Seattle City Council 7/25/23

Thank you, IT, and thank you, Madam Clerk.

Excuse me, I'm sorry.

Welcome, everybody.

Today is July 25th.

This is the meeting of the Seattle City Council.

I'm now calling it to order.

Will the clerk please call the roll?

Council Member Peterson?

Present.

Council Member Sawant?

Present.

Council Member Strauss?

Present.

Council Member Herbold?

Here.

Council Member Lewis.

Present.

Council Member Morales.

Here.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Present.

Council Member Nelson.

Present.

Council President Juarez.

Present.

Nine present.

Thank you.

Let's move on.

Are there anyone asking to be excused next week?

I'm sorry, I got that wrong, that's at the end.

I want to know if there's any objection, but we don't have any one excuse, so everybody's here.

Okay, so as far as presentations, I am not aware of any presentations today.

Madam Clerk, can you please tell me how many remote speakers we have and how many in person?

We have 21 speakers in person and approximately four remote.

OK, well, let's let's go with the remote folks first and let's give everyone two minutes so we can wrap this up in an hour.

And with that, Madam Clerk, I'm going to let you go ahead and do the recording of the directions on what we.

When we ask people to give public comment and what the rules are, thank you.

Hello, Seattle.

We are the Emerald City, the city of flowers and the city of goodwill, built on indigenous land, the traditional territory of the Coast Salish peoples.

The Seattle City Council welcomes remote public comment and is eager to hear from residents of our city.

If you would like to be a speaker and provide a verbal public comment, you may register two hours prior to the meeting via the Seattle City Council website.

Here's some information about the public comment proceedings.

Speakers are called upon in the order in which they registered on the council's website.

Each speaker must call in from the phone number provided when they registered online and used the meeting ID and passcode that was emailed upon confirmation.

If you did not receive an email confirmation, please check your spam or junk mail folders.

A reminder, the speaker meeting ID is different from the general listen line meeting ID provided on the agenda.

Once a speaker's name is called, the speaker's microphone will be unmuted and an automatic prompt will say, the host would like you to unmute your microphone.

That is your cue that it's your turn to speak.

At that time, you must press star six.

You will then hear a prompt of, you are unmuted.

Be sure your phone is unmuted on your end so that you will be heard.

As a speaker, you should begin by stating your name and the item that you are addressing.

A chime will sound when 10 seconds are left in your allotted time as a gentle reminder to wrap up your public comments.

At the end of the allotted time, your microphone will be muted.

and the next speaker registered will be called.

Once speakers have completed providing public comment, please disconnect from the public comment line and join us by following the meeting via Seattle Channel Broadcast or through the listening line option listed on the agenda.

The council reserves the right to eliminate public comment if the system is being abused or if the process impedes the council's ability to conduct its business on behalf of residents of the city.

Any offensive language that is disruptive to these proceedings or that is not focused on an appropriate topic as specified in Council rules may lead to the speaker being muted by the presiding officer.

Our hope is to provide an opportunity for productive discussions that will assist our orderly consideration of issues before the Council.

The public comment period is now open.

and we will begin with the first speaker on the list.

Please remember to press star six after you hear the prompt of, you have been unmuted.

Thank you, Seattle.

Great, so Madam Clerk, let's start with our...

I think I have it in reverse.

We have 21 remote and four in-person.

No, we have 21 in person and four remote.

I believe you wanted to start with the remote.

Yes, I had it in reverse.

Thank you.

Let's start with the remote folks first.

Thank you.

Our first remote speaker is Howard Gale.

Good afternoon.

Howard Gale with Seattle Stop.org.

Last week, we learned from Real Change News about the scandal with the federal court monitor, whose responsibility it is to independently assess progress with our police accountability system, but instead has been revealed as a public relations arm of the SPD.

This is just the newest scandal in the unrelenting list of scandals that have plagued our police accountability system.

In 2021 and 2022, reports by KOW and the South Seattle Emerald revealed the depth of malfeasance and corruption at both the Office of Inspector General and the Office of Police Accountability, revealing Office of Police Accountability Director Andrew Meyerberg's entire professional past as a defender of police misconduct.

He was a city attorney who falsely prosecuted a paraplegic African-American victim of SPD violence.

He engaged in prosecutorial misconduct resulting in court sanctions, and he violated numerous health privacy laws in attempting to undermine protester investigations against the complaints against the SPD.

Add to this the CPC's unrelenting attacks on community members who speak out.

The consequences of this corruption are devastating.

SPD officers escaping accountability for the abuses of 2020, the failure in over six years to create an appeals process for these failed investigations, the repeated SPD murder of people suffering a behavioral health crisis, and police killings always determined to be, quote, lawful and proper, unquote.

But worse than these failures in accountability is the fact that a decade of allowing the self-serving corruption's disinformation to continue has now produced a system that destroys any attempts at progress.

A program once fervently supported by Council Member Mosqueda to, for the first time in Seattle's history, give voice to the pain and needs of those who have suffered the worst forms of SBD violence has now been entirely derailed and repurposed under Council Member Mosqueda's watch.

This is how powerful, this is how powerful the corrupt system has become.

Seattle's police accountability system has become a method of not just preventing accountability, but also...

Our next speaker is Jody Albright.

Hi, this is Jody Albright, and I'm talking about agenda item four, CB120600.

And I belong to a community group of approximately 150 neighbors along Harbor and Alki Avenue in West Seattle, which formed to attempt to tackle the constant street racing, stunt driving, and other recklessness.

The recently installed speed humps are helpful, but they are not enough.

They only slow racers on a portion of this roadway, not on the longer, straighter portion of Alki.

It left an innocent driver fighting for her life at Harborview after being hit and thrown into the water by a car reportedly going around 90 miles an hour just last week.

Unfortunately, the speeding behavior is not unusual, and more action is needed to increase safety immediately.

Every day and night along Alki, between the speed humps on Harbor and the business district of Alki, we see and hear high-speed cars and motorcycles driving at excessive speed.

In the last two months along the stretch of the road, a speeding car has knocked down a light pole, two cars parked along Alki were totaled, a family's near miss from a speeding car passing another car at a crosswalk while they were trying to cross.

and motorcycles racing and doing wheelies on the road, the bike trail, and even the narrow pedestrian walkway.

Can you imagine if the light pole of the parked cars had been people, or if the pedestrians had been unable to get out of the way of the motorcycles on the walkways?

It's getting very dangerous to enjoy the Alki area.

