♪♪
-Good afternoon. Thank you for being here on June 10th,
the June 10, 2019, City Council Meeting
of this full Seattle City Council.
We'll come to order.
I'm Bruce Harrell, president of the Council.
Will the clerk please call the roll?
-O'Brien? -Here.
-Pacheco? -Here.
-Sawant? -Here.
-Bagshaw? -Here.
-González? -Here.
-Herbold? -Here.
-Juarez? -Here.
-Mosqueda? -Present.
-President Harrell? -Here.
-Nine present. -Alright.
If there's no objection, today's introduction
and referral calendar will be adopted.
Hearing no objection, today's introduction
and referral calendar is adopted.
And similarly, if there's no objection,
today's agenda will be adopted.
No changes there.
Hearing no objection, today's agenda is adopted.
The minutes of the May 28th and June 3, 2019,
special City Council meetings have been reviewed,
and if there's no objection, the minutes will be signed.
Hearing no objection, the minutes are signed.
There you go, Madam Clerk.
Presentations, I'm not aware
of any presentations this afternoon,
so we'll move into public comment.
At this time, we'll take public comment
on items that appear on today's agenda,
the introduction and referral calendar,
or our 2019 work program.
And I'll call you out in the order with which you've signed.
We'll go for 2 minutes apiece.
And we'll start off with David Hanes,
followed by Mark Taylor-Canfield.
And so we're going to try to put both microphones in place,
so, Mr. Taylor-Canfield, if you don't mind,
you'll use this microphone up here
as you start making your way toward it
when it's the appropriate time.
Go ahead, Mr. Hanes. You have the floor, sir.
-Thank you.
You can tell it's reelection season
for Democratic operatives of the Northwest,
co-opting trivial movements for media reelection favors.
And all the corrupt activists and organizers
and political operatives
of Seattle's social welfare industry nonprofits
are lining up -- -Excuse me. Stop the clock
for one moment. -Okay. Wait.
Mr. Hanes, is there an agenda item or specific work program --
-Yes, sir. I'm sorry if that went off the subject.
You know, it seems like it's forgotten sometimes.
But, okay. It's related to the expansion right now.
Seattle is filled with rock 'n' roll wannabes
forever stuck on drugs and alcohol
acting like keeping Seattle rundown,
dilapidated preserved is the only way to feel Seattle
forever living in past.
It would be a better negotiation demand to the developer
to tear down and rebuild a modern, 21st-century Showbox
that would be a preservation of a music venue
without the traffic driving by at 21st-century volumes,
creating, like, PTSD for all the kids hanging out there
waiting to get inside.
And it would not preserve another endangering,
like, crappy building that is totally unnecessary
if you have, like, a really wealthy developer
just, you know, being forced by all the design review
and the great pedestrian-friendly particulars
that you have for 21st-century redevelopment
and create a more accommodating, 21st-century Showbox.
But make the developer do the whole thing,
but you guys design the whole thing.
But preserving another old building
while all that traffic drives through on those cobblestones
is too much to bear.
You guys got to do something about that regardless.
Thank you. -Thank you.
Following Mark Taylor-Canfield will be Joan Singler
on the middle mic.
Yes, sir. That'd be great, Mark. Thanks.
-Hi. My name is Mark Taylor-Canfield.
I am a musician and a journalist,
and I moved to Seattle because of the music scene here
and because of places like the Showbox.
And some of you have heard part of this song,
but we have a new verse for you today,
and it goes like this.
♪♪
♪ Yeah, we love the Showbox, really love her today ♪
♪ Yeah, we love the Showbox, we really love her today ♪
♪ You got to save the Showbox ♪
♪ Don't let them take that lady away ♪
♪ Seems like I been going to the Showbox ♪
♪ Since the day I was born ♪
♪ Seems like I'm going to the Showbox ♪
♪ Since the day I was born ♪
♪ Well, don't you let them tear it down ♪
♪ Won't you leave that lady alone? ♪
♪ We got to save the Showbox ♪
♪ Don't you let them tear that lady down ♪
♪♪
-[ Chuckles ]
-Very good.
Very good.
Following Joan will be Eugenia Woo.
-This -- This is on? Okay.
I'm here representing Friends of the Market.
This is our vice president, Carla Rickerson.
And we're the organization that spearheaded the campaign
to save the Market and wish to convey our very strong support
for the extension, the six-month extension
on the Pike Place Market Historic District
to include the Showbox.
We believe that it is feasible and appropriate
to seriously consider this expansion
and to include historic properties
including the Showbox.
This concept deserves serious professional study
and in-depth analysis,
neither of which appears to have been undertaken
since the interim action was taken by the City Council
on August 13, 2018.
Friends of the Market are eager to assist
and support this effort.
Our board of directors and membership include
many individuals who possess in-depth knowledge
regarding the history, delineation,
regulation of the Pike Place Market Historic District.
We are very willing to contribute to a thorough study
that will fully identify the feasibility
and appropriateness of this expansion.
-Thank you.
Following Eugenia will be Jane Davies on the middle mic.
-I'm actually Jane Davies. I'm going to speak with Eugenia.
-That works out. Then following you two
will be Elton Mason on the middle mic.
Go ahead. -So, I'm Jane Davies.
This is Eugenia Woo.
We're speaking on behalf of Historic Seattle.
We are asking for the Council to pass the amendment
to Ordinance 125650
to provide for a six-month extension
of the interim boundary expansion
of the Pike Place Market Historical District.
Section 4 of the original ordinance
describes a work plan to conduct a study
to review the historic significance of the Showbox
and study its relationship with the Pike Place Market,
as well as conduct a SEPA review
on the permanent expansion of the Historical District.
Our understanding is that neither the study
nor the SEPA review has been completed,
so it is appropriate and imperative
that the Council extend the interim expansion
in order to complete the commitments
that were outlined in the original ordinance.
-Thank you.
And since the consultant that the city hired is charged
with looking at the historic significance of the Showbox
and its relation to the Pike Place Market,
just want to let you know if you --
I'm sure you already know,
but last week, the Seattle Landmark Preservation Board
unanimously nominated -- It was a clear nomination
of the Showbox for -- as a landmark.
The designation hearing is set for July 17th,
and we're confident with this clear nomination
that it will get designated.
So, we also have been contacted
by the consultant as of last Friday
and will be doing a stakeholder interview this Thursday,
and we look forward to meeting with them
and talking to them more
about the historic significance of the Showbox
in relation to the Market and also what all the ties are.
The Showbox was originally built as a public market in 1917,
just 10 years after Pike Place Market was established in 1907.
So that connection is very clear.
And so just want to thank the City Council
for your time and efforts on this important issue,
and we ask that you pass this extension.
Thanks.
-Thank you.
Following Mr. Mason will be Shannon Wells.
-Hello.
For the record, my name is Elton Mason,
owner of Washington State Trucking.
The comments I am here to make
is in regards to the contracting with the city of Seattle,
contracts that come out of FAS, SDOT, and whatnot,
the problems have occurred and what's happened to my firm.
And I believe that there --
And I'm watching this firsthand --
there's millions and millions of our tax dollars being wasted,
Millions. And I know for a fact firsthand
that this is going on.
I am not going to name any names out of FAS
and out of divisions across the street,
but you do have my contact information on the sign-up.
You have my e-mail, and you have my phone number,
before this goes to the next step.
FAS has made some decisions within my firm
and has done some major damage to my firm.
I lost my capacity.
I had to sell over 30 trucks.
I lost my office that was here in the city of Seattle.
I mean, they've done some major, major damage
in some of the decisions that they have made in contracting,
in regards to this inclusion plan
with the contracts
that are coming out of the city of Seattle.
I have -- Anyway, I can go on and on,
but I think you know where I'm going with this.
But I really hope somebody reaches out to me
before this goes to the next level.
-Mr. Mason, if you do have the time after the hearing today,
after we conclude, I'd like to speak with you.
If you do not, I will follow up with you
based on your information.
But I'd love to chat with you after today's hearing.
I take it's maybe an hour or so, but if you have the time.
-Be back. Thank you. -Okay. Thank you, sir.
Following Shannon will be --
if I may call you Shannon --
will be Kim Doyle,
I think. Go ahead.
-Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Shannon Wells,
and I'm speaking today on behalf of Friends of the Showbox,
which is a grassroots community coalition
dedicated to saving the Showbox.
The Friends of the Showbox strongly supports
the six-month extension of the ordinance
that places the venue
in the Pike Place Market Historic District.
I do have a copy of the ordinance here,
and as Historic Seattle just mentioned,
there is a work plan, as you know,
laid out in this ordinance.
And so our concern is that
there are a number of studies that are listed here --
the historic significance of the theater,
the relationship between the theater and the Market,
the SEPA review,
looking at the Historic District guidelines.
So we're concerned
that none of that has been done to this point.
And if the city laid out a 10-month plan to do the work,
and it hasn't even started until now,
that leaves about a month for all of the work
that was supposed to be done in 10 months to be done now.
So we feel that it's rushed
and that it won't be comprehensive and thorough.
And as Eugenia mentioned,
there was a unanimous vote last week
to nominate the Showbox as an historic landmark.
So I just want to reiterate
that this is really important to the city and the community,
and so we just want
a serious, comprehensive analysis to take place,
and that is why we are asking for the six-month extension.
Thank you. -Thank you.
Following Kim will be Daniel Martin.
-Hi. I'm Kim Doyle,
and I came here today to ask you to please vote for the extension
so the city can complete the mandated study.
That's it. Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Good afternoon. My name is Daniel Martin.
I'm privileged to serve
as the President of Seattle Pacific University.
First, I would like to thank Councilmember Bagshaw
for your representation of District 7. You will be missed.
I've appreciated your partnership and your leadership,
not only thinking about items within the district
and the ways in which we can be a better neighborhood
and better neighbors, but for broader Seattle, as well.
I would simply urge your approval
of agenda item number 15.
It's simply an extension of the comprehensive plan amendment
that was approved in December.
We've been partnering with the city since 1891.
What this would allow is simply
for further conversations to be ongoing
between the University and concerned community citizens
and the industrial base there
as we think about the best possible use for this land
for the benefit of all.
So thank you so much.
-Thank you.
Next two speakers are Dominic Vesquiel,
Vesquiel, Dominic,
and then we'll go to Ernie Dornfeld.
-Hi, everyone. I'm Dom.
I work at the Showbox.
I'm asking you to please extend the ordinance
so we can have the comprehensive study we deserve.
Please help us preserve
the heart of Seattle's thriving culture
Music and entertainment are integral
to our city and and our society.
We at the Showbox dearly want
to continue providing that entertainment
and enjoying it ourselves at our landmark home venue.
Thank you.
-Thank you.
Following Ernie is Caroline Ann.
-Hi. My name's Ernie Dornfeld.
I'm a board member of Friends of the Market.
I'd like to talk about some reasons why we think
this is really an important thing to consider,
the issue of adding the -- possibly adding the Showbox
to the Pike Place Market Historical District.
First, it seems to me that the Showbox
and its use as a cultural venue
is way more compatible with the Market
than a luxury high-rise would be on that site.
Second, although the Showbox is being considered
for landmark status, that would not protect its use.
Adding it to the Historical District
could preserve its use for entertainment.
And third, the Pike Place Market is potentially threatened
by development all along 1st Avenue.
