20190226 City CouncilEDMONDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED MINUTES
February 26, 2019
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Dave Earling, Mayor
Michael Nelson, Council President
Thomas Mesaros, Councilmember
Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Councilmember
Diane Buckshnis, Councilmember
Dave Teitzel, Councilmember
Neil Tibbott, Councilmember
ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT
Kristiana Johnson, Councilmember
1. CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE
STAFF PRESENT
Jim Lawless, Assistant Police Chief
Mike Richardson, Police Sergeant
Phil Williams, Public Works Director
Shane Hope, Development Services Director
Scott James, Finance Director
Mary Ann Hardie, HR Director
Steve Fisher, Recycling Coordinator
Jeff Taraday, City Attorney
Scott Passey, City Clerk
Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
The Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Earling in the Council
Chambers, 250 51h Avenue North, Edmonds. The meeting was opened with the flag salute.
2. ROLL CALL
City Clerk Scott Passey called the roll. All elected officials were present with the exception of
Councilmember Johnson.
9
4.
5.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
COUNCILMEMBER TEITZEL MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS, TO
APPROVE THE AGENDA IN CONTENT AND ORDER. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
COUNCIL PRESIDENT FRALEY-MONILLAS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
BUCKSHNIS, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
The agenda items approved are as follows:
1. APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 19, 2019
2. APPROVAL OF CLAIM, PAYROLL AND BENEFIT CHECKS, DIRECT DEPOSIT AND
WIRE PAYMENTS
3. WWTP PHASE 6 ENERGY CONSERVATION PROJECT -CARBON RECOVERY FULL
DESIGN
PRESENTATIONS
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 1
1. 2018 PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT
HR Director Mary Ann Hardie introduced Kathleen Kyle, Snohomish County Public Defender Association
(SCPDA). Ms. Kyle reviewed:
• Edmonds Attorneys
o Nikita Parehk and Srikanth Naidu
Photograph of SCPDA staff
o Reception
o Daily jail visits
o Create client files
o Schedule client appointments
Photographs of investigators and social workers
What is a misdemeanor?
o Subject to jail
■ Triggers right to counsel
o Simple misdemeanor
■ Maximum of 90 days jail and $1000 fine
o Gross misdemeanor
it Maximum of 364 days jail and $1000 fine
• Life of a misdemeanor case
o Jail can occur at any stage
■ Arrest
■ Bail
r Bench warrant/bail amount set
■ Sentence
■ Nonappearance with probation
• Violation of probation condition
What is the impact of jail?
o Inefficient spending: It costs taxpayer dollars to enforce, prosecute, and defend people charged
with misdemeanors.
o Increased unemployment: People we want to be employed cannot get to work and cannot
stayed employed.
o Leads to housing instability: Discrimination against people with criminal records in housing
applications.
o Does not increase safety: The consequence of jail does not distinguish between petty offenses
and serious misdemeanor offenses.
• Who do public defenders represent?
o The poor
o Homeless
o Veterans
o Mentally Ill
o Immigrants
o People of color
■ Who else works with the same group or subgroup of people?
o Churches
o Service organizations
o YWCA
o Job support, e.g. Goodwill
o Food banks
o Local medical, mental health, and chemical dependency services
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 2
o Public programs
• Goals of this presentation
o Demonstrate providing effective assistance of counsel
o Report on workload
■ Complying with WSBA Indigent Defense Standards
o Monitor caseloads
o Access to additional professional services: investigator, social worker, immigration
consultation, interpreters
o Diligence in meeting with clients in a confidential setting, reviewing discovery, researching
legal issues
o On-going continuing legal education
Total case load per year
0 2016: 904 (includes 2015 cases SCPDA inherited)
0 2017: 621
0 2018: 634
• Graph of total cases per quarter 2017-2018
• Top 6 categories of cases per quarter in 2018 — these six categories make up 7% of the cases we
handled last year
o .Theft/shoplifting
o DWLS 3rd Degree
o Misdemeanors unlisted (possession of drug paraphernalia)
o DUI and physical control
o Domestic violence
o Criminal trespass
• Bottom categories of cases per quarter for 2018 — remainder 21%
o Violation if court order
o DWLS 1St and 2nd
o Alcohol related offenses
o Simple traffic
o Assault (not domestic violence)
o Obstruct public servant
o Reckless driving
o Malicious mischief
o Harassment
o Hit and run
o Weapons related
o Disorderly conduct
• Graph of top 6 categories of cases in 2017 and 2018 by quarter
o Workload strikingly similar in 2017 and 2018
•
SCPDA Case rate per 1000 people
Population of Edmonds Year Case Rate per Year
41,260 2017 0.0658
41,820 2018 0.0651
o When adjusted for population growth, the case rate declined by 1% in 2018
Graph of distribution of charges in 2018 and 2017 with 10 or more counts
o 2017 and 2018 very similar
Serious Misdemeanor Cases 2018 by quarter 2018
Charge Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Domestic Violence 7 9 12 14
DUI and physical control 10 24 17 23
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 3
Violation of court order 18 14 13 5 71
o Variation often due to enforcement such as DUI patrols
Graph of combined distribution of charges 2017-2018
o Illustrates how serious misdemeanor charges rank compared to all other charges
Distribution of types of charges
*Reflects Snohomish County's decision to not charge under 2 grams or less of possession of a
controlled substance as a felony, so likely more possession of drug paraphernalia charged in
municipal court
Graph of distribution of charges 2018 vs 2017 in %
As the Council moves forward in making decisions about priorities, Ms. Kyle asked what information
SCPDA could provide to assist in analyzing whether the City is aligning its values with spending.
Councilmember Mesaros asked Ms. Kyle to explain the Combined Distribution of Charges graph. Ms. Kyle
explained this is a pareto chart, the line shows the percentage of cases which illustrates the vast majority of
charges are DWLS3 (Driving with License Suspended in the 3rd Degree).
Councilmember Mesaros asked how many of the defendants that SCPDA represents live in Edmonds. Ms.
Kyle said she could try to data -collect that but did not have that information immediately available.
Councilmember Mesaros said although it may not be relevant, that would be an interesting statistic. Ms.
Kyle said it would be relevant in considering who is put on probation, who are services provided to, etc.
Councilmember Mesaros commented a defendant may be having similar issues in another jurisdiction
which raises the question of coordination, etc.
Councilmember Mesaros asked if there was a pressing issue in Edmonds or outside Edmonds that "kept her
awake at night." Ms. Kyle said SCPDA is a 45 -year old non-profit organization that does some things very
well and is considering how go to the next level and how to partner with the community. When SCPDA is
appointed to an Edmonds case and the person is in jail, SCPDA receives the court calendar mid-day which
raises the issue of how much effective lawyering can be accomplished in a limited amount of time to
develop a release plan, etc. People often plead guilty to get out of jail whether they are guilty or not; court
rules in Washington have a presumption of release, yet people are detained on low level misdemeanors.
Council President Fraley-Monillas observed people who live outside the City are brought up on charges
within the City. Ms. Kyle answered Edmonds is responsible for holding court proceedings for offenses that
occur within the city limits. Snohomish County has four divisions of district court; cases are currently
divided regionally, but a defendant may appear at multiple divisions of the same court. The question is
whether that is addressing the issue holistically or just throwing good money after bad. Having access to
data regarding who is in custody and where has been a game changer.
