>>> PEOPLE 26 MEETING OF THE
LAND USE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO
ORDER AT 2:00 P.M.
I'M DAN STRAUSS , CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> RESIDENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER MOSQUEDA?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES ?
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> I'M PRESENT.
>> FIVE PRESENT.
>> WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA TODAY.
A PUBLIC HEARING BRIEFINGAND
DISCUSSION OF COUNCIL BILL
12027 WHICH ADOPTS RELATION OF
ROOFTOP FEATURES.
SECONDLY, A BRIEFING FROM SBC I
ON THEIR ANNUAL REPORT. BEFORE
WE BEGIN, IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, THE AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
BEFORE WE GET UNDERWAY, I WANT
TO CELEBRATE. TODAY IS DENIM
DAY.
I AM WEARING JEANS.
YOU CAN'T SEE IT ON SCREEN AND
THAT IS OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE
FACT THAT THIS IS A MOMENT TO
DENOUNCE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND
SEXUAL VIOLENCE. THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER LISA HERBAL FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THIS
PROCLAMATION, CREATING DENIM DAY
. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN
THE REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD FOR ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WILL ASK YOU
ONE BE PATIENT AS WE LEARN TO
OPERATE THIS NEW SYSTEM IN REAL-
TIME.
YOUR COMMENT IS LIMITED TO
ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WHILE IT IS OUR STRONG INTENT
TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT REGULARLY
, THE CITY COUNCIL RESERVES THE
RIGHT TO END OR ELIMINATE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS AT ANY
POINT WE DEEM THE SYSTEM IS
BEING ABUSED OR UNSUITABLE FOR
ALLOWING OUR MEETINGS TO BE
CONDUCTED EFFICIENTLY. I WILL
MODERATE THE PUBLIC COMMENT IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS
REGISTERED WITH US TODAY.
PUBLIC COMMENTS CAN BE UP TO 10
MINUTES.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN UP
TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL IN EACH SPEAKER'S
NAME IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED ON THE COUNCIL
WEBSITE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED BUT
WOULD LIKE TO, YOU CAN SIGN UP
FOR THE AND A PUBLIC COMMENT BY
GOING TO THE COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
ONCE I CALL A SPEAKER'S NAME,
STAFF WILL MUTE THE MICROPHONE
AND A COMMENT THAT THEY HAVE
BEEN UNMUTED WILL BE THE
SPEAKER'S Q. BEGIN SPEAKING BY
SAYING YOUR NAME OF THE ITEM
AND WHAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING.'S
BEAGLES WILL CURE CHIME WHEN 10
SECONDS ARE LEFT OF YOUR
ALLOTTED TIME.
WE ASK THAT YOU BEGIN TO WRAP
UP THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AS
SPEAKERS DO NOT END AT THE
ALLOTTED TIME, THE SPEAKERS
MICROPHONE WILL BE MUTED AFTER
10 SECONDS TO ALLOW US TO CALL
IN THE NEXT SPEAKER.
WE ASK YOU DISCONNECT FROM THE
LINE ONCE YOU HAVE FINISHED.
IF YOU PLAN TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THE MEETING, PLEASE
DO SO WITH LISTENING OPTIONS ON
THE AGENDA.
THERE IS A SEPARATE PUBLIC
HEARING FOR ITEM 1, COUNCIL
BILL 120287 WHICH AFFECTS
ROOFTOP FEATURE REGULATIONS. IF
YOUR ITEMS ARE ABOUT -- IF YOUR
COMMENTS ARE ABOUT ITEM 1,
PLEASE RESERVE THEM FOR THE
PUBLIC HEARING.
I REALIZE BOTH PUBLIC COMMENT
REGISTRANTS ARE SIGNED UP FOR
THAT BILL.
IF WE'VE GOT SANCHEZ WITH US
TODAY, CAN I DISCLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THIS TIME?
I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE FIGURED
THAT OUT BEFORE I READ THE
WHOLE SPEECH.
>> WE DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS
A PUBLIC HEARING SO WE DID NOT
ADJUST THE FORM OF PROGRAMMING.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
>> I SEE THEY ARE BOTH SIGNED
UP FOR 120287.
>> IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE
SPEAKING FOR THE ACTUAL PUBLIC
HEARING ITEM, YOU MAY CLOSE THE
ACTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
AND WHEN WE GET TO THE PUBLIC
HEARING ITEM, YOU MAY CALL ON
THOSE TWO SPEAKERS.
>> WONDERFUL.
SEEING AS WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS
SIGNED UP OR REMOTELY RESIN,
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS
NOW CLOSED.
>> ITEM NUMBER ONE, OUR FIRST
AGENDA ITEM IS COUNTABLE 120287
WHICH UPDATES RELATIONS ROOFTOP
FEATURES. WILL YOU READ THE
ABBREVIATED TITLE INTO THE
RECORD?
>> COUNCIL BILL 120287 . AN
ORDINANCE RELATING TO LAND USE
AND ZONING. UPDATING
REGULATIONS FOR ROOFTOP FEATURES
AND AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
>> THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR PUBLIC
HEARING, WE ARE JOINED BY
GORDON CLOWER'S OF SDCI AND
NATHAN TORGELSON OF CENTRAL
STAFF.
WILL YOU BOTH INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES AND KICKOFF THE
BRIEFING?
>> SURE.
KETIL FREEMAN, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF . GO AHEAD, GORDON.
>> GORDON CLOWERS, PLANNER
WORKING ON LAND USE CODE
DEVELOPMENT FOR SDCI.
>> I WILL SAY A FEW THINGS AND
THEN HANDED OVER TO GORDON TO
WALK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION
DESCRIBING THE CONTENTS OF
COUNCIL BILL 120287. TODAY,
THE LAND-USE COMMITTEE IS
HAVING AN INITIAL BRIEFING ON
DISCUSSION OF PUBLIC HEARING ON
COUNCIL BILL 120287 . IT WOULD
MODIFY REGULATIONS FOR ROOFTOP
FEATURES. ROOFTOP FEATURES ARE
ANYTHING THAT PROJECTS ABOVE
THE ROOF LINE OF A BUILDING.
THE HEIGHT LIMIT IS FOR ZONES
THAT IS DRAWN AT THE ROOF LINE.
THERE ARE FEATURES THAT EXTEND
ABOVE A ROOFLINE SUCH AS
RAILINGS AND HOUSES.
AS THE COMMITTEE KNOWS, THERE
WERE RECENT CHANGES TO
CONSTRUCTION CODES,
PARTICULARLY THE ENERGY CODE.
WE HAVE COMPETING DEMANDS FOR
ROOFTOP SPACES.
THAT HAS THE INTENTION OF SOME
OF OUR URBAN DESIGN GOALS.
THE BILL SPEAKS TO RESOLVE SOME
OF THE ATTENTION.
GO AHEAD, GORDON.
TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU.
WILL THERE BE A PRESENTATION
THAT WILL BE PUT ON THE SCREEN?
>> IT IS UP TO YOU.
YOU CAN SHARE YOUR SCREEN IF
YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION UP.
>> THERE IT IS.
OKAY.
I WILL LOAD THAT.
CAN YOU SEE THAT?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> ALL RIGHT.
I WILL MOVE TO THE FIRST SLIDE.
WHAT DOES THIS RELATE TO?
IT DOES RELATE TO THE ADOPTION
EFFECTIVE THIS YEAR, ENERGY
CODE UPDATE THAT WILL ADDRESS
SPACE HEATING AND WATER HEATING
IN NEW BUILDINGS. WHAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO DO IS COORDINATE THE
LAND-USE CODE REGULATIONS WITH
THE NEW ENERGY CODE
REQUIREMENTS TO AVOID ANY
CONFLICTS OR HAMPERED ABILITY
TO MEET BOTH CODES.
SINCE WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME
COMPLEX CODE HERE, WE WOULD
LIKE TO SIMPLIFY THE LANGUAGE
AND CLARIFY WHAT IS COUNTED FOR
THE ROOFTOP REQUIREMENT IN EACH
ZONE AND WE HAVE MADE A FAIR
AMOUNT OF PROGRESS ON THAT.
ALSO, AS A SIDE TOPIC HERE,
LATER IN OUR PROCESS, THE IDEAS
FOR AMENDING ROOFTOP USE ALLOWS
FOR PIONEER SQUARE CAME ALONG.
WE TOOK A LOOK AT THAT AND
PROPOSED SOMETHING THAT WOULD
ADDRESS NEWLY ALLOWING LODGING
USES AND DINING USES ON THE
ROOFTOPS OF BUILDINGS IN
PIONEER SQUARE.
SIMILARLY, FOR THE CHINATOWN
NEIGHBORHOOD, WE LOOKED AT A
COMPARATIVELY MORE CONSTRAINED
LIST OF CHANGES RELATING TO
INCREASING THE ROOF COVERAGE
PERCENTAGE LIMIT AND ALSO
CLARIFYING A NOTE ABOUT GREEN
HOUSES AS A ROOFTOP USE THAT
HAD BEEN ALLOWED BUT WAS NOT
STATED CLEARLY FOR THAT
CAPABILITY.
>> DRESSED BRIEFLY TO SUMMARIZE
KEY POINTS ABOUT THE ROOFTOP
FEATURES, THE HEIGHT LIMIT OF
THE BUILDING AT THE ZONE HEIGHT
WHEN IT IS MEASURED TO THE ROOF
SURFACE LEVEL, AND MANY THINGS
ABOVE ARE EASILY ALLOWED LIKE
TARA PETS AND COMMONLY PRESENT
ITEMS THAT ARE LOW. IN THE
SPACE BETWEEN 4 FEET AND 15
FEET IS KIND OF ANOTHER CATEGORY
, GENERALLY TALLER FEATURES
THAT THE CODE WANTS TO ALLOW
BUT ALSO PUTS THE LIMITS WHICH
ARE GENERALLY ABOUT PERCENTAGE
COVERAGE OF THE ROOF AND THINGS
LIKE PROXIMITY TO THE EDGE OF
THE ROOF. ELEVATOR PENTHOUSES
THAT KETIL MENTIONED, WE HAVE
SOME BURYING ALLOWANCES FOR
HOW TALL THOSE CAN BE ABOVE THE
ROOF BUT IT RANGES FROM 16 FEET
TO 35 FEET ABOVE THE ROOF OR
EVEN 45 FEET IN A SPECIAL CASE
IN A CERTAIN ZONE.
THEN, AS I MENTIONED, TALLER
FEATURES ARE LIMITED TO A
CERTAIN PERCENT OF COVERAGE OF
THE ROOF.
MOVING ON TO A QUICK SUMMARY OF
THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF CHANGE. WE
HAVE INCREASED THE PERCENT
COVERAGE WITH THESE ROOFTOP
FEATURES FOR THE TALLER ITEMS.
GENERALLY IN THE RANGE OF 10%
TO 15% INCREASES ACROSS ALMOST
EVERY ZONE OF THE CITY. THE
COLUMN ON THE LEFT GOES THROUGH
THE PROPOSED ROOFTOP COVERAGE
FOR PERCENTS FROM THE LOWER
DENSITY ZONES AROUND 30%
COVERAGE UP TO ABOUT 75%
COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF
DOWNTOWN RESIDENTIAL TOWERS AND
50% COVERAGE FOR OTHER DOWNTOWN
BUILDINGS. THEN, IN PIONEER
SQUARE IN CHINATOWN, ZONES THAT
ARE DISTINCT IN DOWNTOWN, THEY
GENERALLY HAVE A LOWER PERCENT
COVERAGE ALLOWED TODAY BUT WE
WOULD PROPOSE TO BUMP THOSE UP
ABOUT 10% IN THOSE ZONE
CATEGORIES TO REFLECT A GREATER
SENSE TO THE HISTORIC CHARACTER
OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
ANOTHER OBJECTIVE OF THE
CHANGES IS TO INCREASE THE
CONSISTENCY IN THE ROOFTOP LIMIT
. WE HAVE MANY MORE ZONES THESE
DAYS THAT HAVE BUILDINGS THAT
CAN REACH TO OR ABOVE 120 FEET
IN HEIGHT AND ZONES INCLUDING
THE HIGH RISE, COMMERCIAL
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE ARE ALSO TYPES OF ZONES
THAT HAVE COME AROUND SINCE WE
HAVE A DATED THESE ROOFTOP
RATES.