Expanding the Historical District,
perhaps including the Showbox
and extending along 1st Avenue from Stewart to Union,
could protect the Market from incompatible development.
Thank you.
-Thank you.
Just one second, Caroline.
I'm going to call out three speakers --
Doug Conrad, Steve Gillespie, and Christoph Doles.
Doug, Steve, and Christoph after Caroline Ann.
Go ahead, please.
-My name is Caroline Ann,
and I am a music photographer here in Seattle.
I moved here 11 years ago from the East Coast,
reason being for the music and for the cultural diversity
that's here in Seattle.
I recently wrote an article in Innocent Words magazine,
and I also would like to quote the mayor.
She has recently been quoted as saying, "Seattle is thriving."
I feel that if we want to keep Seattle thriving,
we need to keep the doors to the Showbox open.
We need to keep these doors open for our community,
our cultural diversity,
and the city that we pride ourselves upon.
I think we need to put community before profit.
This extension is needed.
I believe that we are not only protecting the community
and our culture, we're also protecting the jobs
of the people that work at the Showbox.
Thank you. -Thank you.
-Hi. My name is Doug Conrad.
I'm a citizen of the city.
And for the last 3 or 4 years, I've come to Council on occasion
and given testimony with respect to some important issues
concerning housing affordability and homelessness.
And I want to add my voice of support
to the committee that just adopted the --
or at least supported the adoption of Resolution 31887.
That's the one that reads -- It's a resolution
adopting and approving an application
for surplus federal property at Fort Lawton,
including a redevelopment plan, and it goes on.
I want to make three points.
The first is, one of the aspects of the plan that I like
is that it contributes intentionally
toward fair housing.
And I think that's a very important,
if you will, double win, both for the fair housing
and for the development of affordable housing.
I also want to congratulate both the Council
and several of its members
for their strong support of housing affordability.
I think it really matters.
I think the Fort Lawton is an example where I would hope
the Council and the city and HUD and Habitat
and the Catholic Housing Authority will push
to move with all deliberate speed to get this done.
My final point is as you think about this,
when HALA and the Mandatory Housing Affordability levy
was being developed,
I thought that was a very impressive document
and an ambitious document.
It pointed out that even building 6,000 housing units,
which was the plan,
would only dent 30% of the need over the proposed decade.
20,000 units needed. A plan for 6,000.
So this 238 units at Fort Lawton that are proposed,
three different sectors -- housing affordability,
low-income housing, vets included,
it's just a -- It's an ambitious plan
and as significant as it is,
it's like 2.4% of the need.
And it's been, in some sense, depending on how you time it,
13 years in the making.
That property was, if you will, provided to the city for free.
And I don't gainsay the fact
that it takes time to do these things right.
But having given testimony on this issue
and at a Office of Housing meeting that they had
up in the Fort Lawton area a couple years ago,
I thought it'd be a done deal by now.
Let's get it done, please.
-Thank you.
-Good afternoon.
Steve Gillespie of Foster Pepper here
on behalf of Seattle Pacific University.
I'm excited to be part of a very packed agenda
that has generated a lot of civic engagement
I'm here to talk about a few blocks near the ship canal
in north Queen Anne.
We've been working on this text amendment,
and I urge your approval. This is item 15.
I want to thank you for taking it up.
We've been working on it for several years.
I think that Councilmember Bagshaw and I
first spoke about this in January of 2017.
And as President Martin said,
this is implementing the comprehensive plan amendment
that you approved in December of 2018.
And it is not the end of the conversation.
This is the beginning
of what will be a robust public conversation
about the appropriate use of the land
right adjacent to Seattle Pacific University.
Anything that the University decides to propose
is going to involve quite a bit of public process,
from project level permitting,
meetings of our advisory committee,
on up all the way through a full major institution master plan
which all of you know is a very, very robust
years-long community conversation
that we are excited to have.
But this vote is the first step
that allows us to ask the question
of how this land should be used.
So thank you very much for your support.
Councilmember Bagshaw, thank you very much
for your service to District 7.
You are going to be a tough act to follow.
And thank you.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
Following Christoph will be Earnie Ashwood
and then Misha Dumoi--
-Dumois. -Dumois?
-Hello. My name is Christoph Doles,
and I'm a lifelong Seattle resident.
Around here, there's no place like the Showbox.
It is the absolutely best place acoustically
and just its sheer beauty to see shows.
There is a good reason
why basically everyone around here loves the Showbox
and bands from all over the world and the country
love the Showbox.
Just in traveling, wearing this shirt,
you know, the last couple of months and stuff,
I've had -- just at different venues around the country,
I've had people ask me about that and --
about what's happening with it.
And they said, "You simply can't let that happen.
That's where we play. That's the best --
That's someplace we look forward to
all around the country to play."
Let's see.
And also just the fact that it would change
the entire historical feel of the Market.
We can't let that happen.
The Market's one of our most treasured spots in the city
where tourists flock to.
Tourists want to flock to see beautiful historic buildings
like the Pike Place, like the Showbox,
and want to see shows at the Showbox.
And that's a lot of tourist revenue coming in.
And we just can't afford to lose one of the last beacons
in our city's long-standing title
as the city of rock
and that we just need the proper time
to do the due diligence with the study.
So I strongly urge you
to vote to extend the study for another six months
and make sure we get the due diligence that we were promised
and that we get a fair shot.
Thank you so much. -Thank you.
-Whew. Good afternoon, everybody.
Thank you guys so much for taking the time out to hear us.
We really, really appreciate it.
My name's Earnie. I represent
a band called The Complex Dialect
that had the privilege of being able to play at the Showbox.
I also work at the Showbox.
I have a lot of ties into the Showbox.
I'm not here to ask you guys to make a decision
regarding the actual permanent extension.
We're just asking for more time,
just based off of the concept of having an informed decision.
It's been made very, very clear from earlier testimonies
that a lot of resources for information
have not really been tapped yet,
and the start of actually getting that information
has just begun so recently,
when the actual ordinance was passed way back in August.
We need more time so that way,
you guys can have the proper information
to make an actual informed decision.
That's the only thing we're really asking for today.
Again, thank you so much for your time.
We appreciate you so much.
Thank you. -Thank you.
Following Misha will be Marva Semet.
-Hi. Apologies to be redundant.
This is something I said very similar last week
to a few of you, but I'm going to say it again
just for the benefit of those of you that were not here.
So, my name is Misha. I'm a local artist
and have been a theater and venue employee in Seattle
for close to 20 years.
I've worked at the Seattle Opera.
I've worked at Benaroya Hall.
I've worked at 5th Avenue Theatre.
I also currently work at the Showbox.
So my love for Seattle theater and venues runs pretty deep
and for a very long time.
So I just wanted to say thank you
for the continued efforts that you've made
towards helping us to save the Showbox.
Without this additional six months,
we could very well lose it.
And there's been countless theaters in this town
that we've already lost.
The Music Box was built in the '20s.
That was demolished completely.
And I could give you countless other examples,
but I bet you when you look at pictures of those theaters,
you'll think to yourself, "Gosh,
I really wish those were still here.
I really wish they were part of the downtown landscape."
But unfortunately, there's just no bringing them back.
And the same goes for the Showbox.
I know it seems like, process to process,
you know, another six months,
what's another six months going to do?
But it could be the difference between losing it and having it.
So I urge you to make a decision towards --
leaning towards giving us an additional six months
to work on it. Thank you.
-Thank you.
-My name is Marva Semet,
and I'm here to ask you to postpone the vote
for developing the last remaining contiguous parcel
of Discovery Park, which is known as Fort Lawton.
I'd like to paraphrase a statement by Phil Vogelzang,
the Friends of Discovery Park.
The park represents many decades of hard work and advocacy.
We ask that all of you remain committed to the ideas
at first put forth by the likes of Senator Henry Jackson,
Bernie Whitebear, Judge Don Voorhees,
and Bob Kildall,
to create and protect this place
that is free from the noise and the clamor of the city
to provide its citizens a place of refuge and solitude.
Not only is the parcel adjacent to the park,
it is also located within a few hundred feet
of the riparian zone of Salmon Creek and Kiwanis Ravine,
where a small band of great blue herons
have been living and nesting for literally thousands of years.
They too are stakeholders in this decision,
and we ask that you consider their fate.
Also, I'd like to paraphrase a statement
by Thatcher Bailey from the Seattle Parks Foundation.
As the city strives to meet its equity commitments,
we cannot regard access to green space
and access to affordable housing as competing goals.
Piecemeal solutions such as surrendering finite green space
can never be recovered.
To create room for affordable housing
would only lead to more serious problems down the road.
Thank you.
-Thank you.
The last three speakers I have signed up --
Rosalind Tan, Nick Setter, Marty Kooister.
-Kooistra. -Kooistra.
Rosalind, Nick, and Marty, in that order.
-Hi, everyone. My name is Rosalind Tan.
Thank you for the opportunity
to be here in front of all of you
to speak on this topic of Fort Lawton.
And like what Marva has said, I request for the decision to vote
to be postponed.
So, I'm speaking on behalf of my husband and myself.
So, if my husband was here, this is what he would say.
"I feel it's inappropriate to take a neighborhood
with its own quiet character
and dropping 600 more people and their cars
into a very small residential space.
Councilmember O'Brien, I heard you on NPR saying --
expounding the virtue of up-zoning
to allow for accessory dwelling units -- backyard cottages --
as a way to increase density
without greatly impacting the character of the neighborhood.
Why isn't this same thinking being applied here?
Your plan will greatly change this area,
an area nowhere near places of employment, shopping,
or transportation for the people you hope to house here."
My comments, my personal comments, are as follows.
So, a couple of questions.
What are the reasons
for pushing this Fort Lawton project through?
Is it because you have spent the last 15 years on this
and you think it's about time to get this going?
Then I don't think it's the right reason
or a good enough reason.
If it's about helping the homeless
and affordable crisis we are facing now?
Then 237 units eight years later
won't help the situation that we are facing today.
If it's about getting this land for free,
then I would like to know how much
the federal government would allow this to go
to an expansion of Discovery Park
and affordable housing being built off-site --
for example, at the Interbay Armory,
where the alternate plan
is to build 2,680 units
for up to 4,000 people.
So the land may be free,
but developing it is not cost-effective.
So I urge you to please spend the money wisely
like it's your own. -Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Hello. My name is Nick Setten,
and I'd like to speak about the Showbox.
Now, as you ought to be aware,
the Pike Place Market is a truly unique neighborhood.
The only federally designated historic district
that owes its status due to a public vote,
it is today home to over 500 small and micro businesses,
as well as a preschool, a senior center,
a food bank, and a medical clinic.
I have been a tour guide and a historian in the Market
for over 10 years and have learned that above all else,
the Market is a fragile ecosystem.
Your motion to add the Showbox to the Historic District
was an important step, but in the interim,
you have failed to follow through with your promises
to conduct studies on the impact
of making piecemeal additions to the district.
Today, I urge you to extend the ordinance
simply so that you can buy more time to conduct the outreach
and studies you said you would do in the first place.
I will repeat that.
You made promises that were left unfulfilled.
I have been a part of the community
working to be engaged in the conversation around the Showbox,
and I am imploring you
to simply do the work you said you would do.
Vote to extend the ordinance.
Vote to have a responsible dialogue
and seek to find compromise
to authentically and sustainably work
to marry Seattle's passion for progress
with the history and the culture
that make this an exciting and engaging place to live.
