City Council Special Meeting · Monday, October 6, 2025 · City Council Digest

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0:06 ↗ Welcome everyone. I'm calling the

0:08 ↗ October 6 council meeting to order.

0:10 ↗ Council member Joe may arrive late or

0:13 ↗ may not be able to make it tonight. So,

0:15 ↗ I just want to let everybody know he has

0:16 ↗ an excused absence. Uh, as a reminder,

0:19 ↗ we continue to have a remote aspect to

0:21 ↗ our meetings and both staff and members

0:23 ↗ of the public may be participating in

0:25 ↗ tonight's meeting remotely via WebEx.

0:28 ↗ Um, the next item on the agenda this

0:30 ↗ evening is the pledge of allegiance and

0:32 ↗ I welcome you all to join.

0:36 ↗ >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the

0:39 ↗ United States of America and to the

0:42 ↗ republic for it stands one nation

0:46 ↗ indivisibley

0:48 ↗ and justice for all.

0:52 ↗ >> We have a fabulous audience this

0:55 ↗ evening. I don't think those at home can

0:57 ↗ see the people that are here, but we

0:59 ↗ have several proclamations and it's just

1:01 ↗ a a wonderfully big full room this

1:03 ↗ evening. We are going to start with ID

1:06 ↗ 1860, fire prevention week proclamation,

1:09 ↗ and I'm inviting East Side Fire and

1:11 ↗ Rescue Fire Marshal Mark Lawrence and

1:14 ↗ Chief Ben Lane to the lectern with

1:16 ↗ Council Member Hall.

1:21 ↗ They're the guys in the uniforms. Yes.

1:27 ↗ Uh well, I'll just say briefly, um see

1:30 ↗ you. As uh the chair of the East Side

1:32 ↗ Fire and Rescue Board of Directors, it's

1:33 ↗ my honor to give this one tonight. And

1:35 ↗ thank you both for being here with us.

1:38 ↗ Whereas the city of Isqua is committed

1:40 ↗ to ensuring the safety and security of

1:42 ↗ all those living in and visiting our

1:44 ↗ city. And whereas fire is a serious

1:46 ↗ public safety concern both locally and

1:48 ↗ nationally. And homes are the locations

1:50 ↗ where people are at greatest risk from

1:52 ↗ fire. And whereas home fires cause 2,890

1:57 ↗ civilian deaths in the United States in

2:00 ↗ 2023, according to the National Fire

2:02 ↗ Protection Association, and a home fire

2:05 ↗ occurs every 93 seconds somewhere in our

2:09 ↗ nation. And whereas smoke alarms send

2:12 ↗ smoke well before you can, alerting you

2:15 ↗ to danger in the event of fire in which

2:17 ↗ you may have as little as 2 minutes to

2:19 ↗ escape safely. and working smoke alarms

2:22 ↗ cut the risk of dying in reported home

2:24 ↗ fires in half. And whereas Isiqua

2:27 ↗ residents should be sure everyone in the

2:29 ↗ home understands the sounds of the smoke

2:31 ↗ alarms and knows how to respond. And

2:33 ↗ residents who have planned and practice

2:35 ↗ a home fire escape plan are more

2:37 ↗ prepared and more and will therefore be

2:40 ↗ more likely to survive a fire. And

2:43 ↗ whereas East Side Fire and Rescue first

2:45 ↗ responders are dedicated to reducing the

2:47 ↗ occurrence of home fires in home fire

2:49 ↗ injuries through prevention and

2:51 ↗ protection education. And whereas East

2:53 ↗ Side Fire and Rescue provides all hazard

2:55 ↗ response service to respond to fire,

2:58 ↗ medical hazardous materials, technical

3:00 ↗ rescue and emergency service needs to

3:03 ↗ the city of Isiqua. And whereas the city

3:05 ↗ of Isqua and Eastside Fire and Rescue

3:07 ↗ work together to protect and educate the

3:09 ↗ community regarding fire prevention and

3:11 ↗ safety. Now therefore, Mayor Lupali, the

3:14 ↗ mayor of the city of Isqua does hereby

3:16 ↗ declare October 5th through 11th, 2025

3:19 ↗ to be fire prevention week in the city

3:21 ↗ of Isiqua. And we encourage the

3:23 ↗ community to support efforts to prevent

3:25 ↗ fires and be prepared by practicing a

3:27 ↗ home fire escape. We ask the community

3:30 ↗ to join us in thanking Isqua's public

3:32 ↗ and fire safety servants, East Side Fire

3:34 ↗ and Rescue. Thank you.

3:36 ↗ [Applause]

3:44 ↗ >> Good evening,

3:47 ↗ Council Mayor. During Fire Prevention

3:49 ↗ Week, East Side Fire Rescue extends our

3:52 ↗ sincere appreciation to the Isiqua City

3:55 ↗ Council for your continued support,

3:57 ↗ unwavering dedication to public safety.

4:00 ↗ Thank you for being steadfast partners

4:03 ↗ and safeguarding our community.

4:05 ↗ Together, we are making Isiziqua a safer

4:07 ↗ place to live, work, and visit. Thank

4:10 ↗ you respectfully. Thank you.

4:18 ↗ And we'd love to get a photo of you all.

4:32 ↗ Thank you.

4:35 ↗ Thank you very much, Council Member

4:36 ↗ Hall. The next item under special

4:38 ↗ business is ID 1861, HinduAmerican

4:42 ↗ Heritage Month Proclamation,

4:44 ↗ and Deputy Council President Barb.

4:47 ↗ Michelle is going to the lectern to meet

4:49 ↗ up with local members of the Hindu

4:51 ↗ American Foundation, including Previne

4:54 ↗ Bodke and others in attendance.

4:57 ↗ >> Thank you. And it's a real honor to be

5:00 ↗ able to give this proclamation. I've

5:02 ↗ been welcomed to many uh celebrations in

5:05 ↗ the Hindu community. Hi Suresh and

5:07 ↗ always been very welcome so graciously

5:10 ↗ so I am really honored to be able to do

5:12 ↗ this. So proclamation whereas Hindu

5:15 ↗ Heritage Month is celebrated every

5:18 ↗ October which coincides with major Hindu

5:20 ↗ holidays such as devotri and and by the

5:24 ↗ way feel free to correct my

5:25 ↗ pronunciation.

5:28 ↗ uh whereas Hindu-Americans in Isiqua

5:30 ↗ represent a variety of ethnic

5:32 ↗ backgrounds including individuals of

5:34 ↗ Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi

5:38 ↗ Malaysian Indonesian Afghani Nepali

5:41 ↗ Bhutanese, Sri Lankan, Fijian, Caribbean

5:46 ↗ and uh European descent. And whereas

5:49 ↗ there are estimated 1.2 2 billion Hindus

5:51 ↗ worldwide and approximately 2.5 million

5:55 ↗ Hindu Americans living throughout the

5:57 ↗ United States and whereas our community

6:00 ↗ has benefited from the many innovations

6:02 ↗ of Hindu Americans including Ayurvedic

6:05 ↗ correct

6:06 ↗ >> thank you medicine classical art dance

6:09 ↗ music meditation yoga literature and

6:12 ↗ community services and whereas we commit

6:15 ↗ to embracing diversity and inclusion by

6:18 ↗ paying tribute to Hindu heritage through

6:20 ↗ education acknowledgement and

6:22 ↗ celebration within our community. And

6:25 ↗ whereas the city of Isiqua is proud to

6:27 ↗ recognize the positive influence of

6:29 ↗ Hindu Americans on Isiqua's economic

6:32 ↗ vitality, growth, and well-being.

6:35 ↗ And now therefore, Mary Lupali, mayor of

6:39 ↗ the city of Isiqua, does hereby proclaim

6:41 ↗ October 2025 to be Hindu American

6:44 ↗ Heritage Month in the city of Isiqua and

6:48 ↗ urges the community to join in special

6:50 ↗ observance and celebration of Hindu

6:53 ↗ Heritage. In witness whereof, she has

6:55 ↗ here to set her hand and seal of the

6:58 ↗ city of Isiqua on this sixth day of

7:00 ↗ October 2025.

7:02 ↗ Would you like to speak?

7:10 ↗ Honorable Mayor Lou Pauli, esteemed

7:12 ↗ members of the city council,

7:14 ↗ distinguished guests, and my fellow

7:16 ↗ residents of Isqua. Namaste.

7:20 ↗ On behalf of the Hindu-American

7:22 ↗ community, it is our sincere honor to

7:24 ↗ accept this proclamation recognizing

7:27 ↗ October as Hindu American Heritage

7:29 ↗ Month. We are profoundly grateful for

7:32 ↗ this official recognition which not only

7:34 ↗ celebrates our heritage but also

7:36 ↗ highlights our place as a vital thread

7:39 ↗ in the vibrant tapestry of this city.

7:43 ↗ This proclamation is more than just a

7:45 ↗ piece of paper. It is a powerful

7:47 ↗ statement of inclusion. It validates the

7:50 ↗ experience of generations of Hindu

7:52 ↗ Americans who have made a home here

7:55 ↗ contributing to our community's growth

7:57 ↗ and prosperity. It tells me that our

8:01 ↗ cultural and relig religious heritage is

8:04 ↗ respected and valued by our city and it

8:07 ↗ serves as a beacon of hope for a future

8:10 ↗ defined by understanding and mutual

8:13 ↗ respect. The Hindu community sustained

8:16 ↗ commitment to service in Isakqua area

8:19 ↗ has been ongoing for more than eight

8:20 ↗ years. As part of the national SEA

8:22 ↗ Diwali initiative to address food

8:25 ↗ insecurity, the community annually

8:27 ↗ donates food to the Isiqua Food Bank and

8:30 ↗ in recent years has expanded these

8:32 ↗ efforts to include homeless shelters

8:34 ↗ throughout the Seattle area. This past

8:37 ↗ year, the community further deepened its

8:39 ↗ civic involvement. A Hindu organization

8:42 ↗ was among the participants in the Isuka

8:44 ↗ Salmon Day parade. The community also

8:47 ↗ held a universal oneness day celebration

8:50 ↗ to celebrate the Isukqua city police and

8:53 ↗ first responders.

8:55 ↗ Furthermore, the Guru Vandana program

8:58 ↗ was established to formally recognize

9:00 ↗ the commendable work of teachers within

9:03 ↗ the Squa School District and our

9:05 ↗ honorable

9:07 ↗ city council member Barbara attended for

9:09 ↗ the past few years.

9:12 ↗ This year's activities are part of a

9:14 ↗ broader history of volunteerism which

9:17 ↗ includes adopter road programs, blood

9:19 ↗ donation drives, engagement with seniors

9:21 ↗ through yoga and exercise and

9:24 ↗ contributions to organizations like the

9:27 ↗ garage teen cafe through volunteer work

9:30 ↗ and broad and board participation.

9:34 ↗ For many of us, the month of October is

9:36 ↗ particularly special. Filled with

9:38 ↗ festivals like Navaratri and Diwali,

9:41 ↗ which celebrate the triumph of good over

9:43 ↗ evil and knowledge over ignorance.

9:47 ↗ This proclamation adds another

9:48 ↗ meaningful layer to our celebrations,

9:51 ↗ affirming that our city celebrates with

9:53 ↗ us. We are proud to call Isakiqua our

9:56 ↗ home and we appreciate the city's

9:58 ↗ commitment to fostering a diverse and

10:01 ↗ inclusive environment where everyone can

10:03 ↗ thrive. We look forward to continuing

10:06 ↗ our work alongside all of our neighbors

10:09 ↗ to build an even stronger, more

10:11 ↗ connected community for generations to

10:14 ↗ come. Thank you.

10:20 ↗ That was fantastic. Um, for this

10:22 ↗ picture, we have a lot of folks that we

10:24 ↗ should have come up and uh, council, if

10:27 ↗ you want to all stand up behind, I'm

10:29 ↗ sure we can fill this up and take a

10:31 ↗ fantastic picture.

10:33 ↗ >> Great comments.

10:52 ↗ That is so kind.

10:56 ↗ >> You're going to have to do a little

10:57 ↗ organizing.

10:58 ↗ >> Yep.

11:09 ↗ >> Scooching.

11:11 ↗ Yeah.

11:37 ↗ That was great. Thank you.

11:41 ↗ [Applause]

11:42 ↗ Thank you. That was fantastic. I love

11:45 ↗ you.

11:48 ↗ Our

11:52 ↗ next special event this evening is uh I

11:56 ↗ our special business is ID1863

11:59 ↗ substance abuse prevention month proclam

12:02 ↗ proclamation

12:03 ↗ and council president will go to the

12:06 ↗ giants and meet with influence the

12:08 ↗ choice executive director Marne Moraldo

12:10 ↗ plus students from the tech or teens

12:13 ↗ encouraging community health to the

12:15 ↗ lectern and I think we have Na Dwan and

12:18 ↗ Ardra Arwin and do we have any others up

12:20 ↗ there that I miss?

12:23 ↗ >> Evie Dlo.

12:24 ↗ >> Okay.

12:25 ↗ >> Excellent.

12:26 ↗ >> Fantastic.

12:27 ↗ >> Oh, council president.

12:30 ↗ >> Well, it is lovely to see you all. We

12:32 ↗ very much appreciate all the

12:34 ↗ contributions that influence the choice

12:36 ↗ brings to the community and then getting

12:38 ↗ students involved in really the advocacy

12:41 ↗ and keeping their community safe is

12:43 ↗ really wonderful.

12:45 ↗ So the proclamation, whereas substance

12:48 ↗ use by young people exists on a spectrum

12:50 ↗ from experimentation to life-threatening

12:53 ↗ overdose. And while many of our youth

12:55 ↗ abstain, a combination of peer pressure,

12:58 ↗ social expectations, family history,

13:01 ↗ environmental factors, and genetics can

13:04 ↗ place some young people at greater risk.

13:07 ↗ And whereas according to the 2023 Isiqua

13:10 ↗ School District Healthy Youth Survey,

13:12 ↗ 12th graders reported the following

13:14 ↗ rates of past 30-day use, which is

13:17 ↗ consist considered consistent use.

13:20 ↗ Vaping products 8%, alcohol 13%,

13:25 ↗ cannabis 9%, and combined alcohol and

13:28 ↗ cannabis at 3%. Whereas many of our

13:31 ↗ young people do not develop the skills

13:33 ↗ needed to productively manage adolescent

13:35 ↗ development substance-free and

13:38 ↗ prevention efforts can strengthen these

13:39 ↗ protective factors. And whereas

13:42 ↗ prevention has a greater long-term

13:45 ↗ impact than later intervention by

13:47 ↗ redirecting early risk into healthy

13:49 ↗ behaviors, educational success, and

13:52 ↗ lifelong productivity.

13:54 ↗ And whereas prevention is also highly

13:57 ↗ costeffective. Research by the National

13:59 ↗ Institute on Drug Abuse demonstrates

14:01 ↗ that every $1 invested in proven

14:04 ↗ prevention programs can save as much as

14:06 ↗ $10 or more in later treatment, health

14:09 ↗ care, and criminal justice costs. And

14:12 ↗ whereas strengthening pro protective

14:14 ↗ factors such as family engagement,

14:17 ↗ school connectedness, positive peer

14:20 ↗ relationships, and social emotional

14:22 ↗ learning while reducing risk factors

14:24 ↗ benefits all youth and contributes to

14:27 ↗ safer, healthier communities. Now

14:30 ↗ therefore does Marylu Pauly, mayor of

14:32 ↗ the city of Isiqua, hereby proclaim the

14:34 ↗ month of October 2025 to be substance

14:38 ↗ abuse prevention month in the city of

14:40 ↗ Isiqua and encourage all residents to

14:42 ↗ join in promoting healthy choices for

14:44 ↗ youth, supporting evidence-based

14:46 ↗ prevention efforts, and working together

14:48 ↗ to reduce substance use and its harmful

14:50 ↗ impacts on young people.

14:53 ↗ Thank you.

14:55 ↗ Are you making some comments? Come on

14:57 ↗ up.

15:01 ↗ Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My

15:04 ↗ name is Arra Arwin and I'm a freshman at

15:07 ↗ Skyline High School and a proud and

15:09 ↗ long-standing member of Tech, which is

15:11 ↗ Teens Encouraging Community Health,

15:14 ↗ Influence, a Choice, and the city's

15:17 ↗ youth leadership. Thank you to esteemed

15:20 ↗ members of the council board and all

15:23 ↗ members here for recognizing October as

15:26 ↗ substance youth prevention month. This

15:29 ↗ symbolic recognition is so powerful

15:32 ↗ because it reminds us that every

15:35 ↗ statistic is a young person, a family or

15:39 ↗ a friend whose life can be shaped by the

15:42 ↗ choices they make today.

15:45 ↗ I got involved with prevention efforts

15:47 ↗ just after elementary school, and

15:50 ↗ learning about substance use early on

15:52 ↗ changed how I saw things. Studies from

15:55 ↗ the National Institute on Drug Abuse

15:58 ↗ shows that students involved in

16:00 ↗ prevention programs are 30% less likely

16:03 ↗ to engage in risky behaviors like vaping

16:06 ↗ or drinking. That kind of impact

16:10 ↗ matters. Through my work with tech, I've

16:13 ↗ seen how prevention empowers students.

16:16 ↗ Whether it's peer support, mentoring, or

16:19 ↗ social emotional learning, these tools

16:22 ↗ help us make healthier choices.

16:26 ↗ One student once told me that being a

16:28 ↗ part of a prevention group gave them the

16:30 ↗ courage to say no when they were being

16:34 ↗ pressured by their peers to vape. That

16:37 ↗ moment may seem small, but it changed my

16:41 ↗ life and it definitely changed theirs.

16:44 ↗ Prevention isn't about saying no, but

16:47 ↗ it's about creating stronger and safer

16:49 ↗ communities.

16:51 ↗ It helps students succeed, families

16:53 ↗ communicate better, and schools becoming

16:56 ↗ a more supportive places. Of course,

16:59 ↗ challenges are like teen vaping and

17:02 ↗ alcohol use are still real. Personally,

17:06 ↗ I turn to art, music, and outdoor

17:08 ↗ activities like paddle boarding and

17:10 ↗ hiking to deal with that stress. And I'm

17:12 ↗ very lucky to have a strong support

17:14 ↗ system. But not everyone does. And

17:18 ↗ that's why we need to continue to invest

17:21 ↗ in prevention and listening to young

17:24 ↗ people is so important. So, it is my

17:27 ↗ honor and pleasure to receive this

17:29 ↗ proclamation on behalf of Tech Influence

17:32 ↗ of Choice and all of our prevention

17:33 ↗ partners. Thank you for shining a light

17:36 ↗ on this issue as together we can help

17:39 ↗ every student grow up safe, healthy, and

17:44 ↗ most importantly

17:46 ↗ substancefree.

17:48 ↗ Thank you.

17:57 ↗ I want to be high on life and not on

18:00 ↗ drugs. This is how we want to wire our

18:02 ↗ younger minds of today. My name is Nisha

18:05 ↗ Devon and I'm a junior at Isiqua High

18:07 ↗ School. I'm a part of Tech Teens

18:10 ↗ Encouraging Community Health under the

18:13 ↗ Isiqua Teen Council. I want to thank you

18:16 ↗ for recognizing substance abuse

18:18 ↗ prevention month as October.

18:21 ↗ Substance use prevention is something

18:23 ↗ that affects every community, including

18:26 ↗ ours. Many teens turn to vaping,

18:29 ↗ alcohol, or other substances as a way to

18:31 ↗ manage stress, pressure, or emotional

18:34 ↗ pain.

18:35 ↗ That's why prevention isn't only about

18:37 ↗ saying don't use. It's about addressing

18:40 ↗ what leads young people there in the

18:43 ↗ first place.

18:45 ↗ That's why prevention isn't just about

18:47 ↗ awareness. It's about creating

18:49 ↗ environments where young people feel

18:51 ↗ supported enough to make healthy

18:52 ↗ decisions for themselves.

18:55 ↗ Through tech, I've learned how important

18:57 ↗ it is to have open and honest

18:59 ↗ conversations. Not judgment, not fear,

19:02 ↗ just real dialogue about what teens are

19:05 ↗ actually facing. When schools, families,

19:08 ↗ and city programs work together, we can

19:11 ↗ all actually change the culture around

19:13 ↗ substance abuse and mental health.

19:16 ↗ There's still a lot of work ahead. More

19:18 ↗ education, more access to resources,

19:21 ↗ more room for creative policies to be

19:23 ↗ enacted into laws. and more support for

19:26 ↗ programs that provide safe spaces for

19:28 ↗ teens to talk.

19:30 ↗ But pro proclamations like this show

19:33 ↗ that our city is committed to protecting

19:36 ↗ youth and building a healthier future

19:38 ↗ for everyone. Thank you to the council

19:40 ↗ for recognizing this month and for

19:42 ↗ continuing to support prevention efforts

19:45 ↗ in our community.

19:47 ↗ [Applause]

19:52 ↗ I think we'll step up and we're gonna

19:53 ↗ take a picture.

