Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien

Councilmembers to host discussion on Targeted Hiring for city-funded capital projects

SEATTLE - Join Councilmembers and a panel of workforce development experts at a brownbag discussion regarding targeted hiring programs for city-funded capital projects. Several American cities have helped residents enter the construction field by requiring contractors on city-funded projects to hire a predetermined percentage of economically and otherwise disadvantaged residents through targeted hiring programs. The panel will explore the scope of current hiring and workforce training methods used by other jurisdictions around the country and locally.

WHAT: Targeted Hiring brownbag discussion

WHEN: Wednesday, May 22, 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: City Council Chambers, second floor, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave

WHO: Seattle City Councilmembers
Rhonda Simmons, Director of Workforce Development, City of San Francisco
Kathleen Mulligan Hansel, Deputy Director, Partnership for Working Families
Leslie Jones, Director of Diversity, Sound Transit
Angel Lopez, former Project Manager,Rainier Valley Community Development Fund

[View in Council Newsroom]

The Bee Garden. Thanks to Katie Myer at the West Seattle Blog.

Seattle has a new parade to add to the calendar of summer events. Yesterday the residents and gardeners of High Point and greater West Seattle welcomed bees to the new Neighborhood Matching Fund-supported hive enclosure at the High Point Commons Park P-Patch, the new West Seattle Bee Garden! Though I was not in costume, I was allowed to walk at the front of the parade followed by a swarm of kids, parents, the FC Sounders’ Sound Wave marching band, and the pickup truck transporting the four beautiful hand-crafted bee boxes (thanks to Shipwreck Honey), including one live hive.

Check out these short clips:

This was the first bee welcoming parade at High Point (and possibly in Seattle). The day started with face-painting and flower-making at West Seattle Elementary followed by the short but boisterous march down the hill and into the park. In the park people enjoyed music, checkout out food and craft vendors and generally swarmed around the new, plexi-glass enclosure waiting to see what would happen when the hive was opened. The trusty api-experts said the bees would be released later in the afternoon after settling down. They’d just bounced around a bit in a pick-up truck and ridden in the parade near the band. (Maybe they prefer classical?) They were likely angry for a while after being finally placed in the new hive enclosure.

This is such a great community building project and a great addition for a P-Patch. Thanks, High Point!

There were a lot of great bee and ladybug costumes. This one, because of the hat with bees buzzing around it on this wires, was my favorite:

“The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams.” Henry David Thoreau

Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
Council President Sally J. Clark

Seattle Police Monitor Merrick Bobb presents first semi-annual report

Seattle - Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council's Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, will host Merrick Bobb and members of the Seattle Police Monitoring team at committee on Tuesday afternoon. Bobb is the court-appointed independent monitor for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement and will present his first semi-annual report to the City Council.

The report was filed with the U.S. District Court on April 26, 2013.

• Link to Monitor's First Semiannual Report
• Link to Seattle Police Department's Compliance Coordinator website

WHAT: Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology Committee

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at 3:00 p.m.

WHERE: Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO: Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell, Council President Sally J. Clark, Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Councilmember Nick Licata, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Councilmember Jean Godden, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council passes South Lake Union rezone
New zoning increases capacity for housing, jobs

SEATTLE - Seattle City Council unanimously passed Council Bill 117603, a package of land use changes that increases the development capacity of the South Lake Union neighborhood to accommodate projected future job growth and housing demands.

"After eight years of collaboration with South Lake Union stakeholders, neighbors and city staff, we're finally implementing the 2004 designation of South Lake Union as an 'Urban Center' and the South Lake Union Neighborhood Plan update," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Special Committee on South Lake Union and the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee. "By 2031, South Lake Union will have to absorb some 12,000 households and 22,000 jobs to continue to meet its share of future growth. This rezone will take the pressure off other neighborhoods and will shape South Lake Union for the next hundred years," added Conlin.

In addition to allowing greater building heights, the new zoning also imposes development standards and incentives to encourage a diverse urban form, more open space and an improved streetscape. For example:

• Only one tower per block will be permitted on the lake front blocks. Other blocks can have two towers but they must be more widely spaced than anywhere else in the city.
• There are strong street-level design standards and incentives to ensure a lively and vibrant pedestrian environment, such as requiring retail at ground level.
• A series of subarea standards will maintain the character of specific communities through incentives for preservation of landmark properties and existing open spaces.
• A new program that preserves farm land and forest land by transferring development rights into South Lake Union will generate funds for transportation improvements.

"This is the culmination of many years of hard work by many people," said City Council President Sally J. Clark. "Cascade neighbors, the South Lake Union Community Council, businesses large and small, property owners, research institutions, social service and low-income housing providers - they haven't always agreed, but they've all worked to shape a vision and now the rules for development of an amazing place to live and work."
"Imagine our South Lake Union alive with growing businesses a bustling neighborhood, connected to green spaces and great transit," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "We've reached a sound compromise that will work."

The Council modified the legislation submitted by Mayor Mike McGinn by adding requirements for greener buildings, historic preservation and view protection, and strengthening affordable housing provisions. Major amendments approved by the Council include:

• Reducing the allowed height on the Mercer blocks from 240 feet to 160 feet, and reorienting the towers to protect views by limiting east-west width to 105 feet.
• Adding the opportunity for up to four 125 foot residential towers on two blocks between the intersections of Westlake and Dexter and Highland and Galer, where the slope of Queen Anne Hill creates a significant change in the topography. This will replace most of the development capacity lost with lower heights on the Mercer blocks.
• Requiring all new buildings to meet the Gold standard of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program of the US Green Building Council.
• Expanding incentives to encourage preservation of all landmarked structures.
• Raising heights in part of the Cascade neighborhood from 75 feet to 85 feet to allow more flexibility in design.
• Strengthening incentives if developers include a public school in their project.
• Creating permanent setbacks on east-west corridors to protect views of the Space Needle, which was accomplished without reducing development potential.

The Mayor's proposed legislation included a requirement for developers to either include affordable housing in their projects or to contribute to funds for building low income housing if the developer chooses to build above the base height, which is 85 feet in most of the neighborhood. The Council increased the amount of the required fee by 43% for residential projects in hopes of generating more affordable workforce housing in the neighborhood. The fee for commercial projects will increase 33%, phased in over eighteen months.

"We improved the South Lake Union proposal significantly for the public by generating more resources for affordable workforce housing, encouraging the creation of a new public school and establishing a positive precedent for future upzones that will ensure smart growth for Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess.

"I am proud of the work Council did to strengthen the incentives to build more affordable workforce housing in South Lake Union, creating more opportunities for people to live near where they work," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"As we grow denser - and we must - we are growing in a manner that promotes Seattle values: affordability, an inviting pedestrian environment, open space and protected public views, and design standards that will give us a neighborhood worthy of civic pride," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"The rezone package strikes a sensible balance between developers and the affordability targets by the City. This year, we will begin a 7-year major update to the City's Comprehensive Plan so policy work will continue to address the city's share of affordable housing needs and stimulate the market with smart development," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "We want a City where residents can live, work and play. Most importantly, in this process to set a clear vision for the South Lake Union neighborhood, Council was forward-thinking and inclusive."

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council Town Hall Meeting on Climate Action Tomorrow
Community encouraged to share thoughts and perspectives

Seattle - Join the Seattle City Council for a town hall meeting where Councilmembers will hear directly from the public.  The meeting will be hosted in the context of the City's recently unveiled Climate Action Plan. 

The town hall will open at 6 p.m. with remarks by Councilmembers, followed by a panel discussion to provide the community with an overview of the draft Climate Action Plan, why it's important and how the community can help.  The rest of the meeting will be dedicated to open public comment.  Speakers will not be constrained to addressing climate issues.

WHO: Seattle City Councilmembers, general public

WHAT: Council Town Hall on Climate Action

WHEN: Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m.

WHERE: University Heights Center
5031 University Way NE, Room 209
Seattle, WA 98105

Read the draft Climate Action Program at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/climate/

For more information, visit the event flier .PDF here

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Richard Conlin

City Council to host second meeting on micro-housing developments
Public invited to share feedback with Councilmembers

SEATTLE - City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen today confirmed that a second public meeting on micro-housing developments will be held. The meeting will be on May 6 at 6:00 p.m. at Seattle First Baptist Church on First Hill.

The first meeting was held in April in response to questions and concerns raised by residents of several Seattle neighborhoods where micro-housing units are being constructed.

The purpose of the second meeting is to hear from neighborhood representatives who will give their views and recommendations on the micro-housing projects. Representatives of the developers who build micro-housing projects will be present to describe the projects and the market for this housing alternative and their response to concerns they are hearing from the community.

In addition to Councilmember Rasmussen co-sponsors of the meeting include Councilmembers Nick Licata, Sally J. Clark and Richard Conlin.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stated: "A portion of the meeting will include an opportunity for the public to provide comments on what they have heard during the meeting and to provide recommendations on what, if any, regulations should be enacted for this unique type of housing."

WHAT: Micro-housing development discussion

WHEN: Monday, May 6, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Seattle First Baptist Church
Fellowship Hall (downstairs), 1111 Harvard Ave. (on First Hill)

WHO: Seattle City Councilmembers and Council staff
Representatives from communities and neighborhoods
Representatives of micro-housing developers

"I want to see more affordable housing built in Seattle along with our residential neighborhoods accommodating housing options that contribute to their character," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee. "I think both objectives can be accomplished and I look forward to this forum providing an opportunity to hear suggestions on how to fulfill both."

"I've visited some of these micro-units," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "They provide decent, often attractive housing for a range of people who don't need or want a lot of space. They're also appearing in greater numbers and more rapidly than some in the surrounding neighborhood want. This forum can provide a good airing of people's support, concerns and ideas for appropriate regulation."

"Micro-housing can be an affordable option for people wanting to live close to work or urban amenities," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Council's Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee. "They're good for the environment and they can be good for neighborhoods too if we can find ways to preserve their affordability while ensuring that these developments reflect both the letter and the spirit of our land use laws. I look forward to working with stakeholders and the Executive to craft legislation to accomplish these goals."

Background

In recent years, micro-housing has emerged as an increasingly common residential building product in Seattle. Since 2006, DPD has received permit applications for 44 projects. Those completed projects have a total capacity of about 2,000 people. In 2012, DPD received applications for approximately 15 micro-housing projects.

Micro-housing projects are generally comprised of apartment or townhome-style dwelling units, each of which contains several (often seven or eight) smaller living quarters clustered around a shared kitchen and laundry area. Each of the smaller living spaces within the dwelling unit is leased to an individual tenant. These spaces are typically 150 to 200 square feet in size and equipped with a kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, sink) and private bathroom. Rent levels vary by location but are often in the range of $600 to $700 per month.

Developers have found Seattle offers a strong market for micro-housing, with completed projects leasing up quickly. Tenants often include students, service industry workers, and individuals who divide their time between Seattle and a residence in another location. Geographically, 52 percent of the projects are located on Capitol Hill and 30 percent in the University District, with the remainder spread throughout the city.

Because micro-housing is not well-defined in City codes it also may not be adequately regulated. Some of the issues and concerns the public has raised about Seattle's growing stock of micro-housing include:

• Within micro-housing projects, DPD currently counts the several small living quarters that surround a common kitchen and laundry area as a single dwelling unit (e.g., one apartment with eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms). As a result, most micro-housing projects do not meet the threshold for design review. Normally the design review process also provides opportunities for neighbors to comment and offer input on proposed projects.
• DPD's current practice of counting multiple living quarters within a micro-housing project as a single dwelling unit also complicates efforts to measure progress toward adopted growth targets in neighborhoods where micro-housing is located. It also can affect whether a proposed micro-housing project is subject to environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
• Micro-housing may not be an appropriate building type for all multifamily residential zones.
• Micro-housing projects are generally designed to house 30 to 60 individuals; however, on-site parking is rarely provided.
• The high cost of this housing on a price per square foot basis.

[View in Council Newsroom]

City Councilmembers to vote on gun safety public health funding

Seattle - The City Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will consider tomorrow morning an amendment to budget legislation to fund a gun safety public health package. According to earlier news reports, the City of Seattle would be the first city in the nation to provide direct funding for basic research into the causes and effects of gun violence.

WHAT: Discussion and vote on public health gun safety package

WHEN: TOMORROW - Wednesday, May 1, 9:30 a.m.
(see agenda, item #4; timing is approximate)

WHERE: City Council Chambers
Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, 2nd floor

WHO: Government Performance and Finance Committee members

Partnering with the University of Washington's Harborview Medical Center and public health agencies, the $370,500 package of initiatives would spur research on gun violence and improve the City and County's response to mental health crises resulting from tragedies.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Most people already know that Seattle’s farmers markets are a great source of fresh, regionally produced farm products and you know you get to run into friends and neighbors (hopefully the same people).  Recently we spoke at committee with farmers market operators about the not-so-evident impact when it comes to helping low-income residents to get more bang for their buck through “Fresh Bucks.” The program doubles the value of “food stamps” when food assistance dollars are spent at Seattle farmers markets. 

Last year almost one million shopper visits sent more than $13 million dollars into Seattle farmers markets. In honor of the seasonal farmers markets opening up, here’s a short list of my favorite things to buy at our markets:

5. Quesadillas at the Patty Pan Grill (University District, Ballard, Broadway).  These things are packed with fresh, seasonal vegetables and completely delicious.  They make them on the spot and, although the line is long, the service is fast.

4.  Greens  (Everywhere).  I do OK growing lettuce and dark leafy greens in my garden at home, but I end up with gaps because I don’t pay enough attention to re-seeding. More greens!

3.  Apple cider (hard and otherwise). Rockridge Orchards ends up being a great provider. Great flavors and they helped out when Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and I did “Cider with Sallys” at the West Seattle Market a couple of seasons ago.

2. Hazelnuts and berries (Pike Place Market Express). In the summer Pike Place Market opens up a satellite market on City Hall’s Fourth Ave. Plaza. Afternoon snacks and dinner provisions!

1.  Sour Cherry Pumpernickel from Tall Grass Bakery (many locations, check the link).  OK, I’m “generally” following the weird Primal/Paleo rules (except for the cake at the Fremont Neighborhood Council meeting last night – thanks), but if our pre-grain-cultivation selves had tasted the sour cherry pumpernickel from Tall Grass, there’d be a special allowance in the Paleo diet rules. Pick up a sharp cheese (I know, not Paleo) from a neighboring stand and you need nothing more to find the real bliss point.

We’re lucky to have the granddaddy of all markets, Pike Place Market, and to have both the U-District and West Seattle markets functioning year-round. Celebrate spring, support a local farmer, see your neighbors and do your diet good by visiting these markets and the array of markets about to open (Broadway fired up last weekend). Here’s a list of Seattle farmers market schedules. Happy shopping!

Ballard (Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., year round)

Broadway (Sundays, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. – opens April 21)

Columbia City (Wednesdays, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. opens May 1)

Fremont (Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., year round)

Lake City (Thursdays, 2:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. – opens June 20)

Madrona (Fridays, 3 p.m.-7 pm, opens May 17)

Magnolia (Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – opens June 1)

Phinney (Fridays, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. – opens June 7, 2013)

Pike Place Market (every day, year-round)

Queen Anne Farmer’s Market (Thursdays, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., opens June 6)

University District (Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round)

Wallingford (Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m., opens May 29)  

West Seattle (Sundays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., year-round)

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council Strengthens Affordable Housing Program
in South Lake Union
Consensus built around the need for more affordable workforce housing in the neighborhood

Seattle -- The Seattle City Council South Lake Union Committee voted unanimously on an amendment to produce more workforce affordable housing in the South Lake Union (SLU) neighborhood by strengthening the incentive zoning program. The agreement is a compromise between two existing amendments offered by Councilmembers, which were introduced in last week's SLU Committee meeting. Consensus was built around the need to strengthen the incentive zoning program without discouraging development.

"Today's decision is an important, modest step toward securing more affordable workforce housing in South Lake Union, so that people at all income levels who work in the neighborhood have a chance to live there," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "This is a community of opportunity where the city is investing over $500 million in public infrastructure, and I think it only fair that the benefits of this redevelopment are shared more broadly."

The legislation to strengthen incentive zoning includes a 43% increase in the residential pay-in-lieu price (from $15.15 to $21.68), effectively immediately, and a 33% increase in the commercial price that will be phased in over eighteen months (to $29.71). These prices are paid on a percent of square-foot basis in exchange for additional height and building capacity. Collectively, these provisions will produce an estimated 733 units of workforce housing in and near the neighborhood. The original legislation would have created an estimated 406 units.

"After collaborating with local businesses and affordable housing advocates, we crafted a sensible solution that goes far beyond the Mayor's status quo proposal and brings affordable workforce housing to the City's hottest real estate market," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "Now many more nurses, school teachers, construction workers and other working families can call this booming neighborhood home."

"The Council's adjustments in this legislation and the overall commitment to seeing workforce-priced units actually built in these developments will  help more working people find homes in South Lake Union near jobs and transit," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "That's good for employees and good for employers."
              
"The new Affordable Housing Amendment reflects a collaborative and inclusive decision-making process with developers and affordable housing advocates. The Council applied the Race and Social Justice Initiative lens to ensure we were having an honest debate on equity. Council honored its promise of delivering on-site affordable workforce units in this neighborhood," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell.

"These amendments strengthen one of our tools to generate more workforce housing in South Lake Union," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Special Committee on South Lake Union. "I look forward to working with stakeholders and housing experts to both refine our incentive zoning program and also increase the supply of affordable housing city-wide."

"It all goes back to why so many people come to Seattle -- they come because we are a city of inclusive neighborhoods, not just a copy of someplace else. A strengthened incentive zoning program reaffirms our commitment to inclusive and affordable neighborhoods," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"These amendments, while not a bold leap, are reasonable steps in the right direction. This is only a modest beginning for making housing in Seattle more affordable for average folks," said Councilmember Nick Licata. "We cannot continue to see workers forced to move ever further from the city and drive long distances to work here. The solution is clearly to require developers to provide substantially more affordable housing."

The Council last updated the incentive zoning program in 2008, establishing the goal of producing 5% of affordable workforce residential units in the neighborhood of the development. The Council will also consider similar fee adjustments to the downtown incentive housing program to take effect in 2014.

"Even with this step, we need to go further by engaging in the process laid out in Resolution 31444 to review and update of Seattle's incentive zoning and other affordable housing programs, so we can begin to bridge the gap between our affordable housing needs and the amount we are currently producing," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

City Council plans to vote on the full South Lake Union rezone proposal at the May 6 Full Council meeting at 2:00pm in Council Chambers.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

City Council to host Town Hall Meeting on Climate Action
Community encouraged to share thoughts and perspectives

Seattle -- Join the Seattle City Council for a town hall meeting where Councilmembers will hear directly from the public.  The meeting will be hosted in the context of the City's recently unveiled Climate Action Plan. 

The town hall will open at 6 p.m. with remarks by Councilmembers, followed by a panel discussion to provide the community with an overview of the draft Climate Action Plan, why it's important and how the community can help.  The rest of the meeting will be dedicated to open public comment.  Speakers will not be constrained to addressing climate issues.

WHO:             Seattle City Councilmembers, general public

WHAT:           Council Town Hall on Climate Action

WHEN:          Tuesday, May 7, 6 p.m.

WHERE:        University Heights Center
                     5031 University Way NE, Room 209
                     Seattle, WA 98105

Read the draft Climate Action Program at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/climate/

For more information, visit the event flier .PDF here

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Council President Sally Clark
Councilmember Richard Conlin

City Council Introduces Climate Action Plan on Earth Day
Plan provides pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050

Seattle -- Seattle City Council introduced Seattle's Climate Action Plan today, outlining the City's path to meeting its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The Plan focuses on three sectors where the City of Seattle can have the greatest influence in reducing carbon emissions: transportation and land use, building energy and solid waste. The Plan also includes a section on how the City should prepare for the impacts of climate disruption we currently experience, as well a section on actions individuals can take to reduce emissions through purchasing decisions.

"Taking climate action is not about austerity. It is about creating great places to live, work and play today and for future generations," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee. "This Climate Action Plan provides a vision for a city that is vibrant, economically prosperous and socially just." 

"The strong actions in this plan are evidence of the high value that the Seattle community places on sustainability," said Jill Simmons, Director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment. "Throughout the planning process, we heard from individuals and organizations who encouraged us to be bold and think long-term."

Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment has been developing the Climate Action Plan since 2011, engaging grassroots sustainability groups, environmental leaders and business and community members from across the city. The City also formed Technical Advisory Groups in each sector addressed in the Plan and convened a Green Ribbon Commission to recommend specific climate actions.

"With its natural beauty, strong economy and commitment to equity, Seattle is an amazing place to live. The Climate Action Plan lays out clear path to ensuring Seattle remains a great place to live and raise a family, while also doing its part to combat climate change," said Doris Koo, Co-Chair of the Seattle Green Ribbon Commission. 
"Even before the first Earth Day in 1970, Seattleites have taken pride in our city's commitment to protecting the environment through innovative thinking, hard work and zeal," said Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark. "I'm proud we can introduce our Climate Action Plan on Earth Day, 2013, as yet another milestone in our city's dedication to making a difference for the planet."

The Climate Action Plan includes specific short- and long-term actions the City needs to meet its ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. For example, the transportation sector accounts for 40% of Seattle's greenhouse gas emissions, but the biggest challenge Seattle faces to reducing emissions in this sector is funding. The plan calls for new funding sources like extending the Bridging the Gap levy and securing local authority for a motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) to help improve bus service and reliability, invest in improvements that make it easier and safer to walk or bike and take steps to build out the region's light rail system. The plan also calls for supporting the adoption of low carbon vehicles and fuels.

In the building energy section, the Plan calls for accelerating Seattle's work to make energy use more visible to consumers by switching to smart meters, providing better energy performance information to building owners and users and generally helping people better understand and manage their energy consumption. Additionally, the Plan calls for getting the right mix of policies and incentives to spur retrofitting in Seattle's housing stock and commercial buildings.

"We have already seen the impact of a changing climate. We must act now to slow down the rate of climate change, and to respond to the issues as our climate is affected," said Councilmember Richard Conlin. "Together we can rise to this great moral challenge, take practical steps in the right direction, inspire others to emulate our example and build a positive future for Seattle."

"Seattle residents and businesses are leaders in the fight against climate change," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "I appreciate the hard work done by our citizen committee to craft recommendations for our updated plan and look forward to the Council's process for adopting the strongest possible Climate Action Plan. I thank Councilmembers O'Brien and Conlin for their leadership in this effort."

The Climate Action Plan will be discussed in two Energy and Environment Committee meetings--Tuesday, April 23 and Tuesday, May 14--and will also be the topic of a public town hall on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at University Heights Center.

The Climate Action Plan can be viewed online at: http://www.seattle.gov/environment/climate_plan.htm

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tim Burgess
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Councilmembers to consider Publicly Financed Campaigns for Seattle
Possible ballot measure coming to voters in November

Seattle -- Seattle City Councilmembers announced today a timeline to consider a proposal to publicly finance elections for local campaigns in the city of Seattle. The plan outlines a series of five meetings in April, May and June, leading to a decision about whether to ask voters to approve such a program in November 2013.

At the request of four councilmembers, the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission recently submitted a recommendation for the Council to consider a public campaign finance program. The Council will review the details of the Commission's proposed program structure starting Monday, April 29.

"It's the right time to explore new ways to engage Seattle in the electoral process," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Special Committee on Public Campaign Finance. "Seattle has long been at the forefront in upholding fair elections, but we should learn from other cities about what can be achieved through a public campaign finance system."

Public campaign financing, sometimes called "voter-owned" elections, allows a candidate to qualify for public funds to run an electoral campaign if he or she is able to demonstrate a broad base of community support. Candidate participation would be optional, and participants would agree to set standards that could include limits on private fundraising, a limit on using personal funds or limits on third-party funding assistance. Similar programs currently operate in many cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York.

"I'm looking forward to creating a program that helps a diverse cross-section of Seattle residents to run for local office," said Council President Sally J. Clark.  "Plenty of smart, qualified people would love to run, but the price tag has run so high in recent cycles that otherwise great leaders sit out. Money shouldn't determine who runs and serves."

"Voter-owned elections get more people involved and keep campaigns focused on people, issues and ideas, something I think that strengthens our democracy and that we all value," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Seattle was the first municipality to put a system in place in 1979, and I think it is time to ask the voters to reinstate it."

"The influence of money on elections has grown nationally and locally; with publicly financed campaigns, we can at least minimize its influence on local elections, said Councilmember Nick Licata. "The voters should have an opportunity to decide if Seattle joins other cities with public financing."

[View in Council Newsroom]

These details by themselves are a tragedy any way you slice it.  What makes this event even worse was that the driver of the car had had one DUI conviction and one pending charge in the months prior and had no valid license to drive.

Last week, City Councilmembers, the Mayor, and the City Attorney wrote a letter to Governor Inslee and the State Legislature asking them to take action before the end of session to strengthen sentencing, requirements for ignition interlock devices and making rules about prior DUI offenses stricter.

Governor Inslee, state reps and state senators have responded to the events of the last few weeks by putting together a set of changes to get much tougher on DUI offenders. There’s a great article in the Seattle Times about it here.

The package is comprehensive and builds on efforts earlier in the session to get smarter and tougher on repeat DUI offenders. Ideas include strengthening and lengthening drunk driving sentences, charging suspects more quickly, better follow-through on the installation of ignition interlock devices, and even banning third time offenders from buying alcohol for 10 years. These proposals have been brought cheers from some and concern from others due to the projected costs of incarceration and the decade long limit on buying alcohol.

I’d like to say I have compassion for people who struggle with alcohol addiction, but that’s not true every day. While alcohol abuse and addiction are public health problems, they are also public safety problems. Treatment on demand should be available any time, any place. In the meantime, we should do more to prevent ANY drinking and driving offenses.

The State Legislature has a week and a half to go before its slated close for 2013. That’s enough time to work through the good and the bad of the proposals rolled out yesterday.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Richard Conlin

City Council to discuss micro-housing developments Thursday 
Public invited to share feedback with Councilmembers and City staff

SEATTLE -- Seattle City Councilmembers Tom Rasmussen, Nick Licata, Sally J. Clark and Richard Conlin today reminded Seattleites about a public meeting on micro-housing developments on April 18, in response to questions and concerns raised in several Seattle neighborhoods.

"Several Councilmembers and I are sponsoring a two hour meeting to review what is occurring due to the strong interest and concern we are hearing in the neighborhoods," Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stated. "A portion of the meeting will include an opportunity for the public to provide comments and recommendations on what, if any, regulations should be enacted for this unique type of housing."

In addition to a public comment opportunity, representatives from the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the Office of Housing (OH) and City Council staff will discuss Seattle's recent experience with micro-housing. 

WHAT:             Micro-housing development discussion

WHEN:            Thursday, April 18, 11:30 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m.
                        Members of the public are welcome to bring their lunch

WHERE:           Council Chambers, second floor
                        Seattle City Council, 600 Fourth Ave

WHO:              Seattle City Councilmembers and Council staff
                        Representatives from Seattle's Dept. of Planning and Development
                        Representatives from Seattle's Office of Housing

"I want to see more affordable housing built in Seattle along with our residential neighborhoods accommodating housing options that contribute to their character," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee. "I think both objectives can be accomplished and I look forward to this forum providing an opportunity to hear suggestions on how to fulfill both."

"I've visited some of these micro-units," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "They provide decent, often attractive housing for a range of people who don't need or want a lot of space. They're also appearing in greater numbers and more rapidly than some in the surrounding neighborhood want. This forum can provide a good airing of people's support, concerns and ideas for appropriate regulation."

"Microhousing can be an affordable option that works well with neighborhoods," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Council's Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee. "However, it does not fit neatly into Seattle's land use code, and we are looking for input on code improvements that will preserve the affordability while ensuring that these developments reflect both the letter and the spirit of our land use laws."

Background

In recent years, micro-housing has emerged as an increasingly common residential building product in Seattle. Since 2006, DPD has received permit applications for 48 projects. Once all those projects are complete, it is estimated they will yield residential capacity for more than 2,300 people. In 2012, DPD received applications for approximately 15 micro-housing projects.

Micro-housing projects are generally comprised of apartment or townhome-style dwelling units, each of which contains several (often seven or eight) smaller living quarters clustered around a shared kitchen and laundry area. Each of the smaller living spaces within the dwelling unit is leased to an individual tenant. These spaces are typically 150 to 200 square feet in size and equipped with a kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, sink) and private bathroom. Rent levels vary by location but are often in the range of $600 to $700 per month.

Developers have found Seattle offers a strong market for micro-housing, with completed projects leasing up quickly. Tenants often include students, service industry workers, and individuals who divide their time between Seattle and a residence in another location.  Geographically, about 40 percent of the projects are located on Capitol Hill and 25 percent in the University District, with the remainder spread throughout the city.

Because micro-housing is not well-defined in City codes it also may not be adequately regulated. Some of the issues and concerns the public has raised about Seattle's growing stock of micro-housing include:

• Within micro-housing projects, DPD currently counts the several small living quarters that surround a common kitchen and laundry area as a single dwelling unit (e.g., one apartment with eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms). As a result, most micro-housing projects do not meet the threshold for design review. Normally the design review process also provides opportunities for neighbors to comment and offer input on proposed projects.
• DPD's current practice of counting multiple living quarters within a micro-housing project as a single dwelling unit also complicates efforts to measure progress toward adopted growth targets in neighborhoods where micro-housing is located. It also can affect whether a proposed micro-housing project is subject to environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
• Micro-housing may not be an appropriate building type for all multifamily residential zones. 
• Micro-housing projects are generally designed to house 25 to 100 individuals; however, on-site parking is rarely provided. 
• The high cost of this housing on a price per square foot basis. 

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Bruce Harrell 

Statement on Bellevue Police Department action in Columbia City
from Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Bruce Harrell

Seattle -- Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Bruce Harrell issued the following statement on the Bellevue Police Department’s attempted warrant service and shooting in Columbia City:

“Two weeks ago the Bellevue Police Department attempted to serve a warrant in Columbia City. That action went terribly wrong to our minds. The result was the arguably unnecessary loss of life of the suspect, destruction of private property and the blooming of deep anger and suspicion from the neighborhood about police operations and law enforcement’s regard for the community.

We appreciate Bellevue Police Department Chief Linda Pillo’s request that the Seattle Police Department handle the officer-involved shooting investigation. A complete account must explain why the Bellevue PD choose to carry out the warrant service in the way they did and what steps were taken to ensure service of the warrant would result in the lowest risk of violence for both the suspect and the surrounding families.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark

Seattle City Council Welcomes New Communications Director

SEATTLE -- Council President Sally J. Clark announced today the hiring of Dana Robinson Slote as Communications Director for the City's Legislative Department.  Robinson Slote most recently served as Director of Communication for the Washington State Senate Democratic Caucus where she crafted and executed communication plans for a diverse set of elected officials.

"Dana has a solid understanding of issues facing Seattle, significant experience supporting a legislative body and is committed to connecting government with the public," said Council President Sally J. Clark.  "I'm excited for Dana to join the team."

Robinson Slote brings a dozen years of communication expertise from both public and private sectors. From 2005-11, she worked in communications at the University of Washington.  In earlier roles, she served as a press secretary working on a number of issue and candidate campaigns, including levies for Seattle Public Schools, the Seattle Housing Levy, Seattle Public Utilities and the City of Seattle's Office of Policy Management.

