>>> THE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER.
I AM DAN STRAUSS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEAS CALL THE
ROLL.
>>>
>> PEDERSON?
HERE, WISE, HERE, PRESENT, FOUR
PRESENT.
>>> THANK YOU.
THE LAND USE NEIGHBORHOODS
COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF
SEATTLE HAS COME TO ORDER.
AND WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS IN
THE COMMITTEE WITH LAND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
I WAS REMINDED THIS WEEK THIS
IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE
SEEN OR COMPLETED AS A
CHECKLIST, OR A WOKE BEHAVIOR
TO GIVE US PASSPORT TO PROCEED
HOWEVER WE WANT.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR
US TO STOP, THINK AND REFLECT
ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT A
THING THAT WE DO.
THIS IS A MOMENT FOR US TO
PAUSE AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE
ARE GUESTS ON THIS LAND.
SO, TAKE THIS MOMENT NOW TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ON THE
TRADITIONAL LAND AND ANCESTRAL
LAND OF THE FIRST PEOPLE OF
THIS REGION PAST AND PRESENT,
REPRESENTED IN A NUMBER OF
TRIBES AND URBAN NATIVES.
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,
AND NEED TO STEWARD OUR LAND AS
SUCH AS GUESTS.
AND AS MEMBERS OF THE LAND USE
AND NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE OF
THE CITY OF SEATTLE, IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR US TO STOP, PAUSE
AND REFLECT ON THIS FACT THAT
WE ARE STEWARDING THIS LAND FOR
MANY GENERATIONS TO COME,
BECAUSE WE ARE ONLY TEMPORARILY
HERE.
WE ARE ONLY TEMPORARILY
STEWARDING IT IN THE ROLES IN
WHICH WE ARE FILLING TODAY.
SO WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA TODAY.
A DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL BILL
120021 THE LANDMARKING
ORDINANCE FOR THE SWEDISH CLUB,
A BRIEFING FROM OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
ON THEIR QUARTERLY TREE REPORT
AND A BRIEFING ON THEIR FIRST
PERMITTING REPORT THAT WILL
OCCUR QUARTERLY.
WE PLAN TO CANCEL THE APRIL
14th COMMITTEE MEETING SO THE
FEDEX MEETING WILL BE ON
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28th, STARTING
AT 9:30 A.M.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN THE
REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
FOR THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
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
REGULARLY INCLUDED ON MEETING
AGENDAS, THE CITY COUNCIL
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO END OR
ELIMINATE THESE AT ANY POINT IF
WE DEEM THE SYSTEM IS BEING
ABUSED OR IS UNSUITABLE FOR
ALLOWING OUR MEETINGS TO BE
CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY AND IN A
MANNER IN WHICH WE ARE ABLE TO
CONDUCT OUR NECESSARY BUSINESS.
I WILL MODERATE PUBLIC COMMENT
IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR
THIS MEETING IS UP TO 10
MINUTES AND EACH SPEAKER WILL
BE GIVENTWO MINUTES TO HE CAN
INTO.
I WILL CALL ON EACH BY NAME IN
ANY ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK,
YOU CAN SIGN UP BEFORE THE END
OF PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOING TO
THE COUNCIL WEBSITE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT LINK IS
LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
ONCE I CALL ON THE SPEAKER'S
NAME STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE MAKE
PHONE.
PLEAS BEGIN BY SPEAKING BY
STATING YOUR NAME AND THE ITEM
IN WHICH YOU ARE ADDRESSING.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME.
WHEN 10 SECONDS ARE REMAINING
IN THE ALLOTTED TAME.
ONCE THE SPEAKER HEARS THE
CAME, WE ASK YOU BEGIN ON WRAP-
UP YOUR NETCENTRIC.
IF SPEAKERS DO NOT END THEIR
COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE
ALLOTTED TAME PROVIDED THE
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED AFTER
10 SECONDS.
ONCE YOU COMPLETED YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT WE ASK YOU PLEAS
DISCONNECT FROM THE LINE.
IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING PLEASE
DO SO VIA THE CELL CHANNEL OR
LISTENING OPTIONS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW OPEN AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
.
>>> ON THE LISTED TODAY FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT ARE STAPH, MAKE
AL DAVID, RICHARD ELLISON, AND
JESSICA DIXON.
I SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT PRESENT
AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU WOULD LAKE TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU ARE FOR THE ON THE
LISTENING LINE AND THAT YOU
HAVE CALLED INTO THE PUBLIC
COMMENT LINE THAT HAS BEEN
PROVIDED ONCE YOU REGISTERED.
GOOD MORNING, STEVE, TAKE IT
AWAY.
>> YOU MAY HAVE TO PRESS STAR
6.
I SEE YOU THERE, BUT YOU ARE ON
MUTE.
%C1 STEVE, WE CANNOT HEAR YOU,
STILL.
LET'S MOVE ON TO MICHAEL AND
THEN DAVID AND WE'LL COME BACK
TO STEVE AT THE END OF THE
LIST.
>>> MICHAEL, GOOD MORNING.
.
>> HI, FRIENDS.
THIS IS MICHAEL OXMAN.
I'M AN ARBORIST.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I
FILED THREE COMPLAINTS RECENTLY
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
INSTRUCTION AND LAND INSPECTION
AND ALL THREE OF THEM ARE NOT
VALID BECAUSE OF YOUR VARIOUS
PROBLEMS WITH YOUR LACK OF
ABILITY TO ENTER A PROPERTY TO
INSPECT IT.
AND THERE ARE SOME LOOPHOLES IN
THE CODE THAT ALLOW A DEVELOPER
TO CLEAR THEIR LAND, BASED ON
GAINING ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY,
OR BEING ABLE TO SURVEY THE
PROPERTY.
AND WITHOUT THE INSPECTOR'S
ABILITY TO ENTER THE PROPERTY,
ONE OF THE ITEMS NEXT DOOR TO
THE GARDEN HAS BEEN OBJECT
SERVED WHEN THEY WERE STANDING
OUTSIDE THE BOUNDARY OF THE
PROPERTY.
ANOTHER ONE IS THE LACK OF
RECORDS KEEPING BY SDCI FOR OLD
PROJECTS AT THE WESTWOOD MALL
IN WEST SEATTLE, WHERE THEY
COULDN'T FIND THE ORIGINAL
PLANNING DOCUMENTS THAT SHOWED
TREES WERE REQUIRED EITHER.
SO THEN WHEN SMALL MANAGER CUT
DOWN THE TREES, THERE IS NO
RECORD HE WAS REQUIRED TO
REPLACE THEM.
SO WE HAVE GOT THIS UPCOMING
MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT IS HEAVILY
SLANTED TOWARD RACIAL EQUITY
NOW.
WHEREAS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF
AGO, IT WAS FOCUSED ON HOW WE
SHOULD MANAGE THE TREES IN OUR
CITY.
AND WE HAVE A LACK OF DATA,
BECAUSE OUR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS,
TAKEN FROM SATELLITES, USING
RADAR DO NOT TELL ANY
INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONDITION
OF THE TREE.
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN START TO
GET A BETTER TREE INVENTORY.
THANKS A LOT FOR LISTENING.
>> THANKS, MICHAEL.
>> UP NEXT WE HAVE DAVID,
FOLLOWED BY RICHARD ELLISON,
JESSICA, I SEE YOU ARE PRESENT
AND WE'LL FINISH WITH STEVE.
GOOD MORNING, DAVID.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE
TREE PROTECTION UPDATE AND WHAT
IS ON THE AGENDA INCLUDES THE
TRACKING OF TREE LOSS, BUT IT
DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE IN THE
PRESENTATION FOR TODAY.
URBAN TREES ARE OUR LIFELINE.
FOR ALL LIFE.
SEATTLE HAS RECOGNIZED THIS
ESSENTIAL AND CRITICAL ROLE OF
TREES BY ESTABLISHING A GOAL OF
30% CANOPY COVER IN JUST 16
YEARS FROM NOW.
IF THE TREE IS NOT PLANTED IN
THE GROUND TODAY IT IS UNLIKELY
WE ARE GOING IT'S CHIEF THAT
GOAL.
BY CANNY COVER, WE ARE
REFERRING TO COVER OVER PEOPLE
AND STREETSCAPE.
ONLY TREES CAN PROVIDE OVERHEAD
CANOPY AND FILTER THE AIR OF AN
EVER GROWING POPULATION.
YOUR ACTIONS IN THIS MATTER ARE
NOT ADDRESSING JUST AN
IMMEDIATE NEED BUT A FUTURE
LIFELINE.
DO WE HAVE THAT TREES PLANTED
TODAY?
ARE WE MATURING A STABLE
CANOPY.
RECORDS SHOW SEATTLE IS LOSING
ABOUT 600 TO 900 TREES PER YEAR
IS REPLANTING RATE IS FEWER
THAN THE TREES BEING LAST ON
THE STREET.
HOWEVER WE ARE LOSING
EXCEPTIONAL AND SIGNIFICANT
TREES AND TREE GROWS ON
PROPERTY WITH A HIGHER RATE OF
800 TO 900 DEVELOPMENT BEING
POSTED THIS YEAR.
WITHOUT PROVIDING THE PACE TO
REPLANT CANOPY TREES.
THIS DOESN'T COUNT SINGLE
FAMILY PROJECTS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE EXAMPLES OF
GOOD AND ABOUT MULTI-FAMILY
DEVELOPMENTS WITH AND WITHOUT
TREE CANOPY WITHIN HIS AREA
THAT HE RESIDES.
WE NEED MORE DENSITY AND MORE
CANOPY COVER, AND IT HAS BEEN
DEMONSTRATED THAT WE CAN HAVE
BOTH.
THAT BEING TRUE, ACCOUNTING FOR
TREE LOSS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
IS NOT A TRIVIAL MATTER OF
SIMPLY INDIVIDUAL'S PROPERTY
RIGHTS.
IT IS A MATTER OF SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY AND EQUITY FOR
ALL IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO PLEASE INCLUDE TREE LOSS
ACCOUNTING IN TODAY'S AGENDA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>>> UP NEXT, WE HAVE RICHARD
ELLISON FOLLOWED BY JESSICA
DIXON AND STAPH TO WRAP US UP.
IF YOU ARE LISTENING AND WOULD
LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT
YOU STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO SIGN UP NOW.
RICHARD, GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS RICHARD ELLISON AND
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK BRIEFLY
ABOUT THE TREE REPORT.
I THINK IT IS GREAT THAT WE ARE
TRYING TO GO FORWARD ON A NEW
PROGRAM.
HOWEVER I DO NOT TRUST DC I.
THEY HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF
OBSTRUCTION AND I WOULD LIKE TO
TALK ABOUT TWO PIECES OF THAT.
ONE, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE
SEATTLE'S URBAN FOREST GROUP
FROM 1998 TO THE YEAR 2000
FORMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THE URBAN FORCE WORK GROUP
WAS CONVENED IN 1998, WHICH
INCLUDED PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH
THE ABILITY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS
IN THE CITY AND
CONSERVATIONISTS.
THE WORK GROUP MET SEVERAL
TIMES, DISCUSSING AND
IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC IDEAS
REGARDING THE RETENTION OF
TREES.
IN 1999 THE STRATEGIC PLANNING
OFFICE PRESENTED A SERIES OF
LIMITATION ACTIONS.
THIS IS YOU KNOW, DECADES AGO.
AND THERE IS A FORMER DPD FROM
A 1999 BRIEFING FROM TREE
PROTECTION LEGISLATIVE AND
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM 1999.
LET'S JUMP AHEAD TO MORE
úCURRENT.
I WAS BIKE RIDING THROUGH THE
CITY AND SAW THIS BEAUTIFUL
TREE IN FRONT OF A DEVELOPMENT
SIGN AND I WROTE A LETTER TO
THE CITY AND THE TREE IS IN THE
GREENWOOD AREA AT 927 NORTH
92nd STREET.
I SENT THE COUNCIL A COPY OF MY
ORIGINAL LETTER.
THE RESPONSE BACK FROM THE LAND
USE AREA WAS THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENT.
NONE OF THESE TREES MEET THE
THRESHOLD FOR EXCEPTIONAL,
THEREFORE NO ARBORIST REPORT
WAS REQUESTED AND NO PROTECTION
IS REQUIRED.
THE BOTTOM OF THE LETTER TALKS
ABOUT BEING STEWARDS OF THE
CITY AND ACKNOWLEDGING
ANCESTRAL LAND.
THIS IS HYPOCRISY.
>>> THANK YOU, RICHARD.
>>> UP NEXT WE HAVE JESSICA
DIXON, FOLLOWED BY STAPH.
>>> JESSICA, I SEE YOU THERE.
PRESS STAR 6.
I STILL SEE YOU THERE, NOT
SEEING YOU COME OFF MUTE.
IF YOU COULD PRESS STAR 6.
ALL RIGHT.
IT IF YOU WOULD LEAVE JESSICA
THERE AND BRING STEVE UP?
OH JESSICA,.
>> I'M HERE.
>> THERE YOU ARE.
JESSICA.
>> HERE I AM.
GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU FOR
HAVING US ALLOWING US TO SPEAK.
I'M SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF
PLANT AMNESTY AND OUR
MEMBERSHIP.
I'M URGING THE CITY COUNCIL TO
PASS AN UPDATE ORDINANCE NOW
AND NOT WAIT ONE, TWO OR FIVE
YEARS, WHILE WE CONTINUE TO
LOSE EXCEPTIONAL TREES, TREE
GROVES AND OVERALL TREE CANOPY
OVER THE ENTIRE CITY.
THIS LOSS IS DETRIMENTAL IN
AREAS OF THE CITY HISTORICALLY
LACKING IN TREE CANOPY, SO I'M
URGING THE COUNCIL, AND OUR
URBAN PLAN PLANNERS TO ADDRESS
THIS URBAN INEQUALITY BY
GETTING TO WORK TODAY TO TRACK,
RETAIN AND ADD TREES IN THE
FACE OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE.
WE HAVE LOT TREMENDOUS GROUND
OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS AND
LONGER.
BUT I KNOW OUR CITY CAN BE BOTH
MORE ACCOMMODATE AND GO
HEALTHIER FOR OUR CITIZENS AND
FOR THE PLANET AS A WHOLE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA.
>>> AND TO WRAP US UP WE HAVE
STAPH.
STEVE I SEE YOU THERE.
PRESS STAR 6.
.
>>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING.
NO GOOD MORNING TO COUNCIL
MEMBERS.
I AM SPEAKING ON THE THREE
REGULATIONS ORDINANCE UPDATE,
12 YEARS, THAT IS HOW LONG THIS
DISCUSSION OF UPDATING
SEATTLE'S TREE PROTECTION
ORDINANCE HAS BEEN GOING ON.
SINCE 2009.
COUNCIL URGED DPD TO SUBMIT
LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH A
COMPREHENSIVE SET OF
REGULATIONS AND INCENTIVES TO
LIMIT THE REMOVAL OF TREES AND
PROMOTE THE RETENTION AND
ADDITION OF TREES WITHIN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE IN BOTH PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE PROPERTY.
IN MARCH 2017 THE CITY
COMPLETED A STREET REGULATIONS
RESEARCH PROJECT REPORT, WHICH
INCLUDED THAT THE CURRENT COAT
WASN'T WORKING TO SUPPORT TREE
PROTECTION.
EXCEPTIONAL TREES ARE BEING
REMOVED, RESULTING IN TREE
LOSS, ET CETERA.
YOU HAVE MAYOR BURGESS'S
EXECUTIVE ORDER IN 2017.
YOU HAVE RESOLUTION 31870 AND
31902 ALL UPDATING TREE
REGULATIONS IN THE ORDINANCE.
THE PROBLEM IS EVIDENCE.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
REGULATIONS EXISTING TREE AORTA
NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FROM 2009
WHICH WOULD EXPAND THE ABILITY
TO STRENGTHEN REGULATIONS.
YOU DO NOTIFIED TO WAIT.
YOU CAN PHASE IN APPROXIMATE
NUT PLACE CERTAIN PARTS OF THE
ORDINANCE LIKE REQUIRING TREE
CARE PROVIDERS BE REGISTERED
WITH THE CITY.
THERE IS NO NEED TO WAIT TO
DISCUSS FURTHER IT IS A SYSTEM
THAT ALREADY WORKS.
YOU CAN DIRECT IT TO PUT IN
PLACE A TREE REPLACEMENT
SYSTEM.
YOU CAN DIRECT THEM TO PUT IN
PLACE A PAYMENT SYSTEM.
PROBLEM IS YOU PASSED A
RESOLUTION ASKING THEM TO
CONSIDER STRATEGIES THAT YOU
NEED TO ASK THEM TO SUBMIT
LEGISLATION OR DO IT YOURSELF.
WE NEED TO STOP THE DELAY.
THANK YOU.
>>> THANK YOU, STEVE.
SEEING AS WE HAVE NO FURTHER
SPEAKERS REMOTELY PRESENT, AND
CAN YOU ALSO CONFIRM NO ONE
ELSE HAS SIGNED UP?
>> THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC
COMMENT REGISTRANTS.
>>> THANK YOU.
SEEING AS WE HAVE NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS PRESENT, WE WILL MOVE
ONTO THE NEXT AGENDA.
OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY IS A BRIEFING DISCUSSION
POSSIBLE VOTE ON COUNCIL BILL
120021 THE SWEDISH CLUB
LANDMARK.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE
ABBREVIATED TITLE INTO THE
RECORD.
>>> COUNCIL BILL 129-0021
RELATING TO HISTORIC
PRESERVATION.
A LANDMARK DESIGNATED BY THE
LANDMARKS PRESERVATION BOARD.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE JOINED BY AARON
DOUGHERTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND CHRISTIE
WEEKENDER, I APOLOGIZE IF I
PRONOUNCED YOUR NAME WRONG,
CHRISTINE CORRECT MAY IN
EQUIPMENT.
WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE ZOE SWEDISH CLUB.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
AS WE WERE SPEAKING I BROUGHT
IN MY GRANDMOTHER'S DIGITAL
WHICH SHE BROUGHT BACK FROM
VISITING MAY FAMILY IN SWEDEN.
I WILL BE BACK AT THE PARADE
SHOULD WE HAVE IT OCCURRING IN
PUBLIC THIS YEAR.
SO AARON, CHRISTINE, PLEASE
TAKE IT AWAY.
AND WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS AT THE
END OF THE REPORT.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I SHOULD JUST VAIR FAY YOU CAN
SEE THE SLIDES ON THE SCREEN?
>> WE CAN.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M ERIN DOUGHERTY FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS ORDINANCE IS TO CODIFY THE
CONTROLS AND INCENTIVES
AGREEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED BY
THE PROPERTY OWNER AND THE CITY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER.
THE LANDMARK NOMINATION WAS
MADE BY A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND
LOCAL HISTORIAN LARRY JOHNSTON.
SO I HAVE INCLUDED THE
DESIGNATION STANDARDS FOR
REFERENCE AND WE CAN COME BACK
TO THOSE IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT
THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.
THIS IS THE SWADDISH CLUB AT
1920 DEXTER AVENUE NORTH.
THE LANDMARKS BOARD DESIGNATED
THIS PROPERTY SEPTEMBER 2, 2020
AND SELECTED STANDARDS C, D,
AND F. SO ESSENTIALLY, THEY
HAVE RECOGNIZED IT FOR ITS
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, ITS
ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND
STYLE AND ALSO
VISUAL PROMINENCE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PROPERTY IS MUCH LARGER
THAN WHERE THE BUILDING SITS,
SO THERE IS A BUFFER OF VACATED
ALLEYS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST.
