City Council Planning, Development & Environment Committee · Tuesday, May 7, 2024 · City Council Digest

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Minutes of April 2, 2024

packet pp.5–6

▶ Watch from 0:40 Open packet at p.5 ↗

Staff report:

APPROVAL OF MINUTES a) 04-02-24 City Council Planning, Development & Page (1) Environment Committee Minutes CITY OF ISSAQUAH City Council Planning, Development & Environment Committee 6:30 PM Council Chambers, 135 E. April 2, 2024 MINUTES Sunset Way, Issaquah WA

4. AGENDA ITEMS

Amendments to Title 18 for Emergency Shelters and Supportive Housing COM 0014

45 min · Christen Leeson, Senior Planner · packet pp.7–38

Topics: HousingLand UsePublic Safety

Previously discussed: Planning Policy Commission · Mar 14, 2024

▶ Watch from 1:03 Open packet at p.7 ↗

Staff report:

The State The state legislature adopted House Bill (HB) 1220 in July 2021 which amended the Growth Management Act to instruct local governments to “plan for and accommodate” housing affordable to all income levels. It also mandates that:

961 segments .txt ↗

0:03 ↗ hello and welcome to the city council

0:04 ↗ Planning Development and environment

0:06 ↗ committee um today is the May 7th

0:10 ↗ meeting of this committee and I'm here

0:12 ↗ this evening with council president

0:13 ↗ Walsh and council member

0:15 ↗ Hall um we have one item on the agenda

0:18 ↗ and before that we do have a public

0:20 ↗ comment period And I will note for the

0:23 ↗ record that there are uh no members of

0:25 ↗ the public here in council chambers and

0:27 ↗ I'll check in with clerk Kowski if there

0:29 ↗ are any members of the public online

0:32 ↗ chair hunt we have new virtual attendees

0:33 ↗ at this time thank

0:36 ↗ you then our first uh order of business

0:40 ↗ is approval of the minutes these are the

0:43 ↗ minutes of the April 2nd

0:46 ↗ 2024 council meeting um do we have any

0:49 ↗ corrections or anything to

0:52 ↗ change right um then move to approve the

0:57 ↗ minutes please indicate by saying I hi

1:01 ↗ hi hi hi all right those are approved so

1:03 ↗ our first and only agenda item this

1:06 ↗ evening is uh Comm 0014 amendments to

1:10 ↗ Title 18 for Emergency Shelters and

1:12 ↗ Supportive Housing and this will be

1:14 ↗ presented by Kristen Leon senior planner

1:17 ↗ Kristen you could take it away

1:24 ↗ thanks good evening yes I'm Kristen Leon

1:27 ↗ senior planner with Community develop uh

1:29 ↗ Community planning and Development

1:30 ↗ Department tonight we are going to

1:33 ↗ review some of the Amendments that are

1:35 ↗ required through House Bill 1220 and

1:38 ↗ then ask that you all if you are

1:39 ↗ prepared to make a Rec to uh make a

1:41 ↗ recommendation to the full city

1:44 ↗ council the two questions that we want

1:46 ↗ you to consider while we're going

1:48 ↗ through this is one do you all agree

1:49 ↗ with the recent change of removing the

1:51 ↗ operational plans as a requirement for

1:53 ↗ day centers and night shelters and

1:56 ↗ second are there additional changes that

1:57 ↗ you would like to see

2:01 ↗ so House Bill 1220 became it was adopted

2:03 ↗ and became effective in September of

2:06 ↗ 2021 it says that we must identify

2:08 ↗ capacity for and allow as uses extremely

2:12 ↗ low uh extremely low through moderate

2:15 ↗ lwi income housing emergency housing

2:17 ↗ Emergency Shelters transitional housing

2:19 ↗ and permanent Supportive Housing It also

2:21 ↗ says that we may regulate uh reasonable

2:25 ↗ occupancy spacing and intensity of use

2:28 ↗ but cannot do it go so far as to

2:30 ↗ prohibit these uses in the

2:33 ↗ city so on our housing Continuum the

2:37 ↗ Amendments that are being addressed here

2:39 ↗ will uh cover those from all the way

2:42 ↗ from unsheltered up through subsidized

2:46 ↗ housing so as I mentioned the bill was

2:49 ↗ adopted in 20 in uh

2:52 ↗ 2021 and we started our comprehensive

2:55 ↗ plan updates in May of 2023 which

2:57 ↗ addressed the comprehensive requirements

2:59 ↗ of house Bill uh 1220 and then in March

3:03 ↗ on March 14th and March 28th planning

3:05 ↗ policy commission saw the title 18 draft

3:08 ↗ amendments and then on April 11th they

3:11 ↗ held a public hearing where they

3:13 ↗ recommended unanimously to approve the

3:17 ↗ Amendments as I mentioned we started our

3:19 ↗ comprehensive plan we already had a lot

3:21 ↗ of the policies in there regarding

3:22 ↗ allowing low income housing extremely

3:24 ↗ low income housing and so forth but we

3:26 ↗ didn't have one about emergency housing

3:28 ↗ and others so our post policy uh um C5

3:32 ↗ hc5 says allow Emer allow emergency

3:35 ↗ housing day centers night shelters

3:37 ↗ transitional housing and permanent

3:38 ↗ Supportive Housing within at a minimum

3:40 ↗ those zones identified by the

3:45 ↗ state so our definitions we have first

3:49 ↗ of all day Center night shelter which

3:51 ↗ the state was calling Emergency Shelters

3:53 ↗ but when we went to our planning policy

3:55 ↗ commission it became very confusing to

3:57 ↗ separate those with what about Emergency

4:00 ↗ Shelters if there's flooding and you

4:02 ↗ know if there if it's 114 degrees again

4:05 ↗ and people need people to go those are

4:07 ↗ two different things one is intended for

4:09 ↗ the homeless or imminent or about to

4:13 ↗ become homeless and the other one is

4:14 ↗ just for anyone who needs the help and

4:17 ↗ for anyone who needs the help for