The speed camera implementation is longer term and urgent, but it is critical to immediately implement near-term safety measures on Alki, such as additions of speed humps, to slow the cars and stop the accidents from happening as previously described.

as well as allow enforcement of our current laws, speeding and sound ordinances, where officers will not be suspended or penalized for enforcing a traffic violation.

I cannot think of a more compelling reason than the recent tragic accident and multiple near misses on Alki Avenue for the Seattle City Council to approve CB120600, as well as take immediate action on installation of traffic calming solutions

Again, another gentle reminder for our remote callers, please be mindful of the 10 second.

Notice, because I just really hate cutting people off, but go ahead.

Madam clerk.

Our next speaker is David hands.

Hello, gentlemen, preservation board.

We need to stop building that are awfully flawed and ill suited for the.

It's not.

real estate speculators of the 70s and 1980s who owned run-down dilapidated and plated buildings to get corporate welfare subsidies via tax dollars to patchwork fix their slum-like real estate.

But subhuman mistreats residents, small businesses, and customers, forced to pay extra while suffering watered-down building tariffs, claiming preservation instead of 21st century first-world-quality development with hardworking tax dollars is the answer to appease liberal big bank donors who want to fix up their double, triple remortgage portfolios at our expense.

The other day, I was at modern third world Pike Place Market, where the sidewalk is nowhere near wide enough for a group of people, and yet the majority of the space is given over to the road, driving right through everywhere.

Yet CityPath, at least wanting to preserve the path that's already been known to be watered down in the integrity of the building code, I think because people have been here for a while, they get used to the same old, same old thing, making everyone suffer the two-bit reality of Seattle, keeping it iconically ridiculous at the expense of taxpayers forced to pay artificially inflated property values.

I believe he may be finished.

Thank you.

Our last speaker, whoops.

Our last speaker is Ben Smith, who is showing is not present.

All right, should we move on to in-person speakers, Council President?

Absolutely, thank you.

Okay, our first in-person speaker is Michael Kachi.

Good afternoon, esteemed council members.

I'm not going to read my prepared statement.

I'm actually here to invite you to a an online meeting with a very prominent scientist from Canada, whose name is William E. Reese.

He's a professor of ecology and founder of the Ecological Systems Analysis and Footprint.

He's part of a team of scientists that I have organized to be able to do these kinds of educational presentations.

And I think it's very important to do this kind of work as it shatters most importantly the very foundations of what we understand the world to be and how it works.

It's information that's not mostly available to folks and it somehow just gets lost in the shuffle.

Um, I have created, uh, packets for each one of you and you can take a look at it.

And, um, and then hopefully, um, um, council president, uh, whereas maybe we can organize this.

It includes all the information from me as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Abby Brockway and Abby will be followed by Mike gain.

My name is Abby Brockway, and I'm here speaking on behalf of Luma the Cedar.

Maybe you've heard of Luma the Cedar.

I know Alex Peterson has because he's visited Luma the Cedar.

I don't know who else has.

I'm in D6.

Dan Strauss is my representative.

and has broken my heart.

I have voted for Dan Strauss for two terms.

I've defended him fiercely on neighbors next door when he's been attacked by people that are frustrated that he doesn't solve homelessness.

And it is not his job to solve homelessness, it's all of our jobs to solve every issue.

But we have been hand tied, actually literally our hands have been tied by the policies that have been set for tree ordinances.

We need a healthy policy set so that the people can do the work that they do.

We need to be empowered and not tied up.

Their hands are tied, so they cannot listen to the Snoqualmie who have declared that there's an archeological sacred site where Luma the Cedar, an 80-foot tall, 200-year-old culturally modified tree is standing.

So we have no help from government.

We are not empowered.

Our power is taken away.

We don't know who to vote for, Dan.

I want to vote for you.

You are our best choice.

And I want to know how I can do that.

I don't know if you've been bought, purchased by the master builders or what.

I really, really want to know.

I really, really want to vote for you.

And I can't even speak to you right now because the doors are closed.

The meetings are over for the session.

Okay, then.

And I'm not going to stay silent.

This is a big problem.

I'm telling Thank you.

Our next speaker is my game.

You ran out of your time.

My game, you will be followed by Gloria.

I'm free.

My game.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is Mike Gain.

I'm a lifelong resident and a founding member of the West Seattle Community Group of over 150 people that are deeply concerned about the safety of our residents and the numerous visitors who come to the Alki area.

Lisa Herbold and Alex Peterson's proposed Bill 120600 is a solution to what have become very dangerous streets on both Harbor and Alki Avenues, as well as other areas all around the city.

Day and night, we continually experience speeding vehicles, reckless driving, motorcycle groups, speed racing, and stunt driving.

Lisa and Alex's bill, it focuses on high risk behavior.

Racing, stunt, and reckless driving, it's not only high risk, it's real dangerous for the pedestrians on our streets.

Please don't wait until another person gets hit, hurt, shot, or killed before taking action.

If the delay is financial, I guess we have to look at what is someone's life really worth.

There are numerous reasons this bill should pass.

Camera enforcement eliminates police involvement and engagement.

It's a non-law enforcement solution to a serious problem.

The bill also addresses diversity, racism, religion, your economics of any individuals taken out of the equation.

Camera enforcement will allow proper enforcement without opening the door for any racism or diversity issues.

If you break the law, you'll be held accountable, period.

It definitely is a much needed step in the right direction that will reduce, if not stop, the illegal activities we continually experience every day and night.

We're not naive enough to think it's gonna solve all the problems, it won't, but it's a step in the right direction.

This bill is a win-win solution.

How many times do you, our city council, have a bill put in front of you, supported by the community, SPD, and pass the city council committee unanimously?

We urge you all to approve this bill as proposed by the city council.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Gloria Pumphrey, who will be followed by Deborah Hendrickson.

I am Gloria Pumphrey here to create safer streets for all.

My family resides in a residential neighborhood in West Seattle with a posted 25 miles per hour speed limit.

It is not a racetrack.

It is not a freeway.

It is not a motor cross track.

Yet with the increasing speeds, that is what it has become, making our street unsafe.

Harbor Avenue and Alki Avenue have become unsafe for drivers and pedestrians.

I have witnessed rollover accidents, cars sideswiped, a skateboarder killed by a vehicle crossing into the walking path, multiple cars in Puget Sound, multiple city lights taken down, and pedestrians threatened when in a crosswalk.

Streets littered with black rubber from burnouts from racers and stunt drivers.

Shots fired from the racing cars.

