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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCD 2021-03-01 Item 1A - Discussion - Representation on Tukwila Village Community Development Association Board of DirectorsCity of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Planning and Community Development Committee FROM: Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: February 23, 2021 SUBJECT: Representation on Tukwila Village Community Development Association ISSUE Staff is seeking Council direction on City representation on the board of directors of the Tukwila Village Community Development Association. BACKGROUND In 2007 the City Council adopted a vision for Tukwila Village. The vision intended for Tukwila Village to be a welcoming place where all residents can gather and connect with each other. It was intended as an active, vibrant, mixed-use development that would include elements such as a library, retail, restaurants, public meeting space, and an outdoor plaza and could include other elements such as office, live/work, and residential space. Tukwila Village was intended as a privately owned development that would not be under City control but would have some spaces as community amenities. In order to accomplish the vision, in 2012 the City Council approved a Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA) with the developer of Tukwila Village that set out the deal terms to accomplish that vision. To achieve community access on private property, Section 2.8 of the DDA provided for the creation of an independent, community based non-profit organization that would, through a lease agreement, manage, operate, maintain, and promote the use of the community room with kitchen and plaza to serve as community amenities to benefit not only the privately owned property of the Tukwila Village development but also the community at large. The property owner, Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations (SHAG), and the City cooperated to create the community organization and in 2018 created the Tukwila Village Community Development Association (TVCDA) as a Washington State non-profit corporation. It was created as its own legal organization and is not a board, commission, or other type of entity controlled by the City of Tukwila. During the creation process, the three organizations realized the mission of the non-profit should be broader than just managing the community facilities and so patterned it after community development associations. Its articles of incorporation describe the mission which includes the following: "to improve the social welfare, including the physical, emotional, and economic health, of members of the public in the City of Tukwila and the residents of Tukwila Village by promoting arts, economic development, education, health, and community building." One could summarize TVCDA's mission as "to improve the quality of life for the Tukwila community." INFORMATIONAL MEMO Page 2 In 2018 the TVCDA Board adopted bylaws that provide for the property owner and the City to each appoint one member to the Board of Directors. This was intended to ensure the TVCDA Board would balance the interests of the property owner and community. The initial two directors were named in the articles of incorporation with Mayor Ekberg as the City's representative. This enabled the formation to proceed quickly and indicated the importance of this non-profit as a way to attract others to join the Board. The Mayor continues to serve in that role. DISCUSSION This item is being brought to the Council to understand if the Council would like to have a role in the City's future appointment to the TVCDA Board of Directors. Staff sees four main options: (1) Although TVCDA is not a City board or commission, the Mayor could appoint the City's representative and the Council could confirm the appointment which would follow the City's standard process for appointments to City boards and commissions. Appointees could include any City elected official, a staff member, a resident, or anyone else. (2) The Council could express intent that this position is to be filled by an elected official (either the Mayor or a Councilmember) with the latter to be appointed by the Council. (3) The Council could decide the City should not participate. (4) The Council does not have to take a position. The decision for City participation would continue to rest with the Administration. Some of the reasons in favor of the first two options is because it gives the City a stronger position through which to influence the work and board composition of TVCDA. It is a method to influence the policies for managing the community spaces at Tukwila Village to serve the whole community. TVCDA also has a broader mission than managing the community spaces and it is a way for the City to have an integral role in achieving TVCDA's broader mission. One of the main reasons in favor of the third option, is that the City may prefer to not have a direct connection to setting policies for public use of the community spaces at Tukwila Village, especially because those policies can be controversial. In addition, participation in any organization requires a commitment of time. FINANCIAL IMPACT No financial or budget impact. RECOMMENDATION The Committee is being asked to provide direction on the four options above and forward a recommendation to the March 8, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting for discussion. ATTACHMENTS None 2