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2024-02-27 Council MinutesEDMONDS CITY COUNCIL MEETING APPROVED MINUTES February 27, 2024 ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Mike Rosen, Mayor Vivian Olson, Council President Chris Eck, Councilmember Will Chen, Councilmember Neil Tibbott, Councilmember Michelle Dotsch, Councilmember Susan Paine, Councilmember Jenna Nand, Councilmember 1. CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE STAFF PRESENT Dave Turley, Administrative Services Director Oscar Antillon, Public Works Director Susan McLaughlin, Planning & Dev. Dir. Rob English, City Engineer Bertrand Hauss, Transportation Engineer Thom Sullivan, Facilities Manager Rose Haas, Planner Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator The Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 6:59 pm by Mayor Rosen in the Council Chambers, 250 5' Avenue North, Edmonds, and virtually. The meeting was opened with the flag salute. 2. LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Councilmember Dotsch read the City Council Land Acknowledge Statement: "We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Sdohobsh (Snohomish) people and their successors the Tulalip Tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor their sacred spiritual connection with the land and water." 3. ROLL CALL City Clerk Scott Passey called the roll. All elected officials were present. 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER PAINE, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IN CONTENT AND ORDER. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 5. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Linda Ferkingstad, Edmonds, relayed on February 2, 2017, her then 81-year old father found 11/4 acres in Edmonds hoping to divide and build 4 downsized homes for their family. Her mom had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma and they wished to live close to their daughters. They obtained surveys and geotech reports and presented them to the planning department to ensure the property was divisible and buildable. With Kernen Lien and Mike Clugston's encouragement, they purchased the property in April 2017. In the Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 1 last seven years, they have been misled, obstructed and extorted by the City of Edmonds. All aspects of their short plat division permit were finally approved mid -December 2022 except the trees. They must provide an arborist appraisal that costs $50,000 for all trees and pay the City the tree fee of $106,000. This for trees they have no right to touch since the emergency moratorium on division permits placed in December 2019 and the subsequent tree ordinance. In addition, their permit will not be approved until they sign as protected by the City on the property titles, the rights to every tree and the property shaded by them. They have spent $106,000 in tree fees, $50,000 for an arborist and $100,000 for architects, attorneys, arborists and engineers trying to comply as well as property taxes; $250,000 in costs before they can even design and break ground on their property which means less money to build the homes. Ms. Ferkingstad continued, high density Edmonds has greatly raised the cost of housing and resulted in losses for every owner of vacant property devalued by their own trees. Costs of new regulations and construction have increased 30-100% in the past 7 years. Edmonds has cost them precious time and continues to extort the funds they need to build; her mom passed away 16 months ago and her father, now 89, can no longer live on his own. She urged Mayor Rosen and councilmembers to restore property rights to property owners in Edmonds that were taken away in 2019. She has spent over 1000 hours of unpaid time trying to comply with Edmonds' demands and commented at over 70 city council, tree board and planning board meetings warning of the illegality of the non -equitable tree ordinance asking for equal rights afforded to home owners in Edmonds. For what she estimated as the 50' time, she asked the council to rescind the illegal tree ordinance; it is an emergency. Roger Pence, Edmonds, referred to the presentation regarding detached accessory dwelling units (DADU), and said he has a lot of ideas, thoughts and questions about the proposal which he supports in principle, but there has not been an opportunity for a question and answer period with staff or the planning board. There needs to be a public forum on the topic before proceeding to a public hearing. Staff is still surfacing new ideas, several of the slides in the presentation are labeled ideas we're exploring and topics for further discussion. The public needs an opportunity to participate in that further discussion. He urged the council to suggest to the planning board that the public hearing not be held tomorrow and instead schedule a public forum or open house, an opportunity to have a civic conversation about this important project. Jim Ogonowski, Edmonds, echoed Mr. Pence's comments, expressed concern with the approach that is being taken since this is a completely new law, yet the City seems to be on a path that is very liberal in its interpretation of the law and getting "way out over our skis" in his estimation. He cited specifics such as allowing DADUs on environmentally or geologically critical areas as defined in the GIS maps. HB 1337 allows for exceptions to these areas, yet the proposed code does not take that into account and appears to allow placement of DADUs in critical areas. Another specific is related to DADUs in Planned Residential Development zones, which he viewed as government overreach as those zones usually have restrictive property rights in their deeds and covenants. His deed has restrictive covenants that would suggest what is being proposed would be illegal on his property. He suggested the city attorney look into the property rights issues associated with staff s presentation. Another example is setback requirements, the graphics in the presentation show one DADU per lot versus the requirement to allow two which is misleading. He hoped to see a planning board member at the table with City staff to help answer council questions. 6. RECEIVED FOR FILING 1. OUTSIDE BOARDS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS 2. WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS 3. CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FOR FILING 7. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 2 COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER TIBBOTT, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The agenda items approved are as follows: 1. APPROVAL OF SPECIAL MEETING/COUNCIL RETREAT MINUTES FEBRUARY 2, 2024 2. APPROVAL OF SPECIAL MEETING/COUNCIL RETREAT MINUTES FEBRUARY 3, 2024 3. APPROVAL OF COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 13, 2024 4. APPROVAL OF CLAIM CHECKS AND WIRE PAYMENT 5. APPROVAL OF PAYROLL AND BENEFIT CHECKS, DIRECT DEPOSIT AND WIRE PAYMENTS 6. CONFIRM APPOINTMENT OF ESCC CANDIDATE 7. INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH ALLIANCE FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY (AHA) 8. COUNCIL BUSINESS 1. 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUESTS Administrative Services Director Dave Turley reviewed: • There are 25 requests tonight; more detailed information including the draft ordinance can be found in the council packet • These requests were discussed in detail during the February 13 Finance Committee meeting • If approved, this budget amendment would increase forecast non -General Fund revenues by $996,170 and would increase non -General Fund budgeted expenditures by $4,662,520 Fund Number Proposed Amendment Change in Revenue Proposed Amendment Change in Expense Proposed Amendment Chongein Ending Fund Balance 112 449,815 695,610 (245,795) 117 855 - 855 125 - 316,101 (316,101) 126 - 714,754 (714,754) 137 74,S00 (74,500) 332 (85,150) 85,150 421 269,176 1269,176) 422 472,500 1,202,265 (729,765) 423 - 677,264 (677,264) 511 73,000 798,000 (725,000) Total Change 1 996,1701 4,662,520 1 (3,666,3S0) mal of there uests: llrw Citywide Bicycle Improvements Sewer Replacement/Rehabilitation Projects Vehicle Purchases, Maintenance, Propane Conversions Lake Ballinger Way purchase/demolition Elm Way Walkway Main Street Overlay Yost/Seaview Reservoir Repairs Storm Rehabilitation and Marsh Improvements Cemetery Excavator Other projects under $100,000 Total Additional Expenditures Expense Revenue $ 1,130,240 $ 413,815 734,511 725,000 578,912 472,500 398,130 234,270 211,929 194,363 147,500 73,000 307,665 36,855 ' $ 4,662,520 $ 996,170 Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 3 Mr. Turley explained the cemetery excavator costs about $73,000; governmental accounting requires transferring money out of the Cemetery Fund into the Fleet Fund and then show the purchase of the excavator out of the Fleet Fund which shows the expense for a second time. He summarized all these requests are carryforwards from last year. For example, the Citywide Bicycle Improvements, this isn't the total amount budgeted in 2024; it is improvements budgeted in 2023 that were not completed so they are carried forward into 2024. Staff s recommendation is to approve the ordinance as included in tonight's packet. Councilmember Chen expressed his appreciation to Mr. Turley for bringing this to full council, commenting the individual amendments were discussed at the finance committee and he sent a list of questions to Mr. Turley prior to the finance committee meeting. Like Mr. Turley said, these requests are projects budgeted in 2023 and not completed so they are carried forward to 2024. When the 2024 budget was developed, all the funds' beginning balances were estimated. Now that the actual December 2023 fund balance are available, that should be the beginning balance for 2024 for planning and budgeting purposes. This first budget amendment is a golden opportunity to bring those beginning fund balances to what they actually were in 2023. For example, the fund balance for the General Fund on December 31, 2023 was $2,231,830. However, in the 2024 budget book, the beginning balance was $3,047,445 which means the budget reflects $815,615 that the City actually doesn't have. The