HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCD 2023-03-06 COMPLETE AGENDA PACKETCity of Tukwila
Planning and Community
Development Committee
O Kathy Hougardy, Chair
O De'Sean Quinn
O Thomas McLeod
AGENDA
MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2023 — 5:30 PM
Distribution:
K. Hougardy
D. Quinn
T. McLeod
C. Delostrinos Johnson
Mayor Ekberg
D. Cline
R. Bianchi
C. O'Flaherty
A. Youn
L. Humphrey
THIS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED USING A HYBRID MODEL, WITH ATTENDANCE
AVAILABLE BOTH ON-SITE AT TUKWILA CITY HALL AND ALSO VIRTUALLY.
ON-SITE PRESENCE WILL BE IN THE HAZELNUT CONFERENCE ROOM
(6200 SOUTHCENTER BOULEVARD)
THE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE PUBLIC TO LISTEN TO THIS
MEETING IS: 1-253-292-9750, Access Code 225526605#
Click here to: Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
For Technical Support during the meeting call: 1-206-433-7155.
Item
Recommended Action
Page
1. BUSINESS AGENDA
a. An update on the 2022 permit review process.
a. Discussion only.
Pg.1
Nora Gierlofi, Community Development Director
b. Consensus on a budget amendment for the
b. Committee Decision.
Pg.11
Department of Community Development.
Rachel Bianchi, Deputy City Administrator
c. An update on the Rental Housing program.
c. Discussion only.
Pg.13
Joseph Mose, Code Enforcement Officer
(continued...)
SThe City of Tukwila strives to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
Please contact the City Clerk's Office at 206-433-1800 (TukwilaCityClerk@TukwilaWA.gov) for assistance.
Planning and Community Development Committee
Monday, March 6, 2023
Page 2
Item
Recommended Action
Page
1. BUSINESS AGENDA (cont.)
d. Application for lodging tax funds: Starfire Sports for
d. Forward to 3/20 Regular
Pg.25
$110,000.00.
Meeting Consent Agenda.
Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager
e. Experience Tukwila digital initiative: 2022 Year End
e. Discussion only.
Pg.39
Report
Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager
2. MISCELLANEOUS
Next Scheduled Meeting: March 20, 2023
SThe City of Tukwila strives to accommodate individuals with disabilities.
Please contact the City Clerk's Office at 206-433-1800 (TukwilaCityClerk@TukwilaWA.gov) for assistance.
TO:
FROM:
BY:
City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
Planning and Community Development
Nora Gierloff, DCD Director
Rachelle Sagan, Permit Supervisor
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: March 6, 2023
SUBJECT: 2022 Permitting Status Update
ISSUE
The Permit Center is providing a summary of the status of permit review procedures, staffing,
timelines, and revenues in 2022.
BACKGROUND
Despite the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the Permit Center served persons seeking
permits or having other development -related questions well in 2022. Many permit -related
processes have been streamlined and the vast majority of applicants continue to appreciate the
time -saving convenience of the virtual service. In 2022, the permit counter received an
estimated 520 walk-in customers. Without these virtual service improvements, an estimated
4,800 walk-in visits would have been required for the level of permit activity experienced.
The accessibility and capabilities of the website information were also improved, and we began
allowing the public to schedule telephone and virtual meetings with staff from the website. In
January 2020, before the pandemic, the DCD permitting page recorded 2,267 visitors. Site visits
have steadily increased each year since with January 2023 recording 5,336 visits to the
permitting page, a 235% increase over January 2020.
DISCUSSION
Process Improvements
In 2019 the City worked with the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce to conduct outreach
to evaluate customer satisfaction with the permitting process and seek ideas/input on potential
areas for improvement. After listening to our customers and staff we developed and
implemented a series of process improvements in 2022 that built on the findings and
recommendations in that report, see Attachment A.
• Automatic Permit Application Extensions
The building code automatically expired any building permit application that had not been
issued within 180 days of application. This meant that even if an applicant was responding
to corrections and actively working on a permit they would have to ask for an extension or
reapply. In 2022 we adopted a code change to automatically extend a permit application
for 180 days each time an applicant resubmits a revision or correction. This has resulted in
many fewer accidental expirations and less paperwork for staff and the applicant.
• Emailed Notice of Permit Expiration
Our previous process was to mail a hardcopy notice to the project contact at least 30 days
prior to the expiration of an open building permit. Unfortunately, sometimes this mail was
lost or the contractor had changed, leaving the owner without notice of an expiring permit
1
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
for an incomplete project. We changed to an email notice saving permit staff time and
reducing the chances that permits expire prematurely.
• Pre -Cons Prior to Issuance
Contractors are required to hold a pre -construction meeting with City inspectors prior to
starting construction to discuss traffic control, erosion control, tree protection, utility locates
etc. Unfortunately, many contractors were skipping this step leading to violations, stop
work orders, and damage to the environment. We changed to require that the pre -con be
held as the last step prior to permit issuance to make sure that contractors have all the
information they need to work safely in the City before breaking ground.
• Checklist for Protect Finals
Often developers have a specific "grand opening" date in mind for a project but do not
allow enough time for all of the various inspections to be completed or outstanding
submittals to be reviewed. About a month prior to the desired project "final" the Permit
Center provides the applicant via email with a list of outstanding inspections and open
permits to aid them in their scheduling. This helps avoid a last-minute rush of inspections
that we cannot accommodate without delaying other applicants. It also prevents requests
for temporary certificates of occupancy to allow them to open to the public before work is
complete.
• Virtual Intake Appointments
We began offering appointments with our permit techs to help applicants navigate the
online permit submittal process. This helps reduce frustration for new applicants and
increases the accuracy of their information. This has helped reduce the number of
incomplete applications submitted and allows us to inform applicants about next steps
after submittal, such as the need to go back into the system to pay for the permit after it
has been accepted. These appointments have saved staff time and improved permit
speeds.
• Rewrite of TMC 11.08 Right -of -Way Permits
Development review staff collaborated with the City Attorney on a complete rewrite of the
right of way permit section of the code, reducing the number of different permit types and
increasing usability. We have incorporated these changes into the permit tracking system
and have produced new informational bulletins for the public.
• Permit Center Website and Checklist Improvements
The Permit Center webpage was separated out into two separate subpages organized by
permit type: Construction and Land Use. Each page has been reorganized and populated
with information pertinent to a given permit type. Additional drop tabs were also created to
provide information more quickly to applicants. Additionally, new web pages were created
to provide information for residents and applicants:
o Property Research
o Low Density Residential (LDR) Development Standards
o Urban Forestry
o Design Review
o Critical Areas Regulations
o Shoreline Regulations
o Public Notice and Participation
2
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 3
The last page, Public Notice and Participation, provides a centralized webpage for
residents to learn about current and past public notices.
A QR code that takes users directly to this page will also be included on all mailed and
posted notices moving forward, significantly improving the experience for interested
parties.