4:18 ↗ flooding or so forth that's covered by

4:19 ↗ our Emergency Management plan so that's

4:22 ↗ why we changed the name plus when we

4:24 ↗ were speaking with our commissioner who

4:26 ↗ works with hopelink she mentioned that

4:28 ↗ that is really what they call these

4:30 ↗ place these different sort of shelters

4:32 ↗ are day centers and night shelters so if

4:33 ↗ you're wondering why we changed it that

4:34 ↗ is why so the definition is that they

4:37 ↗ are temporary day uh temporary day night

4:41 ↗ or 247 shelters for those currently

4:43 ↗ experiencing

4:44 ↗ homelessness a May provide access to

4:47 ↗ essential services and it often includes

4:49 ↗ on-site management including services to

4:51 ↗ Aid individuals to stable permanent

4:55 ↗ housing for emergency housing these are

4:58 ↗ short-term indoor accommodations for

5:00 ↗ those who are experiencing homelessness

5:02 ↗ or those who are at imminent risk of

5:04 ↗ experiencing home of becoming homeless

5:06 ↗ they also address public or basic health

5:09 ↗ food clothing and personal hygiene needs

5:11 ↗ it often includes on-site

5:13 ↗ management and to potentially help

5:16 ↗ people find stable and permanent housing

5:19 ↗ it might but likely not require

5:21 ↗ occupants to enter into a lease or

5:23 ↗ agreement to stay

5:26 ↗ there permanent support of housing is

5:28 ↗ actually for persons living with complex

5:32 ↗ and disabling physical or mental health

5:34 ↗ conditions who are experiencing

5:36 ↗ homelessness or were again at imminent

5:38 ↗ risk of

5:39 ↗ homelessness uh they do have uh Support

5:42 ↗ Services to help people retain their

5:44 ↗ housing if they are currently in housing

5:46 ↗ improve the res resident's health status

5:48 ↗ and connect the resident with um connect

5:50 ↗ the resident with community- based

5:52 ↗ Healthcare treatment or employment

5:55 ↗ services and lastly transitional housing

5:58 ↗ provides housing and supportive of

5:59 ↗ services to individuals or family

6:01 ↗ experiencing homelessness uh or about to

6:04 ↗ become homeless for up to two

6:07 ↗ years these typically do require

6:10 ↗ leases so instead of showing you the

6:13 ↗ giant permitted uses table moving on to

6:16 ↗ U chapter

6:17 ↗ 18400 uh instead of showing you the

6:19 ↗ giant permitted uses table it's EAS

6:21 ↗ easier to show you in a map and so

6:24 ↗ here's our map and this is for day

6:25 ↗ centers night shelters and emergency

6:27 ↗ housing the state requires that those

6:29 ↗ allowed where hotels are allowed that's

6:32 ↗ what we're

6:33 ↗ doing State also requires that

6:36 ↗ transitional and permanent Supportive

6:37 ↗ Housing be allowed where hotels and

6:40 ↗ wherever single family houses are

6:43 ↗ allowed much larger

6:46 ↗ area and then moving on

6:49 ↗ 18500 we are proposing to add 130 and uh

6:53 ↗ 12 regards so our requirements day

6:55 ↗ centers and night shelters one is that

6:57 ↗ the density of a Center is limited by

7:00 ↗ the development reg regulations of the

7:02 ↗ underlying zoning district and the

7:04 ↗ occupancy we are proposing be limited to

7:07 ↗ a maximum of 50 occupants per Center and

7:10 ↗ we talked with human services and about

7:13 ↗ how it's been going at Motel 6 and sort

7:15 ↗ of what their average is their average

7:17 ↗ is about 30 to 35 residents right

7:19 ↗ now they would love a buffer of 40 um

7:23 ↗ and we took that up to 50 because our

7:25 ↗ population's going to grow but there

7:26 ↗ there's also a difference in that right

7:28 ↗ now we only have one shelter and this

7:31 ↗ means that we will likely have more than

7:32 ↗ one

7:35 ↗ shelter then lastly it's the

7:38 ↗ requirements for emergency transitional

7:39 ↗ and permanent Supportive Housing it's

7:41 ↗ just for density uh the density is

7:43 ↗ limited by the development regulations

7:45 ↗ of the underlying zoning which district

7:47 ↗ in which the use is proposed and I was

7:49 ↗ asked one time um I believe we were

7:52 ↗ asked at one point does this mean that

7:53 ↗ you can just have you know if you're in

7:55 ↗ a single family or residential area does

7:58 ↗ that mean you can only have one shelter

8:01 ↗ there potentially but we also have House

8:04 ↗ Bill 1110 which is going to require us

8:07 ↗ to allow um up to four units on a prop

8:10 ↗ on a lot as long as one of those units

8:12 ↗ is Affordable so there is the potential

8:14 ↗ on one lot to have

8:17 ↗ more so after our public hearing our

8:20 ↗ planning policy commission public

8:21 ↗ hearing on April 11th we did make a few

8:23 ↗ changes we've been through this with the

8:24 ↗ attorney a few times and but then we

8:26 ↗ were looking at it again and we decided

8:28 ↗ to remove so we deviated from the

8:32 ↗ state's definitions a bit because they

8:34 ↗ were so muddled uh that at our planning

8:36 ↗ first planning policy commission meeting

8:38 ↗ that's all we talked about because they

8:39 ↗ were very unclear so we worked to clear

8:43 ↗ those up a little bit but we think we

8:44 ↗ went just a little over and made it a

8:46 ↗ little more muddy so we removed our uh

8:49 ↗ definition of chronically homeless and

8:51 ↗ disability because the O are really

8:53 ↗ already included in the definitions that

8:54 ↗ we have they were just excessive then we

8:56 ↗ also deleted the operational plans

8:58 ↗ requirement for d centers and night

9:01 ↗ shelters and because

9:05 ↗ fonders require that they have

