS ITEM INTO THE RECORD?
ITEM 1. DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOOD OVERVIEW, AND
RACIAL JUSTICE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JOINED BY DIRECTOR
ANDRES MANTILLA.
WILL YOU PLEASE START US OFF BY
INTRODUCING YOURSELF, AND I'LL
LET YOU TAKE AWAY THE
DISCUSSION AND LEAD US THROUGH
IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
ANDRES MANTILLA, DIRECTOR OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> YEAH, VERA NJUGUNA,
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH THE COMMUNITY LIAISON
PROGRAM.
>> KENYA.
>> GOOD MORNING, KENYA FREDIE.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS P
PACK SUPERVISOR.
>> THEN SUNNY.
>> SUNNY YSA, COMMUNITY
LIAISONS PROGRAM, AND LEADER
AND FACILITATOR.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER FOR
HAVING US HERE AT THE COMMITTEE
TODAY.
IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO COME AND
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AS
A DEPARTMENT AS A RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAM, AND TO
HIGHLIGHT TWO OF OUR PROGRAMS
THAT I THINK ARE DOING THIS
WORK REALLY WELL.
I AM JOINED BY OUR COLLEAGUES
SUNNY, KENYA, AND VERA.
WE WANTED BEFORE WE GO INTO THE
PROGRAMS AND THE SPECIFICS OF
THE LIVING SYSTEMS, WHICH IS
OUR WAY OF DOING RACIAL
JUSTICE, TALK ABOUT OUR
DEPARTMENT FIRST AND THEN GO
INTO THOSE SLIDES.
SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
OUR OVERALL MISSION IS TO
PROVIDE RESOURCES AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO BUILD STRONG
COMMUNITIES AND TO HELP
NEIGHBORS DEVELOP A STRONG
SENSE OF PLACE, BUILD CLOSER
TIES, AND ENGAGE WITH THE
COMMUNITY AND CITY GOVERNMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY IS
COMPOSED OF OVER 60 STAFF
MEMBERS, A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
ARE OF COLOR, INCLUDING 53% OF
OUR LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS
STAFFED WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR.
IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR
LEADERSHIP, WE WENT THROUGH
ABOUT AN 18 MONTH COLLABORATIVE
PROCESS WITH OUR STAFF TO
DEVELOP OUR TWO NORTH STAR
GOALS.
THESE GOALS GUIDE OUR WORK, OUR
DECISION MAKING, AND OUR
PROJECT PRIORITIZATION, AND
THEY PUT RACE AND ETHNICITY AT
THE CENTER.
DON IS COMMITTED TO THESE
GOALS, AND WE ACHIEVE THESE
GOALS THROUGH OUR FOUR CORE
STRATEGIES, WHICH ARE BEING
TRUSTED ADVOCATES, PROMOTING
TRUSTING ADVOCATES, AND
PROMOTING PEOPLE CENTERED
STORYTELLING.
PUTTING UP SIEVE CIVIC
INVESTIGATION.
SPECIFICALLY IN 2020, WORKED ON
A NUMBER OF RACIAL EQUITY TOOL
KITS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A
NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS,
INCLUDING THE OFFICE FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS.
TWO OF WHICH ARE THE VERY
IMPORTANT RACE EQUITY TOOL KIT
AROUND SOUND TRANSIT 3. AND THE
WEST SEATTLE TO BALLARD INC.
AND THE CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT AND LITTLE SAIGON,
RACIAL EQUITY TOOK A HIT.
IN 2021 WE HOPE TO ADDING TO
BOTH OF THESE AROUND A RACIAL
EQUITY TOOL KIT RELATED TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE
ABOUT OUR LIVING SYSTEMS.
BUT JUST A FEW WORDS TO SET UP
THE CONTEXT.
AT D.O.N.
OUR STAFF VEERED TO MEASURE THE
CHANGING CONCEPT.
WE DID THAT THROUGH WHAT WE
CALL OUR LIVING SYSTEMS.
SUNNY IS GOING TO TALK TO YOU A
LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS IN A
MINUTE.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK
THAT IS HAPPENING ON TOP OF ALL
THE OTHER D.O.N.PRIORITIESES.
ALL D.O.N.
STAFF MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN
THE LIVING SYSTEMS.
WE'LL SEE WHAT THOSE ARE IN
JUST A SECOND.
SEVERAL STAFF MEMBERS
PARTICIPATE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES
AS PART OF THIS WORK.
ALSO IN THE BROADER CITY EFFORT
CORE TEAM.
THIS IS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT
TO ENSURE D.O.N.
REACHING ITS GOALS.
AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM SUNNY
NEXT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT
SLIDE, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
SUNNY.
>> HELLO, THIS IS SUNNY.
LIKE ANDRES SAID, THE
CONCEPTION OF THE LIVING SYSTEM
STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO, AS WE
MOVED AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL
CHANGE TEAM MODEL THAT A LOT OF
DEPARTMENTS STILL PRACTICE.
PEOPLE SERVE ON TERMS ON A
ROTATIONAL BASIS, BUT IT MEANT
THAT A GROUP OF CORE PEOPLE
WERE IN CHARGE OF INTRA
DEPARTMENTS WITH THE LIVING
SYSTEM'S CONCEPTION, EVERYONE
IS INVOLVED, AND IS A LEADER
AROUND ORGANIZING RACIAL
INJUSTICE, AND EQUITY AROUND
THE DEPARTMENTS.
THE CONCEPT OF THE LIVING
SYSTEM EMPHASIZES A STATE OF
BEING, OF AN ENVIRONMENT, AND A
CULTURE IN WHICH WE HOPE
EVERYONE IS ABLE TO THRIVE AND
PROSPER.
THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED IN OUR
PURPOSE, OR OUR VISION, WHICH
READS THE HEALTHY, WHOLE,
THRIVING LIVING SYSTEM RESULTS
IN A DIVERSE PEOPLE WHO ARE
RESILIENT.
FULL OF ENERGY, PEACE,
COMPASSION, AND BALANCE.
INTERDEPENDENT, AND CONNECTED,
AND IN COMMUNITY.
A PLACE WHERE THERE IS MOVEMENT
AND GROWTH.
IN THIS LIVING SYSTEM, PEOPLE
FEEL LOVED, TRUSTED, GRATEFUL,
PROTECTED AND SAFE.
THERE IS INTEGRITY, AND
VULNERABILITY, AND PEOPLE ARE
IN RELATIONSHIP.
IN THIS LIVING SYSTEM, EVERYONE
IS VISIBLE, AND EVERYONE IS
SEEN AND HEARD.
THIS IS THE VISION OF THE
LIVING SYSTEM IS QUITE VITAL TO
THE WORK THAT WE DO AT D.O.N.
AS IT NOT ONLY STATES WE ARE
HERE WORKING AT D.O.N.
BUT THEN THERE IS A CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENT.
WE RECENTLY FELT THIS STATE WAS
QUITE VISIONARY, IN A PLACE
THAT WE WANTED TO AIM FOR, OR
TO TRY TO GET TO, BUT YET,
THERE ARE STILL STRUCTURES OF
POWER IN PLACE THAT HINDER US
ACHIEVING 100% THIS STATE OF
BEING, OR ENVIRONMENT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
OUR CURRENT ORGANIZATION, OR
ITERATION OF HOW WE ORGANIZE
OUR LIVING SYSTEMS OR THE
STRUCTURES OR SPACES THAT WE
HAVE IN THE DEPARTMENTS
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE THE LEARNING
COMMUNITY, HIRING REDRAMATIC,
AND RETENSION WORK GROUP.
THAT ARE EFFECTING HIRING LEAD
BALANCES.
DIFFERENT POLICIES THAT AFFECT
EMPLOYEES AT DAWN.
OUR NEW POLICY WORK GROUP,
WHICH I'LL SPEAK ON IN JUST A
BIT.
THE NETWORK AND PEER SUPPORT
GROUP, WHICH WE ARE SUN
SETTING, BUT THE NETWORK IS
BEING ACCEPTED BY THESE
DIFFERENT WORK GROUPS.
THEN TWO SPACES FOR PERSONAL
GROWTH AND FOR RACIAL
CAUCUSING, WHICH ARE THE WHITE
CAUCUS AND THE PEOPLE OF COLOR
CAUCUS.
A NEW LIST WORK GROUP IS THE
POLICY WORK GROUP, WHICH IS
FOCUSED ON TWO DIFFERENT
THINGS.
ONE IS SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO
BRING PROBLEMATIC, OR STRATEGIC
CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM, AND
DISCUSS IF THE PROGRAM IS
WORKING IN THE DIRECTION IN
TERMS OF RACIAL EQUITY, SOMEONE
THAT IS BRINGING THOSE CHANGES
TO THE GROUP.
IT'S ALSO A SPACE TO BREAK DOWN
AND DISCUSS AND POTENTIALLY
INFLUENCE THE DEPARTMENT
PROCESSES AND PRACTICES, SUCH
AS FORMALIZING RELATIONSHIPS
WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUDGET,
ET CETERA.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THE
COUNCILMEMBER HAD A QUESTION.
PAUSE REAL QUICK.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
LOOKING AT YOUR SLIDE AS
COMPARED TO WHAT YOU JUST
REPORTED, AND GREAT REPORT,
SUNNY, I REALLY APPRECIATE
THIS.
THE SLIDE MAKES IT LOOK LIKE
THE WHITE CAUCUS AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR CAUCUS ARE TWO SEPARATE
ENTITIES.
WHEN YOU REPORTED IT, YOU MADE
IT CLEAR THESE ARE TWO
CONNECTED GROUPS.
CAN YOU SHARE BRIEFLY ABOUT WHY
THEY'RE CONNECTED, AND HOW THEY
OPERATE?
>> AS ANDRES SAID EARLIER, OUR
LIVING SYSTEM IS QUITE
INTERESTING IN THE FACT THAT
PEOPLE AREN'T JUST TIED, OR
PARTICIPATING IN ONE WORK
GROUP.
THEY'RE OFTEN PART OF ALL OF
THE WORK GROUPS.
THEY USUALLY ARE PART OF ONE
CAUCUS GROUP.
SO ONE OF THE FOUR LISTED AND
THEN THE CAUCUS GROUPS DON'T
WORK OUTSIDE OF, ALTHOUGH
THEY'RE BULLET POINTED HERE AS
A SEPARATE WORK GROUP, THE WORK
ISN'T SEPARATE NECESSARILY FROM
THE OTHER WORK GROUPS.
SO THERE ARE MOMENTS OF TIME
WHERE THE PEOPLE OF COLOR
CAUCUS COLLABORATES
PARTICULARLY ON DEPARTMENTAL
CHANGES THAT AFFECT COMMUNITIES
AT DAWN.
SO THAT IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE
WAY WE ARE INTERCONNECTED.
THEN ONE THING IN OUR NEXT
SLIDE, THAT I WILL SPEAK MORE
ABOUT, IS THE WAYS IN WHICH WE
ENVISION BRINGING TOGETHER OUR
GROUPS EVEN MORE SO.
SO THE LIVING SYSTEMS 2021
GOALS, HOPEFULLY THIS ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION, IS TO BUILD
WHITE CAUCUS ACCOUNTABILITY TO
THE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THE
DEPARTMENTS.
THIS WAS LARGELY COMING FROM
THE WHITE CAUCUS ITSELF TO
ENSURE THAT OUR PERSONAL GROWTH
GOALS WERE ALIGNED.
INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY TO
PROMOTE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION,
AND CREATE MORE BUYIN AMONG
MORE DON STAFF BROADLY.
SUPPORT DON STAFF IN DEVELOPING
A RACIAL EQUITY ANALYSIS.
AND LASTLY TO INVEST IN THE RSJ
SUPPORT NETWORK, AND WORK TO
ADDRESS SYSTEMIC HARMS
IMPACTING STAFF OF COLOR.
SO WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE
HAS BEEN SOME WAYS IN WHICH OUR
WORKERS CAN BE SEEN AS
DISTINCT.
BUT I THINK IN WHAT WE'RE
WORKING TOWARDS, AS A COLEAD,
AND AS A FACILITATOR OF ONE IS
LOOKING THAT THE ITERATIONS OF
THE WORK GROUPS AREN'T JUST
WORKING IN SAY LOWS, THEY'RE
JUST WORKING IN THEIR
PARTICULAR WORK GROUPS,
SEPARATE FROM OTHER WORK
GROUPS, BUT REALLY EVERYONE IS
LOOKING TO ACHIEVE WHAT IS OUR
VISION OF THAT HEALTHY AND
WHOLE SYSTEM.
AND THE WORK GROUPS CAME OUT OF
WANTING TO ADDRESS THE
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HINDER US
FROM ACHIEVING THAT VISION.
THAT IS ALL FOR ME.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU,SUNNY.
COUNCILMEMBER, I THINK IMPLIED
IN THE TITLE AS SUNNY SAID,
THIS IS A LIVING SYSTEM.
WHAT'S GREAT AS A DIRECTOR AND
INTERACTING WITH THE STAFF,
THESE CATEGORIES ARE CONSTANTLY
EVOLVING BASED ON THE FEEDBACK
WE HEAR FROM THE STAFF.
I WANTED TO TURN TO YOU THE
FIRST OF OUR TWO PROGRAMMING
EXAMPLES.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM KENYA,
THE P-PATCH PROGRAM.
I THINK IT'S NO SURPRISE, THAT
SINCE THE START OF THE
PANDEMIC, INTEREST IN COMMUNITY
GARDEN HAS REALLY SKYROCKETED.
WITH THAT, THERE'S THE
OPPORTUNITY OF BRINGING IN NEW
GARDENERS, AND UPDATING WHAT
KENYA AND HER TEAM HAS WORKED
ON.
FOR ME, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF
THE LEGACY PROGRAM WHICH HAS
BEEN TRANSFORMING ITS NEED TO
MEET OUR NORTH STAR GUIDELINES.
WE WON'T GO OVER IT HERE, BUT
AS PART OF YOUR MEETING PICKET,
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TAKE A
LOOK AT THE P-PATCH VIDEO, TO
GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE OF THAT
STORYTELLING, AND MORE SPECIFIC
DATA.
BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KENYA.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, ANDRES.
AND THANKS SUNNY FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
GOOD MORNING.
