PPW020921PARKS & PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE MEETING
February 9, 2021
Elected Officials Participating Virtually
Councilmember Laura Johnson
Councilmember Luke Distelhorst
CALL TO ORDER
Staff Participating Virtually
Phil Williams, Public Works Director
Angie Feser, Parks, Rec. & Cultural Serv. Dir.
Shannon Burley, Dep. Parks, Rec. & Cultural Serv. Dir.
Jessica Neill Hoyson, HR Director
Rob English, City Engineer
Bertrand Hauss, Transportation Engineer
Jeff Taraday, City Attorney
Scott Passev. Citv Clerk
The Edmonds City Council virtual online PPW Committee meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by
Councilmember Distelhorst. The agenda was reordered to prioritize the most time sensitive items.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
1. Youth Commission Ordinance Amendment
Ms. Burley explained Youth Commission meetings are currently held on the same day and time as
Diversity Commission meetings. Several members of the Youth Commission, Diversity Commission,
Councilmembers requested Youth Commission meetings be moved from the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays
to the 211 and 41" Wednesdays. The Youth Commission has express support for the change.
Action: Forward to Consent Agenda.
2. Public Hospital District No. 2 Grant ILA - LEAP
Councilmember Distelhorst said he has a relative involved with the Public Hospital District so he will not
participate in the discussion.
Ms. Feser explained this is an ILA with Public Hospital District No. 2 (Verdant) to accept a $30,000 grant
to assist with the Learning Enhancement and Activities Program (LEAP) that began in October 2020.
The cost of the program was covered via federal CARES Act funds through December; a majority of
the participants were scholarship, averaging approximately 29 kids/week. LEAP continued in January
and February using funds in the Recreation budget allocated for programming. Verdant agreed to
support 50% of the program costs for January and February. The program has been very successful
with great feedback from parents and families and it has employed a few young adults. She
recommended forwarding the ILA to Consent for approval. Councilmember L. Johnson expressed
appreciation for the work by staff and for Verdant's support.
Action: Forward to Consent Agenda.
4. ILA with City of Lynnwood for the 76th Ave Overlay Project
Mr. English explained this is an ILA with Lynnwood for an upcoming project on 76t" between 196th &
Olympic View Drive. Lynnwood owns the eastern half of the street and Edmonds owns the western half.
In 2018 staff coordinated with Lynnwood to submit a grant application for Edmonds' share of the
repaving. Lynnwood will pay their portion with local funds. The $645,000 federal grant through ICC will
fund part of the design phase and construction. The ILA sets the terms for working with Lynnwood on
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the design in 2021 and construction in 2022. A brief discussion followed regarding design elements of
the project.
Action: Forward to February 16th Consent Agenda
5. Old Public Works Zoning Change Consideration
Mr. Williams explained 60% of the building has been leased to the Driftwood Player and the Arts Festival
Foundation since 1992 and those leases have been renewed serval times. In reviewing a proposal by
Driftwood Players to move some of the functions from the Driftwood Players Playhouse to the old Public
Works building, it was discovered the old Public Works building is zoned Public and there is a zoning
conflict with the usage of the building for non-public use. The City Attorney recommended an Interim
Zoning Ordinance which would allow for new short term leases to be signed with current tenants while
the City works to implement a longer term solution to the zoning conflict.
Discussion followed regarding staff who will work on this, ability to extend the interim ordinance for six
months if the planning work is not completed in the first six months, the Planning Board's review timeline
and importance of the City continuing to own the land in the event the treatment plant needed to be
expanded in the future.
Action: Forward to February 161h Consent Agenda
7. Presentation of a Pedestrian/Utility Easement along 80th Ave W adjacent to 18227
80th Ave W
Mr. English explained this easement is associated with 2-lot short plat on 801h north of 184' Street that
will build frontage improvements that include mailboxes and a fire hydrant. The 24-foot easement is
required to allow the sidewalk to go around the mailboxes and hydrant. Discussion followed regarding
the limited amount of sidewalks on 80th and grants staff has applied for in the past for sidewalks on 80tn
Action: February 161h Consent Agenda.
