City Manager’s Weekly Report
for week ending Feb. 14, 2020

Planning Commission 2020 Docket. The Planning Commission approved the seven docket items provided for the 2020 Docket. The items to be added and brought to Council will include the following: 1) Amendment to the Vision Statement; 2) Addition of the Economic Development Element; 3)  Update to the Future Land Use Map (south); 4) Update to the Future Land Use Map (north); and 5-7) Text updates to reference recent policy amendments to the Land Use Element, Environmental Element, and Capital Facilities Element.

The proposed timeline for further Planning Commission discussion and provision of a recommendation to the City Council is projected to take place from today through May of 2020.  The Council should address this docket at the first regular Council Meeting in June, including all advisory recommendations from the Planning Commission.

Final StART Meeting Notes – StART Representatives Meeting with the Port of Seattle.

Date: January 29, 2020

Time: 3:00-5:00 pm

Location: Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport

Attendees: Brian J. Wilson, City Manager. Burien; Michael Matthias, City Manager, Des Moines; Bill Vadino, Policy Advisor, Federal Way;  Mark Hoppen, City Manager, Normandy Park; Carl Cole, City Manager, SeaTac; Brandon Miles, Mayor’s Office, Tukwila; Lance Lyttle, Aviation Managing Director,  Port of Seattle; Marco Milanese, Manager, Port of Seattle; Nate Caminos, Director, Port of Seattle

The following list of issues/concerns were addressed with the Port of Seattle regarding StART on January 29, 2020. This list was a product of a Joint Aviation Meeting that occurred on November 19, 2019, between the cities of Burien, Des Moines, and citizen representatives from Federal Way.  That meeting was hosted by the City of Des Moines.  A platform list was discussed and developed.  The following are responses to the 13 identified issues/concerns from the Port of Seattle:  Initial opening comments by Managing Director Lance Lyttle focused on the progress made by StART since its inception.  He advised that the purpose of StART is for the South County agencies, the Port of Seattle, FAA, and the airlines to work together with the ultimate goal to reduce noise, health impacts, and other impacts on neighboring communities. All meeting participants agreed to forego opening remarks and begin addressing the 13 issues/concerns.  All meeting participants had copies of the 13 items and the annotated version as well.  City Manager Wilson raised the following questions on behalf of the StART cities:

  1. Suspend design work until SAMP environmental reviews are completed.

Managing Director Lyttle advised he did not think this was possible due to the amount of design work that has already occurred since the July SAMP Near Term Project vote, because that work will directly inform the SAMP environmental review and it is all being done “at risk.”  There were five (5) projects identified where the Port is conducting up to 30% design.  These projects are:

    • Westside Maintenance Campus: The Port’s current Maintenance Facility was constructed in 1969 as a mail sortation facility. It is undersized for its current function, is in a state of disrepair, and is proposed to be relocated to clear the site for potential future hardstand construction identified in the SAMP Near-Term Projects. The capital project planning process will include preliminary design development of the proposed platform and facilities proposed for that platform.
    • Permanent Westside Airport Rescue & Firefighting Facility (ARFF): The current ARFF was constructed in 1979. It is undersized for its current function, is in a state of disrepair, and is proposed to be relocated to clear the site for potential future gate construction identified in the SAMP Near-Term Projects. The permanent west-side location is planned to be preliminarily developed as the new primary station.
    • Roadway Improvements: The southbound lanes of the North Airport Expressway are proposed to be relocated to continue the congestion relief initiated with the Widen Arrivals Approach project and to clear the site for potential airfield expansion and gate construction identified in the SAMP Near-Term Projects.
    • Taxiway A/B Extension: Extension of dual taxiways at the south end of the airfield will increase operational efficiency and reduce aircraft delay. The extension requires relocation of the Runway 34R glideslope antenna which would enable an adjustment of the slope angle to increase aircraft elevation on approach.
    • Main Terminal North GT Lot: The proposed multistory building could include functions such as airline/airport support space that could be relocated from the existing terminal to free up space for more critical passenger processing functions. A more detailed understanding of the building footprint and sublevels is also required to inform design of the adjacent Widen Arrivals Approach project which will require utility relocations through and adjacent to the site.
  1. Outstanding requests for cities the Port has never responded to. 