PARTICULARLY, IN DOWNTOWN,
THERE IS AN INTEREST IN
ACCOMMODATING THESE TO RECOGNIZE
THE SMALLER RESIDENTIAL TOWERS
SEEM TO HAVE LESS SPACE ON THE
ROOF TO PUT ALL OF THE
EQUIPMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE
THERE TO SERVE THE RESIDENTIAL
UNIT.
JUST NOTING HERE, WE DO HAVE A
SECOND OPTION IN THE SIGN OF
THE BUILDINGS, PARTICULARLY IN
THE SEATTLE MIX ZONE WHERE WE
ALLOW COVERAGE.
GENERALLY IF THE ROOFTOP
FEATURES TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF
THE ROOF, WE ARE GOING TO LIMIT
THE HEIGHT NEAR THE ROOF EDGES
AND EXTEND THAT OPTION TO HIGH-
RISE ZONES, COMMERCIAL, AND
SEATTLE MIXED ZONES.
CURRENTLY THAT IS ONLY
APPLICABLE TO SOUTH UNION.
>> MOVING ON TO PIONEER SQUARE,
THE SHORT SUMMARY VERSION OF
WHAT THE CHANGES HERE ARE. WE
WOULD NEWLY ALLOW THESE KINDS
OF PENTHOUSE USES ON ROOFTOP IN
THE PIONEER SQUARE ZONES, THAT
THIS COULD HAPPEN ON BUILDINGS
AT LEAST 40 FEET TALL.
THAT WAS AN OPINION SHARED BY
THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION
ADVOCATE INTEREST IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, ALLOWING 50%
COVERAGE OF THE ROOF WITH THESE
FEATURES. THE REASON WHY WE
MEANT TO ADD THAT IS BECAUSE
THE CODE EXPLICITLY ALLOWS ONLY
FOR OFFICE AND RESIDENTIAL USES
ON THE ROOF TODAY AND THAT IS A
LONGTIME PRESCRIPTION FOR WHAT
WAS THOUGHT TO BE VIABLE IN
PIONEER SQUARE BUT WE CAN ADD
THESE NEW CATEGORIES TODAY JUST
TO ALLOW IT TO BE A FEATURE
THAT COULD BE COMPLIMENT JURY
TO LODGING USE, BASICALLY.
WE HAVE TAKEN CARE TO DEFINE
THESE LIMITS WITHIN THE CONTEXT
OF PIONEER SQUARE ZONE
REGULATIONS THAT ARE THERE
TODAY AND MAINTAIN A SENSITIVITY
TO HOW MUCH COVERAGE OF THESE
USES CAN HAPPEN IN THESE
BUILDINGS. PRIMARILY WHAT WE
ARE TALKING ABOUT.
FOR CHINATOWN, SIMILAR TO THE
OTHER CATEGORIES OF ZONES WE
TALKED ABOUT, WE WOULD
GENERALLY BE ALLOWING THE
INCREASE ROOF COVERAGE BY 10%
WHICH IS 25% TO 30% COVERAGE OF
ROOFS WITH THE BOARD AND THE
RECOMMENDATION.
THE OUTLOOK IS THE SAME AS
TODAY WHICH IS TO GIVE THE
BOARDS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THE
ABILITY TO WEIGH IN AND
CONDITIONALLY ALLOW THESE HIGHER
ROOF COVERAGES, IF THEY WISH TO.
SIMILARLY, THE GREENHOUSE
ALLOWANCE IS AN INCENTIVE THAT
GIVES UP TO 10% MORE TO ALLOW
45% FOR THE ROOF COVERAGE IN
CHINATOWN WITH THE BOARD'S
RECOMMENDATION.
>> THAT IS THE VERY SHORT
VERSION AND I AM WILLING TO
ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE.
>> WONDERFUL.
THAT WAS A VERY HELPFUL
PRESENTATION.
I SEE FORMER VICE CHAIR
MOSQUEDA HAS HER HAND UP.
>> I WONDER IF WE COULD GO BACK
A SLIDE. ON SLIDE SEVEN, IT
SAYS THE PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW
PENTHOUSES FOR LODGING USES AND
EATING AND DRINKING
ESTABLISHMENTS IN SOME PIONEER
SQUARE MIXED ZONES. I AM
WONDERING IF THERE IS A REASON
OTHER RESTAURANT DISTRICT'S
WERE NOT INCLUDED AND WHAT
RESTRICTIONS EXIST IN OTHER
PARTS OF THE CITY.
>> IN OTHER DOWNTOWN ZONES?
EXCLUSIVE OF CHINATOWN?
IS THAT WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS
ABOUT?
>> YEAH.
GO AHEAD.
>> WAS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT
OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS OR JUST
DOWNTOWN?
>> YEAH.
>> THE QUESTION -- THIS BILL IS
BRINGING INTO LINE DOWNTOWN
REGULATIONS WITH PIONEER SQUARE
AND POSSIBLY CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT.
IS THERE A POTENTIAL REASON OR
NOT A REASON TO EXPLAIN AND
EXPAND THIS TO OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK, IN GENERAL, THE OUTLOOK
FOR ROOFTOP COVERAGE IN MANY
OTHER ZONES WOULD BE THAT,
ASSUMING THEY OCCLUDE SOME
RESIDENTIAL USES, THAT THERE
WOULD BE QUITE A BIT OF
COVERAGE USED BY OTHER FEATURES
LIKE MECHANICAL FEATURES AND
PERHAPS THE PENTHOUSES AND
OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT
WOULD REALLY CONSUME A LOT OF
THE AVAILABLE ROOF COVERAGE.
SO, THERE WOULD NOT NECESSARILY
BE A NATURAL FIT WITH NEWLY
ALLOWING THAT, ESPECIALLY IN A
LOW RISE ZONE. IN A COMMERCIAL
ZONE, I THINK THAT IT DOES NOT
NECESSARILY RELATE WELL TO
PROBABLE NEW BUILDINGS IN
COMMERCIAL ZONES EITHER.
>> IF YOUR QUESTION IS, IN
OTHER ZONES -- DOES THE CITY
AUTHORIZE EATING INTRIGUING
ESTABLISHMENTS ON ROOFTOPS,
GENERALLY THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION IS YES. PIONEER SQUARE
AND THE ID ARE SOME OF THE
EXCEPTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE
HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND AS
CONSEQUENCE HAVE HAD A STRICTER
SET OF LIMITATIONS.
GENERALLY, ROOFTOP DECKS AND
EATING INTRIGUING
ESTABLISHMENTS ARE ALLOWED.
>> YOU COULD SAY THAT THE
DOWNTOWN ZONE HAS LAYERS OF
ADDED INFORMATION IN IT.
BECAUSE THERE WAS AN INDICATION
ABOUT CENTRAL USES ON THE ROOF,
IF WE WANT TO ALLOW OTHER
KINDS, WE SHOULD ADD THAT
SPECIFICALLY TO THE DOWNTOWN
CODE SO THAT IT IS ADDRESSED
RATHER THAN FORMATTED.
>> SO, THE SECOND PART OF MY
QUESTION WAS, WHAT RESTRICTIONS
EXIST IN OTHER PARTS OF THE
CITY?
IS THE ANSWER TO THAT THAT
THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS IN
OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY?
THERE ARE SOME?
>> THERE ARE SOME.
THERE ARE SOME ROOFTOP
LIMITATIONS ON THE AMOUNT OF
COVERAGE THAT MIGHT APPLY BUT
THERE ARE NOT SPECIFIC
LIMITATIONS ON USES FOR THE
MOST PART IN OTHER ZONES WHERE
LODGING AND EATING AND DRINKING
ESTABLISHMENTS ARE ALLOWED.
THERE IS SOME VARIABILITY BUT
IF YOU THINK ABOUT DOWNTOWN,
THEIR NEWEST HOTEL -- IN PLACES
LIKE THAT, THERE IS NOT THE
SAME KIND OF LIMITATION THAT
APPLIES TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
>> MY LAST QUESTION IS, COULD
YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT
WERE INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING
THESE UPDATES?
>> FOR PIONEER SQUARE IN
PARTICULAR?
WE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ABOUT
THE IDEAS. WE WORKED WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE HAVE SOME FEEDBACK ON THE
ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE.
THERE WAS A COMMENT AND
PARTICIPATION IN THE MEETING
THAT WE HAD WITH THE BOARD.
IN TERMS OF EVALUATING THAT, IT
WAS VETTED ACROSS A SPECTRUM OF
NEIGHBORHOODS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
>> AS FAR AS OTHER AREAS OF TOWN
, WE DID SEEK TO ENGAGE WITH
THE SEATTLE CHAMBER GROUP IN
THE LAND USE ISSUES AND HAVE
REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE OF
OTHER SIMILAR GROUPS AND WE
BRIEFED THEM AND GOT THEIR
FEEDBACK. ALSO, WE BRIEFED THE
CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY BOARD
MUCH EARLIER AND THEY
UNDERSTOOD AND WERE GENERALLY
EXCEPT KING OF THE NEED FOR THE
CHANGES.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA , ANY
MORE QUESTIONS?
YOU ASKED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
WONDERFUL.
I HAVE NO MORE QUESTIONS.
I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER NELSON HAS
SOME SO I WILL LET HER GO
FIRST.
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS
NOT JUST REFERRING TO AMENITIES
, THINGS OVER BARBECUE AREAS OR
WHATEVER.
IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH
MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT, RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> I REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY,
WE WERE ALL ABOUT THE TALL,
SKINNY RESIDENTIAL TOWERS.
IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THIS IS
TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THE
SMALLER FLOORPLAN OF TALL,
RESIDENTIAL TOWERS.
I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THAT EFFORT.
I AM WONDERING, THE LIMITS
BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT, THEY
ARE PRETTY CLOSE TOGETHER.
FOR THE SAME HEIGHT OF
BUILDINGS, WHY WOULD THE
PERCENT OF COVERAGE -- SOMEBODY
JUST MENTIONED THE HISTORIC
NEIGHBORHOOD BUT PRESUMABLY --
THAT HAS TO BE DESIGN REVIEW
ANYWAYS.
WHY COULDN'T IT JUST BE THE
SAME COVERAGE?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK THAT THE ROOFTOP
COVERAGE LIMITS THAT WE HAVE
FOR PIONEER SQUARE AND
CHINATOWN WERE MOSTLY DEFINED
FOR THE CONTEXT OF WHAT COULD
HAPPEN ON EXISTING HISTORIC
BUILDINGS. THERE IS AN INTEREST
IN HELPING THE VISUAL CHANGES
FROM ANY RESERVATION ON THOSE
BUILDINGS FROM NOT DETRACTING
FROM THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF
THOSE BUILDINGS. SIMILARLY, FOR
CHINATOWN TO RELATE BEST
POSSIBLE TO THE CHARACTER OF
THE CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT IN ITS BUILT
ENVIRONMENT.
ONE THING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN
THE MEANTIME IS THAT ABOUT 12
YEARS AGO WE REZONED PARTS OF
CHINATOWN AND ADDED A CAPABILITY
FOR THE SLIMMER TOWERS,
PARTICULARLY IN PLACES NORTH OF
JACKSON STREET AND ALSO THE
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CHINATOWN
CORE. AS WRITTEN TODAY, THE
LOWER LIMITS APPLY TO EVEN
NEWER BUILDINGS IN THOSE ZONES.
WE HADN'T PROPOSED TO FIND A
NEW LIMIT FOR THAT CLASS OF
BUILDINGS SO FAR.
IT IS ARGUABLE AS TO WHETHER
THOSE LIMITS THAT WE HAVE ARE
ENOUGH TO SERVE THE NEW
BUILDINGS, PER SE.
>> RIGHT.
I GUESS I AM SAYING, GOOD THAT
WE ARE UPPING THE LIMITS BUT I
THINK THAT RATIONALLY, IF WE
ALLOW FOR GREATER HEIGHT, WE
SHOULD ALLOW FOR THE SAME
COVERAGE ON THE SAME HEIGHT OF
BUILDING.
IT IS REALLY ABOUT THE
MECHANICAL -- WE ARE NOT
TALKING ABOUT EXTRAS.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT.
>> RIGHT.
>> ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS
CONSTITUTES AN AMENDMENT TO
THIS LEGISLATION OR A SEPARATE
PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
WE SHOULD ALLOW THESE BUILDINGS
TO FUNCTION AS THEY ARE
INTENDED.