Waking at 2 a.m.

to 3 a.m.

to the sound of revving motors.

Neighbors are fearful.

They're fearful of speeding cars and limit their time outside.

Calling 911, police are unable to provide a quick response to terminate such activities.

I am asking you to pass the council bill 120600 to create restricted racing zones and authorize use of an automated camera ticketing system.

Hopefully, this will send a no-nonsense message to those who make our streets unsafe.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Deborah Hendrickson and Deborah will be followed by Steve Pumphrey.

Good afternoon.

My name is Deborah Hendrickson, and I live with my husband and our two children in West Seattle.

I'm asking for your support for traffic safety cameras and designated racing zones.

My family belongs to a group of about 150 neighbors who came together out of a deep concern regarding the street racing, stunt driving, and other dangers occurring right next to the historic Alki Trail on Harbor and Alki Avenues.

Every day and night, we witness high-speed cars and motorcycles blasting along the 25-mile-per-hour streets at excessive street speeds.

Less than two weeks ago, a racer was reportedly traveling at speeds around 90 miles per hour when he hit a 24-year-old woman head-on with such impact that her car was spun around and sent over the seawall into Puget Sound.

This happened at 6 p.m.

on a Sunday night.

A time when the area is full of families and children.

The Southwest Precinct of the Seattle Police Department has been responsive to our concerns, but there is only so much they can do.

We need your help as city legislators and leaders.

If you have been to this area of the city on a beautiful summer day, you know you can find people of all ages and cultures enjoying the top rated beach in all of Seattle.

At a time when our beautiful city struggles with so many challenges, this is an area where people can come together.

Please help us make this dangerous stretch of road safe for all to enjoy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Steve Pumphrey and Steve will be followed by Bruce Hendrickson.

Thank you.

My name is Steve Pumphrey.

For the last 25 years, I've lived on Harbor Avenue, approximately halfway between the West Seattle Bridge and the beach.

Along the stretch from the beach to the bridge, high speed street racing, Reckless driving and stunt driving of both cars and motorcycles occurs daily in both daylight and dark hours, peaking on weekends.

This has been documented time and time again through video and photo.

I and my neighbors have observed multiple documented accidents causing injury and death.

Just nine days ago, another high speed collision occurred pushing an innocent driver into the bay.

A fatality was avoided only because of the heroic action of four brave bystanders while first responders were still en route.

In addition to serious risk to people, property damage is prevalent.

Multiple parked cars have been damaged.

Several steel streetlight poles have been taken down by speeders as well.

And for pedestrians, crossing Harbor and Alki is no longer safe, crosswalk or no crosswalk.

Will a designated restricted racing zone and automated ticketing system work?

I'm not naive enough to think that it's the end all, but I do believe it will be a significant deterrent if speeders are ticketed and the word gets out, especially if it's on an around the clock basis.

I think we all know the police are not able to do this for several reasons.

Plus the police are really an after the fact responder responding to 911 calls.

We need safe streets.

People do not feel safe.

We're in this together.

So please approve council bill 12060 and help us to make our neighborhoods safe for residents and visitors alike.

We have a beach that's recognized as one of the best urban beaches in the country and let's keep it that way.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Bruce Hendrickson and Bruce will be followed by Sheila Mead.

And I'm here today to urge you to vote in favor of authorizing traffic cameras and designated racing zones.

We live on Harbor Avenue, and it's a beautiful area.

We have a lot of families coming, crossing the street right in front of where we live.

and there is racing going on all the time.

We've worked together with City Councilwoman Herbold, with Deputy Mayor Wong, with SDOT, and we have speed bumps put in, and speed bumps have helped tremendously that we can't have the whole area covered in speed bumps.

So I think that the automated ticketing cameras are just one other to enforce the speed limit because the police just are not staffed to pull people over in speed traps.

So I am very supportive of this and I hope that you are as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Sheila Mead and Sheila will be followed by Nancy Moring.

Those of us here today represent our neighbors living on Harbor Avenue and Alki and we are asking for a yes for CB 120600. You have all received emails from me, so now you can put a face to that.

From July the 1st to July the 7th of my experiences on Harbor Avenue and Alki.

There is no way not to hear the sound of a speeding car or a motorcycle.

I hear screeching tires, the engines revving up and acceleration.

This happens where I live as the road has no speed bumps and is straight.

I will mention again having a truck pass me on the left side of me on an Alki intersection and I stopped for a very lucky pedestrian.

We need to get cameras installed as soon as possible to make this unsafe, unlawful action stopped.

The speeding seems to be in all neighborhoods.

This is a safety hazard.

Thanks to Lisa Herbold and Alex Peterson for initiating the conversation of our unsafe streets due to speeding.

Thanks also to Sarah Nelson and this is not the end.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Nancy Mooring and she will be followed by Kathleen Bruce.

My name is Nancy mooring I live in North Seattle, right by North, North Seattle College, and we are having there a huge problem with the ride share cars named gig.

Evidently it's a new fairly new company to the city, and the city evidently has an agreement with them.

that they don't have a return lot to return their cars to and they can park in front of our homes in two-hour time zones for up to 72 hours.

And calls to gig after 72 hours will just be told, we'll remove the car as soon as possible.

We've had cars sitting there for a week.

And it's gotten absolutely out of hand.

And evidently, an agreement was made with rideshare companies to the city.

And this started out with some agreement that started in 2012. I don't know what the agreement is, but I know we have become a storage area for these cars.

And it's hugely impacted the parking in front of our homes in a very densely populated area.

And we need some help.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Kathleen Brose, who will be followed by Donna Breski.

Good afternoon.

I am Kathleen Brose.

I'm a Ballard resident, and I'm here today to talk about public safety.

I don't want my beloved Seattle to become another San Francisco.

We need to make open drug use in Seattle illegal, prosecute and incarcerate the drug dealers, and place the addicted into treatment centers, not jail.

Enabling them to live in squalor and die on the streets is not compassionate and keeps the drug dealers in business.

Retail theft, which fuels drug addiction, needs to be addressed.

How many of you are aware that yet another Bartell drug store was recently closed in Ballard due to retail theft and the assault of employees?

How many of you are aware that the Taco Time on Elliott has been burgled and robbed so many times that they only accept credit cards now?

how long before they are forced to close.

It's not easy being a small business owner in Seattle.

Increased taxation, replacing broken windows, losing employees who are afraid to come into work, and raised insurance rates and fortunately forced businesses to raise prices.

At some point, it isn't worth it to stay in business.

