>> ALL RIGHT , GOOD MORNING.
MARCH 19th , 2026 MEETING OF THE
SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION,
ENGINEERING , EXPERIENCES
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER AT
9:31 A.M. I AM CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE, ROB SAKE, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> FOSTER?
>> HERE.
>> KETTLE?
>> HERE.
>> LIN?
>> HERE.
>> RINCK?
>> PRESENT.
>> SAKA?
>> HERE. THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
GOOD MORNING , HAPPY MARCH
MADNESS TO YOU ALL . I
APPRECIATE EVERYONE ATTENDING
THE MEETINGS , I UNDERSTAND HOW
DIFFICULT IT CAN BE FORCE HIM TO
MISS THE EXCITING NCAA
TOURNAMENT GAMES, LOOK FORWARD
TO CHEERING ON OUR HUSKY WOMEN
TOMORROW, I THINK THEY FACE OFF
. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE
A VERY FUN , ACTION-PACKED
AGENDA TODAY, IMPORTANT ONE. I
WILL START OFF BY NOTING, THE
OFFICE HAS BEEN MONITORING
TRAFFIC SAFETY DATA IN OUR CITY,
SINCE OUR IMMEDIATE STEPS
COMMITTEE MEETING , THERE HAVE
BEEN NO REPORTED TRAFFIC
INCIDENTS OR FATAL TRAFFIC
INCIDENTS IN SEATTLE, THAT IS
SOMEWHAT NOTABLE, ONLY A VERY
SHORT TIME , AND DOES NOT
INDICATE A BROADER TREND . WE
MUST CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE
DATA OVER TIME AND REMAIN LASER
FOCUSED ON SUSTAINED, LONG-TERM
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAFFIC SAFETY
IN OUR CITY . AS A MEMBER OF THE
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, I WEAR
MANY HATS, THE TWO MOST
IMPORTANT OF THESE HATS ARE THAT
, I AM THE COMMITTEE CHAIR OF
THIS COMMITTEE AND ALSO A
DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVE .
THESE ROLES HAVE A LOT OF CROSS
POLLINATION, ESPECIALLY ON THE
MATTER OF SALEM TRANSIT , WEST
SEATTLE LINK EXTENSION PROJECT,
THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT WE WILL
BE DISCUSSING TODAY. FIRST, I
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING
HERE. MY COLLEAGUES , MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY AND
INCLUDING THE MANY SMALL ,
VIBRANT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
WHO TOOK TIME AWAY FROM THEIR
SHOPS , TOOK TIME AWAY FROM
THEIR STAFFS, THEIR CUSTOMERS ,
TO BE HERE. SO, I WANT TO BE
VERY CLEAR, AND SAY THIS
CLEARLY, WE HEAR YOU , WE SEE
YOU , AND YOUR VOICE DOES MATTER
IN THIS PROCESS , TODAY'S
COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
IS ABOUT SOMETHING VERY REAL AND
NOT ABSTRACT. NOT AT ALL
THEORETICAL. IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE
, IT IS ABOUT LIVELIHOODS, IT IS
ALSO ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
SERVE AS ANCHORS IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOODS , IN OUR
COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY IN MY
COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 AND ACROSS
WEST SEATTLE. THE SAME TIME ,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE
LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENTS IN OUR REGION'S
HISTORY, LIGHT RAIL EXPANSION
WILL SHAPE HOW WE MOVE, HOW
GOODS MOVE, AND HOW ARE ECONOMY
GROWS FOR DECADES. BOTH OF THESE
TRUTHS EXIST AT THE SAME TIME,
AND HOLDING BOTH OF THESE TRUTHS
, AND THE WORK IS THE WORK IN
FRONT OF US. I WANT TO GROUND
THIS CONVERSATION AND WHAT I'VE
BEEN HEARING DIRECTLY FROM
IMPACTING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS
FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I
HAVE TAKEN MANY WALKS IN THESE
VARIOUS CORRIDORS, STOOD IN YOUR
SHOPS , I HAVE HEARD YOUR
QUESTIONS FRUSTRATION AND FEAR,
ONE BUSINESS OWNER SAID
SOMETHING TO ME THAT HAS STUCK ,
THEY TOLD ME, "I CAN PLAN FOR
CHANGE, I CANNOT PLAN FOR
UNCERTAINTY ." THAT IS THE HEART
OF THE ISSUE . RIGHT NOW,
UNCERTAINTY IS THE SINGLE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING MANY
SMALL BUSINESSES . NOT KNOWING
WHEN RELOCATION SUPPORT WILL
ARRIVE, NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL BE
RECOVERED , WHAT WILL BE
REIMBURSABLE, NOT KNOWING HOW TO
PREPARE. AND , WHEN YOU ARE
RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS,
UNCERTAINTY IS NOT JUST
INCONVENIENT , IT IS INCREDIBLY
DESTABILIZING . ALSO , LET ME BE
CLEAR ABOUT RULES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES HERE AS WELL.
OUR PARTNERS AT SALEM TRANSIT
REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR ABIDING
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE , AND FAIR
COMPENSATION TO THOSE DISPLACED
BY ITS OWN PROJECTS . THAT
RESPONSIBILITY IS REAL . THAT
RESPONSIBILITY IS LEGAL . AND IT
MUST BE MET . MY ROLE AS A CITY
COUNCILMEMBER AND CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE IS DIFFERENT . MY JOB
IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER , TO
ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY, TO MAKE
SURE THE RESPONSIBLE AGENCY MEET
ITS OBLIGATIONS. AND TO LEAD
WHERE THE CITY CAN STEP IN TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND
RELIEF. BECAUSE , EVEN WHEN
ANOTHER AGENCY HOLDS THE PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY, WE WILL NOT
STAND BY AND WATCH OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES STRUGGLE THROUGH THIS
CHALLENGE ALONE . WE ARE GOING
TO SHOW UP. WE ARE GOING TO LEAD
. AND WE ARE GOING TO ACT. THE
LAST TWO YEARS, THAT HAS BEEN
DIRECT ENGAGEMENT . I HAVE MET
WITH MANY OF THE SMALL
FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS OWNERS .
THE WORKERS. AT NUMEROUS
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WITH
VARIOUS COMMUNITY LEADERS ,
COORDINATION WITH SALEM TRANSIT,
WALKING TOURS OF IMPACTED
CORRIDORS, MULTIPLE LETTERS TO
THE SALEM TRANSIT BOARD FOR MORE
GUIDANCE AND STRONGER
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGIES. IT
IS ALSO MEANT STRONG ACTION AT A
POLICY LEVEL. TO BE ABLE TO HELP
SUPPORT AND CHAMPION FROM A CITY
OF SEATTLE PERSPECTIVE , STATE
LEGISLATION TO RAISE RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE CAPS. THAT WAS THE
EASIEST EFFORT OF ALL THIS. WE
ALSO STARTED A $250,000 PILOT
PROGRAM IN NORTHDALE RIDGE TO
PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF . AND I
AM ADVANCING UPCOMING
LEGISLATION TO CREATE A
PERMANENT PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP FUND , MODELED AFTER
THE RAIN. IMMEDIATE DEVELOPMENT
FUND -- RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FUND ABOUT PROVIDING
RELIEF NOW AND BUILDING
SOMETHING MORE DURABLE FOR THE
FUTURE, A COMPLEX EFFORT , CHECK
THE HISTORY, CHECK THE RECEIPTS
OF THE CREATION OF THE RAINIER
VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FUND. LONG, COMPLEX EFFORT. THAT
BRINGS ME TO A BROADER POINT,
WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS NOT NEW,
SEATTLE HAS FACED THIS CHALLENGE
BEFORE. INDEED , WHEN LIGHT RAIL
FIRST AND THROUGH SOUTHEAST
SEATTLE, VISIONARY LEADERS LIKE
RICHARD McIVER STEPPED UP TO
CREATE THE RAINIER VALLEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND. THAT
EFFORT HELP TO STABILIZE
HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES
PERIOD OF MAJJORDURING A
DISRUPTION, HUNDREDS OF
PRIMARILY BLACK, PEOPLE OF COLOR
OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES IN SOUTH
SEATTLE AT THE TIME . WE HAVE A
NEW VARIATION OF THE SAME
UNDERLYING CHALLENGE. THERE IS
AN IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE. MANY OF
TODAY'S IMPACTED BUSINESS IS IS
ANY MARITIME, INDUSTRIAL
CORRIDORS, FROM WEST SEATTLE TO
BALLARD, WORKING NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH GOODS, SUPPORT JOBS, THEY
KEEP OUR CITY AND OUR ECONOMY
HUMMING ALONG. SOME OF THE
IMPACTED AREAS ARE NEXT TO A
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL
STEEL MILL WHERE STEEL
PRODUCTION ACTIVITY OCCURS, THAT
POWERS THE BACKBONE OF
CONSTRUCTION , NOT JUST IN OUR
REGION AND IN OUR STATE, BUT THE
ENTIRE COUNTRY. ALSO LOCATED IN
A LIQUEFACTION ZONE . THIS IS
RICHARD McIVER , THE ARCHITECT
OF THE ORIGINAL RAINIER VALLEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND. THIS
IS THE PERSON UPON HIS WORK
WHICH I SEEK TO HELP BUILD UPON
AS WE FACE A NEW ITERATION OF
THE SAME UNDERLYING CHALLENGES
IMPACTING SMALL BUSINESSES.
AGAIN, THIS TIME , WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT MARITIME AND
INDUSTRIAL CORRIDORS. IT GOES
BEYOND SMALL STOREFRONTS, THE
LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE
INTERNATIONAL LONGSHORE AND
WAREHOUSE UNION, LOCAL 52 IS
ALSO LOCATED IN THE IMPACTED
NORTH DELRIDGE AREA . THIS IS
ONE OF MANY EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS
PROJECT TOUCHES OUR BROADER
MARITIME AND INDUSTRIAL
ECOSYSTEM THAT UNDERPINS OUR
LOCAL ECONOMY . MANY OF THE
SHOPS AND SMALL BUSINESSES MAY
NOT SERVE DIRECTLY THE MARITIME
INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRY IN SO FAR AS
THEY SUPPORT -- CLASSIC WORKER
EXERCISES , THEY SERVE THEIR
WORKERS , PROVIDE GOODS AND
SERVICES TO MANY OF THEIR
WORKERS, AND THESE ARE NOT JUST
ISOLATED IMPACTS, THEY ARE
DEEPLY CONNECTED, A CALL FOR
SOLUTIONS THAT REFLECT THAT
REALITY . I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A
QUICK MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
SOMETHING I KNOW IS ON SOME
PEOPLE'S MINDS, THERE ARE SOME
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO RAISED
SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE COSTS
OF THE PROJECT. SOME HAVE EVEN
CALLED FOR IT TO BE STOPPED
ALTOGETHER. I HEAR THOSE
CONCERNS . TOTALLY UNDERSTAND
WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM .
THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS . BIG
INVESTMENTS . HUGE DECISIONS .
AND PEOPLE DESERVE TO ASK HARD
QUESTIONS. THAT SAID, I DO NOT
AGREE THAT THE ANSWER IS TO
SIMPLY WALK AWAY FROM THIS
INVESTMENT. SOUND TRANSIT IS A
REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY
CREATED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE
LAW AND FUNDED BY THE GENEROSITY
OF VOTERS ACROSS KING AND PIERCE
COUNTY, SNOHOMISH COUNTY , MAJOR
EXPENSES LIKE THIS WERE APPROVED
BY REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE MEASURES
AND VOTERS . THE CITY OF SEATTLE
IS NOT THE OWNER OR ULTIMATE
DECISION-MAKER OF SOUND TRANSIT
PROJECTS. TYING BACK TO MY ROLES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS
MATTER, MY ROLE AS A MEMBER OF
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL DOES
NOT SIT ON THE SOUND TRANSIT
BOARD , IS TO ADVOCATE FOR
STRATEGIES THAT WILL ENSURE THAT
PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED AND THE
MOST FAIR AND JUST WAY POSSIBLE.
WE CAN SUPPORT LIGHT RAIL
EXPANSION AND STAND UP AND
SUPPORT OUR STRONG , SMALL,
LOCAL BUSINESSES AT THE SAME
TIME. WE MUST DO BOTH. IT IS NOT
AN EITHER OR CHOICE . IT IS A
RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BOTH THESE
SIDES AND ISSUES RIGHT, TODAY IS
ABOUT DOING THAT WORK TOGETHER.
I'M EXCITED FOR THIS COMMUNITY
ROUNDTABLE , BRINGING TOGETHER
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS , SOUND
TRANSIT PARTNERS , CITY
DEPARTMENTS , AND OTHER
COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE
RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FUND, DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVES , DIFFERENT ROLES,
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE
FORWARD IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS
THE VALUES OF OUR CITY. MY GOAL
FOR TODAY IS SIMPLE, HAVE AN
HONEST CONVERSATION WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE , FOCUSED ON
SOLUTIONS, AND CRYSTAL-CLEAR
ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT . AT THE
END OF THE DAY, THIS IS ABOUT
MORE THAN A PROJECT TIMELINE OR
A CONSTRUCTION PLAN , IT IS
ABOUT WHETHER THE SMALL
BUSINESSES AND WORKING
COMMUNITIES THAT BUILT OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT POWER THE
BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, ARE
STILL HERE TO BE A PART OF THEIR
OWN FUTURE. THAT IS SOMETHING
WORTH GETTING RIGHT . AND THAT
IS SOMETHING WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. AND WE WILL
MOVE INTO THE DAY'S DISCUSSION.
THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM WE WILL BE
HEARING FROM SDOT ABOUT THREE
NEW LEVY PROGRAMS THAT ARE
FUNDED BY THE 2024 VOTER
APPROVED TRANSPORTATION LEVY,
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED SAFETY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, PEOPLE
STREETS, PUBLIC SPACES, LOW
POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS .
EXCITED TO SEE HOW OUR LEVY
RESOURCES ARE BEING PUT TO USE
FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR
COMMUNITY. AFTER THAT, WE WILL
START THAT EXCITING COMMUNITY
ROUNDTABLE CONVERSATION I
MENTIONED FOCUSING ON
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT. THE INSIGHTS
SHARE IN THAT PANEL WILL GUIDE
THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS EFFORT .
BY INVESTING EARLY, LEARNING
FROM PAST SUCCESS IN BUILDING
STRONG PARTNERSHIPS , SEATTLE
CAN PROTECT SMALL BUSINESSES
THAT ANCHOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANK YOU . WE WILL NOW MOVE ON
TO THE OPEN HYBRID PUBLIC
COMMENT PERIOD. THEY SHOULD
RELATE TO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
AND WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS
COMMITTEE. HOW MANY SPEAKERS ARE
SIGNED UP? WE CURRENTLY HAVE
SEVEN SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, ZERO
REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO
MINUTES AND WE START WITH THE IN
PERSON SPEAKERS. INSTRUCTIONS?
>> PUBLIC, TIME IS MODERATED IN
THE FOLLOWING MANNER, SPEAKERS
WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN
WHICH THEY REGISTERED, SPEAKERS
WILL ALTERNATE BETWEEN SETS OF
IN PERSON AND REMOTE SPEAKERS
UNTIL THE PUBLIC, TIME HAS
ENDED. SPEAKERS WILL HEAR A
CHIME IN 10 SECONDS ON LEFT ,
SPEAKERS AND MICROPHONES WILL BE
MUTED IF THEY DO NOT STOP THERE
COMMENTS WITHIN THE ALLOTTED
TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT TIME IS
NOW OPEN. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE
FIRST SPEAKER ON THE LIST. I
WILL CALL OUT THE FIRST THREE
SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
THEY ARE, CESAR GARCIA, JORDAN
CRAWLEY, AND TYLER VASQUEZ.
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, GOOD
MORNING , COMMITTEE, I AM PART
OF A COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATION, I AM HERE NOT ONLY
AS PART OF AN ORGANIZATION AS A
FORMER TRANSPORTATION EQUITY
WORKER MEMBER, AS A PARENT , I
AM HERE AS AN ALLY TO YOUR
COMMUNITIES AND HEAR US A
PARTNER. I WANT TO BE CLEAR,
MYSELF AND MODERNIZATION WANTS
TO BE A PARTNER OF SDOT . YOU
WILL SEE IN THE PRESENTATION,
THERE IS A SLIGHT THAT SHOWS --
PUBLIC SPACES. THE PROJECT --
PLAZA USED TO BE A PART OF THAT
-- IN THE PACKET MAYOR HARRELL
SENT, NOT INCLUDED IN THIS
PROJECT IMPLEMENTED IN 2026 . MY
ROLE IS TO PAY ATTENTION TO
THOSE THINGS AND REACH OUT TO
THE CITY ABOUT THAT. THEY SAY IT
WAS NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE THERE
WAS NOT ENOUGH SPACE. IF THERE
WAS A CLERICAL ERROR, WE ARE
LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT THAT IN
2026. THAT IS MY ROLE , TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS. I
BELIEVE THAT WE ARE HERE TO MAKE
-- ACCOUNTABLE, TO MAKE ALL OF
US ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE KINDS
OF THINGS. I HOPE THAT THE LOW
POLLUTION PROGRAM WILL ACTUALLY
BE THE PROJECT THAT WILL
IMPLEMENT OUR PLAZA. UNLESS YOU
DECIDE THAT THE PUBLIC STREETS
AND PUBLIC SPACES PROGRAM SHOULD
INCLUDE OUR PLAZA. WHICH IS A
PROJECT THAT PORTLAND
TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS CAME TO
SEE. I REALLY , I WOULD LIKE TO
INVITE YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHEN THEY PRESENT THIS
PROJECT . SPIN THANK YOU, SIR.
--
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS JORDAN
CRAWLEY.
>> GOOD MORNING. WE GOOD? YOU
HEARD COUNCILMEMBER SAKA SPEAK
ABOUT THINGS HE SUPPORTED
REGARDING THE LINK EXTENSION AND
SMALL BUSINESSES, ONE WAS [
INDISCERNIBLE ] IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH WEST CHECK -- [
INDISCERNIBLE ] CHAMPIONED BY
STATE REPRESENTATIVE RHIANNA
THOMAS, HE DID NOT HAVE TO PUT
IN THE WORK, THE OTHER WAS A
SUPPORT BUT I DEVELOPED WITH THE
WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER AND BROUGHT
TO SAKA IN AUGUST OF 2024 .
TODAY, YOU WILL HEAR FROM A
PANEL OF FOLKS [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
. I LOVE SOUND TRANSIT [
INDISCERNIBLE ] . AND
DELIBERATELY EXCLUDED FROM THIS
PANEL, COUNCILMEMBER [
INDISCERNIBLE ] -- ARE THE
PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS BEHIND
THE POLICIES HE IS NOW CLAIMING
AS WINS OF HIS OWN. IT IS
DISGUSTING AND DISHONEST IN OUR
DISTRICT SEES IT . I DO NOT
EXPECT TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE
TABLE, COUNCILMEMBERS FOSTER,
RINCK, LIN BOLLINGER THE TIME
AND I WILL KEEP MY EGO OUT OF
THIS AND RECOGNIZE THE DEEP
DISRESPECT OF EXCLUDING THE WEST
SEATTLE CHAMBER . THE COMMUNITY
CONVERSATIONS REQUIRE THE
COMMUNITY BE PRESENT. I HAVE AND
ALWAYS WILL USE MY VOICE TO
UPLIFT THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY
PUTTING IN THE WORK . THE WEST
SEATTLE CHAMBER DESERVES YOUR
SUPPORT . THEY DESERVE TO HAVE
THEIR VOICE HEARD AND THEY
DESERVE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION
AND DECISION-MAKING. AS COUNCIL
COLLEAGUES , YOU HAVE AN
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN
UPHOLDING -- KEEPING EACH OTHER
ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THINGS GREW UP
AND NOW THAT LOOKS LIKE BRINGING
THE RIGHT STAKEHOLDERS TO THE
TABLE , I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME
AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOU FIXING
THIS.