YOU SEE THAT INDICATED HERE ON
THE SLIDE BY THE RED LINE.
THE ENTIRE BUILDING EXTERIOR IS
CONTROLLED AS PART OF THE
LANDMARK AND A PORTION OF THE
INTERIOR WHICH INCLUDES THE TWO-
STORY LOBBY FACE, THE THREATING
STAIR AND THE LANDING UP ABOVE.
THE CLUB WAS FOUNDED IN 1892 BY
SWEDISH IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN
THE STOCKHOLM HOTEL AT FIRST
AND BELL IN BELL TOWN.
THE CLUB BUILT THEIR FIRST
BUILDING IN 1902 AT EIGHTH AND
OLIVE AND AFTER WORLD WAR II
THE CLUB BEGAN PLANNING FOR A
NEW FACILITY AND BEGAN PLANS ON
A
LARGER SITE IN 1953.
STEINER WAS THE PRINCIPLE
DESIGNER.
HE WAS THE SON OF SWEDISH
IMMIGRANTS AND WAS A MEMBER OF
THE CLUB WHEN THEY PURCHASED
THIS YOU BE SITE IN 1957.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF MID
CENTURY ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITING
THE LANGUAGE DESCRIBED AS THE
INTERNATIONAL STYLE.
THE BUILDING WAS CLEARLY
INSPIRED BY THE WORLD RENOWNED
ARCHITECT, AND HIS DESIGN OF
THE REYNOLDS ALUMINUM BUILDING.
THE SWEDISH CLUB WAS ORALLY
CLAD ON THREE SIDES WITH A CAST
ALUMINUM SCREEN OF INTERLOOKING
RINGS, SIMILAR IN APPEARANCE TO
THE REYNOLDS BUILDING.
LARGE SECTIONS WERE LATER
REMOVED ON THE NORTH, SOUTH AND
EAST FACADES.
I WOULD LIKE TO PASS THIS ON TO
CHRISTINE SO SHE CAN SPEAK
ABOUT THEIR ORGANIZATION I
CAN'T THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HEAR.
MY LAST NAME IS PRONOUNCED
LEANEDDER, BUT I ANSWER TO
ANYTHING.
SWEDES WERE KNOWN AS BUILDERS.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS'S
TOY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
PEOPLE HAD LOTS OF WOOD, LOTS
OF LUMBER, LOTS OF TREES, AND
LONG, DARK WINTERS.
SO IT IS SAID THAT THE HOME IS
TO SWEDEN WHAT THE WALTZ IS TO
AUSTRIA.
SWEEDS ARE VERY PROUD OF THEIR
HOMES.
IN 1889 WITH THE FIRE CAME TO
SEATTLE, IT OPENED UP JOBS.
>> CHRISTINE, IT IS A LITTLE
HARD TO HEAR YOU.
I'M WONDER IT IF YOU COULD
RAISE THE LEVEL OF THE MAKE
PHONE.
>> I DON'T HAVE IT HERE.
DOES THAT HELP AT ALL?
>> YES IT DOES.
>> THE BUILDING IS TO THE
SWEDES AS THE WALTZ IS TO
AUSTRIA.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THEY LOVE THEIR HOMES.
VISITORS TO OUR CLUB WALK IN
THE DOORS AND SAY OH, YES, THE
SWEDES HAVE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
CLUB HOUSES.
SO THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL
CLUBHOUSE.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU ANOTHER
INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE
SWEEPISH CLUB.
IN THE TIME OF IMMIGRATION,
THOSE IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME WERE
POOR.
MOST IMMIGRANT GROUPS
ESTABLISHED A CLUB THAT WAS
PART SOCIAL HELPFULNESS, PART
HEALTHCARE, AND PART SOCIAL
JUST GETTING TOGETHER WITH
PEOPLE FROM THE HOME COUNTRY.
SO YOU HAVE SONS OF NORWAY,
WHICH IS ORIGINALLY A DEATH
BENEFIT SEAT, ALONG WITH
GETTING TOGETHER FOR
SOCIALIZING.
MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE
THAT SAME COMPONENT, HEALTH
INSURANCE, IN ADDITION TO
GETTING TOGETHER TO SOCIALIZE.
THE SWEEDS DIDN'T DO THAT.
THE SWEEDS HAD A DIFFERENT
MODEL.
THE VERY SAME MEN WHO CREATED
THE SWEDISH CLUB STARTED
SWEDISH HOSPITAL.
BUT THEY DID IT SEPARATELY.
SO THE SWEDISH CLUB HAS BEEN
FROM THE BEGINNING STRICTLY
SOCIAL.
THE FIRST BUILDING WAS A PLACE
FOR THE MEN TO GET TOGETHER TO
READ THE NEWSPAPERS, SMOKE
CIGARS AND EAT ALL THE FOOD THE
WOMEN MADE FOR THEM.
THIS BUILDING CAME ALONG IN
1959 OR 60 WHEN I-5 KNOCKED OUR
FORMER BUILDING OUT.
IT WAS THE ENTRANCE RAMPS ON TO
I-5. SO IN BUILDING WAS BUILT
AND THIS WAS AGAIN BUILT TO
SERVE A SOCIAL FURNACE.
IT HAD A DANCE FLOOR ON ONE
FLOOR, A FIRST CLASS RESTAURANT
ON THE TOP.
MEMBERSHIP SWELLED AT THE
SWEDISH CLUB.
THERE WERE 7000 MEMBERS IN THE
60s AND EARLY 70S, AND PEOPLE
CAME FOR TWO REASONS.
THEY JOINED FOR TWO REASONS,
ONE IS TO TAKE TRIPS TO SWEDEN
AND ANOTHER WAS TO EAT IN THE
RESTAURANT.
TIMES CHANGED, MEMBERSHIP
DROPPED PRECIP TUSLY.
I BECAME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO.
AT THAT TIME WE HAD 500
MEMBERS.
WE TOOK ON A DEDICATED LET'S
SAVE THE CLUB EFFORT, AND JUST
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT, WE
WERE UP TO 1400 MEMBERS.
IT HAS GONE DOWN A FEW HUNDRED,
ABOUT 1100 NOW.
BUT THIS CLUB STILL SERVES A
PURPOSE AS A HOME FOR THE
NORDIC AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND
THEIR FRIENDS.
IT IS A PLACE TO HAVE
CELEBRATIONS, IT IS A PLACE TO
EAT, TO TAKE LANGUAGE CLASSES
AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF IT.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE
LANDMARK DESIGNATION AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR
MAY?
>> CHRISTINE, THAT WAS A VERY
GOOD OVERVIEW AND I WANT TO
JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT
THE FACT THAT IN YOUR HISTORY
THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED, YOU
MENTIONED IT WAS A PLACE FOR
THE MEN TO SMOKE CIGARS AND
READ THE NEWSPAPER AND THAT YOU
HAVE, LEADING THE ORGANIZATION
AS A WOMAN, HAVE SWELLED THE
ORGANIZATION'S MEMBERSHIP.
SO WHILE TIMES HAVE CHANGED, WE
ARE TRUSTING IN YOU TO KEEP US
MOVING FORWARD.
IS HE I JUST WANT TO HEY LIGHT
THAT.
THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED, AND
THAT WE RELAY ON YOUR
LEADERSHIP IN THE CLUB TO MOVE
THAT MEMBERSHIP FROM 500 TO
1400 PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
COUNCILMAN STRAUSS.
>> I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
BUT COLLEAGUES?
AND I DO WANT TO LET THE RECORD
REFLECT COUNCIL MEMBER LEWIS
JOINED US JUST AHEAD OF PUBLIC
COMMENT.
OTHER COLLEAGUES, DO YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS?
GREAT AND COULD WE MOVE BACK TO
THE SLIDES WITH THE CONTROL, C,
IS ASSOCIATED IN A POLITICAL
WAY.
I THINK THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED
BY CHRISTINE VERY WELL.
IF WE COULD MOVE TO D. AND
EMBOIZE DISTINCTIVE
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE.
ERIN, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE
INTERNATIONAL STYLE AND IF THE
VIEWING PUBLIC WOULD BE
INTERESTED TO LOOK UP THE
REYNOLDS BUILDING, I THINK IT
IS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE
COMPARISONS AND MA MIGHT BE
DIFFICULT TO SEE IS BEHIND
CHRISTINE IS SOME OF THOSE
ALUMINUM RINGS HAVE BEEN
REMOVED SO THE VIEW HAS BEEN
IMPROVED TO THE LAKE.
F, BEING THE VISUAL PROMINENCE
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS AN EASILY IDENTIFIABLE
FEATURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SPEAKING TO THE CONTROLS, WHICH
ARE THE EXTERIOR, THE LOBBY
SPACE, STAIRS AND LANDINGS,
EITHER CHRISTINE OR ERIN, I
HAVE BEEN IN THE CLUB SO MANY
TIMES I KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
AND I CAN, I KNOW WHY THESE
SPACES ARE SPECIAL, CAN EITHER
ONE OF YOU
PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF WHAT IS
SPECIAL ABOUT THAT FIRST FLOOR
HAD BEEN BY AND THE FLOATING
STAIRCASE?
>> HE'LL JUMP IN WITH CULTURAL.
>> THAT IS GOOD.
>> THE HAD BEEN BY WAS BUILT TO
ACCOMMODATE A RECEPTION BY THE
KING.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE KING HAS
BEEN HERE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW.
I WAS ABLE TO BE THE ON THE
WELCOMING COMMITTEE FOR THE
CROWN PRINCES TO PRINCESS TO
COME AND TO WELCOME HER IN.
THAT IS THE CULTURAL REASON THE
LOBBY IS SO MAGNIFICENT.
ERIN, CAN YOU JUMP IN?
>> SURE WHEN THE BOARD
CONTEMPLATES THEY TRY TO
DETERMINE WHAT THE CHARACTER
DEFINING ABOUT A PROPERTY AND
THEY ARE ALSO TRYING TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THEY
WOULD WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN
REVIEW OF, FOR THEM TO BE
CHANGED IN THE FOUGHT.
IT IS ALSO TO STRIKE A BALANCE
BETWEEN GIVING THE PROPERTY
OWNER IN FLEXIBILITY.
SO INITIALLY, WHEN THE BOARD
REVIEWED THIS BUILDING THEY
CONTINUE OPERATED THE ENTIRE
BUILDING.
AND IN THAT DESIGNATION THEY
FURTHER REFINED THAT TO BE JUST
THAT MAIN LOBBY SPACE.
THE KERRICK OF THE LOBBY AND
THE VOLUME OF THE SPACE.
THEY THOUGHT IT EXHIBITED BETH
THE SORT OF CRAFT AND CHARACTER
BUT IT IS ALSO A GATHERING
SPACE.
AND IT HAS BEAUTIFUL ART WORK
AND OTHER EXHIBITS THAT THE
CLUB SHARES IN THAT SPACE.
AND THE CONTROLS IN THE
AGREEMENT GIVE THEM THE
FLEXIBILITY TO CHANGE THOSE
FEATURES IN ANY WAY THEY WANT.
SO IT IS REALLY JUST THE
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS THAT
THE BOARD WOULD REVIEW, IF THEY
WERE TO BE ALTERED IN THE
FUTURE.
OR IF THEY WERE TO CHANGE THE
SPACE BY WANTING TO GO SUB
DIVIDE IT OR SOMETHING.
WHICH SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
>>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT.
CHRISTINE, THAT WAS AN
INTERESTING CULTURAL REFERENCE.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE THE KING
OF SWEDEN BE ABLE TO COME.
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO MEET HIS
MAJESTY, KING HAROLD V OF
NORWAY.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T PULL KING
GUSTAV HERE AS WELL.
>> WE NEED TO DO THAT.
>> WE SHOULD.
I LOVE THIS.
>> JUST REAL BRIEFLY, CAN YOU
ALSO SHARE WITH ME WHY WE ARE
INCLUDING THE ALLEYS TO THE
SOUTH AND EAST OF THE BUILDING
AND NOT THE PARKING LOTS
ADJACENT TO THE BUILDING IN
THIS LANDMARK DESIGNATION?
>> SO FROM THE BOARD'S
PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU CAN SEE THE
SCREEN, THE SITE COMES DOWN AND
HAS A PARKING LOT TO THE SOUTH
AND EAST OF THE BUILDINGS.
THE BOARD INITIALLY WANTED TO
INCLUDE THOSE PARKING LOTS,
BECAUSE IT GIVES A LARGE BUFFER
AROUND THE BUILDING.
BUT THE PROPERTY OWNER, THE
SWEDISH CLUB, WANTED THE
FLEXIBILITY TO UTILIZE THOSE
AREAS IN THE FUTURE,
POTENTIALLY, WITHOUT BOARD
REVIEW.
AND SO THOSE VACATED ALLEYS
BECAME SORT OF A NATURAL
BUFFER.
ROUGHLY 15 OR 20 FEET FROM THE
FACE OF THE BUILDING.
SO IT SEEMED REASONABLE TO
ALLOW THEM TO HAVE THE ABILITY
TO UTILIZE THOSE PROPERTIES IN
THE FUTURE.
BECAUSE DOING THAT MAY BE ABLE
TO HELP SUPPORT THE LONG
STANING CLUB THAT RESIDE IN
THIS BUILDING AND TO HELP
ACTUALLY PRESERVE AND PROTECT
IT BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE
MAINTAINED.
>> THANK YOU, ERIN.
TYPICALLY, IN HISTORIC
DESIGNATIONS, THE PROPERTY
OWNER IS THE ONE WHO SUBMITS
THE INITIAL REQUEST TO HAVE THE
HISTORIC DESIGNATION PLACED.
IN THIS CASE WE HAD A THIRD
PARTY.
COULD EITHER CHRISTINE OR ERIN
SPEAK TO HOW THAT OCCURRED?
I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT CAN BE A
CONTENTIOUS PROCESS AND IT
DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THAT
HAPPENED HERE.
>> I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
LARRY JOHNSON IS A MARVELOUS,
THIS ARCHITETURAL HISTORIAN IN
SEATTLE.
HE USED TO BE A MEMBER OF OUR
BOARD.
AND HE REALLY WANTED US TO
LANDMARK IT A FEW YEARS BACK,
MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO.
THE TIME WASN'T RIGHT FOR THE %
SWEDISH CLUB, AT THAT POINT.
WE WERE STILL WORKING ON
GETTING OUR FEET OFF THE GROUND
IN THIS NEW LITTLE LIEN IUM.
SO WE DID NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH
IT.
I BELIEVE LARRY'S REASONS FOR
DOING IT NOW IS HE IS RETIRING,
HE FELT IT SHOULD BE DONE AND
WE WERE QUICKLY ON BOARD WITH
HIM AND SAID YES, THE TIME IS
RIGHT, LET'S DO IT.
>> I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, THAT
WE DO ACTUALLY SEE A NUMBER OF
NOMINATIONS EACH YEAR THAT DO
COME FROM OUTSIDE PARTIES.
THIS ISN'T REALLY THAT UNUSUAL.
AS YOU SAY, THEY ARE
OCCASIONALLY CONTENTIOUS, BUT
WE DO OUR BEST TO WORK WITH THE
PROPERTY OWNER TO COME UP WITH
AN AGREEMENT THAT FEELS
REASONABLE TO THEM TO CONTINUE
TO USE THEIR BUILDINGS AND
SITES AS THEY WOULD LIKE.
TWO OTHER RECENT EXAMPLES WOULD
BE THE LA QUINTA APARTMENTS AND
THE ROYAL APARTMENTS IN CAPITOL
HILL WHERE THE RESIDENTS OF THE
BUILDINGS CAME TOGETHER TO FORM
GROUPS TO NOMINATE THE
PROPERTIES AND HAD SOME
ASSISTANCE FROM HISTORIC
SEATTLE TO DO THAT.
IN BOTH CASES I WORKED WITH THE
PROPERTY OWNERS AND WE WERE
ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT
THAT I'M SORRY, I HAVE DONE
THAT FOR THE ROY VIEW.
THE LA QUINTA HAS JUST BEEN
DESIGNATED LAST WEAK BUT THE
OWNER IS ACTUALLY VERY PLEASED.
SO I THINK THOSE NEGOTIATIONS
WILL ALSO BE SUCCESSFUL.
>> THAT IS REALLY HELPFUL
CONTEXT.
THANK YOU.
CHRISTINE, AGAIN THANK YOU NO
SHARING FOR US HOW THE SWEDISH
CLUB SPLIT THEIR CIVIC DUTIES
AND THEIR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
I WAS NOT AWARE THAT WAS HOW
SWEDISH HOSPITAL BEGAN.
IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO KNOW
THAT SWEDISH HOSPITAL WAS
STARTED BY MEMBERS OF THE
SWEDISH CLUB.
>> WE ARE SIBLINGS.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS?
OTHERWISE, WE'LL PUT THIS TO A
VOTE.
>> MR. CHAIR?
>> YES?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANKS FOR THE OVERVIEW HERE.
I HAVE HAD THE CHANCE TO GO TO
THE SWEDISH CENTER, AND I DO
HAVE SWEDISH HERITAGE ON MY
GRANDMA'S SIDE.
VERY BEAUTIFUL SETTING IN
THERE.
I APPRECIATE THE DISTINCTION
ABOUT WHICH AREAS ARE
DESIGNATED AS LANDMARKS, I'M
GLAD TO HEAR IT IS NOT THE
PARKING LOT.
IT IS A FOCUS ON THE INTERIOR
LOBBY.
SO JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK.
I KNOW WE HAVE DONE SOME
STRATEGIES BEFORE WHERE WE
PRESERVE FACADES OR CERTAIN
COMPONENTS OF THE BUILDING.
IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SWADDISH
CULTURAL CENTER WANTED TO BUILD
HOUSING ABOVE THE EXISTING
BUILDING AND ADAPT SOME WAY,
THEN THE INTERIOR WOULD BE
PRESERVED WITH THAT TYPE OF
ADAPTATION WOULD POTENTIALLY BE
ALLOWED IN THE FUTURE, IF THEY
SO DESIRE?
>> SO THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR OF
THE BUILDING IS ALSO CLAWED ODD
THAT PORTION OF THE SITE.
SO THERE WOULD BE A PROCESS.
THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
PROCESS WERE THEY TO SEEK TO
BUILD AN ADDITION X THEY WOULD
WORK WITH THE LANDMARK'S BOARD
THROUGH A DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS
TO TRY AND FIND A REASONABLE
SOLUTION O AND WE WOULD ASK
THEM TO LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES TO
START THAT CONVERSATION.
BUT THEN THEY WOULD COME BACK
AND MEET PERIODICALLY WITH THE
BOARD TO FIND A REASONABLE
OUTCOME.
>> OKAY GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I THINK THAT IS HELPFUL TO HEAR
AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR
OPPORTUNITIES TO HOUSE SO MANY
FOLKS WHO WANT TO STAY IN THIS
CITY.
I THINK ABOUT SENIOR HOUSING
OPTIONS AND MIXED GENERATION
HOUSING.
SO WANTED TO JUST SEE HOW THAT
WOULD POTENTIALLY FIT IN, IF
THAT WERE A DESIRE 10 OR 15
YEARS FROM NOW.
THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE AND I
APPRECIATE THE OVERVIEW TODAY.
>>> THANK YOU.
I'LL JUST FINISH WITH MAY OWN
COMMENTS FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC.
IF YOU HAVE NOT VISITED THE
SWEDISH CLUB, PLEAS DO SO.