City Manager Wilson requested additional time to identify the specific questions that the Port has not responded to.  The Burien Airport Committee is working on a specific list that needs more work and clarification.  It will be presented at a later date.  Managing Director Lyttle expressed his desire to respond to any questions presented.

  1. Request for Elected participation:
    1. Potential merge with the Highline Forum

Managing Director Lyttle stated that StART was a working group focused on Sea-Tac Airport issues and was not designed to have elected officials.  The Highline Forum has a focus greater than Sea-Tac Airport issues and was designed to include elected officials.

Managing Director Lyttle expressed his willingness to formalize the process for recommendations from StART to be made to the Highline Forum.  Any recommendations from StART would need to be presented and approved at the Highline Forum.  Managing Director Lyttle and South King County cities representatives were not in favor of creating additional subgroups of the Highline Forum to address airport related issues.

  1. New facilitator (group owns the facilitator)

Agreed to by Managing Director Lyttle with consensus by StART representatives and with clearly defined expectations for the new facilitator.

  1. Audio/Visual recording of meetings (find a way).

Managing Director Lyttle (and City representatives) were not in favor (consensus) of recording the StART working group meetings.  With the recommended enhancement of the reporting relationship between StART and the Highline Forum, the effectiveness of the StART working groups would be maintained.  Managing Director Lyttle agreed to improve upon the time taken to publish “less dense” minutes focusing on action items.  Minutes would need to be approved by StART members prior to publication/release.

  1. Co-Equal agenda settings
    1. Identification of speakers.

Agreed to by Managing Director Lyttle through the creation of a StART Steering Committee.

  1. Advance meeting materials.

Agreed to by Director Lyttle to the extent possible depending on presenters.

  1. Outbound messaging/PR by consensus only (consensus by Elected’s)

Agreed to by Managing Director Lyttle, through a StART Steering Committee.  Each agency is responsible to notify their respective organizations of recommendations originating out of StART and any decisions reached at the Highline Forum.

  1. Restructuring with Elected’s

Refer to recommendations included in #3 above.

  1. Diverse perspective of priority (experts from both sides).

Refer to response addressed in #6 above.

  1. Intent of StART to address growth and growth of operations.

Managing Director Lyttle stated that the SAMP environmental review process, which is already in motion, will provide airport cities and interested members of the public with multiple opportunities to provide comment and input.  The SAMP environmental review process needs to occur independent of any outside influences from the airport, airlines and from other stakeholders including StART.

  1. StART is not a vehicle to evidence engagement.

Director Lyttle agreed and stated StART was never designed to satisfy the requirements of SAMP engagement.  The recommended agenda setting process (reference #6 above) developed by StART participants would address this concern.

  1. Concern over active participation of all stakeholders (be specific).

Director Lyttle stated StART representation and participation is determined by member cities.

Director Lyttle summarized the meeting with the following Port recommendations:

    • Establishing a Steering Committee within StART
    • Strengthen the behavior expectations for all StART members
    • Cities take ownership of their community representatives

Agreement by City representatives and the Port on the above referenced responses and support for StART to continue.

Next Steps:

    • City Manager Wilson to summarize the draft meeting notes and share with meeting participants.  Input to be received prior to finalizing the results of the meeting.  This has been accomplished with the publication of the Final Meeting Notes.
    • City Manager Wilson to work through the Burien Airport Committee to address the outstanding questions reference #2 above.  Next Burien Airport Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 7:00 pm.
    • The cities of Burien, Des Moines, and Federal Way to consider Port of Seattle responses to the issues/concerns addressed above and determine if they will return to StART.

Mark E. Hoppen, City Manager
City of Normandy Park
801 SW 174th Street
Normandy Park, WA 98166
(206) 248-8246 (Direct Phone)