>>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
JUNE 3rd,
2026, LAND USE AND
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING
WILL COME
TO ORDER. IT'S 9:34 A.M.
I'M EDDIE LIN, CHAIR OF
THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE COMMITTEE CLERK CALL
THE ROLL.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLANDSWORTH?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> CHAIR LIN?
>> HERE.
>> IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION
THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING
TO THIS WEDNESDAY
MORNING MEETING TO DISCUSS LAND
USE.
AS ALWAYS THANK YOU TO OUR
CITY CLERK, STAFF, THE MAYOR'S
OFFICE, OPCD, SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT FOR HELPING US PREPARE FOR
THIS
MEETING. WE'LL NOW OPEN THE
HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD RELATE
TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA OR
WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE
COMMITTEE.
CLERK, HOW MANY SPEAKERS
ARE SIGNED UP FOR TODAY?
>> WE HAVE 30 SPEAKERS SIGNED
UP.
>> OKAY.
30.
SO OUR PROCEDURES STATE
IF WE HAVE BETWEEN 30 AND 60
SPEAKERS, THEN IT'S ONE MINUTE
PER
SPEAKER, SO EACH SPEAKER WILL
HAVE ONE MINUTE.
WE'LL START WITH IN-
PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST.
CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ
THE PUBLIC COMMENT INSTRUCTIONS.
>> THE PUBLIC COMMENT WILL
BE MODERATED IN THE FOLLOWING
MANNER, UP TO 60 MINUTES.
SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN
THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
REGISTERED.
IN-
PERSON SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED
FIRST.
SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A CHIME WHEN
TEN SECONDS ARE LEFT OF THE
TIME.
SPEAKERS' MICS WILL BE MUTED
TO ALLOW US TO CALL ON THE NEXT
SPEAKER.
THE COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW OPEN
AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH
THE FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST.
EMILY JOHNSON.
>> HI THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I SPOKE LAST WEEK, TWICE,
TOO, AND SO I'M RUNNING OUT OF
THINGS
TO
SAY. I WANTED TO SAY
VERY SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF
LAND USE THAT WE NEED TO BE
REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT
OPPORTUNITY
COSTS. NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, WOULD
THESE PROJECTS TAKE UP SPACE IN
THE
CITY OF SEATTLE THAT THEN COULD
NOT BE USED FOR
HOUSING AND FOR LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
AND OTHER USES BUT, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, OVER TIME
THEY WOULD IMPOSE OTHER COSTS ON
NEARBY HOUSING OR BUSINESSES IN
TERMS OF LOTS OF SOUND
EFFECTS AND ALSO HEAT ISLAND
EFFECTS.
WE KNOW THAT BOTH OF THOSE ARE A
MAJOR ISSUE FOR DATA CENTERS.
SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT
HOW YOU'RE RUINING THE
NEIGHBORHOOD FOR OTHER USES, NOT
JUST IN
THAT ONE VERY SPECIFIC PLACE BUT
IN THE SURROUNDING AREAS AS
WELL.
SECONDLY, IN TERMS OF SOMETHING
TO BE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS
STRANDED ASSETS.
THERE'S A VERY GOOD
CHANCE THERE WILL BE A DEFLATION
AND MAYBE AN
OUTRIGHT CRASH IN THE A.I.
AND DATA CENTER BUSINESS COMING
UP
SOON, PROBABLY THE IPOs THAT
ARE COMING UP.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE STUCK WITH
HERE
IN SEATTLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE
REBECCA YOUNG FOLLOWED BY LAURA
BIRD,
LISA, PATRICK AND AUDREY
GOSLING.
>> GOOD MORNING AND THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS REBECCA YOUNG.
I'M A VOTER AND RESIDENT IN
DISTRICT 3 AND HERE TO EXPRESS
MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR
THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM.
THESE DATA CENTERS COVERED
BY THE MORATORIUM ARE
FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM
EXISTING DATA
CENTERS IN SEATTLE, AS I'M
SURE YOU ALL KNOW.
THEY CONSUME FAR MORE WATER AND
ENERGY THAN THE SMALLER CENTERS
DUE TO THE ENORMOUS
ENERGY DEMAND AND HEAT
GENERATION
REQUIRED BY A.I.
I BELIEVE THIS YEAR
LONG MORATORIUM WILL GIVE THE
CITY
TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE
FULL POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THESE
LARGE
CENTERS ON OUR GRID, OUR WATER
RESOURCES, THE COMMUNITIES WHERE
THESE CENTERS WOULD BE SITED
AND OUR CLIMATE COMMITMENTS.
BEGIN TIME I'LL FOCUS ON WATER.
WASHINGTON IS NOW IN THE
FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF
DROUGHT,
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY
BETTER
WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
WATER NEEDS AND PRIORITIZE OUR
COMMUNITIES, OUR TREATY WITH THE
TRIBES AND OUR ECOSYSTEMS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE LAURA BIRD.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
LAURA BIRD AND I'M
A BUSINESS OWNER LIVING
AND WORKING IN PINEHURST SQUARE.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNCIL
TO PASS A MORATORIUM ON THE
DATA CENTER CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF
REASONS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT
THE OVERWHELMING PUSH TO
FORCEFORCE A.I.
INTO OUR LIVES.
I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD MANY
OF THE REASONS HERE AND
PREVIOUSLY.
I CAME HERE TODAY AS AN ARTIST
AND A HUMAN BEING TO ASK YOU
TO THINK OF THE WORLD THAT
YOUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE LEFT
WITH LEAVE OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH IN THE
HANDS OF THE
SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE US IN
THE CURRENT UNDENIABLE
ENVIRONMENTAL
DECLINE. THERE IS A FUTURE WE
MAKE
THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR OUR
ENVIRONMENT
AND OUR CHILDREN.
PLEASE BE PART OF THE RIGHT SIDE
OF HISTORY BY PASSING
A MORATORIUM ON THE DATA CENTER
AND ENACT POLICY
THAT PRIORITIZES PEOPLE OVER BIG
TECH. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE LISA
WINGUARD.
>> HI, I'M A SENIOR
SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND MEMBER OF
AMAZON
YOUTH FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE.
I LIVE IN A CITY WHERE
PEOPLE ARE LEGALLY PROTECTED
AGAINST
RETALIATION BY THEIR EMPLOYERS.
IN MY JOB I SEE THE
CONSEQUENCES OF ALL COSTS
JUSTIFIED A.I.
BUILDOUT. THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS A
BELIEF
A.I. SHOULD BE HOW WE
SOLVE EVERYTHING WHILE IGNORING
THE
RESOURCES THAT IT COSTS.
THIS CULTURE IS
OMNIPRESENT ACROSS TECH.
THAT'S WHY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
IN COLLABORATION WITH
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD BE
SETTING THE TERMS FOR DATA
CENTER
BUILDOUT. OUR CITY COUNCIL
SHOULD
MAKE SURE SURE DATA ARE BUILT
THE
RIGHT WAY AND OFFER VALUE TO
THE
CITY. THIS MEANS RENEWABLE
ENERGY,
JOB PROTECTION, CLIMATE
MITIGATION AND A.I. SAFETY
COMMITTEE.
SUSTAINABILITY CONCERNING
TECH WORKERS LIKE ME HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT RESPONSIBLY
BUILT DATA CENTERS AROUND THE
WORLD, BUT
AS A CITY WE DON'T HOLD
TECH COMPANIES TO THE STANDARD.
LET'S NOT LET BIG TECH
BURN SEATTLE TO WIN THE A.I.
RACE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE PATRICK
SCHULZ FOLLOWED BY
AUDREY, SARAH, PAUL AND BEN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS PATRICK.
I'M A SOFTWARE ENGINEER AND
AMAM
PROUD TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE
EMPLOYEES WHO SPEAK UP
POLITICALLY ARE PROJECTED
AGAINST RETALIATION BY THEIR
EMPLOYERS.
IT'S BEEN REPORTED THIS
YEAR AMAZON IS SPENDING $200
BILLION ON CAPITAL WITH MOST OF
IT GOING
TO DATA CENTERS AND
A.I. MICROSOFT IS SPENDING $190
BILLION.
THE LEADERS AT MY COMPANY HAVE
LAID OFF 30,000 CORPORATE
EMPLOYEES IN THE LAST EIGHT
MONTHS. THAT TELLS ME BIG TECH
IS DESPERATE TO BUILD AS MUCH
COMPUTE CAPACITY AS FAST AS IT
CAN.
THAT DESPERATION GIVES OUR CITY
LEVERAGE.
OUR CITY GOVERNMENT SHOULD TELL
DEVELOPERS IF YOU WANT TO BUILD
HERE YOU'VE GOT TO STOP HIDING
ON NDAs AND SHELL
COMPANIES, PROVIDE 100%
RENEWABLE ENERGY
TO OUR GRID, PROVIDE GOOD JOBS
BUILDING THESE THINGS.
YOU HAVE TO PAY A NEW TAX THAT
FUNDS CITY JOBS WHEN YOU CONDUCT
LAYOFF,
HAVE WORKER-LED SAFETY
COMMITTEES THAT REPORT
TO THE CITY ANY A.I. DEVELOPED
IN YOUR CITY BECOMING A RISK TO
THE
CITY THE CITY CAN INTERVENE IF
NECESSARY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE
HAVE AUDREY FOLLOWED BY SARAH,
PAUL,
BEN, AND JODIE.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS AUDREY.
I'M AN ELECTRICAL NGINEER AND
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO
APPROVE THE MORATORIUM ON DATA
CENTERS.
BIG
TECH IS PUSHING THE DEVELOPMENT
OF A.I. AND
DATA CENTERS AT BREAK NECK
SPEED FOR A SIMPLE REASON.
THEY WANT TO BYPASS LEGISLATION
AND REGULATION.
THEY DO NOT WANT TO DO THINGS
DEMOCRATICALLY.
OUR POWER GRID IS
ALREADY EXPERIENCING EXTREME
STRAIN PRIOR TO THE ADVENT OF
A.I.
DATA CENTERS DUE TO
GROWING ELECTRICITY DEMANDS,
EXTREME WEATHER AND AGING
INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE HYPER
SCALE DATA CENTERS
WILL TAKE US ONE BILLION STEPS
BACKWARDS.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY AND
RELIABILITY GOALS AND I SAY
A BILLION BECAUSE THAT'S THE
SCALE OF A GIGAWATT.
A MORATORIUM WILL GIVE US
TIME TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT
SAFEGUARDS, PROTECT OUR
CITY FROM THE
ENVIRONMENTAL AND FINANCIAL RISK
OF LARGE LOAD
DATA CENTERS.
IS THAT ACCURATE?
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE SARAH.
>> HI, CHAIR LIN.
I'M WITH TREE ACTION SEATTLE
AND I AM HERE IN ADAMANT
OPPOSITION.
THE OPAQUE TITLE OF THIS
BILL HIDES THE ACTUAL IMPACT
WHICH
IS TO CONCENTRATE CITY POWER AND
ELIMINATE CITY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
ON EARTH DAY THIS YEAR
FOLLOWING A RECORD- BREAKING
APRIL HEAT
WAVE I WAS IN YOUR
DISTRICT PREPPING THE GROUND FOR
A POCKET
FOREST NEAR RAINIER
BEACH. THAT SAME DAY, EARTH DAY,
YOUR STAFF ATTENDED A CLOSED
DOOR MEETING WITH THE MAYOR AND
DEVELOPERS IN WHICH LOBBYISTS
IDENTIFIED SIPA AS MAJOR PLAN.
NOW A BILL THAT WOULD REMOVE
OUR CITIZEN RIGHTS TO SEPA
RELATED TO THE COMP PLAN.
STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT
DEREGULATION DOES NOT INCREASE
HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY. THERE IS NO
EVIDENCE TO SHOW
THIS BILL WOULD INCREASE
AFFORDABILITY EVEN
THOUGH IT WOULD INCREASE PROFITS
FOR DEVELOPERS AND THE PRIVATE
EQUITY FIRMS THAT BACK THEM.
YOUR DISTRICT HAS SUFFERED A
DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH COST OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THAT
COMES FROM CORPORATE PROFITS
AHEAD
OF THE PUBLIC GOOD.
THIS BILL EXACERBATES THAT
INEQUITY AND WE OPPOSE IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE PAUL AND
THEN FOLLOWED BY BEN AND JODIE.
>> SO THIS IS THE SOUND OF A
DATA CENTER.
THIS IS 60 DISBELLS UP TO
93 DECIBELS IN ASHBURN,
VIRGINIA.
THIS IS AUDIBLE UP TO TWO MILES
AWAY. AND ACCORDING TO THE CDC,
THIS CONSTANT NOISE CAN CAUSE
STRESS,
ANXIETY, HEART DISEASE, AND
THAT'S NOT THE WORST,
ACTUALLY, BECAUSE AFTER THAT YOU
HAVE A
SOUND THAT GOES WAY FARTHER
INCLUDING IN THE CITY UP TO FIVE
MILES AWAY.
A CONSTANT HUM, A CONSTANT
BUZZ THAT YOU FEEL AND HAS ANDAN
IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH AND IT IS
NOT COVERED BY ZONING LAWS
BECAUSE
IT IS NOT IN THE STANDARD SOUND
RANGE.
3. 6 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
ON AVERAGE GOES UP TO --
FAHRENHEIT
OF INCREASE AS FAR AS SIX MILES
AWAY.
SO SAY NO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE BEN.
>> GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS BEN JONES.
I'M A DIGITAL AND
COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR TESTIFYING IN SUPPORT
OF THE DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM. TODAY I'D LIKE TO
UNDERSCORE THE
URGENCY OF THIS MORATORIUM.