Thank you for your time. -Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Following -- Just one second, Marty --
Following Marty is -- Our last speaker will be Aliesha Ruiz.
Thank you. -Good afternoon, councilmembers.
Marty Kooistra. I work for the Housing Development Consortium
of Seattle-King County.
I am speaking in favor today
of moving ahead quickly with the Fort Lawton project.
11 years ago, I was excited
to bring Habitat for Humanity's work to that area.
It has been a long time in coming.
We are right now today
at least 156,000 affordable homes short in King County.
In order to make that number palatable,
we're talking about how to build 44,000
in the next five years.
So it's not a matter of should we or should we not.
It's a matter of how much, including Interbay
and every other possible location that we can build.
And unfortunately that means that we all have to learn
to adapt to a society that's going to embrace density,
density done right.
Talking about Fort Lawton being designed after years of work
by partners in the Office of Housing and others
as a true community.
Yes, there's other work that's going to need to be done,
including transportation, schools, all of that.
But it is a unique opportunity that we have before us,
and I would encourage you to move forward with all due haste
and please encourage your partners, as well,
to develop it out quickly.
Let's make it happen. Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Hello. My name is Aliesha Ruiz.
I'm here today representing the Master Builders Association
of King and Snohomish County.
We all recognize that affordable housing --
We are in a crisis situation
with the shortage of affordable housing.
Therefore, the Master Builders Association
fully support the Fort Lawton redevelopment plan
and urge the city to approve it quickly.
Obviously, after years of discussion,
planning with stakeholders, public review, litigation,
and debate, it is time to adopt and implement the plan
to create affordable housing at Fort Lawton.
Thank you.
-Thank you.
Okay, that will conclude our public comment section.
Let's move to payment of the bills.
-Council Bill 119538,
appropriating money to pay certain claims
and ordering the payment thereof.
-I move to pass Council Bill 119538.
-Seconded.
-It's been moved and seconded that the bill pass.
Are there any further comments?
Please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien? -Aye.
-Pacheco?
Sawant? -Aye.
-Bagshaw? -Aye.
-González? -Aye.
-Herbold? -Aye.
-Juarez? -Aye.
-Mosqueda? -Aye.
-President Harrell? -Aye.
-Eight in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
I was going to ask for an encore from Mark Taylor-Canfield
before we got into our agenda,
but I think I'll just keep plowing on.
That was good stuff, there, Mark.
Please read the first agenda item.
-The report of Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development,
and Arts Committee, agenda item 1, Appointment 1345,
appointment of Robert Wonsung Lee
as Director, Office of Economic Development.
The Committee recommends the appointment be confirmed.
-Councilmember Herbold.
-Thank you. So, today, I am really excited
to advance the confirmation
for Acting Director Bobby Lee
for the Office of Economic Development.
Acting Director Lee has been really helpful and thorough
in this confirmation process,
completing what I found to be and I believe
when compared to others, a really rigorous questionnaire
submitted by the Council
and joining us for two confirmation hearings
in the Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development,
and Arts Committee.
Really want to extend my thanks to Director Lee
for sticking through the process
and thank you to Council colleagues
for your participation.
Director Lee brings years of experience
in the public and private sectors
where he's worked on youth workforce initiatives,
community and economic development efforts
that have prioritized equity in building pathways
to economic opportunity for communities of color,
building sustainability
for small and long-standing businesses
similar to our work with legacy businesses,
and served also as a city councilperson
for the city of Eugene.
So he understands our role, as well.
Acting Director Lee's most recent role
before coming to Seattle
was director of economic development in Portland.
Before that, he served Oregon Governor Kate Brown
working on economic
and community development challenges.
He has received numerous letters of support
throughout the process,
including former colleagues and electeds in Oregon,
the president of the Portland chapter of the NAACP,
and leaders from important community-based organizations.
In addition, just want to highlight
Director Lee's commitment
to working on priority issues
that this Council has identified,
and he's already begun engaging
in the neighborhood businesses throughout the city.
He has come to South Park twice already
in his short time and met with businesses out there.
I do have an amendment I'd like to make to the appointment
as it relates specifically to the expectations letter.
-Please do. -Thank you.
I move to amend appointment 1345
to add the Council Letter of Expectations for Mr. Lee.
-Okay, we're going to vote on just the amendment.
Did you want to say more about the amendment or --
I think it's sort of self-explanatory.
So, just the amendment vote.
All those in favor of the amendment, please vote aye.
-Aye. -Aye.
-Opposed? The ayes have it.
The legislation is amended.
-Great.
And so those are my comments
in support of this confirmation
and --
-Sure. Before we move forward and ask for a vote,
are there any other colleagues
who would like to make any comments or questions?
Councilmember Bagshaw. -Thank you.
Well, I am very pleased, Bobby,
that you're going to be joining us.
I really appreciated your positive energy.
And I think, moving forward,
you've got some people that preceded you
that I really appreciated working with,
so I think it's going to be a wonderful partnership.
And I do want to acknowledge what Councilmember Herbold said.
We received many, many letters of support, unsolicited letters
that came in talking about your strengths
and the experience you had as a city councilmember in Eugene,
as was mentioned, and the number of --
We understand you went to graduate school
with our own Greg Doss,
so we figure that you got a good thumbs-up there, as well.
So I want to acknowledge that I really welcome you,
welcome working with you,
and am very glad that the mayor put your recommendation forward.
-Any other comments from any of our colleagues?
Councilmember Mosqueda?
-Thank you, Mr. President.
And I want to thank you, as well, Mr. Lee,
for your direction
that you would like to take the department.
I just want to echo some of the things that we've heard
especially from front-line workers, from union members.
They've been very supportive
of the direction that you would like to bring to the department.
I am also really excited about the commitment that you bring
to women- and minority-owned small businesses,
the work you've done in Portland with the Portland Mercado
the example in which we want to create
so that as we're creating new buildings,
as we're creating density,
we do, as you heard from one of the testifiers,
density done right,
which means smaller shops on the first and second floor,
and that we do the outreach
to connect those small-business owners
with the opportunities to have sites there
so that they can begin their business
and that it's affordable
and that the process gets broken down.
And I just want to make a plug.
So, every time we create opportunities
for small businesses to thrive,
we also need to create those opportunities
for childcare facilities to grow
so that our businesses and workers can have a place
for those kiddos and families and workers to be successful.
And I love your enthusiasm around that image,
and I love what you've done in Portland.
Really excited about the front-line workers
also supporting you, and I'll be an enthusiastic yes.
-Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
Any other further comments from any of our colleagues?
I'll just say very quickly
that I've enjoyed the time we've spent together
and your vision for the department and the city.
I love the sort of fierce competitiveness you have
for small businesses and for high-performance,
but then also sort of a quiet humility
about your style of leadership.
So I do expect great things.
And I did approve the expectation letter.
But what a treasure to have you
as part of our city government now.
So I look forward to supporting you strongly.
Okay. So, with that,
Councilmember Herbold, should I call for a vote,
or did you want to close with any other remarks?
-The only other remarks I would like to close with
are a recognition
that the mayor's Small Business Advisory Commission
had deferred my request or my offer
for them to submit questions
because they had already met with the --
Early on in the --
What's the word I'm looking for --
the process to identify an appointment,
they had already met with Mr. Lee
and were really excited about working with him.
I want to just highlight real quickly
some of the specific expectations
that the Council have --
grow and strengthen the local business community
through the provision of direct services.
Workforce development is an important priority,
specifically the city's investments
in workforce development initiatives
that support the career advancement
of low-income and underemployed job-seekers.
Economic resilience,
measuring the city's overall economic health
via analysis of key indicators,
economic development leadership,
participating in regional economic development workgroups
and policy meetings.
Neighborhood business districts --
working with business owners in our business districts
to identify, evaluate, and address emerging needs
in these business districts.
Legacy businesses -- developing and implementing
a legacy business nomination and designation program
with the goal of facilitating and finalizing
a designation in each district by the end of this year.
And then, finally, and really importantly,
shepherding the conversation
or participating in the shepherding of the conversation
around the home for the Film + Music Division
that was formerly housed in the Office of Economic Development.
We're not quite sure where it's going to go
but there is an effort partnered with the Arts Office
to engage with the arts and film and music community
to talk about where the right home for Film + Music is.
I think we have a shared belief
that there's so much more that Seattle could be doing
to support the film and music industry,
and I am excited that Director Lee has that
on his list of priorities, as well as ours.
That's all for me. -Okay.
And, Councilmember Herbold, I want to thank you
for doing such a thorough job on this confirmation.
Thank you. Job well done.
Thank you. Makes our job a little easier, here.
Okay, with that,
those in favor of confirming the appointment of Mr. Lee
as amended, please vote aye.
-Aye. -Aye.
-Those opposed, vote no.
The motion carries and appointment is confirmed.
And we will suspend the rules,
and we'd love to hear a few words from you, Mr. Lee.
Please come forward, and congratulations.
-Well, thank you very much.
Is this on? Is this on? -Yes, it is. Yes.
-Okay. Thank you very much. I'm truly humbled.
I'm so excited to be in Seattle.
I finally made it.
[ Laughter ]
What's a challenging part for many urban economies
is that we're about to transition
into a new economy called a network economy.
And there are strength and weaknesses in the new economy.
And so a part of our job in our office
is to help you navigate those opportunities
and make sure that we build an inclusive economy for everyone.
With that, I'll leave it there.
Thank you very much.
-Thank you, Mr. Lee.
Please read the next agenda item.
-Agenda item 2, Council Bill 119504,
relating to the Pike Place Market Historical District
amending ordinance 125650
to extend its effective date by six months.
The Committee recommends the bill pass,
with Councilmembers Herbold, Sawant, and O'Brien in favor
in abstention with Councilmember Pacheco.
-Councilmember Herbold. -Thank you.
So, this council bill amends
ordinance 125650
to extend its effective date by six months.
The bill it is amending established an interim expansion
of the Pike Place Market Historic District last August.
The legislation will allow the Department of Neighborhoods
some additional time to complete work
that this Council asked DON to do last August
so that the effect, again, is just to simply extend
the legislation we already voted on by six months.
The central staff memo accompanying this legislation
specifies that the Department of Neighborhoods expects
their consultant will complete much of the work needed
to develop a preliminary recommendation
by the end of June.
If the recommendation is for a permanent expansion,
SEPA review would follow that recommendation.
We had a public hearing last Tuesday.
A lot of folks came out to testify
in support of the legislation.
Folks speaking in favor of the legislation
really did a great job of speaking to why
in their perspective the market should be looked at
as part of a permanent future expansion for the Showbox
to be within the market boundaries.
The points that they spoke to were
that the market was established in 1909,
the Showbox building opened up about 10 years later in 1919.
It was a public market.
Folks noted the fact that there is a commercial synergy
between both the market and the Showbox.
Many visitors go to both places.
Each year for the last several years,
Seattle has had a record number of visitors,
and so tourism is an important industry in Seattle.
One of the comments that came up in the public hearing
was from businesses of people who had moved to Seattle
because of the culture and who have since started a business.
Folks also spoke to the physical synergy
between the look of the buildings
and the appropriateness of the Showbox
to be considered as part of the market because of that, as well.
