Seattle City Council Briefing 7/18/22

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Council Member Nelson.

Present.

Council Member Peterson.

Present.

Council Member Sawant.

Council Member Sawant.

I see that she's unmuted, but I cannot hear her at this time.

Yeah, I just saw her a minute ago, so.

I'll move forward.

Council Member Strauss.

Present.

And Council President Juarez?

Here.

That's six present.

Thank you.

And we can loop back to Council Member Sawant when she clicks on.

We can let us know when that happens.

Okay, going through the agenda, there are no minutes for approval today.

Going to the President's Report.

On today's agenda, we have no proclamations, letters, presentations, or executive session.

On tomorrow's agenda, the consent calendar will include the minutes and the payment of bills, as well as five appointments, including two recommended by the Land Use Committee and two recommended by the Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights, and Cultural Committee.

We will take one vote on all items on the consent calendar unless any council member requests that an item be removed for consideration separately.

If so, that item will be taken up at the end of the agenda.

Following the consent calendar, we will be considering eight items recommended by four committees, including the six-year strategic plan for Seattle City Light recommended by the Economic Development, Technology and City Light Committee, two items from the Land Use Committee, including the resolution on climate change as an update to the comprehensive plan.

Thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Four items from the Neighborhood Education, Civil Rights and Culture Committee, including three regarding historic preservation and one regarding service animals.

And that will come to us via Council Member Morales.

And finally, one item from the Public Safety and Human Services Committee regarding investigations.

Information on all these items is available on the online agenda.

There are no letters going in our agenda to signing of letters and proclamations.

There are no letters or proclamations for signature today.

I should add that Council Member Herbold is excused today, as well as Council Member Mosqueda and Lewis.

Okay.

Sorry, I should have said that at the top of the hour there.

Going to our preview of city council actions, council and regional committees reports.

Council Member Lewis again and Council Member Herbold are absent today.

Council Member Morales will begin.

And the order is Council Member Morales, Mosqueda, Nelson, Peterson, Council Member Sawant, Council Member Strauss, and then myself.

Council Member Morales.

Good afternoon, colleagues.

Happy Monday.

Let's see.

There are five items from the Neighborhoods, Education, Arts and Rights Committee on this week's full council agenda.

For tomorrow, as Council President mentioned, we have two appointments for the Citizen Involvement Commission.

We have, oh dear, I don't have the bill number, but a bill defining service animals that came through my committee, and three landmark designations for three different Seattle public schools.

Those will all be on tomorrow's agenda.

I do have one item on the introduction and referral calendar.

Council Bill 120374 relating to human rights, protecting against discrimination based on actual potential perceived or alleged pregnancy outcomes.

The point of this bill is to add as a protected class, those who are seeking abortions.

This will be in my committee on Friday for discussion and possible vote.

Excuse me.

Last week I met with the director of OIRA, Director Mohamed and her team.

And the big thing she wanted to talk about is DACA renewals.

So you may know that this past April, the Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that DACA renewals could happen online now, could be filed online.

And so there's confusion, a little bit of trepidation about doing something like this online.

So She asked me to convey that there is support and assistance through OIRA's renewal page and lots of nonprofit organizations that are providing assistance to folks who are trying to file their renewal online.

You do have to first create an online account in order to file the form.

It's quick and painless as far as technology goes these days.

But if folks have questions or if you know somebody who might need some assistance, please have them reach out to the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

Let's see, this week I will be chairing the Board of Health meeting on Thursday.

Our agenda includes a presentation from Dr. Jeff Duchin on the county's Climate and Health Equity Initiative.

We'll also be discussing the restructure of the Board of Health.

As you may know, this is being precipitated by House Bill 1152 that passed last year that requires all local health boards to include an equal number of elected and non-elected officials.

And so as a Board of Health, we've been receiving applications and reviewing applications.

So we will be getting updated on that process.

Last week, I met with Working Washington and Casa Latina and others representing domestic workers to discuss potential new legislation for portable benefits.

It's early days for this.

There's a lot of work to do, but I'm excited that the research has begun, the policy dive has begun, and look forward to supporting the work as it continues to move forward.

I also want to share, I had two tours last week in my district, and it's unfortunate timing, good timing, I'm not really sure how to think about it, but last Wednesday, I believe, we met Council Member Peterson at SDOT Interim Director Simpson and their Vision Zero team attended the district with me.

Two days later, on Friday, 10 people walking or biking were hit by drivers throughout the city, including one person who was killed near the West Seattle Bridge.

In one day, 10 people were hit in Capitol Hill, South Lake Union, on Aurora.

A pregnant person was hit in High Point.

Somebody was hit in Columbia City.

Ballard, Elliott Bay, near the Expedia offices.

And while it is absolutely true that my district experiences a disproportionately high higher rate of crashes and fatalities through through the city.