How many of you have walked around downtown and noticed all of the empty storefronts?

I have.

If the military and FEMA can build large emergency housing facilities in a few days, why can't the city of Seattle do the same thing?

We need a triage center where these people in mental health, those people in mental health and addiction crises can receive services and short-term housing.

We need to end the camping on city streets, parks, under freeways and in green spaces.

If people need services, force them into the triage centers.

Too much funding is being wasted now on unregulated nonprofits who only make money if they keep them mentally ill and addicted on the street.

Seattle can return to a vibrant and safe place to live, work, and play if you have the will to make the necessary changes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Donna Bresky, and Donna will be followed by Matt Wasey.

have items for public record, 11 total.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council.

My name is Donna Breske.

I am a licensed civil engineer.

I am here today to ask the Council to take action to rescind Seattle Public Utilities Director's Rule WTR-440 created in 2021 and instead revert to the previous rules, CS 101 and CS 102. The requirements within the 440 directors rule exceed the authority allowed of the executive branch of government.

The rule is riddled with non-code supported requirements to upgrade the city water main system infrastructure as a condition of the right to access new water service.

For a presentation by my staff, and myself to the council during public testimony on June 20, 2023. Information was provided with respect to five revised codes of Washington that place limitations on the authority of a city to collect fees or exact system improvements as a condition of access to water.

RCW 82.02.050 is one of those five applicable state codes.

The five RCWs are blatantly missing from Section 10 of WTR 440 that lists authority for direction therein.

Seattle Municipal Code 3.02.040 states that any person may petition the repeal of a rule.

Furthermore, each agency shall prescribe by rule the procedure for submission consideration and disposition of such rule.

However, despite this code mandate, no such rule exists.

The non-existence was confirmed via a public records request.

Hence, my team and I are here today to ask the city council to be the path by which director's rule is rescinded.

Please consider this presentation from myself and from three others, the formal filing of a petition to rescind director's role, WTR 440.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Matt Wasse and Matt will be followed by Rachel Allen.

Good afternoon, Council.

My name is Matt Wass.

I'm an architect here in Seattle working with Donna on this issue.

Prior to WTR 440, water availability information was provided via Director's Rules CS 101 and CS 102. Thank you.

These previous director's rules included reference to several applicable sections of the Seattle and Washington State Code that limits the authority of a water purveyor.

The previous rule, CS102, for a water availability certificate includes the language, Section 4, General Policies, Paragraph A states, SPU will offer all customers in like circumstances the same requirements, services, agreements, or privileges.

WTR 440 does not include this code-compliant phrasing.

Furthermore, it is RCW 80.28.080 that speaks to the premise.

No water company shall charge, demand, collect, or receive a greater or less or different compensation for any service rendered.

I want to emphasize the phrasing for any service rendered.

New water service is a service rendered, and SPU cannot place a greater connection rate.

mandating an owner pay for and install public water system upgrades as a condition of access to water.

This disregard to acknowledge and adhere to codes leads to a requirement within WTR 440 that states a water main extension or other water system improvement is required in order to receive an approved WRAC, Water Availability Certificate.

In contrast, is the previous director rule CS 102, which correctly summarized the purpose of a water availability certificate per RCW 19.27.097, WACs provide information on the SPU water system only.

WTR 440 has effectively turned what should be a water availability certificate into a water inavailability certificate.

Water system upgrades are so costly and disproportionate to small development projects.

It renders access to waters unattainable.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Rachel Allen.

And Rachel will be followed by Edward Server.

Hello, my name is Rachel Allen, and I'm an employee of Donna breski resolution 31760 adopted in November, 2017 calls for SPU to change the method of calculating the water system development charge.

The water system development charges are also referred to as connection fees.

In response to the resolution, SPU released an issue paper dated June 1, 2018. Within is a discussion of how connection fees are calculated.

Subsequently, all new water service connection fees were increased.

To be clear, the resolution did not direct SPU to single out developers and mandate unsubstantiated water system improvements as a condition of access to water.

However, included within the issue paper is a writer sentence, increasing the scope beyond the directed by the council.

Said sentence reads, to complement system development charges, SPU is also evaluating the funding of infrastructure requirements on development projects to determine if there are any ways to more adequately assign costs between developers and rate payers.

SPU was in no way directed by the city council to add this writer sentence and single out developers.

This writer sentence is the beginning of SPU's blatant disregard to stay within the limits of direction from the city council and also to remain within the limitation of codes.

The council must rescind director's rule WTR 440 and reestablish the formal rules CS 101 and CS 102. The former rules recognize limitations of codes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Edward Server, I believe, and Edward will be followed by Chris Gretchen.

Hi, I'm Edward Suver, and I'm an associate of Donna Breski.

The issue paper goes on to mention latecomer agreements as some sort of holy grail that can be used by developers to offset non-code supported infrastructure upgrades.

This is absurd.

Latecomers fees rely upon water main extension passing by an undeveloped lot.

The premise being that a developer can engage with the owner of the undeveloped lot to pay for some of the water main extension so they can have cost-effective water down the road.

However, there are few if any undeveloped lots in the city.

Despite this, the reader is misled with a schematic within the 2018 issue paper.

It depicts a water main that extends past an undeveloped lot with some 100 feet of frontage.

It's titled Utility Latecomer Agreement.

However, the scenario does not represent the reality that the lots within Seattle are developed.

Suggesting that developers can benefit from latecomers agreement is a notion that's not supported by actual conditions in Seattle.

The city doesn't have a surplus of undeveloped lots with no water service.

There's practically no opportunities to execute a latecomers agreement.

Another item of concern with WTR 440, the previous rule CS 102 included a list of information that's provided to an applicant, including pressure zone description of existing water main and description of the closest fire hydrant, including the flow.

None of that information is provided to an applicant since WTR 440 went into effect.

WTR 440 is less transparent than the previous director's rules.

And when government moves away from transparency, it's a red flag.

I implore you to rescind director's rule WTR 440. Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Chris Gurchin and Chris will be followed by Alex Zimmerman.

Hi, I'm Chris Gergich.

I am a practicing traffic engineer in the city of Seattle and I'm here to support and ask you to amend the automated speed enforcement ordinance to require that the implementation plans include physical roadway improvements.

The current language notes the Council anticipates that SPD and SDOT will prioritize physical improvements, but does not require them to do so.

As Council Member Morales noted in her presentation on the 18th, many of the roadways identified as racing zones have also been identified as needing safety improvements.

These cameras should be installed in conjunction with these improvements, but not in place of them.