Robinson Slote is a lifelong Seattle-area resident.  She is a two-time Ironman competitor (Canada '09, '10), holds a B.A. in Communications from Western Washington University and an M.A. in Communications from Gonzaga.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Mike O'Brien

Councilmembers Clark, O'Brien Advocate for Transportation Options in Olympia

Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Mike O'Brien today will meet with key state legislators to advocate for local transportation funding options. Both will travel to Olympia as part of the "Keep King County Moving Coalition," highlighting the need to preserve King County Metro transit service and critical roadway maintenance.

Metro faces a $75 million annual shortage if the state Legislature fails to approve transit funding tools, a shortfall that would result in the reduction of up to 17 percent of Metro's bus service.  According to King County Metro, 65 transit routes are at risk of being cancelled, with another 86 routes at risk for service reductions. "Keep King County Moving" has coordinated business, government and community advocates to speak with one voice about the threat transit cuts pose to business, growth management and quality of life.

"It's do-or-die time," said Council President Sally J. Clark.  "Without funding options, we can expect commutes to suffer and business to be impacted."

"Metro cuts will disproportionally affect low-income communities," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien.  "I have faith that our friends in Olympia will recognize that giving local jurisdictions tools to provide service is the right thing to do.

Seattle City Councilmembers frequently meet with legislators as part of the "Seattle for Washington" program, which is intended to strengthen relationships with key policy makers and better understand issues important to communities around the state.  For more on Metro's funding shortfall and what it could mean for the future of transit riders and our economy, please visit Metro's website.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien

The opportunity is yours: Ask City Councilmembers your questions
Councilmembers Clark, Licata and O'Brien to appear on
April's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE -- Do you have questions for members of the City Council? What is the Council's plan for marijuana dispensaries in Seattle? What is the future of police surveillance drones? Can public financing of political campaigns work successfully? Join the conversation by submitting your questions now.  

The April 9 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Nick Licata and Mike O'Brien answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by 10 a.m. on Friday, April 5.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
April 9 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Richard Conlin
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seven remaining Councilmembers announce candidacy for Mayor
Will run as collective

Seattle -- The seven Councilmembers who are not already in the race for Mayor today announced that they will pioneer a new model for Seattle governance by running for Mayor as a collective. The seven will appear on the ballot as a single name, "O'Bagcloddenconrasita," reflecting their collegial approach to the position.

"Experience teaches us that seven heads are better than one," said the group speaking in unison. "Seven of nine is an excellent model for decision-making," they commented, making the obligatory geeky Star Trek allusion.

"This way the people of Seattle will know that there will always be a Mayor on the job," O'Bagcloddenconrasita added. "By taking shifts, we can cover the Mayor's office 24-7. And the Mayor can lobby in Olympia, cut a ribbon in West Seattle, and hold a town meeting in Ballard, all at the same time."

Commenting on the legality of the proposed candidacy, City Attorney Pete Holmes was sanguine about the outcome of any possible court challenge. "Nothing in the City Charter prevents innovative approaches to governance," Holmes added. "Furthermore, this will make it much easier to get a Mayoral signature on City documents."

The group noted that the departure of seven Councilmembers simultaneously would make it difficult to do business and fill the seven vacancies on the Council, since there would not be a quorum remaining. However, the group agreed that this could easily be resolved by the use of serial resignations spaced one week apart between the election and taking office on January 1. That way, each week eight Councilmembers could conduct business and appoint someone to the vacant seat. By the end of December, seven new Councilmembers would be seated and join Mayor O'Bagcloddenconrasita in governing the City.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark          

Seattle City Council statement on the passing of former Councilmember Cheryl Chow

Seattle -- The Seattle City Council issued the following statement on the passing of former Councilmember Cheryl Chow:

"As a teacher, principal, coach, City Councilmember and School Board member the Honorable Cheryl Chow worked tirelessly to improve the lives of children and families in Seattle.  As a Seattle City Councilmember from 1990-1997 Cheryl pushed hard for and won policies, programs and budgets that made Seattle a better place for the children she regarded as Seattle's future. She leaves a lasting legacy when it comes to youth enrichment programs, the city's rich network of community centers, and guided the transformation of the Coliseum into Key Arena. Cheryl served with intelligence, compassion and sharp wit. 

While colleagues (and sports opponents) knew her as a strong-willed competitor, Cheryl brought strong-willed competition to a whole new level in her fight against cancer. In her final role as a public advocate Cheryl's coming out made her a hero to many who never knew her work as a councilmember.  Cheryl's work as an advocate and her positive, competitive presence will be missed."

The Seattle City Council honored Cheryl Chow with a proclamation on September 17, 2012, declaring "Cheryl Chow Day" in Seattle.  The full text of the proclamation can be viewed here.

A Seattle Channel tribute to Cheryl Chow can be viewed here.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Richard Conlin

City Council to discuss micro-housing developments 
Public invited to share feedback with Councilmembers and City staff

SEATTLE -- Seattle City Councilmembers Tom Rasmussen, Nick Licata, Sally J. Clark and Richard Conlin today announced a public meeting on micro-housing developments on April 18, in response to questions and concerns raised in several Seattle neighborhoods.

"Several Councilmembers and I are sponsoring a two hour meeting to review what is occurring due to the strong interest and concern we are hearing in the neighborhoods," Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stated. "A portion of the meeting will include an opportunity for the public to provide comments and recommendations on what, if any, regulations should be enacted for this unique type of housing."   

In addition to a public comment opportunity, representatives from the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), the Office of Housing (OH) and City Council staff will discuss Seattle's recent experience with micro-housing. 

WHAT:           Micro-housing development discussion

WHEN:           Thursday, April 18, 11:30 a.m. -- 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:         Council Chambers, second floor
                        Seattle City Council, 600 Fourth Ave

WHO:              Seattle City Councilmembers and Council staff
                        Representatives from Seattle's Dept. of Planning and Development
                        Representatives from Seattle's Office of Housing

"I want to see more affordable housing built in Seattle along with our residential neighborhoods accommodating housing options that contribute to their character," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee. "I think both objectives can be accomplished and I look forward to this forum providing an opportunity to hear suggestions on how to fulfill both."

"I've visited some of these micro-units," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "They provide decent, often attractive housing for a range of people who don't need or want a lot of space. They're also appearing in greater numbers and more rapidly than some in the surrounding neighborhood want. This forum can provide a good airing of people's support, concerns and ideas for appropriate regulation."

"Microhousing can be an affordable option that works well with neighborhoods," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, chair of the Council's Planning, Land Use and Sustainability Committee. "However, it does not fit neatly into Seattle's land use code, and we are looking for input on code improvements that will preserve the affordability while ensuring that these developments reflect both the letter and the spirit of our land use laws."

Background

In recent years, micro-housing has emerged as an increasingly common residential building product in Seattle. Since 2006, DPD has received permit applications for 44 projects. Those completed projects have a total capacity of about 2,000 people. In 2012, DPD received applications for approximately 15 micro-housing projects.

Micro-housing projects are generally comprised of apartment or townhome-style dwelling units, each of which contains several (often seven or eight) smaller living quarters clustered around a shared kitchen and laundry area. Each of the smaller living spaces within the dwelling unit is leased to an individual tenant. These spaces are typically 150 to 200 square feet in size and equipped with a kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, sink) and private bathroom. Rent levels vary by location but are often in the range of $600 to $700 per month. 

Developers have found Seattle offers a strong market for micro-housing, with completed projects leasing up quickly. Tenants often include students, service industry workers, and individuals who divide their time between Seattle and a residence in another location.  Geographically, 52 percent of the projects are located on Capitol Hill and 30 percent in the University District, with the remainder spread throughout the city.

Because micro-housing is not well-defined in City codes it also may not be adequately regulated. Some of the issues and concerns the public has raised about Seattle's growing stock of micro-housing include:

• Within micro-housing projects, DPD currently counts the several small living quarters that surround a common kitchen and laundry area as a single dwelling unit (e.g., one apartment with eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms). As a result, most micro-housing projects do not meet the threshold for design review. Normally the design review process also provides opportunities for neighbors to comment and offer input on proposed projects.
• DPD's current practice of counting multiple living quarters within a micro-housing project as a single dwelling unit also complicates efforts to measure progress toward adopted growth targets in neighborhoods where micro-housing is located. It also can affect whether a proposed micro-housing project is subject to environmental review under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).
• Micro-housing may not be an appropriate building type for all multifamily residential zones. 
• Micro-housing projects are generally designed to house 30 to 60 individuals; however, on-site parking is rarely provided. 
• The high cost of this housing on a price per square foot basis. 

[View in Council Newsroom]

Mayor Mike McGinn
Council President Sally J. Clark                               

Mayor, Council create Economic Development Commission
Members will propose strategies for an innovative, sustainable and equitable economy

SEATTLE - Today Mayor Mike McGinn and Council President Sally J. Clark officially announced the formation of the Economic Development Commission (the Commission) to examine Seattle's ability to compete in the global economy of the 21st century.

"Since I launched the Seattle Jobs Plan in 2010, we've been hearing from the people of Seattle who are building our recovery that they need responsive city government, a supportive regulatory environment, investments in infrastructure, and skilled workers," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "I'm looking forward to working with the Commission and the insights and ideas that they will bring to continue to build an innovative economy that is sustainable, that enhances our quality of life, and that helps more people share in our prosperity."

Members of the Commission represent a cross section of business, industry and higher education to advise the Mayor and City Council on the development of plans, policies, regulations, and strategies that have substantial impact on creating and maintaining an innovative economy that is resilient, sustainable, and equitable.

"We live in an amazing place with a startling number of innovators and great talent, and we can't take any of it for granted," said Sally J. Clark, Council President and chair of the Council's Committee on Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations. "This Commission will help us focus the City's role in supporting innovation and talent for shared prosperity."

The Commission is comprised of 15 members, and all commissioners serve a one-year term. The Commission is formally created through Council Ordinance 123786.

"Community leaders initiated the idea to create an economic development commission in 2011 during a series of Council-led forums," said Councilmember Richard Conlin. "The

Commission will greatly assist the City in recommending policy priorities and actions that implement the City's key principles for economic development; quality of life, hospitable and responsive business climate, resilient and sustainable local economy, collaboration and civic leadership, educated workforce, and adaptive strategies."

The ultimate goal of the Commission is to help the City of Seattle develop and advance a vision for Seattle's economic development that nurtures a policy and regulatory environment that encourages innovation and supports business formation and growth, retention, and expansion.

"The University of Washington is deeply interested in training our students to meet and to take advantage of the challenges and opportunities of the future. At the same time, we are fully committed to moving the incredible research done at the University into the market and into our communities where it can improve lives," said Michael Young, president, University of Washington. "For the University to maintain its capacity as an engine for economic stimulation and growth, we need the right environment and partners. The City of Seattle's Economic Development Commission can support just such an ecosystem, and we are very excited to participate."

The Commission will examine existing economic development strategies developed by the city and regional partners, seek additional information if necessary, and examine Seattle's ability to compete in the global economy of the 21st century in terms of innovation, human capital, regulatory process improvement and measuring success.
"As an entrepreneur and investor in early-stage companies, I know that innovation takes place over long cycles," said Chris DeVore, partner, Founders' Co-op and TechStars Seattle. "I'm interested in making sure this Commission is thinking about how Seattle can attract the right talent and create the right ecosystem so that the next generation of new, innovative companies will be founded here rather than somewhere else in the world."

The initial charge of the Commission will be to produce and present a report to the Executive and the Council outlining findings and measures that could be implemented to support business innovation and prepare our workforce to meet the needs of our economy. The Commission will be staffed by the City's Office of Economic Development.

"As a small business owner of a 17-person construction management and project controls company, our business priority is to hire locally and provide training for this industry," Tanya Jimale, president and CEO of JTS. "I want to bring my insights and employer experience together with the Commission to bring in more job opportunities and transition people in the community into good, solid jobs with livable wages."

The initial 15 Economic Development Commission members are:

• Maud Daudon, President & CEO, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
• Chris DeVore, Partner, Founders' Co-op and TechStars Seattle
• David Freiboth, Executive Secretary Treasurer, King County Central Labor Council  and Vice President, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
• Christine Hanna, Co-Founder/Co-Director, Seattle Good Business Network
• Tanya Jimale, President and CEO, JTS
• Rob Mohn, President, RAM Columbia, LLC
• Alan Nay, Founder, World Famous
• Sarah Patterson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Virginia Mason Medical Center
• Michael Rawding, Principal, Deerhorn Advisors
• Chris Rivera, President, Washington Biotechnology and Biomedical Association
• Brad Tong, Principal, Shiels, Obletz, Johnsen, Inc
• Dr. Jill Wakefield, Chancellor, Seattle Community Colleges
• Ken Willman, Chief Legal Officer, Russell Investments
• Tay Yoshitani, CEO, Port of Seattle
• Michael Young, President, University of Washington

Access the Economic Development Commission members' biographies and more information about the Commission here.
# # #

Seattle Jobs Plan
Mayor Mike McGinn's vision for next generation economic development that creates a sustainable economy with shared prosperity in Seattle was launched in August 2010. It consists of new and existing policies, programs and investments designed to help create quality jobs, protect the environment, and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city of Seattle's public investments. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/mayor/jobsplan

Seattle City Council
In 2009 the Council passed Resolution 31135 outlining the strategies and actions to help promote economic recovery.  In 2011, the Council passed Resolution 31282 adopting guiding principles, actions and strategies for strengthening and growing Seattle's economy.  Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City's Office of Economic Development (OED)

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell

Seattle City Council to hear from Department of Justice Monitor Merrick Bobb

Seattle - Seattle City Council will host Merrick Bobb and members of the Monitoring team at Council Briefing on Monday, March 11. Bobb is the court-appointed independent monitor for the Department of Justice (DOJ) Settlement Agreement and will provide an update and briefing on the Monitoring Plan.

"The Council looks forward to hearing Merrick Bobb's thoughts and plans to help our Police Department implement the changes required under the Settlement Agreement. We are encouraged that a Monitoring Plan will soon be approved by the Court and look forward to a focused approach on specific outcomes," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety committee.

The Monitoring Plan for the first year was submitted on March 5 and the Department of Justice filed its "Notice of Approval of the Monitoring Plan for the First Year" with the U.S. District Court on March 6. This is a critical checkpoint in Seattle's DOJ Settlement Agreement. The proposed Monitoring Plan establishes expectations and guidance for the City and DOJ on how the Monitor will assess compliance with the Settlement Agreement.

Monitoring Plan as submitted to U.S. Federal District Judge Hon. James Robart on March 5.

WHAT:           Council Briefing

WHEN:           Monday, March 11, 2013, at 9 a.m.

WHERE:         Council Chambers, second floor
                        Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO:              Council President Sally J. Clark
                        Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
                        Councilmember Sally Bagshaw                    
                        Councilmember Tim Burgess
                        Councilmember Richard Conlin                    
                        Councilmember Jean Godden
                        Councilmember Nick Licata
                        Councilmember Mike O'Brien
                        Councilmember Tom Rasmussen
                        Merrick Bobb (Department of Justice Monitoring Team)
                        Chris Moulton (Department of Justice Monitoring Team)
                        Nick Armstrong (Department of Justice Monitoring Team)
                        Peter Ehrlichman (Department of Justice Monitoring Team)
                        Ronald Ward (Department of Justice Monitoring Team)

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark

Seattle City Council statement on the passing of former Councilmember Richard McIver

Seattle City Council statement on today's shooting

Congratulations to newly-appointed Port Commissioner Courtney Gregoire

Here are a couple of photos and my speaking notes.

Thank you to Ballard First Lutheran.

I’ve always thought, especially given the economy of the past few years, that we could spread this effort of Blessing the Fleet to other sectors. Blessing of the car manufacturers, the home mortgage writers, the restaurant waiters.

 

I appreciate the opportunity to mark what the men and women of the fleet do, the basic act of pulling sustenance from the ocean and bringing it to land. Through sun, wind, storm.  That you make a living at this and that you do it here, in Seattle, is a gift to this city and to this region. The Fleet here at Fisherman’s Terminal in invaluable to us. It’s part of our heritage, our present economy and our future.

 

I’m Irish Catholic which means I’m guilty standing in a beautiful place on a sunny day. I’ll wrap with a short piece of a poem from a participant in Astoria’s Fisher Poet’s festival that just happened a couple of weeks ago. This is an annual gathering of fisher-artists.  I grew up in Portland and spent a lot of time at the coast and from time to time in Astoria where you still have a strong fishing community despite all the changes in rules and economies. This is about a greenhorn back home for the first time. I picked this because the fleet heads out now, but already families think of them coming home. It’s by a woman named Moe Bowstern who has worked boats for years. I have to assume it’s a pen name.

 

“And then, finally after it’s all over, and you are back home, wherever that may be, among those who love you, who praise you, who hug you and laugh at your jokes and always say good morning–then you will find that beyond all reason, you are homesick. A truck will belch diesel as it passes you and the stench will transport you to a moment in a quiet bay, fueling up at your favorite tender. Everything will be too fast and too loud, there will be too many people everywhere. You will develop an affinity for men with beards. You will learn how to spot a working fisherman, a fellow. You will miss the boat. You will miss the ocean. And that will be hard.”

 

Good luck, happy fishing and safe voyage.

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council explores public campaign financing
National experts to share academic research

The Seattle City Council will continue their exploration of public campaign financing by welcoming national experts into the discussion:

WHAT: Public election financing in research

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, 6-8 p.m.

WHERE:Seattle Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave

WHO:Seattle City Councilmembers
Ken Mayer, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
David Earley, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

At Wednesday's panel, experts will share their research and knowledge of public campaign financing and answer audience questions. The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission will co-host the event with the Seattle City Council. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Municipal League of Seattle, Seattle University's Political Science Department, Washington Bus, Washington Public Campaigns and the Win/Win Network.

Panelists will be in Council Chambers at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 13 to brief Councilmembers during a special meeting of the Government Performance and Finance Committee. View the agenda here.

For more information on publicly financed campaigns, visit our issue page at http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/public_financing_of_campaigns.htm.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark

Congratulations to newly appointed
King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski

Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark issued the following statement congratulating newly appointed King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski:

"Congratulations to Rod Dembowski on his appointment to the King County Council. The residents of North Seattle will be well-served by Councilmember Dembowski's experience and commitment to the people of the district. I look forward to working with him.

"We saw tremendous candidates come forward to serve in District 1. Finalists Rep. Cindy Ryu and Shoreline City Councilmember Will Hall, in addition to the other great candidates, provided for a tough choice. Thank you to King County Executive Dow Constantine and the King County Council for a thoughtful appointment process."

[View in Council Newsroom]

Never had my team or any One Night Count team encountered a dead body. Until this year.

After checking under the south side of the Jose Rizal Bridge and moving behind the industrial buildings at Rainier and Dearborn, we walked south on Rainier. We were bundled up brandishing flashlights and clipboards, chatting bleary-eyed about the news of the day while quietly musing about whether lean-to’s, sleeping bags and camper vans were occupied or not. While walking the south green space encircled by the Rainier Ave. S. off-ramp from Interstate 90, members of my team found a body, partially clothed, that had been there a day or so. We had spread out to check that area and I was closer to Rainier. When the finders came over to join the rest of us none of us quite caught what they said the first time. “We found a body.” What? It’s 3:30 a.m., what did you say? None of us expected to find anyone in that area. It’s relatively open with a few fir trees, but no place to hunker down really.

The team leaders did a great job managing the next steps – calling the police, checking in with the rest of the team members, comforting the woman who first found the body. The team decided to continue on searching our assigned area because, as more than one person said, this is exactly why we count. One Night Count staff arranged to have trained counselors back at the Compass Center for anyone who wanted to talk about what happened.

A couple of days after the Count we learned more from the Medical Examiner. “The Body,” as we had called it, was a 60-year old woman named Kathryn Ann Blair and she died of hypothermia. In the cloverleaf petal of an interstate off-ramp. In February. In Seattle.

I’ve thought a lot about this experience over the past week and a half. I couldn’t help but wonder who Kathryn Ann Blair was and how she got to be where we found her. Everyone has a story. Sometimes the story helps us focus on our similarities and fragility. Sometimes the story helps us make a little bit of sense out of something seemingly senseless. Thanks to the Medical Examiner’s efforts to reach Kathryn Ann Blair’s relatives, members of my Count team received the following message yesterday. It will be shared at today’s Women in Black vigil, noon-1 p.m., on the west plaza of the Municipal Court building (Fifth and James). Women in Black stand Wednesdays to mark the death of homeless people in our area. They have to stand too often and too long.

Eulogy for Kathryn Ann Blair, 1952–2013 

Kathy Blair, a creative only child, spent most of her life in Akron, Ohio, living with her mother.  

While I do not have the skill to tell Kathy’s story as well as she could have, I want you to know that Kathryn Ann Blair had a beautiful face, thick, wavy hair, big brown eyes, lots of personality, many talents, and people who loved her.

Kathy was a talented writer and spent hours working on stories and making whimsical drawings of the characters.   She loved books and enjoyed spending time in libraries and bookstores. Kathy adored cats, keeping three or more at any one time. At age 10, Kathy was chosen for the role of Helen Keller at Akron’s Weathervane Playhouse.  She loved that role and lived to perform in local theatres. After high school, Kathy earned a bachelor’s degree in art history from Kent State University.  

Kathy was my closest childhood friend—we walked to school together and spent hours talking on the phone.  However, it was not until 2001 that she told me her father had sexually abused her throughout her childhood.  

Kathy began drinking heavily while still in high school and became dependent on alcohol well before reaching age 30.  Kathy was still a young woman when she began showing signs of mental illness and was eventually diagnosed as having schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.  These illnesses plagued Kathy for the rest of her life.

Kathy had no children.  She lived with her mother, Jean Blair, until Jean died several years ago.

After Jean’s death, Kathy continued living in the mobile home they had purchased in 1970.   She found living on her own to be difficult and lonely.   In 2010, Kathy decided to act on her dream of living on the West Coast.  She said goodbye to her friends and cats and traveled to San Francisco, where she briefly lived in her own apartment.  Feeling dissatisfied, Kathy moved to Seattle in 2011, hoping to find happiness and artistic friends.  Instead, she found herself alone and homeless.

Sexual abuse, alcoholism, mental illness and homelessness all contributed to Kathy’s horrible death from hypothermia.  

On January 14, I sent Kathy a final (unanswered) text, “I hope you are warm and safe. Love, Deb.”

My parents, Chet and Alice, my husband, Ken, our daughter, Rebecca, and I, thank each of you for bringing our friend in from the cold and remembering her in this special way.

–D. F. K.

I spoke with an AP reporter last Friday about a subject from a few years ago working its way to completion – adapting state codes to use more gender neutral language. Former Councilmember Jan Drago and I came across the word “fireman” when looking at the 2006 City budget for fire pensions. That seemed like odd language given how many women serve now in the Seattle Fire Department. When we asked staff they said the wording came from state codes. State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles took notice and the state has been working little by little every year to modernize words in state code.

The reporter called me to ask if I had any reaction to the project winding up in this legislative session. You can see the resulting story here. I was taken by surprise to get the reporter’s call. To be honest, I had forgotten about this project.

I had also forgotten about the few, but aggressive, people who had strongly negative things to say about this endeavor back in 2007. Apparently, the antipathy runs strong in some still. From my email inbox today:

“Please tell me if this is politically correct ?  I just saw a photo of you on Google and it’s pretty obvious to me that you are a very mad-frustrated and angry Lesbian that hates men. I truly hope that you contract extremely painful rectal cancer and slowly die while your family and two friends watch helplessly

ps, you can remove All refrences to the words Men or Man but you will Never be as good as one.”

The smiley face is a great touch on that one. Another:

“As a Woman I find it pathetic that women like you are so insecure that you feel the need to BAN words simply because the word “MEN” or “MAN” is part of the word. Really? Do you realize just how STUPID all of this nonsense is? What is it with you Liberal Feminists that you hate “MEN” so much that you feel the need to find insignificant reasons to be OFFENDED. YOU and others who think like you are OFFENSIVE. All of this POLITICALLY CORRECT CRAP is destroying our Constitutional Republic. Which is the GOAL of the Radical Left Wing Progressive Liberal Socialist Pinheads. 

We have a lot of issues that are far more important then all of this PETTY Liberal Progressive BULL*** .    As a woman who grew up on a DAIRY FARM the WORD DAIRYMAN or DAIRYMEN is the CORRECT word. I don’t find it offensive at all. Why? Because I am secure in my person of being a WOMAN. Oh why look at that. The word MAN is in the word WOMAN. What should we CHANGE that to? (((WOMEN)))<<<< Are you starting to open your mind up and realize just how stupid all of this is?”

And another:

“With the debt crisis as well as many other things that need tending to, I find it shameful that you people would waste time and money on something so trivial.

Folks like you and the other elected officials that wasted tax payer monies on this should be fired immediately!

Parents put there children in time out.  That doesn’t work.  People need to ‘get over it’ if their feelings are hurt.

Such a bad example you’re setting.”

To this last sender’s point about cost, staff in Olympia answered that concern by reminding enquiring lawmakers that much of the work is done by the find/replace commands in word processing software. In some cases they’ve left the original wording because there is yet no gender neutral substitute. So be it. My goal for this project was to have our government (the one that serves and is made up by all of us) better reflect all of us rather than just half of us. I think that’s important enough to give a little thought and effort.

I don’t get a lot of vitriolic email so these stand out. Even with all the high-profile, high-stakes issues we do deal with, it’s gender neutral code language that pushes these people to take the time to find my email address (admittedly not difficult), compose a high-octane message and hit send. These emails remind me our work is far from over.

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council explores public campaign financing National experts to share best practices and research

The Seattle City Council will continue their exploration of public campaign financing by welcoming national experts to a series of discussions:

WHAT: Public election financing in practice

WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, 6-8 p.m.

WHERE: Seattle University, 901 12th Ave, LeRoux Conference Center

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmembers
Heather Holt and David Tristan, Los Angeles City Ethics Commission
John St. Croix, Executive Director, San Francisco Ethics Commission
Debbie Aiona, League of Women Voters of Portland

At Thursday's panel, experts will share their experience and best practices with public campaign financing and answer audience questions. The Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission will co-host the event with the Seattle City Council. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Municipal League of Seattle, Seattle University's Political Science Department, Washington Bus, Washington Public Campaigns and the Win/Win Network.

Panelists will be in Council Chambers at noon on Thursday, Jan. 31 to brief Councilmembers during a special meeting of the Government Performance and Finance Committee. View the agenda here.

The second part of this series will focus on public election financing in research, featuring panelists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. This event will take place at the Seattle Central Library on Wednesday, Feb. 13 from 6 - 8 p.m.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Public invited to comment on memorandums of understanding related to renovation of Seattle's Central Waterfront

Members of the Seattle City Council Central Waterfront, Seawall, and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee invite the public to provide feedback on two proposed ordinances relating to partner projects that complement the City's renovation of the Central Waterfront.

WHAT: Public comment opportunity

WHEN: Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, 5:30 p.m. (Sign up available at 5 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chamber, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, second floor
More information on visiting City Hall

The two memorandums of understanding (MOUs), Council Bill 117699 and Council Bill 117698, outline guiding principles, the process to move the project forward and provisions for City-funded support. They also include baseline concept designs that will be refined in coordination with City design of public-right-of-way improvements, including the Overlook Walk, the plaza in front of the Aquarium and new Alaskan Way and Elliott Avenue surface streets.

These MOUs were called for by Council Resolution 31399 relating to the Central Waterfront Concept Design adopted in August 2012.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Seattle City Council adopts updated Shoreline Master Program
New regulations protect shorelines for all

This afternoon the Seattle City Council unanimously adopted Council Bill 117585 comprising the first comprehensive update of Seattle's Shoreline Master Program (SMP) since 1987.

"These new regulations aim to meet the daunting goal of balancing three competing interests: the needs of our vital maritime industries, the public's right to shoreline access, and the state law to protect plant and animal habitat along our waters," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Planning, Land Use and Sustainability committee . "After five years, two drafts, hundreds of hours of staff work, and several phases of public involvement, this package of SMP amendments is a positive and proactive step in the right direction - protecting our precious shoreline resources for all."

The SMP is an important and complex set of regulations that govern development and uses on and adjacent to shorelines. In Seattle, this includes Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Ship Canal, the Duwamish River, Green Lake, and wetlands and floodplains around these. The SMP affects land uses, structures and activities, including those occurring over water and on vessels, the location of structures including setbacks and allowed over water coverage, public access requirements and construction practices related to bulkheads, docks and piers.

Working extensively with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the City Attorney's Office, the Council addressed most of the actions required under state law. In addition to that work, the Council held a public hearing along with public comment sessions at each of our seven Committee deliberations on the SMP, met with representatives of key affected constituencies, including people who live on boats and floating homes and water dependent businesses, and took field trips to visit houseboat communities and affected businesses. As a result of that work, the Council initiated and approved nearly 50 amendments to the legislation.

Many of these amendments were technical modifications and most of theothers clarify various situations involving water dependent businesses. The Planning, Land Use and Sustainabilitycommittee also strengthened some provisions relating to environmental protection and modified provisions relating to future regulation of people living on vessels. The Council made the following amendments to the SMP:

• Created a provision in the proposed allowed height and setback provisions for water dependent businesses to match the requirements for a Seattle company to modify their structure for building boats for Washington State Ferries. The improvements will not only make it possible to construct our ferries locally in a more efficient and economical way, but will reduce environmental impacts on the waterway.
• A provision defining fueling stations as water dependent uses inadvertently omitted the qualifier that these stations must only be for boats.
• A provision regulating single family homes in the shoreline environment did not exclude the use of historic lot lines that were not intended to definebuildable lots. We modified thelot definition.
• Language limiting signs in the shoreline area was strengthened.
• A provision prohibiting artificial reefs in functioning habitats was added.
• Language was added that directs DPD to prohibit the use of pesticides and fertilizers that impact ecological functions in the shoreline environment.
• In several cases, language was added that recognized that water dependent businesses can depend on certain non water related activities to sustain them financially. We allowed some exceptions to the use standards as long as there was no ecological impact and the property owner made a proportional investment in ecological restoration.

SMP update documents may be accessed onDPD's website at: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/ShorelineMasterProgramUpdate

The most challenging aspect of the SMP amendments has to do with figuring out how to address residences on the water. State law specifies that residential uses over water are not preferred uses of the shoreline/water environment. The City cannot change that law - it is based on the SMA initiative, and only the Legislature could modify it. The State did grant exceptions to allow some 480 recognized floating homes and 34 house barges, but has made it clear that there will be no new exceptions.

The Council has formed a stakeholder group to develop and consider alternatives for providing certainty and an orderly process for people currently residingon the water whose status is uncertain because they are not identified as legal existing floating houses or legal barges and are not clearly identified as vessels.

[View in Council Newsroom]

How’s that for a complicated name. Why so complicated? Because not all the structures you see on Lake Union, on the Ship Canal or in Portage Bay fit neatly into a design or function based definition. Some are houseboats, always have been houseboats and always will be houseboats (though we won’t see more houseboat communities springing up due to state law). Some structures that look like floating homes call themselves vessels. And some structures that look almost exactly like the legal barge next door aren’t barges. And some structures that look like boats? Well, they might actually be boats.