>> NEXT SPEAKER IS TYLER
VASQUEZ.
>> GOOD MORNING, I AM WITH
CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB IN SUPPORT
OF THE NEW LEVY PROGRAMS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED TODAY.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THESE
LEVY PROGRAMS WERE NOT MADE
OVERNIGHT, THIS LEVY PROGRAM
ALLOWS FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN
GIVING 84,000 COMMENTS DURING
THE SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION
PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO BE HEARD.
WE HEARD FROM A COLLEAGUE FROM
LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE ABOUT THE
ISSUE ABOUT THE PEOPLE STREETS .
I FEEL THAT JULIA AND HER TEAM
WILL BE ABLE TO EXPEDITE THE
COMMUNICATION , WILL BE ABLE TO
LIFT UP THOSE WORDS OF
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION,
THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE WHAT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE NEEDS. WHEN
WE LOOK AT THE BICYCLE NETWORK ,
WE SEE A LARGE AMOUNT OF
CITYWIDE DISCONNECTED PARTS AND
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, WHEN
PEOPLE RIDE THE BIKE, THEY
CANNOT JUST RIDE THEIR BIKE
THROUGH A COMMUNITY BUT WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THEY GO TO A
COMMUNITY . WE SEE LEVY PROJECTS
SUCH AS THE BEACON HILL AVENUE
SOUTHERN SECTION, WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE RIDE TO BEACON
HILL TO CELEBRATE THE BUSINESSES
THERE AND COMMUNITY-BASED
ORGANIZATIONS THERE. LOW
POLLUTION COMMUNITIES. IT DOES
NOT PRODUCE ANY POLLUTION WHEN
YOU RIDE THROUGH A COMMUNITY. I
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT , WHEN YOU
DRIVE A CAR, YOU WERE SPENDING
OVER $12,000 PER YEAR ON A CAR.
WITH THAT, OTHER EXPENSIVE A
BIKE ALLOWS YOU TO NOT AFFORD OR
YOU ARE ABLE TO HAVE THAT
ABILITY TO RIDE FREE AND
THROUGHOUT THE CITY . I WANT TO
THANK SDOT FOR ELEVATING THESE
PROGRAMS AND MAKING SURE THEY
ARE HERE AND IMPLEMENTED , I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE
COMMUNITIES AND THESE PROGRAMS
ARE HURT AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS ARE
DAVID TOLEDO, JORDAN , JIM
BUCHANAN.
>> COUNCIL, MY NAME IS DAVID
TOLEDO. I AM A FRONTLINE SERVICE
PROVIDER . I AM A 20 YEAR
RESIDENT OF WEST SEATTLE . I AM
A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF SEATTLE
AS A WHOLE. I CAME HERE TODAY
BECAUSE I WANTED TO SUPPORT THE
PROJECT . I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE FAMILIES THAT I WORK
WITH AND HOW VALUABLE
TRANSPORTATION IS. I WORK WITH A
LOT OF YOUTH . I WORK WITH A LOT
OF FAMILIES IN GENERAL ON
ANYTHING FROM HOUSING TO
EMPLOYMENT . FINANCIAL LITERACY
, AND SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS.
BEING ABLE TO GET FROM WEST
SEATTLE TO SEATTLE PROPER IS
JUST SO IMPORTANT . I WANTED TO
TALK ABOUT THAT . I HAVE TO TELL
YOU, I AM ALMOST SHAKING JUST
BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE COMMENTS I
HEARD. TWO SPEAKERS AGO, A
PERSONAL ATTACK ON ROB SAKA. MY
EXPERIENCE WITH COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA IS THAT HE HAS BEEN ENGAGED
. THAT HE HAS CHAMPIONED MANY
THINGS LIKE INCREASING THE
STIPENDS TO SMALL BUSINESSES. IN
MY 20 YEARS IN WEST SEATTLE, I
HAVE SEEN FAILED LEADERSHIP . I
HAVE SEEN REAL LEADERSHIP. I
JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ROB SAKA
IS ENGAGED , HE IS A LEADER IN A
ROOM FULL OF LEADERS , THEY ARE
LOOKING TOWARDS ROB SAKA. I WANT
TO SAY, BE AWARE OF PUBLIC
COMMENT THAT HAS SUSPECT
MOTIVES. THAT IS HERE FOR
SELFISH AMBITION. THERE ARE
POLITICS GOING ON AND PEOPLE
LOOKING TO BUILD THEIR OWN
RESUME. DO NOT DO THAT ON THE
REPUTATION OF ROB SAKA. THANK
YOU. SPIN THANK YOU , MR.
TOLEDO.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GORDON.
>> GOOD MORNING , I AM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
SEATTLE STREET ALLIANCE .
EVERYONE SAW THAT REBRAND, CHECK
OUT THE WEBSITE . I AM HERE TO
TALK ABOUT THE TRIPLE THREAT YOU
ARE HEARING FROM SDOT THIS
MORNING . SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAM , SUPER EXCITING , IT
REMINDS ME OF A STORY BACK WHEN
A SENIOR CENTER ON BEACON HILL
WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
GO TO SDOT AND THE SIDEWALK
BUILT , CHALLENGING FOR THEM,
THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT WILL
MAKE THIS EASY AND WE HAVE
ALREADY HEARD GREAT THINGS FROM
THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE SIDEWALK
WALKS AROUND TOWN, REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROGRAM. THE
PEOPLE STREETS PROGRAM, WE LOVE
IT, AMAZING NEW PROGRAM WITHIN
THE DEPARTMENT. VERY NEEDED .
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ASKING,
HOW CAN WE GET IT? THAT IS THE
BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE
PROGRAM, THERE IS SO MUCH DEMAND
FOR MORE AND I THINK WE WILL
CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY THAT
WANT TO SEE THAT PROGRAM COME TO
THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS A
GREAT PROBLEM TO HAVE. A VERY
POPULAR PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE WANT
TO SEE MORE FROM. ONE QUESTION
WE HAVE, WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR
COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO GET A
PEDESTRIAN STREET OR PLAZA IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, HOW DO THEY
GO TO THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, A
BESPOKE PROCESS, IT WOULD BE
GOOD IF THERE WAS A FORMAL WHITE
PEOPLE CAN INTERFACE WITH THAT,
WE HAVE THE PROJECT LIST FROM
THE LEVY AND ON TOP OF THAT
THERE IS DEMAND AND HUNGER FOR
MORE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS,
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THE
COUNCIL HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT
PROGRAM IS DELIVERING RESULTS
AND IS TRACKING SPECIFIC METRICS
. WE HAVE BOLD CLIMATE GOALS
OVERALL AS THE CITY AND WITHIN
SDOT WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE
RESPONSE FRAMEWORK, LET'S MAKE
SURE THOSE LOW POLLUTION
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ACHIEVING
THOSE GOALS EARLY SO WE CAN
PROVE THAT CHANGE IS POSSIBLE. I
THINK CLIMATE CHANGE FEELS
OVERWHELMING BUT WE CAN SHOW
THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF
ACHIEVING --
>> THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JIM
BUCHANAN AND AFTER THAT IS
MARCUS WHITE.
>> GOOD MORNING. I CAME HERE ON
A KUMBAYA, BUT THIS IS
DISGUSTING, A TOPIC EVERYBODY
SHOULD AGREE ON, DISGUSTING. TO
HAVE THIS GUY WAS OUT THERE NOW,
COME UP HERE AND ATTACK ROB SAKA
ON SOMETHING -- THAT IS
ANTI-BLACK AND WE'RE NOT GOING
FOR IT, ANYBODY WHO AIDS THAT,
YOU KNOW THE REST, HE IS OUT
THERE , WE'RE NOT GOING FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BUCHANAN.
>> HI, THANK YOU TO TEH
COUNCILMEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE.
ABOUT ROB SAKA AND HIS
COMMITMENT TO THE CITY, HE WAS
ATTACKED HE DOES A LOT TO HELP
BUSINESSES. NOT JUST SEATTLE. I
LIVE IN QUEEN ANN, I HAVE NO
CONNECTION WITH SEATTLE BUT HE
STILL REACHES OUT TO ME. I THINK
THAT, INSTEAD OF US FIGHTING ,
WE SHOULD BE UNITING, DO NOT SEE
WHY WE HAVE TO DO THIS. ROB IS
TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP.
WE ARE GETTING THIS VITRIOL .
COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY . I WANT
TO SUPPORT , PLEASE DO NOT
LISTEN TO THE DISTRACTIONS OF
OTHER PEOPLE, TO TRY TO BRING
ROB DOWN, WHEN HE TRYING HIS
BEST TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD. YOU
KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] I JUST WANT TO
VOICE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FOR
ROB. DISCUSSING , WE ARE HERE TO
BUILD AND NOT TEAR EACH OTHER
DOWN I WORKED WITH ROB FOR OVER
THREE YEARS, HE IS OPEN-MINDED
AND I HOPE WE CAN , INSTEAD OF
BURNING THINGS DOWN, I WANT TO
SAY, PLEASE , FOCUS ON THE
BIGGER PICTURE, TRY TO GET MORE
PEOPLE, WEST SEATTLE, SOUTH
SEATTLE, DOWNTOWN , BUT
BUSINESSES TO HELP PEOPLE
COLLABORATE AND CONNECT AND MAKE
THE CITY BETTER AND BRIGHTER.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR, THAT WAS OUR FINAL
SPEAKER .
>> NO ONLINE? ALL RIGHT, THANK
YOU. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE
FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS, WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE READ ITEM 1 INTO
THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 1, LEVY PROGRAM
UPDATES , NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED
SAFETY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM,
PEOPLE STREETS/PUBLIC SPACES,
AND LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS
.
>> OUR PRESENTERS ARE JOINING US
AT THE TABLE NOW, WELCOME,
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND
BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS, AS YOU WILL SEE,
AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF OUR TEAM
IS NOT SITTING HERE, WHICH MEANS
WE ARE HAVING TO DO THE TECH
OURSELVES. JUST A MOMENT,
PLEASE.
>> ALL GOOD.
>> HE TOLD ME THE SECRET. IT
DIDN'T WORK. OKAY . WE WILL
BEGIN WITH INTRODUCING
OURSELVES, I AM MEGHAN SHEPARD,
POLICY AND PLANNING DIRECTOR
FROM THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION.
>> I AM JULIA JANNON-SHIELDS,
NEW TO SDOT .
>> SIMON BLENSKI, SENIOR
TRANSPORTATION PLANNER WITH SDOT
AND PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY PARTNERSHIP
PROGRAM.
>> IAN MacEK, HE/HIM, PRINCIPAL
URBAN DESIGNER AND THE PEOPLE
STREETS PUBLIC SPACES PROGRAM.
>> JAYA EYZAGUIRRE, SENIOR URBAN
DESIGNER AND PROGRAM MANAGER FOR
LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> I WANT TO BEGIN WITH A FEW
THANK YOU'S, ONE TO MANY OF THE
COMMENTERS TODAY AND TALKED
ABOUT THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND HOPE
FOR THESE NEW LEVY PROGRAMS. I
WANT TO THANK COMMUNITY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR THE WAYS
THEY WHICH THEY INFORMED THESE
PROGRAMS , AND I WANT TO THANK
THE COUNCIL FOR THE SUPPORT .
AND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT EXISTED
THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE 2024 SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION
LEVY. THE FUNDING THAT MAKES
THESE PROGRAMS POSSIBLE. THESE
THREE PROGRAMS , WE WILL TALK
ABOUT TODAY, SO MANY ACRONYMS,
LPN, WE FALL INTO THAT RHYTHM OF
USING THOSE ACRONYMS TO TALK
ABOUT THEM, WHAT THEY REALLY
REPRESENT IS A LOT OF INPUT FROM
EACH OF THE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] TO
HELP US REALLY TAKE WHAT THE
COMMUNITY IS TELLING US AND
CO-CREATE WITH COMMUNITY VIEWS
TO BRING ABOUT THE KINDS OF
IMPROVEMENTS WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE
HUNGRY FOR AND HAVE BEEN FOR A
WHILE. WE HAVE OUR
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY FRAMEWORK
WHICH POINTED US , BASED UPON
THE INPUT OF OUR TEW MEMBERS
TOWARDS HOW WE ARE MEETING THE
COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ARE. THAT
ARE IMPORTANT FOR SAFETY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND THE COMMUNITY,
AND IS IMPORTANT FOR HAVING
SPACES THAT ARE LIVABLE,
WELCOMING DESTINATIONS IN THE
RIGHT-OF-WAY. THAT WAS BUILT
UPON BY WHAT WE HEARD DURING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION PLAN, THOUSANDS
OF COMMENTS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WRITING IN TO SAY THIS IS WHAT
WE ARE HOPING TO SEE IN OUR
NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THEN, THAT
ALLOWED US TO BUILD THOSE INTO
PROGRAMS AND WORK WITH COUNCIL,
ACKNOWLEDGING THEM TO OUR LEVY
LEGISLATION AND THE FOLLOW-UP
WORK THAT OCCURRED THROUGHOUT
OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LEVY
READINESS AND HOW WE WOULD
APPROACH THESE NEW EFFORTS. THE
LAST YEAR , SINCE THE LEVY WAS
APPROVED , HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON
TAKING WHAT PEOPLE -- WHAT WE
ARE HOPING AND TURNING IT INTO
PROGRAMS, HIRING THE STAFF, TWO
OF WHOM ARE SEATED AT THE TABLE
TODAY, [ INDISCERNIBLE ], SO
THAT WE CAN DO THE WORK OF
TAKING OUR VISION FOR EQUITABLE
INVESTMENTS , ADDRESSING SAFETY
AND NEEDS IN HISTORICALLY
UNDERINVEST IN PLACES IN THE
CITY, HAVE THE COMMUNITY HAVE A
KEY VOICE AND THAT. WITH THAT ,
I AM SUPER EXCITED, WE WILL GO
TO THE WHOLE GROUP AND HAVE A
FEW MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS FOR
ALL OF YOU AT THE END. I WILL
TURN IT OVER TO JULIA.
>> THANK YOU . I WAS SET UP WITH
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED
SAFETY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, OR
NISPP, SHE TOUCHED ON THE
ACRONYMS AND WE WILL SWITCH
BETWEEN THE TWO . WHAT THE NISPP
PROGRAM IS , NEIGHBORING
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, WE RECEIVED
$39.5 MILLION IN LEVY TO BUILD
AT LEAST 10 NEIGHBORHOOD
INITIATED, COCREATED PROJECTS
REALLY FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES ACROSS DISTRICTS WITH
THE EMPHASIS ON EQUITY. WHAT
THOSE COULD LOOK LIKE IN
PRACTICE COULD BE SAFETY,
MOBILITY ENHANCEMENTS,
SIDEWALKS, CROSSINGS, OR CHOICE
OF ACCESS. AN OVERVIEW OF THIS
PROGRAM, IF IT SOUNDS FAMILIAR,
BECAUSE IT IS AN EVOLUTION OF
THE PREVIOUS STREET FUND. REALLY
BUILDING ON TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND
RESPONDING TO THOSE COMMITTEE
REQUESTS THAT MAY NOT OTHERWISE
BE PRIORITIZED BY OTHER SDOT
PROGRAMS . WITH THIS NEW
PROGRAM, WE ARE SHIFTING AWAY
FROM A CITYWIDE APPLICATION
BASED MODEL TO A PLACE-BASED
HARDSHIP MODEL, THAT IS WHERE
THIS NEW GEO TEAM'S PROGRAM
COMES IN, FOCUSING ON [
INDISCERNIBLE ] NEIGHBORHOODS
BASED ON SAFETY AND EQUITY ,
WORKING WITH SDOT PROJECTS AND
REVIEWING EXISTING FEEDBACK TO
MINIMIZE THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY
TO REPEATEDLY HAVE TO BRING
THOSE SAME THINGS TO THE TABLE.
PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS
WITH CITY COLLECTIVE TO HOST IN
PERSON CONVERSATIONS TO SEE
ISSUES FIRSTHAND AND HAVE STAFF
ON THE GROUND AS WELL.
>> USING THIS NEW PLACE-BASED
PARTNERSHIP MODEL, NISPP HAS
DONE EARLY WORK ON THE LEVY, WE
PARTNERED OVER THE LAST YEAR
WITH OUR NEW SIDEWALK PROGRAM TO
HOST A SERIES OF WALKING TOURS
ACROSS THE CITY , FOCUSED IN
AREAS WITH A LOT OF MISSING
SIDEWALKS. A LOT OF TIMES , WHEN
YOU GO TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU ARE
HEARING ABOUT THE PROJECTS WE
ARE GOING OUT THERE FOR, HEARING
ABOUT A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER
PRIORITIES, OTHER ISSUES THAT
ARE IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
NISPP WENT OUT WITH OUR NEW
SIDEWALK STAFF AND OUR TEAM TO
GET FEEDBACK ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE
WANT NEW SIDEWALKS, BUT WE HEARD
A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT OTHER
ISSUES, TRAFFIC CALMING,
CROSSWALKS , WE TOOK NOTE OF ALL
OF THAT. WE KNEW ALL OF THAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT TO COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO HEARING FROM
PEOPLE FIRSTHAND, WE REVIEWED
PREVIOUS PUBLIC FEEDBACK FROM
THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. A LOT OF
COMMENTS THAT CAME THROUGH
THROUGH THE SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND OTHER
OUTREACH EFFORTS . WE TOOK ALL
THOSE IDEAS AND WE SELECTED 19
INITIAL PROJECTS ACROSS 12
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WILL BE BUILT
THIS YEAR AND INTO NEXT YEAR.
WHAT IS EXCITING IS THAT MANY OF
THESE PROJECTS WILL ADD SAFETY
IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE ADJACENT
OR NEAR THE SIDEWALK PROJECTS .
IT IS A NICE NETWORK DEVELOPING
WITHIN THESE EFFORTS. A COUPLE
EARLY PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS THAT
WILL BE BUILDING THIS YEAR,
REALLY EXCITING , I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT THE PARTNERSHIP MODEL
WITH SIDEWALK PROGRAM AND OTHER
PROGRAMS, ONE EXAMPLE IS THE
PINEHURST NEIGHBORHOOD , ON OUR
WALKING TOUR, WE HEARD THAT A
LOT OF STUDENTS NEED BETTER
ACCESS TO FEASIBLE , THEY'RE
WALKING ALONG STREETS , OUR
SIDEWALK TEAM IDENTIFIED A NEW
WALKWAY THAT COULD BE BUILT ON
115th, AND WE HEARD IT IS
DIFFICULT TO CROSS ROOSEVELT. WE
WORKED IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR
SIDEWALK TEAM TO BUILD A NEW
CROSSWALK AS WELL THERE. AND
TRAFFIC CALMING . NOT ONLY DO
STUDENTS HAVE A NEW CONNECTION
ALONG 115th IN A SAFE WAY TO GET
TO SCHOOL. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS
THE GREATER VISTA , WE DID NOT
DO ANY WALKING TOUR IN 2025
BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF
WORK TO THE ZONE PROGRAM WHICH
IDENTIFIES TRAFFIC CALMING
THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND
NEIGHBORHOODS. A LOT OF IDEAS
CAME THROUGH THAT OUTREACH. WE
ARE ABLE TO DELIVER AND FUND A
LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS WE HEARD BUT
THERE ARE STILL A NUMBER OF
UNFUNDED PRIORITIES AND THAT IS
WHERE NISPP STEPPED IN TO HELP
DELIVER SOME ADDITIONAL
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. WE HEARD A
LOT FROM RESIDENTS THAT THEY
WANTED TRAFFIC CALMING TO
DISCOURAGE CUT THROUGH TRAFFIC
AND CROSS IMPROVEMENTS. THESE
WILL BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT YEAR
AS WELL. LOOKING FORWARD , WE
ARE FOCUSED ON DESIGNING AND
BUILDING ALL THESE EARLY
PROJECTS. I AM LOOKING PAST
THAT, WE ARE REALLY LOOKING
FORWARD TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH
JULIA AND HER TEAM, AND OTHER
SDOT OUTREACH EFFORTS TO COLLECT
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC FEEDBACK GOING
FORWARD TO UNDERSTAND COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES ARE ACROSS THE CITY.