19:56 ↗ >> And also, just in case folks don't know,

19:59 ↗ Marne Maldo is also currently a school

20:01 ↗ board member who is retiring in

20:02 ↗ December. And we appreciate her for all

20:04 ↗ of her service on the school board.

20:24 ↗ And thank you too, Sesh, for being up

20:25 ↗ here.

20:30 ↗ >> Thank you, Council President.

20:34 ↗ Uh, the next item under special business

20:36 ↗ is ID 1858, code enforcement officer

20:39 ↗ appreciation week proclamation. And I'd

20:40 ↗ like to invite council member Ray to the

20:42 ↗ DAS to recognize city of Isiqua code

20:45 ↗ enforcement officer Lori Dunning. And

20:48 ↗ I'm Do we have Lori

20:50 ↗ >> with us on video? Fantastic.

20:54 ↗ >> So Chris will be talking about Lori as

20:57 ↗ her face floats in the air above him. I

21:01 ↗ might just make uh director Dolly come

21:03 ↗ up and and stand next to me so so I have

21:06 ↗ somebody so I don't get nervous up here

21:08 ↗ all by myself.

21:09 ↗ >> That's nice.

21:11 ↗ >> There's Lori

21:12 ↗ >> there. Thank you.

21:16 ↗ Whereas code enforcement officers

21:18 ↗ provide for safety, health, and welfare

21:20 ↗ of citizens in the community throughout

21:22 ↗ the state of Washington through the

21:24 ↗ enforcement of local codes or ordinances

21:26 ↗ dealing with a variety of issues of

21:28 ↗ building zoning housing public

21:30 ↗ nuisance environmental health and

21:33 ↗ life safety. And whereas code

21:36 ↗ enforcement officers have challenging

21:38 ↗ and demanding roles and often do not

21:41 ↗ receive the recognition for the job

21:42 ↗ their jobs they do in improving the

21:46 ↗ lives and the working conditions for the

21:47 ↗ residents and businesses of the local

21:49 ↗ community. And whereas the role of many

21:52 ↗ co code enforcement officers has

21:55 ↗ expanded in recent years with the

21:57 ↗ increased number of foreclosed and

22:00 ↗ blighted properties in communities

22:02 ↗ impacted economically.

22:04 ↗ And whereas code enforcement officers

22:06 ↗ are dedicated, highly qualified

22:08 ↗ professionals who share the goal of

22:10 ↗ preventing neighborhood deterioration,

22:12 ↗ enhancing and ensuring safety and

22:14 ↗ preserving values through knowledge and

22:17 ↗ application of housing zoning and new

22:20 ↗ nuisance codes and ordinances. And

22:24 ↗ whereas the Washington Association of

22:26 ↗ Code Enforcement wants to recognize and

22:29 ↗ honor code enforcement officers and

22:31 ↗ professionals all across the state of

22:33 ↗ Washington and bring awareness to the

22:35 ↗ importance of code enforcement to the

22:37 ↗ community uh communities of the state of

22:40 ↗ Washington. Therefore, Mary Lupali, the

22:43 ↗ mayor of the city of Isqua, does hereby

22:45 ↗ proclaim this week, October 5th through

22:48 ↗ 11th, 2025 to be code enforcement

22:50 ↗ officer appreciation week. Thank you,

22:52 ↗ Lori. Um, in the city of Esqua and

22:55 ↗ invites the community to join us in

22:57 ↗ thanking uh Esqua's code enforcement

22:59 ↗ officer for the uh her outstanding

23:02 ↗ service and contribution uh to the city.

23:05 ↗ So,

23:06 ↗ >> thank you.

23:07 ↗ >> Lori, would you like to say something?

23:09 ↗ >> I would. Hopefully, you can hear me.

23:11 ↗ >> We can.

23:12 ↗ >> Thanks.

23:13 ↗ >> Perfect. Thank you. Thank you to

23:15 ↗ Honorable Mary Lupali. Um we'll miss you

23:18 ↗ in your retirement. Um and esteemed

23:20 ↗ members of the council. Sorry I can't be

23:22 ↗ there today, but um in order to serve

23:24 ↗ the public, I have to get up awful

23:26 ↗ early. So, I appreciate you're letting

23:27 ↗ me do this from my kitchen. Um just to

23:30 ↗ let you know that I appreciate your

23:31 ↗ honoring my profession, which I chose 17

23:34 ↗ or 18 years ago, and I've served here in

23:37 ↗ count in Isaguana now for four years. Um

23:40 ↗ and it's been challenging. Um and I

23:43 ↗ learn something new every day. I face

23:45 ↗ different um complaints every day. and

23:47 ↗ I'm happy to serve the residents, the

23:49 ↗ businesses, and the visitors um of

23:52 ↗ Isiqua every day. So, thank you for this

23:54 ↗ honor.

23:55 ↗ >> Thank you, Lori. We appreciate you.

24:00 ↗ >> I I'm going to entrust your proclamation

24:03 ↗ to uh Director Dollywal. So, if she

24:06 ↗ doesn't get it,

24:06 ↗ >> she's trustworthy.

24:08 ↗ >> You know where to go. So, we're I'm also

24:10 ↗ going to make you take the picture since

24:11 ↗ you're not here.

24:16 ↗ >> Oh, yeah.

24:22 ↗ Thank you very much.

24:24 ↗ >> Thank you.

24:24 ↗ >> Thank you all.

24:26 ↗ >> Thanks, Lori. Thank you, Council Member

24:28 ↗ Ray. The last item under special

24:30 ↗ business this evening is ID 1859, Arts

24:34 ↗ and Humanities Month Proclamation. And

24:37 ↗ um Council Member Jiang is going to go

24:39 ↗ to the podium. And we're inviting up the

24:41 ↗ city of Isiqua arts program

24:42 ↗ administrator Amy Dukes and arts

24:45 ↗ commissioner commission members Carolyn

24:47 ↗ Thains, Tina Hayes, and Kimberly

24:49 ↗ Capiststein to the lectern. And ladies,

24:51 ↗ did you bring anybody else? Did I get

24:53 ↗ you all? All right. Thank you for

24:56 ↗ coming.

24:58 ↗ Thank you all for coming. Um, and before

25:01 ↗ I read the PL proclamation, I will say I

25:03 ↗ love the newest public art installation

25:06 ↗ um out at the Reineer Trail. Very

25:08 ↗ beautiful. If you haven't been there

25:09 ↗ yet, go check it out. It's really cool.

25:12 ↗ Um, okay. So, now to the proclamation.

25:14 ↗ Whereas the month of October has been

25:16 ↗ recognized as National Arts and

25:18 ↗ Humanities Month for three decades by

25:19 ↗ the National Endowment of for the Arts,

25:21 ↗ the White House, Congress, and thousands

25:23 ↗ of arts and cultural organizations and

25:25 ↗ communities across the country. And

25:27 ↗ whereas the arts and humanities enhance

25:29 ↗ every aspect of life, improving our

25:30 ↗ economy, enriching our civic life,

25:32 ↗ driving tourism, and exerting a profound

25:35 ↗ positive influence on education. And

25:37 ↗ whereas the arts and humanities help

25:39 ↗ diverse communities explore their

25:41 ↗ history and culture with the support and

25:43 ↗ partnership of local educational and

25:45 ↗ cultural institutions. And whereas the

25:47 ↗ arts are a proven civic engagement tool

25:48 ↗ and can bring people together across

25:50 ↗ difference in challenging times. And

25:52 ↗ whereas educational research shows that

25:55 ↗ the arts help to foster discipline,

25:57 ↗ creativity imagination self-exression

25:59 ↗ and problem solving skills while also

26:01 ↗ helping to develop a heightened

26:03 ↗ appreciation of beauty and

26:04 ↗ cross-cultural understanding. And

26:06 ↗ whereas the nation's arts and cultures

26:08 ↗ sector, nonprofit and commercial,

26:10 ↗ represents an over1 $1 trillion American

26:12 ↗ industry, which is 4.4% of our national

26:15 ↗ GDP and supports 4.85 million American

26:18 ↗ jobs. And whereas Isiqua is home to a

26:20 ↗ vibrant community of arts, culture, and

26:22 ↗ humanities organizations, creative

26:24 ↗ businesses artists makers and

26:26 ↗ creative workers that positively impact

26:28 ↗ our city in immeasurable ways. Now

26:30 ↗ therefore, I, Council Member Kelly Jen,

26:32 ↗ on behalf of Mary Lou Paulie, Mayor of

26:34 ↗ the City of Isiqua, do hereby proclaim

26:36 ↗ the month of October 2025 to be Arts and

26:39 ↗ Humanities Month. Um, so

26:48 ↗ thank you, Mayor and Council. Just want

26:50 ↗ to say thanks for having us and

26:52 ↗ acknowledging um October as National

26:55 ↗ Arts and Humanities Month. And we hope

26:57 ↗ you will all get out and um celebrate

26:59 ↗ the month by taking part in a local arts

27:01 ↗ and culture offering. Um if you need any

27:04 ↗ ideas, visit isqua um.com is a great

27:07 ↗ spot to check the calendar. There's so

27:10 ↗ many things happening. So thank you.

27:12 ↗ >> Thank you ladies.

27:26 ↗ Really

27:33 ↗ nice. Thank you, Council Member Jiang.

27:35 ↗ Thank you, ladies.

27:37 ↗ Uh, we're going to take a twominut

27:39 ↗ recess just to allow folks who don't

27:41 ↗ want to stay for the meaty part of the

27:42 ↗ meeting the time to leave, but council

27:45 ↗ members, it's not going to be a break

27:47 ↗ time. We're just going to have a quick

27:48 ↗ two minutes. Thank you.

27:57 ↗ I don't want to lose all you guys to

27:59 ↗ minutes is short.

28:05 ↗ >> Thank you.

28:19 ↗ >> Oh, thank you so much. Lovely.

28:37 ↗ Well, it's pretty quiet, so I think I'm

28:40 ↗ going to start up again if that's okay.

28:42 ↗ City clerk, the next part of our program

28:45 ↗ this evening is audience comments. And

28:47 ↗ this is when members of the public may

28:48 ↗ address the council, whether you're in

28:50 ↗ person with us tonight or virtually.

28:52 ↗ Those who signed up in advance to make

28:54 ↗ comments will be called upon first. And

28:56 ↗ if you're joining us virtually and would

28:57 ↗ like to make comments, please raise your

28:59 ↗ virtual hand or send the host a chat

29:01 ↗ message. If you're on the phone, that

29:03 ↗ means press star three. And if you've

29:04 ↗ joined by computer, it could be the hand

29:06 ↗ icon. If you're in the room and did not

29:08 ↗ sign up, I will ask for other speakers

29:10 ↗ before closing this portion of the

29:12 ↗ meeting. And city clerk, has anyone

29:14 ↗ signed up to speak for general audience

29:15 ↗ comments?

29:16 ↗ >> Yes.

29:16 ↗ >> Thank you.

29:18 ↗ So, if you're making comments this

29:19 ↗ evening, you're invited to address the

29:21 ↗ council regarding matters that are

29:22 ↗ directly related to ISQUA's programs,

29:24 ↗ projects, services, or events. Comments

29:26 ↗ related to political campaigns are not

29:28 ↗ permitted. Please direct your comments

29:30 ↗ to the whole council and not

29:32 ↗ individuals. And while this is not a

29:33 ↗ question and answer session, we will

29:35 ↗ contact you to follow up if needed. When

29:37 ↗ you are recognized online, unmute your

29:39 ↗ microphone for virtual attendees. If

29:41 ↗ you're in the room, please step up to

29:42 ↗ the le lectern in the center and there

29:44 ↗ is a button on the base that will turn

29:46 ↗ on the mic and it will indicate so by

29:48 ↗ being read. State your name and address

29:50 ↗ or relationship to the city. Speak

29:52 ↗ clearly and pause frequently and limit

29:54 ↗ your comments to 5 minutes. If you're

29:56 ↗ attending virtually and you don't

29:58 ↗ respond after your name or phone number

29:59 ↗ or your connection is lost, we are going

30:01 ↗ to have to continue with the meeting and

30:03 ↗ please rejoin if you can. Personal

30:06 ↗ attacks, obscene language, derogatory

30:08 ↗ remarks, and disruptive behavior will

30:09 ↗ not be permitted. And public comments,

30:11 ↗ written and verbal, are important aspect

30:13 ↗ of the public process, and the city

30:15 ↗ takes your comments seriously. We thank

30:17 ↗ you for taking the time to address us.

30:20 ↗ Um, city clerk, can you please identify

30:22 ↗ the first person signed up?

30:23 ↗ >> Yes, Kina Dupi.

30:27 ↗ >> Kina Kleina,

30:28 ↗ >> come on up, Kina.

30:34 ↗ Uh, good evening. My name is Kleina

30:36 ↗ Dupi. I live at Providence Point at 3661

30:41 ↗ 224th Place Southeast.

30:46 ↗ Um, I am also president of the

30:49 ↗ Providence Point Umbrella Association.

30:52 ↗ I'm here speaking tonight not only as

30:55 ↗ president of the association but also as

30:57 ↗ a concerned resident of the um of this

31:01 ↗ beautiful city of Isiqua surrounded by

31:04 ↗ trees. When we moved to Isiqua 7 years

31:07 ↗ ago from Belleview, we were delighted to

31:10 ↗ discover that that um Isiqua residents

31:14 ↗ love trees as much as Belleview loves

31:16 ↗ trees. Our tree canopies are valuable

31:20 ↗ asset both environmentally and

31:23 ↗ aesthetically.

31:24 ↗ However, I'm here tonight to share our

31:26 ↗ concerns about fire risk mitigation, not

31:30 ↗ only of Providence Point, but also our

31:33 ↗ entire Isiqua community. Many of our

31:36 ↗ residential neighborhoods are surrounded

31:38 ↗ by poorly maintained wooded areas. The

31:41 ↗ bomb cyclone in December made the

31:44 ↗ consequences of not adequately

31:47 ↗ maintaining our tree canopies quite

31:49 ↗ apparent.

31:51 ↗ There's still ongoing cleanup work from

31:54 ↗ an event that happened almost a year

31:56 ↗ ago.

31:58 ↗ This year, Providence Point worked in

32:00 ↗ conjunction with Rich's Landscaping, A+

32:03 ↗ Arborous

32:05 ↗ with extensive experience with fire

32:07 ↗ mitigation in California, and East Side

32:10 ↗ Fire and Rescue to develop a plan to

32:13 ↗ remove underbrush and ladder trees to

32:16 ↗ establish a divable zone in one of our

32:19 ↗ villages. The day before the goats, part

32:23 ↗ of the removal team, were scheduled to

32:26 ↗ arrive, we were instructed to halt all

32:29 ↗ work. A natural natural growth

32:32 ↗ protection easement had been identified

32:35 ↗ on the property. The areas were on

32:38 ↗ slopes. Goats can manage slopes, but

32:42 ↗ they eat all plants, including protected

32:46 ↗ ones. If there were an allowance

32:50 ↗ for underbrush to be removed even by

32:53 ↗ goats and lading of trees with selective

32:56 ↗ removal of diseased or dead trees, we

33:00 ↗ would have made a significant move to

33:03 ↗ protect the area from wildfires, saving

33:08 ↗ potentially saving lives and property.

33:11 ↗ and more likely the natural growth of

33:13 ↗ plants would have been regrown.

33:17 ↗ Could we agree that a natural protection

33:20 ↗ growth easement in some areas would be

33:24 ↗ minimally impacted for the greater good?

33:27 ↗ There are times when exceptions to the

33:30 ↗ rules make sense.

33:33 ↗ We value our tree canopy and recognize

33:36 ↗ the environmental importance. There are

33:39 ↗ concerns about a plan that alters canopy

33:42 ↗ coverage to a significant extent.

33:46 ↗ Replacing healthy mature trees with ones

33:49 ↗ that would take 20 years to reach the

33:52 ↗ height of six feet

33:55 ↗ for canopy cover 9 ft lower than the

33:59 ↗ current code. That seems

34:02 ↗ counterproductive.

34:04 ↗ Can we not come to a compromise that

34:06 ↗ would protect our safety and allow for a

34:09 ↗ somewhat smaller tree canopy? The city

34:13 ↗ of Isiqua has asked its citizens to

34:15 ↗ serve on various commissions and

34:17 ↗ committees to make decisions

34:22 ↗ of that have a significant impact on the

34:25 ↗ safety of our residents and our homes as

34:28 ↗ well as our environmental concerns. This

34:32 ↗ is a substantial responsibility for them

34:34 ↗ to undertake which could have long

34:37 ↗ lasting consequences for our

34:39 ↗ communities.

34:41 ↗ It's now time for the city council to

34:44 ↗ make the right choice for the future on

34:47 ↗ this issue.

34:49 ↗ We appreciate the commission and the

34:52 ↗ staff's work and we support we support

34:57 ↗ this proposed amendment to the code

35:00 ↗ which enables not only us but other

35:04 ↗ areas in Isiqua to consider

35:08 ↗ embarking on fire mitigation plans.

35:12 ↗ Thank you.

35:13 ↗ >> Thank you, Kina.

35:15 ↗ City clerk, who is next on our list this

35:18 ↗ evening? Susan Glicksburg who is with us

35:20 ↗ virtually.

35:22 ↗ Susan, I'm going to make you a panelist

35:24 ↗ now.

35:27 ↗ You should now have have the option to

35:29 ↗ unmute and can choose to turn your video

35:31 ↗ on.

35:42 ↗ >> We can see you, Susan, but you're still

35:44 ↗ muted.

35:48 ↗ How's that? Cass, can you hear me?

35:49 ↗ Perfect.

35:50 ↗ >> Yeah. Sorry, I'm used to Zoom, not WebEx

35:52 ↗ anymore. Um, my name is Susan Glicksburg

35:56 ↗ and um, I live in Montro. Um, I'm also

36:00 ↗ on the Montro um, homeowners association

36:04 ↗ board as the governmental affairs chair.

36:07 ↗ And I've been um, coming to meetings um,

36:11 ↗ about the tree code. uh came to the

36:13 ↗ environmental committee meeting, the

36:15 ↗ planning committee, and the city council

36:18 ↗ subcommittee and have made comments. Um

36:21 ↗ I do appreciate um the changes that have

36:24 ↗ been made to the tree code. Um

36:26 ↗ specifically the onetoone

36:28 ↗ um if you take down a tree, you put up

36:31 ↗ another tree. Um however, I think

36:33 ↗ there's still more work that needs to be

36:35 ↗ done to improve the code. Um, I'm going

36:38 ↗ to make some comments that are my own

36:39 ↗ comments and then I'm going to try and

36:41 ↗ represent um Richard Cirrus's comments

36:44 ↗ um also on the homeowners board um and

36:47 ↗ hopefully under five minutes. Um so

36:50 ↗ again I appreciate the work that um that

36:53 ↗ uh everybody has done with the public on

36:56 ↗ this. Um but I still think there are

36:58 ↗ some issues and one is that there is the

37:01 ↗ tree cover calculated by lot size. Um

37:05 ↗ lot size gross lot size it uh is uh it's

37:10 ↗ it doesn't seem like a good idea. The um

37:13 ↗ there is plantable parts of a lot and

37:16 ↗ then there is unplantable parts. So you

37:20 ↗ could have a lot that has a lot of

37:22 ↗ structure and infrastructure like

37:24 ↗ driveways and patios and not have a lot

37:27 ↗ of places to plant trees. So I think

37:29 ↗ consideration or reconsideration of that

37:32 ↗ um should be done. Um also simplifying

37:35 ↗ the tree code. It's really difficult to

37:37 ↗ read through all the sections and figure

37:40 ↗ out what's applicable to a homeowner. um

37:43 ↗ if a table could be provided with the

37:45 ↗ tree types and then um whether an

37:48 ↗ arborist report was required or not,

37:50 ↗ whether a permit was required or not,

37:52 ↗ and whether that was a fee permit or

37:54 ↗ not, um would be helpful. So, it's

37:57 ↗ currently too confusing. Um also

38:00 ↗ addressing the permit cost, and we've

38:02 ↗ talked, we've mentioned this before. Um

38:04 ↗ Isiqua has the highest permit cost of

38:07 ↗ the area. We um Richard did a whole sort

38:10 ↗ of survey of up and down the east side

38:12 ↗ and um Isqua has the highest permit

38:14 ↗ costs for trees. Um also address whether

38:17 ↗ replacement trees um are required when

38:20 ↗ an owner has a tree fall on their house.

38:23 ↗ There ought to be some sort of exemption

38:25 ↗ or relief provided because this seems

38:28 ↗ like a pretty extreme case and they're

38:29 ↗ already dealing with a tree in their

38:32 ↗ house. um emergency removal. Um in the

38:37 ↗ uh code right now, it does allow for

38:39 ↗ removing a tree if it's on a structure,

38:41 ↗ but it says nothing about whether it's

38:43 ↗ blocking a driveway or a road. So maybe

38:48 ↗ um expanding the wording on that. And it

38:50 ↗ also says that the emergency removal is

38:53 ↗ for um inclement weather events. And

38:56 ↗ I've lived here 28 years and trees have

38:58 ↗ fallen um in non inclement weather

39:02 ↗ events. They just sometimes fall. So, um

39:06 ↗ and if it falls into a house, it that

39:08 ↗ should be allowed for emergency removal.