The Department of Neighborhoods
is working to implement ordinance 126560,
which calls for a review of the historic significance
of the Showbox theater
to study the relationship between the Showbox theater
and the Pike Place market, and to consider amendments
to the Pike Place Market historical design,
district design guidelines related to the Showbox theater.
There also is a part of this ordinance that calls for them
to draft legislation, conduct outreach to stakeholders,
and conduct state Environmental Policy Act review
on the permanent expansion of the historic district
as appropriate.
There may be some confusion about the scope
of what the executive is doing right now.
The Department of Neighborhoods will clarify
that the current scope of the study
includes an analysis on whether or not
to permanently extend the Market District
to cover the Showbox property,
and in order to make a recommendation
on whether or not to expand the district
to cover that one property,
they need to put look at a broader area.
And in this case,
they are looking at First Avenue properties
to better understand the historical context
as it relates to the Showbox.
Essentially, to analyze the Showbox property,
you have to analyze the historical connection
of the adjacent areas.
We have heard from folks who,
during our earlier deliberations back in August,
had not taken a position.
We heard from some of them today,
and we also received a letter last week
from Friends of the Market, the Pike Place Market Foundation,
Historic Seattle, Friends of Historic Belltown,
the Fischer Studio Building,
and Rise Up Belltown and Friends of the Showbox.
I may have mentioned them twice because they are awesome.
There's been a question of
potential lease expiration in January 2024.
If this property becomes part of the Market Historic District,
the change of use would require a certificate of approval
from the Pike Place Market Historical Commission,
so that's just a little bit of additional context
about how the recent news from the owner
on their plans for the building
would impact future decisions around the district boundaries.
-Thank you, Councilmember Herbold.
Councilmember Pacheco,
then we will open it up for comments and questions.
Councilmember Pacheco.
-I hear and appreciate the nostalgia and sentiments
that brought some of you out today
to support saving the Showbox,
and I believe this conversation highlights a need
for better tools to preserve the cultural resources
we have in our city.
That said, I do not believe that this tool,
expanding the Pike Place Market Historic District,
is the right way to go about preserving the Showbox.
As with any policy decision, there are major trade-offs
associated with preserving the Showbox.
When we use a blunt policy instrument
like the Historic District as our tool,
we are making housing the cost of saving the Showbox.
That is housing that the city desperately needs.
In the midst of a housing crisis
which is rooted in a shortage of housing,
we need to be building more houses of all types.
This action takes away the opportunity
to build 442 new units of housing that we need.
Even more importantly, under MHA,
all new development
must contribute to affordable housing.
By closing the door to redevelop on this site,
we are turning down up to $5 million
in affordable-housing payments
that could have been required under MHA.
As the chair of the council's
Planning, Land Use, & Zoning Committee,
I am a firm believer that we should be embracing density
and building more housing in walkable neighborhoods,
particularly close to transit and light-rail stations.
I also serve on the Puget Sound Regional Council,
where we are challenged with Vision 2050,
as our region is expected to grow
with 1.8 million new residents and 1.2 million new jobs.
As we confront climate change, congestion, and unaffordability,
building housing near transit and jobs
is what will allow so many Seattleites like myself
to live without a car.
As someone who has advocated for greater density
in my own district, particularly in the U District,
where new light-rail stations are opening,
it is intellectually inconsistent
to opposing a new development so close to light rail.
Let me be clear -- I am not opposed to saving the Showbox,
but I cannot in good faith support saving the Showbox
in a way that places the burden on families
trying to afford a place to call home in Seattle.
[ Laughter ]
As a city, we need to move away from a conversation
that sets up a false choice between creating new housing
and preserving cultural spaces.
Instead of pitting
these two things we need against each other,
we should be having a conversation
that promotes both housing and culture.
I wasn't on the council last year
when this temporary boundary expansion was established,
but if I had been, I would have voted no.
I believe that the council could have and should have
taken more time to identify a solution
that would preserve the Showbox and created more housing.
If we had worked with the developer
to identify a solution that works for all sides,
we could have found a way to preserve the Showbox
and have 442 units of housing that were proposed.
As someone who was just at the Showbox on Friday,
I don't think that it is contradictory
to want to preserve the history of that place
and recognize that it could use some upgrades.
For example, we all know that the Showbox
is on the city's list of unreinforced masonry buildings,
meaning that it poses a serious danger
to people in the area in the event of an earthquake.
This fact alone should tell us
that freezing the Showbox in time
is not a safe or responsible option.
I will be voting no today because I believe
that saving the Showbox in this fashion
is leading us down the wrong path as a city
and because I am hopeful that it is not too late
to pursue the options that allow us to preserve culture
while also building housing.
If I can make one final note,
I hope that as we have this conversation,
we can do so in a way that is respectful to all of us.
At the public hearing last week, I was very concerned
to hear one individual compare himself as a Showbox fan
to a Native American and called the Showbox his reservation.
I was even more concerned
that the crowd applauded that statement.
That sort of comparison is unacceptable in my mind,
and we should not be condoning it.
-Thank you, Councilmember Pacheco.
Any other comments? Councilmember Juarez?
-I'll just be brief.
I just want to share that we have a point of order,
Council President.
We just had an hour of public comment
about people supporting or saving the Showbox,
and during that time, nobody was jeered or made noises.
And Councilmember Pacheco deserves to have you
be respectful and to listen because that's what we're doing.
So I'm going to ask that you do that
and that this is not a rally.
Thank you.
-Thank you, Councilmember Juarez, for those comments,
and I will take that under advisement.
Any other comments, questions?
Councilmember Sawant, I think you,
or you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
I just want to figure that one out.
I'll just defer to your side-by-side there.
-Thank you Mr. President.
First, I really applaud Councilmember Pacheco
in terms of your concerns around affordable housing
and housing in general,
and I want to make some comments about housing
and I think the crux that we're at
with wanting to create affordable housing,
more housing in general in the city,
and preserve cultural hubs throughout Seattle.
I will be voting yes again on this legislation
to make sure that we have additional time
to consider the request in front of us,
but I want to be very clear about something.
We voted yes last year.
We voted yes in the budget to give funding
to the department to complete the study.
The study did not begin until January of this year,
so if there is frustration, I want folks to know
what this council did in August
versus what actually happened beginning in January
and to direct those frustrations accordingly.
I think it is also very important
to know that we here on Council have taken a number of steps
to ensure that there is access to both cultural hubs
and promoting access to housing throughout the city
and that it does not have to be an either/or.
One of the issues that we had been working on last year
prior to the passage was making sure
that if there was the opportunity
to preserve the Showbox as is and then build housing above it,
that all of those options were tirelessly pursued
before moving forward, and unfortunately,
we don't have that option in front of us.
But I am supportive of giving us a little bit additional time
so that we can see if there is opportunities
that do present themselves to protect this cultural hub.
But I think in the future, we want to make sure
that there is not a distinction
between cultural hubs versus housing.
It should be both and.
There is also I think an important element
that Councilmember Pacheco has elevated
and Councilmember Juarez that I appreciate
your underscoring of the need for respect
because we do want to make sure
that we're not pitting ourselves against each other in this city
when it comes to residential, cultural,
and business displacement.
That is a very real and pressing issue around Seattle,
especially, though, in communities of color,
and as we are facing the challenge
of looking at displacement across our city,
one of the bigger longer-term impacts
that I'm going to be looking at
is to make sure that we have both and.
Both housing, both affordable housing
and the ability to create and preserve cultural hubs.
It's really important for us
to weigh these equity implications
as we take actions to preserve important community spaces
like the Showbox
and so many others that have come before us
and also think about how we can build housing
around these centers so that more people can walk to work,
that can afford to be artists in the city,
can go down the street or down elevator
to their place of employment
or the place where they're playing a show.
So I hope that we keep that in mind
and that also as we think about the opportunities
to both preserve cultural space, we take the same level of energy
that we have seen today and throughout the last 10 months
and we really do apply that to creating greater density
like some of the comments that were made
around creating density at Fort Lawton.
We know there's tremendous opposition sometimes,
and having your energy,
harnessing that energy, and focusing it, as well,
in terms of creating affordable housing
as much as we are creating cultural hubs
I think can be both and,
and that is what I will be looking forward to
in the longer-term policy solutions and conversations.
Thank you, Mr. President.
-Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
Councilmember Sawant?
-I wanted to thank all the activists
and music lovers who are here again today,
and I know many of you were here at the public hearing last week
and many, many more of you have been fighting for the Showbox.
And I have been honored to stand alongside you all
who have made the hope of saving the Showbox a reality,
although obviously, we are not done.
I also wanted to take a moment to congratulate
the Save the Showbox movement,
especially the Showbox employees,
the Friends of the Showbox, and Historic Seattle
in overcoming a major hurdle
and winning the landmark status nomination last week,
and we are looking forward to a really positive outcome on that,
as well, even though we are all very clear
that doesn't preserve the music-venue use of the building.
The victory we won last summer,
expanding the Pike Place boundary,
Historic District boundary, to cover the Showbox
would never have been possible without this movement,
without the over 180,000 people who signed the online petition,
without the hundreds of you all who packed council chambers
demanding the Showbox not be destroyed
to make way for unaffordable luxury apartments,
without the hundreds of local musicians and artists
raising their voice on behalf of their community
and forcing the council to act,
we would not have had any chance of winning.
Indeed, the Pike Place Market itself
would not be standing today if it were not for a movement
decades ago similar to this and probably larger in scale
because of what they were up against.
It's also a critical component for the movement
to have its own elected representatives
who will always stand with and fight alongside the movement,
never betraying it,
and my office was proud to play that role
and we will continue, my staff and I will continue,
standing with the movement every step of the way.
I also want to again thank Councilmember O'Brien,
who supported my ordinance last August from the get-go
and Councilmember Herbold, who brought forward
this bill today, which I think is important.
Those who were there last year will recall
how at every opportunity, many Councilmembers would say,
"What is the rush?
Why is someone's office pushing for this boundary expansion
to apply so soon?
Why is fast-tracking the legislation necessary?"
The reality is that if we had done it their way
by believing that deals can be struck
with wealthy land owners or corporate developers,
then we would not be here.
People likely know about the lawsuit filed against the city
by Roger Forbes, the building owner of the Showbox.
When the judge reviewing the case
threw out significant portions of the lawsuit,
we heard this was due to our movement
demanding no delay in action,
so judicial outcomes also are influenced
by what we say out in this world on the streets
and how strong our movement is.
When we passed our legislation last August,
we knew we had won interim protections and we knew
we would have to come back this spring and summer,
so here we are.
I will be voting yes, of course,
on today's proposed six-month extension
of the interim expansion, and I call on Councilmembers
to respect the demands of the movement and do the same.
But really, as Shannon Wells said,
it should not have come to this today
because the mayor's office and her department
had more than enough time to ensure the necessary studies
could have been conducted in 10 months.
Okay, it didn't happen, but this is what happens
when the immediate pressure of the movement is absent.
So it's important that we keep in mind after today
that if we have one- to six-month extension,
it does not let us, the movement, off the hook.
We have to make sure that all of the studies
that were promised in the work plan
are carried out in a timely fashion,
and that will only happen if we remain vigilant and vocal.
And we want to make sure that in the next month especially,
we have enough pressure on the mayor's office
for the survey to be completed on neighborhood impacts
for the city departments
because it can be done in that timeline.
