Bothell, Washington Planning Commission Meetings, 7 Jun 2023

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From YouTube: Bothell Planning Commission Meeting - June 7, 2023

Description

0:00:05 - Call to Order
0:00:40 - Public Comments
0:16:20 - Approval of Minutes: May 17, 2023
0:17:20 - New Business
0:17:55 - Unfinished Business: Middle Housing Comprehensive Plan Amendments
0:22:10 - Study Session: Comprehensive Plan: Transportation Element
1:41:15 - Reports from Staff
1:43:30 - Reports from Members
1:44:30 - Items to Report to Council

A

Welcome everyone I call the June 7 2023 Planning Commission meeting to order. The main purposes of tonight's meeting are a study session on the comprehensive plan, Transportation element and the conclusion of consideration of the middle housing comprehensive plan amendments.

A

Before we move on to agenda items, I'd like to acknowledge our hybrid meeting format, city of Bothell is providing the option to attend this meeting, either in person or remotely via Zoom for those participating via Zoom. The chat and question functions are not available for use to ensure compliance with the open public meetings. Act.

A

We have a public comment agenda item at the beginning of the meeting. This time is for comments on issues not on tonight's agenda. Please limit these comments to three minutes. We will be using the lights correct, which are up there and they'll indicate your time when a yellow light appears you'll have about 20 seconds. To conclude and when the red light appears. Please finish your comments. Please note that the city of Bothell does not tolerate verbal harassment, and please remember this during your comments.

A

Public comment and hearing testimony will be allowed both in person and Via. Zoom, those wishing to comment via Zoom were requested to submit an online form by 3 pm. Today, people wishing to submit written comments will also asked to submit those by 3 pm. Email was encouraged as well and will be acknowledged, and we did in fact receive some emails this afternoon.

A

Those in attendance may also make comments, and it may ask to indicate their desire to comment on the sign-in sheets, which are over that way.

A

The Imagine both will notice the city website and tonight's agenda all provided information to the public for providing comments. The video of this meeting will be streamed, live as well as recorded and available for later viewing on the YouTube channel.

A

A call-in number was provided on the meeting agenda for members of the public who wished to call in by phone and listen live to the meeting for our phone in callers during staff. Presentations staff will make every effort to specify which materials they're referencing so that everyone may follow along at this point, we'll take a moment to acknowledge the attendance of the commissioners commissioner Jones here, commissioner westerbeck here, commissioner kurd here, commissioner Robson here, commissioner Anders is not here at the moment and commissioner Gustafson.

B

A

In addition, Deputy Community director development, community development, director Ashley Winchell Deputy, Public, Works, director Steve, murakawa, Transportation supervisor, rayad torini and Senior planner Dave Boyd are attending. Lastly, before we begin I'd like to reiterate some guidelines for all meeting attendees, please speak clearly and pause, frequently state your name each time before speaking, mute your microphone when not speaking, if you are also streaming the live, video feed.

A

Please turn the sound off as there is a delay and before I before we begin I'd like to write remind commenters that, while you may speak to whatever topic you choose, we ask that if you are a council candidate, you do not use this time to speak to your own campaign. Each person is solely responsible for their own comments, but speaking about your own campaign could be a violation of campaign laws which the public disclosure commission would determine and that's a new addition to our intro.

A

So uh ask you to consider that for Commissioners, at specific breaks in the presentation, I'll be calling our members who wish to speak or ask a question if you want to speak, please indicate this by raising your hand and I will call on you as I, see you. This will help avoid the problem of having two people speaking at the same time.

A

Identify yourself before you ask a question: make a motion, second emotion or participate in debate, and please mute your microphone when not speaking so. The first item on the agenda is public comment. The city has accepted visitor comment in writing, as well as accepted sign up sheets for those who wish to speak at tonight's meeting, written comments submitted to staff no later than 3 pm. Today, we're forwarded to all Commissioners and, as I indicated, we did receive some and they are part of the record.

A

This time is for items not on tonight's agenda. Deputy director windshield, please let us know if there are any comments received.

C

Dm have been forwarded to the commission, and then we do have people signed up, there's also participants via zoom and then just for the record. Commissioner Anders has logged on.

A

Yes, you're there welcome commissioner Andrews.

A

So our first item.

A

Yes, so public comment.

C

The first person signed up to speak is James Cannell, okay, sorry, Kenneth, Kenneth, sorry,.

D

uh Good evening, I'm James canniff I live on a 186 right over here. My concern at this point is 103rd Street between 185th and 186. There's a stretch of road, that's in front of the addition apartments that kind of kicks off this way and it's too narrow for two cars to pass each other.

D

If there's cars parked on the side of this roads, it's a hazard if you're turning from White, 85th and you're heading towards the addition, apartments and I just want to bring up as public comment that this area should be looked at to put in no parking on one side of the road um on 103rd or but basically right now, it's a danger to turn and it's a danger for two cars to pass at the same time, so that street again is 103rd and it's between 185th, which is right here by the police station, City, Hall and 186..

D

Thank you for your time and um I appreciate you guys doing a great job have a good evening.

A

Thank you. You've got a few folks from Transportation here, so I'm sure they heard you next.

C

Francesca Lyman.

E

E

um Honorable members of the Bothell Planning Commission I, come to you as a Bothell resident representing many of my neighbors concerned for the safety of our community, while enjoying the beauties of bothell's newest Park, the former Wayne Golf Course. For some time, traffic has been growing on one way, neither way AKA 96th Avenue Northeast, along with speeds by drivers, especially buses and heavy trucks with them, often hitting 45 or 50 miles per hour. In a 25 mile per hour. Zone, it used to be a very narrow, quiet, Country Road, no more.

E

It turns from a major Arterial Highway sr522 to a lane merging onto a blind corner. Is this on yeah, okay, with limited sight, distance cars pass heavily used, access to parks and trails, bicycles and pedestrians are making hurried Crossings uh traffic moves well above posted speed limits, as said some driving well over 40 miles per hour, but Juanita way is not an accident waiting to happen too late to use the word waiting. There have been at least two accidents in the last few years.

E

One of them was a rear end with an infant in one of the cars and another bicycle was struck by a car on 96th Avenue Bridge, and there was a third a collision in front of the River Park and Riverbend. Is the city of Bothell going to wait for something far worse to occur before taking action with Summer upon us.

E

We know that there are also many more people coming to visit Wayne, so there are more pedestrians, Runners, cyclists, dog, walkers families with strollers and children entering the Park crossing the road and walking along the road on a very slim sidewalk on a limited stretch of road on one side, as mentioned. Unfortunately, traffic has increased drivers, frequently speed past this 25 miles per hour. Traffic counts, a period have shown a 20 to 30 percent increase.

E

I've looked at the Kirkland traffic counts um north of 145th, and the City of Bothell itself shows that 85 percent of drivers clock Kennedy 37 miles per hour.

E

uh There is currently a pedestrian activated flashing light in crosswick and crosswalk, but and a nice pedestrian warning sign, but no such signage exists at the far more dangerous curve where 96th Avenue turns toward Sr 522 passing the entrance of the Wayne Park parking lot and utility pipeline, since our community is closed, close to the park, village of Riverbend River, Park, Piper's, Glen, bridlewood Etc um benefit so much from our access to the Burke Gilman Trail and the walkability amenities offered by the local Trails seems to make sense that we take care of these hazards.

E

This could be a real multi-modal success story as successful and beloved as our new Wayne Park I'm, passing along some quick snapshots as a way of serving as part of the city's eyes and ears. I hope you planners are willing to work with others to figure out an action plan for safety and I hope you take an active role in improving the situation and maybe saving some lives. Thank you very much.

A

C

The next speaker is Cliff cawthorne.

F

Okay, there you go perfect all right, uh hello, uh Commissioners um as some well as many of you know, my name is Cliff cothon uh I am okay, I am the advocacy and policy manager for uh Habitat for Humanity is CLO King, test counties, um and also my apologies for that. So, um first of all, I want to thank you. I know that um and I'm actually here to speak and support the middle housing.

F

Amendments I know that there have been a lot of very tough conversations in the community about how the region is changing as a whole and I want to applaud all of you for having those conversations and doing the due diligence in terms of Outreach and really taking in voices from you know the broad swaths of the community and I'm here in support of tonight's uh middle housing amendments, because this is a really good step forward to addressing the housing crisis then or to address the housing crisis with rise in costs.