The problem of unsafe infrastructure is not unique to the south end.

So as we move into the budget cycle, I will continue to rewind my colleagues and the mayor of the desperate need to invest in Vision Zero infrastructure, because people are literally taking their lives into their own hands, just for trying to navigate around the city without a car.

And as I've said before, driving is not simply an option if you're blind or deaf-blind or have low vision, as many people, particularly in the South End, who use the lighthouse for the blind are.

And every Seattleite should be free to get around their city safely, no matter what mode of transportation they choose.

So I do want to thank Council Member Peterson again as Chair of the Transportation Committee and the SDOT team, the Mayor's Office was there as well.

They joined me, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and the Cascade Bicycle Club on our tour of District 2. We spent quite a bit of time at 4th and Holgate down in Soto talking about how we can improve the roads through Soto so that pedestrians and cyclists who use the neighborhood to get around and freight trucks can move through to the waterfront and have clear lines of vision.

We also visited Lighthouse for the Blind and learned about some of the important improvements that are needed to help folks navigate the transit stops and the wayfinding improvements that are needed down there.

and also went to Henderson to see the challenges that students are facing as they're trying to get to and from school.

So that was tour number one.

I also took a tour of some really exciting economic development projects that are happening in district two.

I wanna thank OED director McIntyre and OIRA director Mohammed and their teams for joining us in the district.

We had an amazing conversation with La Union which is a POC-owned architecture firm that is working to do a build-out in a ground floor of a new apartment building.

They're working with Baja Bistro and Chez Bugs, both of which are businesses with deep roots in Beacon Hill.

Both were displaced from their previous facilities, and so this is a really exciting opportunity to bring them back and make sure that they stay in Beacon Hill.

Their new site will be housed at the West Galena apartment building on Beacon Avenue, and we are anticipating a grand reopening next year, so stay tuned for that.

We also visited with the Somali Community Cultural Innovation Hub.

This is a collaboration between the Somali Health Board, Somali Community Services, and Al Noor Mosque to build a space down on MLK.

that could serve as a community health hub.

They're interested in affordable housing for seniors and an early learning center.

And right now there are 21 micro businesses in this four plot area.

So those businesses are very interested in purchasing this land and being able to create a real cultural home, community home for the Somali community.

So we're excited to support them and see what we can do to help with that acquisition.

And just wrapping up a few things, this week our office is attending the 100th anniversary of Rainier Arts Center and community meeting at the Rainier Beach Community Center regarding the Rainier Beach Skate Park, which I'm very excited about, although I will admit I still have not learned how to do a kickflip.

So skate like a girl if you're listening, I promise I will connect.

I'll also be participating in Senator Mona Doss's press conference this week on navigating abortion access in Washington.

On Thursday I'll be hosting a press conference at City Hall with Councilmember Herbold and other community advocates to announce our legislation on ensuring protections for abortion care and gender affirming health care.

And I'll be attending KCRHA's District 2 Homelessness Response Workshop later this week.

And then finally, I will be hosting the fourth installation of my Seattle Within Reach speaker series on Friday, June 22nd.

This month's theme is centered on economic development and community wealth building, and I'm excited to be joined by speakers from the Brookings Institute and People's Economy Lab.

We will make sure that that is posted, so if anybody wants to follow up afterward, we'll let you know how to do that.

That is all I have.

Colleagues, if there are any questions or comments, I'm happy to take them.

I don't see any, so I will pass it to Council Member Mosqueda.

Thank you very much.

I am going to start with extending my condolences as well out here in West Seattle.

Just over the lower bridge, there was a fatal car accident and a cyclist was killed as well.

And I echo Councilmember Morales' comments about needing strong interconnected cycling networks and safe places for folks across our city.

And also to look at our infrastructure to see where it makes sense to expand networks if If our pathways that we're sending folks on are not the most accessible and the most cohesive for folks, then we need to reevaluate what will be workable for everybody, including cyclists and pedestrians across our city.

Second, I want to extend a huge note of condemnation against the violence that individuals continue to experience as both electeds and as candidates.

Pastor Anderson, who was doorbelling for his legislative district seat, was hit by two BB gun bullets while out doorbelling.

And this happened within a week of our very own congressional member, Representative Jayapal, being threatened at her home with a gun and racist slurs being levied against her and her family.

So we will continue to send messages to support the call for any violence to be condemned by no matter who it is.

We also wanted to make sure that folks had a chance to see our updated agenda for the Finance and Housing Committee meeting.

The Finance and Housing Committee will be meeting this week on Wednesday at 9.30 AM.

That's July 20th at 9.30.

There will be the opportunity to provide public comment, but the strong recommendation from me, the chair, is to please provide remote presentation.

We will have no in-person presenters at the table, and any council members that are in chambers are strongly encouraged to wear their masks, as well as any attendees.

