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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-04-28 Committee of the Whole MinutesTUKWILA CITY COUNCIL April 28, 2008 7:00 pm Council Chambers City Hall COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CALL TO ORDER/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Council President Joe Duffie called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm and led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. OFFICIALS Present were Joe Duffie, Council President; Councilmembers Joan Hernandez, Pam Linder, Dennis Robertson, Verna Griffin, Kathy Hougardy, and De'Sean Quinn. ATTENDANCE Jim Haggerton, Mayor; Rhonda Berry, City Administrator; Bruce Fletcher, Parks Recreation Director; Dave Haynes, Police Chief; Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator; Trish Kinlow, Court Administrator; Tracy Gallaway, Volunteers Events Coordinator; Maggi Lubov, CTR Coordinator; Moira Bradshaw, Senior Planner; Peter Beckwith, Assistant City Attorney; Kimberly Matej, Council Analyst; Barbara Saxton, Acting Deputy City Clerk SPECIAL PRESENTATION Tracy Gallaway, Volunteers Events Coordinator, used a PowerPoint presentation to provide an update on the City's Volunteer Program. Ms. Gallaway noted this is National Volunteer Appreciation Week, and shared the program's vision and mission statements: Vision Statement: The City of Tukwila Volunteer Program is designed to promote the spirit of partnership that city government encourages and enjoys with Tukwila citizens, community organizations and local businesses. Mission Statement: The mission of the City of Tukwila Volunteer Program is to increase the interaction of City government with Tukwila citizens, community organizations and local businesses for a twofold purpose: To help the City enhance its existing service offerings and /or expand them through the use of volunteer expertise. To bring the many diverse populations of the community together to achieve a stronger, more connected community. The City fulfills this mission in several ways: The first is through the City's 10 Boards Commissions, which provides for 64 volunteer opportunities. She noted there are currently openings on 4 of those (Community- oriented Policing Citizens Advisory Board, Equity Diversity Commission, Human Services Advisory Board, and Library Advisory Board). There are also volunteers in long- and short-term positions working for City departments and on special projects. Ms. Gallaway noted the majority of these volunteers work within the Police Department and Parks Recreation, including work for the Neighborhood Resource Center, Traffic Safety and Explorer Programs, basketball leagues, Meals -on- Wheels, and the Teen Late Night Program. City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes Page 2 of 7 April 28. 2008 Businesses and organizations have participated in numerous group service projects in Tukwila. Recent events have included clean -up of Tukwila Pond Park and the Interurban Trail in conjunction with the United Way Day of Caring, Tukwila Rotary's Day of Service at Macadam Winter Garden, and Earth Day events at Duwamish Riverbend Hill and Codiga Park. In addition, the City's Volunteer Program helps match agencies in Tukwila with individuals who are looking for volunteer opportunities. Ms. Gallaway noted the Church of Tukwila is looking for a potential project in June, for which they anticipate having approximately 300 volunteers. The City also partners with REI on environmental projects as part of REI's orientation program for their new employees. Discussion is also on -going regarding potential usage of volunteers in conjunction with the City's emergency management program. Ms. Gallaway stated volunteers share their time, talents and skills to help us enhance and expand the services offered to our citizens. In 2007, volunteer hours for the City equaled 4,770, which equates to $93,063 worth of volunteer service (when figured at $19.51 per hour). In the first quarter of 2008 volunteer hours already total 2,672 hours. Ms. Gallaway asked any board and commission members and other volunteers in the audience to stand and be recognized. She noted the City's annual volunteer appreciation event will be held in September. She also expressed her appreciation to all City staff members who bring forth volunteer opportunities and supervise the work of the volunteers. Pam Carter, 4115 S. 139th St., Tukwila, asked if the time spent by volunteers during the Highway 99 Action Committee's monthly clean -ups is included in the total hours mentioned. Ms. Gallaway stated that while the committee does work closely with the City's Police Department, it is not officially a City committee and, therefore, the City does not track those hours. The determining factor is whether the volunteer staff is supervised by a City employee; if so, those hours are tracked and included in the total volunteer hours. Councilmembers expressed appreciation to Ms. Gallaway for her work on the Volunteer Program. CITIZEN COMMENT Brian Kennedy, 12802 37th Ave. S., Tukwila, inquired about the status of the Northfield Car Wash issue. Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator, stated the City entered into mediation over this breach of contract issue, and the City Council authorized settlement at a recent Council meeting. Documents are expected to be signed this week, which call for the business to cease operation later this year (and vacate the space by October 10, 2008). SPECIAL ISSUES a. Request from City Clerk's Office for .37 FTE increasing the hours of the Administrative Support Technician. Councilmember Robertson indicated this item was discussed at the Finance Safety Committee on April 22, 2008. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. He noted it is unusual for requests for staffing increases such as this (and the next item on the agenda) to come during the year, as they are usually handled during the budget process. As part of an organizational change by the new administration, an employee was recently moved from the City Clerk's Office to the IT Depart- ment. However, some of the duties performed by that staff person remained in the City Clerk's Office. He noted there would be no fiscal impact the first year as the added cost will be covered by other savings. Rhonda Berry, City Administrator, stated there would be no cost impact for the next couple of years due to the difference in salary between the recently retired City Clerk and the new City Clerk. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes b. Request from Municipal Court for .50 FTE for an Administrative Support Assistant. Page 3 of 7 And 28, 2008 Councilmember Robertson indicated this item was discussed at the Finance Safety Committee on April 22, 2008. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. The Court has been using extra labor hours on a consistent basis equivalent to that of a .50 FTE. It is expected some extra labor hours will still be required due to new tasks required by transition to a new, state mandated Court management system. The net result will be the increase of a half -time person. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. c. Contract renewal for Hearing Examiner services. Councilmember Hernandez indicated this item was discussed at the Community Affairs Parks Committee meeting on April 14, 2008. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. The current interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle will expire in June; the proposal would renew the contract for another 2 years. The City of Seattle has asked for an increase from $75 to $95 per hour, and for direct reimbursement for the travel costs of the Hearing Examiners. Rhonda Berry, City Administrator, noted the City has been pleased with the hearing examiner services provided by the City of Seattle. Since the Hearing Examiner comes to Tukwila to hear cases, it provides much more flexibility and ease of use for citizens and staff. In response to questions from Council, Peter Beckwith, Assistant City Attorney, explained the number of hours required by the Hearing Examiner varies each year based on the number and type of decisions that are appealed. The Hearing Examiner performs the work required by the City's code, including appeals from the Department of Community Development and drug and felony forfeitures of the Police Department. COUNCIL CONSENSUS EXISTED TO FORWARD THIS ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING. d. An ordinance adopting the Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) plan. Councilmember Linder indicated this item was discussed at the Transportation Committee meeting on April 15, 2008. The committee members were unanimous in recommending approval. The plan was refined to reflect consistency in formatting with similar plans within the Department of Community Development, but otherwise there were no substantial changes to the content. In response to a question from Council, Maggi Lubov, CTR Coordinator, stated the plan was reviewed by Puget Sound Regional Council and the State CTR Board approved it as written. The State CTR Board does require formal adoption by the City Council. Councilmember Hernandez noted that on page 107 of the CTR plan, under "Documentation of Consultation," item A., 3, the Transportation Committee contact person should be changed to "Pam Linder." Councilmember Robertson stated he recently attended a land use seminar at which the underlying theme was that local governments are going to be in the forefront as far as adopting legislation relating to issues such as climate change. Plans such as the Commute Trip Reduction Plan will be an important component of the management of those issues. Ms. Lubov clarified the CTR Plan applies to "affected employers," which are those with 100 or more employees who come to work between 6:00 am and 9:00 am. There are currently 20 affected employers in the City. This is a way to reduce commute trips, which makes cleaner air. In addition to