F

Rising rents, the inability to be able to buy a home for many people in this community, as well as neighboring communities that we're going to need duplexes, triplexes townhomes in other middle housing, types that are more affordable to create more affordable to build and that's more affordable for people to be able to have a home people like some of our members like Rodney. He sometimes Volunteers in our office, is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and he's also a veteran and I look at Rodney and I. Think about our other homeowners and I.

F

Think to myself that, because of the choices that this commission is making and because of the conversations that leaders like yourself are having that, Rodney will be able to have home, and in addition to that, as you know, through your own considerations, that this is also a chance to address the climate crisis that these middle housing amendments will be.

F

A progress really small P Progressive step forward in terms of addressing uh the climate crisis through preventing sprawl through, allowing us to build more Compact and more low to moderate density housing types to address the need for affordable housing, and also people can live in a high opportunity area such as Bothell so last, but not least, that these middle housing amendments will also allow people to be able to take advantage of the growing Transit capacity jobs and create more opportunities and allow more people to have a better standard, a better standard of living.

F

So thank you very much for your time. Thank you very much. Reconsideration of these Amendments have a good evening.

A

C

The next person signed up to speak is Mark Swanson.

G

Is this on yeah very good I worked a part-time job when I went to school at WSU got to meet some of the people uh that worked there in the WSU housing and food service. One of those guys was an elderly Carpenter. He took me out to Idaho, where we grabbed sockeye salmon with our bare hands and threw him in a in a cooler we're breaking the law, but Ray said he was 50 Indian. So it's fine!

G

Well after about 45-50 fish, I got kind of felt kind of moral hangover. I still have that moral hangover. Today, maybe that's why I'm fighting for the salmon now I don't know anyway.

G

I looked at us 900 miles from the mouth of the Columbia to the set to Central Idaho, where I was snagging. Those sockeye salmon 900 miles The Coho here in Bothell, can hardly make it to city blocks before they expire due to Tire dust pollution.

G

I sent the science behind that up to y'all should be able to see it in the Microsoft Word document that actually should have so one thing I wanted to point out people that are low income. They can't use Metro, they can't metros for people go from point A to point B. It's not met for single bombs and people are working part-time jobs.

G

You got to work this part-time job and you got to go to this part-time job and you got to go pick up your kid and then you got to get them to the babysitter and you go back just ask them the low-income people around here whether they can use Metro. They can't it's a failed model now about Metro buses for every passenger mile in a Metro Bus, there's six times more tired dust pollution than on a family car. That's right! You have the math, it's simple!

G

Tire dust is killing coho salmon, 35 percent of the Orca whales eat silver salmon bottom line is Metro, buses is killing orchids.

G

It's just the facts. People and I sent you the science last thing: there is no housing crisis with all due respect. Bothell is cheaper to rent a two-bedroom one-bath apartment today than it was 25. 30 years ago, I lived through the Boeing layoffs, the.com bubble and the recent hike we've seen all kinds of failure in home prices. I've seen my neighborhood go to 30 percent vacancy, that's coming here too. It's cyclical.

G

The last thing is you're, forcing Bothell to grow at 50 times over the next two years as the U.S population growth rate. Thank you good times. That's enough! Thank you.

C

Anyone else in the room who would like to speak, please approach the podium and, if there's anyone on Zoom, who would like to provide comments, please raise your hand.

C

There are no hands raised all.

A

Right, seeing now we'll proceed with the agenda, the next excuse me next time about the agenda is the approval of the minutes. We have before us the minutes of the May 17th meeting. Is there a motion to approve those minutes.

H

This is commissioner Kurt I move to approve the meeting minutes for May 17th.

A

We have motion to approve the minutes. Is there a second.

I

I will second the motion.

J

A

West back seconds, okay, he beat you, commissioner Anders. uh There is a motion and a second to approve the minutes of the May 17th meeting. Is there any discussion around those minutes? Any modifications.

A

Looking around seeing none all in favor approving the minutes of the May 17th meeting, please indicate by saying aye all right. It is unanimous. The meetings of the minutes of the May 17th meeting are approved. uh New business driven a new business before us.

C

No new business this evening.

A

Thank you. There is no new business at this point. uh The next item listed on the agenda is a study session, but it's been suggested by staff. We moved to the middle housing amendments, the thought being. That might be quicker and also there might be some folks here interested in that that would want to leave afterwards.

A

So is there any interest in or any objections to making that change? I didn't see anything in the bylaws about needing emotion, so we we will then move ahead to the middle housing. Amendments I, hope, I, didn't catch uh senior, planner Boyd by surprise. On that all right, then uh senior planner Boyd, please uh lead.

K

Us through thank you, um I'm gonna, um I, don't have a presentation tonight, uh but I'm going to share my screen uh and I think this will be fairly straightforward. There were just a few changes uh suggested to the findings in at last meetings at the at the um May 19 May 17th meeting and those are highlighted in the memo and also on this on the findings that I'm going to share here shortly.

K

Just so that you can all see that on the screen, the main uh issue was adding a finding number, eight that addresses uh the environmental benefits of metal housing and other types of infill housing by preventing sprawl into surrounding natural areas.

K

There are also a few other um edits that are shown in in red underlined here that were discussed at that uh at that session, uh and so with that and then I guess, the only other thing that I would add is uh that we I have added in the red text here at the bottom. uh One uh exhibit number 12 which was uh emailed forwarded to you this afternoon from Mark Swanson, uh that's exhibit number 12. and, um and then the public testimony that we had uh tonight so.

A

All right, so is there any discussion around those changes? Why don't we scroll up just a touch more there? The first change is in number seven. Adding that phrase uh comments.

A

Does that reflect the.

E

A

Okay, Commissioners seem satisfied with that: okay, moving down to number eight.

A

People had an opportunity to review that any comments or questions.

A

All right, seeing none uh number nine then.

A

Seeing seeing no no comments, so our next step would be a motion to approve the findings, conclusions and recommendation. uh Is there such a motion.

A

L

I'll make that motion to conclude.

A

All right, it's been moved that we approve the findings, conclusions, recommendations uh and I will note. There was considerable discussion at the previous meetings, which is why we're not reviewing all that is there a second commissioner.

M

Jones, second, all.

A

Right second from commissioner Jones, any discussion around the motion.

K

I'll just point out that the um the findings include, as exhibit a the actual comprehensive plan, amendments that were discussed and agreed to last meeting, as well as all the exhibits.

A

Thank you, senior planner Boyd, seeing no uh further discussion on that uh ask for vote all in favor of approving the findings, conclusions and recommendations, as amended.

B

A

Hi, okay, all in favor, so that is approved. um We will forward that to the council and move on from this item. So anyone who was here for this can feel free to stay for the remainder of the meeting or uh can move out into this beautiful evening.

A

All right, we'll let senior planner boy to escape thanks, Dave, good job. On this, it's been a long road.

A

So our next item is a study session on the transportation element of the comprehensive plan and I will turn this over to staff.

N

N

All right so good evening, it's a wild ride sets up I'll get us started, um we'd like to discuss the transportation element of the comprehensive plan. Tonight kind of exciting stuff with us tonight um is Right. Terry I think I introduced you to him before he's our new Transportation supervisor, diving right in. We also have Carmen Kwan who's, our with our consultant Fern peers, she's, the project manager for the transportation element of our comp plan, update.

A

All right, thank you, yep next slide and when you're ready.

N

So no action tonight. What we really want to do is introduce a lot of the process that we're going to go through tonight. We want to have a discussion. We want to get you input on certain things. Next slide, please, primarily what we're going to do is we're going to go over the entire kind of the overall Transportation element update process. That's going to take place, that's started a few months ago, and it's going to go through 23 and most of 24.

N

we're going to introduce you to some draft Transportation priorities. I think! That's probably where we'll spend some of our time a lot of our time, we're going to go through and Carmen's, going to go through multimodal level of service and introduce you to that concept, and she will also go over safety and how we're going to approach that and then Riad will go over transportation system. Resiliency.

N

um So please note that, while we've started work on the transportation element, we're really mostly filling you in on what we plan to do and the approach we plan to take we're starting a lot of data, Gathering we're doing preparation, work and modeling, and things like that, but most of the work is in front of us.