SO IN 2020, P-PATCH PROGRAM
DEVELOPED AN ANTIRACISM
STATEMENT, WHICH WAS DIRECTLY
RELATED TO DON'S NORTH STARS,
THAT ANDRES SHARED WITH US THIS
MORNING.
THE P-PATCH PROGRAM IS
COMMITTED TO DISMANTLING THE
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM THAT HAS
PREVENTED PEOPLE OF COLOR FROM
FULLY PARTICIPATING IN OUR
PROGRAM.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE EACH HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE OUR
GARDENS MORE INCLUSIVE, AND
WELCOMING TO ALL.
THIS COMMITS TO US ADDRESSING
RACISM OF ALL FORMS OF
INJUSTICES IN OUR COMMUNITY,
AND CENTER PEOPLE MOST IMPACTED
BY SYSTEMIC RACISM.
IE, BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND
PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SOME OF OUR HIGHLIGHTS OF WHICH
WE DID THIS WORK.
IN 2020, WE SHIFTED PROBLEMATIC
GOALS.
EXPANDING RELATIONSHIPS TO OUR
BIPOC COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE EMPHASIZED PLACEMENT OF
UNDER REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.
>> I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION ON
THAT SLIDE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, JUST NEED
TO ELEVATE THE AMAZING WORK
THAT YOU DO, KENYA.
OUR P-PATCH PROGRAM IS WE HAVE
THEM ON ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF
LAND.
PARKLAND, ON THE TOP OF PARKING
GARAGES, ON PRIVATE, RELIGIOUS
LAND.
ON LAND THAT OWNS THEMSELVES.
SO THERE IS JUST SUCH A WIDE
VARIETY OF OWNERSHIP OF THE
LAND.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, FOLKS WHO
LIKE TO GARDEN ARE VERY SERIOUS
ABOUT THEIR GARDENING, AND YOU
MANAGE THIS PROGRAM SO WELL,
WITH ALL OF THESE COMPETING
PRIORITIES.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT
TO JUST ELEVATE YOUR GREAT
WORK.
>> BLESS YOUR HEART, THANK YOU
SO MUCH.
IT REALLY TAKES A COMMUNITY TO
DO THE WORK.
I CAN'T TAKE ALL THE CREDIT,
BUT WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE RIGHT?
>> RIGHT, AND HAVING YOU AS A
LEADER IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL OF
THE DO THE PLOT GUIDE LINES
INCLUDE NEW IT TO APPLICANTS
WITH GUIDELINES?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO WE HAVE PLACEMENT THAT
PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS A
HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED,
REPRESENTED, LOW INCOME, ELDER,
OR YOUTH ORGANIZATION.
FROM THERE, ONCE THEY'RE
ASSIGNED A PLOT,THY CAN APPLY
FOR ASSISTANCE, AND IT'S
AVAILABLE TO US ALL.
FORGIVE ME IF I MISQUOTE, BUT
WE DID A TOTAL OF ABOUT$525,000
WORTH OF NOT PLOT GUIDELINES.
>> WONDERFUL, YOU ANSWERED MY
NEXT QUESTION.
IS THAT LIMITED BY THE FUNDING
AVAILABILITY, OR THE NUMBER OF
GARDENERS WHO QUALIFY.
>> WHOEVER ASKS FOR IT, GET IT
IS.
IT'S BASED OFF OF TWO
QUESTIONS.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN YOUR
HOUSEHOLD, AND YOUR MONTHLY, OR
ANNUAL INCOME.
THEN THE MAINTENANCE IS BUILT
OFF OF THIS PARKS DEPARTMENT
GUIDELINES.
SO THEY JUST CALL STAFF, WE
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, AND WE
APPLY THE PLOT FEE.
>> THIS IS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE
OF PUTTING WORK INTO PRACTICE.
THANK YOU, KENYA.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER.
TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE
PRESENTATION, HERE ARE SOME
NUMBERS WE ACHIEVED.
WE HAD AN INCREASE IN PARTNERS
BY 45% IN 2020.
THEN 741 GARDENERS, ESTABLISHED
GARDENERS RECEIVED PLOT
ASSISTANCE, TOTALING $525,000.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO HERE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
COMMUNITY HELPING NEIGHBORS TO
DISMANTLE FOOD INSECURITIES.
THESE ARE GROWING, FORGIVING
PROGRAM IN WHICH OVER 42,000
POUNDS OF ORGANIC, APPRECIATE
VEGETABLES WERE DONATED TO AREA
FOOD PROGRAMS, WHICH EQUATES TO
OVER $100,000, AND THAT'S OVER
85,000 SERVINGS OF FOOD.
AND THE SERVINGS FOR YOUR
INFORMATION ARE BASED ON THE
USDA'S ESTIMATE OF A HALF A
POUND OF PRODUCE PER SERVING.
SO THE OVER 100,000 IS BASED ON
THE AVERAGE PRICE OF OR BEGANNIC
ORGANIC FOOD.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR GREAT
WORK, KENYA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE'D LOVE TO TALK MORE IN
DETAIL ABOUT SOME OF THE
ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND
CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
THE P-PATCH PROGRAM.
GREAT.
THE NEXT PROGRAM, THE FINAL
PROGRAM YOU'LL HEAR FROM US
TODAY IS OUR TRUSTED ADVOCATE
MONO PROGRAM CALLED COMMUNITY
LIAISON PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM IS A FRANCHISE FOR
THE DEPARTMENT.
REALLY DEMONSTRATES DON'S
COMMITMENT.
THROUGH THE YEARS, AS YOU'LL
HEAR HAS STARTED MAYBE AS A
TRANSLATION, TRANSLATION AND
INTERPRETATION PROGRAM, AND HAS
TRANSLATED WITH A PARTNERSHIP
IN COMMUNITY, TO BRING IN THE
PROGRAM EXPERTISE.
TURN IT OVER TO VERA FROM THE
COMMUNITY LIAISON SUPERVISOR.
>> THANK YOU, ANDRES.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'LL START WITH THE BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS
TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE
OUTREACH IN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
WE DO SO VIA THE TRUSTED
ADVOCATES MODEL, WITH CL'S, OR
COMMUNITY LIAISONS AS TRUSTED
MEMBERS.
ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE CULTURAL,
AND LAG WAGE DIFFERENCES, AND
HAVE TRUST ESTABLISHED WITH
PEOPLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IN 2020, WE PARTNERED WITH
54CLS, REPRESENTING 35
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND
LANGUAGES.
SOME OF THE AREAS INCLUDE
ADVISING ON CITY OUTREACH
PLANS.
THAT COULD BE LONG RANGE
PLANNING WITH MULTIPLE PHASES
OF OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT.
CONDUCTING OUTREACH ENGAGEMENT
ON FEEDBACK OR DEVELOPMENT OF A
PROJECT, AND LANGUAGE PROCESS
VIA TRANSLATION OR
INTERPRETATION WORK.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO 2020 WAS A CRUCIAL YEAR FOR
THE PROGRAM IN ENSURING WE'RE
CONNECTING COMMUNITY WITH CITY
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION.
WE PARTNERED WITH 13 DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS ON 38 VARIOUS
PROJECTS, RANGING FROM COVID
RELATED, THAT COULD BE SMALL
BUSINESS OUTREACH SUPPORT.
ALSO LANGUAGE ACCESS SUPPORT
WITH OIRA.
SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT
WE WORKED ON, NOT COVID RELATE,
INCLUDED WORKING WITH
DEMOCRATICS SUCH AS SEATTLE
PARKS AND REC ON THEIR BIG DAY
OF PLAY, OR SDOT ON THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE, OR SEATTLE
PUBLIC LIBRARY ON YOUR NEXT JOB
TO NAME A FEW.
I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT ONE
CL, REPRESENTING THE ETHIOPIAN
COMMITTEE WHO WORKED WITH OED
ON A SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH IN
THE RAINIER BEACH AREA.
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A PROJECT
WITH MULTIPLE MOVING PARTS FROM
THE SMALL BUSINESS FUNDS TO THE
PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM.
WITH SEVERAL CHALLENGES THAT
WERE EXPERIENCED BY THE
BUSINESSES HE WORKED WITH.
FROM A LANGUAGE BARRIERS TO
ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CL WAS ABLE
TO CONNECT WITH 12 BUSINESSES
AND APPLYING FUNDING FOR
RESOURCES.
OUT OF THE 12, 3 RECEIVED THE
SMALL BUSINESS STABILIZATION
FUND.
AND FIVE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE
THE PPT.
SO THIS PLAYED A PART IN
ENSURING THESE BUSINESSES HAD
ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
FOR THEM TO CATER THEIR
MESSAGING AND STRATEGY TO HIS
COMMUNITY'S NEEDS.
WITH THAT, SOME OF THE NEW
AREAS OF FOCUS THAT WE STARTED
ON LAST YEAR, WITH HE
INTEGRATED STORYTELLING AS PART
OF THE REIMAGINED SEATTLE
EFFORT, WHEREBY SEATTLE
CONNECTED WITH COMMUNITY TO
TELL THEIR OWN STORIES ON THEIR
CURRENT EXPERIENCE IN SEATTLE.
HOW THEY'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY
THE EVENTS OF 2020, AND THEIR
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR
CITY.
IN ADDITION, AS PART OF OUR
EFFORTS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE
DIGITAL ACCESS, WE'VE ALIGNED
OUR EFFORTS WITH THE CITYWIDE
INTERNET FOR ALL INITIATIVE.
THUS FAR, WE HAVE 8OCL'S, WHO
HAVE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS TO DOCUMENT
THEIRSTORIES ON VIDEO.
HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF THE
DIGITAL DIVIDE ON THEIR
FAMILIES.
IN THE FUTURE, SEATTLE WILL
WORK WITH COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ON THE
GROUND DIGITAL SUPPORT AND
DIGITAL EQUITY ZONES AND IN
LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE.
WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED BRAINING
STUDENTS IN SEATTLE WITH HOW TO
ENGAGE WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES
DIGITALLY.
AND HOW TO PROCURE THEIR
MESSAGE FROM A DIGITAL SPACE.
AS WE CONTINUE THIS YEAR, CL IS
OUR POSITION TO SUPPORT WITH
COVID-19 RELIEF.
TESTING AND VACCINATION
EFFORTS.
AS OF YET, WE HAD 13C CL'S,
ASSISTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WITH REGISTERING TO GET
THEIR VACCINE APPOINTMENTS IN
SOUTHEAST SEATTLE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO CONTINUE
CENTERING COMMUNITY VOICES
THROUGH STORYTELLING, TO INFORM
DECISION MAKING.
IN PARTNERING WITH DEPARTMENTS
WHOSE PROJECT OR PROGRAMS HAVE
A KEEP IMPACT ON HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
INTERNALLY, WE WILL BE WORKING
ON LEADERSHIP DEVELOP.
, AND CAPACITY BUILDING
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, VIA THE
TRAIN TO TRAINER MODEL.
FOR SEATTLE, WHEREBY THEY'LL BE
ENGAGED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT
CREATIVE FACILITATION.
STRATEGIES USED IN GRASSROOTS
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING.
DATA ACCESS,AND APPLICABILITY
TO NAME A KNEW.
AND LASTNY, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING
TO BUILD STRONGER ALIGNMENT
WITH CL'S AND DEPARTMENT
PARTNERS BY HOSTING LUNCH AND
LEARNS WITH DEPARTMENT PARTNERS
FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND OUR
PROGRAM FUNCTIONS.
AND AVENUES FOR PARTNERING WITH
CL'S.
ALSO CREATING A IS VICKer --
AND WITH THAT, I THINK FOR US
AS A PROGRAM, WE HAVE A LOT OF
WORK TO DO THIS YEAR BOTH TO
MEET DEMAND, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY TO LIFT
HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES.
>> THAT'S SUCH AMAZING WORK.
OUR COMMUNITY LIAISONS ARE THEY
INTERNAL CITY STAFF OR ARE THEY
IDENTIFIED MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY?
>> THEY ARE IDENTIFIED MEMBERS
OF THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S AN
INTEGRAL PART OF OUR
PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
>> THAT'S REALLY AMAZING.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITY WHO ARE CLOSEST TO
OTHERS ARE THE BEST ADVOCATES.
IS THERE ANY COMPENSATION THAT
WE PROVIDE THEM FOR THEIR WORK?
>> YEAH, CERTAINLY.
FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT,
THEY ARE COMPENSATED AT $75 PER
HOUR.
WE ALSO HAVE A RAPID RESPONSE
RATE.
THAT COULD BE THE COVID WORK WE
DID LAST YEAR, AND THE RATE FOR
THAT IS $100 PER HOUR.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE RATES FOR THE
LANGUAGE ACCESS COMPONENT.
BE IT TRANSLATION OF PROOF
READING WORK.
SO IT'S CERTAIN RATES PER WORD
FOR TRANSLATION OR PROOF
READING.
>> THIS IS SO CRITICAL AND
IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WHEN WE ASK
PEOPLE TO DO WORK LIKE THIS, SO
OFTEN IT'S UNCOMPENSATED.
I'M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR YOU
DOING IT THIS WAY AND DOING
THIS GREAT WORK.
WE KNOW THAT HAVING COMMUNITY
MEMBERS LEAD THEIR NEIGHBORS IS
HOW WE GET THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS
IN A QUICK AND ERNEST MATTER.
AND WE GET THE RIGHT ANSWERS.
SO REALLY GREAT WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S A LOT OF EFFORT OVER TIME
THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, SO A LOT
OF GREAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE BY
PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, VERA, AND THANK
YOU COUNCILMEMBER.
JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ELEMENT
OF WHAT VERA TALKED ABOUT, THE
NEED NOR THE COMMUNITY LIAISON
PROGRAM IN THE TIME OF COVID
WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
AS YOU ALL LIVED, SUCH A
CHANGING DYNAMIC OF SUCH
INFORMATION, AND THE ABILITY TO
GET RELEVANT, AND UP TO DATE
INFORMATION OUT TO COMMUNITY IN
LANGUAGE WAS SUCH A HUGE NEED
FOR OUR COMMUNITIES ENSURE THAT
EVERYBODY HAD THE BASICS AROUND
COVID, AND MASKING, AND NOW THE
VACCINE AND RELIEF EFFORTS.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING NORTH
SEATTLE, AND NORTHEAST SEATTLE,
SPECIFICALLY IN THE LAKE CITY
AREA AROUND VACCINATIONS AS
WELL, AND PARTNERING TO HELP US
PAIR VACCINATION READY AND
QUALIFIED FOLKS TO GET THOSE
SHOTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY,
COUNCILMEMBER.