THE HAD BEEN BY AREA THAT
CHRISTINE DESCRIBED IS FULL OF
INTERESTING ARTIFACTS,
INTERESTING CULTURAL REFERENCES
AND INTERESTING BITS OF HISTORY
ABOUT THE SWEDISH CULTURE, AS
WELL AS THE STAIRWAY THAT WE
ARE PRESERVING QUITE LITERALLY
LACKS AS IF IT FLOATS FROM THE
SECOND STORY.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED, I
URGE YOU TO DO SO AT YOUR
EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY THAT
PROTECTS PUBLIC HEALTH.
>>> WITH THAT, HEARING NO
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION WE CAN
NOW VET ON THE LEGISLATION.
I MOVE THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
PASSAGE OF COUNCIL BILL 100021.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND THE PASSAGE OF THE
BILL.
IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS, WILL THE CLERK PLEAS
CALL THE ROLL?
>> FIVE IN FAVOR, NONE OPPOSED.
>> THANK YOU, THE MOTION
CARRIES.
THANK YOU CHRISTINE LEANEDDER
AND AARON DOUGHERTY FOR BEING
HERE TODAYMENT THE LEGISLATION
WILL BE BEFORE THE FULL CITY
COUNCIL ON MONDAY FOR A FINAL
VOTE.
>>> THANK YOU, ALL.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>>> OUR NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS
TODAY IS THE QUARTERLY REPORT
FROM SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
DESTRUCTION AND OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
ON THEIR TREE PROTECTION WORK
IN RESPONSE TO RESOLUTION
31902.
WILL YOU PLEASE READ THE
ABBREVIATED ITEM INTO THE
RECORD?
>> ITEM 2. SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND
ENVIRONMENT QUARTERLY TREE
REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE JOINED BY SAN TRELL
PINTO FROM OFFICES OF
SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT
AND SHONDA EMORY FROM SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTION.
IS THIS YOUR LAST PLEATING WITH
US?
BEFORE TODAY?
>> I AM HOPING IT IS NOT.
BUT IT MIGHT BE.
>>> WHOEVER IS GIVING THIS
PRESENTATION.
>>> THANK YOU, SANDRA.
SO CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED
RESOLUTION 31902 ON SEPTEMBER
16, 2019, REQUESTING EXPLORING
STRATEGIES TO PROTECT EXISTING
TREES, INCREASE TREE CANOPY
COVER AND BALANCE CITY GOALS TO
SUPPORT FUTURE GROWTH AND
DENSITY AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE
CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
SO THIS RESOLUTION, HAS ASKED
US TO CONSIDER STRATEGIES THAT
ALLOW FOR NEEDED HOUSING AND
OTHER IN FIELD DEVELOPMENT, AS
WELL AS BALANCING THE NEEDS OF
LOW INCOME AND LOW CANOPY
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND LOOKING AT
OTHER CITY PRIORITIES AS WELL.
SO, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NEW TO
THIS, WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED
TO REPORT QUARTERLY TO THE
CHAIR OF THE LAND USE AND
NEIGHBORHOODS COMMIT TEA ON
PROGRESS MADE SO THESE NEXT FEW
SLIDES ARE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT
THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE
TO DATE, INCLUDING THE LATEST
UPDATE ON THE URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN WHICH SANDRA
WILL GO OVER AND I'LL TALK
ABOUT OUR UPDATES ON THE TREE
PROTECTION.
ON.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE
TOGETHER, WE SHARED WITH YOU
THE KIND OF EFFORT THAT WE PUT
IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO WIDELY
SPREAD THE WORD AROUND, WANTING
TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM THE
PUBLIC ON THE FOREOF THE
MANAGEMENT PLAN UPDATE.
IT IS MULTIYEAR EFFORT THAT
INITIATED IN 2018.
WE SHARED THE DRAFT PLAN FOR
PUBLIC INPUT FROM OCTOBER TO
NOVEMBER, AND I JUST WANTED TO
POINT OUT A TYPO IN THE REPORT
THAT SAYS DECEMBER.
MY APOLOGIES.
WE SHARED THE DOCUMENT THROUGH
THE END OF NOVEMBER, AND
RECEIVED 178 PUBLIC COMMENTS.
165 OF THOSE RESPONSES WERE TO
THE ONLINE COMMENT FORM THAT
ALSO, AND THEN ALSO 13 DIRECT E-
MAILS FROM RESIDENCE AND
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE
SEATTLE GREEN SPACES COALITION,
THE GREEN CITIES, TREE PACK AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
IN ALL OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS
HAVE BEEN POSTED ON THE TREES
FOR SEATTLE WEBSITE FOR
TRANSPARENCY.
THAT IS SEATTLE.GOV/TREE S UNDER
THE TAB MANAGEMENT.
SO THEN AFTER REVIEWING THE
PUBLIC INPUTTING DETAIL, THE
CITY PROGRAM PRODUCED A SUMMARY
OF THOSE COMMENTS AND PROVIDED
ALSO INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS ON
HOW TO INCORPORATE THE PUBLIC
INPUT INTO THE PLAN.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING I DID
WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE
MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS WERE
RELATED TO THE TREE REGULATION
UPDATE WORK CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
AND THE TEAM SHARED THAT
INFORMATION WITH SHANDA AND
WITH ME SO WE COULD TAKE IT
INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE
CONTINUE OUR WORK.
>> ON SLIDE THREE, WERE THERE
BROAD THEMES?
>> YEAH.
>> OR PATTERNS THAT YOU NOTICED
FROM THE PUBLIC INPUT?
>> YES.
SO WHAT WE DID IS AFTER YOU
KNOW, LAKE AND WE REALLY WANTED
TO BE RESPECTFUL AND APPRECIATE
THE ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF
INVOLVEMENT AND INVESTMENT OF
TIME AND EFFORT FROM THE
COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE SEVERAL SESSIONS
WHERE WE DISCUSSED ALL OF THIS
INPUT.
WE PRODUCED A SUMMARY, WE
ACTUALLY GROUPED IT INTO KIND
OF THEMES, SO THAT WE COULD
ADDRESS IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
YES, SO AS I MENTIONED, THE
BULK OF THE COMMENTS WAS ABOUT
TREE REGULATIONS UPDATE AND WE
MADE SURE TO SHARE THAT WITH
THE WORKING GROUP, DRESSING
THIS ISSUE.
WE ALSO HAD INPUT INTO THE
PLANT STRUCTURE IN GENERAL.
AN EXAMPLE IS THAT PEOPLE FELT
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT
TO DISCERN WHAT WAS THE FLOW OF
THE DOCUMENT.
IS HE ONE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO
MAYBE ADD AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INSIDE OF THE DOCUMENT OR WHAT
WE ARE RECOMMENDING A PLANNED
ROADMAP SECTION, WHERE PEOPLE
COULD JUST LOOK AT THE
REDUCTION AND DECIDE WHETHER
THEY WANTED TO DIVE INTO THE
DETAILS OF THE PLAN OR GO
DIRECTLY INTO THE OUTCOME
SECTION OR THE STRATEGY SECTION
AND THE ACTION AGENDA.
>>> ANOTHER KIND OF THEME THAT
WE GROUPED WAS PLANNED CONTENT
AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE REALLY
WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
WERE BALANCED IN OUR
PRESENTATION OF THE BENEFITS OF
URBAN TREES COMPARED TO THE
CHALLENGES.
SO WE KIND OF ARE RECOMMENDING
BEEFING UP THAT SECTION OF THE
BENEFITS.
ALSO YOU KNOW, TALKING A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THE
WORK THAT WE DO, SO THERE WERE
COMMENTS THAT WERE MORE HAVING
TO DO NOT SO MUCH WITH THE PLAN
UPDATE ITSELF, BUT THE WAY WE
DO WORK.
AND WE FOR EXAMPLE, FOCUSING
CITY RESOURCES ON TREE CARE,
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE.
TO FULLY FUND INVENTORIES.
TO ALSO YOU KNOW, LOOK AT
PERFORMING ECONOMIC IMPACT AND
ASSESSMENTS FROM TREE LOSS AND
THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER THEME
THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT MAKEOVER
SPECIFIC IN TERMS OF TREE DATA
AND SOME PEOPLE KIND OF
PROVIDING THEIR OPINION AROUND
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIGHTER AS
A MEASURING TOOL, LOOKING AT
POTENTIALLY YOU HAVE SEEN
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN
MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS OF USING
GOOGLE EARTH AND OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES OUT THERE.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY A LAST
GROUP WOULD BE KIND OF VERY
GENERAL AND HIGH LEVEL, KIND OF
LIKE LOOKING A LITTLE BIT INTO
HOW DO WE BALANCE EQUITY ISSUES
AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES -X
ALSO SOME COMMENTS GETTING A
LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE DETAIL
OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT HAS
NO SHORT-TERM FORESTRY GOALS.
SO IT WAS A BROAD VARIETY OF
INPUT.
THEN OF COURSE YOUR URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION THAT IS THE
TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP
PROVIDED VERY SPECIFIC, ALMOST
LINE ITEM COMMENTS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>>> THANKS.
I BELIEVE WE SKIPPED AHEAD TO
SLIDE FIVE.
ARE WE?
>> IM SO SORRY.
>> NO PROBLEM.
>> SORRY, THIS IS THE ONE.
SO AFTER TALKING OOPS, I'M SO
SORRY.
I'M HAVING A REAL HARD TIME
WITH THIS PRESENTATION TODAY.
>> HERE WE GO.
MY APOLOGIES.
SO WHAT I WANTED ALSO TO SHARE
IS JUST KIND OF GIVE A HEY
LEVEL IDEA ON WHERE WE ARE.
SO WE HAVE COMPLETED THE
ENGAGEMENT PHASE I, WHICH IS A
VERY INTENT WAY TO ENGAGE IN
CULT RATTILY APPROPRIATE AND IN
LANGUAGE, WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE DO THAT.
WE THIS INCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT,
LISTENING SESSIONS AND AN
INITIAL ASSESS.
THE THAT HELPED US PRODUCE A
VERY INITIAL DRAFT THAT WE TOOK
BACK TO COMMUNITY FOR AN
EXERCISE SOME REPORTING BACK.
WANTING TO KNOW AND SURE THAT
WE HEARD THEM CORRECTLY AND
THAT THEIR PRIORITIES WERE
PRESENTED IN THE DOCUMENT.
THEN WE DID INTERNAL
DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW.
WE WENT INTO PUBLIC INPUT,
WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND NEXT
STEPS IS, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS
OF INCORPORATING THE PUBLIC
INPUT BASED ON THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ARE
ELEVATING INTERNALLY.
WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON THE
CHECKLIST.
AND WILL ISSUE DETERMINATION.
AND ONCE WE HAVE A FINAL DROP,
WE ARE INTENTING TO BRING IT
LATER THIS SPRING TO COUNCIL.
WITH THAT I'M GOING TO PASS IT
ON TO SHANDA TO GET MORE INTO
THE DETAILS OF THE TREE
REGULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, SANDRA.
YEAH SO HERE WHEN TREES ARE CUT
ILLEGALLY, WE ARE SEEING THAT
INCREASED FINES ARE WORKING AS
A GREATER DETERRENT.
OUR MOST RECENT AND CURRENT
REPORTS INDICT KIT THAT THE
RANGE OF PENALTIES THAT WE HAVE
SEEN OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
AND MONTHS HAS BEEN $10,000 AND
UP WITH THE MOST RECENT PENALTY
THAT WAS $99,000 FOR THE
ILLEGAL REMOVAL OF AN
EXCEPTIONAL TREE UNDER THE
TRIPLE PENALTY PROVISION.
AND THEN AT OUR LAST BRIEFING,
WE STATED THAT OUR TEAM HAD
APPLIED FOR A LARGE FEDERAL
GRANT TO ASSIST THE CITY IN OUR
TREE PROTECTION WORK.
SO THIS MORNING, I'M PLEASED TO
REPORT THAT WE WERE SUCCESSFUL
IN OBTAINING THE FULL AMOUNT
AND WE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING
FROM THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR TO FUND
THE CITY'S CANOPY COVER
ASSESSMENT.
SO WE ANTICIPATE THIS WORK WILL
BEGIN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS
AS WE MOVE INTO SPRING AND THE
TREES HAVE A NEW FOLIAGE TO
ALLOW IF A LEAF ON CANOPY COVER
ASSESSMENT MEASUREMENT.
THESE SESSIONS HAVE PROVIDED
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF
TO BENEFIT ON THE EXPERTISE OF
COMMISSIONERS AND TO
COLLABORATE ON TECHNICAL
ISSUES.
WE HAVE HAD FIVE DELIBERATIVE
SESSIONS TO DATE.
WE ALSO BRIEFED THE URBAN
FORESTRY COMMISSION ON FEBRUARY
10th, HARDING THE IS THE US OF
THE UPDATED DRAFT DIRECTOR
RULE.
AT THIS TIME, WE CONTINUE TO
REVIEW ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT
WE RECEIVED ON THE DRAFT,
INCLUDING THE INCLUSION OF A
NEW REQUIREMENT THAT ALL TREE
SERVICE PROVIDERS WILL NEED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEIR COMPANY
IS AWARE OF OUR TREE CODES WHEN
DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY.
>> I JUST DON'T WANT US TO MOVE
OFF TO THE NEXT SLIDE BEFORE
QUESTIONS.
GO FOR IT.
>> NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
>> NO I THINK THERE IS A
QUESTION.
AND THANK YOU.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WERE
FINISHED.
I KNOW WITH THE POWER POINT WE
WERE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTIES.
SO I WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK ON
TO ITEM ONE ON THIS SLIDE.
THANK YOU FOR IMPROVING THIS
ENFORCEMENT.
AND THE RESULT IN THAT FIRST
POINT IS THAT $99,000 PENALTY.
IT IS MAY UNDERSTANDING THIS IS
A TRIPLE PENALTY PROVISION THAT
LED TO THIS LARGE SUM.
CAN YOU KIND OF SPECK A LITTLE
BIT MORE TO WHAT WAS THE
BACKGROUND?
WHAT WAS THE TRIPLE PENALTY
PROVISION?
AND HOW DOES THAT ALL WORK?
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO THIS IS UNDER THAT
DIRECTOR'S RULE THAT TALKS
ABOUT WILLFUL AND MALICIOUS
CUTTINGMENT SO THIS IS A CHAIR
IF I CATION OF OUR EXISTING
TREE CODE THAT SAYS THAT A
PROPERTY OWNER OR APPLICANT
COULD BE SUBJECT TO A TRIPLING
AMOUNT OF THE PENALTY, IF THEY
ARE FOUND TO HAVE WILLFULLY AND
MALICIOUSLY CUT AN EXCEPTIONAL
TREE OR PROTECTED TREE.
SO THAT REFERS BACK TO OUR
EXISTING CODE 251-1100.
IN THIS CASE, STAFF HAS WORKED
REALLY HARD TO PROTECT THIS
EXCEPTIONAL TREE.
THEY HAVE WORKED MANY HOURS
WITH THE APPLICANT, TRYING TO
EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE AND THE
BENEFITS OF RETAINING THIS
LARGE, MATURE TREE X AS IT
TURNED OUT, IT WAS AN
UNFORTUNATE SITUATION, WHERE
THE APPLICANT ENDED UP REMOVING
THE TREE TO ALLOW FOR A TWO-CAR
GARAGE TO BE BUILT.
>> AND THEN FROM THERE, THEY
WERE REPORTED, ENFORCEMENT WENT
OUT AND BECAUSE OF THAT
BACKGROUND WORK, YOU WERE ABLE
TO APPLY THIS TRIPLE PENALTY,
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> RIGHT, CORRECT.
>> AND HAS THAT PENALTY BEEN
PAID?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK ON
THAT.
I BELIEVE SO.
>> GREAT.
I SEE QUESTION FROM COUNCILMAN
PEDERSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR STRAUSS.
SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, NEIGHBORS
NOTICED THAT THE TREE WAS BEING
REMOVED AND HAD TO INFORM THE
CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN IT WAS ROUTED TO DO
THE ENFORCEMENT ACTION.
SO I WOULD SAY THE PROCESS WAS
REALLY DRIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY
THAT HAD TO REACH OUT AND SO I
THINK THIS POINTS BACK TO THE
NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR
ORDINANCE.
AND TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
REGISTERING ARBORISTS AND OTHER
IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE, A LOT
OF WHICH WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC
SPEAKERS TODAY.
SO EAGER TO GET THAT REVISED
TREE ORDINANCE.
THANKS.
>>> THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW I WILL FLAG WHETHER IT
IS A POTHOLE, A SITE WHERE
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DUMPING, A
STREETLIGHT OUT, WE RELY ON
EVERY DAY PEOPLE TO REPORT TO
THE CITY GOVERNMENT WHAT NEEDS
TO BE FIXED.
NOT KNOWING THE SPECIFICS OF
THE SITUATION, IT DOES SOUND
THAT IT WAS TAKING A FAIR
AMOUNT OF PROACTIVE WORK UNLESS
WE PUT AN INSPECTOR LIVING AT
THAT SITE, YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS
FROM YOUR REPORT THAT NEIGHBORS
REPORTED IT AS SOON AS IT WAS
OCCURRING.
>>> A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING?
>> YES.
HOWEVER THE ABILITY TO GET OUT
THERE AND PREVENT FURTHER
CUTTING AND ALSO AS I
UNDERSTAND IT, WE NOW HAVE THE
WAY ARBORISTS ARE SELECTED BY
THE
REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, IT SORT
OF BAKES IN A BIAS PROCESS.
WE CAN GO FURTHER UPSTREAM TO
PREVENT SOME OF THESE THINGS
FROM HAPPENING BY STRENGTHENING
THE ORDINANCE.
>> I ABSOLUTELY HEARD THAT.
I HEARD SAYING WE ARE NOW GOING
TO BEGIN REQUIRING ARBORISTS TO
SIGN A DOCUMENT STATE THAT GO
THEY UNDERSTAND THE CODE.
HAS THIS ALREADY BEEN PUT IN
PLACE?
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE
ARE PROPOSING IN THE REVISED
DRAFT DIRECTOR RULE.
>> OKAY.
>> SO I THINK THAT SPEAKS
EXACTLY TO YOUR POINT
COUNCILMAN BEDTER SON.
WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE
ILLEGAL TREE CUTTING THAT
HAPPENED, ESPECIALLY IN
SENSITIVE AREAS ARE PERFORMED
BY ARBORISTS THAT MAYBE AREN'T
NECESSARILY FROM THE CITY OR
THAT THE DEVELOPER OR THE
HOMEOWNER SELECTS THESE
ARBORISTS FOR THE VERY REASON
THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE
DOING IS NOT LEGAL.
THAT, I DON'T THINK IS
SOMETHING THAT CAN NECESSARILY
BE PREVENTED, BY LAW, BEING
CREATED.
ON BUT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED
IN THE RULE AND AT THE END OF
THE DAY WITH THE ORDINANCE IS
IMPORTANT.
BUT AGAIN, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
TO RELY ON EVERY DAY PEOPLE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECEIVING
REPORTS AS AGAIN, FROM DUMPING
TO POTHOLES TO STREET LIGHTS,
WE HAVE TO RELY ON EVERY DAY
PEOPLE TO MAKE THESE REPORTS.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE MORE COMMENTS?
NO?
THANK YOU.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
SO THE TREES FOR SEATTLE
WEBSITE TOGETHER WITH THE TREE
PRO SECTIONS WEBSITE HAS
FEATURED IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE
MADE TO TREE PROTECTION BEST
PRACTICES, INCLUDING OUR
INTERNAL ARBORISTS REVIEWS AND
LINKS TO OUR OPEN
HOUSES AND INFORMATION ABOUT
UPDATED TREE RELATED TIPS THAT
WILL BE POSTED THERE.