WE WANT MORE HOUSING.
IF THE HEIGHT IS THERE, WHY NOT?
>> LET ME GIVE THEM MY QUESTION
. SOME OF THEM MAY ANSWER YOURS
. THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO WAS --
COULD YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE
THOSE TO US?
I KNOW THAT I HAVE INTEREST IN
SPONSORING THIS, JUST WAITING
ON SOME LAST STAKEHOLDER
OUTREACH.
>> THERE ARE THREE POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED
IN THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO.
AFTER TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING,
YOU MAY HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS
BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT
MEETING.
WE MAY IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL
AMENDMENTS BUT THERE ARE THREE
WE KNOW ABOUT SO FAR.
WE HAVE A TECHNICAL A MOMENT, A
CLARIFICATION SINCE
IMPLEMENTATION.
WE HAVE A NEW HEIGHT DATUM THAT
APPLIES IN A LOT OF OUR
COMMERCIAL ZONES.
THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL DOES
NOT -- THERE IS AN INDEPENDENT
TO CLARIFY THAT AND IT IS
IDENTIFIED BY ORDINANCE AND
PLANS.
>> THERE ARE TWO AMENDMENTS
THAT COUNCILMEMBER NELSON MAY
BE SPEAKING TO THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED WHICH IS HELPING
DESIGN THE PROJECT ON THE
NATIONAL DISTRICT.
THOSE AMENDMENTS WOULD ALLOW
HIGHER HEIGHTS FOR ELEVATOR
PENTHOUSES TO ACCOMMODATE FASTER
ELEVATORS AND ALSO COUNCIL
MEMBER NELSON IS DESCRIBING TO
ALLOW GREATER ROOFTOP COVERAGE
TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT
WE ALLOW ANOTHER DOWNTOWN ZONES
SO THAT THERE CAN BE A HIGHER
PERCENT OF THE TOWER STRUCTURE
THAT IS COVERED BY ROOFTOP
FEATURES BECAUSE THAT TOWER IS
BEATING DESIGN STANDARDS.
THOSE ARE THREE AMENDMENTS THAT
HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND THAT
STAFF IS REVIEWING.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, DOES
THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SORRY FOR JUMPING THE GUN HERE.
>> HE KEEPS ME SMART WITH THE
ESSENTIAL STAFF MEMBERS.
IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN
OSPONSORING ANY OF THEM,
PLEASE DO THAT AND WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER.
COLLEAGUES, ARE THERE ANY
QUESTIONS?
IT SEEMS LIKE MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF ASKING
THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA?
PLEASE, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN IS IF WE HAVE THE
POSSIBILITY TO HELP EXPEDITE
ANY SORT OF PERMITTING OR
APPROVAL THAT MIGHT NEED TO
HAPPEN.
COULD YOU LET ME KNOW THE
PROCESS IS, IF THERE IS
RESTAURANTS OR ENTITIES THAT ARE
INTERESTED IN OPENING THESE UP?
JUST WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS
NOT A NEW FOOTPRINT, IT WOULD
BE GREAT TO KNOW IF THERE IS
THE POSSIBILITY TO EXPEDITE ANY
PERMITS, ASSUMING THERE ARE
SOME.
>> I MIGHT CHAT WITH YOU OFF-
LINE ABOUT THE WORK I AM DOING
AROUND PERMITTING.
THAT IS NOT REGARDING THIS BUT
GORDON OR KETIL, IF YOU HAVE
INFORMATION ABOUT PERMITTING
WITHIN THIS ENVELOPE, LET ME
KNOW.
>> WHEN THERE ARE A VARIETY OF
RARITIES, THERE IS ALWAYS A
QUESTION ABOUT WHAT TO ELEVATE.
SDCI CURRENTLY PRIORITIZES,
AMONG OTHER THINGS , TWO TYPES
OF PROJECTS, EXPEDITED
PERMITTING AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING PROJECT'S AND GREEN
BUILDING PROJECTS.
THOSE TWO ALREADY MORE OR LESS
OUR FIRST WHEN IT COMES TO
ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES FOR PERMITTING.
THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT
MIGHT BE OF BENEFIT TO A TENANT
WHO WANTS TO OCCUPY A ROOFTOP
SPACE. THERE ARE FOLKS WHO CAN
HELP FACILITATE PERMITTING FOR
THE USES BUT THAT IS MORE OF A
TENANT IMPROVEMENT FUNCTION,
NOT AN INITIAL CONSTRUCTION
UNCTION.
>> I AM NOT SURE IF YOUR
QUESTION WAS RELATING TO
EXPEDITING THE ABILITY OF NONA
PROJECT'S TO USE THE KINDS OF
CHANGES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
TODAY OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
>> IT IS ABOUT THIS BILL. IF
FOLKS WANT TO OPEN UP MORE
ROOFTOPS, WONDERING HOW BEST
THEY CAN DO THAT, ESPECIALLY IF
WE ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO
OPEN THEIR HOMES IF THEY ARE
VACCINATED.
I WOULD PREFER TO GO TO A
ROOFTOP OUTDOOR DINING PLACE
THEN GO TO AN INDOOR ONE.
HOW QUICK CAN WE MAKE THIS
HAPPEN WITH THAT LEGISLATION?
>> I THINK IF WE GO THROUGH THE
MEETING PROCESS HERE AT THE
COMMITTEE AND PROCEED WITH ITS
APPROVAL AND GET IT TO THE MAYOR
, IT COULD BE EFFECTIVE 30 DAYS
AFTER THE MAYOR'S SIGNATURE.
THAT WOULD BE A FAIRLY EFFICIENT
OUTCOME FOR EVERYONE.
>> COUNCIL CHAIR, CAN I HAD A
COMMENT?
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND
COUNCILMEMBERS THAT SDCI DOES
HAVE A DOWNTOWN BUSINESS PERMIT
COORDINATOR.
THIS WAS ADDED TO OUR BUDGET
LAST YEAR AND THIS INDIVIDUAL,
GIVEN THE CURRENT STATE OF
DOWNTOWN, HE IS A ONE STOP
PERSON. IF SOMEONE IS
INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR A
PERMIT FOR A DOWNTOWN SPACE,
PETER IS ALSO HELPING SMALL
BUSINESSES CITYWIDE AND OUR
ARTS AND CULTURAL BUSINESSES.
THE IDEA IS IF SOMEONE IS
INTERESTED IN STARTING A
BUSINESS, THEY WOULD START WITH
HIM BEFORE APPLYING FOR PERMITS
AND THEN HE WOULD BE A POINT OF
CONTACT AS THE APPLICANT GOES
THROUGH THE PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US
OF THAT IMPORTANT ACT FROM LAST
YEAR'S BUDGET. THANK YOU.
>> A STRONG BUDGET WRITER IT
TAKES. COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
IS CHAIR OF THE FINANCE
COMMITTEE, MAKING SURE WE GET
THOSE INCLUDED.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN?
MOSQUEDA?
THIS WILL BE BACK BEFORE US AT
THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING AS
ALL OF YOU BECOME ACCUSTOMED
TO.
I LIKE TO HAVE BILLS BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE TWICE BEFORE WE VOTE
THEM OUT.
THIS GIVES US TIME TO LEARN
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO VOTE
ON BEFORE VOTING ON IT.
WE MAY BE BRINGING BACK THOSE
AMENDMENTS THAT MR. FREEMAN
MENTIONED.
WITH NO MORE QUESTIONS, I WILL
OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS FROM
PIONEER SQUARE WOULD LIKE TO
SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH US ON
THE OFFICIAL RECORD.
BEFORE WE BEGIN THE REMOTE
PUBLIC HEARING, I WOULD ASK
THAT EVERYONE BE PATIENT AS WE
CONTINUE TO OPERATE THIS NEW
SYSTEM IN REAL-TIME AND
NAVIGATE.
WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING FOR
WAYS TO ADD NEW FEATURES THAT
ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION.
I WILL MODERATE THE PUBLIC
HEARING IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN TWO
MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I WILL CALL AND ONE SPEAKER AT
A TIME.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED
TO SPEAK AND WOULD LIKE TO,
SIGN UP BY GOING TO THE
COUNCIL'S WEBSITE.
ONCE I CALL SPEAKER'S NAMES,
THE STAFF WILL UNMUTE THE
APPROPRIATE MICROPHONE.
PLEASE BEGIN BY STATING YOUR
NAME AND THE ITEM YOU ARE
ADDRESSING.
PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD RELATE TO
COUNCIL THE 120287 . IF YOU
COMMENT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS
NOT IN TODAY'S AGENDA, YOU CAN
PROVIDE WRITTEN COMMENTS AT MY
OFFICE.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
10 SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
ALLOTTED TIME.
WE ASK YOU BEGIN TO WRAP UP
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT THEN.
IF YOU DO NOT END IT BY THE
ALLOTTED TIME, YOUR MICROPHONE
WILL BE MUTED TO ALLOW US TO
CALL ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE
FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, PLEASE
DO SO ON THE SEATTLE CHANNEL OR
THE LISTENING OPTIONS ON THE
AGENDA.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST
SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS TODAY.
BRIAN STEINBERG AND LISA
HOWARD.
BRIAN, WELCOME TO THE
COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE TO PRESS á6 . TAKE IT
AWAY AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS BRIAN STEINBERG AND
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CB
120287. I AM AN ARCHITECT AT
WEBER THOMPSON.
WE WORK ON DETAIL HOUSING OF
ALL TIME.
MARKET RATES, AFFORDABLE,
STUDENT, SENIOR HOUSING, ET
CETERA.
I'M ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL
APPROVED THE A MOMENTS TO
ADDRESS KNOWN IMPERATIVES IN
THE CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT.
WHILE THE BILL SUPPORTS ENERGY
EFFICIENCY BY PROVIDING FOR
CHANGES IN ROOFTOP COVERAGE,
THE CURRENT DRAFT DOES NOT
TREAT THE ZONE PROPERTY THE
SAME.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD
HELP FIX THAT WHICH IS
PROPOSING FUTURE MARKET RATES.
THE BILL ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR
HIGH-RISE HOUSING MOBILIZING A
COMMON COVERAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR
RESTRICTED RESIDENTIAL TOWERS
TO CROSS MULTIPLE ZONES TO BE
75%.
IT WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
DESIGN DEPARTURES TO ACCOMMODATE
THE BASIC NEEDS AND ADDRESS THE
ENERGY CODE REVISION TO EXCLUDE
NATURAL GAS SYSTEMS.
WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY LARGER
ROOFTOP LINE.
THIS AMENDMENT ADDRESSES THE
NEEDS FOR ELEVATOR OVER RISES
SO THAT YOU CAN BUILD TO THE
FULL ZONING ALLOWANCE. THIS
BRINGS ZONING FAIRNESS TO THE
CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT
AND DOES NOT IMPACT THE LAND
VALUE DISPROPORTIONATELY TO
DOWNTOWN.
IT ALSO MAXIMIZES DEVELOPMENT
THAT CAN BE USED TO BUILD MORE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE SUPPORT THE PROPOSED ROOFTOP
FEATURES AND WE HOPE YOU WILL
AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, BRIAN.
UP NEXT WE HAVE LISA HOWARD.
WELCOME, LISA.
WELCOME TO THE COMMITTEE.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS LISA
HOWARD.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
THE ALLIANCE FOR PIONEER SQUARE
. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCIL BILL 120287 AMENDING
VARIOUS PROVISIONS TO THE LAND
USE CODE, ADDRESSING ROOFTOP
FEATURES, ESPECIALLY THE
OPPORTUNITY LENT BY THIS
LEGISLATION FOR NEW OPTIONS FOR
PENTHOUSE USES AND RECREATIONAL
SPACES ON ROOFTOPS IN PIONEER
SQUARE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEAR AND
LONG-TERM PROJECTS, BRINGING
CREATIVE SPACES TO LIFE AND
ENHANCING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
BOTH VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE
CITY'S TEAM FOR THE THOUGHTFUL
PROCESS ABOUT IDENTIFYING THESE
CHANGES.
PIONEER SQUARE'S ONGOING
ECONOMIC RECOVERY REQUIRES OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROVIDE UNIQUE
QUALITY EXPERIENCES TO BRING
PEOPLE DOWN TO EXPERIENCE ALL
WE HAVE TO OFFER.