9:07 ↗ operational plans in place so um we

9:10 ↗ removed that and then we also deleted

9:12 ↗ the word occupancy in 18500 1220 where

9:15 ↗ it said density and occupancy and they

9:17 ↗ will work in accordance with the

9:18 ↗ development regulations well development

9:20 ↗ regulations don't uh dictate occupancy

9:23 ↗ so we remove

9:24 ↗ that that was an oversight so what's

9:27 ↗ next um uh we're here and then on June

9:30 ↗ 3rd it's proposed that we go to city

9:32 ↗ council for action and then as far as

9:34 ↗ the rest of House Bill 1220 it would be

9:36 ↗ part of our comprehensive plan adoption

9:38 ↗ at the end of

9:40 ↗ 2024 but our recommendation is that the

9:42 ↗ administration

9:44 ↗ uh recommends

9:46 ↗ approval the I'm Excuse me the

9:49 ↗ administration recommend uh approval of

9:52 ↗ the prop proposed amendments to IMC

9:54 ↗ 18102 definitions imc1 18402 table of

9:58 ↗ permitted uses in the additions of

10:00 ↗ sections 18500 120 and 130 to chapter

10:04 ↗ 18500 residential use

10:06 ↗ standards so again as a reminder our

10:09 ↗ questions are do you agree with the

10:11 ↗ recent change of removing the

10:12 ↗ operational plans as a requirement for

10:14 ↗ day centers night shelters and are there

10:16 ↗ additional changes the committee would

10:17 ↗ like to

10:19 ↗ see and that is the end of my

10:23 ↗ presentation thank you all right now we

10:26 ↗ have uh committee question and answer

10:30 ↗ anybody have any questions

10:33 ↗ ask council president Walsh thank you um

10:37 ↗ if we do not require an operation plan

10:41 ↗ um and a shelter was built and we

10:44 ↗ started as a city to experience problems

10:47 ↗ with one particular shelter um what

10:50 ↗ tools would we have as a community and

10:53 ↗ government agency to help resolve those

10:57 ↗ issues um and do we feel like it would

10:59 ↗ be a step back to not have an

11:03 ↗ operational plan that was required by us

11:07 ↗ it doesn't seem like that is necessarily

11:08 ↗ a tool that we would be using so are

11:11 ↗ there

11:14 ↗ others excuse me those would fall back

11:17 ↗ on the police department and on Code

11:18 ↗ Enforcement because if say a yard

11:20 ↗ becomes covered in trash we have code

11:23 ↗ enforcements it says that can't happen

11:25 ↗ or if trailers are set up there that

11:27 ↗ can't happen that's code enforcement

11:28 ↗ again if somebody decided for some

11:31 ↗ unfortunate reason there's some sort of

11:33 ↗ shooting or fight or something that's

11:35 ↗ police enforcement so there are other

11:37 ↗ ways to

11:38 ↗ enforce um actions that take place there

11:41 ↗ let me ask it a little bit more

11:43 ↗ specifically specifically on a shelter

11:46 ↗ situation if we were experiencing

11:48 ↗ problems with the shelter management or

11:52 ↗ something like that that was causing a

11:54 ↗ larger problem than just a single maybe

11:57 ↗ permanent support of housing

11:59 ↗ unit um are there tools that we have on

12:03 ↗ kind of that agreement if a shelter is

12:07 ↗ already

12:08 ↗ built not that I'm aware of but I also

12:11 ↗ don't think that those that actually

12:12 ↗ have operational agreements through the

12:14 ↗ funders have that power either they even

12:18 ↗ all they're required to do is list who's

12:19 ↗ who the management is but we are not

12:21 ↗ able to remove

12:27 ↗ them questions

12:29 ↗ that's M um and thanks in advance for

12:32 ↗ answering some of my questions over

12:33 ↗ email as well um so the occupancy limit

12:37 ↗ and then also the requirement to comply

12:42 ↗ with the underlying zone for development

12:44 ↗ regulations we're confident that um is

12:47 ↗ on the level with that last bullet point

12:49 ↗ for the 12 House Bill 1220 which said

12:52 ↗ May regulate reasonable occupancy

12:54 ↗ spacing and intensity of use but cannot

12:56 ↗ prohibit uses by doing so we're

12:57 ↗ confident that jeal yes we initially had

13:01 ↗ in there we limited it to 50 occupants

13:02 ↗ but we also initially had a they

13:04 ↗ couldn't be spaced within a half a mile

13:06 ↗ of each other and we were talking to

13:09 ↗ Commerce about our proposed amendments

13:11 ↗ and they wanted us to take out the half

13:13 ↗ mile but they were fine with the 50 the

13:14 ↗ 50 person

13:19 ↗ cap okay great um I have a couple

13:23 ↗ questions the first one is is the 50

13:26 ↗ occupancy is that based um

13:29 ↗ completely on the experiences of of the

13:32 ↗ city staff and the Motel 6 um example or

13:36 ↗ their other things okay

13:39 ↗ yes okay

13:42 ↗ um and then our day and day centers and

13:46 ↗ night shelters that's one thing right

13:49 ↗ yes so sometimes as so there are some

13:53 ↗ centers that will just be open during

13:55 ↗ the day and if people need food or

13:56 ↗ counseling or just air conditioning

13:59 ↗ something like that they will be open

14:00 ↗ for the day and close at night others

14:02 ↗ are just the reverse they may just be

14:03 ↗ open at night so that people can come in

14:05 ↗ and sleep and get a dinner and have a

14:07 ↗ bed have a you know bed to sleep on so

14:09 ↗ they oper and then there you have your

14:10 ↗ 247 so they're sort of three different

14:13 ↗ they operate three different

14:16 ↗ ways um okay but the way the way we have

14:19 ↗ the definitions is one definition for

14:24 ↗ day Center correct same purpose

14:27 ↗ potentially different hours

14:30 ↗ okay um and then last question is are we