39:11 ↗ Um also, I'm going to go ahead and do

39:14 ↗ Richard's. He agrees again that um the

39:16 ↗ canopy should be calculated as a percent

39:18 ↗ covering plantable area, not gross area.

39:21 ↗ He says it better. Um, there should be

39:23 ↗ general a general maintenance section

39:25 ↗ where homeowners can see a list of

39:27 ↗ exemptions not requiring an arborist or

39:29 ↗ a permit like any significant tree

39:32 ↗ within 10 ft of a structure. Um, that is

39:35 ↗ in the nuisance definition or it should

39:37 ↗ be in the nuisance definition. Um, any

39:40 ↗ significant dead, diseased or dying

39:42 ↗ tree. Um, a photo should provide

39:45 ↗ adequate proof. any fallen tree that is

39:48 ↗ down due to natural causes as this would

39:50 ↗ not cover someone downing a tree on

39:52 ↗ purpose um and exempt from replacement

39:56 ↗ for up to two trees per lot. So other

39:59 ↗ areas up and down the east side do allow

40:02 ↗ um a lot to take out two trees per year.

40:05 ↗ Um and then um the scenarios dealing

40:09 ↗ with new developments should have their

40:11 ↗ own separate requirements.

40:13 ↗ um he agreed with me on the table

40:16 ↗ something to clarify requirements by

40:18 ↗ tree type. Um and if permit costs were

40:22 ↗ reasonable like $50 per permit,

40:25 ↗ then you could do something like what's

40:27 ↗ done with the backflow testing where an

40:30 ↗ arborist would go and clear the permit.

40:34 ↗ Um and this would also hopefully um keep

40:38 ↗ uh unlicensed operators from doing work

40:40 ↗ in the area. So, that's basically our

40:43 ↗ comments. I've also submitted these by

40:45 ↗ email. So, um that's all I had to say.

40:49 ↗ >> Thank you, Susan.

40:52 ↗ >> Um city clerk, has anyone else signed up

40:54 ↗ this evening? Yes, Marne Maldo. Marne,

40:57 ↗ come on up.

41:03 ↗ Uh thank you, mayor, members of the

41:05 ↗ council. My name is Martne Moraldo. I'm

41:07 ↗ the president of the Isiqua School

41:09 ↗ Board. I couldn't close out my 16 years

41:12 ↗ on the school board without one more

41:14 ↗ chance to come before you to speak about

41:16 ↗ property and zoning.

41:19 ↗ Um I was recently made aware that the by

41:22 ↗ by the end of the year the council may

41:23 ↗ be considering a resoning of the

41:25 ↗ Belleview College property in the Isquon

41:28 ↗ Highlands adjacent to Grand Ridge

41:30 ↗ Elementary School. During your

41:32 ↗ conversations about that, I am hopeful

41:34 ↗ that you will also consider whether the

41:36 ↗ current zoning would be beneficial for

41:38 ↗ other public facilities. Obviously, I'm

41:41 ↗ considering the potential future needs

41:43 ↗ of the district. I know that given our

41:45 ↗ recent reduction in students over the

41:47 ↗ past 5 years, um that may seem odd, but

41:51 ↗ I'm also thinking of the needs of the

41:53 ↗ district many years from now. As I

41:55 ↗ consider the changes in zoning that

41:57 ↗ include significant long-term growth

41:59 ↗ throughout Isiqua, there will likely

42:01 ↗ come a time when additional school

42:03 ↗ buildings are needed. I am hopeful that

42:06 ↗ there can be an extension of the current

42:08 ↗ zoning to allow time for the district to

42:11 ↗ evaluate whether a portion or all of

42:13 ↗ this property would be viable for future

42:16 ↗ educational services and warrant con

42:19 ↗ continuing its current zoning. So with

42:22 ↗ that part of my comment finished, I

42:24 ↗ would also like to take the time to

42:26 ↗ thank you for your partnerships

42:27 ↗ throughout the years with the district.

42:30 ↗ I have appreciated working with um the

42:32 ↗ working relationships that I've

42:34 ↗ developed with you and I will miss that

42:36 ↗ greatly. So, I thank you so much for

42:39 ↗ your service to the community.

42:42 ↗ >> Marne, thank you very much. You will be

42:43 ↗ missed and we never get tired of hearing

42:46 ↗ you talk about land use and zoning. I

42:48 ↗ promise. Um city clerk, has anyone else

42:51 ↗ signed up to speak?

42:52 ↗ >> Yeah, we have another another virtual

42:54 ↗ participant who'd like to speak who's on

42:56 ↗ the phone. last two digits 14. I'm going

43:01 ↗ to make you a panelist now.

43:04 ↗ Believe it's star six. That unmutes you

43:07 ↗ if you want to give that a try.

43:18 ↗ And phone in caller, I'm going to

43:21 ↗ actually send you a request to unmute.

43:27 ↗ Ah, that's good. Okay, the mic is open.

43:30 ↗ Go ahead.

43:36 ↗ >> Hi, this is Steve Pura in old time for

43:40 ↗ about 16 years. Can you hear me? Okay,

43:42 ↗ >> perfectly Steve.

43:45 ↗ >> Thanks. I'll be somewhat brief. I had

43:47 ↗ two items that I will categorize

43:49 ↗ briefly. First, I'll call political, not

43:53 ↗ to be political or candidate centered.

43:56 ↗ Uh, a couple thoughts occur to me. One

43:57 ↗ is that along front street and

44:02 ↗ wood street there is a good number of

44:04 ↗ various campaign signs that are put up,

44:06 ↗ which is fine. I hope everybody votes

44:09 ↗ the candidate of their choosing

44:12 ↗ and participates in policy

44:14 ↗ decisions that their preferred

44:16 ↗ candidates will make. My concern is that

44:20 ↗ I

44:22 ↗ pass this area fairly regularly and

44:24 ↗ often see a number of these signs down

44:27 ↗ and pulled out and left on the ground.

44:30 ↗ I'm hoping this is just a strange

44:32 ↗ confluence of wind or

44:35 ↗ patterns that are blowing them down and

44:37 ↗ somebody's not taking them out. That

44:38 ↗ would just be bad for him in our already

44:40 ↗ current

44:42 ↗ uh political climate.

44:44 ↗ So, I just hope that's not happening. I

44:47 ↗ again hope everybody does vote and be

44:50 ↗ involved in the process. The second

44:52 ↗ related issue I wanted to pass on. I

44:55 ↗ noticed that the Zukqua is hosting a

44:58 ↗ candidate forum for the school board and

45:01 ↗ city council positions

45:03 ↗ coming on Wednesday,

45:06 ↗ October 8th, two days from now. I hope

45:08 ↗ people will tune in to that and better

45:10 ↗ inform their choices.

45:13 ↗ The next topic is uh in the recent as it

45:18 ↗ city council the whole meeting when

45:22 ↗ trying to prioritize items for next take

45:25 ↗ up the brief reference was made to

45:28 ↗ whether or not the city could or would

45:32 ↗ be implementing

45:34 ↗ artificial intelligence.

45:36 ↗ There were two questions and not to go

45:38 ↗ too deep down the rabbit hole. I'm not

45:40 ↗ suggesting Skynet or the Matrix will

45:42 ↗ take over. That's a separate question or

45:43 ↗ issue.

45:45 ↗ I think it's a relevant public

45:46 ↗ discussion on whether or not

45:49 ↗ the city and

45:52 ↗ I guess the world wants to look at what

45:54 ↗ the impacts and use will be in decision

45:56 ↗ whether or not to implement artificial

45:58 ↗ intelligence and artificial general

46:00 ↗ intelligence and artificial supervisory

46:04 ↗ institution

46:05 ↗ intelligence what that impact has on our

46:08 ↗ own community and our world. So, I just

46:11 ↗ think there's a good esoteric chance to

46:13 ↗ have good public discussion on this

46:16 ↗ issue.

46:18 ↗ That includes my comments, the

46:19 ↗ president. Thank you.

46:20 ↗ >> Thank you, Steve. And just a note on the

46:23 ↗ campaign signs that you see down in our

46:25 ↗ city, if our landscape crews are

46:27 ↗ working, they place the signs on the

46:29 ↗ ground rather than collect them in order

46:31 ↗ for them to do the maintenance. So, that

46:33 ↗ may be a piece of it as well.

46:36 ↗ >> They seem to be random and they don't

46:38 ↗ seem to be in

46:42 ↗ random cate random candidates rendered

46:44 ↗ at random positions. It doesn't seem to

46:47 ↗ be

46:49 ↗ central in any particular area. So, I

46:51 ↗ just wanted to point out, but I'll take

46:52 ↗ that your input as just that or not

46:54 ↗ continue talking. So, I'll shut up.

46:56 ↗ Thank you.

46:57 ↗ >> Thank you, Steve. Uh, city clerk, is

46:59 ↗ there anyone else signed up for

47:00 ↗ comments?

47:01 ↗ >> No.

47:02 ↗ >> I'm looking around the room. We do have

47:03 ↗ a lot of folks here tonight. Um, could

47:05 ↗ you just raise your hand and indicate

47:06 ↗ whether or not you'd like to come up

47:08 ↗ provide additional comments?

47:11 ↗ Come on up.

47:22 ↗ My name is Jay Sternoff. I reside at

47:25 ↗ 22611 Southeast 44th Place in uh Isiqua,

47:30 ↗ which happens to also be uh in the

47:33 ↗ Providence Point neighborhood. Uh I've

47:36 ↗ read through uh the presentation

47:38 ↗ documents today, glanced at them. I

47:41 ↗ don't have a photographic memory, but

47:42 ↗ the total presentation was for tonight's

47:45 ↗ agenda was 132 pages. Uh with that said,

47:50 ↗ uh the uh specific one that I'm

47:53 ↗ intrigued with is the Isqua tree

47:55 ↗ ordinance. And I first have to say that

47:59 ↗ uh uh it is uh the tree ordinance is a

48:03 ↗ big step towards fire prevention and I

48:06 ↗ strongly encourage the the council to

48:09 ↗ pass it this evening. The only question

48:12 ↗ I have is that when you look at the

48:16 ↗ definition under 18102240

48:19 ↗ specifically says a typically height of

48:22 ↗ a uh mature tree should be at least 15

48:25 ↗ ft. Uh currently in Isiqua

48:30 ↗ over the last 5 years the zoning in in

48:33 ↗ the Providence Point area was 25% uh uh

48:38 ↗ canopy. It was then raised to 65% in

48:42 ↗ 2023.

48:43 ↗ And then in 2024,

48:46 ↗ it was modified that uh uh and I'll I'll

48:52 ↗ I'll read the section of what was

48:54 ↗ modified, but it changed that 15 ft

48:58 ↗ under uh 1812

49:00 ↗ 812060.

49:02 ↗ It says the tree canopy target set

49:04 ↗ forth. The tree canopy coverage is

49:07 ↗ measured in the percentage of the canopy

49:09 ↗ and uh and the existing trees for the

49:12 ↗ rejected canopy coverage to be provided

49:14 ↗ planted immature trees shall uh achieve

49:18 ↗ that canopy in 20 years. The second

49:22 ↗ section which is now C says the tree

49:26 ↗ canopy and I'm I'll paraphrase that was

49:30 ↗ uh 15 feet for a mature tree has now

49:33 ↗ been reduced to 6 ft.

49:36 ↗ So I guess in conclusion I'm strongly

49:40 ↗ objecting to those two sections

49:42 ↗ remaining. However, I s I strongly

49:45 ↗ encourage you to pass this ordinance

49:47 ↗ today and then immediately review those

49:50 ↗ two sections because how do I say this?

49:53 ↗ Uh the only thing in common with myself

49:57 ↗ in 20 years is in 20 years I'm not going

50:01 ↗ to be six feet. I'll probably be six

50:03 ↗ feet under.

50:05 ↗ >> Thank you Jay for the opportunity.

50:09 ↗ >> Thank you.

50:09 ↗ >> But I wanted to bring that up. Thank you

50:11 ↗ for your time.

50:13 ↗ Looking around the rest of the room,

50:14 ↗ would anyone else like to make some

50:16 ↗ comments this evening? Please raise your

50:17 ↗ hand. Come on up, Connie.

50:27 ↗ Hey, Connie Marshall live on Squawk. So,

50:30 ↗ one, you guys have a tax increase

50:33 ↗ tonight that has been through virtually

50:35 ↗ no public process, which the state says

50:39 ↗ you can do. And I'm here to say, should

50:42 ↗ you should you really not talk to your

50:44 ↗ community when you have a tax increase?

50:47 ↗ Should you just do it and they won't

50:50 ↗ notice?

50:52 ↗ I don't think it's appropriate if you

50:53 ↗ want to actually represent your

50:55 ↗ community to disregard that they might

50:57 ↗ even care about a tax increase. So two,

51:00 ↗ if you are going to ill-advisedly do the

51:02 ↗ tax increase without community input,

51:05 ↗ then it should be focused. I think it

51:08 ↗ was proposed at the subcommittee meeting

51:11 ↗ on a specific use and I would uh say

51:15 ↗ that that should be capital facilities

51:18 ↗ because you all are really really achen

51:21 ↗ to do some work on the uh police

51:24 ↗ station. This would give you $2.2

51:26 ↗ million toward that end per year. So

51:32 ↗ there's that. Two tree canopy. You will

51:35 ↗ have noticed I sent out a lot of emails

51:38 ↗ on the tree canopy in the subcommittee

51:40 ↗ meeting. The uh environmental board and

51:43 ↗ PPC were misrepresented in what their

51:45 ↗ positions were and I said it over and

51:48 ↗ over over in emails. So I don't think

51:51 ↗ that the um position of the subcommittee

51:55 ↗ was based on true information. Uh so

51:59 ↗ please consider that. Now, the fire

52:02 ↗ thing

52:04 ↗ could could probably should be passed.

52:08 ↗ The changing to zoning from

52:11 ↗ neighborhoods

52:13 ↗ gets us nowhere in particular, so should

52:16 ↗ not be continued. If you decide you want

52:19 ↗ to change the percentages for the

52:21 ↗ neighborhood because you find them super

52:23 ↗ awkward, then I think CPD should come

52:26 ↗ back with those percentages and you

52:28 ↗ could do that with the neighborhood

52:29 ↗ structure.

52:31 ↗ The other thing that is not working in

52:32 ↗ this code that was entirely unadressed

52:35 ↗ was that we have not staffed the city to

52:40 ↗ provide the ability for people to plant

52:42 ↗ trees offsite

52:44 ↗ and in their own neighborhood or offsite

52:49 ↗ out of their neighborhood. So when they

52:51 ↗ try to do this, we have no pathway. And

52:54 ↗ so then we seem to jump from, gee, plant

52:58 ↗ a tree on your own property to pay

53:00 ↗ $1,000.

53:01 ↗ And so when I talk to people who are

53:05 ↗ supposed to be trying to figure out

53:07 ↗ where to plant trees, there's just no

53:09 ↗ system to accommodate the community to

53:12 ↗ do that. We have a very tenuous system

53:14 ↗ with our public spaces, but it's totally

53:17 ↗ understaffed. We don't have the capacity

53:20 ↗ to figure out where to plant those

53:21 ↗ trees, how to maintain them or anything

53:23 ↗ of that nature. So we don't have any

53:25 ↗ support in this code and that is

53:28 ↗ actually its major flaw. It is not that

53:31 ↗ it's neighborhoods or zoning, right? So

53:34 ↗ I would uh address that. The last thing

53:38 ↗ is the cost of the permit. If we had a

53:41 ↗ community arborist that was for the

53:43 ↗ community, then when people paid their

53:46 ↗ fee, they would be getting an arborist

53:49 ↗ working for them. Right now, they pay

53:52 ↗ for the arborist and then the city does

53:53 ↗ a peer review. And so, the people are

53:56 ↗ paying for the arborist. They're paying

53:58 ↗ for the permit. They're paying for their

54:00 ↗ tree to be taken down and for a new tree

54:03 ↗ or two or three or whatever that is.

54:06 ↗ It's really expensive. And the city,

54:09 ↗ what's the city getting? The city is

54:11 ↗ supposed to be getting a 55% tree cany

54:14 ↗ canopy, which we want as a goal, but

54:16 ↗ it's totally on the backs of the

54:18 ↗ community to pay for it. I think the

54:21 ↗ community needs to pitch in and help get

54:23 ↗ us our tree canopy at 55% if that is our

54:26 ↗ community goal. So, to me, that

54:29 ↗ compromise is to have a a a community

54:34 ↗ arborist that works for the people. All

54:37 ↗ right. So, there's more to say, but I've

54:40 ↗ written it down before. I really don't

54:42 ↗ want you to pass this code as is. Parts

54:45 ↗ of it, but not all of it. Oh, I have 44

54:48 ↗ seconds. One last bit. So, the idea that

54:52 ↗ I heard at the subcommittee is we're

54:54 ↗ going to pass it and then we're going to

54:55 ↗ come back at the beginning of the year

54:56 ↗ and do it again. Now, next thing you're

54:59 ↗ going to ask me for tax dollars, and I'm

55:02 ↗ going to say, "How much money are you

55:04 ↗ wasting passing something and then doing

55:07 ↗ it again? We do it for streets. We do it

55:09 ↗ for parks. And now we're going to do it

55:11 ↗ for trees." And I resist. I really do.

55:15 ↗ Don't ask me to pay more money for

55:17 ↗ things when y'all just do it over and

55:19 ↗ over and over again. Thank you.

55:22 ↗ >> Thanks, Connie. going to check the room

55:24 ↗ one more time if anyone wants to make

55:27 ↗ public comment tonight and whether

55:29 ↗ anyone else is online.

55:32 ↗ I am not seeing any more hands. I'd like

55:34 ↗ to thank all those who took time to talk

55:36 ↗ tonight about the tree code and various

55:38 ↗ different aspects of it as well as a

55:42 ↗ potential Belleview College development

55:43 ↗ agreement extension. Um some general

55:46 ↗ information and comments about down

55:49 ↗ campaign signs, candidate forms, and AI.

55:52 ↗ Uh thank you for sharing your thoughts

55:54 ↗ and comments with our council this

55:57 ↗ evening and uh just as a reminder you

56:00 ↗ can always reach your city council at

56:02 ↗ city council isawwah.gov

56:05 ↗ anytime you want to send your comments

56:07 ↗ in. So thank you very much. We're going

56:09 ↗ to move to the consent calendar and I do

56:11 ↗ not have any remarks on the consent

56:13 ↗ calendar this evening. Are there any

56:15 ↗ committee chairs or chair designs who

56:17 ↗ would like to report on any of the

56:19 ↗ consent calendar items? I am seeing

56:22 ↗ headshakes. No.

56:24 ↗ Okay.

56:25 ↗ Uh the consent calendar was distributed

56:27 ↗ to council in advance and so if

56:29 ↗ authorized the items on the consent

56:30 ↗ calendar will be considered together and

56:32 ↗ approved by one motion. Have the

56:34 ↗ payables and payroll been reviewed?

56:36 ↗ >> They have.

56:37 ↗ >> Thank you.

56:38 ↗ >> They have.

56:39 ↗ >> Thank you. Does any council member

56:41 ↗ desire to remove any item from the

56:42 ↗ consent calendar and consider it under

56:44 ↗ regular business?

56:46 ↗ Not seeing any indication. Um could we

56:48 ↗ get a motion? I move we approve the

56:51 ↗ consent calendar as distributed.

56:54 ↗ >> Second.

56:55 ↗ >> It has been moved and seconded to

56:58 ↗ approve as presented. All those in favor

57:00 ↗ signify by saying I.

57:01 ↗ >> I.

57:02 ↗ >> I.

57:03 ↗ >> Those opposed. That carries 6 and0.

57:07 ↗ We're going to move into the regular

57:08 ↗ business portion of our meeting which is

57:10 ↗ AB9051.

57:12 ↗ The first item, public safety sales tax.

57:15 ↗ The council received a presentation on

57:16 ↗ this item at the September 15th city

57:19 ↗ council meeting and asked questions of

57:20 ↗ staff. The item is now returning for

57:22 ↗ council action and I'm going to invite

57:24 ↗ finance director Kristen Garcia to

57:26 ↗ present this item. Welcome Kristen.

