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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, News Releases

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

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City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/7/2013

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]

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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023News Releases

Mayor, Council create Economic Development Commission

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City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/11/2013

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)

OED supports a healthy business environment and empowers companies to grow and compete, and provides services directly to businesses through advocacy, retention and expansion assistance, and workforce development. Visit www.growseattle.com to access city services for businesses, and for more information about our office, visit www.seattle.gov/economicdevelopment

[View in Council Newsroom]

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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, News Releases

Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell’s statement on ruling by U.S. District Judge Robart

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City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/12/2013

Councilmember Bruce A Harrell

Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell's statement
on ruling by U.S. District Judge Robart

SEATTLE - The Monitoring Plan for the first year was submitted by the federal monitor, Merrick Bobb, 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 afternoon, U.S. District Judge James Robart approved the Monitoring Plan.

Today, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chair of the Council’s Public Safety, Civil Rights and Technology Committee, released the following statement regarding the ruling by U.S. District Judge James Robart on the Monitoring Plan:

"This marks another significant step in moving forward together to implement the necessary long-lasting positive changes in the Police Department.  As we have witnessed in the last few weeks, the Settlement Agreement process is complex.  In speaking with the dedicated and hard-working police officers at the Seattle Police Department, I have no doubt we are moving in a positive direction to improve public trust and providing the highest level of service in a constitutional manner.  The Monitoring Plan is a roadmap that sets clear metrics on achieving this outcome.  As we move forward, we will hit speed bumps and at those times, we must all remind ourselves to put the City first in order to improve public trust and avoid any delays in implementation of the plan.  The key will be openness, transparency, and collaboration."

On Wednesday, March 13, at 5:30 pm, the Public Safety Committee will take action on the appointments to the Community Police Commission.  The Community Police Commission will be presented to the public and the meeting will start with a public hearing.  The Community Police Commission is a critical element of the Settlement Agreement to impartially review and make recommendations on policies related to use of force and biased policing.

[View in Council Newsroom]

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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Harrell, Councilmember Licata, News Releases

Seattle City Council passes legislation to protect public’s privacy from surveillance equipment

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/18/2013

Councilmember Bruce A. Harrell
Councilmember Nick Licata

Seattle City Council passes legislation to protect public's privacy from surveillance equipment

Seattle -- The Seattle City Council today unanimously passed legislation to require City departments to obtain Council approval prior to acquiring certain surveillance equipment. Council Bill 117730 additionally requires Council review and approval of department protocols for operating the surveillance equipment and managing the data collected by it.

Through an open and transparent discussion, the Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee listened to the public's concerns regarding the use of surveillance equipment and acted to ensure strong legislative protocols are in place to protect the public's privacy and civil liberties.

Council Bill 117730 creates a decision framework for City departments to acquire surveillance equipment.  Before acquiring any surveillance equipment, City departments must obtain approval from the City Council.  The department must also propose operational protocols that address how the equipment will be used and protocols that address logistics around data retention, storage, and access.  If the Council approves a department's request to obtain the surveillance equipment, the department cannot use the equipment until Council adopts operational protocols by ordinance.

"With this inclusive legislation, the Council is proactively setting up a framework to ensure the public is involved regarding the use of surveillance equipment," said Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee.  "The City establishes public trust by earning it through openness and transparency in its decision making."

"For me, the question is should a free society allow personal activities that occur in public to come under 24/7 surveillance? I think that this legislation strikes a balance that provides for safety without compromising the principles of our democracy," said Councilmember Nick Licata.

Departments that currently have surveillance equipment in place must propose operational and data management protocols for Council review and approval no later than 30 days after the effective date of Council Bill 117730.
The information required for the operational and data management protocols include:

1. A clear statement describing the purpose and use of the proposed surveillance equipment.
2. The type of surveillance equipment to be acquired and used.
3. The intended specific location of such surveillance equipment if affixed to a building or other structure.
4. How and when a department proposes to use the surveillance equipment, such as whether the equipment will be operated continuously or used only under specific circumstances.
5. How the department's use of the equipment will be regulated to protect privacy and limit the risk of potential abuse.
6. A description of how and when data will be collected and retained and who will have access to any data captured by the surveillance equipment.
7. The extent to which activity will be monitored in real time as data is being captured and the extent to which monitoring of historically recorded information will occur.
8. A description of the nature and extent of public outreach conducted in each community in which the department intends to use the surveillance equipment.
9. The time period for which any data collected by surveillance equipment will be retained.
10. The methods for storing recorded information, including how the data is to be labeled or indexed.  Such methods must allow for the department personnel and the City Auditor's Office to readily search and locate specific data that is collected and determine with certainty that data was properly deleted, consistent with applicable law.
11. How the data may be accessed, including who will be responsible for authorizing access, who will be allowed to request access, and acceptable reasons for requesting access.
12. A viewer's log or other comparable method to track viewings of any data captured or collected by the surveillance equipment, including the date, time, the individuals involved, and the reason(s) for viewing the records.
13. A description of the individuals who have authority to obtain copies of the records and how the existence and location of copies will be tracked.

[View in Council Newsroom]

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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Burgess, News Releases

Councilmember Burgess requests audit of City’s transportation funding program

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/19/2013

Councilmember Tim Burgess

Councilmember Burgess requests audit of City's transportation funding program
Review should focus on unnecessary debt service payments and huge cash balances

Seattle -- Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the City Council's Budget Committee, asked the City Auditor today to conduct an audit of the Seattle Department of Transportation's capital investment program and its management of cash balances.

Burgess asked for the auditor's intervention after learning that SDOT incurred millions of dollars of unused debt in recent years. In 2011, $112 million remained in its cash balance from bond sale proceeds. Last year, the total was $64 million.

"We are $1.8 billion behind on basic street and bridge maintenance projects. It's very troubling that we have been sitting on so much cash," said Councilmember Burgess. "We sold the bonds. We have the money. We should spend these funds to improve mobility and repair our bridges, streets and sidewalks today. Instead, SDOT is wasting taxpayer dollars on unnecessary interest payments. Until we can determine why this is happening and adopt corrective measures, I will not vote to incur any additional debt for SDOT-managed projects."

The Council's Government Performance and Finance Committee will review legislation proposed by the Mayor tomorrow morning that includes incurring additional debt for SDOT. Burgess will move to amend the legislation in committee to stop the sale of any additional bonds for this department.

The City regularly issues bonds to finance large capital programs. Regardless of when the proceeds from the bonds are actually spent, the public has to pay the debt service. If capital projects are not started in a timely manner, or funds are not needed in accordance with project plans, these payments are spent unnecessarily. Millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent in this way in recent years.

The audit will explore processes and controls within SDOT that will reduce the likelihood of large, ongoing bond proceed balances and recommend what changes should be introduced to avoid such occurrences in the future.

"This is fundamentally a question whether we have sound financial management by this Administration and SDOT to deliver basic maintenance projects at levels funded by the City Council," added Burgess. "This practice must stop and we have to find where the problem is to avoid flushing millions of taxpayer dollars down the drain."

Last year, the Council passed Resolution 31393 asking for a performance and management review of SDOT; this financial audit will supplement the findings of that review, which is underway.

[View in Council Newsroom]

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March 25, 2013January 6, 2023Councilmember Licata, Councilmember Rasmussen, News Releases

City Council to discuss micro-housing developments

by

City of Seattle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3/22/2013

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]