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03/10/2015 City CouncilEdmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 1 EDMONDS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED MINUTES March 10, 2015 The Edmonds City Council meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Earling in the Council Chambers, 250 5th Avenue North, Edmonds. The meeting was opened with the flag salute. ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT Dave Earling, Mayor Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, Council President Diane Buckshnis, Councilmember Kristiana Johnson, Councilmember Lora Petso, Councilmember Joan Bloom, Councilmember (arrived 7:01 p.m.) Thomas Mesaros, Councilmember Michael Nelson, Councilmember STAFF PRESENT Phil Williams, Public Works Director Patrick Doherty, Econ. Dev & Comm. Serv. Dir. Shane Hope, Development Services Director Scott James, Finance Director Rob English, City Engineer Bertrand Hauss, Transportation Engineer Jeff Taraday, City Attorney Scott Passey, City Clerk Jerrie Bevington, Camera Operator Jeannie Dines, Recorder 1. ROLL CALL City Clerk Scott Passey called the roll. All elected officials were present. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FRALEY- MONILLAS, TO APPROVE THE AGENDA IN CONTENT AND ORDER. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. 3. APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS COUNCILMEMBER BUCKSHNIS MOVED, SECONDED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FRALEY- MONILLAS, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. The agenda items approved are as follows: A. APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES OF MARCH 3, 2015 B. APPROVAL OF CLAIM CHECKS #213122 THROUGH #213216 DATED MARCH 5, 2015 FOR $189,369.00. APPROVAL OF PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT AND CHECKS #61520 THROUGH #61529 FOR $484,102.90, BENEFIT CHECKS #61530 THROUGH #61538 AND WIRE PAYMENTS OF $416,726.30 FOR THE PAY PERIOD FEBRUARY 16, 2015 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2015 C. ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES FROM BETTY L. SWARTHOUT ($421.50) D. AUTHORIZATION FOR MAYOR TO SIGN AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MOUNTLAKE TERRACE FOR THE 228TH ST. SW CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECT Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 2 4. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Roger Hertrich, Edmonds, congratulated Councilmember Nelson. With regard to the interviews for the vacant Council position, he was present for most of the interviews and found the process and rules very fair. Candidates were asked to wait outside the room so they would not hear the questions before their interview. He observed Gary Haakenson sitting in the back of the room texting, presumably texting the Council’s questions to another candidate. He suggested in the future electronic devices be required to be turned off during the interviews. Next, he recalled one of questions asked during the Council interviews was in regard to raising height limits for a boutique hotel. As everyone knows four stories are required for boutique hotel, it appeared the goal was preapproval from the candidates for higher building heights. He noted Councilmember Buckshnis’ campaign materials did not support taller building heights downtown. Ron Wambolt, Edmonds, commented the previous comment very speculative. He referred to a propaganda piece about building heights emailed throughout Edmonds by a former resident that contained many untruths including, “They already have a taller building going up behind the post office downtown. It will be above the old height limit.” The “they” referred to in the email is the alleged advocates for taller buildings. Mr. Wambolt provided a review of downtown business zone changes made in early 2006: BC zones re-designated BD1-BD5, the allowable height remained a conditional 30-feet for only the BD1 zone, design standards adopted for the BD1 zone that included a requirement for a 15-foot first floor and 30-foot height limit, BD2-BD4 zones required 12-foot first floor and no design standards, step-backs required in BD2-BD4 for a 30-foot height (otherwise 25-foot height), and first floors and entries in all BD commercial areas required to be at street grade. Mr. Wambolt relayed the current status as a result of changes made by the City Council in the past few years: no change to the BD1 zone, step-back requirement removed from the BD2-BD4 zones in exchange for BD1 design standards. The post office property is located in the BD2 zone; no change was made to the code to allow the new building to be any higher. The 30-foot height limit adopted in1981 remains in effect today. The 2006 code would cause a boring big box building to be built on the post office site; the top floor would need to stepped back to be 30 feet in height. The current, more sensible code allows a 30 foot height without a step-back at the top level but it is required to comply with design standards that will make it a more pleasing-looking building and not a boring big box. Contrary to the propaganda piece, the removal of the step-back requirement received final Council approval April 23, 2013 when Councilmember Mesaros was not a Councilmember. 5. WRIA 8 PRESENTATION Councilmember Buckshnis introduced Jason Mulvihill-Kuntz, Watershed Coordinator, Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8), who explained this was a good time to provide an update on the progress that has been made and the challenges they continue to face following nearly 10 years implementing the Regional Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan which Edmonds has adopted as its plan for salmon recovery. The Interlocal Agreement (ILA) that enables the regionally collaborative salmon recovery work is also coming to an end at the end of 2015. He noted nearly every Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Watershed Restoration meeting attended by Puget Sound cities is held in Edmonds. He displayed a map of Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed that drains into the Cedar River, Issaquah Creek, tributaries that begin in Snohomish County, Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, and coastal streams that drain upper portions of King and Snohomish County into Puget Sound. He identified Tier 1, 2, 3 areas, explaining Tier 1 areas are the most important for restoring and protecting habitat for returning salmon, Tier 2 are slightly less important habitat but still need to be protected to provide enough space for salmon, and Tier 3 areas are urban portions of the watershed that do not provide very good habitat opportunity for salmon but are still important for water quality and water flow purposes. He Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 3 advised all lakeshore, Sammamish River, ship canal and the entire marine nearshore are also Tier 1 areas due to their importance for juvenile Chinook. There are two Chinook populations in the watershed, the Cedar River population that go through the Ballard Locks to the Cedar River to spawn and the Sammamish population that go through the Ballard Locks and into Lake Washington, the Sammamish River, north Lake Washington tributary streams, Lake Sammamish and Issaquah Creek. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz reviewed a timeline for the road to recovery: 1999 Chinook salmon listed as threatened 2001 Jurisdictions sign ILA to recover salmon 2005 Watershed recovery plan completed 2006 Begin first 10 years of implementation 2007 Federal adoption of Puget Sound Recovery Plan 2010 Watershed Summit – assess first five years of implementation 2015 First 10 years of implementation complete. Initial ILA sunsets He explained the WRIA 8 Recovery Plan is one chapter of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan (14 watersheds in Puget Sound with similar plans) which is part of the Action Agenda for Puget Sound Recovery. He described WIRA 8 leadership: • Work guided WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council • Stakeholders representing o King and Snohomish Counties o 26 cities o Community and environmental organizations o Local businesses o King Conservation District o Water and sewer districts o State and federal agencies o Citizens • Fostering strong regional collaboration and governance • Leverage individual jurisdiction dollars for watershed benefits Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz described the role of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council: • Advancing funding strategy • Building capacity • Supporting education and outreach • Directing implementation • Providing policy guidance He displayed and reviewed a spreadsheet of the annual cost share of local government members. Each local government pays an annual amount to support the work; Edmonds’ share is $13,708 based on population, assessed value and area. He described what the ILA funds: • Salmon Recovery Council and regional/state coordination • Recovery Plan implementation • Project grant program management • Project tracking • Communications, outreach, and education – telling the salmon recovery story • Technical coordination, including: o Assessing progress – monitoring and adaptively managing the Recovery Plan o Instigating critical research o Maintaining science-based restoration and protection strategy Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 4 He commented on the integration of other efforts: • Fish passage at Ballard Locks • Salmon SEEson – outreach and education • Hatchery and harvest management • Flood risk reduction and floodplain restoration • Shoreline and riparian area stewardship • Water quality • Regional stormwater management • Noxious weed treatment • Puget Sound recovery Needs identified in the WRIA 8 Plan: • Identifies factors of decline, recovery goals, priority actions, and monitoring needs • Three types of actions: o On-the-ground project – habitat protection and restoration o Land use regulations and planning o Outreach, education and stewardship Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz described what has been accomplished: • Map of WRIA 8 projects o 100 projects completed or in progress o Only 22% of projects in plan completed, did not receive resources that plan identified • Funding and projects o Since 2005, 49 project completed /51 projects active o From 1998 – 2014, allocated over $15 million in KCD and King County Flood Control District watershed grant funds – leveraging over $28 million o From 1998 – 2014, allocated nearly $20 million on federal and state funds – leveraging over $14 million Chart of WRIA 8 Capital Funding: annual goal and 2006 – 2015 (one time legislative appropriation, King County Conservation Futures, King County Flood Control Cooperative Watershed Management Grants, King Conservation District, Regional Funding, Salmon Recovery Funding Board) • Habitat protection and restoration o 2,625 acres protected through acquisition or easement o Over 450 acres of riparian area treated/planted o Nearly one mile of levees removed or set back o Over 73 acres of floodplain reconnected o Over 8,000 feet of lakeshore restored • Nearshore restoration o Chinook use the marine nearshore and coastal stream mouths to avoid predators, find food and grow as they migrate to the ocean o Opportunities are limited by railroad o Restoring Edmonds Marsh and Daylighting Willow Creek: Reconnects 28 acres of rare tidal salt marsh habitat Helps control invasive species, improves water quality and reduces risk from projected sea level rise Edmonds completing final feasibility study and initiating design • Ongoing Recovery o The future of salmon and watershed health is in the hands of every community o Salmon recovery faces numerous challenges: Public support and political will Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 5 Adequate funding Climate change and ocean conditions Land use pressures • Local governments working together do make a difference. He described what’s next: • Renewing WRIA 8 IA and Memorandum of Understanding o January - May 2015: WRIA 8 presentations to partner jurisdictions; ILA partners review and provide feedback o May - July: WRIA 8 staff integrates feedback on ILA and MOU for Salmon Recovery Council approval o July - December: Final ILA and MOU available for ILA partners’ approval and signature by December Councilmember Bloom thanked him for his hard work in allocating funds for daylighting Willow Creek, relaying many citizens are excited about that project. Councilmember Johnson asked what could be expected in the next 10 years in Edmonds and Snohomish County, whether there will be new projects or just completion of the projects that began in the last 10 years. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz answered approximately 700 projects are identified in the current plan for implementation and only 100 have been started or completed. There are additional projects or areas for projects identified in the current plan for Edmonds as well in Snohomish County. Many of the projects will focus on the nearshore environment because a lot of the streams do not drain into a Chinook-bearing river system but streams draining into the nearshore do support juveniles as they migrate. With regard to additional projects, typically local government partners, nonprofits or community organizations will propose a project. If there are no projects in an area, his staff will work with potential sponsors to solicit projects. Snohomish County is working on a stream mouth restoration project in Meadowdale Park in Lunds Gulch. Councilmember Johnson asked what kind of projects could be expected in the nearshore in Edmonds. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz responded the completion of the Edmonds Marsh Restoration Project will be the primary one. Other areas are stream mouths where they interact with the nearshore environment, ensuring that sediment sources are available and re-nourished. He did not know of any projects in the Edmonds nearshore other than Edmonds Marsh and daylighting project. Councilmember Johnson referred to the Marina Park Master Plan which is a connection from the Marsh to Puget Sound. Councilmember Buckshnis referred to the Marina Beach Master Plan, noting there are two options and a third is being considered due to the riparian habitat and buffering. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz encouraged the City to talk to him or his staff if there are opportunities to integrate habitat restoration elements into the alternatives being considered. Councilmember Nelson asked the current status of Chinook salmon. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz answered not great. Around Puget Sound they are at 10% of historic numbers; Cedar River production of juveniles (the most important measurement of how habitat is performing) is hundreds of thousands but only 1% return. The Cedar River, the highest priority population, is showing an upward trend, and it may be the only watershed in Puget Sound that is seeing an increase in Chinook. Population numbers evolve year to year so data is needed over 15-20 years to understand how the population is doing. The Sammamish population is supported by Issaquah Hatchery and can produce more juvenile Chinook but returns are not as good as the Cedar River population, only 100s of fish return. Efforts are focused on restoring native/wild population. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 6 Councilmember Mesaros asked what would be the right ratio of juveniles returning. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz answered the 10-year goal for the watershed on the Cedar is 10,000-12,000 or 10-12%, returning. That goal was met in 2007 but the aspiration is to do it consistently. The Sammamish population’s return is consistently much lower than the ten year goal. The way productivity is measured is the number of juveniles that go out which the watershed has some control over; the watershed does not have control over the ocean. Council President Fraley-Monillas asked whether more fish returning was due to improved environment in Puget Sound. Mr. Mulvihill-Kuntz answered that is unknown; long term data is needed to determine what is happening. He liked to think that work on habitats, where resources and efforts have been focused, has resulted in increased juvenile populations. Marine survival of juvenile salmon in general including Chinook is a hot issue in Puget Sound; something is happening that is killing juvenile salmon before they reach the ocean. It may be a combination of predation, stormwater toxins, loss of marine nearshore habitat, etc. A large international project is underway between Washington State, British Columbia and Canada to determine the cause; it is not just in Puget Sound but the Strait of Georgia. Mayor Earling requested the City be informed of any projected increase in cost sharing. 