57:30 ↗ Thank you mayor and good evening members

57:31 ↗ of council and good evening members of

57:34 ↗ the public here in the audience and

57:35 ↗ those that may be viewing online. Um

57:38 ↗ staff and council have had an

57:40 ↗ opportunity to discuss the option of the

57:43 ↗ public safety sales tax at the July 12th

57:46 ↗ council retreat and again at the

57:47 ↗ September 15th council meeting. So

57:50 ↗ tonight I wanted to provide a brief

57:52 ↗ recap of why we're exploring this

57:55 ↗ option, why we have a need for it, uh

57:57 ↗ what is the public safety sales tax and

58:00 ↗ what it can be used for. And I also

58:02 ↗ wanted to follow up and provide

58:03 ↗ information um that council had

58:06 ↗ requested at the previous meeting. So at

58:08 ↗ the September meeting, we had talked

58:10 ↗ about some of what's driving the cost

58:11 ↗ increases for public safety. Um for

58:14 ↗ example, as population increases, demand

58:17 ↗ the the demand on our services also

58:20 ↗ increase. Um we might need more

58:22 ↗ programs. We might have a need for more

58:23 ↗ officers. the cost of public safety as

58:27 ↗ well of as well as other city services

58:29 ↗ aren't immune to the effects of

58:30 ↗ inflation. So the cost of doing our

58:33 ↗ business continues to increase. We also

58:35 ↗ have unfunded legislative mandates like

58:38 ↗ the reduction of case loads to public

58:40 ↗ defense. We also want to offer a

58:43 ↗ competitive salary and benefit um

58:45 ↗ schedule so we can recruit and retain

58:47 ↗ the most talented um staff. And police

58:50 ↗ work is becoming more complex. We have

58:52 ↗ the need for uh behavioral health,

58:55 ↗ homelessness, and other programs.

58:58 ↗ On top of that, our current revenues are

59:00 ↗ limited. Cities don't have a lot of

59:02 ↗ options to grow new revenue. Um our

59:05 ↗ property tax is limited to a 1% cap. Um

59:09 ↗ and that doesn't keep up with the cost

59:11 ↗ of inflation. And other city revenues

59:13 ↗ like retail sales and BNO tax um support

59:16 ↗ other city services. So, we have a a big

59:19 ↗ demand on our existing revenue.

59:22 ↗ And Isiqua isn't unique to these

59:24 ↗ challenges. Um, cities do have limited

59:27 ↗ what resources are available to them and

59:30 ↗ we don't have new revenue options that

59:32 ↗ become available to us very often. So

59:35 ↗ earlier this year, the state legislature

59:37 ↗ passed um, House Bill 2015 as a new tool

59:40 ↗ for cities to use to help address their

59:42 ↗ funding gaps related to public safety.

59:46 ↗ What the bill does is is it allows

59:48 ↗ cities to impose a public safety sales

59:50 ↗ tax through adoption of an ordinance.

59:54 ↗ The sales tax is a onetenth of 1% tax.

59:58 ↗ If imposed, it would increase sales tax

1:00:01 ↗ rate from 10.3% to 10.4%.

1:00:05 ↗ It would generate about 2.2 million per

1:00:08 ↗ year. And the tax has a broad range of

1:00:10 ↗ uses that can support the public safety

1:00:13 ↗ and criminal justice systems. It can be

1:00:15 ↗ used for recruitment and retention of

1:00:17 ↗ officers, training, public defense,

1:00:20 ↗ domestic violence services, programs for

1:00:23 ↗ homeless or behavioral health, or other

1:00:25 ↗ costs either directly or indirectly that

1:00:28 ↗ support public safety or criminal

1:00:30 ↗ justice.

1:00:32 ↗ Um, I do want to make note that there

1:00:34 ↗ are also grant funds available that can

1:00:37 ↗ be applied for. that as a se separate

1:00:39 ↗ bucket of money, but for tonight's

1:00:41 ↗ purposes, I was just focusing on the

1:00:43 ↗ public safety sales tax option. Um, so

1:00:47 ↗ that's a recap of the public safety

1:00:49 ↗ sales tax, what it is, um, how we can

1:00:52 ↗ use it, and I do want to address some of

1:00:54 ↗ the questions that came up from the the

1:00:56 ↗ last council meeting. So, the council

1:00:58 ↗ had asked what some of our neighboring

1:01:00 ↗ cities were doing. Uh, we have Kent that

1:01:02 ↗ already adopted the ordinance. They are

1:01:04 ↗ imposing the tax in January. We have

1:01:07 ↗ Reon who has done a first reading of the

1:01:09 ↗ ordinance with the with the committee

1:01:11 ↗ and recommending adoption of the

1:01:13 ↗ ordinance and then Belleview Redmond

1:01:15 ↗ both Kirkland are discussing it. I was

1:01:18 ↗ also recently at a um statewide

1:01:21 ↗ conference speaking with other cities

1:01:23 ↗ not necessarily neighboring to our

1:01:25 ↗ jurisdiction but just so you know cities

1:01:27 ↗ are actively discussing um this option.

1:01:31 ↗ The other question that came up is how

1:01:33 ↗ do we intend to use the funds? Um

1:01:36 ↗ administration and we're continuing to

1:01:38 ↗ explore how the tax proceeds can best be

1:01:40 ↗ utilized. Um but we do have a a couple

1:01:42 ↗ of ideas um based on our current needs.

1:01:45 ↗ We would like to set aside some funding

1:01:47 ↗ for facilities to address long-term

1:01:50 ↗ needs and improvements to our current

1:01:51 ↗ public bas public uh safety facility. We

1:01:55 ↗ also want to use some for public

1:01:57 ↗ defense. We are anticipating some cost

1:01:59 ↗ increases for public defense. So, we'd

1:02:01 ↗ like to use some of the money for that.

1:02:03 ↗ We'd also like to use some of the money

1:02:04 ↗ to support existing costs for fleet. So,

1:02:07 ↗ meaning what the general fund is

1:02:09 ↗ currently paying for for our vehicle

1:02:11 ↗ replacements. We'd like to use some of

1:02:13 ↗ the money for that. We'd also like to

1:02:16 ↗ use some of the money to pay for

1:02:17 ↗ existing costs for police officers and

1:02:20 ↗ for retention and recruitment purposes

1:02:23 ↗ and then set aside some for capital

1:02:25 ↗ equipment um to support our public

1:02:28 ↗ safety programs.

1:02:30 ↗ If the council decides to move forward

1:02:32 ↗ with adopting the ordinance, the next

1:02:33 ↗ steps are would be to send our

1:02:35 ↗ eligibility requirement to the criminal

1:02:37 ↗ justice training consortium. That portal

1:02:40 ↗ is now open. So we are able to now

1:02:42 ↗ submit our eligibility. And then of

1:02:44 ↗ course there's the adoption of the

1:02:46 ↗ ordinance and submitting that to the

1:02:48 ↗ department of revenue. Um I would also

1:02:51 ↗ like to note that the department of

1:02:52 ↗ revenue only accepts sales tax requests

1:02:55 ↗ three times per year. So, just in terms

1:02:57 ↗ of timing, uh, if the council wants the

1:03:00 ↗ tax to be effective January of 2026, we

1:03:03 ↗ would need to adopt the ordinance and

1:03:05 ↗ submit that to the department of revenue

1:03:07 ↗ by October 17th. The next opportunity

1:03:10 ↗ would have would be to have the tax

1:03:12 ↗ effective in April and submittal of the

1:03:15 ↗ ordinance uh, by January 16th. And

1:03:18 ↗ administration is recommending adoption

1:03:21 ↗ of the sales tax ordinance. And that

1:03:24 ↗ mayor concludes my presentation.

1:03:26 ↗ >> Thank you very much, Kristen. Um, does

1:03:29 ↗ council have any questions at this time,

1:03:31 ↗ council president?

1:03:33 ↗ >> Thank you. And thank you, Kristen. I

1:03:35 ↗ appreciate following up on the questions

1:03:37 ↗ that we had. um you've provided some

1:03:40 ↗ potential uses um of this, but by

1:03:45 ↗ adopting the um sales tax increase at

1:03:49 ↗ this point, we are not committed to or

1:03:53 ↗ signing up for those. We these are

1:03:55 ↗ rather good alternatives, good ways that

1:03:59 ↗ we could utilize that, but it will

1:04:01 ↗ actually be through our midbanium budget

1:04:03 ↗ process that we will make the decisions

1:04:05 ↗ of how to use that. Correct.

1:04:06 ↗ >> That is correct. Tonight's action would

1:04:09 ↗ only um authorize imposing the tax and

1:04:12 ↗ then through our midbanium budget

1:04:14 ↗ process would we make any final

1:04:16 ↗ determinations on the use of tax. These

1:04:18 ↗ were just um meant as suggestions on

1:04:21 ↗ what we're seeing for current needs, but

1:04:23 ↗ we would have further discussion.

1:04:25 ↗ >> Okay. And then I know one of the other

1:04:27 ↗ questions was does this go into a

1:04:29 ↗ dedicated fund or into the general fund?

1:04:32 ↗ We would set up a dedicated fund

1:04:34 ↗ specifically for this tax so we can um

1:04:38 ↗ account for how it's spent.

1:04:39 ↗ >> Yeah. Because there are certain

1:04:40 ↗ limitations on how it can be spent. This

1:04:42 ↗ can't be just used for anything. This

1:04:45 ↗ has specific um needs and requirements.

1:04:47 ↗ Correct.

1:04:48 ↗ >> That is correct. This is a a restricted

1:04:50 ↗ revenue source which means state law

1:04:52 ↗ dictates the specific uses and we have

1:04:55 ↗ to follow what state law is. There's

1:04:57 ↗ also annual reporting requirements. So

1:04:59 ↗ setting up a dedicated fund to

1:05:01 ↗ specifically track the uses uh makes

1:05:04 ↗ that process a little bit more efficient

1:05:05 ↗ and it also is more transparent and

1:05:08 ↗ accountable.

1:05:09 ↗ >> Thank you.

1:05:10 ↗ >> Additional questions from council member

1:05:13 ↗ Marts.

1:05:15 ↗ >> Was this plan developed um in

1:05:17 ↗ collaboration with the chief's office?

1:05:19 ↗ >> Um yes, we've been working in

1:05:21 ↗ coordination with Chief Swan.

1:05:23 ↗ >> Thank you.

1:05:24 ↗ additional comments or questions

1:05:28 ↗ and

1:05:29 ↗ >> wait

1:05:30 ↗ >> sorry additional questions

1:05:33 ↗ questions. Okay. Um and this was in uh

1:05:38 ↗ at a cow or at a committee earlier.

1:05:42 ↗ >> It was a committee of the whole I

1:05:44 ↗ believe the September 15th.

1:05:45 ↗ >> Thank council president. Um

1:05:49 ↗ let's yeah let's do some comments. If it

1:05:51 ↗ was an account that would be appropriate

1:05:54 ↗ for a motion.

1:05:55 ↗ >> Yeah. I move to adopt ordinance number

1:06:00 ↗ 3113

1:06:02 ↗ enacting an additional sales t sales and

1:06:05 ↗ use tax of onetenth of 1% for criminal

1:06:08 ↗ justice purposes as authorized by

1:06:10 ↗ RCW82.14.345

1:06:14 ↗ and adding a new section 3.04.027

1:06:19 ↗ 027 to the Isiqua Municipal Code.

1:06:24 ↗ >> Second.

1:06:24 ↗ >> It's been moved and seconded. Council

1:06:26 ↗ discussion. Let's start with council

1:06:27 ↗ president.

1:06:28 ↗ >> Yes. Thank you for this. Um Kristen, I

1:06:31 ↗ really appreciate the way that you laid

1:06:33 ↗ this out. You have clearly demonstrated

1:06:36 ↗ um the additional costs that we are

1:06:39 ↗ experiencing in the area of public

1:06:40 ↗ safety, including um state requirements

1:06:43 ↗ to limit the number of case load for our

1:06:46 ↗ public defenders. Uh we also have quite

1:06:49 ↗ limited um financial options for

1:06:53 ↗ increasing revenue to keep up with our

1:06:55 ↗ increasing costs from inflation and

1:06:58 ↗ making sure that we are bringing in the

1:07:00 ↗ best and the brightest um staff members

1:07:03 ↗ and being able to recruit and retain

1:07:04 ↗ them. I've heard quite clearly from the

1:07:08 ↗ community and we saw during our um our

1:07:12 ↗ community survey how important public

1:07:13 ↗ safety is to our community. And so I am

1:07:17 ↗ very much in favor of this. I will be

1:07:19 ↗ very interested to talk with council

1:07:21 ↗ about the best uses of this fund. Um I

1:07:25 ↗ think we clearly have a need for public

1:07:28 ↗ safety facilities and I would like to

1:07:31 ↗ make sure we are utilizing that to the

1:07:33 ↗ best ability there so that we can reduce

1:07:36 ↗ the um additional ask to the community.

1:07:41 ↗ Um, but I also clearly understand that

1:07:43 ↗ we have some of these additional costs

1:07:45 ↗ that will also need to be addressed. So,

1:07:48 ↗ I I just very much appreciate the

1:07:50 ↗ ability to clearly state why this is a

1:07:53 ↗ need in our community. Um, and so that

1:07:56 ↗ the community understands that. Thank

1:07:58 ↗ you. Thank you.

1:07:59 ↗ >> Uh, Deputy Council President.

1:08:02 ↗ >> So, so thank you so much and again I

1:08:05 ↗ agree. Uh, great presentation. Um I

1:08:09 ↗ wanted to speak specifically to the um

1:08:12 ↗ the items that are proposed and uh as

1:08:14 ↗ has been mentioned and I agree that the

1:08:17 ↗ focus is is on facilities and that's

1:08:19 ↗ very important but I wanted to talk to

1:08:22 ↗ another priority for me which is the

1:08:24 ↗ funds for public defense.

1:08:27 ↗ Um the most important thing we can do

1:08:29 ↗ for equitable justice in Isiqua is to

1:08:31 ↗ provide indigent and low-income people

1:08:34 ↗ with uh public defenders. And as we

1:08:37 ↗ know, uh, public defenders have been

1:08:39 ↗ underpaid for decades. And this has led

1:08:41 ↗ to a statewide crisis in the number of

1:08:44 ↗ public defenders that are available. Um,

1:08:47 ↗ and the quality of the uh representation

1:08:50 ↗ that lowincome and indigent people uh

1:08:53 ↗ receive if they in fact uh uh are

1:08:58 ↗ engaged in the in the court system. uh

1:09:01 ↗ sometimes for very minor issues that can

1:09:04 ↗ turn into big things for people uh if

1:09:06 ↗ they're not uh well defended. So if we

1:09:10 ↗ are able to make the decision tonight,

1:09:12 ↗ we would be able then to deliberate

1:09:14 ↗ knowing that those funds are available

1:09:15 ↗ and uh as the council president said, we

1:09:18 ↗ will then be as we go through the budget

1:09:20 ↗ process, we'll be looking at these

1:09:21 ↗ things. But uh it is very important to

1:09:24 ↗ me that uh looking at the folks in our

1:09:27 ↗ community who are least able to afford

1:09:30 ↗ professional legal advice uh being sure

1:09:33 ↗ that they are provided with public

1:09:35 ↗ defenders. So uh I will also be

1:09:37 ↗ supporting this motion and uh I think

1:09:40 ↗ that uh the importance to both our

1:09:44 ↗ facilities but also the equity that we

1:09:46 ↗ provide to our citizens is or excuse me

1:09:48 ↗ our residents is uh really really

1:09:50 ↗ important to me. Thank you.

1:09:52 ↗ >> Thank you, Deputy Council President.

1:09:53 ↗ Just want to let you know too that SCA

1:09:55 ↗ is still Sound Cities Association is

1:09:56 ↗ pushing back at the state level. The

1:09:59 ↗ your comments on making sure people have

1:10:02 ↗ adequate public defense 100% support it.

1:10:05 ↗ The state said they would pay and

1:10:06 ↗ because they won't, many cities that

1:10:08 ↗ have poor populations will spend more of

1:10:10 ↗ the one.1%

1:10:13 ↗ on public defense than cities that do

1:10:15 ↗ not have it. And so we have some equity

1:10:17 ↗ components in application unless the

1:10:18 ↗ state really steps up. So, we're still

1:10:20 ↗ pushing back, but you're 100% right.

1:10:22 ↗ They deserve the best representation

1:10:24 ↗ they can get. Uh, any other council

1:10:28 ↗ discussion?

1:10:31 ↗ All right. Um, if there's no I thought I

1:10:36 ↗ missed you. Okay. Go,

1:10:39 ↗ >> Council Member Zach.

1:10:41 ↗ >> Thank you. Um, I just wasn't I wasn't

1:10:43 ↗ sure. Um uh just cuz I agree with

1:10:45 ↗ everything that's been said, we've

1:10:46 ↗ demonstrated the need um in this setting

1:10:49 ↗ quite a bit and of course the community

1:10:51 ↗ has told us how important community

1:10:53 ↗ safety is um many times over many

1:10:55 ↗ community surveys. Um they've also

1:10:57 ↗ highlighted cost of living, right, as an

1:10:59 ↗ important thing and I think it's just

1:11:00 ↗ okay for us, it's important for us to

1:11:02 ↗ acknowledge that tonight that this is a

1:11:04 ↗ tough decision as well. Our hands are

1:11:06 ↗ tied in terms of the tools that we have

1:11:07 ↗ available to us for revenue. um

1:11:10 ↗ especially as need in public safety and

1:11:13 ↗ criminal justice continues to bloom or

1:11:15 ↗ to balloon. Um and because we're so tied

1:11:17 ↗ to these tools, it just makes it a very

1:11:20 ↗ difficult decision for um tonight. Um,

1:11:22 ↗ so, um, I would just hope that as we

1:11:25 ↗ continue to put together the midby, as

1:11:26 ↗ we have a conversation about what kind

1:11:28 ↗ of what the plans are and how we're

1:11:29 ↗ going to, um, put together, um, spending

1:11:32 ↗ for this new fund that we involve

1:11:34 ↗ community in that as much as we can so

1:11:36 ↗ they have a good understanding of

1:11:38 ↗ exactly what they're getting for what

1:11:39 ↗ they're paying for. That's all. And I'll

1:11:41 ↗ support the motion tonight.

1:11:42 ↗ >> Great suggestion, Council Member Ray.

1:11:45 ↗ >> Thanks. Um, sorry, I just did my Zach

1:11:48 ↗ alternated.

1:11:50 ↗ Um,

1:11:52 ↗ as Council Member Hall was was speaking,

1:11:54 ↗ it really did occur to me that one of

1:11:56 ↗ the things about this particular um, tax

1:12:00 ↗ structure. Well, a is it's super

1:12:03 ↗ aggressive. I just want to channel my

1:12:05 ↗ inner council member Marks. It is a

1:12:07 ↗ super aggressive tax, but because we are

1:12:09 ↗ a com a commercial hub for the region,

1:12:12 ↗ it also um draws revenue from people

1:12:15 ↗ outside of Esqua who take advantage of

1:12:17 ↗ our public safety services when they are

1:12:19 ↗ in town. So there's an um I won't use

1:12:22 ↗ the word equity, but there's a matching

1:12:24 ↗ component here that I like where those

1:12:26 ↗ consuming the services are are helping

1:12:28 ↗ to defer some of the costs. So I think

1:12:30 ↗ this this makes sense. I think the need

1:12:31 ↗ is really clear for public safety and we

1:12:33 ↗ hear it all the time. Um, and tonight's

1:12:35 ↗ really not about what are we going to

1:12:37 ↗ spend it on. That's for another day to

1:12:38 ↗ to hash that out. But I think the need

1:12:41 ↗ is really clear and the funding

1:12:42 ↗ mechanism is probably as good as we can

1:12:46 ↗ get given the tax structure in the state

1:12:47 ↗ of Washington.

1:12:48 ↗ >> I would use the word nexus. I thought

1:12:50 ↗ that's what you're

1:12:51 ↗ >> Nexus would be great.

1:12:55 ↗ >> Okay. Uh, we've almost heard from

1:12:56 ↗ everybody. Just another opportunity.

1:12:58 ↗ Council member Jiang.

1:12:59 ↗ >> Yeah. I just want to um again, you know,

1:13:02 ↗ thank Director Garcia for this great

1:13:03 ↗ presentation. um as well as your great

1:13:05 ↗ presentation in our retreat earlier this

1:13:06 ↗ year as well as in the September 15th

1:13:08 ↗ council meeting. Um also want to echo

1:13:10 ↗ what um I've been hearing, you know,

1:13:11 ↗ from my council colleagues about the

1:13:13 ↗ fact that the fact that the only way

1:13:15 ↗ that we can raise revenue to pay for

1:13:17 ↗ public safety is by adding sales tax is

1:13:20 ↗ not great, but because the need is so

1:13:22 ↗ strong, you know, it's we don't really

1:13:25 ↗ have other options. So, I will be

1:13:28 ↗ supporting this tonight. Um, I also

1:13:31 ↗ really appreciate that we're going to be

1:13:32 ↗ setting up a dedicated fund and doing

1:13:33 ↗ reporting on this. Um, and something

1:13:36 ↗ that I've heard from the community is

1:13:37 ↗ that, you know, we'd like to see more

1:13:39 ↗ just like budget transparency in

1:13:40 ↗ general. So, to the extent that we can,

1:13:42 ↗ you know, have information about, you

1:13:44 ↗ know, what is this.1% sales tax going

1:13:46 ↗ towards, I think that would be great.

1:13:47 ↗ And I think it would also be great for

1:13:48 ↗ us to be doing that for some of these

1:13:50 ↗ other special.1% sales taxes that we've

1:13:52 ↗ been uh that we've adopted like the

1:13:54 ↗ affordable housing sales tax. Um, so

1:13:56 ↗ look forward to seeing, you know, what

1:13:58 ↗ types of um, you know, public

1:13:59 ↗ information we're able to provide about

1:14:01 ↗ this so that, you know, our residents

1:14:02 ↗ and folks that shop in Isqua know where

1:14:04 ↗ their extra sales tax money is going and

1:14:06 ↗ can feel like they're getting good value

1:14:08 ↗ for the uh, tax dollars that they're

1:14:10 ↗ putting in.