IT'S JUST A SMALL SNAPSHOT OF
OUR WORK.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING
THIS YEAR TO GIVE DEEPER
PROGRAM UPDATES.
I'D LOVE TO COME TALK MORE
ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD MATCHING
FUND.
AS ALWAYS, WE INVITE YOU TO
PARTNER AND WORK WITH THE OAN
IN ANY WAY IN A YOU ARE
INTERESTED.
AND IT'S POSSIBLE DURING THOSE
COVID TIMES.
THANK YOU.
>> THAT FEELING IS MUTUAL,
DIRECTOR MANTILLA.
WE LIVED IN AN EMERGENT WORLD
THIS YEAR, WHERE THE REQUESTS
BORN UPON US WERE UNEXPECTED,
AND THE LEVELS THAT WE
RESPONDED, WE COULD NOT HAVE
ANTICIPATED.
TWO OF THE BIGGEST GAPS THAT WE
HAD TO FACE WERE DIGITAL
DIVIDE, AND LANGUAGE DIVIDE.
SO JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE OF
YOUR WORK, DIRECTOR MANATEA,
SUNNY, VERA, AND KENYA.
HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON
ANYTHING YOU WANT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
NEXT TIME.
>> TAKE CARE.
>> AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE.
AND OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY IS THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION'S PRESENTATION ON
THEIR ANNUAL REPORT, AND PLAN
FOR 2021.
MR. AHN, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THIS ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION
ANNUAL REPORT IN 2021 WORK
PLAN.
>> THANK YOU.
JOINING US FOR THIS ITEM ARE
WESTON BRINKLEY.
VICE CHAIR SARAH REHDER, AND
SANDRA PINTO FROM THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY, AND
ENVIRONMENT.
WELCOME.
WOULD YOU ALL LIKE TO BRIEFLY
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TAKE THE
PRESENTATION AWAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS WESTON BRINKLEY.
I'M JOINED TODAY BY SARAH, OUR
VICE CHAIR, AND SANDRA, WHO IS
OUR EXCELLENT STAFF, PROVIDED
BY OSE.
DO YOU BOTH WANT TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AS WELL?
>> SURE, HI, I'M SARAH REHDER.
AS WESTON MENTIONED, I'M THE
VICE CHAIR, AND CURRENTLY HOLD
THE HYDROLOGIST POSITION.
>> AND I'M SANDRA PINTO.
I AM THE ADVISER IN THE OFFICE
OF SUSTAINABILITY ENVIRONMENT,
AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO STAFF
THE FORESTRY COMMISSION.
>> TAKE IT AWAY WESTON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
SO FIRST OFF, THANKS FOR HAVING
US.
WE ACTUALLY SUBMIT OUR REPORT
OF ACTIVITY AND WORK PLAN TO
COUNCILMAN AND THE MAYOR.
THE LAST YEAR FOR OBVIOUS
REASONS WAS UNABLE TO DO SO IN
PERSON, WHICH HAD BEEN
PRACTICED.
SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE, AND WE'RE
HAPPY TO BE HERE AND YOU HEAR
FROM US A LOT.
WE SET ANOTHER RECORD, I THINK
IN 2020 FOR RECOMMENDATIONS TO
YOU ALL.
WE CAN UTILIZE THIS FOR
DISCUSSION AS WELL.
YOU HAVE THE MATERIALS THAT
WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY,
AND HOPE.FULLY, WE CAN ADDRESS
SOME QUESTIONS AS WELL.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE'LL TALK A BIT ABOUT 2020.
AND WHAT A UNIQUE YEAR THAT WAS
EVEN FOR US, AND WE'LL LOOK
FORWARD AHEAD AS 221.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS OUR MISSION TO SPEAK,
NOT WHOLLY DIFFERENT THAN MOST
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WE WERE HERE TO ADVISE YOU ALL
AND THE MAYOR.
WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT THAT
WE ACKNOWLEDGE RIGHT NOW WHEN
TALKING ABOUT OUR MISSION IS
WHY TREES.
I KNOW YOU ARE DEALING WITH A
LOT OF REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL
INFORMATION.
WHY DO WE SPEED SOME TIME
TALKING ABOUT TREES AND
VEGETATION?
AND I THINK THERE'S A VARIETY
OF REASONS.
I THINK IT HELPS CENTER OUR
CONSIDERATION FOR TODAY.
WE HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE THEM
AT PUBLIC COMMENT EARLY ON.
BUT TREES ARE CRITICAL FOR
THINGS LIKE OUR AIR POLLUTION,
WHICH WE KNOW FOR COVID.
TREES ARE A CRITICAL ELEMENT IN
COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE.
TREES ARE A CRITICAL ELEMENT IN
SAVING PUGET SOUND.
TREES ARE A CRITICAL ELEMENT IN
THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WE'RE
SINKING INTO GRAY
INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND ALL THOSE THINGS, WE ALSO
HAVE TO REALIZE THAT THEY
APPRECIATE IN VALUE OVERTIME.
UNLIKE OUR GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE,
WHEN WE PLANT TREES, THEY GAIN
VALUABLE EACH YEAR THAT PASSES.
A 100-YEAR-OLD IS DRAMATICALLY
MORE VALUABLE THAN A 10-YEAR-
OLD.
WE CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT ABOUT
OUR PIPES, OUR PAVEMENT, OR
WATER AND EVEN OUR LAWNS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, ACTUALLY,
I'LL ALSO SAY ON THAT POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I REALLY
ENJOYED YOUR PHRASE THAT WE'RE
GOING TO STEWARD OUR LAND AS
GUESTS.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY
IS VERY MUCH THAT AS WELL.
>> CREDIT IS DUE TO
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ WHO HAS
TAUGHT ME WELL.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ.
FOR OUR 2020 OBJECTIVES, WHICH
IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE,
WERE PRETTY VARIED AND ALL
QUITE IMPORTANT ITEMS.
I THINK AS YEARS HAVE PAST,
WE'VE SEEN MORE AND MORE OF A
FLURRY OF ACTIVITY, AND REALLY
IMPACT.
ACTIVITY FROM THE FOREST
COMMISSION.
I WOULD POINT OUT, THAT YOU
KNOW, AS WE SAID 2020 WAS AN
UNUSUAL YEAR.
WE AS A COMMISSION WERE
ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED TO DEAL
WITH COVID AS KIND OF THE
PREEMINENT CRISIS, BUT ALSO
THAT WE WERE FACING A CRISIS
WITHIN THE CITY AND RACING
SOCIAL JUSTICE.
AND SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT WAS
PART OF THE CITY, AND THE
COMMISSION AS PART OF THE CITY,
WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THAT AS
WELL.
SO WE TOOK ON THESE TWO NEW
CRISES IN ADDITION TO OUR
EXISTING ONES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
AND HOMELESSNESS, BOTH OF WHICH
HAVE DRAMATIC IMPACTS OF
LEGISLATION, AND TRIED TO BUILD
A WORK PLAN FOR 2020 THAT
ADDRESSED THOSE THINGS.
AND THE KEY ITEM THAT TOUCHES
ACROSS ALL OF THIS, AND IT'S
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT
WE'LL KEEP HAMMERING HOME TODAY
IS UPDATING THE URBAN FORESTRY
TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
THIS IS AN ITEM, THAT YOU KNOW,
I GET TO NOW SAY CLOSE TO 12
YEARS IN THE PROCESS.
2009, WE HAD WHAT AT THE TIME
WAS DEEMED AN INTERNAL
MOVEMENT, IS STILL ON THE
BOOKS, AND WE KNOW IT'S
AFFECTIVE.
WE ARE NOW WORKING FROM COUNCIL
RESOLUTION AS YOU SEE THERE,
31902, WHICH WAS PASSED AT THE
VERY END OF 2019.
BY THEN, COUNCILMEMBER
BAGSHAW'S LEAD.
IT ACKNOWLEDGED A LOT OF THINGS
THAT WERE ALREADY PUT FORTH IN
THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, AND TO THE
COMMISSION, ESSENTIALLY REALLY
SIMPLE FIED THE EQUATION FOR
US.
WE HAVE AGREEMENT FROM COUNCIL,
AND THE EXECUTIVE ON THE ITEMS
THAT THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO
HAVE.
STAFF HAS PUT IN THE TIME.
WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT.
THE NEXT BIG ITEM FROM LAST
YEAR WAS UPDATING THE URBAN
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN.
THIS IS AGAIN, KIND OF A
MULTIYEAR PROCESS.
WE'LL TOUCH ON MORE OF THAT IN
A MINUTE.
DIGGING INTO MORE ABOUT OUR
URBAN FORESTRY FUNDING.
THEN AS I SAID, LOOKING AT HOW
DO WE MAKE CHANGES ON THE
COMMISSION SIDE WHEN IT COMES
TO SOCIAL JUSTICE INCLUSION, IN
TERMS OF THE IMPACTS OF OUR
WORK.
THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE HERE
ABOUT THE TREE PROTECTION
ORDINANCE, AND THEN I'M GOING
TO PASS OFF TO SARAH TO DISCUSS
SOME OF OUR OTHER WORK FROM
2020.
BRIEFLY, I'LL JUST SAY, AGAIN,
WE'RE GOING ON 12 YEARS.
YOU SEE HERE SEVEN KEY
RECOMMENDATIONS THESE, I THINK
ARE NO LONGER CONTROVERSIAL.
WE HAVE DISTILLED, WE'VE
DISCUSSED, AND AS I'VE SAID
BEFORE WE'VE SEEN THESE
REPEATED IN COUNSEL RESOLUTION.
WE'VE SEEN THEM IN EXECUTIVE
ORDER.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION.
THERE IS, I THINK A LOT OF
BAGGAGE WITH TREE PROTECTION.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO TAKE
ACTION, AND EMBRACE THAT
CONFLICT, AND MANAGE FOR IT.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T IGNORE IT
AND THROW OUR HANDS UP AND SAY
THIS IS TOO DIFFICULT.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LIMITED
AMOUNT OF SPACE IN THE CITY,
AND WE KNOW WE NEED TO MANAGE
FOR IT.
WE DO THIS WELL.
SOMETHING LIKE RIGHT OF WAY.
WE KNOW WE NEED A BIKE LANE,
AND A STREET LANE, AND TREES.
WE CAN BE DOING THAT WITH OUR
PRIVATE PROPERTY AS WELL.
WE CAN BE DOING THAT IN A
NUMBER OF WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE.
>> I THINK THAT'S REALLY WELL
SAID.
ONE OF THE POINTS WE NEED TO BE
BETTER MANAGING OUR STREET
TREES AS WELL.
ONE OF THE POINTS OF CONFLICT
THAT I HAVE NOTICED ON PRIVATE
PROPERTY IS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE
BUILDING NEW BUILDINGS ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY, THERE ARE NOT
THE INCENTIVES THAT WE NEED TO
HAVE TO PRESERVE THE TREES THAT
ARE EXISTING.
I HAVE SEEN SOME REALLY GREAT
NEW, I DON'T LIKE THE
AESTHETICS OF TOWNHOMES.
I DO LIKE THE DENSITY THEY
PROVIDE, AND THE TOWNHOMES THAT
HAVE EMBRACED TREES ON THEIR
LOTS, MAKE THE LOT FEEL AS IF
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE, BECAUSE
THAT TREE IS PROVIDING, AS YOU
SAY, VALUE THAT IS ONLY
ADDITIVE, EVERY YEAR THAT THAT
TREE IS ALIVE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE
NOTICED IS REALLY THE NEED TO
ALLOW FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY
FOR PEOPLE BUILDING BUILDINGS
WHEN TREES ARE PRESERVED.
WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, SET
BACK FLEX ABILITY, HEIGHT
FLEXIBILITY.
THERE'S BEEN TOO MANY TIMES
THAT OUR CODE HAS BEEN INTEREST
RESTRICTIVE WITH PEOPLE
BUILDING BUILDINGS WHEN THEY
WANT TO SAVE THESE TREES AS
WELL.
>> WE NEED TO HAVE MORE
OPTIONS, RIGHT?
WE NEED TO HAVE MORE WAYS IN
WHICH WE CAN GET TREES ONTO
PROPERTY, AND WE NEED TO
PROVIDE MORE INCENTIVES, MORE
FLEXIBILITY.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE PROVIDE FOR
OTHER COMMON GOODS WE HOPE ARE
PROVIDED.
WE SHOULD HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE
FOR TREES AS WELL.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR POINT
ABOUT PRESERVATION.
MAINTAINING IS TREE IS ALWAYS
MORE EFFECTIVE THAN STARTING
FROM SCRATCH.
>> I WANT TO SAY 61st IN
BALLARD, THEY PRESERVED THE
TREE, THEY WERE ABLE TO BUILD
THE BUILDING IN AN L SHAPE
AROUND IT, AND IT MAKES THE
BUILDING FEEL THAT IT'S ALWAYS
BEEN THERE IN A WAY THAT
COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED
WITHOUT PRESERVING THAT TREE.
WHEREAS TWO BLOCKS NORTH OF
THERE, ON I BELIEVE IT WAS
63rd.
TWO BLOCKS NORTH AND ONE BLOCK
WEST.
63rd AND 22nd, THEY CUT DOWN
ALL OF THE TREES THAT WERE
THERE.
IT JUST, IT DOESN'T HAVE THAT
FEELING AS IF PEOPLE HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN THERE.
>> YEAH, STOPPING THE IMPACT OF
DEVELOPMENT.
WE KNOW DEVELOPMENT'S GOING TO
TAKE PLACE.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT IT
WORKS FOR EVERYBODY?
TREES ARE A BIG PART OF THAT.
>> BECAUSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE
NEED TO HAVE THERE IS AN
ENVIRONMENTAL REASON FOR HAVING
PEOPLE IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL
DENSE AREA, PRESERVING LAND IN
THE FOOTHILLS AND OUTSKIRTS OF
TOWN BY HAVING MORE PEOPLE
HERE.