Staffing
In the 2023-2024 budget 1.5 permit review FTEs were frozen, one was a full-time building plans
examiner position that we had had difficulty filling and the other a half time planner position. We
are maintaining Building review times by sending overflow projects to a consultant firm for
review. Because each jurisdiction's Zoning Code is unique, it is not cost effective to send
planning reviews to a consultant. Therefore, when permit volumes increase, planning review
times tend to increase as well. In the past, we have shifted staff between current and long-range
planning to follow the workload but with the Comp Plan update underway we cannot pull any
staff away from long range work. We had hoped to fill the budgeted Planning Intern position last
fall to assist with sign permits, tree permits, and the recycling grant but we cannot fill it while we
have a frozen union planning position.
Last year we converted an unfilled building inspector position to a second ROW/Infrastructure
inspector position, based on workload needs. This has helped significantly, and they were just
able to clear the last of the backlogged franchise permits. Now when we have high building
inspection levels or need to cover our single building inspector's vacations or sick leave, we use
consultants, as well as ask the City of SeaTac for backup, or pull the plans examiner away from
permit review and into the field. Overall, our staffing is very lean and "one deep" in key positions
which is an issue that was identified in the 2019 Southside permitting report, even before the
Pandemic's staffing impacts hit the City.
Review Timelines
Historically the target time to the first comment letter or issuance of a permit had been 4 to 6
weeks. During the transition to electronic permitting and due to the pandemic, timelines had
increased to 8 — 10 weeks for a first round comment letter or issuance. Currently the target is 7
weeks, with the intent of moving to 6 weeks at the start of Q2 in 2023. Over the past year the
permit backlog has been nearly eliminated and processing times have decreased even as
permit volumes have risen, and staffing has been reduced. Achieving this level of service has
been a significant accomplishment by staff that should be recognized.
First number includes overdue, as well.
Permit Volumes and Revenues
During 2022, permit numbers increased over the preceding years for Building, Fire, and Public
Works, and the value and revenues from construction also increased for Building and Fire.
Public Works and Land Use both saw slight decreases in project values and revenues
3
September 2021
February 2022
February 2023
Fire Reviews
28 — 0 Overdue
41 - 1 Overdue
48 — 0 Overdue
Building
Reviews
47 — 9 Overdue
11 - 4 Overdue
3 — 0 Overdue
Planning
Reviews
128 — 95 Overdue
31 - 8 Overdue
38 — 13 Overdue
Engineering
Reviews
178 — 78 Overdue
60 - 8 Overdue
61 — 8 Overdue
First number includes overdue, as well.
Permit Volumes and Revenues
During 2022, permit numbers increased over the preceding years for Building, Fire, and Public
Works, and the value and revenues from construction also increased for Building and Fire.
Public Works and Land Use both saw slight decreases in project values and revenues
3
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 4
generated. We generated almost twice as much permit revenue in 2022 as in 2021, though still
below our historical average, and had the second highest yearly permit valuation ever.
Permit Stats, 2022 vs. 2021
Building
• Permits — Increase of 2%
• Value — Increase of 130%
• Revenue — Increase of 80%
Fire
• Permits — Increase of 21%
• Value — Increase of 11%
• Revenue — Increase of 27%
Public Works
• Permits — Increase of 6%
• Value — Decrease of 69%
• Revenue — Decrease of 16%
Land Use
• Projects — Decrease of 14%
• Revenue — Decrease of 13%
Permit Trend
2017 - 2022
3250000,000
- — - - • 1534
3200000,000 51801324,255
1163186431
8 9150000.000
3121247,047
5100000.000
360600.000 381,,20
'
5135.909.:.11
.527234 987,964 194,983 -.339,611 - 7:3 399. 63,253
SO
2017 2018 2019 20'-0 202: 2022
ToolValuatioo 5122247,047 5153,135,631 1239.971,040 3135.925..-..-. 381,979,120 $108324255
meiTon1Reveaue 53.527134 33,907,964 36194.963 332311_ 31,153.999 32265153
Total Perm im 1750 1757 . -.-
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
600
600
400
200
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Permit revenues for 2022 covered about three quarters of the operating expenses of the
Department, a significant increase from 2021 when they covered only 44%.
RECOMMENDATION
Information Only.
ATTACHMENT
A. Executive Summary from 2019 Southside Permit Process Report
4
Aith
SOUTHSIDE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Tukwila Permit Process
Project Report
December 20, 2019
Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce
A Voice for Business, A Leader in the Community
14220 Interurban Ave S #134, Tukwila, WA 98168
(206) 575-1633
www.SeattleSouthsideChamber.com
1 of 23
5
Executive Summary
1. Summary of the Evaluation Process
Mayor Ekberg and City Administrator Cline approached the Seattle Southside Chamber
of Commerce (SSCC) to assist with an evaluation of the City's current development
permitting and inspection services. The City has been implementing a series of
incremental changes in recent years while moving towards a one-stop permit system. A
variety of organizational and staffing changes has now provided an opportunity to
advance the evolution of the entire system forward at this time.
Contracted Services. SSCC was asked to conduct an outreach process to evaluate
customer satisfaction with the current system and to seek ideas/input on potential areas
for improvement. The SSCC is not a direct user of the City's system, though many of its
members interact with the City's system regularly. In this evaluation process, SSCC
served as a mirror while conducting a series of interviews and outreach methods;
asking focused questions, listening for trends, patterns, and key messages. The SSCC
utilized a two-pronged outreach approach by interviewing both customer/users of the
City's permitting and inspection system as well as separately interviewing involved City
staff in order to identify areas of success and potential improvement.
Customer Input Survey and Results Summary. The customer survey was deployed
through an email invitation to participate and a postcard invitation if we did not have
email contact information. The survey was also encouraged through social channels in
an effort to capture as much data as possible. Customers and contact information were
based on contacts provided by the City.
We wanted to assure those participating, many of which had active projects under
review or consideration, that their responses could be anonymous and confidential.
Doing so helped to ensure unfiltered feedback.
All information was captured as a way to help ensure the Chamber was collecting data
from a varied pool that included large projects and representatives, as well as small and
private projects. The information was also kept confidential, as requested by most of the
respondents. Additionally, responses were combined with those of many others and
then summarized in a report to further protect anonymity.
As you will see in the corresponding reports, anonymizing responses is an effective way
to ensure responses cannot be linked to any one project, individual, or customer before
incorporating it in the data.
Some customers participated in the survey only over the phone and with the greatest
care to preserve both anonymity and confidentiality. The confidential surveys collected
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included no personally identifiable information. Those responses were also combined
with those of many others and summarized in the report to further protect anonymity.
The survey was deployed over email to 1005 people whose contact email was
available. For those without an email contact, SSCC sent a mailed postcard. A follow-up
reminder email was also sent. These methods were used to ensure the maximum
engagement and awareness of the survey and to encourage wide participation. More
than 200 individuals responded through the survey, focus groups, and interviews. Not
all respondents answered every question as some did not apply to their particular
situation or experience.
In addition, focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to dig deeper into
the survey questions and answers. Each was completed by the party or parties that
completed the initial survey. The focus groups and interviews provided more time to
understand the "why" of the results generated and to also get a sense of the emotional
foundation.
