This week in Council Chambers: September 20-24, 2021

With only one week left to go before the 2022 budget process begins, the Council is cranking through a lot of meetings — and a lot of bills.

Monday morning’s Council Briefing is scheduled to include a presentation on the Terminal 5 Modernization Project, as well as an executive session with city attorneys to discuss an unnamed real estate transaction.

Monday afternoon’s full City Council meeting has another long agenda, including:

  • a public hearing on a bill easing the affordability requirements on a bill passed earlier in the summer that relaxes zoning restrictions for religious organizations building affordable housing on properties they own or control;
  • the reappointment of David Jones as City Auditor;
  • the third quarter employment ordinance;
  • an ordinance prohibiting SPD from participating in joint activities with certain governments;
  • a resolution designating “Lenny Wilkens Way”;
  • an ordinance authorizing Seattle City Light’s “Renewable Plus program;
  • an ordinance authorizing Seattle City Light to establish a Skagit Habitat Enhancement program;
  • an ordinance updating water regulations;
  • an ordinance  authorizing Seattle Public Utilities to move forward with programs and agreements to prevent water pollution using green stormwater infrastructure;
  • an ordinance authorizing the Seattle Fire Department’s use of certain camera technologies;
  • an ordinance amending the Multifamily Tax Exemption program to provide for extensions for some exiting properties, and a resolution calling for additional research before the program is renewed in 2023; and
  • an ordinance designating park boulevards along the waterfront.

This week’s Introduction and Referral Calendar includes the following new bills:

  • an ordinance adding protections against discrimination based upon citizenship and immigration status except when permitted by state or federal law;
  • an ordinance facilitating the transfer of development rights from Pierce and Snohomish Counties to Seattle;
  • an ordinance making a clarification to the Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance;
  • a long list of appointments and reappointments.

Tuesday morning the Sustainability and Renters’ Rights Committee meets. It will take up:

  • an ordinance requiring landlords to pay relocation assistance when a landlord raises rent by 10% or more in a year;
  • an ordinance requiring a minimum of 180 days’ notice to tenants before raising rent.

Tuesday afternoon, the Community Economic Development Committee meets. On the agenda:

  • an update on the Equitable Development Initiative;
  • several reappointments to the Seattle Women’s Commission;
  • an ordinance establishing a new 15th Avenue East Business Improvement Area;
  • the previously-mentioned ordinance adding protections against discrimination based upon citizenship or immigration status except when permitted by state or federal law.

Wednesday morning, the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meets. The agenda has not been released, but is expected to include:

  • amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, including renaming “single family” zoning to “neighborhood residential”;
  • a briefing and public hearing on a bill allowing a sports facility to be built in the Interbay industrial zone;
  • a briefing and public hearing on the previously-mentioned bill allowing for transfer of development rights from other counties.

Thursday evening, the Sustainability and Renters Rights Committee will have a special meeting. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been published.

Friday morning, the Public Safety and Human Services Committee meets. The agenda for the meeting has not been published yet.

Friday afternoon, the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee meets. The agenda has not been published, but it is expected that the committee will hold votes on the bills discussed at their meeting earlier in the week.


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