6. PRESENTATION OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MURRAY SMITH & ASSOCIATES FOR THE 2016 COMPREHENSIVE WATER SYSTEM PLAN UPDATE City Engineer Rob English explained the City’s Water Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2010. The Department of Health (DOH) requires the plan be updated every six years. The Plan will take 2 years to complete and the target date for completion is February 2017. The DOH is in process of changing to a 10-year plan so the CIP and planning horizons will be a 10-year projection. The plan addresses eight elements of the City’s water system (detailed in the agenda memo) but will focus on updating the CIP and the funding requirements both with regard to water rates and general facility charges. From that a new CIP will be developed with a list of priorities to pursue and the plan and modeling will be updated to reflect the work that has been done over last several years. The overall fee for the contract is approximately $157,000. The 2015 and 2016 CIP identified funds to complete the work; the overall budget was $175,000. MSA was selected as the preferred consultant via the City’s purchasing policy. Staff recommends scheduling the agreement on the Consent Agenda for approval. Councilmember Petso asked whether DOH would be willing to extend the deadline to 2020. Mr. English answered that question was asked but since the last plan was based on a six year projection, staff was told this update will position the City for the ten year update cycle. Councilmember Petso asked whether it would be possible to do a partial revision such as an updated rate study to extend the plan for four years. Mr. English answered there are certain requirements that must be addressed. Councilmember Bloom referred to the language regarding termination and asked whether it was standard not to include what happens if there are funds left in the contract if either party terminated. City Attorney Jeff Taraday was not certain whether this was standard contract language; Sharon Cates in his office does contract reviews. Mr. English advised this is the current boilerplate contract. Councilmember Bloom asked what happened to the funds if the contract was terminated halfway through the project. Mr. Taraday explained most consultant contracts are on a time and materials basis; the presumption is they are billing on an hourly basis. Public Works Director Phil Williams explained it would depend on who terminated the contract. If the City terminates, there would be a negotiation regarding what work has been done and the balance of the funds could be used to hire another firm to finish the work. That is usually not a very efficient method and therefore is not done often. Staff has worked with MSA many times and has found Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 7 their work to be very high quality. If the contractor terminates the contract, there would be a similar process although the City would have more control in the negotiations. It was the consensus of the Council to schedule this item on the Consent Agenda. 7. PRESENTATION OF UPDATED STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN REPORT Economic Development & Community Services Director Patrick Doherty provided background, explaining the Strategic Action Plan (SAP) is the City’s roadmap to the future, allowing for cohesive policy and program decision- making. The SAP was approved by the City Council in April of 2013. It is not a legal document but a fluid living document that will evolve over time. The SAP which consists of 88 Action Items was created over a 2-year period. The outreach program for the SAP consisted of surveys, charrettes and focus groups; approximately 2,500 people participated in the numerous public outreach efforts. Long Bay Enterprises, Inc. was hired to facilitate the initial implementation of the City’s SAP. The Scope of Work included: • Communicate with Lead Agents, key participants and stake holders and assisting in coordination efforts to complete the SAP Action Items • Meet with Lead Agents, key participants and stakeholders • Meet with the SAP Working Group • Serve as a resource to those working to implement the SAP and discussing ways to move Action Items towards implementation • Technical review to clarify wording, consolidate items, make necessary changes Prepare and present updates throughout the year The packet contains a redline version of the SAP updated March 17, 2015, Long Bay Enterprises Report and the worksheets. Cynthia Berne, Long Bay Enterprises, reviewed: 1. Initial Outreach • Identify primary lead for each Action Item (AI) • Met with 22 prospective leads on 34 occasions. Facilitate meetings with leads, work program for implementation. Ongoing dialogue on worksheets for each lead on each action item o Now have a primary lead for each item who is committed/responsible for moving it forward 2. Facilitation meetings with leads • Meetings with Lead Agents and stakeholders were periodically held to: o Work with stakeholders to coordinate assignments of a Primary Lead to each AI o Create a first-level work program for implementation – a blueprint of how each AI will be addressed; identifying funding challenges, timelines, and conflicts as well as other road blocks o Create worksheets for each Primary Lead 3. Coordination with Working Group • Work Group’s Roles: o Role 1 Act as a sounding board for ideas on how to move the SAP forward o Role 2 Give feedback on the progress that is periodically reported o Role 3 Create a synergy that demonstrates the SAP will be implemented • Established categories for AIs that did not appear straightforward to implement or that required review to better understand the intent and/or decide on next steps: o May require own roadmap (for the most complex AIs) Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 8 o Could be consolidated o Needs clarification of intent or definition of terms used in the AI’s stated objective • Examples of Work Group’s efforts: o Roadmaps o Consolidation of AIs 4. Serving as resource to respective stakeholders and individuals or entities working to implement the SAP and discussing ways to move items towards implementation 5. Addressing potential conflicts and challenges • Identified duplicate AIs • Identified and recommended AIs suitable for consolidation • Performed a technical review of the entire 2013 approved SAP document to clarify terminology and intent within the text of each AI. 6. Periodic updates • Five meetings were held with SAP Working Group • Presentations to: o City Council o Port o Chamber of Commerce o Mayor’s Advisory Group Ms. Berne reviewed implementation progress: 6/18/14 10/28/14 3/3/15 Total action items 86 88* 88* Action Items with committed Primary Leads 76 84 84 Action Items with unconfirmed Primary Leads 5 0 0 Action Items without a Primary Lead 5 4 4 Completed Action Items 4 5 6 Action items started and in motion 38 62 70 Action items not yet commenced 44 21 12 *Increase in IAs is due to duplicate numbers used in the SAP. She identified the Primary Leads and how many AIs each are responsible for (as of March 3, 2015): Chamber of Commerce 3 City Council 2 Cultural Services Division 3 Development Services Department 14 Economic Development Department 22 Edmonds Center for the Arts 1 Edmonds Downtown Alliance 3 Edmonds Senior Center 2 Mayor’s Office 4 Parks & Recreation 14 Police Department 1 Public Works 18 Swedish 1 Ms. Bern reviewed her conclusions: • The SAP is a visioning document that required