The Edmonds City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers (250 5th Ave North, Edmonds, WA). The agenda included a National Lights Out proclamation, the Mayor's Finance Update, audience comments, the consent calendar, and council business on the city's staffing ordinance, tree code updates, and an ordinance restructuring advisory bodies. Deliberation was extensive on the tree code and Title 10 advisory-body items, with no final votes taken on those items; the staffing ordinance was scheduled for action on October 6, 2026.
Good evening. It is September 22nd. It's six o'clock. And for those who are counting, we are 50 minutes into fall, which started officially at 5.05. Would you all please join me in the flag salute? I plagiarized to the flag of the United States of America. And I just recognize one nation. Thank you. Councilmember Payne, would you do the land acknowledgement, please? Happy to. We acknowledge the original inhabitants of this place, the Snahomish people, and their successors, the Talelep tribes, who since time immemorial have hunted, fished, gathered, and taken care of these lands. We respect their sovereignty, their right to self-determination, and we honor the sacred spiritual connection to the land and water. Thank you. Mr. Lanning, can we do the roll call, please? Councilmember Eck. Here. Councilmember Chen. Councilmember Barnett. Council President Dodge. Councilmember Olson. Here. Councilmember Payne. Councilmember Nand. Mayor Rosen. All elected officials are present. Thank you. Our next item of business is approval of the agenda. Motion to approve. Okay. It's been moved and seconded to approve the agenda. All in favor, please raise your hands and say aye. Aye. Anybody opposed, please raise your hand saying nay. Motion is approved unanimously. Thank you. Our next item of business is presentations, the first being a proclamation in support of National Lights Out. And I will be joined at the podium by Bill Derry and Margie Fields from the Pilchuk Audubon Society. In support of national lights out. Whereas birds are an essential part of our natural world, serving as pollinators, seed dispensers, pest controllers, and indicators of health ecosystems, while also enriching our communities through their beauty, songs, and connection to nature. And whereas birds face growing threats from habitat loss and degradation, which reduce and fragment the forests, the wetlands, shorelines, grasslands, and other places they depend upon for food, shelter, nesting, and migration. And whereas free-ranging cats, buildings, and window collisions and vehicle collisions are significant human-caused sources of bird mortality, particularly in communities where birds and people share increasingly developed landscapes. And whereas 80% of North American songbirds and other migratory birds travel at night, relying on natural cues such as the moon, stars, Earth's magnetic field to navigate, and artificial light can attract disorient and exhaust migrating birds, increasing their risk of collisions and mortality. And whereas the National Lights Out effort encourages communities, businesses, institutions, and residents to reduce unnecessary nighttime lighting during peak migration periods, helping to protect migrating birds and promote healthier, more wildlife-friendly communities. Now, therefore, I Mike Rose and Mayor of Edmonds do hereby proclaim September 3rd through October 11th as peak migratory bird days in Edmonds. And I encourage all residents, businesses, building owners, institutions, and community organizations to help protect migratory birds by taking practical actions that will help our avian friends, including turning off or reducing unnecessary exterior lighting during nighttime hours. Mr. Derry, please. Hi, thank you, Mr. Mayor.