first budget amendment is a golden opportunity to give a true picture, especially right now when there is General Fund stress. He recommended having these carryforward amendments together with all the funds to provide the true picture. Mr. Turley responded the biggest project in the finance department right now is closing out 2023 yearend books and putting together the financial report that will be audited by the State Auditor's Office (SAO). By the middle of March, staff will have a good idea of the fund balances and they will be firmed up by the end of March. Staff will bring that information to council as soon as it is available to modify the beginning fund balance for all funds. Fund balances remain subject to change until the audit is completed which he hoped would be the end of June; the audit will confirm the calculations that determine the fund balance. Updated fund numbers are not available tonight, but will be available mid -March. Councilmember Chen responded December 2023 monthly financial report is available and if staff is recording accounting entries, those numbers should be fairly solid. Mr. Turley answered the monthly financial statement is cash basis which is completely different from the accrual basis report that is audited by the SAO. Cash basis, accrual basis, and budgetary basis are three different ways of looking at accounting. He summarized what Councilmember Chen was looking for was the audited numbers which will be available in mid -March . Councilmember Chen recalled in November 2023 there was a budget amendment to reduce the General Fund beginning balance by $4 million, much later in the process and caught the council off guard. He recommended having as true a number as possible early on instead of waiting until later. He has expressed that opinion and desire in email and in public multiple times. COUNCILMEMBER PAINE MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT OLSON, TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, AMENDING ORDINANCE 4335 AS A RESULT OF UNANTICIPATED TRANSFERS AND EXPENDITURES OF VARIOUS FUNDS, AND FIXING A TIME WHEN THE SAME SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE." Councilmember Paine commented this is part of normal City business. Councilmember Nand said she was tentatively in favor of the motion, but had a question about the language related to unintended transfers. As the junior member of the finance committee, she appreciated the concerns Councilmember Chen raised on behalf of members of the public, but was comfortable with the Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 4 finance department reconciling its actual cash balances with the beginning fund balance at the end of March. She thanked Mr. Turley and his staff for their hard work. Council President Olson expressed appreciation for the comments by Councilmember Chen, noting she could have made those same comments. Due to the fiscal emergence, it would be her preference to have updates as early as possible that show a decrease in the General Fund balance even if the numbers are not final. She was comfortable with the fund balance coming to council in March. She could support an amendment to have the change today or vote to pass the budget amendment package knowing staff will provide that information in March. For the public and council's edification, the administration had concerns about publicizing a number that was not the final number because it could possibly be misleading and preferred to wait until the final numbers are available. Reasonable minds can disagree; having the lowest known number reflected might make everybody more aware of the need to be super careful and cautious about everything they are doing. Councilmember Dotsch asked if any additional expenses will be required to complete these projects in 2024. Mr. Turley answered he does not prepare the individual decision packages, those are prepared by the department by determining the budgeted expense that was not expended last year but is planned to be expended this year and that amount is carried forward. For example if a project has $200,000 to carryforward and additional costs, staff would do their best to identify the carry forward and identity any additional funds that would be required. As far as he knows, these are just carryforward amounts not expended last year. Councilmember Dotsch referred to discussion regarding the state's transportation budget which has a lot of challenges such as snowballing costs due to inflation, wages, limited contractors, higher bids, etc. She wanted staff to be really honest this year; it sounds like it will be a challenge to keep things on budget. Councilmember Chen clarified this is a different approach. What is proposed, the carryforwards are needed to complete the project which he totally agreed with. Considering that the General Fund balance is down to $2 million, it takes about $5 million to run the City, and there is a $2.2 million contingency fund. This is a critical time that needs to be closely monitored. If the council thinks there is $815,000 in the General Fund that is not actually there, clearly expenses can dip into the contingency fund without knowing it or worse, deplete the entire contingency fund without knowing it. He did not want to wait until the auditor finishes the audit, noting the exit interview for last year's audit of the 2022 financial statements did not happen until the end of the 2023. By March, the auditor has not even started the audit, they usually start in the summer. He wanted to explain those facts before councilmembers vote on this. He assured his comments are not against anyone, it is just a different approach because clearly the City is in financial stress, especially the General Fund, so things need to be crystal clear and closely monitored. Mayor Rosen clarified these amendments are not General Fund expenses. The fund balance that Councilmember Chen is referencing is related to the General Fund which is Mr. Turley will update by mid - March. Councilmember Nand said she looks forward to the work of the Blue Ribbon Panel and Councilmember Chen's Fiscal Policy Subcommittee in addressing some of the concerns the public raised regarding transparency in finances. She appreciated the finance department's level of caution and wanting to make sure everything is triple checked and correct before presenting it to the auditors. Councilmember Dotsch recalled when Mike Bailey made his presentation to council, he made recommendations on how the financial presentations could be more user friendly which she hoped would be reflected in the next budget amendment. She asked if there was any expectations related to using the contingency fund reserves or borrowing money. Mr. Turley answered all he can do is look at the budget that has been approved by council and according to that, he does not foresee the need to make any transfers Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 5 from the contingency fund in 2023 at this time. Councilmember Dotsch asked if he had an expectation when that might happen, observing things are moving fast toward it. Mr. Turley answered the only way that would be necessary is if revenue estimates were grossly overstated and came in $5-6 million by the end of the year which he did not anticipate. It is simple math when passing the budget and there is an ending fund balance; he did not anticipate needing to use the contingency fund as the budget is approved right now. MOTION CARRIED (6-1), COUNCILMEMBER CHEN VOTING NO. 2. CITY OF EDMONDS FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT UPDATE BY MCKINSTRY Facilities Manager Thom Sullivan introduced Public Works Director Oscar Antillon. McKinstry staff members introduced themselves: Grant Granger, technical services team; Shelby Hinkle, energy team; and Andrew Williamson, business development. Mr. Granger reviewed: • Recap — Recent Facilities History o From 1990s-2014 annual facility repair budget was—$68k/yr 0 2018 McKinstry FCA highlighted staffing and funding gaps. 30-year deferred capital backlog assessed at $30,682,192 12023 30 Year deferred capital backlog $43,536,776 o City responded by increasing annual maintenance/facilities to $100-300k annually o Annual Capital renewal investments increases began in 2019 ■ 2019 - $700k 12020 $1,500,000 12021 $710,000 12023 No new Capital investment o By 2021 — Deferred maintenance short term was estimated at $11M 0 2021 Public Facilities District bond added $4.4M in Facilities Funding ■ Impactful, but still not enough to fully fund core deferred capital needs • Facility Condition Assessments: Why and How o A strong facility condition assessment program helps de -mystify deferred maintenance challenges and empowers facility directors and capital planners to make data -driven decisions .Q WASTE oocememenan Review 81n[erview J = eb of Time AUDIT ANALYZE REPORT City of Edmonds FCA Update 2023 Scope o Updating 2018 FCA and Expanding to new Facility Assets ■ Provide on -site field assessments of assets at City Hall and Public Safety Building ■ Targeted ADA Assessment of City Hall and Public Safety Building ■ Provide new FCA on -site field assessments of assets at 8 city park structures and salmon hatchery facility (113 new facility assets total) ■ Update all existing (2018) asset condition scores and life expectancies ■ Update all existing replacement cost estimates (like -for -like replacements) ■ Provide City of Edmonds with updated report and 30-year Capital Plan What Does an FCA not include? o Things not typically assessed in an FCA ■ Full project soft costs (replacements as project) ■ Full ADA assessment Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 6 ■ Code compliance ■ Building performance enhancement ■ Other compliance ■ Building systems testing ■ Space planning or use adequacy/enhancement ■ Building/facility revenue Definitions o Maintenance ■ Preventative Maintenance - Routine maintenance items to preserve expected asset life or prevent system failure/downtime. (floor care, air and water filter changes, equipment lubrication, routine inspection, and manufacturer prescribed maintenance to maintain warranty, etc.) ■ Operational Maintenance - Daily maintenance to maintain business operational needs (routine cleaning and sanitizing, ADA access readiness, roof cleaning and leak repair, security and lock maintenance, building controls programing and light duty repair of Plumbing Mechanical and Electrical systems, and life safety systems). o Capital Investment ■ Capital Renewal/Replacement - Replacement of larger building systems that have failed, are requiring frequent vendor support or no longer meet the business needs of the City. Elevator modernizations, Roof replacements, exterior envelope waterproofing and painting, complete system replacements or upgrades (i.e. replacing as a package; electrical panels, wiring, receptacles and lighting), complete fire alarm systems including panels, alarm devices, strobe lights and monitoring network). Re -plumbing of an entire building's water/sewer infrastructure, including piping. bathroom and kitchen fixtures, sprinklers, etc. Necessary Investments — 15 Year CapEX o 15 Year Budget Breakdown by Building NPV 1 z 3 9 s f ) t f W lz 9 u sw 7 w,o% $72 g23.W $LA1 w.lb %W] Su.W3 $LlA w w w,W2 $A,W9 SL359 sJ9.w 50 50 $1,W9 saLvn 59w $29.53) w 52Lm SL$9D W3,13o w9l 51fi.132 SliWb w SLW -iryrun�in w.3W.ul w So W,.