N

um We hope that we give you a good Insight, how we're going to approach this and how we're going to accomplish the work and I will tell you, there's a extremely heavy lift for the transportation element in a really short time. So there's a lot to get through so again we're going to go through five topics, we'll stop after each topic, for any questions and to kind of discuss things.

N

If you don't mind, however, if we're spending too much time on one project, I'll, probably start waving my hands, we think we have about we've allocated about 75 minutes to kind of get through all the topics. Just to give you a little bit of context.

N

So with that maybe Carmen, you can start with the transportation element. The overall process.

O

Thanks Steve the next slide. Okay, so this slide is really just to show the general process at a high level of the transportation element update as Steve mentioned, we're, starting with existing and understanding planned future conditions. At the same time, we're at that little red pin there, where we've been working with staff, to talk through draft Transportation priorities to guide the transportation element.

O

Update and Steve will provide more information that later on in this presentation over the summer, we will be evaluing future land use scenarios for the city and then that until the fall we'll be looking at identifying Transportation Improvement projects and prioritizing that based on available funding for them and we'll be developing a draft plan early next year and plan for Council adoption. Late 2024.

O

throughout this process will be oh I just want to say throughout this process, we'll be meeting with Planning Commission city council to make sure that you guys are up to speed on what we're doing. And if you have comments about the approach, we'll take that feedback into account and then we'll also be planning various public engagements throughout this over the next two years. Thanks in more detail, we've got little tiles here that describe the main tasks within our scope of work.

O

There's a lot to do and currently we're going through a travel model refinement for the city of Bothell so that we can better represent travel within the city as we move into future land use scenarios and evaluation this summer.

O

um I. Think. The other key item to note is that once we have a refined project list, that's based on our financial assessment, we'll be going through a cost estimating and conceptual layout for them, and then this fall we'll also be doing a transportation policy review and update um and then, as part of the comprehensive Plan update, we'll be drafting the transportation chapter of the environmental impact statement.

O

O

In terms of public engagement ideas, what we're planning for this summer is to develop an online web page to inform the public about the project and also to get their feedback.

O

um That would be on the transportation priorities that we've worked on with staff on. uh There will also be a web map where the public can drop a pin and provide a comment on anything that relates to Transportation, so Mobility challenges they've, identified safety concerns they may have about a specific area or desired improvements. We'll also be informing about transportation system and resiliency, so education about existing programs and emergency evacuation routes.

O

So with that I'm going to hand it over to Steve.

N

Before we dive into Transportation priorities, are there any questions on the overall process or clarifications.

A

Commissioners Mr Robson.

L

Thank you, I'm I know. This is probably a super um detailed question for you guys, but I just quickly. Can you give me a quick overview of what? How is a travel model devised and what does that look like, like I, understand vaguely what a travel model is? But can you tell me a little bit more about? Are we looking strictly at accidents? Are we looking at foot traffic like what? What does that mean.

O

um I can share for the transportation element update. There will be multiple models that we'll be looking at um so specifically related to the Future land use scenarios. We are looking at how, um over the next 20 years, where growth will be allocated in the city and part of that will be forecasting future traffic volumes and understanding if there are Transportation Improvement projects, I need to address that.

O

We also have models to evaluate um traffic operations at signalized intersections across the city and that's to meet the city's current level of service policy and then for safety. I think we will touch on more on that later on. In this presentation,.

A

Give us a very high level schedule on this.

N

That's where it becomes interesting So. Currently, what we're trying to do is Carmen's group is trying to get the travel model together. So what we have to do is essentially use information.

N

We have to capture what the existing condition is and then basically that's where our land use is today, which is not as easy as you think it is, um and then they calibrate it by taking actual traffic counts, which we kind of already have done to make sure that the model kind of predicts what's actually there and then they're ready to go and get land use Alternatives, and we have a certain amount of growth that we have to accommodate by GMA.

N

um Middle housing makes things interesting because it kind of overlays everything. So we have to figure out where we think growth is going to occur over a 20-year period and then that's the Future model projections and we have a couple of different scenarios: the land use scenarios. Let's say we want to put more growth in one area versus another area. So what do we need to do to support that?

N

So the transportation model will help us with the vehicle side, but we're also going to make assumptions on Transit because we're going to get brt coming through, hopefully with improvements on 520 old, 527 Corridor bother way will get green, green Swift coming down as well. So we can make certain amount of assumptions how much Trends you use therapy and then we'll do the same thing with bikes and pets. So that's how everything kind of comes together.

N

We are somewhat dependent on the land use scenarios for the future, and until we get that and kind of agree on that, we can't start running the models. So we're hoping to do that I think it was early fall, probably start simultaneous to that. There's other things going on in our transportation element which we'll go through we're going to grab projects from different areas. So there are capacity projects and in the multimodal world capacity projects can be vehicle. They can be pedestrian, they can be bike. We can even touch on Transit a little bit.

N

There will be safety projects which are not capacity projects they're, literally safety projects, there'll be resiliency projects which Ryan will talk about.

N

Each of those are going to be prioritized in their own section, but then there has to be overall prioritization across the board and that's the difficult part, and that's partly why we're talking to you about prioritization and what are our priorities. So we have at least a good feel and how to start developing that prioritization.

N

That will happen starting in fall into the end of the year, and then that's also, when we'll be doing the policy, reviews and updates and coming back to you with the changes in the policies and everything so probably kind of wrapping up early in 2024. If we're lucky and running through the PC process, as well as a console processors we'll go through that so by the end of 2024, we can adopt.

N

A

Commissioner Robson thank.

L

You um I know that if I keep asking questions, we're going to be here until 2024, but I just want to get a solid idea of the process, so I can understand the information you guys give us, as this plan rolls out um again. This might be way too in the weeds for this um Forum, but I'm wondering do you guys have any? Are you able to calculate and include the changes that have happened, um regards to covid and how that's affecting traffic and commuting?

L

Is that, like too small of a data um feet feel the data set, and how do you see that you know I'm sure you guys could give a paper on this? But how do you see that affecting? Is that being going? Are you guys considering that, when you're rolling out these projects, thank you.

N

I think I'm going to let Carmen try to hit the modeling aspect and then maybe we're ahead and talk about the safety aspect. A little bit.

O

um So I can share in terms of covid you're right, there's a total change in the way some people are traveling and the number of days that they're going into the office and that's why we are building and customizing a travel model for the city of Bothell and we have a base year of 2023.

O

So we've collected traffic counts uh last fall where I feel, like travel conditions, have more normalized than they have since 2020 or 2021, and we'll be making adjustments to the travel model to calibrate it to those traffic counts and then looking out into the future, we'll be using a similar model but higher, but including the land use growth that we're expecting for the region and modeling. That.

P

Yeah yeah, so I can add them. Just a couple of comments in regards to covet I've been heavily involved throughout the coveted years uh years now. Actually, we're talking um about traffic volumes and correlation with collisions, and how did that change? uh Basically, right now battery is about 85 percent of the traffic volumes, General average of volumes throughout the city and, of course, it's dependent on which Corridor you're dealing with and all of that and, of course, with covet reductions uh and volumes.

P

Yeah volumes in some cases translate into collisions accidents and things of this nature, and you have seen like um like in February of 2020, when everybody was like kind of a ghost town, there was no cars, there's no accidents really and eventually they're, starting to pick up volumes and collision started, going up similar Trends to volumes again, we're not there to where we were pre-covet conditions and Carmen will be talking. More will have in depth about the Collision investigations that we are doing, and the analysis that we're going through later into this slide presentation.

N

So, um let's start with that: Transportation priorities next slide, I think.

N

Okay, yeah so terminology, so one of the things that staff recognizes that can become confusing because it happens to us as well as the use of terminology, because some terms can mean very certain specific things, and sometimes it's very broadly terms are used every day, but they don't mean the same thing in the transportation World.

N

um So please, let us know if you need clarification on any term, so here's a few of them to start off with Comprehensive plan. You guys know what this is: It's bottles policy document that sets forth policies for the community's future development.

