2012-08-15 Economic Development Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
August 15, 2012
The Citizens Economic Development Committee meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. by Community
Services/Economic Development Director Stephen Clifton in the Brackett Room, 121 5th Avenue North,
Edmonds.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
John Dewhirst
John Eckert
Kevin Garrett
Don Hall
Darrol Haug
Evan Pierce
Nathan Proudfoot
Doug Purcell
John Rubenkonig
Rich Senderoff
Karen Shiveley
Darlene Stern
Evelyn Wellington
Bruce Witenberg
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT
Stacy Gardea
Marc Knauss
Gail Sarvis
1. OPENING REMARKS — None
2. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
PLANNING BOARD LIAISON
Kevin Clarke
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Councilmember Joan Bloom
STAFF PRESENT
Stephen Clifton, Community Services/Economic
Development Director
Cindi Cruz, Executive Assistant
Phil Williams, Public Works Director
Kernen Lien, Planner
Carl Nelson, CIO
Frances Chapin, Cultural Services Manager
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
PUBLIC PRESENT
Bob McChesney, Port of Edmonds
Commissioner Senderoff suggested adding a discussion about adding members to subcommittees and/or
creating new subcommittees.
3. APPROVAL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 18, 2012
COMMISSIONER DEWHIRST MOVED TO APPROVE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION MINUTES OF JULY 18, 2012. COMMISSIONER SENDEROFF SECONDED THE
MOTION. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
4. STATUS UPDATES
a. Harbor Square Redevelopment Process (Kernen Lien)
Mr. Clifton explained the intent of this item is to describe the City's process, not to discuss the merits of
the proposal. Port Executive Director Bob McChesney is also here to answer questions.
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Planner Kernen Lien explained the Port submitted a request to the City to incorporate the Port's Harbor
Square Master Plan into the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Harbor Square Master Plan contains some
language regarding types of uses to be allowed and building heights; the request is not for a contract
rezone or development agreement. Incorporating the Harbor Square Master Plan would lay the foundation
for a future rezone and/or development agreement. He displayed and reviewed a process timeline,
explaining the City's review of the request to incorporate the Master Plan in the Comprehensive Plan is
early in the process.
Mr. Lien outlined the process for a Comprehensive Plan amendment:
• Type V legislative action
• Planning Board holds public hearing and makes recommendation to City Council
• Planning Board has held workshop and is holding more
• City Council may consider Planning Board's recommendation in a public hearing
• Amendment to Comprehensive Plan requires public notice
• Council action by ordinance
He reviewed required findings for a Comprehensive Plan amendment:
• Consistent with Comprehensive Plan and is in the public interest; and
• Not detrimental to the public interest, health, safety or welfare of City; and
• Maintain the appropriate balance of land uses within the City
Mr. Lien explained the Port of Edmonds Master Plan and Strategic Plan is contained in the City's
Comprehensive Plan. If approved by the City Council, the Harbor Square Master Plan would be included
in City's Comprehensive Plan.
The Port, acting as lead agency for the Port Commission's adoption of the Master Plan, issued a SEPA
Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) for the Master Plan. The City will also conduct a
SEPA review of the proposal. A more detailed environmental analysis will be done at time of rezone or
development agreement. Under the current Shoreline Master Program (SMP), the Edmonds Marsh was
considered an associated wetland. During the recent update of the SMP, the Edmonds Marsh was
determined to be a shoreline which means shoreline jurisdiction extends 200 feet beyond the march and
into Harbor Square. Knowing the Port was developing a Harbor Square Master Plan Master Plan, staff
slowed the SMP update to allow the Port to submit the Harbor Square Master Plan and allow the Planning
Commission to consider the Harbor Square Master Plan and the SMP simultaneously. Further information
is available on the City's website via a link from the Planning Division page.
Mr. Lien and Mr. McChesney responded to Commissioners' questions regarding public comment on the
proposed Harbor Square Master Plan, the Comprehensive Plan amendments process, concepts under
consideration for Harbor Square, Harbor Square Athletic Club, Comprehensive Plan/development review
process, potential for a conceptual development agreement between the Port and the City, finding a
balance between certainty and flexibility, the Port of Edmonds as a public agency, the Port's boundaries,
Port governance, relationship between the Port and City, requirement for the Master Plan to be consistent
with the City's Comprehensive Plan, existing Harbor Square contract rezone that does not permit
residential uses, development agreement versus a contract rezone, plans for the City Attorney to provide a
report to the Council regarding development agreements, and the Harbor Square redevelopment analysis.
b. Main Street Project (Phil Williams)
Public Works Director Phil Williams explained it has taken approximately three years to get to this point.