Council President Fraley-Monillas referred to the Distribution of Types Charges and asked what charges
constituted "Others." Ms. Kyle answered these are charges that are not driving, property, drug/alcohol
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 4
2017
2018
Charges
% of Year
Total
Charges
$ of Year
Total
Driving Charges
350
43.42%
343
41.63%
Property Charges
218
27.05%
200
24.27%
Crimes Against Persons
79
9.80%
129
15.66%
Drug and/or Alcohol as an
Element of Crime*
115
14.27%
96
11.65%
Others
44
5.46%
56
6.80%
Grand Total
806
100.00%
824
100.00%
*Reflects Snohomish County's decision to not charge under 2 grams or less of possession of a
controlled substance as a felony, so likely more possession of drug paraphernalia charged in
municipal court
Graph of distribution of charges 2018 vs 2017 in %
As the Council moves forward in making decisions about priorities, Ms. Kyle asked what information
SCPDA could provide to assist in analyzing whether the City is aligning its values with spending.
Councilmember Mesaros asked Ms. Kyle to explain the Combined Distribution of Charges graph. Ms. Kyle
explained this is a pareto chart, the line shows the percentage of cases which illustrates the vast majority of
charges are DWLS3 (Driving with License Suspended in the 3rd Degree).
Councilmember Mesaros asked how many of the defendants that SCPDA represents live in Edmonds. Ms.
Kyle said she could try to data -collect that but did not have that information immediately available.
Councilmember Mesaros said although it may not be relevant, that would be an interesting statistic. Ms.
Kyle said it would be relevant in considering who is put on probation, who are services provided to, etc.
Councilmember Mesaros commented a defendant may be having similar issues in another jurisdiction
which raises the question of coordination, etc.
Councilmember Mesaros asked if there was a pressing issue in Edmonds or outside Edmonds that "kept her
awake at night." Ms. Kyle said SCPDA is a 45 -year old non-profit organization that does some things very
well and is considering how go to the next level and how to partner with the community. When SCPDA is
appointed to an Edmonds case and the person is in jail, SCPDA receives the court calendar mid-day which
raises the issue of how much effective lawyering can be accomplished in a limited amount of time to
develop a release plan, etc. People often plead guilty to get out of jail whether they are guilty or not; court
rules in Washington have a presumption of release, yet people are detained on low level misdemeanors.
Council President Fraley-Monillas observed people who live outside the City are brought up on charges
within the City. Ms. Kyle answered Edmonds is responsible for holding court proceedings for offenses that
occur within the city limits. Snohomish County has four divisions of district court; cases are currently
divided regionally, but a defendant may appear at multiple divisions of the same court. The question is
whether that is addressing the issue holistically or just throwing good money after bad. Having access to
data regarding who is in custody and where has been a game changer.
Council President Fraley-Monillas referred to the Distribution of Types Charges and asked what charges
constituted "Others." Ms. Kyle answered these are charges that are not driving, property, drug/alcohol
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 4
related, or a crime against person. For example obstructing, disorderly conduct, fairly low level offenses,
weapons related, etc., sometimes referred to as quality of life offenses. She referred to the bottom categories
for 2018 (21 %),
Councilmember Tibbott referred to the Distribution of Charges in 2018 and 2017 and asked what crimes
were "Theft 3." Ms. Kyle advised they were primarily shoplifting; theft is taking from a person.
Councilmember Tibbott asked if that included burglary, shoplifting, etc. Ms. Kyle answered burglary is
usually a felony, home invasions are residential burglaries which is its own class of felony. A burglary can
be from a fenced yard, a shed, detached garage, etc. When reviewing Theft 3s in 2017, she found 50% were
thefts from the Safeway on Hwy 99.
Councilmember Tibbott asked what progress is being made on new state laws regarding DWLS3 and what
impact that would have on the caseload. Ms. Kyle answered the House and Senate bills made it through
committee and are still alive. It would have a very large impact on their caseload as DWLS3 was 25% of
the crime in 2018. There are multiple ways to be DWLS3; the new legislation does not take it away totally,
it eliminates certain categories. When that has happened in the past, in 2013 failure to pay an infraction for
a non-moving violation such as a jaywalking ticket was decriminalized which decreased the number of
DWLS3. In 2005 there was a challenge and the state law was found unconstitutional for not providing for
due process.
Councilmember Tibbott asked if that category would be reduced by half. Ms. Kyle estimated it may even
be reduced by 75% as the new law targets decriminalizing failure to pay for a moving violation. She
anticipated the vast majority of DWLS3s are due to not paying for a moving violation versus not paying
child support or other infraction. Councilmember Tibbott asked if there was anything the Council could do
to encourage legislators to move that along. Ms. Kyle offered to provide who proposed the bills and
Councilmembers could contact them directly to explain the impact to Edmonds. Councilmember Tibbott
observed it would decrease the cost to the City and free up SCPDA's time to work on other matters.
Councilmember Tibbott observed a DUI can occur in tandem with DWLS3 and asked if that was recorded
twice on the Distribution of Charges chart. Ms. Kyle answered the DUI and DWLS3 would both be recorded
on the Distribution of Charges graph. In the graph of Top 6 Categories of Cases, only the DUI is counted;
the DWLS3s on that chart are solely DWLS3s. She clarified when she said 25% of the cases in Edmonds
are DWLS3, she meant 25% are solely DWLS3 and did not have a greater charged attached.
Councilmember Buckshnis commented on the correlation between the number of police officers and the
number of tickets issued. She asked if Ms. Kyle had information about the Edmonds Police Department in
2017 and 2018. Ms. Kyle said she did not have that readily available; sometimes when increases in quarters
occur, she will call the police department to ask about any changes in order to predict staffing needs. She
also did not know when cadets graduate out of academy, observing there was often an uptick at the
beginning of careers. Councilmember Buckshnis commented there have been a number of retirements and
new officers and some Councilmembers are interested in adding more police officers.
Councilmember Buckshnis asked whether the drug paraphernalia charge was only opioids or was it related
to any type of drug paraphernalia. Ms. Kyle said the law that defines possession of drug paraphernalia is
quite broad; it can be a baggie, a syringe, anything that supports drug use. They do not categorize the type
of drug paraphernalia, but anecdotally it is consistent with the heroin epidemic. Councilmember Buckshnis
was interested in the police force in 2017 compared to 2018 as charges are consistent between 2017 and
2018.
Councilmember Teitzel referred to the Distribution of Types of Charges 2018 compared to 2017, recalling
2018 was slightly lower. He asked if that trend was consistent with nearby cities. Ms. Kyle answered it is
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 5
consistent with the national trend; she did not have information regarding local jurisdictions. The most
recent information on national trends is 2016. Generally crime per capita has been decreasing in all
categories, violent offenses, property offenses, even drug offenses.
Councilmember Teitzel asked how the downward trend is explained. Ms. Kyle answered it is not, but it is
nothing the criminal justice system is doing.
