Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting – November 10, 2025

The Shoreline City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, November 10, 2025, called to order at 7:00 p.m. (despite the agenda listing 7:30 p.m.) and adjourned at 7:55 p.m. The meeting included approval of the consent calendar, public comments, and discussions of two ordinances: the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Annual Docket Amendments (Ordinance No. 1046) and the 2025 Development Code Batch Amendments (Ordinance No. 1047). Final action on both ordinances is scheduled for December 1, 2025.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously (7-0) on motion by Councilmember Pobee, seconded by Councilmember Scully. Items included:
  • Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of October 6, 2025
  • Approval of Expenses and Payroll as of October 24, 2025, in the amount of $10,165,735.05
  • Authorizing a professional services contract with USIC Locating Services, LLC for $392,183 for underground locating and marking services for surface water and wastewater utilities
  • Adoption of the 2026 State Legislative Priorities

Public Comments & Testimony

• Todd Greenwood (Shoreline resident) expressed concerns about density issues, emphasizing the need for practical and sensible implementation of increased density.
• Marisa Appleson (Lake Forest Park resident, parent of a Shoreline School District student) requested improved visibility on 25th Avenue NE near Kellogg Middle School and Shorecrest High School, citing safety hazards from speeding vehicles and inadequate school zone lighting. She noted that requests to the city’s Public Works Department and school officials have not been resolved over nearly a year.
• Note: The agenda listed Ann Jackson and Amy Singam as speakers, but only the two above provided oral public comment during the meeting.

Discussion Items

• Ordinance No. 1046 – 2025 Comprehensive Plan Annual Docket Amendments (20-minute discussion)

  • Senior Planner Steve Szafran presented five docket items. The Planning Commission recommends approval of:
    1. Removal of the Bike Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) Table and corresponding language from the Transportation Element (staff noted the table is more appropriate for the Engineering Development Manual, which is updated administratively).
    2. Revision of the Countywide Centers Boundary to create more compact centers for the 145th and 185th Street station areas, with future study for the Town Center and Shoreline Place centers. 3–5. Carry-over of updates to the Town Center Plan, 145th Street Station Subarea Plan, and 185th Street Station Subarea Plan to the 2026 docket.
  • Councilmembers discussed House Bill 1491 (TOD requirements), which will affect areas near transit, and the need for community engagement on implementation. Councilmember Ramsdell inquired about impacts on Westminster Triangle neighborhoods; staff clarified that state guidance is pending. Councilmember Ademasu asked about the process for amending the Engineering Development Manual; staff confirmed it is an annual administrative process with public comment.
  • Council action scheduled for December 1, 2025.

• Ordinance No. 1047 – 2025 Development Code Batch Amendments (20-minute discussion)

  • Senior Planner Steven Szafran and Planning Manager Elise Keim presented numerous amendments, many driven by recent state legislation (e.g., HB 1998 on co-living housing). Key proposed changes include:
    • Co-living housing: Adding definitions and standards for co-living (sleeping units with shared kitchens), required by state law, without making existing micro-housing harder to permit.
    • Temporary uses: Allowing temporary construction facilities, real estate offices, and pop-up retail in commercial zones without conditional use permits.
    • Townhomes: Prohibiting new townhomes in Neighborhood Business (NB) zones to preserve commercial land for jobs.
    • Adult use facilities: Cleaning up code to allow retail adult uses in Mixed Business zones with spacing protections from schools, parks, etc.
    • Columbariums: Allowing them when associated with cemeteries that lack a church.
    • Daycare facilities: Clarifying that early learning facilities can locate where daycares are allowed.
    • Minimum density: Eliminating minimum density requirements in NR2 and NR3 zones to facilitate ADUs and modest infill.
    • Fencing: Requiring vinyl-coated chain link (instead of untreated) in commercial zones, with a debate on whether to allow chain link on frontages. Mayor Roberts proposed an amendment to prohibit chain link on frontage, while Councilmember Ademasu and Deputy Mayor Mork supported allowing it for businesses needing security.
  • Councilmembers expressed support for adaptive reuse (with caution on property maintenance), elimination of minimum density, and continued cleanup of outdated regulations (e.g., “panoram devices”). Councilmember Scully suggested further cleanup is needed.
  • Council action scheduled for December 1, 2025.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar approved 7-0.
• Both Ordinance No. 1046 and Ordinance No. 1047 will return for final action on December 1, 2025.
• Staff to consider Mayor Roberts’ proposed amendment regarding chain-link fencing on commercial frontages before the next meeting.
• No other formal votes or decisions were taken on the study items.