Over the past half dozen years the City of Seattle along with cities all over the state has worked at updating a document called the Shoreline Master Program.  Since the early 1970s we, as a state, decided we wanted to be more intentional about how we manage shorelines. The idea is that there is a limited amount of shoreline, great desire to be ecologically better in how we live and work near the water, and some “uses” that are more water-dependent than others. So, a hierarchy of allowed users of our shorelines has come into being. Boat building? Very water-dependent. Boat sales? Less so. Car sales? Not at all.

Today, if all goes according to plan, Council will vote to forward the updated SMP for formal review by the State Department of Ecology. DOE has to approve the updated SMP or send us back to the drawing board. The updated SMP contains many changes to what you can do in the shoreline and how close you can do it to the water, and at what “cost” in terms of mitigation. Most of the enormous document deals with what we might consider the painful details of commercial zoning and use controls, as well as with the various forms of over- and on-water living. These new rules were worked out over the course of several years, many public meetings and multiple SMP drafts.

And even after we vote today, we have more work to do over the next several months.

Left without clear answers are a group of on-the-water-residents who don’t neatly fit into a category, but are part of the fabric of our water-resident community. Some in this group live on structures that look like old vessels adapted into homes. Some live on structures that look like house barges to me, though that’s of little solace since the State put an end to new house barges back in the early 90’s. Some live in what look to me to be large houses on float platforms, despite rules against new floating homes. They may be in violation of the current code, but that would be up to a judge to decide.  It’s important to note that the proposed changes to the Shoreline Master Program would not apply retroactively to the on-the-water residents that are now legally moored in Seattle.

Should these other people in the gray zone be considered legal? Illegal? Non-conforming? Can we find a local solution that meets our desire to treat the lakes, canals and bays with respect? At issue for most is certainty for their future. I’ve heard from people who have invested in a home like anyone else fully believing they were investing in a legal home. I’ve heard from people scared for their investment, who argue they’ve done nothing wrong except buy an unconventional home in an unconventional place and live a quintessential Seattle existence.   

Because we’re finished with everything else in the SMP, I anticipate the Full Council today will approve sending the SMP to DOE for review. Many people feel left out of those meetings, that they either didn’t know about the meetings or their ideas were ignored. Some would like us to hold the vote on the SMP until we solve the problem of the floating question marks. Holding onto the whole SMP longer makes no sense given that we’re past deadline already and the review will take months at DOE. Over the next three months, we will work with these residents, marina representatives, lake advocates, Department of Planning and Development staff, lawyers (of course) and others to attack the remaining issue of these floating question marks with the goal of either an amendment to the SMP that we send to DOE later or an entirely local solution.

That’s my commitment to the floating question marks.

Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

Sea level rise will bring flooding to parts of Seattle by 2050
City plan will reduce greenhouse gases and adapt to climate change

Within the next 40 years,sea level rise caused by climate change will flood parts of Seattle during high tides, according to a new map developed by City planners, using conservative scientific assumptions.

Warming oceans are raising sea levels and changing shorelines worldwide. A new map created by Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) shows parts of West Seattle, Georgetown, South Park, Harbor Island, Interbay and Golden Gardens could be inundated by 2050. The impact on Seattle shorelines depends on factors such as tides and storms, along with actions the City may take to reduce its own contribution to climate change.

"Climate change is an immediate and critical challenge," City Councilmember Mike O’Brien, chair of the Energy & Environment Committee said. "We are already seeing impacts in Seattle from extreme events, such as last month’s flooding of some 100 properties along Beach Drive in West Seattle. We need to take bold steps to prepare our city for expected impacts and drastically reduce our contribution to greenhouse gases going forward."

The City of Seattle has already taken action to deal with climate change. Departments have been taking steps to reduce their climate footprint and adapt to changes in temperature, precipitation and sea level rise. In 2010, Seattle made a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050 and is writing a new Climate Action Plan to meet that goal.

"Seattle Public Utility’s sea level rise map suggests we have work to do to ensure Seattle’s utility infrastructure and assets are prepared for climate change," said Jean Godden, chair of the Libraries, Utilities and Center Committee. "Seattle is at the forefront of cities doing climate change planning and we intend to stay there. We’re going to make sure - starting now - that climate change impacts join safety and reliability as primary planning considerations for SPU and all city departments."

Today, the City Council called for public input on a set of recommendations for a new Climate Action Plan that were put forward by a recently convened Green Ribbon Commission.

"In the absence of meaningful climate action by the federal government, the Mayor instructed the Green Ribbon Commission to continue Seattle's tradition of climate leadership among the nation's cities," said Green Ribbon Commission co-chair Denis Hayes, president of the Bullitt Foundation. "Our recommendations were designed to help Seattle significantly reduce its own climate impact, and also-learning from Katrina and Sandy-help the city prepare for climate disruptions that are now inevitable. Equally important, these actions will also make Seattle a more equitable, prosperous and safe place to live."

"The Climate Action Plan will build on Seattle’s legacy of environmental leadership," O’Brien said. "Over the next two months we will hold a series of public forums and host an online survey to gather input from the people of Seattle to help guide the actions the city needs to take. We welcome all ideas and suggestions for actions we should take in the next three years as well as in the long-term. We plan to adopt a bold Climate Action Plan on Earth Day, April 22."

It is not too early for Seattleites to start preparing, either. Residents living in areas prone to flooding are advised to obtain federal flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, available through Federal Emergency Management Agency. The average flood insurance policy typically costs around $600 per year.

[View in Council Newsroom]

Yesterday the Washington State Legislature opened its annual session and many of us are hoping the cumulative effects of Sandy Hook, Aurora, Tucson, Fort Hood and other tragic locales will spur action in our state (and in the nation overall) to put reasonable constraints on ownership of assault weapons and large-volume ammunition clips, as well as meaningful education and background check requirements. This march was about rational gun regulation, but I don’t think you’d find a person who doesn’t also believe we need a more rational approach to mental health treatment.

A few pictures from Sunday: 

Getting ready to march to Seattle Center. Lots of buttons and signs with the graphic above.

Dogs for rational gun regulation.

This was a relatively short march with a great number of people, but we’re just at the beginning. We need to be bigger, more diverse and louder. And we need to get into conversations with people who disagree with us. We need to listen, discuss, debate, listen some more and push. And we need to be open to learning as we go without losing sight of our goals. Changing gun laws and changing the culture of normalcy around guns and violence will take a lot.  

Councilmember Sally Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw

Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw will be at Deo Valente Cafe in Southeast Seattle's Othello station area this Saturday morning, Jan. 12, 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Come open the new year with coffee and chat about various issues.

'I'm excited to be in my own neighborhood for this session of Coffee with Sallys,' said Council President Sally J. Clark. 'I know public safety, education and business development will come up, but I'm always curious what new topics walk in the door.'

'Happy 2013! I can't think of a better way to start off the new year than being out in the community talking to those who make this city so great,' said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. 'I look forward to connecting with those who can join us.'

WHAT: January 'Coffee with the Sallys'

WHO: Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, 9 - 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Deo Valente Cafe
4219 S. Othello St. 105-C
(SE corner of M.L. King Way & S. Othello St)

Coffee and pastries will be available for purchase (support your local coffee shop) and all questions and topics are on the table.

For more information, or to RSVP (recommended, but not required), please visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/clark/coffeewithsallys_form.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

# # #

[View in Council Newsroom]

Seattle City Council debuts Seattle for Washington webpage

Seattle - The Seattle City Council today launched a webpage dedicated to its statewide engagement effort, Seattle for Washington, aimed at strengthening relationships with key policy makers, legislators and local elected officials from throughout the state.

"It is our hope that by strengthening our relationships and connections with our counterparts in other cities and better understanding the challenges they face, we will improve our ability to work together on common issues," said Council President Sally J. Clark.

The idea of Seattle for Washington and the key principles of the program were developed in 2010 and outreach efforts have continued since then. This year the program focused on meeting with mayors, councilmembers and state representatives from cities around Seattle. During the 2013 state legislative session Councilmembers will make several trips to Olympia to collaborate with colleagues from around the state and speak with legislators.

View the complete list of representatives visited on the Seattle for Washington website.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Council Budget Committee refocuses 2013 budget on urgent, immediate needs
Budget actions invest limited resources to deliver results

Seattle – The Seattle City Council's Budget Committee today voted unanimously on a balanced 2013 budget for city operations and endorsed a spending plan for 2014.

The Council's revisions to Mayor Michael McGinn's September 24 budget proposal add funding for more police officers; focus more work on street repairs and transit speeds; care for Seattle's most vulnerable residents by adding nurse visits for low-income mothers, day shelter space, and support for food banks; build sustainable communities by maintaining investment in community centers and youth violence prevention; and step up the city's ability to measure results of tax payer investment.

"This year we asked the question – how do you deliver the right mix of services while still living out the end of a recession?" said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Mayor McGinn presented a good starting place. We dug into the numbers and the needs. I'm confident this final budget for 2013 manages urgent needs and invests for our future growth."

"The Council worked collaboratively to make changes that effectively address the urgent issues Seattle residents face today," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Budget Committee Chair. "Listening to the community's priorities, we have developed a budget that invests our limited resources wisely and delivers results."

The following documents contain more information about the Council's changes:

• Summary of major Council changes
• Detailed list of Council actions and associated dollar amounts
• What community leaders say about the Council's budget

Proactive public safety

Continuing its emphasis on keeping Seattle's neighborhoods safe, the Council added more than $2.5 million to hire new police officers and fund police emphasis patrols to proactively prevent violent crime.

"The Council prioritized and focused on adding more police officers in neighborhoods," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee. "We increased funding to add 21 police officers and $1 million for proactive policing emphasis patrol. The Council listened and acted to enhance public safety for all neighborhoods."

Enhance transportation mobility

Taking a balanced approach to transportation issues, the Council stressed the needs of today's transit riders while also advancing long-range planning for high-capacity transit already underway. The final budget package reprioritizes more than $2 million in transit funding to improve transit speed and reliability for bus corridors identified in City's Transit Master Plan.

Councilmembers also recognized the importance and need of basic road maintenance, preserving safety, mobility and the efficient movement of goods and allocating $2 million street maintenance, repairs and maintenance along Seattle's major transit corridors.

"The public is asking for better bus service now and with the additional funds SDOT will be able to make near-term road and signal improvements to help Metro provide better service and reliability," said Transportation Committee Chair Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "We are also funding long-range planning for High Capacity Transit. The Madison corridor planning will begin in 2013 and the Eastlake corridor planning begin in 2014."

Caring for our most vulnerable residents

Councilmembers added $1.7 million in direct human services funding for a variety of vulnerable populations including victims of domestic violence, seniors, first-time moms living in poverty, individuals and families needing food security and homeless women, men and families.

"I'm pleased that the Council joined together to create human services package to enhance care for the most vulnerable members of our community," said Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Chair Councilmember Nick Licata. "In particular, it's critical that as part of that package we'll increase shelter capacity for the nearly 2,000 people sleeping outside as well as increasing day services for people spending the night in shelters that are closed during the day. Shelter and day services programs not only address critical survival needs but they also serve as outreach centers for those needing healthcare, case management and a connection back to a supportive community."

"We made great strides towards strengthening human services – adding an average of $2 million over the next two years on top of what the Mayor proposed – including funding for bilingual domestic violence advocacy," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "We also prioritized neighborhoods, making new investments in community center facilities and forest restoration to realize the Seattle we all envision."

Building a sustainable community

To encourage the growth of a more sustainable community and to support Seattle's continued economic recovery, the Council added funding for Green Jobs initiatives, growth-oriented land-use planning initiatives, efforts to reclaim public green space and restaurant permit streamlining.

"The Council is taking actions to create a better future for Seattle," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee. "We are investing in bus and streetcar systems that will increase transportation choices. We are increasing funding for the Green Seattle Partnership, which mobilizes volunteers to maintain the health of our urban forest. We are continuing our emergency preparedness efforts by funding work on unreinforced masonry buildings and creating a resiliency strategy. And we are adding new resources that will strengthen housing, community centers, and human services in our neighborhoods and urban centers."

Following policy developed last year, the Council preserved the tiered structure for community centers, keeping operating hours for centers intact from baseline 2012 levels. The Council also added $500,000 to make capital improvements for the Lake City Community Center.

"Even with our economy showing signs of recovery, we need to be strategic with our resources and spending. We can't continue to fund every desire; we must target results and effectiveness. We have chosen to keep all of our community centers open while directing our money towards proven, intentional programming," said Parks and Neighborhoods Committee Chair Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "We are meeting both needs and wants across the city and being purposeful with our priorities."

"Lake City is a growing and changing community. It's got a great group of active neighbors and residents. Now we are looking into the right programming for teens and seniors and creating an accessible, open, and welcoming community center," added Council President Clark.

Delivering results

To make sure the City's new investments actually improve lives and communities, the Council set aside $400,000 for the City Auditor to conduct evaluations of programs targeted for significant expansion (the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and the Career Bridge employment assistance program) and has provided additional staff at the Auditor's Office to support this work.

The Council also requested additional clarity from the Executive regarding the specific outcome targets for other new or expanded programs, including the Center City Initiative and entrepreneurial support offered by the Office of Economic Development.

"I want to say thank you to all of the people who turned out to testify at public hearings, emailed, called and met with Council throughout this budget process," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I was impressed with the engagement we saw from so many in the community and I think the input we received helped guide our thinking and decisions in this budget."

Final adoption of the 2013-2014 biennial budget will occur Monday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council statement on likely passage of Seawall proposition

SEATTLE – Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, chair of the Council's Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the likely passage of Proposition No. 1 for General Obligation Bonds for the Alaskan Way Seawall:

"On behalf of the Seattle City Council, I applaud and thank Seattle voters for understanding the need to replace this most basic piece of Seattle's commercial and transportation infrastructure by approving Proposition No. 1. Rebuilding the seawall is critical to protecting the lives and property of our neighbors in downtown Seattle and along Alaskan Way and in the water."

The aging seawall has been considered vulnerable to an earthquake ever since the Nisqually Earthquake in 2011. Its collapse would have grave effects upon the businesses, utilities and roads along the waterfront and into downtown.

The measure was designed to fund the public safety need for a new seawall. The replacement project is also the critical first step in a larger vision to revitalize the downtown waterfront.

A strong and secure seawall will serve as the foundation and an important step in moving that revitalization forward. To meet the safety concerns caused by the seawall's vulnerability, the City has an accelerated schedule planned for replacing the seawall. By approving this necessary funding now, the project will be able to take advantage of today's favorable construction and bidding environment to begin this important project in 2013.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council honors Congressman Norm Dicks

Seattle – The Seattle City Council will honor Congressman Norm Dicks for his four and a half decades of service to Washington State during the Full Council meeting on Nov. 5. Congressman Dicks will attend the Council meeting to receive the proclamation.

WHAT:
Proclamation presentation and brief remarks

WHEN:
Monday, Nov. 5, 2 p.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall, Council Chambers
600 Fourth Ave, second floor
Seattle, WA

Please join us in celebrating “Norm Dicks Week” in Seattle, Nov. 4-11, 2012. The proclamation will be available following the presentation on Monday.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

All of these young men were victims of gun violence in 2008.  Their lost contributions to our community are why in 2009 we – the previous Mayor and Council together with community partners — launched the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. The program has been helping young people at risk of carrying out violence or being a victim for three years now and in this budget review (under way until November 19) we’re having a deep and needed discussion about how to ensure we’re enrolling the young people most at risk and serving them with interventions that truly help. 

We created the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative (SYVPI) in 2009 to respond to and end the spate of violence between young people in Seattle. We needed markers to watch and chose two goals — reduce by 50 percent juvenile court referrals for crimes “against persons” committed by youth residing in one of the three “network areas” (Central, Southeast and Southwest Seattle) and to reduce by 50 percent suspensions and expulsions due to violence-related incidents at middle schools in the three areas. To many people these were audacious goals – and for many people not audacious enough. To affect changes with the kids referred into SYVPI we set up a variety of programs, including case management, aggression replacement training employment, and mentoring.

Because the need was and is so urgent, staff at SYVPI describe operating the Initiative as “building the plane as we’re flying it” – responding to immediate needs while choosing community service providers in the three network areas; contracting for programs that keep kids from perpetrating or becoming a victim of violence; making sure we have the right balance of services; and figuring out if we’re targeting the young people who can benefit most from the program.

I’m glad the plane is in the air, and I know that the staff, non-profit partners, and volunteers with SYVPI are working smart and hard along with youth to provide resources and services to our community.  I also think after three years it’s OK to undertake a more careful assessment of what’s working and what’s not with the Initiative. 

My first question – are the most at-risk kids in the program?  We originally planned for 800 young people to be part of SYVPI’s programs.   Over the past two years enrollment expanded to 1600 before being reduced and capped at the current 1050. I’m glad we’re serving so many young people, but I also wonder – are 1,600 youth really at imminent risk of committing violence or becoming a victim?  I don’t doubt that all of these young people (and more) can benefit tremendously from positive youth development services, and I am in favor of funding these services. We must if we’re to create healthy opportunities for all youth. 

My second question – do we have an effective mix of services to prevent youth violence?  I know all of the services the initiative provides – case management, aggression replacement training, mentoring and employment – have good data behind them that show a connection to a reduction in youth violence. Some of these programs are being implemented with modifications from best practices and some of the programs have changed as that flying plane gets built.  I think it’s smart to evaluate whether we’re moving the needle on our goals.

Speaking of goals (and my third question) – are we aiming for the right goals?   That 50 percent drop in referrals to court for juvenile crimes for crimes against persons committed by youth in one of the three networks and that 50 percent drop in suspensions and expulsions for violence related incidents were aspirational goals and remain the overall SYVPI goals.  Annual goals of a 10 percent reduction have been added to better match targets used by the United States Department of health and Human Services.

The latest statistics assembled by SYVPI staff show mixed results for our three years of effort.    Juvenile crimes are down 19% from 2008 to 2011 in SYVPI youth , but down almost as much (17%) for non-SYVPI kids.  Suspensions and expulsions are up 12% from  2008 – 2011 for SYVPI youth as opposed to up 3% for non-SYVPI youth.  So, is it working or not? 

So far in Budget review public hearings, emails and conversations we’ve heard from young people whose lives have been literally saved by SYVPI. Perhaps the best news for these young people is that the City remains strongly committed to making SYVPI a lifesaving set of programs. Councilmembers – those who helped establish SYVPI and the newer ones – uniformly support SYVPI’s work. The Mayor’s draft two-year budget arrived with increased funding for youth currently enrolled in SYVPI and includes money to expand the program to more youth in 2014. Better than trying to convince people to not cut the program, yes?

I hope that when we go through almost-final Budget votes next week we do four things:

1. Confirm ongoing funding for SYVPI programs (more than $3 million a year);
2. Fund the final development and testing of a “risk assessment screening tool” to help identify whether a youth should be in the SYVPI and what services and programs would they need;
3. Fund the staff needed to carry out the new risk assessment;
4. Fund a strong, meaty evaluation of SYVPI so we can know what moves the needle the right way (or maybe the wrong way) in terms of what we’re doing now to keep young people out of violence.

Once we have a risk assessment tool in use and once we have a roadmap for the evaluation, we should consider opening the doors wider than the 1,000-plus SYVPI enrollees we have now. I have no doubt that we can fill the slots with young people in need of mentoring and employment and overall support, but this particular program was built to serve the kids most at risk. I don’t want to lose them.

The deep and needed discussions in Budget review sessions have been about how to evaluate the SYVPI airplane pieced together in flight. We’re at the point where we need to check our assumptions and make sure we’re truly helping the young people in SYVPI. I know in my gut that we are, but we need more than a gut feeling if we’re to spend our dollars in the best way for the young lives at stake. It would be irresponsible to not ask if we can do better; keep young people safer; drive violence further out.

I am as committed now as I was four years ago to making sure that we don’t keep adding names to a list of young people’s lives lost or changed for the worse forever because of youth violence.

Councilmember Bagshaw, Deputy Mayor Lonergan, Mayor Strickland, Council President Clark, and Councilmember Woodards in Tacoma.

Pop quiz: Which Washington city is the City of Destiny?

If you said Tacoma, you are correct.

Tacoma was the destination for four of us last Friday as we dropped in for a quick chat on mutual priorities. The visit was part of the Council’s on-going Seattle For Washington effort to find more points of mutual interest with cities and lawmakers all over the state. And, frankly, it’s fun and educational to go see the world outside Seattle.

Councilmembers Sally Bagshaw, Tom Rasmussen and I were joined on I-5 by Marco Lowe, our chaperone and the director of Seattle’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. We met in one of the University of Washington-Tacoma’s great buildings with Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, Deputy Mayor Joe Lonergan, Councilmembers David Boe and Victoria Woodards, plus Alisa O’Hanlon, Tacoma’s Government Relations Coordinator (the second chaperone).

Do you ever visit a friend’s house and go away thinking, “Wow, they have their act together. Nice house. I really need to tidy up.” Well, Tacoma looks pretty good these days. The UW-T campus makes use of great old warehouses. As Mayor Strickland told us, “It didn’t seem right at the time, but we were lucky to be passed over for Urban Renewal money in the 70’s.” The reward for making it through the period of run-down vacancy is the great urban campus.

We spent two hours discussing the urban development challenges, transportation, governance structures, coordinated taxing efforts, schools, mutual interests in the upcoming state legislative session, Harbor Maintenance Tax frustration and more. 

Two hours not sound like enough time to solve the problems of the state’s first and third largest cities? Correct again. The good news is that Tacoma’s mayor and councilmembers will come north to sit down with us again in November or December as we continue to work together on making the Business & Occupation Tax easier for businesses to file; ensure that urban issues are well represented in the legislative session; and maximize the business of our ports.

I better tidy up.

I tweeted a few times in the past few days about National Save for Retirement Week and I asked people to send me their retirement savings tips. Silence. When I posted an article about Americans worried about retirement to see if it rang true, the replies I got included:

“What’s retirement?”

and

“I’m 36 and I’ve all but given up hope of retiring comfortably in America. Looking at Argentina, Ecuador, Thailand, etc.”

The article I posted from the Pew Research Center (http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/10/22/more-americans-worry-about-financing-retirement/) reflects scientifically what my unscientific twitter poll shows. About four in 10 adults are “not too” or “not at all” confident they have enough savings for retirement. Among adults in their late 30s, the number increases to 53% being “not at all” or “not too confident.” This statistic has increased over years – understandable given the recession and national dialogue about what’s happening to the Social Security system and other traditional methods of retirement.

I can’t predict the life span of Social Security, but I can predict we’ll all prefer a retirement funded by more than that single monthly check. Planning can’t hurt.  A good first step is to get a handle on where you are now in saving and then take a few basic steps to prepare better for retirement. Here are a few links to help you take some of the first steps in evaluating your retirement plan and then figuring out next steps that work for your present and future needs.

Figure Out Your Financial Situation

Social Security Estimator:  http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/
Type in your basic information and this estimator pops out what you can expect to receive in social security depending on the age you retire.  Something I found interesting — there is a big difference between retiring at 62 and retiring at 70.

AARP Retirement Calculator: http://www.aarp.org/work/retirement-planning/retirement_calculator/?intcmp=DSO-SEARCH-AARPSUGG
A reliable calculator that takes into account assets you might be lucky enough to have at retirement. 

Start Planning

Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Retirement:  http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/10_ways_to_prepare.html
A nice resource list on how to work towards retirement.  If you’ve estimated your financial situation and found out about your Social Security benefits, then you’ve already done two things on the list.  Well done! Next step, contribute to your employer’s retirement savings plan.  Even if it’s just a small amount, getting into the habit will pay dividends later. Literally.

If you’re one of those 6 in 10 people that do have retirement figured out, I’d like to hear from you. How did you start? What makes you feel confident?   Comment away.

Seattle City Council requests City Attorney present SPD monitor candidate to court

Seattle – The Seattle City Council passed Resolution 31414 this afternoon, continuing the City's progress in meeting the terms of the consent decree agreed to in August with the United States Department of Justice. The resolution (adopted 8-1) provides guidance to City Attorney Pete Holmes in filing the City's recommendation for a consent decree monitor, a condition required to be met by Fri., Oct. 26.

The resolution identifies police monitoring expert Merrick Bobb, a veteran of police reform efforts in King County, Los Angeles, Oakland, Milwaukee, Albuquerque and elsewhere, as the City of Seattle's preferred monitor. Bobb founded the Police Assessment Resource Center and led the development of National Guidelines for Police Monitors.

Bobb was one of 23 applicants for the monitor position in Seattle. A staff team forwarded five names for interviews. The Mayor, City Attorney, police chief and command staff, city policy and budget staff and a sub-group of City Councilmembers interviewed four candidates after the fifth removed himself from consideration.

"Mr. Bobb is a leading expert in this field and is the most qualified to be the Monitor," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the City Council's Public Safety Committee. "I am confident Mr. Bobb will build an unprecedented and long-lasting relationship between the community and the police department."

"I believe Merrick Bobb will prove to be a strong and balanced monitor," Council President Sally J. Clark said. "Our officers and our community deserve an expert monitor who will be present, who will listen and who will help Seattle make the gains in effectiveness and accountability I know we all want."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Joint statement by City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Bruce Harrell, Tim Burgess and Nick Licata with City Attorney Pete Holmes on selection process of the Seattle Police Department Monitor

City Attorney Pete Holmes, City Council President Sally J. Clark, and Councilmembers Bruce Harrell, Nick Licata and Tim Burgess issued the following statement on the selection process of the Seattle Police Department Monitor:

“Earlier today, Mayor McGinn chose to publicly question the qualifications and integrity of one of the candidates to be appointed the monitor of the Seattle Police Department. The Mayor’s statements undermine the candidate selection process and are factually wrong.

“It has been 10 months since the Department of Justice issued its report calling for reform of our Police Department. We have been patient throughout this process, hoping that the necessary reforms could begin quickly. Unfortunately, the Mayor’s statements today reveal a continuation of the obstruction and stall tactics we have seen from the beginning. We can no longer remain silent.

“Merrick Bobb is one of our country’s preeminent police reform experts. His reputation is unblemished. His experience with police practices, accountability and rebuilding public trust and confidence in the police is extensive and highly appropriate for Seattle.

“All five of us interviewed the finalists for the monitor position. All five of us—independently and contrary to the Mayor’s conclusion—ranked Mr. Bobb as our first choice for this very important position. We intend to advance our recommendation favoring Mr. Bobb’s appointment.

“While the opinions of our Chief of Police and his top commanders deserve our attention and consideration, we do not agree that the leadership of the Police Department should have veto authority over this selection. The monitor’s selection is central to the success of the overall effort to improve SPD’s use of force policies and reduce biased policing. Above all, the people of Seattle must be confident that the selection of the monitor is objective, free from inappropriate interference, and focused on the long-term reform of policing in Seattle.

“Unfortunately, the Mayor’s statements today contribute confusion, doubt and mistrust, especially among our rank and file police officers who we believe are fully ready to embrace high-quality and professional improvements of the Police Department.

“We are at a crucial time in this process that began 10 months ago. What is required is strong, decisive leadership focused at advancing the reforms we believe are necessary.”
           

Councilmembers Clark and Licata statement in support of public financing of campaigns in Seattle

Seattle – Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark and Councilmember Nick Licata issued the following statement in support of public financing of campaigns in Seattle:

"As we tackle the issue of making our local government more responsive to our citizens and making the opportunity to serve in elective office truly accessible, a number of strategies have been proposed and considered. The burden of fundraising should not be the deciding factor for people considering elective office in Seattle. The surest and most direct way to address this hurdle is through public financing of campaigns.

"Seattle had partial public financing of campaigns in effect from 1979-91. A state-level initiative prohibited such public financing in 1992. Sixteen years later the State legislature revisited this issue and passed a 2008 law allowing publicly financed campaigns at the local level if approved by a public vote.

"We were two of the co-sponsors of Council Resolution 31337 which said, ‘The Council will analyze how city election campaigns are currently financed and explore alternatives.' We believe that with the economy improving and the cost of campaign escalating, it is time for the Council to consider putting such a proposal before the voters. A public financing task force met in 2009 and 2010 to vet this idea. Much work has already been done and a proposal could be put before voters as early as 2013."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

 So far the campaign has forwarded eight (as of this afternoon) See It, Send It submissions:

1 – Photos of what looks to be a panhandling scam — two people switching places in a wheelchair while panhandling on the Waterfont
2 – Photo of an alleged drug dealer and a list of his regular business spots coupled with frustration at no response from police.
3 – Letter from a visitor appalled at the sheer number of homeless people Downtown and aggressive panhandling.
4 – Frustration with garbage from food trucks strewn on the sidewalk long after the vendors are gone.
5 – Hotel evaluation comments from a visitor who didn’t feel safe walking down to the waterfront because of litter, the smell of urine and “begging crackheads.”
6 – Photos submitted of pitbulls, blankets, cardboard signs and other material next to a tour bus stop on the waterfront.
7 – Bank customer observed someone urinating onto the sidewalk in front of the bank entrance.
8 – Visitor intimidated by a barking pitbull at Westlake Park, so intimidated she broke off her shopping trek and asked her hotel to pick her up. 

 None of these are great to find Downtown whether you’re a cruise ship visitor or you live in town. On the good side, I’ve heard from Tom Norwalk, the director of the SCVB, that Seattle Police Department, Seattle Public Utilities and other city departments have jumped quickly to clean up and fix problems identified in these messages. (Yes, we should prevent some of the problems in the first place, but I appreciate the city staff’s response.)

 And then there are the more difficult scenarios to address, the ones involving people impaired in one way or another.

 I hesitated to include the “begging crackheads” language from number 5 above, but I chose to because I think the reaction I have to that language (and the assumptions I make about the user of that language) may explain why we wrestle so hard in Seattle with these questions. I don’t think anyone deserves to be called a “begging crackhead,” even crack addicts. See It, Send It shouldn’t be reduced to an open invitation to vent and it shouldn’t allow people to cavalierly paint everyone with the same brush. Unfortunately, some people see in the See It, Send It campaign an open invitation to sweep the streets indiscriminately. Another email in my box spurred by See It, Send It:

 “I am fed up and disgusted by the crime, filth, human waste, and aggressiveness that comes with a failed plan to deal with excessive vagrancy.  Activists… had a chance with their advocacy and plan.  It’s a failure.  Pouring more time and money into it is irresponsible and absurd.   It’s time for a new plan to aggressively deal the panhandlers, criminals and vagrants that taint our city.  Please take immediate action to curtail funding to 503c3′s perpetuating this problem and empower and embolden our police department to assertively deal with the vagrants.”  

 The language of See It, Send It #5 is dehumanizing and I’m not so hot on the language of the emailer above either.

 At the same time, rejecting See It, Send It’s focus on the overall impact of “street people” is untenable, it would be like putting our heads in the sand. We do have stretches of our streets and areas in our parks where crime, trash and behavior make a lot of people – including homeless people – feel less welcome and less safe. We’re not good at saying so. It makes us feel mean and less compassionate.

 But there’s nothing compassionate about allowing drug dealing to persist or allowing trash to pile up or allowing people in distress to wander without intervention. We do no great service by allowing compassion to create cover for destruction.

 I happen to agree with many supporters of the See It, Send It campaign that we’re not succeeding the way we’d like in our efforts to move people off the streets and into housing and services. We’ve made incredible strides when it comes to building new housing with the services needed to keep people living in their homes successfully.

 However, because of the recession, the toll of drug and alcohol addiction and the crush of untreated mental illness, we have as big a lift in front of us today as we did when we started the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. See It, Send It has the possibility to be more than venting. It can and should demand both enforcement and a way off the street for people.