There is a reason that speeding happens on these roadways.

It's enabled and encouraged by the roadway design.

Let's consider West Marginal Way as an example.

The roadway is 60 feet wide with 12 foot lanes.

Signalized intersections are more than two miles apart.

It's mostly flat and has gradual curves.

It was previously posted at 40 and was reduced to 30 without any changes to the roadway.

Since then, SDOT has added a buffered cycle track, but only for about half the corridor.

And most of the corridor remains as it was when it was signed at 40 miles an hour.

The city should not have roadways that are designed for high travel speeds, signed to prohibit those speeds and then automatically enforce any arbitrary speed limits.

Installing these cameras without also reconfiguring the roadways causes speed traps.

This will have an especially chilling effect when installed in minority communities.

We are giving drivers the ability to behave in ways we don't want them to, blaming them when they do, and then punishing them for the behavior that the roadway was designed to accommodate.

We have to stop blaming the user for the engineer's mistakes.

There are a multitude of benefits to these cameras.

The greatest being that when a ticket comes from a camera instead of a police officer, the enforcement can't escalate into a life-threatening situation.

If Seattle implements these automated speed enforcement cameras without correcting the root problem, we risk losing the public's trust.

We can only do this once.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Alex Zimmerman, and Alex will be followed by Kathleen Anderson.

Madam Clerk, I didn't hear the last name, I'm sorry.

Following Alex Zimmerman will be Kathleen Anderson.

Okay, thank you.

Zee Kyle.

My dirty fuhrer.

a Democrat, mafia, and bandita.

My name Alex Zimmerman, I live in Bellevue.

Okay, we're cutting it right now.

Security, Mr. Zimmerman, you're not gonna call anyone names and refer to anybody's race.

So let's put that on the record.

Shut down the mic.

Mr. Zimmerman, you know what the rules are.

You don't get to call people names based on their race.

So here we are again.

So let's note that for the record and let's call the next speaker after security.

Okay, our next speaker will be Kathleen Anderson.

Thank you.

I apologize to those in chambers, particularly those folks that come here to give us real public comment.

I just apologize.

I'm sorry.

So this is what we deal with when people don't follow the rules to just be kind and respectful.

And if Kathleen Anderson is here, she will be followed by Claytez Jones.

Great, thank you, Madam Clerk.

She may not be here.

We did have a number of people leave earlier.

We're going to go for, is it Claytez Jones?

OK, and we're going to move on to Barbara Downward.

We do have Cortez.

Okay.

Hello city hall this is a courtesy Andrew Jones I'm just looking to kind of talk about how criminal investigations have been going on for the city.

I've been helping out a lot with that because I'm looking to start a criminal investigations team.

I have to go on vacation, do colleges and fraternities and sororities.

So I'm going to be stopping that, like sending in a lot of information.

But I thank you guys for reading it.

And I thank you guys for giving me the opportunity to come in all the time and speak to you guys.

Absolutely wonderful stuff you guys got going on here in the city of Seattle.

And I am a Washingtonian myself.

I just moved around a lot with my family members.

I'd like to represent the city of Seattle properly by giving extra information about what I've done over the course of a couple months while living as a homeless man in Washington State.

I've taken over the role of living as a homeless man, but I'm looking to now promote school.

Thank you.

by being sponsored by Dickey's.

So thank you so much for giving me the opportunity.

I'm always going to bring in some information when I come in here for you guys to read.

And again, I appreciate you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker.

I don't believe Barbara Downward was here, but if she is, she'll be followed by Andy Stewart.

Okay, no Barbara, no Andy.

This may be our last speaker.

Is there an Allen Hensley still here?

Okay, Council President, that's it for our speakers.

Right, thank you.

And thank you all for those who called in and those who came to Chambers to speak to today's agenda or any other item that you spoke to.

But with that, we are going to close public comment and move on into our agenda.

So next adoption of the introduction referral calendar.

There's no objection.

The introduction or referral calendar will be adopted, not seen or hearing an objection.

It is indeed adopted.

Moving on to adoption of the agenda.

There is no objection.

Today's agenda will be adopted, not hearing or seeing objection.

Today's agenda is adopted.

Let's move on to the consent calendar.

And this is what we have on today's consent calendar.

We have the minutes from July 18th.

We have council bill, payroll bill, council bill one, two, zero.

Six to one, and we have 24 appointments, so let me just read a few of these off from my committee, the Governance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee.

We have three reappointments and one new appointment.

So the three reappointments are to council member Stevenson from Muckleshoot, the CEO of the Saline Health Board, Asia Tale from the Seattle Foundation.

And our new appointment for the youth position is Megan Castillo, who is with Coyote Central.

Moving on, it looks like Councillor Morales' committee was very busy.

She has one appointment for the Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority, one appointment to the Landmarks Preservation Board, one appointment to the Seattle Disability Committee, one appointment to the Seattle Human Rights Commission, one appointment to the Seattle Youth Commission, one appointment to the Seattle Arts Commission, one appointment to the Community Involvement Commission, one appointment to the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority, six appointments to the Museum Development Authority Governing Council, and four appointments to the Seattle Women's Commission.

Thank you, Council Member Morales, for moving those appointments along.

And last, we have an appointment out of the Public Asset and Homelessness Committee, which is Council Member Lewis, and that is one appointment to the Climate Pledge Arena Giving Council.

So that was a lot, 24 appointments.

They all got through a committee unanimously.

With that, are there any items any council member would like to remove from today's consent calendar?

All right, I do not hear any with that, I move to adopt the consent calendar.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt the consent calendar.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of the consent calendar?

Council Member Peterson?

Yes.

Yes.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales.

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council President Ores.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

The consent calendar is adopted.

Will the clerk please affix my signature to the minutes and legislation and the appointments on my behalf.

Let's move along in our agenda to committee reports.

We have seven committee reports, and I believe later on in our agenda, we have a resolution that will be offered by Council Member Peterson, and we'll discuss that later.

So let's start with item number one, and that is from me.

So Madam Clerk, will you please read item number one into the record?

The report of the governance native communities and tribal governments committee agenda item one appointment to 609 the reappointment of Ryan P pencil as hearing examiner office of the hearing examiner for a term to March 20 2027 the committee recommends the Council confirm the appointment.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Let me just give a brief overview.

Obviously, this was passed out of committee unanimously and we all had an opportunity to look at the reappointment packet of Mr. Vancell.

Mr. Vancell has served in the office of hearing examiner for nearly seven years.