I THINK NEW YORK CITY HAS ONE
OF THE BETTER RATIOS OF IMPACT
OF PEOPLE TO LAND, BECAUSE THEY
HAVE PEOPLE IN A REALLY DENSE
SITUATION NOW.
AGAIN, I'M NOT ARGUING FOR
BALLARD TO BECOME NEW YORK
CITY, WHAT I AM SAYING IS WHEN
WE HAVE PEOPLE LIVING IN A LESS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, THERE'S A
WAY TO PRESERVE THE IMPACT.
AND PROVIDING GREATER
FLEXIBILITY FOR PEOPLE BUILDING
THAT DENSITY THAT WE NEED TO GO
HAVE THEIR CRATE THE DENSITY,
AND PRESERVE THE TREES.
>> BRINGING UP CITIES IS
IMPORTANT HERE.
THE STRONG TREE PROTECTION
ORDINANCES WE SEE ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH CITIES WITH
STRONG GROWTH.
FOR INSTANCE, A CITY LIKE
AUSTIN HAS ONE OF THE STRONGEST
TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCES.
OUR PEER CITIES, IF YOU LOOK AT
PORTLAND, HAVE VERY STRONG TREE
PROTECTION ORDINANCES.
IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD WANT TO
PAIR WITH GROWTH.
JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, WHERE
WE'RE CONSIDERING IMPACTS,
STATE BENEFITS.
WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT THE
BROADER PICTURE WHEN WE HAVE
THESE KINDS OF LARGE CHANGES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THIS IS KIND OF JUST GETTING
AT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE,
FROM OUR END HAVE BEEN TACKLING
THIS.
WE KNOW STAFF IS WORKING ON IT
TO SOME EXTENT.
WE'VE DEVELOPED A ONE PAGER TO
DISTILL THIS COMPLEX OF AN
ORDINANCE, TO SOMETHING THAT'S
DIGESTIC FOR A PUBLIC AUDIENCE.
WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF PUBLIC
INPUT.
THESE ARE THINGS WE'LL WANT TO
TALK ABOUT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT
2021.
TO DRIVE HOME ONE LAST POINT ON
THE TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCE.
WHY THIS IS NEEDED.
WE DON'T HAVE DATA.
WE CAN'T MAKE GOOD POLICY FOR
OUR TREES AND VEGETATION UNLESS
WE HAVE INFORMATION TO MAKE
POLICY.
WE DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY WHAT
ACTIVITIES ARE CAUSING TO THE
MOST TREE LOSS.
WE DID KNOW THAT WE'RE LOSING
OUR BIG TREES.
SOME OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT
TREES, AROUND WE'RE LOSING SOME
CANOPY COVER OVERTILE.
BUT GENERALLY, WE DON'T DON'T
KNOW.
WE PERMIT THINGS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT.
WEINVENT ADVISEINCENTIVIZE
THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
SO WE SHOULD BE PERMITTING, AND
REGULATING THE THINGS THAT
ACTUALLY BENEFIT OUR NEIGHBORS,
ACTUALLY BENEFIT THE BROADER
COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHERE THE INCENTIVES
NED TO BE.
ONE MORE POINT, WE NEED A
PROCESS THAT HAS CLEAR RULES.
WE WANT OUR TREES TO BE THINGS
THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO DO, AND WE KNOW HOW
TO HANDLE IT, AND WE KNOW HOW
TO GET THE MOST BENEFITS.
RIGHT NOW, FAR TO MUCH OF OUR
TREE ISSUES ARE HANDLED WITH
THE CITY ATTORNEY INVOLVED.
WE NEED TO HAVE RULES.
HAVE EVERYONE DECIDE WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO DO.
HAVE DEVELOPERS UNDERSTAND THE
RULES, AND ABIDE BY THEM, AND
WE WANT TO PROVIDE A CLEAR AND
LOGICAL PROCESS.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD ONTO
YOUR POINT ABOUT CODE
REGULATION, AND PERMITTING.
WE JUST PASSED THE STRONGEST
ENERGY CODE IN THE NATION A FEW
WEEKS AGO, SOMETHING THAT COMES
IN FRONT OF MIND, I'M JUST
GOING TO KEEP FOCUSING ON THIS
TOWNHOME OR TREE ASSOCIATION.
ANY BUILDING THAT HAS A MATURE
CANOPY OVER OR AROUND IT IS
GOING TO USE FEWER RESOURCES TO
HEAT AND COOL THE PROPERTY.
I'M RIFFING OFF OF YOUR
COMMENTS, THAT WE HAVE THESE
CODES THAT DETERMINE HOW WE USE
OUR ENERGY, AND WE COULD BE
USING LESS ENERGY WITH CANOPY
COVER.
>> EXACTLY.
WE KNOW THAT OUR DRAINAGE RATE
INCORPORATES IMPERVIOUS COVER.
WE COULD BE INSENTIVIZING TREES
AND LEGISLATION.
>> YOU HAVE A TREE BACK.
SANDY FROM GREENLAKE TAKES IT
UPON HERSELF TO GO TO THE
NEIGHBORS OF NEWTOWN NEW
TOWNHOMES WHO HAVE JUST MOVED
IN TO HELP EDUCATION THEM ON
HOW TO MAKE SURE THEIR TREE
GROWS AND THIEVES.
SHE HAS KEYED INTO A GAP THAT
WE HAVE, WHEN PEOPLE ARE
PURCHASING TOWNHOMES, IT MAY BE
THEIR FIRST HOME, AND MAYBE
THEY'VE NEVER HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CARE FOR A TREE
IN THEIR YARD.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVE
TO WATER THE TREE, THEN YOU
MIGHT NOT WATER IT, AND THAT
COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
SUCCESS AND FAILURE IN THIS
SITUATION.
I KNOW IN LAST FALL'S BUDGET
SESSION, PRODUCED A STATEMENT
OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT TO
IDENTIFY WAYS WE CAN EXPAND THE
TREE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
SO MAYBE NOT NOW, BUT WE WOULD
LOVE YOUR INPUT ON HOW WE COULD
EXPAND HAD A TREE AMBASSADOR
PROGRAM, TO ALLOW EVERYDAY
PEOPLE TO HAVE MORE TOOLS TO
CARE FOR THE TREES IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> EXCELLENT.
YEAH.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM, AS
YOU POINT OUT.
KIND OF A KEY COMPONENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AN HE CAN
DOUBT.
WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT WHO
ARE PASSIONATE, AND DEEPLY
ENGAGED.
I THINK IT'S PART OF OUR
MISSION TO EXPAND OUR
COMMUNITY, AND TO BRING IN WHO
HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF THE
CONVERSATION.
THAT MEANS ALSO PERHAPS
BUSINESS INTERESTS, DEVELOPMENT
INTERESTS, AND THOSE WHO ARE
HUGE STAKEHOLDERS, ABOUT OFTEN
AREN'T AT THE TABLE FOR THE
CONVERSATIONS.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO PASS
OVER TO SARAH TO KIND OF TALK A
BIT MORE ABOUT OUR ITEMS WE
WERE LOOKING AT LAST YEAR.
>> THANK YOU.
WHAT IS SHOWN ON THE SLIDE ARE
SOME OF THE KEY CONVERSATIONS
WE WERE A PART OF WITH THE
DIFFERENT EITHER CITY
DEPARTMENT, OR DIFFERENT
LETTERS THAT WE SENT OUT FOR IN
SUPPORT.
SO FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
FOR S DOT'S PROGRAM.
ONE THING WAS THAT THEY REALLY
HIGHLIGHTED HOW THEY'RE
UTILIZING TREES TO PROVIDE A
BETTER WALKING ENVIRONMENT FOR
THE STUDENTS.
AND THEN ALSO USING THE TREES
TO HELP REDUCE VEHICULAR SPEEDS
ON THE ADJACENT ROADWAYS.
SO THAT WAS GREAT TO HERE, THAT
THEY ARE USING TREES TO BE ABLE
TO MEET THEIR GOALS FOR
PROVIDING SAFE ROUTES TO
SCHOOL.
FOR THE SPU'S SHIP CANAL WATER
QUALITY PROJECT.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WAS THERE
WERE TREE REMOVALS AS PART OF
THE PROJECT, AND WITH THE
CITY'S TWO FOR ONE REPLACEMENT,
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WAS
FINDING WHERE TO PLACE THE
REPLACEMENT TREES, OR PLANT THE
REPLACEMENT TREES.
SO WORKING WITH THE SPU ON
LOOKING AT TRYING TO KEEP THE
TREE REPLANTINGS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY ARE REMOVED FROM, AND IF
THEY CAN'T, WHERE TO PRIORITIZE
REPLANTING THE TREES.
FOR THE NAVIGATION TEAM, THE
PRESENTATION WAS EARLY OF THE
YEAR.
AND REALLY, WE WERE SETTING UP
TO DISCUSS THE
MULTIDEPARTMENTAL RULES.
BUT DUE TO COVID, THAT WENT OUT
THE WINDOW, AND SO, REALLY IT
WAS TRYING TO, THE CORONAVIRUS
WAS MOSTLY ABOUT HOW THEY
REALLY NEEDED TO PIVOT TO
ADDRESS THE COVID CRISIS.
AND ONE OF THE BIG TAKEAWAYS
THOUGH, WAS FROM THAT WE WERE
WANTING TO BE A PART OF THE
CONVERSATION IS THAT WE ARE
SEEING HOW ENCAMPMENTS IN OUR
TREE AREAS IS STARTING TO HAVE
A MORE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION FOR
TREE AREAS IN SEATTLE, SO WE'RE
WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE
UNDERSTAND THE PUBLIC OPINION,
AND ALSO THE CHALLENGES OF
TRYING TO HOUSE OUR UNHOUSED
POPULATION, AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE CAN FIND A WAY TO HELP
PRIORITIZE THE EFFORTS, TO
PROTECT THE INVESTMENT OF OUR
URBAN FOREST.
FOR THE GREEN NEW DEAL, AGAIN
THEY WERE BEGINNING TO STAFF
THE POSITIONS, BUT DUE TO COVID
HAD TO REALLY, IT WAS A BIG
CHALLENGE TO CONTINUE THAT
WORK, BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED
ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE
GREEN NEW DEAL IN HELPING US BE
BETTER STEWARDS FOR OUR URBAN
FORESTS AND WHAT KIND OF JOB
CREATION THIS CAN BRING TO THE
CITY.
WITH THE BLACK LIVES MATTER
STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, I WANTED
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CANOPY
COVER WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES OF
OUR BIPOP COMMUNITIES IS A LOT
LOWER THAN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO WE SEE THE INEQUITIES WITHIN
OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT, AND WANT
TO TRY TO MAKE SURE AS A PART
OF THE CITY AS WESTON SAID, WE
ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, AND
WORKING ON HOW TO REMOVE THE
ADDRESS THE RACISM THAT HAS
BEEN KIND OF INSTITUTIONALIZED
THROUGH OUR PROCESSES.
SDOT PASSED READINESS.
ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT CAME
OUT FROM THIS BRIEFING WAS THAT
THEY HAVEN'T YET REALLY BEEN
ABLE TO GET SDCI ONBOARD AT THE
TIME OF THE BRIEFING, SO THINGS
MIGHT HAVE CHANGED, BUT WITH
OVER 70% OF THE TREE CANOPY ON
PRIVATE PROPERTY, THE URBAN
FOREST COMMISSION FELT THAT IT
WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET SDCI
ONBOARD TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS
ANY THREAT WE HAVE OF PESTS
COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
INTO OUR CITY.
ANOTHER THING WITH THIS IS ALSO
PART OF THEIR SDOT'S SELF-
EVALUATION WAS THEY
ACKNOWLEDGED THEY DON'T HAVE
INFORMATION.
THEY AGAIN, TO WESTON'S POINT,
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE HAVE IN
ORDER TO MANAGE IT.
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO THE
ORDINANCE CHANGES TO HELP FILL
IN SOME OF THESE GAPS, AND YOU
KNOW, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
ANOTHER PLACE, WHERE WE'RE
SEEING THIS LACK OF INFORMATION
IMPACTING THE ABILITY OF THE
CITY TO MEET THESE GOALS.
>> JUMPING IN.
WHEN YOU SAY PESTS, WE'RE NOT
TALKING ABOUT RODENTS AND MICE,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TREE
ASH BEETLE.
>> YES, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHAT
YOU THINK ABOUT AS LIKE THE
RATS AND EVERYTHING IN OUR
CITY.
BUT MORE THE THREATS THE URBAN
FOREST, WHERE, I CAN'T REMEMBER
HOW MANY YEARS AGO, SORRY, I
APOLOGIZE, I'M A HYDROLOGIST,
SO I MIGHT NOT BE USING THE
RIGHT TERMS, BUT AS FAR AS
BRINGING IN THE DIFFERENT
DISEASES, AND DIFFERENT BUGS
THAT WILL WIPE OUT SET SPECIES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE
HAVE A TON OF MAPLE TREES.
AND IF THERE'S A THREAT TO
MAPLE TREES, WE COULD EASILY
USE A LOT OF OUR URBAN FOREST.
AND SO TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
MUCH OF WHAT TYPE OF URBAN
FOREST WE HAVE IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE
NEED TO RESPOND.
AND AGAIN, IT'S A
MULTIDEPARTMENTAL ATTEMPT, BUT
ONE OF THE GAPS WAS INCLUDING,
GETTING SDCI MORE INTEGRATED,
AND WE'RE CONCERNED, BECAUSE SO
MUCH OF THE URBAN FOREST CANOPY
IS, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
>> SO AS THIS ACTUALLY THE LEAD
FOR THE?
BUT THIS IS A REGIONAL EFFORT,
SEATTLE PARKS AND RECREATION,
AND SEATTLE FORESTRY, OTHER
DEMOCRATICS ARE VERY MUCH
INVOLVED.
I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT
THIS KIND OF ISSUE, IS ANOTHER
ONE OF THE FALLOUTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE, WHERE WE'RE HAVING
DRIER AND HOTTER SUMMERS, WHICH
TEND TO PLACE AN IMPACT ON THE
HEALTH OF THE TREES, AND WHEN
THEY ARE KIND OF WEAKENED BY
ONGOING DROUGHT, THEN IT'S
EASIER THAT THEY ARE INVADED,
AND SUCCUMB TO PESTS LIKE THE
EMERALD DASHBOARD.