— w SA3%I sLS.eA wW,2W 532n.9oJ $W.3% 530353 $re,L32 k $=9IAIC Wn,e9e $WS)2 nni�e mr sxlc9u s?WLeu sx3.9W $Lul.>zl %19J $m %®3 $n,lu sL991 $11]SW w wLln s9A9. s=3.w w.9W Sxsgw w Wm.9A W,xefi %e=) w WsO,m w S wJe 518,31x zL3fiJ w wAx9 Sxu.Ou w $uLm W.9W,9s9 Sx.39)A9e Ww,eeo SLA,At S1xLm leo 5]3L9=D SW.loe 539,w $wA38 $KW wL%sl S190.W w 52.A3 538,9r] 53AW 5%lW $141a0 w SnL9w $W,-,uo w3,Wt %]n Sx,9a 591AUD su.A3 5— $"I w w w30.]n 5ae,a51 $3a,519 $L9M WLB¢) SL101 $219W $].%> WI,W $IL3A $179 WJSW 5639 $IOU30 10M Sall $0 %259 SD 57 $15A98 w $298r%s w 50 50 $SL63 w $1]$,M3 $9ee z_ $L12D $ILOA SLAT Crary eu w.mAOi $Afi.9B3 S133.a63 w3.)W wo.ow $35L3W $19,A3 $L3W $0 50 S1L,959 SD "Al$3&D9 %ell $L=A w.w $M.W sis.]nl 515,3ll $m.Wx $W.9w SWAN Saucsa w Sam %3n w Sesssn 4.Dla WLem WLm !D wLml Sn.3n So SI%aW $143A !o w,m,lu w $rz.on w S1n,Jse w w w.Wl 5vs,lu wm.xJx SW.nI w w9.xA we,zsJ $x33D w sxefou SM10.39) $AAW wta, wL3m SJAW sm3,w wJSW $AxAt3 $W9 SW,aA W,aea WW,Is) wAxx WJ,9 wAJ] 59.sn9 w w W.33s SSW,JA W,aefi Sn.eu 49AW A10.]W w9A9J w 988fi9 $A$}K Sv 511;1z9 wAlil20 ".W %s0.lel 53fi9,2a1 %3W SSLne w WLafi3 W)Ael $Liv 523,Z WA,933 $n.w s%AB $WAn WLafi= SARW $u,933 %W= w wn w W74— s]]a,A9 %JW 5]un $ssAe$ so & $LlM,W2 53A.us SN.9A sss,s95 950.A% $39.]nl $2iS1z w 532256 w W4»6 $2l$Aw 560.W) w 50 10 w $3fi.2W w %OW SUW SllltSfi w ffi9,t32 59 $W,B9) w $Lbtl w 50 so city iann1 S33W31 $>L$$e WSLm w $WJSI) $wAw w w,,-,,3,5D$ w S),W3 w w w 53317 539.918 w orympil wsn vlsirors sutbn m ay i+an s1l0AA $ $n.1W $XW $6L LWx wLeW w w w w w w w w $m,w w wl,sos w w 51,82 $22cz1 51],s=e w Szze,eW w w S39Lm w $W,W3 w stJW3 Sas.ma w S1m,A] w wte.etJ $to�M9 5tts=)9 w w $i ie.n= $o w w 57 w w w w w • Necessary Investments — 15 Year CapEX $fi.o9D,oro S%_,Dee $A.$M 59,oD0.000 Baseline avg. annual capital 53�D� budget need: $2.7M $1.8M I $2.SM $2.DM $i.11.1 j2.IM 53,000,000 $19M 5� $Lsr Sl.o9D.o00 xiyfi, ■ $I.OM 1 i 3 a 5 6 ] a 9 30 11 li 13 30 I$ • Facility Condition Index Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 7 o FCI is the total cost of the existing maintenance, repair, or renewal of the facility divided by the total estimated replacement value (or CRV, current replacement value) of the facility. Buildin Boys and Girls Club Maintenance $62,555.00 Rei)tace. t Costs (S $272,302.11 Estimated Building Co $334,857.11 Estimated Buildi $5,142,000.00 5 Year Ki Building $10,325.00 $12,404.45 $22,729,45 $569,250.00 �O�O�7Cemetery City Hall $265,405.00 $1,679,717.41 $1,945,122.41 $25,555,5W.00 Fishing Pier $11,930.00 $37,780.79 $49,610.79 $90D,000.00 0.06 Frances Anderson Center $389,105.00 $2,638,683.22 $3,027,788.22 $41,250,000.00 0.07 F516 $97,635.00 $404,804.86 $502,439.86 $8,025,000.00 0.06 F517 $162,595.00 $874,469.80 $1,037,064.80 $7,350,000.00 0.14 FS 20 $93,540.00 $143,219.24 $236,759.24 $4,800,000.00 OS Historic Log Cabin $4,460.00 $26,077.88 $30,537.88 $279,000.00 0.11 Historical Museum $51.310.00 $64,399.17 $115,709.17 $2,932,500.00 0.04 Library and Plaza Room $744,030.00 $1,371,824.36 $2,115,854.36 $14,640,000.DD 0 11 Meadowdale Club House $30,020.00 $94,075.7S $124,D95.75 $2,962,S00.00 0.04 Old Public Works $86,475.00 $379,785.05 $466,260.05 $10,575,000.D0 Parks Maint. Building $34,645.00 $267,199.48 $301,844.48 $3,651,000.00 0.08 Public Safety building $306,265.00 $1,426,670.62 $1,732,935.62 $23,205,000.D0 0.07 Public Works O&M Center $146,730.00 $1,597,176.74 $1,743,906.74 $21,000,000.00 0.08 Wade James Theater $44,490.00 $493.029.92 $53751992 $4,716,750.00 0.11 Yost Pool House $84,610.00 $250,293.01 $334:903:01 $1498,0W.00 1 0.10 .051 to .1 Good -Fair .11to.3 Fair -Poor • Findings Summary o Key Takeaways from 2023 FCA Update ■ Facilities team doing a remarkable job given significant budget constraints - have worked hard maintaining assets given current staffing levels. ■ 67% of City of Edmonds assets (equipment) are more than 23 years old. Ms. Hinkley reviewed: ■ Frances Anderson Center: Significant facility needs (Project planned but not fully funded) - End -of -life equipment, no cooling OR ventilation in space, existing steam boiler challenges - Historical facility, houses critical services, important to community - Capital investment likely will be need for this space Mr. Granger continued: ■ Library not assessed post -flood ■ 24x7 Critical Facilities (Fire Stations and Public Safety Building) have 238 critical systems assets needing to be replaced within next 10 years ■ ($3.4M in 2023 dollars, without factoring in performance upgrades) ■ Critical Risk - City Hall network operations center and electrical infrastructure - Generator only backs up a portion of the site = operations risk. City estimates -$3-5M electrical upgrade needed to support addition of generator. o General Recommendations Capital funding levels: Condition alone merits annual funding levels of $1.8-2M, before accounting for improvements in system performance, energy efficiency, or compliance requirements Maintenance Repair Budget: Increase annual repair budget for facilities from-$100k-300k annually to $300-400k/yr - Increasing maint. repair funding to improve ability to self -perform smaller asset replacements (below $50k) and help prevent the deferred maintenance gap from growing even larger Maintenance Staffing: Increase (Right -Size) facilities staffing to allow more proactive maintenance and in-house small repairs - Recommended International Facility Management Association (IFMA) staffing levels for 250k-500k SFT is 9 FTE* (vs 4 FTE) Maintenance staff, does not include custodial Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 8 Councilmember Paine commented according to the presentation, it doesn't look like any money was expended in 2022 and 2023. Mr. Antillon responded quite a bit was done in 2023. Mr. Sullivan said most of the facilities work has been done out of the bond proceeds; there is a list of those projects. Councilmember Paine appreciated that this assessment helps prioritize the work, a never ending list of work similar to what many have in their own homes. She recalled during the retreat, the need for an emergency operations center was highlighted. When she hears that city hall needs an electrical system upgrade, she assumed that would be basement level replacement cost in terms of what is needed. Mr. Granger answered the cost in this assessment represents the floor. Councilmember Paine said she was not surprised that Frances Anderson Center needs polishing up, it is historic, well loved by the community, and abundantly used. She asked if facilities in the report such as the Boys & Girls Club would be removed from the list when/if it they are totally refurbished. Mr. Granger answered yes. Councilmember Paine said she looked forward to reviewing the report, recalling the previous report included facilities rated as poor -critical (red) and there are none now which means progress is being made. She thanked Mr. Sullivan and his team for their work. Mr. Antillon advised the third quarter report includes a list of projects that facilities worked on last year; the fourth quarter report will be available soon. Councilmember Eck commented this has been very enlightening and helpful; it takes away any subjectivity by a reader. She asked if the facilities need to be assessed through the lens of emergency management, who usually occupies buildings, does the building need to be occupied in the event of an emergency, etc. Mr. Granger answered the criticality rating includes accessing qualitative favors. For the City those include occupant impact and operational impact. That criticality rating allows weighting one asset versus another and how it is important. McKinstry has also provided staff a tool to allow them to run scenarios to focus on critical assets. Mr. Antillon said from the emergency management point of view, the condition of facilities is considered including life and safety requirements. None of the City's facilities are used as gathering places in an emergency; currently the newer facilities, Public Safety building and Public Works, are used for emergency operations center. Councilmember Tibbott commented the last discussion was a great segway into his comment, weighing what projects need to be done before others. In light of the City's financial situation, it might be feasible to begin thinking about facilities the City does not use. For example, perhaps the Frances Anderson Center might need to be closed. He asked who would make those decisions so the City could prioritize fixing city hall or keeping critical facilities open like fire stations. Another consideration is whether a portion of Frances Anderson Center could be closed and a portion kept open, and what programs would be eliminated if the City was not able to use that facility. He asked who answers those questions and how does it come to council. Mr. Granger answered that is often a partnership with an architect or an owners rep. He recommended an adequacy study with regard to how building are being used and operated. Mr. Williamson responded part of McKinstry's job is to provide objective data and they try to keep their agenda out of that and provide just the information to make smart decisions. In order to give good advice regarding what to do, they would need to know more about constraints and objectives. That was intentionally not part of the scope of this study because the intent was to start with data. Councilmember Tibbott's question is related to the next step. He agreed there are definitely some constraints; Frances Anderson Center is a historic building which may prevent the City from closing it. Knowing which assets contribute to crucial areas of the building, which areas can run to fail in a reasonable fashion, etc. will be important. He explained run to fail is often thought of as a bad term, but it can be a great strategy because it if fails, the City can be responsive rather than proactive as an effective strategy. He summarized the intent was to provide data to inform the council's decision making; the next step will be how to support the City's vision moving forward. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 9 In response to Councilmember Tibbott's question, Councilmember Nand said there is an ongoing discussion about what to do with the City's public assets including buildings; ideas include selling and/or reaching out to regional, federal, state, county partners who are seeking to provide direct services and potentially using under underutilized spaces in the City. There is more interest from the state in providing direct services. Councilmember Nand explained the City is in a financial strained budget cycle so having hard, data driven numbers regarding fulfilling the fiduciary duty of care to the City and constituents is very important. The budget retreat included discussion about emergency operating centers and potential insurance exposure and only being reimbursed 70% if something catastrophic happened City buildings which was troubling for the council to hear. Her second question was related to resiliency of buildings and asked if that accounted for stormwater, noting flooding is becoming more of an issue. She asked what maintenance issues there were related to that. Mr. Antillon answered that question will be appropriate when the stormwater comprehensive plan is presented. Councilmember Nand was glad McKinstry raised the issue of soft costs and staffing issues. When the City has derelict, old buildings and staff and contractors/subcontractors get injured, there is Workmen's Comp, costs the City has to account for. She thanked McKinstry for the incredible amount of information they were able to include in a relatively slim scope of work. With regard to Councilmember Tibbott's question, Mr. Antillon advised it is always a budget decision. There are tradeoffs when deciding whether to continue operating a facility during improvements, using swing space, etc. That is determined via the use of a planning team that includes architects, project managers, etc. Sometimes it is more expensive and sometimes the City does not have the luxury of shutting down operations which requires paying for afterhours work. Council President Olson referred to the ADA upgrades to the Public Safety building which makes it more accessible for residents, assuring that others noticed and appreciated the upgrades. She asked how the assessment is used as a budgeting tool. She did a quick calculation regarding how much would be done annually plus deferred maintenance and came up with $2.5 million, but that seems to barely chips away at the big numbers in the graph of $8-10 million in the first 3 years. She asked how the City goes from $2.5 million/year to $10 million in 3 years. Mr. Granger answered by eliminating assets deemed noncritical and subject to a run to fail mentality. Every asset will have its own maintenance and capital replacement strategy. The tool set in the data gives the staff team the ability to find the right scenario for Edmonds. There are also assets whose expected end of life can be extended via investments in preventative maintenance. There are instances where the expected manufacturer and observed life expectancy seen in the field and in the report can be extended for 2-4 years if routine maintenance is performed on that asset. Council President Olson referred to Mr. Granger's comment that they would also be looking for things the City does not need to hold onto. Mr. Granger said he was referring to individual facility assets, so facility assets versus facilities themselves. For example a system that is rated low in criticality and has a low impact such as a unit that provides ventilation in a storage closet; it's nice the storage closet is ventilated, but if that unit fails, operations continue. It may not be replaced at the moment it is expected to fail or is it a candidate for run to fail. There are hundreds of those pieces of equipment in the City's portfolio for which maintenance and replacement could be delayed to the very last moment. Council President Olson asked about the cost of doing this assessment. Mr. Granger answered the initial assessment was the big investment of time and effort; updating the assessment includes adding new assets, considering existing assets in the inventory, etc. The original assessment in 2018 was $30,000-$40,000; this effort was approximately $15,000. They typically recommend that owners with large portfolios of asset do an update every 4-5 years to keep the data relevant and account for changes in how the buildings have been operated. For example, over the last three years, the City's assets have been operated differently than Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 10 they were pre-Covid, especially HVAC assets had different run times and different uses such as bringing in outside air which affects the overall condition age of the asset. Council President Olson asked if the information in the studies was most valid and important for the council as decision makers in the context of the budget. Mr. Granger agreed it was. Council President Olson asked when the FCA update was completed. Mr. Granger answered April 2023. Council President Olson stated for the public record that the former mayor forbade staff from sharing this information with council and council did not have it for the last budget cycle. Councilmember Chen said, similarly to what Councilmember Tibbott mentioned, it is a good idea to rank the importance of City's facilities. Obviously the fire stations, police station, sewer treatment plant must exist and be maintained; that level of importance is different compared to the Meadowdale Clubhouse for example. Given the City's budget, if a facility ranking determines the City doesn't really need a building, consideration could be given to a long term lease if the City wants to hold onto the asset and partnering with a nonprofit. Mr. Sullivan commented a couple of the facilities that council brought up are predominantly used by parks & recreation programs. The equitable nature of the use of those building for the community is hugely important. The City's largest community center has a lot of deferred maintenance, but the value to it brings to the community is very important such as the school, daycare, rec programing, etc. Meadowdale Clubhouse provides equitable rental space and a preschool. He emphasized the equity that parks brings to the community for those who maybe have less. Councilmember Chen commented the City has idle spaces in its facilities, but rents space on 76t1i for parks maintenance. Councilmember Paine referred to the cost of services in the contract that include the base scope: City of Edmonds — 2022 FCA Update and Targeted ADA Assessment and REVEAL Capital Planning Dashboard (includes setup + 5 years of access) and asked if the capital planning dashboard is in use. Mr. Granger said that is the tool he referenced that allows staff to run different scenarios; McKinstry needs to provide training for Mr. Sullivan and his team. The dashboard allows Edmonds staff to send McKinstry updates when assets are replaced or updated so that McKinstry's data can be refreshed. The dashboard is a way for the data to stay relevant year over year instead of becoming stagnant. Councilmember Paine recognized there are only four maintenance staff. Mr. Sullivan said staff has had this information since April 2023; not being able to talk with council about it until now has slowed progress on capital planning. Councilmember Nand commented while the council has had policy discussions regarding maintaining or closing facilities, there are no immediate plans to close anything or restructure the parks department because closing those assets would require laying off a significant number of FTEs and some programs are revenue generating or self-sustaining. These are large equity and service decisions that the council would make long term. This study by McKinstry is providing data so the council can make decisions during the budget season. She did not want the public to be alarmed and think the City was planning to shut down the Frances Anderson Center. Councilmember Dotsch thanked the amazing City team for keeping the City going, recognizing the facilities and equipment are old and they likely have amazing MacGyver skills to fix things. She liked the idea of prioritizing, recognizing that will be important moving forward with regard to occupant and operational impact. She asked if the amounts in the report are 2022 or 2023 dollars. Mr. Granger referred to the 15-year CapEX slide, explaining those are based on a 3% annual escalation, but the tool allows different escalation rates. Councilmember Dotsch asked when the assessment of the library post flooding would be done. Mr. Sullivan answered there has been no discussion about assessing the building post remodel. The newness is still wearing off; there is often a high failure rate at the start. He suggested assessing it sometime within the first Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 11 year. Some of the large needs in the building that aren't library specific are included in the CIP such as the plaza deck and the building envelope. Councilmember Dotsch asked how many of the City's buildings are historic. Mr. Sullivan believed only the Frances Anderson Center and the old Carnegie library/museum are on the historic registry. He was uncertain if the log cabin was. 3. UPDATE ON 2024 TRANSPORTATION PLAN, INCLUDING MULTIMODAL LEVEL