Mr. Vancell became deputy hearing examiner in October of 2016. He is overseeing quasi judicial administrative review of approximately six to eight hundred cases per year.

performing all aspects of the hearing process.

Mr. Vancell has led OHE through challenges posed by COVID-19, conducting a historically high caseload of hearings while converting to a remote setting.

Thank you for that Ryan or Mr. Vancell.

Mr. Vancell was originally appointed as a hearing examiner in March of 2018. His reappointment to this position was recommended unanimously by the Governance, Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee on July 20th.

So with that, are there any comments from the floor before we move to a vote?

All right, I am not seeing any.

So with that, will the clerk please call the roll on the confirmation of the appointment?

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council President Juarez?

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you.

The appointment is confirmed.

My understanding is Mr. Vancell is in the audience.

Congratulations hearing examiner Vancell.

I just wanted to thank you for being here today.

And I want to thank my colleagues for voting yes on this important re reappointment.

All right.

With that, let's move on to item number two.

Madam Clerk, will you please read item number two into the record?

Agenda item two, the report of the City Council, Council Bill 120620, an ordinance authorizing the Director of Finance, the Director of the Department of Finance and Administrative Services or the designee to execute a lease with the Department of the Army for the city's continued use of an approximately 13,000 square foot warehouse facility at 1561 Alaskan Way South for the operation of the St. Martin de Porres Shelter for Homeless Men over the age of 50.

Thank you.

I move to pass Council Bill 120620. Second.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded and Councilor Mosqueda.

Councilor Mosqueda.

Sorry, Madam President.

This was passed out of Council unanimously.

I encourage your support.

Thank you.

Are there any comments from the floor regarding Council Bill 120620?

Not seeing any.

Councilor Muscat, is there anything you want to add before we go to a vote?

No, thank you, Council President.

Thank you.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Peterson?

Aye.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales.

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda.

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes, the chair will sign it, and Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the legislation on my behalf.

Looks like we're going to look at something from the Public Assets and Homeless Committee.

Could you please read item number three into the record?

The report of the Public Assets and Homelessness Committee Agenda Item 3, Council Bill 120609, an ordinance authorizing the superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation to enter into a concession agreement with Sail Sandpoint to occupy and use a portion of the Magnuson North Shore Recreation Area at Warren G. Magnuson Park to provide sailing and boating programs and education, short-term boat rentals, and dry boat storage.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you.

Council Member Lewis.

Thank you, Council President.

I will be brief in summarizing this agenda item.

We spent two committee hearings in July discussing this proposed concession agreement with Sales Sandpoint to occupy a portion of Magnuson Park for the purposes of their sailing concession.

It includes a number of public benefits, including the maintenance and repairing of several facilities and continuing to maintain and open a public restroom.

In addition to some other programming related to the sailing concession as well as some aquatics safety programming as well.

We were able to go into a great amount of detail with the department and ask them a lot of questions at our first meeting earlier in July.

We were then able to get a significant amount of supplementary information and a more detailed presentation at our committee hearing last week that satisfied the committee and we were able to approve this agreement with four votes in favor and none opposed.

So the committee does unanimously recommend adoption of this concession agreement and appreciate the Parks Department for speedily replying to the request for additional information from the committee and the questions from committee members that led to that recommendation and can with confidence recommend that the full council approve this agreement this afternoon.

Thank you, Council Member Lewis.

Are there any comments from our colleagues?

I do not see any.

Council Member Lewis, are you good before we go to a vote?

Nothing further, I am ready to vote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Peterson?

Yes.

Council Member Salant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

I said I oh I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Council President or s.

I nine in favor and opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes the chair will sign it.

And again, Madam Clerk, please fix my signature to this legislation.

On my behalf.

Moving on to item number four, could you please read item number four into the record.

The report of the Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities Committee agenda item for Council Bill 120600, an ordinance establishing additional uses for automated traffic safety cameras and designating restricted racing zones and amending sections of the Seattle Municipal Code.

The committee recommends the bill pass as amended.

Yes, Mayor Peterson, I understand that Councilor Herbold is indeed a co-sponsor, but you'll be speaking to it first.

Yes, Council President, I'll be brief.

I really appreciate the early collaboration and initiative.

the actions from Council Member Herbold to get this done on this transportation safety measure.

Council Bill 120600 identifies dangerous drag racing zones throughout our city, where our constituents and our city government departments have seen repeated reckless driving and speeding.

And thanks to our state legislature, we can now have this local legislation to authorize the use of automated enforcement in these dangerous driving zones.

Automated enforcement cameras are an effective tool to discourage reckless driving, increase pedestrian safety, and reduce interactions between drivers and our understaffed police department.

And while it will not solve all the reckless driving problems, this technology is another tool in our tool belt to reduce collisions and save lives on some of our city's most dangerous roadways.

I want to thank council members Morales and Strauss for adding dangerous speed zones from their districts based on feedback from their constituents.

This council bill was unanimously recommended by committee.

Thank you.

Are there any other comments from the floor or from the co-sponsor, Council Member Herbold?

Council Member Herbold.

Thanks so much.

I'd like to start by thanking Council Member Peterson.

hearing this bill in his committee and for co-sponsoring this legislation.

And thanks to committee members who passed the bill unanimously, as well as adding racing zones from their district.

For several years as District 1 Council Member, I have heard from West Seattle residents about dangerous drag car racing.

along Alki, Harbor Ave, and West Marginal Way.

I appreciate having neighbors come down to City Hall today from Alki.

There's similar racing in another neighborhood less represented here today, but that I still hear regularly from the sounds of cars, drag racing is regularly audible during evenings for those who live in Delridge.

And for those of you unfamiliar with the area, that is far up the hill from West Marginal Way when the racing occurs.

It's really important to recognize that we are designating racing zones.

One of the speakers today spoke about reconfiguring the roadways to reduce speeding generally, which I agree with wholeheartedly.

But these racers are not simply speeding.

They are going upwards of 70 miles per hour up past 100 miles per hour along West Marginal Way.

And these are the specific areas that we are working on designating in this legislation.

This is not a situation of people driving just a bit over the speed limit and more to the current design of the road.

So for me, it's really important to distinguish these designated areas as racing areas as simply areas where people are speeding.

This kind of egregious speeding is a safety issue.

Addressing the safety issue is in line with what the Vision Zero effort is designed to address.

And as mentioned, 2022 state law allows for additional areas including school walk zones, public park zones, and hospital speed zones eligible for speeding cameras.