 Just last week we opened the doors on the winter shelters to augment the “regular” number of beds and mats available. We have a Center City Initiative and a Third Avenue project. We just unified property management at Westlake Park and new play area is about to be installed there. We’re pumping up outreach at Westlake to move homeless young people into housing and services. Police are attempting a new treatment diversion approach for some in Belltown. Earlier this year we opened the new Crisis Solutions Center, an alternative to jail or Harborview for people on the street in mental health distress.

 We have good people and good efforts trying to change the facts of street disorder and homelessness. See It, Send It creates the pressure. We all need to stay engaged after hitting the “send” button in order to solve the puzzle.

Office of the City Clerk receives recognition from the Community Employment Alliance

Seattle – The Community Employment Alliance recognized the Seattle City Clerk's office last week as one of the 11 Washington businesses to receive this year's "Outstanding Employer Award."

"The Office of the City Clerk has really stepped up to become a model for best practices in recruiting, hiring, and retaining people with disabilities," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Thank you to Community Employment Alliance for the recognition." 

The "Outstanding Employer Award" honors Washington businesses, government agencies and non-profit corporations that have made exceptional efforts to employ people with disabilities; and who by their recruitment, hiring, retention and promotion policies are role models in their community.

"We are privileged to serve as a partner with the Community Employment Alliance.  Our supported employee gains knowledge and skills and our organization benefits from their valuable contributions," said City Clerk Monica Martinez Simmons.

The Office of the City Clerk serves as administrative head of the Legislative Department by providing access to the City of Seattle's legislative process, local laws, policies, and regulations, ensuring the integrity and preservation of the public record. The Clerk's role, as impartial custodian of the City's official records, ensures process education and access to information about the City's actions and policies.

For more information on the Office of the City Clerk, visit our website .

For more information on the Community Employment Alliance and the "Outstanding Employer Award," click here.  

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

 While I was busy escorting and listening, staff was busy refreshing this page:

 http://www.seattle.gov/council/budget/ 

 Now we start the several week long process of budget analysis. It’s the City Council’s job to thoroughly go through the proposed budget and determine how the City should spend our money best. This determination process will involve presentations from City Departments, community input, two rounds of discussions, and final decisions and voting. We start with general overviews of select departments and work our way more and more into questions about policy and priorities the further we go.  It’s a two month process that starts this week and should end just before Thanksgiving.

 For Mayor McGinn this is his third city budget proposal and the first in which he’s had any wiggle room to make “investments” – putting money into new efforts like transit corridor planning, bike route planning and hiring new police officers.  For the first time in several years, social service groups who contract with the city to provide shelter, food, counseling and other services will see an inflation adjustment in their contracts. We’ll add back some of the hours cut at high-use community centers. We might even hire some new police officers moving ourselves back toward the hiring commitment we made before the recession.

 These proposed additions are possible not because we have new, excess revenue. They’re possible because the gap isn’t as bad as feared last spring – the $32 million gap predicted earlier this year shrank. Sales tax receipts and taxes on real estate transactions are rebounding, but we still need to trim to balance the budget. The proposed budget still contains staff layoffs.

 I’ll be asking if we’re trimming in the right places, adding back in the right places, spending on new ideas in the right places.

 A resolution we passed earlier this summer about performance outcomes for new initiatives will help with our assessment of the budget. We’ll focus on funding projects that can show positive outcomes for City residents by asking the following questions of each new item:

• What is the long term and measurable goal or goals of the program?
• What is the gap between the status quo and the program goals?
• How effective is the new program expected to be in making progress toward the stated goals?
• How will the success of the new or changed program be measured?

 Keep an eye on the City’s budget page: http://seattle.gov/council/budget/ for additional perspective from the Council on the budget.

 And here’s where you come in.  I need your help to do my job better.   I depend on your feedback and input to make decisions about the budget. There are a couple of different ways you can get involved:

• Take our budget survey here:   https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CityCouncilBudgetSurvey

What are your priorities?  How are services in your neighborhood?  What would you like to see changed?  Taking this survey (it should take 10 minutes) will give us some great information.

• E-mail me at sally.clark@seattle.gov or call our office at 206-684-8802.

Let us know about your budget priorities.  Is there a key service that is effective in your community?  Something you’d like to see different? My staff and I review every e-mail and phone call I receive.

• Attend one of two budget hearings at Seattle City Hall and give your statement to the entire Seattle City Council. 

Hearings are in Council Chambers Thursday, October 4 and October 25, both at 5:30 p.m.  Typically, a couple of hundred people attend, so it’s best to arrive earlier than 5:30 p.m. to sign up to deliver a 2 minute statement to Seattle City Council.  This is a crucial part of the budget process and gives us lots of information about the breadth of issues the City needs to be concerned about.

 I look forward to hearing from you over the next few weeks.

Seattle City Council approves rental housing inspection legislation

Seattle – The Seattle City Council voted today (5-0) to approve rental housing inspection legislation, improving living conditions for Seattle's more than approximately 269,000 renters occupying 147,000 rental units. Council Bill 117569 provides a multi-faceted approach to addressing Seattle's sub-standard housing through a registration and inspection program.

"I have great hopes that this program will improve the conditions of renters living in substandard housing.  A similar program in Los Angeles has resulted in a $1.3 billion re-investment in the City's rental housing stock while costing tenants in LA less than $13 year," said Councilmember Nick Licata, Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Chair.

"This law protects senior citizens and thousands of other residents throughout Seattle by ensuring that their rental homes are safe," added Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We listened carefully to both the tenant groups and the apartment owners, and the resulting law proves that collaboration can accomplish great things for our city."

"Tenants deserve safe and livable housing and landlords need clear and reasonable inspection regulations," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "This legislation makes both of those things happen and has a realistic roll out plan."

"This legislation is the result of years worth of conversation and making sure we remained focused on protecting the health of renters," added Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This was a successful collaboration of many stakeholders, all concerned about quality of life."

"This legislation reinforces the simple notion that tenants are entitled to basic standards of health and safety," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

In June 2010, the Seattle City Council adopted Ordinance 123311, creating a rental housing registration and inspection program. At the same time, the Council also adopted Resolution 31221, requesting that the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) convene a stakeholder group and report back with recommendations for implementing the rental housing registration and inspection  program.

The Stakeholder Group met 14 times between December, 2010 and January, 2012, resulting in a series of recommendations on the scope of a rental housing program.  The current legislation passed out of the City Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee after eight committee meetings on September 26, 2012 with a vote 4-0.

For a summary of elements of the program, clilck here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Join the Seattle City Council's "Sallys" for coffee and conversation

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw will be in the Bitter Lake neighborhood in October to speak with members of the community. 

The October "Coffee with Sallys" conversation hour will be held in the Family Room at the Bitter Lake Community Center on Saturday, October 13, from 9 – 10:30 a.m. The coffee chat is open to everyone and the Councilmembers will listen and speak with Seattleites about local issues in an informal setting. 

"I'd love to talk with you about Northwest Seattle neighborhood happenings," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Please consider starting your day with us."

"We're in the midst of budget. This is a great time to come chat with us and let us know what your priorities are! We hope you will join us," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.
Join the Councilmembers:

Saturday, October 13, 9 – 10:30 a.m.
Bitter Lake Community Center, Family Center Room
13035 Linden Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98133

Coffee and pastries will be provided by the Councilmembers and all questions and topics are on the table. 

For more information, or to RSVP (recommended, but not required), please visit our web page.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Have a question for the Seattle City Council? Get it answered on Seattle Channel's Council Edition
Councilmembers Clark, Harrell and Rasmussen to appear on
October's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have a question for the City Council? Will the Council's recent vote to cap towing rates face a legal challenge? What is the City doing to lessen the impacts of the Free Ride Zone elimination? What do the tolling study results mean for the future of the SR 99 tunnel? Is the arena really a done deal? Join the conversation, submit your questions now.  

The Oct. 9 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Bruce Harrell and Tom Rasmussen answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon on Friday, Oct. 5.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
Oct. 9 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves arena legislation
Revised agreement preserves jobs and protects public investment

Seattle – The Seattle City Council voted 6-2 today to approve a revised agreement with private investor Chris Hansen for a new sports and entertainment arena (Council Bill 117480). The final version of the bill includes technical amendments discussed over the past ten days with the King County Council.

"Council staff, lawyers and councilmembers have worked hard to produce an agreement that protects the city, charts the right site review process and secures appropriate public benefits," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "Today's vote closes one phase of tasks and begins another, including work on how we plan for a bright future at Seattle Center."

The final agreement approved by the City Council expands public benefits in the proposal through dedicated funds for transportation projects and Key Arena. It also strengthens the legal and financial protections afforded to the City and County, including a personal financial guaranty from Hansen.

"The Council's action today allows us to move forward on the processes laid out in this agreement," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council committee that reviewed the agreement. "Working together, we can improve freight mobility, protect maritime and industrial jobs, bring a new source of economic and cultural activity to our city and ensure a healthy future for the Seattle Center."

"The financial protections in place for Seattle and our taxpayers make this a great deal for non-sports fans and fans alike, and I applaud everyone involved for coming together to work out a winning solution for all parties," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I think this deal sets a new standard for public-private partnerships in projects like this around the country."

"The terms of this agreement reflect our commitment to taxpayers' financial security, the well-being and viability of the Seattle Center, and the need for freight and traffic to move smoothly and reliably," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "This is a significant milestone in the journey to bring the NBA back to Seattle."

 "This new, forward-thinking agreement is a culmination of the hundreds of thousands of devoted Sonics fans working to bring back the Sonics," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I applaud Mr. Hansen for his unquestionable commitment to Seattle and his pragmatic approach in negotiating with the City and conversing with all regional stakeholders for the strongest public/private deal in the country. The green and yellow are on their way back home and I look forward to hearing Kevin Calabro call out—flying chickens in the barnyard—once again."

"Throughout this process I've been asking a lot of questions," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "I'm ready to move the process forward, remembering that concerns from our industries, taxpayers, Seattle Center and about environment impacts must be addressed before the documents are finalized."

The Mayor submitted legislation with agreements between the City, King County and Mr. Hansen's ArenaCo to the City Council on May 18. The Council spent two months reviewing the proposal and gathering input from members of the public. On July 30, eight Councilmembers sent a letter to Hansen outlining areas of concern in the proposal and stating a desire to reach a positive agreement.

The legislation includes two documents: a memorandum of understanding between the City of Seattle, King County and private investor Chris Hansen and an interlocal agreement between the City and County.

The following documents contain more information on the revised agreement:

• Summary of major changes
• Frequently asked questions

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Chow, battling brain cancer, is a long time advocate for youth and the Seattle community, having served as a Seattle City Councilmember (1990 – 1997) and a School Board member.  She has also been a volunteer for the Seattle Chinese Community Club Girl’s Drill team and youth basketball leagues.

Photos from this event can be seen in this Flicker Gallery.

Video of the September 17 special recognition event, Seattle Channel

Video tribute to Cheryl Chow, Seattle Channel

“They’re popping up like Starbucks!”

That was the take from a patient in the waiting area of one of the dozen medical marijuana shops I surveyed the Monday of Labor Day weekend. (And, no, “surveyed” does not mean “patronized.”)

Councilmember Nick Licata and I have been working with staff from the city’s Department of Planning and Development and with a group of medical marijuana advocates and shop operators to devise a set of City rules for this burgeoning business area dwelling in on odd legal twilight between federal law (“illegal under any circumstance – no, really, we’re serious”) and Washington voters (back in 1998 we said we believed patients should have access to marijuana).

As anyone who walks, rides or drives the city can tell you, medical marijuana seems to be booming business. In my unscientific drive of Rainier Valley I found 11 or 12 shops between Rainier Beach and South Dearborn Street. Watch for the green crosses and the big MMJ letters.

On the Sunday I checked them out and walked into a couple, plenty were open and I observed a mix of people inside and out. You walk into a small waiting area and talk initially with a staff person behind an enclosed counter about your order. No huge crowds. Some people who, frankly, looked unwell. Other people, well, maybe they were picking up for a sick relative.

Cities including Seattle have been hoping to get guidance from the state about what’s legal and what’s not when it comes to the production, processing and provision of medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the clarity train has derailed each of the past two sessions. We know collective gardens are the preferred form for access, but that’s about all we know. In the meantime several cities in the state have instituted moratoriums prohibiting the establishment of medical marijuana collectives.

In Seattle we have not instituted a moratorium, electing instead to regulate. The idea is to issue a business license for a collective (or dispensary or access point or shop or whatever we’re calling it now), like we have now for more than 150 collectives, and hold the business to community standards like any other business.

To that end we have a draft set of zoning regulations:

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/CannabisZoningRestrictions/default.asp

that addresses the potential off-site impacts of larger-scale cannabis-related activity.  The bill would accomplish this by limiting the level of activity allowed in single-family and multifamily residential zones,  small-scale business areas, and  areas with historic character (such as the Pike Place Market or Chinatown/International District) to what the State allows in a single collective garden.  In these areas, the amount of cannabis that could be grown, sold, or processed would be strictly limited, whether this activity is part of a business or is located in a dwelling unit   The rules would also clarify the maximum size of any indoor  cannabis growing or processing  operation that wants to set up in industrial zoning. Otherwise, a shop could try setting up.

I say “try” because there are some other considerations, like, to repeat, this is an illegal activity in the eyes of federal law enforcement, with special attention paid if a shop sets up within 1,000 feet of a school and if the shop simply has too much supply on hand. And let’s be honest, there’s no way there’s enough legitimate medical access business to support 11 or 12 shops in Rainier Valley in addition to all the other shops setting up in the city.

 Councilmember Licata and I will be visiting a number of community council and District Council meetings this fall to talk about the proposed rules. I hope to see you at a meeting.

Council to recognize public service of Governor Chris Gregoire

Seattle – The Seattle City Council will present a proclamation to Governor Chris Gregoire recognizing her twenty years in office, including eight years as Governor, on Monday at approximately 3:15 p.m.  

WHAT:
Proclamation honoring Governor Chris Gregoire

WHEN:
Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, approximately 3:15 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall,
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor

Meeting materials can be found through the City Council calendar.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Council to honor the accomplishments of former Councilmember Cheryl Chow

Seattle – Former Seattle City Councilmember Cheryl Chow will receive special recognition for her public service in Seattle on Monday at 2 p.m.

Chow, battling brain cancer, is a long time advocate for youth and the Seattle community, having served as a Seattle City Councilmember (1990 – 1997) and a School Board member.  She has also been a volunteer for the Seattle Chinese Community Club Girl’s Drill team and youth basketball leagues.

WHAT:
Proclamation and presentation honoring Cheryl Chow
WHEN:
Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, 2 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall,
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor

Meeting materials can be found through the City Council calendar.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Councilmembers announce new arena deal
Revisions protect public's investment, preserve family-wage jobs

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Tim Burgess and Mike O'Brien announced today that they have reached an agreement with Chris Hansen's ArenaCo for a new sports and entertainment arena they will recommend to their colleagues for approval by the full Council.

The modified memorandum of understanding (MOU) protects family-wage jobs in Seattle's industrial, manufacturing and maritime sectors by funding freight mobility and other transportation improvements. The MOU also strengthens the legal and financial protections afforded to the City and County, including a personal financial guaranty from Hansen.

"The new and improved agreement with Mr. Hansen makes this a sound step for Seattle," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "We set out to make sure the general fund is protected, freight mobility is helped and that we have help in charting the future of Key. We achieved these goals."

The new agreement creates a $40 million SODO Transportation Infrastructure Fund to address longstanding transportation problems in the area. The Fund will initially be a collaboration between the City and County, but additional funding will be sought from other public and private partners, including the Port of Seattle and state and federal governments. Councilmembers also announced that the City will begin an area-wide planning process to strengthen land use protections for industrial lands, including the creation of a Port Overlay District.

The MOU clarifies the environmental review process by requiring an examination of alternative sites, including the Seattle Center, and stating that final City Council adoption of transaction documents will only come after the EIS process is fully completed.

"We strongly believed that public money should be used for broader public purposes. The negotiated changes allow us to address long-standing transportation problems, preserve good jobs and protect Seattle's taxpayers," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Council's committee that analyzed the agreement. "The new agreement demonstrates how healthy skepticism paired with collaboration and good governance can lead to wonderful opportunities for the public."

In addition to transportation improvements, the new agreement creates a $7 million Key Arena Fund, a portion of which will be used to fund a study of options for the future of Key Arena and the Seattle Center.

The agreement includes significant new financial protections for the City and County, including a personal guaranty by Hansen for the City and County's annual debt payments. It also requires ArenaCo to double the security reserve if its revenue fails to meet expectations.

"This agreement marks an exciting day in Seattle as we take a big step towards bringing back the Sonics. This is a great deal for the City and County, basketball fans and non fans alike," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "This deal is not just about an arena or the Sonics, it now includes new funding for transportation improvements in SODO, a new path towards protecting our industrial lands, and new money for Key Arena. I commend Mr. Hansen for his good faith negotiations throughout these past few months."

The revised language gives the City and County the authority to conduct an independent, third party assessment of the financial assumptions underlying the planned construction and operations of the arena and the overall risks associated with both prior to the approval of the final Transaction Documents. The City and County will have access to the same information about ArenaCo and its business structure as the entity's private lenders. At the end of the arena use agreement, the City and County can require ArenaCo to purchase the land and facility for $200 million.

The Mayor submitted legislation with agreements between the City, King County and ArenaCo to the City Council on May 18. The Council spent two months reviewing the proposal and gathering input from members of the public. On July 30, eight Councilmembers sent a letter to Hansen outlining areas of concern in the proposal and stating a desire to reach a positive agreement.

The Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will consider the revised legislation at a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. in Council Chambers (600 Fourth Ave, Second Floor). After a vote in committee, the legislation will be voted on by the Full Council on Monday, September 17 or Monday, September 24.

The following documents contain more information on the revised agreement:

• Summary of major changes
• Frequently asked questions

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to make an announcement on arena negotiations

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers will make an announcement on the proposed arena this morning:

WHAT:
Arena announcement

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Mike O’Brien

WHEN:
Today, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:
Outside of Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor, at the top of the stairs

This press announcement will be live-streamed on the Seattle Channel website at http://www.seattlechannel.org/eventLive/.

For more information on the documents the Council has reviewed on the proposed arena, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/arena.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City leaders propose new cannabis regulations

Seattle – Today an intergovernmental team consisting of City staff and representatives from the Mayor's office, City Councilmembers and the City Attorney set in motion the process to begin deliberations on proposed legislation to establish zoning regulations for growing, processing, and dispensing of cannabis in Seattle. The intent is to help protect city businesses and neighborhoods. 

"Medical marijuana providers operate in a grey area between city, state and federal law," said Mayor McGinn. "This proposal is an attempt to better define appropriate operations for dispensaries. We look forward to hearing from the public on this approach."

"I support safe and responsibly run access points for medical cannabis in Seattle; it's important that these access points be subject to zoning laws and other city regulations just like any other business or land use," said City Attorney Pete Holmes.

The purpose of this proposed ordinance is to limit the off-site impact of larger-scale cannabis-related activity in zones where they may have increased impacts on neighborhood character or security, specifically those zones with a predominately residential or historic character: 

• Single family and multifamily residential zones
• Neighborhood Commercial 1 zones
• Pioneer Square Mixed, International District Mixed and Residential, Pike Place Mixed, Harborfront neighborhoods

In these zones, the growing, processing, or dispensing of cannabis would be limited to:

• 45 cannabis plants;
• 72 ounces of useable cannabis; and
• An amount of cannabis product that could reasonably be produced with 72 ounces of useable cannabis.

"My goal is for zoning regulations that minimize possible neighborhood impacts while providing reasonable access for patients," added Council President Sally J. Clark.

This proposed ordinance would create additional limitations on growing, processing, and dispensing of cannabis to existing State or federal laws and is an exercise of the City's authority to protect public health, safety, and welfare.

More information can be found in the Department of Planning and Development's Land Use Information Bulletin.

The SEPA appeal period ends Monday, October 1. Members of the public will have the opportunity to comment on these proposed regulations when the Council discusses this ordinance this December, in Councilmember Licata's Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee. 

"We want to create standards now so that we don't repeat what is happening in Los Angeles, where law enforcement raids shut down operations of good and bad businesses alike and eventually City Council banned dispensaries altogether because there were few standards in LA to hold operators accountable," said Councilmember Nick Licata. "For this reason, I hope access point operators and neighborhood residents will agree that they each can benefit from the consistency and accountability that these regulations will provide."

City Councilmembers Nick Licata and Sally Clark will be visiting Neighborhood Council meetings through December to gather feedback on the proposal.  Additional information on these meetings will be available as they are scheduled.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council approves Yesler Terrace redevelopment legislation
Comprehensive legislation lays the groundwork to improve neighborhood for low-income residents

SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council voted unanimously today to approve legislation allowing the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to redevelop the 22-acre Yesler Terrace public housing neighborhood.

The legislative package requires SHA to replace 561 existing units of very low-income housing for current residents, build more than 1,200 new income-restricted units at a variety of affordability levels, and allows for as many as 4,500 total housing units.

Council President Sally J. Clark said, "The Council took this opportunity to ensure the Yesler Terrace redevelopment plan will respect the needs of people who live in Yesler now and to make sure that Yesler evolves into a greater urban neighborhood for more residents."

Terms of the planned action ordinance, cooperative agreement and street vacation call for SHA to construct community gardens, pedestrian pathways and pocket parks open to the public, and re-landscape the neighborhood with more trees than are currently present.

"The Yesler Terrace redevelopment will increase low income housing, create a vibrant neighborhood next to downtown, and take a major step towards meeting our growth management goals. New Holly, High Point, and Rainier Vista demonstrate Seattle Housing Authority's ability to develop extraordinary communities," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, co-vice chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee. "The Yesler Terrace Redevelopment project will be added to this list as a careful, thoughtful, and prudent project that will make a big difference in many people's lives."

The Housing Authority may build up to 900,000 square feet of office, medical service space and lodging, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail and services.

SHA will provide comparable housing for all current Yesler Terrace residents during construction. Every resident will also receive a certificate guaranteeing their right to return to the neighborhood once new housing is completed. SHA estimates replacement construction will begin in 2013.

Councilmember Nick Licata, co-vice chair of the Special Committee said, "The Council made this development better by providing stronger assurances that excess revenues must provide additional very low income housing and any future use of Housing Levy funds at Yesler Terrace must be awarded according to a competitive process.  In addition, renters' rights to return to Yesler are much strengthened by limiting SHA's criteria for screening returning tenants."

The Council modified the Mayor's proposed cooperative agreement between SHA and the City to improve the project and provide further safeguards for residents of Yesler Terrace. Of the 20 amendments to the cooperative agreement the Council passed, several were imposed to further protect Yesler Terrace tenants, improve the quality of the neighborhood and to increase the amount of low-income housing created:

• SHA is required to use all proceeds from the sale of land for infrastructure and low-income housing in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood. 

• If SHA gets more than it needs to pay for the infrastructure and low-income housing, additional funding will pay for up to 100 more units for very-low income residents (households that make no more than 30% of area median income).

• Housing built east of Boren in the early stages of the project must include units for low-income residents.

• If a tenant has a dispute, SHA is required to work with the Yesler Terrace Community Council and the Citizens Review Council to resolve the matter.

• If future Housing Levy dollars are requested for Yesler Terrace, any funds will be awarded through the regular Housing Levy Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process.

• SHA must work with community organizations that assist women- and minority-owned businesses and economically disadvantaged individuals to obtain employment through Section 3 hiring, apprenticeship programs and equal opportunity programs.

"Our vision for Yesler Terrace is to improve the quality of life for all who choose to live, work, and play there," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This new community will foster understanding for generations among our children, seniors, those who speak English and those who don't. It will provide access to jobs, schools, transportation, medical care and more. It's a vision that has been years in the making. I am proud today to say Yes to Yesler."

"Since its inception, Yesler Terrace has fostered a unique community, allowing thousands of Seattleites to create a home and raise children near the heart of downtown.  I'm thrilled to see residents get the improvements they deserve in order to continue to thrive," said Councilmember Jean Godden. "Additionally, I am committed to ensuring that the voices of communities impacted by the change continue to guide the redevelopment process."

"Today's vote is an important step towards creating more healthy, affordable housing in Seattle. I am committed to continuing to work with SHA and Friends of Little Saigon to ensure that this is a project that benefits not just Yesler Terrace residents but the surrounding communities as well," added Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"As Civil Rights chair, I believe we must work inclusively with this diverse community and reassure the 1,200 residents who include families with children, people with disabilities, seniors, and immigrants who speak other languages, a right to return to their home and community," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I am confident that this cooperative agreement will assure, at a minimum, a 1-for-1 replacement of low-income units at Yesler Terrace."

"Remaking Yesler Terrace will create a strong neighborhood full of opportunity and hope in the heart of Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "It's a project that creates jobs, contributes to economic growth, protects affordable housing and lines up perfectly with our desire for fairness and opportunity for all. It's a project that is rooted in our progressive values."

"This exciting project will rebuild badly needed low-income housing for current residents and generations to come," said Andrew J. Lofton, Executive Director of Seattle Housing Authority.  "We've enjoyed collaborating with the City Council, Mayor and many others to develop this plan, and we're excited to move forward."

For more information on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans, visit http://www.seattle.gov/council/issues/yesler_terrace.htm.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Have a question for the Seattle City Council?
Get it answered on Seattle Channel's Council Edition
Councilmembers Clark, Burgess and Godden to appear
on September's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have a question for the City Council? Will the proposed NBA/NHL arena become a reality? What are the Council's 2013 budget priorities and how will they align with those of Seattleites? What does passage of the Library Levy mean for Seattle libraries? What does the Council's vote on Yesler Terrace mean for the neighborhood and residents? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The Sept. 11 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Tim Burgess and Jean Godden answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon on Thursday, Sept. 6.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
Sept. 11 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Last month I had the fortunate opportunity to visit Seattle and I write to congratulate the city leaders and the local community for this experience.
 
As an international visitor from Australia, I did not know very much about Seattle. I was visiting to learn and for once, I did not want any preconceived ideas. I had no expectations, all I knew about Seattle was that the city was surrounded by forests, lakes and mountains and it rained – a lot.
 
I arrived on the day that plastic bags were banned and was somewhat pleasantly surprised at this regulation. Did the general Seattle resident really believe in a sustainable environment or was this just a government directive to get people to be activity involved?
 
I was the ultimate tourist, visiting all the sites but noting what made this city different.
 
Firstly, your city is very green and clean. I walked the streets to find very little litter. However, the most delightful assets of your city  are the residents themselves. People went out of their way to give directions and to engage in conversation with a lone, female, 50 something Aussie, with a map!
Recycling, community gardens, a balance between ecological and economic sustainability  and a wonderful appreciation for the natural environment were all areas of discussion with complete strangers.
 
When a city looks good and the residents are proud of it, they react and treat each other and visitors with the same consideration.
My visit to Seattle made me reconsider my attitudes in regards to the ability of citizens and leaders  to take charge and make a difference about the impact of human behaviour on our environment.
Well done, Seattle!
Leaders of communities and the general public would all benefit from a visit to your city and by the way, the mountains, lakes and forests were beautiful and there was no rain!
 
Penny
AUSTRALIA QLD 4XXX 

SEATTLE – Today Mayor Mike McGinn, Councilmember Richard Conlin, and Council President Sally J. Clark, in partnership with King County and Washington State, launched the Industrial Development Pilot Program. The program is designed to support and grow the region’s industrial economy by providing regulatory and policy flexibility, financial incentives, and/or workforce training in support of innovative and sustainable industrial projects.

Washington State, King County and the City of Seattle will select up to ten Industrial Development Pilot Projects for priority assistance to explore regulatory and policy flexibility and financial incentives. By evaluating the success of the pilot projects, long-term, systemic solutions could be identified to support a model that encourages sustainable industrial development in our region and across the state.

“This innovative program will encourage new ideas for growth and reinvestment in our valuable manufacturing and maritime sectors. These sectors have long-provided family-wage jobs and a diverse economy for Seattle and the region,” said Mayor McGinn. “Our message to industrial businesses and property owners is clear. If you have a good idea, we want to support it. If you know of a better way to grow jobs while taking care of the environment, let’s try it.”

In order to be considered for the incentives, projects must demonstrate that they would achieve a positive industrial economic benefit, equal or better environmental performance than current regulations require, and be located on industrially zoned land within unincorporated King County or the City of Seattle.

"This program puts innovation in the driver's seat of industrial development," said Councilmember Richard Conlin, Chair of the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee and primary sponsor of the Industrial Development Pilot Program. "We want to achieve more sustainable practices and a cleaner environment by pursuing creative alternatives to existing policies and regulations.”

Washington’s Puget Sound Region and King County are uniquely positioned to grow as world leaders in the design, manufacturing, and export of locally made products and services in a number of industrial sectors. Success of the region’s manufacturing and maritime industry sectors are essential to retain and create living-wage industrial jobs, and to maintain a diverse regional economy.

In Seattle alone, manufacturing and maritime businesses support more than 90,000 jobs, generate $6 billion per year in taxable retail sales, and contribute over $37 million per year in B&O taxes. Industrial businesses have been resilient during the economic downturn, but need support to remain globally competitive.

“Our hope is that these pilot programs will serve as a launch pad for innovative industrial projects that create family-wage jobs and create sustainable and environmentally sound industrial growth," said Council President Sally Clark, Chair of the Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations Committee.

Responses are due to the Office of Economic Development by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 5, 2012. Two question and answer meetings will be held on September 17, 2012 and October 4, 2012.

For details on the Request for Concepts (RFC), visit www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment.

City’s Office of Economic Development (OED)
OED supports a healthy business environment and empowers companies to grow and compete. We provide services directly to businesses through advocacy, retention and expansion assistance, and workforce development. OED has several financing options for businesses, including options for small to medium to large businesses. Visit www.growseattle.com to access city services for businesses, and for more information about our office, visit www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment

Seattle Jobs Plan
Mayor Mike McGinn’s vision for next generation economic development that creates a sustainable economy with shared prosperity in Seattle was launched in August 2010. It consists of new and existing policies, programs and investments designed to help create quality jobs, protect the environment, and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city of Seattle's public investments. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/mayor/jobsplan.

Seattle City Council
Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

All Mayor's Office press conferences, town halls and general public meetings are archived by Seattle Channel. Many town halls and press conferences are also broadcast live to the web. Sign up for The Reader, our office newsletter, at our website. And learn more about your neighbors and the mayor’s activities on our blog.

###

Yesler Terrace redevelopment legislation passes out of Seattle City Council
Special Committee
Full Council will cast final vote on September 4

SEATTLE – allowing the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to redevelop the 22-acre Yesler Terrace public housing neighborhood.

Council President Sally J. Clark, chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee, said, "The Council took this opportunity to ensure the Yesler Terrace redevelopment plan will respect the needs of people who live in Yesler now and to ensure that Yesler becomes a great urban neighborhood again. The new development of great parks and gardens, better streets and a true housing mix means we ensure low-income people have a great Yesler home far into the future."

The legislative package requires SHA to replace 561 existing units of very low-income housing for current residents, build more than 1,200 new income-restricted units at a variety of affordability levels, and allows for as many as 4,500 total housing units.

Councilmember Nick Licata, co-vice chair of the Special Committee said, "The Council made this development better by providing stronger assurances that excess revenues must provide additional very low income housing and any future use of Housing Levy funds at Yesler Terrace must be awarded according to a competitive process.  In addition, renters' rights to return to Yesler are much strengthened by limiting SHA's criteria for screening returning tenants."