IT WAS THEINVENTORY, AND THEY
HAVE A GREAT ACCOUNTING OF HOW
MANY OF THE TREES ARE ASHES.
AND HOW MANY ARE POTENTIALLY
GOING TO BE LOST, ONCE THE
EMERALD ASH BORE GETS HERE.
SO ALL OF THIS PLANNING IS
REGIONAL, AND THE CITY'S EFFORT
IS LEADING THAT.
>> THANK YOU, SANDRA. I GUESS
I'LL DO A REAL QUICK POINT.
I GUESS I'M SEEING WE'RE
GETTING CLOSER TO TIME FOR THE
URBAN FOREST MANAGEMENT UPDATE.
ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE DRAFT
WE COMMENTED ON WAS A LOT OF
THE NARRATIVE OF TREE VERSUS
DEVELOPMENT VERSUS YOU KNOW,
DENSIFICATION.
SO TRYING TO BREAK THAT
NARRATIVE UP IN LIKE SOUTH LAKE
UNION HAS GONE THROUGH A TON OF
DEVELOPMENT.
AND ITS TREE CANOPY HAS BEEN
INCREASED.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS JUST
TRYING TO BREAKDOWN THAT
NARRATIVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC
AND DEFINE THE TERMS THAT WE
REALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARE
CREATING THE FRICTION OF
PRESERVING OUR TREES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
>> IF I MAY, JUST REALLY
QUICKLY, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO
RESPOND TO WHAT I HEARD IN
PUBLIC COMMENT.
JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AS
PART OF THE WORK THAT THE URBAN
FORESTRY TEAM HAS DONE, WE HAVE
INCLUDED, AND I'M SPEAKING NOW
AS PART OF THE URBAN FORESTRY
COURT TEAM.
WE INCLUDED THE URBAN FORESTRY
TEAM IN KEEP WASTE.
IN 2018, WHEN WE WERE JUST
GETTING GOING WITH THE PLANNING
UPDATE, WE HELD A LISTENING
SESSION IN JULY TO MAKE SURE WE
UNDERSTOOD THE COMMISSION'S
VISION FOR THE UPDATE.
THEN WE HELD TWO DIFFERENT
DELIBERATIVE SESSIONS TO BE
ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE
COMMISSION.
ONE WAS IN MARCH, AND THE OTHER
IN AUGUST OF 2019.
BUT WE SHARED WITH THIS SMALLER
SUBECONOMY, THE INITIAL FINDING
WE HAD.
WE SHARED A POTENTIAL PLANNED
STRUCTURE AS WELL AS INITIAL
GOALS TO BE DISCUSSED AND FOR
THE COMMISSION TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.
THEN WE ALSO SHARED LATER IN
2019, THE PROGRESS THAT WE WERE
ACHIEVING SPECIFIC ACTIONS
PERFORMANCE INDICATERS.
ALL OF THESE TO BE ABLE TO
INFORM THE WORK THAT THE TEAM
WAS DOING TO UPDATE THE PLAN.
IN 2020, WE KICKED OFF THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WITH A
BRIEFING IN DETAIL TO THE
COMMISSION IN OCTOBER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY,
FINDING CREATIVE WAYS TO ENGAIN
THE COMMISSION, WITHOUT HAVING
TO HAVE BIG, ELABORATE PUBLIC
MEETINGS, BUT REALLY GET THEIR
KEY EXPERIENCE IN ALL OF THE
SKILLS THAT THEY BRING TO THE
TABLE, THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN
HAVING THESE DELIBERATIVE
SESSIONS, AND FOR SURE, I
PERSONALLY DON'T BELIEVE WE ARE
CONSIDERING THE COMMISSION JUST
ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
>> WELL SAID.
>> THANKS, SANDRA.
I WANT TO JUST, WITH INTEREST
IN TIME, HIGHLIGHT THE FOREST
HEALTH WATCH PROJECT, AND I SEE
TREE.
THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS ARE
UTILIZING, OR ARE USING WEB
PLATFORMS TO ENGAGE YOUTH AND
PUBLIC IN RESEARCH AND IN
EDUCATION, AND WE FOUND THAT
VERY ENCOURAGING TO TRY TO
INSTILL THE APPRECIATION FOR
OUR URBAN FOREST AND NATURE IN
THE COMMUNITY.
NEXT SLIDE.
FOR OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS, WE
AGAIN, JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE
DOING BY REEVALUATING OUR
BYLAWS, DIFFERENT PROTOCOLS WAS
TO MAKE SUREWE WE RESTRICT OUT
ANY RESTRICTIVE LANGUAGE, ANY
GENDER PRONOUNS AND ALSO WE
WANTED TO MAKE SURE IN THE
PROMPTERS, AND TO OURSELVES, WE
TOOK A MINUTE TO MAKE SURE WE
LOOKED AT DIFFERENT
CONVERSATIONS THROUGH THE RACE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS, SO WE
WHETHER THAT INTO OUR BIMONTHLY
MEETINGS, AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
COORDINATION WE HAVE WITH THE
PARTNERS.
THAT ALSO TIED IN WITH UFC AND
IDT TEAM, WHERE WE PARTICIPATED
IN TRAINING ON RACIAL EQUITY,
AND THE URBAN FOREST, AND THAT
ALSO WENT INTO HOW TO
REEVALUATE HOW WE ARE PROVIDING
MATERIAL TO THE PUBLIC AND
MAKING SURE THAT IT IS AS
ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU.
AND THAT WILL BE BACK, NEXT
SLIDE?
YEP.
BACK TO WESTON.
>> THANKS, SARAH.
JUST TO WRAP UP HERE REAL
QUICK, THEN I'D LOVE IT IF
THERE'S TIME FOR A QUESTION OR
TWO.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR,
AND YOU BEEN FOREST MANAGEMENT
UPDATE.
OBVIOUSLY, TREE REGULATIONS.
THE ONE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT
YET IS THE SLIDE ISSUED LAST
YEAR, AND I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED
TO BE DUE BACK TO YOU ALL IN
SEPTEMBER.
AND THIS IS FOCUSED ON
RESTRUCTURING URBAN FORESTRY
MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE CITY.
OBVIOUSLY A VERY, VERY BIG
ISSUE.
AS YOU KNOW CURRENTLY NINE
DEPARTMENTS WORK ON TREES AND
VEGETATION IN THIS CITY, AND
AND AUDITOR REPORT ALMOST A
DECADE AGO, SHOWED THERE IS
PERHAPS SOME EFFICIENCIES IN
MANAGEMENT THAT WE COULD BE
CAPITALIZING ON IF THING WERE
RESTRUCTURED.
A LOT OF THIS IS TIED UP IN
ISSUES OF REGULATION, AND HOW
DO WE MOST AFFECTIVELY GET TO
THOSE.
SO ENGAGING WITH STAFF ON THE
SLY IS A BIG PART OF OUR
UPCOMING YEAR.
IN FACT, THE COMMISSION WAS
CALLED OUT SPECIFICALLY IN THE
SLY TO BE A CO-CREATOR OF
RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND I GUESS
LEAVE IT THERE AND OPEN IT UP
TO SEE IF ANY OF YOU'LL HAVE
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANYTHING
ELSE FOR US.
>> THANK YOU WESTON.
THANK YOU SARAH, AND SANDRA.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
WITH YOUR SCREEN ON, AND YOUR
SAVE THE TREES.
I'VE GOT MINE RIGHT HERE TOO.
WELCOME.
TALK IT AWAY COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
ON THE URBAN FORESTRY
COMMISSION FOR THEIR WORK.
ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS ATTENDS
MOST OF YOUR MEETINGS, AND WE
DID LOOK AT THIS WORK PLAN, AND
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THE SCOPE OF
IT.
OBVIOUSLY WE'D LOVE TO SEE
THINGS ACHIEVED EVEN EARLIER.
WE KNOW OUR EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDER A LOT OF
STRAIN FROM THE COVID PANDEMIC,
AND OTHER THINGS THEY'RE DOING,
SO WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH THE COMMISSION AND
APPRECIATE YOUR SAGE ADVICE AND
EXPERTISE IN THESE AREAS, THANK
YOU.
>> OF COURSE, YEAH, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
I GUESS I'LL JUST WRAP UP BY
SAYING THIS LAST PICTURE THAT
YOU SHOW IS ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE
IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING BOTH
STREET TREES, AND PROTECTING
THOSE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
NOT KNOWING WHERE THIS WAS
TAKEN.
IF THE ZONING ALLOWED FOR IF,
WE COULD HAVE A MORE DENSE
PHOTOGRAPH PHOTOGRAPH.
IT HELPS ADDRESS CLIMATE
CRISIS, AS WELL AS TREES.
>> THANK YOU ALL, AGAIN FOR
HAVING US.
AS ALWAYS, FEEL FREE TO UTILIZE
US AS A RESOURCE, WE'RE HERE TO
SERVE YOU ALL.
LET'S GET TREE PROTECTIONS
PASSED.
IF YOU'VE GOT CHALLENGES, IF
YOU'VE GOT ROAD BLOCKS, WE'RE
HERE AS A RESOURCE.
>> THANK YOU WESTON, THANK YOU
SARAH, THANK YOU SANDRA.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM.
OUR FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA
TODAY IS COUNCIL BILL NUMBER
120001.
THE BRINGING BUSINESS HOME
BILL.
A SMALL BUSINESS FLEXIBILITY
BILL.
MR. AHN, WILL YOU PLEASE READ
THE ABBREVIATED TITLE INTO THE
RECORD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER 120001.
ADOPTING INTERIM REGULATIONS TO
ALLOW HOME BUSINESSES TO
OPERATE WITH FEWER REGULATIONS
DURING THE COVID-19 CIVIL
EMERGENCY.
>> THANK YOU, I SPOKE ABOUT
THIS LEGISLATION, AND COUNSEL
BRIEFING ON MONDAY MORNING.
I'M EXCITED TO HAVE IT HERE IN
COMMITTEE TODAY.
I'M HOPING THE BRINGING
BUSINESS HOME LEGISLATION, WITH
COUNCILMEMBER GONZALEZ, AS
WELL, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
WOULD LIKE TO SIGN ON AS A
COSPONSOR.
WE CAN OPEN UP THAT UP TO OTHER
MEMBERS IF YOU'D LIKE TO JOIN
US, FOR YOU WILL TO PROVIDE
FLEXIBILITY TO SMALLER
BUSINESSES, AND ENTREPRENEURS
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
IT RECOGNIZES THAT AS BUSINESS
OWNERS HAVE BEEN NIMBLE, OUR
CITY'S LAND USE REGULATIONS
HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP
WITH THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
IN WHICH WE LIVE IN.
AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, YOU MAYBE
FAMILY WITH, IS YONDER BAR,
YONDER TASTING ROOM IN
GREENWOOD.
AND YONDER HAS BEEN BECOME BY
ITS NEIGHBORS, AND CREATED A
PLACE FOR COMMUNITY DURING A
DIFFICULT YEAR.
DURING A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE TO
BE PHYSICALLY DISTANCED, WHICH
HAS DIRECTLY IMPACTED OUR
ABILITY TO CREATE COMMUNITY,
AND YONDER HAS DONE A GREAT JOB
IN FOSTERING THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER A
COMPLAINT WAS FAILED WITH THE
CITY, THEY WERE OUT OF BUSINESS
LAST WEEK.
THEY WERE FOUND IN COMPLIANCE
BY THE LIQUOR BOARD AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S
FRONT AND CENTER TO EVERYONE'S
MIND, THIS BILL IS NOT ABOUT
YONDER.
THIS BILL IS ABOUT ALL OF THE
SMALL BUSINESSES,
MICROBUSINESSES, AND
ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE OPERATING
IN OUR CITY.
THERE'S A PIZZA SHOP JUST DOWN
THE STREET FROM ME.
IF THEY WERE TO RECEIVE A
SIMILAR COMPLAINT, THEY WOULD
BE FOUND OUT OF COMPLIANCE.
IN IS ANOTHER GREAT ENTITY THAT
PROVIDES VIBRANTS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE LICENSED MASSAGE
THERAPISTS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE OPERATING THEIR
BUSINESSES OUT OF THEIR HOMES,
THEY NEED TO HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO SURVIVE AND
THRIVE DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
THIS IS A TEMPORARY BILL, AND
THIS IS REALLY MEANT TO ENSURE
THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR
ENTREPRENEURS.
AS I SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK,
THAT SOME OF THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES IN THIS
COUNTRY, AND IN THIS WORLD
STARTED OUT OF GARAGES.
AND WE SHOULD BE DOING WHAT WE
CAN TO SUPPORT THEM.
SMALL BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING
TO SURVIVE, THE LAST THING WE
NEED TO DO IS FORCE THEM TO
SHUT DOWN.
THIS LEGISLATION WILL ALLOW
MORE SMALL BUSINESSES TO STAY
OPEN.
OPERATE OUT OF RESIDENCES, AND
PROVIDING THE BUSINESSES AN
ALTERNATIVE TO HIGH COMMERCIAL
RENTS WHILE THEY PROVIDE
VIBRANTS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
CAPITAL CENTRAL STAFF.
I'LL SHARE MY SCREEN WITH THAT
PRESENTATION HERE.
ARE YOU ALL SEEING THAT?
OKAY.
>> YES.
>> ON AN INITIAL BRIEFING ON
DOWN BILL 120001, WHICH WOULD
AMEND THE LAND USE CODE TO
TEMPORARY MODIFY REGULATIONS
FOR HOME OCCUPANTS.
WHAT'S PROPOSED TO CHANGE AND
WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE BILL WITH
EFFECTIVE PURPOSE, AND THESE
ARE STATED IN THE FINDINGS OF
FACT, WHICH ARE AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE BILL, AS THE
COUNCILMEMBER KNOWS,
COUNCILMEMBERS KNOW, WHEN THE
COUNCIL NEXT ENTER REGULATIONS,
YOU CAN FIND THESE TO SUPPORT
THOSE INTERIM REGULATIONS.
BUT THEY ARE COVID RELATED.