2. COMMUNITY TRANSIT UPDATE
Development Services Director Shane Hope introduced Roland Behee, Manager of Planning, and June
DeVoll, Manager of Regional Programs and Projects, Community Transit, explaining they have
worked diligently on future planning, immediate issues related to transit service in the region as well as
working with the community and City staff.
Mr. Behee explained as Community Transit was looking out 6 years, 2024 is a significant year for
Snohomish County and the region, driven somewhat by Sound Transit's buildout of their system as well as
tremendous development in the community and the buildout of major transportation projects. The
presentation was initially an internal attempt to help Community Transit understand the scope of issues.
The presentation has been so impactful that it is being shared thought the region. The presentation includes
information from Community Transit as well as Sound Transit and the scope of changes over the next few
years and what is driving planning at Community Transit for future transit. He reviewed:
Our history is not our future
o Things will be much different in the coming years as the transportation system is built out
o Map of Integrated future Network 2024 — Southwest Snohomish County
• Swift Blue Line
• Swift Green Line
■ Swift Orange Line
• Transit emphasis corridors
■ ST2 Link Light Rail
■ ST3 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
• First mile/last mile opportunities
Sound Transit System Plan
o Map of proposed ST3 projects
• Link Light Rail
■ BRT
• Sounder Rail
• Proposed shoulder -running buses/speed and reliability improvements
Environmental study
• Future investment study
o Current and planned service
• Link Light Rail
• Sounder Rail
■ Sound Transit Express Bus
o Stations
• New Station
• New station/added parking
• Improved station
■ Major rail transfer
Lynnwood Link
o Alignment map from Northgate to Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood
o Anticipated daily ridership
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 6
Station
Daily Ridership
Lynnwood
17,900
Mountlake Terrace
5,100
Shoreline 185th
6,600
Shoreline 145th
6,000
North ate
13,300
o Daily boardings by station
• Today: Lynnwood Transit Center + Mountlake Terrace = 6,200/day
■ 2024-2035: Lynnwood Transit Center + Mountlake Terrace = 23,000/day
o How long with my trip from Lynnwood take?
■ One train every 4 minutes during peak weekday commutes
• 20 minutes Lynnwood to UW
• 28 minutes to downtown Seattle
• 33 minutes to stadiums
r 60 minutes to SeaTac Airport
■ 50 minutes to downtown Bellevue
■ 60 minutes to Overlake Transit Center
o Project milestones
■ 2010-2012 Alternatives Analysis and Scoping
■ 2013-2015 Environmental Review
• 2016-2018 Final Design and Permitting
• 2018-2023 Construction
• 2024 Open for Service
■ Transit Experience on I-5 today
o Lynnwood to Downtown Seattle
• Scheduled at 29 min to 52 min, depending on time of day
• Actual travel time is 24 min to 73 min
o Downtown Seattle to Lynnwood
■ Scheduled at 30 min to 45 min, depending on time of day
• Actual travel time is 22 min to 86 min
o Link will be 28 min, every day, every time
• Lynnwood Transit Center
o Aerial view of current configuration
• 1,400 parking spaces
• Transit loop with 18 bays
it Direct access ramp connecting to I-5
o Overhead view of Sound Transit's plan
• Same transit loop
• Direct access ramp to 1-5
■ Parking structure with 1,500 spaces
■ Some surface parking retained on west side of site
■ Bus layover/staging space
■ Anticipates bus arrival/departure every 35 second (3x current service)
o Renderings of Lynnwood Transit Center
• Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
o Aerial view of existing configuration
■ Freeway station in center of I-5
• 600+ parking structure and surface parking
o Overhead view of plans
■ Elevated rail alignment on east side of I-5 that straddles 236th Street between the surface
parking lot and garage
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February 26, 2019
Page 7
■ North of garage, tracks travels west across I-5 with a pillar in the center of I-5
in Very frequent bus service out of Edmonds to connect with light rail
o Rendering of Mountlake Terrace facility
• Shoreline North 185Th Station
o Aerial view of existing
■ Overpass
■ No interchange or connection with I-5
o Overhead view of plans
■ 500 space parking garage on east side of I-5
■ Train travel on east below grade
■ Transit center for Metro and Community Transit on surface of garage including a pair of
Swift stations immediately adjacent to rail
■ Of the 6,600 anticipated boardings, 4,600 are forecast to come from Swift Blue Line (from
Edmonds, Shoreline and to this station)
o Rendering of station
■ I-405 BRT
o Process
■ Planning 2018-2020
■ Design 2020-2022
■ Construction 2022-24
■ Start of Service 2024
o Map of 1-405 BRT (Burien to Tukwila, Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland, UW Bothell/Cascadia,
Canyon Park, and Lynnwood Transit Center)
o Rendering of infrastructure on I-405
o WSDOT project at Canyon Park — new center direct access ramp to I-405 express toll lanes
• SR 522 BRT
o Map: Begins west of I-5 at 145" Link station SR522 Kenmore Bothell UW/Cascadia and
Woodinville and connecting to Community Transit in Bothell
• Community Transit bus service levels
o Graph of growth in annual bus service hours 2018 (400,000), 2019 (440,000), 2024 (550,000)
o Reinvestment of inter-county/I-5 (80,000-90,000 annual hours of service)
• Map of redesigned commuter network
o Proposed areas with one seat to Link — weekday peak
• Service Concepts
o Access to Link
o Connect activity centers
o North -south
o More frequent
o More span
o New routes
■ Map illustrating Transit Today versus Transit 2024
o 10-15 min, 30 min, commuter
• Alternative services (first mile/last mile connections)
o Ridesharing Services
o Uber
o Lyft
o Carshare and bikeshare
o Van programs and on demand connections
o Microtransit, business/community shuttles
o Transit facility parking management
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 8
Ms. DeVoll explained light rail reaching Snohomish County is a game changer and many jurisdictions have
major plans revolving around Link light rail. Anywhere there is a major activity center or resident, there is
more market for transit service. She reviewed:
• Major Developments/projects
o Lynnwood City Center development already under construction
o Alderwood Mixed use Building
■ On former Toys R Us site across from Alderwood Mall
■ Proposed 18 -story mixed use development with 346 residential units and 3,400 square feet
of commercial retail space
o Mall project on former Sears site
• Two 6 -story multi -family apartment buildings
■ 328 residential units
■ Ground floor retail
o Build out of Lynnwood Place (next to Costco)
■ New Home Depot
— 108,000 square feet of retail
— 28,00 square feet garden center
■ 500 unit apartment complex
— 5 story with underground parking
— 10,000 square feet office space
— 12,000 square feet of retail
o Former Edmonds School District bus property (south side of Alderwood Mall)
■ 9.7 acres
■ 240 new apartment units
o Mountlake Terrace
■ Mixed use apartment/retail/commercial in proximity to rail station
o Paine Field opening to commercial aviation in March 2019
o Mukilteo Multimodal terminal 2020
o Metro Everett Plan
■ High rise residential with mixed commercial and office space
■ Concept drawing of transit oriented development around Everett station
o Snohomish County Comprehensive Plan
■ Includes transit emphasis corridors
o US 2 Westbound Trestle Replacement
o Arlington/Marysville Manufacturing & Industrial Center (MIC) designation with 25,000 jobs
Ms. DeVoll commented the above creates major demands for transportation along the light rail alignment
and throughout the county to feed the rail alignment. She reviewed:
• Cities whose plans call for Swift BRT
o Bothell
o Edmonds
o
Everett
o
Lynnwood
o
Marysville
o
Mill Creek
o
Mountlake Terrace
o
Snohomish County
• Swift Network and future plans
o
Swift design principles
■ Ten second dwell time
■ Off -board fare collection
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February 26, 2019
Page 9
■ Raised platforms
■ Transit signal priority
■ Farside stops
■ Signalized crosswalks
• In -lane stops
■ Close to existing transit
■ Three or more lanes
o Swift Blue Line
SR 99 - Everett Station to Aurora Village Transit Center
- Opened November 2009
- "overlay" BRT
- 16.7 miles
- 15 station pairs
o System ridership
■ Swift ridership is more than triple the next closest route
• 1 in 6 Community Transit boardings are on Swift
o Swift Green Line
■ 12. 5 miles
• Boeing/Paine Field (Seaway Transit Center) to Airport Road, 128'h, SR 527 to Canyon
Park Pak and Ride
15 station pairs
• Rendering of Seaway Transit Center opening on March 24th
- Utilized by King County Metro, Community Transit, Sound Transit and Everett Transit
and Boeing shuttle
• Future of Swift
o Swift Orange line
■ 10.5 miles
* Focus is to deliver to riders to Link light rail at the Lynnwood transit center
* Sound Transit expects about 18,000 riders/day at Lynnwood Transit Center; parking garage
has 1,900 spaces; 80% of riders will need to access Link light rail by transit, walking,
bicycle, car share, or drop off.