Staff Input and Results Summary. City staff members have key perspectives on the
delivery of services to the public. Not only do they provide direct services to the
customer, but they also are in the best position to determine the strengths and
weaknesses of the current development permitting and inspection system.
Two methods were utilized to gather the staff members' input: standard questions and
individual interviews. The forty-four staff members were each provided standard
questions and asked to provide written responses to the SSCC team. The individual
interviews were open format, providing each staff member an opportunity to ask
questions about the evaluation process, further expound upon their written answers,
and to provide any additional input not addressed in the standard questions. The
purpose of the interview methods was to identify trends, patterns, consistencies, and
inconsistencies through dialogue and open discussion.
The SSCC team presented the initial report information at a staff briefing to both reflect
the results of the question and interview process and to seek, through a group exercise
process, any additional/clarifying messages listed below.
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2. Summary of Key Findings and Requests
The Customer Survey, Focus Groups, and Interviews resulted in the following findings
and requests:
• There is a clear trend of wants/desires from the customer perspective to:
o Streamline systems
o Clearly communicate processes,
o Have processes and systems available online
• There is a clear pattern with customers either being very satisfied with the
process or with being highly dissatisfied
o Customers indicated that setting out expectations and clearly communicating the
process would help increase customer satisfaction and experience
• Key messages that were commonly repeatedly were:
o Desire to streamline
o Desire for consistency
o Desire for more online tools
• Potential areas of improvement mentioned included:
o Providing online tools and systems for processing
o Greater consistency in communication and decision-making
o Providing clear expectations and communicating them to the customer
o FAQs and similar information online
The staff question, interview, and group feedback process resulted in the following key
findings:
• It "works" because of the staff
o High quality of services delivered to the public is due to the dedication and
professional qualities of the City staff, not because of the system
• Governance and operating procedures
o No common understanding (nor formal document) setting the make-up,
expectations, reporting lines, governance, and operation of the City's one-stop
system
• Cohesion and Communication
o Individual departments have implemented their view or understanding of the one-
stop concept, resulting in competing interests, budget and staffing imbalances,
and conflicting methodologies
• Experience and Knowledge
o Retirements and other departures of staff are resulting in loss of institutional
memory. Many of the departing staff have been "making it work" in the absence
of a clearly defined system
• One -deep staffing is crippling
o Positions providing direct service to the customers must be officially backed up.
Cross -training is essential and must be ongoing. There are currently one -deep
and zero -deep staffing scenarios
• Technology
o Underutilizing current technology. Need established user and technical support
base (super users and user groups). Many individual "workarounds" exist as a
result
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• Written Procedures
o Written materials and procedures for staff to support their position and their work
duties are limited and inconsistent. Many had developed their own, especially as
"workarounds"
• Training
o Noted absence of organized training for new employees and ongoing refresher
training, especially in the technology areas
• Public education, access, and services
o Website could be a more dynamic source of development information and direct
services for the public (e.g., online permit applications, approval of routine
permits, etc.)
• Fees and revenues
o Concern that the City has not been pursuing available fees and other revenue
sources for development permitting and inspection services
3. Summary of Common Themes and Expectations
The Customer and Staff input processes approached the same broad issues from very
different perspectives. However, when combined they yielded the following common
themes and expectations:
• A clearly defined Permitting and Inspection system is needed
• The City should commit a higher priority to development -related processes
• The system should ensure predictability and timeliness
• The system should be the source of consistent and reliable information
• Staff and financial resources, adequate to meet the goals and performance
standards of the system, should be provided
4. Summary of Priorities and Opportunities for Improvement
The Key Findings and Common Themes from customers and staff provide the basis for
a series of improvements. All should be undertaken in a timely manner (one or two at a
time) and integrated into the ongoing operations of the City's permitting and inspection
system.
• Define the City's one-stop permitting and inspection system
o Identify and charter the team who must participate in this discussion and
decision. The outcome should be the definition, operational configuration,
governance, initial budget, and staff assignments (positions, not personnel) to
implement the system
• Establish/enact the sequence & timing of implementation
o Once an agreement is approved, establish/enact the sequence and timing of
implementation. Address obstacles and needed changes
• Fill vacant positions (current or as redefined) immediately
o Also, formalize and conduct training and cross -training on operating procedures
of all staff assigned to the one-stop system
• Designate super users and charter initial user group(s)
o Establish super users (2+) and initial user group(s) for the permitting system, and
the various software packages
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• Conduct refresher training for all assigned/involved staff
o Training required for all assigned (and involved parent department staff) in the
current automated systems
• Identify/prioritize the operational processes and procedures that need to be
developed and/or updated
o Conduct process to identify and prioritize the operational processes and
procedures that need to be developed and/or updated to address the current
concerns and gaps
• Review and update the website, handout materials and other public information
o Establish a team to review the website, handout materials and other public
information. Develop new and/or update promptly
• Promptly address any additional issues that arise
o Encourage continuous staff engagement, and implement the continuous
improvements
5. Next Steps
The Final Report and Executive Summary have been submitted to the Mayor and
City Administrator. Following review, they will be able to determine the City's next
actions, sequence and timing. Once the direction is established, the City can
undertake the implementation of the decision(s).
Main Report
1. Evaluation Process
Mayor Ekberg and City Administrator Cline approached the Seattle Southside Chamber
of Commerce (SSCC) to assist with an evaluation of the City's current development
permitting and inspection services. The City has been implementing a series of
incremental changes in recent years while moving towards a one-stop permit system. A
variety of organizational and staffing changes has now provided an opportunity to
advance the evolution of the entire system forward at this time.
Contracted Services. SSCC was asked to conduct an outreach process to evaluate
customer satisfaction with the current system and to seek ideas/input on potential areas
for improvement. The SSCC is not a direct user of the City's system, though many of its
members interact with the City's system regularly. In this evaluation process, SSCC
served as a mirror while conducting a series of interviews and outreach methods;
asking focused questions, listening for trends, patterns, and key messages. Through
this report, SSCC presents the compiled input gathered in a meaningful and organized
manner. The SSCC utilized a two-pronged outreach approach, described in more
detailed below, by interviewing both customer/users of the City's permitting and
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W
i City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
\19oa INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning and Community Development Committee
FROM: Rachel Bianchi, Deputy City Administrator
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: February 27, 2023
SUBJECT: Code, Permit Process and Culture Review
ISSUE
Staff is proposing to undertake a review of City building and fire codes, infrastructure
regulations, permit review processes, and customer service culture to identify ways to improve
the permitting experience for customers while ensuring that life/safety issues and compliance
with state law are retained. This effort will likely require a budget amendment to support an
audit of our building code, Public Works standards and other requirements. Because this effort
would require significant staff time and a budget amendment, staff is seeking Committee
consensus to move forward.
DISCUSSION
The overall goal of the review of City codes, regulations, and processes as it relates to
permitting is to better align the City of Tukwila's regulations with neighboring cities, while
retaining protections for life/safety issues. This effort is also underway with the Fire Code with
the City's recent contractual relationship with the Puget Sound Fire Authority (PSRFA). The
Council can expect to see proposed Fire Code changes in the second quarter before their
required adoption by June 1, 2023, in accordance with the Washington State Code update.