ON MAY 19th, THE DAY BEFORE THIS
COMMITTEE'S LAST MEETING,
THE PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM FILED
AN APPLICATION FOR A NINE- STORY
DATA CENTER AT 3625 FIRST AVENUE
SOUTH, THE SOUTHEAST CORNER
OF HIGHWAY 99 AND THE WEST
SEATTLE
BRIDGE.
THE SITE PERMITS A
QUARTER MILLION FEET TO STORAGE,
WITH TALKING TO FRIENDS WHO
ARE ELECTRICIANS CALCULATES
A MINIMUM OF 25 GIGAWATTS,
OVER THE AMENDED IN AMENDED
THREE OF
ADDITIONAL 20 MVA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY I HOPE
THIS MORATORIUM ALSO INCLUDES
THAT
BUILDING.
BUT, ON THE OTHER
HAND, YESTERDAY THERE WAS A DATA
CENTER MORATORIUM APPROVED, THIS
COUNCIL LEADING ON
THE COUNTY LEVEL AND THE STATE
LEVEL AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON
THE DATA
CENTER MORATORIUM SO
FAR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE
JODIE FOLLOWED BY STEVE, ELENA,
ELAN
AND STEVE.
JODIE?
>> DID YOU SAY JODIE?
>> I DID.
>> I'M SORRY.
IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO HEAR
YOU.
OKAY, SO MY NAME IS JODIE AND
I'M A FORMER SCHOOLTEACHER,
AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I
WANTED TO COME HERE IS I
WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WITH THESE
DATA CENTERS AND A.I.
MY DAUGHTER HAS GRADUATED TWICE
FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON WITH HONORS UNABLE
TO
GET A JOB, THEREFORE, DOES NOT
HAVE HEALTH CARE.
HER FRIENDS ARE IN THE SAME
SITUATION.
THE ENVIRONMENT IS JUST AS BAD.
THESE DATA CENTERS, I HAVE
SEEN VIDEO AFTER VIDEO OF REAL
PEOPLE WITH SLUDGE, YELLOW
WATER, COMING OUT OF THEIR
FAUCETS
WHEN A DATA CENTER HAS BEEN
BUILT
JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM THEM.
I HAVE RESEARCHED OTHER
COUNTRIES TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE
DOING. THEY WERE PUTTING
REGULATIONS, GOING IN SLOWLY,
LOOKING AT
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE HUMAN
BEINGS
AND HUMAN LIFE.
AND, FINALLY, I WANT TO TELL
YOU A PERSONAL STORY, MY
GRANDMOTHER DIED 15 YEARS AGO,
ONE OF THE
LAST THINGS SHE SAID TO ME
IS DON'T EVER
FORGETFORGET THE MIRACLE OF A
GLASS OF WATER.
WE ARE FORGETTING THAT MIRACLE.
PLEASE VOTE FOR A MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE
STEVE FOLLOWED BY
ELENA, ELAN AND STEVE.
>> WE NEED A BETTER SEATTLE.
WE NEED A SEATTLE THAT
REALLY CARES ABOUT THAT MIDDLE
80%
PLUS.
CARROTS FOR THE VERY, VERY
TOP, AND OFTENTIMES FOR THE
VERY, VERY BOTTOM, ALTHOUGH
YOU'VE ALMOST DESTROYED THE
IMAGE
IF YOU CAN'T GET A BLOOD OUT OF
THE TURNIP WITH YOUR SUGAR TAX.
I THINK WE NEED TIME TO LOOK AT
THE ELECTRIC RATES, LOOK AT
THE WATER RATES BEFORE YOU
ALLOW ANY MORE GROWTH, AND WE
SHOULD PROTECT THE CITIZENS.
AND LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
WHAT'S
REALLY HAPPENING ON YOUR APPEAL
SYSTEM.
YOU'RE DOING A FABULOUS JOB
OF KEEPING THE PUBLIC OUT OF THE
PROCESS.
DESIGN REVIEW HAS BEEN
DESTROYED. IT'S HARDER TO
APPEAL
FEWER THINGS ARE APPEALABLE AND
THE CITIZENS MUST PUT UP WITH
OUR MASTERS WANT US TO HAVE.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT
HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WHY DO YOU THINK DONALD TRUMP
RISES?
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY.
WHY DO YOU THINK WE
HAVE ROTATING CHAIRS IN CITY
GOVERNMENT? PEOPLE ARE NOT
HAPPY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE
ELENA FOLLOWED BY ELON AND
STEVE.
>> MY NAME IS ELENA BRIAN.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN
SEATTLE.
I WORK IN
TECH AND I WAS LAID OFF DUE TO
A.I.
I THINK THAT SEATTLE IS A LEADER
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
AND NATIONWIDE AND WORLDWIDE
ON CLIMATE ISSUES, AND WE
NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE IN
IMPLEMENTING POLICIES THAT
SUPPORT THE
ETHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF TECH, SO
I REALLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED
WORK AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS
ISSUE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS ELON ROBINSON.
I'M A FREELANCE GRAPHIC
DESIGNER
AND A RECENT GRADUATE OF SEATTLE
CENTRAL.
MY CLASSMATES AND I HAVE HAD A
VERY, VERY DIFFICULT
TIME FINDING WORK LARGELY DUE TO
A.I.
AND A LOT OF THE INSTABILITY
IN THE TECH INDUSTRY, AND I
AM ADDITIONALLY DEEPLYDEEPLY
ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE STRONG
INDUSTRY IN SEATTLE TO BE
ABLE TO DICTATE DECISIONS ABOUT
HOW
OUR LAND IS USED. I HAVE A
BACKGROUND IN
HOUSING ADVOCACY AND ALL OF
THESE CONCERNS AROUND LAND USE,
AND NOISE POLLUTION, THE ABILITY
OF PEOPLE TO FIND A HEALTHY
SPACE TO LIVE.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO
ME TO ACCEPT ADDITIONAL DATA
CENTER BUILDOUT WITHOUT THE KIND
OF
RESEARCH THAT THIS MORATORIUM,
I THINK, WOULD ALLOW.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY
THAT I'M REALLY IN SUPPORT OF
THAT AND
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS STEVE ZEMKE,
SPEAKING FOR TREE PACK AND
FRIENDS OF SEATTLE'S URBAN
FOREST, WHICH I CHAIR.
HOUSE
BILL 121215. YOU HAVE A BROKEN
PROCESS
HERE IN
PASSING LEGISLATION. YOU WANT US
TO DISCUSS,
PUT COMMENTS OUT ON WHAT IS JUST
A
LINE, NO LINK, NO BILL.
THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS.
WHY AREN'T YOU PUBLISHING
AT LEAST YOUR FIRST DRAFT?
HOW CAN YOU WRITE MEMOS
ON SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T
HAVE THE LANGUAGE FOR WHAT
YOU'RE
REPEALING, WHAT YOU'RE DEALING
WITH?
IS IT JUST MY COMPUTER?
I CANNOT FIND LINKS TO THIS
BILL.
IN THE MEMO THAT YOU HAVE,
I FOUND SEVERAL ERRORS, I FIND
27.
TODAY I FIND 28 APPEALS, NOT 27.
110 DAYS OF DELAY NOT 151.
I THINK THE DELAY OF A PROCESS
PEOPLE HAVE TO DEFEND
YOUR LEGISLATION IS NOT AN
EXCUSE TO
VOID APPEALS.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE SIRAGE
FOLLOWED BY SCOTT AND MICHELLE.
>> GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF CITY
HALL, COUNCILMEMBERS.
I'M RAJ, SCIENTIST, ENGINEER
AND
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. I AM HERE
ASKING YOU TO
SUPPORT A STRICT MORATORIUM ON
DATA
CENTER CONSTRUCTION.
HERE ARE STRAIGHT
FACTS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HEAR.
I MOVED HERE IN 2021.
ELECTRICITY PRICES HAVE GONE UP
38. 1 PERCENTAGE POINTS
CITING THE DATA SET.
THIS IS DUE TO THE
INCREASED POWER TRANSMISSION
COSTS NECESSITATED BY
PRIVATE ENTERPRISE DATA CENTERS,
COSTS PASSED TO EVERYDAY FOLKS.
MORATORIUM NOW.
PERMITTING A DATA CENTER
MEANS THE SAME LAND CANNOT BE
USED FOR
HOMES UNLESS THEY ARE TINY
CO-LOCATIONS. WITH DENSE
HOUSING, 1,000 TO
3,000 FUTURE
SEATTLEITES YOU WILL VOTE TO
UNHOUSE WITH
EVERY DATA CENTER APPROVED
TODAY.
MORATORIUM NOW.
I'M AN A.I. RESEARCHER WITH
A SMALL BUSINESS.
YOU THINK I WANT DATA
CENTERS, EVEN AS ME, I'M
TELLING YOU
PENNY WISE AND POUND
FOOLISH. ONE PERSON I CAN
INNOVATE A.I.
CHATBOTS WITHOUT MASSIVE
ENVIRONMENTAL KILLER
COMPUTERS, SO CAN $1 TRILLION
MARKET CAP,
MICROSOFT AND AMAZON ISSUE
A CHALLENGE TO LOCAL TECH
LEADERS TO INNOVATE.
MORATORIUM
NOW.
THANK YOU IN SOLIDARITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO WE HOLD THAT UNTIL WE HAVE
A SEPARATE --
HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
MAY I SPEAK TO THE
QUASI-JUDICIALJUDICIAL MATTER, I
THINK
IT WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO
HAVE THE COMMENT JUST BECAUSE IT
SHOULD BE PART OF THE
RECORD, AND SO WE SHOULD BE
MAKING OUR
DECISION BASED ON WHAT WAS IN
THE RECORD.
WE DO HAVE A LETTER THAT I WILL
DISCLOSING AND PUTTING ON
THE RECORD A LITTLE BIT LATER,
AND
SO -- BUT WE'LL GET TO
THAT LATER IN THE AGENDA.
CLERK, DO YOU HAVE
ANYTHINGANYTHING
FURTHER?
>> NEXT UP WE
HAVE MICHELLE HAASMAN.
>> HELLO.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY COMMENT
TODAY.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE AND I'M
HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON
THE
MORATORIUM OF DATA CENTERS.
WHILE I AM NOT AWARE OF
YOUR MOTIVATIONS TO BECOME A
CITY
COUNCILMEMBER, I AM HOPING
THAT IT WAS TO SERVE PUBLIC
GOOD.
I AM HOPING THAT AS AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL YOUR INTENTIONS
ARE TO
IMPROVE OUR CITY, IMPROVE
THE LIVES OF OUR CONSTITUENTS
AND
TO BE
A GUARDIAN OF THIS BEAUTIFUL
LAND WE CALL HOME.
AS A KID I WOULD RETREAT TO
THE WOODS WHEN I NEEDED TO FIND
SOME SPACE.
I COULD CREATE IMAGINARY WORLDS
AMONG THE DIRT LEAVES, TWIGS AND
TREES. MY LOCAL PARK WOULD HOST
A
YEARLY EASTER EGG
HUNT. AS A TEEN I HUNG OUT AT
THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I PLAYED TENNIS, I SWAM, I
TOOK DANCE CLASSES, AND I
WATCHED
THE OLD GUYS PLAY CARDS.
IN FACT, I MET MY HUSBAND AT
THE PARK.
THESE KINDS OF PLACES MATTER
TODAY, AND
TOMORROW. WHY AM I TELLING YOU
THIS?
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
THE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH WE
LIVE ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO
OUR HEALTH THROUGHOUT OUR
LIVES. I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE
YES
ON THE MORATORIUM TO TAKE A
PAUSE TO STUDY THE RISK TO
OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH,
TO
DOCUMENT THE EFFECTS ON POWER --
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS OUR LAST IN- PERSON
SPEAKER.
WE
WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
FIRST UP WE HAVE SANDY.
>> HI.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'M COMMENTING ON CB 121215.
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE CITIZEN
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
THIS BILL IS JUSTIFIED AS
BRINGING SEATTLE INTO
PARODY WITH CITIES LIKE TACOMA
AND
EVERETT, WHICH DON'T
HAVE CITIZEN ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW.
THESE ARE NOT CITIES
WHOSE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES WE
SHOULD EMULATE.
THEY'RE BOTH HOME TO MANY SUPER
FUND SITES AND HAVE
ONGOING INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION.
IN TACOMA THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY IS
MONITORING A PLAN
THAT SPREAD ARSENIC OVER
1,000 SQUARE MILES.
IN EVERETT THEY'RE MONITORING
PCBs THAT CONTAMINATE ALMOST
3,000 SQUARE FEET OF POWDER
MILL
CREEK. FOR PARODY WE SHOULD LOOK
TO
CITIES WITH ESTABLISHED CHECKS
AND BALANCES FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LIKE
OLYMPIA
AND SPOKANE WHERE REGULAR PEOPLE
WHO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THEIR COMMUNITIES HAVE A ROLE
IN
PROTECTING THEIR LOCAL
ENVIRONMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE
HAVE ALICE LOCKHART.
>> GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. THIS IS ALICE LOCKHART
CALLING IN FROM TWO BLOCKS FROM
AURORA.
A LITTLE NOISY LATELY.
I WANT TO SAY I WOULD
VASTLY PREFER TO LIVE HERE TO
LIVING WITHIN ANY NUMBER OF
BLOCKS OF A
DATA CENTER, PARTICULARLY ONE OF
THE ONES THAT ARE BUILT IN
WAREHOUSES.
MOREOVER -- SO I WANT TO
COMMEND YOU ALL ON THIS
MORATORIUM.
I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE GOING
TO PASS IT AND KUDOS TO THE
CHAIR
OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR
MOVING QUICKLY ON THIS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I WOULD LOVE IT IF ADDITIONAL
MATTERS OF URGENCY ARE TREATED
WITH EQUAL URGENCY.