N

It's going to describe how Transportation priorities the draft that we come up with and you guys are going to look at and the council work will look like the public will look at how that fits in the transportation element, update process all the elements of the plan. The transportation element is just one of a lot of elements, they're all part of a whole, so the priorities may look and probably should feel kind of similar to overall plan policies. They kind of overlap, each other.

N

um Keeping that in mind, Fern peers charged the staff to kind of draft four to six Transportation priorities. uh It was not easy. We wound up with six, not four I. Remember when you guys were looking at the vision, and there was a lot of them and it's you know. uh We hope you also see that they should really reflect the overall comprehensive plan goals. They're, not anything separate, they're, all kind of part of a piece of a whole.

N

So these priorities will guide the transportation element, update and help us when we have to prioritize things. So that's what prioritization metrics are. These are based on their priorities there they will be. We have yet to develop in it's how the project team will evaluate project ideas and, as part of the transportation element, to determine how the city is going to prioritize them. They will ultimately be used to help evaluate individual projects and that's kind of the end exercise after we get through all this constrained project list. The keyword here to me is constrained.

N

I would also say it's not just a project list, but a program list, because the manner in which we approach this matters a lot. If you go way back in time. The way it was done is what kind of project can you build to accommodate Vehicles the way we're going to do it now is how can we get people out of vehicles, so we don't have to build projects?

N

What kind of programs can we put in place to minimize projects so we're going to go methodically through a process, but at the end of the day it is likely we still need projects, and then we will have to prioritize them.

N

Constrained project list means in the 20-year period, we'll have a limited amount of resources, and so you need to prioritize, and the constrained project list is essentially would be what we can accomplish across all different. The layers that we're talking about in that 20-year period performance measures in the late fall will be evaluating future year. Land use scenarios figuring out how to support them with the transportation system. We'll do this in a manner that helps us achieve our goals, such as looking at measures to reduce single occupancy vehicle trips.

N

First, like I, talked about, then we'll have a list of projects and programs that will, in theory, get us there and support the land use growth that we have to accommodate performance measures will evaluate how the city will monitor our priorities over time to ensure their full packet of projects and programs are accomplishing its goals.

N

So as an example, when we did the sub-area plan for Canyon Park, we put a transportation demand Management program in there with goals, and then we have to measure that to see and make sure we're meeting our goals. So that's the performance measures.

N

Okay, so let's go to the six Transportation priorities next slide, please! These are the six that we have. I can read them quickly. It's attachment one in your packet and in the packet. Each of these six have like sub topics that kind of describe how describe that topic a little bit better or that priority a little bit better.

N

So the first one is provide a safe, efficient, multimodal transportation system that moves people and goods. Second, one is ensure, bother, is a safe and desirable place to live, work, learn visit and play. Third, one is encourage growth in bother in an equitable manner.

N

Fourth, one is leverage the highest value from Trent bothell's transportation system, while minimizing environmental impacts. Fifth, one is invest in growth, that is smart, strategic and sustainable, and the sixth one is develop and support a resilient transportation system.

N

Can you put up the attachment one right so again, each of these the staff was able to come up with about three kind of a subsets, so to speak, to describe.

A

So, let's pause for a moment, discussion around Commissioners. Are you able to get that back up there.

A

We all have it in the packet if you've got that in front of you. Any commissioner comments on the priorities as uh presented.

A

Yes, commissioner, Jones.

M

Thank you so much for this work, um just a couple questions to try to understand the priorities a little bit better and how they fit fit in with the overall work plan. So there are six priorities: are they okay priority number one is more important than priority number two or and I asked specifically, because priority number two for priority number three: encourage growth in Boston, an equitable manner, I like how it reads: I think it captures a lot. It ties in, as you said, with some of the other work that the city is doing.

M

um It would be great to know that this range of Transportation options that are accessible and affordable would be considered when you're looking at the multimodal transportation system and the highest value from the system, and so how does that all work together?.

N

So right now there is no priority of the sex. There are six I think once we start going through our project prioritization, just by our sheer nature of prioritization, you may want to weight them or we may want to weight them as more important than others. So certainly that's a that's great discussion, I think in order to get where we need to be um first I. Think if we've captured everything or we haven't stated anything, that's you know we're not comfortable with I think that would be great and I think as we move along.

N

We will probably come back to you and say: okay now that we agree on these. What is more important than this or that and can we weight it or whatever I suspect it's going to be a somewhat iterative process, because, theoretically, what happens and we've done this with the bike plan? Is we come up with a prioritization process and we see how it falls out and everybody looks at it and goes I didn't think it would fall out like that, and why did it fall out like that?

N

And we explain and say: oh well, maybe this one needs you know so I suspect there'll be a little bit of that going on so I think that's a great question, but I think for now to get through this our first step, if we are generally in agreement that it describes the direction we want to do, if there's things to add or take out because we're concerned with it I think we should do that and I think we don't have time right now to probably discuss which one's more important than the other. At this point.

A

Other commissioners, commissioner, kurd hey.

H

Thanks I really love the the thought that went into all putting all these together, I think they're really comprehensive, which is funny because they're in the comprehensive plan and one of the things that I recall from a lot of deliberation and discussion on the Planning Commission when we were discussing Canyon Park, was talking about the impact of people living in proximity to arterials and how noise impacts are in addition to harmful air pollutants, and like so I was wondering, maybe before a possibly just adding in Some of That acoustic impacts, as other environmental impacts could be one way to kind of tie in those discussions that we had had before.

H

But I obviously don't know if you've been considering that elsewhere.

N

Would you want to limit it to acoustic or any impacts, all impacts, I think probably more General would be good. Yeah great.

A

N

Yep, oh that's great.

A

Other commissioners.

A

I've got two questions: uh one C says: strive for complete streets and complete streets is capitalized, which leads me to believe it's a defined term. um What what does that mean exactly.

N

We actually have a complete Street program. Okay, um I think: that's why it's capitalized um complete streets is essentially saying: don't use streets just for vehicles, use it for other things, walking biking Gathering, whatever other uses it can use for. It's actually a terminology. That's been formalized um and in this particular sense um it's been around for a while. It's had different names before it used to be context, sensitive, I, think now it's complete streets and I think complete streets.

N

In my opinion, that might be phased out a little bit, but there is still a formal program and there are still grants available to support complete streets. So it really just means that look at using streets for more than just one thing.

A

Well, well that that's excellent, because that gets to my second comment you know. Reading through we talk about Transit, we talk about electric vehicles, we talk about single occupancy vehicles and I'd like us. Perhaps in this item on complete streets. To specifically also say the plan includes walking and cycling, I mean those are elements of the com of the Trump Transportation plan. We've talked about them, but I think it's important to explicitly identify.

N

Them so you want to say, strive for complete streets, including walk-in and cycling, yeah, okay,.

A

Okay other comments: Mr Robson.

L

I really appreciate that um you guys took the time to put in racial Equity toolkit I think that that's um really important I also, particularly when we talk to transportation. We need to talk about um consider those people who are um disabled and might be using scooters, particularly what I'm thinking of is the ramps off of curbs that are, can be really really limit.

L

um You know a disabled person's access and Mobility. So if I love that you guys put the racial equity in there and I do see that it says accessible and affordable, but particularly because this is addressing mobility issues, I do think we want to pull out the idea that we want to accommodate our disabled residents or our residents with limited physical Mobility, um because that is so often overlooked when designing Transportation plans.

A

Okay, uh commissioner Anders.

J

When, when we talk about walking and and other modes of transportation- and you mentioned the complete streets, how is how is that different than what we have in 1B?

J

um If we include walking scooting that sort of thing under one C? How is that different than the walking rolling using micro mobility in 1B, and is that is 1B? Also not an equity element? Are we putting those in multiple places, or is that somehow different is one the the efforts we make in one separate from the equity efforts that we refer to later in the priorities.

N

I honestly think we could probably combine the two because, as I said, they're kind of saying the same thing.

N

So we we could combine them as well. I think one of the things that one of the staff pointed out is they would like the term complete streets in somewhere.

N

um It gives us I mean it's it's another way of saying what we want to do, but it also for purposes of opportunities for us is important.

N

So we could certainly rewrite this, such as talking about 1B and saying something like complete streets such as, and we can describe what it means that essentially, is 1B I think we could do that.

J

Okay, I I appreciate that I just wanted I just wanted to know if that was somehow different, so that I'm understanding, but thank you that makes sense. Yeah.