Such alignment could provide reduced workloads in the Permit Center that would free up time
for other critical reviews. Already the PSRFA and the Permit Center have been collaborating to
remove the PSRFA from reviews of permits not germane to the Fire Marshal, such as
mechanical permits, eliminating another `required' touch in the permit process. We would like to
take a similar approach to Tukwila specific amendments to the International Building and
Residential Codes.
The review of the permit process and customer service culture will be a collaborative effort with
staff in the Department of Community Development as they are the subject matter experts in
this field. We will look to other cities for examples of best practices and benchmarks. However,
having a non-DCD staff lead this effort, who has specific experience as the Program Manager
on capital projects in Tukwila, provides an additional perspective staff hopes will be informative
to the process.
The proposed steps for this effort include:
• Staff and industry interviews
• Code and regulations audit and potential legislation
• Review best practice on board of architectural review
• Permit process deep dive and review
• Develop a culture of customer service
• Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for process and customer service
Staff expects that there will be a cost associated with this effort, specifically the audit to better
understand how Tukwila's Code and regulations differ from neighboring jurisdictions. While that
cost is currently unknown, staff is seeking Committee consensus that there is support for this
11
12
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
effort. If that is the case, staff will prepare a short process to identify potential consultants and
costs to assist in this work. In the meantime, staff will initiate the interviews and process deep
dive referenced above.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is seeking Committee consensus to move forward with this effort.
C:1Users\andy-y\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\R1NYNLZP\Permit Process review memo 020623.docx
W
i City of Tukwila
TO:
FROM:
BY:
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
Planning and Community Development Committee
Nora Gierloff, Community Development Director
Lori Solberg, Rental Housing Program Admin.
Joseph Mose, Code Enforcement Officer
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: March 6, 2023
SUBJECT: Rental Housing Program Update
ISSUE
Review the Rental Housing Program's current activity.
BACKGROUND
The Tukwila Code Enforcement team works to support a safe, inviting, and healthy environment
for residents, businesses, and visitors by enforcing the parts of the Tukwila Municipal Code that
relate to conditions on private property. Compliance is typically reached through promoting
public awareness, communication, and collaboration. In difficult cases monetary penalties
and/or legal action may be required. In addition to general code enforcement, the team is also
responsible for managing and administering the Residential Rental Business License and
Inspection Program.
The City established the Rental Program in 2010 to protect the public health, safety, and welfare
by ensuring the proper maintenance of rental housing. It does this by identifying and requiring
correction of substandard housing conditions and by preventing conditions of deterioration and
blight that could adversely impact the quality of life in the City of Tukwila.
DISCUSSION
Current Code Enforcement activity:
As of February 16, 2023, Code Enforcement has 18 open enforcement cases related to rental
housing, most of the cases are for overdue rental licenses and/or inspections, however, a few
are for confirmed rentals that do not have a license and/or complaint -based issues.
Rental Housing Business Licensing and Inspection Program:
Tukwila Municipal Code Chapter 5.06 establishes regulations pertaining to rental housing
licensing and inspection. Residential rental properties are required to obtain an annual rental
business license. The Rental Housing Program has 4,559 registered rental units and 529 active
rental licenses (one license per property). As of February 16, 2023, 110 properties have yet to
renew their 2023 rental licenses. Late fees begin March 1 at a rate of $10 per month until the
license is renewed.
Rental Inspections and Deadline Extension
In addition to annual licensing, all rental housing units in the city must pass an inspection every
4 years. This allows the city to catch and correct health and safety violations that otherwise
tenants might be reluctant to report due to language barriers or fear of retaliation by landlords.
The purpose of the periodic inspections is to ensure that all rental units are safe, healthy, and
suitable for occupancy. The inspectors check for properly working door locks, functional
13
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
appliances, windows that are intact and that open, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors,
adequate emergency escape routes, mold, and other items. Some of the most common
maintenance items that we find during inspections are improperly installed and maintained
water heaters, water leaks, and missing or inoperable carbon monoxide or smoke detector(s).
One of the main complaints that we receive from tenants are issues with mold. Tenants and
landlords both have responsibilities for addressing water and moisture problems that can cause
mold. Generally, finding and fixing plumbing or roof leaks is the landlord's responsibility and
reducing sources of condensation, such as around windows, is the renter's responsibility. The
Rental Housing Program provides information on how they can work together to avoid and
control the spreading of mold.
New this year, properties with up to 12 units may use a city inspector (code enforcement
officer). Previously city inspectors only performed inspections for properties with up to 4 units
due to staffing constraints but now that we are fully staffed we can offer more services. Larger
properties must use a private inspector who meets specific qualifications. The city may also
inspect units in response to complaints and audit inspections submitted by private inspectors
when inspection reports are in question. Tenants can also request a courtesy inspection by
contacting the Rental Housing Program.
During the first inspection cycle in 2010-2014 we had many more units fail than we did after
buildings went through a few rounds of inspections. This shows that the program has been
effective in improving housing quality in the city. In 2019, the city conducted 133 inspections, but
in 2020 and 2021 they were paused due to the pandemic. In 2022, the Rental Housing
Program began scheduling rental inspections again. We are finding that many property owners
have deferred maintenance, causing units to deteriorate and therefore fail rental inspections. It
is clear that without regular inspections rental housing conditions, and our residents, will suffer.
Staff continue to work to bring approximately 51 properties into compliance that are overdue
renewing their rental license or inspection or failed their initial inspection. In 2023, 114 rental
licenses (895 rental units) are due for their next inspection and in 2024, 105 rental licenses
(1,570 units) will be due.
Here are two situations at different apartment complexes that were reported to the Rental
Housing program.
Avana at South Station Apartments
On January 9th, 2023, Rental Housing received a complaint regarding living conditions at 4708
Southcenter Blvd E312 specifically multiple areas spotted with mold. The tenants had notified
the property management but there was a delay in response time, therefore the City was later
notified.
A City inspector met with the tenants the next day and was able to schedule a courtesy
inspection. The unit failed inspection due to severe signs of leakage and mold in the walls. The
inspection report and failure notice has been sent to the property manager with a compliance
date to respond to the issues and reschedule an inspection by 3/1/2023. Tenants have been in
contact with the City inspector ensuring the necessary repairs and deficiencies are being
corrected by the property management.
14
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 3
Avenue 42 Apartments
On July 11, 2022, we were contacted by the Fire Department about a water leak at Avenue 42
Apartments. They stated that there was at least 10,000 to 20,000 gallons of water in the crawl
space. We responded to the complex the next morning and contacted management. The water
to all the units was shut off upon our arrival and a plumber was repairing the leak. Management
was already working with the plumber on a plan to pump the water out and repair other sections
of piping that could likely fail in the future. Code Enforcement stopped by weekly to check on
their progress. The property management has since reached out to the City and has confirmed
that the leak under the crawl space has been repaired and worked with the City of Tukwila's
Street department in pumping the water out.