OF SERVICE (MMLOS) Transportation Engineer Bertrand Hauss introduced Chris Comeau and Patrick Lynch, Transpo Group. Mr. Hauss reviewed: • Key Plan Updates o What's Going to be Different from the Existing Element? ■ Last Plan updated in 2015 ■ Planning Horizon year from 2023 to 2044 ■ Incorporate updated subarea plans ■ Updated long-term project list and costs (for all modes) ■ Financial strategies to identify how the high priority projects can be implemented ■ Multimodal Level of Service (MMLOS) — previously based on vehicular level of service • Planning Process o Major Steps to Updating the Transportation Element ■ Evaluate existing transportation systems conditions and issues ■ Prepare travel forecasts and evaluate needs ■ Define/update multimodal improvement projects ■ Update transportation policies ■ Documentation and quality control • Project Schedule 2023 2024 City Council Meeting ^yr Transportation Committee / Online Open Houses / Public Meeting Meeting — 3/7, 7/18, September TBD * Planning Board Meeting Chris Comeau, Transpo Group, reviewed: • Multimodal LOS (MMLOS) o GMA & RCW Amendments to Transportation Requirements o GMA Transportation Concurrency Requirements o LOS Outcomes, Trade -Offs, and Balance of Modes • Land use and Transportation o Transportation is the implementation of the land use vision Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 12 Alternative • • Focused i / Neighborhood Residential aw.0" Bills c.nw•.n..i Mkkft no." Uupl.... to &..: r M nirodpl...." .ft an..tlonYd. -R .t.c.. .1'.V..M. rW 1— .rd .p.W—ft t •Neighborhood Comet 1 M. i,. --d S .ommw(w'ask.. on q.ounO Boa nswd b(Mwn. (Intl. Bonus w Neighborhood Hub N-ght) •-�Z. n.Ms a eorww .wn �.w 2-3 STorlos �•� e.... 1 r+�••• Medical District Expansion 46 Stories (Ind. Son.. I I Ne�ghtl p 15 Minute Neighborhoods r. �OS. Mu. tly. :!`bW M-- .rq p6.e In er rrp�lorrm0. i ______________________ ■tl•lnas.s.mrw i .. r.r.. `nr... —1 .tea What is Transportation Concurrency o Growth management requires multimodal transportation systems to be adequate to serve planned growth. Transportation concurrency links land use plans with multimodal transportation and capital improvement plans, providing a tool for effectively managing and balancing community growth Edmonds Existing LOS Standards o In the past two methods have been used from a roadway standpoint. Arterial street throughput counts cars and intersection seconds of delay per vehicle. ■ Measurements typically taken at highest demand period of the day, between 4-6 pm. Arterial Street Intersection Throughput Seconds of Delay per Vehicle o LOS C ■ All intersections on City collector streets o LOS D ■ Signalized intersections on City arterial streets ■ Intersections on Highways of Statewide Significance (HSS)* within Edmonds, including: - SR 104 - SR 99 south of SR 104 * Not subject to Edmonds LOS or Transportation Concurrency ordinance, but City required to identify HSS intersections not meeting WSDOT LOS D standard o LOS E ■ Intersections on Highways of Regional Significance (HRS) within Edmonds, including: - SR 99 north of SR 104 - SR 524 • Edmonds Vehicular LOS Standards Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 13 0 2023 = Only 1 intersection not meeting ;-- City LOS D standard •" ` ■ SR 104 (Edmonds Way)/238th St �� a o Stop sign control on side streets "o o Low volume side streets experience delay to accommodate higher volume SR 104 traffic flow . o - o LOS F operation for worst movement only _ o (left turns) during PM peak hour p� V 0 O • O 0 3 pO p' O �i+ e - n O -- O • Traditional Highway Capacity Manual Vehicular LOS Standards o Issues with vehicular LOS ■ Counts Cars, Not People ■ Vehicle Thru put/Intersection Delay = Measures of Driver Inconvenience ■ Demand exceeds supply during narrow PM Peak Hour; Does not equal "Failure" ■ Major funding decisions using public tax dollars that will last for decades ■ Auto -centric LOS standards require auto- centric "capacity" (widening) mitigation ■ Contributes to urban sprawl and even more traffic congestion RM. Peak Traffic Volumes (The Local Evening Rush Hour) ,.o ,b a 'p s „o I ?0 g so S0 w i ,o ,0 0 • Complete Streets: Who Are We Planning For? ' Pedestrians Bicycles r: Public Transit Commercial/Freight -0 High Occupancy Vehicle Single Occupancy Vehicle BALANCE ALL mobility needs for ALL modes must be carefully considered, BALANCED, and implemented for the MULTIMODAL transportation system to provide space and safety for EVERYONE. Patrick Lynch, Transpo Group, reviewed: • Existing Transit Network o Existing (2024) fixed -route transit network (operated by Community Transit) Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 14 9 0 Includes bus stops and'/4 mile buffers ■ Typical walksheds New Route 102 (from Edmonds to Lynnwood TC opens March 20 2024 (retiring Route 116) Sounder and Amtrack at Edmonds Station (downtown) LEGEND W 0 O Work Completed or in Process ✓ Traffic Calming Program Revisions — Summer 2023 ■ Administrative Request ■ Criteria updated; scoring revised ✓ Transportation Goal & Policy Audit ■ Evaluate 2015 goals & policies for compliance with GMA & PSRC ■ Strength test to maximize PSRC certification of 2024 Edmonds TE ✓ Existing Conditions Update ■ Update inventory of existing transportation conditions ✓ Monthly meetings with Transportation Advisory Committee ■ Information/Education on transportation issues/topics ■ Community input and interaction ■ Recommendations and guidance In Process or Upcoming Work ➢ Evaluating Pedestrian, Bicycle, Trail, & Transit Networks ■ Confirm primary & secondary pedestrian, bicycle, & transit routes ■ Identify gaps & improvement needs on each modal network ■ Consider prioritization factors (Centers, destinations, volumes, safety) ❑ Prepare Long-range Travel Forecasts ■ Based on updated Travel Demand Model ■ MMLOS = Mobility for people, not just vehicles ❑ Evaluate Future Transportation System ■ Refine MMLOS standards: Existing vs. Desired Multimodal Networks ■ Identify improvement project needs, costs, and priorities ❑ Financial Strategies to Maintain MMLOS Standards ■ Project list translates to cost of development & City implementation strategy ■ Refine LOS standards, if needed Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 15 Councilmember Nand referred to soft costs associated with trying to change behavior such as getting people out of their cars and utilizing public transportation, pedestrian and non -motorized options, commenting there is a big challenge in the region related to public safety and public cleanliness that is a barrier to people feeling safe. The City funds public safety from its own budget, but she assumed a lot of money would come from the federal and state government. She asked if there was any way to address that support; Edmonds wants to build all these great things such as Complete Streets and want people to feel safe using them, and letting their kids and grandparents use them. She asked if that was a criteria in any of the grants. Mr. Comeau said he was not aware of anything that addressed soft costs associated with education, encouragement and enforcement. Councilmember Nand said she has lived in other cities where people who earn six figure incomes and people who earn minimum wage ride the train together to work to the downtown core because it is safe and clean so people of all income levels feel safe utilizing it. That hasn't been the anecdotal feedback she has gotten on a lot of regional public transportation options and on a lot of nonmotorized transportation options people don't necessarily feel safe letting their kids ride their bikes to school. Mr. Comeau responded that is common from a perception standpoint. The transit agencies are doing a fantastic job and have a very tough job. He did not know how to address that from a local agency standpoint. With regard to price point, that is when people start paying attention to the cost and inconvenience of finding and paying for a parking space downtown which drives some mode choice behavior. Other than that, he was unsure how to get people to think of transit as hip and cool. There are a lot of things that can be done to encourage that including getting more people living in higher density so they can walk, bike and take short bus rides instead of getting in a car, driving and hassling with finding parking. In terms of grants, he was not aware of any. Councilmember Nand recognized the money will go toward construction and engineering costs and then public agencies have to maintain public safety and public cleanliness so people utilize the resources. That is the challenge. Mr. Comeau explained the Washington Traffic Safety Commission has some grant related to school zones and public perception about different modes. School districts have a big role to play in terms of getting parents to think it's safe for their kids to walk and bike to school. Things like starting a crossing guard program is very high profile and makes people feel safer about walking and biking to school. Mr. Hauss advised the Safe Route to Schools grant program for sidewalks or bike facility includes allocation of education funding. That was used to create an education program in the school district to help kids feel safe riding bicycles as well as walking to school. For example a $1 million project included $100,000 for education. Councilmember Eck commented while a lot of this is required by the GMA, it is great for the community and will increase quality of life. She asked whether wheelchairs are in the pedestrian category. Mr. Lynch answered they would be in the pedestrian network. This plan does not necessarily looking at ADA accessibility exclusively. The City has an ADA Transition Plan that will be referenced in the transportation plan. The plan does not necessarily identify barriers to accessibility. Councilmember Paine, a member of the transportation advisory committee, said MMLOS is required by the GMA. It is exciting to see this married with land use and she appreciated the approach of ensuring appropriate levels of service for all users in more dense areas. She was interested to see the funding opportunity that are available by having a MMLOS. She anticipated it would help reach climate action goals as well as getting people out of vehicles and walking