N

There's a lot of overlap. If you read some of these through there you'll see safety, a couple of different ways put in environments sometimes is done a couple times.

N

um They kind of overlap a little bit and it's going to be interesting because when we're doing transportation and where it's going to talk about resiliency, there's there's overlap with other sections. So it gets very.

N

You start to see that the comprehensive plan, the sections are not necessarily discrete they're, very much intertwined so but we'll give that a shot. I think we can try yeah.

A

Commissioner Jones, thank you.

M

um So so I just wanted us to to pay a little bit more attention to this section to number one, and this b and a when I look at B. It seems to have two fairly important things in the same sentence. It has coordinate with Transit agencies, but then it has built a connected Network. There folks have different responsibilities there. The city has different responsibilities.

M

Perhaps you do want to separate those out into a b and a C I'm.

N

Sorry, so if you.

M

Look at number one B, okay, which is one we were talking about, I'm a little worried about combining everything in 1B because it starts off by saying, coordinate with Transit agencies. That's a different activity than building your network within your own City. To me, there are two separate ideas: okay, so I would just ask for to just look at that a little bit more in terms of the things that everyone else is saying. uh Regarding walking rolling by you know all of those types.

N

Okay, no I think that's a great point. It depends how this was intended and we'll have to check it out, but right we can make sure it Transit separate from the connected Network and complete streets. I will also say, however, that you want connectivity to the transit so sometimes.

I

N

A description of almost the same thing, in other words you're, saying I, want people to be able to walk row and use micro Mobility to get to the transit thing. I also want a walking rolling, driving micro mobility and Transit Network. So there's a lot of redundancy, absolutely.

M

And that actually gets my other point, so one of the words that's repeated, which I love that it's repeated is connected in some form. You see connected throughout all of this, but I didn't quite understand how the connectivity aspect fit into the work plan that you described earlier on. So in the work plan, there's a specific section, for example, on resiliency there's a specific section on safety.

M

It seems as if connectivity is a pretty big element and I was just curious as how it fit into say the modeling the work plan, and it could be connectivity of the bike lane itself. Bike leans itself in terms of access throughout the city. It also could be connectivity between different modes of transportation right.

N

So connectivity is a big word. um What are you going to connect? I mean you could say I'm going to connect my house to everything, but you know so we do identify things that we need to connect in resiliency. We get a little bit more specific right, we're going to this, because there is very important places that need to be connected in case of a uh earthquake or something like that.

N

um Unfortunately, it doesn't mean each and every one of our houses, but it could be making sure that there's Mobility for certain things, so connectivity is important. I think it's a large part of just the general mobility of all modes of transportation, because if you're, a walker, you want a complete pedestrian facility. If they're gaps you can't get there and then that reflects either to whether you're either going to decide to walk or whether it's a safety issue, same thing can be said for bikes same thing can be said for um transit in a way.

N

If there are gaps in transit, then um people aren't going to take that thing. So connectivity is very important and to me it's one of those words that can be used very specifically, but also very generally, so you will see it throughout used in different ways as well.

M

Just a quick follow-up, sorry is: how are you planning to use it generally or.

N

M

N

M

Specifically for all modes of transportation,.

N

Yes, we are trying to get as complete a network in all different layers, such that we provide options for everyone.

A

Commissioner Andrews, do you have another comment or is your hand? S left.

J

No, my might be down if.

A

Not okay, thank you. Just didn't want to skip over you other Commissioners. Thank you.

A

Seeing none so did you get the feedback you were interested in on this item? Yes, I really appreciate it. Presuming we'll see it at least another time or two yep all right. Thank you. So moving.

N

On so next I think Carmen multimotor level of service.

O

um So I wanted to share multimodal level of service is a topic that we started uh coordinating with staff on quite early on for this project. It's been known for a while that the city's Focus for transportation standards have been Auto focused and there's been a desire to be more multimodal and think about how we can provide more Mobility options in the city. So how can we improve the environment for people walking, biking and writing Transit?

O

It's also a trend that many other cities in the region have been moving towards in terms of Transportation level service. It's the promise of how a transportation system will perform so moving on to the next slide, as I mentioned today, the city primarily measures Auto operations across the city at the corridor level, and we have found uh in certain areas of the city intersections have been built out or it is not financially feasible to widen an intersection to improve vehicle operations.

O

To address that the city is looking at instead of widening intersections. How can we make it better for people to use other modes? How can we make it better for people to cross the street to bike across the street or along a corridor or to access Transit slide?

O

The city's current policy recommends measuring standards for pedestrians, bicyclists and transits, but there is no clear standard in place at this moment, and so that's something that they're looking to change in this update process.

O

And for each mode we can share that there are a variety of options to consider, and there are many other cities in the region who have standards that the staff are considering. So as we get closer to identifying what the city is leaning towards, we will be updating plan. A commission and city council.

O

I do want to mention um related to Transportation level. Service is concurrency, so that's making sure that the promise of our transportation system and the operation standards we want to keep are kept side following the growth management act. It requires cities to provide facilities to maintain the stated level of service goals, as development within the city occurs, as I mentioned before. Traditionally, it's been much more auto focus, but we're looking at more multimodal system for the city as part of this we're looking at shifting towards a system completion model.

O

um This is something that's being implemented in Olympia, it's getting implemented in um Redmond, Kenmore and Bellevue, and the idea is that, with a multimodal level of service policy, you've identified a project list that improves the environment for people, walking, biking and riding Transit. So you have a more diverse project list and the system completion model means that the city is tracking the um this project list and, as it's being built over time, it's staying and keeping Pace with the amount of growth in the city over time next slide.

O

The last item related to multimodal level service is transportation impact fees. So this is a method of paying for infrastructure needed to accommodate growth and to meet concurrency standards.

O

It's a one-time charge paid by new development in the city, and these funds can be used to uh add capacity to the transportation Network and so with more multimodal project lists. You're able to use those funds to add capacity to the system for a new sidewalk for bicycle facilities, improving Transit stops, say we will note that Transportation impact fees cannot be used to fund existing deficiencies, so it's only for capital projects. That's going to provide capacity for new growth.

O

I wanted to show here on this slide. On the right hand, side we've got the city's current Transportation impact fee project list. I know it's too small, but I can just share that the majority of those projects are primarily Auto focused and we're. Looking with the shift to multimodal service identifying a more diverse mix of projects that are not just focused on improving vehicle operations and being able to use Transportation impact fees to help fund portions of that project list.

O

um I think I've kind of summarized this, so we can go ahead to the next slide. All.

A

Right, let's pause before moving to safety, uh Commissioners comments on the multi-modal level of service approach.

A

Any feedback for staff.

A

Commissioner Augusta, yes.

B

Sarah Gustafson here I'm really excited about the different information sources that you're drawing on to put together the model and I think we're all super curious on how it works. When you see person trips, are you tracking the beginning and end point of a trip and kind of overlaying them to see where the intensities are.

O

um Yes, so I can share uh for the city's current Transportation impact fee program. It's focused on vehicle trips.

B

O

What we're using our model is to figure out the beginning and end point of a trip and for new development when it comes to impact fees depending on the size.

J

O

Type of development and the number of trips it.

L

Will generate okay.

O

That corresponds to.

F

O

Impact fee that they would be contributing to the transportation Network.

B

A

Commissioner, Jones.

M

I understand how impact fees work in terms of new development. But how are you? How is the city thinking about funding improvements that are needed in existing areas where there is a new development, because I'm I'm thinking your modeling is going to show some areas where we do need some changes, particularly given what the past has been in terms of priorities and what the future is going to be.

O

um I just want to clarify your question is about Transportation Improvement projects that are not adjacent to new development. Correct, okay, so um Transportation impact fees do not have to fund projects that are right next to new developments. It is being used to it's a pot of money. It can be set spent on any other projects that have been identified in your impact fee study.

A

But if I may interpret or recast the question, you did state that the impact fees can only be used for impacts associated with the new development and I believe you will see that there are some shortcomings in the current system. So how do we plan to address those and what, if the funding sources we're looking at.

N

O

Don't you start.

N

As long as the project increases capacity and the project is not there, that's what we can use it on as an example. Well, let me use this example. Our current adopted comprehensive plan has a number of projects in them that are needed to be completed in the time period of that 2015. So by 2035, we're supposed to be complete with all those projects in order to support the growth that we assume would occur by 2035..