So if you would like to provide public comment, of course, we would welcome that, and strongly encourage folks to continue to provide public comment from the remote options listed on the agenda.

On the agenda, we do have some updates.

We will have a discussion briefing and possible vote on a resolution that Councilmember Lewis has introduced, and that includes making sure that we have a sustainable procurement policy.

So resolution 32060 is on the introduction and referral calendar, and we're seeking additional feedback from folks within the labor movement and the finance and administrative services department, and we'll have a discussion on that on Wednesday with a possible vote.

item number two is from the finance and administrative services department, this is Columbia cities snippet property disposition similar to other city disposition policies trying to keep those in public hands.

and much like a street vacation, small properties being maintained in city hands is always a good thing.

Item number 3 is Council Bill 120367. This is an ordinance relating to accepting gifts from Harvard for one of our departments, and so there will be a briefing discussion and possible vote.

And we also have the supplemental budget and grant acceptance ordinance.

Colleagues, this is anticipated to be about 45 minutes, where we will consider possible amendments.

And if possible, we will take a vote on Wednesday if needed.

For additional discussion, I'll keep the door open.

But my intent is to have a briefing discussion and vote on Wednesday.

Amendments have been posted.

And to date, we have three amendments.

So it looks like we could possibly get through that item.

And then last, I have an update for you.

We will have our friends from the executive joining us, Dan Eater, as well as Brianna Thompson will be coming down to provide a briefing on cannabis equity.

There's three pieces of legislation.

that they are currently drafting.

And we wanted to have this discussion in our meeting on Wednesday to provide an early preview of some of the legislation that will be forthcoming in August.

So the presentation this Wednesday will be a PowerPoint presentation walking through concepts and want to thank the mayor's office along with a large coalition of stakeholders that have been engaged throughout the last few years, frankly, through the Finance and Administrative Services Department, under the previous administration, with community organizations, and now with this existing mayoral administration, thanks to Mayor Harrell and their team for continuing to reach out and talk with folks.

We do have three pieces of legislation that will be forthcoming in August.

And again, early preview of concepts at our meeting on Wednesday.

So thank you all for participating in these discussions.

As always, if there is an issue related to the supplemental budget and you are not a member of the Finance and Housing Committee, you are welcome to provide additional feedback, comments, amendments, and we are happy to bring those to the Finance and Housing Committee and introduce those for you if you're not on the committee.

so that everybody has the opportunity to participate.

I also wanted to say thanks so much to our friend Mike Withee who had invited us to attend a screening of the Free Renty documentary.

If you haven't had the chance to see the documentary Free Renty, it's a great opportunity to plug in to the Justice Project or the ACLU, who have been featuring the Free Renty movie.

This documentary was shown at Town Hall yesterday, and it was really wonderful to be able to join folks who've been fighting for worker justice, consumer protections, environmental justice, and racial justice.

Specifically, this case talks about how Papa Renty, featured woman in the documentary, her great, great, great grandpa, who was one of the first individuals who was enslaved to be photographed and how the Harvard University used that photo to basically perpetuate lies about racist lies and to further slavery and her call for justice and the way in which the organization stepped in and made sure that there was the opportunity to get recognition of the way in which that photo was used and to really seek contributions back to folks to make sure that the past harms were being compensated for and that the photo was never used in that way again.

So really great documentary, Free Renzi.

If you haven't had the chance to see it, we will post more about it in our social media as well.

and thanks to Mike Whitty for the invitation to participate.

And it was wonderful to see Representative Tomiko Santos as well at the event, as well as the 100 plus attorneys and judges who are fighting for justice.

Any additional comments or questions?

Seeing none, Council Member Nelson, I think I hand it to you next, but I did just want to say thanks as well to the folks at the Seattle Center, I had the chance to go and tour what is being contemplated for the northwest side of the Seattle Center's Sound Transit Station, and really wanted to thank the folks who walked us through from the Seattle Center, Seattle Rep and Uptown Community, CIF, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, Vera Project, Path with Art, KEXP, Representatives of Climate Pledge Arena, and the Seattle Center Foundation for all the work that they're doing to try to really highlight how especially programs and organizations who serve vulnerable communities and youth should be taken into consideration, especially when it comes to the impacts of construction and vibrations and how that could interrupt certain art and healing therapies.

So I look forward to following up with colleagues who've been tracking that as well.

And I know Council Member Juarez, this is already on your radar as a member of the board, but just wanted to reach out to them and say thanks.

I think I saw a hand.

Council Member Charles.

Yeah, thanks Councilmember Muscata.

Just pitch hitting for my friend Councilmember Lewis as former staff to District 7. And when I walked, did that Sound Transit walk with the Seattle Center, something that stood out to me is that the preferred location of the station entrance is where Panda Printing is.

Panda Printing is the best place to get your film processed in the city, one of the last professional film developers.

