Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting – December 15, 2025
Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting – December 15, 2025
The Shoreline City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Shoreline City Hall. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Chris Roberts. Councilmember Betsy Robertson was excused. Notable actions included recognition of outgoing Councilmember John Ramsdell, approval of a hazardous tree removal fee waiver, updates to critical areas regulations, and discussion of the 2024 Annual Traffic Report. The council also held a 10-minute executive session on potential litigation and voted to authorize legal action against the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding a RAISE grant agreement.
Consent Calendar
- Approved by a 6-0 vote (Deputy Mayor Mork moved, Councilmember Pobee seconded). Items included:
- Minutes of October 27 and November 10, 2025 workshop dinners, and November 17, 2025 regular meeting.
- Amendment 4 with Atwell, LLC for the Midblock Crossing and Citywide RRFB and RSS Project ($47,730).
- Memorandums of Agreement with Seattle Public Utilities, King County, and Town of Woodway for utility work related to the Barnacle Creek Culvert Replacement Project.
- Amendment 1 with Stewart, MacNichols, Harmell, Inc., PS for public defense services.
- Adoption of Ordinance No. 1050, increasing the Shoreline Transportation Benefit District vehicle license fee by $10, for a total annual fee of $50.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sanjay Batton (Shoreline): Requested traffic safety measures at 175th and Meridian Park, including more visible speed limit signs.
- Dave Guilland (Shoreline): Criticized low traffic citation numbers and alleged police SUVs driving in bus lanes and disregarding traffic laws.
- Bob Danson (Olympic View Water and Sewer District): Urged the city to identify the wellhead protection area buffer as a critical aquifer recharge area in the Critical Areas Ordinance, stating the current draft does not provide adequate protections.
- Mathew DeAngelis (Shoreline): Urged quick, innovative solutions for cyclist safety rather than relying solely on capital projects; suggested looking at Seattle's Healthy Streets model.
- Heidi Shephard (Shoreline): Thanked Councilmember Ramsdell for his support of age-friendly communities and mental health services; presented him with a certificate and harmonica.
- Oliver Moffet (Shoreline): Urged the city to adopt a Target Zero ordinance to end traffic violence; cited low-cost quick-build options from WSDOT.
- Boni Beiry (Shoreline Tree Code Preservation Team, public hearing on Ordinance 1051): Supported extending the interim tree removal regulations and requested expansion citywide.
- Kathleen Russell (public hearing on Resolution 558): Supported the fee waiver for hazardous tree removal, stating the $3,325 fee is a burden for exempt trees.
- Patricia Weber (public hearing on Resolution 558): Opposed the resolution, arguing it weakens tree canopy protections and could lead to abuse; suggested a second arborist opinion or sliding scale.
Discussion Items
- Recognition of Outgoing Councilmember John Ramsdell: Mayor Roberts highlighted Ramsdell’s service, including championing Westminster Triangle Park improvements, mental health counseling for low-income seniors, and support for the park bond. Ramsdell thanked the council, staff, and community for their collaboration.
- Public Hearing – Ordinance 1051 (Extension of Interim Tree Removal Regulations): Sierra Carson, Senior Planner, presented a six-month extension of the interim ban on removing trees ≥60 inches DBH in TC3 and TC4 zones, set to expire January 27, 2026. Public testimony by Boni Beiry supported extension and citywide application. The council scheduled the item for a January 5, 2026 consent vote.
- Resolution 558 – Hazardous Tree Removal Fee Waiver: Sierra Carson explained that the waiver applies to trees with a high or extreme hazard rating (as assessed by a qualified arborist) to ease the burden on homeowners. After public comment, Councilmember Pobee moved approval. Councilmember Scully expressed hesitation about including a three-tree-per-year exemption, hoping future tree code updates balance preservation and property rights. The motion carried 6-0.
- Ordinance 1045 – Critical Areas Regulations Update: Planning Manager Elise Keim reviewed updates: new 200-foot riparian management zones, native species requirements, tracking one-time expansions via title covenants, and clarification of “physically separated and functionally isolated” areas. Council discussed wellhead protection area concerns raised by Olympic View Water and Sewer District. Staff proposed addressing deep underground injection control prohibitions in the stormwater code in Q1 2026, with an interim MOU. Councilmember Scully moved to adopt the ordinance as amended by staff’s clarification language. The main motion carried 6-0. Council also agreed to revisit wellhead protection in early 2026.