a high amount of time and resources to produce. A few AIs are simple to implement, but many are more complex and will require long-term collaboration of community organizations as well as strong sources of funds. With any given “Plan” come innate challenges to implementation: Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 9 o Keeping continuous focus on the AIs to bring them to completion. o Changes in the point person designated by an organization as the Primary Lead. o Changes in the needs of the community from when the initial AI was created. o Finding strong funding sources that are reliable for long-term implementation. o The extensive timeframe required for many of the AIs to be completed can discourage efforts to implement. • Strategic Plans must be consistent with a city’s Comprehensive Plan, which is the over-arching framework by which a city functions. The City of Edmonds’s SAP is an implementation tool of a number of elements of its Comprehensive Plan. • All “Strategic Plans” have challenges but they are the framework by which a community can collaborate and look to the future through a common lens. The implementation of the SAP has begun with great momentum, collaboration and determination. In April of 2013 the SAP was a large document of great ideas and now has become a living document which continually spawns new ideas and allows the community to discuss its needs openly and with purpose. Ms. Berne reviewed her recommendations: There are a number of paths the implementation of the SAP can take from this moment forward. The goal is to continue the forward momentum and to establish a mechanism for tracking progress. The definition of “facilitator” is someone who helps a group of people understand their common objectives and gives assistance to them on planning how to achieve these objectives. The implementation of a complex plan such as the SAP welcomes any means to make it easier to accomplish. One of the elements in Long Bay’s Mission Statement is that we believe our clients are people not projects. Though the SAP has many projects associated with its implementation, it requires many peoples’ efforts and collaboration to successfully complete the AIs. Identifying an ongoing facilitator for the implementation process is highly recommended. The outside date for completion of an AI is the year 2027. A long range view of the implementation process is essential. The recommendations for moving forward are stated in two categories below: • Alternatives to continue implementation of the SAP: 1. Identify a staff person within the City who will take on the role and responsibility of the facilitator. This is estimated to require 2-3 hours, average per week, over the next year. Reevaluate this need after one year in April 2016. The basic responsibilities would be tracking the Worksheets, (or whatever other tracking tool the City wishes to use) contacting the Primary Leads on a routine basis for updates and assisting in any way possible to eliminate obstacles and/or brainstorm for solutions. 2. Hire an outside consultant to perform the same duties as stated in item #1 above. 3. Do not have an assigned facilitator for one year. Then in April of 2016 bring someone on board for approximately one month to determine the progress over the year, understand the challenges and report on the status to the Council • Relook at the SAP itself: 1. In April 2016 relook at a number of elements of the SAP. o There may be some AIs that are not feasible to implement. A number of the AIs have 3-5 tasks within one AI. It might be helpful for implementation to separate such tasks to allow for success of at least a portion of an AI. o Evaluate the performance measures stated for each AI. Many of these may be more informative if reworded or the number of them reduced per AI. In most cases a measure of success can be very simple but effective to evaluate any given objective. The less complicated the measurement, the easier it will be to articulate where the successes and failures are and why. o Set timelines for routine reviews of the SAP; every 3 years is suggested. Mr. Doherty clarified the redline version did not contain any substantive changes at policy level to the AIs, the changes were corrections to wording, consolidation of items, etc. With regard to tracking, the 2015 budget included $2,500 for project management software that Economic Development Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 10 Commissioner/SAP Working Group Member Darrol Haug recommended. A 1-year contract was executed 2-3 weeks ago with 20 licenses so the Primary Leads can also use the software. Councilmember Mesaros suggested a Gantt chart with the projected end of projects. He asked the projected end date to complete projects. Ms. Berne answered 2027; she agreed a graph with dates would be a helpful tool. Mr. Doherty said the software has the ability to compute that information into a graph. Councilmember Buckshnis, a member of the Working Group, asked about assigning a dollar amount to some Action Items because some will require funding. She suggested adding a capital planning tool to the SAP. She observed some items were removed or changed and asked whether the intent was for the Council to reapprove the SAP. Mr. Doherty said yes, re-approval would include accepting the worksheets and once reapproved, the document will have an update approved date. Councilmember Buckshnis observed Action Item 1a.14 (66a) was completed removed because it was part of the previous 13 Action Items. She recalled the Working Group discussed conflicting Action Items related to the senior center. Councilmember Buckshnis asked whether the Edmonds Downtown Alliance was a new group. Mr. Doherty said Edmonds Downtown Alliance is new name for Edmonds BID. Councilmember Mesaros inquired about the expectation of Council approval. He suggested a list be created of what is anticipated to be accomplished in next 12-18 months. Mr. Doherty answered 70 of the 88 of the Action Items are underway; underway can vary from doing initial research such as the downtown restrooms; others are closer completion. He anticipated all the Action Items, with the exception of the ones without a Lead, should see some movement in next 12-18 months. There is a rolling level of activity for each of 22 Leads. Councilmember Mesaros asked what staff wanted the Council to do. Ms. Berne clarified the technical review of document (redline version of the SAP) is what the Council will approve. The Council will want to look at all the edits, most are not significant policy changes, most are consolidations, language the Primary Leads wanted clarified, etc. Mr. Doherty provided an example of a consolidation related to the senior center; the Action Item to relocate the senior center was consolidated with the Action Item to work with the senior center on its redevelopment plan. Councilmember Petso said she will not be prepared to approve the SAP on the Consent Agenda and may need another work session or discussion. She provided an example of one of her questions, 4b.1 was changed from “Provide quality services, facilities and infrastructures” to “Maintain Public Works Growth Management Concurrency.” Ms. Berne said if words were not lined out, no change was made. There originally was no Action Item for this objective in the SAP. There were two in the SAP like that, this one and one regarding the police; when she met with the Primary Lead, this was their recommendation. Councilmember Petso said she will forward other questions to staff. She requested at least a couple week for review. Councilmember Johnson asked whether Ms. Berne also recommended checking in with citizens’ rankings and priorities. Ms. Berne answered absolutely; she did not address that in her report because her scope was implementation. Whenever the Council chooses to relook at the SAP, it will be extremely important to include a well-planned and organized outreach to citizens. Councilmember Bloom pointed out the Edmonds Downtown Alliance is also identified as the Edmonds BID in the SAP. She suggested only one name be used for the organization and that it be included in the definitions. She also suggested OLAE also be included in the definitions. She suggested reference to charrette at Edmonds-Woodway High School recognize that it was organized by Student Representative Alex Springer and former Student Representative Peter Gibson. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 11 Councilmember Bloom referred to Action Item 1a.4 (10) and the strategic objective, “Initiate and expand retail sales and enhance events and activities including sidewalk cafes and vendors within the business districts of downtown, Westgate, Firdale Village, 5-Corners, Perrinville, Highway 99.” She pointed out the Lead, Edmonds Downtown Alliance, cannot do that according to their work plan. Ms. Berne advised there are co-leads for that Action Item, the Edmonds Downtown Alliance and the Chamber of Commerce. The worksheets will provide details about the efforts and how it will be split between the organizations. Councilmember Bloom asked that the Action Items for the Edmonds Downtown Alliance be included in their work plan. Mr. Doherty agreed to check on that and said no new tasks were added related to the Edmonds Downtown Alliance. Councilmember Bloom suggested the Economic Development Department also be a lead. Mr. Doherty agreed that was a gray area; for example in Action 1a.4 (10), the City has an encouraging role but not a direct role and it is, therefore, appropriate to include the Economic Development Department as a participant. Ms. Berne said in working with the Edmonds Downtown Alliance, all the tasks were added to their work plan. Councilmember Nelson commented review of this document was a great refresher for him. He echoed Councilmember Johnson’s desire to determine changes in the community’s needs since the SAP was first created. As a living document, the City needs to check in with the citizens to determine whether their needs have changed. He cited the importance of continuous focus and performance measures, and suggested wherever possible remove “potential” performance and make it measurable performance. He noted the City Council was only the Primary Lead on two Action Items and hoped that could be increased. For example, Strategic Objective 5, Responsible, accountable and responsive government, 5b, Promotion and encouragement of an Active and involved community, and 5b.1(70) public access, he suggested the Council be listed as a Co-Primary Lead with the Mayor’s office. Ms. Berne advised her technical review was only of the Action Items. She did not review the text, the summary and the write up of how the plan was developed. Council President Fraley-Monillas said funds will be required to continue to update the SAP as well as to continue implementation. She understood it would be difficult for an existing staff member to take that on. Mr. Doherty said next year’s update and possibly outreach to the public will have a budgetary implication; it would be incumbent on him to present that to the Council in 2016 budget. In addition, implementation of some of the Action Items will require funding and the SAP can be used to inform the budget process. Councilmember Bloom agreed with Councilmember Nelson’s suggestion to include the Council in Action 5b.1 (70) public access. The City Council should have the ability to conduct town hall meetings, public open houses, etc. She recalled Councilmember Petso and she held a town hall meeting regarding Westgate last year and it was important for all Councilmembers to have that opportunity, for the meetings to be noticed, and staff support provided so that could be done on a regular basis. Councilmember Bloom referred to Action 5b.2 (60) Communication where the Economic Development Department is the Lead and the City Council was deleted. She suggested adding the City Council to that Action Item, citing the importance of communicating to citizens as well as gathering feedback. For Councilmember Bloom, Ms. Berne identified the four items that did not have leads. • 1c.1 (14) Employment – Youth, Strategic Objective: Create a young adult job placement service o Neither the Chamber nor Edmonds Community were willing claim this Strategic Objective. The Work Group had good ideas but nothing came to fruition with regard to a Primary Lead. o Strategic Objective: Create a young adult job placement service to help find part and full-time employment opportunities with Edmonds businesses, schools and organizations. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 12 A lot of organizations could contribute to this Strategic Objective but no one is willing to be the lead. Uncertain whether the impetus was high unemployment in young adult population No primary lead yet • 2a.2 (33) Farmers’/Public Market – Strategic Objective: Expand into a year-round activity o Presentation made to the Museum who is interested in an effort to determine if it is feasible but are not interested in leading that effort. o Also spoke with Chamber and Salish Crossing. • 4a.14 and 16 Shuttle services between downtown and Community Transit’s Swift BRT transit stations on Highway 99 and within the downtown area. o Reached out to numerous organizations o Reasonable bus service covers these areas Councilmember Bloom said the Farmers’ Market is a high priority for economic development; at a minimum a City department such as Economic Development and/or the Economic Development Commission (EDC) should be identified as a lead. She suggested a City department also be identified as a lead for a shuttle service. She noted a shuttle is included in the Transportation Plan and the Marina Beach Master Plan may integrate the idea of a shuttle due to parking issues. The Echelbargers are interested in a mid-week market this year; there needs to be a significant effort to support that. She suggested a City department also be identified as a lead for the Employment - Youth so that someone is moving it forward. With regard to the market, Mr. Doherty said the strategic objective is “Expand into a year-round activity…” rather than “explore” or “try.” Identifying a City department as the lead to make that happen is not appropriate; the City does not make the current Farmers’ Market happen. The Economic Development Department is listed as a participant. The same is true for a shuttle service and creating a young adult job placement service. Councilmember Bloom pointed out the EDC is frequently identified in the document. She suggested reserving those Action Items until the Council makes a decision whether to sunset, reorganize, etc. that group. Mr. Doherty suggested adding a note the first time EDC is mentioned that states “EDC and/or its successor entity.” Councilmember Johnson point out Youth Employment and the Farmers’ Market ranked very high; however the shuttle services ranked low and very low. Councilmember Petso noted citizens were not given the option to say do not do it at all. Her understanding when the SAP was adopted was not all the Action Items would be implemented; her understanding was the City was okay with the low priorities being implemented but not via the commitment of significant City resources. Mayor Earling acknowledged this is a living document but he gets nervous when he hears questions about what can be accomplished in 12-18 months. If the Council wanted to set timelines, he recommended 18 months because the Council has yet to accept the final report and staff has not verified whether the software works or what kind of asset it will be in the process. Further, there has been discussion tonight about the financial implications and he suggested consideration be given to the cost of staff time when departments are identified as leads. Council President Fraley-Monillas advised this would be scheduled for 1 hour on April 7. Mr. Doherty requested Councilmembers provide him their comments/questions. Mayor Earling commended Ms. Berne for the work she has done. Ms. Berne said it has been a pleasure to work with the Edmonds community and she truly enjoyed it. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 13 8. PRESENTATION REGARDING CHANGED CAPITAL PRIORITIES IN THE 2015 BUDGET FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT Public Works Director Phil Williams explained the WWTP is a secondary treatment plant with a biologic process. The aeration basins are full of biological organisms that consume the organic matter, turning it into biomass. That process requires a great deal of air and there are two large centrifugal blowers, a 200 hp and a 300 hp. Eventually there will be two 150 hp units. The first new technology blower, a turbine blower was installed in 2009. It worked well for a year and then began experiencing issues that were covered under warranty through the Korean manufacturer. The unit is not repairable at this time and needs to be replaced; the five year warranty lapsed in November 2014. The purchase of this unit in 2009 was $360,000. Purchase and installation of one unit was included in the 2015 budget under the current energy savings contract. The Korean company’s successor in interest, a company that purchased the technology and intellectual property as well as the manufacturing rights, did not legally take on any of the liabilities for existing units. The cost to replace the second unit including purchase, installation, programming, start-up, and testing is expected to be $528,000. The actual change in capital dollars is $480,000 due to moving some items to 2016. This will not require a change in the sewer fund capital budget. Delay of the pipe replacement program at Daley due to poor soil conditions will make available approximately $440,000 in additional capital for the City’s share of the cost. The City's share would be 50.7% or $270,000. Partners in the WWTP will provide the remaining $246,500. A budget amendment will be proposed to recognize additional revenue from the WWTP’s partners to pay their share of the project. He also requested authorization for the Mayor to sign two change orders that exceed $100,000 to implement the plan. He summarized there were no better options. Councilmember Johnson paraphrased Mr. Williams’ presentation: the old technology lasted 30-35 years using higher energy and a proven technology. The warranty on the new technology that resulted in energy savings lasted five years. She asked whether the old or the new technology was a better long term solution for the WWTP. Mr. Williams answered he had confidence in the new technology; the issue was the support from the manufacturer. Staff will continue to explore all options to collect what is owed to the City under the warranty from the original manufacturer, their successor company, or the City’s own insurance. At this time any significant recovery seems unlikely. He advised the blowers are very high RPM units; typical life expectancy is 15+ years; the last two blowers lasted 20 and 30 years. This is a rare event. Councilmember Bloom asked whether the Daley Street sewer replacement would ever happen. Mr. Williams answered it needs to be done but an entirely different approach such as micro-tunneling or trenchless technology will be explored. A fixed sum is budgeted annually for sewer replacement and the work is matched to the funding. It was the consensus of the Council to schedule this on next week’s Consent Agenda. Mayor Earling declared a brief recess. 9. SR-104 ANALYSIS INCLUDING WESTGATE AREA Transportation Engineer Bertrand Hauss introduced the project team, Don Samdahl and Ryan Abbotts, Fehr & Peers. Mr. Hauss displayed a map and provided the project description: • 5-miles of principal arterial from 76th Ave. W to the Edmonds Ferry Terminal • Various modes of transportation interfacing along regional corridor o High vehicle average daily traffic (20,000 vehicles per day) o Multiple bus stops Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 14 o High pedestrian activity along certain sections o Bicycle connections • Many transportation deficiencies exist at various intersections He explained the purpose of the analysis was to develop a corridor master plan, identifying safety, access management and streetscape improvements coordinated with Complete Streets principles and integrated with the proposed form- based code for Westgate Village (SR-104 & 100th Ave) and other zoning on SR104 Don Samdahl, Fehr & Peers, reviewed guiding principles for the study: 1. Support both local and regional mobility 2. Improve circulation and safety for biking, walking, and transit access 3. Reinforce land use vision, including at Westgate 4. Create a sense of arrival in Edmonds and tie to the waterfront 5. Coordinate with the state and other entities 6. Take a phased approach that provides benefits over time 7. Promote environmental sustainability and economic vitality Ryan Abbotts, Fehr & Peers, explained to frame the analysis of the SR-104 corridor, they delineated it into unique areas. He displayed a map with photos identifying neighborhood connectors, pedestrian- oriented areas around the ferry terminal, town center area through Westgate, and boulevards to focus the type of improvements that would be considered for design elements for the SR-104 corridor. To assist in their analysis, they looked at: • Sight Lines • Collisions • Accessibility (whether pedestrian facilities are adequate per ADA) • Walk routes, bicycle network and transit route structure • Traffic & Operations o Existing and projected future vehicle volumes o Existing (2015) approx. 21,000 vehicles per day o Future (2035) approx. 25,000 vehicles per day o No widening of SR-104 needed He described input into the study: • SR-104 Committee o Councilmember o Planning Board member o City Staff o WSDOT o Community Transit • Bicycle Committee • Public Workshop Mr. Abbotts displayed a map of the Westgate area, explaining one of the areas of focus was Westgate. Although many think of Westgate as SR-104 and 100th, it is a broader area; they looked at different nodes and how they interacted with major activity zone. He displayed a table of walk score ranges in Edmonds, explaining a walk score of 90-100 is considered a walker’s paradise, 70 to 89 is considered very walkable; downtown Edmonds is ranked 81 and Westgate is ranked 70. He displayed a diagram of the Westgate SR-104/100th intersection, advising their analysis confirmed: • Long-term street lane and width requirements Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 15 • Intersection operates acceptably today and in the future He displayed an Access & Internal Circulation diagram of the Westgate area that identified: • Existing driveways to remain • Existing driveways to remove • Existing driveways to become right turn only • Existing driveway link to internal circulation drive • Conceptual internal circulation drive Mr. Abbotts explained the goal of the Access and Internal Circulation diagram was to create a predictable traffic pattern and a more friendly walking and driving environment in the area. The specifics regarding which driveways are moved or closed would happen as development occurs in the area. He provided cross-sections of Westgate SR 104 and photographic examples of setbacks: • 12-foot setback • 15-foot setback He explained there is currently an 80-foot right-of-way. He identified the distance of a 12-foot and 15- foot setback using items in the Council Chambers, remarking both 12 and 15 feet provide quite a bit of room for a planter strip, sidewalk and amenity zone in front of the face of the building. Mr. Samdahl reviewed Westgate parking standards: • Current commercial parking ratios: 1 space per 350 to 450 square feet • Minimum of 1 space per 400 square feet adopted for SR-99 • Westgate is more walkable – a higher minimum ration (e.g. 1 space per 500 square feet) is reasonable • Residential uses will have their own parking • City can fine-tune the minimum parking ratio over time He relayed their conclusions with regard to Westgate: • No additional travel lanes needed along SR-104 and 100th Ave W • Recommended setbacks: o 15’ at the intersection o 12’ away from the intersection • Parking standards: minimum 1 stall per 500 commercial square feet is reasonable, plus residential parking. Can be refined over time. Next steps – SR 104 Study: • Complete analysis of complete streets needs throughout corridor • Work with committee to prepare corridor master plan and list of project • Include key projects in Transportation Element of Comprehensive Plan • Finalize study in late spring 2015 Councilmember Petso asked whether they studied or evaluated the ability to put a protected bike lane on SR-104. Mr. Samdahl answered that would be very difficult due to the need to maintain the existing traffic capacity in the 80-foot right-of-way. In most of the corridor the sidewalk and the right-of-way takes up the 80 feet; adding a protected bike lane would require purchasing additional right-of-way. The committee felt there were other bike routes that serve a similar function and a bike lane was not recommended at this time. Councilmember Petso commented what happens in lieu of a bike lane is people ride on the sidewalks on SR-104 which she assumed would not factor favorably on the walkability score or Compete Streets Index. Mr. Abbotts said the walkability score does not consider the mix of users, just the area of access. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 16 Council President Fraley-Monillas asked whether Cascade Bike Club had been consulted. Mr. Hauss said that specific issue has not been discussed. Councilmember Petso explained the Council has already voted on parking and setbacks in Westgate. One of the things the Council was seeking was a map of the existing right-of-way near Westgate showing property lines. The Council had been told the road does not necessarily sit within the right-of-way and, as a result, setbacks were measured from the property line, making it difficult to determine, particular for the south side of SR-104, how far the building would be from the street. For example the Key Bank building does not appear to be the anticipated distance from the traffic lane. She asked whether a map of the existing right-of-way was available now. Mr. Samdahl answered GIS identifies the basic right-of-way which is overlaid onto the street systems. Although not exact, on SR104 through Westgate it is a fairly consistent 80 feet. They could measure pretty closely the spacing for certain developments like the bank. Councilmember Petso recalled that was something the Council wanted, a map showing the right-of-way relative to the road at the intersection of SR 104 and 100th. Mr. Abbotts said the information available assumes the GIS is accurate with regard to existing property lines. To be truly accurate would require a survey of the property boundaries. Councilmember Petso referred to the analysis that indicates the level of service (LOS) at the intersection is fine now and will be fine into future. Her understanding was if a vehicle sits through two light cycles which she did today at 12:20 p.m., that was LOS F, not LOS D. Mr. Abbotts advised there are many different measures; two cycles does not necessarily mean LOS F. LOS is measured using average vehicle delays. Councilmember Petso said she and five other cars were there for 3 minutes trying to turn left onto SR-104 from 9th/100th. She was not blocking the entrance to PCC but 1-2 cars behind her likely were. That was a concern for her especially with the suggestion to close driveways. Mr. Abbotts said their analysis considers average days, current traffic counts and current signal timing. If that happens every day or 80% of the time, it is a typical condition; if it happens once a month, it may not be typical. He wondered what else was occurring that day to make that happen. Councilmember Petso said it happens frequently but she was uncertain the percentage of time. Mr. Abbotts said the models look at the average vehicle delay. Mr. Hauss pointed out that intersection is impacted by ferry traffic. Councilmember Petso said when she experienced that delay today there was no ferry traffic and it was not rush hour. Councilmember Petso recalled a question about installing a deceleration lane to get into the PCC parking lot and asked how much additional right-of-way that would require. Mr. Samdahl answered it would require at least an 11-foot width for the length of the lane. Councilmember Petso concluded that presumably would require purchasing additional right-of-way. Councilmember Petso inquired about a right turn lane near Key Bank for northbound traffic on 100th to access SR 104. Mr. Samdahl said they considered a road diet with bike lanes on 100th; to make the intersection operate satisfactorily, there would need to be a northbound right turn lane approaching SR- 104. Councilmember Petso asked whether additional right-of-way would need to be purchased. Mr. Samdahl answered it would fit within the existing right-of-way. Councilmember Petso recalled the concept of a road diet was discussed and abandoned during previous Westgate discussions. She referred to July 23, 2013 Council minutes when the question was asked and Mr. Clifton’s answer, “The plan is not to reduce the number of lanes on 100th/9th. The traffic impact study determined it was not appropriate to put 9th Avenue on a road diet and instead recommended leaving the roadway as it is. She asked whether Fehr & Peers had reviewed that traffic impact study. Mr. Samdahl answered yes, their volumes closely matched those. They did not have access to the detailed traffic analysis but they also did some more detailed simulations. A road diet could be considered and they felt it could operate satisfactorily but it would require some additional investigation. Councilmember Petso Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 17 asked what was wrong with the prior study if both used similar traffic counts but reached different conclusions. Mr. Samdahl said he did not have an answer. Councilmember Mesaros said he passed through the intersection three times today, once without stopping for a light at all. He referred to the map of recommended driveway closures around the intersection, explaining he frequently uses one of the driveways on the northwest corner of SR-104 that is recommended for closure because it has better sightlines than the driveway closer to the corner. He recommended closing the driveway that is closer to the corner. Councilmember Bloom referred to the recommendation for 13-foot sidewalks at the intersection and 8- foot sidewalks and 5-foot amenity zone away from the intersection. Mr. Samdahl referred to the Westgate SR-104 cross-section with 12-foot setback, explaining that beginning at the curb there is a 5-foot planter strip, 8-foot sidewalk, 9-foot setback before the building, a total of 22 feet. The actual setback is the distance from the edge of the right-of-way to the buildings. Councilmember Bloom asked the total distance from the curb. Mr. Samdahl answered 22 feet. He explained within 40 feet of the intersection, they envision the planter strip would largely go away and the sidewalk would be widened to approximately 13 feet and instead of 9 feet to the building, there would be 12 feet, for a total of 25 feet, 3 feet wider closer to the intersection. Councilmember Bloom relayed her understanding of the answer to Councilmember Petso’s question was addition right-of-way would need to be purchased to provide bike lanes with a barrier and they were not recommending bike lanes on SR-104 or 100th. Mr. Samdahl said they were not recommending bike lanes on SR-104 but a road diet on 100th could allow for bike lanes further widening. Without the road diet, there could still be bike lanes on 9th and 100th approaching Westgate but bikes would need to share the lane near the intersection unless the City purchased additional right-of-way to extend the bike lane. Councilmember Bloom observed even with a road diet and bike lanes, there would not be separation between the bike lane and traffic. Mr. Samdahl answered not on 100th. Mr. Hauss noted there are 4-foot shoulders ½ mile south of the intersection at 238th. The road diet could potentially extend to Main Street or Caspers. That would require parking studies because it would eliminate parking on one side of 9th. Councilmember Bloom observed even with a road diet on 9th or 100th, there is no possibility of any separation between the traffic and bike lane such as candlesticks as recommended by 8-80 Cities. Mr. Abbotts answered there may be width in that area with a road diet to do