THIS EXPANSIVE LEGISLATION WILL
SUPPORT THAT FULLY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LISA.
ALWAYS GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
MR. G, CAN YOU CONFIRM THERE
ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT
REGISTRANTS PRESENT FOR THIS
PUBLIC HEARING?
>> THERE ARE NO MORE OF THE
CURING PARTICIPANTS.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS OUR LAST PUBLIC
SPEAKER REMOTELY PRESENT TO
SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW
CLOSED.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME
IN, DID TODAY.
COLLEAGUES, THANK YOU ALL AS
WELL.
GORDON, , WE APPRECIATE YOU
BRIEFING US . THIS LEGISLATION
WILL BE BACK ON MAY 11 FOR A
VOTE. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE
ON TO ITEM 2. OUR NEXT ITEM IS
A BRIEFING FROM OPCD AND SDCI
AND THEIR RSJI REPORT.
>> OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE REPORT.
>> THANK YOU.
WE ARE JOINED BY DIRECTOR
NATHAN TORGELSON OF SDCI AND
DIRECTOR RICO QUIRINDONGO OF
OPCD.
WHEN ARE WE GETTING YOUR
CONFIRMATION PACK , BY THE WAY?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
>> IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG.
>> WE LOVE HAVING YOU BOTH HERE
TO SUPPORT THE COMMITTEE.
WILL EVERYONE INTRODUCE
YOURSELF?
>> I AM NATHAN TORGELSON,
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND
INSPECTIONS.
>> RICO QUIRINDONGO, ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> CORY BUTTRY, LAND-USE
PLANNER WITH SDCI .
>> I'M NICK WELCH, SENIOR
PLANNER AT OPCD AND COLEADER
OF OUR CHANGE TEAM.
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO START THIS
PRESENTATION TODAY, AS WE DO
MANY OF OUR MEETINGS BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THE ROLE THAT
TRADITIONAL WESTERN CENTRIC
CLEANING PRACTICES HAVE DONE TO
ATTEMPT TO ERASE NATIVE
COMMUNITIES.
WE COMMIT TO IDENTIFYING RACIST
PRACTICES TO PRACTICE L.A.
SHIP AND STRIVE TO CENTER
RESTORATIVE LAND STEWARDSHIP
RATHER THAN SUSTAINABLE
EXTRACTIVE USE OF THE LAND.
WE HUMBLY RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE
ON INDIGENOUS LAND, THE
TRADITIONAL AND CURRENT
TERRITORIES OF THE PEOPLES WHO
HAVE RESERVED TREATY RIGHTS TO
THIS LAND INCLUDING THE
DUWAMISH AND OTHERS.
WE THANK THESE CARETAKERS OF
THIS LAND WHO HAVE LIVED AND
CONTINUE TO LIVE HERE SINCE TIME
IMMEMORIAL.
FOR SOME CONTEXT, THERE ARE
SEVERAL GROUPS WITHIN WORKING
TO DISMANTLE RACISM AND
COLONIALISM IN THE CITY WE
SERVE.
IN ADDITION TO THE JOINT
DEPARTMENT CHANGE TEAM, WE HAVE
AN ANTIRACIST TASK FORCE WITH
AN EXPOSES MISSION TO PROVIDE
TOURNIQUETS TO SYSTEMIC RACISM,
AN ACTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
GROUP AND THE BIPOC CAUCUS.
OPCD HAS A BIPOC AND WHITE
CAUCUSES AS WELL AS LEADING
WITH EQUITY TEAM WHOSE PURPOSE
IS TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR
EQUITABLE OUTCOMES. HAVING
THESE DISTINCT GROUPS FOR
DISTINCT PURPOSES ALLOWS US TO
VIEW THE ENORMOUS AND COMPLEX
INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES WE FACE A
NUMBER OF UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES
AND RESPOND WITH A VARIETY OF
STRATEGIES AND TOOLS.
WHILE THERE IS SOME OVERLAP IN
THESE MISSIONS, THE WORK BEING
DONE IS NOT REDUNDANT AND WE
ARE REGULARLY COLLABORATING
WITH EACH OTHER WHICH GIVES US
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE
BEING A RELATIONAL CULTURE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HOPE
WILL SUPPLANT THE WHITE
SUPREMACY CULTURE THAT PERSISTS
IN THE CITY TO THIS DAY.
>> JUST A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND FOR PEOPLE WATCHING
ON THE SEATTLE CHANNEL.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT AND THE OFFICE OF
PLANNING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT USED TO BE ONE
DEPARTMENT, DPD. IN A PREVIOUS
ADMINISTRATION, THEY WERE SPLIT
INTO THESE TWO DEPARTMENTS.
WE DECIDED TO KEEP OUR JOINT
CHANGE TEAM SINCE WE WORK SO
CLOSELY TOGETHER.
WE KNOW THAT STRUCTURAL RACISM
IS PREVENTING THE GOVERNMENT
FROM DOING ITS BEST WORK. THIS
ESPECIALLY COMES TO LIGHT IN
THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE ARE
TRYING TO INCORPORATE THIS WORK
INTO EVERYTHING WE DO.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE DOING THE
WORK AND HOW WE ARE DOING THE
WORK IS THE BULK OF THIS
PRESENTATION.
>> SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
-- SORRY.
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY --
WELL, GO AHEAD.
>> IN 2021, THE CHANGE TEAM
PARTICIPATED IN A TWO DAY
RETREAT FACILITATED BY THE
OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS TO
GROUND EVERYONE IN THE GOALS
AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CHANGE
TEAM AS A GROUP OF ANTIRACIST
ORGANIZERS.
THE TRAINING HELP US TO
UNDERSTAND KEY CONCEPTS LIKE
DECOLONIZATION AND HELP US TO
CLARIFY OUR ROLES AS
INTERRUPTERS OF INTERNALIZED
INTERPERSONAL INSTITUTIONAL AND
STRUCTURAL RACISM.
WE STARTED A REGULAR READING
AND DISCUSSION GROUP FOR CHANGE
TEAM MEMBERS THAT HAS BEEN AN
OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE
EXPERIENCE FOR ALL WHO
PARTICIPATE. THE CONVERSATIONS
WE HAVE HAD IN THAT SPACE HAVE
INSPIRED MANY OF OUR IMPORTANT
WORK GOALS FOR THE FUTURE AND
THE OPENNESS, CURIOSITY, AND
BRAVERY DEMONSTRATED BY
PARTICIPANTS HAVE HELPED TO
BREAK DOWN BARRIERS TO BRINGING
OUR FULL, AUTHENTIC SELVES INTO
THE WORKSPACE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE
VULNERABILITY DEMONSTRATED IN
THIS SPACE, IN THIS GROUP, IS
NECESSARY FOR HEALING THE
WOUNDS THAT PERPETUATE RACE-
BASED TRAUMA.
WE ALSO HAVE COLLABORATED WITH
THE CHINESE INFORMATION AND
SERVICE CENTER ON AN ANTIVIRUS,
ANTIHATE TRAINING WHICH
PROVIDED INSTRUCTION ON
IDENTIFYING HATE AND BIASED DUE
TO RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AND
OTHER IDENTITIES AND GIVE
PARTICIPANTS TOOLS FOR
EFFECTIVE I STANDER
INTERVENTION.
>> OPCD HAS DEVELOPED AND
SHARED A PRESENTATION THAT WE
CALL LAND-USE 101 . THAT
FOCUSES ON THE HISTORY OF
PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
THROUGH THE LINES OF
COLONIZATION, SEGREGATION AND
EXCLUSION.
OPCD STAFF , GIVEN HIS
PRESENTATION MULTIPLE TIMES IN
THE PAST INCLUDING LAST YEAR
BOTH TO OUR FULL STAFF IN THE
DEPARTMENT AND ALSO TO THE
PEOPLE'S ACADEMY FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND TO STUDENTS OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
>> THANK YOU, NICK.
I SEE COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
HAS A QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I AM NOT REMEMBERING RECEIVING
THE LAND-USE 101 PRESENTATION.
IF WE HAVEN'T ALREADY, IT MIGHT
BE EXCITING TO HAVE THAT IN OUR
COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT.
IF WE HAVE ALREADY, MY APOLOGIES
FOR NOT REMEMBERING.
>> THAT IS A GREAT CALL.
MAYBE THIS IS FOR OPCD . IS
THIS DIFFERENT THAN THE SERIES
OF PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU DID
ABOUT INDIGENOUS LAND TWO OR
THREE YEARS AGO?
IS THIS CURRENT?
DO WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK?
>> I AM NOT SURE WHAT THAT
SERIES WAS OFF THE TOP OF MY
HEAD BUT I THINK THIS IS
DIFFERENT AND RICO AND
CONFIRMED THAT WE WOULD BE GLAD
TO WORK ON BRINGING THAT BACK
TO YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, WE
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A
FEW UPDATES TO THAT LAND-USE
101 PRESENTATION.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BRING IT BACK
TO THE GROUP.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> GREAT CHECK, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA.
>> THAT IS EXCITING, ESPECIALLY
IN ADVANCE OF THE COMP PLAN
HAPPENING THIS YEAR IN
COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> I WILL JUST HIGHLIGHT A
COUPLE OF THE CHANGE TEAM
ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2021. I KNOW
RICO WILL ADD ONTO THAT.
AT SDCI, WE ADVISED ON TWO
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS FOR
VIRTUAL DESIGN AND ALSO -- WE
WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT
FURTHER ON IN THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO FORMED A SUBCOMMITTEE
TO REVIEW BUDGET ISSUE PAPERS.
THESE ARE THE PAPERS THAT WE
PUT TOGETHER AND FORWARDED TO
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE BEFORE A
FINAL BUDGET IS SUBMITTED TO
THE CITY COUNCIL.
THROUGH THAT REVIEW, THE
COMMITTEE LOOKED AT POTENTIAL
OPPORTUNITIES USING A RACE AND
SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS. WE ALSO
PARTICIPATED IN A MAY ORIOLE
CANDIDATE FORUM. OUR FORMER CO-
LEAD WAS ONE OF THE MODERATORS
FOR THAT SESSION AND GOT TO ASK
THE CANDIDATES QUESTIONS.
THAT WAS EXCITING.
WE HAVE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT
RETURNING TO TOWER AS AND
RETURN TO THE MUNICIPAL TOWER,
LOOKING AT THAT THROUGH A
RACIAL EQUITY LENS,
UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF OUR
LOWER PAID EMPLOYEES LIVE
FURTHER OUT AND IT IS MORE
DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET
DOWNTOWN.
>> DO WE WANT TO BRING UP THE
SLIDES TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT
MORE DEPTH?
I HAVE A BUDGET CHANGE TEAM
ALSO BUT I KNOW WE HAVE A SLIDE
FOR IT.
>> ABOUT WHICH SPECIFIC --
ABOUT THE RACIAL EQUITY
TOOLKITS, MAYBE?
>> ARE YOU SEEING THE SLIDES?
>> I AM NOT. THAT IS MY ISSUE.
OKAY.
IT IS OKAY.
I WAS LOOKING AT PEOPLE'S
FACES.
I HAVE CHANGED IT.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE CHANGE
TEAM.
>> LAST YEAR IN 2021, WE
CREATED A VERY ROBUST PROCESS
WHERE WE LEANED INTO BUDGETING
THROUGH A NEW LENS AND IN THAT,
WE MADE CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE
HAD A VOICE, EVERYONE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT
WHAT WERE THINGS THAT WERE
MISSING THAT WE NEEDED TO ADD
THAT WERE AUGMENTING THE WORK
THAT WE DO AS AN ORGANIZATION
THAT IS LEADING WITH EQUITY, AND
, TO ALSO BE ABLE TO CRITIQUE
AND REVISE PROPOSALS THAT WE
WERE PUTTING FORTH TO THE
BUDGET OFFICE AND ULTIMATELY
THAT BECAME A PART OF THE
COUNCIL DISCUSSION REGARDING
OUR 2022 BUDGET. WE ARE RE-
CREATING THAT PROCESS AGAIN
THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE INCREASED OUR
CONNECTIONS INCLUDING OUR WORK
ON EQUITABLE ZONING. NOW, IN
2022, OUR DESIGN REVIEW WORK
AND STANDING UP -- FRANKLY, AN
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK FOR
THAT WORK. WE ALSO PARTICIPATED
IN THE TREND 29 SUMMIT ON THE
PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND WE HAVE
HAD GONE THROUGH PARTICIPATION
IN OUR BIPOC CAUCUS OR WHITE
CAUCUS AND OUR LEADING WITH
EQUITY TEAM.