AND OUR PLAN IS GOING FORWARD ON
AN ANNUAL BASIS TO CONTINUE TO
COLLECT, PRIORITIZE , AND BE
RESPONSIBLE TO BUILD COMMUNITY
REQUESTED PROJECTS. I THINK THAT
IS IT FOR NISPP .
>> PEOPLE STREETS AND PUBLIC
SPACES. AFFECTIONATELY CALLED ,
PSPS, PROGRAM MANAGER, OUR
PEOPLE STREETS AND PUBLIC SPACES
PROGRAM REALLY WILL TRANSFORM
OUR STREETS INTO PLACES WHERE
PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABOUT CREATING
PUBLIC SPACES THAT BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER REFLECT COMMUNITY
IDENTITY, AND MAKE SEATTLE MORE
LIVABLE CITY FOR EVERYONE .
IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE BUILDING ON
A STRONG FOUNDATION, ACROSS
SEATTLE, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN
CREATING PUBLIC SPACES, THROUGH
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS,
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ,
COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS LIKE BLOCK
PARTIES AND STREET CAFES, SOME
OF THOSE EFFORTS ARE SEEN HERE
FROM THOMAS GREENSTREET THROUGH
SOUTH UNION, BELLTOWN, RAINIER
BEACH, WHICH REALLY SHOW WHAT IS
POSSIBLE, BUT THROUGH THIS WORK,
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE IS
A GAP, WE HAVE RELIED ON AD HOC
FUNDING AND NOT HAD -- WE HAVE
HAD ONE-OFF OPPORTUNITIES WHICH
MAKES IT HARD TO EQUITABLY APPLY
A PROGRAM ACROSS THE CITY,
LUCKILY, THROUGH THE STP, GIVE
US THAT FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENT AND
VISION FOR 20 YEARS FOR PUBLIC
STREETS AND PUBLIC SPACES. NEXT
SLIDE . WE ARE MOVING FOR A
VISION TO ACTION, THROUGH THE
LEVY, WE HAVE FUNDING FOR THE
FIRST TIME TO INVEST IN PEOPLE
CENTERED STREETS CONSISTENTLY
AND CITYWIDE. OVERALL , THE
PEOPLE STREETS, PUBLIC SPACES
LEVY PROGRAM INCLUDES FUNDING
FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS , DOWNTOWN
ACTIVATION, PEDESTRIAN [
INDISCERNIBLE ], WAYFINDING, I
WILL BE FOCUSING MORE ON THE
CAPITAL PROGRAM SIDE OF THINGS,
BUT THESE INVESTMENTS TOGETHER
WILL LET US MOVE BEYOND ONE-OFF
SUCCESSES TO A SCALABLE,
EQUITABLE PROGRAM , AND CREATE
SPACES THAT ARE SAVED, WELCOMING
, REFLECTIVE OF LOCAL CULTURE
AND SUPPORTING WALKING ,
ROLLING, SMALL BUSINESSES ,
GATHERING, ELEMENTS OF PLAY. HOW
DO WE DELIVER ON THIS VISION? WE
HAVE REALLY CREATED A FLEXIBLE
PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS US TO
RESPOND TO COMMUNITY NEEDS WHILE
DELIVERING OUR LEVY COMMITMENTS.
WE HAVE FOUR PROJECT TYPES THAT
RANGE FROM LARGER CAPITAL
INVESTMENTS TO SMALLER, MORE
NIMBLE , COMMUNITY DRIVEN
IMPROVEMENTS, SEATING,
WAYFINDING, PUBLIC ART, PLAZAS
ELEMENT THAT TURN A STREET INTO
A DESIGNATION -- DESTINATION .
OUR PROJECTS ARE SIMILAR TO
NISPP, PLACED-BASED ENGAGEMENT
WITH BUSINESS DISTRICTS, CBO'S,
UNDERGROUND OUTREACH , AND
THROUGH OUR EFFORTS . WE HAVE A
LOT OF EFFORT THAT HAS BEEN DONE
THROUGH STP AT OUR HOME ZONE
WORK AND OTHER CONVERSATIONS
THAT ARE HAPPENING TO THE
COMMITTEE, WE CAN UPLIFT OUR
WORK. CO-CREATION IS NOT JUST A
GOAL OF OUR PROGRAM, IT IS HOW
WE WORK . MANY OF OUR PROJECTS
ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF
PARTNERSHIP AND IN CHINATOWN
INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT AND
LITTLE SAIGON, WE HAVE WORKED
FOR DECADES TO IDENTIFY
COMMUNITY NEEDS AND UPLIFT THOSE
THROUGH THE CID ALLEY ACTIVATION
PROGRAM AND WORKED WITH THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT AND THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP
, IN ADVANCING A COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CONCEPT DESIGN FOR
NORTHEAST 42nd, AND WITH
HENDERSON STREET, UPLIFTING THE
WORK OUR -- THEY HAVE BEEN DOING
FOR YEARS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
COMMUNITY VISION IS AND HOW WE
CAN IMPLEMENT THAT TO OUR
PROJECTS. WE ARE BUILDING ON
THAT EARLY MOMENTUM AND OUR
EARLY WINS ARE ONES, OUR
COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROJECT WE WENT
DESIGN IN 2026 AND A WOMAN IN
2027. WHAT COMES NEXT? WE WILL
ADVANCE OUR DESIGN FOR OUR LEVY
FUNDED PROJECTS AND OUR TACTICAL
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] TO HELP US
KEEP US ON TRACK FOR OUR 2026
DELIVERABLES AND STARTING OUR
TACTICAL IMPROVEMENTS, PROJECT
INITIATIVE , WHICH WILL HELP
INFORM OUR FUTURE WORK PLANS,
ENSURING THAT OUR INVESTMENTS
ARE ALIGNED WITH LOCAL NEEDS AND
PRIORITIES . TOGETHER, THESE ARE
HELPING US MOVE FORWARD. AND
FLEXIBILITY.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN, PROGRAM
MANAGER , FOR LPNS, JAYA
EYZAGUIRRE, WHAT ARE LOW
POLLUTION NEIGHBORS AND WHY DO
WE NEED THEM? I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY DEPEND ON
A STRONG FOUNDATION FROM THE
CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE
FRAMEWORK TO OUR COMMITMENTS TO
THE LAST MAYOR'S EXECUTIVE
ORDERS AND THE $8 MILLION OF
VOTER APPROVED TRANSPORTATION
LEVY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] . THROUGH
LPNS, WE RESPOND TO A FEW KEY
CHALLENGES, THE FIRST IS THAT
TRANSPORTATION IS THE LARGEST
SOURCE OF THE CLIMATE POLLUTION
IN SEATTLE. SECONDLY , THE
IMPACTS OF THESE POLLUTION AND
CLIMATE RISKS ARE NOT EVENLY
DISTRIBUTED ACROSS SEATTLE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THIRDLY, MANY OF
THE CITY PROGRAMS THAT DO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES ARE NOT
ALIGNED IN THE SAME PLACE. LOCAL
NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OUR WAY OF
BRINGING THESE EFFORTS TOGETHER.
WE THINK OF THEM AS DESIGNATED
AREAS WHERE THE CITY CAN
COORDINATE ACTIONS TO REDUCE
POLLUTION AND STRENGTHEN HYPER
RESILIENCE . THIS WOULD BE DONE
BY ALIGNING DEPARTMENTS, WORKING
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES,
AND USING A MIXTURE OF POLICIES,
PROGRAMS, AND PROJECTS FOR
STREETS AND MORE RESILIENT
NEIGHBORHOODS. OVER THE LAST
YEAR , WE SECURED FEDERAL RAISE
GRANT TO FUND PLANNING EFFORT
AND MOVE US TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTATION . OVER THE NEXT
YEAR, PHASE ONE WILL FOCUS ON
PLANNING AND PARTNERSHIP
BUILDING, WE WILL WORK WITH
COMMUNITIES AND PILOT AREAS TO
UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITIES,
IDENTIFY STRATEGIES, BUILD OUT
THE INITIAL TOOLBOX AND METRICS.
IN 2027, WE WILL MOVE TOWARDS
DESIGN AND EARLY DELIVERY, WHERE
WE TAKE THOSE STRATEGIES AND
ALIGN THEM WITH CITY PROGRAMS
AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THEM IN
OUR PRIORITY PROJECTS, SOME
TIGHTLY AND SOME AS LONG RETURN
PROJECTS . IN 2028 AND ONWARD,
WE WILL FOCUS ON EVALUATION AND
SCALE, TRACKING OUTCOMES,
LEARNING THE WORKS, DELIVERY OF
LONGER-TERM PRIORITIES, AND
REFINING THE MODEL SO WE CAN
POTENTIALLY EXPAND INTO OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS WITH FUTURE [
INDISCERNIBLE ]. A KEY PART OF
THIS THROUGHOUT HIS COORDINATION
ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, WE HAVE BEEN
MEETING ACROSS SDOT , WESLEY ,
SEL, PARKS, OED, AND MORE TO
IDENTIFY POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS
IN THIS WORK AND GOT THE
PROGRAMS DELIVERY, TO PILOT
DELIVERY OVER THE YEARS. SO,
WHAT COULD LPNS LOOK LIKE IN
PRACTICE ? THE KEY IDEA IS
LAYERING MULTIPLE PROJECTS AND
STRATEGIES IN ONE PLACE, THE
RESPONSE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS AND
PRIORITIES IN A COORDINATED WAY.
WE DO THIS THROUGH SHARED
TOOLBOX OF MENU OF POLICIES AND
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, THE CITY
CAN DRAW FROM AND TAILORED TO
EACH NEIGHBORHOOD . ACROSS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT MAY INCLUDE
SOMETHING LIKE MOBILITY AND
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, SAFER
WALKING AND BIKING CONNECTIONS,
TRAFFIC CALMING AND SEVERAL
CROSSINGS . IT COULD INCLUDE
THINGS LIKE CLEAN TRANSPORTATION
STRATEGIES SUCH AS ELECTRICAL
VEHICLE CHARGING, SUPPORT FOR
CLEANER FREIGHT AND DELIVERS,
AND EXTENDED MOBILITY OPTIONS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE LOOKING AT
CLIMATE AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESULTS
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE READING
AND STORM WATER AND COOLING
STRATEGIES IN COORDINATION WITH
RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY OF THE
STRUCTURE . FINALLY, AN
IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WORK IS
IMPROVING ACCESS TO PROGRAMS AND
COORDINATED INVESTMENT . THAT
MEANS PRODUCING VARIOUS
PARTICIPATION AND MAKING IT
EASIER FOR RESIDENTS AND
BUSINESSES TO CONNECT TO
EXISTING CITY PROGRAMS AND
ALIGNING INVESTMENTS IN THE SAME
AREAS . TOGETHER, THIS LAYER
TOOLBOX APPROACH ALLOWS LPNS TO
DELIVER MORE MEANINGFUL AND
VISIBLE IMPROVEMENT AT THE
NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL . AS OF
YESTERDAY, WE ARE HAPPY TO
PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THE INITIAL
LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOOD PILOT
LOCATIONS THROUGH THE BLOG AND
SOCIALS FROM SDOT WHICH WERE
IDENTIFIED USING A SERIES OF
CRITERIA TO FOCUS ON AREAS WHERE
COORDINATED ACTION COULD HAVE
SOME REALLY STRONG IMPACT . WE
LOOKED AT FACTORS LIKE POLLUTION
, CLIMATE RISK, SAFETY, AND
ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS
AND THE 3+ PILOT AREAS ARE LAKE
CITY, CAPITOL HILL, AND A
COMBINED APPROACH TO SOUTH PARK
IN GEORGETOWN, WITH A BROADER
SET OF CANDIDATE LOCATIONS FOR
FUTURE PHASES. EACH OF THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS REFLECT DIFFERENT
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE CITY WHILE
ALSO SHARING COMMON CHALLENGES ,
NOT POLLUTION BURDEN, EXTREME
HEAT, FLOOD RISK, PEDESTRIAN
BIKE SAFETY AND [ INDISCERNIBLE
] . THEY HAVE STRONG COMMUNITY
PARTNERS WHO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR
THIS WORK FOR YEARS AND WILL BE
CRITICAL AS WE MOVE INTO THE
PLANNING PHASE AND BEGIN
CODEVELOPING STRATEGIES . I WANT
TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
THOSE PARTNERS, LAKE CITY
COLLECTIVE, THE RCC, AND THE
URBAN LEAGUE -- METROPOLITAN OR
RELATED. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, OUR
FOCUS IS ON GETTING THIS WORK
UNDERWAY IN THE PILOT
NEIGHBORHOODS . WE WILL START
PLANNING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS
WHICH WILL INCLUDE NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSESSMENTS TO UNDERSTAND LOCAL
PRIORITIES AND EARLY ENGAGEMENT,
WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS .
AT THE SAME TIME, WE WILL BUILT
OUT THE CITY'S LPN TOOLBOX AND
BEGIN ADVANCING STRATEGIES FOR
EACH NEIGHBORHOOD SO WE CAN MOVE
FROM PLANNING TO IMPLEMENTATION
. THE NEXT PHASE OVERALL IS
ABOUT TURNING THE FRAMEWORK INTO
SOMETHING TANGIBLE AND WORKING
WITH COMMUNITIES TO SHIP
SOLUTIONS AND SETTING THE CITY
UP TO DELIVER ON HIS CLIMATE
COMMITMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THAT
WAS A LOT.
>> A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, SDOT. I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO MY THOUGHTFUL
COLLEAGUES. STARTING FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. STARTING
WITH VICE CHAIR, RINCK, IF YOU
HAVE ANY.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR, SAKA.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION .
I AM FORMULATE QUESTIONS, I MAY
START AND THEN MAY CIRCLE BACK .
I WANTED TO START WITH
NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATED SAFETY
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS , COULD YOU
UNPACK A LITTLE BIT MORE AROUND
THE CRITERIA YOU ARE USING TO
MAKE SURE EQUITABLE CHOICES AND
PROJECT FOR YOUR DECISION AND
HOW THERE ARE TOUCH POINTS
WITHIN THE EQUITY WORKGROUP?
>> THE PRIORITIZATION APPROACH
-- JULIA JANNON-SHIELDS HAS BEEN
HERE FOR THREE WEEKS, SHE BRINGS
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE FROM SIMILAR
WORK AT KING COUNTY METRO TO OUR
PALLET OF TOOLS . WORKING REALLY
CLOSELY WITH SIMON AND HIS
PROJECT EXPERTISE. WE SEE THE
PRIORITIZATION AND THE APPROACH
AS BEING FLEXIBLE AND [
INDISCERNIBLE ] . I WILL POINT
SOME OF YOU BACK TO WORK SUCH AS
RECONNECT WEST SEATTLE WHEN THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE WAS CLOSED,
THERE WAS A SPECIFIC TARGETED
EFFORT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS MOST
IMPACTED WHERE WE WORKED WITH
THEM TO LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS
THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING US FOR
YEARS , FROM PRIOR PLANS, FROM
OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINES,
OTHER PROJECTS. AT WORK WITH
COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM
PRIORITIZE WHAT THEIR TOP NEEDS
WERE. THAT IS ONE OF THE
STRATEGIES THAT THIS PLAYSPACE
MODEL COULD TAKE , THE
FOUNDATION IS RELATIONSHIP
BUILDING . SIMON GAVE ANOTHER
REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW --
WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE ALREADY
WORKING , WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT
OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNDERWAY
WITH COMMUNITY. SDOT DOES NOT
HAVE A GREAT WEIGHT RIGHT NOW,
TAKING THAT NEED, TWO OR THREE
BLOCKS AWAY, IT IS IMPORTANT TO
THE COMMUNITY BUT NOT WHAT
PROJECT X WILL DO AND THE NISPP
GIVES US A WAY TO TAKE IN THAT
NEED , TRACK IT OVER TIME AND
THEN PRIORITIZE IT EACH YEAR ,
IT WILL BE TOUGH , I DO NOT WANT
TO ACT LIKE THIS WILL BE EASY,
BECAUSE THE NEED IS TREMENDOUS.
BY ADDING JULIA AND HER TEAM
EVENTUALLY, WHEN THEY ARE ON
BOARD , WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO
REALLY FOCUS ON GETTING TO KNOW
NEIGHBORHOODS AND LEARNING WHAT
IS THEIR TOP NEED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT, HAPPY
THREE WEEKS, JULIA, HAPPY TO
HAVE YOU HERE. MOVING TO THE
PEOPLE STREETS PROGRAM, ARE WE
LOOKING TO EXPAND BEYOND JUST
THE SPACES IDENTIFIED IN THE
LEVY ? SEEMS LIKE A GREAT WEIGHT
TO SUPPORT MORE PEDESTRIAN .
>> IN THE LEVY, THERE WERE FIVE
LARGER CAPITAL PROJECT
IDENTIFIED THROUGH OUR OTHER
PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS THINKING
THROUGH FROM THE SPARK
PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AND
PROJECTS, THE TECHNICAL PROJECTS
THAT EXPANSION BEYOND JUST THOSE
FIVE TO A GREATER CITY SWATH TO
THE THREE WE ARE ADVANCING FROM
A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT THIS YEAR
ARE FOCUSED ON WHERE WE HAVE
STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
AND SUPPORT, WHERE WE CAN UPLIFT
THOSE PROJECTS AND USE THESE AS
A PILOT TO HONE IN WHAT IS THAT
ENGAGEMENT AND PIPELINE PROCESS.
AT EXPAND THAT MORE BROADLY
ACROSS THE CITY . AND WE ARE
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH OUR OTHER
PROGRAM OWNERS, AND EXTERNAL
PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE
SOME OF THE NEEDS , PROJECTS
BEING IDENTIFIED ELSEWHERE TO
SEE HOW THEY RELATE WITH THIS
PROGRAM TO UPLIFT THOSE AND PUT
THOSE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THEN, TO
GO TO, LOW POLLUTION
NEIGHBORHOODS , WHEN IT COMES TO
LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS, HOW
DOES THE POSSIBILITY OF A
CAPITOL HILL [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
VOID OF CAR THROUGH TRAFFIC
INTERPLAY WITH THIS? GIVEN THAT
CARS ARE THE GREATEST SOURCE OF
POLLUTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES,
WHAT EFFORTS IN REGARD TO
PEDESTRIAN AND MAKING CAR FREE
SPACES CAN WE EXPECT TO BE
TAKEN?
>> I WILL GO BACK ABOUT THIS
BEING THE YEAR OF PLANNING,
COMMUNITY DRIVEN NEEDS TO
ADDRESS POLLUTION IS AT THE
FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE WOULD THEN
WANT TO PRIORITIZE AND MOVE INTO
IMPLEMENTATION. WORK WITH
COMMUNITY IN CAPITOL HILL OVER
THE PRIORITIES AND NEEDS WILL BE
CENTRAL. THAT IS WHAT JAYA IS
KICKING OFF.
>> WE KNOW THAT HIS PRIORITY AND
WITH THE RESOURCES FROM LPN, WE
CAN ENGAGE AND WALK THROUGH THE
PROCESS WITH COMMUNITY .