14:35 ↗ um are we at all concerned about

14:38 ↗ deviating from the state laws definition

14:40 ↗ since uh we are we are in this um in

14:45 ↗ this ordinance we're complying with the

14:47 ↗ state law and trying to um specify our

14:51 ↗ specific uh rules but it seems like

14:55 ↗ there might be an issue with not not

14:57 ↗ following the state law so we we

15:00 ↗ submitted we've talked to the state a

15:01 ↗ couple of times we submitted it through

15:04 ↗ the State website as well as directly to

15:08 ↗ our

15:09 ↗ state per our stately aison that we work

15:11 ↗ with and we haven't had any feedback on

15:13 ↗ it and our definitions have the same

15:15 ↗ intent as those that the state do so we

15:18 ↗ don't have any concern

15:22 ↗ okay

15:24 ↗ um at the last planning policy

15:26 ↗ commission meeting on this topic um you

15:29 ↗ had mentioned that like very few cities

15:30 ↗ had actually gone through this process

15:32 ↗ already like most were already using

15:34 ↗ whatever the state Foundation was so I'm

15:36 ↗ just curious if that's kind of changed

15:38 ↗ since then if there's anything that

15:40 ↗ we've learned uh the last I heard I

15:43 ↗ think I what I told them is that

15:45 ↗ 255 jurisdictions were supposed to do

15:47 ↗ this about I can't remember how many had

15:50 ↗ done it but only five had done it

15:51 ↗ correctly so now the state is actually

15:53 ↗ coming up with something that they call

15:55 ↗ step so it's just stands for all these

15:57 ↗ different things and they're being much

15:59 ↗ more detailed on the requirements for

16:01 ↗ these because people it just wasn't

16:03 ↗ registering we think we're okay we'll

16:06 ↗ see what happens with they come out with

16:07 ↗ their step but with their whole step

16:10 ↗ process but that'll be a little bit so I

16:12 ↗ don't know if anybody else has adopted

16:14 ↗ since

16:18 ↗ then okay well that does lead me to

16:20 ↗ another question so once you get that

16:22 ↗ guidance would you if it were that we

16:25 ↗ were not in compliance with the new

16:27 ↗ guidance would you then have to bring

16:28 ↗ back back at Amendment or absolutely we

16:31 ↗ would do that

16:37 ↗ yes all right uh any additional

16:40 ↗ questions seeing any okay I will uh note

16:43 ↗ for the record there are no members of

16:45 ↗ the public in the audience um in council

16:46 ↗ chambers and I'll will check in if there

16:48 ↗ are any members of the public for um

16:51 ↗ public comments at this time chair hunt

16:53 ↗ we have no members of the public

16:55 ↗ attending virtually at this time okay I

16:57 ↗ will uh I will mention that you can

17:00 ↗ submit written comments at any time to

17:01 ↗ city council at isqua wa.gov and we will

17:04 ↗ move into discussion of this item I have

17:10 ↗ a few things I can start us off with um

17:13 ↗ so there are a few minor issues um in

17:18 ↗ the

17:20 ↗ Ordinance one is there is one case where

17:22 ↗ it says day centers and night shelters

17:26 ↗ um and then in every other case it is

17:28 ↗ day Center SL night shelter um and it is

17:32 ↗ a little confusing especially with the

17:34 ↗ explanation that you gave about they do

17:36 ↗ have different hours and so they can be

17:38 ↗ different things so um I think just for

17:41 ↗ consistency every time it's written it

17:43 ↗ should be uh just day centers SL night

17:47 ↗ shelters or however we want to however

17:50 ↗ we want to refer to them

17:53 ↗ um then in the

17:59 ↗ in the definition of the day Center

18:03 ↗ night shelter um which is the first one

18:07 ↗ that it goes into definitions it says

18:10 ↗ that at the end of that it says uh often

18:12 ↗ includes on-site case management or it

18:14 ↗ says uh list things it has and then it

18:17 ↗ says on-site case management and then it

18:18 ↗ says and often includes on-site case

18:20 ↗ management so it has onsite case

18:21 ↗ management twice um so you can probably

18:26 ↗ clarify

18:27 ↗ that and

18:30 ↗ and I

18:35 ↗ had oh and then just um

18:39 ↗ inconsistent uh inconsistent

18:42 ↗ capitalization of day Center and night

18:44 ↗ Center or night shelter again that's

18:46 ↗ just a consistency thing

18:49 ↗ um and oh one more um so under

18:53 ↗ transitional housing the the way it's

18:56 ↗ written it has um

19:04 ↗ so transitional housing it says means a

19:06 ↗ project that provides housing and

19:07 ↗ supportive services to individuals or

19:09 ↗ families experiencing homelessness or

19:11 ↗ are at imminent risk of becoming

19:12 ↗ homeless for up to two years so I think

19:15 ↗ what it means is that the housing is for

19:17 ↗ up to two years but the way it's written

19:19 ↗ because it has the up to two years at

19:20 ↗ the end it sounds like they are at risk

19:22 ↗ of becoming homeless for up to two years

19:24 ↗ so I think you could just rearrange that

19:26 ↗ sentence and that would be a little bit

19:27 ↗ clearer and then I think the only real

19:29 ↗ question I have um as far as the uh

19:33 ↗ Beyond those clarifications is around

19:35 ↗ the 50 occupancy I am I I think the

19:39 ↗ rationale about that um you would be

19:41 ↗ required by organizations to do the

19:43 ↗ operational plans anyway

19:48 ↗ is um is is a a good rationale and so I

19:52 ↗ I am supportive of not additionally

19:55 ↗ requiring that from our side um the the

19:59 ↗ only question I really have is about the

20:00 ↗ 5050 people and if the experience of the