>> SO, IN ADDITION TO THE JOINT
CHANGE TEAM, SDCI ALSO HAS AN
ANTIRACIST TASK FORCE THAT
WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE CHANGE
TEAM.
THIS TASK FORCE WORKS ON EQUITY
ISSUES, SPECIFIC TO SDCI AND
ALL THE WORK WE DO IN
DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING OUR
CODES.
SOME EXAMPLES HERE INCLUDE WHAT
I REFER TO AS FAR AS RESEARCH
AND ANALYSIS SURROUNDING EQUITY
ISSUES OF EMPLOYEES RETURNING
TO THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL TOWER.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON
INSPECTOR'S CARDS.
DURING COVID, ALLOWING
INSPECTORS TO TAKE THEIR CARS
TO THEIR HOMESITES AND GO
DIRECTLY FROM HOME OUT INTO THE
FIELD LOOKING AT THAT WITH AN
EQUITY LENS, DEPENDING ON WHERE
INSPECTORS WORK AND WHERE THEY
LIVE, LOOKING AT SPACE PLANNING
ISSUES. WE HAVE OUTGROWN OUR
SPACE IN THE SEATTLE MUNICIPAL
TOWER.
WE FIRED A FEW NUMBER OF
EMPLOYEES OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
SHARING OPTIONS.
WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN A FRESH LOOK
AT OUR WHOLE WEBSITE.
WE HAVE ADDED AN ANTIRACISM
STATEMENT ON OUR WEBSITE AND
MADE OTHER CHANGES AS WELL.
>> JUST AS A POINT OF
CLARIFICATION -- WE HAVE A
LEADING WITH EQUITY TEAM
INTERNAL TO OPCD WHICH IS
DIFFERENT IN THE CHANGE TEAM
WORK, THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE
INTERNAL OFFICE WORK MOVED TO
RELATIONAL CULTURE AND THEN
EAD WITH EQUITY FRAMEWORK
WHICH INFORMS ALL OF OUR WORK
AS AN OFFICE BOTH INTERNALLY
AND EXTERNALLY.
WE CONDUCTED AN TREND 29 STAFF
SURVEY WHICH UNDERSCORES THE
IMPORTANT AND LONG-STANDING
ISSUES AND DISPARITIES,
PARTICULARLY FOR BIPOC STAFF
AND HOW WE ARE AFFECTED BY
OPPOSITE CULTURE, WHOSE WORK IS
CELEBRATED, UPLIFTED AND HOW WE
NEED TO MOVE MORE TOWARD A
RELATIONAL CULTURE. WE HAVE
UNDERTAKEN SEVERAL IMPORTANT
EFFORTS INCLUDING HEAVILY NOW
LEANING INTO OUR WORK FOR THE
PLAN UPDATE WHICH WE WILL TALK
ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE IN
A BIT.
IN 2021, WE WROTE A COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT ITOH'S -- THAT IS
POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, THE NEED
AND THE INTENT THERE WAS TO BE
VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT LEADING
WITH EQUITY, HOW WE ARE
REACHING OUT AND WORKING
ALONGSIDE COMMUNITY AND
STEPPING BACK TO ALLOW THE
COMMUNITY TO LEAD AND HOW THAT
IS CRITICAL BOTH IN INFORMING
THE WORK AS WE DO IT AND ALSO
HOW IT INFORMS OUR POLICY.
WE ALSO, LAST YEAR, DID A VERY
HEAVY LIFT WITH OUR NEW DEPUTY
DIRECTOR. WE DID A GREAT AMOUNT
OF WORK WITH STAFF, LISTENING
TO FOLKS ONE ON ONE, ALSO IN
SMALL GROUPS WITH EACH OF OUR
TEAMS, OUR DIVISIONS AND OUR
INDIVIDUAL TEAMS FOR PROGRAMS
TO ENSURE THAT WE REALLY HOLD
LEADERS AND MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE ARE DOING THE WORK THAT
IS MEANINGFUL FOR THEM AND THE
WORK THAT THEY WANT TO BE DOING
IN THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO BE
DOING IT.
>> YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH
OUR EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVE. I THINK THIS IS
COMMON KNOWLEDGE.
OUR ADVISORY BOARD IS NOW
PERMANENT. YOU WILL SEE US
BRING FORTH TO THE COMMITTEE
AND TO THE COUNCIL LATER THIS
YEAR A NUMBER OF NEW
REPRESENTATIVES, NEW FACES TO
ADD TO THE COUNCIL AS IT GROWS.
WE ARE UP TO OVER 80 ACTIVE
CONTRACTS RIGHT NOW.
AS A PROGRAM, WE ARE CONTINUING
TO GROW AND THAT IS BOTH THE EDI
CLASSIC CONTRACTS WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY, AS
WELL AS THE COVID RESPONSE
FUNDING AS WELL AS A STRATEGIC
INVESTMENT FUND, THE ONE TIME
AWARD, $30 MILLION TO 13
AWARDEES, THE FIRST OF WHICH WE
ARE ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT
THIS WEEK. WE HAVE OUR
CONTINUED ONGOING DATA WORK TO
REFLECT THE REQUEST OF THE
NECESSARY METRICS TO MONITOR
SUCCESS OF THE EDI PROGRAM AND
THE FUND.
THIS IS ALSO AT REQUEST OF THE
ADVISORY BOARD.
WE ARE VERY BUSY AND VERY PROUD
OF THIS WORK.
>> THAT IS A PICTURE OF OUR
NEWEST INDIGENOUS SEATTLE
ADDITION, DAKOTA, WHO IS
AWESOME.
SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT ADDITION
TO OUR STAFF.
THAT WORK -- WE HAVE A STANDING
AND GROWING GROUP THERE. AS WE
LOOK TO A STATEMENT THAT WE
HAVE MADE TO THIS COUNCIL
AROUND INDIGENIZING THE COMP
PLAN, IT HAS BEEN VERY
IMPORTANT FOR US. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT FRANKLY KEEPS ME
UP AT NIGHT.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THAT
STATEMENT AND HOW DO WE LEAN IN
TO IT IN A MEANINGFUL AND
INTENTIONAL WAY? HOW DO WE
SERVE OUR URBAN INDIGENOUS AND
HOW DO WE REALLY BEGIN TO WRITE
SO MANY OF THE WRONGS THAT ARE
IN FRONT OF US THAT WORK AND
BEING ABLE TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE INDIGENOUS SEATTLE
GROUP IS OF GREAT MEANING. IT
INCLUDES HOLDING THE CITY
ACCOUNTABLE FOR PAST HARMS TO
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY
ADDRESSING A LACK OF POSITIVE
PRESENCE ON THE CURRENT PLAN,
RECOGNIZING THE PLACE OF
HISTORY OF OUR LAND TO COMBAT
INDIGENOUS ERASURE. WE ARE
LOOKING TO EXAMPLES OUTSIDE OF
SEATTLE, INCLUDING BRITISH
COLUMBIA AND OTHER PLACES, TO
HELP INFORM THAT WORK.
I ALSO AM HOPING THAT AS WE
LEAN INTO THIS, WE CAN FIGURE
OUT WAYS TO APPLY INDIGENOUS
VALUES AND PROCESS IN HOW WE
UPDATE THE PLAN ITSELF. I WOULD
LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN WE
HAVE TIME BUT IT IS DEFINITELY
SOMETHING WE NEED TO SPEND MORE
TIME ON AS A GROUP.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BOTH THE
PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE
DESIGN COMMISSION HOUSED AT
OPCD EVEN THOUGH THEY BOTH ACT
INDEPENDENTLY. THERE WAS THE
PUBLICATION BY THE PLANNING
COMMISSION OF WHAT YOU SEE ON
THE RIGHT INITIALLY AND THE
RATION OF ALL EQUITABLE AND
RESILIENT RECOVERY.
THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDED
OVERARCHING THEMES TO GUIDE OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE. WE
ARE WORKING WITH THE PLANNING
COMMISSION TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE GUIDES NOW
. THE COMMISSION -- I AM
TALKING ABOUT THE PLANNING
COMMISSION, COMMITTED TO COLOR,
RACE BASED NORMS TO GUIDE THE
COMMISSION'S WORK IN THEIR
EVERYDAY WHICH INCLUDED A HALF
DAY RETREAT. THE COMMISSION
RECENTLY APPROVED THE CREATION
OF 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF
CULTURAL SPACE WHICH WILL BE
OWNED AND OPERATEDBY THEIR
PROPOSED SPACE AGENCY AND HAVE
ADOPTED NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR
PROJECTS REQUIRING COMMISSION
APPROVAL, REQUIRING
PRESENTATION OF LOCAL
DEMOGRAPHICS TO MEASURE
EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR PROJECT
DESIGN.
>> LAST YEAR AT SDCI, OUR
DEPARTMENT HOSTED TWO SEATTLE
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM
PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE ABLE TO
OBSERVE AND WORK AND INSPECTION
SERVICES, LAND-USE PLANNING,
CODE COMPLIANCE IN THIS YEAR.
WE PLAN ON DOUBLING THE NUMBER
WITH FOUR PARTICIPANTS. FOR
THOSE WHO MAY BE UNFAMILIAR, IT
IS AVAILABLE TO YOU FROM
QUALIFYING INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
AND
>>> UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO
SUSPEND THE JOB SHUTTLE PROGRAM
IN 2021 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC BUT
WE MADE SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS TO
PRIORITIZE EQUITY WORK IN THE
FACE OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO
OUR WORKFORCE AND ENVIRONMENT,
NATHAN TOUCHED ON THESE EARLIER
THE EQUITY ANALYSES ON
DEPARTMENT VEHICLES, THE IMPACTS
OF SEVERAL RETURN TO OFFICE
MODELS, THE IMPACTS OF VACCINE
MANDATES FOR EMPLOYEES AND
LOOKING AT SPACE THE WAYS WE
DESIGN AND UTILIZE OUR OFFICE
AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH OUR
ONLINE PRESENCE IS ACCESSIBLE
AND CENTERS SOCIAL JUSTICE,
THESE ANALYSIS HAVE SHAPED HOW
WE SEE THE DEPARTMENT HAVING
FORM GOALS FOR 2022.
>> SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT A EQUITY AND YOU CAN
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
>> IT MAY BE HIDDEN.
>> OKAY THAT'S FINE.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES
ARE REPRESENTED BUT THAT BEING
SAID WE HAVE ABOUT 80 EMPLOYEES
WHO ARE, AND THAT STANDS FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY PAY FOR
EXECUTIVES STRATEGIC ADVISORS
AND MANAGERS.
AGAIN NON-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES
AND LAST YEAR WE RECOGNIZED THE
COMPLEX ISSUES SURROUNDING
COMPENSATION FOR THESE
EMPLOYEES AND WE DID AN IN-
DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE SALARY OF
EVERY ONE OF THESE EMPLOYEES
AND WE FOUND DISPARITY OF PAY
FOR PEOPLE IN THESE
CLASSIFICATIONS AND THAT WAS
PRIMARILY FOR WOMEN AND BIPOC
POPULATIONS.
SO WHAT WE DID IS, WE TOOK ALL
THE EXECUTIVE CATEGORIES OF THE
STRATEGIC ADVISOR CATEGORIES
AND ALL THE MANAGER POSITIONS
AND WE ARE PAYING PEOPLE
EXACTLY THE SAME SALARY.
SO, THE MISSION IS EQUAL PAY
FOR EQUAL WORK IT DOESN'T MATTER
IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE
POSITION FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS
OR 15 YEARS.
SO THAT REALLY LEVELED THE
PLAYING FIELD AS FAR AS PAY
EQUITY.
THAT WAS NOT AN EASY CHANGE BUT
WE FELT THAT WAS A REALLY
IMPORTANT CHANGE AS FAR AS PAY
EQUITY IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
>> NOT A YEAR FREE OF
CHALLENGES, MANY CHALLENGES WE
FACE TO LAST YEAR AND FACE TODAY
RESULT FROM THE INTRACTABLE AND
COMPLEX NATURE OF RACISM ITSELF.