And I really asked Seattle Center to bring them in as a resident organization.

So just as you're making that, those statements on the record, I wanted to lift that up, say that they really showed me the importance of that station entrance being there and the hope that Seattle Center will take Panda Printing as a resident organization.

That's all.

Thanks.

Thank you so much.

And I will post the link to Freerenty and the entire documentary and its great contribution to the dialogue around redistribution of wealth and how we can make sure that there's reparations that, wherever possible, we're able to promote.

Nice.

Oh, Debra Juarez is telling me it's time, Council President.

I'm so sorry.

I thought you were giving me a thumbs up at first.

All right, here we go.

I'm done.

No, I just added to my head.

Council Member Nelson, thanks again.

I'll pass it off to you.

Well, thank you, everybody.

Hello, happy Monday.

There is one item from the Economic Development Technology and City Light Committee on tomorrow's agenda.

Resolution 32056 would adopt City Light's 2023-2028 plan and endorse the six-year rate path.

And this passed unanimously out of committee last Wednesday, July 13th.

Also at our July 13th meeting, we had a presentation on Councilmember Peterson and Councilmember Strauss's legislation that would make the 15% cap on food delivery service fees that council imposed during the civil emergency permanent.

And the legislation would also allow for restaurants to pay higher fees in return for added benefits.

And this legislation is scheduled for a vote out of committee on July 27th.

All right, so last week I met with the executive director of the Vancouver, Washington Downtown Association to discuss and learn about Vancouver's downtown revitalization and recovery program and took lots of notes on what we in Seattle could possibly do.

Vancouver has installed beautiful art, restored storefronts, and it's run pilot programs to help invigorate small businesses.

And while there are major differences between the two cities and what legislative we are allowed to do with resources that come from the state, I feel like there's a lot that we can learn from our neighbor to the south.

And just one final observation is that one can do a lot with lighting.

So I look forward to thinking about this more when I, in committee, also think about neighborhood business district revitalization.

Okay, my staff attended the Community Police Commission meeting on July 12th, and this was headlined by Deputy Fire Chief Chris Lombard from the Community Safety and Communications Center.

who presented on the 911 response system.

And he responded to questions and concerns from community regarding the move out of SBD into a new department without, let's see, plans for how that would play out in a reconfigured department.

He also talked about improvements that are being made and the fact that what had been, and still is, but the staffing shortage that really hit hard in 2020 has ameliorated somewhat due to recruiting and incentive changes, and so that is some good news on that front in that department.

I participated in a meeting with Council Member Lewis and John Scholes of DSA and the owner or the CEO of Ike Kiosk, Brian Ramey, and also Sun Yang.

And we spoke as a group together with members of the mayor's office and SDOT, including Kristen Simpson, who is interim director, and Dan Eder, to name his name again.

The bottom line is, and also central staff.

And I think that Council Member Lewis and I, I was there to convey my enthusiasm for these interactive kiosks that have been sort of in conversation for many years.

and the many benefits that they could provide for downtown and neighborhood district revitalization, including wayfinding, information on neighborhood small businesses, transit routes, as well as public service announcements, and a whole other plethora of things.

It was just a way for us to think about, all right, what are the next steps in making this project or this concept a reality?

So I think that they help us fulfill several policy goals, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that evolves.

And then, so finally, I'll just talk a little bit about this coming week.

The big item is that I'll be speaking at the Tenant Improvement Program ceremony this Thursday at Simply Soulful Restaurant in the CD.

The Tenant Improvement Program will grant small businesses up to $100,000 to build out commercial spaces and make commercial improvements more affordable.

And the event will announce that this pilot project will be expanded using federal recovery dollars, and also announce that small businesses can apply.

There is information on OED's website right now, and I encourage everybody to, small businesses who need some tenant improvement resources should go there soon, because I do believe that the deadline is coming up.

Anyway, Simply Soulful was a previous tenant improvement recipient and that was awarded funding last year.

So, this event will be at their new location that used this funding to complete their remodel.

So, again, please visit OED's website and learn about this program, Small Businesses Needing Tenant Improvement Resources.

That's it for me.

Any questions?

Nope.

All right.

Council Member Peterson.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, colleagues.

On tomorrow afternoon's full City Council agenda, there are no items from our Committee on Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities.

Our next Committee on Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, July 19 at 9.30 a.m.

As shown on our published committee agenda, we have four items.

Our committee will receive an update from Seattle Public Utilities on the Ship Canal Water Quality Project that will improve our environment with a nearly three-mile underground system to store polluted stormwater until it can be treated.

We'll receive an update from our Seattle Department of Transportation on the Safe Starts Program, which extended permits for restaurants and stores to use sidewalks and curb space during the economic downturn of the pandemic.

We'll consider Council 120364 from SDOT.