o Extend Swift Blue Line to 185" Street station in Shoreline to support Link Light Rail
■ Feasibility study to begin fall 2018
M Opening in 2024
Councilmember Mesaros referred to the Integrated Future Network 2024 map, commenting it did not
include Sounder which is part of the integrated network and is key to Edmonds residents although parking
is an issue. Mr. Behee agreed it could be added, noting there are Sounder connections in Everett, Mukilteo
and Edmonds. On one of the early deliverables with ST3 is parking expansion related to Sounder including
in Edmonds. Part of the planning for September services changes is enhanced connections to Sounder.
Councilmember Tibbott referred to the Integrated Future Network 2024 map and asked about the Edmonds
Community College (EdCC) transit station which appears to be the furthest west access for an Edmonds
resident. Mr. Behee said that station is in the early design stages; the vision is 196'" Street on the north end
of the campus. The EdCC transit station will remain. Councilmember Tibbott asked if it would allow for
drop-off. Mr. Behee answered yes. The most effective way to provide connections between Edmonds and
light rail service is robust east -west connections coming from Edmonds. Councilmember Tibbott said he
would be encouraged if he saw more east -west connections on the map. Mr. Behee referred to the Service
Concepts Map, and identified service from Edmonds including express -type service from the
waterfront/downtown Edmonds to Mountlake Terrace Transit Center as well as east -west connections from
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 10
Five Corners to EdCC. Councilmember Tibbott asked how frequent that was envisioned to be. Mr. Behee
answered 10-15 minute frequency.
Councilmember Tibbott asked about planning for bike lanes and alternate transportation to reach transit
connections. Ms. Hope explained the City has been working on bike lanes and coordinating with
Community Transit.
Councilmember Tibbott asked about electric Community Transit vehicles. Mr. Behee said Community
Transit is monitoring development of electric vehicle technology. They have had early experience with
hybrid electric and believe the future is full electric as their experience with hybrid has not penciled out in
terms of cost-effectiveness. Community Transit is studying the issue and learning what it means with regard
to planning and levels of service given the constraints of current technology.
Councilmember Mesaros asked about the growth in ridership over the last 10 years for Community Transit.
Mr. Behee explained there have been ups and downs driven by economic cycles and service levels.
Community Transit has seen increases in ridership recent years. For example, last year was slightly below
4% year -over -year increase; the national trend is a reduction in bus ridership. Community Transit is also
substantially expanding services levels.
Councilmember Mesaros said he represents the City on the Seashore Transportation Forum; during a
presentation by Metro, they announced they are the fastest growing transportation service in the country
and acknowledged Community Transit and Pierce Transit are also growing and that the region is developing
into one of the fastest growing transportation systems both in service and ridership. He relayed one of the
problems he hears is it is difficult to get on a bus sometimes in downtown Seattle which keeps people from
riding the bus. Mr. Behee said that is part of why they are focused on 2024 and the magnitude of the
transportation problem they can solve; knowing they will be delivering 18,000 riders per day to the
Lynnwood Transit Center, capacity is an issue. Councilmember Mesaros commented that was 18,000 fewer
people driving south on I-5.
Councilmember Teitzel relayed the Council recently had a presentation regarding 5G wirelines that will
support massive amounts of bandwidth. One of the reported benefits of that technology is autonomous
vehicles. He asked to what extent that technology may help congestion and whether that factors into
Community Transit's planning. Mr. Behee said they are asked that question a lot. From the perspective of
a transit agency, they have begun to participate int that incrementally with regard to tools inside the cab
with the driver that provide a higher level of safety and awareness. For example, they have tested systems
that provide visual and audio alerts to help with collision avoidance. Community Transit has heard
speculation that full autonomous technology will allow more vehicles in a smaller space on the same roads.
They are paying close attention to that technology but are uncertain about the timeframe that might
materialize.
Councilmember Nelson commented it was helpful to know what was happening in the region and
significant growth occurring in Lynnwood and projections that 18,000 people will use the Lynnwood Link.
However, his question was Edmonds specific such as the projected increase in Edmonds ridership. Mr.
Behee answered they do not have those projections. He can provide current daily ridership in Edmonds.
Councilmember Nelson anticipated Edmonds residents would access light rail at Mountlake Terrace,
Lynnwood and Shoreline and was interested the percentage of the riders expected to come from Edmonds.
Mr. Behee said there is not good modeling with regard specifically to Edmonds. It is reasonable to assume
a significant share of the riders at the Lynnwood station will come from Edmonds. Councilmember Nelson
asked if there would be data in future regarding city -specific growth. Mr. Behee said that would be difficult
to forecast with any level of accuracy.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 11
Councilmember Nelson asked if Orca cards providing that data. Mr. Behee said information regarding
current boardings is available based on Orca card use, primarily boarding activity at Edmonds stops. They
could also make projections based on increases in service levels. Ms. Hope anticipated ridership will
increase based on changes on Hwy 99 as a result of recent planning.
Councilmember Mesaros said one of the advantages in Edmonds is the convenience of Sounder. Reaching
downtown via Link light rail would involve 7-8 stops versus Sounder whose first stop after leaving
Edmonds is downtown Seattle.
Mayor Earling suggested when making presentations in south Snohomish County to emphasize the
frequency of Swift service to light rail stations.