15
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 4
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The Residential Rental License and Inspection Program YTD revenue for 2023 is $32,018; for
2022 revenue was $82,102; 2021 was $51,728; 2020 was $55,123.
2023 RENTAL BUSINESS LICENSE FEES:
• $80 for properties with up to 4 units
• $208 for properties with 5 to 20 units
• $260 for properties with 21 to 50 units
• $324 for properties with 51 or more units
New this year, the City is offering inspections for properties with up to 12 units for those
landlords who would prefer to use City services. The rental inspection fee increased from $62
per unit in 2022 to $75 per unit for the first 4 units, then each additional unit is $35 each up to
12.
RECOMMENDATION
Information and discussion only
16
Department of Community Development
Rental Housing
2022-2023 Update
Rental Housing Team
Rental Housing Program Admin
Department of Community Development
Work Phone: 206-431-3674
Work Email: Lori.Solberg@TukwilaWA.gov
ode Enforcement Officer/Rental House
rimary Inspector
epartment of Community Development
fork Phone: 206-698-2575
fork Email: Joseph.Mose@TukwilaWA.gov
bode Enforcement Officer/Rental House
Inspector
Department of Community Development
Work Phone: 206 571-3153
Work Email: wally.snover@tukwilawa.gov
Admin Updates
- The city is offering inspections for properties with up to 12 units. Previously city
inspectors only performed inspections for properties with up to 4 units.
- The rental inspection fee increased from $62 per unit in 2022 to $75 per unit for
the first 4 units, then each additional unit is $35 each up to 12.
- 2023 RENTAL BUSINESS LICENSE FEES:
• $80 for properties with up to 4 units
• $208 for properties with 5 to 20 units
• $260 for properties with 21 to 50 units
• $324 for properties with 51 or more units
- As of February 16, 2023, the Rental Housing Program has 4,559 registered rental
units and 529 active rental licenses (one license per property).
Inspection Updates
• Increase number of Courtesy inspections by the request of tenants.
• One of the main complaints that we receive from tenants are issues dealing with
mold
• In 2019, the city conducted 133 inspections, but in 2020 and 2021 they were
paused due to the pandemic.
• In 2022, the Rental Housing Program began scheduling rental inspections again.
We are finding that many property owners have deferred maintenance, causing
units to deteriorate and therefore fail rental inspections. Without regular
inspections, rental housing conditions, and our residents, will suffer.
Avana at South Station Apartments
Example #1
• On January 9th, 2023, Rental Housing received a complaint regarding living
conditions at 4708 Southcenter Blvd E312 specifically multiple areas spotted with
mold. The tenants had notified the property management but there was a delay in
response time, therefore the City was later notified.
.25.2023 15:04
S �l
Example #2
Avenue 42 Apartments
• On July 11, 2022, we were contacted by
the Fire Department about a water leak
at Avenue 42 Apartments. They stated
that there was at least 10,000 to 20,000
gallons of water in the crawl space. We
responded to the complex the next
morning and contacted management.
Rental Housing Overview
ast Updated: 2/16/2023
RENTAL UNITS BY DWELLING TYPE
300 279
250
100
50
0
65
47 38
8 ■
14
o
\e, <C°
CD\�
LICENSE
ISSUED
369
LICENSES
WITH
BALANCE DUE
110
TOTAL
LICENSE
529
TOTAL UNITS
559
RENTAL UNITS BY DWELLING TYPE
300 279
250
100
50
0
65
47 38
8 ■
14
o
\e, <C°
CD\�
2023 to YTD.
$32,018
2022
$82,102
2021
$51,728
2020
$55,123
CITY INSPECTORS
93
PRIVATE INSPECTORS
34
Rental Housing Program
Questions?
W
i City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
19oa INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning and Community Development
FROM: Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: February 27, 2023
SUBJECT: Lodging Tax Funding Requests
ISSUE
Review of lodging tax funding requests from Starfire Sports for tourism promotion activities.
BACKGROUND
The City collects a 1% lodging tax on certain qualifying overnight stays in paid accommodations
(hotels/motels/Airbnb) in the City. State law limits the use of these funds to tourism promotion'.
There is currently just over $1 million in lodging tax funds available for use.
The City's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviews all requests for use of lodging tax
funds. LTAC then forwards a list of recommended applications to the City Council for its review
and consideration. If LTAC does not recommend an application be funded, that application is
not forwarded to the City Council. The City Council may approve or deny any of the applications
recommended by the LTAC. The City Council may also approve an application and increase or
decrease the dollar amount awarded2.
The City accepts applications on a rolling basis, with the LTAC reviewing requests monthly.
Pending Applications
At its October February 10, 2023 meeting, the LTAC recommended approval of a funding
request from Starfire Sports, a non-profit entity, for lodging tax funds for 2023/2024.
1 RCW 67.28.080 (6) defines "tourism promotion" as "...activities, operations, and expenditures designed to
increase tourism, including but not limited to advertising, publicizing, or otherwise distributing information for the
purpose of attracting and welcoming tourists; developing strategies to expand tourism; operating tourism
promotion agencies; and funding the marketing of or the operation of special events and festivals designed to
attract tourists."
2 On August 17, 2016, the Washington State Attorney General's Office issued an informal opinion regarding
whether a municipality could change the dollar amounts recommended by the local lodging tax advisory
committee. Specifically, the informal opinion states:
"When awarding lodging tax revenues pursuant to RCW 67.28.1816(2)(b)(ii), a municipality may award amounts
different from the local lodging tax advisory committee's recommended amounts, but only after satisfying the
procedural requirements of RCW 67.28.1817(2), according to which the municipality must submit its proposed
change to the advisory committee for review and comment at least forty-five days before final action on the
proposal."
25
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
1. Starfire Sports ($110,000 total, $55,000 in 2023 and $55,000 in 2024)
Starfire is requesting lodging tax funds in 2023/2024 to assist in promotion and facilitation of
leagues, events, and tournaments. The goal is to have 1,300,000 (not unique) total attendance
for Starfire related events and to generate 10,000 room nights in area lodging businesses.
Starfire will promote its events through email and online marketing, with regional sports
organizations and social media.
After Westfield Southcenter, Starfire is the largest draw of visitors in the City and likely the
largest draw for overnight guests. Additionally, the tournaments and leagues at Starfire bring in
people from throughout the Puget Sound region on day visits to the City. Starfire visitor count
including in their application does not include all third -party events, thus the numbers may
actually be lower than the actual tourist impact on the City.
Since it's opening, Starfire has been a great partner for the City and has helped the City grow a
brand in the soccer and rugby community as being the epicenter of [soccer] or [rugby] in the
Pacific NW. Due to the pandemic, Starfire did not request any lodging tax funds in 2020, 2021,
and 2022.
LTAC Recommendation on Application: Do Fund
Staff Recommendation on Application: Do Fund.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total request for the two lodging tax applications will not exceed $110,000 over two years.
No general funds dollars will be used for these funding allocations.
Consistency with Six Year Financial Model:
For 2023 and 2024, the Six Year Financial Plan shows the City spending $150,000 for
sponsorship, such as this. The funds allocated for 2023 will be higher than the budget amount,
but revenues for 2022 came in higher and staff anticipated updating the six -financial plan to
account for the higher revenues.