We cannot -- we simply cannot -- rely on
the behind-the-scenes deals and negotiations with attorneys,
developers, and corporate landlords.
We want the initial interim protection purely for
the strength of the movement and we should not waver.
Regardless of what else we hear, we should not waver
because we know that behind-the-scenes deals
is not the way to go for now.
For now, let's win the six-month timeline extension
and keep the pressure on city departments
who report to the mayor's office
and make sure the studies are completed.
I wanted to thank
those who have been fundamental to this struggle,
the employees of the Showbox, the Friends of the Showbox,
Historic Seattle central staff members,
Liz, who's here, who helped us tremendously
with getting the legislation ready,
the community organizers in my office,
some of whom are here today,
Jay Middleton, who launched the online petition,
and Seattle's vast community of artists and musicians,
some of whom are also employees of the Showbox,
but I also wanted to mention Smokey Brights, Ben Gibbard,
Soul, SassyBlack, Dude York, Spirit Award, Ruler,
many of whom also performed at the free concert
we had last summer on the plaza outside.
Thank you all so much,
and then, in closing, I will say,
as Earnie Ashwood said last August,
"If you are right here in chambers,
this is not about culture.
It is not a question of music versus housing.
This is not about music versus affordable housing.
This is about culture and housing for everybody
versus profits for the few," and as Earnie said,
he asked elected officials, "You have to pick a side,"
you know, decide which side you're on.
And I will also say that making this about affordable housing
in my view is either naive, you don't know the facts,
or it's disingenuous of elected officials
because we know it's not about affordable housing.
If elected officials
are concerned about affordable housing,
then those who repealed the Amazon tax
should not have done that,
and if you want to support affordable housing,
then let's fight for rent control
and to expand social housing massively
by taxing Amazon and big business.
Let's keep fighting.
[ Applause ]
-Councilmember González.
-Thank you, Council President.
I will make this quick 'cause I know we're on agenda item two
of very a long agenda for today, but I just wanted to say that
consistent with my vote in August of 2018,
I intend to continue to maintain my same position.
So I'm going to vote yes on this bill.
However, I wanted to give some caution
and some additional rationale for that.
So I don't think there is a justification for me
at this point to modify my vote on what I see
as a technical amendment to allow some time
for the departments to continue doing the evaluation
that we originally asked them to do.
We haven't modified the substance of the evaluation
and analysis and study that we originally asked
the departments to do back in August of 2018.
This is an opportunity for the city council
to provide the executive additional time
to be able to complete that work.
Again, nothing substantive has changed
in terms of the work that we're asking the executive to do.
This is just about finding an additional amount of time
to allow to do this,
so I see this amendment to this bill
as technical in nature and not substantive
in terms of a final long-term solution
for this particular parcel of land,
which leads me to my second point,
which is a caution to my colleagues
that I am concerned about the direction of looking at
expanding the scope of evaluation
for the alleged purposes of evaluating the true historic
and architectural district nature of this space.
I am cautious of the fact that the expansion of the scope
may lead to further limiting development capacity
along First Avenue utilizing this historic resources tool
as the mechanism to do that, and we have seen in
the mandatory housing affordability context
and in other spaces that often times,
historic resources as a tool is being weaponized
to prevent additional density and affordable housing
coming into particular neighborhoods
that should be taking on the burden and responsibility
of additional development capacity
for purposes of housing our families
and low-income members of the community.
So I am going to vote yes for this bill today
with the caution that that doesn't necessarily mean
that I would support a final bill
if that final bill signals in my mind
a move towards a scope of study area
that would diminish significantly
development capacity along First Avenue, again,
under the auspices of preservation,
and I just really think we need to be very careful
about evaluating specific historic resources
and how that might implicate policy positions --
clear policy positions -- that the city council has taken
in other areas with regard to up zoning
and allowing additional development capacity
for purposes of increasing real dollars available to us
to construct affordable housing either in
this particular neighborhood or in other neighborhoods
around the city of Seattle.
And when we look at the maps
of where our development is happening
as it relates to affordable-housing developments,
a significant majority of those developments are occurring
right here in downtown in District 7.
So when we know that our inclusionary zoning,
incentive zoning programs require that downtown developers
contribute the most amount of money
under our mandatory housing affordability program,
I have serious concerns about a broad-stroke approach here
that may compromise and diminish the great efforts
that I think the city council has taken
in the space of affordable housing
as it relates to a broader swath of land
along First Avenue.
-Thank you, Councilmember González.
Any other comments or questions?
I'm gonna say a few.
Would you like to close debate after I say a few?
Just a few things.
I'm gonna support the legislation.
Councilmember Herbold,
thanks for having a committee meeting on it
and bringing it to our attention,
and we were sort of monitoring the deadline
of our first legislation.
I want to thank the advocates for coming out.
Your voice is heard, meaningful, and thanks for the song.
That was beautiful.
This concept of picking a side, to me, is nonsense.
For me, it's not about picking a side.
It's about listening to people.
When you pick a side, you're drawing a line,
and you're on one side or the other.
To me, that's not how we get things done in this city.
We listen,
and we try to understand and try to come up with a good outcome.
I think many of you have presented
a very clear picture of what we can preserve
and what we should try to preserve.
Councilmember Pacheco, I want to thank you
for taking a bold stance on what you believe in,
and you weren't part of the long discussion we had
that got us to this point,
but I want to applaud you for voting your conscience,
which I always think is noble.
Not listening to anyone else but trying to hear others
but trying to vote what you think is right.
So thank you, sir.
And last, I want to say this notion
about behind-the-scene deals.
I want to address that.
So my take on it is the city did not do its behind-the-scene work
as feverishly as I was hoping they did
when we passed this legislation.
I was hoping that behind-the-scenes work
was really done so we didn't have to get here
where we are today.
We all know it's no big secret
that we're in litigation on this matter.
If you didn't know, I'm sorry to let that secret out of the bag,
but we are in litigation on this matter.
And my hope is that perhaps parties can work together
and we can come up with a win-win,
a win that preserves our great music venue
and allows these talented musicians
to do what they do so well
and that we again look at the value of the market
and the beauty of the market and housing issues
and come up with some win-wins,
and whether that is behind-the-scenes
or here in city hall, I care less,
but I just want to get that kind of work done.
But for me, it's not about picking a side.
It's about working together as a community
and getting some things done,
so hopefully within the next six months,
as this legislation presents, we will get this work done.
I just want to thank all of my colleagues
for this robust discussion.
I'd ask that Councilmember Herbold
close the debate,
and then we will vote and see where the chips fall.
-Thank you.
I just want to close out with some comments
some of you heard before during the public hearing
highlighting the work of the arts office
as it relates to the need to act with urgency
to preserve our cultural spaces.
A report out of the arts office, the cultural space report,
identifies that the value of cultural spaces and activities
are quantifiable.
They drive economic growth and urban development.
Blocks in Seattle with cultural spaces
have significantly higher walk scores,
they have more businesses open at 10:00 p.m. on Fridays,
and they have twice as many outdoor café seating permits,
pointing to the economic-development value.
They go on to say that the arts ecosystem that we have today
thrives in a rich network of cultural spaces
that were able to flourish because during periods
of greater affordability in Seattle,
without the spaces to support this cultural life,
without the presence of arts
and cultural organizations in our neighborhoods,
this ecosystem can't be sustained
at times of less affordability, like the times we are in now.
Vulnerable communities are the canaries
in the coal mines of displacement.
They are disappearing from the cultural landscape,
and some of the first to disappear, as we have heard,
are communities of color
and the arts and culture organizations that reflect them
whose presence help create the very land value
on which those cranes are now building.
I think that's a good point to end on.
-Okay. Thank you, Councilmember Herbold,
and with that, we are going to vote on Council Bill 119504.
So, clerk, please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -No.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Eight in favor, one opposed.
-Bill passed, Senate.
No clap on that one? [ Laughs ]
[ Cheers and applause ]
Okay.
Please read the next agenda item.
-Report of the Housing, Health, Energy,
and Workers' Rights Committee item 3,
council vote 119507 relating to fair housing,
establishing a one-year prohibition
on use of rental housing bidding platforms,
amending section 7.24.020 of the Seattle municipal code
and adding a new section, 7.24.090,
to the Seattle municipal code.
Committee recommends the bill pass.
-Councilmember Mosqueda?
-Thank you, Mr. President.
So onto rental protections,
because I'm neither naive nor ready to wait,
we're going to change policy and we're going to make sure
that it's informed by our community partners at the table.
We have worked on a one-year prohibition
on rent-bidding technologies, so for folks who aren't aware,
this is like eBay for rental units.
Nobody wants to see their rental unit go on eBay
and the cost of their housing skyrocket,
but what we heard immediately after getting elected was that
there was a number of people,
especially in the University of Washington area,
students specifically who had seen these eBay-like platforms
escalate the cost of housing in their neighborhoods.
And our intent was to create a one-year prohibition
on these rent-bidding technologies
in order to provide time to determine whether or not
these platforms are in violation of our fair-housing laws
and to analyze how they may impact housing costs
or cause greater inequities in our access
to affordable housing and housing throughout the city,
creating potentially disproportionate impacts
on our communities,
especially communities of color and lower-income communities.
And what we've seen over the last year
through the Office of Housing, in coordination with
the Office of Civil Rights
and the Department of Constructions and Inspection,
is that they have been working diligently --
on time, I will add, thank you very much --
to the mayor's three departments
who have been producing a report for us.
In July, they will provide a study to help us better analyze
and understand this new technology,
its impacts on equitable access to housing,
and what long-term regulations may be necessary.
Given the pace at which new technologies --
and right here, we've seen a number of them crop up
right in our own backyard --
can come online, can be ingrained in our communities
and ingrained in our systems,
we really just waned to hit the "pause" button.
Let us have a little bit of time to see how
these rent-bidding technologies
or eBay-like systems for rental units
actually affect our commitment to fair housing,
whether or not they have an impact
on the rental-housing market
and whether there is implications
for our commitment to protecting
our population's access to fair-housing laws.
So the report will be presented, as I said,
on time in July of this year.
What we'd like to do with the Council's support today
is to add an additional 12 months.
Once we receive that report back from the three departments,
we will then have the opportunity to work with tenants
and the community at large
to develop potential policy solutions
and conduct a robust engagement process
to actually talk about what to do about the technology.
We have seen from other cities
that they have not put this pause in place,
and the consequence has been limited access to units
throughout their cities
and increase in the cost of affordable units
and with an effort to try to be proactive and get ahead of it,
we're very excited to be able to put forward in front of you
a unanimous vote from the Housing Committee
that looked at requesting that 12-month extension
so that we can create the appropriate
and informed decision on this longer-term regulation
for rent-bidding platforms.
Thank you, Mr. President.
-Thank you.
Any other questions or comments on the legislation
before we vote?
Councilmember Bagshaw.
-Councilmember Mosqueda, thank you for bringing this forward
and for your leadership on it,
and I certainly will be voting for this today.
At the committee the other day,
I asked the question because I have been hearing
from both renters as well as property owners,
how is our study going along the lines
of the first in time registration?
Because what I am concerned about
is that people who are at their computers during the day,
that they get a first shot at a rental unit that comes open
and somebody who is working outside
and away from a computer may find themselves delayed
and frankly behind the 8-ball in terms of getting on those lists.
And is this something that we can continue to look at
or will it be part of this 12-month study,
or could we make it such?
