2013-12-18 Economic Development Commission MinutesCITY OF EDMONDS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
December 18, 2013
The Citizens Economic Development Committee meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. by Vice Chair
Bruce Witenberg in the Brackett Room, 121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
Bruce Witenberg, Vice Chair
John Dewhirst
Kevin Garrett
Darrol Haug
Roger Hertrich (arrived 6:05 p.m.)
Nicole Hughes (arrived 6:12)
Nathan Proudfoot (arrived 6:43 p.m.)
Doug Purcell (arrived 6:06 p.m.)
John Rubenkonig
Rich Senderoff
Darlene Stern
Douglas Swartz
Evelyn Wellington
Teresa Wippel
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT
Debbie Matteson
Gail Sarvis
1. OPENING REMARKS
ALSO PRESENT
Gloria Evstatieva, Student Representative
PLANNING BOARD LIAISON
Phil Lovell
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT
Councilmember Strom Peterson
Councilmember Adrienne Fraley-Monillas
STAFF PRESENT
Stephen Clifton, Community Services/Economic
Development Director
Jeannie Dines, Recorder
PUBLIC PRESENT
Ron Wambolt
In light of the busy agenda, Vice Chair Witenberg requested the time limits for each item be observed and
Commissioners keep their comments succinct.
2. AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
Due to earlier concerns that this meeting would not have a quorum, Commissioner Haug asked that the
minutes reflect that there is a quorum for this meeting.
3. APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 20, 2013 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MINUTES
COMMISSIONER DEWHIRST MOVED, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RUBENKONIG TO
APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 20, 2013 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MINUTES. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
DISCUSSION:
4. DISCUSSION OF TOURISM SUB -GROUP IDEAS FOR 2014, JOHN DEWHIRST, KEVIN
GARRETT, & NATHAN PROUDFOOT
Commissioner Dewhirst reviewed items the Tourism Subgroup discussed:
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• Change the focus of the subgroup to concentrate on communications to get tourists into town
including adding Edmonds information to the mobile app "VisitWA." The elements of the
Strategic Plan cannot be accomplished by this group as structured. Without restructuring there is
little interest in continuing with the current focus.
• EDC coordinate/liaison with other groups such as Port, BID, Chamber, etc. and get the flow of
information between EDC and others
• Need a group to come up with crazy ideas — glass bottom boats, walking tubes at the dive park,
cog railroad up Main Street, etc. — and filter them into possible programs/projects to present to the
EDC. Would include some outreach to community/region. Motivation for this is to generate
interest, discussion of the what ifs, and possibly even some excitement
• Spend more time/focus on the Highway 99 issues, regulations, promotions, plans, etc. since
Highway 99 is Edmonds cash cow
• Better coordination is needed with other City departments like Public Works, Finance, Parks on
certain issues like Westgate, Five Corners, pedestrian/emergency crossing over railroad, Sunset
Avenue, etc.
Commissioner Garrett explained the subcommittee is reconfiguring its focus on visitors rather than
tourism, getting people to come for the day or overnight to support businesses. The role of the
subcommittee in moving the Strategic Plan forward could be a support role; there are many items that the
subgroup could be involved in, with another group as the lead.
5. DISCUSSION OF DARROL HAUG'S IDEAS FOR 2014, DARROL HAUG
Commissioner Haug explained the motivation for forming the EDC was a levy group's recommendation
to increase revenue which included establishing an EDC. The Council subsequently approved the EDC's
six recommendations. He described issues that arose as some of those recommendations were pursued
such as Port's proposed development of Harbor Square. Major collision points in Edmonds are views,
integration of housing with business, and slippery slope (allowing something for one will lead to allowing
it for all). To avoid these collisions, he recommended focusing on basic issues such as:
• GMA, accommodating population growth, housing types to attract a certain demographic
• Create an economic model that considers the market rate for apartments, businesses, etc. to
determine what type of development is economically feasible (without regard to location)
• Create economic model of what visitors mean to the City, the role of tourism in City's economics
• Educate the public, provide information
• Track progress on Strategic Plan action items
• Inventory City assets, how they are being used, future plans, etc. and make that information
available to the public
6. DISCUSSION OF LAND USE SUB -GROUP IDEAS FOR 2014, JOHN RUBENKONIG, DOUG
PURCELL, RICH SENDEROFF, AND BRUCE WITENBERG
Commissioner Rubenkonig relayed topics the subgroup identified for the EDC to pursue in 2014:
• Housing and connection to GMA
o Specifically, will Edmonds meet its mandated goals and where will new population be
located, type of housing, etc.
o Demographics
o Affordable housing
o Educating public regarding consequences of non-compliance with GMA
• Continued pursuit of hotels/motels and bed & breakfast inns
• Land use efficiency. Support the following plans, no action or delayed action is not a viable
option:
o Westgate
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o Harbor Square
o Five Corners
o Highway 99 Corridor
o Downtown core
• Communication
o With larger Edmonds community
o Between EDC and Council such EDC liaison to meet with Council liaisons regarding what
Council wants and what EDC can do
• Periodic educational session, videos and/or outside speakers at each meeting. Many new EDC
members, some may be unfamiliar with terminology.