1:14:11 ↗ >> And council member Jen, um, are you

1:14:13 ↗ speak are you uh, requesting that maybe

1:14:15 ↗ during the budget process as as there's

1:14:17 ↗ a review of a fund that that's the kind

1:14:20 ↗ of information you'd like to see? That's

1:14:21 ↗ the time when you would like to see that

1:14:23 ↗ information?

1:14:23 ↗ >> Uh, yes.

1:14:24 ↗ >> Okay, great. Thanks. Is that all? Any

1:14:27 ↗ more comments? Round twos? Nope. Okay.

1:14:31 ↗ Uh, the motion before the council is to

1:14:33 ↗ adopt ordinance number 3113 enacting an

1:14:35 ↗ additional sales and use tax of onetenth

1:14:37 ↗ of 1% for criminal justice purposes as

1:14:40 ↗ authorized by RCW82.14.345

1:14:44 ↗ and adding a new section 3.04.027

1:14:47 ↗ to the Isiqua Municipal Code. And all

1:14:50 ↗ those in favor, please signify by saying

1:14:52 ↗ I.

1:14:53 ↗ >> I. I. Those post that carries

1:14:57 ↗ unanimously 6 and0 we are going to move

1:14:59 ↗ on to the next regular business item

1:15:01 ↗ which is AB8989

1:15:03 ↗ the title 18 tree code update and I'd

1:15:06 ↗ like to invite community planning and

1:15:07 ↗ development director Minnie Dollywal to

1:15:09 ↗ present this item. Welcome Minnie.

1:15:13 ↗ >> Good evening madame mayor and members of

1:15:15 ↗ the council. Um, let me quickly share

1:15:19 ↗ here.

1:15:31 ↗ Um, so tonight, um, I'm here to present

1:15:34 ↗ a tree preservation code amendments. Um

1:15:39 ↗ um and our recommendation is to adopt

1:15:41 ↗ the proposed ordinance uh amending uh

1:15:44 ↗ chapter 18102 and 18812 of Isiqua

1:15:49 ↗ Municipal Code uh collectively the tree

1:15:52 ↗ preservation regulations. Um in terms of

1:15:56 ↗ uh the process um the city did a major

1:15:59 ↗ overhaul of title 18 um and council

1:16:02 ↗ adopted it in May of 2023. Since that

1:16:05 ↗ time we started implementing some of

1:16:07 ↗ these regulations and uh our commitment

1:16:10 ↗ was if uh things come up that we would

1:16:13 ↗ not wait a long time uh that we would do

1:16:16 ↗ annual amendments and so on. So you all

1:16:19 ↗ have touched some of those fixes um on

1:16:22 ↗ an annual basis in 2024 and 2025. Uh

1:16:26 ↗ however the the tree code um amendments

1:16:28 ↗ were a little bit more on the policy

1:16:30 ↗ side uh which went through the whole uh

1:16:32 ↗ more elaborate process with

1:16:34 ↗ environmental board and planning and

1:16:36 ↗ policy commission. We started this work

1:16:39 ↗ um with planning and policy commission

1:16:41 ↗ in April. um had a couple of meetings

1:16:44 ↗ with them. Uh a couple of meetings with

1:16:46 ↗ environmental board uh or maybe two or

1:16:48 ↗ three um and then um and went to the

1:16:53 ↗ subcommittee planning policy um

1:16:55 ↗ development committee and we are here uh

1:16:58 ↗ to present their recommendation. Um the

1:17:01 ↗ main policy changes that you see as part

1:17:03 ↗ of this um assortment of uh amendments

1:17:06 ↗ for the tree regulations

1:17:09 ↗ um are there's this methodology of

1:17:12 ↗ calculating our tree canopy target. So

1:17:15 ↗ climate action plan has a goal of

1:17:17 ↗ achieving our uh canopy target of 55% by

1:17:21 ↗ 2040. Um and these regulations sort of

1:17:25 ↗ implement that goal. uh and um we had

1:17:30 ↗ come up with um a methodology to use it

1:17:33 ↗ by neighborhood and the data that we had

1:17:36 ↗ at the time was based on the city's

1:17:38 ↗ canopy study which was done for the

1:17:41 ↗ entire neighborhood. So potential

1:17:43 ↗ planting area percentage was for a

1:17:47 ↗ neighborhood but it was not all

1:17:49 ↗ developed lot lots. It was a combination

1:17:52 ↗ of uh open space and developed property.

1:17:55 ↗ So we didn't have good information in

1:17:57 ↗ terms of the percentage. Uh I think

1:17:59 ↗ during that update we um the the request

1:18:03 ↗ was to go with the potential planning

1:18:05 ↗ annexation areas. So we've realized that

1:18:08 ↗ using that percentage at an area wide

1:18:11 ↗ and applying that on a lot by lot basis

1:18:14 ↗ was not fair um because um for these

1:18:17 ↗ smaller lots we couldn't come up with

1:18:19 ↗ larger percentages that were required

1:18:21 ↗ for canopy coverage. So which meant more

1:18:23 ↗ off-site planting and more fee in lie of

1:18:26 ↗ um and it wasn't um tied to the impact

1:18:30 ↗ uh that was coming up. So for instance

1:18:33 ↗ the only time uh homeowners can remove

1:18:36 ↗ their trees are if they're hazardous or

1:18:38 ↗ they're nuisance. So no healthy trees

1:18:40 ↗ can be removed. But removal of a hazard

1:18:42 ↗ tree required all the percentage of the

1:18:45 ↗ canopy percentage to be met. So it

1:18:47 ↗ wasn't the impact was a dead tree, a

1:18:50 ↗ problem tree being taken out, but you

1:18:52 ↗ had to replant or meet the requirements

1:18:54 ↗ of that percentage which was pretty

1:18:55 ↗ high. Um so instead uh we looked at lot

1:19:00 ↗ sizes uh in different neighborhoods.

1:19:02 ↗ That work happened with the middle

1:19:03 ↗ housing work and that attachment is in

1:19:06 ↗ your packet. Um and um the consultant

1:19:10 ↗ looked at potent you know what

1:19:12 ↗ percentages make sense based on land use

1:19:14 ↗ and lot size. Um so that was discussed

1:19:18 ↗ with both environmental board and

1:19:20 ↗ planning and policy commission and their

1:19:21 ↗ recommendation is to um do this because

1:19:24 ↗ it does it will help uh the larger

1:19:26 ↗ percentage. You heard some testimony

1:19:28 ↗ today in terms of um perhaps the

1:19:31 ↗ neighborhood method is the way to go but

1:19:33 ↗ reduce your percentages uh and that'll

1:19:36 ↗ that's something we we can have that

1:19:37 ↗ conversation at a future broader context

1:19:40 ↗ after we have more uh targeted data for

1:19:44 ↗ uh canopy coverage. So, we are

1:19:45 ↗ undertaking some of the the newer canopy

1:19:47 ↗ study with King County and working with

1:19:50 ↗ our urban forester Dan Hints um and

1:19:53 ↗ seeing if we can get um data based on a

1:19:57 ↗ neighborhood developed areas and

1:19:59 ↗ non-developed areas and that's the

1:20:01 ↗ conversation that will inform those

1:20:02 ↗ future conversations. Um we've as part

1:20:05 ↗ of these changes we've simplified the

1:20:07 ↗ regulations for removal of hazard and

1:20:09 ↗ nuisance. Like I said, the replacement

1:20:11 ↗ is one to one, not what um you have to

1:20:15 ↗ bring up to the entire percentage. Um

1:20:18 ↗ we've also clarified that the canopy

1:20:20 ↗ coverage uh requirements, those

1:20:22 ↗ percentages are triggered with new

1:20:24 ↗ development or major redevelopment. Uh

1:20:26 ↗ not if you're doing a tenant improvement

1:20:28 ↗ and things like that. Um the we've also

1:20:31 ↗ added some flexibility for tree

1:20:33 ↗ retention in central Isiqua. So you

1:20:36 ↗ still have your 25% retention

1:20:37 ↗ requirements, but you can request if you

1:20:40 ↗ meet the criteria like you have to take

1:20:42 ↗ trees down because you are required to

1:20:44 ↗ do frontage improvement or utility lines

1:20:47 ↗ or where the clump of trees is where

1:20:49 ↗ your building is going to be. Uh

1:20:51 ↗ anecdotally, we know that most a lot of

1:20:53 ↗ these trees are probably parking lot

1:20:55 ↗ trees. So um that we would end up

1:20:58 ↗ preserving, but they wouldn't probably

1:21:00 ↗ make it. So we're giving some more

1:21:01 ↗ flexibility. But coupled in with that

1:21:04 ↗ flexibility is that you still have to

1:21:06 ↗ replant what you take down and you and

1:21:08 ↗ those don't count towards your 25%. So

1:21:12 ↗ at least there's not a net loss and

1:21:14 ↗ there's an incentive for people to try

1:21:16 ↗ and preserve those tree larger trees

1:21:19 ↗ because you get to count them towards

1:21:20 ↗ your 25%.

1:21:22 ↗ So that's the the main policy changes

1:21:24 ↗ that that are in front of you today. uh

1:21:27 ↗ quickly um I won't read through all of

1:21:29 ↗ this but uh you know the feedback from

1:21:31 ↗ environmental board uh included not just

1:21:35 ↗ the regulations piece but also you know

1:21:37 ↗ should we do more code testing how are

1:21:39 ↗ we using the tree fund for um they

1:21:41 ↗ wanted to have some sort of an approach

1:21:43 ↗ with homeowner association that they

1:21:46 ↗ heard from uh maybe one permit for all

1:21:48 ↗ of the different trackcts as opposed to

1:21:50 ↗ one permit per track kind of a thing.

1:21:52 ↗ And so those are all implementation

1:21:53 ↗ things that we will fold their feedback

1:21:56 ↗ into how we implement regulations. Um

1:22:00 ↗ they also talked about public education

1:22:02 ↗ and and more uh simple regulations for

1:22:06 ↗ single family um requirements. Um they

1:22:09 ↗ were for the central flexibility

1:22:11 ↗ requirements and such. Um and um

1:22:16 ↗ planning and policy commission, you

1:22:18 ↗ know, some of the highlights were they

1:22:19 ↗ were um wanted to us to add a category

1:22:23 ↗ where the lots were less than 5,000

1:22:25 ↗ square feet because some of our uh lots

1:22:28 ↗ are smaller and so we we added that. Uh

1:22:31 ↗ they talked about tree giveaway program.

1:22:33 ↗ So a plugin for any community members

1:22:35 ↗ that may be listening. Um that is coming

1:22:38 ↗ up. Uh there is a website that you can

1:22:40 ↗ sign up for. You need to sign up online

1:22:42 ↗ and then pick up your trees at Pickering

1:22:44 ↗ Barn. Um and about 275 trees will be

1:22:48 ↗ given away free u by our wonderful parks

1:22:51 ↗ department. Um

1:22:54 ↗ and um the other feedback was wildfire

1:22:57 ↗ code updates. You heard some of that

1:22:58 ↗ testimony today. Uh there is a provision

1:23:00 ↗ that allows some of the removal for tree

1:23:03 ↗ uh for wildfire risk but more work on

1:23:06 ↗ that is needed um because the wildland

1:23:09 ↗ urban interface code that the state is

1:23:11 ↗ working on those maps are coming out

1:23:14 ↗ next year by next summer is what they

1:23:17 ↗ tell us and so we had briefed council on

1:23:20 ↗ the wildland urban interface codes with

1:23:23 ↗ Jared emergency management and the

1:23:25 ↗ building code building official. So more

1:23:28 ↗ conversations will occur on wildfire

1:23:30 ↗ risk assessment uh once those maps come

1:23:32 ↗ out. Uh what they mean particularly for

1:23:34 ↗ a city like Isiqua where you have

1:23:36 ↗ overlapping requirements for critical

1:23:38 ↗ areas. You know you may be in a stream

1:23:39 ↗ buffer and you may be in a steep slope

1:23:42 ↗ and and such. So um those provisions

1:23:45 ↗ will be discussed in the future. Um the

1:23:49 ↗ environmental board feedback we got

1:23:51 ↗ their input on five policy questions. uh

1:23:54 ↗ their detailed feedback is included in

1:23:56 ↗ the letter that is also in your packet.

1:23:58 ↗ You heard some testimony today about

1:24:00 ↗ misrepresentation.

1:24:02 ↗ So I do have a slide in here once we get

1:24:04 ↗ to the policy question about what uh the

1:24:06 ↗ feedback we received from environmental

1:24:08 ↗ board and planning and policy

1:24:09 ↗ commission. Um so um you know there were

1:24:13 ↗ about eight questions we posed to them

1:24:15 ↗ but we also got feedback beyond these

1:24:17 ↗ questions. Uh the first one is was um

1:24:22 ↗ should the city wave the requirement for

1:24:24 ↗ one to one tree replacement if the seat

1:24:26 ↗ if the if it's a pretty treed lot and

1:24:29 ↗ the site meets or exceeds the canopy uh

1:24:31 ↗ target. This is where um I think I'd

1:24:35 ↗ like to clarify. Um so both planning and

1:24:38 ↗ policy commission and environmental

1:24:39 ↗ board recommended onetoone replacement

1:24:41 ↗ because that fixes the problem people

1:24:43 ↗ were having by taking one tree down. and

1:24:45 ↗ you had to plant 10 that wasn't

1:24:47 ↗ commiserate with the impact of what

1:24:49 ↗ people were recommending. Environmental

1:24:51 ↗ board discussed this topic. Um in the

1:24:54 ↗ end they did say just keep it simple and

1:24:57 ↗ keep a onetoone replacement um

1:25:00 ↗ regardless of how many trees a property

1:25:02 ↗ owner has on their property. uh planning

1:25:05 ↗ and policy commission recommended what

1:25:07 ↗ uh is in your packet at this point um

1:25:12 ↗ which was onetoone replacement. Uh

1:25:15 ↗ however, if if a property currently

1:25:18 ↗ meets or exceeds the canopy coverage

1:25:21 ↗ that um uh you do not you can get you

1:25:25 ↗ can go through that process and show how

1:25:27 ↗ you have a tree lot and you are meeting

1:25:29 ↗ meeting a percentage therefore you do

1:25:31 ↗ not need to replant. So Minnie, I'm just

1:25:34 ↗ going to check in with Council Member

1:25:35 ↗ Mars. Um, do you want to ask something

1:25:37 ↗ on this policy question number one? So

1:25:41 ↗ >> I want to ask something about what she's

1:25:42 ↗ talking about.

1:25:43 ↗ >> Great. Great. Go ahead.

1:25:44 ↗ >> So have we looked at um the all the

1:25:47 ↗ stuff you're talking about is really um

1:25:50 ↗ sort of at the margins where people are

1:25:53 ↗ uh attempting to be in compliance with

1:25:56 ↗ our with our code and and the options in

1:25:58 ↗ front of them. Have we did we look at at

1:25:59 ↗ all penalties for non-compliance?

1:26:01 ↗ Because I live on squawk and I love

1:26:04 ↗ living on squawk and we're very proud of

1:26:06 ↗ our canopy on squawk. We have 5,000

1:26:08 ↗ people and they're more or less hidden

1:26:09 ↗ underneath a deep canopy. Um, but we've

1:26:12 ↗ had a number of instances in the last

1:26:14 ↗ few years where people have just torn

1:26:16 ↗ out a whole bunch of historically

1:26:18 ↗ significant trees. And the penalties

1:26:20 ↗ that they got, I'm pretty sure are less

1:26:22 ↗ than the value of the increase in their

1:26:25 ↗ home that resulted from um the increased

1:26:27 ↗ view that they got from tearing out all

1:26:29 ↗ those beautiful trees. So, did we look

1:26:31 ↗ at all at at penalties for just gross

1:26:33 ↗ non-compliance?

1:26:37 ↗ >> Yeah. So, um, we we will be talking

1:26:41 ↗ about fees when on November 10th with

1:26:43 ↗ you, um, because we, you know, some of

1:26:45 ↗ the testimony today was, uh, the expense

1:26:47 ↗ of the permit and all that kind of stuff

1:26:50 ↗ for non for removal of ille, you know,

1:26:53 ↗ illegally cutting down trees. Um, the

1:26:56 ↗ currently the fees are double double the

1:26:59 ↗ amount of fees for your uh, tree permit,

1:27:01 ↗ but the intent there is also to get

1:27:03 ↗ compliance from them. So then you look

1:27:06 ↗ at what the impact is. You know, if they

1:27:08 ↗ took down two trees that they shouldn't

1:27:09 ↗ have taken down, then then they have to

1:27:11 ↗ replant those trees. Um, so we didn't

1:27:15 ↗ have a big discussion about whether that

1:27:18 ↗ the the monetary penalties for that

1:27:20 ↗ versus getting them into compliance for

1:27:24 ↗ planting those trees or both. But

1:27:25 ↗ >> you understand the concern. If somebody

1:27:27 ↗ increases the value of their property by

1:27:29 ↗ $200,000 by taking out a essentially a

1:27:31 ↗ grove of trees and we charge them 70,000

1:27:34 ↗ or 80,000 I think is what happened in

1:27:36 ↗ the one case on squawk. Like that's a

1:27:38 ↗ financially advantageous position for

1:27:40 ↗ them to take non-compliance breaking the

1:27:43 ↗ law.

1:27:43 ↗ >> Yeah.

1:27:44 ↗ >> As it's currently written.

1:27:45 ↗ >> Yeah. During this update, there wasn't a

1:27:47 ↗ big focus on that element.

1:27:49 ↗ >> Given that that has happened in recent

1:27:52 ↗ years several times on squawk, it seems

1:27:54 ↗ a real concern. It's not it's not a sort

1:27:56 ↗ of a whatif concern. It's it's it's

1:27:58 ↗ happened in recent years and it seemed

1:28:00 ↗ an economic decision to improve improve

1:28:02 ↗ lots.

1:28:04 ↗ >> So I think what you're hearing is that

1:28:06 ↗ it's not in your package tonight but as

1:28:08 ↗ many had said um there is ongoing work

1:28:12 ↗ on the code and so it sounds like this

1:28:14 ↗ is something you'd like to discuss with

1:28:15 ↗ the rest of council about it.

1:28:16 ↗ >> Very much so. Thank you

1:28:18 ↗ >> council Jang.

1:28:19 ↗ >> Um so I just pulled up our tree code uh

1:28:22 ↗ municip is aqua.mmunicipal.codes codes

1:28:24 ↗ uh 18.812.160

1:28:27 ↗ violations and enforcement. In the civil

1:28:29 ↗ penalties, there is a section that says

1:28:31 ↗ the extent of the penalty must be

1:28:32 ↗ determined according to one or more of

1:28:33 ↗ the following. 1B seems the one that's

1:28:36 ↗ capital B point one point lowercase B is

1:28:39 ↗ um the economic benefit that the

1:28:41 ↗ violator derives from the violation as

1:28:43 ↗ measured by the greater of the resulting

1:28:44 ↗ increase in market value of the property

1:28:46 ↗ or the value received by the violator or

1:28:48 ↗ savings of construction costs realized

1:28:50 ↗ by the violator performing any act in

1:28:51 ↗ violation of the chapter. So, it seems

1:28:53 ↗ like we do have in our code basically

1:28:55 ↗ saying you can hit them with the civil

1:28:57 ↗ penalty equal to the increase in

1:28:59 ↗ property value. I think it's more of a

1:29:00 ↗ question of enforcement.

1:29:05 ↗ >> Wow, you're into code.

1:29:09 ↗ Um, I think that's great and I think

1:29:10 ↗ council member Mertz's concern goes to a

1:29:12 ↗ couple of recent incidents and so I

1:29:14 ↗ think there's probably a follow-up

1:29:15 ↗ discussion you'd all like to have about

1:29:16 ↗ that. Um are there any questions on

1:29:19 ↗ policy question one or should we have um

1:29:21 ↗ director Dolly Wall keep going?

1:29:24 ↗ >> Okay. Okay. Director. Um so the next one

1:29:28 ↗ was uh this is the biggest change. So

1:29:30 ↗ going from a neighborhood potential

1:29:32 ↗ planting areas to average lot size and

1:29:36 ↗ zoning type um and establishing a a

1:29:39 ↗ percentage um for those. Uh so here's

1:29:42 ↗ sort of a case study in Talis where the

1:29:45 ↗ lot sizes range from about 2,000 to

1:29:47 ↗ 3,000. Under the old method, the

1:29:49 ↗ required canopy was 73% because it took

1:29:51 ↗ into consideration all your open spaces

1:29:54 ↗ and and protected NGP areas. Um but on a

1:29:58 ↗ lot by lot basis those were hard to

1:30:00 ↗ meet. Um and under the new method the

1:30:03 ↗ canopy coverage for each lot is 25%.