AND AS FAR AS PUBLIC OUTREACH,
OUR TEAM HAS COMMITTED TO
DEDICATING RESOURCES THIS YEAR
TO ENGAGE AND CONNECT IN
CULTURALLY AND LING WITICALLY
APPROPRIATE WAYS WITH
HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING
HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS,
BUSINESSES, BUILDERS,
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS,
ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS,
CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS PAST WEEK WE HAVE HAIRED
AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT TO BEGIN
WITH THE PREPARATION OF A
STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT
SURVEY THAT WILL BE
ADMINISTERED TO STAKEHOLDERS
CITYWIDE.
ON A PARALLEL TRACK WE ARE
WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS TO ENGAGE WITH
COMMUNITIES IN CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE METHODS AND IN
LANGUAGE.
WE HOPE TO USE ONE OR TWO
COMMUNITY LIAISONS TO DO THAT
WORK.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD IN OUR
PREVIOUS BRIEFINGS TO COUNCIL,
WE HAVE LEARNED FROM OUR WORK
IN UPDATING THE URBAN FOREST
MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT MANY
RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THEY
WANT CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT FROM
CITY STAFF ON TREE RELATED
ISSUES.
SO PART OF THIS WORK IS TO
DEDICATE RESOURCES TO
PRIORITIZE AND CENTER THE NEEDS
OF LOW INCOME AND LOW CANOPY
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS.
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ARE CENTERING AND
PRIORITIZING COMMUNITIES EVERY
STEP OF THE WAY TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO HELP
REDUCE AND ADDRESS
ENVIRONMENTAL DISPARITIES.
AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS OUR TEAM
IS MOVING FORWARD TO USE A DATA
DRIVEN APPROACH TO IMPLEMENT A
COMPREHENSIVE CITYWIDE SURVEY
TO MEASURE RESIDENT ATTITUDES
REGARDING EXISTING TREE CODES
AND WORKING TO INCORPORATE
FEEDBACK WE HAVE HEARD IN OUR
RACIAL EQUITY TOOL KIT ANALYSIS
TO HELP INFORM OUR
RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IS
TAKING PLACE MID MARCH THROUGH
THE END OF JUNE.
OUR TEAM WILL DOCUMENT
COMMUNITY INPUT, CONSIDERED
PART OF THE TREE PROTECTIONS
UPDATE.
THIS SUMMER IN JUNE JULY, WE
WILL HAVE DEVELOPED FURTHER
SEVERAL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS,
FOCUSING ON THE RACE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE IMPLICATIONS OF EACH.
AND LATER THIS YEAR, AS EARLY
AS THE THIRD QUARTER, OUR TEAM
WILL BE READY TO SHARE A PUBLIC
DRAFT OF OUR PROPOSED
LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS ISSUING
A DETERMINATION AT THAT TIME.
WE ARE HAPPY TO WE ARE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY
QUESTIONS?
I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I GOT SO WRAPPED UP TALKING
ABOUT ENFORCEMENT, I HAD ONE
QUESTION ON SLIDE 5 AND LET ME
TRY AND GO BACK TO SLIDE FIVE.
THERE WE GO.
YEAH WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION?
>> IT IS GREAT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAVE OBTAINED FUNDING
FROM THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF INTEAR YEAR FOR A
CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT.
MAY QUESTION HERE IS HOW WOULD
THIS ASSESSMENT RELATE TO OR
BUILD UPON THE PREVIOUS?
AND CAN YOU REMAINED THE BODY
WHAT YEAR THAT WAS CONDUCTED?
>> RIGHT.
SO THE LAST TIME WE HAD A
LIGHTER CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT
WAS IN 2016.
AND PEST PRACTICES CALLS FOR AN
ASSESSMENT TO BE DONE EVERY
FIVE YEARS, SO WE ARE VERY
EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO IT AGAIN THIS YEAR.
SO I WANT TO CLARIFY.
SEATTLE IS PART OF A CONSORTIUM
OF MUNICIPALITY THAT GET
TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD
LIGHTER DATA.
SO WE RECEIVED A GROUP THE
CONSORTIUM RECEIVED FUNDING SO
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY
ACQUIRE THE DATA, WHICH
OPINIONS A PLANE IS GOING TO BE
FLYING THE REGION WITH THE
LIGHTER TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRING
DATA.
THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THE
CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT.
SO LIGHTER, I WANTED TO
CLARIFY, SHONDA MENTIONED IT IS
LEAF ON, BUT THE REALITY IS, IT
IS LEAF OFF.
IT TAKES PLACE WHEN THE LEAVES
ON TREES ARE OFF.
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF USES
BEYOND CANOPY COVER ASSESSMENT
FOR THIS TYPE OF DATA.
YOU KNOW, IT HELPS PLAN FOR
EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND IN ONE
EXAMPLE, IT IS LIKE WHAT IS
HAPPENING ALSO WITH A LOT OF
USES.
SO WHAT WE DO, WITH THAT CANOPY
COVER ASSESSMENT IS WE USE A
PROTOCOL ESTABLISHED BY THE
U.S. FOREST SERVICE WHERE WE
PAIR THE LIGHTER LEAF OFF DATA
WITH SATELLITE IMAGERY.
WHAT IS EXCITING IS, THAT WE
NOW HAVE A BASE RYAN, WHICH WAS
2016, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE
USING THE EXACT SAME
TECHNOLOGY, METHODOLOGY AND
PROTOCOL TO DETERMINE CANOPY
COVER CHANGE OVER TIME.
AND THIS IS SO EXCITING.
BECAUSE IN THE PAST, I THINK I
HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE IN ONE OF
HER BRIEFINGS, WE HAVE USED
WHAT AT THE TIME WAS DETERMINED
TO BE THE BEST TECHNOLOGY.
AND OF COURSE TECHNOLOGY
EVOLVES.
SO EVERY TIME WE DID AN
ASSESSMENT, WE ENDED UP USING
DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY THAT
RENDERED PAST ASSESSMENTS IN
APPLES AND ORANGES, WHENEVER WE
WANTED TO COMPARE THEM.
SO IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING.
WE TRIED TO DO AN APPLES TO
ANLES COMPARISON IN 2016 WITH
LIGHTER DATA WE ACQUIRED IN
2001 AND 2002, AND JUST THE
DEFINITION WAS JUST SO
DIFFERENT THAT IT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.
IS HE THIS TIME WE HAVE
EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.
AND WE ARE GETTING THE FUNDING
IN PLACE FOR THE CANOPY COVER
ASSESSMENT TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR.
AND INTERNALLY THE TEAM OF
URBAN FORESTRY DEPARTMENTS IS
WORKING ON THAT, SO WE CAN HAVE
A CANOPY COVER CHANGE OVER TIME
AND I THINK MANY DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO USE THIS DATA TO CONTINUE
THEIR WORK,
INCLUDING THE TREE REGULATIONS
TEAM.
>> SO VERY HELPFUL.
YES, IT IS AN INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TECHNOLOGY, AS YOU
MENTIONED, IT HAS MANY
BENEFITS.
THE LANDSLIDE OR THE VOLCANIC
FATE OF OUR CASCADE MOUNTAINS.
>> RIGHT AND THIS IS VERY
EXCITING WE ALSO GET THE
BENEFIT FROM THIS.
>> RIGHT.
>> THOSE ARE ALL OF MAY
QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY AQUESTIONS?
I AM SEEING NO FURTHER
QUESTIONS.
THERE WE GO.
I THAT YOU IF I WAITED LONG
ENOUGH.
WONDERFUL.
I'M GLAD THAT I TOOK THAT EXTRA
MOMENT.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU CHAIR STRAUSS.
SO FOR YOU, DO WE HAVE A
DATABASE THAT SHOWS WHEN
EXCEPTIONAL TREES ARE TAKEN
DOWN, DO BEKEEP TRACK THAT
HAVE?
>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER
THAT.
WE DO HAVE INFORMATION IN OUR
SYSTEM THAT TRACKS TREE
REMOVALS.
HAZARDOUS TREE REMOVALS AND
RIGHT NOW WE ARE TRACKING TREES
THROUGH OR WORKSHEET RIGHT NOW.
THAT DATA IS STILL BEING PUT
TOGETHER, SO I DON'T HAVE YOU
KNOW, A LOT TO SHARE AT THIS
POINT.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE ARE
WORKING TOWARD.
>> OKAY.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION IS
WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE TREE
ORDINANCE TO BE DELIVERED FROM
THE EXECUTIVE?
>> YEAH, I THINK AS EARLY AS
THIRD QUARTER IS WHAT WE CAN
DO.
I RELEVANT ARE HE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HEAR FROM
EVERYBODY IN THIS PUBLIC
OUTREACH EFFORT.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS.
>> CAN YOU ALSO CONFIRM THAT
THIRD QUARTER TIMELINE IS
DEPENDING UPON APPEALS?
>> YES.
THAT IS CORRECT.
>>> THANK YOU.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS?
GREAT.
JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
ARE WE EXPECTING TWO DIFFERENT
IMPLEMENTATION TAME LINES
AGAIN?
I'M SORRY IF YOU ARE NEEDING TO
REPEAT.
BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT THE TREE
PROTECTIONS AS WELL AS UPDATES
TO THE DIRECTORS RULE FOR
EXCEPTIONAL TREES AND.
>> NO, THE UPDATE OF THE
DIRECTOR'S ROLE IS SEPARATE.
YOU KNOW, THAT COULD GO IF I
TAME.
AND THEN THE ORDINANCE IS
SOMETHING THAT I WAS TALKING
ABOUT IN THE PRESENTATION.
>> AND IF I MAY JUMP IN?
SO THE DIRECTOR'S RULE OF THE
REALLY TO CLARIFY EXISTING
CODE.
THAT IS A WAY TO CONTINUE
MOVING THE ACTION FORWARD.
AS WE, ARE UPDATING EXISTING
DEAD.
SO TO MAY KIND OF SOUNDED A
LITTLE BIT COUNTERINTUITIVE,
LAKE WHY ARE WE UPDATING A CODE
THAT IS SOON GOING TO BE OLD?
BUT WHAT I THINK HAS BEEN OF
BENEFIT IS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, DISCUSSIONS
IN THE LIBERTY SESSIONS THAT
ARE VERY PERTINENT TO THE
UPDATE OF THE CODE.
SO YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE
IT IS NOT MOVING FORWARD,
NECESSARILY.
BUT THE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING
TO BE VERY HELPFUL AS WE
CONTINUE TO PROPOSE UPDATES TO
THE CODE.
>> THAT ACTUALLY HELPS QUITE A
BIT.
THANK YOU FOR VALIDATING THAT
IT DOES SEEM COUNTER INTUITIVE.
DOES THAT MANY THEN THAT YOU
WILL COME BACK AFTER THE
POTENTIAL LEGISLATION COMES TO
US IN THIRD QUARTER.
AFTER SOMETHING IS PASSED TO
UPDATE THE RULES AGAIN?
>> RIGHT.
YES.
YOU KNOW, THEN CLARIFYING
CURRENT CODE, IT WILL BE AN
EXERCISE THAT REQUIRES
DIRECTORS RULES UPDATES.
>>> YOUR QUESTION WAS SPOT ON
AND IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT
CODE CHANGES AND LEGISLATION
ARE SOMETIMES A BLUNT TOOL THAT
CAN
TAKE TIME TO IMPLEMENT.
IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT IT
CONTINUES TO DO WORK REGARDING
TREE PROTECTIONS, INCLUDING
WHAT WE SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER
WITH IMPROVED ENFORCEMENT.
SO THERE IS A PROCESS OF
CONTINUING TO INCREASE TREE
PROTECTIONS IN OUR CITY AS WE
MOVE FORWARD TO THE TREE
ORDINANCE, PRO VYING THE
DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY WE NEED TO
HOUSE EVERYONE IN OUR CITY,
BOTH OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO
CONTINUE HAPPENING LONG AFTER A
TREE PROTECTION ORDINANCE IS
PASSED.
>> RIGHT.
IF I MAY I JUST WANT TO KEEP
CLOSE TO THE TEAM.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL
THAT UNTIL THESE ARE UPDATED,
THERE IS NOT MUCH BEING DONE.
BUT I WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO THE
TEAM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE AN
ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TRAINING SO
THAT THEIR STAFF AS THEY ARE
INSPECTING ARE MUCH BETTER ABLE
TO DETERMINE WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE WHEN THERE ARE TREES
PRESENT AND ALSO PROVIDE THIS
HAD PENALTY.
THAT ALSO IS THANKS TO ALSO
THEY ADDED HIGHLY EXPERIENCED
ARBORISTS.
SO I JUST I KNOW THAT THE END
WE ARE PUTTING OUR EYES ON THE
END RESULTS.
>>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON
THIS ATE TEM?
I WANT TO RAISE ALL THE WORK
YOU HAVE DONE FOR MANY YEARS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE ASSET
TO OUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL, I REALLY, I
FEEL VERY PROUD OF THE WORK
THAT THE CITY IS DOING AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DO AND I WANT TO
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU.
>>> MOVING ON TO OUR FINAL
AGENDA ITEM FOR THE DAY, OUR
FINAL AGENDA ITEM IS A BRIEFING
ON PERMITTING PROCESS AND
REVIEW TIMES.
>> ITEM 3. SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF CONSTRUCTION.
SECTIONS PERMITTING REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAD THIS SCHEDULED, TO BE
HEARD IN COMMIT TEA TWO WEEKS
AGO.
>> AND WERE UNFORTUNATELY
DELAYED.
ANDY, I HOPE YOU CAN GIVE ME
FEEDBACK ON MY WHITE BOARD
EXERCISE WHERE I TRIED TO
MEMORIZE YOUR PRESENTATION.
THE REPORT IS IN RESPONSE TO A
STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT
THAT COUNCIL ADOPTED LAST YEAR,
REQUIRING QUARTERLY REPORTS
FOLLOWING THIS PRELIMINARY
REPORT X FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC
TO UNDERSTAND.
CREATING A PERMITTING PROCESS,
IMPROVING THE PERMITTING
PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE
IS SOMETHING I'M KEENLY
INTERESTED IN.
I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THIS REPORT
TODAY.
AND AS I SPOKE TO THE DIRECTOR
YESTERDAY, I'LL LIKELY BE
FOLLOWING UP WITH A MEAT NOT
GUILTY BETWEEN THESE QUARTERLY
REPORTS JUST FOCUSED STRICTLY
ON PERMITTING.
AND THEN MAY HAVE SOME MORE
PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS.
SO THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO
THE BUDGET SEASON, WE HAVE
BUDGET ACTIONS THAT WE WILL BE
LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING TO.
HELP THE DEPARTMENT.
IF THE WAYS THAT THEY NEED TO
BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY THE
DIRECTOR AS WELL AS ANDY
HIGGINS, BOTH OF SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN.
CAN Y'ALL SEE THAT?
EXCELLENT.
SO THE PURPOSE IS TO HELP
PEOPLE BUILD A SAFE, LIVABLE
AND INCLUSIVE SEATTLE AND JUST
A REMINDER OF OUR VALUES,
EQUITY, WE LEAD WITH RACE AND
LOOK AT PERMITTING THROUGH THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS.
AND OUR OTHER VALUES ARE
RESPECT, QUALITY AND INTEGRITY
AND SERVICE.
MOST POEM ARE FAMILIAR WITH OUR
PERM PITTING AND OUR DESIGN
REVIEW PROGRAM, BUT ALSO A
REMINDER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WE
ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN CODE
DEVELOPMENT.
CODE ENFORCEMENT, WE DO A LOT
TO HELP OUR RENTAL AND LANDLORD
COMMUNITY AND WE DO A LOT OF
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE
PERMITTING SYSTEM.
SO WE HAVE TWO OVERLAPPING
PERMITTING PROCESSES.
THERE IS THE MASTER USE PERMIT
PROCESS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION
PERMIT PROCESS.
AND DURING A VERY AGGRESSIVE
MARGIN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING
TO GET HOUSING BUILT AS QUICKLY
AS POSSIBLE, THESE TWO
PROCESSES TEND TO OVERLAP AND
HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME.
THE KEY HERE IS THAT THE MASTER
USE PERMIT OR THE LAND USE
APPLICATION HAS TO COME IN
FIRST.
THE APPLICANT HAS THE OPTION OF
GOING THROUGH THE PERMIT FIRST
AND THEN APPLYING FOR
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT AND THAT IS
UP TO THE APPLICANT HOW THEY
WANT TO SEQUENCE THEIR PERMITS.
MOST TYPES OF OUR PERMIT
REVIEWS ARE COORDINATED THROUGH
OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM, AND THERE
ARE MANY REVIEW LOCATIONS
WITHIN AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS
POWER POINT SLIDE.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT,
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF
PERMIT, MANY OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS ALSO REVIEW PERMIT
APPLICATIONS AND THIS CAN BE
PUBLIC UTILITIES, CITY LIGHT,
HOUSING, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON
THE TAPE OF PERMIT AND THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE PERMIT.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL
DEVELOPMENT APPROVALS AS PART
OF MACHINE GETTING A PERMIT
THAT ARE
OUTSIDE OF OUR SYSTEM.
EXAMPLES OF THIS INCLUDE LIGHT
HACK UPS FROM SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT THAT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED
AFTER WE HAVE ISSUED A BUILDING
PERMIT.
STREET USE PERMITS FROM S DOT,
PLUM APPROVALS FROM KING
COUNTY, AND SPECIAL EVENT
PERMITS PROCESSED BY THE OFFICE
OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHY ARE WE INTEGRATING OUR
PERMIT SYSTEM ACROSS THE CITY?
THE KEY HERE IS THAT, FOR THE
APPLICANT, ALL TRANSACTIONS AND
APPLICATIONS CAN OCCUR IN ONE
PLACE, BE AVAILABLE 24/7 AND
THAT THE APPLICANT ONLY HAS TO
DO ONE SIGN ON.
AND THE TOOL FOR THE APPLICANT
HERE IS THAT THEY HAVE A TO-DO
LIST.
THEY HAVE A SHOPPING CART WHERE
THEY CAN PAY THEIR DIFFERENT
PERMITS AND THEY HAVE REMALL
REMINDERS THEY HAVE A COMMON
SCHEDULING TOOL.
SO A RECENT EXAMPLE OF THIS IS
THAT STREET USE JUST MIGRATED
INTO THE SYSTEM.
THIS PROVIDES FOR BETTER DATA
SHARING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS,
BETTER REPORTING AND
PERFORMANCE METRICS AND IT IS
MUCH EASE WE ARE TO INTEGRATE
WITH THE CITY A GIS SYSTEMS AND
OTHERS WITHIN THE CITY, FOR
EXAMPLE, SUMMIT.
SO THE OLD SYSTEM, WHICH WAS
HANSON, WE TRANSITIONED IN
2008.
THE OLD SYSTEM INVOLVED
APPLICANTS BRINGING IN PAPER
PLAN SETS.
THIS CREATED A ARE THE OF
CHALLENGES BECAUSE STAFF HAD TO
MANUALLY MOVE PLAN SETS FROM
ONE LOCATION TO ANOTHER.
IT REALLY LIMITED OUR ABILITY
TO TRACK MILESTONE DATA.
AND SOMETIMES, FRANKLY, PAPER
COPIES WOULD GET LOST.
WITH THIS, EVERYTHING IS DONE
ELECTRONICALLY, AND IT IS
AUTOMATED AND IT ALLOWS FOR US
TO TRACK MUCH GREATER LEVEL OF
DATA.
AND DURING THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC, HAVING COMPLETELY
ELECTRONIC SYSTEM HAS BEEN A
LIFESAVER, WHERE OUR STAFF, A
LOT OF OUR STAFF ARE ABLE TO
WORK REMOTELY AND CONTINUE TO
REVIEW PERM PITS.