>> THAT IS REALLY HELPFUL
CLARIFICATION . WE HEARD SOME
PUBLIC COMMENTS, THINKING ABOUT
THE LAKE CITY AREA AND
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE IN.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING WHERE
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND THAT
THIS IS THE ONSET AND WE WILL BE
PLANNING MOVING FORWARD.
DOUBLETIME IMPORTANCE. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR.
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA, THANK
YOU, MISS SHEPARD, THE WHOLE
TEAM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE,
SO IMPORTANT, IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE LEVY , JUST TO ACHIEVE OUR
GOALS ACROSS THE BOARD. AND, I
APPRECIATE BREAKING IT DOWN TO
THESE THREE SECTIONS . I
RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT PIECES
BECAUSE I PARTICIPATED IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD STREET FUND PIECES.
BECAUSE OF THAT EXPENSE I KNOW
AREAS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS. IN
TERMS OF DISTRICT 7, I WILL
HIGHLIGHT , FOR DIFFERENT
REASONS, MAGNOLIA, IS KIND OF
BEEN THE HINTERLAND AND SOME
NEEDS THERE. I SAY THIS BECAUSE
WE DO NEED TO ADDRESSED THOSE
PIECES BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND IT IS
IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS
OF THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE HEARD
FROM OTHERS TALKING ABOUT, WE DO
NOT HAVE -- QUEEN ANNE HAS THESE
DIFFERENT PIECES BUT WE DON'T I
HAVE SEEN IT, I WANTED TO RAISE
THAT, BECAUSE THERE ON THE
OUTSIDE , SEPARATED BECAUSE OF [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , THAT WE NEED
TO REMEMBER THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
AS WELL. I WILL WORK WITH
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AS WELL .
I APPRECIATE THIS. THE 7
COMMUNITY WILL BE INTERESTED IN.
ON PEOPLE STREETS , I THANK YOU
FOR THE EARLY INCLUSION , QUEEN
AVENUE NORTH, FIRST WEST AND
QUEEN AVENUE NORTH IS A NATURAL
PIECE OF THE AREA, PARTICULARLY
WITH THE SUBWAY PROJECT AND ALL
THE OTHER WORK IN THAT AREA. IT
IS A NATURAL , IT SHOULD BE USED
THAT WAY FOR THE UPCOMING FIFA
WORLD CUP, IT CAN BE A PILOT TO
THE PILOT, IF YOU WILL. I
APPRECIATE THAT. I BROUGHT THIS
UP WITH INTERIM DIRECTOR BRADY,
PLEASE THINK ABOUT , THIS IS THE
NEXT STEP, WE DID WORK WITH THE
COMPANY TO PLAN TO THE QUEEN
ANNE BOULEVARD PARK, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , IT HAS SOME
GREAT AREAS PARTS ARE IN
MATERIAL BUT GREAT AREAS IN THE
PARK SCREAMING TO BE INCLUDED IN
THE PEOPLE STREETS SECTION OF
THIS PROGRAM. THERE ARE SOME
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES . I BRING
THIS UP, NOT JUST QUEEN ANNEA
ASSET , PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OF
THE CITY TO WALK IT BECAUSE OF
THE VIEWS. NOT 360 BUT
INCREDIBLE VIEWS ESPECIALLY TO
THE SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST, THOSE
TWO YEARS , SOUTHEAST AND
SOUTHWEST, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES
TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THESE
PROGRAMS . I DO WANT TO RAISE A
PARTNERSHIP WITH SDOT AND PARKS
TO RAISE THE QUEEN ANNE
BOULEVARD PARK , PHASE ONE OF
THE GOVERNMENT PLAN. THE LAST
PIECE, LOW POLLUTION NETWORK, I
DEFINITELY SEE THE NEED AND I
HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE BENEFITS
IN TERMS OF THE LAYDOWN OF THIS
SLIDE . I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ,
IT PARALLELS SOUTH PARK AND
GEORGETOWN, BUT THE INDUSTRIAL
MARITIME LANDS OF SEATTLE, THE
INNER BAY PIECE IS EQUALLY --
NOT EQUALLY BUT SIMILAR IMPACTED
. WE NEED TO, BASICALLY, WE ARE
BUILDING A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER,
WE ARE DOING A LOT OF ZONING ON
THE SIDE, THE QUEEN ANNE SIDE OF
15th AVENUE WEST AND GIVING
PREVAILING WINDS, THE SCREAMS TO
BE ALSO ADDED TO THE LIST IN
TERMS OF PARTICULAR PARALLELING
THE SOUTH PARK AND GEORGETOWN
EFFORT. I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT,
NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION.
SOMETHING OF CONCERN. AS WE LOOK
TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES, I
WANT TO FOOT STOMP, WE NEED TO
PROTECT OUR INDUSTRIAL MARITIME
AREAS OF OUR BASE WHICH IS KEY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR ALL THE
ECONOMIC REASONS . THAT
PERTAINS. SO, AGAIN, TO THE SDOT
TEAM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO MY TEAM GETTING
WITH YOU ON THOSE THREE AREAS.
BIG SWATH OF DISTRICT 7,
PARTICULARLY MAGNOLIA AND INNER
BAY, QUEEN ANNE, THANK YOU FOR
THE PORTAL PARK WHICH WILL
CONTINUE TO BUILD ON BY THE WAY
THE PARK SIDE OF THAT. SO, THANK
YOU, THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU. NEXT,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER.
>> GOOD -- THANK YOU, CHAIR,
THANK YOU FOR THIS FANTASTIC
PRESENTATION , I APPRECIATE
GETTING THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT
THE LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS,
IT IS EXCITING, IT IS EXCITING
TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE
THINKING ABOUT LETTING --
UTILIZING DATA ON AIR QUALITY
AND POLLUTION, AND OTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD METRICS AND
DEMOGRAPHICS TO BE INTENTIONAL
ABOUT DRIVING PROJECT . IT IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
NOT EVERYONE REACHES OUT TO THE
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN A WAY THAT
IS EQUITABLE AND IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING AND
LEAVING WHAT THAT OUTREACH AND
CONTINUES . I WANT TO COMMEND
YOU ON THAT AND SAY I'M
EXCITING TO SEE THAT. I WANTED
TO ASK A QUESTION AROUND
PROJECTS . WE MAY BE SEEING
CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU'RE ABLE
TO, THERE IS THE CID ALLEYWAY ,
I LOST MY SLIDE , 10% OR 30%
DESIGN THIS YEAR , IF YOU CAN
SHARE ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT , WHEN
YOU ARE PROJECTING OUT , WE MAY
SEE CONSTRUCTION OR ACTION IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD FROM THAT
PROJECT TO
>> FOR THAT ONE, AND 42nd, FOR
BOTH, WE HAD A STRONG CONCEPT
DESIGN FROM COMMUNITY AND
WANTING TO ADVANCE THE DESIGN
EARLY TO BE ABLE TO GET A BETTER
ESTIMATE -- COST ESTIMATE FOR
THE OVERALL PROJECT TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHAT DO WE NEED TO
LOOK FOR GRANTS ? THESE ARE
UNIQUE PROJECTS WHERE WE CAN
VALUE ENGINEER ELEMENTS OUT
BECAUSE WE WANT TO THE INDICATE
TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE
LISTENING AND DELIVERING A
PROJECT . DOING THIS EARLY
DESIGN WORK SO WE CAN BETTER SET
OURSELVES UP. ONCE WE HAVE THAT
TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, WE
WILL HAVE A BETTER ESTIMATE OF
THE SCHEDULED, KNOWING WHAT
PARTNER OPPORTUNITIES WE MAY
NEED TO ALIGN WITH IF ANY.
>> GOT IT, HELPFUL, I KNOW IT IS
HARD TO ESTIMATE BEFORE YOU GET
TO 30% DESIGN, I THOUGHT I WOULD
ASK AND WE ALL HAVE AN INTEREST
IN MAKING SURE WE ARE INVESTING
IN CHINATOWN INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT, I LOOK FORWARD TO
GETTING MORE UPDATES. I DID ALSO
WANT TO SAY, FOLLOWING UP ON THE
COMMENTS BY COUNCILMEMBER
CATTLE, LOVE THE PARK --
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, LOVE THE
PARK, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. I WILL CLOSE
WITH , ANY OTHER UPDATES ? YOU
HAVE SOUTH HENDERSON STREET TO
GET TO 10% DESIGN AND I HEARD
YOU MENTION THE COMMITMENT YOUR
TEAM HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH
COMMUNITY . I KNOW IN SOME OF
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY HAVE
LONG-STANDING COMMUNITY VISION
DOCUMENTS . CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW
YOU ARE WORKING TO BOTH GET
CURRENT INPUT , AND UTILIZE
THINGS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IN
PLACE FOR A LONG TIME? A VISION
ABOUT PORTIONS OF SOUTH
HENDERSON STREET FOR EXAMPLE .
>> THE MAIN PIECE IS , SOME
PLACES WE ARE MAYBE STARTING
FROM SCRATCH AND REALLY
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEEDS
ARE, PERHAPS WE HAVE NOT ENGAGED
IN THE PAST . OTHERS, WE ARE
BUILDING FROM WHAT IS THERE. FOR
US, IT IS WORKING WITH JULIA AND
HER TEAM AND ENGAGEMENT FOLKS
AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAMS AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO
UNDERSTAND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO COMMUNITY, WHAT WE
HAVE BEEN HEARING , ENSURING WE
ARE NOT ASKING THE SAME
QUESTIONS . WE DID SO MUCH
ENGAGEMENT TO THE TRANSPORTATION
PLAN, SO MANY OF THOSE COMMENTS
AND THAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION
WE COMBINED. IT IS COMING FROM A
PLACE, HERE'S WHAT WE HAVE
HEARD , ARE WE STILL AT THIS
PLACE ? REALLY DIVING INTO
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THOSE PEOPLE
STREETS , PUBLIC SPACES PROJECTS
MAY BE OUT OF THAT . REALLY TO
GET ALIGHT WITH THE PROGRAMS AND
THE COMMUNITY'S INTERESTS AND
NEEDS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER. I WILL NOTE THAT, I WANT
TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO YOU
ALL AT SDOT FOR BEING HERE AND
SHARING THIS , ACCEPTING MY
INVITE TO REPORT ON THESE THREE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT LEVEE
PROGRAMS. WOULD LOVE TO BETTER
CLARIFY, WE HEARD FROM SOME
COMMUNITY MEMBERS , PARTNERS AT
THE LAKE CITY COLLECTIVE, WHO
EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS AND
HOPES. AND OPPORTUNITIES
PERTAINING TO THE PEOPLE STREETS
PROGRAM . JUST CURIOUS, HOW DOES
THE DEPARTMENT GENERALLY ENGAGE
WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS MORE
BROADLY AND MAKING SURE THAT
THEIR INPUT SHAPES THE FINAL
CONTOURS OF SPECIFIC PROJECT
PUZZLES ? ALSO, WHETHER
SOMETHING ENDS UP ON THE LIST
MORE BROADLY ?
>> GENERAL AND SPECIFIC ANSWER,
SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO LAKE
CITY , THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN
UNDERWAY WITH THE LAKE CITY
COLLECTIVE. DO YOU WANT TO GIVE
AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE PROJECT ?
>> I AM HAPPY TO COME IS STEMMED
FROM HER HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM
AND HAS BEEN AN EXTENSION OF
THAT. WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE
PROGRAM MANAGER , WHO HAS BEEN
WORKING CLOSELY WITH LAKE CITY
COLLECTIVE ON UNDERSTANDING,
WHERE ARE WE AT, IN THE
NEAR-TERM , WHAT IS THE
LONGER-TERM VISION? THERE HAS
BEEN CONVERSATIONS AROUND
COLLABORATION WITH PARKS .
REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE
AND HOW CAN WE AS A PROGRAM FIT
INTO THAT . THAT IS AN ONGOING
CONVERSATION. REALLY PINNED IN
TO BE ALIGNED AND FIND OUT THE
TIMING AND WHAT IS THE PROJECT
THAT MAY BE THERE THAT FALLS
WITHIN THE PROGRAM .
>> INTERESTING SUPPORT ABOUT
LAKE CITY , WHETHER WE CAN
SUPPORT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH
HEALTHY STREETS PROGRAM ,
WHETHER THAT SUPPORT COMES FROM
PSPS OR LPN BUT A LOT OF
COMMITMENT AT 11 . WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY GROUPS AND COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS TO GET A GOOD
MODEL LOCATION NEIGHBORHOODS
PROGRAM, THAT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST
PILOTS. THEY DO HAVE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FOCUSED
ON WORK THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE
TO EXPORT THEM TO DO. THEY HAVE
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AND ABLE
TO ENGAGE WITH US. WHEN WE TAKE
DIFFERENT LENS THROUGH THE NISPP
PROGRAM AND THE WORK JULIE IS
DOING , FOR THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS
WHO DO NOT HAVE ANY
COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION,
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, THAT IS
WHERE THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
MAY TAKE DIFFERENT FORMS AND MAY
REQUIRE BUILDING A LOT OF
DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH
DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS .
MAY INVOLVE WORKING CLOSELY WITH
THE DEPARTMENT OF [
INDISCERNIBLE ] AND THEIR
COMMUNITY LIAISONS TO ENGAGE IN
LANGUAGE AND WHAT IS CULTURALLY
APPROPRIATE. THOSE ARE THREE
MODELS THERE.
>> THANK YOU, VERY HELPFUL. I
WILL JUST SAY, QUICK COMMENT ON
THE LOW POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS,
WHEN I HELPED WRITE THE LOW
POLLUTION NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM
INTO THE ORIGINAL 2024
TRANSPORTATION LEVY APPROVED BY
VOTERS, SOUTH PARK AND
GEORGETOWN, THE BROADER VALLEY
WAS EXACTLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD I
HAD IN MIND. AND COMMITTEES HAD
IN MIND AND WHAT WE WERE HEARING
AT THE TIME. GOOD TO SEE THOSE
ANNOUNCEMENTS IN THE INITIAL
PILOT. I THINK THE DEPARTMENT
FOR CENTERING THEIR VOICES .
THAT IS ALL THE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS I HAVE . ANY FINAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS,
COLLEAGUES , BEFORE WE MOVE INTO
THE NEXT SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE OF
BUSINESS ? HEARING AND SEEING
NONE, OUR SECOND ITEM OF
BUSINESS, WILL LOOK AT PLEASE
READ ITEM 2 INTO THE RECORD?
>> AGENDA ITEM 2, ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION , ANTI-DISPLACEMENT
STRATEGIES FOCUSED ON SOUND
TRANSIT IMPACTED SMALL
BUSINESSES.
>> THANK YOU . WILL OUR NEWEST
PRESENTERS , PANELISTS , PLEASE
JOIN US AT THE TABLE AND SHARE
YOUR PRESENTATIONS BEFORE YOU
BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATIONS .
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND
BEGIN. LET ME JUST SHARE , WE
HAVE AN EXCITING , DISTINGUISHED
GROUP OF FOLKS HERE. AND
PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS PANEL .
THERE IS A LOT. RUN A SHOW , HOW
THIS WILL BE STRUCTURED,
GENERALLY. WE WILL START BY
HEARING FROM DIRECTLY IMPACTED
COMMUNITY , IN THIS CASE, LAUREL
FROM OUNCES, FRAME THE
CONVERSATION AND SHARE YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ON SOUND TRANSIT
PROJECTS AND ITS IMPACTS ON YOU
AND YOUR SMALL BUSINESS , AND WE
WILL INVITE OUR PARTNERS FROM
SOUND TRANSIT. THEN, WE WILL
HAVE JASMINE FROM CENTRAL STAFF
SHARING SOME OF THE WORK AT THE
CITY LEVEL THAT HAS BEEN DONE,
AND WE WILL TALK AND LEARN MORE
FROM OUR PARTNERS AT SOUND
TRANSIT ON HOW THEY WORK TO
ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. LAUREL,
HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT.
>> TOTALLY PUT ME ON THE SPOT, I
WAS EXPECTING -- I AM WITH
OUNCES TAPROOM, A FISH OUT OF
WATER IN THESE SITUATIONS AND I
APOLOGIZE. I WAS PUT ON THE
SPOT. OUR BUSINESS HAS BEEN IN
WEST SEATTLE FOR TEN YEARS NOW.
WE HAVE BEEN ON THE POTENTIALLY
IMPACTED LIST DEALING WITH WEST
SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL , POTENTIALLY
COMING TO WEST SEATTLE FOR FIVE
OR SIX YEARS. QUITE HONESTLY ,
UNTIL ABOUT THREE , FOUR WEEKS
AGO WHEN I GOT INTRODUCED TO THE
NEW PROJECT TEAM , I KNEW ABOUT
AS MUCH AS I DID SIX YEARS AGO
WHEN I KNEW MY BUSINESS WOULD
POTENTIALLY HAVE TO RELOCATE. I
THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IS
FINANCIAL. WE ARE A SMALL
BUSINESS, WE DO NOT HAVE PILES
OF CASH SITTING AROUND. WHEN WE
LOOK AT HAVING TO FACE
RELOCATION, I -- MY MAIN ASK IS
, WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM
? IF I ESTIMATE MY BUSINESS
TAKING $500,000 TO RELOCATE, I
NOTE THAT SOUND TRANSIT DOES NOT
PROVIDE 100% OF THAT COST. MY
QUESTION IS, WHERE DO I GET THAT
, WHERE DOES THAT MONEY COME
FROM ? EVEN IF SOUND TRANSIT
PROVIDES 50% OF THE COST TO HELP
US WITH THE RELOCATION BECAUSE
THEY DO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, THAT
IS A FACT, BUT WHERE THERE IS A
GAP OF FUNDING , WHERE THE
ADDITIONAL MONEY COMES FROM?
THAT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FACING
SMALL BUSINESSES . WHERE DOES
THE MONEY COME FROM?
>> THANK YOU, LAUREL, APPRECIATE
YOUR PERSPECTIVE. I KNOW THAT
OUNCES, LAUREL IS THE OWNER OF
OUNCES IN NORTH DELRIDGE, FULLY
INVESTED IN THE NORTH DELRIDGE
COMMUNITY, THAT IS THE
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE SHE HAS A
BUSINESS AND OPERATED BUSINESS,
SHE LIVES IN NORTH DELRIDGE AS
WELL . YOU ARE FULLY INVESTED .
NOT COMING FROM ANOTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU ARE FULLY
INVESTED IN WEST SEATTLE AND THE
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD .
APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE THAT
YOU OFFER. NOW, WE WILL HAVE
JASMINE CHIME IN AND SHARE SOME
OF THE CITY WORK.
>> YES, GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. MY NAME IS
JASMINE MARWAHA, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF. I WILL GET THE SLIDE
PRESENTATION ON THE FULL SCREEN.
THERE WE GO. SO, AS THE CHAIR
MENTIONED , I WILL BE PRESENTING
ON A COUPLE OF COUNCIL ACTIONS
TAKEN IN THE LAST FALL BUDGET
PROJECT RELATED TO NORTH
DELRIDGE SCHEDULED TO BE LIMITED
THIS YEAR . RELATED TO THE
ISSUE. FIRST, COUNCIL BUDGET
ACTION OED 78 WHICH IS SET ASIDE
$250,000 IN TOTAL ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THE NORTH DELRIDGE
AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT RELATED
TO ECONOMIC TRANSITION AND
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS . IT IS
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OED HAS A
NUMBER OF PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO
PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND ASSISTANCE
FINANCIAL TO SMALL BUSINESSES,
THAT FACE CHALLENGES , THAT
NORTH DELRIDGE BUSINESSES ARE
FACING , LIKELY APPLIED TO THE
IMPACTED BUSINESSES, INCLUDING
BUT NOT LIMITED TO , LAKE COUNTY
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , TENANT
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, AND WILL BE
HAPPY TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE
PROGRAMS LATER IN THE
PRESENTATION . LATER IN THE
DISCUSSION. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT OED APOLOGIST PROGRAMS
HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO ENSURE
PUBLIC BENEFITS TO COMPORT WITH
STATE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS ON
THE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. THE
PROVISO SIMILARLY NOTES THAT ANY
DISBURSEMENT FUNDING CANNOT BE
EXECUTED TO THE EXECUTIVE AS
INSURED THE PUBLIC BENEFITS
WHICH CONCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED
TO JOBS CREATED AND MAINTAINED,
IN-KIND GOODS AND SERVICES TO
THE COMMUNITY WITH A FOCUS ON
EQUITY AND ACTIVATION AND
REVITALIZATION OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT IS PART OF
THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PROVISO.