THEY WOULD ALLOW HOME BASED
BUSINESSES, INCLUDING THOSE
THAT ONCE WOULD HAVE OPERATED
OUT OF A BRICK AND MORTAR
LOCATION, TO HOPEFULLY WILL
ALLOW SMALL BUSINESSES TO
REMAIN OPERATING TO SPEED
ECONOMIC RECOVERY AFTER THE
CIVIL EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS
ARE LIFTED, AND BUSINESSES ARE
COP RATE MORE FREELY.
SO HOW DOES THE LAND USE CODE
CURRENTLY REGULATE HOME
OCCUPATIONS?
CURRENTLY, AN ACCESSORY USE TO
A RESIDENTIAL USE IN ALL ZONES.
SO THERE'S NOT A ZONAL
RESTRICTION ON WHERE HOME
OCCUPATIONS CAN BE LOCATED.
THEY CAN BE IN SINGLE FAMILY
ZONES, MULTIFAMILY ZONES,
COMMERCIAL ZONES.
THE HOME OCCUPATION HAS TO BE
OPERATED BY A RESIDENT OF THE
RESIDENTIAL USE.
SOMEBODY COULD NOT LEASE OUT
THEIR GARAGE TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PERMIT
TO HAVE A HOME USE OCCUPATION.
YOU JUST NEED TO COMPLY WITH
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS.
THOSE INCLUDE LIMITATIONS ON
THE NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL
VEHICLES AND PICKUPS BY DAY.
APPOINTMENTSHAVE TO BE,
CUSTOMERS CAN ONLY VISIT BY
APPOINTMENT ONLY.
THERE CANNOT BE WALK UP
CUSTOMERS.
THE RESIDENTIAL APPEARANCE OF
THE BUILDING HAS TO BE
MAINTAINED.
NO MORE THAN TWO EMPLOYEES MAY
WORK AT THE HOME OCCUPATION.
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FOLKS WHO
MAY BE RESIDING IN THAT
DWELLING UNIT.
THE HOME OCCUPATION CAN'T
INCREASE TRAFFIC.
THE HOME OCCUPATIONS CAN IS
HAVE SIGNS BUT THEY ARE PRETTY
SMALL IN SIZE.
OUTDOOR STORAGE, AND NOISE,
ODOR, DUST, THOSE ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
HOME OCCUPATIONS.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT THE CURRENT
REGULATIONS ARE?
>> NOT SO FAR FROM ME, BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN WELL VERSED IN ALL OF
THIS.
BUT OPENING IT UP TO ALL
COLLEAGUES.
ANY QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER PETERSON.
>> NOT YET.
>> I'LL KEEP GOING HERE.
>> SO WHAT WOULD CHANGE, ON
INTERIM BASIS, THAT IS ONE
YEAR.
HOMEOWNERS WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT
TO THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
AND PRELIMINARY TAIGSES ON
INCREASED TRAFFIC AND PARKING
WOULD NOT APPLY TO HOME BASED
BUSINESSES.
I OMITTED SOMETHING FROM THIS
SLIDE.
APOLOGIES TORE THAT.
BUT ALSO AS DRAFTED AND
INTRODUCED, THE REQUIREMENT
THAT A HOME BASED BASIS THAT
THE STRUCTURE OF THE HOME BASED
BUSINESS WOULD ALSO BE MODIFIED
AS WELL.
ADDITIONALLY, HOME OCCUPANTS
WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A
LARGER SIGN.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE BEEN
IN CITY HALL, OR ARE SITTING AT
YOUR DESK AT CITY HALL RIGHT
NOW, THE STANDARD SIZE OF A
STAND UP CITY DESK IS ABOUT
TWICE 720 INCHES.
AND FINALLY, SPACES THAT MAY BE
OCCUPIED BY REQUIRED PARKING
COULD BE USED FOR THE HOME
OCCUPATION.
IF YOU HAVE A GARAGE THAT
SATISFIES THE REQUIREMENT FOR A
REQUIRED PARKING SPACE, YOU
COULD USE YOUR GARAGE FOR YOUR
HOME BASED BUSINESS.
SO NEXT STEPS.
AS I MENTIONED, THIS WOULD BE
AUTHORIZED AS INTERIM
DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS.
THAT MEANS THAT THE COUNCIL
STILL NEEDS TO HOLD A PUBLIC
HEARING ON THE BILL.
THERE'S A COMMITTEE MEETING
SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 12th.
ASSUMING THE COUNCIL APPROVES
THAT BILL, THAT HEARING WOULD
BE AFTER LEGISLATION.
THE BILL DOES REQUIRE A WORK
PROGRAM, AND INSTRUCTIONS TO
PROPOSE PERMANENT CHANGES TO
HOME OCCUPATIONS.
THOSE COULD JUST BE A REFRESH
OF OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS, OR
THEY COULD BE SOMETHING
BROADER, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE
ARE WITH THE COVID CIVIL
EMERGENCY ABOUT A YEAR FROM
NOW.
SO THAT IS MY BRIEF ON THE
BILL.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
THAT YOU GUYS MIGHT HAVE.
>> I HAVE A FEW.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN WAS AHEAD OF ME.
IS THIS THE TIME?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> ARE YOU SURE?
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY.
IS THIS THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE
A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS NOW ABOUT
THIS WHOLE THING?
IS THERE MORE TO COME?
THIS IS, OKAY, GOOD.
>> I THINK THAT IS, THE NEXT
SLIDE SAYS QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY.
SO I'M GOING TO BE JUST REAL
FRANK.
AS IT STANDS, I CANNOT SUPPORT
THIS.
LET ME JUST TELL YOU WHY, AND I
KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
HEARING, AND CLEAR GOING TO
CLEAN IT UP, AND DO MORE.
I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT AND THE
SPIRIT AND THE PASSION.
I GET IT.
SO NUMBER ONE, I HAVE THREE
QUESTIONS, AND THEN YOU CAN
ANSWER OR NOT QUESTION, AND
THEN AS COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD
SAYS PUT A PIN IN IT.
YOU HAVE IT AS COVID-19 CIVIL
EMERGENCY.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT
COULD BE.
THAT COULD BE MONTHS, THAT
COULD BE YEARS.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT, I
UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO
PROTECT EXISTING SMALL, AND
MICRO-BUSINESSES, BUT THIS
WOULD ALSO CREATE MORE SMALL
AND MICRO BUSINESSES OUT OF
PEOPLE'S GARAGES.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHICH IS
FINE.
MY CONCERN IS, WHAT WOULD BE
THIS IMPACT TO THE EXISTING
SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN IT COMES
TO PARKING, COMPETITION.
AND ALSO IN LIGHT OF THE FACT
THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE
NOT TO USE THIRD PARTY APPS FOR
DELIVERY.
SO SMALL BUSINESSES AND
RESTAURANTS GET 100% OF THE
COST OF THE REVENUE, INSTEAD OF
JUST 85.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE
SMALL BUSINESSES ON SPINES LIKE
AURORA LAKE CITY WAY.
BALARD.
IF YOU HAVE BUSINESSES
OPERATING OUT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY,
AND WE DON'T KNOW FOR HOW LONG,
AS LONG AS COVID-19 IS GOING TO
BE AROUND, WHERE THERE'S MORE
SIGNAGE, MORE PARKING.
YOU COULD HAVE AS MANY
EMPLOYEES AS YOU WANT.
THIS COULD GO FROM OPERATING
SELLING CIDER, TO BEING A
MASSEUSE TO, DOES THIS MEAN, AS
I TOLD MY HUSBAND ON THE PHONE
AN HOUR AGO.
I SAID GOOD NEWS, I CAN OPEN UP
THE DRIVEWAY AND SELL FRIED
BREAD.
DOES THAT MEAN I CAN JUST OPEN
A BUSINESS IN MY DRIVEWAY, IF
THIS WERE TO PASS AS IS, FOR AS
LONG AS COVID IS AROUND, TO
COMPETE WITH ALL THE SMALL
BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS FOUR
BLOCKS AWAY WITH NONE OF THE
CONSTRAINTS OF REGULATION
PERMITTING, ALL THE THINGS THAT
SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE TO COMPLY
WITH FOR PARKING EMPLOYEES?
ALL OF THOSE THINGS?
SEEMS TO ME THAT WE MAY BE
CREATING AN UNFAIR PLAYING
FIELD FOR THOSE EXISTING SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT WE ARED IN
TRYING TO PROTECT, AND KEEP
OPEN, AS YOU'VE DONE,
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, TO YOUR
CREDIT.
MAKING SURE THAT OUR SIDEWALKS
COULD BE OPEN, SO SMALL
BUSINESSES COULD SEE PEOPLE
OUTSIDE, AND HAVE COFFEE
OUTSIDE.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT I CAN OPEN
UP AN ESPRESSO STAND IN MY
DRIVEWAY, AND SELL LATTES TO
ALL MY NEIGHBORS, WHILE COFFEE
KLATCH FOUR BLOCKS AWAY ISN'T
GOING TO GET THEIR BUSINESS
ANYMORE?
THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF I'M
CONCERNED ABOUT.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE INTENT,
BUT THE APPLICATION, WHERE WE
GET A LITTLE WONKY, IS WHERE I
GET CONCERNED.
SO I'M GOING TO BE QUIET AFTER
THIS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, I LOVE
IT.
YOU ALWAYS BRING THE BEST
QUESTIONS, AND YOU NAILED
SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO
ME AS WELL, WHICH IS WE'RE NOT
MOVING OUR BUSINESS AREAS OUT
INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
OPERATE FRIED BREAD OR COFFEE
OUT OF YOUR DRIVEWAY, YOU WOULD
BE ABLE TO OPERATE OUT OF YOUR
GARAGE.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE INTENT
YOU SHARE.
>> I'D DEFINITELY PUT A STOVE
IN MY GARAGE THEN.
MY TWO CAR GARAGE.
MY HUGE TWO CAR GARAGE, AND
DRIVEWAY IS HUGE, SO GREAT, I
CAN SELL FRIED BREAD AND
FIREWORKS.
THANK YOU.
>> YES.
TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MAKING SURE
THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING AN
UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD ABOUT WHAT
OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT ARE
REGULATING, WHETHER IT'S
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, OR LIQUOR
CONTROL BOARD.
THESE OTHER LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT STILL HAVE THEIR
JURISDICTION.
SO TO YOUR POINT OF, YOU KNOW,
TO DO FRIED BREAD, YOU WOULD
HAVE TO HAVE A COMMERCIAL
KICHEN.
AND SO THAT JUST AS IT STANDS,
THE INCENTIVE WOULD STILL BE
FOR, THERE ARE ALREADY EXISTING
KITCHENS THAT YOU COULD RENT
FOR CHEAPER THAN YOU COULD
BUILD IN YOUR GARAGE.
THERE'S REALLY A LOT.
THE INTENT HERE IS TO HELP
CREATE THE CODE CHANGES FOR
EXISTING, FOR WHAT IS ALREADY
EXISTING.
AND THE INTERIM, AND CORRECT ME
IF I'M WRONG, IF IS FOR ONE
YEAR, RATHER THAN FOR THE
DURATION OF THE COVID PANDEMIC?
I KNOW WE HAD INITIALLY TALKED
ABOUT THE COVID PANDEMIC, BUT
TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILWOMAN
JUAREZ, WE WANTED TO CREATE A
SET TIMELINE FOR THIS INTERIM
MEASURE, SO THAT WE COULD
CREATE, TO TAKE THE TIME AND
PROCESS FOR ANY PERMANENT
CHANGES TO OCCUR IN A
THOUGHTFUL WAY.
DO YOU WANT TO CORRECT ME IF
I'M WRONG?
>> YEAH, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
INTER IM HERE HAS A SPECIFIC
MEANING.
THIS BILL WOULD BE AUTHORIZED
UNDER A SECTION OF THE GMA
SECTION 3678-390.
THAT ALLOWS LOCAL GHOSTS TO PUT
IN PLACE WHAT ARE CALLED
INTERIM DEVELOPMENT CONTROLS.
A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T PUT IN
PLACE AN INTERIM DEVELOPMENT
CONTROL THAT LASTS LONGER THAN
A YEAR.
HENCE THE KIND OF THE STRUCTURE
OF THE BILL, WHICH HAS A WORK
PROGRAM FOR SDCI.
THAT ALLOWS THE COUNT THAT
WOULD GIVE SDI THE OPPORTUNITY
TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT
MAY BE MORE PERMANENT, OR COULD
JUST BE A REFRESH OF OUR
CURRENT REGULATIONS TO MAKE
MODEST CHANGES THAT THE COUNCIL
COULD CONSIDER IN NOVEMBER OR
SO.
BUT UNDER THIS PARTICULAR
PATHWAY, THE COUNCIL CAN'T
AUTHORIZE SOMETHING THAT IS
LONGER THAN A YEAR.
IN THE FUTURE, THE COUNCIL
COULD CONSIDER AN EXTENSION OF
IT.
BUT THE INTENT OF THE BILL IS
THAT STCI PROVIDE A PROPOSAL
FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER
BEFORE THE REGULATIONS EXPIRE.
>> SO JUST QUICKLY, MR. CHAIR,
I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE
FISCAL NOTE.
THE SUMMARY AND FISCAL NOTE.
I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T DONE A MEMO
YET, THAT I KNOW YOU'RE GOING
TO GET TO US NEXT WEEK.
I WAS JUST READING THE HEADING,
AND THE FISCAL NOTE.
IT JUST SAYS DURING THE COVID-
19 EMERGENCY.
>> YEAH.
>> IF I MISSED THAT SOMEWHERE,
I APOLOGIZE.
>> MY APOLOGIES, THE FISCAL
NODE IS NOT CLEAR.
THE BILL AS DRAFTED RIGHT NOW
WOULD EXPIRE 365 DAYS AFTER IT
BECOMES AFFECTIVE.
JUST TO SPEAK TO A FEW OF YOUR
COMMENTS, COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
I MENTIONED THAT AS IT IS NOW,
A PERSON DOESN'T NEED A LAND
USE APPROVAL TO OPERATE A HOME
BASED BUSINESS.
THEY JUST HAVE TO COMPLY WITH
THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS THAT
ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOME
OCCUPATION.