AND JUST ONE PROJECT THAT IS
CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS THAT IS
GOING TO IMPROVE THE PERMITTING
PROCESS, FOR APPLICANTS AND
STAFF ALIKE AND THE BLUE BEAM
PROJECT.
THIS IS A NEW SOFTWARE THAT
ALLOWS REALTIME COLLABORATION
BETWEEN STAFF AND PROJECT
ARCHITECTS AND APPLICANTS.
THEY ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT A
SCREEN AT THE SAME TIME AND
MAKE CORRECTIONS IN REALTIME.
THIS IS A PARTIAL ROLLOUT AND
WE ARE HOPING THAT FULL ROLLOUT
WILL OCCUR LATER THIS SUMMER.
AND WE HAVE SEEN OTHER
JURISDICTION THAT HAVE ADOPTED
BLUE BEAM C, SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTIONS IN THE CYCLES.
LATER ON IN THE PRESENTATION
THIS MORNING I'LL TALK ABOUT
CORRECTION CYCLES.
>>> JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL
PERMITTING SUPPORT THAT SD CI
IS PROVIDING.
IT HAS A SMALL BUSINESS LIAISON
THAT HELPS SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESS PERMITTING.
WE KNOW THIS IS MORE CRUCIAL
THAN EVER, AS SMALL BUSINESSES
ARE STRUGGLING DURING COVID-19
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE SOME
OF THESE EMPTY STORE FRONTS
THAT SMALL BUSINESSES CAN
OCCUPY THESE SPACES.
OUR GOAL HERE IS TO REDUCE THE
PERMITTING TYPE FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES BY 30% AND THE KEY
GOAL IS TO TALK TO THE SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS BEFORE THEY
SIGN THAT LEASE, SO THEY KNOW
WHAT SOME OF THE PERMITTING
ISSUES ARE FOR THAT SPACE.
SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ON THESE ISSUES.
WE ALSO HAVE AN ARTS LIAISON
THAT HELPS SUPPORT ART RELATED
PERMITTING PROJECTS.
AGAIN, WORKING WITH THOSE ART
USES BEFORE THEY SIGN THAT
LEASE.
FINALLY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE PRIORITIZE ALL AFFORDABLE
HOUSING APPLICATIONS.
THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED PERMANENT
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FUNDING
ROUND LAST AUGUST THAT INVOLVED
SIX PROJECTS AND WE HAVE A
MONTHLY ID T, MADE UP OF ALL
THOSE PROJECT APPLICANTS, STAFF
AND STAFF FROM OTHER
DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING KING
COUNTY.
AND WE GO OVER EVERY ONE OF
THOSE PROJECTS ON A MONTHLY
BASIS AND SOLVE PROBLEMS IN
THAT MEETING.
ALSO WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT
WE NOW HAVE THE 10 STANDARD
PLANS FOR DETACHED ACCESSORY
DWELLING STUDENTS TO HELP
SHORTEN THAT PERMITTING TAME.
THE PROJECTED PERMITTING TIME
NOW IF SOMEONE CHOOSES A
STANDARD PLAN IS TWO TO SIX
WEEKS TO GET THAT PERMIT
PROCESSED.
WE ARE ACTIVELY MONITORING
THESE APPLICATIONS AND WE
CURRENTLY HAVE 17 IN THE SYSTEM
AND WE HOPE TO GET A LOT MORE
SOON.
SOME OF THE KEY TAKE AWAYS UP
FRONT IS THAT IT IS MEETING
MANY BUT NOT ALL OF OUR
PERMITTING GOALS.
WE RECEIVED FARER MASTER USE
PERMITS IN 2020.
WE HAVE RECEIVED FEWER PERMIT
APPLICATIONS IN 2020.
BUT THE ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE
OF THOSE BUILDING PERMITS HAS
SPIKED SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND THIS IS THE NEW STANDARDS
WENT INTO EFFECT ON MARCH 15th.
SO WE SAW A HUGE SURGE OF HIGH
VALUE PERMITS COME IN SO THEY
COULD VEST BEFORE THOSE NEW
REGULATIONS WENT INTO OF
COURSE.
OUR SPENDING A SHORTER
PERCENTAGE THAT HAVE TIME AND
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR MASTER USE
PERMITS.
IN A FURTHER SLIDE WE'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY THAT
IS.
DESPITE REVIEW TIME AND THE
NUMBER OF REVIEW SEEINGLES HAS
BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT.
OUR GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF REVIEW CYCLES.
CONSTRUCTION PERMITS NOW NEED
MORE REVIEW CYCLES BEFORE THEY
CAN ISSUE OVER HALF.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON AS A TESTIMONY.
THIS CHART SHOWS THE NUMBER OF
PERMITS ISSUED OVER TYPE.
YOU CAN SEE THIS IS NOT BASED
ON DOLLAR VALUE, BUT ON NUMBER
OF PERMITS.
YOU CAN SEE THE HIGH VOLUMES
OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND
YOU CAN SEE THE RECESSION IN
2009 AND 2010.
A SIMILAR GRAPHIC, AGAIN YOU
CAN SEE THE RECESSION BACK IN
2009 AND 2010 AND THE BOOM WE
HAVE
SEEN IN THE PAST YEARS.
>>> SO THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE
CONSTRUCTION PERMIT
APPLICATIONS, OVER TIME.
AGAIN THIS IS NOT THE MASTER
USE PERMIT, BUT THE ACTUAL
BUILDING PERMITS.
THE KEY THING HERE, IS TO FOCUS
ON THE GREEN BARS.
AND THAT IS THE VALUE OF ALL
THOSE PROJECTS COMING IN.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN 2020, A HUGE
INCREASE IN THE OVERALL VALUE
OF THOSE PERMITS COMING IN.
YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT OF A
DECREASE IN 2020, BUT AGAIN THE
VALUE OF THOSE PERMITS
SIGNIFICANT.
AGAIN A LOT OF BIG PROJECTS
COMING IN TO VEST BEFORE THE
NEW TECHNICAL CODE WENT INTO
EFFECT, WHICH HAPPENED ON MARCH
15th.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS THE SHARE
OF TOTAL REVIEW TIME FOR
PERMITS.
WE HAVE DIVIDED THIS INTO
SIMPLE AND MEDIUM CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS.
THIS TENDS TO BE MINOR TENANT
IMPROVEMENTS, ALTERATIONS, AND
THEN YOUR MORE COMPLEX
TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS, THIS IS NEW BUILDINGS,
LARGE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THE BLACK LINE ON THE TOP
SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE OF TIME
THAT THE PERMIT IS IN THE
HANDS.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BAR
CHARTS, WHICH IS IN THE BLUE
AND THEN THE ORANGE, THAT IS
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS THAT
THAT PERMIT IS IN THE SYSTEM.
SO PERMITS ARE TAKING LONGER TO
GET THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, BUT
THE PERCENTAGE OF TIME THAT
THAT IS IN ITS HANDS HAS
ACTUALLY DECREASED.
AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT
MORE ABOUT THAT, IN A SLIDE
COMING UP.
SO SIMILAR TYPE OF CHART BUT
THIS IS FOR THE MASTER USE
PERMITS, THE LAND USE PROCESS.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FROM 2007 TO
2020.
AND YOU CAN SEE BACK IN THE
RECESSION JUST A PERCENTAGE OF
TIME WENT WAY UP, THAT WAS, OF
COURSE, AFTER WE HAD TO DO ALL
THE STAFF LAYOFFS.
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF USE
CYCLES.
AGAIN, VERY SIMILAR CHART THIS
TIME FOR MASTER USE.
>> THIS IS FOR CONSTRUCTION
PERMITS.
AGAIN, THE PERMITS, OUR GOAL AS
A DEPARTMENT IS THAT 95.
>> PERMIT 12-WEEK TURNAROUND
TIME.
2019 THROUGH 2020.
END OF 2020.
WE IMPROVED PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY
.
>> THIS HAD TO DO WITH A WHICH
WE'RE ADDRESSING.
AND ALSO, A FEW OTHER CHOKE
POINTS
IN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE.
JUST CAN SHOW YOU.
THE NUMBER.
>> TECHNICAL CODES DOPTED.
>> THERE'S A STEEP LEARNING
CURVE FOR INDUSTRY.
AND ALSO SCI STAFF.
WE HAVE SEEN IN SOME INSTANCES,
A LOWER QUALITY OF SUBMITTED
PLANS.
FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
IT IS EXTREMELY BUSY.
AND WE HAVE SEEN SOME
APPLICANTS FROM OUT OF TOWN
THAT AREN'T AS FAMILIAR WITH
REGULATIONS.
AND WE'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF NEW
CITY STAFF COME ON BOARD.
SO IT TAKES TIME TO TRAIN THEM.
AND TO EDUCATE THEM.
ONE THING I WANT TO STRESS IS
WHEN THOSE CORRECTIONS GO BACK
TO THE APPLICANT, AND THEY COME
BACK IN, THEY DON'T GO TO THE
BOTTOM OF THE CUE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT THE
SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AS WHEN
THEY FIRST CAME IN TO OUR
SYSTEM.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVELY
HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF THROUGH
CONTINGENT, BUDGET AUTHORITY.
THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF US DOING THAT.
THOSE ARE TERM LIMITED
POSITIONS.
BUT PEOPLE WHO FILL THOSE
POSITIONS ARE VERY COMPETITIVE
WHEN THERE IS AN OPENING IN OUR
DEPARTMENT.
AND THOSE PEOPLE IN THE TERM
LIMITED POSITIONS ARE VERY
COMPETITIVE TO THEN TAKE
PERMANENT JOBS.
SO THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND ALSO, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
THAT WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH
THEY HAD STAFF LEAVE, BUT
AGAIN, WE ARE ABLE TO WORK VERY
QUICKLY WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE
TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS AS
WELL.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS
IMPORTANT REVIEW AS PART OF
THAT PERMITTING PROCESS.
SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO 2021
AND OUR PERMITTING PRIORITIES.
WE WANT TO CARRY FORWARD SOME
OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT WE
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ADOPT DURING
COVID.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE
LOOKING AT IS A VIRTUAL
APPLICANT CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY WE WILL REOPEN OUR
APPLICANT SERVICE CENTER.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IT IS NOT
ALWAYS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE
A BUS OR GET IN A CAR AND COME
DOWNTOWN DURING THEIR BUSY DAY.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON VIRTUAL
COMPONENT RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATION HAS
BEEN THROUGH E-MAIL.
AND ELECTRONICALLY.
BUT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT
A COMPONENT, WHERE PEOPLE CAN
CHAT IN REAL L TIME, ABOUT
THEIR APPLICATIONS AND ASK
QUESTIONS AND OF COURSE, WE
CONTINUE TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH
APPLICANTS.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IN-PERSON
SERVICES AT NONDOWNTOWN
LOCATIONS, WE'VE HAD
PRELIMINARY DISCUSSIONS WITH
SEATTLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND ALSO, LOOKING AT SOME OF
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE
CENTERS.
AND WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO
RESUMING ALL OF OUR STANDARD
SERVICES, INCLUDING IN-HOME
INSPECTIONS.
WE DO, DO EMERGENCY RENTAL
HOUSING INSPECTIONS.
BUT A LOT OF OUR SORT OF
ROUTINE IN HOUSE INSPECTIONS
HAVE BEEN PUT ON HOLD.
BECAUSE OF COVID.
HOWEVER, CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTIONS AND OUR ANNUAL
ELEVATOR AND BOILER
INSPECTIONS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO RESUME.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY GOOD NEWS.
AS WE ARTICULATED IN THIS
PRESENTATION.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON
STREAMLINING OUR
PERMITPROCESSES AND MAKE
REDUCTIONS IN OUR PERMITTING
TIMES.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING TO
CREATE THAT GOVERNING SYSTEM
MODEL, WITH SEATTLE I.T.
TO IMPROVE THAT CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE
PERMIT SYSTEM INTEGRATION
EFFORT THAT I TALKED ABOUT AS
MORE DEPARTMENTS GET ON BOARD
WITH EXCEL.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
AND ANDY HIGGINS AND I ARE
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR
TORGLESON.
I DO HAVE A NUMBER OF
QUESTIONS.
DO WANT TO JUST CHECK WITH
COLLEAGUES.
AND I'LL CIRCLE BACK TO SOME OF
THE SLIDES.
SO HAVING THAT PRESENTATION UP
WILL BE HELPFUL.
>> OKAY.
SHOULD I KEEP IT UP?
>> YEAH.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
I SEE COUNCILMAN LOUIS MIGHT
HAVE A QUESTION, VICE CHAIRMAN
MOSQUEDA.
AND ANDY, DO YOU WANT TO
PROVIDE US ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
BEFORE WE LAUNCH INTO
QUESTIONS?
>> NO, I THINK NATHAN COVERED
IT VERY WELL [ INAUDIBLE ]
>> GREAT.
AND YOUR AUDIO IS A LITTLE LOW.
SO WHEN WE DO GET TO YOUR
SECTION, JUST HIGHLIGHTING
THAT.
COUNCILMEMBER LOUIS.
QUESTIONS?
>> YES.
DIRECTOR TORGLESON.
BRIEFLY.
IT'S SORT OF RELATED BUT SORT
OF OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF YOUR
PRESENTATION.
UNLESS I MISSED IT.
I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW THE
WORK LOAD HAS BEEN AND THE
METRICS FOR PROCESSING THE MUD
PERMITS.
CAN YOU COMMENT AT ALL ON THE
VOLUME OF PERMITTING THAT WE
HAVE BEEN SEEING THROUGH THE
COVID PERIOD.
PEOPLE THAT ARE APPLYING TO
BUILD THINGS.
PEOPLE THAT ARE APPLYING TO,
YOU KNOW, OPEN BUSINESSES.
IN SEATTLE.
AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
SPECULATION IN THE MEDIA THAT
YOU KNOW, BUT FOR THE GRACE OF
GOD.
WE'RE GOING TO LOSE EVERY
SINGLE THING IN SEATTLE,
DEVELOP.
INCLUDING OUR MAYOR,
APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO DANNY
WESTNE'S COLUMN ABOUT GARY
LOCKE POTENTIALLY RUNNING.
BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF
INFLOW.
OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST METRICS
OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH.
WHICH IS, ARE PEOPLE BUILDING
HERE?
ARE PEOPLE APPLYING FOR PERMIT
TO USE SPACES.
I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN
THROUGHOUT THE UNIQUE COVID
PERIOD.
>> SO WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT
DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF MASTER
USE APPLICATIONS.
THE LAND USE PERMITS.
AND THE NUMBER OF BUILDING
PERMITS COMING IN.
AS I DID MENTION, THE VALUE OF
THOSE BUILDING PERMITS THAT
CAME IN, AT LEAST AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND MUCH
HIGHER THAN THE PAST TWO YEARS.
ONE TREND THAT WE ARE SEEING IS
THAT A LOT OF APPLICANTS HAVE
MADE THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE BUILDING PERMIT
PROCESS.
BUT HAVE NOT PAID THEIR FINAL
FEES AND PICKED UP THEIR
BUILDING PERMIT.
I THINK THAT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE WAITING FOR US TO GET OUT
OF COVID AND SEE WHAT THE
MARKET DOES.
WAITING TO GET ISSUED.
AND WE'RE WAITING FOR THOSE
FINAL FEES.
>> HAVE NOT SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
APPLICAIONS COMING IN.
EVEN THOUGH THE NEW TECHNICAL
CODES AND ENERGY CODE HAVE GONE
INTO EFFECT.
WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF
APPLICANTS COMING IN TO
PLYAPPLY.
>>
>> THE NUMBER OF BUILDING
PERMITS COMING IN HAS, YOU
KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF BUILDING PERMITS.
AND THE VALUE OF THOSE PERMITS
IS HUGE.
>> TO ADD TO THAT, IT'S BECAUSE
OF THE CODED OPTION ON THE 15th
OF MARCH.
WE SAW, I THINK WE TOOK IN $1.1
BILLION IN CONSTRUCTION VALUE
JUST IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF
MARCH.
AND ALREADY TO THIS YEAR, WE'RE
ALREADY OVER $2 BILLION IN
CONSTRUCTION VALUE.
PROJECTED OUT FOR WHAT WE HAVE
SCHEDULED.
ALREADY JUST THROUGH JULY
SCHEDULING WILL ALREADY BE OVER
$4 BILLION FOR THE YEAR.
NOT EVEN COULDING FOR WHAT
COULD HAPPEN FOR JULY.
WE ARE CONFIDENT IT IS CUEING
UP.
THERE'S A LOT OF APPLICATIONS
COMING IN THE DOOR.
JUST FOR EXAMPLE, EARLIER THIS
WEEK, I WAS COACHING AN
APPLICANT ON HOW TO KEEP THEIR
APPLICATION ALIVE.
FOR THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD.
AN APPLICATION CAN STAY ALIVE.
THEY'RE QUESTIONING FUNDING
MECHANISMS NOW.
AND AS SOON AS THEY'RE ABLE TO
GET FUNDING IN PLACE, THEY'LL
WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND
PROEED WITH THOSE SETTLEMENTS
THAT THEY'VE ALREADY ACQUIRED
WHAT THEY WERE DOING IS
RESPONDING TO EVERY CORRECTION.
SOY WHEN THEY'RE READY TO GET
IT.
THEY CAN RESPOND AND FINISH THE
PROCESSING PERMIT.
AND FRANKLY, THAT'S PART OF
WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE
OVERALL TIME JOIN LINES NATHAN
WAS SHOWING EARLIER.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE IS AN
INTAKE.
BUT IT IS ONLY A PORTION OF
THAT.
IT CHECKED OUT THE APPLICANT
FOR OTHER PORTIONS OF THAT.
AND THE ITERATION BETWEEN
CYCLES IS EXTENSIVE BECAUSE
APPLICANTS ARE HOLDING ONTO THE
LIFE OF THEIR APPLICATION AS
LONG AS THEY CAN, BECAUSE THEY
KNOW WHEN THE PERMIT ISSUED,
THE PERMIT ITSELF IS ONLY GOOD
FOR 18 MONTHS.
SO THEY CAN RENEW IT, AS LONG
AS THEY'RE MAKING SIGNIFICANT
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY. ACTUAL
AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO REVISEIT
TO CURRENT CODE.
BUT IF THEY GET A PERMIT ISSUED
AND IT GOES 18 MONTES AND THEY
HAVEN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION
YET, THEY HAVE TO REVISE IT.
IT'S REALLY A KIND OF TIMING
GAME NOW.
LOT OF THESE APPLICATIONS.
THEY APPLY FOR THE PERMIT.
THAT'S THE STRATEGY.
NOW THEY'RE HOLDING ON UNTIL
THEY CAN GET THE TIMING IN
PLACE.
AND WE PREDICT THAT THERE'S
GOING TO BE A MASS OF PERMITS
ISSUED.
AND REAL BURDEN ON OUR STAFF.
TO TRY TO KEEP THE INSPECTIONS
GOING.
GOING FORWARD.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
DEFINITELY LOOKING AT.
>> CAN I BRIEFLY ASK.
I MEAN, RELATED TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE MHA IMPLICATIONS.
IN TERMS OF FEES COMING ON THE
DOOR FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND ALSO, THE IMPLICATIONS OF
STAFFING AND SD CI.
TO BE ABLE TO REALIZE THOSE
M.H.A.
GAINS.
FASTER AND GET THAT MONEY OUT
THE DOOR TO HELP WITH OUR
SOCIAL HOUSING DEFICIT.
ANYONE WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT.
>> THAT IS SOMETHING TO PAY
ATTENTION TO.