IN ADDITION TO THAT PROVISO OR
SET ASIDE, WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE
INTENT THAT PASSED IN THE BUDGET
PROCESS LETTER REQUESTING THE
EXECUTIVE CONVENE AN
INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM LED BY
OED AND THE OFFICE OF THE
WATERFRONT CITY PROJECTS AND
SOUND TRANSIT IN CORRELATION
WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO
DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW
WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT BUSINESSES
LOCATED ALONG THE WEST SEATTLE
LEG EXTENSION CORRIDOR. THE
EXAMPLES OF HOW THEY CAN DO THAT
ARE LISTED, I WILL NOT READ THE
ENTIRE SLIDE . THAT REPORT IS
DUE WITH FINDINGS AND
REGULATIONS OUTLINED THOSE NEXT
STEPS AND TIMELINES AND RESOURCE
ON JUNE 15, 2026 . FOR CONTEXT,
AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, 2025
WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATURE
INCREASED THE STATUTORY CAP ON
RELOCATION AND REESTABLISHMENT
PAYMENT FROM $50,000 TO $200,000
FOR AGENCIES DISPLACING
BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS AND
OTHER LANDS, OTHER THAN THE
STATE, THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT
CAP, NOT RELEVANT HERE AND THAT
CAP WILL BE ADJUSTED BY 2% TO
ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION, AND
ANOTHER BULLET POINT ,
DISTINGUISHING THE RELOCATION
ESTABLISHMENT PAYMENT FROM THE
JUST COMPENSATION UNDER
CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED
AMENDMENT . THERE IS A SLIGHT
DIFFERENCE. THIS IS A RELOCATION
REESTABLISHMENT ASSISTANCE AS
CRAFTED AND CONTROLLED ENTIRELY
BY STATUTE. THAT CONCLUDES MY
PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JASMINE, I
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. I SHOULD
HAVE MENTIONED THIS EARLIER,
HELP MYSELF TO THE SAME STANDARD
I LAID OUT AT THE FOREFRONT IF
YOU WOULD NOT MIND GOING AROUND
AND INTRODUCING OURSELVES AND WE
WILL HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS AT
SOUND TRANSIT.
>> GOOD MORNING, I AM CODY
REITER, WORKING ON THE WEST
SEATTLE [ INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> GOOD MORNING, WELLS LAWSON,
DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
REAL ESTATE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] .
>> EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR
RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FUN, ALVERTIS
BROOKS.
>> LAUREL, OWNER OF OUNCES.
>> I AM KIM DISCIASCIO, PROJECT
MANAGER HANDLING ACQUISITIONS
AND RELOCATIONS FOR THE SOUND
TRANSIT PROJECT .
>> JASON HAMPTON, COMMERCIAL
DIRECTOR FOR THE EXTENSION
PROJECT .
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT THE
SEATTLE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, ALICIA TEEL.
>> CHRIS GREGORICH.
>> THANK YOU ALL. WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS AT SOUND
TRANSIT BEFORE WE DO, KING
COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA
ENTERED THE ROOM WHO HAS BEEN A
CONSUMMATE CHAMPION OF EXPANDING
LIGHT RAIL TO WEST SEATTLE IN A
WAY THAT MINIMIZES DISPLACEMENT
TO THE FULLEST IS IMPOSSIBLE ,
IN WEST SEATTLE WE ARE LUCKY AND
GRATEFUL FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN
THE SOUND TRANSIT BOARD, WE HAVE
REPRESENTATION, REPRESENTATION
DOES MATTER AND IT IS BECAUSE OF
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA THAT ,
HER ORIGINALLY BRINGING PEOPLE
TOGETHER, IN NORTH DELRIDGE ,
EARLY ON , TWO YEARS AGO, I
STARTED ON MY LEADERSHIP JOURNEY
AND ADVOCACY JOURNEY ON THIS, I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA . SHE GRACIOUSLY JOINED
US FROM ANOTHER -- ACROSS THE
STREET, ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION
BENEFIT DISTRICT OR MEETING YOU
HAD AT THE KING COUNTY COUNCIL,
IF YOU'RE SO WILLING , WE WOULD
LOVE FOR YOU TO JOIN US AND HAVE
A SEAT AT THE TABLE. BECAUSE
THIS IS ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS ,
GREAT PARTNERS OF THIS WORK AS
WELL. WELCOME, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA . WANT TO SAY A FEW
WORDS?
>> THANK YOU. DID I TURN THAT ON
CORRECTLY ? THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME BACK IN THE CHAMBERS. I SAW
THE ASSOCIATES AT THE RETREAT.
IT IS GREAT TO BE HERE.
ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF OUR
NEIGHBORS. AND LOCAL BUSINESSES
. I AM HERE TO BE AN ADVOCATE,
ALLY, PARTNER IN THESE EFFORTS
TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING
ABOUT PRESERVING EXISTING ASSETS
AS WE BRING LIGHT RAIL TO A
SEATTLE . AND POLICY IDEAS WE
HAVE BEEN TALKING TO TRANSIT
ABOUT, CEO, THE POLICY AND
PLANNING TEAM AM HAPPY TO BE
HERE AND LEARN THE LATEST AND
BRAINSTORM.
>> EXCELLENT, THANK YOU . SOUND
TRANSIT?
>> AGAIN, GOOD MORNING, JASON
HAMPTON . IS THE MICROPHONE
WORKING? TRY TO KEEP MY FACE
LOOKING AT YOU. WE WILL START
THINGS FOR SOUND TRANSIT GO TO
THE NEXT LINE, PLEASE. THIS
SLIDE SHOWS A MAP OF THE
EXTENSION PROJECT, IT WOULD ADD
FOUR MILES OF NEW GREAT
SEPARATED LIGHT RAIL BETWEEN
SODO AND THE WEST ALASKA
JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD AND UP TO
FOUR STATIONS, TALK ABOUT WHAT I
MEAN LATER. CONNECTED WITH THE
REGIONAL LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM ,
THIS PROJECT WOULD REDUCE TRAVEL
TIME FOR ALASKA JUNCTION TO
WESTLAKE BY HALF . TAKE A TRIP
THAT WOULD BE 30 MINUTES DOWN TO
16 MINUTES WHICH GIVES PEOPLE AN
EXTRA 15 MINUTES ONE WAY OR 30
MINUTES ON THE DAY TO SPEND TIME
WITH THEIR KIDS OR WITH THEIR
FAMILIES, DO OTHER THINGS. THE
PROJECT RECEIVED A RECORD OF
DECISION FROM THE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , PRIOR TO THAT,
WE PUBLISHED A FINAL [
INDISCERNIBLE ] IN SEPTEMBER
2024, AT THE SAME TIME , WE
UPDATED COST ESTIMATES WHICH
IDENTIFIED FUNDING GAP BETWEEN
THE AFFORDABLE PROJECT AND THE
PROJECT ESTIMATE AT THAT TIME .
SINCE THEN , WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING TO IDENTIFY AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE COSTS AND
REDUCE COMMUNITY IMPACT. WE
PRESENTED AT THE SYSTEM
EXPANSION COMMITTEE MEETING,
SOME OF THOSE IMPACT REDUCTIONS
AND COST SAVINGS LAST WEEK. THAT
WORK WAS INITIATED BY A BOARD
MOTION, 2024, IT REALLY ASKED US
AS STAFF TO LOOK AT PROGRAMMATIC
AND PROJECT SPECIFIC COST
SAVINGS MEASURES THAT COULD BE
IMPLEMENTED ON WEST SEATTLE
PROJECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE
PROGRAM TO REDUCE IMPACTS AND
BRING THE PROGRAM AFFORDABILITY
. FOUR MOSQUEDA MENTIONED THE
RETREAT YESTERDAY WHICH WAS
CENTERED ON BRINGING THIS WORK
FORWARD. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. ONE
OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WAS
INCLUDED IN THE FINAL EIS
INCLUDED ALIGNMENT IN WEST
SEATTLE, IT WOULD NOT HAVE A
STATION ON AVALON, A POTENTIAL
COST-SAVING MEASURE. WE ARE HERE
LOOKING AT COST SAVINGS , I WILL
SHARE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES
THAT WE LOOKED AT FOR WEST
SEATTLE, LOOKED AT A BROAD RANGE
OF COST-SAVING OPPORTUNITIES AND
THE ONES I'M FOCUSING ON TODAY
, TO MOVE THE DIAL THE MOST,
PROVIDE THE MOST IMPACT
REDUCTION AND SUBSTANTIAL COST
SAVINGS, THESE WOULD INCLUDE
CONSOLIDATION OF STATIONS IN
WEST SEATTLE. WOULD ELIMINATE
THE AVALON STATION . WE WOULD
SHIFT THE RIDERSHIP FOR THAT
STATION TO ALASKA JUNCTION
DELRIDGE. ONE KEY THING TO NOTE,
THAT [ INDISCERNIBLE ] FOR MIKE
AVALON, AS COLLECTED JUNCTION,
DELRIDGE, HAVE OVERLAPPED,
WALKING TO AVALON IS TO CONNECT
WITH THE SYSTEM BY GOING TO
DELRIDGE, AND THOSE ARRIVING BY
BUS, A PLAN TO CONNECT TO THEM
WITH THE STATIONS IF THE BOARD
MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT THE AVALON
STATION. THIS MAP ON THE RIGHT
SHOWS THE TWO ALIGNMENTS, THE
BLUE LINE AT THE TOP AND THE
GRAY LINE ON THE BOTTOM, THE
GRAY LINE IS THE RECORD OF
DECISION ALIGNMENT AND THE BLUE
LINE IS THE COST-SAVING MEASURE
ALIGNMENT. CSM. NEXT SLIDE ,
PLEASE. WHEN WE LOOK AT AN
ALIGNMENT WITHOUT THE AVALON
STATION , IT NOT ONLY HAS DIRECT
COST AND IMPACT REDUCTIONS, BUT
IT COMES UP A NUMBER OF
OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THE
ALIGNMENT OF THE SYSTEM IN WEST
SEATTLE . THAT ALLOWS US TO LOOK
AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR
IMPACT REDUCTION. ONE OF THOSE
IS SHOWN HERE. WE INCLUDED THE
NEW MAP ON THE TUNNEL , THE WEST
SEATTLE BRIDGE CONNECTION, ON
THE WEST SIDE OF AVALON WAY, BY
HAVING THAT TOTAL PORTAL ON THE
WEST SIDE, WE HAD A VERY SMALL
AREA TO CROSS AVALON WAY TO
REDUCE THE IMPACT [
INDISCERNIBLE ] . WHEN WE ARE
LOOKING AT THIS WITH ADDITIONAL
DESIGN RESOURCES, WE LOOK AT
SHIFTING THE TUNNEL PORTAL BACK
TO A PROPERTY THAT WOULD ALREADY
BE NEEDED FOR THE OTHER
ALTERNATIVE . WE WERE ABLE TO
REALLY REDUCE THE IMPACTS ON
AVALON WAY. NOW THAT WE HAVE --
ON THE SIDE OF AVALON WAY, LOOK
AT THE BEST ALIGNMENT TO REDUCE
IMPACTS AND COSTS AT THE
DELRIDGE STATION IN THE PORTAL
AND WERE ABLE TO SHIFT TO THAT
ALIGNMENT A LITTLE BIT TO THE
NORTH ONE BLOCK, TO ANDOVER , IN
DOING SO, REDUCE THE AFFECTS
ALONG FLINT CREEK. WE WOULD HAVE
-- LONGFELLOW CREEK. CROSSING IT
TO ANDOVER WHERE IT IS IN A
PIPE. AVOIDING THE DISPLACEMENT
OF THE WEST SEATTLE HEALTH CLUB.
SHE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE GYM
IN DELRIDGE . A BIG IMPACT
REDUCTION . AND SOME COST
SAVINGS. NEXT SLIDE. AT ALASKA
JUNCTION , BY SHIFTING THAT
ALIGNMENT AND SOME OF THE TRACK
GEOMETRY SHOWN AT THE TOP, THE
RECORD DECISION ALIGNMENT , YOU
CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A TUNNEL
AND A STATION UNDER 41st ,
STRADDLING ALASKA STREET , SOUTH
OF THE STATION , WE NEEDED A
CROSSOVER , THIS IS WHAT ALLOWS
THE TRANSIT FROM ONE SIDE TO THE
OTHER AND A TRACK [
INDISCERNIBLE ] . THEY HAVE TWO
RIVERS THAT. IDEALLY , YOU WANT
THE CROSSOVER, NORTH OF IT,
BECAUSE OF THE TUNNEL GEOMETRY .
WITHOUT THE AVALON STATION, WE
ARE ABLE TO REALIGN THE TUNNEL
AND MOVED THE CROSSOVER IN FRONT
OF THE STATION. WHEN WE DO THAT,
WE REDUCE ALL OF THE NEED TO
ACQUIRE PROPERTIES AND THE
CONSTRUCTION SOUTH OF THE ALASKA
JUNCTION STATION. SHOWN ON THE
BOTTOM MAP, THE NEW
CONFIGURATION, THE STATION BOX
IS SOMEWHAT [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
BEING EFFICIENT WITH THE SPACE
BY NOT NEEDING THE STRUCTURE AND
ALL OF THE PROPERTY TO THE
SOUTH, WE ARE ABLE TO INTEGRATE
IT INTO THE STATION . SIMILAR TO
HOW WE BUILT ROOSEVELT AT THE
UNIVERSITY DISTRICT STATION.
ABLE TO HAVE VENTILATION BECAUSE
THAT IS WHERE IT IS NEEDED. IN
DOING SO, YOU CAN SEE SOUTH OF
THE STATION BOX WE WOULD REDUCE
THE NEED FOR THOSE PROPERTIES .
WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO SHIFT THE
STATION OUT OF THE STREET
RIGHT-OF-WAY, TO THE EAST OF
41st . IN DOING SO, WE AVOID
SOME UTILITIES AT 41st AND ABLE
TO BRING UP THE STATION, WANTED
MORE SHALLOW STATIONS IN THE
SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT A
GREAT TRANSFER AND ACCESS FOR
PEOPLE USING THE SYSTEM. THESE
ARE NOT ONLY HELPING TO COST
SAVE , BUT A NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES THAT WOULD NOT NEED
TO BE RELOCATED. NOTABLY,
JEFFERSON SQUARE PROPERTY , THAT
INCLUDED ABOUT 40 BUSINESSES .
AS I IDENTIFIED, THROUGHOUT THE
CORRIDOR, BUSINESSES AND
RESIDENTS THAT WOULD NOT NEED TO
BE RELOCATED. NEXT SLIDE. I WILL
HAND IT OVER TO WELLS LAWSON.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. BY
WAY OF INTRODUCTION , I AM
RELATIVELY NEW TO SOUND TRANSIT,
IN ADDITION TO REAL ESTATE , I
HAVE A BACKGROUND IN LOCAL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND A
COMMUNITY BUSINESS OWNER WITH A
BUSINESS IN WEST OAKLAND,
CALIFORNIA . I DO COME TO THIS
WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANGLES
LOOKING AT THIS PROBLEM. IN THIS
SLIDE , YOU WILL SEE THE
SCHEDULE, SOUND TRANSIT BEGAN
ENGAGING POTENTIALLY AFFECTED
PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE EARLY
PLANNING PHASE, THE DRAFT AND
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT INDICATED THE
PROPERTIES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY
AFFECTED BY THE PROJECT , FORMAL
NOTIFICATION OF ALL POTENTIALLY
AFFECTED PROPERTIES WAS PART OF
OUR ENGAGEMENT PRIOR TO
PUBLICATION OF THE DRAFT AND
FINAL EIS . THROUGHOUT THE
PLANNING PHASE, OUR
COMMUNICATIONS ARE CLEAR , JUST
BECAUSE THE PROPERTIES
IDENTIFIED IN THE EIS DOES NOT
NECESSARILY MEAN THE DECISION
HAS BEEN MADE TO PURCHASE THE
PROPERTY. THAT DETERMINATION IS
MADE TO THE FINAL DESIGN PROCESS
WHICH IS THE BASE WE ARE NOW.
ONCE WE HAVE DETERMINED A
PROPERTY IS NEEDED FOR THE
PROJECT, WE WILL SEEK SOUND
TRANSIT BOARD APPROVAL TO
ACQUIRE THOSE PROPERTIES, AND
PREPARE AN APPRAISAL AND
ULTIMATELY OFFERED TO PURCHASE
PROPERTY FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER
. THIS IS ALSO THE POINT AT
WHICH WE ISSUED NOTICES OF
RELOCATION ELIGIBILITY TO
RESIDENTIAL BUSINESS TENANTS IN
OUR RELOCATION AGENTS WILL BEGIN
ASSISTING THE IMPACTED RESIDENTS
OR BUSINESSES IN FINDING A NEW
HOME FOR A NEW LOCATION AND IN
BEING REIMBURSED FOR THOSE
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES. YOU CAN SEE,
WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS,
LAST YEAR , THE FEDERAL
TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION
ISSUED THE DECISION , FORMALLY
ENDING THE EIS PROCESS OF
MARKING THE TRANSITION OF THE
PLANNING PHASE INTO THE DESIGN
PHASE OF THE PROJECT. AS JASON
DESCRIBED, THE WEST SEATTLE LINK
EXTENSION AND OTHER PROJECTS
HAVE BEEN ANALYZING THOSE COST
SAVINGS ACROSS THE CAPITAL
DELIVERY PROGRAM, WE EXPECT THE
BOARD TO HAVE IDENTIFIED FOUR
THE END OF THE QUARTER OF 2026 .