20:03 ↗ Motel 6 as a gauge

20:07 ↗ um if that is the best possible

20:10 ↗ gauge

20:13 ↗ um so would would be uh would welcome my

20:18 ↗ fellow council members thoughts on that

20:20 ↗ point it seems like that is partly due

20:24 ↗ to the fact that the motel only has so

20:26 ↗ many rooms and you know our staff is are

20:28 ↗ inside and and things that it might be

20:31 ↗ different if it were an emergency

20:33 ↗ shelter and so I'm not yeah so I think

20:37 ↗ maybe the occupancy it would be good to

20:39 ↗ know if there are other shelters in the

20:41 ↗ region about that size or things like

20:46 ↗ that c member Hall um yeah well first

20:51 ↗ definitely no problem at all with the

20:52 ↗ clarifications that chair hunt brought

20:54 ↗ up but some like good things to look

20:55 ↗ into I was actually going to bring up

20:56 ↗ the occupancy limit as well and and

20:59 ↗ maybe in just in terms of something to

21:01 ↗ keep our eye on um as kind of the market

21:05 ↗ for these kinds of shelters evolve in

21:07 ↗ the isqua area um because I would hate

21:09 ↗ to um have I mean if the Department of

21:11 ↗ Commerce didn't have any problem with it

21:13 ↗ I'm fine with it for now for sure but

21:15 ↗ definitely something I'd like us to keep

21:17 ↗ an eye on um if that needs to change in

21:19 ↗ the future and it sounds like it could

21:20 ↗ be an easy amendment in the future if we

21:22 ↗ need to or a good policy conversation to

21:24 ↗ have at the very least um I think

21:28 ↗ overall this strikes a pretty good

21:29 ↗ balance between like what's required of

21:31 ↗ us and also making sure we're doing what

21:34 ↗ we can to help people in need in our

21:35 ↗ community I think the planning policy

21:38 ↗ commission had a really thoughtful uh

21:41 ↗ questions and comments on this a really

21:42 ↗ excellent conversation around the

21:43 ↗ operational plans and particular got

21:45 ↗ really into the Wheats on the

21:46 ↗ operational plans um and I completely

21:48 ↗ understand those that might want to have

21:52 ↗ um required it to ensure success of the

21:54 ↗ model or to ensure what was brought up

21:56 ↗ earlier if an issue arises we have some

21:58 ↗ sort of mechanism to deal with that but

22:00 ↗ it sounds like we do have well it sounds

22:02 ↗ like the funding pathway in and of

22:04 ↗ itself is a mechanism already that

22:06 ↗ exists and then of course we have our

22:08 ↗ code enforcement law

22:09 ↗ enforcement um there as well so and so I

22:13 ↗ think the argument for removing it is

22:14 ↗ more is more compelling um I think it's

22:17 ↗ also important to listen to the

22:18 ↗ Department of Commerce avoid liability

22:21 ↗ whenever possible and um stay in our

22:24 ↗ lane or I I think it's good for us to

22:27 ↗ focus on on what the city does doesn't

22:28 ↗ let the other partners who are involved

22:30 ↗ with producing these kinds of pH

22:32 ↗ facilities focus on what their role is

22:35 ↗ um so I think um staff have have found

22:37 ↗ the right balance here

22:40 ↗ um and then yeah the only other thing

22:42 ↗ was about occupancy just keeping our eye

22:44 ↗ on that so otherwise um no additional

22:46 ↗ changes I'd like to

22:49 ↗ see council president was thanks um

22:52 ↗ going on that occupancy idea I forgot to

22:56 ↗ ask what the um occupancy is of the snow

22:59 ↗ Cal Me

23:03 ↗ Shelter I don't know what it is for snow

23:05 ↗ Cal me I know that the men shelter over

23:07 ↗ at Eastgate allows for 92 men uh their

23:10 ↗ Belleview is capping theirs at 100

23:13 ↗ percenter um some are not putting caps

23:16 ↗ but they're putting on very large

23:18 ↗ distances so say a mile or so within

23:21 ↗ each other so um they vary but I don't

23:24 ↗ know what snow kwamis currently is okay

23:27 ↗ I think that would be an interesting one

23:30 ↗ for me just

23:31 ↗ because you know we're different from

23:35 ↗ Belleview I think the 92 occupancy and

23:37 ↗ the 100 cap there um is a good reference

23:41 ↗ point um but also seeing what it is on

23:45 ↗ the other side um I think would be

23:47 ↗ useful I think I had many of the same

23:50 ↗ thoughts about occupancy which is I

23:53 ↗ don't

23:55 ↗ want I don't want a number that we have

24:00 ↗ pulled out of kind of what our need is

24:02 ↗ and our staff's experience and our

24:04 ↗ current size and all of that I don't

24:06 ↗ want our reasoning there to

24:10 ↗ block the development of something that

24:13 ↗ would help our

24:14 ↗ resident and so if there is any concern

24:19 ↗ that you know somebody couldn't get a

24:21 ↗ fund couldn't get funding for a shelter

24:26 ↗ unless they were going to to be able to

24:29 ↗ cover a certain number of Beds which

24:31 ↗ would give them a certain amount of you

24:32 ↗ know State funding um that would be my

24:36 ↗ only concern there um so if there's any

24:40 ↗ other information that we've heard from

24:43 ↗ any other shelters of hey we had to hit

24:46 ↗ this size in order to have effective

24:49 ↗ funding um I think that would be useful

24:51 ↗ beyond that I also don't have a problem

24:55 ↗ with removing the operational plans I

24:57 ↗ think the expl a of both the funding um

25:02 ↗ group requiring that and also um the

25:06 ↗ fact that we have code enforcement and

25:09 ↗ um law enforcement as options there um

25:13 ↗ really does help clear um any concerns

25:16 ↗ there so it sounds like that's very well