IF MBA -- MVAs COULD BE
REMOVED SO WE KNOW ANY
OTHERS THAT ARE PROPOSED.
AND FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO --
>> THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU WANT TO SEND US THE
REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS,
FOR ANYBODY WHO IS UNABLE TO
PROVIDE THEIR FULL COMMENTS
WITHIN
THE ONE MINUTE, SEND THEM BY
EMAIL
TO THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JUNE.
>> HELLO.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS
ENACTING CHANGES THAT WILL
AFFECT EVERY
PERSON IN EVERY ASPECT OF
THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR CITY.
IN 2023 THE COUNCIL
PASSED A TREE ORDINANCE THAT
REMOVED PROTECTIONS FOR TREES ON
LOTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
THIS MEASURE ALLOWS 85
TO 100% LOT COVERAGE IN LOW-
RISE
IN HIGHER ZONES LEAVING NO ROOM
FOR
MATURE TREES.
THE NEW COMP PLAN VASTLY EXPANDS
THESE ZONES ACROSS THE CITY.
THE EIS WAS BASED ON HALF
AS MANY ADDITIONAL DWELLINGS
AS WERE EVENTUALLY INCLUDED.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THESE
CHANGES WILL HAVE
ADVERSE EFFECTS ON ORCAS AND
OTHER
CREATURES.
THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR.
COUNCIL SHOULD FOCUS ON
MEASURING, RECKONING WITH
AND ACTING TO MITIGATE THESE
ADVERSE EFFECTS.
INSTEAD, CB 12115 WOULD
TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY OF
CITIZENS
TO FILE APPEALS.
THIS IS A BAD IDEA.
OPPOSE CB 121215.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE LUCY JOHNSON.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LUCY,
AND I'M TESTIFYING IN FAVOR OF
THE MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS.
I'M A RECENT BIOLOGY
GRADUATE, AND I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF DATA CENTERS ON
OUR HUMAN AND WILDLIFE
COMMUNITIES.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
THE DOCUMENTED CASES OF DATA
CENTERS' FOOD AND WATER
AND CREATING NOISE HEARD TWO
MILES
AWAY. AS A YOUNG PERSON AND A
RECENT
GRADUATE WHO WAS
RAISED IN THE BEAUTIFUL
SEATTLE AREA, I URGE YOU TO
PRIORITIZE OUR
HEALTH BY PASSING THIS
MORATORIUM ON DATA
CENTERS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JULIA.
>> HI. I'M ASKING YOU TO REJECT
CB
121215 AND KEEP OUR RIGHT TO
PROTECT THROUGH AND --
AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
THROUGH
APPEALS.
THIS PROTECTS DATA CENTERS AND
THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
UTAH.
THIS BILL WOULD
REMOVE A CRITICAL LAYER OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW.
THERE ARE ALREADY CONCERNS THAT
THE COMP PLAN EIS WAS INCORRECT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS IS THE
CASE FOR PHASES THREE AND FOUR?
ONLY THOSE WEALTHY ENOUGH
TO AFFORD A TEAM OF LAWYERS
ANDAND COURT LITIGATION COULD
APPEAL.
IN THAT WAY THIS IS A DANGEROUS
CONCENTRATION OF POWER.
LASTLY, THE APPEALS PROCESS
ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK IS THE
ONLY
APPEAL TOOL THAT OCCURS BEFORE
IMPLEMENTATION.
IF THIS BILL PASSES
AND LEGISLATION TO MAKE OUR
CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE TO DATA
CENTERS
IS PROPOSED, NO ONE WOULD
BE ABLE TO APPEAL UNTIL THE
LEGISLATION IS PASSED AND
FEASIBLY THE PROCESS WOULDN'T BE
COMPLETED UNTIL A DATA CENTER IS
BUILT AND THE DAMAGE IS DONE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE PHIL LEWIS.
>> GOOD MORNING, COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS PHIL LEWIS AND I
SERVE AS A GOVERNMENT
RELATIONS CHAIR FOR THE HUMAN
RIGHTS
COMMISSION. I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBERS LIN AND
HOLLANDSWORTH
FOR BILLING FORWARD 121214.
I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT
THE DATA CENTER MORATORIUM.
WE ARE SEEING ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THE IMPACTS OF RAPID A.I.
DATA CENTER EXPANSION ON AIR
QUALITY, HEALTH, UTILITY COSTS
AND
COMMUNITY NATURAL RESOURCES.
THE STORY OF A.I.
INTELLIGENCE IS TOLD AS ONE OF
INNOVATION AND
PROGRESS BUT BEHIND EVERY
DATA
CENTER THE PHYSICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT REQUIRES
ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF
ENERGY, WATER AND LAND OUR
COMMUNITIES CANNOT AFFORD.
HISTORY TELLS US PRODUCING
INFRASTRUCTURE FALLS
ON BLACK AND BROWN AND LOW-
INCOME
COMMUNITIES.
ENVIRONMENTAL
INJUSTICE ADVOCATES WARN THAT
DATA
CENTER DEVELOPMENT MAY BE
REPEATING THOSE SAME PATTERNS.
A MORATORIUM IS NOT
ANTI-TECHNOLOGY.
IT
IS PRO-ACCOUNTABILITY AND
SEATTLE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ASK CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR
THE WELL-BEING OF ALL
SEATTLEITES.
I ASK YOU TO
SUPPORT THIS
MORATORIUM.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JENNIFER
GODFREY.
JENNIFER, PLEASE PRESS STAR 6.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT
SPEAKER, AND THAT IS RENAISSANCE
350.
RENAISSANCE, I CAN SEE YOU'RE
UNMUTED BUT WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES.
>>
LOVELY. RENAISSANCE WITH 350
SEATTLE
AND I'M IN FAVOR OF THE
PASSAGE OF THE MORATORIUM AND
WORK PLAN.
THE DATA CENTER ISSUE WITH
INTEGRITY -- BAD FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
SOMETHING I WAS
PARTICULARLY CONCERNED WITH,
HOWEVER, SOME
OF THE PARTICULAR LANGUAGE IN
A PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
350 PELT, AMONG
OTHERS, SUBMITTED FEEDBACK TO
YOUR OFFICE END OF LAST WEEK,
BUT
I WOULD LIKE TO DEVOTE MY TIME
WITH YOU THIS MORNING
TO ATTACHMENT A WORK PLAN FOR
A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM
SECTION THREE ABOUT COMMUNITY
BENEFITS
AGREEMENT. WE ARE HIGHLY
CONCERNED
ABOUT THE VOLUNTARY ELEMENT.
THERE IS NO GOOD REASON
TO SUSPECT ANY CORPORATION
WOULD VOLUNTARILY SUBMIT TO
PAPER
ADDING BENEFITS
TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEIR
PRIMARY MOTIVATION IS
TO MAKE AS MUCH PROFIT
AS
POSSIBLE. AS AN EXAMPLE ELON
MUSK CONSTRUCTED IN MEMPHIS,
TENNESSEE, MAKING A
COMMITMENT TO CONSTRUCT WATER
MAKING FACILITIES SO THEY ARE
NOT PUMPING THROUGH.
THIS IS YET TO HAPPEN.
BUT IF LANGUAGE LIKE VOLUNTARY
TO MANDATORY WILL NOT GET THIS
PASSED --
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE ALYSSA
SUTTON.
>> HI. I WORK AS AN ACCOUNTANT
ACCOUNTANT
MY APARTMENT IN CAPITOL
HILL REPRESENTED BY
COUNCILMEMBER
HOLLANDSWORTH.
I'M ASKING YOU VOTE
IN FAVOR OF A MORATORIUM ON DATA
CENTERS IN
SEATTLE, ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE IS STEALING MANY
OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUMAN
CONNECTION WHILE
HARMING OUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL
HEALTH.
WHY WOULD WE CONSIDER GINORMOUS
CENTERS THAT SUCK OUR LIMITED
RESOURCES INSTEAD OF
CREATING SPACES LIKE TRANSIT
CENTERS,
PARKS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
OR OTHER COMMUNAL SPACES THAT
FOSTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
HUMAN CONNECTION.
PLEASE PASS A
MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTER
CONSTRUCTION AND WORK
TO PRIORITIZE
THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE OVER
CORPORATION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE BRIAN DENG.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS BRIAN DENG.
I AM A DISPLACED TECH WORKER AND
A LIFELONG ARTIST.
I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT.
I AM URGING THE CITY COUNCIL
TO SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM ON
DATA
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE LAUREN
REDFIELD.
>> HELLO.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> GREAT. I AM AN ENERGY PROJECT
MANAGER AND RESIDENT OF DISTRICT
SIX AND A MEMBER OF THE
WASHINGTON A.I.
RESISTANCE.
I SUPPORT A DATA CENTER
MORATORIUM.
I RECOMMEND A FEW THINGS
WITH THE CITY'S APPROACH TO
DATA
CENTERS. FIRST MEGAWATTS INSTEAD
OF
MEGAVOLT-AMPERES.
MEGAWATT REVEALS
ELECTRICITY DEMAND AND FAIL SAFE
GRID
AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, A
CLEAR
THRESHOLD TO AN EQUIVALENT WOULD
ALIGN THE REGIONAL FRAMEWORK
AND OREGON'S POWER ACT.
SECOND, THE MORATORIUM
PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE A
COMMUNITY
ADVISORY BOARD OF IMPACTED
COMMUNITIES, TECHNICAL EXPERTS
AND STAKEHOLDERS, NOT INDUSTRY
REPRESENTATIVES.
COMMUNITY INPUT SHOULD BE IN THE
PROCESS.
DO NOT WEAKEN PROTECTIONS.
THERE'S NO PUBLIC CBA --
THE BURDEN SHOULD BE ON THE
DEVELOPER FOR DEVELOPMENT
GOALS AND PROJECTS
THAT DO NOT FURTHER THOSE GOALS
SHOULD BE DENIED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE PATRICK.
>> HI.
THANKS FOR GIVING ME
THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M FROM DISTRICT ONE AND
I SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE A NUMBER OF
THE POINTS IN THE ATTACHED
WORK SHEET AND FIGURING
OUT DEFINITIONS IS PART OF IT.
I WANTED TO CALL OUT
HOW DIFFERENT THESE NEW A.I.
DATA
CENTERS ARE THAN THE
ONES THAT WE'VE HAD.
EXISTING ONES POWERING THE WEB
AND SERVICES THAT MAY BEEN
ABOUT RETRIEVAL, HYPER SCALE
DATA CENTERS FOCUS ON A.I.
REQUIRE
LOTS OF POWER AND ARE A MASSIVE
DRAIN. IT'S LIKE COMPARING A
TRUCK OR A
SEMITRUCK TO A REGULAR CAR, LIKE
LITERALLY TAKING TEN TIMES THE
POWER.
UNLIKE A SEMITRUCK VERSUS A
CAR, AN A.I. COMPUTER IS ROUGHLY
THE SAME SIZE AS REGULAR
COMPUTERS AND THE SAME
FOOTPRINT.
IT IS A MASSIVE LOAD.
WE WANT TO MAKE THESE
DATA CENTERS ENORMOUS.
SO PLEASE VOTE FOR THE
MORATORIUM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE SEDAR.
>> HELLO.
MY NAME IS SEDAR AND I AM
SPEAKING ON SUPPORT OF THE
MORATORIUM.
DATA CENTERS OR
MASS SURVEILLANCE CENTERS HAVE
AN EXTREME EFFECT ON THE COST OF
LOCAL RESIDENTS CAUSING THEIR
ELECTRICAL BILLS TO GO WAY UP.
WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A
FOUR- YEAR DROUGHT.
WE HAVE ABOUT SIX WEEKS LEFT
OF FOOD BECAUSE FARMERS
CANNOT AFFORD WHAT THEY NORMALLY
COULD, AND THE FACT THAT THE
DATA CENTER WOULD BE MORE OF A
DRAIN ON THE WATER AND THE ONE
THAT'S
BEING PROPOSED, FOR INSTANCE,
IN UTAH WOULD HAVE THE
DAILY ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF 23
ATOM
BOMBS.
IT WOULD DESTROY MANY OF
OUR KEYSTONE SPECIES THAT WE
DEPEND
ON FOR SURVIVAL AS A SPECIES
OURSELVES. THAT IS WHY
I'M IN SUPPORT OF --
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE DAVID HAYNES.
>> TODAY IS A REMINDER THE
SMALL-TIME LANDLORDS ON THE
CITY COUNCIL THAT ALREADY SELF-
DEALT WITH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
AND SABOTAGE THE COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN IS GETTING AWAY WITH IT AND
THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO
EXPEDITE
IT, TAKING AWAY THE REVIEW
ON THE
INTERPRETATION OF WHAT
CONSTITUTES 21st SENTRY
FIRST- WORLD QUALITY HOUSING,
AND YET THE PEOPLE WHO
ARE WEAPONIZING THE CHARACTER
OF THEIR DILAPIDATED, INFLATED
HOUSE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
ARE BLEEDING THEIR HEARTS AS AA
SUGAR- COATED WAY
OF ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY,
THEMSELVES, ARE GREEDY
AND TRYING TO BACK STAB
USING CERTAIN COUNCILMEMBERS WHO
PUT
RESTRICTIONS ON THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
PEOPLE ARE CHEATED OUT OF AND
MAKE
PEOPLE LIVE ON THE SIDE OF A
TOXIC
ROAD IN THE MAIN INTERSECTIONS
LIKE ONE OF THE WORST PLACES TO
LIVE.