"The Yesler Terrace redevelopment will increase low income housing, create a vibrant neighborhood next to downtown, and take a major step towards meeting our growth management goals. New Holly, High Point, and Rainier Vista demonstrate Seattle Housing Authority's ability to develop extraordinary communities," stated Councilmember Richard Conlin, co-vice chair of the Yesler Terrace Special Committee. "The Yesler Terrace new development will be added to this list as a careful, thoughtful, and prudent project that will make a big difference in many people's lives."

Terms of the planned action ordinance, cooperative agreement and street vacation call for SHA to construct community gardens, pedestrian pathways and pocket parks open to the public, and re-landscape the neighborhood with more trees than are currently present.

"Remaking Yesler Terrace will create a strong neighborhood full of opportunity and hope in the heart of Seattle," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "It's a project that creates jobs, contributes to economic growth, protects affordable housing and lines up perfectly with our desire for fairness and opportunity for all. It's a project that is rooted in our progressive values."

"I'm pleased that SHA has been working with members of the community to maintain the vitality of Little Saigon," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

The Housing Authority may build up to 900,000 square feet of office, medical service space and lodging, as well as 150,000 square feet of retail and services.

SHA will provide comparable housing for all current Yesler Terrace residents during construction. Every resident will also receive a certificate guaranteeing their right to return to the neighborhood once new housing is completed. SHA estimates replacement construction will begin in 2013.

"As Civil Rights chair, we must work inclusively with this diverse community and reassure the 1,200 residents who are families with children, people with disabilities, seniors, and immigrants who speak other languages, a right to return to their home and community," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "I am confident that this cooperative agreement will assure, at a minimum, a 1-for-1 replacement of low-income units at Yesler Terrace."

For more information on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans, visit our web pages.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle's City Archivist inducted as a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists

SEATTLE – Scott Cline, Seattle City Archivist, was recently inducted as a fellow of the Society of American Archivists in San Diego. Cline was one of five new Fellows named in 2012. He joins 178 Fellows of the Society of American Archivists.

"We are proud of Scott's accomplishments over the past 27 years. He has spearheaded many significant projects through Seattle Municipal Archives and Office of the City Clerk, developing the program into a nationwide model. This fellowship is a well-deserved honor, as Scott has worked diligently to showcase our community history and represent the City of Seattle at the highest level," said City Clerk Monica Martinez Simmons.

"Scott is a talented and dedicated City Archivist and we are thrilled he is being acknowledged as one of the top members of his field. His work over the past 27 years has created a rich and deep historical record for the City of Seattle," added Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark.

For more information on Scott's induction, read the Society of American Archivists' news release here.

The Office of the City Clerk is comprised of Legislative Operations, Seattle Municipal Archives, city-wide Records Management Program, and the Legislative Department's Technology and Information Management Services, Public Disclosure Office, and Human Resources. The Seattle City Clerk also serves as administrative head of the Legislative Department.

Seattle Municipal Archives supports the goals of the City of Seattle and the citizens of the City by identifying, acquiring, arranging, describing, preserving, and making accessible - for the use of City agencies, scholars, students, and the general public - the records of enduring value created or received by City agencies and elected officials.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Councilmembers participate in “Night Out Against Crime”
Neighborhood activities focus on crime prevention and block watch efforts

Seattle– Seattle City Councilmembers will travel throughout Seattle on Tuesday night, spending time with neighbors across the City in an effort to heighten crime prevention/awareness and neighborhood safety. “Night Out” is a national Crime Prevention event and will take place this year on August 7, 2012. Last year, 1,327 events were registered with the Seattle Police Department. If you have never participated in “Night Out”, Councilmembers encourage you to get involved this year. The theme this year is “Together – Safer Neighborhoods.”

Night Out is an excellent opportunity to organize your block and work together as a community.  

• Join or start a Block Watch
• Communities are the catalyst in preventing crime. Make a commitment to reduce crime and violence in your community and learn what you can do.

Find a Night Out event in your Neighborhood by viewing this map.

Councilmembers will participate in numerous neighborhood festivities including, but not limited to, the following:
Council President Sally J. Clark: Madrona, Rainier Valley, and Seward Park neighborhoods
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw: Ravenna and Downtown neighborhoods
Councilmember Tim Burgess: Downtown, West Seattle and South Seattle neighborhoods
Councilmember Richard Conlin: Ravenna neighborhood
Councilmember Bruce Harrell: Downtown, Ravenna, and Seward Park neighborhoods
Councilmember Nick Licata: Belltown neighborhood
Councilmember Mike O’Brien: Fremont neighborhood

Seattle Police North Precinct
Cedar Park/Meadowbrook Neighborhood
Bartlett Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
3000 Bartlett Ave NE

Broadview/Bitter Lake Neighborhood
11700 Fremont Ave N Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
11700 Fremont Ave N

Broadview/Bitter Lake Neighborhood
Bitter Lake Neighborhood Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where Intersection of N. 133rd and Bitter Lane

Wedgwood/View Ridge Neighborhood
Top Pot Doughnuts' Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 8 p.m.    
Wedgwood Top Pot Café 6855 35th Ave NE

Seattle Police West Precinct
Queen Anne Neighborhood
9th Ave Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 10 p.m.
2700 block of 9th Ave W

Belltown Neighborhood
Block Party / Neighborhood Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 p.m.
3rd Avenue and Vine St.

Seattle Police East Precinct
Capitol Hill Neighborhood
11th and Denny Block Party                                
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
100 block of 11th Ave. East and Denny Way

Madrona/Leschi Neighborhood
31st Ave Neighborhood Night Out!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m.  
400 block of 31st Ave / 31st between E Jefferson and E Terrace

Mt. Baker/North Rainier
Leschi/Mt. Baker night out
August 7, 2012, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
31st Ave S between Norman and Judkins

Seattle Police Southwest Precinct

Alki/Admiral Neighborhood
3200 44th Ave SW Night Out   
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m.
3200 44th Ave SW between Hanford and Hines

West Seattle Neighborhood
Morgan Junction Block Watch
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 10 p.m.
6000 42nd Ave SW

Seattle Police South Precinct

Beacon Hill Neighborhood
3300 Block Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 9 p.m. 
3300 block of 17th Ave South

Rainier Beach/Othello Neighborhood
Angel Morgan Night Out
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
P-Patch at S. Morgan and 42nd Ave. S.

Rainier Beach Neighborhood
59th Avenue S. Block Party
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 6 – 10 p.m. 
10628 59th Avenue S. (59th Ave S - South of Bangor)

Columbia City Neighborhood
2012 National Night Out Against Crime with CURB
Tuesday, August 7, 2012, 5 – 9 p.m.
4437 Rainier Avenue South

As a bit of background, the City of Seattle contracts with two companies – Waste Management and CleanScapes – to do residential and commercial garbage and recycling pick ups.  The great, strong people who come by your house or building weekly to pick up what you throw away aren’t City of Seattle employees, instead they are employees of Waste Management and, depending upon their specific job, they are members of either Teamsters 117 (recycling) or Teamsters 174 (garbage). The Teamsters want the salaries of recycling truck drivers and waste truck drivers to be on the same level.  The recycling workers and WM have been in negotiations for several months, but talks recently broke off and the recyclers struck. The garbage drivers are respecting the strike. 

There will be plenty of scape-goating and hot tempers as garbage piles up and employee bank accounts deplete, but be assured that almost no one truly wants a strike. Maybe you have a few over-eager types on each side, but most employees want to work and most managers want smooth relationships that allow the work to get done.

Waste Management, set to incur fines of more than a $1 million a day from the city for failure to perform (the contract requires WM to pick up during strikes with a seven-day grace period), has brought in replacement workers to try and scoop up at least some of the garbage from bigger generators like hospitals and restaurants. WM started running ads this week to hire permanent replacements for all 153 striking recycling drivers. That’s a sharp knife jab at the striking drivers.

If you check out the “comments” on The Seattle Times article this morning about WM’s replacement driver efforts you see a huge number of people bashing unions and the striking workers. That’s too bad. This economy is tough for workers without a white collar and tougher when you’re out there on your own. Collective bargaining represents the best tool for employees and management to hammer out differences.

Exercising leadership means controlling emotion and getting all parties back to the table. We all benefit from a well-bargained fair deal.  

In the meantime, a few suggestions regarding garbage and recycling during the strike:

• If your pick-up is normally Tuesday, set out your bins out next Tuesday. That’s the seven day grace period.
• Wednesday customers should set out your waste on Wednesday and to leave it out through Thursday.
• After that pick-ups should occur per normal schedule.

Will it be picked up on normal schedule even if the strike continues? We’ll see. That’s a lot of replacement drivers. I’d rather see that expense and organizing energy put into negotiations. I think I’ll be headed over to the South Transfer Station this weekend. During the strike you may take up to 6 bags of garbage or yard waste to either of the City transfer stations for free.   That option continues until collection service is fully restored.

Have a question for the Seattle City Council? Get it answered on Seattle Channel's Council Edition
Councilmembers Clark, Harrell and O'Brien to appear on
August's City Inside/Out: Council Edition

SEATTLE – Do you have a question for the City Council? Will the proposed NBA/NHL arena become a reality? How will city leaders work with Department of Justice to help guide reforms to the Seattle Police Department and reduce violence in the City? What is the Council doing now to change election campaign financing? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The August 7 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Bruce Harrell and Mike O'Brien answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by noon, Friday, August 3.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the city's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday,
August 7 to hear the Councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council in discussions with investor Chris Hansen to modify proposed arena agreement

Seattle – A majority of Seattle City Councilmembers signed a letter today to investor Chris Hansen, continuing discussions regarding modifications to the proposed agreement for a sports and entertainment arena in SoDo. The letter outlines areas of concern in the current proposal and states the City Council's desire to address these concerns before moving forward with a final agreement. The full text of the letter is available here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

City Council Unanimously Reconfirms Jorge Carrasco
Citing City Light Superintendent's Record to Bring Financial Stability and a Six-Year
Strategic Plan for the Utility

SEATTLE - By a vote of 8-0, the Seattle City Council today reconfirmed Jorge Carrasco for another four years as Seattle City Light superintendent.  Mayor McGinn submitted the superintendent's reconfirmation legislation in early June.

"City Light serves hundreds of thousands of customers every day using environmentally sustainable hydroelectric power, "McGinn said.  "Jorge has helped lead City Light's commitment to running our first in the nation carbon-neutral public utility. He has done this while cutting costs, focusing on reliability of services and implementing a six-year strategic plan to keep rates low and predictable. And this year, City Light earned its highest J.D. Power ranking ever: 2nd among midsize Western utilities. I thank the City Council for unanimously reconfirming Jorge as superintendent of City Light."

Carrasco has worked with the Mayor's Office and the City Council to create a rate stabilization account designed to protect City Light customers from the uncertainty of energy markets and snowpack that adversely affect surplus power sales revenue.  This has helped to solidify the utility's bond ratings . In July of this year, the City Council unanimously adopted the utility's six-year strategic plan, further stabilizing the utility's financial position and providing customers with rate predictability. 

"Superintendent Carrasco has been instrumental in working with the Council, the Mayor and the City Light Review panel to craft the recently adopted six year strategic plan," adds Councilmember Mike O'Brien chair of the City Council Energy and Environment Committee.  "This plan lays out the investment priorities for the utility and gives us clear direction for where the utility is going and the revenue requirements needed to get there.  I admire Jorge's commitment to giving all City Light customers the conservation tools they need to better manage their own energy usage and bills. I am looking forward to working with him on the plan's implementation."

Seattle City Light has a workforce of 1,800 employees and a customer base of about 408,000 accounts representing 1 million people.  City Light's operating budget is $1 billion. Always a leader in energy conservation efforts, City Light was the first utility in the country to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions and plans to meet load growth through increased conservation and new, renewable energy sources.

J.D. Power recently released its latest rankings by residential utility customers.  Of the 126 utilities included, City Light ranked 12th overall nationally and 2nd in the midsize Western Region utilities.  This is the highest ranking ever achieved by City Light.

"It is truly an honor to serve our community as the superintendent of Seattle City Light," Carrasco said. "I want to thank every City Light employee for the part they have played in the success we have achieved.  We have many challenges ahead and I look forward to the opportunity to continue the improvements we are making on behalf of our customer-owners."

To view the Council action on reconfirmation, please visit http://www.seattlechannel.org

Community technology projects receive $320,000 in grants

Grants increase technology training to help residents with education, job skills,
and civic engagement

SEATTLE - Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council announced today that 23 community organizations will receive a total of $320,000 in Technology Matching Fund grants. The funds will increase computer and Internet training for our most vulnerable residents as well as helping them with basic education, job training, and access to health and other essential services.

These grants are part of the City's overall broadband effort to encourage digital inclusion for all (or broadband adoption), fiber to the home and business, a technology-skilled workforce, and local applications development. Participants will gain skills in using social media, assistive technologies, audio and video production, and digital storytelling, in addition to basic computer and Internet skills. 

"These grants reflect our commitment to bridging the digital divide in Seattle. Further, the priorities formed through the Youth and Families Initiative guides our support for these programs," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "Our libraries and community computer labs have seen a huge increase in demand from the unemployed and families in need. These Technology Matching Fund projects will provide crucial support to families and help ensure neighbors have the same economic, participation and education opportunities as those of who already have access and use technology tools all day long."

"The Technology Matching Fund is a critical partnership between the city and the community by maximizing resources to ensure that all of our residents have the tools to increase their technology skills, improve their English and literacy skills, and receive employment and business skills for the job market," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "The City provides funding assistance to underrepresented communities, but the community's support of $520,000 to help bridge the digital divide is highly commendable. This inclusive program is mutually beneficial to us all."

The Citizens' Telecommunications and Technology Advisory Board (CTTAB) recommended these digital inclusion projects to the Mayor and Council through an open competitive application process. Grant recipients are required to match the city's funding through cash, donations of hardware, software, supplies and labor.  While a one-to-one match is required; the community contribution is often greater than the city's support, and this year's grantees will match the city's dollars with over $520,000 in community contributions.

The grants support projects serving a wide range of neighborhoods in Seattle.  Barton Place Apartments, located in Rainier Beach, is receiving a $14,658 grant to set up a mini computer lab in their SHA housing building.  Resident Sydney Koerber said that having access to a computer "is a dream come true. I'm over 60 years old and I want to get my GED.  It's never too late to learn."

Grants will also help support families. Tony Benton, working with Atlantic Street Center, is excited to receive $19,770 to help parents of young children, "a vital group that is digitally excluded," he said.  "If a parent doesn't know how to use a computer and understand the value of it, the child starts out falling behind," said Benton.  "This grant will help not only reach parents of small children, but also grandparents and seniors who are going through the parenting process," he said.

The Technology Matching Fund is managed by the Department of Information Technology's Community Technology Program and was established in 1997 to support the community's efforts to close the digital divide and encourage the use of information technologies for civic engagement. Since its beginning the fund has contributed over $2 million to more than 200 projects. The fund furthers the city's commitment to education, inclusion, and race and social justice. For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/tech or contact communitytechnology@seattle.gov.

See a list of 2012 projects at http://seattle.gov/tech/tmf/Projects2012.htm.

See a map of  2012 TMF grantees at http://goo.gl/maps/IXv7 .

Weigh in on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans
Seattle City Council to host two public hearings: July 17 and August 8

Seattle – The Seattle City Council’s Special Committee on Yesler Terrace will hold two public hearings to take comment on the proposed ordinances and street vacation approval for Yesler Terrace.

Members of the public may testify at either hearing about the proposed Land Use Ordinance, the proposed street vacations, the proposed Planned Action Ordinance under SEPA, the proposed Cooperative Agreement, or other components of the City’s proposed actions to facilitate the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace:

WHAT:
Yesler Terrace redevelopment public hearings

WHO:
Open to the public

WHEN/WHERE:
Tuesday, July 17, 5:30 p.m.
Yesler Community Center, 917 E. Yesler Way

Wednesday, August 8, 5:30 p.m. (**updated date)
Council Chambers, City Hall
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor

Sign-up sheets will be available at 5 p.m.

At both public hearings interpretation will be provided in the following languages:  Somali, Oromo, Tigrigna, Amharic, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Cantonese.

For more information on the proposed legislation and schedule of meetings, visit the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment web page.

Both the Yesler Community Center and the City Council Chambers are ADA accessible. Print and communications access is provided on prior request.  Please contact David Yeaworth at 206-684-5328 as soon as possible to request accommodations for a disability.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

[Go to Council Newsroom]

“If this arena is not passed then Bellevue will get it, not you!  Today’s presentations by you guys were absolutely incomplete, false, and inaccurate.  Honestly I am now embarrassed to see that these people are in charge of our city.  Seattle is going down the drain and will soon be another Lynwood [sic], Tacoma, Wenatchee, or Ellensburg if you guys don’t stop disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing.  Chris Hansen and us all have begun to lose our patience with you all.  Please pass this.”

And…

“I don’t understand how multi-millionaire Chris Hansen and billionaire Steve Ballmer need to ask the city and it’s [sic] tax payers for money.  It is ridiculous.  I hear the mayor complaining that he can’t make the changes the DOJ recommended to our police department because the city can afford it, but then he and others want to give these people a loan.”  

A point to all – questions and requests for further analysis don’t necessarily signal a councilmember opposes a proposal. It does mean he or she is engaged and cares about a good outcome.

Suddenly, we have less than half the year ahead of us. The good news is we’ve accomplished a great deal. The bad news is this is when I look at my wall calendar I realize we’re almost at the August hiatus which means we’re almost to the budget break which means we’re almost to the end of the year. Cripes!

My goals as Council President have been to 1) not screw up anything permanently (the general elected person’s version of the medical world’s “do no harm” oath); 2) keep the Council moving forward on our action priorities; and 3) do my part to keep the city focused on delivering service in a high quality way while we wrestle with the complex, knotty questions that invariably pop up despite the fact they aren’t listed anywhere on the action agenda. (Arenas, historic streetcars and profit-making ziplines, anyone?)

I may be biased (OK, quite biased), but I think the Council (and the city staff who help us) did pretty well by our priorities in the first half of the year. Among other accomplishments:

• The Third Avenue Initiative is underway coordinating city department work to clean up and better maintain Third Avenue through Downtown. Councilmember Rasmussen knows every inch of Third Ave. at this point.

• Construction of the First Hill Street Car is underway with the extension into Pioneer Square assured and the extension to Aloha Street under review. Councilmember Rasmussen has pushed this, as well, with Councilmember Conlin doing his part at the Sound Transit Board.

• We adopted an administration and finance plan for effectively using the Families & Education Levy funds approved by voters last fall. Councilmember Burgess spearheaded that work.

• The first Neighborhood Greenway opened through Wallingford this spring. Councilmember Bagshaw’s middle name is “Greenway.”

• We worked with allies in other cities and the state legislature to quell costly changes in Business and Occupation Tax collection and have launched work with allies on a better approach to simplification for businesses. This has been a big one for me.

• Squeaking in just at the start of July we adopted a Strategic Plan for Seattle City Light after thousands of hours of work by volunteers and staff. Councilmember O’Brien carried this over the line after multiple years of effort by Councilmember Harrell.

• Earlier this week we gave the final committee-level nod to asking voters to approve a bond sale for financing replacement of the central seawall. Councilmember Godden chairs this special committee.

We have a list of big items ahead of us before the December break – final decisions on new housing, zoning, parks and streets for the Yesler Terrace neighborhood (Councilmember Licata has the sharpest pencil reviewing this proposal); the SODO arena proposal; new zoning for South Lake Union; final rules on a rental housing licensing and inspection program; and more. We’ll receive the concept plan for the future Seattle waterfront later this month. We’ll spend October and November taking apart and reassembling the budget for 2013, including a probable shortfall of approximately $30 million.

We’ve also taken up brief conversations a few readers will think less important. I’m an optimist, though. I think we can review and act on something as detailed as the Seattle City Light Strategic Plan and have brain space available to consider a resolution on the potential impacts of coal trains chugging through Seattle.

I am disappointed to not have progress to report in one particular area – the City’s response to the United States Department of Justice’s December report on cases of excessive use of force by Seattle Police. While negotiations are currently the work of the Mayor and City Attorney, the crafting of new policies and the necessary staff and budget changes are of concern to all Councilmembers and rated as the Council’s highest priority for this year.

I believe the sooner the City reaches a fair agreement with the DOJ, the better for our police officers and the greater community. Ongoing pokes and disagreements about the validity of certain statistics cited in the DOJ findings do nothing to move us forward. Instead, the delays, intentional leaks to media, and resistance to change allow doubt and resentment to fester. 

It’s time for a reasonable negotiated agreement that puts Seattle on track to developing and living the policies and procedures, the training, the supervision and the accountability our officers and community deserve. 

There will be a price tag for making changes. We should calculate the real cost of reasonable, negotiated changes and then take responsibility for the difficult decisions we’ll need to make to pay for these changes.

We can do this. We can use this difficult opportunity to elevate Seattle to the top tier of urban policing. I hope to be able to blog soon that we have. We have less than half the year to go to get started.

Weigh in on the proposed Yesler Terrace redevelopment plans
Seattle City Council to host two public hearings: July 17 and August 8

Seattle – The Seattle City Council's Special Committee on Yesler Terrace will hold two public hearings to take comment on the proposed ordinances and street vacation approval for Yesler Terrace.

Members of the public may testify at either hearing about the proposed Land Use Ordinance, the proposed street vacations, the proposed Planned Action Ordinance under SEPA, the proposed Cooperative Agreement, or other components of the City's proposed actions to facilitate the redevelopment of Yesler Terrace:

WHAT:
Yesler Terrace redevelopment public hearings

WHO:
Open to the public

WHEN/WHERE:
Tuesday, July 17, 5:30 p.m.
Yesler Community Center, 917 E. Yesler Way

Wednesday, August 8, 5:30 p.m. (**updated date)
Council Chambers, City Hall
600 Fourth Avenue, second floor

Sign-up sheets will be available at 5 p.m.

At both public hearings interpretation will be provided in the following languages:  Somali, Oromo, Tigrigna, Amharic, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Cantonese.

For more information on the proposed legislation and schedule of meetings, visit the Yesler Terrace Redevelopment web page.

Both the Yesler Community Center and the City Council Chambers are ADA accessible. Print and communications access is provided on prior request.  Please contact David Yeaworth at 206-684-5328 as soon as possible to request accommodations for a disability.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers approve Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy likely to be on November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today unanimously approved Council Bill 117498, a 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. Once approved at the Full Council meeting next week, the measure will be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot.

A new Seawall is projected to protect the City and its residents and workers for the next 100 years or more. A 30-year bond spreads the cost of this project to existing and future Seattle residents who will benefit from today's investment. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Council President Sally Clark. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Transportation Committee chair said today, "Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt on time to serve as a vital corridor for moving people and goods."

"The seawall project is the foundation for Seattle's future waterfront. Regardless of what kind of development will happen we are taking the next important step to providing a safe corridor and pedestrian friendly waterfront," stated Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee.

"The first priority is to fix the seawall for public safety and get our public piers back in working order so that we can safely use them again," stated Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This is the beginning of reclaiming Seattle's waterfront."

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and provide funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of the two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the pier to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct.  The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers support Supreme Court ruling
on Affordable Health Care Act

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the Affordable Health Care Act:

"I applaud the Supreme Court's careful review of the arguments," stated Council President Sally J. Clark. "Coverage for all Americans is critical to urban places, as well as rural. Now we have work to do to ensure health care outcomes improve along with coverage."

"The Supreme Court chose logic over politics with this decision," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the Human Services, Health and Culture committee. "Now Washington voters must let their state leaders know if they support the expansion of the Medicaid allotment."

"I am pleased with the Supreme Court's ruling this morning," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "We can now focus on the improvements necessary to make comprehensive health care affordable, efficient and effective for all Americans."

"This is an extraordinary opportunity to reshape our health care system by combining quality health care with affordable health care," added Councilmember Richard Conlin. "Seattle is working with our local providers to reshape our local system to ensure that all of us – including the least, the lost, and the left-behind, will share the blessings of healthy lives."

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw added, "I have longed for today's headline. Four years ago, Obama said, ‘Yes we can' and today five Supreme Court Justices said, ‘Yes we will' to affordable health care. At long last, all Americans will have choices and accessibility to a health plan. Thank goodness."

"I think that we always knew that extending the benefits of health care was the right thing to do. Now we know that it is not only right, but it is also constitutional," stated Councilmember Jean Godden.
"With national health care reform upheld, Washington can get to work making sure everyone has access to affordable, quality care," stated Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Affordable health care will bring equity to those that need care and provide continued coverage for those already insured."
"After today's ruling by the Supreme Court the thirty million Americans currently without health insurance will begin having access to affordable health care," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "This is a great step forward for America"

"I have seen the detrimental impact of not having medical coverage in my own life through the eyes of family members, friends, and colleagues. This decision will ensure that they are no longer one major medical emergency away from health and financial disaster," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "People can now seek solace knowing that their health is not tied to their employment status. This is absolutely critical in building a healthy Seattle."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to take public comment
on Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy to be considered for November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today announced the public hearing date to discuss a proposed 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. The measure under consideration would be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce in the region and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

WHAT:
Seawall bond measure public hearing
Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Special Committee

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at 5:30 p.m.
Sign up will open at 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and provide funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier, 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the pier to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

Seawall Ordinance

Seawall Fiscal Note

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I got here today, driving down after this morning’s Council Government Performance and Finance Committee, while Councilmember Rasmussen arrived yesterday. I’ve already talked utilities with Shoreline, transportation with Burien, and SEPA with Sammamish. And I’ve been here just a couple of hours! And I met the mayor of Centralia in the elevator. She seemed genuinely concerned that I’m not visiting Centralia via the STP this year. She has me ready to sign up for next year.

Seattle City Hall to host Pike Place Farmers Market Express
Weekly market will run Tuesday June 19 through September 25

Seattle – Grab your reusable shopping bags and spend your lunch hour at the City Hall Plaza every Tuesday from June 19 through September 25 at this year's Pike Place Farmers Market Express. 

WHAT:
Pike Place Farmers Market Express at City Hall Plaza

WHO:
Open to the public

WHEN:
Tuesdays, June 19 through September 25, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Hall Plaza, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104
(on the Fourth Avenue side of the building)

Since the adoption of the Local Food Initiative in 2008, the Seattle City Council has worked with community partners to develop opportunities to increase healthy food production, distribution and marketing, encouraging the economic development of the urban-rural connection in Seattle.

Click here for more information on Pike Place Market events and markets.

Click here for more information on Seattle's Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance and events in your neighborhood.

View photos from previous City Hall Farmers Markets on the Council's Flickr gallery.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers to take public comment
on Seawall replacement bond levy
$290 million levy to be considered for November ballot

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today announced the public hearing date to discuss a proposed 30-year property tax bond measure of $290 million to provide public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront and related public infrastructure. The measure under consideration would be on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. The 30-year bond for $290 million would cost the owner of a $360K home about $59 per year.

"Replacing the seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Failure of the wall could severely disrupt transportation and commerce in the region and lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life."

WHAT:
Seawall bond measure public hearing
Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Special Committee

WHEN:
Wednesday, June 27, 2012, at 5:30 p.m.
Sign up will open at 5 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Richard Conlin
Councilmember Jean Godden
Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata
Councilmember Mike O'Brien
Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

A replacement Seawall is essential both to public safety and to the local and regional economy because the current Seawall is not designed to withstand seismic events. Seawall failure could lead to widespread property damage, injury and loss of life while severely disrupting public transportation and commerce.

The proposed bond would go before voters in November. The dollars generated would pay for construction of the new seawall from South Washington Street to Virginia Street and providing funds toward replacing the deteriorated pilings and decking of the two City-owned piers that extend from the seawall: Pier 58, known as Waterfront Park, and Pier, 62/ 63, both of which are owned and operated by the Seattle Parks Department. Pier 58 is seismically vulnerable and the structural deficiencies of Pier 62/63 have forced the City to limit use of the piers to protect public safety.

The $290 million bond measure would complete project funding for this stretch of the seawall in combination with approximately $30 million from the King County Flood Control District and nearly $30 million already identified in the City's General Fund. Seawall replacement is also necessary to support construction of a new Alaskan Way surface road following removal of the Viaduct. The seawall must be removed and rebuilt by 2016 to ensure that Alaskan Way can be rebuilt to provide public access to the waterfront and area businesses.

• Seawall Ordinance
• Seawall Fiscal Note

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Join the Seattle City Council's "Sallys" for coffee and conversation

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw will be in the Madison Park neighborhood this weekend, as their monthly outreach event returns. 

The June "Coffee with Sallys" conversation hour will be held at Madison Park Starbucks on Saturday, June 9, from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. The coffee chat is open to everyone and the Councilmembers will listen and speak with Seattleites about local issues in an informal setting. 

"I hope that you'll be able to take some time to join us," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "As Council President, I'm eager to hear what folks are thinking about City issues."

"In addition to local-government specific issues, we want you to bring all topics of conversation," said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "We enjoy earnest dialogue with our neighbors."
Join the Councilmembers:

Saturday, June 9, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
Madison Park Starbucks
4000 East Madison St.

Coffee and pastries will be available for purchase and all questions and topics are on the table.  For more information, or to RSVP (recommended, but not required), please click here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers join regional partners in launching next phase of Alaskan Way Viaduct tunneling project

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today joined Gov. Chris Gregoire, state, port and local officials in breaking ground for the launch pit for the tunnel boring machine for the Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) replacement project. When complete the tunnel will connect to the new SR 99 roadway south of downtown to Aurora Avenue in the north providing for a safe corridor and better mobility.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Transportation Committee Chair said today, "This event marks the next critical phase of the tunneling project as the pit is readied for the boring machine. The tunnel project maintains capacity of Viaduct, avoiding the kind of congestion that could cripple movement of freight and growth of commerce in Seattle. The tunnel project will take the traffic, noise and blight that now separates our downtown from our waterfront and will bury it underground." 

"Today we break ground on a tunnel that will finally allow Seattle to rediscover our waterfront," stated Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Committee. "When complete, our waterfront will be active and vibrant, populated with parks, restaurants and cultural amenities. It will be a waterfront second-to-none, which will be cherished for generations. We are truly building for the future."

"One small scoop of dirt, one giant leap for Seattle," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "After a decade of debate, I am excited to finally start work on a safe and superior corridor that will improve mobility in this region and create thousands of jobs. I look forward to late 2015 when this tunnel opens."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Our local economy and our dinner tables have long benefited from the annual salmon harvest in Alaska. Seattle is home to a significant portion of the Alaska fishing fleet and several “fishy” businesses, large and small, are headquartered here.

Earlier this week I toured one of those businesses. Ocean Beauty is a 102 year-old business located on the ship canal, southeast of the Ballard Bridge. They’re a fish processing company, but that’s a dry way of saying they make delicious things from fish and send the products all over the world. Mark Palmer, Ocean Beauty’s President and CEO, explained that they provide hundreds of jobs to people in a variety of fields, including administration, logistics, mechanics, transportation and, of course, fishing. Ocean Beauty doesn’t do the fishing, but they contract with the boats that do.

Dave Gering, BINMIC, and Mark Palmer, President & CEO of Ocean Beauty

Ocean Beauty processes the salmon and other fish (Pollock, hake, mussles, tobiko and more) into more than 1,200 packaged products, some fresh some packaged. Ocean Beauty has offices in China and Japan and distributors in Europe, as well. Seattle is strategically located to be the American distribution hub. We watched workers thaw, skin, prep and package the last of the 2011 take.