But for racing zones, the state law authorized local legislative bodies to first designate the racing zones eligible for automated speed enforcement.

before the transportation departments in our jurisdictions can implement them.

So this legislation provides SDOT the authority for automated speed enforcement in these locations.

It does not provide the budget authority or make a decision to install cameras or provide an implementation plan.

This is being done separately.

SDOT is working on a process for speed cameras that will involve work with the equity group, public outreach, and development and policies in line with state law.

This legislation also requires an equity analysis that, again, SDOT is working on.

In the Alki and Harbor Avenue neighborhoods, we know there's support for a variety of safety approaches, including for speed humps, which have been installed in some places.

I've been a strong advocate for that and really appreciate the support of the Southwest Precinct Captain, Captain Rivera, right now, but previous Southwest Precinct Captains dating back several years.

In May and June, I was in contact with SDOT about the interest of residents in speed humps on Alki from Anchor Park towards Alki Point.

This interest was first expressed, well, maybe not first expressed, but publicly expressed in a public meeting back in August, I believe.

And again, I'm still continuing conversations with SDOT about moving that forward.

As mentioned in public comment, weekend before last, there was a horrible, collision on Alki Avenue and we're really fortunate that no pedestrians or cyclists were hit and that, as noted during public comment, the brave action of bystanders was critical in getting the victim out of the submerged vehicle.

Another issue that has been raised is how the revenue from speed cameras is going to be used and whether or not it's going to be designated to traffic safety projects.

Keep in mind that the revenue, the resource for investment and other traffic safety investments goes down as drivers adjust to the speed cameras.

That happens, which is a good thing.

We want that to happen.

But under state law, 50% of the funds go to the state Cooper-Jones Transportation Safety Account.

And SDOT will be bringing forward legislation that not only references this requirement but it will also provide us an opportunity to have a broader conversation about where to dedicate the remaining 50% of funds, perhaps directly to programs like Vision Zero or Safe Routes to School as this council has done and previous councils have done with red light cameras and school zone cameras.

In closing, the bill addresses concerns that have been raised about traffic enforcement generally and camera enforcement specifically by groups like Greenways and Whose Streets Are Streets with an expectation that these concerns will be addressed by SDOT in their work with the Transportation Equity Workgroup in I quote, mitigating the disproportionate impacts of fines, creating an equitable citywide distribution of cameras, developing a policy to prioritize physical street safety improvements before implementing automated ticketing, and addressing privacy concerns by documenting, publicizing, and strengthening protections around the use of images and data collected by automated enforcement cameras.

Lastly, thank you to District One residents who joined us today and for their advocacy throughout this deliberative process for the legislation.

And thank you to Newell Aldrich in my office in helping neighbors to mobilize effectively towards what I hope will be an enactment of this council bill today.

Thank you, Council Member Herbold.

Council Member Peterson, are there any closing remarks from you as sponsor before?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Council Member Sawant.

Thank you, President Juarez.

I'm completely opposed to anyone using our city streets for racing.

I urge drivers to drive slowly and safely and my office has advocated for Seattle Department of Transportation installing traffic calming infrastructure such as speed humps, cushions and tables.

However, I will be voting no on this legislation to expand the use of automated traffic cameras to automatically issue speeding tickets because The complete context is that this bill is not about racing.

In reality, these cameras would issue speeding tickets extremely broadly, regardless of whether someone is specifically racing or simply going six miles per hour over the speed limit.

The expansive use of speeding tickets is a punitive approach to traffic safety that is disproportionately punishing to poor and working class drivers.

Speeding tickets are hundreds of dollars that are devastatingly unaffordable to many workers and are not even a minor deterrent to the rich.

And automated traffic enforcement cameras issue massive numbers of tickets.

From a March opinion editorial in Real Change, which is titled, Seattle's Automated Traffic Cameras Disproportionately Target Neighborhoods of Color, The authors, Ethan Campbell and Noura Ahmed, both from Whose Streets Are Streets, say, quote, but rates of automated ticketing in Seattle have soared.

Cameras now issue nearly 200,000 tickets each year, almost 50 times more than police officers, and Seattle plans to double the number of school zone speed cameras in 2023, end quote.

And then another part of their article says, A $237 ticket may be pocket change for a household earning Seattle's median income of nearly $111,000, but can mean the difference between paying rent or affording groceries for low-income families.

Implementing a tiered ticketing structure will admittedly present administrative challenges, but has proven successful outside of the US and is essential to leveling the unequal burden currently imposed by tickets.

And in the interim, as Dodd should reduce fines across the board.

Their point is that if, if such tickets are going to be issued through automatic cameras, then they have to be income differentiated.

But that is not the case at this moment.

So, I mean, it's one thing to say something aspirational, but that's not what's happening right now.

And that's their point that it is punitive to to working class and low income and poor households.

And disproportionately, of course, because of the correlation with race, it also happens to be many communities of color that are affected.

We also need to be clear that this automated traffic camera expansion establishes a dangerous precedent.

It will not be the only expansion of automated ticketing.

I voted yes on the initial cameras enforcing school zones, which are of exceptional safety concern.

but that cannot then be an excuse for covering the city with an ever-expanding blanket of unaffordable traffic fines.

So I will vote no, thank you.

Thank you, Council Member Sawant.

Are there any other comments from the floor?

Council Member Herbold, I see, is that an old hand or a new hand?

It's a new hand.

I just wanted to answer one of the concerns.

Certainly.

Thank you so much.

I do want to clarify that SDOT has let us know that they could, in theory, set a policy that would trigger violations at higher speeds when issued in race zones than in other speed zones.

And SDOT further reports that these are the kinds of questions that they'll be looking at as they set the policies.

that they are engaged in establishing with these new authorized forms of camera enforcement.

So just wanted to flag that consistent with my earlier remarks about how a racing zone can be different than just regular speeding.

Thank you, Council Member Hurmold.

Are there any other comments?

Council Member Peterson has sponsored this bill.

Are there any closing remarks that you would like to make before we move to a vote?

I think you know, Council President.

All right, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Council Member Peterson?

Yes.

Council Member Salant?

No.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council President Ores.

Aye.

Eight in favor, one opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes, the chair will sign it, and Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to this legislation on my behalf.

Let's keep moving on in our agenda to item number five.

We please read item agenda item five council bill 120613 an ordinance granting 300 pine street condominium association permission to continue maintaining and operating a pedestrian skybridge over and across third Avenue between pine street and Stewart street, the committee recommends the bill pass.

