Shoreline City Council Roundup: April 2

The Shoreline City Council met Monday night with all seven members present.

The Shoreline Youth Ambassadors talked about their support for Shoreline’s Eats4Health month and accepted a proclamation from City Councilmember Shari Winstead.

The students also revealed the results from a survey of more than 300  Shoreline teens and discussed the results with the Council. The survey revealed that teens felt there were a lot of city programs for young children and families but not as much for teens.

Representatives of Sound Transit and the Council discussed Light Rail options for the North Corridor. Sound Transit held community meetings in north end cities in March by Sound Transit. Comments from those meetings showed that Seattle residents prefer stops NorthLink Light Rail stops at 130th St. and 155th St., while Shoreline residents prefer a stop at 145th St.

Shoreline Historical Museum executive director Vicki Stiles gave an update on the museum and discussed the museum's upcoming 21st Century exhibit.

The Council also discussed the surface water utility fees, including the tiered residential rates and Shoreline School District fee credit options. The discussion has  centered on whether to keep a flat rate for single family homes or create a tiered rate. The Council seemed hesitant to move forward with a change.

Preliminary annual utility fee estimates for the School District, using the City’s current surface water fee structure, would be approximately $180,000, according to the city. The Council appeared to be willing to waive that fee or part of it, and discussed whether an educational component about storm water would be good for the schools in lieu of it. Earlier, Kellogg Middle School Lori Longo spoke on behalf of the Shoreline School District asking for complete fee relief.

Longo and Underwood spoke after the meeting and the issue is still open to negotiation, although Underwood is recommending a waiver.

The Parks Board gave a presentation on what the board is working on and what is planned for the rest of the year.

Tree board now serves as the city’s Tree Board which includes several priorities including:

•Reviewing existing urban forest resources

•Develop Urban Forest Management Plan

•Identify Fall Arbor Day event

•Quarterly update from Parks and Public Works Staff on tree work

The city is also becoming a Tree City USA.