to a bus stop or to local commercial districts. Adding more density and having the transportation infrastructure in tandem will help the community navigate. She realized not all the transportation could be built out first or homeowners left bereft without transportation infrastructure. Councilmember Dotsch recalled one of her questions at the PPW Committee, having grown up in Edmonds, Edmonds is a dead-end with only a few high capacity routes in and out. She wanted to ensure this plan was local and not using a template from another city. The aspirations are great, but right now there are a lot of Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 16 annexed areas that are semi -rural with no sidewalks or buses and for many areas, achieving MMLOS would require constructing a huge infrastructure. Her second concern was chicken and egg, land use versus transportation. There are only a few ways to go north -south in Edmonds because the City is narrow and long. If the intent is to cram this all into one road, it's not useful to move people, goods, cars and she worried drivers would then start using side streets in residential areas that do not have sidewalks. On paper it sounds good, but it will be a challenge to do in Edmonds. Councilmember Dotsch acknowledged the members of the transportation committee had already been selected. She referred to the graphic that illustrated subareas and recommended engaging local residents because they know best how they commute and get around. She commented on the huge differences in access and travel in various parts of Edmonds based on topography, etc. She did not see an effort to get input from the public or businesses and suggested adding more in -person opportunities, anticipating that would provide really good information. Mr. Comeau answered they have been working with land use consultants who have done a lot of engagement with the planning department. They are hearing a lot about how neighborhoods are connected and how people move around. To Councilmember Dotsch's point about keeping it local, there is no one right way to do this; they are sensitive to what Edmonds needs versus another community and want to get it right. Councilmember Chen commented this concept is great and as the City grows, more people are moving in. However, funding is key to accomplishing the projects. He recalled two years ago, the design of Highway 99 was changed to include bicycle lanes on both sides due to MMLOS. To have that citywide, funding will be the key. He remarked the City has a state transportation grant for Highway 99 and asked if there were other grants on the horizon that the City can apply for. Mr. Comeau answered their hope is when the Transportation Plan is done, the City will have a ready-made implementation program that can be used to pursue grants. The plan will identify projects that fit with certain grant funding programs and as they come up, staff can apply and get projects done. Councilmember Chen referred to a concept proposed last year, a greenbelt connection that would connect the whole city, commenting that is a great concept, but funding is unknown. He asked if that project is being looked at in the Transportation Plan. Mr. Comeau responded a project like the greenway loop would need to be done in phases over time. The City would pick the important section phase to pursue and it may be necessary to apply for multiple grants to fund a project depending on the cost. Doing a project like that in phases is absolutely doable over time; the City would need to be strategic, know when grant funding cycles are coming up and when the time is right to pursue a particular grant. Mr. Lynch commented as part of the MMLOS and updated Transportation Plan, the City's traffic impact fees will also be updated. The law now allows for pedestrian and bike improvements to be included in the impact fee program. In the past, parts of pedestrian and bike projects could be included, but now the whole project can be included which will help the City implement more multimodal level of service projects. With regard to grants, Mr. English explained with the infrastructure bill at the federal level, there are a lot of opportunities this year. One of the challenges the City of Edmonds has is the availability of a local match; each grant typically requires a 13 %2 -20%+ match. Therefore, the City has to be very strategic with regard to the grants that are applied for, knowing that the local match is a constrained part of the plan. Council President Olson recalled having a good conversation with Transpo during their previous presentation about the council's hopes and expectations and felt they were listening then and are listening now. With regarding to MMLOS, she knew everybody supports that 100% in concept, but as Councilmembers Dotsch and Chen said, the plan needs to be realistic. With regard to adequate for all, if it is super marginal for everybody versus minimally adequate for one in order to make it really useable for 1- 2 of the others, she hoped that was something where the balance tradeoff would be made. She encouraged Transpo representatives to watch/listen to the PPW Committee meeting last week, recalling Councilmember Dotsch brought up a lot of good points regarding areas with a lot of density and where more density may Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 17 be coming, such as the Edmonds bowl, where there only two ways out, Dayton and Main. On Main, the bulb -outs are quite large which may not be impactful in non -emergency situations, but if people were moving out from a tsunami, they might appreciate being able to be side by side. She was not proposing getting rid of the existing bulb -outs, but to think about that infrastructure in an emergency frame of mind as well as everyday use. The comment about impacts to neighborhoods when traffic on the main roads is not moving is another valid thought, the idea of what's good on paper versus what works in reality. She thanked Transpo and staff for their work and looked forward to the final plan. Councilmember Paine commented as part of their study, Transpo has asked for emails from neighborhoods who asked for traffic calming due to speeding which she will be forwarding. That will give Transpo direct information regarding areas where the public has identified a need for traffic calming. Councilmember Nand observed Mr. Hauss receives numerous emails about how to get sidewalks in a neighborhood. The City has been approached by community groups such as the Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Groups asking about a pedestrian bridge to make the Interurban Trail more accessible. She encouraged the neighborhood associations, some new and some existing, to contact a councilmember or public works staff with their ideas about infrastructure and access and vision for the community. Mayor Rosen declared a brief recess. 4. AMD2023-0008 ADU CODE AMENDMENT ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT CODE AMENDMENT TO ALLOW FOR DETACHED ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS — "EXPANDING HOUSING OPTIONS BY EASING BARRIERS TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS IN ACCORDANCE WITH HB 1337." Mayor Rosen relayed council's intent tonight was be a presentation only; a significant amount of time has been dedicated for a work session on March 5. Planning & Development Director Susan McLaughlin explained ADUs provide affordable housing options in single family neighborhoods. The comprehensive plan update provides an opportunity to hone in on trends and data that highlight the importance of affordable housing options. Approximately 60% of the City's population is housed in single family units, taking up 85% of the land area containing residential units. With housing costs escalating and the majority of the space containing single family units, coupled with the aging population, a lot of seniors in particular, are finding it more challenging to stay in their homes on fixed incomes and age in place. Families are often priced out of the market without housing choices under the current average price of a moderate density unit - townhomes, duplexes, triplexes — which is $720,000. That amount highlights the challenges for families to get into the market, particularly first time homebuyers. In Edmonds, 45.6% of renter households are cost burdened (spending over 30% of their income spent on rent), 10% more than the regional average. In response to a public comment at the beginning of the meeting about public participation, Planner Rose Haas highlighted what has occurred to date. The public engagement process has included webinars and online engagement. The City's webpage, Edmondswa.gov/ADU was created in November and a press release issued. Thirty-two people attended an informational webinar held on November 30 for people interested in learning more about the code update and HB 1137, followed by a comment period from November 30 to December 31. In addition to another press release, the webpage was updated on February 7 which included a draft code, a new slideshow and FAQ with a new comment period in anticipation of the planning board's public hearing tomorrow. Ms. Haas continued, as of today at 7:30 pm, the City has received 66 written comments which will be presented to the planning board and will be available to the public. She displayed a flyer that has been sent out to stakeholders, posted in the City and advertised on the website. She summarized the public Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 18 participation has been successful. With regard to graphics showing multilevel units, that information is included in this presentation and will also be included in next week's slideshow. She remarked these are geometric schemas that do not necessarily represent real life. Ms. Haas reviewed: • Source: AARP Best Practices Big houses are being built, small houses are needed Do we really need more than three times as much living space per person as we did in 1950? Can we afford to buy or rent, heat, cool and care for such large homes? cACTi ACUs house more people per square foot of living area than single-family homes do. • What are ADUs? o An accessory dwelling unit is a small residence that shares a single-family lot with a primary dwelling. o An ADU is self-contained, with its own kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom and living/sleeping area. o An attached ADU is a dwelling unit located within or attached to another housing unit. o A detached ADU (DADU) is separate and unconnected to the other housing unit. o Types of ADUs What are the benefits of ADUs? o Support aging in place. o Provide additional financial support for homeowners. o Add value: Properties with an ADU are priced 35% higher. o Offer an efficient, low-cost way to build housing. o Meet diverse needs - suited well for young couples, small families, friends, young people, and seniors. o Allow multi -generational living. • What guidance did we use? YOUNG Y FAMILY It WORXSPA<E _ DR RETIREMFXT OPTI\ �%TRA INCOME STUDIO SPACE iORA P05FSUROERY REEOYEIn SMQ HOME BUSINESS APARTMENTFOR AIDULTCHILDREN Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 19 HOUSE BILL REPORT EHB 1337 (R�rIRR.r.n smi.im..N.