Thank you, customer Peterson.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, Council Bill 120613 is recommended by our Seattle Department of Transportation to do and extend our authorization to maintain a skybridge across 3rd Avenue between Pine and Stewart.

The committee unanimously recommended passage of this council bill.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Peterson.

Are there any comments from our colleagues on the floor regarding this bill?

Not seeing any.

Councilor Peterson, I'm guessing you're You're okay to go ahead with the vote?

Correct.

Great.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Council Member Peterson?

Yes.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson.

Aye.

Council President Ores.

Aye.

Nine in favor, nine opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes.

Chair will sign it.

And Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to this legislation.

Let's move on to item number seven.

Please read item seven into the record.

Are we on item number seven or six?

I thought we just finished six.

Nope.

We're on item six.

Oh, we're on six.

Oh, I got ahead.

This is a non-city grants.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for confirming.

Agenda item six, council bill 120614, an ordinance relating to grant funds from non-city sources, authorizing the heads of various departments to accept specified grants and execute related agreements for and on behalf of the city.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

It's because Councillor Peterson has been busy in his committee.

Councillor Peterson.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, Council Bill 120614 is recommended by our Seattle Department of Transportation to accept various grants from other levels of government.

The committee unanimously recommended passage of this council bill.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any comments from the floor?

Not seeing any, and I'm guessing Councillor Peterson is good to go ahead.

Correct.

With that, Madam Clerk, will you please call the vote?

Council Member Peterson?

Yes.

Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

Council Member Strauss?

Yes.

Council Member Herbold?

Yes.

Council Member Lewis?

Yes.

Council Member Morales?

Yes.

Council Member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council Member Nelson?

Aye.

Council President Juarez.

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you, the bill passes, and the chair will sign it.

And again, Madam Clerk please affix my signature to this legislation.

Now we'll again go to item number seven which is Mr. Peterson again so go ahead, Madam Clerk.

Agenda item seven Council bill 120612 an ordinance relating to Seattle Public Utilities authorizing the general manager CEO of Seattle Public Utilities to execute contracts with Cedar Grove Composting Inc. and Lentz Enterprises Inc. for organic waste processing services.

The committee recommends the bill pass.

Councilor Peterson.

Thank you, Council President.

Colleagues, Council Bill 120612 approves a contract for processing and composting food and yard waste and other organics as recommended by our Seattle Public Utilities.

The contract is essentially the same contract already in place now.

It was reviewed by our central staff with no issues, and it would be the same vendors or service providers.

It's in line with the already approved rate path from Seattle Public Utilities overall.

The committee unanimously recommend the passage of the council bill.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Peterson.

Is there any further discussion or debate?

Not seeing any, I'm guessing you're okay to go forward with the vote, Councilmember Peterson?

Yes.

All right.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll on the passage of the bill?

Councilmember Peterson?

Yes.

Councilmember Sawant?

Yes.

Councilmember Strauss?

Yes.

Yes.

Council member Herbold?

Yes.

Council member Lewis?

Yes.

Council member Morales?

Yes.

Council member Mosqueda?

Aye.

Council member Nelson?

Aye.

Council president Juarez?

Aye.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you.

The bill passes and the chair will sign it.

And again, Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to this legislation that ends our items from committee.

So let's move into items removed from the consent calendar.

As you know, no items were removed from the consent calendar moving on to adoption of other resolutions.

Will the clerk please read item number eight into the record?

Agenda item eight, resolution 32098, a resolution setting the public hearing on the petition of Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, here after Sound Transit, for the vacation of the South 115.78 feet portion of the alley in block three, Shelton's addition to the city of Seattle in the block bounded by Northeast 45th Street, Roosevelt Way Northeast, Northeast 47th Street, and 11th Avenue Northeast, in the University Community Urban Center of Seattle.

according to chapter 35.79 of the revised code of Washington, chapter 15.62 of the Seattle Municipal Code, and clerk file 314496.

Thank you.

I move to adopt Resolution 32098. Is there a second?

Second.

Thank you.

It's been moved and seconded to adopt Resolution 32098. Council Member Peterson, it's finally in front of us.

You can quit bothering me about this.

It's all you.

Thank you council president colleagues this resolution 32098 simply sets a public hearing date of August 15 and the transportation committee the purpose of the public hearing is to discuss a proposed alley vacation in my district district for on the property located on Northeast 45th Street between Roosevelt way Northeast and 11th Avenue Northeast.

This is the future site of a permanent low-income housing transit-oriented development on land owned currently by Sound Transit.

It's where Rosie's Village currently has 35 tiny homes.

A vacation of the southern portion of the alley will provide more room for more low-income housing.

So this resolution is ministerial in nature because it simply sets the date for the public hearing and committee.

I want to thank city council, central staff, analysts, Lish Whitson and my legislative aide, Hannah Thorsen, and ask for your approval.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilor Peterson.

I made that comment because, as you know, I sit on Sound Transit and you have been after me for a while on this resolution.

So it may be ministerial, but it's really, really important because that's where our tiny house village is.

And we would like to see that transferred and the street vacation happen.

so we can actually build it into brick and mortar for low income folks.

So I appreciate your leadership on this and getting the resolution done with central staff and bringing it forward to the full council.

So I will be voting yes.

Are there any other comments regarding this resolution?

You're good to go, Council Member Peterson, on a vote?

Yes.

Great.

Will the clerk please call the roll on the adoption of resolution Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Council member Hussain.

Yes.

Hi.

Nine in favor, none opposed.

Thank you.

The resolution is adopted and the chair will sign it.

And Madam Clerk, please affix my signature to the resolution on my behalf.

Moving on into our agenda to other business.

Is there any other business to come before council?

OK, I thought there was going to be some emotion for anyone to be excused, so I guess I'm not seeing that.

All right, okay, well, there's a chance I might not be here next week as well.

Just I would like to get excused in case that's the chance given the upcoming.

Okay, for next week, thank you.

If there's no objection, will be excused from the August 8th city council meeting.

I do not see or hear an objection so is indeed excused.

for the August 8th City Council meeting, which is next week.

Excuse me, Council President, next week is August the 1st.

Oh, I'm sorry.

The 1st.

I got that wrong.

I don't know why I have the 8th in my head.

I apologize.

The 1st.

Thank you for correcting me.

Okay.

Is there any other?

All right, I'm not seeing any.

Colleagues, this does conclude our items of business for today, and the next regularly scheduled city council meeting will indeed be on August 1st, not August 8th.

Thank you all and for everything, and we are adjourned.