On these tours I get to learn what a company like Ocean Beauty does and I get to learn what holds them back. We can’t take for granted that a company like Ocean Beauty will choose Seattle and stay forever. Mark had plenty to tell me about difficulties with access road maintenance and feedback later about zoning rules, too. Mark, I’m looking into it.

As we walked through Ocean Beauty’s offices on the way to the prep and freezer areas, many of the cubicles were empty. Staff is already on their way up to Alaska for this year’s harvest. In fact, Copper River salmon just started this week. I think I know what’s for dinner this weekend.

Then let’s add in the overall increase in competition for well-paying work. It takes more education and skills prep to earn a decent income and this trend will continue. The big figure everyone is using estimates that 67 percent of all jobs in Washington will require some kind of post-high school education between 2014 and 2019. Some kind of education after high school, a year in college even, has become the single biggest predictor of life-long earning power. And the further you go in post-high school education and training, the better your prospects.

But how? If you’re out there working in a lower-paying job, you need an education or training boost the most, but face the highest hurdles. Cost is one hurdle, the need for remedial courses in math or reading can be another. The partners in the Pathways to Careers and Pathways to Completion projects have identified significant transition points where people fall out of the system for one reason or another. Like between acceptance to community college or training program and actually signing up for classes. The programs focus on standardizing and compressing the long and somewhat mysterious application and prep time periods, working people into a cohort for mutual support, mandatory program orientation and advising and overall support with getting to class and achieving completion goals.

The City of Seattle is a partner in the Pathways to Careers work and I think it’s money well spent. Giving people the boost they need to get even a little post-high school education can change individual lives and the trajectory of a family. Job competition will only get hotter. Leaving people behind is unacceptable. Thanks to Seattle Community Colleges, the Seattle Jobs Initiative, The Workforce Development Council, OED and to funders like the Gates Foundation for their work.

Soon we’ll talk about the 13 year concept embraced by Seattle Community Colleges and others as a way to institutionalize access to post-high school education – and the life-long benefits it can bring.

A few photos from my visit to Sixth Ave. and Pine Street this morning

Everyone seems to be trying to make sense of yesterday’s action and determine if the City could have done more. Personally, I think SPD officers did a terrific job channeling, quelling, protecting, seizing and arresting where necessary. Some radio voices have called yesterday “WTO II,” but I have a feeling those might be people who weren’t here during WTO I.

A few photos from my visit to Sixth Ave. and Pine Street this morning

A lot of people are talking about what the message from the destruction is supposed to be. I’m “the establishment,” so I know I’m not supposed to understand the message. No one is for corporate greed, but I do like jobs in Downtown. I need a new pair of running pants and was thinking about going to Niketown soon (gasp). I don’t agree with everything in his post, but I did find Brendan Kiley’s post from early, early this morning, “Why All the Smashy-Smashy? A Beginner’s Guide to Targeted Property Destruction,” to be thought-provoking.

A few photos from my visit to Sixth Ave. and Pine Street this morning

I was on the UW campus in 1986 and recall the anti-aparthied actions. I recall the shantytown in Red Square and the crashing of Board of Regents meetings, but not the breaking of a window. It’s hard for me to see the Black Bloc as a meaningful, effective extension or adaptation of the track I personally value more – peaceful, focused civil demonstration and, when necessary, disobedience.

So, what’s the stop good for? A year or so ago I started thinking about whether we could induce more job density near the station while still tilting the area game toward industrial and manufacturing-friendly companies. The report from Community Attributes gives us a great snapshot of who works in the area, where the employees come from, and what kind of demand we see in the space market that could be met in the area. Not surprisingly, there’s no easy, quick answer to attracting businesses with more employees who might actually uses light rail to commute. Check out the recommendations, though. Maybe a “mixed use overlay” allowing additional office space (though not residential) near the station would be OK. I also like the “compatability matrix” employed by some of the other cities reviewed.

After today’s presentation we’ll spread the report around to advocates in the SODO area and some real estate and employment experts to determine which ideas to pursue. Your feedback is welcome.

Seattle City Council President at West Seattle Elementary to promote financial awareness for young people

SEATTLE – Join Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark and Jump$tart Washington Coalition to promote financial education during Money Smart Week®.

President Clark will read "Rock, Brock and the Savings Shock," written by former FDIC Chair Sheila Blair, and lead a student discussion, with a group photo of the students.*

In addition to educating young consumers about money management and generating awareness of financial education available on a wide range of topics, elementary students will receive financial education lessons during the Third Annual Financial Literacy Reading Days.

WHAT:
Money Smart Week with Jump$tart Washington Coalition

WHO:
Council President Sally J. Clark
Jump$tart Washington Coalition

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:
West Seattle Elementary
6760 34th Avenue Southwest  
Seattle 98126

*NOTE: Members of the media, please remember to contact the school regarding sending reporters/photographers/camera staff on campus grounds and photo permissions PRIOR to the event.

ABOUT: Money Smart Week® began 11 years ago as a coordinated effort of more than 40 Chicago-area organizations working together to promote personal financial literacy. Today, more than 30 states host Money Smart Week® events. Washington was the first West Coast state to participate, with its first Money Smart Week® in 2010.

For more information about events slated for Money Smart Week® Washington contact Jump$tart Washington Coalition President Amy O’Donnell at aodonnell@wscpa.org or 425-586-1140.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

OK, I’ll ask and learn, but I’m not optimistic about warming to this idea. I know they aren’t the drones we hear about on the news in Iraq, but I still see it as a step further away from human interaction and decision-making. Even if I can be convinced that we – cities — need small, pilotless, helicopter-like vehicles for surveillance and searches, does every city have to have a drone or two? Couldn’t we have a regional holder of the drones? We could check them out as needed and share the cost maybe. And we could have a thoughtful conversation about whether we really need them and under what circumstances they should be checked out of the regional drone library.

Apparently we’re already under way since we’re training operators. How did that happen?

Special Committee to discuss Seawall

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council’s Special Committee on the Central Waterfront, Seawall and Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program will meet after Full Council on Monday, April 23. 

The Committee will discuss public safety and protection of the Central Waterfront, the downtown business district, transportation and public infrastructure, a possible bond measure to replace the Elliot Bay Seawall and the Seawall design, schedule, cost estimates and next steps.

WHEN:
Monday, April 23, 2012, following Full Council
(approximately 2:30 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Seattle City Hall
600 Fourth Ave, Second floor, Seattle 98104

View the committee agenda here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Join the Seattle City Council in discussing sustainability on Seattle's college campuses

SEATTLE – Join the Seattle City Council on Thursday afternoon, as they discuss sustainability programs at a forum with representatives from five colleges and universities located in Seattle.

Presentations will cover many topics: energy, green house gas reduction, water conservation, transportation, local food and student involvement. This forum is a brown bag lunch. People are encouraged to bring their lunches to Council Chambers and watch the presentations.

WHAT:
Seattle City Council's Committee on Economic Resiliency and Regional Relations college sustainability forum

WHO:
Presenters include:
Ruth Johnston and Jamie Rowe, University of Washington;
Robert Schwartz and Karen Price, Seattle University;
Carin Weiss and Linda Chauncey, Seattle Community Colleges

WHEN:
Thursday, April 19, 2012, noon-1:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Council Chambers, Second Floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

View the meeting agenda here.
For more information, contact David Yeaworth at david.yeaworth@seattle.gov or 206-684-5328.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

For more information on the Seattle Storm, visit their official web site.

For more information on this weekend’s Next 50 opening celebration at the Seattle Center, visit http://www.thenextfifty.org/.

Seattle Municipal Archives has some excellent resources on the 1962 World’s Fair.  Click to view digital files, text files.  Image files can be viewed here and here.

But that’s not my point. My point is you can learn what several of Seattle’s major Universities and college campuses are doing to reduce waste, operate more efficiently, and cut green house gas emissions by attending or checking out the broadcast of Thursday’s noon Council meeting (in City Council Chambers, City Hall) on sustainability on Seattle’s college campuses. We’ll talk with reps from the University of Washington Seattle campus, Seattle University and the Seattle community colleges about their goals for carbon neutrality, recycling, composting and even the production of locally grown food.

The discussion is part of Council’s overall work on climate action. The City is in the midst of devising a new Climate Action Plan and we’ve committed to “carbon neutrality” for Seattle. In discussing with partners how to get to carbon neutrality we decided we’d like to hear from and showcase the work of some of the city’s biggest (in terms of property and operations) institutions. It’s one thing to offer courses on sustainability, it’s another to practice it with tens of thousands of students, thousands of faculty and staff, dozens of kitchens, hundreds of buildings, multiple vehicle fleets, huge public events, and so on.

More Thursday. Do it for the squirrel.

Watch Seattle City Councilmembers share their
favorite Seattle Center memories

SEATTLE - In anticipation of the Seattle Center's Next Fifty celebration kick-off on Saturday, April 21, Seattle City Councilmembers sat down to share their favorite Seattle Center memories. Tune in to our Council Connection blog over the next week as they share their stories.

What:
Seattle City Councilmembers share their Seattle Center memories

When:
Morning and afternoon blog postings, April 16-20, 2012

Where:
Council Connection Blog at http://council.seattle.gov/
Subscribe to the RSS feed at http://council.seattle.gov/feed/

For more information on the Seattle Center's Next Fifty celebration, including the schedule of events, visit http://seattlecenter.com/news/detail.aspx?id=1719.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Library leaders and city officials join together in support of levy for The Seattle Public Library

Seattle Public Library Board President Marie McCaffrey, City Librarian Marcellus Turner, Mayor Mike McGinn and City Councilmember Richard Conlin announced support for a Library levy to restore cuts and improve core services at a noon press conference at Seattle's Central Library. City officials and Library leaders were joined by scores of Library patrons at the event.

The Library levy would fund increased Library hours, build the collection of books and materials, enhance computers and online services and improve building maintenance. The plan grew out of a two-year process that involved comments from more than 39,000 residents through public meetings, open houses, surveys, focus groups and forums. There were more than 14 million visits to The Seattle Public Library last year and over 11 million books and materials circulated.

The City Council is expected to vote on legislation that would authorize an Aug. 7, 2012, ballot for a Library levy at 2:30 p.m. today.

The seven-year Library levy of $17 million annually would stabilize the Library budget after four years of cuts that have eroded services. The Library has been closed for one week each year since 2009, 15 of 26 branches are closed two days a week, and the budget to buy books and other items has been cut by more than 13 percent since 2009. The levy would also provide an estimated $5 million to address anticipated cuts in 2013. The Library would continue to rely on the city's general fund for the majority of its budget. At about 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, the levy would cost the median homeowner approximately $52 a year.

"We owe a huge thank you not only to the mayor and council for their collaboration and support, but also to the people of Seattle who helped shape the plan over the past two years," said McCaffrey. "This is an important step toward completing the vision of the 1998 'Libraries for All' bond measure, which resulted in new and improved libraries across the city."

McGinn said people depend on libraries for access to information and resources they need to succeed. "Libraries are the great equalizers for people of all ages," he said. "A strong Library system contributes to the economic, educational and cultural vitality of our city." He noted that libraries are key partners in supporting his initiatives for youth and families and to bolster civic engagement. "Libraries support our residents looking for work, students needing homework assistance, and people who cannot afford a computer," he said. "Our libraries are educational centers in every community and gathering places for neighborhood meetings and activities."

Conlin initiated a study of alternative funding options for the Library in 2010 after recognizing the city's fiscal challenges and declining tax revenues were affecting services. A levy package grew out of that effort.

"At the City Council's April 3 public hearing, Library patrons spoke to how they have been impacted by the cuts and how critical it was that our libraries be open with the resources and assistance they need," Conlin said. "Libraries are particularly important in challenging economic times and it just doesn't make sense to cut services when people need them the most."

City Librarian Marcellus Turner said the plan was built to reflect the priorities of the community. "Libraries are the city's classrooms for both individuals and the community," he said. "The Library levy will help ensure we can provide essential Library services now and for the next generation of users." 

Ninety-one-year-old Eleanor Owen and local mystery writer Kathrine Beck also spoke about how the Library has helped them, and their families and friends, throughout their lives.

For more information, visit www.spl.org and select "Libraries for All: A Plan for the Present, A Foundation for the Future," or call 206-386-4636.

For more information contact: Andra Addison, communications director, 206-386-4103

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Levy proposal addresses ongoing fiscal challenges and supports critical services

What:
After a two-year process involving the thoughtful contributions of tens of thousands of residents and collaboration between The Seattle Public Library, Mayor’s Office and City Council, a proposal to stabilize Library funding and improve Library services is complete.

Who:
Library Board President Marie McCaffrey, City Librarian Marcellus Turner, Mayor Mike McGinn and Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin will announce a proposed Library levy to address ongoing financial challenges and support key service priorities: Library hours, collections, technology and building maintenance.

91-year-old Library patron Eleanor Owen and Seattle author Kathrine Beck will also speak about the Library’s importance to the city’s educational, cultural and economic vitality.

Library and city officials will be joined by other members of the City Council and Library Board, as well as the Friends of the Library, Library Foundation and members of the public.

When:
Noon Monday, April 9, 2012

Schedule:
Noon to 12:30 p.m. – Event Remarks
Library Board president, mayor, City Councilman Richard Conlin and city librarian will talk about the levy plan and what it offers the community. Two Library patrons will talk about the importance of libraries in their lives. The press will receive copies of the proposal, “Libraries for All: A Plan for the Present, A Foundation for the Future.”

12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. - Other Broadcast Opportunities
Library officials, the mayor, City Council members, Library patrons Eleanor Owen and Kathrine Beck, as well as Library Friends and Foundation members available for further interviews. Opportunities to film baby story time, tax assistance program and poetry group and other activities happening in the building. City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed Library levy for the Aug. 7, 2012 ballot at 2:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Ave.

Where:
The Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 3

Information:
Andra Addison, The Seattle Public Library, 206-386-4103, andra.addison@spl.org
Caroline Ullmann, The Seattle Public Library, 206-615-1627, caroline.ullmann@spl.org

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers Clark, Godden and Harrell to appear on April's City Inside/Out: Council Edition
Email your questions now for Seattle City Councilmembers

SEATTLE – What is the latest with the Department of Justice's investigation of the Seattle Police Department? How will policing change in the City? What role will the Council play in Seattle Center's Next Fifty anniversary celebration? Can residents be involved in this year's budget process? Whatever your questions, submit them now.

The April 10 episode of Seattle Channel's City Inside/Out: Council Edition will feature Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Jean Godden and Bruce Harrell answering your questions with host Brian Callanan.

Submit your questions for the Councilmembers by Friday, April 6, at noon.

• Email: contact@seattlechannel.org
• Online: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/
• Twitter: @SeattleChannel
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SeattleChannel
• Simply reply to this email

Don't miss this opportunity to put your issues before the City's lawmakers. Send in your questions now and tune in to Seattle Channel, Cable 21 on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. to hear the councilmembers respond.

Follow SEATTLE CHANNEL on Facebook and Twitter!

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Feedback sought on proposed Seattle Public Library Levy

SEATTLE – Providing funding stability for the Seattle Public Library is a priority for the City of Seattle. Seattle City Councilmembers invite members of the public to provide their feedback on the proposed Library Levy legislation before the Council. 

WHAT:
Public Hearing on the proposed Library Levy

WHEN:
Tuesday, April 3, 5:30 p.m. (Sign up will open at 5 p.m.)

WHERE:
Council Chambers, second floor
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104

Over the last two years, the Library has involved over 39,000 residents in strategic planning for the Library's future and setting priorities for Library services. In community surveys, focus groups panel discussions, five open houses, and three community meetings, the people of Seattle came together to identify the priorities for the Library's work now and in the future. Please take this opportunity to share your feedback on the proposed seven year Library Levy.

For more information on the proposed Library Levy, please visit the Council's issue page.  The proposed legislation will likely be voted on at the April 9, meeting of the Special Committee on the Library Levy at 2:30 p.m. in Council Chambers.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Join the Seattle City Council's "Sallys" for coffee and conversation

Seattle – Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw will be in the Magnolia/Interbay neighborhood this Saturday hosting their reoccurring community coffee chat. 

The March "Coffee with Sallys" conversation hour will be held at QCafe on Saturday, March 31, from 9:30– 11 a.m.  The coffee chat is open to everyone and the Councilmembers will listen and speak with Seattleites about local issues in an informal setting. 

"Come on out to talk budget, jobs, libraries or whatever," said Council President Sally J. Clark.  "I hope that you'll be able to take some time to join us."

"I'm looking forward to the 2012 series of coffee chats and speaking with and listening to our neighbors in the Magnolia and Interbay communities, " added Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.
Join the Councilmembers:

Saturday, March 31, 9:30 – 11 a.m.
QCafe, 3223-15th Avenue West

Coffee and pastries will be available for purchase and all city-related questions and topics are on the table.  For more information, or to RSVP (recommended, but not required), please click here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

1. The M’s, Danny and My New Coat. I got to meet Danny Bonaduce. OK, at best you’re thinking, “What does Danny Bonaduce have to do with economic resiliency?” I could start by just saying that Danny himself is a lesson (probably many lessons) in resiliency, but my main point is that I met him at the grand opening of the new Carhartt store downtown. Carhartt chose Seattle for their fifth retail location in the United States. The opening is a nice vote of confidence in Seattle, a place where many workers, whether they’re toiling on a fishing boat or in front of a computer screen, probably sport a Carhartt jacket. The company remains family owned and CEO Mark Valade was there with Danny and Edgar Martinez. The CEO and Edgar were given sledge hammers to do Carhartt’s version of the ribbon cutting — smashing through a panel of drywall. And in a flashback to the old days, the hammer flew out of Edgar’s hands both times he swung.

Thanks to Carhartt for choosing Downtown Seattle. Danny, KZOK’s morning host and new Seattle resident, was charming, by the way.

2. The Tile Project, Barista Training & Education, YouthTech, YouthBuild, and the Civic Justice Corps. YouthCare, this area’s premier agency getting youth off the streets and into safe shelter and housing, held its annual fundraising lunch this past Thursday. One thousand people attended at the Westin and witnessed moving testimonials of loss, change and triumph, as well as a stress dream play out before their eyes. The “pitch” man, the guy tasked with motivating us to give, was the leader of Youth Care’s Youth Build program which trains 30 formerly homeless young people a year in basic construction in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and South Seattle Community College. He started off strong talking about how the participants learn more than just how to hammer, they learn to work as a team with “one heart beat” and every time something “real” happens on the work site someone can call it out, “one heart beat” and the rest of the team claps in unison. He did such a great job taking us to that moment that he lost track of his speaking points. He blanked. Completely. Untethered.   For more than a minute.   And it was fine.   Another YouthCare staff person strode up with a fresh set of his speech notes and then he was back on track.

I loved that they highlighted YouthBuild in the pitch. YouthCare’s many skill-building and employment training programs capture young people resilient enough to survive and who need a whole new set of skills to make it as adults in the job market.

3. B&G Machine revamps humungous engines in Seattle. I ended the week with a field trip to B&G Machine in Georgetown. B&G is owned by the Bianchi family now which purchased it after operating a small machine shop in Columbia City years ago. B&G refurbishes huge diesel engines. Lots of them. We looked at engine blocks and crank shafts the size and length of a Volkswagen. Johnny Bianchi, who runs the company now with his brother and dad, explained that much of their business comes from mining companies opting for a 4-6 week refurbishment over a 72-week wait for a much costlier new engine. He says they’re even getting engines shipped to them from China because B&G does the careful work involving cleaning, grinding and calibration so much better than any shop closer by in China. We could have jumped over to their other location in the area to see (and hear) the retooled engines tested, but ran out of time.

Industrial advocates argue, and I think they’re largely right, that we (Downtown people) underestimate the vitality of the industrial sector in Seattle because it’s not in front of us every day the way some other office building industries are and, even when you’re in an industrial area, driving by a warehouse you don’t really have any idea what might be happening inside. As B&G has expanded they’ve had to be resilient in many ways over the course of decades of City regulatory decisions. The park with the Hat & Boots and a P-Patch just south of B&G received solar protection when B&G built out a few years back, but the decision came late in B&G’s design work, meaning they slanted the back roof line and can’t make full use of the inside space under the lower ceiling. Trade-offs. They’re also proud owners of a drainage retention system that may never connect to anything in the street. But just in case we ever build the new line in the street, they’ll be ready.  That’s a hard one to explain to people.

Thanks to B&G for being in Seattle, for being great at what they do, and for the tour.

My colleagues and I put out the idea of making the Globe an official landmark many months ago, before we knew how much work really goes into both a landmarks nomination and planning for the long-term life of an object like 19-ton globe topped by an 18-foot eagle. We were moved to save the Globe when it seemed Hearst might leave town completely and as we all realized that the Globe represents important Seattle and journalism history – and it looks cool. If you missed the television coverage of the announcement, you missed Councilmember Godden speaking eloquently and from the heart about what it meant to work at the P-I with luminaries of journalism and literature.

In the past many months we’ve worked with the great Mimi Sheridan to build the landmark nomination, and hatched (and re-hatched) plans with Leonard and representatives of Hearst and the P-I Globe Building to make sure we not only make the Globe a landmark, but that it survives as a well-cared-for icon. I thought the landmark nomination packet was difficult to build, but it was nothing compared to discussions about intellectual property, contract provisions, logistics and costs for transport and storage, memorandums of understanding, public benefits, endowments, property access privileges, historic preservation grant opportunities, and certificates of approval.

Currently the Globe sits atop the PI Globe Building on Elliott by Myrtle Edwards Park (having moved there in 1986 from its home at 6^th and Wall in the Regrade). The Post-Intelligencer ceased print operations 2009 becoming seattlepi.com. Recently the remaining staff moved out of the building. It’s likely that before the end of the year the current owner of the building will ask that the Globe find a new home. At that point MOHAI and the City will determine a temporary home for the Globe where restoration work can happen. There’s no City money going into the project, but we may be able to provide storage and restoration space in a former military hangar at Magnuson Park. Finding a permanent home for the Globe will be a little tougher. We’ll need help vetting ideas and you’ll see opportunities to suggest and work through possibilities when we get to that point.

For now, people can share their ideas (and support) with the MOHAI via MOHAI’s website, Facebook page and Twitter account. They’ve even created a #lightuptheglobe hashtag for the project. Hmmmm. Maybe the Globe needs its own twitter account…

Seattle City Clerk's Office unveils new homepage

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Clerk's Office launched their new homepage today. This is the first step in improving overall site and database navigation and access to the City's vast collection of legislative and archive records.

Visit the City Clerk's Office online at http://www.seattle.gov/leg/clerk/.

“Seattle City Council is proud to enhance government access and transparency. This new web portal does just that,” stated Council President Sally J. Clark.

The City Clerk's homepage features a slide show of civic and historical education campaigns and a live feed of the City Clerk's blog entries, including access to summaries of legislation recently passed by the Council. This new design follows a similar layout of the City Council's www.seattle.gov/council homepage, which brands the City of Seattle's Legislative Department.

“We are pleased to share the updated homepage featuring user-friendly access standards and infrastructure improvements,” stated Seattle City Clerk Monica Martinez Simmons. “The Clerk's Office is the front line for legislation, records and archives access. We look forward to better serving our residents and community stakeholders.”

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Clerk’s Office unveils new homepage

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Clerk’s Office launched their new homepage today. This is the first step in improving overall site and database navigation and access to the City’s vast collection of legislative and archive records.

Visit the City Clerk’s Office online at http://www.seattle.gov/leg/clerk/.

“Seattle City Council is proud to enhance government access and transparency. This new web portal does just that,” stated Council President Sally J. Clark.

The City Clerk’s homepage features a slide show of civic and historical education campaigns and a live feed of the City Clerk’s blog entries, including access to summaries of legislation recently passed by the Council. This new design follows a similar layout of the City Council’s www.seattle.gov/council homepage, which brands the City of Seattle’s Legislative Department.

“We are pleased to share the updated homepage featuring user-friendly access standards and infrastructure improvements,” stated Seattle City Clerk Monica Martinez Simmons. “The Clerk’s Office is the front line for legislation, records and archives access. We look forward to better serving our residents and community stakeholders.”

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to announce update on Seattle Post-Intelligencer Globe
Council working with MOHAI and Landmarks Preservation board to save PI Globe

SEATTLE –  On Wednesday, Seattle City Councilmembers will announce developments in preserving a Seattle treasure, the Seattle PI Globe. Joined by leadership from MOHAI and the Hearst Corporation, Councilmembers will discuss the Globe’s future.

WHAT:
Status update for Seattle Post-Intelligencer Globe preservation

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 7, 11:30 a.m.
                       
WHERE:
Near Seattle City Council Chambers
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Avenue, Second Floor
Seattle, WA 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark
Councilmember Tim Burgess
Councilmember Jean Godden
Leonard Garfield, MOHAI Director
Historian Mimi Sheridan
           
For more information view the Seattle PI globe’s landmark preservation application.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council President Sally J. Clark announces 2012 Council action plan

Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark announced today the 2012 Council Action Plan to achieve Seattle City Council priorities. This year the Council has identified several critical policy areas on which it will focus. President Clark provided the following statement regarding the Seattle City Council 2012 Action Plan:

"Each year the Council identifies policy efforts and actions that support Council’s commitment to provide core government services, like maintaining and improving city infrastructure and providing for the safety of the public.  This year brings us new opportunities to support these priorities. Priority action areas include:

• Maintaining safe and just communities
• Building healthy, great places
• Improving mobility and connections
• Making a more resilient city
• Investments through a variety of policy efforts and targeted projects

"Together, we look forward to working with our regional partners, residents, neighborhoods, and stakeholders to achieve these goals in 2012. We have our work cut out for us and remain steadfast in our commitment to improving services, more efficient government and a bettered quality of life."

For more information here is the Seattle City Council 2012 Action Plan.

Hearing Chris Hansen describe how he felt when the Sonics won the title in ’79 took me back to staying up too late for the broadcasts, crouching on my knees in front of the television with the volume down far enough my sister and parents wouldn’t hear it. I don’t remember specific plays from the championship games, but I do remember the celebration on the court afterwards. I remember Dave Twardzik saying something about how unbelievable winning was, how he thought he’d by then he’d be taking a lunchbox to work and punching a clock.

Some are immune, but the drama and elation of sports are powerful for most of us. Some of us have rules about which sports we’ll follow. Our dog walker, for instance, banished the NFL from her television after Michael Vick’s conviction. My eighth-grade teacher said she followed only collegiate basketball. The pro’s didn’t demonstrate enough good decision-making or gratitude by her measure.  Plenty of my circle say, “But we already have a pro basketball team.”

The idea of a new basketball and hockey arena in Seattle won’t be embraced by all.  I’ve heard from more than a few people strongly in favor of a new arena and I’ve heard from a few raising concerns.  Whether you love the idea or think we need another sports venue like a hole in the head, I hope you want Councilmembers to give the proposal released last Friday a fair shake. It’s what I intend to do.

The basics: Mr. Hansen (with the help of so-far-unnamed allies) has purchased the SODO Stadium District land necessary and would buy an NBA team when one becomes available (another group would need to purchase and move in a hockey team). Mr. Hansen would chip in $290 million and the City and County would under-write arena construction with a total of $200 million via councilmanic bonds. That debt would be paid back over time via rent payments and taxes and fees “captured” from the site and arena operations (city property taxes, city business and occupation taxes, city lease excise taxes, city sales tax, and city admissions tax). The team owners would operate the new arena and enjoy profits off the activities inside. The NBA team would have a no-relocate requirement for the 30-year term of the bonds. If revenues in any month don’t meet the debt payment amount, the owners would write a check for the difference. At the end of the 30 years, the city and county would own the land and the arena.

Since we (the people of Seattle) are being asked to go in on building the new arena to the tune of $150 million, we (the people jilted by a pro basketball team once before) need to be cautious and do our homework. The proposal released last Friday took more than seven months to build.  We’ll need a little time to unpack it and ensure it’s not just feasible, but a good step for the city.  How long we have to do that fair review depends on what happens elsewhere in the NBA. I take Mr. Hansen at his word when he says his motivation is not to “take” another city’s team, rather his goal is to return an NBA team to Seattle. That means he has to be opportunistic, prepared and patient.

I’ll have many questions, among them:

• How will the City of Seattle avoid a replay of the Sonics’ painful, expensive exit?

OK, maybe that’s too broad. Breaking that down a bit:

• How will we ensure that the city’s General Fund is shielded from responsibility for the arena debt?
• Can the NBA truly guarantee a no-relocate clause?
• How do we measure the economic impact of a new arena? How many permanent new jobs will be created and at what wage levels? How many new “heads in beds” for the hotels?
• How will the addition of a third venue in the Stadium District impact traffic? Specifically, what might a third venue mean for Port-related and other industrial traffic?
• How would use of our debt capacity for a new arena affect our debt limit? How might using City-issued debt for the arena affect our ability to debt-finance other major projects?
• How do we account for impacts to Key Arena operations?
• Are we a big enough market to support two more major teams? How does the size of our market affect projections for corporate suite sales, advertising and sponsorships?  All of these affect team business success and the ability of team ownership to fulfill debt payment back-up obligations.

Watch for review of the proposal to get under way in the Council’s Government Performance and Finance Committee in the near future.

Seattle City Councilmembers praise Governor Gregoire for signing marriage equality bill
Council's marriage equality resolution supports state legislative efforts

SEATTLE –Seattle City Councilmembers today recognized the signing of Senate Bill 6239, concerning civil marriage and domestic partnerships, as Washington state joins other states in support of marriage equality.

January 23, Councilmembers unanimously approved Resolution 31356 declaring full support of state-wide marriage equality, urging the Washington State Legislature to swiftly pass this legislation.

Council President Sally J. Clark said, "I'd like to recognize and thank Gov. Chris Gregoire, Sen. Ed Murray and Rep. Jamie Pedersen, and all the legislators who took this historic step toward equality.  The unprecedented level of community advocacy has been inspiring."

"This achievement is the result of decades of tenacious and courageous work by people throughout Washington," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.  "I especially want to thank Sen. Ed Murray who has worked tirelessly for fairness and equality for the passage of this landmark law."

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw added, "This issue is about fairness. I am inspired by the thoughtful debate that took place amongst our leaders in Olympia, thrilled to see this day come and proud of our state."

"I thank the Governor and the state Legislature for showing strong leadership on marriage equality," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "This effort has taken great patience and perseverance and today's signing is worthy of celebration."

"I applaud Governor Gregoire and the Legislature for doing the right thing for Washington's residents," said Councilmember Richard Conlin. "As a licensed officiant, I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate and perform wedding ceremonies as soon as this legislation takes effect and I can legally sign the papers."

"I'm thrilled state legislators and the Governor have made marriage equality the law of the land," stated Councilmember Jean Godden. "It's high time we lived in a state that recognizes everyone's equal rights."

"As an advocate for fairness, I am incredibly proud of our Washington State Senate, House of Representatives, and Gov. Gregoire on fighting for marriage equality in our state," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "Families come in many forms and all families in our city and state should enjoy equal rights and opportunities. I am overcome with pride that Washington state will continue to build momentum towards marriage equality in the United States, by becoming the 7th state to recognize gay marriage. We all benefit from an environment that promotes equality."

Councilmember Nick Licata stated, "As a longtime supporter of marriage equality,  I'm thrilled today that our state Legislature and Governor agree that though Washington's ‘Everything but marriage' law served its purpose for a time, it fell far short of what's right and fair." 