1:30:06 ↗ Most lots can meet this. Um and if they

1:30:09 ↗ can there's a fee in loo uh or planting

1:30:12 ↗ off-site options available. Um for

1:30:15 ↗ Oldtown um the canopy coverage under the

1:30:19 ↗ old method was 33% because there aren't

1:30:21 ↗ protected open spaces and things like

1:30:23 ↗ that. So that was pretty close. Uh under

1:30:25 ↗ the new method it just goes by up by 2%.

1:30:28 ↗ So 35%

1:30:30 ↗ um is the option here um for a 9600

1:30:35 ↗ square foot lot. Um the applicability uh

1:30:40 ↗ section I talked about that briefly. Um

1:30:43 ↗ in the current code anytime you touched

1:30:45 ↗ a tree any kind of tree you had to meet

1:30:47 ↗ the percentage uh under the proposed

1:30:50 ↗ amendments only for new development and

1:30:52 ↗ redevelopment or if you want to get a

1:30:54 ↗ pass from replanting uh you can go

1:30:57 ↗ through that exercise of showing that

1:30:59 ↗ you meet the percentage.

1:31:02 ↗ uh if you're taking a dead, dying or

1:31:04 ↗ diseased, you know, hazardous tree or a

1:31:06 ↗ nuisance tree. Um

1:31:09 ↗ the replacement ratios a hazard or

1:31:12 ↗ nuisance is 1 one landmark trees which

1:31:14 ↗ are larger trees as 1:2 replacement. Um

1:31:18 ↗ central flexibility

1:31:21 ↗ um is again this is where the city's

1:31:23 ↗ most designated growth is but a lot of

1:31:27 ↗ trees are parking lot trees. Um but if

1:31:30 ↗ you can show that it's needed for your

1:31:34 ↗ and you meet this criteria A through F

1:31:38 ↗ uh then you can be approved this

1:31:40 ↗ deviation um to plant on you know and

1:31:43 ↗ then you'll have the option if you do

1:31:45 ↗ take down you can't preserve 25% of the

1:31:49 ↗ diameter of the trees uh then for every

1:31:52 ↗ tree for every 6 in of diameter removed

1:31:56 ↗ you need to plant one tree in addition

1:31:59 ↗ to meeting your 25% requirement.

1:32:02 ↗ Um, so here's an actual project that

1:32:05 ↗ development commission recently

1:32:06 ↗ approved. There's a stream on one corner

1:32:09 ↗ here. Most of the trees outside of the

1:32:11 ↗ stream buffer um were difficult because

1:32:15 ↗ this is getting torn down and rebuilt

1:32:17 ↗ into town homes. uh having some more

1:32:19 ↗ flexibility that um provides some of

1:32:22 ↗ those frontage improvements but still

1:32:24 ↗ meeting the canopy coverage goals is

1:32:26 ↗ sort of the intent uh with these edits.

1:32:30 ↗ Uh wildfire mitigation,

1:32:32 ↗ we consulted with East Side Fire and

1:32:34 ↗ Rescue. Uh they used the National Fire

1:32:38 ↗ uh Protection Association's standards.

1:32:41 ↗ um wildland urban interface guidance is

1:32:43 ↗ still under um development uh by

1:32:47 ↗ department of natural resources. So we

1:32:49 ↗ will have to revisit this uh once that

1:32:51 ↗ is out. Uh one of the comments we

1:32:54 ↗ received from the fire department was

1:32:55 ↗ perhaps uh we could use anyone who uses

1:32:58 ↗ this NFPA standard. Uh but I think what

1:33:01 ↗ we said we we trust that if Epher is

1:33:05 ↗ using this NFPA there's going to be more

1:33:08 ↗ um um balanced approach uh versus um

1:33:12 ↗ opening it up and we may need to revisit

1:33:14 ↗ that when we uh get some more guidance

1:33:16 ↗ on that. um understanding that this may

1:33:19 ↗ result in some canopy um which is less

1:33:22 ↗ than the targets but it isn't permitted

1:33:24 ↗ use to take it down uh except for if you

1:33:27 ↗ have critical areas that that exemption

1:33:29 ↗ that allowance doesn't apply to you. Um

1:33:34 ↗ so um planning and policy commission

1:33:36 ↗ deliberated and passed it on to council

1:33:40 ↗ for adoption. They gave us some things

1:33:42 ↗ that they wanted us to present to you.

1:33:45 ↗ um that there is some language that

1:33:47 ↗ supports that down trees do not require

1:33:50 ↗ an arburous report. Um that we do

1:33:53 ↗ explain the central Isiqua flexibility.

1:33:55 ↗ Um also homeowner association permitting

1:33:59 ↗ is examined. So that's a more of an

1:34:00 ↗ implementation piece which we are ready

1:34:02 ↗ to do. Um they also wanted to clarify

1:34:05 ↗ the interplay between critical area code

1:34:07 ↗ and tree code and that some of those

1:34:10 ↗ exemptions don't apply. So the language

1:34:11 ↗ was added in there. Uh there was some

1:34:13 ↗ awkward language about onetoone

1:34:15 ↗ replacement uh no more than and this

1:34:18 ↗ that. So we've clarified that. Um they

1:34:21 ↗ also got comments from u the tribes who

1:34:25 ↗ said um that there are these culturally

1:34:28 ↗ uh protected trees and um so we Dan Hint

1:34:32 ↗ and I met with the tribes uh we

1:34:35 ↗ presented you know unfortunately there

1:34:37 ↗ at that point we they don't have an

1:34:39 ↗ inventory that they want to publish uh

1:34:41 ↗ that here are all the culturally

1:34:43 ↗ modified trees. Um but if but there's

1:34:46 ↗ more of an educational piece. The city

1:34:49 ↗ has a heritage tree program. those can

1:34:50 ↗ be nominated uh and go through that

1:34:53 ↗ nomination process. But we did add a

1:34:55 ↗ definition of a culturally modified tree

1:34:59 ↗ and so that's in the code which is

1:35:02 ↗ similar to what we have in our urban

1:35:04 ↗ forestry program um plan urban forestry

1:35:08 ↗ plan. So planning and development

1:35:11 ↗ >> if you want to take go back to that

1:35:13 ↗ slide council member Mertz

1:35:15 ↗ >> I hope I hope it's buried in here. Um,

1:35:18 ↗ why are we still protecting cottonwoods?

1:35:23 ↗ I thought I thought we had a I thought

1:35:25 ↗ we had a plan to get rid of cottonwoods

1:35:27 ↗ in the city. I see cottonwoods are in

1:35:29 ↗ the are in the uh system of

1:35:32 ↗ prioritization of of trees. I I thought

1:35:35 ↗ cottonwoods were uh we're getting rid of

1:35:37 ↗ those as a city.

1:35:39 ↗ >> I will have to look into that. I my

1:35:41 ↗ understanding is, you know, it it's also

1:35:42 ↗ where they are. So if they are next to a

1:35:45 ↗ stream, they're pro probably shading the

1:35:48 ↗ stream. So then it's still a significant

1:35:50 ↗ You're looking at the code

1:35:52 ↗ >> language.

1:35:53 ↗ >> Yes.

1:35:54 ↗ >> Okay. I can look through that and get

1:35:57 ↗ back to you.

1:35:58 ↗ >> Yeah. I I just I I remember a few years

1:36:00 ↗ ago we said we decided cottonwoods were

1:36:02 ↗ nuisance trees.

1:36:03 ↗ >> Um and this doesn't seem to make any

1:36:06 ↗ specification for where they're located,

1:36:08 ↗ just their their existence.

1:36:10 ↗ >> Yeah. So uh when we did the whole tree

1:36:12 ↗ code um update in 2023, we created a

1:36:16 ↗ city's preferred tree list and updated

1:36:18 ↗ it with graphics and all that. It's not

1:36:20 ↗ embedded in the code. So it's a living

1:36:22 ↗ document and as we have learned more

1:36:25 ↗ through this urban forestry position

1:36:27 ↗ that was funded through you know that

1:36:29 ↗ that's something that environmental

1:36:30 ↗ board actually made the recommendation

1:36:32 ↗ council. Thank you for uh you know uh

1:36:34 ↗ providing funding for that position that

1:36:37 ↗ has developed that program has developed

1:36:39 ↗ and so that list uh we got through um

1:36:43 ↗ and you know that can be amended and

1:36:46 ↗ kept up without council action um

1:36:49 ↗ because climate change is happening a

1:36:52 ↗ lot is being you know adaptability of

1:36:54 ↗ some of these drought tolerant trees and

1:36:56 ↗ and such uh can can occur. So, there's a

1:36:59 ↗ lot of learning going on about which

1:37:01 ↗ trees um make sense and which don't

1:37:04 ↗ given some of those changes here, but

1:37:06 ↗ I'll look into the cottonwood part.

1:37:08 ↗ >> Thanks. I mean, this body has in and I'm

1:37:11 ↗ going to say it was a few years ago and

1:37:13 ↗ some then somebody's going to tell me it

1:37:14 ↗ was 15 years ago, but um we we this body

1:37:17 ↗ has it at some point said we want to get

1:37:19 ↗ rid of cottonwoods. They don't serve any

1:37:21 ↗ purpose um for the city.

1:37:23 ↗ >> Native.

1:37:25 ↗ >> They are native serve purpose.

1:37:28 ↗ Thanks.

1:37:30 ↗ >> Uh, okay, Minnie, if you want to move to

1:37:31 ↗ your next slide.

1:37:32 ↗ >> Uh, yes. So, um, planning, development,

1:37:34 ↗ and environment committee met on

1:37:36 ↗ September 9th. They recommended adoption

1:37:38 ↗ of the proposed amendments, uh, with a

1:37:40 ↗ request to revisit this topic for a

1:37:42 ↗ broader discussion. Um, and so we are

1:37:46 ↗ here today and our recommendation is to

1:37:48 ↗ adopt these changes.

1:37:50 ↗ >> Thank you. And I'm going to move it over

1:37:53 ↗ to Council Member Hall, chair of the

1:37:55 ↗ Planning, Development, and Environment

1:37:58 ↗ Committee, and ask if you want to

1:38:00 ↗ summarize the committee's recommendation

1:38:01 ↗ on this item.

1:38:03 ↗ >> Um, yeah, sure. I I presented this a a

1:38:06 ↗ little bit at our last council meeting,

1:38:08 ↗ too. But just a reminder that um these

1:38:11 ↗ things came up through code users,

1:38:13 ↗ through residents interacting with the

1:38:15 ↗ code and and were then identified with

1:38:17 ↗ staff and then went through this

1:38:18 ↗ process, which we're thankful for.

1:38:20 ↗ um you know as just part of the title 18

1:38:22 ↗ overhaul people interacting with the

1:38:24 ↗ code but also the bomb cyclone. So lots

1:38:26 ↗ of learning in these places. Um, as a

1:38:28 ↗ reminder, we had a really long meeting

1:38:30 ↗ about this in committee in search of

1:38:31 ↗ something that could be um, very simple

1:38:34 ↗ and easy to use from a code users

1:38:36 ↗ perspective, but also um, we we started

1:38:38 ↗ to find ourselves getting into a

1:38:41 ↗ rebalancing conversation about where

1:38:43 ↗ should it sit between our ICAP goals and

1:38:45 ↗ our tree canopy and not being overly

1:38:48 ↗ burdensome on residents and how do we

1:38:50 ↗ define that? And we thought, okay, this

1:38:52 ↗ is really deep conversation, hearkens

1:38:55 ↗ back to even, you know, the chart that

1:38:56 ↗ we did on goals and outcomes for the

1:38:58 ↗ title 18 overhaul. So, we clearly need

1:39:00 ↗ to um address what staff and our boards

1:39:04 ↗ and commissions have identified as areas

1:39:06 ↗ of need in community while also

1:39:08 ↗ acknowledging that there's a lot of work

1:39:10 ↗ to come and we need to get specific

1:39:12 ↗ about that and define how we go about

1:39:14 ↗ doing that in the new year. So that's

1:39:16 ↗ what you see tonight is um some updates

1:39:19 ↗ to and also I should just say too that

1:39:23 ↗ would not be redoing what we've just

1:39:25 ↗ done. It would be doing something

1:39:27 ↗ different, something very different. So

1:39:29 ↗ um again a much more larger conversation

1:39:33 ↗ uh to come and I think that's everything

1:39:35 ↗ that we talked about in committee unless

1:39:36 ↗ any of the committee members wanted to

1:39:38 ↗ add anything else. That's Mary.

1:39:40 ↗ >> Yeah, I think one of the things that

1:39:42 ↗ came up in the committee was that, you

1:39:44 ↗ know, kind of the original reason why we

1:39:46 ↗ were talking about tree code right now

1:39:47 ↗ is because, you know, a lot of a lot

1:39:50 ↗ more residents were using the tree code

1:39:52 ↗ in the aftermath of the bomb cyclone.

1:39:53 ↗ And so that was kind of the origin of

1:39:55 ↗ needing to come back and say, okay, you

1:39:57 ↗ know, we adopted this tree code, it's

1:39:59 ↗ not completely working, and we need to

1:40:00 ↗ have some fixes so that folks can, you

1:40:03 ↗ know, remove trees that fell on their

1:40:04 ↗ home or things like that. Um, and so I

1:40:07 ↗ think this,

1:40:09 ↗ uh, update to the tree code accomplishes

1:40:11 ↗ those original objectives of making sure

1:40:13 ↗ that folks have the flexibility they

1:40:14 ↗ need to, you know, clean up from the

1:40:15 ↗ bomb cyclone. We're now almost a year

1:40:17 ↗ out from that. So, I think we really do

1:40:19 ↗ need to pass this to give folks the

1:40:20 ↗ flexibility. Um, but also, I think, you

1:40:22 ↗ know, moving forward, figuring out what

1:40:24 ↗ do we want the tree code to be long term

1:40:26 ↗ in terms of, you know, do we want the

1:40:28 ↗ tree canopy requirements to be by

1:40:30 ↗ neighborhood versus by zoning is kind of

1:40:32 ↗ an open question. you know, what are the

1:40:34 ↗ goals of having this tree code? Um,

1:40:37 ↗ we've talked a lot about how we want it

1:40:39 ↗ to be, you know, something that is

1:40:41 ↗ simple for users to use or just easy to

1:40:44 ↗ understand so that people can follow the

1:40:45 ↗ rules. Um, whereas in the, you know,

1:40:49 ↗ code itself, the seven objectives

1:40:52 ↗ listed, numbers one through six are

1:40:54 ↗ basically we want to keep as many trees

1:40:55 ↗ as possible and number seven is we want

1:40:57 ↗ to, you know, protect public safety. And

1:40:59 ↗ so I think as we revisit as we look

1:41:03 ↗ forward to you know looking having a

1:41:06 ↗ deeper look at the tree code in general

1:41:07 ↗ I think the first step really is going

1:41:08 ↗ to have to be defining what are the

1:41:10 ↗ objectives what do we want the tree code

1:41:11 ↗ to do and then from there figuring out

1:41:14 ↗ what the updates are. I think this

1:41:15 ↗ update was a bit more I mean by nature

1:41:18 ↗ it had to be more reactive to what we

1:41:19 ↗ were hearing from the community. And

1:41:21 ↗ then through this process we heard a lot

1:41:22 ↗ more from the community about you know

1:41:24 ↗ different issues with the tree code and

1:41:26 ↗ how it affects everything from you know

1:41:29 ↗ goats to uh redevelopment. And so I

1:41:32 ↗ think um you know I think we need to

1:41:35 ↗ pass these updates right now just to

1:41:38 ↗ give folks the flexibility but we also

1:41:39 ↗ do need to have a much deeper discussion

1:41:41 ↗ next year.

1:41:42 ↗ >> That is great. Thank you both for

1:41:43 ↗ touching on the fact that you are trying

1:41:45 ↗ to com uh accomplish many things where

1:41:48 ↗ plans actually are not in agreement and

1:41:51 ↗ may not be in agreement. You're going to

1:41:52 ↗ have to find that compromised place for

1:41:54 ↗ it. So that is that's a tough challenge

1:41:56 ↗ always for council. Um thank you for

1:41:59 ↗ that report out. Uh let's go to council

1:42:01 ↗ questions.

1:42:05 ↗ Ray

1:42:09 ↗ >> trying to figure out how to ask this in

1:42:10 ↗ a really um

1:42:13 ↗ concrete way. How do we maintain the

1:42:15 ↗ tree canopy if I don't have to um

1:42:20 ↗ replace a tree that I cut down with

1:42:21 ↗ something that's of the same size and uh

1:42:26 ↗ canopy for 20 years?

1:42:29 ↗ I'm just trying to figure, you know, are

1:42:31 ↗ we going to go and just kind of draw

1:42:33 ↗ down on the existing canopy over time

1:42:35 ↗ because we're replacing mature big trees

1:42:38 ↗ with small little trees with little can

1:42:40 ↗ little canopies.

1:42:42 ↗ Yeah. So, you know, I mean the tree

1:42:44 ↗ canopy study is a is a good benchmark

1:42:47 ↗ for studying where we are in

1:42:49 ↗ relationship. How do we achieve our goal

1:42:51 ↗ of 55%. It's going to happen with

1:42:53 ↗ regulations. It's going to happen with

1:42:56 ↗ greenera team that you know keeps track

1:42:59 ↗ of how many wonderful trees that they

1:43:01 ↗ planted to the funding that the you know

1:43:04 ↗ and the programs that council funds and

1:43:07 ↗ like tree giveaway programs and such.

1:43:09 ↗ So, uh, keeping up that tree canopy will

1:43:13 ↗ occur through programs, funding, and

1:43:16 ↗ regulations. So, it'll take all three to

1:43:18 ↗ kind of get us, uh, to our 55%. Yes,

1:43:21 ↗ they will there can be tempor, you know,

1:43:24 ↗ temporary loss of of a big tree being

1:43:27 ↗ taken out. But those trees get removed

1:43:29 ↗ with development and redevelopment.

1:43:31 ↗ single family homeowners or, you know,

1:43:33 ↗ people on their lot. Uh, the only time

1:43:35 ↗ you can take down a tree is if it's

1:43:37 ↗ dead, it's a nuisance or a hazard tree.

1:43:40 ↗ So, you can't take down a healthy tree.

1:43:42 ↗ Um, but I see what you're saying that if

1:43:45 ↗ we don't have a onetoone replacement,

1:43:48 ↗ uh then

1:43:49 ↗ >> potentially.

1:43:51 ↗ >> Yeah. And even if you do have a one to

1:43:52 ↗ one, you're replacing a little one, a

1:43:54 ↗ big one with a little onearily. And so

1:43:56 ↗ you've got a big timing gap where we're

1:43:59 ↗ going to start to see a decline. And and

1:44:02 ↗ that's why I asked you the question

1:44:03 ↗ about, you know, why why is it that we,

1:44:06 ↗ you know, you don't even have to do one

1:44:08 ↗ to one if you're hitting the the canopy

1:44:10 ↗ on your parcel or on that lot because at

1:44:14 ↗ least that way we we were we're kind of

1:44:16 ↗ hedging that we're, you know, we are

1:44:17 ↗ over subscribing in this lot and that

1:44:20 ↗ makes up for where we're under

1:44:21 ↗ subscribed. My only concern is is that

1:44:23 ↗ we're going to find ourselves on the

1:44:25 ↗ wrong uh wrong trajectory in terms of

1:44:28 ↗ tree canopy. Um and I want to say in the

1:44:31 ↗ short term, but I think it's probably if

1:44:32 ↗ this is what we do, it's probably in the

1:44:34 ↗ forever term because it'll it'll it'll

1:44:37 ↗ just keep cycling. So I and I'd love to

1:44:39 ↗ hear from my colleagues, too, because I

1:44:40 ↗ know you guys have spent tons of time

1:44:42 ↗ talking about it and I've only read

1:44:43 ↗ read, you know, the the red line, so I'

1:44:47 ↗ really be curious.

1:44:48 ↗ >> Council member Jen, followed by Council

1:44:49 ↗ President.