- 2024 Annual Traffic Report: Kendra Dedinsky, Transportation Manager, presented the report. Key data: total crashes increased compared to prior years, but fatal/serious injury crashes dropped to 8 in 2024. Bike crashes reached a 10-year high. Pedestrian injury crashes decreased but remain a focus. Enforcement: traffic citations still low but rising; police added two traffic officers (one DUI dedicated). The city will bring an automated enforcement policy to council in Q1 2026. Councilmember Pobee asked about pedestrian injury factors (speed, distraction, DUI). Councilmember Ramsdell called for protected bike lanes on 185th Street. Mayor Roberts emphasized speed reduction to achieve zero fatalities.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved 6-0.
- Resolution 558 (hazardous tree removal fee waiver) adopted 6-0.
- Ordinance 1045 (critical areas regulations) adopted as amended 6-0; council to revisit wellhead protection area regulations in Q1 2026.
- Ordinance 1051 (interim tree regulations extension) placed on January 5, 2026 consent calendar.
- Executive Session held from 9:25 p.m. to 9:33 p.m. for potential litigation (RCW 42.30.110(1)(i)). Following session, council voted 6-0 to authorize the city manager to pursue all legal remedies to challenge the U.S. Department of Transportation’s unilateral amendment to the FY2023 RAISE grant agreement for the West Side Transformation project.
- Meeting adjourned at 9:36 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I call to order the Shoreline City Council regular meeting for Monday, December 15th, 2025. Will you please join me in the flag salute? The United States of America to the Republic for which his stance under God is law with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Will the police the clerk please call the roll? Mayor Roberts. Here. Deputy Mayor Mark. Present. Councilmember Ramsdale. Present. Councilmember Scally? President. Councilmember Adamasteo present. Councilmember Povey. And Councilmember Robertson. Thank you. Do I have a motion? Yes. I move to excuse Councilmember Robertson for personal reasons. Second. There's a motion and a second to excuse Councilmember Robertson for personal reasons. Seeing no objection, that um motion is passed unanimously. So will Councilmember Ramsdale come down. Where's the you're in trouble? I need to want to there's uh something about the end of the year, which is really nice, and also I mean, as we have the shore lights, and it's all bright outside, and it's really exciting. Every two years though, um the voters elect a new council. And this year, um, my friend, our council member, your council member, uh John Ramsdill decided not to run for re-election. Uh decided to say that he did not want to continue all of the uh laborist discussions we have over budgets and everything else. No amazing person. Uh when he first ran and decided to talk about running uh just a little bit over four years ago. John was really involved in the Westminster Triangle community and really sort of came out and really said, how can I help not only help the people in Westminster Triangle, my neighborhood, but how can I help people in the entire city? And that's who John is. John is a helper. He's one, he's a person he rolls up his sleeves, doesn't look like it, but he's a person he rolls up his sleeves and really does the hard work. Uh and really come is really passionate about so many things. I remember the first time we or it was um one of the bike um uh celebration of my bike month, and John comes in, rides his bike into the chambers. I don't know if he literally rode his bike into the chambers, but there is the the bike right here in front of the dais. We have no rules against uh council members doing anything in front of the dais, but here he is. I mean, the showing his passion and showing his love for the community and people who really care about cycling is like I'm gonna make sure that as we celebrate uh um bike month, I'm gonna show that I am here, I rode to council much better than I ever did. I had the screened idea, but uh it's not about me. Um but I mean, so John came in. When John uh one of John's first acts of a council was how can I make sure that this price of property that the city bought in Westminster Triangle? How can we actually work go about and improve this park? And for the first couple of years on council, John was sort of doggedly pushing how can we improve Westminster Triangle? How can we improve Westminster Triangle? And he realized as we all do, that all these things take much more time. And I'm I will say it's not quite done yet. And it's up to us to actually continue that work to make sure that Westminster Triangle Park is an amazing park for that neighborhood.
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