THIS WORK HAS CAUSED US TO SLOW
OUR PROPERTY ACQUISITION AND
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE,
RECOGNIZING DISTILLATE AND
UNCERTAINTY HAS COST ADDITIONAL
BURDENS AND STRESS FOR MANY
BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS WE ARE
WORKING WITH PROJECT STAFF ARE
WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO
ADVANCE THE DESIGN WORK SO WE
CAN MOVE THOSE PROCESSES FORWARD
AGAIN AND PROVIDE WITH CERTAINTY
THAT IS NEEDED FOR THOSE
POTENTIALLY AFFECTED PROPERTIES
OUR BOARD IS COMMITTED TO TIMELY
DECISION-MAKING AND WHEN WE HAVE
FURTHER INFORMATION AND
DIRECTION ON THE PROJECT , WE
CAN PROVIDE MORE CLARITY ABOUT
WHICH PROPERTIES ARE IMPACTED
AND BEGIN THOSE RELOCATION
PROCESSES AND CONVERSATIONS.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE . IT
IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, OUR WORK
IS GUIDED AND DIRECTED BY THE
UNIFORM RELOCATION ACT AND
WITHIN SOUND TRANSIT, OUR GOAL
IS TO TREAT THOSE PROPERTY
OWNERS AND BUSINESSES FAIRLY ,
MINIMIZING THEIR HARDSHIP AND
KEEPING OPEN LINES OF
COMMUNICATION. TO GIVE YOU A
SENSE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WE
PROVIDE, STARTING WITH THE
RESIDENTIAL SIDE OF THE
BENEFITS, WE PROVIDE THESE
ELEPHANTS BOTH TO TENANTS AND
RENTERS AND THE OWNERS OCCUPYING
THE REAL PROPERTY FOR THE
PROJECT. SOUND TRANSIT
RELOCATION AGENT WILL CONTACT
THE OWNER AND THE TENANT OF
DISPLACED PROPERTIES AND EXPLAIN
THE SERVICES THAT MAY BE
AVAILABLE. THESE MAY INCLUDE THE
MOVING RELATED EXPENSES FOR
HOUSING PAYMENTS , PRICE
DIFFERENTIAL FOR THE HOMEOWNERS
, FOR RENTERS WE PROVIDE RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AND WE EVEN HAVE A
PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A DOWN
PAYMENT ASSISTANCE FOR PEOPLE
WHO MAY WISH TO PURCHASE. THERE
IS ALSO SUPPORT FOR TEMPORARY
HOUSING ASSISTANCE. AND OTHER
PURCHASE RELATED EXPENSES THAT
MAY COME UP. BUSINESS SIDE, WE
START WITH RELOCATION ADVISORY
SERVICES . THIS IS WHERE THE
RELOCATION AGENT WILL PERSONALLY
INTERVIEW THOSE PERSONS AND
BUSINESSES THAT MAY BE DISPLACED
TO START THE CONVERSATION AROUND
THEIR NEEDS, THEIR DESIRES,
DISCUSSING IN DETAIL, AND WE ARE
LOOKING IN THAT PHASE OF THE
UNIQUE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
PROVIDING A FULL PACKAGE OF
SERVICES AND BENEFITS THAT ARE
NEEDED. THOSE COULD INCLUDE,
DETERMINATION OF -- EXCUSE ME,
THE REGIONAL EXPENSES TO MOVE
PERSONAL PROPERTY, DIRECT LOSSES
FOR TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY
SUBSTITUTE PERSONAL PROPERTY
REASONABLE EXPENSES IN SEARCHING
FOR A REPLACEMENT LOCATION, AND
IMPORTANTLY , ALL THOSE COSTS
ARE NOT TAPPED BY THE FEDERAL
AND STATE REGULATIONS, SO THAT
GIVES US A LOT OF LATITUDE TO
CREATE AND THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
TO SUPPORT THOSE BUSINESSES. WE
ALSO REIMBURSE FOR ACTUAL
EXPENSES RELATED TO
REESTABLISHMENT , AND THOSE ARE
CURRENTLY CAPPED TO A MAXIMUM OF
$24,000 AND MAKE THE REPAIRS OR
MAINTENANCE NECESSARY TO THE
REPLACEMENT PROPERTY SUCH AS
SIGNAGE AND LETTERHEAD,
ADVERTISING ET CETERA, AND
MODIFICATIONS THAT MAY BE
REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE BUSINESS
OPERATIONS. TO MAKE THE
STRUCTURE MORE SUITABLE AND
ADDRESS COST OF OPERATIONS . I
SHOULD NOTE, I AM JOINT OUR TEAM
MEMBER WHO HAS BEEN HERE LONGER
THAN I, KIM DISCIASCIO, WHO HAS
BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THESE
FOLKS TO BRING THE RESOURCES.
>> THANK YOU, GLAD TO SPEAK TO
EVERYBODY ABOUT THE RELOCATION
SERVICES WE PROVIDE FOR
RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS
RELOCATIONS , PARTICULARLY WITH
BUSINESS RELOCATIONS, I WOULD
LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE
MOVING COSTS, WHERE THEY ARE
UNCAPPED, GIVES US THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE
INTERNET NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS
OWNERS AND HOW THEY OPERATE. AND
HOW WE CAN BE CREATIVE AND
FLEXIBLE IN PROVIDING THOSE
BENEFITS TO THEM. AND TRYING OUR
BEST TO AVOID THE CAPPED
REESTABLISH PAYMENTS SO THAT WE
CAN PRESERVE THE BENEFITS FOR
MORE APPROPRIATE SIGNAGE AND
BUILDOUT, ET CETERA , OF THE
PROPERTY. ALSO, THERE IS A
BENEFIT THAT INCLUDES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES. WE DO NOT
WANT TO FORGET AS WELL, THAT DO
NOT INCLUDE -- DO NOT TOUCH THE
MOVING COST FOR THE
REESTABLISHMENT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE REPLACEMENT PROPERTY
DOES -- IS A SUITABLE LOCATION
FOR THESE BUSINESS OWNERS. THE
FINANCIAL SIDE OF THE RELOCATION
BENEFITS PAYABLE TO THE DISPLAY
SEES -- DISPLACED PEOPLE COMES
TO THE POINT WHERE OFFERS ARE
MADE, HOWEVER AS A BUSINESS, WE
HAVE IDENTIFIED A CRITERIA THAT
MAY ALLOW FOR US TO MAKE
BUSINESS OWNERS ELIGIBLE EARLY
FOR A SUITABLE AND REASONABLE
RELOCATION BENEFITS . WE ALSO
WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR
FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT TO WHERE WE
CAN DIRECT PAYMENT FROM --
DIRECTLY TO THE VENDORS WHO ARE
WORKING WITH OUR DISPLACEMENT
PEOPLE, SO THEY ARE NOT -- SO
THAT THE OUT-OF-POCKET DOES NOT
COME FROM THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS.
WITH THEIR APPROVAL, WE CAN PAY
THE VENDORS DIRECTLY AND INSTEAD
OF THAT COST COMING OUT OF THE
BUSINESS OWNER'S POCKETS AND
HAVING TO REIMBURSE THEM FOR
PAYMENT TO COME BACK. WE ARE
DILIGENTLY WORKING ON WAYS THAT
WE CAN REDUCE THE IMPACT TO OUR
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL [
INDISCERNIBLE ].
>> JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE,
IMPACTS AND MINIMIZE THE NUMBER
OF RELOCATION THAT CAN HAPPEN
BOTH FOR RESIDENTS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES IN THE WEST SEATTLE
PROJECT CORRIDOR. SHARE INFO
ABOUT OUR RELOCATION PROCESS .
THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF OUR
PRESENTATION .
>> THANK YOU. IN TERMS OF NEXT
STEPS , WE LOOK TO HERE IN A
MOMENT FROM MR. ALVERTIS BROOKS
FROM THE FUND ON HOW HIS
ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS IMPACTED
INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESSES
MORE BROADLY, PARTICULARLY AS IT
RELATES TO NORTH DELRIDGE . WE
HAVE SOME OF OUR EXPERTS AND
LEADERS FROM OUR CITY'S OWN
OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AND OFFICE OF WATERFRONT
PROJECTS AND SOUND TRANSIT, WE
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THEY ARE
APPROACH IN THIS WORK AND THE
$250,000 PILOT INVESTMENT.
FIRST, WE HAVE ANOTHER DISTINCT
WAS JUST AN DIRECTLY IMPACTED
COMMUNITY MEMBER, I ENDEAVORED
NOT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT,
JUST LOVE TO HEAR, WE GROUNDED
THE CONVERSATION IN HEARING FROM
IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND WE
INADVERTENTLY PUT LAUREL ON THE
SPOT, MY APOLOGIZE -- MY
APOLOGIES, ERIN, SHARE YOUR
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS WORK.
>> SURE. I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE
MYSELF. ERIN RUBIN, OWNER OF
MODE MUSIC. I TEND TO GO ON, I
AM TYPING MYSELF. THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING HERE TODAY. FOR THIS
ROUNDTABLE. THANK YOU ,
COUNCILMEMBER SAKE. TO SPEAK ON
JUST OUR, LIKE LAUREL, I AM
SORRY I MISSED YOURS EARLIER , I
MAY BE REINFORCING WHAT YOU
SAID, WE ARE IN THE NORTH
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD , TWO
ORGANIZATIONS BEING DISPLACED.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS FOR
US, JUST A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH
NOT KNOWING WHAT IS GOING ON,
MAINLY, BUT NOT KNOWING HOW OUR
BUSINESS WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN
CARE OF THIS PROCESS. NOT JUST
ABOUT WHEN THE PROJECT IS
GREENLIT AND WHEN WE WILL BREAK
GROUND, WHEN WE WILL MOVE, WHAT
OUR FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE. I AM
VERY GRATEFUL WE HAVE A
RELOCATION PERSON ON HAND.
SOMETHING THAT IS EXCITING FOR
US, NEXT STEPS FOR US, TO, IF I
AM BEING HONEST , TO THE TABLE,
WE ARE SCRAMBLING TO MAKE SURE
WE HAVE FINANCING BEHIND US.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU
KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY OF THESE
COSTS NOT COMING OUT OF POCKET
FOR US , WAITING FOR
REIMBURSEMENT IS A POSITIVE, I
WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT
THAT. BECAUSE, THROUGH THIS
PROCESS, WE HAVE ONLY KNOWN THAT
WE NEED TO SHOW RECEIPTS AND
WILL BE RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT
AFTER THE FACT. I AM A SINGLE
MOTHER BUSINESS OWNER . I DO NOT
KNOW MANY IN MY POSITION THAT
ARE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE
COSTS UP FRONT. WE WILL ALSO BE
ABSORBING THE COST OF A LOAN
INTEREST RATE, I NEED TO MAKE
SURE THAT THIS DOES NOT FALL ON
US AS A BUSINESS . ME PERSONALLY
, AND MY CREDIT. BECAUSE WE ARE
HAPPY TO STEP ASIDE AND HAPPY TO
GET OUT OF THE WAY FOR PUBLIC
TRANSIT. THIS IS THE FIRST I
HAVE HEARD THERE MAY BE COST
TAKEN CARE OF UPFRONT AND NICE
TO HEAR IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL LOOK
LIKE FOR US AND OTHER SMALL
BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW. I THINK
THAT , WE HAVE UNCOVERED A LOT
THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IT
WOULD BE GREAT TO MAKE SURE THAT
SOUTH LAKE UNION AND BROWARD
DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS
SAME BACK AND FORTH WE HAVE GONE
THROUGH. THAT IS ABOUT MY THREE
MINUTES .
>> THANK YOU, ERIN, VERY
INSIGHTFUL , APPRECIATE YOU AND
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND INSIGHTS
. WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM MR.
BROOKS FROM THE FUND. START BY
TALKING HOW YOU APPROACH THE
WORK MORE BROADLY AND WE WILL
TURN IT OVER TO OUR PARTNERS AT
THE CITY .
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY, COUNCILMEMBER SAKA
. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN
ADVOCATING FOR WEST SEATTLE
BUSINESSES, INTEGRAL IN OUR
ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
AND BRING RESOURCE TO THEM. YOU
GAVE A PRETTY DEEP ANALYSIS OF
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO . JUST
SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE, WE DID
START, BECAUSE OF THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH SOUND TRANSIT ,
THE CITY , TO PUT TOGETHER A
FUND THAT HELP SUPPORT SMALL
BUSINESSES. BECAUSE OF THAT,
ALMOST 25 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE
HELPED OVER 320 SMALL BUSINESSES
IN CYCLING $110 MILLION IN THE
COMMUNITY . FOR THAT REASON, WE
BELIEVE THE SOUND TRANSIT , FUND
IS ADEQUATELY READY TO SUPPORT
WEST SEATTLE AND BEING ABLE TO
MANAGE THESE TOUGH TIMES THAT
MAY COME ALONG WITH SOUND
TRANSIT COMING IN WITH THEIR
DEVELOPMENT. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO WITH THE SMALL
BUSINESSES, WE HOLD -- SUPPORT
THEM WITH ASSISTANCE, WE PROVIDE
SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOPS , WE
PREPARED THESE BUSINESSES FOR [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , WHAT THAT
SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE, HOLDING
SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS
WITH COMMUNITY , SOUND TRANSIT,
AND THE CITY TO GET A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR PAIN
POINTS ARE AND WHAT THEY MAY
NEED, BECAUSE WE ARE CITY
APPLIED, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE
FUNDING SOME OF THAT FUNDING
THAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN TO, BY THE
SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE DO
KNOW THAT MANY OF THESE
BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS. DID NOT
PLAN FOR THIS CHANGE IN THEIR
COMMUNITY . OUR ABILITY TO
SUPPORT THAT, BELIEVE,
COMMUNITIES BEING ABLE TO STAY
IN WHERE THEY ARE AT AND KEEP
THE ESSENCE OF WHO THEY ARE , WE
DO THAT WITH A COMMITTEE
APPROACH. THIS IS NOT OUR SPACE
. WE ARE IN THE COMMUNITY DOING
THIS WORK . UNDERSTANDING IT IS
IMPORTANT THAT INDIVIDUALS LIKE
YOURSELF, LIKE KING COUNTY
COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA, WE ARE
ADVOCATING FOR THOSE BUSINESSES,
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE.
>> THANK YOU. TURNING IT TO OUR
PARTNERS WITHIN THE CITY,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. GO AHEAD.
>> I AM HAPPY TO KEEP IT SHORT,
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ALICIA
TEEL, AND WE KNOW, FROM OUR WORK
WITH BUSINESSES IN WEST SEATTLE,
THE LIGHT RAIL CONSTRUCTION IS
ON THE MINDS OF PEOPLE, CHAIR
SAKA, WE ADVOCATED FOR THE RAYS
OF THE REIMBURSEMENT TAPPED AN
EXCITING TO SEE THAT HAPPENED
LAST YEAR. AS WE HAVE APPROACHED
, WHAT CAN WE DO WE ARE IN THE
PLACE OF THE FIRST STOP FOR
BUSINESSES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND
ALSO ARTICULATE THEIR NEEDS . AT
THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT IS
CRITICAL, PART OF THE CITY
FAMILY, WE ARE BOTH WORKING WITH
THE OFFICE OF THE WATERFRONT AND
PROJECTS AND SOUND TRANSIT AND
WHAT THE CITY'S ROLE IN
RELATION TO SOUND TRANSIT,
ARTICULATED A VERY ROBUST
PACKAGE OF SUPPORT AND BENEFITS
THAT SOUND TRANSIT AS AN AGENCY
PROVIDES. SO, AS OED THINKS
ABOUT WHAT IT OFFERS, IMPORTANT
WE THINK ABOUT LAYERS ON TOP OF
THAT AND DOES NOT JUMP IN FRONT.
>> WITH THE OFFICE OF THE
WATERFRONT, DO NOT HAVE MUCH
MORE TO ADD, WE HAVE A CLOSE
WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SOUND
TRANSIT AND CONTINUE TO [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , CONTINUE TO BE
AN OUTLET FOR FOLKS TO REACH OUT
TO. I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST
PLACES WHERE WE ARE PROVIDING
SUPPORT IS GETTING CLEAR
DEFINITIONS ON THE WEST SEATTLE
LEG EXTENSION IN THE NEAR
FUTURE. ALIGNMENT FROM THE NORTH
KING COUNTY , COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA AND STRAUSS , THE
MAYOR, WEST SEATTLE NEEDS TO
MOVE FORWARD. BRING GREATER
CLARITY TO THE BUSINESSES AT THE
TABLE.
>> ALL RIGHT. EXCELLENT. THANK
YOU, VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION .
AT THIS POINT, I WILL TURN IT
OVER TO MY COUNCILMEMBER
COLLEAGUES TO SEE IF THEY HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
STARTING FIRST WITH VICE CHAIR
RINCK . IF YOU HAVE ANY.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE HAS HAD
HIS HAND UP, WILL LET HIM GO
FIRST.
>> YOU YIELDED TO COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
MEETING TOGETHER, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA , I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
TO WORK THROUGH THESE PIECES AND
TO DAYLIGHT THESE ISSUES. AND,
THIS WHOLE LINE, DISTRICT 1 AND
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY IS
REALLY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT, IN A MORE BROADER ,
STRATEGIC SENSE, IN SEATTLE, WE
ARE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT STATE
DIRECTION ON LAND USE THROUGH
THE REGIONAL COUNCIL WITH A COPY
OF THE PLAN ASSOCIATED LAWS. WE
ARE ALSO LOOKING TO WORK TO
IMPLEMENT STATE DIRECTION ON
LIGHT RAIL , TRANSPORTATION
THROUGH SOUND TRANSIT, TO THREE
PLANNING PROCESS . AS EVERYBODY
AT THIS TABLE KNOWS, THE
MAJORITY OF THEM KNOW, LAND USE
AND TRANSPORTATION ARE TWO SIDES
TO THE SAME COIN, ON ONE HAND ,
FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE WORKING TO [
INDISCERNIBLE ] AREAS SUCH AS
BALLARD BY DESIGNATING IT A
REGIONAL CENTER, BUT WE MAY NOT
STILL NEED STE 3 LIGHT RAIL
ACCESS TO BALLARD. LIGHT RAIL ,
TRANSPORTATION, -- TO GO AHEAD,
THERE IS AN HONORABLE -- AUDIBLE
NOSE, WE WILL WORK WITH --
NOISE, WE WILL WORK WITH TECH.
>> WE HAVE TO HAVE THE LEFT-HAND
AND RIGHT-HAND WORKING TOGETHER,
WORKING TOGETHER WITH LAND-USE ,
IF NOT, IT WILL CREATE SO MANY
PROBLEMS . I REMIND EVERYBODY,
THROUGH PSR C PROCESS AND
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PROCESS, WE
CREATED THE BALLARD REGIONAL
CENTER WHERE YOU CAN DENSIFY .
IF WE DO NOT REACH IT WITH
TRANSPORTATION NEEDS , WE ARE
CREATING PROBLEMS AND WE NEED
MORE GOVERNANCE . I AM CONCERNED
THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE GOOD
GOVERNANCE. SO, CHAIR, IN SOME
WAYS, WE NEED A METER -- A
MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE, TO TALK TO THESE THINGS,
A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE
LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND OF
STATE GOVERNMENT TO THE PSRC AND
TRANSIT, HIGHLIGHTED WITH
BALLARD. I BRING THIS UP AS A
DISTRICT 7 REP, THE LIGHT RAIL
RUNS THROUGH MY DISTRICT AND
WILL BE AN AREA AFFECTED BY THE
PROBLEMS OF THIS DISCONNECT
RELATED TO LAND USE AND
TRANSPORTATION POLICY. I WANTED
TO RAISE THIS UP, CHAIR, I 100%
APPRECIATE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
TERMS OF THIS WORK THAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING
THE WEST SEATTLE PIECE, BUT WE
HAVE TO HIGHLIGHT THESE OTHER
AREAS. IT IS MASSIVELY
IMPORTANT. IN TERMS OF WHAT WE
ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN TERMS
OF OUR GOALS, GROWTH, AND I WILL
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY , AS A
PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR , TO
HIGHLIGHT DAYLIGHT , AND ASKED
THE QUESTION, ASKED FOR
TRANSPARENCY , THE IDEA OF
TUNNELING UNDER THE EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTER AND THE FIRE
ALARM CENTER. FIRE STATION 10.
AS SOMEONE WHO WAS WORKED IN
THIS AREA IN MY PREVIOUS CAREER
AND ENGAGING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY
ELEMENTS OF THE CITY, THERE IS A
LOT OF CONCERN OF THE IDEA OF
TUNNELING UNDER THE EMERGENCY
OPS CENTER , FIRE ALARM CENTER,
KEY IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO
RESPOND TO BIG ISSUES LIKE A
MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE. AND THIS
NEEDS TO BE FRONT AND CENTER,
AND BE TRANSPARENT AND WE NEED
TO TALK THROUGH THIS. THESE ARE
TWO POINTS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
AGENDA ITEM TO DO IT. I DO THANK
YOU FOR HAVING IT, THE PEOPLE IN
WEST SEATTLE DO NEED, FROM
DELRIDGE AND ALASKA JUNCTION ,
DO NEED TO HAVE THE SUPPORT , TO
HAVE THE WORK YOU ARE DOING, IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS AND PEOPLE WHO
LIVE THERE, BUSINESS OWNERS, TO
GO TO THIS PROCESS . THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, I
APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND
LEADERSHIP BECAUSE WEST SEATTLE
IS THE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED IN
THE NEAREST TERM, AND THE
CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL AND
EXPANSION GOES THROUGH SODO
THROUGH THE MARITIME AND
INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR, YOUR
DISTRICT TO BALLARD. THANK YOU.