That would add a new section to the traffic code establishing the authority to designate parking for truck tractors in public right of way and amending another section of the Seattle Municipal Code to allow for enforcement of that designated truck parking.

The summary and fiscal note says that the city is committed to helping mitigate the impacts of drainage truck overnight parking in the public right of way in Georgetown, South Park, Soto, and other Seattle neighborhoods near port facilities.

Our committee will also discuss a petition from Sound Transit asking the city of Seattle to vacate a portion of an alley in the University District, which is in the heart of my district, District 4. As you may recall, we successfully arranged to have sound transit generously lease their land to the city for a couple of years to create a 35 unit tiny home village called Rosie's village at the corner of Northeast 45th Street and Roosevelt way, as has always been the ultimate goal for that site we want to build lots of permanent low income housing.

My hope is that we will maximize the number of units at the deepest affordability levels, ideally, all the future units will on average serve households earning less than 60% of area median income, with at least 35 of the unit set aside for extremely low income residents at risk of homelessness.

My preliminary view is that I agree with Sound Transit vacating a portion of that alley could enable a nonprofit housing developer to build more units of low-income housing there.

So let's see, tomorrow is just a preview of Sound Transit's petition.

It will be at a later meeting when we would impose our public benefit requirements in exchange for potentially allowing the alley vacation.

I wanna thank Council Member Nelson for making room last week at our Economic Development Committee to discuss the bill.

I'm co-sponsoring with Council Member Strauss to make permanent the 15% cap on fees that delivery corporations charge to Seattle restaurants.

That cap on delivery fees has demonstrated its importance to local restaurants as part of the civil emergency order for the past couple of years, but that's gonna end soon whenever the mayor ends the civil emergency, unless we take action.

So I appreciate Councillor Nelson for you scheduling that for a vote potentially on July 27th.

Karina Bull on central staff is working on that bill.

In District 4 earlier today, I joined the University District Partnership, University of Washington, and Historic Seattle to celebrate the completed historic renovation of a 110-year-old iconic building on the corner of Northeast 45th Street and the Ave in the heart of the U District.

This newly renovated interior space, with its exterior facade beautifully restored for the next 100 years, is going to be occupied by a new location of the Seattle Bouldering Project, That small business with rock climbing and fitness classes is going to bring lots of foot traffic and energize that key corner view district that's been partially dormant during the pandemic.

Making sure some historic buildings are intermingled with the new construction is important to generate the building diversity that creates vitality and a sense of place in that urban center.

This Wednesday evening, I'm hoping to visit the Wallingford Farmer's Market.

The Wallingford Farmer's Market's open every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m.

through September 28th, and I'm hoping they have homemade popsicles again this year.

That's very important.

That concludes my report.

Any questions before we hear from Council Member Sawant?

Yes.

That's me, Council Member Peterson.

Council President Juarez, please.

I have two questions.

So the two locations that you're talking about, the first one, that's the Sound Transit property on the corner, you said we've driven by there many, many times.

How big is that footprint?

Do you know how big it is?

The square footage of it?

Is it a whole block or half a block?

I can't tell from the outside driving.

It's less than half a block.

I mean, it goes from Roosevelt to 11th.

Yeah.

But it does not go all the way up to 47th Street.

OK.

But it's that whole lot that Sound Transit has.

It's that whole piece that we saw a couple of years ago when we used the property.

Yes, currently has 35 tiny homes on it.

You're right.

And then the other thing, the other piece of property or the historical building, is that the one on the corner next to Bartels that used to be a bank?

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

Yes.

I'm just trying to remember, visualize where all that is.

So a lot going on in district four.

Yes.

Yes.

Thank you.

Council Member Peterson.

I think it's Council Member Sawant's turn.

Can you hear me now?

Yeah, we can hear you and see you now you disappeared for a bit, but you're back.

Thank you.

Thank you.

President Morris and Peterson.

Good afternoon, everyone.

There are no items on tomorrow City Council agenda from the sustainability and vector sites committee.

Last Friday, the committee voted to recommend the confirmation of Jessen Farrell as director of the Office of Sustainability and Environment, and five reappointments to the Green New Deal Oversight Board.

Because it's a Friday committee, those items will appear on the full city council agenda next week rather than tomorrow.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the committee is August 5th.

On today's introduction and referral calendar is legislation from my office to make Seattle a sanctuary for women and pregnant people and their doctors and other care providers facing persecution for seeking and performing abortions.

Laws violating basic bodily autonomy and criminalizing reproductive healthcare are fundamentally unjust, and our movement cannot allow Seattle to be complicit.

Jasmine Marwaha from the City Council Central Staff has drafted legislation for my office to prevent Seattle police from arresting people, either patients or doctors, for outstanding warrants or otherwise aiding in investigation related to anti-abortion law around the country.