25:18 ↗ thought out um I think my thought in

25:24 ↗ looking at the difference between the

25:26 ↗ day Center night shelter um map and the

25:31 ↗ permanent support of Housing and

25:32 ↗ transitional housing is just maybe we've

25:35 ↗ gone a little bit too small on the day

25:38 ↗ Center night shelter um in particular I

25:41 ↗ was looking at places like mixed use

25:43 ↗ residential multif family High multif

25:45 ↗ family medium Urban Village multif

25:48 ↗ Family just because those are some of

25:51 ↗ our um denser areas they're going to be

25:54 ↗ more likely to be served by transit

25:58 ↗ which would be a super help um

26:02 ↗ to that uh population so I think I would

26:07 ↗ just put it out there a little bit of

26:10 ↗ maybe there are a few more areas that we

26:12 ↗ might want to consider if nobody feels

26:16 ↗ like that's a good idea I'm certainly

26:19 ↗ fine I think we've done a wonderful job

26:22 ↗ of growing it beyond what we are

26:25 ↗ specifically required to do um and I

26:28 ↗ think it represents our recognition of

26:32 ↗ we have a community that needs to be

26:33 ↗ served and serving them within the

26:36 ↗ community is um the best way to do that

26:40 ↗ so that's my

26:45 ↗ thought I was searching I found one

26:48 ↗ reference that says this Noami Valley

26:50 ↗ shelter serves 10 adults year rounds and

26:53 ↗ can expans a 15 beds

26:58 ↗ 45 well and this was not on the this was

27:01 ↗ not their site this was a different site

27:04 ↗ so

27:11 ↗ okay I mean you all discussed with the

27:14 ↗ Human Services uh staff that knows this

27:17 ↗ business a lot more in terms of what's

27:19 ↗ the right size because even for the

27:21 ↗ residents having a larger facility

27:23 ↗ doesn't can be a little bit you know

27:25 ↗ having toured some of these shelters in

27:27 ↗ in the past

27:28 ↗ uh there is that to be managed well and

27:31 ↗ and to provide the services for the

27:33 ↗ residents um it it can be a huge

27:36 ↗ facility because it it has to be really

27:38 ↗ well run for it

27:44 ↗ toate okay so do you have any proposed

27:48 ↗ changes

27:50 ↗ or um I think I just there were a few

27:54 ↗ areas that I would consider appropriate

27:57 ↗ for day Center and night shelter which

27:59 ↗ is the mixed use

28:02 ↗ residential multifam high and multif

28:05 ↗ family

28:06 ↗ medium and Urban Village

28:10 ↗ multifam so um would it be possible to

28:13 ↗ bring up the blide that has or the map

28:17 ↗ of

28:19 ↗ um particularly the transitional and

28:23 ↗ permanent Supportive

28:25 ↗ Housing

28:26 ↗ um yeah yeah so if I'm looking at

28:30 ↗ multifam high it's kind of a dark brown

28:35 ↗ down puke Brown I don't I don't know

28:38 ↗ what these colors end up

28:40 ↗ being yeah um down off a front yeah down

28:43 ↗ off a front and then there's a little

28:46 ↗ bit right at the roundabout on East Lake

28:49 ↗ samamish Parkway so that's one area um

28:54 ↗ that I had listed out and then multifam

28:57 ↗ medium

29:00 ↗ is a little bit more scattered

29:03 ↗ through um in different

29:06 ↗ areas so that's another one and then

29:09 ↗ Urban Village multifam

29:12 ↗ is mostly in the highlands and Talis in

29:17 ↗ just certain areas

29:21 ↗ so okay so um are

29:26 ↗ you proposing that

29:28 ↗ so this is where this map here is where

29:31 ↗ transitional and permanent Supportive

29:32 ↗ Housing are currently allowed are you

29:35 ↗ proposing that we consider um the day

29:38 ↗ and night shelters yeah so if you go

29:41 ↗ over to the day and night shelters map

29:43 ↗ you can see it's far fewer and so the

29:46 ↗ areas that I was mentioning I think

29:49 ↗ would also be appropriate to be to allow

29:54 ↗ day Center and night shelters um and I'm

29:57 ↗ really not at at the point of proposing

29:59 ↗ I'm more just seeing um what people's

30:03 ↗ thoughts are or if staff have any

30:06 ↗ concerns um with that idea yeah maybe I

30:09 ↗ can um help you kind of think think it

30:12 ↗ through so the reason why we didn't

30:14 ↗ picked that was because hotels are not

30:15 ↗ currently allowed in those zones and um

30:18 ↗ all along with the planning policy

30:20 ↗ commission we've been very clear about

30:22 ↗ what the state mandate is and this is

30:24 ↗ following that if we want to go above

30:27 ↗ and beyond that then we should probably

30:28 ↗ notify the property owners and and

30:30 ↗ others because we you know that's a

30:32 ↗ policy thing that the city is doing to

30:34 ↗ expand it in more areas which uh we

30:37 ↗ followed all the public Outreach through

30:39 ↗ the planning policy commission but they

30:41 ↗ were very mean this is something the

30:43 ↗ city has to do going above and beyond

30:46 ↗ certainly is your um you know if that's

30:48 ↗ the direction then we should we should

30:50 ↗ be doing a more robust public out so

30:53 ↗ that property owners know that this is

30:56 ↗ being proposed

30:58 ↗ I that's really good feedback because I

31:00 ↗ certainly don't want to blow anything up

31:02 ↗ and I do think that what staff has

31:05 ↗ proposed is adequate and if we wanted to

31:09 ↗ live with this and see if there are

31:12 ↗ limitations of it and then potentially

31:15 ↗ add in the future I would be perfectly

31:17 ↗ comfortable with that I just I think

31:21 ↗ there are certain opportunities

31:24 ↗ um just make sure that we're addressing

31:27 ↗ the needs of our

31:30 ↗ community council member H actually You'