CERTAIN PEOPLE
THINK THAT'S SUITABLE FOR
SOMEONE
ELSE TO LIVE IN BECAUSE IT'S A
FORM OF
RED LINING AND IT'S
UNACCEPTABLE.
>> THANK YOU,
DAVID.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE DAVE GLUGER.
DAVE GLUGER, PLEASE PRESS STAR
6.
>> HELLO.
THIS IS DAVE.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 5, AND I'M
ASKING YOU TO OPPOSE COUNCIL
BILL 121215.
COUNCIL CHAIR -- COMMITTEE CHAIR
LIN SAYS THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS
TO REDUCE COSTS AND MAKE
THINGS MOVE MOVE FASTER.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN
DEMOCRACIES.
WE HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO DO
THINGS.
IF WE WANTED TO REDUCE COSTS
AND MAKE THINGS MOVE FASTER,
WE'D GET RID OF ELECTIONS.
THEY TAKE TIME AND THEY SLOW
THINGS DOWN, BUT THAT'S PART OF
OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND PUBLIC HEARINGS, THAT'S
PART
OF THE PROCESS, TOO.
SO SHOULD WE GET RID OF
THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ALONG
WITH ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS?
I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO
OPPOSE THIS ANTI- DEMOCRATIC
MEASURE
121215.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE ALBERTO
ALVAREZ.
>> THANK YOU.
THESE NEW DATA CENTERS WOULD BE
A BAD DEAL FOR
OUR CITY. THE HIGH INCREASE TO
OUR
UTILITY BILLS WOULD BE
PERMANENT.
THEY WON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH
LONG- TERM JOBS TO OFFSET
WHAT OUR COMMUNITIES WILL PAY
FOR
DECADES TO COME NOT TO MENTION
THE SEVERE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO
THE HEALTH OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
THESE DATA CENTERS ARE JUST
HIGH- TECH MINING OPERATIONS.
LEAVING OUR CITY DRAINED AND OUR
POCKETS EMPTY.
BILLIONAIRES AND A.I.
COMPANIES WILL TAKE THE
PROFITS AND LEAVE THE SCRAPS FOR
US TO CLEAN UP.
NO DATA CENTERS, NOT NOW,
NOT
EVER. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD
DAY.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE JENNIFER
GODFREY.
>>
OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME THIS TIME?
>> YES.
>> OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU.
SO I FILED THE ORCA APPEAL,
121215, PROHIBITION IS IN
RESPONSE, TOO.
I WONDER IFIF IS A
CITY BASED ON
SCIENCE, FASHGT AND REASON
INSTEAD OF RIGHT-
RING SPECIAL INTEREST.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON
ENDING ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT
AND PREVENTING COUNCIL
FROM HAVING THE BEST INFORMATION
IN FRONT
OF THEM, WHY NOT JUST DO A
QUALITY JOB ON ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW
IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THAT WOULD BE THE FASTEST AND
MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO END
APPEALS.
SEATTLE
ROUTINELY COMMITS ERRORS SUCH AS
CLAIMING ENDANGERS
SPECIES NEVER OR RARELY
USE SEATTLE AS HABITAT WHICH IS
COMPLETELY FALSE.
THE STATE ANIMAL IS AN
ENDANGERED ORCA THAT PEOPLE PAY
MILLIONS TO LOOK AT IN
PUGET SOUND SAYING WATER
CONTAMINANTS ARE DILUTED TO
HARMLESS LEVELS.
PLEASE ALSO END PRIVATE
MEETINGS WITH DEVELOPERS.
THIS
IS STILL HAPPENING EVERY
MONTH.
PLEASE WALK THE EQUITY TALK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES OUR
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU, CLERK.
EARLIER, JUST REGARDING ITEM
NUMBER 3, I'M GOING TO
READ SOMETHING FOR THE RECORD
NOW, JUST IN CASE ANY MEMBER OF
THE PUBLIC DOES WANT TO REBUT.
CONSISTENT WITH
THE QUASI- JUDICIAL RULES
OF APPEARANCE AND FAIRNESS
DOCTRINE, AN EX-
PARTY COMMUNICATION I RECEIVED
VIA
EMAIL.
THE EMAIL IS FROM JARED
PECHAUER, THE PROJECT
ARCHITECT FOR 5201 RAINIERS
SOUTH,
IN SUPPORT BY EAGLE ROCK
VENTURES AND 5201 RAINIER LLC TO
EXTEND THE CONTRACT REZONE
APPROVED
BY ORDINANCE 125122.
A PRINTED COPY IS AVAILABLE
FOR VIEWING AND WILL BE PLACED
INTO
THE PROCEDURAL RECORD.
THOSE ATTENDING IN PERSON
HAVE PRINTED COPIES AND A
DIGITAL COPY HAS BEEN SHARED
WITH REMOTE
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I WANT TO PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTIES OF
RECORD TO
REBUT AND INVITE ANYONE HERE TO
DO SOSO
NOW.
AN EX- PARTE
COMMUNICATION AT EACH SUBSEQUENT
HEARING.
THIS IS MAY 4, 2026, ONE-
PAGE LETTER WE RECEIVED BY
EMAIL.
I WANT TO DISCLOSE IT FOR
THE RECORD.
AND THIS RELATES
TO ITEM NUMBER 3 ON THE AGENDA
TODAY.
OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FORFOR ALL
PASSIONATE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AS THERE ARE NO
ADDITIONAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS,
WE WILL
NOW PROCEED TO OUR ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR --
LET'S SEE -- OUR FIRST ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 1?
>> COUNCIL BILL 121214 ORDINANCE
THE LAND USE AND ZONING
AND REDUCING A NEW DEFINITION
FOR DATA CENTERS MORATORIUM ON
THE
ACCEPTING APPROVAL,
THE ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION
TO DATA CENTERS, SECTION 23.84A-
008
OF THE CODE AN EFFECTIVE
DATEDATE
THREE- FOURTH VOTE BY BRINGING A
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU.
JOINING US AT THE TABLE,
WHEN YOU'RE READY,
COULD YOU PLEASE
GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELVES.
>> HB HARPER, CENTRAL COUNSEL
STAFF.
>> ERIC McCONAGHY.
>> SUNAREE MARSHALL, MANAGER IN
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
>> GOOD MORNING, CHRISTINE
BUNCH, OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT, STRATEGIC
ADVISER.
>> GOOD MORNING.
ANDY STRONG, SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE HAVE, LET'S SEE -- DO WE
HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR TODAY?
>> THERE'S NO
PRESENTATION.
>> NO PRESENTATION? OKAY.
SO JUST ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS FROM COMMITTEE
MEMBERS,
WE WILL HAVE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT
I'LL BE PROPOSING IN
A MOMENT, BUT JUST BEFORE WE GET
KICKED
OFF ON AMENDMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS?
OKAY.
I MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMEND PASSAGE
OF COUNCIL BILL 121 14.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND
SECONDED. PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL 121214.
ANY COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE TO
THE TWO AMENDMENTS?
OKAY.
SO BEFORE WE VOTE ON THESE
AMENDMENTS, WE'LL NEED
TO SUSPEND THE RULES.
HARD COPIES OF THE
AMENDMENTS WERE PROVIDED TO EACH
COUNCIL OFFICE ON THIS COMMITTEE
BEFORE THE AMENDMENT DEADLINE.
COUNCIL OFFICES WERE PROVIDE
D EMAILED COPIES BUT CAME
AFTER THE AMENDMENT DEADLINE.
IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION,
THE COUNCIL RULES WILL BE
SUSPENDED
TO ALLOW CONSIDERATION OF
AMENDMENTS THAT WERE NOTNOT
DISTRIBUTED PER OUR COUNCIL
RULES.
OKAY.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE RULE
IS SUSPENDED.
I MOVE TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL
121214 AS PRESENTED.
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE BILL.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS?
BEFORE WE -- YEAH, BEFORE WE
MOVE ON TO COMMENTS, I WOULD
LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> SURE.
I'M HAPPY TO
DESCRIBE THE AMENDMENT THIS
MORNING.
AMENDMENT ONE ADDS A
PROVISION THAT CLARIFIES AND
CHANGES THE
SUBSTANCE OF THE ORDINANCE
SUCH THAT AN EXISTING DATA
CENTER FACILITY MAY BE EXPANDED
BY
UP TO THE THRESHOLD IDENTIFIED
IN
THE NEW DEFINITIONDEFINITION
COUNTING THE MEGAVOLT- AMPERES
OF THE EXISTING DATA CENTER AS
PART
OF THAT EXPANSION.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS,
A DATA CENTER OF ANY SIZE THAT
CURRENTLY EXISTS TODAY
CAN EXPAND BY UP TO THAT
20 MEGAVOLT-AMPERES THRESHOLD
IN THE DEFINITION.
SO IT ADDITIONALLY ADDS A
RECITAL TO SORT OF EXPLAIN THE
WHY OF THAT, WHICH IS
ABOUT SUPPORTING EXISTING
BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON DATA
CENTERS INCLUDING GOVERNMENT
ENTITIES, PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH
CARE, ALL
OF THE THINGS WE KNOW DO RELY
ON EXISTING DATA CENTERS TODAY
TO ALLOW THOSE FACILITIES TO
EXPAND
UP TO THAT THRESHOLD WITHOUT
COUNTING, AGAIN,
THE MEGAVOLT- AMPERES OF THE
EXISTING FACILITY TOWARDS THAT
THRESHOLD.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS IF THAT DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE.
BUT THAT'S THE SUBSTANCE
OF AMENDMENT ONE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR LIN, AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW, HB.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHY
IT USES MEGAVOLT- AMPERES,
I BELIEVE IS THE TERM, UNITS AS
A TERM OVER MEGAWATT UNITS.
>> I CAN GIVE
A TRY. I THINK SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES MAY BE BEST SUITED TO
DO THAT.
>> SO I WILL SAY HOW I'VE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT IT AND WORKING
WITH FOLKS IN CITY LIGHT TO
TRY TO DESCRIBE THIS.
MEGAVOLT-AMPERES
IS A GOOD UNIT TO DESCRIBE
EQUIPMENT.
IT'S A WAY TO SCALE
THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY FOR DATA
CENTERS.
TO MY RIGHT IS ANDY STRONG, WHO
CAN PROBABLY DO A BETTER JOB OF
DESCRIBING HOW CITY LIGHT, FOR
EXAMPLE, WOULD LOOK AT THIS UNIT
AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR
THE SCALE OF A NEW DATA CENTER.
DO YOU MIND, ANDY?
>> YEAH, MEGAVOLT- AMPERES OR
MVA
TYPICALLY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT
POWER FACTORS THAT ADJUST THE
UNIT FROM A MEGAWATT
MEASUREMENT TO AN MVA
MEASUREMENT.
TYPICALLY THEY ARE FAIRLY
CLOSE IN SIZE, BUT IT ALLOWS
FOR CERTAIN COMPONENTS AND
CERTAIN LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH
SERVICE.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR
CLARIFYING THAT. I KNOW IN A LOT
OF THE
DISCUSSIONS AND JUST
BRIEFING DISCUSSIONS ON THIS
TOPIC, IT'S BEEN A LEARNING
CURVE AS WE'VE
COME TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE
OF DATA CENTERS THAT EXIST
WITHIN OUR CITY, THE
PROLIFERATION OF
THEM THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND
THE COUNTRY NOW, AND EXACTLY HOW
THEY'RE UTILIZED WITHIN OUR
CITY. SO MY FINAL QUESTION IS
MORE
TO THE SPONSOR OF THE AMENDMENT.
YOUR OFFICE HAS BEEN DOING
SOME ENGAGEMENT ON THIS TOPIC.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO,
AGAIN, WHY THIS IS COMING
BEFORE US TODAY.
I HEARD HB KIND OF SPEAK TO
SOME OF THE POINTS AROUND
ALLOWING FOR REASONABLE
EXPANSION
WITH EXISTING DATA CENTERS
BECAUSE
OF THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN
HEALTH CARE FACILITIES BUT I
WONDER
IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF
THE
ENGAGEMENT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS
AMENDMENT IS WE DO HAVE EXISTING
DATA CENTERS, AND I THINK AS
WE HEARD FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY,
OUR
EXISTING DATA CENTERS PLAY A
VERY DIFFERENT ROLE, THIS
NEW TYPE OF DATA CENTER, THAT
ARE MEANT TO SUPPORT THIS NEW
RAPID EXPANSION OF A.I.
SOME OF OUR EXISTING DATA
CENTERS DO SUPPORT OUR OWN CITY
DATA NEEDS, OUR 911 CALL
CENTER, SOME OF OUR BUSINESSES
THAT HAVE
CO- LOCATION NEED, EDUCATIONAL
FACILITIES AND FOR BETTER OR
WORSE WE DO KNOW THAT OUR DATA
NEEDS THROUGHOUT OUR
SOCIETY CONTINUE TO GROW, AND SO
THE IDEA WAS WE DON'T WANT
TO PRECLUDE THIS CRITICAL NEED
FOR
GOVERNMENT, FOR EDUCATION, FOR
HEALTH CARE, FOR OUR BUSINESSES
WHILE ALSO NOT WANTING
TO BASICALLY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
AN
EXISTING -- SOMEBODY WHO HAS
AN EXISTING DATA CENTER UNDER
THE
MORATORIUM COULD BUILD A 20 --
UP TO 20 MVA.
MAYBE A FEW BLOCKS AWAY AND THAT
WOULD BE CONSIDERED A NEW DATA
CENTER.
WE DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE
THEM FROM DOING THE SAME THING,
SORT
OF, IN THEIR OWN BUILDING
JUST BY ADDING ON.