N

Well, we're not at 2035 yet so we haven't completed all the projects, we've completed quite a number of them, but there's still more projects that we would have to do whether they're a vehicle system we're now going to start tracking, Peds and Transit and bikes to help us as well. But let's just focus on as an example both away we're widening both away, which will be multimodal we're not going to be done. So this will be one project, that's still likely in our comprehensive plan, especially since we're in the middle of doing it.

N

We don't want to just drop it in the middle. It adds capacity in the old plan. It add vehicle capacity in this plan. It would add vehicle, bikes and pet capacity, so it would be equivalent to a number of trips so to speak so development that is not on that roadway still would pay for that. As long as it's on our transportation impact fee list, correct me if I got something wrong. I.

O

Yes, I think you summarize that pretty well um I think one of the key things about the impact fee or projects is that they do have to be capital projects. That's just one thing to keep in mind.

N

So one thing to be: yes, so that's one thing so as an example Carmen's going to talk about safety and we're going to come up with a number of safety projects, you can't use Transportation impact fee for a Safety project, so we will have to find other funds for safety projects which we have done throughout bottles existence. So, but we will identify projects and have to find a funding source for those.

A

And in fact, we have used Bond funding for the Safe Streets or at schools. Correct, yes,.

A

Other commissioners, seeing none onto safety.

O

um Specification element update, we will be supporting the city and updating their current safety plan.

O

um We are looking at an expanded crash history evaluation, so we're looking at both 2016 all the way through to 2022., and that is so that we can understand uh travel patterns that have changed before covet and during covid and the evaluation.

O

Sorry excuse me. um One thing to keep in mind is we'll also be looking at the safe system approach. So the idea is that we are looking at potential uh predicting based on current crash history, analysis.

O

What the high risk factors are for crashes and predicting where in the city may they occur in the future, and with that, what types of countermeasure projects could we suggest to mitigate mitigate that in terms of the safe system approach, which is the figure on the right um I just wanted to share? It's recommended from the U.S Federal Highway Administration?

O

It's an approach to safety, planning, design implementation as a strategy for advancing the goal of Zero fatalities and serious injuries. It's founded on the principle that people make mistakes and that the road system should be adapted to anticipate and accommodate human mistakes. In our physiological and psychological limitations, it emphasizes separation of Road users and space and time and the creation of redundancy in the system so kind of the five key elements of the transportation. Safe transportation system is the safe road users safe Vehicles, safe speeds, safe roadway design and improved post-crash care.

O

So with that I'm open to any questions that you may have.

A

Comments on the scope of the safety approach, commissioner, kurd.

H

Thank you, um I, really, like that graphic. um It's pretty explanatory, but I'm wondering there's some interpretation that goes into what is uh like a safe vehicle and what is a safe speed. So if safe vehicles, for example, we've seen a lot of like the Indus, the automotive industry shifts towards SUVs as safer Vehicles they're marketed towards like families and say you know, your family will be safe in this large vehicle, but it's not safe for Road users.

H

Other Road users, outside of the car, safe roads historically, have been super wide super flat and super straightforward, and we know that that's maybe safe for or safe for cars to move through, but not um not necessarily safe for people interacting with the the road area and so I'm just wondering how do how does interpretation fall into these uh kind of safety designations and planning? What sort of principles do you found a safety plan on.

O

um I think one thing that I wanted to share when you mentioned about safe roads and Designs about roadways to be super straight super wide allow for a higher speeds.

O

um One part of our process is taking a look at where crashes have occurred across the city and looking at the context of where those crashes have occurred. So has there been limited Street lighting? Has there been um some sort of roadside.

O

Roadside obstruction things like that, and so once those High those contexts, contextual factors have been identified. Where there's been high crash rates of serious and fatal collisions we'll be looking across the city to see. Where else do those contextual characters exist and I? Think that's where, like the safe designs, is kind of coming into play in terms of looking at what type of um counter countermeasures could we be considering in these locations that potentially could be the locations of future serious and fatal collisions that.

H

Makes a lot of sense and I I'm thinking back to the start of the presentation, when you showed that interactive map, where people can place things I'm thinking when we were discussing the bike plan we had the same. Maybe I was up on my soapbox about Crash data and how few people report close or near misses because of you know, process they're not going to submit a formal.

H

You know document that says: I was nearly hit here or whatever they just complain about it um to their friends and so I I think that the context that you were mentioning wraps in really nicely with having a space for people to tell their story as well. So that's cool thanks.

N

A

N

A

Commissioner, Andrews to set her hand up.

J

Thank you. um When you mentioned safe roads, you talked about design. Is there an element of ongoing maintenance in that, or does that fall under some other uh priority or component of the plan.

O

Can you clarify what you mean by ongoing maintenance.

J

So if we hopefully, if we design a safe street, it's safe things change over time. There are crashes, there are collisions, things will wear down um the little turtles, I, don't know what we call them in the roadways or striping May fade or or whatever. So what may have been designed as a safe road may just from where or time become less safe? Is there a component of of that sort of Maintenance to make sure that what we designed to be safe remains safe.

O

uh That could certainly be an element that we take into consideration just with these safety counter measures we're proposing long term. What type of um responsibilities are they going to be to maintain that, and we can high up that in the plan as part of an expense for that project.

N

And one of the other things that it wraps into is sustainability and it's not environmental sustainability, it's Financial sustainability. So one of the reasons we don't want to we're trying to reduce the amount of capital projects. We do it's because it's not just a one-time cost, it's keeping it up forever. So, although it may not be inherently maintenance in the safety section of our write-up, maintenance is certainly one of the aspects we have to address overall in our system and make sure we can maintain whatever we build and have.

J

P

Yeah I would like to add a couple of things in here in regards to maintenance in our existing local Road Safety plan. There are some projects that call for maintenance like what we call them as raised pavement, markings and Edge lines, striping and things of this nature, so that is a project that is being actually in consideration in in our projects. So definitely, yes, maintenance is a direct effect to safety. Once you know, it's assumed that we are going to maintain and sustain whatever we design, and that is a critical element for it.

P

I also would like to address your comment about safe vehicles. uh You know this is an interesting subject in here we are Traffic Engineers with Transportation Engineers planners, so with more Towers roads, we don't really have a whole lot towards the actual design of vehicles, vehicle manufacturers and all of that, but there is a little bit of a coordination in between. So when, when we're talking about safe Vehicles, you know, as you have seen in the and the recent years where they started implementing you know back in the old days.

P

You know, seat belts is, is a safety measure that you have to have nowadays, you, you know, have inline, you know your vehicle will beep to you to say: hey you're you're exceeding your lane, launching which is a safety uh uh deal, uh or you know, adaptive cruise control. Things are like this. They are like, maybe not more like 95 plus of the collisions that are happening are because of human errors and there's a lot of talks about you, know adaptive and autonomous vehicles and getting rid of the source of the problem in many cases.

P

So this is part of the issue. We can't control everything, but as Traffic Engineers once bottle becomes more of a technology leader and like some other agencies, are we maybe you know starting to think about. You know this could be a project you know in the future, for us is to basically start having our system roadway system ready for the next autonomous vehicle that will eventually just show up onto our streets in here and how is that going to communicate between our system and the vehicle?

P

So this is something that we're talking about safe vehicles in thank.

D

You, commissioner, Robson thank.

L

You I just wanted to encourage you guys, maybe to change the priorities write-up, that you did to reflect some of the confusion that commissioner Anders and I had regarding the word sustainability. It it threw me it's a couple of read-throughs to be like.

L

Oh, they mean maintaining the road, because sustainability is such a buzzword that when I first read that sustainability was a priority, I was like, isn't that just a repetition of the Environmental, Protections um and I think that I'm in number five, um so I might just suggest that you guys look into maybe changing the verbiage there instead of sustainable um I'm. Not even you know, trying to draft this in real time is tricky, but you guys may want to just reflect on that a little bit and clarify the difference, but since sustainable is a buzzword.

L

N

That's a great Point. Thank you. Financial I would like also to commissioner kurd designing safety. I think is also an intent in how you approach and my example is the multiway boulevard.