WHAT WE SEE ON A DAILY BASIS IS
THE POWER STRUCTURE IS
ESTABLISHED THROUGH A SYSTEM OF
WHITE PERSIMMONS SUPREMACY
PERSISTING TO THIS DAY AND
THOSE WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY
BENEFITED FROM THE EXPLICITLY
RACIST SYSTEMS CONTINUE TO DO TO
THROUGH COLORBLIND CODES AND
PROCESSES SPECIFICALLY AT SDCI
WE SEE THE APPLICANTS ABLE TO
NAVIGATE THE PERMITTING PROCESS
THE MOST EFFICIENTLY AND
EFFECTIVELY ARE THOSE WITH
ACCESS TO RESOURCES INCLUDING
THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES NEEDED
TO HIRE PROFESSIONALS FOR CODE
INTERPRETATION AND PERMIT
PUSHING.
THIS ADVANTAGE ULTIMATELY
PERPETUATES ITSELF BY PROVIDING
AN ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF
EXPERIENCE AND CONNECTIONS TO
DECISION-MAKERS WHO ULTIMATELY
MAKE DETERMINATIONS ABOUT WHO
DEVELOPS THE CITY AND HOW, NOT
SURPRISINGLY WE SEE MUCH OF
CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY
IS PERPETRATED BY WHITE MEN WHO
HAVE IN A FITTED FROM ACCESS TO
GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND ACCESS
TO POWER.
AS THE COLLECTIVE AWARENESS OF
SYSTEMIC RACISM AND ITS IMPACTS
ON DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY
GROWS WE ARE CALLED TO
KNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS RACIAL
DISPARITIES ENDEMIC TO PLANNING
IN SEATTLE BUT THE PRESSURES
THAT WE AS DEPARTMENTS FACE TO
BE PRODUCTIVE IN THE MIDST OF
THE HOUSING CRISIS MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO STEP BACK AND GAIN
A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
COMPLEXITIES OF RACISM IN THE
CITY AND THE TO INTEGRATE THAT
UNDERSTANDING INTO DAILY WORK.
THE SENSE OF URGENCY THAT
PERVADES EVERYTHING WE DO
PERMITS US FROM BEING ENGAGED
WITH THE PUBLIC IN WAYS THAT
ARE MOST HELPFUL AND MEANINGFUL
AND WE ARE CONCERNED WITH AT A
CONFERENCE OF UNDERSTANDING AND
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE
UNDERLYING POWER STRUCTURE
SHAPING OUR CITY OUR HURRIED
ATTEMPTS RACIAL AND NUCLEAR WE
WORK WILL PERPETUATE ANY QUALITY
ADVANTAGING AGAIN THE EXISTING
POWER HOLDERS WHILE POSSIBLY
CAUSING UNDUE HARM TO EMPLOYEES
AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
>> ANOTHER ONGOING CHALLENGE
FOR US IS SHIFTING FROM R SJ
WORK BEING LED BY VARIOUS
INDIVIDUALS IN OUR DEPARTMENTS
TO HAVING ALL WORK FULLY ROOTED
IN RACIAL EQUITY WHERE PLANNING
AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
EFFORTS ARE LIVING THE TENANTS
OF RSJI ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
PART OF THE CHALLENGE IS THE
SENSE OF URGENCY WE OFTEN FEEL
WITH PROJECTS WHICH CAN MAKE IT
DIFFICULT TO BUILD TRUST AND
ESTABLISH MORE OF A RELATIONAL
CULTURE BOTH INTERNALLY WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENTS AND AMONG STAFF
BUT ALSO EXTERNALLY WITH
COMMUNITY.
>> WE ARE FINDING THE BEST
TOOLS WE HAVE FOR ENTERING
THESE PATTERNS OF WHITE
SUPREMACY AND OTHER SYSTEMS OF
OPPRESSION ARE THE TOOLS
PROGRAMS AND SPACES THAT
FACILITATE COLLECTIVE WELL-
BEING, CREATIVITY AND
TRANSPARENCY.
WE ARE SLOWLY BUILDING A
CULTURE THAT VALUES PEOPLE AND
RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER
AND WITH THE COMMUNITIES WE
SERVE.
BY VALUING EMBODIMENT AND
CONNECTION OVER EMOTIONAL AND
INTELLECTUAL BY VALUING
CREATIVITY AND HEALING OVER
EXTRACTION, SPACIOUSNESS AND
FLEXIBILITY OVER AGENCY AND BY
PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY AND
SHARING LEADERSHIP WE ARE
CREATING COMMUNITIES WHERE
FOLKS CAN BE VULNERABLE AND
WHERE DISCOMFORT CAN BE LIVED
AND EXAMINED. IT IS THERE WHERE
WE CAN ACHIEVE A DEGREE OF
CONSCIOUSNESS AND VALUES
ALIGNMENT NECESSARY TO RECTIFY
THE HARMS OF RACISM AND THEN
MOVING FORWARD INTO A MORE
EQUITABLE FUTURE.
>> ONE SPECIFIC IDEA THAT
BUILDS ON THAT THAT WE ARE
LOOKING AHEAD TO IS TO TRY TO
HAVE FEWER PROJECTS ON THE WORK
PLAN THAT WE CAN FOCUS MORE
TIME AND ENERGY ON THROUGH
WHICH WE CAN BUILD STRONGER AND
ONGOING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBING.
>> THE SPIRIT OF RSJI, AT A
MEETING LAST YEAR AT SDCI SOME
HARMFUL LANGUAGE WAS USED
DURING A GROUP EXERCISE WITH A
INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION APP
BECAUSE THE SUBMISSIONS WERE
ANONYMOUS THERE WAS NO WAY TO
HOLD THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES
ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HARM CAUSED
OR TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT
INTERVENTIONS TO MITIGATE
POTENTIAL HARM IN THE FUTURE.
THE CHANGE TEAM AND THE
LEADERSHIP EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
TOOK POSITIVE ACTION AND
RESPONSE EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY
WITH THE ASIAN AMERICAN
COMMUNITY PROVIDING EDUCATION
ABOUT MICRO-AGGRESSIONS AND
OFFERING SPACE FOR PROCESSING.
BUT IT IS CLEAR WORKPLACE
CULTURE HAS NOT YET EVOLVED TO
A PLACE WHERE WE CAN OFFER
COMPLETE SECURITY FROM RACE-
BASED HARM, THIS IS REFLECTED
IN THE OPINIONS OF MANY BIPOC
COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE INDICATED
ALMOST A UNIVERSAL PREFERENCE
FOR REMOTE WORK ALLOWING THEM
TO AVOID THE MICRO-AGGRESSIONS
THEY EXPERIENCE IN THE OFFICE.
THE CHANGE TEAM AND ANTIRACIST
TAX FORCE HAVE DRAFTED
COMMUNITY AGREEMENTS DESIGNED
TO BE A FRAMEWORK FOR CREATING
WORKSPACE WHERE ALL STAFF FEEL
COMFORTABLE TO SHARE THEIR
NEEDS, ASSERT THEIR BOUNDARIES
AND DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL
FREE OF HARASSMENT
DISCRIMINATION AND HARMFUL BIAS.
THESE AGREEMENTS ESTABLISH A
MANDATE FOR INCLUDING BIPOC
STAFF AT THE TABLE WHEN
DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT IMPACT
OUR DEPARTMENTS, OUR DEPARTMENT
BOTH DEPARTMENTS AND
COMMUNITIES.
SO FAR THESE AGREEMENTS HAVE
BUY-IN FROM THE TEAM AND OTHER
ANTIRACIST ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR
DEPARTMENTS.
>> COREY MENTIONED
ACCOUNTABILITY AND I WILL BUILD
ON THAT, OPCD IS CREATING AN
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS WE
ARE EXPLORING THROUGH CAUCUSES
AND THE PURPOSE IS TO HELP
CREATE A STRONGER CULTURE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE
DEPARTMENT WHEN RACIAL HARM
OCCURS AS COREY DESCRIBED IT
STILL DOES.
SO WHEN THE HARM OCCURS THROUGH
WORK AND IN THE WORKPLACE
FRAMEWORK WOULD ONLY GIVE US
GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE
REAL THROUGH ACTIONS AND
BEHAVIOR BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL
THAT IT WILL HELP US IDENTIFY
AND STOP HARM AND TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONS,
MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS AND
TRANSFORM HARMFUL BEHAVIOR AND
PRACTICES.
WE KNOW THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS
NOT EASY OR COMFORTABLE SO
WE'RE HOPING THIS WILL HELP US
START TO SEE IT AS SOMETHING WE
CAN SEEK OUT AND EMBRACE
INSTEAD OF FEARING IT.
>> SO, SDCI COMPLETED THREE
RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKITS IN 2021.
COREY WILL TALK ABOUT BLUE BEAM
IMPLEMENTATION IN A FUTURE
SLIDE.
WE DID A RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
FOR DESIGN REVIEW VIRTUAL
EETINGS DURING A PANDEMIC, ALL
THE MEETINGS HAD BEEN DONE
VIRTUALLY.
IT IDENTIFY THE NEEDS FOR
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO CERTAIN
POPULATIONS TO ENGENDER TRUST
IN GOVERNMENT AND THE RESULTS
OF THAT ANALYSIS WILL CERTAINLY
BE HELPFUL AS WE LOOK AT THE
FUTURE OF DESIGN AND REVIEW
THROUGH THE STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
WE DID A RACIAL EQUITY TOOLKIT
FOR OUR CURRENT TREE PROTECTIONS
AND AS COUNCIL IS AWARE WE ARE
LOOKING AT UPDATING THE
REGULATIONS GOING FORWARD AND
THAT ANALYSIS WILL ALSO BE
HELPFUL AS WE DEVELOP NEW
REGULATIONS.
WE NEED TO LOOK FOR
OPPORTUNITIES TO REDUCE THE
BURDENS OF ENHANCED PROTECTION
ON THE BIPOC POPULATIONS BUT WE
ALSO REALIZE OUR TREE CANOPY IS
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER IN THOSE
AREAS OF THE CITY WHERE WE HAVE
BIPOC POPULATIONS.
>> SO, AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE,
LAST YEAR WE LEANED INTO TWO,
ONE WAS IN OUR WORK ALONG WITH
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, LIGHT RAIL
STATIONARY AND PLANNING TRANSIT
AND THEN THE WORK THAT WE
ULTIMATELY COME IN MAY AT 80%
CONSENSUS AROUND 11 STRATEGIES
FOR THE INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
STRATEGY WORK.
WHAT WE WANTED TO TALK IN
DETAIL ABOUT TODAY IS OUR MAJOR
UPDATE AND EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT ZONING.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO WITH THE COMP PLAN IT IS
FUNNY BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A
LARGE BODY OF WORK I FEEL THAT
THE OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON
IT FOR SOME TIME ALREADY AND WE
ARE JUST GETTING STARTED.
THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WILL SEE
HERE HAVE BEEN GENERATED IN OUR
INITIAL DISCUSSIONS. WHAT ARE
RACIAL EQUITY BENEFITS AND
IMPACTS OF THE CURRENT URBAN
VILLAGE GROWTH STRATEGY AND
WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WOULD MAKE
THE COMP PLAN AND STRATEGY MORE
EQUITABLE.
WE KNOW WE HAVE GIVEN THE VERY
UNFORTUNATE HISTORY OF
REDLINING OF THE CITY AND WE
HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK TO
DO.
THE BULLET POINTS THAT YOU SEE
HERE MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT OF
BIPOC COMMUNITIES, ADDRESSING
HOUSING NEEDS FOR HOUSEHOLDS A
FAMILY OF COLOR, GENERATING MORE
WELL-PAYING JOBS FOR THE BIPOC
FAMILIES INCLUDING PROVIDING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS
WITHOUT A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE,
INCREASING AFFORDABLE
COMMERCIAL SPACE, MITIGATING
DISPLACEMENT.