MAYBE 15 MVA, TO BE ABLE TO
ADD 10 MORE, VERSUS FORCING THEM
TO GO BUILD IT NEXT DOOR.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONLY THE WHOLE
MORATORIUM IS A TEMPORARY ISSUE.
WE KNOW THAT AT THE END OF
THE DAY WE NEED TO COME UP
WITH PERMANENT REGULATIONS
FOR ALL OF THIS, PERMANENT
DEFINITIONS.
THIS WAS MEANT TO RECOGNIZE,
AGAIN, THAT WE MAY HAVE
SOME EXISTING DATA CENTERS THAT
MAY
WANT TO DO SOME
EXPANSIONS DURING THIS TIME
PERIOD AND
NOT WANTING TO PRECLUDE THAT
FROM OCCURRING GIVEN SORT OF
THE DISTINCT NATURE OF THOSE
ONES VERSUS THE
MEGA DATA CENTERS THAT WE'RE
MOST CONCERNED ABOUT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
EXPLANATION, CHAIR.
I SEE THE NEEDLE YOU'RE TRYING
TO THREAD, AND I WILL
BE SUPPORTING THIS
AMENDMENT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
JUST YOUR QUESTION OR COMMENT ON
MEGAWATTS VERSUS MVA.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY A LITTLE
BIT. I THINK BECAUSE THIS IS A
LAND
USE MORATORIUM, WE'RE
REALLY TRYING TO COME UP WITH
A DEFINITION THAT WORKS FOR US
IN TERMS OF OUR PERMITTING
PROCESS AND SO I WAS WONDERING
IF
YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT -
- YOU TALKED ABOUT MVA IN TERMS
OF IT'S EASIER FOR US TO
UNDERSTAND
THAT FROM AN EQUIPMENT
PERSPECTIVE.
I SUSPECT THAT MEGAWATTS
WOULD BE SORT OF AA THING FOR
US TO KNOW PRECISELY IN THE
SAME WAY WHEN SOMEONE IS
APPLYING FOR
A PERMIT VERSUS AN MVA IS
MAYBE EASIER FOR US TO SORT OF
BE ABLE
TO DEFINE AND TO SAY,
HEY, THIS
ONE IS CLEARLY GOING TO BE A
CERTAIN MVA VERSUS A
MEGAWATT, MIGHT BE MORE
FLUCTUATED
AND HARD TO KNOW AT THE TIME
OF PERMIT APPLICATION.
IS THAT CORRECT?
COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
>> FROM A UTILITY PERSPECTIVE
WE CAN WORK WITH EITHER TERM BUT
MVA IS A MORE REALISTIC LOOK AT
WHAT PHYSICAL LOAD MIGHT BE.
IT WOULD BE THE PREFERRED TERM
WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH
ANY CUSTOMER OF SIGNIFICANT
SIZE.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SYSTEM
OVERALL, WE MAY SAY AT ANY
ONEONE PARTICULAR WE HAVE AN
X NUMBER OF MEGAWATT HOURS BEING
USED TO SERVE THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
BUT MVA FOR A TYPICAL
CUSTOMER IS THE PREFERRED TERM.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> AND IF I MIGHT OFFER,
SECTION 7 OF THE BILL REQUIRES
THAT
SDCI AMEND THE INTAKE SUBMITTAL
CHECK LIST TO REQUIRE THAT
INFORMATION ON ELECTRICAL
CAPACITY IN
MEGAVOLT AND MEGAVOLT-AMPERES AS
PART OF A COMPLETE LAND USE
APPLICATION. THAT REQUIRES THE
APPLICANT
TO IDENTIFY THE MEGAVOLT-
AMPERES AS
PART OF SUBMITTING FOR A LAND
USE PERMIT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND JUST ONE FINAL QUESTION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS ONCE -- FOR
THESE LARGE LOAD CUSTOMERS --
THERE ARE CERTAIN
THRESHOLDS THEY NEED SPECIAL
EQUIPMENT AND
IT OFTEN COMES IN CERTAIN
KIND OF MVA THRESHOLDS, COULD
YOU JUST SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT
OF
THAT EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENT
AND WHAT THAT ENTAILS FOR LARGE
LOAD
CUSTOMERS?
>> SEATTLE CITY LIGHT INTRODUCED
NEW LARGE LOAD POLICY
LANGUAGE TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
EARLIER
AND THEY'RE TAKING A LOOK AT IT
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
BENEFITS TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
WE'RE PROPOSING THAT ANY
NEW LARGE LOAD GREATER THANTHAN
MVA DEFINE THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE
AND THAT TYPE OF A LOAD WITH HOW
OUR SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY SET UP
WOULD REQUIRE DIRECT
TRANSMISSION
SERVICE, AND AT THAT
TRANSMISSION LEVEL THE
CUSTOMER WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE
SOME TYPE
OF SUBSTATION
AND SWITCH GEAR SYSTEMS THAT
WOULD BE ABLE TO DO
THE CONVERSION AND SERVE THE
LOAD
THAT'S BEING REQUESTED.
>> THANK YOU.
THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS, I MOVE TO
AMEND COUNCIL BILL 121214 --
LET'S
SEE.
I THINK WE ALREADY MOVED AND
SECONDED.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL ON ADOPTION.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLANDSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LIN.
>> YES.
>> FIVE VOTES IN FAIR AND ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND IS
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO MOVE
TO AMEND COUNCIL BILL AS
CIRCULATED.
>> SECOND.
>> AS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO AMEND THE BILL, COULD WE
PLEASE HAVE A BRIEF PRESENTATION
ON AMENDMENT TWO.
>> HAPPY TO DO THAT.
THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT IS ADDED
INTO THE WORK PLAN VIA AMENDMENT
TWO.
IT'S FIRST ADDED IN THE TOP TEX
OF THE WORK PLAN, SORT OF
THE GENERAL DEPARTMENTS WE
ANTICIPATE BEING IN THE LEAD
ARE LISTED AND SPECIFICALLY IN
SECTION THREE OF THE WORK
PLAN RELATED TO DEVELOPING
A COMMUNITY BENEFIT FRAMEWORK.
OSC IS PLACED IN THE LEAD
ON THAT WORK IN THAT SECTION OF
THE WORK PLAN ACCORDING TO THIS
AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND FOR OUR OSC
REPRESENTATIVE, COULD YOU GIVE A
BRIEF
OVERVIEW OF ANYTHING THAT --
ANY CONSIDERATIONS YOU HAVE
ABOUT DATA CENTERS OR THOUGHTS
ABOUT
TAKING THIS ROLE IN OUR WORK
PLAN?
>> YEAH, THANK YOU, CHAIR LIN.
THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT IS DEEPLY
COMMITTED
TO UNDERSTANDING
THE COMPLEXITIES OF DATADATA
AND PARTICULARLY ENGAGING
WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SOME OF
WHOM
HAVE TESTIFIED TODAY.
SOME OF OUR EXPERIENCES WORKING
DEEPLY WITH COMMUNITY CAN HELP
DAYLIGHT SOME OF THESE
ISSUES PARTICULARLY AROUND
NOISE.
WE HEARD A LOT TODAY ABOUT
RATE PAYER PROTECTIONS,
PARTICULARLY
WITH RESOURCES RELATED
TO ENERGY, ELECTRICITY, CAPACITY
OF
ELECTRICITY AS WELL, AND WATER
RESOURCES.
THOSE TEND TO BE COMING
UP TO THE TOP.
SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
WOULD BE AROUND THE IMPACTS OF
HEAT AS
A LOT OF THESE DATA CENTERS
NEED TO BE COOLED.
THE CPUs AND THE GPUs OF THESE
SYSTEMS NEED TO BE COOLED ON AN
ONGOING BASIS.
AND THAT DOES CREATE HEAT.
AS YOU KNOW, WE
HAVE HEAT
ISLANDS WITHIN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
MANY OF WHICH ARE WITHIN
OVERBURDENED COMMUNITIES AND SO
WE FEEL THAT THE HEAT ISLAND --
OR THE HEAT THESE DATA
CENTERS PUT OUT CAN EXACERBATE
THE HEAT
ISLAND IMPACTS AND
CREATE ADDITIONAL NEEDS FOR
COOLING
RESIDENTIAL SPACES AND
OTHER ADJACENT BUILDINGS SO
THAT SORT OF AS A CIRCULAR ISSUE
THAT
WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE
TACKLE.
SOME OTHER THINGS THAT COME
UP ARE E-
WASTE, FOR EXAMPLE. DATA CENTERS
ARE CONSTANTLY
UPDATING THEIR SERVERS.
WE HAVE STRONG STATE LAWS
WITH ECOLOGY THAT WE HAVE E-
WASTE
LAWS AND E- WASTE PROCESSES,
BUT IT COULD POSE AN ADDITION
AL ISSUE IN TERMS OF HOW
LARGE AMOUNTS OF E- WASTE ARE
HANDLED
THROUGH THE CITY AND THROUGH
EXISTING DECOMMISSIONING
COMPANIES THAT HELP
PULL SOME OF THESE COMPONENTS
APART, OTHER
TOXINS, SO THAT IS OF
IMPORTANCE. AND I THINK THAT
ANOTHER ISSUE
THAT WE WANT TO -- THAT IS
CONCERNING THE
OVERALL DEVELOPMENT AND THE
IMPACTS TO
OUR CITY TREES AND
URBAN FORESTRY AS WE'RE TRYING
TO
REALLY INCREASE THE CANOPY
AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TREES
IN
SEATTLE, ANY DEVELOPMENT THAT
MIGHT BE AT A LARGE SCALE WOULD
IMPACT. BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE,
AS YOU
POINTED OUT, CHAIR LIN, EARLIER
ABOUT THERE ARE SPECIFIC
CO- LOCATION EXISTING
DATA CENTERS THAT PROVIDE
FUNDAMENTAL USE TO BUSINESSES
AND
GOVERNMENTS AND SO WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE'RE TAKING A
BALANCED APPROACH.
BUT SECTION THREE REALLY
IS GIVING US THE ABILITY TO HAVE
THE CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, TRIBES IMPACTED, TECH
COMPANIES,
THE PUGET SOUND CLEAR AIR
AGENCY, KING COUNTY.
THIS IS A COMPLEX ISSUE
THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF
COORDINATION,
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT SPACE
TO DAYLIGHT SOME OF THESE THINGS
WE
MAY NOT KNOW.
THE OTHER THING WE CAN
INFORM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND
SUPPORT OTHER DEPARTMENTS
LIKE SEATTLE PUBLIC UTILITIES,
SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT AND SDCI THAT ARE ALL
NAMED IN THIS MORATORIUM.
CROSS POLLINATE THE
INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
PULL.
THANK YOU.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR LIN.
I WANT TO START OFF BY
JUST STATING MY STRONG SUPPORT
FOR THIS AMENDMENT AND AN
APPRECIATION TO YOU
FOR BRINGING THIS BEFORE US AND
EXPLICITLY STATING OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY
AND ENVIRONMENT'S ROLE IN THIS
WORK.
I HAVE HEARD
HOLLINGSWORTH SPEAK TO THIS AND
THAT WE'RE SEEING THOSE ONLINE
ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMING
THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND WE'VE
SEEN INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP
COMING FROM THE TRIBES IN
TERMS OF REGULATING AND MANAGING
DATA
CENTERS.
SO REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT
WE'LL SEE OSC TAKE A LEADERSHIP
ROLE IN CONVENING DEPARTMENTS.
WE'VE SEEN OSC DO
INTERDEPARTMENTAL WORK
TOGETHER REALLY WELL AND WOULD
ALSO JUST
NOTE FOR THE RECORD
AS I UNDERSTAND IT OSC IS
CURRENTLY COLLECTING INFORMATION
AS IT
RELATES TO THE CLIMATE
ACTION PLAN RIGHT NOW,
SO I'M STATING THAT PUBLICLY
WHILE WE HAVE
SO MANY IN THE ROOM WHO
ARE INTERESTED AND CARE ABOUT
OUR CLIMATE THAT IS OPEN RIGHT
NOW
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I DON'T KNOW
IF THERE ARE ANY
SPECIFICS WHAT THEY
ARE COLLECTING AS IT RELATES
TO DATA CENTERS BUT I WANTED TO
BRIDGE THAT GAP, SHARE THERE'S
A
FURTHER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT
OSC IS LEADING.
I DON'T KNOW IF
THERE'S ANYTHING TO SHARE ON
THAT NOTE BUT
I WANTED TO OPEN UP THAT
OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
THANKS FOR MENTIONS THE
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
SEE OUR OFFICE CURRENTLY HAS A
SURVEY OUT THAT IS OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC, AND WE WANT TO
HEAR FOLKS IDEAS AND THOUGHTS
AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE DATA
CENTERS.
I WILL JUST SAY OUR
INITIAL WORK HAPPENING WORK THE
CITY OF
SEATTLE DOES NAME DATA CENTERS
AS A KEY CLIMATE ACTION THAT
WOULD BE IN OUR CLIMATE ACTION
PLAN. WE STILL NEED TO WORK OUT
THE
DETAILS, BUT WE DO WANT
TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC.
THERE IS A SURVEY AVAILABLE.
I DON'T HAVE THE WEBSITE OFF
THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THAT
IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE
AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO LINK
THAT ON THE WEBSITE.
>> FABULOUS.
THANK YOU.