PLEASE, I WAS GOING TO CALL ON
YOU, COUNCILMEMBER MOSQUEDA . I
DID NOT GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY
TO CHIME IN. I DO NOT WANT TO
INTERRUPT THE FLOW BUT A PERFECT
T-UP, FROM COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
I WANT TO RESPOND. I DO NOT KNOW
IF IT IS A SURPRISE, THANK YOU,
HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU . I
WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO COMMENT
ON THE OVERALL THEME THAT
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE , MAKING
SURE WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE
OVERALL MINDS AND PLANS THAT
VOTERS AGREED TO, INCLUDING IN
GETTING TO BALLARD. A POINT MADE
AT THE TABLE, FROM THE NORTH
KING COUNTY -- DELEGATION, BOARD
MEMBER STRAUSS , MAYOR WILSON,
MYSELF, FOR THE FOUR AS ON THE
NORTH KING DELEGATION , WE ARE
UNITED TO COMPLETE WEST SEATTLE
AND ULTIMATELY GET TO BALLARD
AND MAKE SURE WE FILL THAT
PROMISE. THAT MEANS THE PROMISE
FROM EVERYBODY, IF THERE IS NOT
THE UNIVERSITY DOLLARS TO DO
THAT CURRENTLY, AS DISCUSSED IN
THE RETREAT YESTERDAY, WE ARE
ASKING THE BOARD TO SHARPEN
PENCILS AND GO BACK TO THE
DRAWING TABLE, SHOW US WHAT IT
TAKES TO GET THERE BECAUSE THE
RESIDENTS OF SEATTLE ARE IN
BALLARD, ALSO HAVE THE LINE
COMPLETED , THE HEADLINES
YESTERDAY WERE UNFORTUNATE
BECAUSE THE TAKE AWAY I WOULD
HOPING PEOPLE WOULD HEAR IS THE
BOARD IS ENCOURAGING STAFF TO GO
BACK AND FIND A WAY TO GET TO
YES. WHAT STEPS ARE NECESSARY TO
COMPLETE THOSE LINES , CALL THE
WEST SEATTLE BALLARD EXTENSION
AND WE -- THE REQUEST SPOKE
ABOUT THE TIMING AND THE
RESOURCES NECESSARY, WE HAVE A
RENTAL CAR TAX OPTION, WE HAVE
DEBT BONDING CAPACITY AS AN
OPTION , OTHER REVENUE OPTIONS
COLLECTIVELY IN THIS REGION WE
SHOULD BE LOOKING AT. I WISH
THAT WAS THE HEADLINE YESTERDAY,
TO FIGURE OUT A PATHWAY TO GET
TO YES. PLEASE NOTE, FROM THE
NORTH KING DELEGATION, THE
COMMITMENT IS THERE . I WOULD
LOVE A CHANCE TO COMMENT BRIEFLY
ON THE NORTH DELRIDGE AREA AND
THE WEST EXTENSION , I WAS
PLEASED YESTERDAY TO HEAR A LOT
OF SUPPORT FROM BOARD MEMBERS
AND THE SOUND TRANSIT PARK
RAISING THE CONCEPT OF MOVING
FORWARD , BUILDING ON THE
MOMENTUM RECOGNIZING THE SHOVEL
READINESS OF WEST SEATTLE . THAT
SHOVEL READINESS AND THE LIMBO
WE HAVE BEEN IN HAS CAUSED
CONCERN, AS REFERRED ABOUT, TO
SKYLER, TO THE BEACH ACADEMY, TO
THE GROCERY STORE, AND THE NORTH
DELRIDGE AREA , THAT I WENT INTO
THIS MORNING, TO GET MY MORNING
COFFEE PEOPLE WANT CERTAINTY AND
MOVING FORWARD AND HAVING
CERTAINTY ON WHAT WAS SEATTLE
LOOKS LIKE OFFERS CLARITY AND
THE CONCEPTS I AM INTERESTED IN
AS WE OFFER CLARITY AND
CERTAINTY IN IMMEDIATE. I WOULD
LOVE TO SO THE SLIDE WITH THE
PRESENTATION I BELIEVE IT WAS
SLIDE NUMBER SEVEN, AND IS THE
PUBLIC KNOWS , PEOPLE MAY KNOW,
COUNCIL MEMBER SAKA , AND
MYSELF, WE LIVE ABOUT SIX BLOCKS
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. IN THE
NORTH DELRIDGE CORRIDOR, WE
RAISE ISSUE ABOUT THE WEST
SEATTLE AREA AND THE BUSINESSES,
NOT BECAUSE WE LOVE THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE PATRON
THESE ESTABLISHMENTS, BECAUSE
OUR RESIDENTS DO, OUR
CONSTITUENTS DO, AND OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE ASKING US TO STEP
IN AND DO MORE. IF YOU THANKFUL
FOR THE 6200 , NEAR 7000
RESIDENTS AT THE WEST SEATTLE
HEALTH CLUB, WHEN I GO SHE IS
THERE, THIS IS NOT ONLY A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE GO TO RECREATION ,
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO
TO SWIM, THE ONLY SWIMMING POOL
IN THE NORTH DELRIDGE CORRIDOR.
AS WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS
OVER THE LAST 2+ YEARS, PEOPLE
ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE SWIMMING
POOL, THEY GO FOR THEIR KIDS TO
LEARN TO SWIM . THIS IS A PLACE
WHERE OTHERS GO FOR THEIR DAILY
WORKOUTS. THE CONCEPT OF HAVING
A LIFE THAT WOULD'VE GONE TO
THE POOL IS UNTHINKABLE WHEN YOU
THINK OF, NOT ONLY HEALTH, BUT
THE SMILES AND SOCIAL COHESION .
I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT THE WORK
THE SOUND TRANSIT TEAM HAS DONE
TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING TABLE
AND FIND COST SAVINGS, HAS
RESULTED IN A PLACE LIKE THE
WEST SEATTLE HEALTH CLUB THE 100
EMPLOYEES THERE, AND NEAR 7000
PATRONS BEING ABLE TO SEE IT
PRESERVED . AS YOU GO FURTHER
EAST, YOU SEE THE CORRIDOR,
DELRIDGE WAY INTERACTION WITH
ANDOVER, DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE
BLUE LINE . MODE IS UNDER THE
BLUE LINE. THIS IS WHERE THERE
IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY , IF THE
WEST SEATTLE NORTH DELRIDGE
STATION AND OUR JUNCTION STATION
, WHICH I HOPE THEY DO, WE ACT
WITH URGENCY NOT ONLY TO SEE IF
THERE IS ANY SHIFT AT THE LAST
MINUTE , IF THERE IS NOT, TO
MAKE SURE THREE THINGS ARE
ACCOMPLISHED, NUMBER ONE, I HAVE
BEEN ASKING THE BOARD ,
YESTERDAY AT THE POLICY AND
PLANNING, I WOULD LOVE FOR THERE
TO BE PROTECTIVE RENT OR SOME
FORM OF OFFSETTING THE COST OF
STAYING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AS
LONG AS POSSIBLE TO BE DEPLOYED
NOW, FOR OUNCES, MODE, THE DELI,
I DO NOT WANT THIS TO TURN INTO
A GHOST TOWN. WE HAVE ALREADY
SEEN TWO BUSINESSES LEAVE THE
AREA . I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE SOUND TRANSIT OFFER SOME
FORM OF OFFSETTING AS YOU ACT AS
CLAUSE I REALTORS IN THIS MOMENT
-- THAT IS -- QUASI REALTORS. I
WOULD LOVE TO WRITE A FIRST
OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN, IF TO
BETHERE IS DISPLACEMENT OF
BUSINESSES, THERE COULD BE FIVE
YEARS OR SO IN CONSTRUCTION , IF
THERE WAS A LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL, IF YOU MOVED AND THE
PLACE YOU MOVED TO WAS NOT
SUCCESSFUL, YOU HAD THE FIRST
OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO A NEW
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT
SITE AT THE SOUND TRANSIT
STATION AND YOU KNEW THAT WAS A
POSSIBILITY . THAT MAY GIVE
BUSINESSES A LITTLE BIT MORE
HOPE. AT LEAST, A CHANCE TO HAVE
ANOTHER SATELLITE LOCATION, EVEN
IF YOUR NEW LOCATION WORKS OUT .
I AM VERY THANKFUL, ESPECIALLY
TO THE SOUND TRANSIT TEAM, JASON
IS BEEN THOUGHTFUL ABOUT SHOWING
WHERE THE TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT LOCATION COULD BE AT
THE NORTH CORNER. AT DELRIDGE
AND ANDOVER, TO HAVE RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENT ESPECIALLY ON THE
FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS, I WOULD
LOVE THOSE TO BE MODE, SECOND
FLOOR TO BE THE BEACH ACADEMY
AND THE GROCERY STORE RETAINED.
OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST
OPPORTUNITY RETURN. TWO, ERIN'S
POINT FOR MODE, DOING ANYTHING
WE CAN NOW TO RELIEVE FUNDING ,
TO ALLOCATE DOLLARS NOW WHILE
THERE IS UNCERTAINTY, TO ALLOW
BUSINESSES TO HAVE REPRIEVE AS
THEY THINK ABOUT WHERE THEY MAY
NEED TO MOVE NOT ONLY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , BUT THE MOVING
COST, REIMBURSEMENT IS
ALLOCATED. TO THE RAINIER VALLEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND , ALL
THAT YOU ARE DOING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER
SAKA , FREEING UP $250,000, WE
WERE TOLD IT MAY HAVE COME FROM
THE JUMPSTART FUNDS, WE WILL GET
INTO THAT LATER . TO CONTINUE TO
GET THOSE DOLLARS OUT THE DOOR,
SOMETHING WE ARE APPRECIATIVE OF
. ALL THAT IS TO SAY, WE DO
THINK THIS CAN BE A VALUE ADD TO
THE RESIDENCE IN WEST SEATTLE
AND PRESERVE AS MANY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] AS POSSIBLE LIKE
THE SOUND TRANSIT TEAM HAS DONE
BY THE CREATIVE THINKING THEY
SHOWED BETWEEN THE NUCOR AND
WEST SEATTLE HEALTH CLUB AND
DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY BY THE
PRESERVATION OF ALL OF THOSE
BUSINESSES AT THE JEFFERSON
SQUARE , WHEN YOU GET TO THE
ALASKA JUNCTION. THAT IS AN
INCREDIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT
IT MEANS TO ASK SOUND TRANSIT TO
GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND
AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE COST SAVINGS
. $2.6 BILLION IS THE LOW-END
ESTIMATE OF WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO
SHAVE IN TERMS OF COST . MY HOPE
IS THAT, WITH ADDITIONAL WAY OF
THINKING AS WE MOVE FORWARD, NOT
ONLY SEEING NEW STRATEGIES TO
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, IF NOT
PRESERVE SOME MORE, BUT TO SEE
THIS TYPE OF COST SAVINGS
APPLIED TO PLACES LIKE BALLARD .
THAT REQUIRES US TELLING SOUND
TRANSIT AND THE EXECUTIVES, TO
GO FORWARD WITH ADVANCING THE
DESIGNS FOR PLACES LIKE BALLARD,
SEEK ADDITIONAL COST SAVINGS ,
PURSUE ADDITIONAL REVENUE, AND
IN THE MEANTIME , DO EVERYTHING
YOU CAN TO MOVE FORWARD ON
SHOVEL READY PROJECTS. FOR
WORKING FAMILIES IN THE SEATTLE
, WHILE SUPPORTING SMALL
BUSINESSES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
WORKING WITH YOU TO GET THOSE
DOLLARS OUT , ANYTHING WE CAN DO
AT KING COUNTY TO SUPPORT THAT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA , APPRECIATE YOUR
ADVOCACY ON ALL THIS AND THOUGHT
PARTNERSHIP. STRONGLY SUPPORT
SOUND TRANSIT, LED
ANTI-DISPLACEMENT STRATEGY .
PROTECT RENTS. RIGHTS OF FIRST
REFUSAL TO RETURN TO A COMPLETED
SITE, AND I KNOW OUR TEAM, OUR
CITY , EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AT
OED AND THE OFFICE OF
WATERFRONT, CIVIC PROJECTS ,
SOUND TRANSIT, THAT IS MORE OF A
MOUTHFUL . I KNOW THEY'RE
WORKING DILIGENTLY TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT THE BEST IMPLEMENT AND
SPEND THAT $250,000 ON THE CITY
OF SEATTLE'S PERSPECTIVE ,
THERE ARE SOME LEGAL ISSUES AND
CHALLENGES , SOUND TRANSIT, AS
AN AUTHORITY, ESSENTIALLY
EXERCISING THE STATE'S EMINENT
DOMAIN AUTHORITY HAS MUCH MORE
FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY TO BE
CREATIVE AND DO THINGS LIKE
PROVIDE PROTECTIVE RENTS AND
PROVIDE DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT
THANT THE CITY. THE GOAL IS TO
AMPLIFIED THE IMPACT OF SOUND
TRANSIT'S INVESTMENTS AND
PARTNER TOGETHER. AS DEPUTY
DIRECTOR TEEL POINTED OUT , TO
BE LAYERED ON TOP OF AND NOT GET
AHEAD OF THESE VERY IMPORTANT
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF
SOUND TRANSIT . THANK YOU.
LET'S SEE, COLLEAGUES ,
COUNCILMEMBER -- VICE CHAIR
RINCK, THEN COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER
.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA, THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA FOR ADDING MORE DETAILS
TO THE CONVERSATION, THE
ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY OR THE
NEWS THAT BROKE, HAS BEEN FRONT
OF MY FOR MY OFFICE AND WE HAVE
HEARD ABOUT IT FROM FOLKS ACROSS
THE COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT
VOTERS IN SEATTLE HAVE
OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED THIS
EXTENSION, ENTERTAINING THE
FURTHER ELIMINATION OF THE
EXTENSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE .
THERE ARE OVERDUE STATIONS SUCH
AS GRAHAM STREET, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER [ INDISCERNIBLE ] . THAT
NEEDS TO BE SEEN THROUGH AND TO
PUT A FINER POINT ON THIS, NOT
TO DELIVER ON HIGH-CAPACITY
TRANSIT THAT IS PLANNED FOR THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF GROWTH WOULD
BE A DISSERVICE TO RESIDENTS AND
OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH OUR
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING EFFORT.
AS OUR PARTNERS AND ADVOCACY, WE
NEED TO BUILD THE TRAINS AND
FIND A WAY TO GET TO YES TO
FULLY REALIZE THE VOTER OF
SEATTLE , BALLARD LINK
EXTENSION. TO YOUR POINT, AS A
COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR TODAY, I
WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR
PULLING TOGETHER THIS AMAZING
GROUP OF FOLKS , AMAZING TO SEE
SO MANY FACES BEHIND THIS REALLY
IMPORTANT EFFORT . THANK YOU TO
OUR SMALL BUSINESS PARTNERS AT
THE TABLE TAKING TIME OUT OF
YOUR DAY AND RUNNING YOUR
BUSINESS IS TO BE HERE. REALLY
GRATEFUL WE ALSO HAVE THE
RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FUND AT THE TABLE AS
WELL . AS A NOTABLE MODEL THAT
IS WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
RECOGNIZING THE HISTORY BEHIND
THESE EFFORTS TO PUT TOGETHER
THIS KIND OF MODEL IS
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT. THANK
YOU FOR BEING AT THE TABLE. I
WANTED TO DIVE INTO SOME OF THE
POINTS RELATED TO CURRENT
RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION, I KNOW
THERE IS A COUPLE OF SLIDES ON
THIS MATTER, I AM WONDERING IF
YOU CAN ATTACH SOME NUMBERS TO
THIS . UNDERSTANDING OUR
CURRENT, HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE
GONE TO RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION
TO THIS CURRENT SOUND TRANSIT
PROCESS? HOW DO WE INVOLVE THE
PROGRAM AND HOW DO WE REGARD
SUCCESS HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT
OUR RESIDENTIAL RELOCATION
EFFORTS, AS WELL AS OUR
COMMERCIAL RELOCATION EFFORTS
ARE SUCCESSFUL, WHAT DOES THAT
SUCCESS REALLY LOOK LIKE?
>> I DO NOT KNOW WHO AT THE
TABLE IS BEST TO ANSWER THE
QUESTION. I WILL START. IN
GENERAL RELOCATION EFFORTS HAVE
ONLY JUST BEGUN, DUE TO OUR COST
SAVINGS WORK AND LOOKING AT THE
DESIGN OF THE STATION LOCATIONS,
WE HAVE PAUSED A LOT OF
RELOCATION ACTIVITIES . THERE
HAVE BEEN THREE RESIDENTIAL
ACQUISITIONS AND A RELOCATION ,
THOSE HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED BY
UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES . MEDICAL
OR FINANCIAL , SEVERE FOR THE
PROPERTY OWNERS , THESE WERE
FAMILY HOMES . I BELIEVE ALL
THOSE ACQUISITIONS AND
RELOCATIONS HAVE ALREADY
OCCURRED AND I HAVE HEARD
POSITIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE
PROCESS. THEY HAVE EXPEDITED
THOSE PROCESSES BECAUSE OF THEIR
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES . A
LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES WHO ARE
ALSO UNDER A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY
AND STRESS, WE WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS A
CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCE TO BE
IN AND WE ARE WORKING HARD.
>> AND TO ADDRESSED YOUR
QUESTION OF WHAT WOULD SUCCESS
LOOK LIKE, I CAN SAY, SPOKE TO
THE SUCCESS SOUND TRANSIT HAS
HAD, FROM MY FORMER EXPERTS IN
LOS ANGELES METRO, THERE WERE A
LOT OF SUCCESS STORIES , WHAT TO
REMEMBER IS, GENERALLY, WE ARE
TALKING HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
AND HUNDREDS OF RELOCATIONS.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THEY TURNED
OUT BETTER THAN THEY DO CREATE
TROUBLES . FROM A RESIDENTIAL
PERSPECTIVE, IT IS THE
RELOCATION AGENTS THAT [
INDISCERNIBLE ] 100 STORIES OF,
I LOVE THAT TREE, WHAT CAN YOU
DO FOR ME? THE TREE IS MOVED.
VISCERAL RELATIONSHIPS WE HAVE
TO OUR BUSINESSES AND
COMMUNITIES HAVE TO THE
BUSINESSES. ON THE COMMERCIAL
SIDE, THAT IDEAL THAT YOU RAISED
ABOUT THE RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL
IS REALLY INTERESTING. WE DID
PURSUE THAT . IT IS TOUGH, THERE
IS NO DOUBT AN INTERIM PERIOD,
HARD FOR BUSINESSES TO MANAGE .
I HAVE HEARD BUSINESSES THAT
WERE ON THE PRECIPICE OF DOING
SOME OTHER BIG CHANGE, EXPANSION
OR POTENTIALLY MOVING INTO A NEW
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS
WORK OUT THE WAY AT A COMMUNITY
LEVEL , BUT FOR THE BUSINESSES,
THEY SEE THAT AS A GAIN. I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO PUT
LOCAL COLOR ON IT.
