Yesterday was our last committee meeting before our annual 6-week plunge into the budget, so we had a longer agenda than usual. Councilmembers Godden and Conlin joined me at the table this week. You can see the Seattle Channel video of the whole meeting here.
We voted to approve acquisition of property at 6311 California Avenue to double the size of Morgan Junction Park.
After Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams gave us his Superintendent’s Report, we looked at the following items. All the legislation that we voted on will be taken up by Full Council on September 24. That’s the same Full Council meeting that will receive the Mayor’s Budget and that includes a scheduled vote on the Arena MOU, so it’s likely to be a busy one.
Here’s what we did:
We voted to adopt Resolution 31384, which approves the composition of the Major Institution Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for Swedish Medical Center’s Cherry Hill Campus. Formed as part of the Major Institutions and Schools program, CACs are designed to provide a way for neighbors of Seattle’s Hospitals, Universities and Colleges to be directly involved in the development plans for those institutions to assure that neighborhood concerns are considered when those plans are made. All their meetings are open to the public. As you’ll see if you visit the link, the committee is comprised of 12 members, 5 of whom are considered “near neighbors.” There are also three alternates. The total applicant pool was 29.
We’ve had Parks Administrative office in the RDA Building at 800 Maynard South since 1998. Our lease was slated to expire in November, so after a review to ensure that the office space was still needed and within our price range, City staff negotiated a new seven-year lease that keeps the office rental flat for three years, and then escalates by inflation or 3%, whichever is less. We voted to approve Council Bill 117562, which authorizes the Director of Finance and Administrative Services to execute the lease agreement between the City and Fu Quan, LLC., the property owner. Here’s a presentation with a few highlights of the RDA Building Lease.
We held C.B. 117587 which relates to jurisdiction and funding for the 14th Avenue NW park in Ballard without discussion or a vote, pending some further investigation into the best way for Parks and SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation) to collaboratively manage jurisdiction over the proposed park boulevard.
We voted to approve C.B. 117586, which authorizes acquisition of land that will expand West Seattle’s Morgan Junction park under the 2008 Parks and Green Space Levy. The Morgan Junction residential urban village had been identified as significantly underserved with open space, and this park, after it is developed, will double the size of Morgan Junction Park.
Finally, we voted to approve C.B. 117579, which transfers jurisdiction of the Sound Way property in the West Duwamish Greenbelt from the Department of Parks and Recreation to Seattle Public Utilities for maintenance, repair and operation of existing drainage facilities.