I KNOW WE'VE POSTED IT TO
OUR SOCIALS AND WE'LL CONTINUE
TO
BOOST IT UNTIL IT CLOSES.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND
THANK YOU, AGAIN, CHAIR,
FOR BRINGING THIS AMENDMENT
BEFORE
US.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO
SAY THANK YOU TO OSC FOR BEING
WILLING
TO STEP UP AND LEAD
IN THIS REGARD. TO YOUR POINT,
COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK, ONE OF THE REASONS
WE WERE EXCITED TO ASK OSC TO
HELP LEAD US IN THIS WORK IS
BECAUSE OF THE CONNECTION TO OUR
CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
WE CERTAINLY -- I'M CERTAINLY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF MEGA DATA CENTERS AND WHAT
THAT COULD MEAN IF THEY, YOU
KNOW, END UP POWERING THEIR
ENERGY
NEEDS WITH SOME SORT OF FOSSIL
FUELS, WHETHER IT'S GENERATED
IN THIS STATE OR MAYBE
GENERATED ELSEWHERE OR THE
BACKUP
GENERATORS OR -- AND WHAT IT'S
GOING TO DO TO OUR GRID.
AND SO UNDERSTANDING THAT CLOSE
CONNECTION ALSO
JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT
THIS IS A REGIONAL STATEWIDE
ISSUE AND YOU
ALL HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THAT
WORK BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADING
ON THINGS LIKE CLIMATE ACTION,
AND
SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY --
AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO ALL
THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE A
REGIONAL STATEWIDE MULTISTATE
ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO FIGURE
OUT.
AND SO LOOK FORWARD
TO LEVERAGING YOUR EXPERIENCE
AND EXPERTISE THERE ALONG WITH
OUR
UTILITY PARTNERS WHO ARE ALSO
VERY USED TO WORKING WITH
MANY OF OUR OTHER UTILITIES
ACROSS
THE REGION.
AND TO JUST SOME OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENTS AROUND THE WORK
PLAN, IT IS STILL CERTAINLY A
WORK
IN PROGRESS AND DESPITE SORT OF
THE WORK PLAN THAT WE HAVE ON
PAPER, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A
ROBUST
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY
ON THAT AND CERTAINLY INTEND TO
DO
SO.
SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
TO THE COMMENTS THAT WE GOT AND
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FOR THE
WORK PLAN EVEN THOUGH WE DID
NOT INCLUDE ALL OF THEM.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HEAP
TO
CONSIDER AS PART OF THE WORK
PLAN.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS, WILL THE CLERK
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TWO.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
I'M SORRY, WE DID NOT HEAR
THAT.
>> WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON ADOPTION
OF AMENDMENT TWO.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>>
YES.
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
RINCK?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LIN?
>> YES.
>> FIVE VOTES IN FAVOR AND ZERO
OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES.
AMENDMENT TWO IS ADOPTED.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS BEFORE
WE VOTE ON COUNCIL BILL 121214?
OKAY. THANK YOU.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL
ON THE RECOMMENDATION THAT
COUNCIL BILL PASS THE BILL AS
AMENDED?
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
>>
AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>>
YES.
>> CHAIR
LIN?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR, FIVE VOTES
IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES
AND COUNCIL WILL PASS THE BILL
AS
AMENDED.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES, AND THANK
YOU TO OUR PRESENTERS AND ALL
THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
HAVE
BEEN VERY ENGAGED WITH THIS
TOPIC.
OKAY.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO OUR
NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 2.
>> AGENDA ITEM 2 KB 121215 AN
ORDINANCE DECISIONS AMENDING
2376050.
TO CLARIFY PROCESSES FOR THE
CITY -- FOR THE COUNCIL FOR
BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.
>> THANK YOU.
WILL OUR PRESENTER PLEASE
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A
PRESENTATION THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR PREPARING THAT AND THANK
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VICE- CHAIR
STRAUSS FOR ASKING FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
I THINK THAT WILL HELP US
GUIDE THIS DISCUSSION.
PLEASE PROCEED WHEN YOU'RE
READY.
>> BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE
PRESENTATION, I HEARD SOME
COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE WERE HAVING
DIFFICULTY FINDING
THE LEGISLATION.
IF YOU GO TO THE AGENDA, THERE
IS A LINK HERE RIGHT NEXT TO THE
NUMBER TWO WHERE IT SAYS
COUNCIL BILL 121215 THAT WILL
BRING
YOU TO THE TEXT OF THE
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OH, AND I GUESS I
WASN'T SHARING MY SCREEN, SO
THAT
MAY NOT HAVE
BEEN VISIBLE.
>> LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.
HERE ON PAGE FOUR WHERE IT LISTS
COUNCIL BILL 121215, THERE'S A
A
LINK HERE NEXT
TO THE NUMBER TWO THAT BRINGS
YOU
TO THE TEXT OF THE LEGISLATION.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND THEN
MY PRESENTATION IS HERE.
>> COLLEAGUES, AS WE
PROCEED WITH THIS DISCUSSION,
FEEL FREE
TO CHIME IN WITH QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS AS WE GO
ALONG, HAVE A
MORE FREE-FLOWING DISCUSSION
HERE.
>> IES.
HERE WE GO.
OKAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCIL BILL 121215 INTENDS TO
REMOVE IMPEDIMENTS TO
THE COUNCIL CONSIDERING LAND
USE LEGISLATION IN A TIMELY
MANNER.
IT DOES THAT BY AMENDINGAMENDING
--
OR REMOVING THE ABILITY FOR SEPA
APPEALS PRIOR TO COUNCIL
CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION AND
REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT THAT
DIRECTORS REPORTS BE
PREPARED FOR COUNCIL GENERATED
LAND USE
LEGISLATION.
AS BACKGROUND, THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
ACT REQUIRES FOR REVIEW OF
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF SOME
GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS
MANY GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS AS WE
DISCUSSED LAST TIME I
WAS HERE LIKE ADOPTION OF THE
CITY
BUDGET ARE CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT
AND
NOT CONSIDERED UNDER
ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW, BUT MOST LAND
USE LEGISLATION THE
COUNCIL CONSIDERS IS SUBJECT TO
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.
THERE'S A THRESHOLD TO
TERMINATION THAT OCCURS EARLY IN
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
PROCESS.
IF THERE IS A POTENTIAL
FOR SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS
FROM THE PROPOSAL THAT'S
BEING CONSIDERED AN
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT IS REQUIRED
OTHERWISE NONSIGNIFICANCE IS
PUBLISHED. THE STATE
ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY ACT ALLOWS
APPEAL OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
DOCUMENTS IN MOST
CASES.
THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AS I
THINK I DISCUSSED LAST TIME,
HAS STARTED TO SAY THAT
SOME TYPES OF ACTIONS THAT ARE
LESS
LIKELY TO HAVE
SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACTS LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
HOUSING IN
URBAN AREAS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
GO
THROUGH JUDICIAL APPEALS.
SEPA ALLOWS THE OPTION
FOR JURISDICTIONS TO USE
AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPEAL PROCESS
AND
ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL PROCESS.
SO IN SEATTLE THAT LOOKS
LIKE ALLOWING AN APPEAL TO THE
CITY'S HEARING EXAMINER.
CURRENTLY SEATTLE DOES
ALLOW ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FOR
MOST
SEPA ACTIONS OR FOR
PUBLICATIONS OF NONSIGNIFICANCE
AND PUBLICATIONS OF FINAL
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS.
COUNCIL BILL 121215, WHICH IS IN
FRONT OF YOU NOW, WOULD
REMOVE THAT SEPA ADMINISTRATIVE
APPEAL FOR ADOPTION OR
AMENDMENT OF DEVELOPMENT
REGULATIONS AND THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
OTHER TYPES OF ACTIONS WOULD
STILL BE SUBJECT
TO ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL.
SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE
FOR PROJECTS -- WELL, CURRENTLY
PROJECTS THAT UNDERGO --
THAT ARE DETERMINED BY THE LEAD
AGENCY, WHOEVER IS PROPOSING THE
LEGISLATION, TO BE UNLIKELY
TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS GO THROUGH
THIS PROCESS.
THE LEAD AGENCY PUBLISHES
THE DETERMINATION OF
NONSIGNIFICANCE,
BASICALLY STATING THEIR ANALYSIS
OF WHY THEY'VE DETERMINED
THERE'S NOT
LIKELY TO BE A SIGNIFICANT
OR ADVERSE IMPACTS.
THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD WHERE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC PROVIDE COMMENTS.
OFTEN DURING THAT STAGE
THE DEPARTMENT WILL PULL BACK IF
THEY'VE RECEIVED COMMENTS THAT
INDICATE THAT THEY SHOULD
DO MORE ANALYSIS, THEY WILL
PULL BACK THEIR DETERMINATION OF
NONSIGNIFICANCE AND
PUBLISH A NEW ONE AFTER DOING
MORE REVIEW.
AFTER THAT 14- DAY PERIOD, THEY
CAN APPEAL THE DNS TO
THE HEARING EXAMINER.
ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC
MAY FILE AN APPEAL.
I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.
ONCE RESOLVED, THE COUNCIL
REVIEW OF LAND USE INCLUDES
PUBLIC HEARINGS
AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS OF
THE
PUBLIC TO
COMMENT ABOUT ANY
CONCERNS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW.
AND WHERE STATE LAW ALLOWS
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO
APPEAL AFTER
COUNCIL ACTION TO THE HEARINGS
BOARD OR THE COURTS.
COUNCIL BILL 121215 WOULD MAKE
ONE CHANGE TOTO PROCESS
WHICH IS TO REMOVE THE
OPPORTUNITY
FOR ADMINISTRATIVE
APPEALS. SO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC
WOULD STILL HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY
FOR A PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE LEAD
AGENCY.
THEY WOULD HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT TO THE
COUNCIL ABOUT
ANY CONCERNS THEY HAVE WITH
THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AND
WHERE
THE STATE ALLOWS THEY WOULD
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL
THE
DETERMINATION.
EIS IS A SIMILAR PROCESS,
MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMENT.
THESE ARE PROJECTS
WHERE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY
THERE
COULD BE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE
IMPACTS AND SO THERE'S MULTIPLE
PERIODS
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
INCLUDING DURING THE INITIAL
SCOPING
OF WHAT IT WILL COVER.
AFTER A DRAFT EIS IS
PUBLISHED IS THE MAIN
OPPORTUNITY ON
ANY CONCERNS ABOUT REVIEW
THAT'S
BEEN DONE.
EACH OF THOSE COMMENTS
ARE RESPONDED TO BY THE
PEOPLE PREPARING THE EIS.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER
COMMENT PERIOD AFTER PUBLICATION
OF THE
EIS OPPORTUNITY TO
APPEAL CURRENTLY TO THE HEARING
EXAMINER.
COUNCIL REVIEW WHERE
THERE'S FURTHER OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMENT BOTH THE PUBLIC HEARINGS
AND
DURING COUNCIL COMMENT
PERIODS AND THEN WHERE STATE LAW
ALLOWS
OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL TO THE
GROWTH MANAGER HEARING OR THE
COURTS.
AND BASICALLY THE SAME
CHANGE FOR EIS UNDER COUNCIL
BILL
121215 THE ADMINISTRATIVE
APPEAL WOULD BE REMOVED BUT
THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMENT
AND APPEAL WHERE THEY EXIST
WOULD
THIS TABLE SHOWS MY ADDITION
SKILLS ARE NOTNOT ACCURATE.
THERE'S 28 APPEALS --
LISTED HERE.
THESE ARE THE APPEALS TO
THE HEARING EXAMINER AND THE
OUTCOMES OF THOSE APPEALS.
MOST APPEALS ARE DISMISSED OR
WITHDRAWN OR THE LEAD AGENCY'S
DECISION, ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW, HAS BEEN UPHELD.
THERE'S ONLY THREE CASES
WHERE THE HEARING EXAMINER
DETERMINED
THAT MORE ANALYSIS WAS REQUIRED.
THOSE CASES ALSO, BY FAR, TAKE
THE MOST TIME.
I LOOKED AT THE THREE
CENTRAL PUGET COUNTIES AND THE
LARGEST
SEVEN CITIES IN THE
STATE OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE TO SEE
WHAT THEIR PROCESSES WERE FOR.
DO INCLUDE SEPA APPEALS AND
SEATTLE WOULD BE LISTED THERE
AS WELL.
AND FIVE DO NOT.
THE SECOND PART OF THE BILL
AMENDS A REQUIREMENT FOR
DIRECTOR'S REPORTS FOR LAND USE
ACTIONS. UNDER THE CODE THE
SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION
AND INSPECTIONS IS
GENERALLY REQUIRED TO PREPARE A
REPORT
FOR MOST LAND USE LEGISLATION.
THE OFFICE OF PLANNING AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WHEN
THEY'RE THE LEAD ON A
PROPOSAL WILL HAVE PREPARED A
DIRECTOR'S
REPORT ON THEIR LEGISLATION.
WE WERE SURPRISED LAST YEAR
WITH THE RESULT FROM THE
GROWTH MANAGEMENT HEARINGS BOARD
THAT
DETERMINED COUNCIL
GENERATED LAND USE
LEGISLATION, IS REQUIRED TO HAVE
A DIRECTOR'S
REPORT FROM THE
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND
INSPECTIONS.
I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE
CORRECT INTERPRETATION OF WHAT
OUR CODE CURRENTLY SAYS,
BUT IT WAS NOT OUR PRACTICE TO
ASK FOR THOSE DIRECTORS REPORTS.
DIRECTORS REPORTS ARE
A VOLUNTARY ASPECT OF OUR CODE,
AND THE REQUIREMENT FOR
DIRECTORS REPORTS PROVIDES THE
EXECUTIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SORT
OF GET AHEAD OF THE COUNCIL
AND BASICALLY PROVIDES THEM AN
ADDITIONAL POINT OF -- A
VETO POINT ON COUNCIL- GENERATED
LAND
USE LEGISLATION IF THEY CHOOSE
TO USE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
COUNCIL BILL 121215 WOULD MAKE
DIRECTORS REPORTS FOR
COUNCIL- GENERATED
LEGISLATION VOLUNTARY BUT
IDENTIFY COUNCILMEMBERS MAY
REQUEST
A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT,
AND
THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO
BE REQUIRED FOR ANY EXECUTIVE
GENERATED LEGISLATION.
ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS A LOT.
COLLEAGUES?
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU SO
MUCH, CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR
THE OVERVIEW.
I WANTED TO JUST -- I'M SEEING
THE SLIDES CHANGE ON MY SCREEN.
I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO
START AT THE END JUST IN TERMS
OF THE
DIRECTORS REPORTS, AND I
THINK YOU ALREADY JUST CLARIFIED
THIS
BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I
HAD COMING IN, WE'RE SORT OF
LOOKING TO UPDATE THIS TO BE
ALIGNED WITH WHAT OUR PRACTICE
ALREADY
WAS, AND SO IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY
A CHANGE IN PRACTICE.
IT'S A CLARIFICATION IN THE
CODE TO BRING THE CODE INTO
ALIGNMENT WITH THE EXISTING
PRACTICE.
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT, YEAH.
BEFORE
LAST YEAR WE WEREN'T RECEIVING
DIRECTORS REPORTS ON
COUNCIL- GENERATED
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THERE'S NOTHING
PROHIBITING A MEMBER FROM
REQUESTING THAT
DIRECTORS' REPORT.
IT'S OPTIONAL AND AVAILABLE
UPON
REQUEST, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THE ONLY OTHER
QUESTION I HAD IF YOU CAN GO
BACK TO
THE SLIDE THAT HAD THE CITIES ON
IT.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE SLIDE 9.
THERE WE GO.
AND SO DO WE -- AND I APOLOGIZE
FOR NOT ASKING THIS QUESTION IN
ADVANCE, DO WE KNOW TORE
THE CITIES THAT ARE WITHOUT THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SEPA APPEALS,
IS THAT A RECENT CHANGE OR HAS
BEEN
THE HISTORIC PRACTICE?
>> I THINK IT'S A
HISTORIC PRACTICE BUT I DIDN'T
LOOK AT THE DATES WHERE THEY
ADOPTED.
>> THAT'S OKAY AND I DIDN'T
GIVE YOU A HEADS- UP, TIME AND
DATE WHEN THE CITIES IMPLEMENTED
THIS PRACTICE, BUT I ALSO
BELIEVE
IT'S BEEN THEIR PRACTICE IN THE
SENSE OF LARGER CITIES, THAT
WE'VE BEEN A BIT OF AN
OUTLIER IN TERMS OF THIS ABILITY
TO APPEAL TO THE HEARING
EXAMINER GIVEN THAT WE STILL
HAVE THE
ABILITY FOR APPEALING TO THE
STATE. SO JUST WANTED TO BRING
THAT
UP AS I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW,
BELLEVUE, EVERETT, TACOMA,
VANCOUVER, CITIES THAT ARE ABLE
TO MANAGE THEIR SEPA PROCESS
WITHOUT THIS ADMINISTRATIVE OR
HEARING BASED APPEAL.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
OR COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS TO US, AGAIN, FOR BRIEFING
AND DISCUSSION ON THIS
PARTICULAR
TOPIC.
I APPRECIATE TIME AND
COMMITMENT TO ABSORB ALL OF
THIS.
THE DIRECTORS REPORTS IS ONE
THAT IS ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THIS
BILL IN CONSIDERATION AND
I'M WONDERING -- SO JUST
HEARING
THIS POINT ABOUT HOW THE
DECISION FROM LAST YEAR HAS KIND
OF INFLUENCED WITH DIRECTORS
REPORTS, IS IT MY -- AM I
CORRECT IN UNDERSTANDING
THAT UNDER CURRENT CODE COULD
COUNCIL BE PREVENTED FROM
PROCEEDING
ON COUNCIL GENERATED LAND USE BY
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IF
THEY REFUSED TO SEND A DIRECTORS
REPORT GIVEN THIS CHANGE OR THIS
DECISION?
>>
YES.
>> OKAY.
>> IT IS A REQUIREMENT BEFORE
THE COUNCIL COULD ACT.
>> UNDERSTOOD.
OKAY.
I WANTED TO HAVE A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE A FEW SORT OF
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
SO SEPA, JUST WANT TO
DOUBLE- CHECK, WE STILL
ARE REQUIRED TO DO SEPA FOR
COUNCIL
LEGISLATION, COUNCIL LAND USE
LEGISLATION.
THIS DOES NOT PREVENT CONDUCTING
SEPA REVIEW, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND SEPA, COULD YOU TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOES -- WHAT
IS
THE PURPOSE OF SEPA?
DOES IT DICTATE THAT WE TAKE
CERTAIN ACTIONS?
IS SEPA THE PRIMARY WAY THAT WE
ADDRESS, THAT WE
HAVE REQUIREMENTS AROUND
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS?
>> SO THE PURPOSE OF SEPA IS
TWOFOLD.
IT IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL
IMPACTS OF ACTIONS THE CITY IS
CONSIDERING, AND PROVIDES
THAT INFORMATION TO DECISION
MAKERS SO THEY CAN MAKE AN
INFORMED DECISION AND IDENTIFIES
WAYS
AND THE CITY CAN RELY ON THE
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AS
PROVIDING MITIGATION
MEASURES WHEN
SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE IMPACTS ARE
LIKELY.
>> PRIMARILY AN INFORMATIONAL
TOOL?
>> CORRECT.
>> AND WHERE DO WE
REQUIRE ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION
IN OUR
CODES?
COULD YOU JUST -- IN GENERAL, WE
HEARD ABOUT STORM WATER
CONCERNS, OTHER SORT OF
IMPACTS AROUND TREES.
COULD YOU SPEAK IN GENERAL
WHERE THOSE REQUIREMENTS LIVE?
>> IN GENERAL WE HAVE MOST
OF OF THE REQUIREMENTS ARE
IN EITHER TITLE 22 OR TITLE 25
OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE.
TITLE 25 INCLUDES OUR
ENVIRONMENTAL
REGULATIONS INCLUDING
REGULATIONS
ABOUT PROTECTION OF TREES,
DEVELOPMENT
AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREAS.
AND
HISTORIC PRESERVATION
PROTECTIONS.
TITLE 22 WOULD INCLUDE
MEASURESMEASURES ON SITE STORM
WATER
RETENTION AND DETENTION, ENERGY
IMPACTS WOULD BE MITIGATED
THROUGH THERE AND THEN THERE'S
ALSO, FOR EXAMPLE,
SHORELINES AS REGULATED UNDER
THIS ACT AND
THOSE REGULATIONS ARE THIS TITLE
23.
>> DOES THIS BILL -- IF THIS
BILL PASSES, WOULD THIS CHANGE
ANY OF THOSE EARLIER YOU SAID
THE STATE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATU
RE STARTED
PRECLUDING APPEALS OF HOUSING
IN URBAN AREAS BECAUSE WE
ALREADYALREADY HAVE GOOD
HANDLE ON WHAT THOSE IMPACTS
COULD BEBE A DECISION
THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS
DECIDED THAT THE JUICE ISN'T
WORTH THE SQUEEZE THERE,
THE BENEFITS ARE NOT WORTH
GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHEN
IT'S
HOUSING IN URBAN
AREAS, THAT
CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> THANK YOU.
SO JUST -- SO I JUST WANT
TO TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE
PROCESS.
WE WILL STILL GO THROUGH A
SEPA PROCESS FOR LEGISLATIVE
ACTIONS.
THINGS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED
TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
WOULD GO THROUGH THIS EIS
PROCESS.
THERE WOULD BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO
COMMENT ON
THE EIS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> AND THERE WOULD STILL BE A
POSSIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENTS
TO RESPOND TO THOSE COMMENTS TO
UPDATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO
THOSE
COMMENTS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> FOR AN EIS REQUIRED
TO
RESPOND TO EACH AND EVERY
COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
AND JUST IN TERMS OF THE SEPA
APPEALS TO THE HEARING
EXAMINER, APPEALS THAT ARE
DISMISSED
OUTRIGHT, THOSE ARE TYPICALLY
SHORTER VERSUS THE APPEALS THAT
GO TO SORT OF A FULL
SUBSTANTIVE RECORD, IS THAT
CORRECT?
>>
YEAH. THERE'S GENERALLY A
THRESHOLD DECISION IN FRONT OF
THE
HEARING EXAMINER.
OFTEN THEY ARE DISMISSED BECAUSE
THE APPELLANT DOES NOT HAVE THE
LIKELIHOOD OF HARM FROM THE
ACTION, THE MOST COMMON REASON
WHY IT
WOULD GET DISMISSED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS, WE WILL BE HAVING
A BRIEFINGBRIEFING A PUBLIC
HEARING ON THIS
MATTER. I DO JUST WANT TO JUST
STATE
FOR THE RECORD ON A PERSONAL
MATTER, I DO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT
THE
ENVIRONMENT.
I CARE ABOUT OUR SALMON, OUR
ORCA, OUR TREES.
IT IS NOT MY
INTEND WITH THIS BILL TO DO
ANYTHING THAT WOULD
AFFECT OUR ROBUST ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTIONS, AND I WOULD LOVE
TO WORK WITH ANY MEMBER OF THE
PUBLIC WHO IS INTERESTED
IN DOING BETTER IN TERMS OF OUR
CITY PLANNING, IN TERMS OF
OUR GROWTH AND PROTECTING
ENDANGERED
SPECIES, TO WORK TOGETHER.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK HOW BEST
TO
DO THAT.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE
STRONG PARTNERS IN THAT WORK FOR
ME JUST THE REASON --
ONE OF THE REASONS I AM
PROPOSING THIS
BILL IS I, UNFORTUNATELY, THINK
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING.
I DON'T THINK THE
HEARING EXAMINER APPEALS BENEFIT
ANYONE.
I DON'T THINK THEY RESULT
IN BETTER
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS FOR
OUR CITY, BUT THEY DO RESULT
IN SIGNIFICANT DELAYS.
I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THEY,
IN MANY WAYS, ARE ANTI-
DEMOCRAT, CONTRARY TO SOME OF
THE PUBLIC
COMMENT
HERE. I FIND IT ODD A SINGLE
PERSON CAN DELAY THE
REPRESENTATIVES FOR A CITY OF
800,000
FROM TAKING ACTION FOR SIX
MONTHS
OR
LONG LONGER.
THESE ARE HARD DECISIONS FOR
US. THEY ARE NOT EASY ANSWERS
FOR
ANY OF THESE LEGISLATIVE
ACTIONS. THERE ARE PROS AND
CONS. THAT IS WHY WE
HAVE ELECTEDS, WHY WE HAVE A
DEMOCRACY,
AND WE'VE HAD JUST TO SPEAK
THROUGH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
PROCESS, I THINK THAT PROCESS
STARTED IN
2022.
WE ARE NOW IN 2026.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE
2027- 2028 PROCESS.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A ONCE
EVERY TEN YEAR PROCESS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE US AT
LEAST SIX YEARS IF NOT LONGER.
SO THESE ARE HARD AND WE
ALWAYS NEED TO DO BETTER IN
TERMS
OF OUR
PROCESS. I BELIEVE IN ENGAGING
WITH THE
PUBLIC.
THAT'S A COMMITMENT THAT
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE
TO
THE PUBLIC.
AND, AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE
THE HEARING EXAMINER APPEALS
DO BENEFIT
OUR COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF THAT.
A LITTLE BIT OF COMMENTARY
FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
>> I'M JUST GOING TO BE VERY
BRIEF, CHAIR, AND
SAY, THANK
YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING
THIS
FORWARD, AND I APPRECIATE
YOU HAVING IT HERE FOR BRIEFING
AND
DISCUSSION. I KNOW WE TALKED
ABOUT IT
A LITTLE BIT AT COMMITTEE
TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND I ESPECIALLY
APPRECIATED WHAT YOU SHARED IN
COMMITTEE
A FEW WEEKS AGO HIGHLIGHTING
THE NUMBER OF ACTIONS THAT ARE
NOT ELIGIBLE FOR HEARING
EXAMINER
REVIEW. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT
I OFTEN THINK ABOUT IS THE
IMPACT
OF SPRAWL ON OUR
ENVIRONMENT AND WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THE FOLKS
WHETHER THEY GET DISPLACED FROM
THE CITY BECAUSE THE PRICE
OF THE COST OF LIVING OR
WE'RE NOT BUILDING ENOUGH
HOUSING IN OUR
CITY FAST
ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE OUR GROWTH
AND PEOPLE
HAVE HIGHER VEHICLE MILES
TRAVELED,
ALL OF THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR
CLIMATE AND AN IMPACT ON OUR
ENVIRONMENT. I JUST APPRECIATE
THE
THOUGHTFULNESS THAT YOU
ARE BRINGING FORWARD WITH THIS
CHANGE, AND, FRANKLY,
THIS CHANGE THAT WOULD BRING US
UP
TO SPEED AND INTO ALIGNMENT WITH
A LOT OF OTHER LARGE CITIES IN
OUR
STATE.
SO JUST FELT
COMPELLED TO SAY THAT AS YOU
WERE SHARING YOUR
CLOSING COMMENTS, CHAIR.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
YOU DID REMIND ME OF SOMETHING
I DO WANT TO STATE FOR THE
RECORD.
AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR
ENVIRONMENT, I'M DEEPLY
CONCERNED WE ARE
BARRELING FORWARD TOWARDS A
CLIMATE CRISIS
AND THAT IS LARGELY BECAUSE
OF MANY OF THE DECISIONS OF THE
PAST. WHERE MOST OF OUR CITY WAS
BUILT PRIOR TO ANY SORT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL
REGULATIONSREGULATIONS AND
BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF
OUR LAND USE CODE, WE
HAVE REQUIREMENTS FOR
NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND THOSE ARE
MUCH MORE ROBUST IN TERMS OF
OUR ENERGY CODE REQUIREMENTS IN
TERMS OF OUR STORM WATER
MITIGATION.