Staff worked with the property owners and tenants to determine a construction window of September 10
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through November 16. It was the property owners and tenants' preference to compress the project
between the end of the summer festivals and the beginning of the holiday shopping season. The only way
to accomplish that is to close the street and give the contractor access to the entire property except for
pedestrian access which will be maintained to all businesses on Main Street between 5"' and 6"'.
Mr. Williams reviewed elements of the project:
• Sidewalks (12 feet wide)
• Approximately two parking spaces will be lost due to the addition of a mid -block crossing
• Raised crossing and narrowed lanes provide traffic calming
• Parking will be reduced from 8 feet to 7 feet wide
• Bulb -outs for corner parks at four corners 6"' and Main
• Curbs, gutter sidewalks, ADA ramps
• Utilities moved to alley
• Street trees (18)
• Existing European Hornbeam trees will be removed and replaced with a more street friendly
species
He explained the project was rebid because previous bids were rejected due to their not meeting
MBE/WBE requirements. The intent is to open bids on August 27 and award the contract on August 28.
The proposed schedule will be met absent extraordinarily bad weather or unforeseen underground
conditions.
Mr. Williams responded to Commissioners' questions regarding the approved street tree list, upcoming
Streetscape Plan update, process if the bids are above the estimated project cost, project funding provided
by the water and stormwater utilities, informing drivers how to navigate downtown during project, traffic
plan, closure of storefronts during concrete pour, fall advertisements promoting downtown, selection of
the construction window, street lighting and street signs, bulb -outs at mid -block crosswalk, cost to
underground wires versus moving them to alley, and avoiding deficient bids.
C. Five Corners and Westgate Special District Studies (Stephen Clifton)
Mr. Clifton referred to an email from Rob Chave regarding the June 27 form based code presentation. The
City is conducting a traffic study in Westgate to ensure the street configures in the Westgate form -based
code document are workable; that evaluation will be reported to Planning Board within the next month.
The UW team made a presentation to the Planning Commission regarding the Westgate form -based code
last week. Their presentation included information regarding other communities with mixed use
developments such as Redmond and Mercer Island.
Mr. Clifton explained EDC members can speak as individuals to the Planning Board and/or City Council
regarding the Westgate or Five Corners form -based code, but need to state they do not represent the EDC.
Commissioner Senderoff asked whether the traffic study addresses the parking arrangement in the plan.
Mr. Clifton offered to research that and email Commissioners.
d. Strategic Planning Process (Stephen Clifton)
Mr. Clifton reported Retreat #6 was held July 31. Frances Chapin, Shawn Hunstock, Rob Chave, Cindi
Cruz and he met with the consultant, Tom Beckwith, last week to discuss next steps. Mr. Beckwith is now
categorizing the 72 preliminary plan actions under several overall strategic plan objectives and
determining which actions could be done in a short period of time and which ones would take longer. The
City of Shoreline's plan is a good example of a plan with strategic objectives. A committee comprised of
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representatives from the Planning Board, EDC and City Council is being formed to refine the information
presented to date and develop a draft report. The draft report will be presented to the Planning Board and
EDC at a joint meeting before it is presented to the City Council for public hearings. Commissioners
Haug, Wellington and Rubenkonig; Planning Board Member Clarke, and Councilmember Bloom offered
to participate on the committee.
Discussion followed regarding prioritization of strategic directions, identifying connections between
strategies, issues that will be referred to the EDC, and potential for the EDC to oversee implementation of
initiatives.
e. Highway 99 Task Force — Highway 99 Enhancement Project
Cultural Services Manager Frances Chapin reported on the International District Enhancement Project on
Highway 99. The goal of the project is to create a visual gateway for the International District. She
displayed a drawing of Highway 99 between 220tt' and 238tt' where there are a significant number of
international businesses. This project focuses on the area between 224tt' and 230th. The project includes
replacing 14 cobra head street lights on the east side. The central seven lights will have artist -made
pedestrian light elements and banners identifying the Edmonds International District. The project also
includes resurfacing the island at 76t'', ADA elements at the intersection, a decorative concrete surface, a
decorative solar lighted piece, and eight 16-foot pedestrian lights to the south. The project will
significantly improve pedestrian illumination in the area as well as provide a visual identity to the district.
