Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting - August 11, 2025

The Shoreline City Council met on Monday, August 11, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Chris Roberts, and all councilmembers were present except Councilmember John Ramsdell, who was excused. The agenda included a proclamation, consent calendar, two action items (a park property purchase and elimination of parking minimums), and a study item on the draft Park Facilities ADA Transition Plan. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Proclamation

• Mayor Roberts proclaimed August 11–18, 2025, as Celebrate Shoreline, noting the 30th anniversary of the City of Shoreline's incorporation in 1995.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Workshop Dinner Meeting Minutes of July 14, 2025.
• Approval of Expenses and Payroll as of August 1, 2025, in the amount of $3,534,969.48.
• Authorization for the City Manager to execute the Eighth Amendment to the Expedited Permitting, Reimbursement, and Construction Services Agreement with Sound Transit for the Lynnwood Link Extension Light Rail Project.
• Authorization for the City Manager to execute the Participation Forms and Allocation Agreement IV for the Washington State Attorney General’s Settlement for the Purdue Pharma/Sackler Family and Generic Opioid Manufacturers.
  • Motion to approve the Consent Calendar carried 6-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

Eight members of the public provided comments, primarily on Ordinance No. 1043 (elimination of parking minimums):

• David Guilland, Shoreline resident, expressed support for eliminating parking minimums and the new bike rack requirements, citing safer bike parking.
• Matthew DeAngelis, Meridian Park resident, expressed support, addressing concerns about overflow parking, enforcement, and the claim that everyone drives in Shoreline.
• Jack Malek, Shoreline resident, expressed support but disagreed with zero parking for ADUs, suggesting funding for Amazon lockers and delivery vehicle spaces.
• Ann Jackson, Firlands Way resident, expressed concerns that eliminating parking minimums would lower the standard of living, citing full park-and-rides and increased crime.
• Katie Lorah, Ridgecrest resident, expressed support for eliminating mandates to increase affordability, walkability, climate friendliness, connectivity, green space, and equity.
• Laethan Wene, Shoreline resident, expressed appreciation for council participation in community events.
• Sahar Amini, Advocacy and Policy Manager at Habitat for Humanity, commented that Ordinance 1043 is a focused approach to promote increased housing and development opportunities.
• Gabriel Sneed, Meridian Park resident, advocated for removing parking minimums to encourage housing development and green space.

Discussion Items

Action Item 8A – Purchase of Real Property at 19004 Firlands Way N

• Nathan Daum, Economic Development Manager, and Mary Reidy, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director, presented the staff report. The parcel is 0.24 acres, adjacent to an existing park in an underserved area along the Aurora Corridor, with opportunities for urban forest canopy retention. The proposed acquisition cost is $830,000, with total costs including demolition and site stabilization estimated at $853,000, fully funded by the King County Conservation Futures Tax (CFT) Grant.
• Council discussion: Councilmembers expressed support for the purchase, citing it as fully funded, increasing urban forest cover, providing green space and a cooling center, and promoting biodiversity through contiguous greenspace.
• Motion to approve the purchase and authorize the City Manager to complete the transaction carried 6-0.

Action Item 8B – Ordinance No. 1043: Eliminate Parking Minimums Citywide and Revise Bicycle Parking Requirements

• Steve Szafran, Senior Planner, and Elise Keim, Planning Manager, presented. The ordinance implements Comprehensive Plan Policy LU 3.2 to eliminate minimum parking ratios and encourage flexible parking configurations. Council had no changes from its August 4 discussion.
• Council discussion: Deputy Mayor Laura Mork noted the onus shifts to developers; Councilmember Annette Ademasu highlighted benefits for ADU construction, helping seniors on fixed incomes; Mayor Roberts stressed the city's ongoing responsibility for parking management and the need for a future citywide parking management plan.
• Motion to approve Ordinance No. 1043 carried 6-0.

Study Item 9A – Discussion of Draft Park Facilities ADA Transition Plan

• Randy Witt, Interim Engineer/Project Manager, and Lauri Strauss, Design2Last Inc., presented. The draft plan is an extensive document (over 5,000 pages) evaluating 21 of 41 parks; the remaining parks were not evaluated because they are undeveloped, part of Park Bond Projects, or already ADA compliant. The estimated implementation cost is nearly $11 million, excluding design and other construction expenses.
• Community engagement tools included online open houses, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Feedback identified barriers and guided a Park Prioritization Matrix considering disability density, social inequity, visitation, and public input. The matrix was used to recommend initial projects for the 2025-2026 biennium: Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and Twin Ponds Park.
• Staff estimated that completing all projects in 20 years would require approximately $550,000 per year. Council discussed flexible funding, potential use of General Capital Annual Contributions, and the importance of incorporating validated grievances into prioritization.
• Council discussion: Councilmember Betsy Robertson supported the plan and asked about adoption before funding; Councilmember Ademasu urged flexible funding due to competing priorities; Councilmember Eben Pobee suggested a 5-year timeline and prioritizing heavily used parks; Councilmember Keith Scully asked about severity of deficiencies; Mayor Roberts noted typical implementation timelines of 20–50 years. Staff confirmed that all Park Bond Projects are ADA compliant. The plan will return for adoption in September.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar approved 6-0.
• Purchase of 19004 Firlands Way N property approved 6-0.
• Ordinance No. 1043 (elimination of parking minimums) approved 6-0.
• Discussion on Draft Park Facilities ADA Transition Plan received; staff will incorporate council feedback and return with a final plan for adoption on September 22, 2025.
• The next regular council meeting is scheduled for September 8, 2025.