those employers who are required to comply with the CTR plan, there are also businesses and employees making voluntary efforts. Ms. Lubov has offered assistance to businesses requiring help to set up a CTR program and to commuters looking for alternate modes of transportation. A survey is conducted every two years to track the program's progress. The State is also providing assistance for a survey in the Urban Center. City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes e. Tukwila Village: Summary of responses from Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Derek Speck, Economic Development Administrator, used a PowerPoint presentation to provide an update on Tukwila Village. He explained that no action will be required by Council this evening. Page 4 of 7 Aoril 28, 2008 The City is currently in step 1 of the overall development process. During this step —the RFQ process developers were asked to submit their qualifications and express interest in the project. A request for qualifications (RFQ) was issued on February 29, 2008, and was advertised by publication on the City's website and in the Daily Journal of Commerce, via direct mail and e -mail to developers and architects, and through posting on the CoStar database for commercial real estate brokers and the Urban Land Institute website. Applications were received from 9 developers, some with local offices in the Puget Sound area and some with headquarters in other states. Mr. Speck noted that neither Metrovation, the firm that provided conceptual analysis services to the City on Tukwila Village, nor Urban Partners, the developer for Burien Town Square, submitted an application. A committee of City staff members then evaluated the submissions based on the following criteria: Experience (experience with mixed -use projects, similar neighborhoods, quality construction, green and sustainable construction, and market knowledge and contacts) Financial strength (equity —how much money do they usually put into projects, and debt —have they been able to get good financing in the past) Concept (does it fit the City's vision, does it have long -term quality, and are there a variety of concepts to provide Council with some choice) Based on review of the above criteria, 6 developers were placed on a qualified list and have been notified. Mr. Speck provided a synopsis of the concepts provided by each of the 9 developers (i.e. their proposal for types of retail, office, and /or residential spaces). He noted that all proposals included incorporation of the library, Police Resource Center and a Plaza as those elements were required by the City's vision statement. As a result of going through the RFQ process, the City gained additional insight on issues affecting development of this property —some of which may impact future decisions including: All the developers liked the concept of including the library and police resource center into the project. A major issue will be the price the land will be sold for and any typical incentives requested by the developer. Most of the concepts were based on phasing the development (whether condos, office, etc.) rather than developing the entire 6 acres at once. Although the city's RFQ stated a preference for condos, none of the concepts included all condos but either showed apartments only or a mix of housing types. Among the factors that must be considered when involving office, condo or apartment uses are market conditions and presale /preleasing requirements. Oftentimes the developer will require a minimum percentage of residential or office /retail space be presold or pre leased prior to beginning construction. Some developers will retain ownership of the development, while others will develop and then sell the property. None of the proposals captured the idea of "activating the space," i.e. incorporating an event centered concept for community groups, etc. (similar to Lake Forest Park Towne Center). Mr. Speck noted the only developer that committed to ownership housing was a concept for affordable (artist/teacher) housing. Those applications that included affordable housing in their concept stated it would be a mix (market rate and affordable) and that income levels meeting this criteria are already in this neighborhood. They also noted the quality could allow for the potential for future ownership, and tax incentives would support a higher land value for the City. It was suggested potential downsides to City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes incorporating this type of housing could possibly be managed through covenant and deed requirements. A chart was displayed showing the household income limits that would qualify for tax credit and tax exempt bond financing for affordable housing at various percentage levels. Mr. Speck noted that based on a survey of the 2007 -2008 statewide salary schedule, an entry-level school teacher with a bachelor's degree would qualify in several of the categories shown. The next steps in the process are: Reduce list from 6 to 3 qualified developers by May 1st Council review of request for proposal (RFP) at May 5 and May 12 Council meetings Deadline for RFP responses in mid -June, followed by community presentations Council selection process in July Council President Duffie invited members of the audience to speak. Page 5 of 7 Aoril 28. 