3. EDMONDS HOMELESSNESS ASSESSMENT
Council President Fraley-Monillas explained tonight is the report from Kon6 Consulting and an opportunity
for Council to ask questions; next week's agenda will include discussion regarding policy and how to move
forward as a Council. She explained in December 2017 the City Council allocated $250k,000 in the City's
2018 budget for a Homelessness Response Project. After reviewing requests for proposals under $25,000
in the spring of 2018, the Edmonds City Council Homelessness Response Steering Committee chose an
Edmonds business, Kone Consulting. The committee asked Kon6 Consulting to conduct a rapid assessment
of homelessness in Edmonds in order to make informed decisions on how to invest Homelessness Response
funds based on the identified community needs. She introduced Alicia Kone, President, Karin Ellis, and
Erika Larimer, Kone Consulting.
Ms. Kone described her background working in the human services field for 25 years. She described the
values that guide Kone Consulting's work, 1) strive to be thorough and unbiased in their research so that
their work enriches the conversations about the issue they are studying not shut it down, 2) government and
nonprofit organizations play an important role in creating thriving and compassionate communities and it
gives them joy to work primarily with government clients on health and human service issues, and 3) they
value and respect people including the dozens of people they interviewed for this assessment. She reviewed:
• Introduction and background
o After being selected by Edmonds City Council Homelessness Assessment Steering Committee
in spring of 2018, Kon6 Consulting began their interviews in early summer 2018.
o This presentation and the report made public today are their final work products.
• Major Tasks
o Identify the Type and Extent of the Homelessness in Edmonds
o Inventory Current Homeless Services in Edmonds and Seven Surrounding Cities
o Identify Actual Funding Sources for Current Homeless Services and Potential Funding Sources
to Address Edmonds -Area Homelessness
o Best Practices Research
Ms. Ellis described her education and 15 years' experience serving homeless individuals. She and Ms. Kond
reviewed:
Methodology for the Assessment — Qualitative
o A broad range of perspectives.
o Kone Consulting interviewed 63 people in 47 interviews:
■ Neighboring municipalities
■ Faith -based service organizations
■ Human services agencies and providers
* Healthcare providers
■ Emergency responders
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 12
■ Public/private partnerships
■ Schools
■ The Edmonds library
■ Motel and grocery store managers
• Methodology for the Assessment — Quanitative
o Kon6 Consulting chose data from the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
because it is the most reliable and representative of the population
o Quantitative Data was compiled from the following sources:
■ American Community Survey Census data
■ Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
■ Edmonds School District - McKinney Vento
■ Snohomish County Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
■ Snohomish County Point -in -Time report
■ 2-1-1 data and reports
■ Department of Social & Health Services Data
o DSHS applications for assistance include a question about homeless status, so Kon6 Consulting
was able to get data on individuals who reported being homeless who received cash or food
benefits in zip codes 98020 and 98026, excluding the city of Woodway, over the past 10 years.
o Graph of Homeless Trends in Edmonds over time (July 2007 -January 2018)
• Edmonds Residents Experiencing Homelessness
o Based on DSHS data on individuals receiving benefits, there are currently approximately 230
Edmonds residents experiencing homelessness, meaning they are without housing (ex.
unsheltered or car camping), homeless with housing (ex. short-term hotels or couch surfing) or
in an emergency shelter or domestic violence shelter or otherwise living somewhere not
typically sleeping quarters for humans (DSHS's definition in WAC).
• Reasons for Homelessness
o When homeless people in Snohomish County were asked why they were homeless in a 2018
survey, family crisis was the most frequent reason cited.*
o The environmental factors currently impacting homelessness in Edmonds include rising
housing costs, stagnant wages, and cost -burdened households.
*Snohomish County 2018 Point -in -Time (PIT) survey
• Housing Unit Types in Edmonds
• 1 unit, detached 11,528
• 1 unit, attached 613
o 2 units
372
o 3 or 4 units
849
0 5 to 9 units
1,466
0 10 to 19 units
1,387
0 20 or more units
2,389
o Mobile homes
64
o Boat, RV, van, etc.
15
o Two-thirds of Edmonds
residents are homeowners
o One third are renters
Cost -burdened households
o Over 30% of Edmonds households are cost- or severely cost -burdened (spend 30%-50% of
income on housing.
o According to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (CHAS) there were 3,420 (19.4%) cost burdened households and 2,195
(12.5%) severely cost burdened households in Edmonds between 2011-2015.*
o In Edmonds homeowners are more cost burdened than renters
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 13
o National research indicates cities where many people are cost burdened are more likely to
experience a homelessness crisis
o Since median home prices have increased since this data was compiled and wages have
remained stagnant, cost burdened households have likely increased.
Food Insecurity & Homelessness
o It is likely that some of the 229 homeless individuals receiving Basic Food in Edmonds are
working and still cannot afford housing.
■ For example a three period household, income less than $3,300/month to qualify for food
benefits
o There is a strong connection between food insecurity, hunger and homelessness.
o Food and housing are two basic needs that must be met daily.
Homeless People and Behavior Health
o Mental health and substance use, jointly referred to as behavioral health, has a complicated,
two-way relationship with homelessness.
■ Mental illness and substance use can strain relationships, disrupt capabilities of self-care,
and interrupt the routine of employment, which are all factors that can lead to
homelessness.
■ Homelessness can exacerbate mental health, substance use and chronic medical conditions.
• Nationwide 20% of homeless people report having a serious mental illness and 16%
reported having a substance abuse disorder.
• About 20% of the homeless population in Edmonds are elderly, blind or disabled
— For example, they spoke with middle age white man who grew up in Edmonds and
became homeless after parents killed in a car accident and funeral costs wiped out his
savings. He struggled with grief and depression and began drinking heavily and
became homeless and has been homeless and living in Edmonds parks for eight years.
Homelessness in Edmonds
o A common misperception of people experiencing visible homelessness in Edmonds is that they
immigrate here from outside the region. The data shows the majority of people who are
homeless in Snohomish County are from here originally.
Types of Homelessness
o Visible
R Visible unsheltered homelessness is homelessness that you see in public areas, such as tent
encampments, or where people are sleeping in doorways, parks, greenbelt areas or along
the waterfront.
■ One type of homelessness that is more visible in Edmonds is the practice of car camping,
a common step down for someone with a vehicle when they first lose their housing.
■ Visible homelessness is less common than hidden homelessness in Edmonds so it's less
obvious to the community that there are homeless people here.
o Hidden
Hidden homelessness in Edmonds is less visible when individuals have support from
friends or family, or still have some resources, like an automobile or RV, or enough funds
to stay in a motel for part of the month.
Homeless in Edmonds by Age and Race
o By Age
a Under 18
16%
a 18-24
10%
■ 25-34
25%
■ 35-44
20%
0 45-54
16%
■ 55-64
11%
■ 65 or older
2%
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 14
o By Race
■ White 66%
■ Hispanic 8%
■ Asian/Pacific Islander 5%
• Black/African American 11%
■ Native American 3%
■ Two or more races 2%
■ Race not reported 5%
• Burden for Seniors
o Many of those interviewed believe that Edmonds seniors are the most at risk of becoming
homeless.
o Fixed incomes and the rising cost of medications force difficult choices for seniors.
o Senior housing options are very limited and one waitlist for senior housing is said to be two
years long.