2023 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Large Sponsorships:
$150,000
City of Tukwila, Copa Surf
Cup (Approved)
($25,000)
Seattle Seawolves
(Approved)
($75,000)
Starfire Sports (Pending)
($55,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$(5,000)
2024 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Sponsorships:
$150,000
Seattle Seawolves
(Approved)
($75,000)
Starfire Sports (Pending)
($55,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$20,000
26
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 3
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Committee approve the pending funding requests and forward to the
March 20, 2023 consent agenda. The contract with Starfire Sports will be over $40,000 and will
require approval by the Council. Staff would like permission to bypass committee and place the
contract on a consent agenda once it's ready for review and approval
ATTACHMENTS
1. Lodging Tax Committee Staff Report, Starfire Sports
2. Lodging Tax Application, Starfire Sports
3. Lodging Tax Six Year Financial Plan
27
28
OTt1(14 ila
Staff Memorandum
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Funding Request
Name of Applicant:
Starfire Sports
Address:
14800 Starfire Wy
Tukwila, WA 98188
Total Funds Requested:
$110,000 two-year funding request ($55,000 in 2023 and $55,000 in 2024)
About the Applicant:
Starfire Sports, a non-profit entity, has grown into one of the premier sports facilities in the United
States. Over 1.4 million people visited the facility in 2019 (last full year prior to the COVID-19
pandemic) to take part in soccer, rugby, and lacrosse tournaments; to play in outdoor and indoor
soccer leagues; to engage in sport specific training; to review professional sporting events; and for
STEM educational courses. Starfire is home training ground for Seattle Sounder FC and the OL Reign
and the home field for the Seattle Seawolves.
Opening in 2003, Starfire Sports has 12 outdoor fields and two indoor fields. The facility is located at
Fort Dent Park, which is owned by the City of Tukwila. Also located at the Park is a small children's
play area and trails that connect to the regional trail system. The City has maintenance reasonability
for the play area, trails, and parking area.
Starfire regular hosts multiday, weekend soccer, rugby, and lacrosse tournaments, which brings in
teams from throughout North America. Teams stay in hotels throughout the Seattle Southside region,
with a typical split of 70/30 between Tukwila and SeaTac hotels. Players and their families can been
seen throughout Tukwila, at Westfield Southcenter, the Family Fun Center, and area restaurants.
Funds Previously Awarded:
$44,500 in 2019. Starfire did not request funds in 2020, 2021, or 2022 due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Funding Request Narrative:
Starfire is requesting lodging tax funds in 2023/2024 to assist in promotion and facilitation of leagues,
events, and tournaments. The goal is to have 1,300,000 (not unique) total attendance for Starfire
related events and to generate 10,000 room nights in area lodging businesses. Starfire will promote
its events through email and online marketing, with regional sports organizations and social media
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
29
flii'tkyvik
Staff Comments:
After Westfield Southcenter, Starfire is the largest draw of visitors in the City and likely the largest
draw for overnight guests. Additionally, the tournaments and leagues at Starfire bring in people from
throughout the Puget Sound region on day visits to the City. Starfire visitor count including in their
application does not include all third -party events, thus the numbers may actually be lower than the
actual tourist impact on the City.
Since it's opening, Starfire has been a great partner for the City and has helped the City grow a brand
in the soccer and rugby community as being the epicenter of [soccer] or [rugby] in the Pacific NW.
Consistency with Six Year Financial Model:
For 2023 and 2024, the Six Year Financial Plan shows the City spending $150,000 for sponsorship,
such as this. The funds allocated for 2023 will be higher than the budget amount, but revenues for
2022 came in higher and staff anticipated updating the six -financial plan to account for the higher
revenues.
2023 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Large Sponsorships:
$150,000
City of Tukwila, Copa Surf
Cup (Approved)
($25,000)
Seattle Seawolves
(Approved)
Seattle Seawolves
(Approved)
($75,000)
Starfire Sports (Pending)
Starfire Sports (Pending)
($55,000)
Remaining
Sponsorship
Funds:
$(5,000)
2024 Tourism Six -Year Financial Plan Allocation
Sponsorships:
$150,000
Seattle Seawolves
(Approved)
($75,000)
Starfire Sports (Pending)
($55,000)
Remaining Sponsorship
Funds:
$20,000
City of Tukwila Staff
Recommendation to LTAC: Approval
Notes:
Starfire will be required to execute a separate service agreement with the City.
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd.
Tukwila, WA 98188
30
Application to the City of Tukwila for Use of 2023 Lodging Tax Funds
Event or Activity Name (if applicable):
Starfire Sports Tournament and Event Season
Amount of Lodging Tax Requested:
$110,000 for 2023 and 2024 ($55,000 per
year).
Applicant Organization:
Starfire Sports
Federal Tax ID Number:
47-0887811
Mailing Address:
14800 Starfire Way, Tukwila WA
98188
Primary Contact Name:
Ben Oliver
Primary Contact Phone:
(206) 267-7417
Primary Contact Email Address:
beno@starfiresports.com
Check all the service categories that apply to this application:
✓ Tourism promotion or marketing.
✓ Operation of a special event or festival designed to attract tourists.
✓ Operation of a tourism -related facility owned or operated by a non-profit organization.
✓ Operation and/or capital costs of a tourism -related facility owned by a municipality or a
public facilities district.
Check which one of the following applies to your agency:
✓ Non -Profit (Note: Attach a copy of your current non-profit corporate registration from
the Washington Secretary of State Office)
Municipality
For Profit Corporation
I am an authorized agent of the organization/agency applying for funding. I understand that:
• I am proposing a tourism -related service for 2023. If awarded, my organization intends to enter
into a services contract with the City; provide liability insurance for the duration of the contract
naming the City as additional insured and in an amount determined by the City; and file for a
permit for use of City property, if applicable.
• My agency will be required to submit a report documenting economic impact results in a
format determined by the City.
Signature: Benjamin T Oliver Date: 01/11/2023
31
1) Describe your tourism -related activity or event.
Starfire Sports events and tournaments
1) If an event, list the event name, date(s), and projected overall attendance.
Starfire directly manages 11 soccer tournaments and over 30 third party events including
Seawolves and Tacoma Defiance games. These events draw people from all over the county,
Canada and further aboard. Starfire Sports projected 2023 total attendance is over 1,300,000 visits.
2) Is your event/activity/facility focusing on attracting overnight tourists, day tourists, or both?
Both
3) Describe why visitors will travel to Tukwila to attend your event/activity/facility.
Starfire Sports is the epicenter of soccer not only here in the Pacific Northwest but nationwide. As
not only the home of our Seattle Sounders FC, OL Reign and the Seattle Seawolves we are host to
over 42 annual events ranging from the recreational youth players to professional players. Starfire's
own tournaments bring over 110 teams in annually from Canada alone while our leagues and youth
programs bring hundreds of day visitors to Tukwila every day of the week.