We want this bill as has been supported by over 6,000 people who have signed the public petition that anyone threatened by draconian anti-abortion laws can come to Seattle without fear of prosecution.

And I appreciate Jasmine's work on this.

There are currently state laws such as House Bill 1851 and legal opinions to protect people who perform or have an abortion in Seattle.

including if a pregnant person lives in another state and comes to Seattle to have an abortion because their state bans them.

However, those laws do nothing to protect people who perform or have an abortion in a state where they are banned, breaking those unjust laws.

And that is exactly what the legislation from my office will address.

If people break the unjust anti-abortion laws in their own state and believe they will be caught, they can come to Seattle to stay above prosecution.

As I cautioned at the press conference when I announced this legislation, this will unfortunately not make the arrest warrant go away.

That will require building the women's rights and LGBTQ rights movement to win back the right to bodily autonomy nationwide.

And that will take an absolutely massive movement, but it will mean that people with unjust arrest warrants can live in Seattle without those warrants being prosecuted.

After the press conference, Mayor Harrell and Governor Inslee issued executive orders to temporarily instruct state and city police not to aid in those out-of-state abortion-related prosecutions.

However, that can be no substitute for actually codifying those protections into law, which our legislation will do.

The overturning of Roe itself shows dramatically and historically shows the importance of codifying human rights into law, and now We know how many, many women and pregnant people are going to suffer the consequences of the Democrats, congressional Democrats having failed to do this over the last 50 years.

This bill is being introduced tomorrow for a vote at the city council meeting next week.

It is a very straightforward way to fight back against and I urge all council members to vote yes.

And again, thanks to Jasmine, thanks to the thousands of people who have signed the petition and thank you to Brindal and also Council President Morris in your office, thank you.

Any questions or comments?

Go ahead, Mr. Morris.

Council Member Sawant, thank you for the legislation.

So you looked at the state one too, right?

You tracked some of that, some of that language with the state one?

Are you talking about the executive order from Governor Inslee?

Mm-hmm.

Yes.

Okay.

I hadn't looked at the detailed language on that.

And thank you so much, and thank you to you and Ted for getting this stuff to us so we could bring it to full council.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Um, unfortunately, I'm not going to be here next week.

I just wanted to express my appreciation for the legislation.

And is this going is this in addition to the legislation that Councilmember Morales noted she's having a press conference with Councilmember Herbold on?

Yes, it is a side from that bill.

I definitely support that bill.

As far as I understand, those bills protect people getting or performing abortions in Seattle from harassment.

And it's an important issue, but it's a different issue from the bill from my office, which protects people from around the country where their home states have arrest warrants on them because of that abortion laws in their states.

Thank you very much.

And again, sorry, I'm not able to be here, but expressing my support for that.

Thanks.

Thank you.

I really appreciate that.

Any other questions or comments?

Seeing none, Council Member Strauss.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Great to see you, Council President, colleagues.

I'm just going to go ahead and set my timer, because I'm a little bit worried I'm going to go over.

Right.

TikTok.

Yeah, TikTok.

Don't want to get the buzzer.

All right, here we go.

Thank you, Council President, colleagues.

This week, upcoming in District 6, I'm announcing last week that we'll be having our first in-person town hall on Thursday, July 28 at 530. We'll be hosting at the Green Lake Aqua Theater.

I've been hearing from many D6 residents, they'd love to connect in person.

I would as well.

We want to make sure that we're meeting public health guidelines and doing so in a safe way.

So it'll be held outdoors, Green Lake Park Amphitheater.

And this is a community-centered event where D6 residents will have the microphone to ask questions and have their questions answered by me.

And just so everyone's aware, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, if I or a member of my team test positive, In the days prior to the event, the Town Hall will become virtual or will be canceled.

So RSVP on my website to receive updates ahead of the Town Hall and in case there's changes or modifications to the event.

This last week in District 6, staff and I attended the Green Lake Community Council where we discussed the Green Lake Community Center, the Small Craft Center, Dockside Affordable Housing Apartments, and the latest on the Green Lake Outer Loop.

This last weekend, I was very busy in district six.

I had a great time at Ballard Seafood Fest, helping the cooks cook the salmon on Saturday and working as a judge of the lutefisk eating contest.

I personally like to take my time and savor my lutefisk rather than eating it quickly.

That said, the final two contestants ate a cumulative of two pounds of lutefisk.

Congratulations to third place, Scott Bryson, second place, Rowan Lucy, and first place, Alan Johnston, who came in third place last year.

great work in this last year.

Also, this weekend I attended two of Ballard FC's games.

They won both of them.

They're heading to the playoffs this Friday, hopefully Sunday, and Ballard is hosting the league-wide playoff games.

Tickets went on sale this morning.

15 bucks a ticket, very, very expensive.

So colleagues, if you'd like to join me, I'd love to have you this Friday at 7 p.m.

or Sunday at 2 p.m.