�n.cntie. Rnrem R.N.4Tkmd[. �4u T6wig.r. HB 1337 MRSC Guide U1 IRIRIM n r Why DADUs in Edmonds today? o In 2021, the Citizens' Housing Commission stated the following policy recommendation for updating the ADU code to include DADUs: ■ "Allow either one attached or detached accessory unit on a property in the SFR area, with clear and definitive development requirements such as size, ownership, and parking, under the standard permitting process and not require a conditional use permit." o According to the 2021 American Community Survey, 21.5% of Edmonds' residents are over 65 years of age. o The most frequent over -the counter ADU question: ■ "Are DADUs allowed for `aging in place'?" • What does ECDC Currently Allow? The ABCs of ADUs •pbsb4c.bwrt�rlA WbaNlwwpry . a&am raft"— �N will 16 ■ B BB l ■ I I I an Bill on -,rn _,rn ■ ■ THE EDMONDS CITIZENS' HOUSING COMMISSION WANTSTO HEAR FROM You. HARP Best Practices Citizens Housing Commission Survey Young professionals/ couple Grand parents T 1 f Youngfamfly J Teenager - ONHIM realer Permit needed YES - Conditional Use Permit - Type II decision. Type of Unit Attached ADU only. DADUs are not permitted. Number of Units May have only one accessory dwelling unit per lot. Size ✓ Must not exceed 40% of the livable floor area of the principal dwelling, up to a maximum of 800 square feet. ✓ No more than two bedrooms ✓ An exception allows increased size up to 50% of the floor area of the principal dwelling if the ADU is all on a single floor Design Architecturally match with the primary residence Entrance Side entrance that should be unobtrusive when viewed from the street Parking One off-street parking space in addition to the parking spaces normally required for the principal dwelling, but no less than threes aces per lot Occupancy Either the primary dwelling or the accessory dwelling unit must be owner - occupied • What will HB 1337 require? o Cities must ease barriers to the construction and use of accessory dwelling units. o Cities must allow ADUs as a secondary outright permitted use. o Legalizes two accessory dwelling units per lot and lifts numerous restrictions. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 20 o State legislation mandates that HB 1337 must be implemented no later than six months after the next Comprehensive Plan due date, or by July 1, 2025. Commerce language will supersede preempt, and invalidate any conflicting local development regulations if Edmonds does not adopt policy by June 30, 2025 ■ The requirements for the City of Edmonds will be as follows: - Allow two ADUs per lot (any configuration of ADU and DADU). - No owner -occupancy requirements. - Allow separate sale of ADUs. - No parking required within a half -mile of a major transit stop, as defined in RCW 36.70A.696(8). - Maximum size limitation no less than 1,000sf of gross floor area. Gross Floor Area is defined as the "interior habitable area of an accessory dwelling unit, including basements and attics but not including unconditioned space, such as a garage or non -habitable accessory structures." - Allow DADUs to be sited at a rear lot line when the lot line abuts a public alley. - No setback requirements, yard coverage limits, tree retention mandates, restrictions on entry door locations, or aesthetic requirements that are more restrictive than for the principal unit. - Allow ADUs of at least 24-feet in height. - Impact fees cannot be more than 50% of fees charged for the principal unit. What are Best Practices according to WA Dept of Commerce and AARP? o Allow all types of accessory units. o Require no additional parking spaces for ADUs. o Minimize permit and impact fees or waive them in specific situations. o Adopt flexible and simple regulatory requirements for setbacks, square footage, and design. o Allow prefabricated modular units. o Allow pre -approved units. o Owner occupancy not required. o Allow for rentals as well as sale as condominiums. • What the ECDC in look like. Existing Code Proposed Code Update Permit needed Conditional Use Type rr deeision. Permitted secondary use*; Can be permitted in PRDs. -Permit Type of Unit Attached ADU only. DADUs and AADUs* Number of Units: May have only one accessory dwelling unit per lot. Allow two ADUs on all lots in any configuration.* Size o nnoi the livable floor- Most Max height 24'.* If rear lot line abuts a public alley, no rear setbacks are required.* In some instance, reduced rear setbacks. Depending on the zone, no more than 1,200 square feet gross floor area. not ee of area the dwelling, • p to of pr-ineipal a maximum a 900 s,,, a fe feet. N more than two L.o.l,-,.oms. if the ADU is all on a single floor-, an be f r the ADU T to be eiweption ean made area increased , t cnoi the floor- the of area of pr-ineipal dwelling. Design tees the No design restrictions.* r-ch ally matehA,ith pfimafy fes;ao Parking One off street parking space in addition to the parking spaces normally required for the principal dwelling, but no less than three spaces per lot. No additional parking required for ADUs Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 21 Occupancy Owner not required to reside in dwelling g „„it mast be eeoa one of the units.* *Required by 1337 City of Edmonds Code Update: Planning board discussion o Based on the discussions with Planning Board on January loth and January 24th, City staff is making the following updated recommendations: ■ Rear setback reductions on small parcels (10-feet) ■ Setback reduction incentives on small parcels if property owners limit height of ADU to 15' to preserve privacy, views, and character of existing neighborhoods (RS-6, RS-8). ■ Eliminating additional ADU parking requirements: - Decreases building costs; - Maximizes ADU usage on smaller lots; - Eliminates additional EV parking requirements. *Required by 1337 City of Edmonds Code Update: Ideas we are exploring o Development Standards - Height Restrictions and Decreased Setbacks: ■ Lot coverage will remain at 35% for all Single-family zones. ■ Limiting height to no less than 24 feet.* ■ No setbacks for ADUs that abut a public alley* - Primarily impacts parcels in RS-6 zones. ■ Decreasing rear setback requirements to allow for more flexibility on smaller lots (RS-6 and RS-8). - Allowing a minimum 10-foot rear setback on DADUs on small lots - Allowing a minimum 5-foot rear setback for ADUs on small lots that limit ADU height to 15-feet. *Required by 1337 o Development Standards - Gross Floor Area: ■ Limiting ADUs to 1,000 sf of gross floor area on small lots (RS-6 and RS-8). ■ Allowing ADUs to have up to 1,200 sf of gross floor area on one or two floors on large lots (RS-10, RS-12, RS-20) ■ Remember: - Gross floor area is defined as the "interior habitable area of an accessory dwelling unit, not including unconditioned space." - Habitable space can be divided by two floors limited at 24-feet in height. o Development Standards - Parking Requirements: ■ No additional parking required for ADUs - 2 parking spaces are currently required for all single-family homes. - Current regulations allow ADU parking to be tandem or within the existing driveway. - High cost of providing additional parking may limit some homeowners' ability to create additional housing. - Many lots do not have the capacity for a 3rd parking space. ■ Since 2021, no additional parking has been required for ADUs within 1/4 mile of a major transit stop Distance to Transit Stop for RS Parcels Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 22 Legend Bus Ro l_ _ Eignln M1Iil,le _ Quarter Mile i Hell Mile r _ Half Mile from NIIIIr Transit o Development Standards — Putting it all together: C. T, We of ADU development standards. Su6m�c[ AAaamumAQSl G-18— Area IS,. Rl Efoimum ADU R— Setback's Madtnum ADU Heigh: Minimum parking Spaces RS-12 1200 25' a A RS-10 1200 20' 24' 0 RS-8 1000 10, 24' 0 RS-6 1200 1al 24' 0 7 No rear setbacks are required for detached accessory dwelling units from the rear lot line if that lot line abuts a public alley, regardless of detached accessory dwelling unit size. 2 Standard street and side setbacks per ECDC 16.20.030 apply. 3 The normally required rear setback may be reduced to a minimum of five feet for a detached accessory dwelling unit 15 in height or less. ■ Example: 1-story ADU (single story incentive) M ■ Example: 2-story ADU (no incentives) Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 23 2-Story ADU (no incentives) _ RS-6 and RS-8 - 1,000 sf. maa. (per HB1337) - 10' From rear property line 24' Height limit (per H61337) 35%lot coverage limit (eaisting code) - On alleyway.0' rear setback (per HB1337) All others (RS-10, IRS-12, RS-20, etc...) 1,21)D O. maa. (best practices) - Maintain eaisting setbacks - 35%Lot coverage limit (eaisting code) ■ Lots with 2 ADUs • Under Discussion: Critical Areas o EHB 1337 — Section 4 16 (4) The provisions of this section do not apply to lots 17 designated with critical areas or their buffers as designated in RCW 18 36.70A.O60, or to a watershed serving a reservoir for potable water 19 if that watershed is or was listed, as of the effective date of this 20 section, as impaired or threatened under section 303(d) of the 21 federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1313(d)). o Planning Division recommends ■ Allow ADUs on lots that contain critical areas or their associated buffers so long as they can meet protection standards in ECDC Title 23 (Natural Resources). • Under Discussion: Impact Fees o ECC Chapter 3.36 3. For the purposes of this chapter, development activity shall not include alterations, expansions, enlargement, remodeling, rehabilitation or conversion of an existing dwelling unit where no additional dwelling units are created and the use is not changed. Note: accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are not considered to create additional dwelling units because ECDC 20.21.020 does not consider ADUs as increasing the overall density of a single-family residential neighborhood. o Planning Division recommends ■ Count ADUs toward density requirements, consistent with 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update and GMA requirements.* Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 24 ■ Reduce impact fees to promote ADU development *Pending internal discussion and review by the city attorney Under Discussion: Utilities o Water meters, sewer connections, and utility undergrounding can add costs to ADU development. The Planning Division is working with Public Works and Olympic View Water and Sewer District (OVWSD) to update regulations. o Planning Division Recommendations: ■ Reduce costs for homeowners as much as possible. ■ Collaborate with the Public Works Department, Utility Billing, South County Fire, and OVWSD to ensure that all requirements are met. o Engineering Division Recommendations: ■ New and extended utilities must be undergrounded. ■ All units must have unrestricted access to utility control systems. ■ Only one water service and meter allowed per parcel. ■ Only one sewer lateral is allowed per parcel. ■ Upsizing or replacement of existing service lines/laterals may be required. We want your feedback! o Let us know your thoughts about the proposed ADU code updates: ■ Visit edmondswa.gov/ADU and use the comment box to ask a question or submit feedback. ■ Attend the Planning Board Public Hearing on February 28th at City Hall at 7pm. ■ Email Planning@edmondswa.gov to ask a question, make a comment, or join our mailing list. • Schedule ❑ l Schedule 1W 1 )Nov 14th1 ) Dec lath )an loth I )an 24th I Feb 27th I I Feb 28th I I March 5th I i A Councilmember Dotsch commented HB 1110 is a duplex bill for most single family zones, but HB 1337 is basically a triplex bill and she wondered how those relate. She read a Department of Commerce Fact Sheet for Implementing E2SHB 1110, "Given that all cities must allow two accessory dwelling units per lot under HB 1337, how does this harmonize with E2SHB 1110 middle housing? A city must allow accessory dwelling units and such units may help achieve unit count and the city also must allow middle housing types such as duplex that can satisfy the minimum density i.e. unit count per lot. For example, where a city must allow two or four units per lot, it does not have to increase the unit count to also accommodate two ADUs. A city may choose to allow such a higher count, but is not required to do so." Councilmember Dotsch said there is a scenario they show with the number of units per lot, the new way they do it versus acres, if it is counted toward the unit count of HB 1110, two units per lot, one could be the ADU or DADU, and the other way is if it is not counted toward the two units per lot. She wanted to be sure consideration was being given to the full picture with both state laws and what the City's options are. Ms. McLaughlin responded there were originally a couple slides regarding that in the presentation, but due to the complexity, it was better to provide those as part of the discussion on March 5. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 25 Councilmember Chen referred to limiting height to no less than 24 feet. He asked if that was correct. Ms. Haas answered that is how the house bill is written and it has caused a lot of confusion. She explained that means the City cannot have a height restriction of less than 24 feet. Currently the maximum height for an accessory structure is 15 feet; 24 feet is staff s recommendation for the maximum height. Councilmember Chen asked if 24 feet was the maximum or the minimum. Ms. Haas answered 24 feet is staffs recommendation for the maximum which is also the minimum required by Department of Commerce. Councilmember Chen observed the City could allow higher than 24 feet. Ms. McLaughlin clarified the City could not require a height less than 24 feet. Councilmember Nand said she has absolutely no problem with not requiring owner occupancy and she has no hostility toward people who may want to build an ADU and Airbnb it to offset cost of living expenses. She suggested the City explore imposing additional fees on Airbnbs such as the City of Seattle has done to address the fact that Airbnbs displace a lot of affordable housing for long term residents. With regard to reducing impact fees to promote ADU development, she suggested if someone intended to use it for long term occupancy, the impact fee could be discounted, versus a penalty for people who want to use it for Airbnb to offset living costs. Ms. McLaughlin answered the issue of short term rentals needs to be addressed in the comprehensive plan, determine what is trending, whether it is an issue, define the threshold, etc. With regard to Councilmember Nand's recommendation regarding ADUs, she was concerned about enforcement; if someone received a discount, how the use would be monitored. Councilmember Nand said rigorous enforcement may not be needed, it could just be an idea proposed to property owners; if they were willing to dedicate the ADU to long term residency versus short term rental, the City could reduce their impact fee, but not knock on their door annually to ensure they were not using it as an Airbnb rental. Mayor Rosen suggested adding that as a discussion topic for the March 5 study session. Ms. Haas agreed that would be a good topic of discussion. She has read an RCW that pairs reduction of impact fees for long term housing. ��4010l Lei I ILO I M V W Councilmember Nand relayed Police Chief Bennett will be joining her in SeaTac in two days to meet with the parents of Abdikadir Gedi Shariif and his family members. Federal Way Councilmember Lydia Assefa- Dawson and Ahmed Mumin, executive director of the ride share driver association will also join them. She commended the Edmonds Police Department for their wonderful community outreach and support to the Shariif family during its investigation into this tragedy. Councilmember Paine advised the transportation committee's online discussion will be on March 7. With regard to the discussion about the facilities condition assessment, there has been no public discussion or consideration related to closing the Frances Anderson Center or other public amenities that serve the community. The council will have chance to address fiscal budget concerns this year and next year and she hoped there would not be any loss of use of the bigger facilities in Edmonds. Councilmember Dotsch commented there was a lot to digest at tonight's meeting. First, the presentation regarding finances which should be front of mind. She encouraged the public to participate in the comprehensive plan update related to transportation, housing, ADU/DADUs; there is a public hearing at the planning board tomorrow at 7 pm. As next week's council meeting is a study session, it was her understanding there is no opportunity for public comment and she encouraged the public to email their comments to council. Council President Olson announced the council is having a work session on ADU/DADU on March 5. She requested council submit questions to staff in advance of that meeting so staff can come prepared with answers and the conversation can be efficient and productive. She reiterated the planning board's public Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 26 hearing is tomorrow at 7 pm in the Brackett Room at city hall and virtually. The earlier that feedback is provided the better. For those who were not at the council's special meeting at 6 pm to meet Kiwa Tashiro, Council President Olson said it was a good reminder of how amazing the City's residents are. Ms. Tashiro was a journalist/reporter with Kyodo News in Japan for several years and is now a grad student at UW's Jackson School of International Studies and is interested in volunteering in the city where she lives. She relayed her appreciation for Ms. Tashiro's willingness to volunteer and for everything all the volunteers in Edmonds do. Councilmember Chen reported he attended a Port of Edmonds Commission meeting yesterday and walking there he smelled the fresh paint in their new building which is a very nice facility. The Port Commission is sending commissioners to Washington D.C. to speak with Senator Cantwell and Congressman Larsen about funding for the Port, a creative idea that sets a good example for other entities to follow. Councilmember Eck said as she reflects on the hard and direct conversations the council is having and will continue to have the rest of the year on topics such as budget, preserving environment, dealing with infrastructure needs, supporting community members in need, planning more housing options, etc., it will entail everyone working together, being open, listening to each other, patience, and keeping empathy and creativity in the forefront. She appreciated that behavior among councilmembers on the dais and was sure the council could continue to model that moving forward. It will take everyone in the community working together. Mayor Rosen said he would welcome the opportunity to ask for money and support from the delegation in Washington D.C. He did visit Olympia and had conversations with Senator Liias, Representatives Peterson, Ortiz -Self and Ryu with exactly that intent. He recently met with other regional and community partners in search of synergistic opportunities. Mayor Rosen commented once every 4 years on February 29, people born on that day get to celebrate their birthday. He wished a Happy Birthday to those celebrating their birthday on February 29. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, the Council meeting was adjourned at 9:56 pm. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes February 27, 2024 Page 27