The City received three Federal Highway Enhancement grants totaling $662,000. The project was put out
to bid, and Council approved the contract on July 17. Construction will begin the first week of September
and is expected to be complete by the end of November.
Ms. Chapin responded to Commissioners' questions regarding the light poles with pedestrian lights,
design of the artist -made lights, outreach to businesses in the area, involving the Korean community in the
project dedication, grants received for intersection improvements on Highway 99, potential gateway
project, landscaping in Shoreline's portion of Highway 99, area of Highway 99 that is outside the city
limits (Esperance), and the pedestrian crossing provided as part of the 228th improvements.
Commissioners commended staff on obtaining three grants for this project.
f. Community Technology Advisory Committee (CTAC)
Commissioner Haug (CTAC Member) referred to information he provided regarding the City's Fiber
Optic Broadband Initiative. He explained in 2005 Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT) offered Edmonds access to a fiber optic backbone network. As a result, the City has 24 strands
of cable from Highway 99 to the ferry dock. He described the capacity of the fiber, explaining the
capacity of the City's fiber is four times greater than Frontiers'.
The CTAC was formed to explore a range of options and develop a plan to optimize savings and revenue
from the network. Excess capacity exists and CTAC members have been working on ways to use the
capacity for internal savings as well as position the City to sell excess capacity to generate revenue in
excess of costs. Edmonds is currently using the fiber network for its internal use as well as has
commercial customers.
CIO Carl Nelson reviewed the current financials, explaining the fiber project is expected to break even in
2014. The City has two commercial customers, the 110 James Building and Rick Steves, as well as
provides service to SnoCom, Edmonds Center for the Arts and Wade James Theater. Conversations are
underway with SnoPac and the Port of Edmonds. Mr. Haug summarized the City has the capability to
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price its services to compete fairly in the marketplace. One of the challenges is extending the network to
locations that are not in close proximity to the backbone due to the expense.
Mr. Clifton reported on the court case that granted Edmonds and all Washington cities the ability to sell
their excess fiber capacity to the private sector. Mr. Nelson explained when the project began, Frontier
did not exist as an internet provider in City. After learning of Edmonds' efforts, Frontier advanced their
schedule. He pointed out customers utilizing the City's fiber must be able to provide their own IT support.
Mr. Nelson, Mr. Clifton and Commissioner Haug responded to Commissioners' questions regarding the
fiber route, how the City administers the fiber, and research being done regarding Wi-Fi downtown.
g. Sports Tourism (Stephen Clifton)
Mr. Clifton reported the first annual half marathon will occur in September. A semi -pro soccer team, the
Sea Wolves, is interested in making Edmonds-Woodway High School their home field. The team
averages attendance of 400-500 per game. He explained the EDC's tourism subcommittee was very
interested in sports tourism. A brief discussion followed regarding discussions with the Edmonds School
District about the Civic Fields.
Mr. Clifton identified the four EDC committees: 1) land use, 2) strategic planning, 3) technology, and 4)
tourism. Commissioners' requested information regarding the tourism committee's past work, a list of
committees and who is still on the committees. Commissioner Senderoff suggested a new committee:
identifying potential economic incentives
5. FUTURE GOALS
This item was postponed to the next meeting.
6. POSSIBLE ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR
COMMISSIONER HALL NOMINATED EVAN PIERCE AS CHAIR AND BRUCE WITENBERG
AS VICE -CHAIR. COMMISSIONER DEWHIRST SECONDED THE NOMINATION.
There were no other nominations. A brief discussion followed.
NOMINATION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
COMMISSIONER HAUG MOVED TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS APPROVED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL AND SEEK OUT STUDENT INVOLVEMENT ON THE EDC AT THE EARLIER
POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY. COMMISSIONER HALL SECONDED THE MOTION. MOTION
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
7. SET AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING
8. MISCELLANEOUS
Commissioner Clarke recalled the Senior Center came up during the Strategic Plan discussions and he
suggested the EDC pursue that issue. Mr. Clifton suggested Senior Center Executive Director Farrell
Fleming speak to the EDC.
9. AUDIENCE COMMENTS — None
10. ADJOURN
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:11 p.m.
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