THERE MAY BE OTHER PERMISSIONS
THAT THEY MAY NEED FROM THE
CITY OR OTHER BODIES THAT HAVE
REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER THEM,
LIKE KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
OR THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
IF SOMEONE WANTED TO OPERATE,
SELL COFFEE, FOR EXAMPLE OUT OF
THEIR DRIVEWAY, THEY WOULD
PROBABLY NEED AN APPROVAL FROM
SEATTLE KING COUNTY PUBLIC
HEALTH FOR THAT.
PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATES, NOT
SDCI.
YOU MENTIONED FRIED BREAD.
YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY AWARE
LAST YEAR THERE WAS A BILL TO
ALLOW MICRO-ENTERPRISE HOME
KITCHENS, THERE WAS STATE
REGULATORY WORK THAT PROHIBITS
PEOPLE FROM OPERATING OUT OF
THEIR HOMES.
IT LOOKED LIKE A ECONOMY WOULD
ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD NEED
TO PASS FOR THOSE TYPES OF USES
TO BE AUTHORIZED AS A HOME
OCCUPATION IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
SO THERE IS A STATE FRAMEWORK
ABOVE THE CITY'S LAND USE CODE.
>> I CAN COOK OTHER THINGS
BESIDES FRIED BREAD, I JUST
THREW THAT OUT THERE.
I DON'T WANT THE FRONT PAGE
BANNER TO SAY COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ IS GOING TO SELL FRIED
BREAD, SO LET'S GET THAT
CLEARED UP.
THANK YOU.
>> TO THAT POINT, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, USING YONDER AS AN
EXAMPLE.
THEY OPENED AS A TASTING ROOM,
AND NOT AS A BAR.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
DISTINCTION THERE.
THEN FROM THERE WITH THE COVID
PANDEMIC, IT IS UNSAFE FOR THEM
TO HAVE PEOPLE INSIDE OF THEIR
GARAGE, BECAUSE THEIR GARAGE
WAS BUILT FOR A MODEL T. IF
THEY HAD A TWO CAR GARAGE, THEY
WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT
SITUATION.
SO JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT
THOSE ARE THE SMALL NUANCES
THAT WE'RE INTENDING TO CREATE
THE FLEXIBILITY FOR.
AND ALL OF YOUR POINTS, I THINK
ARE REALLY VALID.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'LL
SAY IT TODAY.
YOU TEACH ME WELL,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, AND YOU
MAKE US ALL BETTER PEOPLE.
>> WELL YOU DON'T ALWAYS LISTEN
TO ME, MR. STRAUSS, BUT I'LL
LET THAT GO.
>> THAT'S FAIR.
THAT'S FAIR.
COLLEAGUES.
ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, DO YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS?
YEAH, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ
FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD.
DESIGNED TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES, WHICH I THINK
THERE'S A LOT OF COMMON GROUND
HERE ON THE COUNCIL FOR WANTING
AND I'M SUPPORTIVE OF MEASURES
TO ENSURE THE ECONOMIC HEALTH
OF SMALL BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS.
I DID A QUICK READ OF THE
COUNCIL BILL 120001.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, DID
DOES NOT CHANGE THE CODES
INSIDE OF EXISTING BUSINESSES,
BUT RATHER IT LOSES THE
REGULATIONS IN RESIDENTIAL
ZONES WHERE MOST RETAIL
BUSINESSES ARE PROHIBITED IN
SOME WAY, SO THIS IS
LIBERALIZING THOSE FOR THAT 12
MONTH PERIOD.
MY QUESTIONS CONCERN THE
POTENTIAL UNMITIGATED IMPACTS
ON THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM NOW MIGHT
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SMALL
BUSINESSES, AND THE CONDITIONS
POPPING UP LIKE TRAFFIC, MAYBE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE BRIS
DISTRICTS THAT COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ MENTIONED, I SEE A LOT
OF MENTIONING OF THE CLUSTERING
OF THOSE BUSINESSES TOGETHER IN
THOSE DISTRICTS.
THEY GENERATE FOOT TRAFFIC
TOGETHER, THEY GET CUSTOMERS
TOLT.
THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO REOPEN
THEIR STORE FRONTS.
I'VE GOT A LOT IN MY DIRECT.
JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE GRACE
HERE AS I TRY TO WORK THROUGH
MY QUESTIONS.
THIS IS, I READ THE BILL.
IT'S WELL INTENTIONED.
I SEE IT AS BEING VERY
INNOVATIVE.
IT WAS INTRODUCED ON MONDAY.
AND IT WAS ONLINE FRIDAY
AFTERNOON, BUT I WAS NOT ABLE
TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT OVER THE
WEEKEND, AND SO I NEED MORE
TIME TO CHECK IN WITH
CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT
ABOUT THIS.
AND I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE
REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS OTHER
MEETING TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, SO
THIS IS REALLY HELPFUL, AND IT
SOUNDS LIKE OUR CENTRAL STAFF
FREEMAN WILL BE DOING A MEMO.
SO PLEASE VIEW THESE QUESTIONS
AS JUST SORT OF GETTING THEM
OUT THERE, JUST SO KEOL WILL
HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THEM IN
THE MEMO, AND THEY DON'T HAVE
TO BE ANSWERED NOW.
DOES THAT SOUND OKAY?
SHOULD I JUST SORT OF RATTLE
OFF SOME QUESTIONS?
>> PLEASE, TAKE IT AWAY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE
REQUIRED TO HAVE ANOTHER MEET
WILLING TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, BUT
IT'S A BEST PRACTICE, AND
SOMETHING I STRIVE TO DO.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS
REQUIRED FOR GMA OR SOMETHING.
AND AS WE EMERGE FROM THE
PANDEMIC, I WANT TO NORMALIZE,
IT'S HEALTHY TO ASK THESE
QUESTIONS.
I THINK PEOPLE EXPECT US TO ASK
QUESTIONS.
IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE NEGATIVE
ABOUT ANY SORT OF CONCEPT OR A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
SO PLEASE VIEW THIS AS JUST
SORT OF, PEOPLE GETTING THE
PUBLIC GETTING TO SEE US WORK
IN REALTIME ASKING THESE
QUESTIONS, BECAUSE WE'RE
CURIOUS.
WE WANT TO MAKE THE LEGISLATION
BETTER.
WE WANT TO PREVENT UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
SO HERE WE GO.
SO COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ ASKED
THE QUESTION ABOUT THE COVID
EMERGENCY.
IT'S CLARIFIED TO BE REALLY
ONLY12 MONTHS IS WHAT THE
GOVERNING PROGRESSIONS ARE ON
THIS BILL.
THAT WAS MY FIRST QUESTION
ABOUT THE 12 MONTH PERIOD.
I NOTICE THOUGH, THERE IS
LANGUAGE IN SECTION 4 THAT SAYS
THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE
FOLLOWING WORK PLAN FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENT
REGULATIONS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND, THE WORK PLAN GOES
THROUGH JANUARY OF 2022, THE 12
MONTH PLAN WOULD PRESUMABLY BE
THROUGH MARCH OR APRIL OF 2022.
IS THE INTENT HERE TO MAKE THIS
A PERMANENT THING, OR IS IT
TRULY JUST MEANT TO EXPIRE IN
APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.
>> TO THAT QUESTION, IT'S A YES
AND, IT'S A BOTH.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE
MAKE THESE CHANGES DURING THE
COVID EMERGENCY, WHILE PEOPLE
ARE SPENDING MORE TIME IN THE
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAN
COMPARED TO DOWNTOWN WHERE THEY
TYPICALLY WORK, AND IF WE SEE
BENEFITS IT'S IMPORTANT TO PLAN
OUT WHAT THAT WOULD BE, SO THAT
EVERY STAKEHOLDER KNOWS FROM
THE OUTSET WHEN, HOW, AND WHERE
THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN A
PROCESS FOR CREATING PERMANENT
REGULATIONS.
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WORKS WELL,
AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK WELL.
I'M COMING IN AGNOSTIC AS FAR
AS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR
PERMANENT REGULATIONS.
I THINK THAT THIS ONE YEAR
PERIOD WILL GIVE US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WORKS
AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
I KNOW IT'S OKAY IF WE DON'T
ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS NOW.
HOWEVER AT THE DISCRETION OF
THE CHAIR, I'LL JUST RATTING
THEM OFF HERE.
THAT, THE MAKING THEM
PERMANENT, THAT'S WHERE I'M
SORT OF STRUGGLING, AS WE TRY
TO REOPEN THE STORE FRONTS AND
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
DISTRICTS I WANT TO GIVE THEM
ALL THE HELP THEY NEED.
I'M JUST WORRIED IF THIS WOULD
CONFLICT WITH THAT.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE WORK PLAN
THAT THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
INSPECTION COULD BE DOING,
SDCI, I'M WONDERING HOW THEY'RE
GOING TO MEASURE SUCCESS OR
FAILURE?
HOW ARE WE GOING TO LOOK BACK
AND SEE WHAT WORKED, AND DIDN'T
WORK?
IS IT JUST FEEDBACK WE'RE
GETTING?
IS THERE SOME WAY TO PUT SOME
METRICS INTO WHAT THEIR WORK
PLAN IS, IS ONE THOUGHT, SO
THEY HAVE DIRECTION ON THAT.
SDCI IS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'RE
TRYING TO GET THEM TO DO THINGS
FASTER.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO
GRANT PERMITTING FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FASTER.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM TO GET
THE TREE PROTECTION O
ORDINANCEDONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD
CREATE MORE WORK FOR THEM TO
GET THIS DONE.
>> BRIEFLY ON THAT POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
WE'LL BE HEARING IN THE NEXT
COMMITTEE BRIEFING IN THE MARCH
10th COMMITTEE ABOUT THE
PERMITTING BACKLOG.
IT'S BEEN CONVEYED TO ME FROM
THE EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE, THAT WE
SHOULD BE SEEING THE TREE
ORDINANCE IN QUARTER THREE THIS
YEAR, SO THIS WORK PLAN WOULD
ALLOW FOR THAT CASCADING
IMPACT,SO THEY COULD BE WORKING
ON THIS WORK PLAN DURING OUR
BUDGET CRISIS.
DURING THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET
PROCESS.
SO EVERYTHING IS, GREAT
QUESTIONS, YES.
>> THANK YOU, AND I KNOW YOU'RE
REALLY SENSITIVE TO THAT ISSUE
WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS, SOME OF
THIS LEGISLATION REQUIRES US TO
DO AS A COUNCIL IS TO MAKE SO-
CALLED FINDINGS.
THERE WAS ONE FINDING THAT MADE
IT A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, WHERE
IT SAYS, BASICALLY, IF WE DON'T
INTERACT THIS, THIS WOULD
STYMIE THE CITY'S RECOVER FROMY
THE COVID-19 EMERGENC.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT DEFINITELY
WOULD.
I FEEL A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE.
I JUST WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO
THE FINDINGS WE'RE SIGNING OUR
NAME TO.
THEN I'LL WAIT TO GET FEEDBACK
FROM MY OWN DISTRICT ON THIS.
I KNOW THEY'RE REALLY
COMPELLING EXAMPLES IN
NORTHWEST SEATTLE ABOUT THIS.
PART OF THIS IS CAUTIONING,
LIKE BASED ON POWERFUL ANTIC
ANECDOTES THAT WE RECEIVED, ARE
THERE POLICY CHANGES, VERSUS
BLANKETING CHANGES.
I'M GLAD WE CAN EXPLORE THIS.
REGARDING THE SIGN.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE
SIGN.
IS THIS IN ADDITION TO THE
EXISTING SIGN, OR JUST MAKING
THE SIGN BIGGER THAT THEY CAN
ALREADY DO?
>> AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, THEY
CAN HAVE MULTIPLE SIGNS.
THEY JUST CAN'T BE GREATER THAN
64 INCHES.
THAT WOULD REPLACE THAT
REQUIREMENT.
SO AT THE CAN HAVE ONE NON-
ILLUMINATED LARGER SIGN.
>> IF THERE'S SOME SORT OF
EXPLANATION FOR THE RATIONAL
BASIS FOR THE CHANGE IN THE
SIGN SIZE.
WHAT ARE WE GETTING THAT NUMBER
FROM THE 720?
>> SURE, GO AHEAD.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS,
I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF
JUDGMENT HERE BY COUNCIL ABOUT
WHAT IS LARGE ENOUGH, AND WHAT
IS TOO LARGE.
A PROBLEM THAT YONDER CIDER
HAD, HAD TO DO WITH SIGN STUFF.
THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE A
LARGER SIGN MIGHT BE
APPROPRIATE FOR A HOME
OCCUPATION ON AN INTERIM BASIS.
BUT HOW BIG THAT IS, THAT'S A
MATTER OF JUDGMENT FOR THE
COUNCIL.
>> AND COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN,
SO THAT POINT EXACTLY IS NOT
THAT WE ARE JUST TRYING TO OPEN
THE DOOR HERE, RIGHT?
THERE ARE LOOPHOLES IN OUR
CURRENT CODE, WHERE YOU COULD
HAVE MULTIPLE SIGNS OF THE
SMALLER DIMENSIONS, WE'RE JUST
TRYING TO CREATE THAT LEVEL
PLAYING FIELD OF YOU GET ONE
SIGN, AND THIS IS AS BIG AS IT
CAN GO.
>> JUST THE LAST QUESTION KIND
OF TOUCHES ON THAT.
WOULD IT MAKE SENSE TO DEFINE
WHAT TYPE OF SMALL BUSINESSES
COULD OPERATE UNDER THIS
INTERIM LEGISLATION?
THE WAY I'M READING IT, IT'S
JUST SAYING SMALL BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT SPECIFYING RETAIL, OR
SOMETHING TO PROVIDE SOME
GUARDRAILS, AND AN EXPLANATION
TO THE PUBLIC OF WHAT MIGHT POP
UP IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH
THEY CAN BE EXCITED ABOUT, OR
SURPRISED ABOUT.
JUST HAVING SOME GUARDRAILS ON
THAT, MAYBE DEFINING IT IN SOME
WAY.
THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE GRACE TO ASK
THEM ALL HERE, BECAUSE WE'LL
LOOK FORWARD TO KETLE'S MEMO.
>> DO YOU HAVE IMPACT ON THAT
LAST QUESTION?