I THINK WHAT I AM HOPING WE ARE
FRAMING IS A PROCESS BY WHICH
THE WORK THAT WE DO IN REAL TIME
, WE'RE GOING OUT TO COMMUNITY
TO SAY IN VERY PLAIN AND SIMPLE
LANGUAGE WITHOUT THE WONKY
TECHNICAL LANGUAGE WHAT IS IT
WE ARE TRYING TO DO, EXTRACTING
A PIECE OF POTENTIAL POLICY
BRINGING IT TO COMMUNITY TO SAY
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
HEARING FROM PEOPLE WHAT THEY
WANT AND WHAT WE NEED, WHAT WE
ARE GETTING RIGHT, WHAT WE ARE
DOING WRONG AND WHAT WE NEED TO
CHANGE, THAT IS GOING TO TAKE
TIME AND IN SOME PLACES WE KNOW
WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT RIGHT
BUT IF WE ARE LEANING INTO IT
EARNESTLY AFTER THE CALL AND
RESPONSE PROCESS AND I'M
THINKING OF THE PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE EDI ADVISORY BOARD WE
ARE COMMITTING WE ARE BRINGING
IN A FACILITATOR TO HELP US
WITH THE CONVERSATION GOING FROM
THE TYPE OF WORK OF STAFF TO
THE PLAIN LANGUAGE TALK IN OUR
ADVISORY MEETINGS BUT MAKING
SURE IN REAL-TIME THAT WE HAVE
COMMUNITY LEANING INTO THE
CONVERSATION WITH US TO SAY
YEAH, THAT LOOKS GOOD TO BRING
TO A LARGER FORUM OR NO WE NEED
TO EITHER CHECK OURSELVES, TALK
TO MORE PEOPLE OR LOOK AT IT
THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS IN
ORDER TO GET IT RIGHT.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO NICK TO
TALK ABOUT EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT.
>> WE'RE ALSO TAKING PART BY A
NEW EFFORT WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT
WHAT WE'RE CALLING EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT ZONING.
THIS HAS COME UP A COUPLE TIMES
IN THE PRESENTATION BUT WE KNOW
ZONING AND LANGUAGE ORIGINATION
HAVE WHILE EXPLICITLY RACIST
RACIAL COVENANTS ARE NOT IN
EFFECT ANYMORE, OTHER SYSTEMS
OVER TIME AND OTHER POLICIES
HAVE ARISEN WITH INTENDED AND
UNINTENDED HARMFUL OUTCOMES FOR
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
EDI AS WE JUST SAW IS ONE WAY
THE CITY IS TRYING TO MEET
COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THE CONTEXT
OF PAST HARMS BUT WHAT WE HAVE
SEEN IS THE CITY DEVELOPMENT
RULES AND PROCESSES OFTEN
HINDER DELAY COMPLICATE AND
THEN COST EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS INCLUDING THOSE FUNDED
BY EDI.
SO THE PURPOSE OF EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT ZONING IS TRY TO
LINE POLICY MORE CLOSELY WITH
EDI AND WITH THE MISSION TO
ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY, RIGHT
NOW THROUGH ENGAGEMENT FUNDING
THE COUNCIL IDENTIFIED IN THE
2022 BUDGET WE ARE WORKING WITH
STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY AND
EVENTUALLY REMOVE REGULATORY
BARRIERS TO EQUITABLE
DEVELOPMENT WITH THE ULTIMATE
GOAL OF HELPING EDI PROJECTS BE
MORE SUCCESSFUL AND OVERTIME
DOING MORE TO ENCOURAGE AND
SUPPORT EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
OUTCOMES THROUGH THE LAND-USE
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE.
>> AS NATHAN NOTED WE CONDUCTED
ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
BLUE BEAM PROGRAM WHICH IS A
PLAN REVIEW SOFTWARE.
AT SDCI NOT ALL CUSTOMERS ARE
PROFICIENT IN READING PLANTS
OR UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX CODES
SO ANY MECHANISM TO IMPROVE
COMMUNICATION LIKE THE BLUE
BEAM PROGRAM HELPS EVERYONE
INCLUDING HISTORICALLY
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
FOR THIS WE SURVEYED OVER 800
RESPONDENTS SEEKING TO
UNDERSTAND CHALLENGES WITH THE
OLD SYSTEM AND THE NUMBER OF
RESPONSES FROM PARTICIPANTS OF
COLOR WAS WELL OVERALL, BIPOC
INDIVIDUALS ARE STATISTICALLY
UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE
ENVIRONMENT DESIGNED TRADE
COMMUNITIES, THE RESPONSES WE
DID RECEIVE SUGGEST THE MOVE TO
BLUE BEAM IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH
THE NEEDS OF THOSE RESPONDENTS.
AS A RESULT OF THIS WORK
APPLICANTS WHO DON'T HAVE A
BACKGROUND IN THE ENVIRONMENT
CODES AND REGULATIONS NEVER SEE
THE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD
EXPLANATION OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE
RECTIFIED BECAUSE THE
CORRECTION POINTS DIRECTLY TO
THE ISSUE ON THE DRAWINGS.
WE ANTICIPATE THIS WILL BE
ESPECIALLY HELPFUL FOR
APPLICANTS NOT AS PROFICIENT
WITH ENGLISH AND THE MARKED UP
PLANS DO NOT REQUIRE SPECIAL
PROGRAM TO REVIEW SO THERE'S NO
SOFTWARE COST BURDEN ON
CUSTOMERS BY IMPLANTING THIS
CHANGE.
WE HAVE COMPLETED A
CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH
CONCERNING THIS CHANGE AND
PROVIDED APPLICANT INSTRUCTIONS
FOR NAVIGATING THE NEW
TECHNOLOGY AND WE PLAN ON DOING
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH TO GET THIS
WORD OUT ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENT.
IT WILL BE IMPORTANT MOVING
FORWARD THAT WE MAINTAIN A
RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPONDENTS
OF THE 2021 SURVEY GROUP AND
REQUEST PARTICIPATION IN A
FOLLOW-UP SURVEY THIS YEAR
WHERE WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR
TRENDS CONCERNING BIPOC
PARTICIPANTS.
OUR GOAL FOR 2022.
WE HAVE GOALS RELATED TO
EDUCATION AND TRAINING,
CAPACITY BUILDING,
STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS
BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS ONE OF OUR
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES IS TO CREATE
A CULTURE OF SUPPORT FOR THOSE
WHO SUFFER FROM THE SYSTEMIC
RACISM SO TO DO THIS WE ARE
PRIORITIZING BUILDING CAPACITY
TO INTERRUPT RACISM AS IT
SURFACES OR EVEN BETTER BEFORE
HAND AND WE WILL DO THIS BY
ESTABLISHING A SHARED CONTEXT OF
HISTORIC RACISM IN THE CITY AND
ITS LEGACY AND OUR WORK
IDENTIFYING AND REMOVING OUR
OWN FORMS OF BIAS THROUGH
TRAINING AND DISCUSSION AND
BUILDING AN UNDERSTANDING AMONG
EMPLOYEES AND LEADERSHIP THAT
AS SERVANTS OF THE PUBLIC GOOD
EQUITABLY IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
AND I CANNOT SAY WE ARE
FUNCTIONING AS A PUBLIC SERVICE
UNTIL ALL FORMS OF RACISM HAVE
BEEN ELIMINATED FROM OUR
DEPARTMENTS.
>> IN A SIMILAR VEIN WE ARE
LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN MAKE
RACIAL EQUITY WORK AS A
REQUIREMENT FOR ALL DEPARTMENT
STAFF, SOMETHING THAT IS NO
LONGER OPTIONAL OR SOMETHING
YOU CAN CHOOSE TO OPT OUT FROM
FULLY.
BUT SOMETHING WE ARE ALL TAKING
PART IN AND REINFORCING THAT
KEY PRINCIPLE THROUGH THE E3
PROCESS.
>> YOU ARE ON MUTE.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.
WITH LEADING WITH EQUITY WE ARE
LEADING INTO A BUNCH OF WORK
WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE
HERE.
WE ARE STANDING UP A NEW
ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK WITHIN
OUR OFFICE TO HOLD OURSELVES
ACCOUNTABLE FOR HARMS BOTH FOR
HARMS BOTH PAST AND PRESENT TO
STAFF OF COLOR AND TO CALL OUT,
CALL THOSE THINGS OUT BOTH
SOMETHING OF MY OWN DOING OR
SOMETHING THAT I SEE IN THIS
SPACE.
WE ARE ALSO INVITING MORE PEOPLE
, INVITING MORE PEOPLE IN TO DO
THIS ARE SJ WORK AND TO TRY TO
PUSH EARNESTLY TOWARD HAVING
MORE OF A RELATIONAL CULTURE
AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT
MEANS.
I WILL SAY THAT SOME OF THAT,
THERE IS WORK THAT IS BEING DONE
AT A MANAGER LEVEL RELATED TO
THAT MORE RELATIONAL CULTURE
AND WE ARE PLANNING TO DO WORK
AS ALL STAFF IN THAT REGARD
BECAUSE I THINK THAT SHARED
EXPERIENCE MATTERS A GREAT DEAL
AND IT HAS BEEN THROUGH THE
INSPIRATION OF DISCUSSION FROM
THE CHANGE TEAM AND THE LEADING
WITH EQUITY TEAM THAT I REALLY
THINK HAS GOTTEN US THERE.
WE ARE WORKING ON THAT CULTURE
SHIFT, WE HAVE ALSO DONE,
BECAUSE WE ARE GROWING AS AN
OFFICE WE HAVE EIGHT POSITIONS
WE ARE FILLING THIS YEAR, NINE
ACTUALLY.
WE HAVE IMPROVED THE ON
BOARDING PROCESS FOR NEW STAFF
IN TERMS OF COMMISSIONERS WITH
THAT FOCUS, OTHER THINGS ON THE
SLIDE I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE
THESE SLIDES ARE SO TEXT HEAVY
OBVIOUSLY IT WILL BE MADE
AVAILABLE TO ALL OF YOU FOR
REFERENCE LATER.
>> OKAY LAST SLIDE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION.
AS WE HAVE MENTIONED WE HAVE
THE JOINT CHANGE TEAM AND SDCI
HAS THE ANTIRACIST TASK FORCE
AND SOME OF THE GOALS FOR THE
TASK FORCE FOR 2020 TO INCLUDE
HIRING TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY,
THE SAME TREATMENT AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STAFF AND
PROSPECTS.
THIS ONE IS HARD AND
CHALLENGING.
IN MANY OF OUR JOB INTERVIEW
PANELS WE DO NOT GIVE THE
PANELISTS COPIES OF THE
APPLICANT'S RESUMES UPFRONT.
WE HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN THE
PANELIST SEE THE RESUMES THEY
MAY BE BIAS DEPENDING ON SOMEONE
WENT TO COLLEGE OR WHERE
SOMEONE WORKED BEFORE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE
BEEN TALKING TO SEATTLE HR ABOUT
IS ANOTHER DIFFICULT
CHALLENGING TOPIC.
MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE JOB.
WE MAY HAVE A FANTASTIC
CANDIDATE WHO HAS 20 YEARS OF
AWESOME EXPERIENCE BUT THE
PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS ARE
THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A FOUR-
YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE, MAYBE THAT
PERSON COULD AFFORD A COLLEGE
DEGREE 20 YEARS AGO SO THAT IS
SOMETHING ELSE WE HAVE BEEN
TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT.
TRANSPARENCY AND EQUITY FOR
PROMOTION AND DISCIPLINE.
I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
APEX/SAM AND EQUAL PAY FOR
EQUAL WORK.
LEAVE AND REMOTE WORK EQUITY,
WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR LOWER WAGE
EARNERS ARE ALSO BIPOC AND MAY
LIVE FURTHER AWAY, IN SOME CASES
BUS TRANSPORTATION HAS NOT
RETURNED TO PRE-COVID LEVELS,
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET
DOWNTOWN FOR WORK.
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY CULTURE TRUSTING
FROM THE LEADERS AT SDCI.
MAKING ARE SJ PART OF EVERY
WORKPLAN FROM WORDS TO ACTION.
DIGITAL EQUITY MAKING SURE
EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO WORK
THROUGH DIGITAL MEANS.
THE BOTTOM LINE AND REPLACING A
WHITE SUPREMACY CULTURE WITH A
RELATIONAL CULTURE WHERE
EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PATIENCE.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND
HARD WORK.
RICO AND I ARE THRILLED THAT WE
CONTINUE TO GET TO WORK
TOGETHER AS DEPARTMENTS ON
THESE IMPORTANT AND CHALLENGING
ISSUES.
>> DIRECTORS AND COREY AND
NICK, GREAT WORK.