2008 Jim Glover, 4008 S. 158th St., Tukwila, would like the concept to resemble that at Lake Forest Park Towne Center. He would also like consideration to be given to a pedestrian overpass over Tukwila International Boulevard to help connect people in the area without having to cross the busy street, and a means of controlling excessive "gathering" of students on the site. Anna VanFrachen, 4031 S. 146th St., Tukwila, who has been a resident for over 40 years, stated the area was named Riverton Heights because it is water logged and there is a wetland at this location. She noted students already loiter in the area, and feels the best thing to do with the property is to construct a community center so they have a place to go. She feels there are already enough restaurants and empty office space along Tukwila International Boulevard. Sharon Mann, 4452 S 160th St., Tukwila, asked about the north parcel, in particular, and how the percentage to be occupied by the library would affect any pre leasing requirements. She feels condo office space would be a good fit, where the business owner would own rather than rent their office space. She also questioned the focus on the south side of the site, which would mean elimination of the Mexican restaurant currently there. Ms. Mann stated there is a void for senior housing in the area, and that if it were built with a covenant for senior housing, the housing component may be more acceptable. She also feels activating the space and long -term ownership are important. Susan Kruller, 3227 S. 137th St., Tukwila, represents a political party for the 11th District and has talked to a lot of residents in the area. Based on those conversations she is convinced residents in Riverton Heights are very much in favor of this development in their neighborhood. As a business owner, she would like a place conducive to meeting business associates. Anna Bernhard, 14241 59th Ave. S., Tukwila, asked why the City only received 9 responses from a mailing that went to 280 firms. She also feels the City is already inundated with apartments, but would appreciate senior housing. Mr. Speck replied that 9 is actually an excellent response. The City of Burien received less than 9 responses to a similar RFQ, and Federal Way received approximately 4 responses to their development of an old AMC theatre site (and of the 3 they selected, 1 applicant subsequently removed themselves from consideration). Randy Copeland, 16713 Maplewild Ave., Burien, is a commercial real estate agent and is acquainted with many small business owners. It is very hard for small business owners to own their own buildings now, so a condo -office or condo retail situation would be a real asset. He understands that alternative is more difficult for developers due to pre -sale requirements, but noted it is also hard for a small business to commit to a loan far in advance of construction. Brian Kennedy, 12802 37th Ave. S., Tukwila, has been opposed to apartments during previous discussions, but would be more in favor if they were condo quality apartments and with assurance of protection. He noted that condominiums are often bought and subsequently leased out by the owner. City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes Marie Parrish, 4430 S. 150th St., Tukwila, was excited to hear the developers were all positive about incorporating the new library. She also feels "activating the space" is very important. Page 6 of 7 Aoril 28. 2008 Pam Carter, 4115 S. 139th St., Tukwila, is concerned with a heavy emphasis on office space. A mix of office and residential space provides a customer base at night also, which is needed to revitalize the space. Residents of senior housing (whether market rate or not) who may be low income would not be spending a lot of money, which is needed for retail to succeed. She also agreed that condos often become individual rentals anyway, but quality is important, and the idea of a gathering place is also an important component of the vision for this project. John Cruce, 13701 43rd PI S., Tukwila, who recently moved here from Arlington, Virginia, talked about recent development of the pike that leads into Washington, DC. He noted Tukwila International Boulevard is the corridor leading from Sea -Tac Airport to the new Metro stop and on to Seattle, and wondered if the master plan included a theme for this corridor or other beautification efforts. Dave Fenton, 14201 42nd Ave. S., Tukwila, feels senior housing would be a tremendous asset to the project and to senior citizens. He also stated there is a good market for apartments in the area. He personally has 200 apartment units in the City with rents ranging from $850 for a 