-Thank you for the question, Councilmember.
I am looking down the way here at folks who are working on
the first in time legislation previously.
I think that that's part of the question
that hey will be answering for us in July.
How has this tool impacted that ability?
If you are the first one to put your application in,
you have the qualifications, you have the funding,
you should have access to that rental unit.
Unfortunately, with the way
in which the platforms were working before,
on our stay on this technology, the cost was escalating,
so those folks who were first in time were getting outbid.
So I think your question is exactly the type of question
we hope that the July report will answer.
-Thank you.
Any other questions or comments before we vote?
I think we're good.
Okay, please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Nine in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and she will sign it.
Please read items 4 through 6, and you could read
a shorter title of any of those, if you like.
-Resolution 31887, adopting and approving
an application for surplus property
at Fort Lawton, including a redevelopment plan.
The Committee recommends
the resolution be adopted as amended.
Council bill 119535 related to
the Fort Lawton redevelopment plan application.
Committee recommends the bill pass.
Council bill 119510, relating to land use and zoning.
The committee recommends the bill pass.
-Okay, all of these items are interrelated.
That's why we read them into the record together,
so I'd ask Councilmember Mosqueda?
Is it Mosqueda?
-Yeah. -Yes, okay.
Councilmember Mosqueda to describe them all,
and then we'll vote individually,
if that works for you.
-That would be great.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I'm really excited about today,
and thank you for giving us a little bit extra time
to describe these three pieces of legislation,
as they all fold together.
This is really an incredible opportunity for us
to celebrate the culmination after 15 years.
This is about a community vision for affordable housing
to be developed at Fort Lawton that's taken
community engagement, planning, and advocacy,
advocacy, as I mentioned, for 15 years
that is now going to create a variety of homes,
including homes for seniors
and veterans experiencing homelessness,
affordable rental homes for families and individuals,
affordable home-ownership opportunities
for low-income buyers, and with housing costs soaring
and displacement crisis at very high levels,
as we just talked about, there's an intense need
for these homes to be built now more than ever,
and as we do so, we've talked about
as we create greater density in the city,
one of the most important things that we can do
is also preserve and expand access to green space.
Of the Fort Lawton land that we're talking about,
67% of the site will be dedicated to parks
and open spaces complementing the natural beauty
of the recreational space
that is right next door at the Discovery Park.
This is wildlife habitat at Discovery Park,
an area that we all love to enjoy,
and Councilmember Bagshaw has a district that will not
be touched by the development by Fort Lawton,
so it will be complementary and it will butt up
to the existing land at Discovery Park.
And this Fort Lawton housing will be a complement
for the neighborhood.
And by creating affordable homes in a very high-cost area
of our city,
Fort Lawton will further expand our commitment
to exactly what you were just asking about,
our commitment to fair housing,
creating greater inclusion and advanced opportunities
by opening access to more families
to be able to live in a very high-cost area of the city
that has been previously out of reach
for very low-income communities,
especially for communities of color and low-wage workers.
So I want to underscore today this is a win-win.
It's a huge opportunity and it's a rare opportunity
to gain access to a significant portion of public land
from the Federal Government at no cost.
At no cost if it is used to build affordable housing
and services, especially for homeless.
It is a win-win for Seattle's highly competitive retail --
I'm sorry, highly competitive real-estate market,
and over the course of several evening hearings
and over the last few years,
and especially five public hearings
at the Housing, Health, Energy, and Workers' Rights Committee
just this year, we have heard from community
an interest in doing a couple of things.
Number one is expanding access to bus services
in the neighborhood and increasing school capacity.
We heard from SDOT and folks from Metro
that they will engage in a process
for looking at the frequency at which buses should come
and how to potentially add stops or routes to the area over time.
We've heard the desire for increased school capacity
and actual school buildings for teaching.
What we've heard from Seattle Public Schools to date
is that they will engage in that process of looking at
additional facilities for classrooms,
but the most pressing issue
that Seattle Public Schools has right now
is the need for more play fields,
and that's exactly what we're creating here.
We're also creating more space for wildlife habitat.
As you heard I think from some of the folks who presented today
and in previous committees, we've heard the desire to
make sure that there's more space opened up
to wildlife habitat
and that we reduce our surface parking lot streets.
In today's package, we have a really great amendment
that came directly
from the coalition that was working with Fort Lawton
and in the neighborhood
that they brought to our attention
the desire to reduce the surface lot parking space
by at least 1/3 and to work with communities
so that we could create more public space,
especially for wildlife habitat
including the blue heron population.
So I'm really excited about the proposed package
that you have in front of you.
The amount that of the work that has gone into
making these three pieces of legislation
that you just heard described come together
is really important.
And, Mr. President, if I might, I think there's a few details
as it comes to housing that I'd like to underscore
for the community. -That'd be very helpful.
Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
-So, there's about five buckets that are critically important.
Number one, homes for seniors.
This is 85 supportive housing units for seniors,
including veterans who've experienced homelessness.
On-site, there will be housing case management,
residential counselors, and housing stability plans created
so that we're really not just creating a door and a roof,
but we're creating the ability for folks to get stabilized
thanks to the support of services
in partnership with Catholic Housing Services
and United Indians of All Tribes.
This is not just creating a house,
but it's truly creating a stable home for folks.
Again, that land will be at zero cost.
The second bucket is for individual-
and family-size rental units.
These are 100 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments
for renters earning up to 60% of the area median income.
So you can imagine this is greater space
for families to grow and thrive,
opportunity for community space for those tenants there,
so it's not just going to be homes and units.
It will be actual community space.
And this housing is being developed
by Catholic Housing Services.
The land is coming at an extremely discounted price.
The third bucket is home-ownership opportunities.
And having been a person who just went through the process
of trying to become a first-time homebuyer,
it is very cumbersome.
It is very confusing, and it is very stressful.
If we're going to create equity in the city,
and by equity, I mean racial justice equity,
economic equity, we need to also create the ability
for folks to buy their own first place
so that they can create greater equity in their pockets
and their bank accounts
so that people can get out of generational poverty
without universal guaranteed retirement security.
Often, the ability to own your own place
is one way to pass on wealth to future generations
and to get out of generational poverty.
As we create home ownership opportunities,
especially for our low-income communities,
this is one way for us to achieve
our commitment to equity.
And this will create 52 three-bedroom town homes
and row homes for low-income buyers,
low-income buyers between $64,000 to $86,000 a year
for a 2- or 5-person household.
So that's our missing middle housing.
That's our low-income, middle-income housing
to create greater self-help
so that people can create sweat equity
and create opportunity
to have true equity in their pocketbooks.
Thanks to the folks at Habitat for Humanity
for working on this portion.
And again, the land for this type of housing
will come at zero cost.
Further, we have included into the requirements
the requirement for green building standards,
which will be required for all of these new homes
at Fort Lawton.
And finally, as we heard before,
it's important to preserve access to green space
and public play areas,
so 60% of the 34-acre site
will be maintained for parks and related uses.
That's 13 acres for passive recreation,
6 acres for two multipurpose fields and surface parking lots,
5 acres for forest land
incorporated into Discovery Park,
and the existing building where they have
the park's maintenance facility's parking lot
will be reduced now by 1/3.
Again, this land will be at zero cost for the open public spaces.
So, Mr. President, with that,
I just want to say a few thank-yous, if I might,
and -- Perhaps I should hold those thank-yous
until other folks have a chance to say a few words.
-Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
Councilmember Bagshaw. -Thank you.
Councilmember Mosqueda just said
about 90% of what I was planning to say.
So this is going to be very abbreviated.
But I do want to acknowledge our neighbors from Magnolia.
Thank you for coming again.
And I tried to get your questions answered
at the committee and having people address them.
And I have been involved in this
for way more than the last couple years,
the five committees that we've had on Fort Lawton.
I want to acknowledge Steve Walker, thank you,
and Emily Alvarado,
Traci Ratzliff from our Council Central Staff
that have worked so hard on this.
But truly, we are getting 6 acres more
of active sports fields,
That's something that we negotiated
with the Seattle Public Schools.
There's going to be 60% more of this land
that's going into parks.
We're not taking more of Discovery Park.
Fort Lawton is asphalted right now.
We're going to be turning that into housing,
and a great portion of it is going to go into parks,
as Councilmember Mosqueda said.
The whole idea that it could be an either/or,
and as I mentioned at the committee meeting,
just the day before that committee meeting,
I'm hearing from folks that are saying,
"Well, look, we've got a really good idea.
Let's not do it in Fort Lawton,
and let's put it down in Interbay."
Well, frankly, we are going to have to be looking for space
all across the city and all across our region
to even begin to scratch the surface
on the amount of affordable housing that we need.
And it strikes me that, yes, after 15 years,
this Fort Lawton plan is one that we have negotiated
with the neighbors, with the neighborhood,
and I'm very pleased that we're moving forward with it.
And I respect the fact that people say there's change.
You bet there's change.
Seattle is changing everywhere.
And no neighborhood is really to be separated from this.
We need to incorporate, hear the voices, and be inclusive.
And I believe that in this particular case,
over 15 years, that we have done that.
I also want to acknowledge Marty Kooistra, who was here earlier.
I think he's left.
But Habitat for Humanity is giving people the opportunity
for home ownership.
And we know that that's really the step forward
for so many families.
So, I'm very happy to be joining you in this,
Councilmember Mosqueda.
Thank you for bringing it through to your committee
And also, I want to acknowledge
the United Indians of All Tribes,
Catholic Housing Services,
and all those who are helping us get here
and bring this across the finish line.
-Thank you, Councilmember Bagshaw.
Any other questions or comments
before we turn it back to Councilmember Mosqueda?
Okay, Councilmember Sawant.
-Thank you, President Harrell.
I want to start by acknowledging
that we are on the indigenous land of the Duwamish people,
and I am specifically acknowledging that
because we are discussing in this item
and the next two items
the disposition of Fort Lawton.
As everybody knows, in 1970,
courageous activists from the United Tribes of All Indians
occupied the military base on Fort Lawton
to demand it be returned as indigenous land.
And it was through that struggle
that the Daybreak Star Center was won.
In other words, the result of
a resolute demonstration of civil disobedience.
Once again we proving that when we fight, we can win.
And it was a big victory
even though the movement did not win
all the demands that they had.
Today we are voting on approving a plan to transfer ownership
of Fort Lawton from the federal government to the city
and to approve a plan to build some affordable housing there.
I will of course be voting in favor of these items
because I support building these 237 units of affordable housing
on Fort Lawton as rapidly as possible.
And to build more, there will require
a new environmental impact statement
which could take years.
So I support these agenda items today.
However, I think we also need to be honest
that this has been for years,
not necessarily by the current counsel here but in general,
has been a monumental missed opportunity
that could have allowed us to build far, far more
affordable housing than we now have in our hands.
When former mayor Ed Murray had city departments
conduct the IES for the Fort Lawton redevelopment,
they studied different alternatives,
but the maximum affordable housing they studied
was 237 homes, which makes that our legal maximum at this stage.
The mayor made that decision
without consulting members of the public.
I am sure that after today's vote,
there will be numerous press releases
from the political establishment
doubting this Fort Lawton redevelopment plan as a triumph.
And absolutely we should celebrate
every affordable home that gets built,
but I think there is a danger that that triumphalism
is such an exaggeration that it does not --
it belies the bitter realities that we face
in terms of our affordable housing crisis.