COUNCIL MEMBER LOUIS HAD AN
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
THAT I NEED TO CIRCLE BACK WITH
THE OFFICE ON HOUSING ON.
>> AND A POLICY QUESTION.
TO NOTE ON THAT, TOO, IS THAT
DURING COVID, THAT TWO-YEAR
LIFE OF AN APPLICATION, THERE'S
A PROVISION IN THE BUILDING
CODE THAT SAYS IF THERE IS A
CIRCUMSTANCE OUTSIDE OF THE
APPLICANT'S CONTROL, WE HAVE
THE ABILITY TO SEND THE
APPLICATION LIFE.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SAID COVID
IS OUTSIDE AN APPLICANT.
THERE IS A NUMBER IN THE SYSTEM
LONGER THAN THAT THREE-YEAR
PERIOD NOW.
AND WE HAVE TOLD THE PUBLIC
THAT WE HAVE NOT STARTED
PROACTIVELY CANCELING THOSE,
UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF THE
MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER OR
EMERGENCY ORDER.
AND WE WOULD GIVE AT LEAST 30
DAYS OF CODE MINIMUM.
BUT 30 TO 60 DAYS NOTICE BEFORE
WE START ACTIVELY.
TO TRY TO START TO INCENTIVIZE
THEM ISSUING.
>> REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
DILIGENT WORK.
AND OUR ROAD TO RECOVERY.
IT'S GOING TO GO THROUGH SD CI.
IN A LOT OF RESPECTS.
I WOULDN'T -- I WOULDN'T BET ON
ANYTHING TO COME ON THE OTHER
END AND COME OUT, IT'S NO SMALL
PART DUE TO YOUR DILIGENCE AND
PROFESSIONALISM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL
LOUIS.
VICE CHAIR MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR.
THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH AGAIN.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IN A TIME OF COVID,
EVERYBODY IS DOING THE BEST
THEY CAN TO BOTH WORK FROM HOME
AND DO THE INSPECTIONS OUT IN
THE FIELD TO THE DEGREE THAT
THEY'RE SAFE.
TRYING TO DO SOME OF THOSE
BASIC OPERATIONS HAS BEEN SORT
OF FIRST PRIORITY AND
APPRECIATE THAT YOU SHOWED WHAT
I TOOK AWAY FROM IT IS THAT
THEIR HASN'T BEEN A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME.
IN FACT, I THINK WHAT YOU ARE
REALLY TRYING TO EMPHASIZE IS
THAT SD CI HASN'T INCREASED
THAT MUCH.
BUT WHAT I HEAR, ANECDOTALLY IS
THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY WITH
COMPLEX, THE MITIGATION
HOUSING.
AND SPENDING WAY LONGER THAN
THE 180 DAYS.
BUT WE DON'T THINK THERE IS A
HUGE INCREASE AND PERCENTAGE OF
TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR PERMITS
TO BE ALLOCATED.
I THINK THE BIGGER QUESTION I'M
HEARING FROM FOLKS AROUND THE
COMMUNITY IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO
DRAW DOWN THOSE NUMBERS?
HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN
MUCH FASTER?
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE REALIZE THE
CONSEQUENCE OF COVID IS
MANIFESTING ITSELF IN THE
STREET WITH MORE PEOPLE LIVING
OUTSIDE.
I WANT US TO BE BUILDING
HOUSING OF ALL TYPES AS FAST AS
WE POSSIBLY CAN CAN.
AND SOME OF THAT IS
OBVIOUSLYSTRATEG IC ACQUISITION,
WHICH I HAVE BEEN A STRONG
SUPPORTER OF.
BUT WE NEED TO BUILD HOUSING.
THIS IS NOT JUST CONVERTING
EXISTING UNITS INTO AFFORDABLE
STRUCTURES AND MORE PREVENTING
THOSE STRUCTURES FROM BEING
DEMOLISHED.
THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING,
BUILDING, BUILDING, MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MORE MIXED
INCOME HOUSING.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE MORE
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING TO MAKE
IT BETTER.
AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT
THIS IS COMPLEMENTARY TO THE
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WE
JUST PASSED?
WE HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT COSTS
ASSOCIATED THERE.
AND THE INCREASED TIME IS
MONEY.
AND WHEN THERE'S INCREASED
TIME, THAT'S ALSO A COST IN
TERMS OF POTENTIAL LOST
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO
LIVE INSIDE.
AND DURING A PANDEMIC, THAT'S
POTENTIAL COST IN TERMS OF
LIVES.
SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE MORE.
THANK YOU FOR NOT HAVING A
PRESENTATION THAT TALKED ABOUT
THE INCREASE IN TIME.
BUT HOW CAN WOO TUMLY DRAW DOWN
THAT TIME TO ADDRESS THIS
CRISIS WITH REAL URGENCY?
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
I FULLY RECOGNIZE, WE DO NEED
TO IMPROVE THE MASS USE
PERMITTING TIMES.
I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND
COUNCILMEMBER LOUIS FOR LEADING
THE PERMANENT SUPPORT OF
HOUSING LEGISLATION, WHICH FOR
THAT TYPE OF HOUSING
CONSTRUCTION, WILL
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE
PERMITTING TIMES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE
VERY HOPEFUL ABOUT IS THAT BLUE
BEAM SOFTWARE, WHERE THE
APPLICANT AND SDCI STAFF CAN DO
CORRECTIONS TO REALTIME, WHICH
WILL REDUCE THAT LEG TIME.
I THINK THAT IS SUPER
IMPORTANT.
AND THERE ARE -- ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS THAT A
FAIR NUMBER OF MASS USE PERMITS
ARE GETTING APPEALED TO THE
HEARING EXAMINER.
THE HEARING EXAMINER.
I DON'T WANT TO THROW THEM
UNDER THE BUS.
BUT GIVEN THEIR BACKLOG, YOU
KNOW, THERE ARE THREE OR FOUR
MONTHS BACKED UP RIGHT NOW.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, THE
HEARING EXAMINER CAN GET TO GET
TO THESE APPEALS FASTER, WILL
ALSO HELP OUR HOUSING INDUSTRY.
SO THEY CAN GET THOSE PROJECTS
CONSTRUCTED.
>> VICE CHAIRMAN MOSQUEDA.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, DIRECTOR
TARGLESON.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WE
CAN OFFER TO THE HEARING
EXAMINER.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT MEAN?
DO WE NEED TO WAIVE SOMETHING
TEMPORARILY AS WE LOOK TO
REVITALIZE OUR LOCAL ECONOMY?
DOES THAT MEAN FUNDING?
I DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU IN A
CORNER TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING
FROM THE DEPARTMENT TO THE
COUNCIL.
BUT I THINK WE NEED ALL IDEAS
ON THE TABLE.
AND HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE PROVIDING NECESSARY
SUPPORT TO HEARING EXAMINER.
BUT MUCH LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH
OTHER PERMITTING CHANGES IN THE
LAST YEAR, TO MAKE IT MORE
POSSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO
CONTINUE TO INTERACT.
TO HAVE OUTDOOR EATING
OPPORTUNITIES.
TO PROVIDE CURB SIDE SPACES FOR
INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO
ADDRESS THE CRISIS THAT COVID
HAS IMPOSED ON OUR COMMUNITY,
THIS FEELS VERY SIMILAR.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE OUGHT
TO BE THINKING OF ANY OUTSIDE
OF THE BOX STRATEGIES TO BOTH
HELP SDCI AND THE HEARING
EXAMINER.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE
COULD DO IF YOU HAD A MAGIC
WAND, IS THERE A SPECIFIC CODE,
OUTSIDE OF REVENUE?
AND WE HAVE REVENUE COMING.
WE HAVE FEDERAL SUPPORT COMING.
AFTER A LONG, LONG FOUR YEARS.
WE HAVE FUNDING COMING.
AND AFTER A LONG YEAR OF COVID,
IMPACTS MANIFESTING ITSELF ON
THE STREET.
WE HAVE SOME RELIEF ON THE
HORIZON.
NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE JUMP
START PROGRESSIVE REVENUE THAT
INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT
PORTION,IMENT TO SAY, 10 TO 15
MILLION FOR ECONOMIC
REVITALIZATION.
AND SOME OF THAT, MUST ALSO
INCLUDE HOW WE GET PEOPLE OUT
OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUT OF
THEIR HOMES, INTERACTING WITH
THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND ALLOWING
FOR THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT TO
HAPPEN.
WHICH MEANS TO ME, WE GOTTA BE
BUILDING THAT,ASAP.
IF YOU HAD A MAGIC WAND, IS
THERE A WAY FOR US TO ACT ON
THE GREATER CALL AND PERMITTING
PROCESS, TO EXPEDITE THAT?
>> SURE.
NUMBER 1 IS I TALKED
TOCOUNCILMEMBER STRASS ABOUT
THIS YESTERDAY.
WE ARE BEING LOOKING AT
EMERGENT, POSSIBLE EMERGENCY
LEGISLATION TO ALLOW FOR MORE
FLEXIBILITY FOR RETAIL FRONTS.
SO WE CAN GET NEIGHBORHOODS
OCCUPIED WITH VIBRANT
INDUSTRIES.
WE HAVE PRETTY STRICT CRITERIA
IN THE CODE AS TO WHAT TYPES OF
BUSINESSES CAN OCCUPY THOSE
SPACES.
AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO ALLOW
FOR SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY SO WE
CAN GET MORE STREET-LEVEL AND
PEDESTRIAN ACTIVATION.
I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE A SIDE BAR
DISCUSSION WITH HEARING
EXAMINER ABOUT WHAT IDEAS THEY
MIGHT HAVE TO IMPROVE THE LEG
TIME.
I KNOW THEY'RE EXTREMELY BUSY
RIGHT NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF
APPEALS OF PROJECT DECISIONS
THAT WE HAVE ISSUED.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
HOME RIGHT NOW, DURING THE
PANDEMIC, AND ARE EXPERIENCING
CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, SO THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL HAVE TO
TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT WE ARE OPEN TO ANY IDEAS
THAT YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE THE
PERMITTING PROCESSING TIME.
ESPECIALLY MASTER USE PERMITS.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> IF I CAN ADD TO THAT, TOO.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT COMES DOWN
TO RESOURCES AS WELL.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO ASK FOR
RESOURCES FOR STAFFING.
BUT DEFINING WHAT GOOD LOOKS
LIKE.
AND WHAT THAT APPLICABLE
TURNAROUND SHOULD BE.
HELPS US DEFINE WHAT RESOURCES
WE WOULD NEED TO ACHIEVE THOSE
GOALS.
SO IF OUR CURRENT GOALS AREN'T,
EVEN THOUGH WE'RE MEETING THE
MAJORITY OF THEM FOR THE MOST
PART.
IF THEY'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH,
THEN WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT GOOD
ENOUGH LOOKS LIKE.
SO WE CAN ADDRESS WHAT THE
RESOURCE NEEDS TO BE.
AND TO ADD TO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER.
WE'RE DEDICATED TO THE USER
EXPERIENCE.
SO WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT WITH THE
CUSTOMER FIRST PERSPECTIVE IN
MIND.
SO WE ALREADY HAVE AN OUTSIDE
CONSULTANT AGENCY, WORKING ON
PORTAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR
IMPROVING THE FLOW OF HOW
THINGS WORK IN THERE.
SO IT'S MORE INTUITIVE.
AND AS MORE AND MORE
DEPARTMENTS COME ON BOARD.
SEATTLE I. IT IS REALLY BEING
BURDENED WITH A LOT OF REQUESTS
FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR
TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAS
BECOME SOMEWHAT OF A BOTTLENECK
IN TERMS OF US BEING ABLE TO
ACHIEVE THETECHNOLOGY ON A
PLATFORM WIDE LEVEL.
AND HAVING ABILITY TO ACTUALLY
INCREASE OUR I.T.
CAPACITY.
TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT SOME OF
THESE CONTINUED AUTOMATION AND
WORK FLOW IN ENHANCEMENTS.
AND WORK FLOW INTEGRATIONS.
THOSE KIND OF THINGS WOULD ALSO
BE EXTREMELY VALUABLE IN
HELPING US ACHIEVE THOSE
FASTER.
>> WE HAVE A VERY COMPLEX LAND
USE CODE.
IT'S OVER A THOUSAND PAGES.
AND IT KEEPS GETTING LONGER.
SO I MEAN, ONE OF MY DREAMS IS
LAND USE CODE REFORM.
TO MAKE THE LAND USE CODE
EASIER FOR APPLICANTS AND FOR
STAFF.
AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE,
TO UNDERSTAND HOW ZONING WORKS
IN THE CITY.
>> WELL, THANK YOU BOTH VERY
MUCH.
YOU BOTH TOUCHED ON ISSUES THAT
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU ON THE GOOD CHAIR ON.
ANDY, YOU MENTIONED, SORT OF
THE BENCHMARKS.
AND DIRECTOR TOLEVSON.
YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW YOU ARE
STRIVING TO DECREASE THE WEIGHT
TIMES.
SO I ACTUALLY LOOK TO YOU TO
HELP US UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS
THAT THRESHOLD, WHAT IS YOUR
GOAL SHOULD AND WE CAN WORK
BACKWARDS FROM THERE, TO SEE
WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OR
SUPPORT THE CITY AS A WHOLE OR
THE FAMILY CAN PROVIDE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A
BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOUR TIME
LINE IS FOR EXPEDITING THE
PERMITTING PROCESS.
AND IF YOU COULD GET THAT BACK
TO US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I ALSO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T WANT TO MISS THE POINT
ABOUT THE OVERALL PERMITTING
TIME LINES.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG
DEAL NOW, IN HAVING ADDITIONAL
CONSERVATIONS ABOUT WAYS THAT
WE CAN ADDRESS THAT DELAY, I
THINK WOULD BE INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU'RE DOING ON THE FIRST
FLOORS AND SORT OF THE STREET
USE LEVEL.
IDEAS.
THEY'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH
YOU ON THAT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT FOR A VERY LONG
TIME.
AND AS YOU THINK ABOUT MORE
INTEACTIVE USES, ONE OF THE
THINGS I JUST WANT TO KEEP
PUTTING ON THE RADAR THAT I
KNOW IS A PRIORITY AS WELL FOR
THE CHAIR IS HOW WE CAN CREATE
MORE CHILD CARE SPACE.
WE'RE LOSING ABOUT 7% TO 10% OF
CHILD CARE FACILITIES THAT WERE
ALREADY IN THIS CITY BEFORE
COVID.
AND WE ALREADY HAD CHILD CARE
AND EXTREMELY HIGH CHILD CARE
COSTS.
SO THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN
GET FOLKS OUT OF THEIR HOMES,
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HAVE TO
HAVE, IS CHILD CARE.
ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE SEEN
RECORD NUMBERS OF BABIES BEING
BORN IN THE CITY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT, WHY DO
FOLKS WANT TO STAY IN THE CITY
WHEN THEY CAN WORK FROM HOME.
CHILD CARE, WALKABILITY, HUBS,
ALL OF THIS WE NEED.
AND IN TERMS OF REFORMING OUR
LAND USE CODE POLICIES.
I HAVE A LIST OF IDEAS.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME
TOGETHER AND SHARE THOSE IDEAS
SOON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
GENTLEMEN.
I HAVE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS.
AND I'D LIKE TO REFER TO THE
POWER POINT.
IF POSSIBLE.
JUST KIND OF TAKING A STEP OFF
VICE CHAIR MOSKEDDA'S COMMENTS
ABOUT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE
GOAL IS.
I UNDERSTAND, RIGHT NOW, THE
GOAL IS 120 DAYS TO APPROVAL.
OF A PERMIT.
IS THAT CORRECT, WHAT YOU TOLD
ME AT THE LAST COMMITTEE
MEETING?
>>THAT'S FOR, YEAH.
MASTER USE PERMIT.
AND THAT WOULD BE 120 DAYS IN
SDCI'S HANDS.
>> GOT YOU.
SO THAT KIND OF LEADS ME INTO
ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUS.
JUST TO ADD TO THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED
AROUND 1995, BY THE STATE
LEGISLATURE.
BECAUSE BACK THEN, WE USED TO
NOT SCREEN APPLICATIONS FOR
QUALITY INTAKE.
WE USED TO JUST TAKE EVERYTHING
IN.
AND THEN OUR INITIAL CORRECTION
LETTERS WOULD OFTEN BE, PLEASE
PROVIDE SOCIAL CALCULATION.
PLEASE PROVIDE LOT CALCULATION.
THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THE BOTTLENECK THEN WAS THE
INITIAL PLAN REVIEW.
AND IT WAS TAKEN UPWARDS.
SIX MONTH NEGLIGENCE SOME
PLACES TO JUST GET THE
PLANREVIEW.
THAT LED TO THE PROCESS AND
LAND USE INENTIAL 2000.
WE DID A WHOLE TON OF PROCESS
RECORPORATION.
AND CREATED OUR SCREENING, OUR
APPLICATION SCREENING TO RAISE
THE LEVEL OF INTAKE QUALITY.
SO THAT THAT INITIAL REVIEW IS
TO COMPLETE A FULL AND COMPLETE
PLAN REVIEW.
AND ONLY IDENTIFY THE ISSUES
THAT ARE OUTSTANDING NOT IN
COMPLIANCE OR POTENTIAL
COMPLIANCE WITH CODE.
IT'S THE PARTNERSHIP THEN AT
THAT POINT THAT BECOMES THE
BACK-AND-FORTHITYE RATIONS WITH
APPLICANTS.
AND WE ONLY HAVE SO MUCH
CONTROL OVER HOW RESPONSIVE AN
APPLICANT IS.
WE ARE REALLY KIND OF DEDICATED
TO TIME IN OUR HANDS AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
BUT TOTAL THROUGH-PUT TIME.
YOU OFTEN HEAR A LOT OF
COMPLAINTS ABOUT INTAKE TO
ISSUE.
AND WE STRUGGLE WITH THAT.
BECAUSE REALLY, WE ONLY HAVE
CERTAIN CONTROL OF THAT ASPECT
OF TIME.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON DRILLING DOWN,
NOT ONLY ON SHORTENING AND
MEETING OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS
AROUND INITIAL PLAN REVIEW
PERFORMANCE.
BUT ALSO SHORTEPPENNING
--SHORTSDENNING OUR OWN.
BUT AGAIN WITH CLARITY OF
CORRECTION.
AND TRYING TO PARTNER WITH
APPLICANT SOLUTIONS.
WE THINK WE HAVE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF CONTROL.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE
CAN ONLY PROVIDE SO MUCH WITH
RESPONSE TO THOSE CYCLING.
REALLY, OUR FOCUS TO S TO
ELIMINATE BOTTLENECKS, INCREASE
EFFICIENCIES.
WORK WITH OTHER CITY
DEPARTMENTS THAT ALSO HAVE A
STAKE IN EACH OF THOSE REVIEW
CYCLES.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST SDCI
REVIEWS.
DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE
APPLICATION.
IT COULD BE MULTIPLE PERMIT
DEPARTMENTS.
IT COULD BE PARKS, FIRE, CITY
LIGHTS.
ET CETERA, PECT ET CETERA.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON THAT AS A KEY
PART OF THAT.
MAKING SURE THAT EACH OF THOSE
REVIEW LOCATIONS HAS ENOUGH
CAST IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THE
UNKNOWN HITS.
THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE.
SOMEBODY OUT WITH COVID.
OR IF SOMEBODY JUST NEEDING TO
TAKE A SABBATICAL, OR THOSE
KINDS OF THINGS, TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT BOTTLENECK DOESN'T
MOVE AROUND.
