Shoreline City Council Meeting: Earth Day Proclamation, Immigration Ordinance, Climate Action Review (April 27, 2026)
Shoreline City Council Regular Meeting – April 27, 2026
The Shoreline City Council met on Monday, April 27, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The meeting included a proclamation for Earth Day, approval of the consent calendar, a unanimous vote on Ordinance No. 1059 prohibiting civil immigration enforcement on city property, and a study session on the 2025 Climate Action Plan year-in-review. The meeting adjourned at 8:16 p.m.
Consent Calendar
- Approved draft minutes from the Regular Meetings of March 9, 2026, and March 23, 2026.
- Approved Expenses and Payroll as of April 17, 2026, in the amount of $19,901,962.21.
- Adopted Ordinance No. 1054, amending the 2025–2026 Final Biennial Budget.
- All items were approved unanimously (7–0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jonelle Kemmerling (Shoreline) expressed concern about vandalism at Saltwater Park due to gates not being locked during police staffing shortages. She noted that residents offered to help lock/unlock gates but were declined, and asked the City to consider alternatives (e.g., hiring a security guard, installing remote locks, or reinstating a caretaker). She described recent damage including graffiti and a fire set in the restroom.
- Norbert Steele (Shoreline) spoke about lack of public trust in government institutions. He expressed support for Ordinance No. 1059 (prohibiting civil immigration enforcement on city property) but questioned how it will be enforced given statements from the King County Sheriff’s union. He also asked when the City will hold KCSO accountable for staffing shortages and criticized the retail theft program, suggesting it may lead to felony charges for minor offenses.
- Lance Young (Shoreline) urged adoption of a practice similar to Kenmore’s, which provides neighborhood-specific notice of exceptional tree removals. He also noted that trees enhance natural red light exposure, which he linked to health benefits.
- Laethan Wene (Shoreline) stated he serves on the Banchero Disabilities Partners advisory council and invited Councilmembers to attend an upcoming meeting.
Discussion Items
Action on Ordinance No. 1059 – Prohibiting Civil Immigration Enforcement on City Property
Deputy City Manager John Norris presented the staff report. Ordinance No. 1059 adds Chapter 9.40 to the Shoreline Municipal Code, prohibiting the use of city-owned or city-controlled property for civil immigration enforcement activities (staging, processing, detention) unless authorized by a court order or judicial warrant. The prohibition does not apply to the public right-of-way. Staff identified 46 locations for signage to communicate the prohibition. Council discussed the ordinance on April 6 and expressed general support. Councilmember Annette Ademasu spoke in favor, emphasizing constitutional protections and humane treatment. The motion to adopt the ordinance (moved by Councilmember Keith Scully, seconded by Councilmember Christopher Roberts) passed unanimously (7–0).
Discussion of the Climate Action Plan 2025 Year in Review
Paige Scheid, Environmental Sustainability Program Manager, and Sarah Bruemmer, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, presented the annual report. Key highlights:
- The Climate Action Plan (adopted December 2022) aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.
- Transportation is the largest emissions source (61% of community-wide emissions), followed by natural gas in buildings (22%).
- Overall, emissions have declined 6% since 2019, with significant work remaining to reach the 60% goal.
- In 2025, the Pedal Forward Shoreline program provided 125 e-bikes to low-income residents; 80% of recipients reduced car trips by at least one day per week.
- The Energize Shoreline program helped 61 households install heat pumps (up from 13 in 2024), with average discounts of $3,800; 16 income-qualified households received fully subsidized installations.
- In zero waste, pilot events reused 4,500 single-use items; free compost service was brought to 10 multifamily properties (nearly 1,000 units).
- The City has started or completed 66 of 90 actions (73% of the plan). Council discussion covered e-bike usage follow-up, fleet electrification, natural gas trends, tree planting (115 community trees in 2025), the “Soak It Up” program, the need for additional resources for solar incentives, and challenges with waste diversion rates. Councilmember Mork noted the diversion rate has not improved, and staff cited public confusion about recycling. Councilmember Snider raised concerns about managing 240 acres of park and open space by 2030 (only 42 acres, 18%, completed). Staff confirmed they continue monitoring all targets even after initial goals are met.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar approved unanimously (7–0).