BUT THOSE REQUIREMENTS
DON'T APPLY TO MOST OF THE
EXISTING
DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS -- AT
LEAST DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE
BUILT
BEFORE THESE REQUIREMENTS
WERE PUT IN PLACE.
AND SO, IN MANY WAYS, STATUS
QUO FOR ME IS NOT
ACCEPTABLE THAT WOULD RESULT IN
US
BARRELING FORWARD AGAIN TO
CLIMATE
CRISIS AND WE IMMEDIATE TO MOVE
FORWARD
THOUGHTFULLY BUT WE DO NEED
TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD TO A
FUTURE CITY THAT -- WHERE WE
ARE NOT SO DEPENDENT AND WE ARE
--
NEW BUILDINGS ARE MORE
GREEN, ARE MORE CLIMATE
FRIENDLY,
WHERE OUR NEW DEVELOPMENTS HAVE
BETTER STORM WATER AND ONE
THATTHAT
A ROBUST TREE COVERAGE AS WELL.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING
TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC ON HOW
TO MAKE THAT A REALITY, BUT I
DON'T THINK STATUS QUO IS GOING
TO
GET US THERE, AND I DON'T THINK
JUST
LOCKING IN OUR EXISTING
DAMAGE FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT IS
GOING TO
GET US THERE EITHER.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
GOING TO GET OFF THE SOAPBOX.
MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
READ AGENDA ITEM 3.
AGENDA ITEMS 3 AND
4. CLESHG FILE 314549
APPLICATION OF EAGLE ROCK
VENTURES
AND RAINIER LLC ON CONTRACT
REZONE OF THE PROPERTY AT 5201
RAINIER
PROPERTY SOUTH.
AN ORDINANCE 125632,
PROJECT NUMBER 3018378-LEU- 4
AND
COUNCIL BILL RELATING TO LAND
USE
AND ZONING IMPROVING THE
CONTRACT APPROVED BY ORDINANCE
125632 AND
ACCEPTED PROPERTY USE.
EAGLE ROCK VENTURES.
CLERK FILE 314549 SDCI PROJECT
301837-LEU. DISCUSSION AND
POSSIBLE VOTE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND
TO OUR PRESENTER.
I WOULD LIKE -- SO THIS
IS A CONTRACT REZONE.
IT'S A UNIQUE TYPE OF
QUASI-JUDICIAL ACTION AND
I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY WE
ARE ALLOWED TO HEAR COMMENTS IN
OPEN
SESSION INCLUDING BY THE
PROPONENT, SO I WOULD LIKE
TO ALLOW THE PROPONENT TO COME
UP AND SPEAK IF YOU WOULD LIKE
OR ANYBODY ELSE IN THE PUBLIC
WHO
WANTS TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM ON
THE AGENDA.
>> COUNCILMEMBERS, I'M SCOTT
SHAPIRO -- CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I'M SCOTT SHAPIRO, THE
CO-MANAGING PARTNER OF
THE PROJECT AT 5201 RAINIER
SOUTH
IN THE COLUMBIA CITY
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS A SHOVEL- READY 111-
UNIT WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT
THAT
HAS ALL TYPES OF UNITS
INCLUDING THREE BEDROOM UNITS.
AND WE WILL PARTICIPATE,
ALSO, ON THE MFTE PROGRAM MAKING
20% OF THE UNITS EVEN MORE
AFFORDABLE.
OUR ASK TODAY IS FOR A
MONTH EXTENSION OF FOUR
YEARS. THE UF EXTENSION HAS TWO
YEARS, THE COUNCIL CAN GRANT A
FOUR- YEAR EXTENSION.
WE ASK YOU TO DO THAT FOR FOUR
YEARS.
WHY FOUR YEARS?
UNFORTUNATELY, CURRENTLY THE
PROJECT IS NOT FINANCEABLE
TODAY.
WE CAN'T CONSTRUCT THE
PROJECT, WE CAN'T SELL THE
PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY
TODAY. SOME OF THOSE REASONS YOU
KNOW
MHA FEES THAT WERE ADDED
DURING OUR PERMITTING
PROCESS ORIGINALLY WASN'T
ANTICIPATED WHEN WE STARTED THE
ENTITLEMENT
PROCESS.
SKYROCKETING CONSTRUCTION
COSTS PLATEAUED RENTS, HIGH
OPERATING COSTS AND HIGH
INTEREST RATES.
AGAIN, THIS IS A TWO-
YEAR EXTENSION ON THE TABLE.
WE ARE REQUESTING FOUR YEARS
TO GIVE US TIME.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE
COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING A
REDUCTION
OR TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN MHA
FEES.
THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR
OUR PROJECT AND FOR OTHER
PROJECTS IN THE CITY TO BE ABLE
TO
CREATE HOUSING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT ALONE IS
NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORK
TODAY, BUT IT WOULD BE A
POSITIVE STEP FOR OUR PROJECT
AND OTHER
PROJECTS. THE ISSUE IS, AGAIN,
CONSTRUCTION COSTS, RENTS
AND INTEREST RATES, AND THESE
THREE ITEMS ARE BEYOND THE
COUNCIL'S
CONTROL, AND SO WE
ANTICIPATE THAT MORE TIME WILL
BE NEEDED
THAN THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
WE DO NOT EXPECT
CONSTRUCTION COSTS OR INTEREST
RATES TO
SETTLE DOWN DURING THE
ERRATIC TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
SO, AGAIN, A FOUR- YEAR
EXTENSION
WILL MAKE IT MORE LIKELY WE CAN
BRING THESE 111 UNITS TO
FRUITION.
IT MEANS WE DON'T NEED TO
REPEAT THIS PROCESS TWO YEARS
FROM
NOW USING SDI STAFF TIME,
CENTRAL STAFF TIME AND
THE COUNCIL'S
TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU.
OKAY.
WILL OUR PRESENTER
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> KETIL FREEMAN,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M NOT SURE -- I KNOW WE HAD A
BRIEFING BEFORE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE
ANY SORT OF OVERVIEW FOR US OR
OTHERWISE WE CAN MOVE STRAIGHT
TO QUESTIONS.
>> SURE.
MR. SHAPIRO PROVIDED SOME
OVERVIEW.
MAYBE I'LL PROVIDE A LITTLE
MORE OF THE PERMITTING HISTORY
AND
TALK ABOUT TWO ACTION ITEMS
THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THE
COMMITTEE
TODAY, ONE IS ACTION ON
THE CLERK'S FILE AND THE OTHER
IS
ON A COUNCIL BILL
AND I'LL BRIEFLY DESCRIBE
WHATWHAT COUNCIL BILL
DOES.
IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD,
BUT STEPPING BACK HERE TO
SOME OF THE PERMITTING AND
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY IN 2018 THE
COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE
125632
WHICH REZONED TO NEIGHBORHOOD
COMMERCIAL THREE AND APPLIED
THE MANDATORY HOUSING
AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM TO THAT
SITE.
AND ACCEPTED A
RECENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
WITH EVERY CONTRACT REZONE THERE
IS AN ASSOCIATED PUDA AND
THAT IS THE CONTRACT IN CONTRACT
REZONE. THE APPLICATION WAS
FOR DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD
INCLUDE
104 APARTMENT UNITS,
THREE WORKING UNITS AND
SOME COMMERCIAL SPACE, AND
THE APPLICANT HAS SINCE, MR.
SHAPIRO, HAS SINCE APPLIED FOR
A BUILDING PERMIT
APPLICATION WHICH IS STILL
ACTIVE AND
THAT APPLICATION IS READY
FORRISH
YOU OONS.
-- FOR
ISSUANCE. THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY
EXPIRING.
THIS QUASI- JUDICIAL ACTION
IS SORT OF A CONTRACT REZONE,
IT'S A MINOR AMENDMENT TO PUDA
TO
ALLOW COUNCIL TO
HEARHEAR FROM PARTIES OF RECORD
AND THE
PUBLIC.
THE COUNCIL SOLICITS
A RECOMMENDATION FROM SDCI AND
THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE
AGENDA AS WELL AS PUBLIC COMMENT
THAT
SDCI RECEIVED IN CONSIDERING THE
EXTENSION REQUEST.
IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT
TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT
REZONE, THERE ARE THREE CRITERIA
THE COUNCIL USES.
THE BASIS FOR THE
APPLICATION WHETHER IT'S
REASONABLE UNDER
THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO EXTEND
THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT
REZONE,
WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE
CIRCUMSTANCES AND
WHETHER ADDITIONAL TIME IS
REASONABLY NECESSARY FOR
CONDITIONS
OF APPROVAL ADOPTED BY THE
COUNCIL THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE
FULFILLED PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF
THE LAND
USE. THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
HERE
ARE MEMORIALIZED IN THE
PROPERTY USE AND DEVELOPING THE
SITE
WITH THE USE AND IN COMPLIANCE
WITH
MHA.
SO A RECOMMENDATION FROM SDCI.
THAT RECOMMENDATION IS SILENT ON
THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT
REZONE EXTENSION.
THE DEFAULT AND THE LAND
USE CODE IS FOR TWO YEARS, BUT
THERE IS AUTHORITY FOR THE
COUNCIL TO
GO LONGER THAN THAT.
SO A COUPLE OF DECISIONS,
ONE WOULD BE WHETHER OR NOT TO
GRANT THE REZONE, AN ACTION ON
THE
CLERK'S FILE.
AND THE OTHER, ASSUMING THERE
IS, THROUGH BILL 121220
THAT WOULD EXTEND THE TERM OF
THE CONTRACT REZONE BY TWO YEARS
AND
ALSO ACCEPT A
MODIFIED PROPERTY USE AND
DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT THAT REFLECTS THAT
EXTENSION.
SO THAT IS IT UNLESS YOU HAVE
QUESTIONS FOR ME.
>> COLLEAGUES, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
>> CHAIR?
>> YES, COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION
AND THE WORK CENTRAL STAFF.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY JUST
A COMMENT THAT WE HEARD
TODAY REGARDING THE POTENTIAL
FOR
FOUR YEARS.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT THIS AS A TWO- YEAR
EXTENSION.
IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS
TWO- YEAR EXTENSION THAT
WOULD PRECLUDE US FROM
PROVIDING ANOTHER EXTENSION
LATER
SHOULD IT BE NEEDED?
>>
NO. IT DOESN'T PRECLUDE YOU
FROM
DOING THAT.
IT REQUIRES A CHANGE --
IT REQUIRES A LEGISLATIVE
CHANGE, SO THERE IS SOME
LEGISLATIVE EFFICIENCY ISSUES
BUT NOT
NECESSARILY A PROHIBITION
AGAINST THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
OKAY.
I'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS A
LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT, FIRST, I
WOULD LIKE TO VOTE ON THE CLERK
FILE.
CLERK FILE 314549 AND THEN VOTE
ON THE COUNCIL BILL, 121220.
I MOVE THAT THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS GRANTING
THE
EXTENSION AND COUNCIL FILE
314549. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED
TO RECOMMEND GRANTING CF 314549.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
I'LL JUST PROVIDE A QUICK FINAL
COMMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
FORWARD FOR THE WORK ON THIS.
I DO JUST WANT TO NOTE
THAT CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE
DIFFICULTIES OF DEVELOPING IN
THE CITY.
THERE ARE MANY BARRIERS AND
I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT
INCLUDED CURRENT INTEREST
RATES, THE TARIFFS AND ALL THE
UNCERTAINTY IN OUR ECONOMY, AND
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK, IN MY
OPINION, I UNDERSTAND
THE REQUEST FOR A FOUR- YEAR
EXTENSION.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT A TWO- YEAR
EXTENSION, THAT SOMETHING
WILL BE POSSIBLE.
I DO SEE THAT PART OF OUR
JOB IS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR
DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOUSING
AND THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS TO DO
THAT.
AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN
CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT OVER
THESETHESE
TWO YEARS TO ALLOW THIS TO MOVE
FORWARD AND AS COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY IF NECESSARY AND
IF
IT'S DESIRED TO DO SO TO HAVE
AN ADDITIONAL EXTENSION.
OKAY, WITH THAT, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL ON
THE RECOMMENDATION TO GRANT THE
CLERK FILE.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT
HOLLINGSWORTH?
COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LIN?
>> YES.
>> FOUR VOTES IN FAVOR.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
THAT THE COUNCIL WILL BE
SENT TO THE JUNE 29 COUNCIL
MEETING.
I MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF COUNCIL
BILL 121220.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT IS MOVED AND SECONDED TO
RECOMMEND PASSAGE.
ARE THERE ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
OKAY.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL
THE ROLL ON THE RECOMMENDATION
THAT
COUNCIL BILL PASS THE BILL.
>> VICE- CHAIR STRAUSS?
>> AYE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER RINCK?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR LIN?
>> YES.
>> CHAIR, THERE ARE FOUR VOTES
IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
>> THE MOTION CARRIES AND
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
COUNCIL PASS THE BILL WILL BE
SENT TO
THE JUNE 19 MEETING,
PROPERTY USE AND DEVELOPMENT
AGREEMENT.
OKAY.
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF
TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
TO COME
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE BEFORE WE
ADJOURN?
OKAY, HEARING NO FURTHER
BUSINESS, WE ARE
ADJOURNED. OUR NEXT SCHEDULED
MEETING IS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17th AT 9:30
A.M. THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.