• Student Homelessness "You can't learn if you're cold, wet and wondering where your next meal
is coming from."
o College Students
w The Everett Herald reported that 18 Edmonds Community College students had lived in
Shepherd's Village, a sanctioned tent encampment hosted by the Good Shepherd Baptist
Church in Lynnwood over an 18 -month period.
o Edmonds School District Students
■ We estimate there are 120 McKinney-Vento students who likely reside in the city of
Edmonds and lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
• Outreach efforts
o Talked with over a dozen people in Edmonds experiencing homelessness
o Focused on people living in Edmonds
o Approached people in public who appeared to be homeless
o Visited service provider sites to talk with people receiving services
o Outreach with police imbedded social worker
o Ridealongs with Edmonds Police Department and South Snohomish County Fire
o Compensated them for their time with gift card for a grocery store
■ Edmonds Homeless in Their Own Words:
- Tom and Sarah, mid -twenties who live in a van: became homeless because their
landlord would not make necessary to their apartment and it became unsafe from them
to live there. They did not have enough savings to pay a deposit and first and last
month's rent. "Being homeless is not a choice for us. We'd like to be given a chance
because not all homeless are bad people. We're not drug or alcohol abusers." - Tom
- Chronic health issues plague Andy, 58; his partner Maria, 49 explains: "I refuse to lie
(about having an RV) in order to get services, we are not considered homeless because
we have an RV. We need more support for homeless with disabilities, like a homeless
wellness center."
• Resources available
o Faith -based organizations provide almost all of the supportive services for homeless Edmonds
residents
o Annie's Community Kitchen cooks 200 meals per week and periodically has a mobile health
outreach van
o Edmonds Senior Center and homage Senior Services include warm meals, food and hygiene
services
o The Edmonds Food Bank at the Edmonds Methodist Church provides food to approximately
1,400 households a year and distributes 60 food bags to Trinity Lutheran every week
o There is no shelter in Edmonds
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 15
• Identified Needs
Population
o Services needed to address homelessness in Edmonds
Median Rent
• Affordable housing and low income housing
61
■ Community engagement
19
■ Behavioral health services
18
• Emergency shelter
17
■ Homelessness prevention services
12
++ Day centers
7
■ Housing access support/services
7
■ Inpatient treatment
7
■ City role in coordinating social services
6
■ Reducing barriers to services
6
■ Transportation
6
■ Wrap around services
5
• Promising Practices from Other Cities
41,309
o Kone Consulting interviewed managers from other cities
about best practices in addressing
homelessness. The themes from interviews included the
importance of:
■ A regional collaborative response
Issaquah, WA
■ Housing preservation and homelessness prevention
$100,844
■ Ongoing data collection, monitoring and improvement
1.8(6)
■ Seeking new funding sources
Yes
■ Human Services Funding Across Municipalities
35,836
o Edmonds is the only city profiled that does not fund human services directly
City
Population
Median
Household
Income
Median Rent
Vacancy
Rate;
Homeowner
Rental
Dedicated
Human
Services
Funds
City Staff solely
dedicated to
human services
Beaverton, OR
89,803
$64,619
$1,172
1.4(1.7)
$300,000
Yes
Bothell, WA
44,082
$89,477
$1,565
1 3.5
$350,000
No
Burien, WA
50,729
$60,732
$1,109
1.5(3)
$370,000
Yes
Edmonds, WA
41,309
$82,697
$1,275
0.5(6.3)
None
No
Issaquah, WA
35,629
$100,844
$1,756
1.8(6)
$371,500
Yes
Lynnwood WA
35,836
$58,852
$1,114
1.4(3.3)
$100,000
No
Minneapolis, MN
382,578
$55,720
$941
1.8(3.1)
$6 million
Yes
Salt Lake City, UT
194,188
$54,009
$881
2.2(3.8)
$13 million
Yes
Shoreline, WA
53,007
$76,271
$1,287
0.6(1.4)
$500,000
Yes
Spokane, WA
212,982
$44,768
$805
2.4(4.7)
$5 million
Yes
*Comparator cities in italics
City Data, 2013-2017. American Community Survey 5- Year Estimates. Funds and staffing confirmed via
city website or key informant interview
• Funding Resources
o Washington State's homeless housing systems are funded by an estimated $196 million
annually in private, federal, state, and local government funding.
o The City of Edmonds has an opportunity to attract funding to prevent and address
homelessness.
• Recommendations
o Areas of Opportunity for Edmonds
■ Community Education and Outreach.
■ Increase collaborative efforts with providers, neighboring cities and Snohomish County.
■ Preserve already existing affordable housing and prevent displacement of Edmonds
residents and increased homelessness.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 16
■ Increase quality of data reporting to monitor the community needs and measure outcomes
of services.
+� Pursue additional funding streams through grant opportunities and philanthropic giving.
Ensure the City has enough community services staff or consultant resources to carry out
the other recommendations.
• Getting Ahead of a Growing Issue
o The City of Edmonds is in a unique position to develop a proactive approach to address
homelessness early enough to prevent what has become an overwhelmingly tragic and visible
challenge in other cities nearby.
Council President Fraley-Monillas referred to the list of available resources that includes faith based
organizations, recalling the Homelessness Response Steering Committee (Councilmembers Nelson and
Teitzel and herself) learned a number of churches are doing things and possibly duplicating efforts because
there is no coordination of services. Ms. Ellis answered they are focusing on meeting the needs and do not
necessarily have the capacity to coordinate efforts.
Councilmember Mesaros commended the comprehensive report, viewing it as a starting point. He referred
to the table regarding housing unit types in Edmonds, recalling the City has been discussing a housing
strategy to meet the needs of all residents. Although this assessment focuses on one group, it is an indication
there needs to be a strategy to look at all the needs including the homeless. With regard to opportunities, he
said Lynnwood is considering the purchase of the Rodeo Inn on Hwy 99 and asked if there was any further
information available. Ms. Kon6 advised they interviewed the manager of the Rodeo Inn for the assessment
but Lynnwood's plans were not part of the conversation at that time.
Councilmember Mesaros referred to cost burdened households and asked the average of cost -burdened
homeowners versus renters in Edmonds. Ms. Ellis referred to a comparison of cost burdened households
(in Kone Consulting's report) that illustrates 11.4% of homeowners in Edmonds and 8% of renters in
Edmonds are cost burdened and 7.6% of homeowners and 4.9 % of renters are severely cost burdened.
Councilmember Mesaros referred to the comparison of cities and suggested coordinating with Lynnwood,
Mountlake Terrace, Brier, Mukilteo and unincorporated Snohomish County and whether it would be
Snohomish County responsibility to coordinate cities' efforts. He recognized the faith based organizations
are doing their best efforts, but no one is coordinating their efforts. He feared individual cities could do
their best effort without any coordination to maximize their efforts. He anticipated educating people about
the issue via this presentation will be the start of a conversation.
Councilmember Buckshnis referred to the comparison between cities, pointing out Salt Lake City has
dedicated $13M and Spokane has dedicated $5M. She asked what a human services manager does. Ms.
Kone said in other cities with a dedicated human services position, their efforts vary depending on whether
it is a coordinator or manager. Managers do not provide direct services, they oversee grants to the
community, gather data to track progress, etc. Coordinators respond to calls from the community and
coordinate efforts. Councilmember Buckshnis concluded it was different than what the Police Department's
social worker does, dealing directly with homeless individuals. She asked about the former Wight's Nursery
on 196"'. Ms. Kone said that the agency at that site provides senior services.