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE LAND
USE CODE IS WHERE WE DETERMINE
WHAT BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO
OPERATE IN A CERTAIN PLACE.
I THINK YOU SAID EARLIER, THAT
CURRENTLY, ANY BUSINESS CAN
OPERATE OUT OF A HOME AS IT
STANDS, IT'S JUST THAT THEY --
>> THEY HAVE IT TO MEET THE
OPERATING REQUIREMENTS.
SO SOME OF OPERATING
REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE
LIMITATIONS ON NOISE, ODOR,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT AUTOMATICALLY PRECLUDES
CERTAIN BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT
HAVE THOSE NEGATIVE INTERN
INTERNALITIES.
A COFFEE ROASTER, THAT'S
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO QUALIFY
AS A HOME APPLICATION.
BUT GENERALLY, AS LONG AS YOU
MEET THE DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
OF THE ZONE, AND YOU MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR A HOME
OCCUPATION THEN YOU CAN
OPERATE, AND THERE'S NOT A
LIMITATION ON THE TYPE OF
BUSINESS ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED
WITH THE HOME OCCUPATION.
SEATTLE IS, I'VE NOT DONE AN
EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH ON
úTHIS, BUT SEATTLE IS MORE THAN
PORTLANDS WHICH REQUIRES A LAND
USE PERMIT FOR MORE INTENSIVE
HOME OCCUPATIONS.
SO THAT'S NOT THE CURRENT
STRUCTURE OF OUR CODE NOW.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD
RESULT FROM WORK THAT SDCI AND
THE COUNCIL DOES IN FIGURING
OUT WHETHER OR HOW TO CHANGE,
HOW WE REGULATE HOME
OCCUPATIONS.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, YOU
DID ASK ABOUT THE WORK PLAN.
THAT WORK PLAN INCLUDES HOW
THIS MIGHT TEND WITH SDCI
CAPACITY.
THERE'S A MECHANICAL COMPONENT
TO THIS WORK PLAN AS WELL UNDER
THAT AUTHORIZING AUTHORITY IN
THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT, 3670-
390, THERE ARE TWO TIME PERIODS
FOR WHICH A COUNCIL COULD, A
LOCAL GOVERNMENT COULD
IMPLEMENT REGULATIONS.
ONE IS A YEAR, AND THE OTHER
ISSIX MONTHS.
IF A LOCAL JURISDICTION WANTS
TO HAVE REGULAR INTERIM
REGULATIONS IN PLACE FOR MORE
THAN 6 MONTHS, SO FOR UP TO A
YEAR, THERE MUST BE A WORK
PLAN.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION
REFLECTS THE REQUIREMENTS OF
3678-390.
IF THE COUNSEL, FOR WHATEVER
REASON WANTED TO JUST HAVE A 6
MONTH SET OF INTERIM
REGULATIONS, THE WORK PLAN
WOULD NOT NEED TO BE PART OF
THE LEGISLATION.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
>> JUST FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT
YOU JUST SAID, BUT DOES RCW3678-
390, SAY IT HAS TO BE A PART OF
CURRENT REGULATIONS?
>> THIS TOOL IS REALLY INTENDED
TO, IT'S A TOOL THAT IS
INTENDED TO ADDRESS KIND OF
UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND
LAND USE PLANNING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A CITY
ADOPTED A SET OF REGULATIONS OR
IF A NOVEL LAND USE CAME ALONG
THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED BY
CURRENT REGULATIONS, THIS IS A
TOOL THAT IS AVAILABLE TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO PUT INTERIM
REGULATIONS IN PLACE WHILE IT'S
CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT TO
MAKE PERMANENT CHANGES.
A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF HOW THE
COUNCIL HAS USED THIS TOOL IN
THE PAST, FOR THE AURORA LIPTON
URBAN VILLAGE, A LOT OF, AN
UNINTENDED THING THAT WAS
HAPPENING THERE WAS A LOT OF
STORAGE FACILITIES WERE BEING
DEVELOPED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL ZONE WHERE FOLKS
WANTED A MORE ACTIVE
STREETLIGHT.
SO THE COUNCIL PUT A PLACE ON A
MORATORIUM ON THE DEVELOPMENT
OF STORAGE UNITS.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO BRING THAT
UP.
YOU'RE GOING TO DRAG ME INTO
THIS.
OKAY.
>> THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE.
>> HOW CONVENIENT!
>> THAT MORATORIUM WENT AWAY
WHEN MHA WAS ADOPTED.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THOUSAND THE
COUNCIL USED THIS TOOL IN THE
PAST HAS BEEN FOR MOBILE HOME
PARKS.
THE COUNCIL HAS SOME
REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO THE
TWO REMAINING MOBILE HOME PARK
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
HOPEFULLY THIS IN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS HERE WILL BE LOOKING AT
MORE PERMANENT REGULATIONS TO
ADDRESS THE CIRCUMSTANCES
ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PARKS.
IT'S A TOOL FOR EMERGENCY
SITUATIONS OR UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
HERE, IT'S SORT OF THE EMERGENT
SITUATION IS THE COVID CIVIL
EMERGENCY AND THE DIFFICULTIES
IT MAY PUT SMALL BUSINESSES
UNDER.
>> WELL NOW THAT YOU PUT ME ON
BLAST, CAN I JUST SAY THIS?
FIRST OF ALL, CHAIRMAN STRAUSS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US
SO MUCH LATITUDE TO ASK THESE
QUESTIONS.
I SOMETIMES THINK COMMITTEES
DEVOLVE INTO JUST PERFORMANCE
ART.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE
THIS OUT SO WE CAN RESPOND TO
ALL OF OUR CRITICS AND
CONSTITUENTS.
WHEN WE PUT THOSE MORATORIUMS
IN, LET ME AT THE YOU, IT WAS
NO EASY FEAT.
THERE WAS A TON OF BLOW BACK.
WE DID ALL THE WORK ON THE
CORRIDOR WITH THE GROUPS AND
THE BUSINESSES.
AND WE WERE VERY CLEAR, THAT IT
WAS INTERIM.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE IMPACT TO
EXISTING BUSINESSES THERE.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT
THERE.
SAME THING WITH THE ZONING
ISSUES WE'RE DEALING WITH
MANUFACTURED HOMES.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT SPOT
ZONING, BUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO
WORK WITH THIS FOR THE PUBLIC
GOOD.
THAT BEING SAID, MR. CHAIR, MAY
I MAKE A FEW MORE COMMENTS?
>> GO FOR IT.
>> OKAY, GREAT.
SO WE ALL KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN
SAYING THIS.
I HAVE TWO WORDS, AND YOU HEARD
ME SAY THIS BEFORE, IT'S NOT
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
BUT THE TWO WORLDS THAT I'VE
BEEN SAYING OVER AND OVER IS
THE VACCINE AND RECOVERY.
WE KNOW THAT THAT'S OUR MOTTO
AND OUR CLAIRE CLARION CALL
FOR BIG BUSINESS, DOWNTOWN,
NHL, WATERFRONT.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SMALL
BUSINESSES, I UNDERSTAND WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, AND
THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND
THE DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
ASSOCIATION, I THINK SOME OF
YOU ALL DID TOO LAST WEEK.
THIS MORNING, I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE
MERCER CORRIDOR STAKEHOLDER
COMMITTEE, IN WHICH THERE'S
OVER 110 BUSINESSES ALL IN
SOUTH LAKE UNION, THAT WHOLE
QUARTER.
THAT WHOLE COMMERCER CORRIDOR,
WHICH ALSO INCLUDING THE
BALLARD DISTRICT COUNCIL
UPTOWN.
JUST DSA, ALL OF THOSE GROUPS.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE BIGGER
ISSUES THAT YOU TALK ABOUT
BUSINESS ALSO AFFECT THE
SMALLER BUSINESSES.
IN THE SENSE THAT WE WANT TO
GET OUR ECONOMY MOVING AGAIN,
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE
STREAMLINE, PERMITTING IN
CERTAIN BUSINESSES, BECAUSE
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS
PANDEMIC FUELED RECESSION, SO
WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO HELP BUSINESSES.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK,
THAT WE'RE NOT SETTING UP AN
UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD, WITH THE
ALREADY EXISTING BUSINESSES
THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS AWAY FROM
WHERE WE HAVE SINGLE FAMILY
ZONING RESIDENTS TO DO THINGS
THAT THEY NORMALLY COULDN'T DO.
SO THAT IS WHERE MY QUESTIONING
IS COMING IN.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS, AND THE MEMO, AND THE
WORK PLAN, SO WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER HOW THIS WOULD ALSO
IMPACT EXISTING SMALL
BUSINESSES.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN FOLLOW UP
WITH US, IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THE
BILL NUMBER AGAIN, HOW CAN HE
WITH DO A COMPARE AND CONTRAST,
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE
STATESIDE, THE STATE BILL THAT
YOU REFERENCED?
>> IT'S HOUSE BILL 1258.
>> THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY, AND
I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO OPENING
MY FRIED BREAD BUSINESS.
>> YOU'RE SPOT ON NOT WANTING
TO TAKE AWAY FROM CURRENT
BUSINESSES.
TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE
REOPEN, WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO IN
A REALLY FORECAST AND QUICK
MANNER.
SO I JUST TAKE US BACK TO SLIDE
3 HERE ON TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
AND TO COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN'S
QUESTION EARLIER.
HOME BUSINESS OCCUPATIONS
ALREADY EXIST.
THERE ARE OTHER ELEMENTS THAT
LICENSE AND ENSURE SAFETY, ET
CETERA.
THIS BILL WOULD JUST CHANGE THE
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE
SPACE, THE TYPE OF CUSTOMER
VISITS, AND THE INCREASED
TRAFFIC, AND PARKING DEMANDS.
AGAIN, IT WOULD CHANGE THEIR
SIGN CODE REGULATIONS, AND
REQUIREMENT FOR SPACE REQUIRED
FOR PARK SO THIS IS PRETTY
NARROWLY TAILORED,
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, YOU'VE
REPORTED ON THE NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE CLOSED
DOWNTOWN DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
SO MANY SUCCESS.
BUSINESSES STARTED OUT OF
GARAGES, AND WHILE WE, WHEN WE
OPEN BACK UP, AND EVERYONE'S
DOWNTOWN AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE BUSINESSES
THAT ARE READY TO SCALE UP, AND
FILL IN THOSE VACANT SPACES
THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING
TODAY.
SO THAT'S THE INTENT.
I ABSOLUTELY WELCOME ALL OF
YOUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT'S
CLARIFYING FOR THE PUBLIC AND
IT WILL MAKE THIS BILL
STRONGER.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, PLEASE.
>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M
GETTING HUNGRY AND THIRSTY,
LISTENING TO ALL OF THIS ABOUT
FRIED BREAD, AND CIDER, AND
PIZZA.
JUST LAST QUESTION.
I MENTIONED THE EMPLOYEES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S BEEN
ANY CONSIDERATION TO AGAIN,
PUTTING SOME GUARDRAILS ON
THAT, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE
IT'S BEEN LIFTED TO POTENTIALLY
UNLIMITED STAFF THAT CAN COME
IN AND OUT OF THE HOME.
JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IF
THERE WERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO
CONSIDER THERE COULD BE A
FINITE NUMBER OF THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> AND THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT
THIS WOULD LIFT THE LAND USE
CODE REQUIREMENTS.
THEY WOULD STILL BE SUBJECTED
TO OTHER CODES, ESPECIALLY
DURING THIS TIME OF PUBLIC
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS OF HOW MANY
PEOPLE CAN BE IN A CERTAIN
SPACE TOGETHER.
SO IT WOULDN'T ELIMINATE ANY
REGULATION ALL TOGETHER.
JUST, IT WOULD ELIMINATE IT, OR
IT WOULD TEMPORARILY REMOVE IT
FROM THE LAND USE CODE.
>> SO THE CURRENT REGULATIONS
ARE THAT NO MORE THAN TWO
PEOPLE, NO MORE THAN TWO
NONRESIDENTS CAN WORK IN A HOME
OCCUPATION.
THERE PROBABLY ARE OPERATING
LIMITATIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH
JUST THE GENERAL GUIDANCE FROM
KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ABOUT
COVID.
THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES MAY BE
CONTINGENT IF SOMEONE WERE
APPLYING WITH THAT, MAYBE
CONTINGENT ON JUST THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PARTICULAR
SITE.
IF IT'S A LARGE SITE, IF IT'S A
TWO OR THREE CAR GARAGE, AS
OPPOSED TO A ONE CAR GARAGE,
THERE COULD BE MORE EMPLOYEES.
BUT THERE IS NOT A CAP, THERE
IS NOT A LAND USE CAP FOR THE
BILL AS INTRODUCED ON THE
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT COULD
WORK OUT OF A HOME-BASED
BUSINESS.
> WELL IT SEEMS AS IF WE HAVE
EXHAUSTED THE QUESTIONS, AND
COLLEAGUES PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO
ASK ME QUESTIONS.
ASK QUESTIONS IN THE NEXT TWO
WEEKS.
THIS IS MEANT TO BE A
CONVERSATION.
I LOVE BEING ABLE TO DISAGREE,
AND NOT BE DISAGREEABLE.
I THINK WHEN WE DISAGREE, WE'RE
ABLE TO FIND, WE'RE
STRENGTHENING OURSELVES, AND
ARE STRENGTHENING WHAT WE PASS.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S QUESTIONS TODAY, AND
COMMENTS.
ANYTHING FURTHER THERE?
NOT SEEING ANYTHING.
THANK YOU KITIL.
>> I'M JUST WONDERING ARE WE
DONE WITH THIS LOVE FEST
BECAUSE I'VE GOT TO GO.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO THANK
YOU.
ACTUALLY, MY SCRIPT SAYS THANK
YOU, KETIL.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS
LEGISLATION COMING FOR FURTHER
DISCUSSION IN A COMMITTEE VOTE.
IF THERE'S NO GOOD OF THE
ORDER, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
HAD SIGNED ON AS COULD SPONSOR
ON THIS BILL.
I WILL NOT BE OFFERING IT FOR
COSPONSORRERSHIP.
SEEING NOTHING, THIS CONCLUDING
THE FEBRUARY 24th MEETING OF
THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.