"This historic step makes me proud to be a Washingtonian. I cannot wait to attend my first official gay wedding and celebrate with friends and family who have been left out of this important institution for too long," stated Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

In February 1997, the City of Seattle adopted Resolution 29535 opposing discrimination against same-sex couples in Washington State and supporting legal recognition of civil marriages for same-sex couples. Supporting marriage equality is also in the City of Seattle's 2012 state legislative agenda.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council establishes Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs
Coordinated efforts will provide easier to use services to immigrant and refugee communities

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today approved 7-0 Council Bill 117394 establishing the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs as an executive department. By creating one location for immigrant and refugee services, this office will coordinate the City's efforts in reaching and providing services to immigrant and refugee communities.

"The City of Seattle has better invested in the way we serve all residents – including immigrants and refugees," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the committee that will oversee the new Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs. "This new office will improve how the City integrates new immigrants and refugees into the civic life of Seattle, as well as help all residents benefit from the diversity of immigrant and refugee cultures. It will be mutually beneficial to all."

The bill recognizes Seattle is home to many immigrant and refugee communities and that language and cultural barriers can compromise equal access to government services and programs. These barriers combined with the complex nature of issues that impact immigrant and refugee communities, resulted in this Council action to strengthen the relationship between government and these communities.

"Immigrant and refugee communities contribute to the vitality of Seattle in countless ways, but they can also have trouble accessing city services," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "The Council created this office because we saw the need to provide a more coordinated welcome to these individuals and families."

"The Immigrant and Refugee Commission is excited about the new City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.  Seattle's Immigrants and refugees have quickly become part of the city's economic life, from the bustling International District downtown to the polyglot scene that is the South East, the most diverse zip code in the nation," said co-chair Devon Abdallah. "What a great way to show commitment to continue to advocate for immigrant and refugees," said co-chair Jesus Rodriguez.  "We are looking forward to having an office coordinating efforts across City departments and a central point of contact for individuals requiring City assistance."

"I am thrilled that we were able to create an office that will reach out to newcomers and serve as a one-stop place to access information and services," stated Councilmember Jean Godden.

"The Office will make city government more accessible and responsive to Seattle's immigrant and refugee communities, which now represent 17 percent of the City's population," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "I look forward to working with the new office to better include these communities, our newest residents, in our civic process and life."

"OneAmerica applauds the Council's leadership in creating this office which will help streamline access to services and create innovative ways to recognize and encourage immigrant and refugee communities to participate in city life. The office also provides a clear signal that city government values the input and contribution made by immigrant communities," said OneAmerica Executive Director, Pramila Jayapal.

The bill also renames the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Board to the Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission.  The Seattle City Council created the Immigrant and Refugee Advisory Board and developed an Immigrant and Refugee Action Plan in 2007. The Immigrant and Refugee Commission will work with the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative to integrate principles of social justice and ensure consistency with the Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Join your Seattle elected officials at Saturday's City Hall Open House
Office tours and civic education available for visitors

SEATTLE – Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes and members of the Seattle City Council invite residents to City Hall this Saturday for a day of Seattle-centric festivities.

City Hall Open House
Saturday, January 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
600 Fourth Ave, Seattle, WA 98104
(enter on Fifth Avenue)

The open house will include tours of the Mayor's Office, City Council offices, and Office of Intergovernmental Relations, a Q&A with Mayor Mike McGinn, and workshops on the legislative process and interpreting credit reports. All departments will be on-hand to answer resident questions and provide information on City-sponsored programs. City Attorney Pete Holmes will be present along with the four new police Precinct Liaisons. The Seattle Animal Shelter will have adoptable animals available at their booth.

Details are as follows:

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.      

City Hall open for visitors, department tabling

City Council offices available for self-guided tours
(Second floor)

Pai's food truck available on Fifth Avenue

Pike Place Farmer's Market available on Fifth Avenue

"How a bill becomes a law" civic education exhibit
(Council Chambers, second floor)

10:15 a.m.                

Remarks by Council President Sally J. Clark
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

10:20 – 11:15 a.m.  

Q & A with Mayor Mike McGinn
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

11:15 a.m.

Mayor's Honor Song, Arlie Nakeshi, Native American
(Bertha Knight Landes Room, first floor)

12:00 – 12:30 p.m.  How a bill becomes a law workshop
(Council Chambers, second floor)

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.     Financial Empowerment Workshop: Unraveling the mysteries of credit reports/scores by Becky House, American Financial Solutions, a member of the Seattle-King County Asset Building Collaborative
(Floor L2, Room L280)

The following local musical acts will perform from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.:

• The Fred Hoadley Trio (Latin Jazz; lobby)
• Arlie Neskahi and Eagle's Jump (Native American Music; seventh floor lobby)

The Farmer's Market on Fifth Avenue will include the following local vendors:

• Martin Family Orchards (apples)
• Sidhu Farms (frozen berries, honey, jam)
• Full Circle Farms (organic winter vegetables)
• Garden Flowers (pickled beets and winter vegetables)
• Alm Hill Gardens (fresh tulips)
• Sammamish Valley Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)
• Neng Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)
• Xai Cha Farm (dried flowers and winter vegetables)

For more information on tomorrow's Open House, visit www.seattle.gov.

Seattle City Council approves marriage equality resolution
Councilmembers unanimously support state legislative efforts

SEATTLE – Seattle City Councilmembers today unanimously approved Resolution 31356 declaring full support of state-wide marriage equality, urging the Washington State Legislature to swiftly pass Senate Bill 6239. This bill is explicitly intended to end discrimination in marriage based on gender and sexual orientation, while respecting the religious freedom of religious institutions to determine for whom to perform marriage ceremonies.

"I'm sure it's no surprise that the Seattle City Council favors marriage equality," said Council President Sally J. Clark. "We've long been on record in support, and many of my colleagues and I have actively lobbied for the cause. It's heartening to hear the legislature has the support to turn the measure into law."

"As chair of the committee that oversees Seattle's Office for Civil Rights, I wish to thank the members of the Washington State Senate, House of Representatives, and Gov. Gregoire on fighting for marriage equality in our state," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell. "Families come in many forms and all families in our city and state should enjoy equal rights and opportunities.  We all benefit from an environment that promotes equality."

The Council resolution also recognizes that all people are created equal and should be treated as such by their government and provides a formal declaration of support to the state legislature and Gov. Gregoire.

"I'm thrilled to support this resolution urging State Legislators to take the final step toward marriage equality. It's about time we lived in a state which recognizes everyone's equal rights under the law," said Councilmember Jean Godden.

"It's long past time for all people in same-sex relationships to be allowed to marry. Washington's 'everything but marriage' law has served its purpose yet I'm glad that many agree that it still falls short of what right and fair," stated Councilmember Nick Licata. 

"The elected leadership of Seattle stands united in support of the marriage equality legislation," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "Washington should no longer make distinctions based on sexual orientation. I encourage my colleagues and friends in the state legislature to pass this bill."

In February 1997, the City of Seattle adopted Resolution 29535 opposing discrimination against same-sex couples in Washington State and supporting legal recognition of civil marriages for same-sex couples. Supporting marriage equality is also in the City of Seattle's 2012 state legislative agenda.

"I am so pleased this day has come," stated Councilmember Sally Bagshaw.

"If two people are ready to commit to spend their lives together, they should have the option to get married," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "Marriage equality is the civil rights issue of our day, and I fully believe we must grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights and privileges before the state as straight couples."

"As a licensed officiant, I look forward to the opportunity to celebrate and perform wedding ceremonies as soon as this legislation is approved and I can legally sign the papers," added Councilmember Richard Conlin. "Let's make it happen!"

"The City of Seattle has long prided itself on its commitment to equality and diversity. Marriage equality should be afforded to all consenting people," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. "Equality and fairness is good for people and business, and marriage equality will make Washington state more attractive to those who would move here. I applaud the efforts of Gov. Gregoire and the Legislature to pass these bills in this session.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Local elected officials highlight solutions to region's human trafficking problem

SEATTLE – King County Councilmember Jane Hague, Port of Seattle Commissioner Gael Tarleton, Mayor Mike McGinn, City Attorney Pete Holmes, and Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess today recognized national Human Trafficking Awareness Day by joining together with community advocates and law enforcement leaders to announce new tools and solutions to prevent human trafficking locally.  

"Sexual exploitation, forced labor, and other forms of human trafficking will not be tolerated here, and I applaud these new strategies to prevent modern-day forms of slavery," said King County Executive Dow Constantine.

"As a major trade center, our region is a natural staging area for human trafficking," said Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Jane Hague.  "I am very proud of the work that King County has done to help eliminate this dehumanizing crime, including the first successful prosecution in Washington State.  It is critical that we continue to shine a light on this issue, and work together with other local governments to increase the pressure on offenders."

"Prosecutors and police see the damage of human trafficking every day on the streets of our community. State and local governments are recognizing the problem and giving law enforcement new tools to combat human trafficking, particularly in the area of the sexual exploitation of minors. We can and should do more to protect our children from those who would abuse them for profit," said Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Sean O'Donnell.    

"A strong coalition is already working together to eradicate trafficking," said Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton. "But we can't do it alone, and that's why we hope to educate the millions of passengers who pass through the airport each year about this crime and recruit them, as partners in the fight."

"A critical tactic for fighting human trafficking is raising the public's awareness of the issue," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "Exploiting people for any reason – whether it be for sex, labor or profit – is unacceptable in this city. That's why I will continue to work with my fellow elected officials and law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Conference of Mayors this month in Washington D.C., to protect Seattle from this violation of basic human rights."

"My office, in collaboration with the Seattle Police Department (SPD), is already reallocating existing resources to attack the demand side of the sex industry, said Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes. "Where SPD typically referred – and we prosecuted – female prostitutes and male johns at roughly a 60-40 ratio, we are seeking to reverse that ratio. Prostitutes are more often than not victims, and in most instances, Seattle Community Court will be an option for them, coupled with appropriate services. Johns will not have this option, and even first timers will face prosecution and tougher sentencing."

"Our state has made significant progress in the fight against sex trafficking and we can all take pride in what has been accomplished in the last few years," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "More needs to be done—and I'm pleased that more is being done—to help the victims of these crimes."

"It is critical to the work of service providers and law enforcement and, most importantly, to the identification of victims, that the community recognize and understand human trafficking in all its forms," said Jaimie Driscoll a spokesperson for the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network (WARN).  "WARN thanks the King County Council, the City of Seattle, and the Port, for their work in bringing awareness of human trafficking to its constituency and for its recognition of local efforts to combat trafficking in Washington State."

Earlier this week, King County, the Port of Seattle, and the City of Seattle each brought awareness to the issue of human trafficking by issuing proclamations. 

Read the King County Council proclamation here.

Read the Port of Seattle proclamation here.

Read the City of Seattle proclamation here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

King County, Seattle, Port promote awareness of human trafficking
Agencies will hold event tomorrow to highlight regional solutions

SEATTLE – In advance of Human Trafficking Awareness Day, recognized nationally on January 11, the King County Council, Port of Seattle Commission, and Seattle City Council passed recent legislation to shine a spotlight on the horrific problem of human trafficking. 

 "In Washington, we can be proud that we were the first state in the union to criminalize human trafficking, and King County successfully prosecuted the state's first human trafficking case." said King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert, who co-sponsored the County proclamation. "The unique partnerships we have been able to create here are making a difference by strengthening tools for law enforcement and the courts to help protect immigrants and teens from being forced into servitude and prostitution, as well as increasing penalties for convicted traffickers."

As many as 17,500 people are trafficked annually into the United States.  Mostly women and children, these individuals endure forced labor, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, and forced marriages – prison terms that have no end date and no hope for release.

"Our borders should always be open to trade and tourism, but they should never be open to human trafficking," said Port of Seattle Commission President Gael Tarleton. 

By working together, the three agencies, along with local and federal law enforcement partners, hope to increase awareness of this terrible issue – and with that awareness, heighten both reporting of activities and conviction of those who benefit from the misery of others.

"Human trafficking is a grave issue that thousands of people face in our State. It requires broad partnership across jurisdictions and I'm proud of the statement we are making together with this proclamation," noted Seattle City Councilmember Mike O'Brien.

"Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery and needs to be eradicated permanently," said King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn. "It's important that we increase public awareness of the warning signs and heal the victims."
Human Trafficking Awareness Day is Wednesday, January 11, and the three agencies will be joined by community and law enforcement leaders to announce new tools for both law enforcement officials and citizens and unveil solutions to prevent this modern-day slavery.  The event will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Seattle City Hall.

Read the King County Council proclamation here.

Read the Port of Seattle proclamation here.

Read the City of Seattle proclamation here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council debuts new homepage
New design easier to navigate

SEATTLE – Along with confirming their new 2012-2013 Council President and committee assignments, the Seattle City Council today introduced a new seattle.gov/council/ homepage. The homepage also features the Council's newly-released 2011 annual report.

The new homepage design utilizes components of the new seattle.gov look and feel in an effort to better convey legislative information to Seattleites.  Along with highlighting Council's initiatives and legislation, the homepage features RSS feeds of the calendar and the Council Connections blog, links to issue-specific pages and the Councilmember's 2012 individual and group photos. 

The Council Connections blog is more prominently featured on the homepage and is the one-stop-shop for news and updates from the Council.  This aggregator site includes Councilmember blog posts, Council-issued news releases and information from the City Clerk's office.  Found on the homepage, this feature is also accessible here.

Of note to media outlets, the 2012 individual and group Councilmember photos are available in the Council newsroom. 

For more information on the 2012 committee assignments or to sign up to receive agendas, visit here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to focus on economic recovery in 2012
Sally J. Clark confirmed as Council President, Councilmembers take oath of office

SEATTLE – Led by newly sworn in president Sally J. Clark, the Seattle City Council reaffirmed their commitment to economic recovery and strengthening regional partnerships at today's swearing in ceremony. Returning Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, and Tom Rasmussen were sworn in today in the traditional Oath of Office ceremony.

Family, friends and colleagues filled the Seattle City Council chambers to celebrate new local government leadership. Each elected official was sworn in by someone of their choice and gave brief remarks.

This year the Council's focus is all about resilience; about taking big and small actions to keep Seattle working. Seattle, like most cities across the United States, labors to provide services and meet public obligations. This will be another year of budget cuts and lay-offs, but there's much that city government can and must do to stoke business and individual success.

As new Council President, Sally J. Clark stated, "We are a Council committed to seeing Seattle through this economic downturn by collaborating with other regional governments, streamlining licenses and permits, and following through on capital projects and infrastructure needed by business and residents."

"I would like to thank the voters of Seattle for their strong support and trust in reelecting me to the City Council," said Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.  "This is a time of extraordinary opportunity for Seattle.  I am excited to be working for the great future that we have before us."

"This year, my colleagues and I will move Seattle forward by reimagining and reshaping our waterfront, building strong relationships with our regional partners , and working to ensure Seattle Public Utilities continues to deliver excellent service at affordable rates," added Councilmember Jean Godden.

"I am grateful and energized to start a new term in office in charge of a new committee," said Councilmember Tim Burgess. "In a time of continued budget difficulties, we will work collaboratively with the Mayor, City employees and the public to raise the performance of City departments, strengthen accountability and increase citizen access to government."

Councilmember Bruce Harrell said, "I am honored that the people of Seattle re-elected me to serve another term on the City Council. I am excited about the coming year, addressing the Department of Justice's report of the Seattle Police Department and the opportunities that chairing the Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology committee will bring."

"This year, parks and neighborhoods are joining forces in one committee, said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw. "This is a natural fit as parks improve quality of life in our neighborhoods and help to build community.  I look forward to continuing to work with neighbors across the city to make our parks, roads, sidewalks safe and accessible to all."

"Sally Clark will be a great Council President," stated outgoing Council President Richard Conlin. "I am looking forward to the work on planning and land use issues.  I am confident that 2012 will be another successful and productive for this Council."

"I congratulate my colleagues for their reelections," said Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "In my new role as Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee I look forward to continue exploring opportunities to help Seattle meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050."

Today's inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity for the public to witness and participate in their government. The ceremony was broadcast live on the Seattle Channel and can be viewed here.

For more information on the 2012 committee assignments or to sign up to receive agendas, visit here.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Council to hold inaugural ceremony
Council to confirm president, newly-elected Councilmembers and committees on Monday

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council will hold the Oath of Office ceremony and vote on new council committees, established by Resolution 31350 at the Full Council meeting, Monday, January 9, at 2 p.m. The next Council President will also be confirmed at this time. A reception will be held in the Bertha Knight Landes room after Full Council adjourns.

WHAT:
Oath of Office, confirmation of Council President and 2012 committee assignments
Reception following

WHEN:
Monday, January 9th, 2 p.m.

WHERE:
Seattle City Council Chambers
600 4th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98104

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmembers

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I visited the old Fire Station 39 for a dinner with the crew very soon after I joined City Council and it was clearly a tired building in need of replacement. Building the new FS 39 down the street meant the old FS 39 could be put out to pasture. In the long-term this means selling the property or signing a long-term lease with a developer who will build new housing. In the short-term, the building has had an interesting second life as a controversial stopping point for the encampment known as Nickelsville (they packed up last year) and, now, as a winter shelter for men and women.

Union Gospel Mission stepped forward last year with a proposal to run a winter shelter for men and women with connections to medical care, employment, permanent housing, treatment and other help people need to leave the streets. Union Gospel does this with no compensation from the City. December was the first month of operation and here are the stats so far:

• Provided 1,248 shelter nights in December (33 men, 8 women average per night)
• Served 3,526 meals during the month of December (hot breakfast, sack lunches and hot dinner)
• Placed 4 women (3 that had children) into transitional housing.
• Placed 2 men into long-term addiction recovery programs.
• Connected 2 men to employment (staff helped them search and apply for job online with CPU station for guests)
• Medical screening weekly from Seattle University Nursing Students and Addiction Recovery Intakes and Counseling provided weekly.
• Morning Watch coordinator engaged homeless people sleeping on the streets 63 times (some repeat customers) to invite back to the shelter for breakfast and services.
• Reported decrease in calls from community over public intoxication and loitering since the shelter opened.
• Reported decrease in people sleeping in front of businesses since the shelter opened.
• Reported decrease in homeless people trying to gain unauthorized access to nearby a apartment complex and overall loitering.
• Weekly meetings with the community advisory group to hear feedback on the impact of the shelter on area residents and businesses, and to collaborate on solutions

The winter shelter proposal has not started out popular with many residents or businesses in Lake City. Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and I met last year with representatives of the business district who had specific, valid concerns about safety and crime, and about a shelter becoming a magnet for “out of area” homeless. At the end of the day, though, the fact remains that Lake City has people living on the street and in vehicles (my assignment area for the One Night Count in 2008 was Lake City). We should get them safely inside and connected to services moving them toward a permanent home via a shelter operated with community accountability. Opening a new homeless shelter is an important, humane thing to do, but it’s no one’s idea of a great achievement because of what it signals – too many people in need. That said, congratulations to the Union Gospel Mission for a job well done.

Seattle City Councilmembers applaud
Gov. Gregoire’s support of marriage equality

Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Tom Rasmussen today released the following comments on Gov. Chris Gregoire’s leadership in supporting marriage equality:

“I thank Gov. Gregoire for taking a great step and putting her name behind the drive for marriage equality,” said Councilmember Sally J. Clark. “We have work before us in this legislative session and beyond, but Gov. Gregoire’s is a critical voice in recognizing that all people are created equal and should be treated as such by their government. Gay marriage is legal in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa, and the District of Columbia, and I am proud to be in a state pursuing equality.”

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stated, “The strong support of Gov. Gregoire is an important boost to marriage equality for all. The City of Seattle is on record supporting marriage for same sex couples and we will work with the Governor for passage this year.”

In preparation for 2012, the Seattle City Council has drafted likely committee assignments to be established by Resolution at Full Council meeting, January 9, at 2 p.m. The next Council President will also be confirmed at this time. Committee terms are two years.

WHAT:           Confirmation of Council President and 2012 committee assignments

WHEN:          Monday, January 9, 2 p.m.

WHERE:        Seattle City Council Chambers, 600 Fourth Avenue, Second Floor, Seattle, WA 98104

WHO:             Seattle City Councilmembers

There’s a great power in standing up to be seen. We should do it more often.

For many of the neighbors, it was the first ever extensive walk around the area. Most people, if they walk in the area at all, have their route to and from home. Mr. Vega was on his usual route when he was jumped in November.

The tragedy of Danny Vega’s death brought press coverage to what locals in South Seattle who rely on transit in the Light Rail Corridor already know – too many frightening attacks with serious consequences have also occurred.  More than 30 street robberies or attempted robberies have occurred in South Seattle since Sept. 1, Seattle police reports indicate.

One attack is too many. Thirty is way, way too many. My greater neighborhood is filled with hardworking people, many of whom have no practical alternative to walking to and from the bus or light rail. Nor should they have to worry about walking to and from the bus or light rail. It has to be safe to walk to and from the Othello Street station, and from the Mt. Baker, Columbia City, and Henderson Street stations.

During Sunday night’s walk, organized by the Southeast Seattle Crime Prevention Council and followed Monday night by a walk around the Columbia City station, we looked for dark spots or secluded, dangerous areas. We found a full half block with no street lights and no lights on adjacent property, and five burnt out pedestrian-scale lights just across from the station itself. We found some places very well lit with well-trimmed landscaping. We saw the mounted video camera that captured the images of two young men stashing a jacket into a dumpster near where Danny Vega was beaten. We saw mostly good sidewalks, but some cracked and heaved areas that make walking (or rolling in a wheelchair) difficult.

In the end, though, there isn’t much unique about the greater Othello area. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s a great neighborhood of small businesses, homes, a new apartment complex and the great Othello Park.  The attacks on people can and do happen just about anywhere.  They are thwarted by a combination of efforts and luck. More light, tidier landscaping, more eyes on the street from neighbors and other walkers.

While investigating the specific attack on Mr. Vega, SPD has also focused resources on preventing more attacks from occurring. Capt. Nolan of the South Precinct has responded to the attacks with emphasis patrols targeting the areas where these attacks have been occurring. Also, the precinct now deploys a two-officer special emphasis car that does nothing but cruise the corridor on the look out for transit predators. South Precinct Anti-Crime Teams and Gang Unit officers also work the problem. 

These are all good moves, though community members have reason to ask why the pattern of attacks wasn’t publicized sooner. I remain concerned that South Precinct doesn’t have the number of officers needed to cover the area with a consistent visible presence.  Not only are we not hiring to replace all our retiring or otherwise departing current officers, but events in other parts of the City (like Occupy) require shifting officers out of neighborhood patrol assignments and into special duties. The result is a patrol force stretched too thin.

For now – big thanks to Lieutenant Hayes and Detective Cookie for their company and assistance Sunday night.  The punch list from our Othello area walk-around includes replacing lights, adding new ones, trimming hedges, fixing sidewalks – and follow-through.

Seattle City Council approves West Seattle gateway neighborhood rezone

SEATTLE – Seattle City Council approved today C.B. 117294 and Resolution 31342, enacting new land use rules and maximum building heights for the "West Seattle Triangle"neighborhood.  Community advocates and city planners framed the new rules in hopes of encouraging new development in the area to be more mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented.

The zoning changes adopted by City Council encourage more housing density by allowing additional height (up to 85 feet) for residential buildings on certain blocks. The changes also ensures more landscaping and a better street-level experience for walkers.

Located at the western end of the West Seattle Bridge, the West Seattle Triangle serves as a gateway to West Seattle and the Alaska Junction shopping district. In 2007, the Huling Brothers car dealership closed leaving behind several acres of vacant lots and buildings. However, recently after the closure King County designated a RapidRide bus route on 35th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Alaska St., increasing transit ease in the heart of the Triangle. This RapidRide service, beginning in 2012, will create more opportunity for smart growth in the area.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who sponsored the planning process said, "We want to help the neighborhood become a place where people can live, work and play without a car if they choose."

A community advisory committee worked with city planners for two years to develop a vision and specific goals for this sub-area of West Seattle. Neighbors articulated a vision of new residential and small retail development coexisting with long-loved community icons like Alki Lumber.

Councilmember Sally J. Clark said, "Through careful, sensitive development, the Triangle can become a great residential pocket in West Seattle with terrific bus connections and within a quick walk of the Alaska Junction.  These rules are intended to build in more certainty for that vision."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle joins global movement to protect marine wildlife
City Council unanimously votes to ban plastic carry out bags

Seattle – Today the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to pass Council Bill 117345, a bill to protect Puget Sound and protect marine wildlife by banning plastic carry-out bags. The bill encourages the use of reusable shopping bags by requiring grocers and retailers to charge a nickel for paper bags.

Washingtonians use more than 2 billion single-use plastic bags each year. Seattle alone uses approximately 292 million plastic bags annually, only 13% of which are recycled, according to Seattle Public Utilities.

"This bill is a great example of a broad and diverse coalition of people and organizations coming together to do the right thing for our environment," said prime sponsor, City Councilmember Mike O'Brien, chair of the Seattle Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee. "We have the support of grocers, retailers, restaurants, labor unions, and environmental organizations in Seattle. We also have broad grassroots involvement from residents who have been emailing and calling in support of this issue for months now."

Environmental organizations in support of the plastic bag ban include Environment Washington, People for Puget Sound, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club, and Zero Waste Seattle. The bill is also supported by the Northwest Grocery Association, the Washington Restaurant Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 21, and some local independent grocers, such as Metropolitan Market, Town & Country Markets, PCC, and Central Co-op.

"We know that recycling alone cannot protect Puget Sound and our ocean waters from these plastic bags," said Councilmember O'Brien. "Of course people are not intentionally littering their bags into Puget Sound, but with so many in circulation, bags are ending up there, causing real damage to habitats and wildlife. Bringing our own reusable bags when we go shopping is a simple step we can all take that will protect our environment and reduce unnecessary waste."

"In the last few years, we have learned much more about how much plastic is in Puget Sound and the impact it has on marine wildlife," said Katrina Rosen, Field Director for Environment Washington. "Banning plastic bags is an important step we must take to protect Puget Sound wildlife and we are happy to see City Council stepping up to be a part of this growing global movement."

Seattle is the fourth city in Washington to ban plastic bags following Edmonds, Bellingham, and, most recently, Mukilteo. Regionally, Seattle joins the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kauai, more than a dozen municipalities in California—such as San Francisco, San Jose, Malibu, and Los Angeles County—more than 30 coastal towns in Alaska, and neighboring Portland in taking action against plastic bags. Additionally, at least 20 nations have also enacted efforts to reduce or eliminate plastic bag use, including Germany, Ireland, China, Taiwan, India, and Kenya.

The ordinance will go into effect July 1, 2012. Seattle Public Utilities will be responsible for outreach to businesses and public education over the next six months and after the law takes effect. The utilities' solid waste division will also monitor and enforce the ordinance.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Per usual, public comment will be at the top of the agenda. That will be followed by the Roosevelt Neighborhood Rezone discussion and vote, and then finishing with discussion and vote on revised General Lot Standards in Single Family Zones (more exciting than it sounds).

If you had planned to come to Council Chambers at 9 a.m. and the new start time causes any inconvenience, I apologize. If you were planning to speak in public comment and can’t attend, you can also do so in writing to councilmembers. Our contact information is located here.

Seattle City Council to discuss Roosevelt neighborhood rezone

SEATTLE - The Seattle City Council’s Committee on the Built Environment will take up the Roosevelt neighborhood rezone during its meeting on Wednesday, December 14 at 10:30 a.m. The committee will hear testimony from the public about the proposal before discussing and possibly voting on the legislation.

WHAT:
Roosevelt neighborhood rezone discussion and public testimony

WHEN:
Wednesday, December 14, 10:30 a.m. – noon

WHERE:
Seattle City Council Chambers
600 4th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA 98101

WHO:
Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark
Committee on Built Environment

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Saving the Pike-Pine Neighborhood Culture
Seattle City Council approves program to save character structures

SEATTLE –The Seattle City Council passed C.B. 117235 today creating an additional financial incentive for owners of older, character buildings in the Pike-Pine District of Capitol Hill to preserve the buildings.

The new Transfer of Development Potential (TDP) program allows owners of buildings that are at least 75 years old, (called character structures,) to sell the unused air-rights above their buildings to other property owners in the neighborhood if the owner of the sending site agrees to keep the older structures in place. The amount of air rights that a property owner can sell is generally the difference between the floor area of the existing building on the lot and the floor area that could be built in a new building developed to the maximum limits allowed by the zoning on the same lot.

Many Pike-Pine businesses and residents have long feared that their neighborhood, Seattle's original auto row, is threatened by redevelopment and destruction of the neighborhood's history and culture. They've raised concerns that the art and culture that have made the neighborhood popular could be lost to insensitive redevelopment.

Councilmember Sally Clark said, "Pike-Pine has been in jeopardy of becoming a victim of its own success. Artists, gay and lesbian bars, other small businesses, students and younger apartment dwellers made it so cool that developers couldn't help but notice. We want to make sure that new development is a bonus for the area and doesn't tear down the history and culture of Pike-Pine."

The TDP program is the final phase of a three-part effort sponsored by the City Council to support appropriate scale new development and historic renovation in the Pike-Pine neighborhood.

Councilmember Tom Rasmussen added, "First we strengthened the Pike-Pine Conservation Overlay District, to provide incentives for saving character structures and encourage spaces for arts facilities and small businesses. Then we revised the Neighborhood Design Guidelines to help ensure new construction fits in with the character of the neighborhood. Now we're adding a new way to save existing buildings by allowing building owners to earn money if they keep their character structures."

The City's Department of Planning and Development estimates the TDP program could preserve as many as 10 character structures over a 20-year period.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

The planned North Lot Tower near Qwest Field will undergo a Design Commission review.

Thanks to people stepping forward to serve, we have new appointees to the Seattle Design Commission, Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, the Ballard Avenue Landmark District Board, the Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority, the Pioneer Square Preservation Board, a couple of neighborhood Design Review Boards, and the Ethics and Elections Commission.

My colleagues and I rely on input from more than 50 boards and commissions. The City Council and Mayor appoint members of boards and commissions after putting out a call for applicants.

We post notices and do some targeted outreach to professional groups that may be good trolling grounds for people with professional experience. You can check out openings any time on the Boards and Commissions Web site.

About serving on a board or commission

Service on the boards is voluntary (no conscription) with terms that last two or three years and include the opportunity to be reappointed. Commissioners meet usually twice a month. They contribute crucial informed opinions to project staff and policy makers.

How younger people can get engaged

Not surprisingly, board and commission membership can skew toward people who are established in their careers and have a bit more flexibility to give their time. Younger adults sometimes feel like they don’t have the knowledge or time to give.  Wrong! For a number of years now the city has had the Get Engaged program for adults under 30 who are interested in serving. The YMCA recruits the participants and provides training and support, while the City offers special one-year positions on the Boards and Commissions and partially funds the YMCA work.

Interested in serving?

To find out more about board and commissions, what they do, and whether or not you might be interested in serving, visit the City of Seattle’s Boards and Commissions Web site.

I’ve watched and supported the neighborhood’s update on the Roosevelt neighborhood plan since joining City Council almost six years ago. Councilmember Jean Godden and I went to bat for Roosevelt almost four years ago when it looked like the effort might sputter and die for lack of attention from Department of Planning & Development staff. We convinced the City Council to earmark money to pay for the detailed zoning analysis, and DPD staff went to work with the neighborhood’s sharp citizen planners. They’d already moved heaven and earth by getting Sound Transit to shift the location of the light rail station further into the center of the ‘hood. How hard could a zoning scheme be?