1- bedroom unit to $1,300 for a 3- bedroom. There is currently a waitlist for a unit at that complex, which has not had a vacancy in 2 -1/2 years. Linda Ireland, 14812 46th Ave. S., Tukwila, inquired as to whether there might be any opportunities (i.e. invest a small amount now with the option to buy into a condo in the future) for people who might like to consider making a long -term investment in the community. Roger Lorenzen, 14038 Macadam Rd. S., Tukwila, asked why only one developer would be selected for the entire project. It may be more appropriate for one developer to do affordable housing on one portion of the site and have another developer for the commercial aspects. He feels a mixture of uses is absolutely mandatory. In the meantime, he would like to see the "No trespassing" sign torn down. Matt Patton, 11535 40th Ave. S., Tukwila, expressed his hope that consideration be given to more uses than just "cheap housing." He feels revitalizing the neighborhood is important. Sharon Mann, 4452 S. 160th St., Tukwila, spoke again as a representative of the Highway 99 Action Committee, for which she serves as Chair of the Community Development Committee. They are encouraged to see progress and want the momentum to continue forward. Link Light Rail will soon have an as yet unknown impact on the area. It will be even harder to bring developers to the area if progress is reversed. Ms. Mann read a letter to Council from the Highway 99 Action Committee inviting participation in a 2 -day team building session put on by The Pacific Institute on May 30 -31, 2008. The committee hopes to share ideas and goals with the community to energize further revitalization and transformation along Tukwila International Boulevard. Councilmember Hernandez was pleased the City received 9 responses, as their previous RFQ (approximately 10 years ago) resulted in only 2 responses. In response to comments expressing interest in maintaining the site with the Mexican restaurant, she noted the business already has plans to relocate. Councilmember Linder stated she is now optimistic the project will happen. She agrees activation of the space is a critical component. Councilmember Robertson is concerned the focus of the project is starting to shift from a community neighborhood center (with small retail) to one concerned with how many and what kind of apartments can be built there. The responses show there is very little commercial interest in condos now, confirming what previous studies have stated. Although the market for office space is starting to improve, a big office complex is not what the neighborhood wants. He would be disappointed to put forth effort for so many years and have it end with a large apartment complex, when a neighborhood -scale meeting place was the focus of discussions last fall. City of Tukwila City Council Committee of the Whole Minutes Councilmember Griffin felt the "learning points" mentioned by Mr. Speck were important. She feels the City needs residential options for people other than buying a house, and agrees the concept of activating the space must be fostered. She is excited to move forward with the project. Councilmember Hougardy feels bakeries and coffee shops are the type of retail that would help activate the space. She stated that a mix of residential and condo /office space, including well- managed apartments would be an asset, and agrees the issue of controlling loitering should continue to be addressed. Councilmember Quinn is excited to see the participation of citizens this evening, especially those who actually live in that community. He agrees with the suggestion to beautify the area, as it is a gateway for people arriving at Sea -Tac Airport. He also agrees it can be hard for young professionals to qualify for housing, and affordable housing would also show support for teachers, artists and other professionals. He noted there are a significant number of people who work for the City who contribute to the quality of life here, and he would love to have them live here too. Mayor Haggerton stated they are working with an aggressive schedule for this project. He encouraged Councilmembers to be prepared with their notes from this meeting when the RFP is brought before them next month for review. He also noted the City administration set a goal in January to resolve the Northfield Car Wash issue by April 30th, which is now the day they are scheduled to sign the settlement papers. Councilmember Duffie reminded everyone of this year's theme of "Together we stand, divided we fall," and thanked members of the audience for attending the meeting this evening. REPORTS Council agreed to dispense with reports so Councilmembers could meet one -on -one with the many citizens who attended the meeting with an interest in the Tukwila Village issue. ADJOURNMENT 9:14 p.m. COUNCIL PRESIDENT DUFFIE DECLARED THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING ADJOURNED. t thfie, ttu nc resident Barbara Saxton, Acting Deputy City Clerk Page 7 of 7 Aoril 28. 2008