- Ordinance No. 1059 adopted unanimously (7–0). Staff will proceed with fabricating and installing signage at 46 city properties.
- The Climate Action Plan 2025 Year in Review was discussed; no vote was taken. Council directed staff to provide follow-up information on the e-bike program, fleet electrification plans, tree code updates, and expanding the “Soak It Up” program. The City will relaunch the e-bike rebate program citywide in June 2026 with $125,000 in grant funding.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I now call to order the Shoreline City Council regular meeting for Monday, April 27th, 2026. Would you please stand and join counsel for the flag salute? I pledge alleged to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic. One nation, under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Would the clerk please call the roll? Mayor Robertson? Here. Deputy Mayor Pobey. Here. Councilmember Snyder. Here. Councilmember Roberts. Here. Councilmember Adamasu. Present. Councilmember Mort. Present. Councilmember Scully. Present. Thank you so much. So Earth Day was April 22nd on 2020 26, and it's a day which calls upon all residents to celebrate by renewing our shared commitment to environmental stewardship and climate action. Earth Day is truly every day. So I would like to invite Jennifer Youngman, a participant in the Energize Shoreline program to come up to the podium to receive the Earth Day proclamation. And as the camera switches angles, I would like to call your attention to some new artwork in Council Chambers. A surprise to us as we walked in tonight. It is titled Earth Alchemy by Annie Ryerson. And you're all welcome to come visit council during open hours when the city hall is open to see it for yourself, and we look forward to hearing more in the future. Okay, great. Whereas on April 22nd, 1970, millions of Americans came together to celebrate the first Earth Day to acknowledge that individuals, governments, and corporations have a responsibility to preserve and protect our environment. And whereas the City of Shoreline has a long history of environmental sustainability, conservation, and climate action to reduce emissions and protect shorelines natural resources for current and future generations. And whereas on August 15th, 2022, the City Council adopted resolution number 494 declaring climate change to be a crisis that threatens the health and welfare of our community and environment. And whereas on December 12th, 2022, the City Council adopted the updated Shoreline Climate Action Plan, which has goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance ecosystem health and carbon sequestra sequestation, and increase community resilience and preparedness to climate change impacts. And whereas the City of Shoreline has made meaningful progress on implementing climate action strategies in the 2022 climate action plan, including developing programs such as Energize Shoreline, increasing incentives for businesses and multifamily properties to reduce waste and to recycle and compost more, and updated the 2024 comprehensive plan to address current and future climate risks. And whereas Earth Day offers everyone an opportunity to protect our planet, fight climate change, and build a healthy, resilient, and flourishing community. Now, therefore, I, Betsy Robertson, Mayor of the City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, do hereby proclaim April 22nd, 2026 as Earth Day in the City of Shoreline. Thank you, Mayor Robertson, City Council members and city staff for all you do. Before I bought my first home and moved to Shoreline 21 years ago, it never occurred to me that I could feel cared for by a city, but I do. I'm a child of the 70s. I remember when Earth Day was new and exciting. I'm thrilled that 50 some years later, the City of Shoreline is issuing Earth Day proclamations and taking significant steps to address climate change and sustain a safe environment for its residents. Last fall, I qualified for free installation of a heat pump through Energize Shoreline. I had wanted to replace my natural gas furnace, but not only did it feel cost prohibitive, I had misgivings about heat pumps, and I didn't know where to turn for answers. Two winters ago, my gas furnace stopped working when a line froze. For a couple of days, I climbed down into my crawl space every two hours, day and night, with a saucepan and turkey baster to manually perform what the condensate pump couldn't do. And still I didn't replace that furnace. Many of us want to do the right thing, but sometimes we need a boost in the form of financial help, reliable information, or a kick in the pants. Energize Shoreline gave me the impulse I needed to switch to a cleaner energy source. Since my heat pump was installed last November, I've been enjoying a very comfortable kind of warmth.
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