Discussion followed regarding Commissioners as liaisons to other groups they are involved in, concern
with the EDC advocating for density under the guise of GMA, local politics are about
neighborhoods/streets, citizens' preference that change be consistent with surrounding neighborhoods,
other aspects of GMA such as intelligent environmental use of land, economic value of working on GMA
issues and Comprehensive Plan updates, increasing density without changing the City's character,
Edmonds meeting its growth targets, and the importance of the Westgate Plan.
7. DISCUSSIONBRAINSTORMING OF GENERAL IDEAS FOR 2014
Commissioners' comments/suggestions include the following:
• Informing the public about the dive park
• Determining desirable amenities in exchange for bonuses
• Estimated housing units that could be developed via build -out on SR104 and other areas
• Adding density on Highway 99
• Encouraging development that attracts a certain demographic
• Form -based code with amenities that allow a slight height increase as an incentive
• Role of the EDC in promoting/overseeing implementation of Strategic Plan and system for
tracking progress
• Status of Technology subgroup and Citizen Technology Advisory Committee (CTAC)
• Understand the audience — who visits the City and why. Surveys done early in Strategic Plan
progress
• Reward to encourage people to take a survey. Talk to Rick Steves, Savvy Traveler, ECA, and
others about reward for taking survey
• Mobile App for Edmonds
• QR code
• Information available from IdeasUnfold.com
• Advocate at Council for limiting office space in BD
• Advocate for Westgate Plan at Planning Commission and Council
• Mechanism for promoting development at Westgate
• Options for Westgate plan are adopt as proposed, reject or moratorium
• Tourism marketing class at Edmonds Community College do a survey for Edmonds
• Gather survey data from other businesses in Edmonds
• Transportation ideas for going up hills and connecting with Sound Transit stations
• Events/activities:
o Downhill bike races
o Bluegrass festival
• Think out of the box
• Need more young people on EDC
• Land use planning for Firdale Village and Perrinville
• Update from Highway 99 Task Force
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• Do planning for Highway 99 such as was done for Five Corners and Westgate
o Makers did a study in the past dividing Highway 99 into sectors
o International district
o Hospital district
• Have discussion after speakers/video webinars and determine what could apply to Edmonds
• City purchased rights for Roger Brooks video library — schedule evening viewings
• Subgroup to review and consider updating Economic Development Plan (would need Council
approval)
• Pursue business incentives and how to make them happen
• Determine how to make a hotel happen
o Facilitation committee comprised of leads on Strategic Plan items held initial meeting. A
consultant is being hired. Committee is interested in continuing to meet.
• Communication is important but government is dry and boring to most people
• Film speakers at EDC and air on Channel 21, YouTube, My Edmonds News
o Make videos short and interesting
• 21,000 registered voters, only 13,000 vote — create energy that engages public
0 Next subcommittee meeting, each subcommittee consider reconfiguring themselves — name,
subject, and focus in early 2014
• At January meeting look for gaps
• Coordinate tourism ideas between Mr. Clifton and the Edmonds Downtown Business
Improvement District
• If want to know what happening in other groups, attend their meetings
• In 2014 the Highway 99 Task Force will be working on zoning, transit oriented development, etc.
• Incorporate Highway 99 updates into Land Use Subcommittee updates
• Edmonds Bicycle Club working with Brier and other cities to identify bikeways
• How to control leakage (money leaving City),
o Identify businesses needed in Edmonds
o Recruitment efforts to attract business to fill need
• Tourism subcommittee consider internal tourism, educate the public about what's available in
Edmonds, buy local campaigns, etc.
• Downtown businesses spend advertising dollars to attract outside visitors, little advertising to
attract local
8. MISCELLANEOUS
Mr. Clifton advised the Council public hearing for limiting office uses in the BD1 zone is January 7,
2014.
Commissioner Haug requested the EDC's Annual Report to Council be distributed to Commissioners.
Chair Witenberg requested subgroups identify a list of what they want to work on in 2014 based on the
comments made tonight.
9. AUDIENCE COMMENTS — None
10. ADJOURN
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m.
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