4) Describe the geographic target of the visitors you hope to attract (locally, regionally,
nationally, and/or internationally).
Starfire offers programs and events for people from all geographical areas with teams traveling
from around the world to participate in our youth tournaments, the local community of kids who
just want to come down and kick a ball to the professional athletes from National Teams, Major
League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League and Mayor League Rugby who are here for
trainings and to play games, to the players who participate in any one of our youth or adult
programs.
5) Describe the prior success of your event/activity/facility in attracting tourists.
Starfire Sports generates over 117,000 unique visitors and about 1,300,000 visits annually. Of these
visitors, roughly 7% travel more than 50 miles and stay in the area approximately 2-4 nights at a
time. Starfire run tournaments averaged 23% of participating teams traveled more than 50 miles.
6) If this your first time holding the event/activity/facility provide background on why you think
it will be successful.
N/A
Page 2 of 5
32
7) Describe how you will promote lodging establishments, restaurants, retailers, and
entertainment establishments in the City of Tukwila.
Starfire will promote our events through email and online marketing/advertising/social media. New
partners being formed with surrounding States. Our events will be listed on regional soccer. We are
also currently hiring a fulltime person in Public Relations and Communication.
8) Describe how you will use the name, "Tukwila" in publications, promotions, and for your
event?
Tukwila will not only be integrated into publications, promotions and the appropriate use of
"Tukwila" #hashtags when using social media but also on all tournament branded materials
including clothing.
In the past this integration has seen the media talk more about Tukwila with regards to soccer,
Starfire, the Sounders, Seawolves and now also the OL Reign.
9) Measurements and Metrics (Note: You will be required to report these metrics as part of the
close out of the agreement between your organization and the City.)
As a direct result of your proposed tourism -related service, provide an estimate of:
a.
Overall attendance at your proposed event/activity/facility.
1,300,000
b.
Number of people who will travel fewer than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
150,000
c.
Number of people who will travel more than 50 miles for your
event/activity.
10,000
d.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will travel from another country or state.
23%
e.
Of the people who travel more than 50 miles, the number of people
who will stay overnight in Tukwila.
7,000+/ -
Page 3 of 5
33
f.
Of the people staying overnight, the number of people who will stay in
6,500+/ -
PAID accommodations (hotel/motel/bed-breakfast) in Tukwila.
g.
Number of paid lodging room nights resulting from your proposed
event/ activity/facility (for example: 25 paid rooms on Friday and 50
paid rooms on Saturday = 75 paid lodging room nights)
10,000+/ -
10) What methodologies did you use to calculate the estimates and what methodologies will you
use to track outcomes, such as total participants, estimated visitor spending, etc?
Team surveys and SSRTA Event Impact Calculator
11) What is the overall budget for your event/activity/facility? What percent of the budget are
you requesting from the City of Tukwila?
Our annual marketing budget is just under $24,000 without the support of LTAC funding that allows
us to market to traveling teams, attend team/marketing conferences for tournaments and event
recruiting.
Applications are considered on a rolling basis. Please contact staff to discuss the process for having the
application reviewed by the City's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee.
Completed applications should be submitted to:
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee
c/o Brandon Miles
City of Tukwila
6200 Southcenter Blvd
Tukwila, WA 98188
Or,
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov
Questions?
Page 4 of 5
34
LTAC Contact:
Brandon J. Miles
(206) 431-3684
Brandon.Miles@Tukwilawa.gov.
Updated: December 29, 2022
Page 5 of 5
35
36
Tourism Funding, Six Year Financial Plan
DRAFT - Updated March 3, 2021
Tourism Revenue
Working Draft Update
Lodging Tax $
Total Revenues: $
Tourism Expenses
Marketing, Sales, and Sponsorships
Sponsorships
Small Events
lence Tukwila, Branding and Marketing, Visitors
World Cup Planning and Activation
Business Attraction and Promotion
COVID-19 Response
SavingLocalKC.com
SSRTA Emergency Funding
Showare Sponsorship
Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce
Destination Development
Wayfinding Plan Development and Installation
Art Investments
Tukwila Pond
General Administration
2022 Budgeted 2022 Forecasted
450,000 $
450,000
884,745 $
2023
800,000 $
2024
2025
2026
2027
Totals, '22-'27
840,000 $ 882,000 $ 926,100 $ 972,405 $ 5,755,250
$ 884,745
$ 800,000
$ 840,000
$ 882,000 $ 926,100 $ 972,405 $ 5,755,250
Salary and Benefits $
City Overhead Charge $
Administrative $
Total Expenditures:
150,000 $ 100,000 $ 225,000 $ 225,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000 $ 150,000 $ 700,000
15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 15,000 $ 60,000
75,000 $ 140,000 $ 190,000 $ 190,000 $ 190,000 $ 190,000 $ 190,000 $ 710,000
50,000 $ - $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 150,000
$ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000 $ 30,000
15,000 $
150,000 $
75,000 $
200,000 $
79,978 $
25,231 $
28,750 $
1,000 $
15,000 $
$ 100,000 $
$ 75,000 $
$ 200,000 $
81,257 $
25,231 $
28,750 $
91,397 $
26,493 $
30,000 $
15,000 $ 15,000 $
100,000 $
75,000 $
200,000 $
95,830 $
27,818 $
30,000 $
100,000 $
75,000 $
200,000 $
98,705 $
28,653 $
30,000 $
863,959 391,238
$ 1,047,890
$ 1,053,648
982,357 $
Beginning Fund Balance:) $
Ending Fund Balance: $
Notes
This document does not bind the City to provide funds nor does it authorize any funding. All use of lodging tax funds must be approved by LTAC and the City Council through an application process.
The blue cells have been updated since the LTAC last looked at this document.
Salary/Benefits for Business Relations Manager is split 50/50 between general fund and lodging tax and is estimated to increase 3% annually after 2024.
1,742,366 I $
1,328,407 $
1,742,366 I $
2,235,873 $
2,235,873 I $
1,987,983 $
1,987,983 I $
1,774,335 $
1,774,335 I $
1,673,978 $
15,000 $
100,000 $
40,000 $
200,000 $
101,666 $
29,512 $
30,000 $
951,178 $
1,673,978 I $
1,648,899 $
15,000 $ 46,000
100,000 $ 300,000
40,000 $ 225,000
200,000 $ 600,000
104,716 $ 101,666
30,397 $ 29,512
30,000 $ 118,750
955,114 $ 5,381,425
1,648,899
1,666,191
The City overhead charge is charged to all special funds. It recoups the cost to the general fund to support the lodging tax fund. It includes facilities, technology, legal, accounting, and record keeping services and is estimated to increase 3% annually after 2024.
Updated: 1/11/2023
BJ M
38
W
i City of Tukwila
Allan Ekberg, Mayor
\19oa INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning and Community Development
FROM: Brandon Miles, Business Relations Manager
CC: Mayor Ekberg
DATE: February 27, 2023
SUBJECT: Experience Tukwila 2022 Year End Digital Analytics
ISSUE
Staff will provide a briefing on Experience Tukwila 2022 year end digital analytics.