Councilmember Buckshnis inquired about McKinney-Vento services for students. Ms. Kon6 answered the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act provides funding to school districts to serve homeless students
and requires them to gather data. They utilized the McKinney-Vento data from the Edmonds School District
but it is difficult to decipher students living in Edmonds because the district serves several cities.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 17
Councilmember Teitzel liked the recommendation about collaborating with neighboring cities because he
agreed Edmonds could not solve it in a silo. He envisioned potentially sharing personnel and finances to
address the issue. He referred to a statement in the presentation that a majority of people who are homeless
in Snohomish County are from here originally. He agreed there was a common misperception that people
experiencing homelessness in Edmonds are from other areas. In fact they are our friends, neighbors, and
family members. He referred to another statement, many of those interviewed believe that Edmonds seniors
are the most at risk of becoming homeless. He agreed with that statement, noting cost of living increasing
at a higher rate than income puts pressure on people remaining in their homes. Consideration needs to be
given to helping seniors age in place or provide housing opportunities for them to remain in Edmonds.
Councilmember Teitzel referred to the statement by one of the couples interviewed that they refused to lie
about having an RV in order to get services and we are not considered homeless because we have an RV.
He said that was contrary to what was stated in the report that people living in RVs are considered homeless.
He asked who considered them homeless. Ms. Ellis said one of the challenges in gathering good data on
homelessness is agencies and services providers have different definitions. For example, she would consider
couch surfing as being homeless, but some providers, due to their funding sources, are not able to serve
those people as they are not included in the definition of homeless. Councilmember Teitzel commented the
report includes great data that will help the City act on the issue.
For Council President Fraley-Monillas, Mayor Earling said the City's budget included $250,000 toward the
purchase of the Rodeo Inn. Council President Fraley-Monillas said the Rodeo Inn is not intended to serve
the general homeless but McKinney-Vento families in the Edmonds School District. She noted the homeless
and those at risk of becoming homeless are not just seniors, but also the disabled and veterans.
Councilmember Nelson thanked Kon6 Consulting for their in-depth report. When the report was
commissioned, he was uncertain what the numbers would show. He was surprised by the breadth and depth
of those who do not have a permanent roof over their head as well as the length of time they have been
without a permanent roof over their head. For almost a decade, several hundred in the City have been
without permanent housing. This is a problem that has been going on for some time and people need to be
aware of that. He had the pleasure today of talking with an Air Force veteran at Verdant who works with
homeless veterans who "people don't see they have a face." Councilmember Nelson hoped to begin the
conversation by putting face on the homeless who are veterans, children, mothers, fathers, sons, and
daughters. He summarized this is clearly something that needs to be addressed in Edmonds.
Mayor Earling said a number of south Snohomish County cities and entities have been actively involved in
the purchase of the Rodeo Inn including Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Verdant, Premera Blue
Cross, Edmonds School District, Edmonds Community College, Hazel Miller Foundation, Swedish -
Edmonds.
Council President Fraley-Monillas congratulated Lynnwood for moving forward with the purchase of the
Rodeo Inn that has 40-70 rooms. Although that will help, it will not have a huge impact. She expressed her
heartfelt thanks to Kon6 Consulting for meeting with the committee and completing the assessment. She
encouraged Councilmembers to think about the information over the next week; 60 minutes is scheduled
on the next agenda to discuss ideas, ways to move forward in a manner that helps the homeless who live in
Edmonds. She thanked Councilmembers Teitzel and Nelson for participating on the committee.
Mayor Earling declared a brief recess.
6. AUDIENCE COMMENTS
Mayor Earling advised the three minute limit will be enforced.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 18
Marisa Connell, Edmonds, expressed support for Edmonds doing its part to combat the regional crisis of
homelessness. People become homeless for many complex reasons, but one universal aspect is that once
homeless, it is extremely difficult to claw one's way back. Living in unsafe or unstable housing or without
shelter perpetuates and exacerbates any challenges that contributed to a person becoming homeless.
Alicia Crank, Edmonds, said she work for YWCA which covers King and Snohomish County and has a
slightly different perspective than her colleagues because she works on the fundraising side rather than the
provider side. This report was great for her and others who do fundraising to ensure those experiencing
homelessness can obtain services for free. She urged the City to focus on, 1) the data which is so important
and varies by agency, and 2) the philanthropic piece — there are businesses and organizations interested
assisting people experiencing homelessness or to prevent them from becoming homeless. Another issue is
housing affordability; homelessness is not just about mental illness or drug and alcohol abuse, many are
priced out of their communities. She emphasized the City's housing stock needs some diversity to fill in
the missing middle. As the Council revisits the housing strategy, she recommended it address the missing
middle in development opportunities.
Mindy Woods, Edmonds, thanked Kone Consulting for their report. As one of the numbers in the report,
she hoped the report opened the eyes of those who did not think there was a housing crisis or a homeless
population in Edmonds. She sees people living in their cars, getting their kids read for school in bathrooms;
she was one of those with her child when they were homeless in Edmonds. Participating in the Point in
Time Count last month, she counted 12 people in Edmonds between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Dawn Murphy, Edmonds, thanked Kone Consulting for a well-rounded presentation, commenting she
learned a lot. With regard to the 230 people who are not housed or living in their cars, she sees them when
running in the City. She encounters people just trying to stay warm and helped someone find housing
through Verdant. Not having a cold weather shelter in downtown Edmonds has been problematic so
coordination of services is a wonderful idea as well as possibly increasing the social worker's hours and
having outreach workers. Churches, who are already strapped, are being asked to do a lot; it may be time
to ask residents to give back to the community to assist those who are not housed. She summarized when
you are warm on a cold day, the homeless are not.
7. PUBLIC HEARING
1. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BAN OF SINGLE -USE PLASTIC UTENSILS IN 2020
WITHIN EDMONDS CITY LIMITS
Recycling Coordinator Steve Fisher explained last May, a resolution introduced by Councilmember Teitzel
that called for a ban on single use plastic straws, utensils and stir sticks was passed by the City Council.
Tonight is a public hearing on the draft ordinance that bans single use plastic utensils offered by food service
businesses in Edmonds. Utensils is further defined in the ordinance to include plastic straws as well as other
standard utensils. The ordinance also addresses the need to continue the provision of single plastic use
straws only for medical and physical conditions. In January, the Council unanimously passed a companion
ordinance banning all single use plastic food service containers. That ordinance and the ordinance banning
single use plastic utensils are both effective January 1, 2020. Businesses are highly encouraged to provide
straws only on demand and to consider using or continuing to use durable utensils to reduce waste.
Councilmember Teitzel thanked Mr. Fisher for his assistance and City Attorney Jeff Taraday for drafting
the ordinance. This ordinance codifies Resolution 1412 that was passed last year. Synchronization of these
companion ordinances will enable City staff to initiate stakeholder communication. Some stakeholder
communication has occurred; he and Mr. Fisher met with Swedish Edmonds and the Edmonds School
District superintendent to discuss impacts on their organizations. Stakeholder communication will
accelerate once this ordinance is passed.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 19
Councilmember Nelson recalled in the ordinance passed in January 2019, there was a provision whereby
the Mayor may authorize or designate a one-year renewable waiver for certain food containers when there
is not a suitable alternative. This ordinance banning single use utensils does not include that provision. Mr.