1:44:51 ↗ Yeah, I think the whole thing with trees

1:44:53 ↗ because I thought I thought about it a

1:44:54 ↗ lot since you know we had our committee

1:44:56 ↗ meeting is that they really are you know

1:44:58 ↗ a form of public infrastructure in terms

1:45:00 ↗ of you know the services that they

1:45:01 ↗ provide in terms of storm water you know

1:45:03 ↗ preventing landslides and things like

1:45:05 ↗ that and I think you know as a city as a

1:45:09 ↗ city we are responsible for

1:45:10 ↗ infrastructure and so we can do things

1:45:12 ↗ like you know plant trees on city- owned

1:45:15 ↗ rightways um and I think historically a

1:45:19 ↗ lot of cities have kind of had this idea

1:45:20 ↗ like trees are infrastructure and if you

1:45:22 ↗ just happen to have trees on your land

1:45:24 ↗ then it is public infrastructure and

1:45:25 ↗ we're not going to do anything to help

1:45:26 ↗ you with that and if it you know falls

1:45:28 ↗ on your house and you also have to

1:45:29 ↗ replace it and we're going to make you

1:45:30 ↗ pay for it three times. Um and so I

1:45:33 ↗ think you know kind of having that

1:45:35 ↗ perspective that it is infrastructure

1:45:37 ↗ for the common good and we need to

1:45:39 ↗ figure out how to support that. Um you

1:45:41 ↗ know for folks that have trees on their

1:45:43 ↗ lot if they can replant it on their lot

1:45:44 ↗ that's great. Um and you know if we want

1:45:47 ↗ more trees in the city then we need to

1:45:48 ↗ figure out where's the right place to

1:45:50 ↗ put them for example in city rightways

1:45:52 ↗ and city parks um potentially sometimes

1:45:54 ↗ you know there's areas on private lots

1:45:56 ↗ where it might make sense to do that and

1:45:58 ↗ but I do think that it is something

1:45:59 ↗ where it is you know public

1:46:01 ↗ infrastructure and we as a city need to

1:46:04 ↗ kind of treat it as such instead of

1:46:07 ↗ necessarily assuming that you know just

1:46:09 ↗ because you have a tree that's already

1:46:11 ↗ been there for a long time like for

1:46:12 ↗ example if you have a cottonwood tree

1:46:13 ↗ that's been there for a long time if it

1:46:15 ↗ just suddenly breaks, then you know,

1:46:18 ↗ should it be your responsibility to

1:46:19 ↗ plant a different species of tree that's

1:46:21 ↗ going to be as big as a cottonwood tree

1:46:22 ↗ was going to be in 20 years? Uh, knowing

1:46:25 ↗ that cottonwood trees grow massively and

1:46:27 ↗ also are structurally unsound. I think,

1:46:29 ↗ you know, just figuring out what the

1:46:30 ↗ right balance is of um, you know, city

1:46:33 ↗ investing in that infrastructure versus,

1:46:35 ↗ you know, pushing that responsibility

1:46:36 ↗ onto private residents is really

1:46:37 ↗ important.

1:46:39 ↗ Also, council member Ray, in this city,

1:46:42 ↗ I cannot believe you are not going to be

1:46:44 ↗ measuring repeatedly where you are. So

1:46:48 ↗ hopefully we never get to that scenario

1:46:50 ↗ of only in the decline of percentage.

1:46:52 ↗ Deputy, council president,

1:46:55 ↗ thank you. And I'll reply to that idea

1:46:57 ↗ when we're in uh conversation mode. But

1:47:00 ↗ um going on questions, can you talk to

1:47:03 ↗ me a little bit more about wildfire risk

1:47:06 ↗ because obviously there is concern about

1:47:10 ↗ you know tree canopy and keeping up our

1:47:14 ↗ canopy but there's also a concept of

1:47:17 ↗ healthy forests versus just number of

1:47:21 ↗ trees and that wildland um urban

1:47:25 ↗ interface and the influence it has on

1:47:28 ↗ risk on households. So, where are we on

1:47:32 ↗ that? Is there anything that we are

1:47:34 ↗ doing that is

1:47:36 ↗ negating the ability of HOAs and

1:47:40 ↗ homeowners to protect their properties?

1:47:44 ↗ Where does that sit?

1:47:46 ↗ >> Yeah. So, um the concept of wildland

1:47:49 ↗ urban interface is uh two-part. So,

1:47:52 ↗ there's also the structure hardening

1:47:53 ↗ pieces. So, you know what what do what

1:47:56 ↗ kind of a lot of these embers fall on

1:47:57 ↗ the roof? What kind of class A

1:47:59 ↗ construction do you have on the wood on

1:48:01 ↗ your roof? Do you have those bird blocks

1:48:03 ↗ that you can, you know, uh, light up

1:48:05 ↗ your insulation? You know, can you have

1:48:08 ↗ different type of a construction for

1:48:10 ↗ that purposes? Uh, a lot of it is, um,

1:48:13 ↗ understory brush. So, if you can keep 5T

1:48:16 ↗ clear from your structure, that goes a

1:48:19 ↗ long way. So the a lot of this stuff is

1:48:22 ↗ is being discussed and you know um

1:48:25 ↗ learned by other cities that are dealing

1:48:27 ↗ with it um or other regions that are

1:48:30 ↗ have been dealing with wildfires longer

1:48:32 ↗ than um Pacific Northwest. Um but also

1:48:35 ↗ wildfire risk in eastern Washington

1:48:38 ↗ versus western Washington is slightly

1:48:40 ↗ different and that's where department of

1:48:41 ↗ natural resources really coming up with

1:48:44 ↗ uh the health of the forest l you know

1:48:46 ↗ is also important but how much is uh

1:48:50 ↗ clearing of you know how much how much

1:48:52 ↗ room do you need to clear around your

1:48:55 ↗ homes to safely protect you from the

1:48:58 ↗ wildfire is still a question mark in

1:49:01 ↗ this region until we learn more through

1:49:04 ↗ this um department of natural resources

1:49:06 ↗ study. So we don't have we don't know it

1:49:09 ↗ all at this point. Um we will be we are

1:49:12 ↗ watching where what kind of you know

1:49:15 ↗ maps come out. Uh we've also learned

1:49:17 ↗ that like in Oregon when those maps came

1:49:19 ↗ out uh insuranceances got dropped for

1:49:22 ↗ homeowners and so you know that's also

1:49:24 ↗ something to watch out for because that

1:49:26 ↗ doesn't help anyone. Um, so there

1:49:29 ↗ there's different layers of complexity

1:49:32 ↗ that comes with wildfire risk

1:49:33 ↗ protection. Um, and we'll have many

1:49:36 ↗ conversations with council and emergency

1:49:38 ↗ management as we learn more about that.

1:49:40 ↗ But as far as tree regulations go, um

1:49:44 ↗ you know there's also science around

1:49:47 ↗ what type of trees are more

1:49:49 ↗ fireresistant and will that adaptation

1:49:52 ↗ happen in climate with climate change

1:49:54 ↗ over time and can that be started

1:49:56 ↗ quickly so that the kind of vegetation

1:49:58 ↗ that you plan doesn't burn that quickly.

1:50:00 ↗ So lot more to come around that for for

1:50:04 ↗ this goound. we've allowed uh you know

1:50:06 ↗ if the if East Side Fire and Rescue goes

1:50:09 ↗ and does these assessments on a parcel

1:50:11 ↗ by parcel basis and they're not saying

1:50:14 ↗ clearcut everything around you um but

1:50:17 ↗ they're making those kind of you know

1:50:18 ↗ don't put any deadwood around your

1:50:20 ↗ structure close this out those kind of

1:50:23 ↗ common sense things that they're

1:50:24 ↗ requiring but like if there's branches

1:50:27 ↗ overhanging your roof they're asking

1:50:29 ↗ those pruning uh so in a limited way um

1:50:32 ↗ that's what this code allows folks to

1:50:34 ↗ do.

1:50:37 ↗ >> Okay. So, I'm trying to understand is

1:50:39 ↗ there anything in our code that limits a

1:50:43 ↗ homeowner or property owner's ability to

1:50:47 ↗ have wildfire risk like mitigate their

1:50:50 ↗ risk? Um,

1:50:53 ↗ >> yeah, our existing code didn't have

1:50:54 ↗ anything. So, there's a provision that

1:50:56 ↗ we added in here saying if you get this

1:50:59 ↗ assessment from Eastside Fire and

1:51:00 ↗ Rescue, then you can you qualify for

1:51:03 ↗ tree removal.

1:51:05 ↗ Okay. So, we consider that a pathway

1:51:07 ↗ that increases

1:51:10 ↗ their ability to mitigate risk.

1:51:12 ↗ >> Correct. But where it gets complicated

1:51:13 ↗ is you have critical areas.

1:51:16 ↗ >> So the the test under the critical area

1:51:19 ↗ code is the state law of no net loss.

1:51:21 ↗ But you know uh so you have to be care.

1:51:25 ↗ So that's not fixed with the tree code.

1:51:27 ↗ That'll come after the wildland urban

1:51:29 ↗ interface

1:51:30 ↗ >> growth protection is

1:51:31 ↗ >> correct. Which we have a lot of. Yes.

1:51:33 ↗ >> Yeah. So, our understanding is the next

1:51:36 ↗ step for that is really working with the

1:51:39 ↗ state and the wildland urban interface.

1:51:41 ↗ So,

1:51:41 ↗ >> best management practices. Yes.

1:51:43 ↗ >> Thank you.

1:51:45 ↗ >> Uh, Council Ms.

1:51:47 ↗ >> I mean, the problem with all that as a

1:51:50 ↗ homeowner's home whose home adjoin is

1:51:53 ↗ adjoined to a 5,000 acre open space is

1:51:56 ↗ that anything more than 20% is critical

1:51:58 ↗ slope and you can't and shouldn't take

1:52:01 ↗ those out. your your risk from slide on

1:52:04 ↗ Squawk Mountain is far higher if you

1:52:07 ↗ were to put a 100 foot buffer around

1:52:08 ↗ your home. Um you've got a lot more risk

1:52:10 ↗ from slide than you ever would that

1:52:12 ↗ you're going to um get hit with a with a

1:52:15 ↗ wildland fire. I mean the the the

1:52:17 ↗ challenge for the areas of the city that

1:52:19 ↗ are really I mean this valley is not at

1:52:21 ↗ risk from a wildland interface fire.

1:52:23 ↗ It's Squawk Mountain, it's Cougar, it's

1:52:26 ↗ uh you know the edge of the plateau and

1:52:29 ↗ all those places have critical slope,

1:52:31 ↗ right? So, we're severely limited in our

1:52:33 ↗ ability to respond to wildland and urban

1:52:35 ↗ interface fires. And the folks on

1:52:37 ↗ Squawk, the strategy is to just get off

1:52:39 ↗ the mountain if there's a if there's a

1:52:41 ↗ fire.

1:52:43 ↗ >> Additional questions?

1:52:47 ↗ I am not seeing any questions. Um, uh,

1:52:51 ↗ Chairman Hall, would you like to make a

1:52:53 ↗ motion? Do you have a motion in front of

1:52:56 ↗ you?

1:53:00 ↗ I can hand it to you.

1:53:08 ↗ >> Got it.

1:53:10 ↗ >> Thanks. I move to adopt ordinance number

1:53:13 ↗ >> 3114

1:53:14 ↗ >> amending chapter 18.102

1:53:17 ↗ definitions and 18.1 or 18.812

1:53:22 ↗ tree preservation of the Isiqua

1:53:25 ↗ Municipal Code.

1:53:28 ↗ Second.

1:53:29 ↗ >> It's been moved and seconded. Um, let's

1:53:32 ↗ go to council discussion.

1:53:36 ↗ Council president.

1:53:39 ↗ Thank you. So, this is a really complex

1:53:43 ↗ one. This is something that we did have

1:53:45 ↗ a long conversation in the planning

1:53:47 ↗ development environment committee. It

1:53:49 ↗ also went through the environment board

1:53:51 ↗ and um the planning commission.

1:53:54 ↗ It had a lot of feedback from residents

1:53:58 ↗ and I think where we have come to is

1:54:02 ↗ these are necessary changes for several

1:54:06 ↗ reasons including our ability to

1:54:08 ↗ continue to respond to the bomb cyclone.

1:54:11 ↗ But we have not hit this out of the

1:54:13 ↗ park. The idea and I especially

1:54:17 ↗ appreciate the resident who came in and

1:54:19 ↗ showed here's what it looks like for all

1:54:21 ↗ of these other cities. Here's what the

1:54:23 ↗ costs are. Here's, you know, the simple

1:54:26 ↗ form that they have on their website

1:54:28 ↗ that shows you whether or not you need a

1:54:30 ↗ permit or what the um what your ability

1:54:33 ↗ is.

1:54:36 ↗ We the way that we have created this

1:54:38 ↗ code does not make it easy for people to

1:54:41 ↗ comply and I think that puts us at a

1:54:44 ↗ disadvantage. It means that we are not

1:54:46 ↗ providing the customer service to our

1:54:48 ↗ community. So, I look forward to a

1:54:50 ↗ future time when we can really dig into

1:54:53 ↗ this and like uh council member Hall

1:54:56 ↗ said, talk about our goals and outcomes

1:54:58 ↗ chart, you know, because there are

1:55:00 ↗ several areas of tradeoff. There are

1:55:03 ↗ things of, you know, if you're requiring

1:55:07 ↗ somebody to keep every single tree, even

1:55:09 ↗ if it's a parking lot tree, that limits

1:55:12 ↗ the ability for a plot of land to be

1:55:15 ↗ redeveloped and provide lowerc cost

1:55:17 ↗ housing. There is the wildfire

1:55:21 ↗ mitigation risk. There's the idea of do

1:55:25 ↗ we want to keep every tree or are we

1:55:28 ↗ just going for canopy or do we want a

1:55:31 ↗ healthy forest that can survive and

1:55:33 ↗ thrive and has less wildfire risk. So I

1:55:36 ↗ I think there are a lot of conversations

1:55:38 ↗ that need to be hap uh need to occur.

1:55:42 ↗ But at this point, it's really, really

1:55:45 ↗ important to recognize that our previous

1:55:47 ↗ code

1:55:50 ↗ said that any tree that got removed,

1:55:51 ↗ whether or not it was a hazard tree or

1:55:53 ↗ whatnot, um, had to have this big canopy

1:55:58 ↗ coverage replacement that often made

1:56:01 ↗ that absolutely impossible on some of

1:56:03 ↗ these lots. And so this we are saying a

1:56:06 ↗ it only needs to be applied when there

1:56:09 ↗ is 50% plus redevelopment. You can do a

1:56:12 ↗ onetoone tree replacement. Um and it

1:56:17 ↗ provides some adjustments for the areas

1:56:20 ↗ of the central Isiqua area which I think

1:56:23 ↗ are really important for recognizing

1:56:25 ↗ what those trees in those parking lots

1:56:27 ↗ currently look like. Um, I think there

1:56:30 ↗ are still some areas to talk about here,

1:56:33 ↗ but I'm pleased that we have made this

1:56:36 ↗ progress. Um,

1:56:39 ↗ I'd like to look at in the future, how

1:56:42 ↗ do we avoid having something go through

1:56:45 ↗ so many areas, um, so many commissions

1:56:49 ↗ without an understanding of, um,

1:56:54 ↗ some of the other problems that the

1:56:56 ↗ community has faced. But I also

1:56:57 ↗ understand that we needed to make this

1:56:59 ↗ um flow through for the benefit of

1:57:02 ↗ residents. Um so I will be supporting

1:57:05 ↗ this. Thank you.

1:57:06 ↗ >> Other comments.

1:57:10 ↗ >> Um I've already spoke a little bit. Um

1:57:12 ↗ and I agree with what's been said. Um so

1:57:15 ↗ I'll keep it brief. I I just wanted to

1:57:16 ↗ say um although we're talking about like

1:57:19 ↗ what an reimagined tree code might look

1:57:21 ↗ like and things to do in the future,

1:57:23 ↗ staff did exactly what they were

1:57:25 ↗ supposed to do here. like they the the

1:57:28 ↗ charter for them was listen to what

1:57:29 ↗ communities problems were and then come

1:57:32 ↗ up with ways to adjust the code and have

1:57:35 ↗ solutions to those specific problems.

1:57:37 ↗ That is completely different from us

1:57:39 ↗ saying we really need to talk about

1:57:41 ↗ simplicity and all that. So anyone on

1:57:43 ↗ staff that touched these codes updates

1:57:46 ↗ um met with community I know you met

1:57:48 ↗ with several members of out in community

1:57:50 ↗ as well. Um just a deep thank you from

1:57:53 ↗ the committee, from the full council for

1:57:55 ↗ for doing all that work.

1:57:58 ↗ >> Uh council member Jen.

1:58:00 ↗ >> Yeah. Um as I've mentioned before, I'll

1:58:02 ↗ be supporting this tonight. I think just

1:58:05 ↗ going zooming out from, you know, the

1:58:07 ↗ specific aspects of tree code to, you

1:58:09 ↗ know, how are we going to achieve our

1:58:10 ↗ tree canopy? I think there's one aspect

1:58:12 ↗ of it that is like, you know, how do we

1:58:14 ↗ make sure people aren't just cutting

1:58:15 ↗ down trees willy-nilly, which is part of

1:58:17 ↗ the tree code, but there's also the how

1:58:19 ↗ do we invest in growing our tree canopy

1:58:20 ↗ and getting more trees? Um, and also,

1:58:22 ↗ you know, preserving the existing trees

1:58:24 ↗ that we have. For example, there's a lot

1:58:26 ↗ of uh trees in rightways that have

1:58:28 ↗ invasive ivy growing on them. You know,

1:58:30 ↗ should we be doing green is aqua

1:58:32 ↗ programs to maintain those trees that we

1:58:34 ↗ have, which are public infrastructure.

1:58:36 ↗ Um, so I look forward to, you know,

1:58:38 ↗ adding that aspect to the discussion

1:58:40 ↗ because I think, you know, the tree code

1:58:41 ↗ is one aspect of it, but then also the

1:58:43 ↗ how do we invest in making sure our

1:58:46 ↗ trees are healthy and getting more of

1:58:47 ↗ our trees that are also healthy is also

1:58:49 ↗ a key part of our conversation. Um, and

1:58:51 ↗ I think, you know, overindexing on we

1:58:54 ↗ don't want to cut down any trees while

1:58:57 ↗ ignoring, you know, while putting less

1:58:59 ↗ emphasis on, um, or I guess we want to

1:59:01 ↗ balance that with emphasis on we want to

1:59:03 ↗ make sure that we have the trees that we

1:59:04 ↗ need, that these trees are healthy, and

1:59:06 ↗ that's going to come through things

1:59:07 ↗ other than just the tree code.

1:59:10 ↗ Additional comments, discussion?

1:59:14 ↗ Seeing none, uh, we have a motion on the

1:59:18 ↗ table. adopt ordinance number 3114

1:59:21 ↗ amending chapter 18.102 definitions and

1:59:24 ↗ 18.812 812 tree pres tree tree

1:59:26 ↗ preservation of the Isiqua Municipal

1:59:28 ↗ Code and all those in favor signify by

1:59:30 ↗ saying I

1:59:32 ↗ >> I

1:59:33 ↗ >> those opposed and that carries six and0

1:59:36 ↗ Minnie I just want to thank you team um

1:59:39 ↗ just not only for the excellent work you

1:59:40 ↗ did on the entire title 18 project but

1:59:42 ↗ your commitment to going through this

1:59:44 ↗ list of additional items and to be able

1:59:46 ↗ to pivot like you could after a bomb

1:59:48 ↗ cyclone to take on a community issue

1:59:51 ↗ like this and address what you asked. I

1:59:52 ↗ think it's always an opportunity and we

1:59:55 ↗ always learn that we want to have more

1:59:56 ↗ uh conversation about other things, but

1:59:59 ↗ you did hit it out of the park. Your

2:00:01 ↗ team did what they were asked with the

2:00:02 ↗ resources you had. You did a great job.

2:00:04 ↗ But I think there's a lot of information

2:00:06 ↗ that came up tonight that told us and

2:00:08 ↗ informed us what the next conversation

2:00:09 ↗ is going to look like. So, thank you

2:00:11 ↗ very much.

2:00:13 ↗ Okay, at this point in time, we are

2:00:15 ↗ going to move to committee and regional

2:00:17 ↗ reports and we'll start with Council

2:00:19 ↗ Member Jen.

2:00:20 ↗ >> Great. I have one report from the K4C

2:00:23 ↗ electeds committee. So we met last

2:00:25 ↗ Friday, October 3rd. Um this is a

2:00:28 ↗ smaller group than the full K4C elected

2:00:30 ↗ group. We had some great discussions

2:00:32 ↗ about the climate commitment act. So um

2:00:35 ↗ council member Neil Black from Kirkland

2:00:37 ↗ reported that he attended a business

2:00:38 ↗ forum where the climate commitment act

2:00:40 ↗ was a huge topic of discussion and

2:00:42 ↗ basically you know there's a lot of

2:00:43 ↗ skepticism from the business community

2:00:45 ↗ about the value that we are getting for

2:00:47 ↗ these tax dollars. Um, and so, you know,

2:00:50 ↗ I think one way that cities can

2:00:52 ↗ potentially come to the table is by

2:00:53 ↗ actually advocating for, you know,

2:00:55 ↗ making sure that the investments we're

2:00:57 ↗ making are actually getting the best

2:00:58 ↗ value for our money cuz there is, you

2:01:01 ↗ know, the voters have said by like a 30

2:01:03 ↗ point margin that this is something that

2:01:04 ↗ we want to do, but we do need to make

2:01:06 ↗ sure that, you know, with this $1

2:01:07 ↗ billion a year, we're actually getting

2:01:09 ↗ the best value for the money. Um, and so

2:01:12 ↗ I, you know, pushing for more

2:01:13 ↗ transparent and datadriven allocations

2:01:15 ↗ of this money, making sure we're getting

2:01:16 ↗ good value in terms of, you know, carbon

2:01:19 ↗ abate abated per dollar invested. Um,

2:01:21 ↗ those are the types of things that I

2:01:23 ↗ think, you know, as city as cities, we

2:01:25 ↗ should be looking for our state to be

2:01:28 ↗ doing. Um, so more to come on that, but

2:01:30 ↗ it was it was a great discussion because

2:01:32 ↗ I think, you know, that kind of just

2:01:33 ↗ came up and we uh chat about that. Um,

2:01:36 ↗ there's also going to be a K4C working

2:01:38 ↗ session, I believe, in the King County

2:01:40 ↗ offices on um October

2:01:44 ↗ uh I think 20.