BACKGROUND
In 2020 the City launched the Experience Tukwila marketing and branding campaign, which
includes a digital component, including a dedicated website (ExperienceTukwila.com), a
dedicated newsletter, and social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedln). 2022 was
Experience Tukwila's digital initiative first full year at being at full operation, including all
accounts up and running, dedicated photography, and custom videos. The goal of the digital
initiative is to promote Tukwila within the greater Seattle area (50 -mile radius) and to help
provide positive stories about Tukwila.
DISCUSSION
Attached with this memo is a report prepared by the City's marketing agency outlining the
analytics for 2022.
Positive Takeaways
• Nearly 6,000 people, resulting in just under 11,000 page views, have visited
ExperienceTukwila.com.
• Over half of the people who come to the website come via Google search. This is an
important because it shows that our efforts to promote the site with organic content are
having a positive impact.
• Our social media resulted in nearly 450,000 total impressions and we now have just over
3,000 followers across all social media accounts.
• Open rate and clickthrough rates for our e -newsletter is extremely high.
• ExperienceTukwila.com and its social media have been great resources in promoting
community events to the greater Seattle area. Dedicated event pages on
ExperienceTukwila.com are great ways of organically driving traffic to the site.
• Googling certain phrases and terms results in ExperienceTukwila.com having a very high
search result. For example:
o Googling "Things to do in Tukwila" results in ExperienceTukwila.com being the
third website listed.
o Googling "Things to do in Southcenter" results in ExperienceTukwila.com being
the second organic website found on the site (third if you count the paid search
results).
o Simply putting, "Tukwila" into the Google search engine results in
ExperienceTukwila.com being the tenth website listed (TukwilaWa.gov is shown
as the first website listed).
39
40
INFORMATIONAL MEMO
Page 2
Needs Work Takeaways
• The bounce rate (meaning someone comes to ExperienceTukwila.com homepage and
immediate leaves) is too high. This can be addressed with better and more engaging
content.
• Acquisition of new social media followers is occurring too slowly. Part of this is because
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) made changes to prioritize "Reel" postings versus static
posts. City staff and our agency staff have been working to create more engaging
content.
• While the open rate for the e -newsletter is good, the number of accounts receiving it is still
low. This can be addressed by providing a passive sign up method versus our current
requirement for active signups.
• Googling certain phrases and terms results in ExperienceTukwila.com having a very low
search result. For example:
o ExperienceTukwila.com does now show up when Googling:
■ "Things to do in Seattle."
■ "Restaurants near Sea -Tac Airport."
• The shift by Google and Microsoft to Ai search will require adaptation to our digital
strategy. Like most website sites, the page is designed to focus on Google's search
algorithms, not Bing. Yet, Bing's Ai search tool could grow in popularity, requiring us to
make sure our site is well position on Bing, not just Google.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Experience Tukwila is funded via the City's lodging tax program. Funding for 2023 has already
been approved by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and the City Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Discussion only.
ATTACHMENTS
• Experience Tukwila 2022 Year Website Analytics Summary
https://tukwilawa.sharepoint.com/sites/mayorsoffice/cc/Council Agenda Items/Mayor's Office/PCD, 2023.03.06/PCD, Info Memo, 2023.03.06.docx
Experience Tukwila 2022 Year Website Analytics
Website Overview
Total Visits
6,171
Total Pageviews
10,993
Average Visit Duration
1:04
Average Pages per Visit
1.44
Average Bounce Rate
77.16%
New Blog Post
13
New Event Posts
44
Visitor Acquisition
Seattle, WA
Search
3,445 (55%
211
Direct
1,336 (21%
Kent, WA
Social Media
1,255 (20%
(
Referral
221 (4%
New York, NY
Top 10 Visiting Cities
Seattle, WA
2,146
Tukwila, WA
211
Los Angeles, CA
160
Kent, WA
134
Renton, WA
104
Tacoma, WA
93
New York, NY
79
Des Moines, WA
69
Bellevue, WA
68
Federal Way, WA
62
Top 10 Pageviews
Homepage
2,763
Activities
839
Shopping
815
Events homepaqe
687
Dining
682
Blog homepage
530
Event: "Tukwila's 2nd Annual Juneteenth Commemoration"
445
Event: "Easter Bunny Photos at Westfield Southcenter"
337
Event: "U.S. Open Cup at Starfire: Sounders vs. Earthquakes"
255
Blog: "The Seawolves Make History at Starfire"
188
Top 10 Event Pageviews
Events homepage
687
"Tukwila's 2nd Annual Juneteenth Commemoration"
445
"Easter Bunny Photos at Westfield Southcenter"
337
"U.S. Open Cup at Starfire: Sounders vs. Earthquakes"
255
"Photos with Santa at Southcenter"
139
"Sounders FC Rave Green 5k Run"
138
"Tukwila Revs Up for Teamsters 117 Car and Bike Show"
117
"Seattle Seawolves vs. San Diego Legion"
117
"Tacoma Defiance MLS NEXT Pro League at Starfire"
108
"Spring Seattle Restaurant Week"
70
Top 10 Blog Pageviews
Blog homepage
530
"The Seawolves Make History at Starfire"
188
"The Sounders Return to Starfire"
134
"Tukwila Village Farmers Market Makes Space for Everyone"
115
"The Seawolves Championship Hunt Begins With A Stunner"
92
"The City of Tukwila's First Annual Juneteenth Commemoration"
75
"The NEXT era of Tacoma Defiance at Starfire"
62
"Starfire Welcomes More Champions"
51
"HangarFest at The Museum of Flight"
51
"10 Things To Do in Tukwila in the Rain"
47
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Experience Tukwila 2022 Year Social Analytics
Platform
Followers
Social Media Analytics
Post Likes Comments
Share/RT
Impressions
Facebook
1332 (+61)
304
2728
301
228
158,654
Instagram
928 (+325)
297
3901
240
443
39,624
Linked In
542 (+71)
77
449
12
71
117,162
Twitter
237 (+14)
331
979
33
254
129,998
Total: 3039 (+471)
1,009
8,057
586
996
445,438
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blue.
Experience Tukwila 2022 Year Email Analytics
Send Date
Email Subject
Newsletter Analytics
Deliveries
Opens
Open Rate
Clicks
Click Rate
1/28
Winter Fun for Everyone
48
20
42%
25
14%
2/28
New Video Series from Experience Tukwila!
50
25
50%
4
8%
3/25
Tacoma Defiance are back at Starfire
50
22
44%
6
12%
4/7
Tukwila Takes On Seattle Restaurant Week
51
29
57%
10
20%
5/27
The Starfire Sports Experience
52
22
42%
1
2%
6/17
Are You Ready for Juneteenth?
53
16
30%
1
2%
11/10
Welcome to the Tukwila Newsletter
426
75
19%
1
0%
11/11
Veterans Day in Tukwila
461
81
18%
3
1%
11/23
10 Rainy Day Activities in Tukwila
459
73
17%
9
2%
12/16
Shop Tukwila for the Holidays
459
85
19%
14
3%
Total:
2,109
448
21%
74
4%
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44