For comparison,
Fort Lawton will have 237 affordable homes on 34 acres.
In comparison, affordable housing activists on Forest Hill
in District 3 successfully won Sound Transit property
to be used to build affordable housing
on a parcel of Madison Street.
That one parcel will have over 300 units,
more than all of the 34 acres of Fort Lawton.
My staff calculated the ratio,
and the Forest Hill affordable housing product
will have over 100 times as much affordable housing
as Fort Lawton, relative to its area.
Similarly, the north lot affordable housing redevelopment
of the Pacific Hospital PDA
will have more affordable housing than all of Fort Lawton.
Similarly, the FAME affordable housing project
in the central area near Pratt Park
will more than Fort Lawton.
The list goes on.
And all of those properties are on single parcels,
not on the vast 34 acres that Fort Lawton sits on.
So I will be voting in favor of this plan
because I want every affordable home that we can get,
but my message is for affordable housing activists
that we should not let up for one second
in demanding as massive a possible expansion
of social housing in Seattle
because as we have these tiny projects
heralded with a lot of fanfare,
they are actually falling far, far short of what is needed.
To truly address the affordable housing crisis in Seattle,
we will have to tax big business and the super rich
to raise the funds that will be necessary
to build social housing on the scale that it is needed.
That is in the many thousands every year, not in the hundreds.
And we also need rent control
to stop the continued hemorrhaging
of existing affordable housing.
Thank you. -Thank you, Councilor Sawant.
Councilmember González, please.
-Thank you, Council President.
I just wanted to echo my thanks for everybody
who has been working on this issue for so long.
I think one person who was left off the thank you list
is the great Kenny Pittman, who just retired last week.
He has been instrumental along the way
for continuing to advance the relationship
between us and the federal government
to allow an opportunity for us to even be having these
conversations around using the surplus property in this manner.
And I just wanted to underscore
that when you read about the efforts,
the 13-plus-year efforts around Fort Lawton,
it's striking to me that when the city initially proposed
development in this manner on Fort Lawton,
that was in 2008, and the original proposal
actually proposed 415 units of affordable housing.
We're now down to about 50% of that.
Part of that is because of construction costs
and because of other realities related to the process.
And I think it's really unfortunate that we are now here
over a decade later in a situation where
we have half the amount of housing units
we could have had in 2008 had we been able to proceed
as we wanted immediately before the recession.
So I think this is,
while we aren't getting the full capacity of housing units
that I think all of us would really truly want to see
in this uniquely situated neighborhood,
I think it's important for us to acknowledge
the work that has been done
to allow us to be in a position now
to accept the over 200-plus units of affordable housing
that will certainly meet the needs
of many families in the city of Seattle.
So really want to thank Councilmember Mosqueda
for bringing us across the finish line
and Councilmember Bagshaw
for your dedicated service to District 7, too.
Being in a position where you're finally seeing this
over the finish line must feel pretty tremendous.
So congratulations to you as well.
-Thank you, Councilmember González.
Councilmember Juarez.
-I will be a little bit brief,
and I'll probably be showing my age here,
but some of us were there in 1973
when we took over Daybreak Star,
and we didn't actually have the movement, but we did it,
and we got it done.
I wanted to thank the CEO, Michael Tulee,
who just walked in who is the CEO of United Indians
and also my cousin.
Always involved in Indian country
and the struggle for Native American people.
But I want to add that this goes further back than 2008.
Back in 2000, when we were trying to build
the people's lodge, which would have included
housing units, a cultural center, an elder center,
and more low-income housing,
and medical services for not only native and urban people
but other people who would require those services,
those neighborhoods fought --
I was on the board for almost 30 years
with United Indians and worked with Bernie Whitebear,
and I was also legal counsel for 15 years.
Those neighborhoods fought us tooth and nail for 13 years.
So the historical perspective is this.
Well, since 1973, our efforts that we did in 2000,
what we tried to do in 2008, I am proud to sit here today
and thank Councilmember Mosqueda and Councilmember Bagshaw
that we kept at it.
That our compass was clear
about what we want to do with that property.
You've heard me say this before,
sometimes just because you chant
"When do we want? We want it now,"
that's not how the world works.
You have to keep marching forward
and clear in what you need to do for the community.
And sometimes you don't get everything you want,
but you get to that point where you can actually take a vision
and have it transferred into brick and mortar.
So I want to thank Councilmember Mosqueda
and Kenny Pittman
and again Councilmember Bagshaw
for being relentless and working in the district,
and Michael Tulee and the other CEOs
that have walked before him, that we worked hard on this.
And Michael Reichert at Catholic Community Services,
Liz Tail at Cowlitz.
I could go on and on.
This has been a piece of property
that the tribes have worked on for many decades.
So I'll leave it at that. Thank you.
-Thank you, Councilmember Juarez.
Councilmember Mosqueda.
-All right. Well, thank you very much, Mr. President.
And you're damn right we're gonna send out
a press release after this,
because this has been 15 years in the making.
And that does not make anybody establishment,
but that means we're celebrating small components that, together,
woven together, will actually help create
more affordable housing throughout the city.
We're sending out a press release
because we're literally demilitarizing
a parcel of property that was publicly owned
that should be put to the public's use
so that it can be used for the public's good,
not a military base.
We are absolutely celebrating the fact that
we're creating affordable housing for seniors
and for vets.
We're creating apartments that will be
one, two, and three bedrooms
so that more families can live in the city.
We're creating first-time home-ownership options,
and we're preserving 60% of former military land
now for parks and public spaces.
Yes, we are celebrating.
And yes, we also know that this is one small tool
in a very large toolkit that we need
to address the crisis of housing.
And every single one of those opportunities that we can
to build on public land, we will take advantage of it.
Last year, the first piece of isolation that I passed
was making sure that every parcel
of publicly owned property that is not being used to the highest
and best use that we've determined is surplus
and no longer needed by the city,
we should preserve that public land
and stop plugging budget holes
and actually build affordable housing.
This is an extension of that commitment.
On every parcel of land,
we should be working to create housing
and community services
and the ability for more people to live in the city
so that more working families can have the chance to grow,
live, and thrive in the city,
so that more seniors have a place to call home
and don't get displaced,
so that vets who are sleeping homeless on our street
have a place to call home.
That's what we're celebrating today.
I'm incredibly proud to be working with our colleagues
to get this over the finish line after 15 years in the making,
after five committee hearings this year,
after the opportunity to work with
those who wanted more space for the blue heron,
to get rid of surface parking streets.
We are going to celebrate this,
and then we will keep working and organizing.
We also know that when we reduce the cost of housing
by building on public land,
we make it more affordable by 15%.
That is a smart use of the public's dollar.
This is the smart use of public land.
We also making smart investments
for future generations and for our elders.
Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this day possible.
I am looking at Director Walker and his team.
Emily Alvarado, thank you to the Office of Housing.
Thank you to the folks United Indians of All Tribes
for being there from the very beginning to help advocate
for turning this military land into better public space.
Take you to our partners at Catholic Community Services,
at Habitat for Humanity,
at the Housing Development Consortium,
and so many others from the housing world
who have been advocating for this for so long.
And thank you to our team.
Traci Ratzliff and Ketil Freeman from Central Staff
for your ongoing tenacious work on this
along with Kenny Pittman,
who Councilmember González mentioned earlier.
He retired last week.
He got to see this over the finish line,
so we are so happy that he was able to
celebrate that committee vote,
and we wish him the best in his retirement.
Finally, thank you to my staff,
Erin House, who has been working on this
over the last few months to really make sure that
we had all of our I's dotted and T's crossed.
And we won't give up.
We know that we need additional housing,
and we also hear you in terms of the need for more transit
and potentially schools in the future.
And we'll be there to work with you to do that analysis.
So yes, look for that press release because it is coming.
And congratulations to every one at our colleagues
for all of your work and the community at large
for your tenacious work to turn this parcel into housing.
-Thank you, Councilmember Mosqueda.
I think that's a good cue to vote.
We're going to vote on three pieces of legislation.
We're going to take them individually.
We will do the resolution first.
And so those in favor of adopting the resolution,
that resolution's 31887, please vote aye.
Aye. -Aye.
-Opposed, vote no.
The motion carries, the resolution is adopted,
and the chair will sign it.
On Council Bill 119535,
please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-I got distracted by Councilmember O'Brien's loud aye
and almost forgot to say aye myself.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
And regarding Council Bill 119510,
please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -[ Quietly ] Aye.
[ Laughter ] Better?
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Nine in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
Please read the next agenda item, number seven.
-Agenda item 7, appointment 01355,
appointment of Mikhaila B. Gonzales as member,
City Light Review Panel, for a term to April 11, 2020.
The committee recommends the appointment be confirmed.
-Councilmember Mosqueda.
-Thank you, Mr. President.
I'm still reeling from our excitement around Fort Lawton.
I'm ready.
We are very excited about the appointment
of Mikhaila Gonzales to the Seattle City Light Review Panel.
This Review Panel position has been open for a while,
so we want to thank the Seattle City Light Review Panel
for their ongoing work as we worked to fill this position.
Mikhaila is a project manager at Spark Northwest.
She leads access to solar programs in Spark Northwest
and supports solar plus state energy strategy work
across Oregon and Washington.
Also, she serves on the Emerald City's Executive Committee
and the Seattle Environmental Justice Committee,
100% renewable energy work.
We're really excited not just about her qualifications
and her experience
and her leadership that she brings to the panel
but also the work that she's going to bring in
and the diversity of opinions as we work to create
greater diversity and representation on the board.
It's really exciting she wants to serve in this role,
and I appreciate Ms. Gonzales's commitment to making sure
Seattle City Light's strategic plan
and our efforts that we initiated
in my committee last year
to right size our commercial and residential rates for customers
ends up in the right spot.
So thank you to her and the entire panel
for their ongoing work on this effort.
-Very good. Any questions or comments?
If not, those in favor of confirming the appointment,
please vote aye. -Aye.
-Those opposed vote no.
The motion carries and the appointment is confirmed.
Please read the next agenda item.
-Agenda item 8, appointment 01283,
appointment of Rachael L. Steward as member,
Capitol Hill Housing Improvement Program governing council,
for a term to March 31, 2022.
The committee recommends the appointment be confirmed.
-Councilmember Mosqueda.
-Thank you, Mr. President.
I'm excited to bring forth this appointment
to have Rachael Steward
serve on the Capitol Hill Housing Governing Council.
This is an opportunity for Rachael to help us
bring her commitment forward that she's had
on the community services group
at the Seattle Housing Authority.
She is a former deputy director
at the Center for Community Engagement
at Seattle University. And Rachael joined
Capitol Hill Housing Community Development Committee in 2016
as a non-board community representative.
She has an MPA in nonprofit and community-driven development
from Kentucky State University
and a certificate in leadership from Seattle University.
-Very good. Any questions or comments?
If not, those in favor of confirming the appointment,
please vote aye. -Aye.
-Those opposed, vote no.
The motion carries, and the appointment is confirmed.
Please read items 9 through 12.
-Agenda items 9 through 12,
appointments 01356 through 01359.
Appointments and reappointment of Kellan Bulman,
Michiko Starks, Shawn Weeks, and Thomas J. Kelly
as member, Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee,
for a term to December 31, 2021.