31:33 ↗ just brought up a really good question

31:34 ↗ is there a way for us to know um I mean

31:38 ↗ I number one I agree with just kind of

31:39 ↗ staying focused on what's required of us

31:41 ↗ first especially because we've already

31:42 ↗ done all this work and the public

31:43 ↗ hearing's been conducted but is there a

31:45 ↗ way for us to know in the future if

31:47 ↗ developers come in and said oo I want to

31:50 ↗ build a day Center here but finds out

31:52 ↗ it's not allowable because the hotels

31:54 ↗ aren't allowed on that particular um

31:56 ↗ property uh is there way for the city to

32:01 ↗ know that that might be happening

32:03 ↗ frequently and we might want to

32:04 ↗ reexamine the policy or yes I mean

32:06 ↗ because well developer they probably

32:08 ↗ won't they may not ask because they

32:11 ↗ generally go to our code first and see

32:12 ↗ what's allowed where so they may not but

32:15 ↗ still people come in and they say can we

32:17 ↗ expand this and when they do it they

32:18 ↗ talk to our current planners or they

32:20 ↗ talk to Economic Development so it is it

32:23 ↗ is possible that we would hear that

32:24 ↗ people are looking to do it in zones

32:26 ↗ that don't allow it currently

32:36 ↗ goe so if a church wants to set up a

32:41 ↗ shelter or a day Center um on their

32:44 ↗ existing

32:46 ↗ property is that

32:49 ↗ problematic you talking about this

32:51 ↗ church on East Lish Parkway oh not

32:54 ↗ necessarily any particular church I'm

32:56 ↗ just thinking as a potential service

32:59 ↗ provider right now if they're located

33:01 ↗ any of these zones no that's not an

33:06 ↗ issue yeah if they're not in one of

33:08 ↗ these zones then yes that would be that

33:10 ↗ would be problematic not problematic it

33:12 ↗ just wouldn't be

33:15 ↗ allowed but at the same time this is

33:18 ↗ it's the second map correct not the map

33:19 ↗ that's on the

33:21 ↗ screen uh this is this is day night the

33:23 ↗ Supportive Services is the other map no

33:26 ↗ this is the one uh talking they're

33:28 ↗ talking about day centers and night

33:29 ↗ shelters so this is the correct map okay

33:32 ↗ I thought I heard you say it just if a

33:34 ↗ church wanted to have Services because

33:37 ↗ no I'm saying provide services through

33:39 ↗ um a day sh day Center or night shelter

33:43 ↗ okay yeah because the

33:46 ↗ other is is the vast majority of the

33:49 ↗ community

33:55 ↗ yeah um

33:58 ↗ what was

33:59 ↗ the Could you um could you summarize the

34:02 ↗ state's rationale for the hotels

34:05 ↗ specifically for the uh day centers and

34:10 ↗ night

34:10 ↗ shelters linking those two State didn't

34:13 ↗ provide rationale um but I I do know

34:17 ↗ that the county has gone out and bought

34:20 ↗ hotels for that sort of purpose and that

34:23 ↗ may well be the reason behind

34:25 ↗ it and I think that's a pretty reliable

34:28 ↗ guess on Kristen's part um I mean the

34:32 ↗ context of this is that there are large

34:34 ↗ numbers of communities in the state that

34:35 ↗ want none of this and so that is why the

34:38 ↗ state had to act and I think that you

34:40 ↗ know taking a path of least resistance

34:43 ↗ you already have a Zone where you can

34:44 ↗ have a hotel you're already having you

34:47 ↗ know 18 24hour a day activity it's

34:50 ↗ likely uh already around compatible uses

34:54 ↗ so I think that's just the path of least

34:56 ↗ resistance for those Comm unities who

34:58 ↗ have said hell no we don't want any of

35:00 ↗ this in our so um and I think as you

35:03 ↗ have all mentioned this evening um you

35:06 ↗ know you know this this makes sense for

35:08 ↗ us at this time if it doesn't make sense

35:10 ↗ over time this Council has the ability

35:13 ↗ to amend the code um the other piece

35:15 ↗ I'll add since I have the floor is uh I

35:18 ↗ think the State Department of Commerce

35:20 ↗ is still sorting through this and you

35:23 ↗ know uh it would certainly be the

35:24 ↗ administration's recommendation not to

35:25 ↗ get too far a field at this juncture

35:28 ↗ until this shakes out uh I think we're

35:30 ↗ very proud to be in the Forefront of

35:32 ↗ this uh but 6 months from now it could

35:35 ↗ look different and uh we may then have

35:38 ↗ to go back anyway uh for no cause of our

35:40 ↗ own to revisit so I think having this on

35:44 ↗ the books moving forward complying as we

35:46 ↗ know compliances today is good for isqua

35:50 ↗ and then as time passes May changes

36:01 ↗ okay right I have I have one more

36:03 ↗ question uh you mentioned earlier that

36:06 ↗ you I thought you I thought you

36:08 ↗ mentioned that you removed the the word

36:11 ↗ emergency housing or you were because

36:14 ↗ that was confusing with housing or with

36:17 ↗ shelter that was available for

36:19 ↗ emergencies um but it is still here so

36:22 ↗ is it because it's e emergency housing

36:24 ↗ versus emergency shelter or they're

36:26 ↗ they're two different they're two

36:28 ↗ different things so the Emergency

36:29 ↗ Shelters which we're now calling day

36:30 ↗ shelters night centers are more

36:32 ↗ temporary so even if that is a 24-hour

36:36 ↗ thing people still have to pick up their

36:38 ↗ things and take it out of the shelter

36:39 ↗ during the day they're not allowed to

36:41 ↗ leave their belongings there they don't

36:42 ↗ get a room that is assigned to them they

36:44 ↗ have a bed that they can sleep on and a

