2023-03-14 PSPHSP CommitteeMinutes
PUBLIC SAFETY, PLANNING, HUMAN SERVICES & PERSONNEL
COMMITTEE MEETING
March 14, 2023
Elected Officials Present Staff Present
Councilmember Vivian Olson (Chair) Oscar Antillon, Public Works Director
Councilmember Jenna Nand Susan McLaughlin, Planning & Dev. Dir.
Councilmember Will Chen Angie Feser, Parks, Rec. & Human Serv. Dir.
Councilmember Susan Paine Shannon Burley, Deputy Parks, Rec. & Human Serv. Dir.
Jeff Taraday, City Attorney
Scott Passey, City Clerk
1. CALL TO ORDER
The Edmonds City Council virtual online PSPHSP Committee meeting was called to order virtually and
in the City Council Conference Room, 212 – 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, at 3:30 p.m. by
Councilmember Olson.
2. COMMITTEE BUSINESS
1. Committee Updates
• Update on Waterfall Property Code Enforcement (Planning/Development)
Ms. McLaughlin explained it is not really a waterfall but a grade differential with a culvert. Aerial
photographs shows the culvert has been there since the house was there so it is not an enforcement
issue with the current property owner. There are other locations on that property along the channelized
stream where sandbags have been placed and a tree may being undermined. The code enforcement
officer, a senior planner and a stormwater engineer met with the property owner to talk about the stream
and advised them it is ultimately a Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) issue as it is a
state water and they will need a hydrologic project approval (HPA) permit from WDFW. The property
owner will also need a local permit due to the critical area.
Ms. McLaughlin commented a stream restoration study to look comprehensively at Shell Creek would
help identify barriers to fish passage, options for mitigation and potential resources such as grants,
capital projects, etc. to remove fish barriers along the entire stretch.
Questions and discussion followed regarding inability to pursue code enforcement as the blockage
existed prior to the house and prior to the critical area designation, WDFW jurisdiction as the culvert is
in a state water, other issues the property owner will need permits for such as the slope failure and tree
removal, how long it would take the property owner to get a response from the state and erosion that
would occur in the meantime, looking at the entire stream holistically and taking action as a City instead
of via enforcement, staff’s inquiry with WDFW, whether an HPA was issued for the culvert, WDFW’s
permitting authority but does take enforcement action, whether the culvert was grandfathered, how to
address the fish barrier, and the engineering department’s indication that the problem will not be solved
unless other fish passage obstructions in the creek are removed.
Questions and discussion continued regarding whether council action was needed to prioritize a stream
restoration study, Planning & Development not having the capacity to do a study in 2023, determining
which department would oversee a study, the need for a budget allocation for a study, length of time
this has been an issue, desire to make this a priority, having this as a topic at the council budget retreat,
considering this in the comprehensive stormwater plan, Parks’ responsibility for stormwater/fish barriers
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only within parks, and taking a broader view of all the obstructions, and identifying mitigation, roles and
responsibilities, and funding in order to develop an implementation schedule.
• Update on Abandoned House Code Enforcement and Related Legal Action
(Planning/Development)
Councilmember Olson commented when code enforcement was unsuccessful, legal action was taken.
Ms. McLaughlin reported Mr. Taraday filed a motion with Snohomish County in 2022 for a warrant of
abatement which gave the property owner two weeks to address the code enforcement concerns which
included securing the front balcony, deck and rear stairs, trimming vegetation within 5 feet of the
property line, allowing access to the structure to secure it, removing accumulated trash, and paying
$1300 in civil penalties. The abatement orders were not completed in two weeks, so the City abated
the violations per the abatement order. In February via the small works roster, vegetation was removed,
the house is being boarded up and the rest of the work is being completed. Once the code enforcement
issues are abated, the City will place a lien on the property to recoup the abatement costs, fines and
cost of Planning & Development staff time.
Questions and discussion followed regarding the status of the property owner that prevents compliance
with the abatement order (property owned by an estate that is going through probate) and trees on the
property that are a concern to the neighbors (not included in the abatement order and were not part of
the code enforcement issue).
• Public Use Zoning Code Text Revision (Artworks) (Planning/Development)
Mr. Taraday explained it came to the city attorney’s attention during review of the lease renewal that
uses occurring in the building were not permitted in the P Zone. The city attorney’s office felt it was not
appropriate to approve the lease renewal knowing the uses were not authorized in the zone. If the
tenant remains in the building, there could be an amendment to the text of the P Zone to make the use
an allowed use; his office drafted language to accomplish that. Depending on the urgency, there are
two ways to make zoning text amendments, 1) via an interim zoning ordinance, or 2) going to the
planning board, public hearing, etc. and recommendation to the city council. He noted the old public
works building is not the only building the City owns where there are inconsistencies between the
tenants in the space and uses allowed in zone so similar text amendments likely need to occur for other
City building leases.
Mr. Antillon added due to unknowns related to the design of the WWTP to comply with nutrient removal
requirements, staff does not want to sign a long term lease for the facility in the event that property is
needed to expand the WWTP.
Ms. McLaughlin pointed out the comprehensive plan is an opportunity to inventory all City public
buildings and consider current and future needs. The cultural plan will also be updated as part of the
comprehensive plan update.