AND THAT WE CAN BETTER CONTROL
WHAT THE BOTTLENECK IS, WHICH
WE FEEL SHOULD BE OUR
ORDINANCE.
AT LEAST FOR CONSTRUCTION
PERMITTING.
>> THE MORE WE CAN DO TO
PARTNER AND HAVE OVERSIGHT
ACROSS ALL OF THOSE, THE BETTER
OFF IT WILL BE IN TERMS OF
SHORTENING THE OVERALL WAIT
TIME.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU, ANDY.
THAT WAS VERY HELPFUL.
AND ACTUALLY ANSWERED A FAIR
NUMBER OF MY QUESTIONS THAT I
HAD LISTED.
AND AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, I
TRIED TO PULL UP THE WHITE
BOARD THAT I USED LAST WEEK.
IT'S NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW.
ALL THAT TO SAY, I'LL TRY TO
USE MY FINGERS HERE TO DEM
STRAIGHT.
YOU HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
TOUCH POINTS.
OR ACTUALLY, IF YOU COULD PULL
UP SLIDE 6. THAT WOULD HELP
THIS CONVERSATION.
>> YEAH.
I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE
GETTING AT, IN TERMS OF THE WAY
WE TALK ABOUT MILESTONES.
WHERE IT COMES IN FROM AN
APPLICANT.
IT HITS A POINT OF INTAKE.
AND SPANS OUT TO HOWEVER MANY
REVIEW LOCATIONS, BASED ON THE
SCOPE OF THAT APPLICATION.
AND ONCE THE LAST ONE IS
COMPLETED, IT COMES BACK TO A
POINT, WHERE IT CHECKS OUT TO
THE APPLICANT.
AND THEN IT SITS IN THE
APPLICANT'S HANDS.
AND THERE'S AN INTAKE POINT,
WHERE WE TAKE IT BACK OUT AND
FAN OUT TO THE LOCATIONS THAT
HAD CORRECTIONS OUTSTANDING
FROM THAT INITIAL REVIEW CYCLE.
AND IF THEY'RE ALL ABLE TO
APPROVE, WE'RE DONE.
WE ISSUE THE PERMIT.
BUT IF ANY OF THEM HAVE
OUTSTANDING PERMIT CORRECTIONS
LEFT.
IT COMES BACK AND OUTCYCLES
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND AGAIN, THE CODE REVISION
CONCEPT.
THE MORE IT IS, THE SIMPLER IT
IS FOR AN APPLICANT TO GET TO
SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE.
THE MORE DESIGN AND NUANCE AND
SITE SPECIFIC.
AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER
THING THAT GO ON, THE MORE
DISCRETION THERE STHE MORE
CHALLENGE THERE IS FOR AN
APPLICANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
THE NUANCES FOR THEIR GIVEN
SITE AND SCENARIOS.
SO ANY KIND OF FUTURE REVISIONS
TO CODE, REALLY, THE MORE WE
MAKE IT, DESIGN-SPECIFIC AND
DISCRETIONARY.
THE MORE CORRECTION CYCLES TEND
TO OCCUR.
BECAUSE IT'S THAT BACK-AND-
FORTH OF TRYING TO FIND PROPER
WAYS TO COMPLY.
>> EXACTLY.
YOUR FINGER GRAPHICS WERE
BETTER THAN MINE.
COULD YOU PULL UP SLIDE 6,
THOUGH.
>> CAN YOU SEE THAT?
>> NO.
>> I DON'T THINK YOU'RE SHARING
YOUR SCREEN.
>> ROKAY.
HOLD ON.
>> THERE WE GO.
>> YEP.
THERE WE ARE.
WHAT I SEE HERE IS THAT IT'S
SDOT'S 120-DAY GOAL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED TO BE
BETTER ABOUT SETTING THE GOAL,
LIKE VICE CHAIRMAN MOSQUEDA
SAID.
WE NEED TO HAVE A GOAL TO WORK
BACKWARD FROM THERE.
AND THEN THE GRAPH.
AND THE BLACK.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE TO
THAT SLIDE QUITE YET.
BUT THE BLACK LINE THAT WE SAW
ON SLIDES 17 AND 18 OF THE DAYS
THAT IT'S IN SDCI'S HANDS, CAN
I CONFIRM THAT THIS IS JUST IN
THIS BUCKET THAT SAYS SDCI, AS
COMPARED TO OTHER BUCKETS.
IS THAT A CORRECT
UNDERSTANDING?
>> I CAN MOVE TO THE SLIDE, IF
THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> YES.
SO THIS BLACK LINE.
IS THAT ONLY FOR SD CI AND
OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT
INCLUDED IN THAT?
>> I BELIEVE IT'S SDCI.
BUT I WILL CONFIRM.
>> IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO
SLIDE 6. I JUST WANT TO KIND OF
FOCUS IN ON HERE.
WHEN WE HAD OUR CONVERSATIONS,
IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO
UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT EASY
TO NECESSARILY CONTRACT OUT, TO
BACK FILL FOR THESE POSITIONS.
BECAUSE THERE IS -- IT IS
TECHNICALLY COMPLEX.
THEIR WORK IS TECHNICALLY
COMPLEX.
ANDY, YOU REALITY POINTED OUT
AN IMPORTANT FACT TO ME.
IF THERE IS ONE PERSON MISSING
FROM A FOUR-PERSON TEAM, THAT
REDUCES THE THROUGH-PUT BY A
QUARTER.
>> YEAH.
>> IF THERE'S ONE PERSON
MISSING FROM A 20-PERSON TEAM,
THERE'S NOT AS MUCH IMPACT ON
THAT REVIEW TIME.
AND AS ONE TO -- LET'S SAY,
THERE'S A FOUR PERSON TEAM THAT
LOSES ONE MEMBER, IT CREATES A
BIT OF A CHOKE POINT.
AND THEN WHEN THEY HIRE THAT
MEMBER BACK.
THEN ANOTHER NODE MAY HAVE
SIMILAR -- I MEAN, BECAUSE
THAT'S THE LIFE CYCLE OF LIFE.
RIGHT?
THINGS CHANGE.
PEOPLE EITHER NEED NEW JOBS,
RETIRE, WHAT HAVE YOU.
I GUESS THE POINT THAT I'M
TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS
THAT THE CHOKE POINT THAT WE
ARE TRYING TO SOLVE CAN
OFTENTIMES BE A MOVING TARGET.
SO THIS BRINGS ME TO AN
UNDERSTANDING OF, IS THERE A
WAY THAT WE CAN CREATE A
SUBSTITUTE CLASS OR FLOAT A
FLOAT TEAM THAT IS WITHIN SDCI
THAT CAN -- AND MAYBE THESE ARE
THE MORE SENIOR REVIEWERS WHO
POSSIBLY HAVE WORKED ON OTHER,
IN MULTIPLE NODES.
IS THIS A CREDIBLE IDEA?
OR AM I THINKING OF THIS IN TOO
SIMPLISTIC TERMS?
>> YEAH.
THE CHALLENGES THAT EACH OF THE
CODES, THAT EACH OF THESE
GROUPS OVERSEES IS HIGHLY
TECHNICAL.
AND SO TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT
CAN FLOAT IN BETWEEN IS THE
CHALLENGE.
WE HAVE A POSITION CALLED A
PERMIT PROCESS.
THE ORIGINAL VISION WAS TO BE
ABLE TO WALK ON WATER.
THE RAT IS DEPTH NEEDED.
SO REALLY WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS
THAT FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER
REVIEW GROUPS, WHERE A FOUR-
PERSON THEME OR SIX-PERSON
THEME.
AND YOU DO LOSE A MAJOR CHUNK
OF YOUR CAPACITY, BY LOSING A
SINGLE INDIVIDUAL AT ANY GIVEN
TIME.
IT'S REALLY JUST ENOUGH TO HAVE
ANY DEPTH THERE TO BE ABLE TO
ABSORB THAT HIT.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S VACATIONS AND
SICK LEAVE AND OTHER STUFF
GOING ON IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
SO IF YOU TRY TO BUDGET YOUR
CAPACITY TO YOUR MAXIMUM,
POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE.
YOU'RE REALLY ALWAYS OPERATING
MORE AT 80% CAPACITY INSTEAD.
SOME FACTOR LESS.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MINIMIZE
WHERE THAT BOTTLENECK JUMPS
AROUND.
AND TRY TO LOCALIZE IT TO ONE
OR TWO PRIMARY LOCATIONS.
I THINK OUR LARGEST TEAMS ARE
REALLY IN LIKE ZONING AND LAND
USE DISCRETIONARY GROUPS AND
ALSO IN OUR ORDINANCE AND
STRUCTURAL GROUPS.
AND OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE
MAJORITY OF THESE REVIEW
LOCATIONS ARE SMALL TEAMS.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2 AND 6
PEOPLE.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT, CAN WE
GET ENOUGH LAYER THERE TO MAKE
SURE THEY NEVER BECOME THE
BOTTLENECK.
EVEN WHEN THEY DO EXPERIENCE A
CAPACITY HIT FOR ONE REASON OR
ANOTHER.
AND LIMIT IT TO THOSE GROUPS
WHERE WHEN THEY TAKE A CAPACITY
HIT AND ORDER STRUCTURAL.
IT'S A MUCH SMALLER CHUNK OF
THAT.
>> IT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
SOUNDS LIKE FOR US TO MAINTAIN
CAPACITY.
IT'S ALMOST AS IF WE NEED TO BE
HIRED AND STAFFED AT 120%
CAPACITY.
>> EXACTLY.
BECAUSE THAT EXCESS CAPACITY,
THAT EXCESS 20% IS REALLY
SOMETHING TO JUST ABSORB.
THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN THE UNKNOWN
HITS.
WE ALWAYS OTHER THAN THERE IS
AN UNKNOWN.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
UNKNOWN IS GOING TO BE.
IT'S JUST PLANNING AHEAD AND
BEING PROACTIVE FOR THAT.
SO THAT IN A CASE LIKE LAST
SUMMER, WHEN ONE EXTERNAL
DEPARTMENT LOST A REVIEWER,
YOUR BOTTLENECK DOESN'T DOUBLE
IN A THREE-MONTH PERIOD OF
TIME.
WE REALLY WANT TO BE ABLE
TOABSORB A HIT LIKE THAT AND BE
ABLE TO GO OUT, RECRUIT AND
BACK FILL THAT POSITION AND
MOVE FORWARD.
BY TRAINING THEM AND BRINGING
THEM UP TO A CAPABLE REVIEWER.
WE TALK ABOUT IT BEING A YEAR
TO TWO YEARS.
SOMEONE GETTING PROFICIENT.
YOUR COMMENT GOING TO THE
OUTSIDE.
AND UTILIZING CONSULTING STAFF.
WE'VE DONE THAT.
WE DID THAT BACK IN THE
MID2000S.
AND THE PROBLEM WAS, OVERSEEING
THE QUALITY OF THE WORK.
THE MISTAKES WE HAD OUT OF THE
WORK.
THE INCONSISTENCIES OUT OF THE
WORK.
AND REALLY JUST MANAGING AND
OVERSEEING IT WAS AS MUCH WORK
AS HAVING ANOTHER LAYER OR TEAM
IN PLACE.
SO SINCE THAT TIME, WE'VE
DEVELOPED A CORE STAFFING
MODEL.
SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO
EXPERIENCE AS DEEP OF CUTS AS
WE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST
DOWNTURN.
SO WE CAN HAVE TRAINED,
CAPABLE, ASSISTANT APPLICABLE
CODES ALL IN PLACE, AS THE
ECONOMY RECOVERS.
SO WE CAN BE IN FRONT OF THAT
ECONOMIC RECOVERY, RATHER THAN
CHASING IT.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND FOR THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK I HEARD YOU MENTION
INNER DEPARTMENTAL TEAM.
HOW -- IS THIS SOMETHING THAT
I,AS THE CHAIR OF THE LAND USE
COMMITTEE NEED TO HAVE MORE
INTENTIONAL OVERSIGHT TO MAKE
SURE THAT EVERYONE IS -- THAT
THESE TEAMS ARE BEING STAFFED
AT 120% AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT THE SILOS OF OUR
CITY GOVERNMENT MEAN THAT YOU,
DIRECTOR TORGLESON, DO NOT HAVE
CONTROL OVER THESE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS?
I GUESS -- IS IT -- DO YOU FEEL
THAT THERE'S GOOD COORDINATION
GOING ON RIGHT NOW?
DO I NEED TO BE ASKED MAYBE
DON'T ANSWER THE QUESTION.
DO I NEED TO BE ASKING MORE
QUESTIONS.
MAYBE I'LL JUST BE HIGHLIGHTING
THAT I NEED TO BE ASKING MORE
QUESTIONS.
THERE WE.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT
YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE I.D.T.,
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WE
PARTNER WITH THESE OTHER
DEPARTMENTS AND ARE COMMITTED
TO WORKING TOGETHER.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE ISN'T
ONE SINGLE AUTHORITY OUTSIDE OF
THE EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE, THAT
REALLY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO
MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN
THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE TRY TO INFLUENCE THE
PROCESS.
AND THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH WE CAN
DO.
BUT WE DO PARTNER QUITE WELL
TOGETHER.
AND AS MORE AND MORE
DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING ON BOARD
THE ENTERPRISE PLATFORM.
THE MORE WE'RE MEETING IN TERMS
OF I.T.
CONTEXT.
BUT WE DON'T SO MUCH HAVE A
BUSINESS ENTERPRISE STRUCTURE
IN PLACE QUITE YET.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS
LISTED AS WE'RE WORKING ON
THIS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE
SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE RECENT EXAMPLE I LISTED
WHERE THE SIX PERMANENT HOUSING
-- SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS
THAT WERE FUNDED BACK IN
AUGUST.
WE MEET ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY STAFF
INTENSIVE.
BUT THAT'S BEEN SUPER
SUCCESSFUL MODEL WORKING
TOGETHER IN REALTIME WITH THE
APPLICANTS TO RESOLVE
PERMITTING CHALLENGES.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
AND COULD YOU -- YOU MENTIONED
A COUPLE OF TIMES, COULD YOU
SLIDE TO SLIDE 17?
BOTH OF HAVE YOU MENTIONED A
NUMBER OF TIMES THROUGHOUT THE
PRESENTATION, WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE LAST RECESSION, WHERE WE
HAD LAYOFFS ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAD ON
YOUR PERMIT REVIEW TIME.
I JUST, I GUESS I'M TAKING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO THANK VICE CHAIR
MOS QUESTIONEDDA WITH
-- MOSQUEDA.
WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IN THE
FACE OF LAYING OFF CITY STAFF,
WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN
EVERYONE'S JOBS.
AND THAT HAS IMMEDIATE IMPACT
BECAUSE IF YOU WERE, AGAIN,
ASKED TO REDUCE YOUR STAFFING,
WE WOULD SEE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF
TIME FOR THESE PERMITS TO BE
REVIEWED I GUESS THAT WASN'T A
QUESTION.
THAT WAS A STATEMENT.
>> AND YOU'RE STILL A LITTLE
LOW.
>> SORRY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.
IT'S USUALLY NOT THAT BAD.
LET ME KNOW IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE
TO HEAR ME.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH.
WHERE IT SAYS STAFFING
SHORTAGE.
AND NATHAN, IF YOU SLIDE BACK
TO SLIDE 16.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THE VALUE
DROPOFF WAS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE
THAN VOLUME DROPOFF.
THE VALUE OR THE REVENUE, WHICH
IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE REVENUE
WE TAKE IN, DROPPED OFF BY 62%.
BUT THE VOLUME ONLY DROPPED OFF
BY 30%.
SO THE NUMBER OF PERMITS THAT
CAME IN WAS ONLY A 30% DROP.
BUT THE STAFFING REDUCTION THAT
WE HAD TO TAKE WAS NEARLY 50%.
BECAUSE OF THAT HIT.
AND WE DIDN'T HAVE -- WE HAD A
CORE STAFFING RESERVE.
BUT NOT A VERY SUBSTANTIAL ONE.
SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO RIDE IT
VERY VERY LONG.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT LED TO
THE VOLUMES REMAIN BUT THE
STAFFING LEVEL REALLY
SIGNIFICANTLY DROPPED OFF.
AND THAT'S WHAT LED TO THAT
SPIKE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
AND THEN IN 2011, 12, WHEN THE
ECONOMY REALLY STARTED ROARING
BACK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THAT'S WHEN WE STARTED HIRING
BACK UP AGAIN.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECALL SOME OF
THE STAFF THAT HAD BEEN LAID
OFF.
AND REALLY RAMPED UP.
BUT AT THAT POINT, WE WERE
CHASING THE ECONOMY UP THE
HILL.
AND WE REALLY WANTED TO AVOID
THAT HAPPENING AGAIN.
SO IN THAT 2014, 15, 16 KIND OF
TIME FRAME.
WE REVAMPED OUR FREE STRUCTURE
AND REALLY CREATED A ROBUST
CORE STAFFING MODEL.
SO WE COULD HANG ON TO STAFF
DIPS.
BASICALLY, LAST IN, FIRST OUT
IN THE UNION STRUCTURE.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO CUT
THE BRAND NEW STAFF THAT WE
WERE HIRING OVER THIS LAST 10-
YEAR PERIOD.
AND START LOSING THEM.
THE OTHER INDUSTRY OR PRIVATE
SECTOR.
BUT BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM ON
BOARD.
FOR JUST THIS MOMENT.
WHERE WE'RE COMING BACK.
WE SEE THE ECONOMY, JUST CUEING
UP AS COVID IS SORT OF SLOWLY
RAMPING DOWN.
AND WE SEE AND PREDICT THAT THE
ECONOMY WILL BE RAMPING UP.
WE HAVE THOSE STAFF IN PLACE.
AND WE'RE WORKING EVEN MORE ON
THOSE TEMPORARY STAFFING
SHORTAGES WE SAW LAST FALL.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A LOT IN THE
LAST ECONOMIC CYCLE TO TRY TO
GET AHEAD OF THIS.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL.
VICE CHAIR MOSQUEDA?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR.
CHAIR.
AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE LINE OF
QUESTIONING.
AND YOUR LEADERSHIP ON SORT OF
CONTINUING TO PUSH THE
CONVERSATION AROUND WHAT IS
NEEDED IN TERMS OF BROAD
CHANGES, MR. CHAIR.
AND APPRECIATE THE INITIAL
RESPONSES TODAY.
I THINK THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT CROSS-
AGENCY, INTERDEPARTMENTAL
COORDINATION AS A GOOD GOAL.
AND WE OUGHT TO BE DOING THAT
AS WE TRY TO PROVIDE GOOD
SERVICES.
I THINK DIRECTOR TORGLESON, YOU
MENTIONED THAT.
BUT A LOT OF THURSDAY THINGS, I
THINK WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS
ON WITHIN SDCI.
AND I SEE THE GOOD DIRECTOR
NODDING.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I
THINK WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM IS
HAVING THE DATA ON WHERE WE'RE
SEEING THE MOST LAG.
AMONG THE AREAS THAT WE SEE
WHERE THERE IS A HIGHER-THAN-
NORMAL DELAY, IT WOULD BE VERY
HELPFUL TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO
SPECIFIC IN THOSE AREAS, WHERE
WE SEE THE SLOWEST REVIEWS OF
PROCESSES.
I ASSUME SOME HAVE TO BE BEEFED
UP.
WHAT CAN WE DO IN THOSE AREAS.
AND THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ALSO NOTE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST
AREAS I CONTINUE TO HEAR
FEEDBACK ON IS THE DESIGN
REVIEW PROCESS.