N

When we did the access Lanes, we actually went to California and looked at one that was on the ground, and we saw a couple different examples, one of the examples that asphalt and it was fairly wide because they wanted to make sure the cars could park and get through, and then there was another one that was still asphalt, but a little tighter and closer, and so what we finally came up with is one that has a different texture on it.

N

It's very tight to the point where we're getting complaints with people with SUVs um and when they call up they I kind of described to them. That's what we're looking for. We want it to be a pedestrian realm. We want it to be safe and I've actually seen people walking up backwards so that cars would approach behind them and they feel perfectly comfortable, because cars are really moving slow, that is kind of their approach, I think their approach and how we go through. This is very important and I think that's as a staff.

N

What we're trying to do here is there? Isn't any one thing? It's an approach on how you look at their street and that's another terminology for complete streets is when you design you're, not looking at just vehicle you're, not looking at just the bike or just at the PED. When you design it, you look at the hole because they all interact and that's I, think their approach. We're trying to take with this and it may come in pieces because, like speed, is a whole different animal.

N

That I think it's one of the council priorities for us to look at the local Road speed limits which we will do. We may not have time to do it during the comp plan, but it will be probably in the policy for us to review or something like that.

N

So I hope that the priorities that we wrote kind of show that the intent is to go through a process through the certain lens and to me, that's probably one of the more important things that we need to do.

A

Other commissioner comments: Mr westerbet.

I

Commissioner, westerbeck uh Steve you hit on something I really wanted to get to because uh read a lot about this and traffic on in this information. But it sounds like we're we're finally kind of understanding that the most effective thing we can do is instead of giving people the um the traditional 60s idea of forgiving roads.

I

We're understanding like the European and other cultures idea to uh put in Street furniture and narrow, like the multimodal lanes and so forth, sounds like that's an approach, we're starting to sort of embrace as a city as you've explained, because it seems, like that's, been a difficult one for the traffic engineering profession to to embrace that we're starting to understand that. But maybe the only way to slow people down is have have it be uncomfortable to speed. Instead of putting up a sign that they ignore.

I

It sounds like that's Incorporated in this a little bit. It's.

N

Very counter-intuitive to the traditional traffic engineering, yeah, um multi-way, boulevards kind of opened my eyes yeah, they tend to work and they tend to not have more accidents, even though they have more conflict points. Yeah and the more conflict points actually create an uncomfortable situation for drivers, which slows them down right. It's very counter-intuitive, yeah.

I

We're seeing that that that all thinking change it seems like quite a bit now and even even to the point of striping less like the guy who pioneered that in the 70s in the Netherlands and so forth and they're starting to embrace that, like you, don't see the line, so you slow down a little bit. So the.

N

Danger is we usually designed this way, go all the way. This way right, it's not either or plus.

I

It would take decades to shift everything over I, get that too, and.

N

It's driver education, it's predictability, yeah, um you can't have one type of Road and all of a sudden different type of Roads. So right it's going to be it's going to take thought yeah and if, if we don't see it in one area, there's probably a reason for it.

I

Yeah, um so each one's a capital project, it's like the bike plan. We have to expect it to take quite a while and move towards a goal, but it sounds like you've Incorporated that in here, which I think is what I'm I'm happy to hear that you're thinking that way, I love, it.

N

Yes and I think that that's their approach again, that's their approach for the comp plan. That I think will result Us in where we want to be I, understand and.

I

I know it's kind.

N

Of a process not so much the design manual, it's more the process we go through and how we think about it as we go through I think. If.

I

That makes sense yeah absolutely yeah process is huge, I understand. Thank you.

A

Other comments, I there's one other element to safety and I- know it's controversial, and but it's enforcement um and the example I give is stop lights. I I, look live not too far from 228 to 527 used to be you'd, see one person run a stoplight now I sit there and count, and it's routine to see. Four people go through red light and I I think enforcement has to somewhere come into play and I know it brings its own whole nest of problems uh right on Red's another one.

A

It's right on red after stopping and walk across both away here sometime when there's a big truck and somebody whips around that corner people don't stop before right on red. So there are some enforcement challenges that I think we need to look to incorporate to have a safer system.

A

Other comments so get get some feedback there on safety, all right, resiliency.

P

All right since it's my first Planning Commission meeting here, I'll introduce myself formally again so good evening. My name is, and I'm a transportation supervisor and I have been with the city for four months now. Can you believe it it stands running by? It is my honor to serve on the battle comprehensive Plan update in here you're going to be hearing a lot about the term resiliency.

P

Quite often in the next one and a half years has several comprehensive plan. Elements will be updated with the resiliency lens today's discussion, it will focus on the transportation system resiliency.

P

So, let's get started with a couple of definitions.

P

What does resiliency mean it's the ability to quickly recover from continuous or Southern forces a resilient object is strong, flexible and will bounce back to its original condition.

P

A spring is a great example of a resilient device that deals with different forces in different directions. It can be incorporated into the design of a high-rise building Foundation to make it earthquake and wind resistant.

P

Now, let's look talk about transportation system resiliency: what's does that mean to us? It is the ability of the transportation system to prepare for withstand and recover from disruptions caused by either natural or man-made hazards.

P

Hazards can range between original natural disasters, stream, weather events or even a collision that temporarily blocks a local Road.

P

So someone might ask: why are we incorporating resiliency in this comprehensive Plan update? Well, it's basically to save lives and property.

P

Resiliency reduces disruptions and allows the community to continue to function even in the event of a major catastrophe.

P

There are two driving forces that require us to incorporate resiliency the first one is related to weather and the other one is related to our transportation infrastructure.

P

Someone might add that collisions which are man-made hazards can be the third driving force for resiliency, because they can block the system and requires resiliency.

P

Let's talk about the weather, there is a demand to deal with the impacts resulting from extreme weather events such as snow and ice and I'll. Let you read the words behind each one of those rain: earthquakes, wind and Heat.

P

Unfortunately, our transportation system has vulnerable points to the hazards that we just mentioned. Therefore, we want to assure that it meets the demands of these hazards and it has the current safety standards.

P

We won't be able to upgrade the entire system all at once. However, we will focus on vulnerable points along our emergency response routes.

P

Eventually, we will end up with a resilient transportation system that provides for a safe, Equitable, redundant and efficient movement of people, emergency vehicles and resources. So how do we get there? So what's the process that gets us there? We really we have already looked at a literature review.

P

We continue to coordinate with internal Emergency, Management and external advisory focus groups that we have already formed.

P

We will plug into the public engagement process that Carmen has mentioned before will continue, will identify any a new vulnerabilities that we have not been discussed before and finally, we will identify projects set priorities and, at the end of the day, hopefully we will be able to provide a prioritized project list and that concludes it for resiliency I'll be open for any of the questions that you may have.

A

Commissioners questions comments.

H

Commissioner, Curry thanks um I'm thinking about how you know Transit we take current levels of Transit kind of for granted and that you know bus routes can come and go based on Regional decision makers and Regional funding levels and so forth. How does resiliency um within Bothell um uh for Transit like what what decisions do we have at the city level for resilient Transit.

P

So when it comes to resiliency in terms of like major events that are happening, I'm just going to connect it with Transit, that's what I was thinking about. Maybe we can clarify that a little bit more, but um in case of akatos review that is happening or a need for evacuation. You know, wildfires are coming to bottle. Everybody needs to leave. We can't just drop. All of us drag our vehicles.

P

We could utilize Transit at certain locations to take people out of town so that we are not gridlocking the system and we're getting people out of town quickly. We can use for, for example, North Shore school district, and that is actually a strategy that is already in our uh Hazard mitigation plan, Annex that was developed back in 2019 in in terms of resiliency to Transit I'm. Not so sure I answered your question, or is there a different aspect of it?.

H

No, it makes it makes sense that we would depend on high capacity systems to move lots of people, but my uh question is maybe leading on a little bit. um A man-made disaster could be uh that Transit funding is cut. What happens here in Bothell? What decisions can we make now to make ourselves resilient to decisions that are made outside of our control, specifically in terms of Transit, but may be wider than that.

P

Yeah there is a layer that we are as part of our multimodal. You know there is a liar to a layer to talk about Transit, you know, and how are we going to have a good, reliable system uh if that fails now? What are our other options? I think is your question I'm not so sure how to answer that I.