Questions and discussion followed regarding whether it would be possible to implement an exemption
process for a tenant that does not comply with the zoning, the draft language developed by the city
attorney’s office that covers almost any tenant using the space, Edmonds code does not allow use
variances, city attorney’s preference to adopt text broad enough to address any tenant the City would
lease property to rather than adopting a use variance, allowing use variances as a way to fill empty
storefronts in the City, drafting zoning text that would allow a City building to be used short term, drafting
the lease with an out for the City, selling unneeded government assets, and startups interested in sublet
opportunities.
• Update on Human Services Program (Human Services)
Ms. Burley reported on cleanup of debris left by an encampment in the SR-104/Highway 99 cloverleaf
and assistance the social worker provided to a couple living in a tent in that location. Staff also worked
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with WSDOT to clean up a former encampment on WSDOT property behind the Campbell Nelson
dealership. That intersection has been assigned the WSP Department of Correction’s work crew list for
more frequent cleanup as necessary. The best first step when encountering an encampment is to
contact the police department’s non-emergency line (425-771-0200) so an officer and social worker can
be dispatched to visit a site. The social worker has transitioned to work primarily with the police
department which was the goal. The City accepted a proposal from the Hand Up Project to assist with
on-call and on-demand needs related to cleanup which was later rescinded. The City is entertaining
proposals from other service providers including Volunteers of America.
Questions and discussion followed regarding ways to put unhoused persons in contact with the social
worker to avoid a possible trauma response from contact with law enforcement, need for the police
department to determine a site is safe before the social worker is dispatched, and referrals to the social
worker by the neighborhood office on Highway 99.
Ms. Burley reported the Snohomish County Hotel on Highway 99 as well as the hotel in Everett have
been renamed, New Start Centers. She and Assistant Chief Sniffen have been appointed as liaisons to
Snohomish County. The earliest the facility will open is Q3 2023 but is more likely to open next year
due to permitting, construction and remodeling. Snohomish County has done a considerable amount of
outreach to local businesses and residents that live near the facility.
Questions and discussion followed regarding drug activity and contamination in the building, local
businesses’ concern that drug activity will occur on their property, Lynnwood’s consideration of an public
drugging law, the stated goal for project (overall reduction in police call volume by bringing people
indoors), a suggestion for Snohomish County to hold a town hall to answer questions from public,
Snohomish County’s outreach to people who are directly impacted, inform ation on Snohomish County’s
Office of Recovery and Resiliency website, the hotel as a political football, requesting information from
Snohomish County about services that will be offered, and the City assisting with multilingual outreach.
Ms. Burley reported the City’s application for a Verdant grant to support human services was
unsuccessful. Staff plans to apply during the next grant opportunity as the City’s human services
program aligns well with Verdant’s goals and objectives.
In response to the community’s interest in ways to support and be involved in the City’s human services
program, Ms. Burley advised the most needed resource is prepaid food and gas gift cards in small
denominations. Food is often beneficial in establish rapport and often leads to consent to transition in
their lives. The City did a prepaid card drive during the holidays. Both WinCo and Safeway have a
prepaid card option that exclude the purchase of tobacco and alcohol products. Food gift cards often
go to seniors, not just individuals who are unhoused and human services often works with code
enforcement.
Questions and discussion followed regarding establishing a human services gift account for larger
donations and providing an EIN for tax purposes, the vulnerable housed population that experiences
food insecurity, ARPA household support grants, ARPA funds secured from Snohomish County to
supplement Edmonds’ programs, and the significant number of household support grants applications
from elderly people living in the bowl.
Ms. Burley thanked the cold weather shelter at Maple Park Church which was able to house 40
people/night and was open more nights this year than last year. There is a car camp at the Edmonds
Unitarian Universalist Congregation Church for up to 10 vehicles for women and women with children
only. It is located in Esperance and she was able connect the Snohomish County outreach team with
the operators of the camp to help connect people with social services. She reported the human services
division also continues to manage five motel vouchers, but that program ends in June.
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Questions and discussion followed regarding whether the council could fund motel vouchers directly;
ways for the community to assist such as graffiti patrols, returning shopping carts, etc.; assistance the
volunteer coordinator that was requested during the budget process could have provided; inability for
existing staff to oversee volunteers; challenges associated with volunteers such as liability, biohazards,
private property, etc.; possibility of partnering with an organization to coordinate and recruit volunteers;
setting up a volunteer hotline that could be run by volunteers; the difference between a neighborhood
doing a work party versus performing tasks at the City’s request; contacting the Red Cross about
volunteers; considering a part-time volunteer coordinator in the 2024 budget, and the focus of the part-
time volunteer coordinator requested in 2023 budget on parks.
• Update on Data Analyst (Public Safety)
Councilmember Olson referred to the emailed update from Chief Bennett; the council budgeted for a
data analyst, the job description has been completed and the position has been advertised. The
rationale for the position is to gather and analyze data regarding the type of crimes,
increases/decreases, areas where crimes are occurring, etc.
Committee recommendation: Info only.
3. ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 4:52 p.m.
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SCOTT PASSEY, CITY CLERK