36:46 ↗ much larger in a community setting the

36:50 ↗ emergency housing is still there that is

36:52 ↗ a longer term situation in which people

36:56 ↗ get rooms there's find rooms they keep

36:58 ↗ their things there that becomes their

37:00 ↗ own space for a period of time I think

37:03 ↗ the length of the state for emergency

37:05 ↗ housing is 60 days if I'm not mistak uh

37:09 ↗ so it's still temporary e emergency

37:11 ↗ housing but there's a you can stay for

37:13 ↗ 60 days whereas the shelter is only 24

37:16 ↗ hours we can look into that but that's

37:18 ↗ my understanding okay okay in the

37:20 ↗ definition it says shortterm um yeah the

37:24 ↗ state's definition was short-term they

37:25 ↗ didn't provide specific hours in this

37:27 ↗ form I can go back and look and see if

37:29 ↗ there's something

37:30 ↗ previous okay

37:36 ↗ um

37:39 ↗ okay well so do we want to so we have

37:44 ↗ we've uh answered the first question

37:46 ↗ which is that we're fine with the not

37:49 ↗ requiring our own operational plans we

37:52 ↗ want to propose any other

37:55 ↗ changes just keep an eye on what the

37:58 ↗ state is doing yeah I I appreciate City

38:01 ↗ administrator Bob quitz mentioning that

38:04 ↗ yes we are ahead and we are proud of

38:08 ↗ that opportunity to be able to act on

38:12 ↗ something that the state um passed and

38:16 ↗ gave gives us an opportunity to also

38:19 ↗ serve our residents um but also the

38:21 ↗ caution of hey we may have to redo this

38:24 ↗ if the state gives any adjustments so uh

38:27 ↗ I'm comfortable going ahead with this

38:30 ↗ proposal um I would be interested at

38:33 ↗ some point to just kind of talk to some

38:37 ↗ of the churches about whether this would

38:42 ↗ be something they would feel as a

38:45 ↗ limitation for their ability to serve

38:48 ↗ residents um and if that is the case you

38:51 ↗ know something that we might think about

38:54 ↗ doing while also waiting and seeing what

38:57 ↗ the state um has to say about the

39:00 ↗ legislation as well sure we can um you

39:03 ↗ know keep engaged with the one of the

39:05 ↗ churches that came to council for reone

39:07 ↗ you know they were looking at some sort

39:09 ↗ of like affordable housing projects and

39:11 ↗ things like that but for the temporary

39:13 ↗ shelters the the Tent City for instance

39:16 ↗ but it's a temporary use it's not there

39:19 ↗ forever so that is handled through a

39:21 ↗ different provision of just a temporary

39:23 ↗ use not temporary stay so that's an

39:26 ↗ opportunity for churches to participate

39:29 ↗ in if they are interested but for the

39:31 ↗ the neighbors around that they

39:33 ↗ understand that it's temporary it's

39:35 ↗ three months and then that'll go as

39:37 ↗ opposed to a permanent which then I

39:39 ↗ think is also not just from a Church's

39:42 ↗ perspective and and from the need of

39:44 ↗ serving and all that but also the

39:45 ↗ property owners around um they those um

39:49 ↗ you know viewpoints

39:55 ↗ need I think if I understand said the

39:57 ↗ earlier definitions too the Tent City if

39:59 ↗ you're staying multiple days that

40:01 ↗ wouldn't be the day uh day Center night

40:04 ↗ shelter that would be one of the

40:07 ↗ other forms of housing so emergency

40:10 ↗ housing yeah it would be a permitted use

40:13 ↗ um rather than a permanent use

40:18 ↗ right yeah I I think in the past we had

40:20 ↗ a tent we had a church did have tents

40:25 ↗ there they do stay overnight they don't

40:27 ↗ have to remove their things I think that

40:29 ↗ one might be a special use permit but

40:31 ↗ I'd have to look into it that one is a

40:32 ↗ special use use permit here the last

40:35 ↗ 69ine months was a special

40:40 ↗ use okay uh do we have any other changes

40:44 ↗ or things we would like to look

40:47 ↗ at okay okay great well thank you for um

40:51 ↗ thank you for your presentation do you

40:53 ↗ have what you need on these two

40:55 ↗ questions

40:57 ↗ one last question consent or regular

40:59 ↗ before the full thank

41:03 ↗ you member Hall I would be fine with a

41:06 ↗ going on consent if we were able to

41:08 ↗ capture this kind of policy question

41:10 ↗ about going above and beyond in the

41:12 ↗ agenda bill just so other council

41:14 ↗ members kind of know that we talk about

41:15 ↗ that and that's some kind of outstanding

41:18 ↗ question that somewhere in the future we

41:19 ↗ might want to approach okay I can also I

41:22 ↗ can also be sure to mention that in my

41:25 ↗ um readout

41:28 ↗ when it when it's on

41:30 ↗ consent do that as the committee chair

41:33 ↗ okay uh so

41:36 ↗ consent all

41:39 ↗ right okay um great so that was our only

41:44 ↗ item of business thank you again and um

41:48 ↗ are there any

41:50 ↗ announcements there being no further

41:52 ↗ business this meeting is adjourned at

41:53 ↗ 7:12 p.m. thank you

Approved minutes

Extracted from the next meeting's packet, where this meeting's minutes were approved as a consent-calendar attachment.

Open PDF

Attendance

Council / Members (3)

Victoria Hunt

Lindsey Walsh

Zach Hall

Staff (2)

Wally Bobkiewicz, City Administrator

Chris Grabowski, Deputy City Clerk

Recommendations & actions (1)

Sentences extracted from the narrative containing words like recommended, requested, directed, moved, or approved. Best-effort — verify against the full minutes for context.

a) Minutes of April 2, 2024. – Chair Hunt MOVED to adopt the minutes as presented.