2:01:49 ↗ Okay, it's later in October. There's

2:01:51 ↗ going to be a bigger um you know, work

2:01:53 ↗ session for city council members um

2:01:55 ↗ across King County to talk about uh you

2:01:58 ↗ know, some of the different climate work

2:01:59 ↗ that we're doing. So, I will be

2:02:00 ↗ attending that as well.

2:02:02 ↗ >> Council member Jen, if you could check

2:02:03 ↗ in with me. The South Cities Association

2:02:04 ↗ is also requesting for additional data

2:02:06 ↗ for transparency for the climate

2:02:08 ↗ commitment act funding in terms of

2:02:09 ↗ different graphics showing uh where the

2:02:12 ↗ most polluted areas are and whether or

2:02:14 ↗ not the funding is being spent in those

2:02:16 ↗ neighborhoods that are most impacted. So

2:02:17 ↗ since I don't go to KC4 K4C and you do,

2:02:20 ↗ I would like to connect with you and

2:02:21 ↗ make sure if we're going to make an ask

2:02:23 ↗ of the state legislature that we put

2:02:24 ↗ them together.

2:02:26 ↗ >> Yes, definitely would be happy to do

2:02:27 ↗ that. And I've also personally read

2:02:29 ↗ through the reports from Department of

2:02:31 ↗ Ecology and uh I think they have a lot

2:02:34 ↗ of room to improve.

2:02:35 ↗ >> Yes, they do. Okay. Council uh Council

2:02:38 ↗ Member Joe is has an excused absence

2:02:40 ↗ this evening and we're going to go to

2:02:41 ↗ Council Member Hall.

2:02:43 ↗ >> Believe it or not, no report this

2:02:45 ↗ evening. Yeah.

2:02:46 ↗ >> Wow. We will move to Council Member Ray.

2:02:49 ↗ >> Uh no report.

2:02:50 ↗ >> Wow. Council member Martz.

2:02:52 ↗ >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. Um, council

2:02:54 ↗ services safety and parks committee met

2:02:56 ↗ on Tuesday, September 30th. Uh, first

2:02:59 ↗ thing we looked at was water leak

2:03:00 ↗ adjustment policy. Uh, we recommended to

2:03:03 ↗ add the ordinance as presented to the

2:03:05 ↗ consent calendar of the October 20th

2:03:07 ↗ city council meeting. Uh, we felt that

2:03:10 ↗ the proposed policy seemed reasonable

2:03:12 ↗ and fair. It was uh presented in the

2:03:15 ↗ context of ba basically it allowed a a

2:03:18 ↗ one-time uh a standard policy of having

2:03:21 ↗ a one-time adjustment. Um the the

2:03:24 ↗ amounts involved seemed reasonable. It

2:03:26 ↗ was compared against other

2:03:27 ↗ municipalities. Um so we're not a

2:03:29 ↗ outlier in being particularly generous

2:03:31 ↗ on this. Um proposed policy requires

2:03:34 ↗ customers to pay for the water used and

2:03:36 ↗ associated infrastructure maintenance

2:03:37 ↗ cost just not at the regular water

2:03:39 ↗ conservation rates. That's how the

2:03:41 ↗ adjustment uh works. So we recommended

2:03:44 ↗ bringing that back on consent. Uh then

2:03:46 ↗ we we had a briefing on ebikes um from

2:03:49 ↗ from Chief Schwan and uh basically that

2:03:52 ↗ we recommended to add this to the

2:03:54 ↗ October 28th services, safety and parks

2:03:57 ↗ committee meeting to review a draft

2:03:59 ↗ ordinance that would be be prepared and

2:04:01 ↗ presented by staff based on feedback. So

2:04:03 ↗ our feedback was that police officers

2:04:05 ↗ need to be supported and have the tools

2:04:06 ↗ and training needed for enforcement of

2:04:09 ↗ our ebike policy. This is a safety

2:04:11 ↗ issue. uh there

2:04:14 ↗ there was support for public education

2:04:17 ↗ opportunities in in addition to

2:04:19 ↗ enforcement options uh for the IPD. We

2:04:22 ↗ also said we'd like to see support be

2:04:24 ↗ added for our legislative priority list

2:04:26 ↗ and advocate for state legislative

2:04:28 ↗ action. Um and um then there was an open

2:04:32 ↗ question about whether the city should

2:04:34 ↗ create its own rules or wait for state

2:04:36 ↗ legislative action. I think we

2:04:37 ↗ definitely want to um put in place

2:04:41 ↗ enforcement mechanisms for existing

2:04:44 ↗ legislation, but I think there's a hope

2:04:45 ↗ that uh the state will take more action

2:04:48 ↗ um because there's just there's just

2:04:51 ↗ this uh legislative hole um uh into

2:04:54 ↗ which ebikes fit and that's causing a

2:04:58 ↗ public safety issue.

2:05:00 ↗ Um and then um the Sound Cities uh

2:05:04 ↗ public issue Sound Cities Association

2:05:06 ↗ public issues committee is coming up

2:05:08 ↗ this Wednesday, October 8th. Uh we are

2:05:11 ↗ going to uh review for action a letter

2:05:15 ↗ on indigent defense case load standards

2:05:17 ↗ to the legislature. I just want to

2:05:19 ↗ highlight one paragraph, Kelly, out of

2:05:24 ↗ uh out of uh our letter, which is in

2:05:26 ↗ right to council services in the 50

2:05:28 ↗ states, the Sixth Amendment Center notes

2:05:30 ↗ that Washington state is one of only

2:05:32 ↗ eight states that require local

2:05:33 ↗ governments to provide a majority of the

2:05:35 ↗ funding needed to support indigent

2:05:37 ↗ defense services at the local level. The

2:05:39 ↗ paper also outlines that state funding

2:05:41 ↗ as opposed to local funding of indigent

2:05:43 ↗ defense services is proven to be the

2:05:46 ↗ most stable and equitable source of

2:05:47 ↗ funding. Hopefully, our state

2:05:49 ↗ legislators will make of that what they

2:05:51 ↗ will. Uh and

2:05:55 ↗ and then uh the other item is going to

2:05:58 ↗ be uh for culture doors open

2:06:00 ↗ presentation. So when the King County

2:06:02 ↗ Council passed the uh forculture levy,

2:06:05 ↗ the regional policy council stipulated

2:06:07 ↗ in the ordinance that forculture was

2:06:09 ↗ required to have a communication plan to

2:06:11 ↗ jurisdictions regarding the use of the

2:06:13 ↗ levy funds. For cultures presentation to

2:06:15 ↗ the PIC is the first step in that plan

2:06:18 ↗ to provide some basic context and begin

2:06:20 ↗ engaging pick in a discussion of how for

2:06:22 ↗ for cultures and sound cities should

2:06:24 ↗ communicate going forward. This is also

2:06:27 ↗ I will just say editorially pick getting

2:06:29 ↗ back on track to representing value for

2:06:33 ↗ our city.

2:06:34 ↗ >> That concludes my report.

2:06:36 ↗ >> Deputy council president.

2:06:38 ↗ >> Uh I have no report tonight. Thank you.

2:06:40 ↗ >> Wow. Council president.

2:06:42 ↗ >> Thank you. I had two meetings on October

2:06:45 ↗ the 2nd. The Puget Sound Regional

2:06:47 ↗ Council's Growth Management Policy

2:06:49 ↗ Board. um agenda included we saw cities

2:06:53 ↗ and county within the county working

2:06:56 ↗ together to create pre-approved ADU

2:07:00 ↗ plans. Um all of the cities came

2:07:02 ↗ together and it cost them $10 to $20,000

2:07:05 ↗ to create these architectural plans of

2:07:08 ↗ ADUs that fit every single one of their

2:07:10 ↗ cities um codes. And so they've just

2:07:14 ↗ adopted that and then also talked about

2:07:17 ↗ ways to maintain it. I thought it was

2:07:19 ↗ really interesting idea.

2:07:20 ↗ >> Um we took a look at our um potential

2:07:23 ↗ state legislative agenda. Uh we had a

2:07:26 ↗ report on the regional senator regional

2:07:30 ↗ regional centers monitoring. So as you

2:07:33 ↗ know we have a uh regional center in the

2:07:36 ↗ central plan and ours is not uh

2:07:40 ↗ accommodating the amount of growth in

2:07:42 ↗ housing or jobs that um it was intended

2:07:46 ↗ for. And so they're trying to understand

2:07:50 ↗ how do we work with this when some of

2:07:53 ↗ the regional centers are exceeding the

2:07:56 ↗ capacity and others have not um gotten

2:07:59 ↗ to that point. I made several comments

2:08:02 ↗ about hey uh we haven't actually gotten

2:08:04 ↗ the transit that would support that

2:08:06 ↗ >> light rail.

2:08:07 ↗ >> Yep. So um encouraged them to allow for

2:08:11 ↗ circumstances such as that um rather

2:08:14 ↗ than changing. that another alternative

2:08:16 ↗ they had proposed for some of the

2:08:19 ↗ centers that are not yet meeting those

2:08:21 ↗ targets um was potentially um county

2:08:25 ↗ uh centers. So, it's a continuing

2:08:27 ↗ conversation. They just wanted to get

2:08:28 ↗ some of our feedback um on that as they

2:08:31 ↗ continue thinking through what the

2:08:32 ↗ regional centers look like. Um and then

2:08:35 ↗ there is also a proposal out there to

2:08:38 ↗ change the board membership for GMPB.

2:08:42 ↗ Um, right now SCA, the Sun Cities

2:08:46 ↗ Association appoints I want to say

2:08:49 ↗ something like six seats. Um, and there

2:08:53 ↗ are only a few cities within King County

2:08:55 ↗ that have dedicated seats. Um, and the

2:08:59 ↗ proposal on board is basically to take

2:09:02 ↗ any city that has over 80,000 population

2:09:06 ↗ within this several county area and give

2:09:10 ↗ them dedicated seats. And so for King

2:09:13 ↗ County, that would reduce the other city

2:09:17 ↗ um appointment to only one. So you would

2:09:20 ↗ end up with Belleview and Redmond and

2:09:24 ↗ Kent and Auburn and all of those having

2:09:27 ↗ their own dedicated seats on this. So

2:09:31 ↗ considering this is a regional council

2:09:34 ↗ um and the growth management policy

2:09:36 ↗ board. So that is one policy that is out

2:09:39 ↗ there. I would be happy to hear from

2:09:40 ↗ anyone. It is something that came up as

2:09:43 ↗ um PSRC is kind of evaluating

2:09:47 ↗ how their boards are made up and what

2:09:50 ↗ the representation looks like. Um and

2:09:53 ↗ then the King County affordable housing

2:09:54 ↗ committee met and we talked about

2:09:57 ↗ legislative priorities and our work

2:09:59 ↗ plan. And that concludes my report.

2:10:02 ↗ >> Thank you, Council President. There will

2:10:03 ↗ be an executive session this evening to

2:10:05 ↗ discuss pending or potential litigation

2:10:07 ↗ for RCW42.30.1101.

2:10:08 ↗ 30.110

2:10:10 ↗ pern 1 PN I and it's expected to take

2:10:12 ↗ approximately 15 minutes. So, as

2:10:16 ↗ everybody on the east side knows, Salmon

2:10:18 ↗ Day's weekend was a huge success. It was

2:10:21 ↗ wonderful, and I couldn't be more proud

2:10:23 ↗ of our town, our community, our

2:10:25 ↗ volunteers, our chamber, and uh all of

2:10:28 ↗ our organizations like the salmon bakers

2:10:30 ↗ that come on us um that make this such a

2:10:33 ↗ fantastic, fantastic event. So, it was

2:10:35 ↗ slightly gloomy weather, but it was

2:10:37 ↗ still nice to see so many people come

2:10:38 ↗ together and support our local

2:10:40 ↗ community. Many, many thanks to the

2:10:42 ↗ Isqua Chamber of Commerce and their team

2:10:44 ↗ for organizing this beloved event and to

2:10:46 ↗ all the partners who were involved to

2:10:48 ↗ make sure this was successful weekend.

2:10:51 ↗ There are a couple of upcoming events.

2:10:53 ↗ There's a Sycamore community meeting on

2:10:55 ↗ Wednesday, October 8th, where the city

2:10:56 ↗ is hosting a community a meeting at

2:10:59 ↗ Gibson Hall to talk about some upcoming

2:11:01 ↗ projects happening in the Sycamore

2:11:02 ↗ neighborhood. We'll give an update since

2:11:05 ↗ our last meeting we had with this group

2:11:07 ↗ back in April 2024. We'll share what's

2:11:09 ↗ new and we'll talk through the projects

2:11:11 ↗ that are getting close to construction.

2:11:13 ↗ We'll also cover what to expect, answer

2:11:15 ↗ your questions, and highlight

2:11:17 ↗ environmental stewardship information.

2:11:18 ↗ There'll be a short presentation and

2:11:20 ↗ plenty of time for conversation. Uh

2:11:22 ↗ we're doing this to keep them all in the

2:11:24 ↗ loop so that they can hear um so that we

2:11:27 ↗ can hear your thoughts. So, please drop

2:11:28 ↗ by anytime during our openhouse hours.

2:11:31 ↗ There is a Talis Residential Association

2:11:34 ↗ annual meeting it on Wednesday, October

2:11:36 ↗ 8th at Cougar Mountain Middle School at

2:11:39 ↗ 6 PM and city representatives will

2:11:41 ↗ attend to provide an update on important

2:11:43 ↗ community topics and be available to

2:11:45 ↗ answer questions from the residents. The

2:11:47 ↗ Talis community residents are all

2:11:49 ↗ encouraged to attend. There is a

2:11:51 ↗ candidate form for city council and

2:11:53 ↗ Isqua school board. Get to know the

2:11:54 ↗ candidates for city council and the

2:11:56 ↗ Isiqua school board at the upcoming

2:11:58 ↗ candidate forum hosted by Kuanas Club of

2:12:00 ↗ Isiqua and the Isiqua branch of the

2:12:02 ↗ American Association of University

2:12:04 ↗ Women. Candidates will answer community

2:12:06 ↗ submitted questions and share their

2:12:08 ↗ perspectives on key issues. The forum

2:12:10 ↗ continues Wednesday, October 8th at 6:30

2:12:13 ↗ p.m. in City Hall South and is open to

2:12:15 ↗ the public. And if you can't make it in

2:12:18 ↗ person, you will be able to watch it

2:12:19 ↗ live on channel 21 or on the city's

2:12:21 ↗ YouTube channel. And the last event is a

2:12:24 ↗ town hall on climate action. And I'm

2:12:26 ↗ inviting the community to join me at the

2:12:27 ↗ Isqua Library on October 15th for a town

2:12:30 ↗ hall on climate action. We'll celebrate

2:12:32 ↗ our community's successes in

2:12:33 ↗ sustainability and climate action and

2:12:35 ↗ hear what's coming next in the climate

2:12:36 ↗ action plan update. You'll have the

2:12:38 ↗ opportunity to interact with staff and

2:12:40 ↗ community partners to provide your input

2:12:42 ↗ on this update and other sustainability

2:12:43 ↗ initiatives that are happening in our

2:12:45 ↗ city. The event behead held at the

2:12:47 ↗ Isiqua Library on October 15th from 6:00

2:12:49 ↗ to 7:30. I hope to see you all there.

2:12:52 ↗ We are going to move into good of the

2:12:54 ↗ order. And who has any items? Uh I have

2:12:57 ↗ a couple of meetings to announce.

2:12:58 ↗ Council President.

2:13:01 ↗ >> Yeah. Um I just wanted to second the uh

2:13:05 ↗ celebration of salmon days. It was truly

2:13:08 ↗ wonderful. And um as I was talking to

2:13:11 ↗ city administrator Bob Quitz, the idea

2:13:13 ↗ that you can look around town today

2:13:16 ↗ >> and recognize everything that was here

2:13:18 ↗ over this weekend is truly truly

2:13:21 ↗ remarkable. So a wonderful job not only

2:13:25 ↗ running a successful

2:13:27 ↗ Salmon Days event, but also just

2:13:31 ↗ disappearing it overnight um is is

2:13:35 ↗ really quite remarkable. And so I wanted

2:13:37 ↗ to thank the chamber for that. Um,

2:13:40 ↗ looking ahead into fun activities, um,

2:13:44 ↗ the pumpkin derby is coming up. Uh, this

2:13:48 ↗ year, uh, Deputy Council President D.

2:13:51 ↗ Michelle is going to be leading the way

2:13:54 ↗ on creating our pumpkin derby for

2:13:57 ↗ members of the community. This is a

2:13:59 ↗ staff event that we utilize to create

2:14:02 ↗ just a wonderful opportunity to come

2:14:05 ↗ together and uh we take pumpkins, we put

2:14:09 ↗ them on carts and we race them down an

2:14:12 ↗ area and so the council has our own cart

2:14:16 ↗ and I think we've made it down one time.

2:14:19 ↗ >> It's not easy.

2:14:20 ↗ >> Yeah.

2:14:21 ↗ >> We we have a rocket scientist so we need

2:14:23 ↗ to get involved in this. Anyway, uh

2:14:26 ↗ looking forward to that time. I would

2:14:28 ↗ love to get anyone involved. So, please

2:14:30 ↗ do contact Barb um if that is something

2:14:33 ↗ you are interested in doing. Thank you.

2:14:35 ↗ >> That's great. Um I'm just going to add

2:14:37 ↗ in that council president and I have

2:14:39 ↗ been responding to Sound Cities

2:14:40 ↗ Association about um what committees,

2:14:44 ↗ boards people would like to sit on.

2:14:46 ↗ There are a couple of vacancies coming

2:14:48 ↗ up from council members or the mayor

2:14:50 ↗ that are leaving that are important

2:14:52 ↗ seats for the city of Isqua to be

2:14:54 ↗ sitting in. So there'll probably be some

2:14:56 ↗ requests for you to consider adding some

2:14:59 ↗ of these to ones that you currently have

2:15:01 ↗ or if you are looking to add some new

2:15:03 ↗ ones because we want to make sure we

2:15:04 ↗ don't lose the footprint that we have in

2:15:06 ↗ the region which is pretty strong

2:15:08 ↗ probably one of the strongest for any

2:15:10 ↗ councils in King County to be honest we

2:15:11 ↗ have a pretty good one. Um any more good

2:15:14 ↗ of the order before I go to a couple of

2:15:15 ↗ meetings. Okay, there's a committee of

2:15:18 ↗ the whole on Monday, October 13th, and

2:15:20 ↗ the anticipated agenda items include the

2:15:22 ↗ north south traffic study and the 202526

2:15:25 ↗ midbian budget adjustment. The next

2:15:28 ↗ regular council meeting is Monday,

2:15:29 ↗ October 20th. Anticipated agenda items

2:15:32 ↗ include public hearings on the property

2:15:34 ↗ tax levy and midbayanium budget

2:15:36 ↗ adjustment, the utility rate study, and

2:15:39 ↗ the Washington State Department of

2:15:41 ↗ Transportation transfer development

2:15:43 ↗ rights development agreement extension

2:15:45 ↗ for Belleview College. And city

2:15:47 ↗ administrator, I know we also put out a

2:15:49 ↗ survey about a potential additional

2:15:51 ↗ council meeting.

2:15:54 ↗ >> Yes, madame mayor. We're asking the

2:15:55 ↗ council to consider a special meeting on

2:15:58 ↗ Monday, October 27th. uh to consider mid

2:16:01 ↗ bianium budget issues.

2:16:04 ↗ >> Thank you. So, we're waiting to make

2:16:05 ↗ sure that that is a date that works for

2:16:07 ↗ everyone, but maybe just we'll throw it

2:16:09 ↗ out there for now. If there's nothing

2:16:11 ↗ else under the order, I'll go to the

2:16:12 ↗ executive session. Um this is ID

2:16:17 ↗ 1919 pending potential litigation per

2:16:20 ↗ RCW 42.30.1101

2:16:23 ↗ PNI. Uh we're having this session

2:16:25 ↗ tonight to discuss pending potential

2:16:27 ↗ litigation. The item is expected to take

2:16:30 ↗ approximately 15 minutes and there is no

2:16:32 ↗ action anticipated to follow in open

2:16:34 ↗ session and we are going to enter that

2:16:36 ↗ executive session at 9:18.

2:16:42 ↗ Going to ask the city clerk to move the

2:16:43 ↗ city council and any staff into the

2:16:45 ↗ separate session.

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 (5)

Barbara de Michele

Zach Hall

Russell Joe

Lindsey Walsh

Kelly Jiang

Staff (5)

Wally Bobkiewicz, City Administrator

Jeff Watling, Parks & Community Services Director

Robin Spear, Park Planning

Development Manager

Tim Smith, Media Production Specialist