This last weekend, I also attended the United Indians of All Tribes Powwow.

I can tell you that their salmon was amazing.

The dancing was powerful and the community was incredible.

Abriel Johnny Rodriguez, United Indians of All Tribes Board Chair, beaded the crown again this year and it was stunning.

And as I walked back to Ballard, I reflected on how grateful I am for Bernie Whitebear, Larry Gossett, Uncle Bob Santos, and Robert Maestas for working together to lift each other up to make Daybreak Star Center a reality.

And Council President, if I remember correctly, your parents said that you were going on a picnic in a park and you ended up at the sit-in, is that?

Well, I was 12. I thought we were going roller skating, me and Claudia, and we were part of the takeover.

So not a picnic.

roller skating that's right that's right so thank you to you too council president because you know the importance is i was walking back to ballard where there had been a village for time immemorial that a gathering like what happened this weekend the powwow has been happening for time immemorial And as Ballard was developed, originally known as Farmdale, the first people were given what is now Discovery Park as their new home.

Until we built the locks and the army decided they needed an army base.

And as the army base was closing, Bernie White Bear and friends reminded the world of the promise that the land be given to indigenous people.

I'm not gonna go on and tell more of this story because Council President can do a better job since she was there roller skating.

Just to say that the connection point Between the lakes and rivers and the Puget Sound, where Ballard is, where Daybreak Stars is, the powwow or that similar gathering have occurred there since the beginning of time.

And there have been two breaks in that time between the 1860s and 1970s and again during the pandemic.

And what I saw was a community stronger than ever before, more resilient than ever before, and it was an absolute honor be an anonymous guest at the gathering.

My only complaint was that I couldn't hear the drums from Ballard like I could when I was growing up so we'll have to figure that one out.

More from last week in district six I brought together recreational boating and marine industry stakeholders to discuss community concerns on waterway safety.

to help inform our waterway safety survey and study that I sponsored in last year's budget.

I had several meetings with Sound Transit staff and community members about the Sound Transit Ballard light rail extension.

Thanks to Cahill, Emily, and Lita for the time you spent with me discussing Sound Transit alignments and the importance of locating a station entrance on 15th or at least having an entrance west of 15th.

While we were hearing from the public at the Metropolitan Parks District public hearing last Thursday, my staff attended the board parks, the Board of Parks and Recreation commissioners meeting to hear public comment on the Green Lake outer loop from s dot as well as listen to SPRs briefing on the proposed new tree policy.

I also co-hosted a District 6 Homelessness Response Workshop with King County Regional Homelessness Authority.

We had community members there to evaluate RHA's service system landscape initial findings and highlight gaps and uplift assets related to our district's homelessness response.

With that I continue to host my regular operational meetings with community members to move action plans forward at the Leary Triangle to address homelessness in the Ballard industrial area specifically at 47th and eighth to implement the 22nd Avenue plan in downtown Ballard, and the Ballard case conferencing meeting with public safety director Meyer Berg.

We did have to change office.

We had to reschedule office hours last week because of the special city council meeting on Thursday.

And this coming Thursday, I'll hold my regular office hours with these six residents and we've extended and rescheduled people throughout this week as well.

This week in district six, I'll be having a project check-in with SDOT regarding Ballard Avenue.

I'll be meeting with the Ballard Historical Society about revamping and revitalizing the customer service center.

And I'll be meeting with a resident who's leading our placemaking work in the brewery district.

Placemaking is a collaborative effort to use paint, plants, and signage in public space to build upon the entrepreneurial work of the Ballard Brewery Coalition.

The long vision of this is to have safe places to walk and roll, reduce traffic collisions, increase the vibrancy of the space, and connect Fremont and Ballard to the brewery district with safe routes.

And I'm looking forward as this work continues.

I'll also be attending those Ballard FC playoff games.

So colleagues, anyone want to come?

15 bucks, you can come with me.

This last week at City Hall I was honored to co-sponsor legislation to make permanent 15% cap on fees that delivery chart companies can charge Seattle restaurants and co-sponsoring with Councilmember Peterson.

Thank you Councilmember Peterson for your partnership.

I was also a panelist alongside Councilmember Mosqueda and Herbold at the Housing Development Consortium of Seattle King County's forum on the housing levy.

I met with the Ballard Food Bank and other members of the Seattle Human Services Coalition to hear their priorities for the 2023 budget.

I attended the Puget Sound Regional Council's Transportation Policy Board regarding the critical urban freight corridors.

I met with Deputy Mayor Tiffany Washington for a regular check-in about homelessness in and around Seattle in District 6 and I toured the Cedar River watershed with Seattle Public Utilities.

There's only one water system in the nation not required to filter water and that's us because we own the entire watershed.