8. WWTP Staffinq Change — WWTP Supervisor
Mr. Williams explained in 2020 budget, staff proposed an organizational change which included an
increase of 1 FTE. In that request and a subsequent request to City Council a new position called Chief
Operator was approved. In 2020, the WWTP lost 3 State Certified Group III Operators and to date have
not attracted qualified staff to fill these vacant positions which has adversely impacted the ability to staff
the WWTP. An applicant for another WWTP position who has significant experience in wastewater
treatment expressed interest in the Supervisor position. Mayor Nelson authorized him to seek approval
to change from filling the Chief Operator position to filling the Supervisor position. He described the
difficulty hiring WWTP staff, competition in the industry, WWTP operators that intend to retire this year
and laws related to shift operators. Discussion followed regrading support for placing this request on
the agenda for full Council for action, the treatment plant being a unique industry, the need to be
competitive, and the time it takes to train staff.
Action: Schedule on agenda for full Council for action.
6. HBB Contract for Gateway Sign Design as part of the Hwy 99 Revitalization &
Gateway Project
Mr. English explained the original scope of the design contract with SCJ for the Highway 99 corridor
improvements included design of the gateway signs. Following discussions with SCJ, and preliminary
discussions with the task force that is comprised of business owners, a Councilmember, and a Planning
Board member, it was agreed to do a more focused RFQ to select a firm with a history with streetscape,
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landscape signage features. HBB and SCJ both submitted statements of qualifications and staff
selected HBB based on their extensive experience and qualifications related to visioning and
development of gateway signs. The total fee of $133,000 includes a $12,000 management reserve and
$11,000 for work during the construction phase.
Mr. Williams reiterated the need for public involvement, involving stakeholders and the right process.
Frances Chapin, who has been involved with signage and banners on Highway 99, will participate. The
gateway signs on Highway 99 do not have to mimic the themes of signage downtown, but will highlight
the different districts/neighborhoods.
Discussion followed regarding equitable language and time of day access for community workshops,
making the Highway 99 community a priority, concern with the cost but recognizing the public's interest
in the SR 104 signage, recognition that Highway 99 deserves the same level of attention as SR 104,
the need to acquire ROW to install the sign on the north end, and coordination with WSDOT on the sign
at the south end.
Action: Forward to February 16th Consent Agenda
3. Update on the Highway 99 Revitalization & Gateway Project (Stage 2)
Mr. Hauss reviewed:
• Introduction to Stage 2 Project
o Highway 99: Corridor with serious safety concerns
• Project limits — 244th St SW to 210th St SW
• Crossing 3 lanes of traffic from 2-way left turn lane
o Conflict points before and after access management
• Proposed improvements
o Raised Landscaped Median along entire corridor with mid -block left turn pockets
o High Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) Signal
o (2) Gateway signs on each end of project limits
• Existing cross sections & cross sections proposed at raised and low medians and at left turn
pockets
• Access controlled median to be landscaped and hardscaped
• Summary of left- and U-turn locations (by type)
• Access control benefits
• Similar access controlled state routes
• Proposed HAWK Signal (-r600' north of 2341h St SW)
• HAWK Signal details
• Property owner impacts
• Gateway signs - approximate locations (not designed at this time)
• Project schedule
• Upcoming meetings/public outreach
Questions and discussion followed regarding support for access control, public outreach especially to
businesses in various languages, learning from Shoreline's process, pockets of landscape median,
median providing traffic calming, improvements helping to justify lowering the speed limit, prioritizing
pedestrian safety at 224th and 238th, raised medians discouraging mid -block pedestrian crossings, and
the process and timeline for determining whether to reduce the speed limit.
Action: Presentation to full Council on February 16th
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m.