Throw in a concurrent effort by private developers to rezone the hotly debated “Sisley high school blocks” along with an eleventh-hour change-up by a new mayor, and, OK, an agreed-upon zoning scheme becomes hard, really hard.  The Roosevelt Neighborhood Alliance (RNA) had an initial proposal. Then DPD presented that proposal with a tweak or two. Then my colleague, Councilmember Tim Burgess, publicly urged going bigger. Then Mayor McGinn made a proposal. Then RNA presented the Sustainable Livable Roosevelt Plan (SLRP). Then a few hundred people showed up at the Roosevelt High School Auditorium for a public hearing to cheer for the SLRP (and boo the urbanistas). In the wings, the Roosevelt Development Group continues their alliance with long-time community antagonist Hugh Sisley.  To the east, defenders of the Ravenna neighborhood pushed back against allowing higher on the high school blocks for fear that six story buildings will spread like a contagion east.

There’s a blockbuster movie in all this, or at least a really great urban development policy case study.

While the Roosevelt rezone package contains much more than the changes on the high school blocks, most of the heated debate revolves around these three blocks in the eastern half of the circle around the station. In public testimony, via email and in conversation, advocates have mentioned all or some of the following desires for the high school blocks (thanks to Councilmember Burgess for compiling this list):

1. Maintaining the central impact of the Roosevelt High School building by protecting views to and from the building.
2. Creating a streetscape that is active and pedestrian-friendly, including “green street” designation for N.E. 66^th St.
3. Creating effective transitions from the core of Roosevelt out to the single-family zoning.
4. Making new open and green space possible.
5. Keeping a clean, safe environment for everyone, including Roosevelt High School students.
6. Increasing the number of housing units in the area.
7. Ensuring that a portion of new housing units rent or sell at affordable levels.
8. Honoring the planning process and involvement by neighbors.

After reviewing the various plans and basic sketches of what different development scenarios might look like, I believe carefully constrained 65-foot zoning (versus the more bulky 40 feet currently allowed) on the high school blocks yields our best chance at achieving the goals above in this sub-area of the neighborhood. These blocks are between one and three blocks from the slated light rail station entrances. They are bordered by busy N.E. 65^th St.  In making a decision that’s right for now and 40 years from now, 65 feet provides more setbacks “buying” more sidewalk space, more housing, more affordable housing and wider view corridors to and from the high school.

Proponents of 40 feet argue you can gain the same wider view corridors to and from the high school if you require developers to set the building back from the property line. While this is true, it’s also true that this would mean a decrease in development capacity from what you could build on the blocks now. In other words, a downzone. To my mind, a downzone would not lead to winning enough of the goals cited above (or any if the downzone precluded any new development at all) and is hard to justify in a light rail station area.

The cry of many 40-foot proponents is “Protect the high school!” Roosevelt and the greater North End of the city have the gift of an iconic building constructed before school architecture was stripped down due to changing tastes and diminished budgets. The building is a landmark, but, contrary to some assumptions, the viewsheds to and from the school are not protected in city code. Neither are the south or east sides of the building buffered from the world by wide publicly-owned expanses of green space setting off the building from the surrounding neighborhood. It’s a high school in an urban village across the street from a future light rail station. It is an urban place. I think we do current and future students a favor by building more (and more affordable) housing on the high school blocks. The development standards will require that housing face the high school (except at the corner with 15^th) as way to guard against off-campus attractions setting up shop across N.E. 66^th St.  Additionally, we will define 66^th as a “green street” requiring extra landscaping and trees, making it more than the linear parking lot it is now.

The Roosevelt neighborhood plan update and these rezones have always been about more than just the high school blocks. Despite the anger some feel about the difference of 25 feet in three blocks of the entire station area, I still believe Roosevelt has set the standard for communities undertaking a plan update and carrying out a technically and philosophically challenging conversation about current conditions and how communities we love may change over time. The results will be better buildings, better streets, better public spaces – better building blocks with which people build lives.

Seattle City Council congratulates Boeing and Machinists on reaching agreement
on 737 MAX plans

SEATTLE – The Seattle City Council issued the following statement on the announcement of a tentative agreement between The Boeing Company and the Machinists to produce the 737 MAX in the northwest:

"We applaud the Boeing Company and the Machinists for working together to reach this tentative agreement. If approved, this contract will invigorate our regional economy and support thousands of jobs for the region. This agreement is an important example of what can be accomplished when business and labor work together to reach mutual understanding. It is a big win for Seattle, the greater Puget Sound region and the state of Washington."

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I’m proud that we succeeded in giving new flexibility to sidewalk cafes and loosening restrictions on mobile food vending. In planner-ese this is part of what’s called “placemaking,” but you could also say it’s just smart neighborhood and small business development. Walking down sidewalks this summer it was great to see people hanging out in new outdoor seating or see the tell-tale spray marks on sidewalks delineating planned outdoor seating.  One evening in upper Belltown I even got sit outside myself and talk with friends watching the world go by. A great luxury.

Helping food carts and trucks land in more places and be more successful strikes me as also smart neighborhood and small business development. Like everyone else I’m still waiting to see how mobile food vendors make use of the new street and sidewalk flexibility we approved this summer. I met a friend for dinner recently at Mr. Gyro in Greenwood and learned he’s underway with a truck and application. He’s now my test case.

If you know of anyone looking to get into the business, you can direct them to check out the Seattle Street-Food web portal - a one-stop-shop for interested mobile food operators to better understand the mobile food permitting process.  The portal includes a link to the Seattle Street-Food Checklist, which operators can print out to use while obtaining the necessary permits. 

Sidewalk seating and mobile food vending are part of my vision of land use (and street use) in service of economic rebound. Opening a food truck has a relatively low barrier to entry in terms of capital—what lenders call “low income, low asset startups.”  Make no mistake though. It’s still an expensive endeavor (as evidence, check out the niche market of food truck van retofitters), just not as expensive as some other ways to start a restaurant. The new flexibility and support are great ways the city can help hard-working entrepreneurs who want to innovate and be their own bosses.

This is my last blog entry looking back at the last term. Now that we’ve approved the 2012 Budget, everything is rolling again, and it’s time to start looking forward toward the future of our city.

Seattle joins regional and global movement to ban single-use plastic bags
Plastic bags proven to be major threat to health of Puget Sound and ocean marine life

Seattle – Today Seattle City Council introduced Council Bill 117345, intended to help clean up Puget Sound and protect marine wildlife by banning single-use plastic bags. This legislation gives Seattle an opportunity to join Bellingham and Edmonds in Washington, as well as cities up and down the West Coast and more than 20 nations worldwide in efforts to curb the impact of single-use plastic bags on the environment.

Washingtonians use more than 2 billion single-use plastic bags each year. Seattle alone uses approximately 292 million plastic bags annually. A recent report by Environment Washington provides compelling evidence of the damage these bags cause to marine life.

"We all remember the beached grey whale found dead in West Seattle last year with 20 plastic bags in its stomach. The problem plastics pose for the Sound and ocean is pervasive and alarming," said prime sponsor, Councilmember Mike O'Brien. "These bags provide minutes of use for us as consumers, but because they are not biodegradable are with us in the environment for hundreds of years."

"We have learned so much more in the past few years about the harmful impacts of these plastic bags on our waters," said Tom Bancroft, Executive Director of People for Puget Sound. "Studies show birds, sea turtles and other wildlife often mistake the plastic for food. Not only are tiny bits of plastic accumulating in the Sound and ocean, these plastics may be a pathway for toxic chemicals to get into wildlife. We owe it to future generations to curb our use of these bags now, before we do irreparable harm to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean."

In addition to a ban on plastic bags, the ordinance will promote reusable bags instead of simply switching to disposable paper bags. The law would require that retailers charge a five-cent pass through cost on each paper bag to consumers who do not bring reusable bags. The nickel serves as a reminder to consumers to bring reusable bags. Retailers would keep the nickel as a means for recovering costs of switching to paper bags.

"I said last year that Seattle needed bold, decisive action and that we needed an outright ban on plastic bags. It's time for Seattle to demonstrate our environmental leadership and join the growing movement against these bags," said Councilmember Tim Burgess.

"Using the Bellingham model is a smart approach that addresses concerns raised by Seattle voters when they voted down the 2008 ordinance. It addresses concerns about taxes by allowing grocers and retailers to keep the fee on paper bags to cover costs, and addresses concerns about impacts on low-income people by exempting those on assistance programs," said Councilmember Nick Licata.

"This initiative is a logical next step in Seattle's commitment to Zero Waste, a successful effort I spearheaded to increase our recycling rate and cap our total tonnage of garbage at 2006 levels," said Council President Richard Conlin.  "Promoting reusable materials is crucial to our Zero Waste goal.  I'm confident that this approach to decreasing the use of disposable bags will be workable for consumers and retailers alike."

The bill introduced by Councilmember O'Brien is co-sponsored by Council President Conlin and Councilmembers Bagshaw, Burgess, Clark, Godden, and Licata. Seattle's bag ban would go live six months from passage of the ordinance. The ordinance is nearly identical to the Bellingham law that was passed in July 2011 and will go into effect in July 2012. For grocers and other retailers, consistency in the legislation across the region is seen as crucial for adapting their business models.

Seattle Public Utilities would be responsible for outreach and education with Seattle businesses to aide in the transition to the new law. The utilities' solid waste division would also manage monitoring and enforcement once the ban goes into effect.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I have a colleague and friend here in City Government who just returned from a Policy Link meeting in Detroit. If you read much about urban affairs you know Detroit is the crucible for everyone’s anger about the economy, the tanked automotive industry, bank foreclosures, overwhelmed public services, you name it. She said she thought Detroit was worse than New Orleans at this point in terms of crumbling public infrastructure and decimated neighborhoods.

Detroit is also the city where innovators are trying new things, taking over swaths of former single family neighborhoods and rowhouses as urban farms. Artists are re-colonizing and, if you can find a good paying job, you can find a house (most likely bank-owned) for less than $20,000. But can you live with the schools and transit….

Affordability is, to me, one of the toughest elements to produce in a city. No city aspires to follow Detroit’s path, but housing within reach for average people? I’d love to have more of that.

Affordability has multiple definitions depending on your economic standing. The most direct way we affect housing affordability is through direct subsidy — a voucher to pay the rent; a loan to share the cost of new construction; a tax break to buy down the rent. Because we’ll never have enough money to subsidize affordability for everyone (nor should we), it’s been important to me to squeeze, cajole and (bonus word alert) incentivize some level of affordability using the land use code. This has been a priority for me for my whole four years chairing the land use committee.

In general, “affordable housing” means housing that someone earning a region’s median income – or less — can afford.  We still use the long-standing benchmark of spending no more than 30 percent of your income on rent or mortgage, though, many of us would argue that adding in transportation costs would be a better measure of the true cost of housing. Like many American cities, Seattle struggles to keep affordable housing near where people work – a 2009 study showed that workers in core sectors — such as child care providers, office staff, maintenance personnel, and municipal workers — can’t afford to live in the city.

Even a high school teacher doesn’t earn enough to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Seattle; that apartment requires an hourly wage of $30.17, which is 16 percent more than a teacher’s salary. These days rent and homeownership frequently require multiple incomes per household.

While working to increase housing support for people earning way, way less than median income through the Seattle housing levy, I’ve tried to incorporate affordability into the basics of how we build new housing. Here are some of the ways I’ve worked in the Committee on the Built Environment (COBE) to make more housing affordable, and also to preserve the unique quality of Seattle’s neighborhoods while we’re at it.

Backyard cottages

Allowing backyard cottages is a smart and modest step to create more affordable housing options, help someone pay their mortgage, age with dignity in their own home, or to make a room for a son or daughter moving back home. Backyard cottages (officially known as detached accessory dwelling units) are separate from the main house and typically found in either the backyard or above a garage.

Thanks to legislation we passed through COBE, property owners city-wide now have the option to build a backyard cottage provided they meet certain criteria:

• Cottages are limited to 800 square feet, including garage and storage space.
• Your lot must be at least 4,000 square feet and not be in a Shoreline District.
• The maximum height of the cottage depends on how wide the property is, and total lot coverage requirements remain the same as for all single-family-zoned lots — no more than 35 percent of a lot can be covered with a structure, including the cottage.
• The property owner must live in either the house or the backyard cottage a minimum of six months every year.

Incentives for workforce housing

Incentive zoning is proven way to involve the private market in producing units that workers in core sectors can afford to live in. During my term we expanded incentive zoning from downtown to include urban centers, urban villages, and major transportation corridors.

Incentive zoning particularly targets those earning just less than area median income. These are not low-income rents, but they are affordable to mid-level workers in the sectors expanding in the city. Under these new rules the City Council can change the zoning in an area to set a base development level and also set a higher “incentive” height or density. To reach that higher development level a builder needs to provide a public benefit in exchange. The majority of that public benefit comes in the form of housing that must rent for no more than 80 percent of the area median income. The developer can choose not to include the affordable housing in their building, but then they must pay into an affordable housing fund, or, in some cases, provide a public benefit through open space, childcare, historic preservation, or use of development rights from another “saved” building or green area outside the city.

Updating multifamily code for green density

I worked to update the multifamily code in an effort to clear out obsolete restrictions that stood in the way of creating affordable housing while encouraging green development and density in urban

BEFORE

villages. We passed a collection changes – some radical — that add up to a positive vision with incentives that yield better places to live. Before, we saw cookie-cutter townhouses pop up everywhere. In the next building cycle I hope instead we’ll see different housing types providing more options and more housing where it makes sense (near transit and services). The overall cost of living for people should decrease as they have more opportunities to live near effective transit. OK, that assumes we can keep Metro solvent and expand service. All of our land use dreams are dependent on that little issue.

The changes we approved to the multifamily code went into effect in April 2011, and do the following:

• Encourage a diversity of housing types among townhomes, rowhouses, cottages, apartments, and auto-court townhomes;
• Promote keeping trees or planting new ones;
• Waive density limits for certain housing types when good design features are achieved;
• Require new design features to improve quality overall. For example: At least 20 percent of street facing façades must be windows and doors, and building materials must be varied;
• Provide incentives for “green building” and hiding parking underground or at the back of the lot;
• Allow for shared open space, for larger usable common areas;
• Change the lowrise height limits to match the height limit for single-family zones in most cases;
• Waive parking requirements for projects in growth areas and within .25 mile of frequent transit service (15 minute headways), allowing the market to dictate the level of parking to provide;
• Use a new flexible standard of measuring floor space, “Floor Area Ratio,” rather than previously restrictive setback and lot coverage requirements;
• Require Streamlined Design Review for townhouses with three or more units, but not for rowhouses, cottages or apartments in multifamily zones, and
• Reduce the number of zones from five to three (LR1, LR2, LR3) for code simplicity.

Curbing the spread of “megahouses”

While working to create new options for affordable housing, I also focused on retaining the charm and individuality of Seattle’s neighborhoods. One problem that came to my attention early on was the spread of McMansions, or MegaHouses, in Seattle’s neighborhoods: Out-of-scale, out-of-character houses seemingly plunked into neighborhoods, overshadowing houses around them.

Working with Council President Richard Conlin, COBE adopted legislation to help curb the impact these massive structures create on neighborhood character.

The new rules did the following:

• Adjusted the formula for how much of a lot may be covered by the structure,
• Better protected neighboring homeowners from being overshadowed by removing the provision that allowed a new house’s height to be based on neighboring property heights, a weird spiral upwards in some cases,
• Limited the location and visibility of garage doors that face a street,
• Restricted allowable height for houses on sloped sites; and
• Waived parking requirements on lots of less than 3,000 square feet, reducing the prominence of a garage as part of a structure.

Next week I’ll look back briefly at some great work we did by reaching into the street use rules.

Join the Seattle City Council’s Sallys for apple cider and conversation

Seattle - Converting "Coffee with Sallys" to a more seasonally appropriate "Cider with Sallys," Seattle City Councilmembers Sally J. Clark and Sally Bagshaw will hold a conversation hour at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market on Sunday, November 20, from 10 - 11:30 a.m.  The Councilmembers will host a booth and hope Seattleites will stop by to talk about local issues. 

Join the Councilmembers:

Sunday, November 20, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
West Seattle Farmer’s Market
44th Ave SW & SW Alaska St
Seattle, Washington 98116

The Sallys will provide complimentary apple cider (while supplies last), and all questions and topics are on the table. Click here for more information, or to RSVP (recommended, but not required).

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Seattle City Councilmembers present 2012 budget balancing package
Final budget vote scheduled for November 21

Seattle - Today the Seattle City Council presented their proposed changes to the 2012 budget with a balanced package of cuts that preserve essential services. The Council focused on maintaining funding for public safety, health services and food programs, and housing for the most vulnerable.

"Operating the leanest government possible while maintaining critical services was our overarching goal. We believe we have reached that goal," stated Councilmember and Budget Committee Chair Jean Godden. "There is no doubt that we will feel the impacts of state budget decisions whatever they may be."

Council utilized community feedback as a key indicator of programs and services to be preserved.  For example, the Council will undo a merger of the Office of Housing and Office of Economic Development proposed by the Mayor, based on input from Community stakeholders. In their review of the Mayor's proposal, the Council was able to identify staffing efficiencies that could be implemented that will result in ongoing savings of more than $400,000 each year while maintaining the two separate offices. 

"We are reinventing government to be as efficient and effective as it can be," said Council President Richard Conlin, Chair of the Regional Development and Sustainability Committee. "However, we cannot sustain this budget if the state cuts human services and public safety programs and leaves cities with the responsibility of picking up the pieces."

Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair of the Seattle Public Utilities and Neighborhoods Committee added, "This budget presented us with many challenges and difficult choices, but I believe we reaffirmed the City's commitment to Seattle's neighborhoods. From the Safe Parking Pilot Program in Ballard to keeping community centers open to preserving support for our beloved p-patches, Council stands by our neighborhoods and their priorities." Working with community partners, such as faith-based organizations and local food providers, Council was able to maximize opportunities through joint investments to fund these programs.

Throughout the budget review process this year, Councilmembers heard a steady request for additional funding to address a reported surge in the need for shelter and housing for homeless families with children in Seattle. Providers have reported increasing numbers of families seeking such assistance due to the economy and decreased support from other levels of government.

To meet this demand, Councilmembers agreed to a funding package that expands capacity along the spectrum of services, from shelter or temporary housing to permanent housing for homeless families with children. The intent is to review actual use of the money by the end of the second quarter of 2012 to evaluate whether the demand for family-focused support materialized at the level expected. The additional funding totaled $435,000 and will serve at least 47 families.

"The Council adopted Resolution 31292 in May which stated the intent to better meet the long-term housing and immediate survival needs of those without shelter or housing. In the Council's budget proposal, we increased funds for shelter and housing services for homeless families with children by $435,000. This is a significant step toward the goal that no family be unsheltered by the end of 2012," stated Councilmember Nick Licata, Chair of the Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee. 

To address neighborhood challenges, the Council designated $376,000 to a Precinct Liaison Program within the City Attorney's Office. The precinct liaison attorneys will work closely with police officers and the Seattle Police Department leadership to address a variety of community and neighborhood problems, including nuisance properties, nightlife issues, graffiti abatement, alcohol impact areas, and crime hot spots.

"We focused on how we address public safety challenges in a time of very limited resources," said Councilmember Tim Burgess, Chair of the Public Safety and Education Committee. "We beefed up early interventions to prevent crime by expanding the Nurse Family Partnership program to reach more low-income, first-time mothers.  We joined with City Attorney Pete Holmes to reengineer the precinct liaison program to address chronic crime hot spots. We directed the Police Department to update the Neighborhood Policing Plan to match current officer staffing levels."

"We funded a body-mounted camera pilot project for our police officers to enhance public safety and accountability, created a new office to assist the successful integration of immigrants and refugees into our City and provided additional help in the community for uninsured residents to receive medical and dental care," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the Energy, Technology and Civil Rights Committee.  "These actions help to ensure that our City continues down the path of achieving our social justice goals."

Council is also responding to the growing concern regarding quality of life issues, such as improving health care accessibility for the uninsured, safety along Third Avenue and other pedestrian and transportation improvements.

"The City Council is committed to improving safety of transit riders and pedestrians in downtown Seattle.  Since light rail began operations, the number of pedestrians and transit riders using Third Avenue has significantly increased. Through the Council's Third Avenue Initiative, the City will develop a plan that may include more regular cleaning, improved lighting and development of a pilot ‘hot spot' policing initiative for certain blocks along the Third Avenue Transit Corridor," stated Councilmember Tom Rasmussen Chair of the Transportation Committee. 

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, Chair of the Parks and Seattle Center Committee stated, "I am very pleased with City's effort to balance this budget. We have made cuts while addressing the needs of our neighborhoods, as well as caring for neighbors in need."

"I'd like to thank Councilmember Godden and my fellow colleagues for crafting a budget that invests in what matters," said Councilmember Sally J. Clark, Chair of the Committee on the Built Environment.  "Budget challenges only get tougher from here, but I'm hopeful we can partner with our friends in Olympia to minimize the impact to Seattle residents."

2012 City Council Budget Highlights

2012 City Council Actions to Rebalance the City Budget

The Council's Budget Committee will meet at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 21 to vote on and adopt the 2012 budget.  Click here to find more information on the City's budget process. 

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

I had hoped the leadership of Seattle and dozens of other cities would prompt the federal government to recognize that state-by-state immigration policies are tearing apart families, communities and economies. Local authorities running immigration control puts whole communities at risk as families become afraid to call for police and fire when they need help and less likely to visit a clinic or hospital when they are sick, all for fear of being arrested rather than assisted.  While some pieces of SB1070 were blocked by the courts and some were reworked, other states, like Alabama, have pressed forward with even more strict and destructive laws — and on into the court system.

In September the National Council of La Raza called for an end to the Arizona boycott. The NCLR, the nation’s largest civil rights advocacy group for Hispanic people, said the boycott had fulfilled its purpose – other anti-immigrant proposals in Arizona were turned back and registration of Latino voters has surged. NCLR noted, also, that the boycott caused hardship for low-wage workers (many of whom are Latinos) in the hospitality industry due to the state’s lost convention and tourism business, with losses estimated by the Center for American Progress to be around $140 million over three years. Rational reform of immigration policies is still needed, but Arizona is no longer the single focus of debate and, arguably, no longer merits the focus of a boycott. The debate field has widened, though not improved.

So, what have I learned?

1.     Immigration law in the United States is still a patch-work mess. While Alabama, Utah, North Carolina and other states take matters into their own hands – and into expensive, protracted legal battles – we could instead have a national policy that builds a rational path to citizenship, a path that supports families and our workforce realities. We need Congress to step up.

2.     Starting a boycott is relatively easier than ending one when you don’t have an obvious victory. The NLC meeting this week has put a lot of city leaders on the spot. Looking at the NLC program, it’s a great chance to hear speakers, attend workshops on supporting struggling families in urban areas, and support progressive policy positions, including resolutions relating to immigration. While city councilmembers from Seattle and Tacoma will attend (my resolution had a clause stating that its implementation would be “to the extent practicable”), city councilmembers from Los Angeles are sticking by their boycott despite the NCLR action to drop the boycott.

3.     Boycotts are, frankly, difficult to maintain. Even though Los Angeles councilmembers will skip the NLC Congress of Cities in Phoenix, Los Angeles still purchases millions of dollars worth of goods and services from vendors in Arizona because they are the best vendor with the best deal. Seattle has faced the same challenges, although on a much smaller dollar scale. If you need to buy red light cameras and the leading vendor makes its headquarters in Arizona, do you buy the cameras or wait for a non-Arizona-based competitor to pop onto the scene? (If you hate red light cameras, I imagine the answer is “wait.”)

In this economy and political climate, cities have far more in common than in difference. All cities are struggling with the effects of unemployment, diminished dollars from the federal government, more “devolution” of responsibilities from other levels of government. We’re all looking for creative class jobs, money for infrastructure, and ways to grow the tax base in order to fund parks, libraries, police officers and fire fighters. Even when people aren’t struggling, boycotting another city or state is a big step. In this case, if I had the decision to make again I’d still side with the boycott (though, I’d give a heads-up to the Convention and Visitors Bureau – sorry about that). With NCLR calling off the boycott and the National League of Cities choosing Phoenix, it seems the boycott is over. Unfortunately our immigration problems are not.

It seems timely and appropriate to look at how I think about land use as a vehicle for helping to speed economic recovery. This is a subject that’s on everyone’s mind, and has been since the recession started. The City’s annual budget process has become a grim struggle to shore up crucial services, like police, shelter and the most basic elements of our city’s infrastructure.

Economic recovery and growth in the world of land use tends to mean development. Development brings jobs (construction jobs and the jobs that come with new building tenants) and places to live for the 120,000 new residents Seattle will gain over the next 20 years. It’s been at times uncomfortable and at other times gratifying to lead efforts that promote or pave the way for new development. I’m a big fan of the Seattle I found when I moved here in 1984, as well as the Seattle I know now, and have to temper that with my obligation to set the table for the Seattle I hope to love tomorrow.

The best examples of land use in service of economic recovery that I’ve worked on include:

• Extending the master use permit period to get building’s back on track and builders back to work as soon as financing becomes available.
• Working with neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle on neighborhood plan updates to take advantage of smart development opportunities presented by light rail stations.
• Working through 2 phases of the Pike/Pine Conservation District overlay to encourage developers to preserve the character of the neighborhood using design guidelines and transfers of development rights (TDR)s.
• Approving zoning code amendments to help move forward good projects like UW Phase III in South Lake Union and new development on the old North Lot of the Kingdome.

Master Use Permit Extensions

The Master User Permit Legislation was designed to help offset the fact that financing for construction projects dried up (to put it mildly) with the recession. This meant that people trying to build larger projects requiring complicated financing got stuck with the clock ticking on their permits. When permits expire, people get sent back to square one in terms of permits. For any size project, this can be extremely expensive and cause even greater delay in getting a project out of the ground.

The legislation we adopted extends the life of building permits obtained before the end of 2012, so workers can begin building soon after financing becomes available.

South and Southeast Seattle Neighborhood Planning

Three neighborhoods where the land use code is going to work in service of economic recovery during my term are Beacon Hill, McClellan, and Othello. With help from the Department of Planning and Development, the city provided these three neighborhoods with “quick start” assistance in updating their neighborhood plans–pulling together snapshots of each neighborhood compared to 10 years ago, including demographic shifts, zoning, housing units and affordability, transportation upgrades in the last decade, new parks, and a neighborhood plan implementation report.

This information is helping shape new zoning around the light rail station to invite more residential units and more retail and office space for the neighborhoods.  These neighborhoods are leading the city in a progressive approach to incorporating density – along with all the other things that neighborhoods need in order to have great places and great communities, such as parks, greenery, and sensitive, intelligent transitions between greater density and single-family homes. The zoning proposals for these neighborhoods will come to the Council before the end of this year and be taken up by Council early next year.

The Pike/Pine Conservation overlay district

The Pike/Pine neighborhood on Capitol Hill is covered with buildings filled with the history of Seattle’s original auto-row. (Coincidentally, I’ve worked previous jobs in three parts of the neighborhood.) Lately, it’s an area that has attracted the attention of developers. No one has wanted to see the area’s character and charm lost in the process of becoming a popular “it” place.

Working closely with Councilmember Tom Rasmussen on legislation he spearheaded, we encouraged the preservation of “character” buildings, that is, buildings that have the historic facades and stories that define the neighborhood’s unique feeling.

The first phase of the legislation provided incentives to retain and incorporate buildings older than 75 years into new development. The legislation promoted new development that is compatible in scale with the existing buildings, encouraged small and diverse business, and retained the facades of buildings that define the neighborhood.

As I write this, we are reaching the end of phase three for the Pike/Pine Conservation overlay district. This legislation, which I hope to see passed before the end of the year, will create a transfer of development rights (TDR) exchange program that will make it easier for developers to preserve existing structures in exchange for the right to build larger buildings elsewhere within the district. We already established design guidelines in phase 2, intended to preserve the character of the neighborhood.

All of this work is intended to bring in new apartments, jobs, street-level retail, and vitality in a way that matches the “feel” of Pike/Pine.

UW Phase II and North Lot

As chair of the land use committee you get pitched on the special needs of various projects. This is a perversely good problem to have. In some cities in the United States new development knocking on

Sally and Jan Drago at the North Lot Groundbreaking

the door is merely a dream. Most projects go through what’s called a rezone. Some developers come forward from time to time with what they describe as short-comings in the existing zoning rules, shortcomings that hinder their ability to develop to the needs of potential tenants. I have supported text amendments in my time as a committee chair when the amendment truly fixes a code blindspot (though the yield in jobs and better design clearly benefiting the community are great, too). UW Phase III and the North Lot in Pioneer Square both met the criteria for me. Both will be built with dramatically better designs, open space, and street-level feel than would have been possible under the then-existing zoning code. Both will yield new jobs and, in the case of the North Lot, new residents to call Pioneer Square home.

Next time, I’ll be writing about land use and housing. Please check back: I’ll see you here.

City of Seattle signs agreement with State on SR 520 project
Memorandum of Understanding between City of Seattle and Washington State Department of Transportation defines responsibilities

Seattle – Today the Seattle City Council and Mayor McGinn completed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) that will help protect the City's interests on the SR 520 bridge replacement project. This MOU, unanimously passed as Council Bill 117303, expresses the intention of the City of Seattle and the State of Washington to work collaboratively.

"I want to thank the Seattle City Council and Mayor McGinn for their work on this agreement for the SR 520 project," Gov. Chris Gregoire said. "The agreement solidifies the meaningful partnership between the City and State to help secure the remaining funds for SR 520 and deliver the project on time and on budget. A safer SR 520 corridor will improve our region by replacing the vulnerable bridge and helping employees, businesses and mobility."

"The MOU creates a formal commitment between the City and the State and ensures that the City will participate in critical west side decisions and that neighborhood traffic management and tree protection will be a priority," stated Council President Richard Conlin. "The City, along with our state and regional partners, has been working hard to improve the design and safety of this critical corridor. This MOU maintains the City's involvement if there are changes in the future."

Also described in the MOU are the activities that the City of Seattle will undertake as part of the project, including participation in design review, connecting the new cross-lake bicycle and pedestrian trail to city facilities, developing triggers and a decision-making process for whether a second Montlake Bridge will be constructed, and developing a neighborhood traffic management plan.

"I have appreciated working with the City Council and WSDOT to develop an MOU that gives us a solid framework for advancing Seattle's interest as the process moves forward," stated Mayor Mike McGinn.

Councilmember and Transportation Committee Chair Tom Rasmussen added, "Securing full funding for the project is essential to realizing the full transportation and mobility benefits of the 520 bridge. This MOU provides clarity on the state's commitment to meeting the City's goals for the project and to protect our neighborhoods during construction."

The concept for an MOU was initially referenced in the September 27, 2010, letter from the Seattle City Council to WSDOT, which signaled a desire to formalize a joint understanding of how the City and WSDOT would proceed with various project components.

WSDOT awarded a design-build contract for the new SR 520 floating bridge in August, and construction is expected to begin on Lake Washington in 2012. SR 520 replacement construction is under way on the Eastside as well as pontoon construction in Grays Harbor.  Earlier this summer, WSDOT received federal approval for the I-5 to Medina project, completing the environmental process for the entire program.

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast and Webcast live on Seattle Channel 21 and on the City Council's website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.