We do use UV purification And essentially we own from Maple Valley to Lake Ketula, past the summit at Snoqualmie.

I'll say separately and aside, this is my third meeting with Tim Ranen, our tribal liaison, and I can't tell you how much expertise he brings to these meetings.

I'm really scratching my head as to what we did in our city without him.

If you ever get a chance, go up to Chester Morris watershed fifth grade tours go every year.

Moving on this week in city hall and around the city I'll be meeting with senior deputy Munisha Harold and budget director Julie Dingley regarding my 2023 24 budget priorities.

I'll be attending the Association of Washington City's legislative priorities meeting.

I'll be receiving a rate ordinance briefing from Seattle City Light.

I attended the Metropolitan Parks District this Monday morning.

I will be doing so again next Monday.

And I will be at the Transportation Utilities Committee and the Neighborhoods and Education Committee later this week.

From Land Use Committee, we had a great committee last week discussing the scoping of the major update to the comprehensive plan.

Thank you for OPCD for extending the public comment period by 30 days.

Now is the time to comment on what they are proposing.

You can learn more by watching last week's committee or going to seattle.gov forward slash OPCD forward slash one Seattle plan.

This is currently in the hands of OPCD not the council and I again appreciate OPCD honoring my request to extend the comment period by a month.

There are four items from the Land Use Committee on this week's full council agenda.

Council Bill 120313, which allows the addition of some residential development to be considered a minor amendment to a major institution master plan.

Resolution 32059, co-sponsored by Councilmember Mosqueda and myself, that states the council's intent to address climate change as part of our comprehensive plan.

and appointment 20 or 02244 appointment of Caleb Tualby as a member of the Seattle Planning Commission and appointment 2274 reappointment of Cesar Garcia-Garcia as a member of the Equitable Development Initiative Advisory Board.

There's one item on the land use related to land use this week on the IRC.

Clerk filed 314499 Council waiver or modification of certain development standards to allow redevelopment of the South Park Community Center and to allow five light poles for athletic fields.

The next meeting of the Land Use Committee will be next Wednesday, July 27th.

There are two items currently on the agenda, the comprehensive plan docketing and an appointment to fill a design review board seat.

Thank you, Council President and colleagues.

That is my report.

10 minutes, five seconds.

Sorry, Council President, I was over.

Any questions?

Seeing none, I will pass it on to Council Member Herbold, who's not here.

So then Council President, I think it's back to you.

Yes, thank you, Council Member Strauss.

Good afternoon, council colleagues.

There are no items from the Governance, Native Communities, and Tribal Governments Committee on tomorrow's council agenda.

A regular committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 21st.

And that has, I'm sorry, a regularly scheduled meeting for this Thursday, July 21st has been postponed.

As far as native communities, my office met again with Council Member Strauss was just sharing this with Tim Ranian, our tribal liaison and the executive from OIR and Francesca Merman from DON, Department of Neighborhoods last week to discuss our opportunity to assist the Department of Interior with their Road to Healing Listening Tour.

That is with the Secretary Deb Haaland.

And they are investigating the impacts of Indian boarding schools on survivors and their families around the country.

Originally, the Pacific Northwest was not on the original tour, but we're trying to work with the tribes and local organizations to make sure we are on the first round of this tour in the new year.

In the coming weeks, I'll be meeting with local urban Indian and tribal leaders to set the stage for a tour stop in our region where indigenous people, elders from the Pacific Northwest will be able to bear witness to their experience and speak to the multi-generational and lifelong impacts of state-sponsored government schools.

Our office will provide more details as they become available.

Sound Transit, I attended a Sound Transit North King sub-area meeting where we received an update from the interim CEO, Brooke Bellum, a staff update on bus rapid transit and an update on plans for the DEIS for the West Seattle Ballard Link light rail extension.

On Thursday, the Sound Transit System Expansion Committee passed a recommendation on the West Seattle Ballard Link light rail extension which the full board is expected to hear on July 28th.

Coming up this week, I invite you to welcome Liz Atkinson to her new position as the interim city clerk.

Liz will be serving in the interim capacity now that Monica Simmons has retired.

Liz will be making the rounds to check in with you all if there's any concerns or questions you may have.

I wanna thank Council Member Strauss for serving as council president pro tem last week and sharing the council briefing and the council on Monday and Tuesday.

Thank you very much, Council Member Strauss.

I hear you did an excellent job.

And, oh, I did not see this in my notes.

On Friday, I will be celebrating my 29th birthday.

Thank you staff for that, Jim.

And that concludes my report and we'll close out this portion of our agenda.

Is there anything else for my colleagues before I move to adjourn?

Okay, Council Member Esqueda, is there anything you got?

You good?

Good.

Colleagues, this concludes the items of business on today's agenda.

Our next regularly scheduled council briefing meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 25th at two, and we are adjourned.

Thank you.