AND THE DELAY THAT IS
EXPERIENCED WHEN YOU HAVE TO
FIRST PASS YOUR DESIGN REVIEW,
BEFORE YOU CAN GET YOUR MASTER
USE PERMIT.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING
IF THERE IS ANY OTHER IDEAS
THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE, VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF WANTING TO STAFF
UP IN AREAS WHERE WE SEE THE
LAG.
BUT IS THERE ANY BOLD CHANGES
OR SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU CAN
THINK OF TO MAKE THAT
SPECIFICALLY GO FASTER?
THE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS,
THROUGH BOLD CHANGES, INSTEAD
OF SOME OF THE MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE ALL MAYBE
WANT TO DO.
AND SHOULD DO.
BUT ARE THERE OTHER BIGGER
THINGS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ON
OUR RADAR?
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA.
THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE NEED TO
DO FURTHER EXPLORATION AND MORE
WORK.
I KNOW THERE WAS A TIME PERIOD
EARLIER, IN COVID, WHERE WE
WEREN'T HAVING ANY DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS BECAUSE
THEY COULDN'T HAPPEN VIRTUALLY.
THANKS AGAIN, FOR THE COUNCIL
THAT PASSED LEGISLATION SO WE
COULD START UP DESIGN REVIEW
VIRTUALLY.
THAT CREATED QUITE A BIT OF
BACKLOG, WHEN WE WEREN'T ABLE
TO HAVE DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS.
WE HAVE CORRECTED, COURT-
CORRECTED ON THAT RIGHT NOW, SO
WE'RE ABLE TO SCHEDULE THOSE
MEETINGS MUCH QUICKER.
BUT I THINK YOUR QUESTION IS
REALLY GETTING TO THE OVERALL
PROCESS.
AND WE NEED TO DO SOME MORE
WORK ON THAT.
SO WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON
THAT.
ONE OF THE ISSUES, AND I'VE
TALKED TO COUNCILMEMBER STRAUS
ABOUT THIS IS WHEN WE DO GET
OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, ARE WE
GOING TO RESUME IN-PERSON
DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS?
OR ARE WE GOING TO STAY
VIRTUAL?
OR ARE WE GOING TO DO SOME KIND
OF A HIDRID BRID?
AND -- HYBRID.
AND THERE ARE HUGE TECHNOLOGY
COSTS WHEN WE DO HYBRID.
BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY PROS
AND CONS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE
EXECUTIVE AND WITH THE COUNCIL
AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
AND FOR EVERYONE'S AWARENESS.
WE ARE ENDEAVORING TO WRAP THIS
COMMITTEE UP IN THE NEXT 15
MINUTES.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
SLIDE 10, I BELIEVE IT IS.
CIRCLE BACK ON HIGH -- YEAH.
SO ONE CONCERN THAT I'VE HEARD
IS THAT IN THE PAST, REVIEWER
MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK UP
THE PHONE AND CALL AN APPLICANT
TO CLEAR UP AN ERROR, WHEREAS
NOW REVIEW A STAFF.
THE REVIEWER IS MORE LIKELY TO
ISSUE A CORRECTION, RATHER THAN
JUST PICK UP THE PHONE.
WOULD BLUE BEAM ALLOW FOR MORE
STREAM-LINED VERSION OF THAT
PICKING UP THE PHONE APPROACH.
HOW IS THIS SIMILAR AND/OR
DIFFERENT THAN THE APPLICANT
CENTER THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT
WITH THE ABLE TO CHAT LIVE IN
REALTIME.
CAN YOU SHARE HOW THIS WILL
DECREASE THE NUMBER OF
CORRECTIONS THAT WILL BE
ISSUED?
>> SURE.
I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
BACK WHEN WE ROLLED OUT
ELECTRONIC PLAN REVIEW
INITIALLY.
I MEAN, BEFORE WE TOOK IN PAPER
PLAN SETS, ANYWHERE FROM 3 TO 9
SETS OF PLANS, DEPENDING ON THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE PROJECT.
AND WE WOULD PHYSICALLY ROUTE
EACH OF THOSE PLANNED SETS TO
EACH OF THOSE WE REVIEWED
EARLIER.
AND WHEN WE CONVERTED IN 2013
TO ELECTRONIC PLAN REVIEW.
WE STARTED USING A DIFFERENT
TOOL CALLED BRAFFA.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY MOVED IN TO
LIKE USING ADOBE PRO.
BY 2016, GET INCENTIVIZED
INTAKE FOR ELECTRONIC PLANS,
SHORTER INTAKE APPOINTMENT
TIMES TO GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR
FASTER IF THEY ESTIMATED
ELECTRONICALLY.
AND WE HAD LIKE 95% COMPLIANCE
BY 2016.
AND JUST PULLED THE TRIGGER OUT
OF A PILOT PROGRAM, NEVER
REALLY INTENDING TO HAVE PULL
THE THE TRIGGER.
BUT WE PULLED TRIGGER AND WENT
FULLY ELECTRONIC.
UTILIZING THOSE OLDER
TECHNOLOGIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT
HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THESE
REVIEW LOCATIONS, REVIEWS, THE
REVIEWERS LOST THE ABILITY TO
JUST PEN TO PAPER, WRITE THEIR
CORRECTIONS ON THE PERMIT SET
THAT THEY WERE REVIEWING AND
STAMP OFF ON THEIR APPROVAL.
WITH A PHONE CALL, YOU KNOW TO
THE DESIGN PROFESSIONAL.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS, SINCE
THAT POINT IN TIME, AND THROUGH
OUR EXCEL MOMENT UP UNTIL NOW.
WE HAVE BEEN UTILIZING BLUE
BEAM AS A VIEWER NOW.
BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL USING
ADOBE PRO, DEPENDING ON THE
REVIEW LOCATION.
BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS
BECAUSE EACH OF THOSE DOESN'T
HAVE THE ABILITY TO RED LINE
THOSE PLANS WITH THEIR
CORRECTIONS, WE HAVE TO CHECK
THE PLANS BACK OUT TO THE
APPLICANTS TO HAVE THEM MAKE
THE CORRECTION.
WHAT THIS PROJECT WILL DO IT
WILL ALLOW US TO GET BACK TO
BASICALLY HAVING AN ABILITY FOR
EVERY REVIEW LOCATION TO HAVE A
LAYER WITHIN THAT PLAN, THAT
THEY COULD RED-LINE THEIR
CORRECTIONS ONTO THAT LAYER,
WITHIN THE PLAN SET.
AND STAMP OFF THEIR LAYERS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON
CHECKING IT BACK OUT TO
CHECKING THE CORRECTION AND
CHECKING IT BACK IN.
IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO, WHILE
THE PLANS ARE SUBJECTED TO THE
CORRECTION CYCLE.
HOP ONLINE WITH THEM.
JUST LIKE ANY GOOGLE DOC OR ONE-
DRIVE DOC THAT YOU CAN SHARE.
AND SHARE CHANGES IN TIME.
THE APPLICANT CAN ASK, AM
IADDRESSING THIS CORRECTION
CORRECTLY?
WILL THIS SOLUTION WORK?
OR WILL THIS BE BETTER?
HAVE THOSE BEFORE RESUBMITTAL,
TO TRY TO GET TO POINTS WHERE
WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING
COMPLIANT, WITHOUT HAVING TO GO
THROUGH FURTHER ITERATION.
SO THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY,
INTEGRATED WITH OUR ACELLA
PLATFORM, WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE
FORWARD.
IN A WAY, MOVE BACKWARD,
CAPABILITYWISE, BUT MOVE
FORWARD WITH TECHNOLOGY TO BE
ABLE TO DO IT BETTER IN THE
FUTURE.
AND, AVOID SOME OF THAT BACK-
AND-FORTH, THAT WAS CREATED
BECAUSE OF THE CONVERSION TO
ELECTRONIC.
>> VERY HELPFUL.
AND CAN YOU BRERE MIND?
I KNOW WE DISCUSSED THIS
BEFORE.
BUT FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC CAN
YOU REMIND THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN REVIEWING AND
CORRECTION CYCLE?
>> A CORRECTION IS AN ITEM
WITHIN A CORRECTION LIST, FROM
ANY GIVEN REVIEW LOCATION.
AND WHEN WE ROUTE OUT ALL OF
THOSE DIFFERENT REVIEW
LOCATIONS, EACH GENERATES A
SEPARATE DOCUMENT.
TO HAVE THE APPLICANT ADDRESS
WITHIN THE PLAN SET TO SHOW OR
DEMONSTRATE CODE COMPLIANCE.
OR SUBSTANTIAL CODE COMPLIANCE
ON THE DOCUMENT.
AND OUR REVIEWERS, THEIR
BASICEMISSION.
ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO VERIFY
THAT.
THEY APPROVED THEIR REVIEW
LOCATION.
AND ONCE ALL OF THEM ARE
APPROVED, THAT'S WHEN WE WRAP
UP APPLICATION AND GET IT OUT
THE DOOR.
>> SO IN THEORY, IF AN
APPLICANT IS SO PERFECT THERE
ARE NO CORRECTIONS TO BE MADE,
THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE
REVIEWCYCLE, CORRECT?
>> IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE WOULD
HAVE NO REVIEW CYCLES.
EVERY APPLICANT WOULD SHOW FULL
COMPLIANCE AND WE WOULD BE ABLE
TO ISSUE IT ON THE SPOT AND OUT
THE DOOR.
>> GREAT.
AND YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THIS
QUESTION.
SO I'LL SUMMARIZE THE NEXT
QUESTION.
INTAKE ISSUANCE, THE FACTORS
ARE REVIEW DESKS WITHIN SDCI,
AND THE APPLICANT'S ABILITY TO
RETURN THAT CORRECTION.
AND ALSO, REPEATING WHAT I
ALREADY HEARD IN THE
PRESENTATION TODAY IS THAT WHEN
AN APPLICANT BRINGS A
CORRECTION, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO
GO TO THE BACK OF THE LINE.
THEY ARE PUT RIGHT BACK TO THE
FRONT OF THE QUEUE.
>> EXACTLY.
WE HAVE A MUCH SHORTER TARGET
TIME LINE FOR CORRECTION
TURNAROUND, THAN WE DO FOR
INITIAL PLAN REVIEW.
SIMPLY BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY
TO GET THOSE OUT THE DOOR.
AND THEORETICALLY, EVERY CYCLE
HAS LESS AND LESS CORRECTIONS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDRESSING AT
LEAST SOME OF THE CORRECTIONS
EACH TIME.
AND YOU SHOULD BE GETTING TO A
SMALLER AND SMALLER LIST
THROUGH EACH CYCLE.
>> AND THEN MY LAST, I GUESS,
LAST TECHNICAL QUESTION, THEN,
IS BACK TO THE GENERAL
QUESTIONS.
SLIDE 21.
THE TARGET REVIEW.
IS THE TARGET REVIEW TIME FOR
SIMPLE MEDIUM OR COMPLEX.
SIMPLE MEDIUM FOUR WEEKS.
IS THAT TARGET REVIEW TIME FOR
THE FIRST LOOK AT THE PERMIT
APPLICATION?
OR FOR A DEEPER VIEW?
>> YES.
IT'S THE INITIAL PLAN REVIEW.
AND INITIALLY, BACK IN THE
EARLY 2000S, WHEN WE DID OUR
REVAMP, THE GOAL, THE COUNCIL
GOAL WAS 80% IN TWO WEEKS.
BUT THAT JUST MEANT THAT WE
MISSED ONE OUT OF FIVE, WHICH
TO ME, WASN'T A GOOD ENOUGH
TARGET.
SO WHAT WE'VE OVER TIME BEEN
SHOOTING FOR IS WITHIN A TWO-
TO FOUR-WEEK PERIOD, WE'RE
GOING TO TRY TO GET 95% OF OUR
INITIAL PLAN REVIEWS DONE ON
OUR MEDIUM COMPLEXITY UNITS
WHICH IS ABOUT 80 TO 85% OF OUR
VOLUME, DONE WITHIN THAT TWO-
WEEK WINDOW.
AND FOR THE COMPLEX PERMITS
THAT TAKE A LONGER PERIOD OF
TIME TO REVIEW.
ANYWHERE BETWEEN 6, A LITTLE,
PLUS, UP TO 20, 40 HOURS,
DEPENDING ON IF IT'S A HIGH-
RISE BUILDINGS.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT FRAWL
INTO THE MORE COMPLEX CATEGORY.
MUCH SMALLER VOLUME OF PERMITS.
BUT MUCH MORE COM -- COMPLEX.
INITIALLY, IT WAS 80% IN EIGHT
WEEKS.
AND WE'RE STRETCH STRIVING.
>> GREAT.
SO IF MY NEXT CLASS I'LL BE
TAKING FROM YOU.
HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE PERMITTING
CLASS 103.
WE'VE HAD TWO CLASSES SO FAR.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'D
LOVE TO FOCUS IN ON ARE WHAT
RESOURCES YOU NEED IN ORDER TO
IMPROVE PERMIT TURN AROUND
TIMES.
HOW WE SHOULD BE STRUCTURING
THESE GOALS.
FOR TURN AROUND TIMES.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION.
AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE THAT
MEETING AND MAYBE A FEW MORE IN
BETWEEN NOW AND YOUR NEXT
REPORT.
MY LAST TWO QUESTIONS OR LAST
REAL QUESTION HERE IS, WHAT
STEPS DO WE NEED TO TAKE IN THE
NEXT MONTH, NEXT QUARTER, AND
NEXT YEAR TO IMPROVE PERMIT
REVIEW TIMES?
>> I'LL LET NATHAN ADDRESS
THAT.
>> YEAH.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS
DESIGN REVIEW.
AND THIS ISN'T DIRECTLY RELATED
TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES
TO GET THROUGH DESIGN REVIEW.
BUT JUST HOW WE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO DO DESIGN REVIEW
BOARD MEETINGS IN THE FUTURE.
WHETHER THAT'S VIRTUAL,
CONTINUOUS VIRTUAL, HYBRID, OR
BACK IN PERSON.
YOU KNOW, BY THE END OF THE
YEAR, WE HOPE TO HAVE BLUE BEAM
THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT,
WHICH SHOULD SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
CORRECTIONS CYCLES.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE BACK TO IN
PERSON APPLICATION SERVICE
CENTER.
WHICH JUST HAVING THAT FACE-TO-
FACE INTERACTION SHOULD HELP
WITH OVERALL PERMITTING.
AND HOPEFULLY WE TALKED ABOUT
CONTINGENT BUDGET AUTHORITY,
WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE A
PEOPLE ON A TEMPORARY, USUALLY,
A TWO-YEAR BASIS.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE
HIRED WILL BE FULLY TRAINED BY
THE END OF THE YEAR.
INCLUDING SOME OF THE STAFF IN
OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT ARE LONGER THAN A
YEAR ARE JUST LOOKING AT THE
VRTUAL APPLICANT SERVICE
CENTER.
AND THEN HOW WE CAN PROVIDE
SERVICES OUT IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS, WHETHER THAT'S
AT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE BUREAUS
OR AT OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
>> AND JUST TO ADD ONE THING.
IN THE NEXT QUARTER, WE ARE
GOING TO SEE A CONTINUED, BELOW
THE LINE HERE, PARTLY DUE TO
THAT CONTINUED STAFFING
SHORTAGE.
AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF
HIRING RIGHT NOW.
AND INTERVIEWING ACTIVELY AS WE
SPEAK.
BUT ALSO, THAT WE JUST TOOK IN
A HUGE SLEW OF PROJECTS TO THE
BESTOF CURRENT CODE.
AND WE ACTUALLY TOOK IN
PROBABLY DOUBLE THE VOLUME.
LAW HAS SAID, WE DON'T WANT TO
BE IN THE WAY OF PEOPLE
ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO BEST TO
THE CODE THEY WANT TO BEST TO.
SO AN ATLANTA HAS A RIGHT TO
APPLY WHEN THEY WANT TO APPLY,
IN TERMS OF VESTING.
RIGHT?
SO NORMALLY, WE HAVE A
CONSISTENT NUMBER OF
INTAKEAPPOINTMENTS TO TRY TO
KEEP THE FLOW FAIRLY SMOOTH.
BUT WE JUST CREATED A PIG IN
THE PYTHON KIND OF BUBBLE, BY
TAKING IN A NUMBER OF PROJECTS
IN THE LAST MONTH, TO HELP
PEOPLE BEST A CODE.
SO THIS NUMBER WILL NOT LOOK
GOOD IN THE NEXT QUARTER
BECAUSE OF THAT.
THERE'S JUST A SLAMMED NUMBER
OF PROJECTS THAT CAME IN.
AND OUR CAPACITY DIDN'T
INCREASE LIKEWISE.
IT WILL GET BETTER BECAUSE OF
STAFFING CHANGES THAT WE'RE
WORKING ON.
AND WE WON'T CONTINUE THAT
LEVEL OF VOLUME.
BUT JUST A HEADS UP THAT THAT
WON'T LOOK GOOD, PROBABLY IN
THIS NEXT THREE-MONTH TODAY
PERIOD.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT WARNING.
BECAUSE WE KNOW AS POLICY
MAKERS FOR A POLICY TO BE
IMPLEMENTED IT TAKES FOUR YEARS
FROM EFFECTIVE DATE TO SEE THAT
POLICY FULLY IMPLEMENTED.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT IN WORK
AND WHY I'VE REQUESTED
QUARTERLY UPDATES IS BECAUSE WE
KNOW THE WORK THAT WE DO TODAY
IS ONLY GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED
AND EFFECTIVE SIX MONTHS OR
NINE MONTHS FROM TODAY.
AND SO FOR US TO STAY ON TOP OF
THIS, WE HAVE TO HAVE JUST A
CONSTANT EYE ON IT.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF
YOUR -- ANDY, I APPRECIATE YOUR
TUTORING OF ME IN THIS AREA.
AND DIRECTOR TORGLESON, FOR ALL
OF YOUR WORK HERE TODAY.
COLLEAGUES, DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME?
>> NOPE.
>> SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I JUST AGAIN, WANT TO THANK
DIRECTOR TORGLESON AND ANDY FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THIS CONVERSATION.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND TO ALL OF OUR I.T.
FOLKS BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING
GOVERNMENT WORK IN THE VIRTUAL
WORLD AND TO AWARD-WINNING
SEATTLE CHANNEL, FOR ALSO BEING
BEHIND THE SCENES AND MAKING
THIS GOVERNMENT WORK IN VIRTUAL
TIMES.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> IF THERE IS NO GOOD -- NO
ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER
--
>> I DON'T KNOW.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA MAY HAVE
A QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW.
TERESA?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
I DO.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR
INCREASE.
WHEN WILL THAT BE?
>> THAT WILL BE APRIL 28th,
STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.
WILL BE THE NEXT COMMITTEE
MEETING.
WE ARE SKIPPING THE APRIL 14th
COMMITTEE.
AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH
THE PERMITTING QUESTIONS
OFFLINE, UNTIL THE NEXT TIME
THAT THEY REPORT AT THE
COMMITTEE.
>> AND COUNCIL MEMBER MATT, MR.
CHAIR.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR INDIGENOUS
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE WAY.
>> THANK YOU.
YOU ALWAYS HELP ME REFINE IT
BECAUSE IT SAY CONSTANT WORK IN
PROGRESS.
WE CAN'T ALLOW IT TO BE A ROTE
BEHAVIOR.
WE HAVE TO SIT WITH IT.
>> YES.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
CAN WE GO NOW?
>> WITH THAT, THIS CONCLUDES
THE WEDNESDAY MARCH 24th 2020
MEETING OF LAND USE.
NEXT MEETING WILL BE APRIL
28th, STARTING AT 9 30 A.M.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
>> GO, KRAKEN!
>> WHOO!