>> THANK YOU, WELLS. ONE OF THE
THINGS I TAKE PRIDE IN IN
WORKING WITH MY TEAM, RELOCATION
AND ACQUISITION LIST SEPARATELY,
BOTH ARE INTRICATE AND THEY
DOVETAIL TOGETHER , BUT A
RELOCATION AGENT WORKS
SPECIFICALLY WITH RELOCATION .
ACQUISITION IS ANOTHER SIDE OF
THIS SAME TRANSACTION, BUT THERE
IS A DEDICATED PERSON FOR
RELOCATION BOTH COMMERCIAL AND
RESIDENTIAL . TO SPEAK
SPECIFICALLY TO THE NEEDS OF THE
PERSON BEING RELOCATED. WITH
THAT, IN GATHERING INFORMATION
ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND DESIRES,
WHAT WORKS FOR THEM SPECIFICALLY
IN THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION,
THEIRAND IMMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM
NEEDS WITH RELOCATION, WE ARE
ABLE TO DIAL IN TO WHAT IT IS
THEY NEED AND WHAT IT IS WE CAN
PROVIDE UNDER THESE RELOCATION
ACTS. WE TAKE PRIDE IN BEING
ABLE TO BE THE SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS FOR THOSE REGULATIONS ,
BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO WORK
HAND-IN-HAND WITH OUR PEOPLE ,
AND THE PEOPLE WE ARE DISPLACING
TO MAKE THE TRANSITION AS LESS
IMPACTFUL AS POSSIBLE . THAT IS
ALWAYS A WIN FOR US.
>> I WILL ASK JASON TEACHER
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
DISPLACEMENTS .
>> WE HAVE A BIG JOB AHEAD OF
US. IN THE EIS WE STUDY A BROAD
RANGE OF ALTERNATIVES AND SOME
WOULD HAVE BUSINESSES UP TO 600
OR SO RESIDENTIAL DISPLACEMENTS,
THE PROJECT THAT WAS SELECTED BY
THE BOARD WAS NOT NEAR THE TOP
OF THAT, BUT WE STILL HAD ABOUT
130 BUSINESSES NEEDED
RELOCATING. LET ME CHECK MY
NOTES. ABOUT 160 RESIDENTIAL .
WHAT I SHOWED YOU TODAY , IN
JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF
WHERE WE PULL BACK ON THE DESIGN
AND REDUCE IMPACT, WE THINK WE
WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE IMPACT
ABOUT 100 PROPERTIES, I KNOW
THAT IS NOT A DIRECT NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS BECAUSE
SOME OF HIS PROPERTIES HAVE
MULTIPLE UNITS ON THEM, OR
MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, THE EXAMPLE
OF JEFFERSON SQUARE [
INDISCERNIBLE ] . WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT THE HEALTH CLUB AND SOME
OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE
DUWAMISH AREA, THAT CHAIR SAKA
SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER , WE WILL
HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN THE
FUTURE, WE ARE FOCUSED ON
GETTING THE DESIGN RIGHT ,
REDUCING IMPACT ON REDUCING
COST. WE WILL HAVE TO COUNT THE
BUSINESSES LATER. A SUBSTANTIAL
REDUCTION. OVER WHAT WE HAD
BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT . THIS IS
A DEEPLY EMOTIONAL PROCESS AND A
CHALLENGING PROCESS, WHEN WE ARE
FIGURING OUT AS WE GO. I WANT TO
TURN TO THE RAINIER VALLEY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND . IN
REMARKS , YOU COMMENTED , IF I
HEARD CORRECTLY , OVER 300
BUSINESSES ?
>> YES.
>> CAN YOU ILLUSTRATE WHAT THAT
SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE ?
>> SO, AS I MENTIONED, IT CAN
LOOK LIKE SUPPORTING THE
RELOCATION PROCESS FOR
BUSINESSES, SUPPORTING SOME OF
THESE BUSINESSES AND
UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROCESS
LOOKS LIKE. EITHER PROVIDING
THEM BUSINESSES , WHAT THE
BUSINESS TRANSITION NEEDS ARE ,
WHETHER THOSE BUSINESSES LOOK TO
SUNSET, MAYBE NEEDING TO
TRANSFER OWNERSHIP. FOR LOOK AT
WHAT THE CHANGE IN THE
DEMOGRAPHIC , OR THE CHANGE IN
THE AREA, MAY MEAN FOR THE
BUSINESS. A PLETHORA OF
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WILL
SUPPORT BUSINESSES IN BEING ABLE
TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
>> TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL . GIVEN
THE EXPERIENCE AND WORK YOU HAVE
DONE , EXCELLENT THINGS WE CAN
PULL FROM WHEN IT COMES TO
TRYING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS.
I AM SURE THAT ADDITIONAL WORK
IS ALREADY GOING ON . MY FINAL
POINT, A QUESTION FOR THE PANEL,
I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME WITH YOU
ALL. TO HEAR SOME PERSPECTIVES,
FOR THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT , I KNOW WE RECEIVED
A NOTE PRECEDING THIS MEETING
FROM THE WEST YELLOW CHAMBER, I
AM WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO
OED'S FURTHER ENGAGEMENT ,
PROCEEDING THIS, WORK WITH THE
WEST YELLOW CHAMBER AND HOW YOU
SEE FURTHER ENGAGEMENT WITH
SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
QUESTION COUNCILMEMBER AND THANK
YOU FOR SHARING THE LETTER, IT
WENT TO COUNCIL . WE ARE TALKING
WITH -- ABOUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE, THE
MEETING IN FEBRUARY [
INDISCERNIBLE ] , AND WE ALSO
HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER. AS THIS
CONVERSATION PROCEEDS , WE WILL
BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM, THE
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION BIA , AND
THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION .
TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT WAS AND
EXPLAINED WHAT OUR PRIORITIES
AND OUR CONSTRAINTS ARE, HOW WE
DEPLOY THE FUNDING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS CHAIR
OVER OUR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE, WOULD LIKE TO
CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION WITH
YOU AND SMALL BUSINESSES AT THE
TABLE HERE TODAY. I AM GOING TO
SEE THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK
YOU, CHAIR SAKA .
>> MOVING ON TO COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR, I
APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU FOR
PULLING TOGETHER THIS FANTASTIC
PANEL, I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOUND
TRANSIT IN FRONT OF US, OED, AND
MY APPRECIATION TO OUR SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS, THANK YOU FOR
TAKING THE TIME AWAY FROM
RUNNING YOUR BUSINESSES TO TALK
WITH US TODAY. AS ALWAYS, HAPPY
TO SEE YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA . I ESPECIALLY WANTED
TO CIRCLE BACK TO SOMETHING YOU
SAID, AARON, ROUND NEGATING THE
VARIOUS KINDS OF SUPPORTS
AVAILABLE AND WHAT I HEARD YOU
SAY , AS A SINGLE PARENT AND A
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, IT TAKES
TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS
SYSTEM. DESPITE THE FACT THAT
THERE WERE THINGS AVAILABLE, HOW
DO WE KNOW WHAT IS THERE ? YOU
SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, HOW DO YOU
TAKE THAT EXPERT YOU HAD AND
ENSURE THAT SOUND TRANSIT AND
OTHER AGENCY PARTNERS ARE
INCORPORATING THAT INTO SMALL
BUSINESS OUTREACH WHEN IT COMES
TO OTHER COMMUNITIES? THAT STUCK
WITH ME , THANK YOU FOR THAT. I
WANTED TO TURN TO OUR PARTNERS
AT SOUND TRANSIT AND SAY, ARE
THE STRATEGIES YOU ARE ALREADY
TAKING, LOOKING TO MAKE SURE
THAT ALL OF THE SUPPORT YOU
ALREADY HAVE AVAILABLE , TO MAKE
SURE IT IS CLEAR AND NAVIGABLE
FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES? I
WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT
THAT.
>> I WILL START WITH THAT, THE
PROCESS STARTS EARLY , WE
BELIEVE, THE LINES OF
COMMUNICATION, WE REACH OUT
EARLY AND OFTEN AND START THE
OPEN LINES OF THE MEDICATION.
THEY HAVE CREATED THESE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUIET, I THINK
WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND THERE WAS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FIGURE
OUT HOW WE CAN CREATE REGULAR
DIALOGUE , THAT IS
TIME-CONSUMING, REGULAR
INFORMATION THAT CAN BE PROVIDED
TO THOSE BUSINESSES. THERE IS
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR THE
TOOLS, WE HAVE ONLINE OUR
RELOCATION MANUALS , THAT GUIDE
SMALL BUSINESSES AND PROPERTY
OWNERS THROUGH THE STEPS. THAT
INFORMATION IS TRADITIONAL
FORMAT. THERE COULD BE OTHER
WAYS TO PROMOTE THE WORK TO THE
PROJECT TEAMS AND WHO ARE MORE
ON THE GROUND IN THOSE EARLY
PHASES. THROUGH OTHER TYPES OF
MEDIA MAKING SURE IT IS
MULTILINGUAL AND THAT IS
ASSESSABLE. PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR
WITH FEET ON THE GROUND , GOING
DOOR TO DOOR, YOU HAVE DONE THIS
WORK. DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT
FURTHER?
>> YES, WE HAVE HAD SOME
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
PARTICIPANTS AT THIS ROUNDTABLE
ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER
COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND HOW WE
CAN KEEP THEM INFORMED ABOUT
WHERE WE ARE IN THIS SILENCE.
AND, BY WORKING WITH THEM
DIRECTLY , WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS ABOUT
HOW WE CAN GET MORE SPECIFIC AND
GENERAL INFORMATION TO THE
PUBLIC FROM THE PEOPLE WORKING
DIRECTLY WITH THESE BUSINESS
OWNERS. POSSIBLY HOLDING OFFICE
HOURS. WHERE WE CAN HAVE OUR
PEOPLE WHO ARE SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS IN A ROOM READY TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS OR
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR
OWN RELOCATION, OR JUST A
GENERAL SENSE OF WHAT WE ARE
DOING WITH RELOCATION AND THE
PROJECT. THAT WAS SOMETHING I
FOUND INTERESTING , A LOT OF
TIMES IN MY POSITION I AM NOT A
BOOT ON THE GROUND, I AM NOT
ABLE TO BE FACE-TO-FACE WITH
PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEGITIMATE
CONCERNS AND THAT IS WHERE I
WANT TO BE ABLE TO BRIDGE THAT
GAP BETWEEN THE PROJECT AND THE
SILENT . BUT ALSO ANSWER
QUESTIONS FOR WHAT IS A DIRECT
CONCERNING IMPACT WHILE YOU ARE
RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS AND TRYING
TO TO MITIGATE THE CONCERNS YOU
HAVE WITH SOME OF THE IMPACTS WE
ARE MAKING.
>> AM I ABLE TO MAKE A QUICK
COMMENT? THANK YOU, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER FOSTER FOR ASKING
THOSE QUESTIONS. I AM LOOKING
AND SOUND TRANSIT MEMBERS , THE
MAJORITY OF THE TABLE NOT HERE,
WHEN I FIRST BEGAN THIS PROCESS,
WHEN LAUREL AND I FIRST BEGAN
THIS PROCESS, TO BE CLEAR , THAT
WAS NOT OUR EXPERIENCE. IN NORTH
DELRIDGE, THERE WERE NOT OPEN
LINES OF COMMUNICATION , THERE
WAS NOT AN EARLY OUTREACH
PROCESS. MOST OF WHAT WE
UNCOVERED IS DONE ON THE SIDE OF
THE SMALL BUSINESSES . A LOT OF
OUR EFFORTS, NO ONE CAME TO OUR
BUILDING TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF
WHETHER WE COULD BE RELOCATED IN
THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE THE
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY BEGAN. THERE
WERE PROCESSES I HAVE READ IN
THE SOUND TRANSIT 'S PROCEDURES
AND GUIDELINES THAT WERE NOT
BOTHERED IN NORTH DELRIDGE . I
THINK THAT THOSE ARE NOT -- I
THINK THOSE ARE IMPORTANT
PROCESSES WERE SMALL BUSINESSES,
KNOWING WE HAVE A MUSIC VENUE,
BAR AND RESTAURANT, ALL IN ONE,
OUR MUSIC SCHOOL TO RELOCATE IS
NOT EASY TO PLACE IN ANOTHER
NEIGHBORHOOD IN WEST SEATTLE ,
TALKING ABOUT DISPLACING ANOTHER
MUSIC SCHOOL IN JEFFERSON SQUARE
AS WELL. TWO OF US LOOKING FOR
SPACES. THIS WAS DEFINITELY
MISSED ON SOUND TRANSIT'S PART.
LOOKING AT NEW FACES , WHILE
MOVING -- I AM HOPING THINGS
WILL BE DIFFERENT, THE PROCESS
OF SOUND TRANSIT , THAT WAS NOT
OUR EXPERIENCE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT
AND SHARING THAT . THANK YOU TO
THE SOUND TRANSIT TEAM , YOU
HAVE GIVEN US OPPORTUNITY TO
THINK ABOUT, I AM SURE OTHER
FOLKS HEARD THAT, WHAT THAT
LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD . I
APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT AND
I APPRECIATE SOUND TRANSIT, YOU
ARE WORKING HARD TO COLLABORATE
AND FIGURE THIS OUT. I WANT TO
EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR
THAT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
FOSTER . ANYONE ELSE WITH FINAL
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, WHO HAS
JOINED US IN PERSON.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAKA, THANK
YOU TO THE PANEL. I WANT TO
REITERATE WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID,
I THINK IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE
CONTINUE FORWARD WITH WHAT WAS
PROMISED TO VOTERS , INCLUDING
BALLARD . INCLUDING THE GRAHAM
STREET STATION. I KNOW THAT THIS
IS INCREDIBLY HARD WORK. EARLY
IN MY LEGAL CAREER, I
REPRESENTED PROPERTY OWNERS,
BUSINESSES THAT WERE BEING
RELOCATED , DISPLACED BY SOUND
TRANSIT AND OTHER GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES . BECAUSE OF THESE
LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOUND TRANSIT'S
-- THIS WORK IS INCREDIBLY HARD.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE PRESSURE ON
THE COST OVERRUNS , AT THE END
OF THE DAY, THIS PROJECT IS AN
ENORMOUS REGIONAL BENEFIT TO US.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COST OF IT
ARE BORNE BY OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES , BY OUR RESIDENTS
BEING RELOCATED . WHEN I WAS AN
ATTORNEY REPRESENTING FOLKS
BEING DISPLACED, FOLKS WERE
NEVER BEING MADE COMPLETELY
WHOLE . THE BEST YOU COULD DO IS
, IF YOU COULD GET CLOSE TO BE
MADE WHOLE, THAT WAS A WIN.
PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL
BUSINESSES WHO MAY NOT HAVE
OTHER RESOURCES TO HIRE
EXPENSIVE ATTORNEYS TO REPRESENT
THEM. AND/OR WHO WERE TENANTS
AND DID NOT HAVE THE SAME RATES
AS PROPERTY OWNERS. I WANT TO
REINFORCE THAT , I THINK IT IS
CRITICAL THAT WE NOT , BUT WE
NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL OF COST,
WE NOT DO SO ON THE BACKS OF OUR
SMALL BUSINESSES, OR OTHER FOLKS
BEING RELOCATED. BUT WE NEED TO
CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE --
THERE WERE THINGS ABOUT THE
FIRST PHASE THAT WERE NOT GREAT
, INCLUDING THE LIGHT RAIL, ONE
THING THAT WAS GREAT IS THE
FORESIGHT TO HAVE THE RAINIER
VALLEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
FUND AND THE LEADERSHIP OF
RICHARD McIVER. NOT ONLY
SUPPORTING DURING THE TIME OF
CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE SEE, 20
YEARS LATER , STILL SUPPORTING
OUR COMMUNITY . I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT, PART OF THE
STRUCTURE SOME LEGAL
COMPLICATIONS AND HOW TO FUND
THESE THINGS AND PART OF WHAT IS
CRITICAL, I BELIEVE IT GOT INTO
THE RECORD OF DECISION , AS PART
OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
PROCESS, AS I THINK ABOUT
REPRESENTING DISTRICT 2,
INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL
DISTRICT, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD. LINK THE
CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, BUT HOW
CAN WE NOT SUPPORT THEM THROUGH
THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS AND
HAVE A LASTING BENEFIT AND
LEGACY? MORE OF A COMMENT THAT A
QUESTION. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE,
AS WE GO THROUGH THIS NEXT
PHASE, SOMETHING LIKE THE
RAINIER VALLEY COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT FUND , REPLICATED ,
EXPANDED TO SUPPORT OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS. DISPLACEMENT AND
OTHER IMPACTS. TO THANK YOU,
COUNCILMEMBER LIN, WELL SAID ,
GLAD TO HEAR YOU SUPPORT MY
UPCOMING LEGISLATION TO DO
EXACTLY THAT. THANK YOU ,
GLOWING ENDORSEMENT OF MY
LEGISLATION, WHICH I WANT TO
CLOSE OUT BY GROUNDING US IN WHY
WE ARE HERE, THE WORK WE ARE
SEEKING TO BUILD UPON . IT IS
BECAUSE OF VISIONARY LEADERS
LIKE THE LATE COUNCILMEMBER ,
RICHARD McIVER, NOT ANY ONE
INDIVIDUAL PERSON OR INITIATIVE
OR COALITION, IT IS THIS , HAS
ROOTS IN A COMMUNITY LED
ORGANIZATION AND PROCESS THAT
WAS CHAMPIONED BY COMMUNITY AND
CHAMPIONED AT THE ELECTED
OFFICIAL LEVEL BY THIS MAN RIGHT
HERE, COUNCILMEMBER RICHARD
McIVER. I FREQUENTLY SAY, AND
OFTEN , I AM PROUD TO STAND AS A
COUNCILMEMBER WHO HAPPENED TO BE
BLACK, PROUD TO STAND ON THE
SHOULDERS OF GIANTS, WHO HAVE
PAVED THE WAY IN SACRIFICE SO
MUCH TO MAKE MY WORK EASIER,
AND, WHEN I SAY THAT, IT IS
PEOPLE LIKE COUNCILMEMBER McIVER
WHO HAVE DONE THE WORK, AS PART
OF THIS PROCESS, I HAD A CHANCE
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM, NEVER
GOT A CHANCE TO MEET HIM
PERSONALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, I DID
CALL UP SOME OF MY CLOSE MENTORS
AND VOTERS , WHO DID KNOW HIM
AND DID INTERACT WITH HIM,
AMAZING PERSON , AMAZING LEADER.
AGAIN , WE ARE BUILDING OFF THIS
WORK , NOT RE-CREATING THE
WHEEL, ALL THIS IS IS A 2026
ITERATION OF A PROBLEM THAT
STARTED IN OUR REGION IN THE
LATE 1990s . THIS IS THE LATEST
IMPLEMENTATION OF IT. WE KNOW
THAT IT DIRECTLY IMPACTED,
UNLIKE CL -- SOUTHEAST SEATTLE
TALKING ABOUT THE MARITIME
INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR, THE ENGINE
OF OUR ECONOMY. THANK YOU ALL,
THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A THREE,
FOUR HOUR CONVERSATION EASILY ,
AND WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE JUST
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE. THANK YOU
ALL , AGAIN, EXTEND MY GRATITUDE
AND APPRECIATION TO OUR SMALL
BUSINESS -- SMALL BUSINESSES
CARVING OUT TIME FROM YOUR BUSY
DAY TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVES
AND INSIGHTS TO HELP GUIDE THIS
WORK. GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU
TO EVERYONE. WE HAVE REACHED --
FINAL? OUR NEXT MEETING IS APRIL
2nd, 2026 AND 9:30 A.M., HEARING
NO FINAL BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE WE ARE ADJOURNED,
IT IS