The committee recommends the appointments be confirmed.
-Councilmember Mosqueda.
-Thank you very much, Mr. President.
I'll talk about all of these appointees
in one comment together.
These appointees to
the Seattle Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
really compromise the type of experience
and commitment we need to ensure that journey-level workers
and Seattle City light apprenticeship coordinators
and management personnel have ongoing attention
to how we are getting folks into
these apprenticeship training opportunities.
And we had a great conversation in committee
about the ways in which
the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, which
oversees the apprenticeship training standards
offered through Seattle's City Lights apprenticeship program,
can help us with some of our commitments in the city
to diversifying the workforce,
ensuring greater placement of positions within our city,
good-paying job positions,
and also as the city is dealing with I would say
a high number of individuals who will be retiring soon,
trying to identify ways in which we can scale up our recruitment
and outreach to especially diverse communities --
women, people of color --
to get into these good living-wage jobs,
union positions for the most part,
and very excited about their interest in serving
and the I think willingness in which they showed
they'd love to come back to talk with us in September
about some of these initial ideas with their appointments.
I'm very hopeful about how we can maintain
and reach more of our goals.
-Very good.
Any other questions or comments?
If not, those in favor of confirming the appointment,
please vote aye. -Aye.
-Those opposed, vote no.
The motion carries and appointment is confirmed.
Please read the report of
the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee.
-The report of the Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee
agenda item 13, Council Bill 119505,
relating to land use and zoning, amending sections 23.41.010
and 23.41.012 of the Seattle Municipal Code to remove
the Ballard Municipal Center Master Plan Area Guidelines
and to adopt the Ballard Neighborhood Design Guidelines,
and to delete reference to
the Ballard Municipal Center Master Plan Area Guidelines.
The committee recommends both passes amended.
-Councilmember Pacheco.
-So, this legislation adopts
new design guidelines for the Ballard neighborhood.
These new guidelines are the result
of years of community work,
including 24 community meetings, 5 open houses,
online surveys, and community group conversations.
The Ballard community set about to update these guidelines
in response to the significant growth to the neighborhood
seen in recent years as well as the MHA rezones
that the council adopted recently.
The new guidelines also apply
to a much broader area within the neighborhood,
defining seven character areas
and recognizing the unique design attributes
and distinct features of each.
I want to thank everybody from the community
who took the time to craft these new guidelines.
-Thank you, Councilmember Pacheco.
Any questions or comments?
Councilmember O'Brien.
-I want to just briefly add,
thank you, Councilmember Pacheco,
for your work on this,
and I really want to emphasize the gratitude
towards community members
that we have been working on this for so long.
It's not very often that a land-use decision
comes before us with almost no controversy at all.
But I think it speaks to a lot of really deep work
that's based in community outreach
by some of the leaders on that.
-Thank you.
Okay, if there are no other comments,
please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Nine in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
Please read the next agenda item.
-Agenda item 14, Council Bill 119506,
relating to land use and zoning, amending section 23.41.010
of the Seattle Municipal Code to approve
the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Design Guidelines, 2019.
The committee recommends the bill pass as amended.
-Councilmember Pacheco.
-So, this legislation adopts new design guidelines
for the Capitol Hill neighborhood.
The development of these guidelines
began in response to changes in the neighborhood,
including the opening of the new Capitol Hill light rail station,
the establishment of the Capitol Hill EcoDistrict
and the Arts District,
as well as the recent MHA zoning changes.
The design guidelines were developed with the help of
a community working group
that held monthly meetings for over a year.
Community involvement also included walking tours,
open houses, and online surveys.
Some of the priorities spelled out
in these new design guidelines
include reinforcing walkability and natural features,
encouraging development to reflect local values
and the LGBTQ community,
and integrating major institution development
into the surrounding community.
I want to thank again all the community members
who took out the time of their lives
to work on these design guidelines.
-Thank you, Councilmember Pacheco.
Any other questions or comments?
If not, please call the roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Nine in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
Please read agenda item number 15.
-Agenda item 15, Council Bill 119489,
relating to land use and zoning,
allowing limited expansion of Major Institution uses
in a portion of Industrial General 1 and 2 zones
and Industrial Buffer zones near Seattle Pacific University,
and amending sections 23.50.012 and 23.69.024
of the Seattle Municipal Code.
The committee recommends the bill passed.
-Councilmember Pacheco.
-As you may all remember that last December,
the council adopted an amendment to the comprehensive plan
aimed at allowing SPU to apply for a slightly expanded
Major Institution master plan
that would incorporate several nearby parcels
that are zoned for industrial use.
This legislation implements that comprehensive plan amendment
by amending the Seattle Municipal Code
to allow for the limited expansion
of Major Institution uses
in these specific industrial parcels near SPU.
In order for SPU to actually expand their master plan
to include this area,
they will need to begin the process
of creating a new master plan which would ultimately
come back to the council for final approval.
I would like to thank SPU,
who worked with the surrounding community
to secure their support, including the support of people
who have spent decades defending industrial land.
-Thank you, Councilmember Pacheco.
Any questions or comments before we vote?
Councilmember Bagshaw. -Thank you.
I want to acknowledge Dr. Martin.
Thank you for being here.
And my buddy Steve Gillespie,
who we've been working on this for a long time.
I want to recognize
and say thank you for the good work that you've been doing
with the outreach to your community.
That has made a huge difference.
And I went back and looked at this about six months ago.
We got letters from both Eugene Wasserman
and Suzie Burke, both of whom said
they didn't have an issue with this going forward,
which is great because
those would be the two that would be --
if they were gonna be concerned, we'd be hearing about it.
So thank you for that.
And I understand that this is the second step
in a three-part process that we move through here.
And then I think Mr. Gillespie mentioned to me earlier
that we will go through a full-blown MUP
and really get focused on what the designs might be.
But this point is just moving us forward another step.
I want to acknowledge how much work you've already done.
So thank you very much.
-Any other comments?
I'll just say, President Martin, thank you for being here.
Thank you for your commitment to our youth,
well, everyone who wants to be educated to our region.
I don't make it a habit to thank attorneys here,
but thank you for being here.
I don't want to start that precedent here,
but what a great academic institution.
We're honored by your presence.
Okay, with that, please call roll on the passage of the bill.
-O'Brien. -Aye.
-Pacheco. -Aye.
-Sawant. -Aye.
-Bagshaw. -Aye.
-González. -Aye.
-Herbold. -Aye.
-Juarez. -Aye.
-Mosqueda. -Aye.
-President Harrell. -Aye.
-Nine in favor, none opposed.
-The bill passes, and the chair will sign it.
-And they've waited through the entire meeting,
two hours to be here.
-Okay.
Please read items 16 through 21.
-Agenda items 16 through 21,
appointments 01360 through 01365,
appointment of Benjamin William de Rubertis as Chair,
Seattle Design Commission, for a term to February 29, 2020,
appointments of Amalia Leighton Cody,
Vinita Sidhu, Elaine Wine, Brianna S. Holan,
and Richard F. Krochalis as members,
Seattle Design Commission, for a term to February 28, 2021.
The committee recommends that these appointments be confirmed.
-Councilmember Pacheco.
-Benjamin William de Rubertis is the director of design
with Flad Architects in Seattle and is being --
-[ Sneezes ] -Bless you.
And being nominated by the mayor
to serve as the new Chair of the Design Commission.
Amalia Leighton Cody is the director of
the Seattle office of Toole Design
and a past Chair of the Seattle Planning Commission.
Vinita Sidhu is principal at Site Workshop,
a landscape architecture firm based in Seattle.
Elaine Wine is the development manager at Seneca Group
and has experience serving on the Landmark Board.
-Brianna Holan is the project development manager
for Gemdale USA
and a re-appointment to the Design Commission.
And Richard Krochalis served as the regional administrator
of the Federal Transit Administration's
Region 10 office in Seattle
and is a former director of the city's
old Department of Design, Construction, and Land Use.
He is a re-appointment to the Design Commission.
-Thank you very much, Councilmember Pacheco.
Any questions or comments on these appointments?
We're going to vote for them all at once.
If not, those in favor of confirming the appointments,
please vote aye. -Aye.
-Those opposed, vote no.
The appointments are confirmed.
The motion carries. Appointments are confirmed.
Please read the next agenda item.
-The report of the Sustainability
and Transportation Committee, agenda item 22,
appointment 01354,
appointment of Andres Arjona as member,
Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board,
for a term to March 31, 2020.
The committee recommends the appointment be confirmed.
Councilmember O'Brien.
-Thank you. Andres will be a great addition
to the Pedestrian Advisory Board.
He's got a master's in
urban planning, land use, and transportation.
He was also an appointed member
of the Stakeholder Advisory Group
for the Sound Transit Three,
the leadership group process that we just completed.
A resident of D-4, and I think he served well,
and look forward to him on the Pedestrian Advisory Board.
-Thank you, Councilmember O'Brien.
Any questions or comments?
Those in favor of confirming the appointment, please Vote aye.
-Aye. -Those opposed, vote no.
The motion carries, and the appointment is confirmed.
We're gonna move to other business.
And, Councilmember O'Brien, you wanted to say
some remarks about a return to Puget Sound.
Please describe it in open session.
-Thank you. So, colleagues,
I'm circulating a letter
and asking your support to sign on.
This is a letter to the Lummi Nation
in support of freeing Tokitae
and returning her to the Puget Sound.
I'll read just a couple little excerpts out the letter
that you should have or have had in front of you.
"We know the Lummi believe, as their ancestors did,
that the orca are part of their cultural patrimony,
are a kinship relation, and consider families to be sacred.
As such, it is their sacred obligation
to bring Tokitae home,
as she is an ambassadress of the Salish Sea.
Moreover, as the orca are fighting for their survival,
the Lummi people are acting boldly
based on their inherent rights and their sacred obligation
to help them as part of their overall Salish Sea campaign.
The following words from your Sacred Sea website
resonated with us."
And so this is quoting from the website.
"We have been called to bring Tokitae home.
We realize that Tokitae's story is important,
but she is even more important
as an ambassador for the Salish Sea.
Blackfish are apex predators
and thus are key indicators of their ecosystem's health.
If we are to provide effectively for Tokitae and her family,
we must restore the salmon runs and vitality of the Salish Sea."
The peoples, cultures, and ecosystems of the Salish Sea
are all connected,
and they have long suffered the violences
and stresses of colonialism.
It is our task to work across cultures and borders
to heal the ecosystems, the economies, and communities
of all those who now call this place home."
-Thank you, Councilmember O'Brien.
It's been passed, and we've signed it.
Thank you for preparing that and for your work on this issue.
Okay, we're gonna move to other business.
Is there any other business to come before the council?
Councilmember Juarez.
-I would like to be excused from city council
and briefing on June 17th.
-So move to state that Councilmember Juarez
be excused on June 17th.
Any comments?
All those in favor say aye. -Aye.
-Opposed?
The ayes have it.
Councilmember Mosqueda.
-Thank you, Mr. President.
I'd also like to request to be excused from full council
and briefing on June 17th to attend a family reunion.
-Move to state that Councilmember Mosqueda
be excused on June 17th.
Any comments?
All those in favor say aye. -Ayes.
-Opposed? The ayes have it.
Any other business to come before the council?
If not, we stand adjourned.
Everyone have a great rest of the afternoon.