Fisher said there are alternatives for all types of utensils. Councilmember Nelson asked if the timeline was
sufficient for businesses to obtain those alternatives. Mr. Fisher answered yes.
Mayor Earling opened the public participation portion of the public hearing.
Annie Crawley, Edmonds, a small business owner that work with kids, teens, youth, schools and scuba
drivers, applauded the Council for adopting this ordinance. It was her understanding there would be a lot
of education of businesses and she encouraged the City to also educate citizens. The European Union and
other countries are banning single use plastic completely by 202 1. She volunteered to help with messaging
that could be distributed to businesses and citizens, noting citizens may choose to visit restaurants that are
going environmental instead of visiting restaurants in neighboring cities that are not.
Kalil Alobaidi, Edmonds, expressed his gratitude and support for the work done on the ordinances,
recalling he spoke to the Council last May regarding plastic straws. He wanted to show his support as a
scuba diver and an environmental advocate as well as a person who wants the opportunity to raise kids and
grandchildren in a world where people still appreciate nature and the ocean. He urged the Council to take
steps in the future to further ban single use plastic and to support environmental advocacy. Edmonds has
an opportunity to be a leader in the state and the country and to work together on environmental advocacy.
Robert Stivers, Edmonds, sensed a loss of freedom with this change regarding what people would be able
to take out of restaurants. For example, today he got takeout from Spud and ate it north of the ferry landing.
It was nice to have utensils to eat with and to be able to dispose of them easily. An alternative would have
required he return the utensils to the restaurant or find a composting bin. The proposed ordinance imposes
on people's enjoyment of Edmonds. He said there are costs involved with the ordinance which should be
compared to the benefits. In his opinion, straws, plastic utensils and plastic containers were a minor part of
the problem. For example, a water bottle packed with Amazon groceries was equivalent to the weight of
four plastic spoons. He concluded there were a lot of disposables sold in grocery stores and he asked how
the ordinance would affect those.
Heather Trim, Executive Director, Zero Waste Washington, referred to a piece on KOMO regarding the
difficulty composting facilities have with plastics especially utensils and how important compostable
products are. She referred to bills in progress in the legislature related to this ordinance; SB 5077 would
require straws only be offered on demand, an overlay on local ordinance related to the material straws are
made of A House bill would require utensils, straws and condiment packs only be offered on demand.
These are based on a Portland ordinance passed last year. The bills would result in great waste reduction
and a cost savings. HB 1205 and SB 5323 related to plastic bags both passed out of financial committees
and are poised to go to the floor in the next few weeks; those bills include a $0.10/bag charge.
Vivian Olson supported a ban on single use plastic overall, but said there is a segment of the business
community, bubble teas, that might be put out of business by the ordinance. She urged the City to discuss
the ordinance with them and determine if they could be exempted or if some modification could be made
to the ordinance. With bubble tea, the straw delivers a bubble of tapioca which is part of the beverage
experience. Bubble tea requires a straw and there are several bubble tea vendors in Edmonds.
John Lane, Director of Local Government Affairs, Washington Hospitality Association, representing
6,000 restaurants, lodging and other hospitality members, relayed support for the environmental efforts
related to single use plastics. They have been working on bills related to this issue at the State level and
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
'February 26, 2019
Page 20
have worked extensively in other local jurisdictions such as Seattle who stopped renewing some waivers.
Although people assume compostable products are readily available, their members found it difficult to get
enough compostable materials before Seattle's July implementation deadline because distributors had not
put them in process a year in advance. He suggested the Council consider the availability of materials
through distributors. With regard to bubble tea, he agreed there are utensils that do not have a compostable
alternative in limited circumstances which makes it important to include waiver language to allow the City
to work with business that require an exception. In implementing the ordinance in Seattle, Seattle Public
Utilities allowed businesses to exhaust their product. Education of businesses as well as consumers is
critical. He submitted a letter from Washington Hospitality Association.
Councilmember Teitzel said he has reviewed Mr. Lane's letter and is sympathetic to his point; there may
be businesses that need to use certain utensils longer than the effective date of the ban such as bubble tea
vendors. He was in favor of adding the waiver language in ECC 6.90.020.D that was included in the non-
compostable food service containers ordinance passed in January.
COUNCILMEMBER TEITZEL MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, TO
ADD THE LANGUAGE IN ECC 6.90.020.1) THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE NON-
COMPOSTABLE FOOD SERVICE CONTAINERS ORDINANCE PASSED IN JANUARY.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
Councilmember Mesaros suggested Mr. Taraday redraft the ordinance with that change and schedule it on
the Consent Agenda for approval next week. That was acceptable to the Council and Mr. Taraday.
8. MAYOR'S COMMENTS
Mayor Earling reported the clam chowder cookoff last weekend was a major success. He attended
Snohomish County Day in Olympia last Friday and had an opportunity to meet with local legislators and
felt great progress was made.
9. COUNCIL COMMENTS
Council President Fraley-Monillas reported a family trip to the ocean was cancelled due to snow; they went
last week and it snowed at the ocean for two days. Mayor Earling commented the high temperature in
Arizona last week was 54.
Councilmember Teitzel referred to Community Transit's presentation about improving transit in the region,
observing parking is related to transit. Sound Transit is considering investing $40M in Edmonds and
Mukilteo to address parking. The Port of Edmonds is talking to Sound Transit about potentially building a
parking structure in the gravel lot on Admiral Way across from Arnie's. Due to the compact space available
for a parking structure, the Port wants to ensure if they partner on a structure, the parking will be at least
what they currently have in the gravel lot.
Councilmember Teitzel reported an employee at the Port, Riki Vesoja, who started in 1970 is retiring after
working for the Port for 49 years. He was amazed by the time he has invested in the Port and wished him
well.
Councilmember Tibbott reported he also attended Snohomish County Days in Olympia and met with
Representative Peterson and Senator Liias. Representative Peterson is working on the $500,000 for the
Dayton Street pump and making presentations on the City's behalf. Senator Liias identified a potential
funding source for development on Hwy 99.
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 21
Councilmember Mesaros reported while in Arizona last week it snowed in the hills outside Scottsdale.
While shopping at Safeway in Arizona, the cashier was astonished that they didn't want plastic bags and
wanted to use their reusable bags and said she wished more people would do that. She was astonished when
he informed her they lived in a city that does not allow plastic bags and she wished that could be done in
Arizona. He concluded maybe Edmonds residents can influence other cities to do the right thing.
10. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION
PER RCW 42.30.110 1 i
This item was not needed.
11. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. POTENTIAL ACTION AS A RESULT OF MEETING IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION
This item was not needed.
12. ADJOURN
With no further business, the Council meeting was adjourned at 9:46 p.m.
DAVID O. EARCING, MAYOR S OTT PASSEY, CI ERK
Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes
February 26, 2019
Page 22