N

Think that's where resiliency the definition can be quite Broad. So your ass, your your terminology for resiliency for Transit, uh the transit transportation system, is a little more focused in terms of keeping Transit and keeping services available to us. That's one of our layers, and that would be one of our probably guidelines.

N

The tricky part with Transit is we don't fund Transit like you know, and we are kind of at the mercy of the three Transit agencies, um but it is really much a partnership. They need reliable, predictable service, and so, if we don't keep up our, unfortunately our vehicular system, which they use the transit and it's not reliable, then they will struggle and they won't get ridership and because they don't get ridership, it's not a sustainable route financially. So those are some of the things from uh um priority point of view in our level of service.

N

When we talk about Transit that we have to talk about, it might wind up being things like advocacy, making sure like I, think Bellevue has identified certain um travel time from point A to point B. So Transit has predictability.

N

um Those are the things access to Transit routes. Even line use, if we do land use correctly and we're above a threshold that supports Transit. If it's not dense enough, they have a hard time that there's just you know the buses.

N

This small is the smallest they can get and if it's a quarter full because there's just no density there, they can't sustain that route. So things like that will help us keep Transit, but in a situation like covid I'm, not sure what we're going to do either I think that's a longer discussion that perhaps we would have to talk about no.

H

You've answered my question. Thank you. Yeah.

A

Commissioner, Jones.

M

I would just offer the thought that it's um it's actually really exciting, to see the city of Bothell head towards a more multi-modal system, because I think that itself provides some resiliency depends, especially if connectivity going back to that word. That I love um is there for throughout the network, and so I do think that if we could optimize this approach, it actually provides a sense of resiliency for the city. So that's really exciting.

M

um Regarding resiliency is there do? Are we aware of funding opportunities grants, those types of things to support, resiliency and I'm thinking, particularly in terms of we've seen the state provide some funding for, say, wildfires and some Community responses and things like that: I don't know if it it plays into the transportation networks, for example it's when we think about wildfires when we think about earthquake potential. Our is a state funding. Some of these improvements.

N

I think yes, there's been funding and bridges are typically uh vulnerability and we've actually seismically retrofitted three of ours via federal grants.

N

um There I think there are some flood grants out there um they're kind of disguised, this storm water, surface water kind of Grants, but they're they're things we can grab there as well, um so I think with um I think with the federal government's recognition of the climate and what it's doing there are more opportunities available than there were before, but there have been some opportunities traditionally and we have tried to take advantage of them.

A

Other commissioners.

A

So is it safe to assume that your approach does look at uh high priority facilities? You know fire stations, medical facilities, I, look at Riverside Drive with all the senior housing that clearly has need for emergency access and prioritize those for maintaining access through events.

P

Yeah definitely 100. We do have a couple of plans in existence. You know one of them is the um as I indicated the hazard mitigation plan.

P

That is called the annex, which is taken from the King County, where there is over 60 Partners gather together and, and they did their own plan for King, County and bother was a responsible and it was a public process to get all of that done. In that plan you can see some graphics and Maps. You know population schools, emergency response facilities like police and fire things of this nature. Definitely you know, and so one of our work that will be done is to assure number one.

P

You know that, with the changes in land use, for example, that could be happening in bottle, and here you know we're putting more population in certain areas. For example, I want to make sure that the emergency responses will account for that. So that is an equity lens within Transit within resiliency we're going to look at community centers we're going to look at you know, you know again.

P

Resiliency is a really big terms in here, and this is Falls more into the other parts other than uh Transportation, but because I there is nothing for me to do an extreme heat and weather conditions. You're going to be hearing that from another consultant will be talking about climate and things like that in the next few weeks in here.

P

But, possibly you know community centers, you know in extreme heat conditions that they could open their doors, for example, for people to come in and get the cooling centers or air purification in case of wildfires and smoke, and all of that this is something that has been talked about and it will be discussed. So, as I said, you know, you're going to be hearing the term resiliency throughout for the next one and a half years. You know so.

A

Great. Thank you any other comments, commissioner. Thank.

B

You Sarah Gustafson here. um My question is: to what extent does the safety plan overlap with the bike plan, for example, in drawing data from the bike plan? The bike plan has several years worth of data of people pointing out which intersections are unsafe and I'm wondering if we can somehow feed that into the wonderful dropped pin feature of the safety plan.

O

uh We can certainly see so we wouldn't be redoing what was done in the bike plan and that public engagement process, because I know that was an extensive process that the city had went through with the community.

O

um We will be building. On top of that to see you know what kind of new comments are we Gathering from the public in this case um and we can sort of see how it overlaps with feedback from the bike plan and in terms of a potential projects identified, making sure that we're not repeating things does that make sense.

B

I think so it's a bit that it's a little it sounds like. It would be too hard to draw the data directly and feed it into the system, but instead you would compare the output more. You would compare the projects and see where the overlap is and where there might be something that is a priority for both.

O

A

Okay, so that gives you something to work on. Okay, anything else on this item study session.

N

um I can wrap up sorry next immediate steps or we're going to go and talk to the Council on June 27th pretty much the same thing, but we probably were all talk to them about the feedback you gave us as well. um It won't be in their agenda bill. It's too early, we'll get it in our discussion and then we'll probably be coming back to you on July 5th, and the discussion primarily would be um I. Think starting the discussion on how we're going to prioritize overall again process how we're going to do things.

N

uh We probably might come back a little bit and talk to you about my multimodal level or service mmlos. If you guys remember that terminology would be easier, um staff is moving along we're not quite there, but I. Think by that time we should be able to come and tell you where we're leaning for everything and you guys can kind of see the direction. We're kind of moving in and I appreciate your input. It really helps so. Thank you.

A

All right, thank you, I see the screen froze again and we have an odd message about the mic working, so I hope our technology is okay, but uh thank you for that presentation. It's very interesting, uh I think you really engaged us. We look forward to hearing from you some more on this, so uh thank you so moving along. Our next item is reports from staff.

C

Sorry now, I'm realizing sitting over here, is really awkward for reports from staff, so first off um we're not sure why the screen is frozen, but um apparently there's there's not anything we can do about it. So we'll just see when it kicks back in I'll. Keep the report really quick tonight.

C

um So there is a study session on middle housing, scheduled at City Council on June 13th. Last night there was a public hearing or two public hearings at city council, one on the transfer of development rights program and one on outdoor dining city council make final action on June 13th as well.

C

um We are continuing to work on the engagement plan for uh or the working on, engagement for the comprehensive plan this summer so we'll be attending some of the Bothell summer nights events sustain a Mania and then we're also working on our portal. um I. Think, uh commissioner Jones asked us something along the lines of what makes Bothell unique and so we're going to use that theme to kind of talk to the community about what they think is so special about Bothell and making sure that we capture that in our plan.

C

So we're really excited about that. We're also bringing on an intern from the University of Washington Bothell. So we're really excited to have someone joining us from our local University and then also keep an eye on your mail. There's an article on the comprehensive plan going out on a mailer to all Bothell residents, so lots of things going on probably lots of things I'm, also forgetting, but um those are the big things that are coming up and um if you have any questions, please please ask.

A

So there was some discussion about future meetings. Are we seeing the course on our planned schedule at this point.

C

Yes, more people were available on on July 5th than we thought so we're going to keep that date. Instead of pushing it back since um I think there were actually more people available on July 5th than July 12th.

A

All right good, thank you.

A

Reports for members anyone have comments, you'd like to share.

A

Mr Jones I.

M

Just want to say that there was a fantastic block party on Saturday. Anyone was able to attend.

A

Thank you um I'll just say: I spent uh I, don't know about 12 days. Traveling in Sicily and The Pedestrian streets are the Highlight. You know the restaurants, the activity, the the just spilling out onto the streets, the interactions, it's certainly something to strive for so I'm glad that we've taken a small step in that direction and uh again it's it's exciting to see any other comments from members.

A

Seeing none anything to report to council I, don't think we have anything new.

A

Now, with that uh there being no further business, is there a motion to adjourn.

H

This is, commissioner, kurd so moved.

A

A

B

Gustapson a second.

A

All in favor aye aye all right. It is unanimous. We are adjourned at 7 46 and our next meeting will be June 21st. So thank you all yeah.