a buffered bike lane. A buffered bike lane is a painted stripe with a diagonal hatch. Councilmember Bloom said 8-80 Cities recommends a physical barrier between bike lanes and traffic such as candlesticks, grade separation or other barrier. She recalled hearing that sharrows are not working Seattle. Mr. Abbotts said that could be evaluated. Traffic volumes on 100th do not warrant a grade separated facility. Protected bike lanes or cycle tracks are typically reserved for areas that are more dangerous areas or areas with history due to the capital cost. Councilmember Bloom’s suggestion for a positive barrier between the bicycle facility and the roadway such as a curb would require raising the entire 10-12 foot width of the cycle track. Candlesticks and paint are both visual barriers. There is a much larger capital cost with concrete versus paint. Mr. Hauss advised the existing street width is 44 feet; two 10 foot lanes and an 11-foot turn lane is 31 feet, 7-8 feet for parking and 5 feet for a bike lane. He summarized there was a limited amount of additional space unless the road was widened. Councilmember Buckshnis asked if it was common for bicyclist to ride on State highways where there is that much traffic going that fast. In her experience, they generally divert to other routes such as 100th, into Shoreline, and onto the Interurban Trail. Mr. Abbotts responded there are a lot of examples of bike lanes on State highways throughout the United States; they are not conducive to a family. A bike lane on a state route is for “the spandex crowd,” a facility for a very limited cross-section of cyclists. Depending on the speed of the roadway, it would also be a bike lane for cyclists who would be comfortable taking the lane. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 18 If the goal is a facility for all users and abilities, that is not a bike lane on a State highway. Mr. Samdahl said if a bike lane on SR-104 was desired, a positive separation would be preferable. He cited the Burke Gilman along SR-522 as an example. Even if the width existed, he did not recommend a regular bike lane on SR-104 due to the speeds and volumes. Mr. Hauss described alternate routes using existing facilities: the east-west corridor on 220th from 9th to 84th has bike lanes and they will be extended to 76th and the 220th project includes a new traffic signal with bike lanes. That route has lower speeds and reaches the same point as SR-104. To the south on 100th, there are existing bike lanes and a 4-5 foot shoulder and a 30 mph speed limit. He summarized there are alternate bike routes north and south of SR 104. Councilmember Buckshnis recalled during WSDOT’s presentation at the Council retreat two years ago, WSDOT did not have plans to expand SR-104. To add facilities on SR-104 would require the City purchase the property. Council President Fraley-Monillas said she has lived off SR-104 and 76th for 30 years and rarely sees a bike on Edmonds Way; they typically use 76th and 220th. She sees a bike on SR-104 approximately one a month, and felt they were taking their life into their own hands due to the speeds and curves. She suggested Cascade Bike Club be consulted regarding whether SR-104 would be a safe route for bicycles. Councilmember Johnson said the WDSOT representative who made the presentation at the Council retreat has also been a member of the technical committee. A district member of WSDOT has also participated as well as a transit route planner from Community Transit. She thanked Fehr & Peers and staff for providing this overview for the Council. Councilmember Petso observed there are no improvements proposed for 76th & SR-104, an intersection that is extraordinarily slow. Mr. Samdahl responded they are still investigating that intersection and have collected newer counts. They will provide information on that intersection in the future. Councilmember Petso asked the date of the traffic counts for Westgate. Mr. Samdahl answered October 2014. Councilmember Petso asked how the counts were adjusted for ferry traffic. Mr. Samdahl said they were looking at afternoon peak hour conditions; they have seasonal counts on SR-104 and did some adjustments. The forecasting was not for the peak ferry season; it was a typical time in the fall or spring but reflects ferry traffic volumes during the hour. Mayor Earling advised another presentation is scheduled on March 24. He requested Councilmembers forward questions/comments to Mr. Hauss. 10. MAYOR'S COMMENTS Mayor Earling had no report. 11. COUNCIL COMMENTS Councilmember Buckshnis thanked citizens who called and emailed her regarding use of approximately 43% of the Council budget for a communications retraining session on Friday. The contract scope of work was negotiated and approved solely by the Council President because the code is silent regarding that administrative duty. The City is also paying former communication consultant Jim Reid $1800 for a 1½ - 2 hour wrap-up. She recognized all the negotiations have been completed and she plans to attend the meeting. After the last meeting, many people complained to Mr. Reid, Mayor Earling and her that the facilitator allowed the meeting to not be positive. She felt it was not appropriate for the Council President to engage in a scope of work without the Council’s consent. Edmonds City Council Approved Minutes March 10, 2015 Page 19 Councilmember Johnson suggested future Council retreats be held within the City limits to facilitate easy access for citizens. Councilmember Bloom suggested the Council clarify the role of the Council President in allocating funds for consultants. She reiterated her request to have Council retreats held within the City limits. Councilmember Bloom relayed she has requested the Sunset Avenue Walkway be brought to Council for discussion. There is a lot of discussion and concern occurring online and a lot of people, including her, feel consideration should not be delayed until the painting has been in place for a year. She relayed Council President Fraley-Monillas said the earliest this could be scheduled was April 28; she preferred it be discussed sooner. Councilmember Petso announced she has selected Randy Hayden for the vacancy on the Economic Development Commission. Council President Fraley-Monillas said Councilmember Bloom asked her to schedule public comment regarding painting of parking lanes on Sunset. She offered to schedule a meeting with Mr. Williams about the painting and said citizens can come to Council to voice their objections. She is happy to schedule it on the agenda with the agreement of four Councilmembers; April 28 is the earliest possible date. Council President Fraley-Monillas explained the Council approved Mr. Reid’s phase 3 with the Council and the funding on June 16, 2014 under her Councilmember Buckshnis’ Council Presidency. The phase 3 work was not scheduled last year and the funds were not spent. 12. CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION REGARDING PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION PER RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) At 10:02 p.m., Mayor Earling announced that the City Council would meet in executive session regarding potential litigation per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i). He stated that the executive session was scheduled to last approximately 5 minutes and would be held in the Jury Meeting Room, located in the Public Safety Complex. No action was anticipated to occur as a result of meeting in executive session. Elected officials present at the executive session were: Mayor Earling, and Councilmembers Johnson, Fraley-Monillas, Buckshnis, Petso, Bloom and Nelson. (Councilmember Mesaros did not participate in the executive session.) Others present were City Attorney Jeff Taraday and City Clerk Scott Passey. The executive session concluded at 10:07 p.m. 13. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. POTENTIAL ACTION AS A RESULT OF MEETING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Earling reconvened the regular City Council meeting at 10:08 p.m. 14. ADJOURN With no further business, the Council meeting was adjourned at 10:08 p.m.