I WILL BE HONEST I HAD A LIST OF
QUESTIONS I WAS READY TO PEPPER
YOU WITH AND YOU DID NOT HAVE
IT WRITTEN AS TEXT ON THE
SLIDES BUT YOU ANSWERED THOSE
QUESTIONS AND SOME THINGS I
WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT HIS
ACCOUNTABILITY TO COMMUNITY.
NOT JUST ASKING A QUESTION ONCE,
YOUR BACK TO SEE IF YOU
ADDRESSED THE ISSUE,
ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN YOUR
ORGANIZATION WHEN THINGS DO NOT
HAPPEN CORRECTLY OR WHEN BAD
THINGS OCCUR YOU HAVE
ACCOUNTABILITY WITH YOUR TEAMS
AND ALSO THE HIRING ASPECTS
REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT
SOMEBODY CAN HAVE FOUR YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE AND THEY MIGHT KNOW
THE JOB BETTER THAN SOMEONE WHO
HAS A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE IN THE
FIELD.
THAT UNDERSTANDING IS REALLY
SPOT ON.
MANY MORE THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT.
I SAID I HAVE SOME COLLEAGUES
IN LINE.
VICE CHAIR MORALES PLEASE TAKE
IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS
PRESENTATION.
THIS IS REALLY WELL DONE AND I
THINK YOU KNOW TO ME IT REALLY
DEMONSTRATES YOU CLEARLY HAVE
UNDERSTOOD THERE IS A LOT OF
WORK TO DO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
RACIAL EQUITY MEANS AND THE
WORK THAT THIS CITY HAS TO DO
TO ACHIEVE RACIAL EQUITY.
AND TO HOLD DEPARTMENTS
ACCOUNTABLE.
I HAVE NOT SEEN A LOT OF RSJI
PRESENTATIONS FROM OTHER
DEPARTMENTS YET.
I KNOW EVERYBODY IS WORKING ON
GETTING THEM PRESENTED.
I HOPE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE
DIVING AS DEEP AS YOU SEEM TO
BE SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
THAT.
I WANTED TO COMMENT ON A COUPLE
THINGS AND THEN I WILL HAND IT
OVER.
PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO
THE COMP PLAN IT SOUNDS LIKE
SOME OF THE VALUES AND SOME OF
THE DIRECTION YOU'RE TRYING TO
MOVE IS TO MAKE THE LANGUAGE
MORE PLAINSPOKEN SO I AM REALLY
EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT WITH
COMMUNITY.
I THINK WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS
CLARITY ABOUT FOR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS ABOUT HOW THEIR INPUT
WILL BE USED IN DRAFTING AND
MAKING DECISIONS OR HOW IT
WON'T BE.
I THINK THAT IS EQUALLY
IMPORTANT AS WE ASK PEOPLE TO
COMMIT THEIR TIME AND DONATE
THEIR EXPERTISE TO THESE
CONVERSATIONS I THINK WE DO
NEED TO BE REALLY CLEAR WITH
FOLKS ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS TO
WHAT DEGREE THIS INPUT WILL BE
USED TO IMPLEMENT DECISIONS.
SO, JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS.
I WANT TO REMIND COLLEAGUES AND
I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING NOT
JUST THE IMPACT THAT DEPARTMENT
WORK HAS ON COMMUNITY BUT ALSO
THE IMPACT FOR THE
INTERPERSONAL WORK ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THAT AFFECTS
SOMEBODY'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR
JOB ON BEHALF OF COMMUNITY AND
TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT.
SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND
COLLEAGUES AGAIN THAT JUST LAST
SUMMER WE HAD SEVEN BLACK WOMEN
ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION IN
SALARY, IN PROMOTION WITH THE
CITY SO I AM REALLY GLAD TO
HEAR ABOUT THE PAY EQUITY
ISSUES YOU HAVE ADDRESSED AND
SOME OF THE WORKPLACE OTHER
WORKPLACE ISSUES.
WE ARE ALSO HEARING ABOUT THE
POSSIBLE NEED FOR CITY
CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM TO BE
CHANGED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE
THINGS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
OLD REQUIREMENTS FOR EDUCATION
VERSUS LIVED EXPERIENCE FOR
EXAMPLE IN THE LAST THING I
WANT TO SAY IS IN ORDER FOR ALL
OF US TO DO OUR WORK TO SERVE
CONSTITUENTS AND OUR CITY WE
ALL HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT
RACIAL EQUITY MEANS AND I'M
GLAD WE ARE DOING THIS KIND OF
WORK TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE
DOING IS TO BE ROUTED IN
DIGNITY.
IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO SEVERAL
OF US HAVE BEEN INVITED BY KING
COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBER TO A
CONVERSATION ABOUT REPARATIONS
AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR
BUILT ENVIRONMENT, THE WORK WE
HAVE TO DO IT REALLY SHOULD BE
ABOUT ADVANCING THESE MOVEMENTS
TOWARD TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE
AND ATONING FOR THESE RACIST
POLICIES WE HAVE HAD AND YOU
KNOW I AM REALLY STARTING TO GO
INTO THESE NEXT CONVERSATIONS
WITH A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHAT IT MEANS FOR US AS A CITY
TO THINK CRITICALLY AND
SERIOUSLY ABOUT REPARATIONS FOR
PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO BE
IMPACTED BY THE LEGACY OF RACISM
AND IN PARTICULAR HOW IT IS
REFLECTED IN LAND-USE CODES.
ALL THAT TO SAY I REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT
YOU HAVE DONE TO GET TO THIS
POINT AND LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE ACTING ON THE WORK
YOU HAVE DONE HERE.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, THOSE SEVEN
COMPLAINTS LAST YEAR WERE NOT
WITHIN EITHER OF THESE
DEPARTMENTS CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
THAT IS CORRECT.
>> DIRECTOR I DID NOT HEAR A
QUESTION, NO NEED FOR A QUESTION
APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> THIS IS A VERY ROBUST AND
RICH REPORT SO THANK YOU VERY
MUCH AND I APPRECIATE YOU
LAYING OUT THE POLICY
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WORK THAT
YOU HAVE DONE.
ON SLIDE 18 THERE WERE A COUPLE
IN THE DRAFT.
AS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEN CHAIR I
AM INTERESTED IN MORE WELL-PAID
JOBS FOR WORKERS OF COLOR AND
THEN ALSO I AM INTERESTED IN
MORE AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL SPACE
SO THESE HAVE REALLY COME THERE
ARE OVERLAPS BETWEEN YOUR
DEPARTMENT AND OED AND I THINK
WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THIS IS A
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE THAT A
LOT OF THESE EFFORTS THAT
HAPPENED IN A SILO FASHION FROM
DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT SHOULD
REINFORCE EACH OTHER BUT MY
POINT IS, THESE ARE DRAFT AND I
UNDERSTAND YOU WILL TAKE THEM
TO COMMUNITY FOR VALIDATION BUT
YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID WHEN YOU
THOUGHT WHEN YOU MIGHT GET IT
BACK IN WITH HIM AND I MIGHT
NOT BE DRAFT ANYMORE CAN YOU
SEND IT AGAIN?
>> I DIDN'T SO THANK YOU FOR
THE QUESTION.
SO I'M GOING TO BE TOTALLY
HONEST.
I THINK THAT WHERE STAFF IS
RIGHT NOW WE FEEL LIKE AND YOU
WILL SEE US COME BACK TO GIVE
MORE DETAIL ON THIS FRONT.
WITH A CAR BRANDS A PLAN MAJOR
UPDATE WE ARE IN THE FIRST OF
FIVE DISCRETE PHASES OF THE WORK
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT
THREE YEARS.
AND I THINK IN THE FIRST PHASE
WE HAVE NOT BEEN DEFINITIVE
ABOUT WHEN FOR THE RACIAL
EQUITY OUTCOMES WHEN DO THEY
MOVE FROM DRAFT TO FINAL AND I
THINK PART OF THE FEEDBACK WE
HAVE GOT FROM THE COMMUNITY IS
THAT WE HAVE IN MORE THAN ONE
OCCASION MOVED TOO QUICKLY. SO
I DON'T HAVE A HARD AND FAST
DATE.
I DO BELIEVE AS WE HAVE A
COMMUNAL CONVERSATION THAT THE
BULLET POINTS THAT YOU HAVE
SEEN IN THAT SLIDE ARE VALID AND
MEANINGFUL, PART OF THE REASON
YOU CAN SEE WAS WE WERE ASKING
THE QUESTION ARE THERE MORE?
WITH HOW MUCH SPECIFICITY DO WE
WANT TO BE AT THIS LEVEL VERSUS
SOME OF THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS
AND I ALSO REALLY APPRECIATE
THE NOD REGARDING THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH OED AND WE ARE
WORKING CURRENTLY VERY CLOSELY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OED BOTH ON
THE MAJOR UPDATE WORK AND
MARITIME RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO PUT EMPHASIS
ON AS WE DO THIS COMP PLAN IS
HOW DO WE WRITE A PLAN THAT
HELPS CITY DEPARTMENTS THINK
ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION AND YOU
KNOW BECAUSE THESE ARE OUTCOME-
BASED WE CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU
WANT IN THE PLANT BUT IF THERE
IS NOT BUY-IN, UNDERSTANDING
HOW IT INFORMS WORK PLANS IT
WON'T HAVE THE VALUE THAT WE
REALLY NEED IT TO HAVE AND I
THINK IT IS IMPORTANT COMMUNITY
BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS THAT
PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES IN IT AND
THEREFORE WILL HOLD IT UP
BECAUSE IT IS HOLDING THEM UP
WITH WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO.
>> OKAY I WILL RESPECT THE
PROCESS, THANK YOU FOR THE
ANSWER.
I JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT EXCITED
ABOUT ADVANCING.
>> WE APPRECIATE THAT, THANK
YOU.
>> WELL SAID COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON.
COLLEAGUES.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS
ITEM?
DIRECTORS OR ANY FINAL THOUGHTS
TO LEAVE US WITH TODAY?
I AM SEEING NONE.
A ROBUST PRESENTATION, I KNOW
WE WILL HEAR MORE AND AS PART
OF THIS WE WILL BE BACK EVERY
YEAR SO WE WILL BE BACK NEXT
YEAR AS PART OF CONTINUING
ACCOUNTABILITY.
AGAIN.
I HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS AFTER
REVIEWING THE SLIDES AND YOU
ANSWERED THEM IN YOUR REMARKS
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENT
WORK THERE.
>> CAN I MAKE ONE ADDITION?
I WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK THIS
IS OUR WORK IN THE EVERY DAY
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THE GROUPS
THAT WE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO
HAVE A REGULAR AND RECURRING
CONVERSATIONS AND THERE IS WHAT
WE DO IN OUR MEETINGS ON THE
PHONE WHEN WE'RE SITTING AT A
CONFERENCE TABLE, WHEN WE ARE
OUT CONDUCTING A COMMUNITY
MEETING AND THIS IS CRITICAL
WORK.
IT IN A VERY LITERAL WAY IS MY
EVERY DAY AND SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE THE HEART AT STAFF
AT SDCI AND TRYING TO BRING TO
THIS AND APPRECIATE THE SPACE
THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO
CREATE.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR, WELL
SAID.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
THIS WORK IN THE NEXT MEETING
AS IT SEEMS WE PUT TIDBITS INTO
IT EVERY TIME WE MEET SO IT IS
GREAT, WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU AGAIN ALL THREE
PRESENTATIONS TODAY, COLLEAGUES
FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AT ATTENTION
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
WORK.
WITH NOTHING FURTHER HERE, THIS
WILL CONCLUDE THE MEETING, I
WILL FLAG THAT WE FOR
SCHEDULING PURPOSES MAY BE
COUNSELING THE MAY 25th
COMMITTEE MEETING JUST FOR
EVERYONE TO HAVE SCHEDULING
PURPOSES WE ALMOST CANCELED
TODAY BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD TWO
ITEMS AND SOME OF THE ITEMS
THAT WERE GOING TO BE HERE GOT
PUSHED TO THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T AND WE GAVE
THIS PRESENTATION EXTRA TIME.
THAT'S KIND OF THE SCHEDULING
ANNOUNCEMENT, WITH THAT THIS
DOES CONCLUDE THE WEDNESDAY
APRIL 27 2022 MEETING.
THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED
MEETING IS MAY 11th STARTING AT
2:00 P.M.
THANK YOU