GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC WILL COME TO ORDER. IT IS 2:04 PM. I AM SARAH NELSON, CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. IS CALL THE ROLL. >> COUNCILMEMBER HOLLINGSWORTH. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON. >> HERE. >> FIVE PRESENT. I WANT TO WELCOME MARK SOLOMON TO OUR COMMITTEE. WE WILL MISS COUNCILMEMBER SAKA. WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU JOIN US. YOU HAVE SOME IN-HOUSE LAND-USE SPECIALTY SO THIS WILL PERHAPS COME IN HANDY TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE TODAY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, TODAY WE WILL HEAR A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON STEPS THE CITY CAN TAKE TO IMPROVE THE PERMITTING PROCESS HE AND REDUCE THE CHALLENGES IT PRESENTS. THIS PANEL HERE TODAY WILL INCLUDE VERY EXPERIENCED INDUSTRY EXPERTS ON ALL THINGS PERMITTING. BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER EVERY DAY. WORKING WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS ON HOW TO GET PROJECTS UP ENOUGH THE GROUND. SO, WITH THAT, I WILL PROVIDE MORE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BEFORE WE START INTO OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. BUT IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION FOR NOW THE AGENDA WILL BE ADOPTED. SEEING THEN, THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE SIGNED UP? >> WE HAVE THREE VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENTERS. >> WE WILL GIVE EVERYONE THREE MINUTES. I'M SORRY. TWO MINUTES. EXCUSE ME. WE WILL GIVE EVERYONE TWO MINUTES AND START WITH, IF THERE IS AN IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT, LET'S START WITH OUR REMOTE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN MOVED TO IN PERSON. >> I WILL CALL ON THE SPEAKERS IN THE ORDER THEY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK STARTING WITH THE VIRTUAL. EACH HAS TWO MINUTES. WHEN YOU HEAR THE CHIME YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT. IF YOU EXCEED THAT TIME YOUR MICROPHONE MAY BE CUT OFF SO WE CAN MOVE ON. ALSO IF YOU ARE OFFERING REMOTE COMMENT PLEASE PRESS STAR 62 UNMUTE YOURSELF. THE FIRST VIRTUAL COMMENT , PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PRESS STAR 62 UNMUTE YOURSELF. CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX. >> HE IS BACK. GO AHEAD. NUMBER ONE. >> PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> YES, THANK YOU. >> I DON'T KNOW WHY IT WASN'T WORKING. I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN SEATTLE. TO GIVE YOU QUICK BACKGROUND, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME FIRST OF ALL, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC I HAD EIGHT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES. A BAR IN CHINATOWN. A BARN CAPITOL HILL. A COFFEE SHOP IN CHINATOWN. MULTIPLE TEA SHOPS THROUGHOUT THE SEATTLE AREA AND ALSO IN BELLEVUE. RENTON. ADMINS. I HAVE BEEN IN DIFFERENT CITIES. MOST OF MY BUSINESSES ARE IN THE SEATTLE AREA. A DOUGHNUT SHOP IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT WITH A BUSINESS PARTNER. I HAVE BEEN MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE SEATTLE BUSINESS SEEN FOR 20 YEARS. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FULL-TIME FOR OVER 15 YEARS. I KNOW THE COMPLEXITIES VERY WELL, THE FOOD INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY. I AM CALLING BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD THIS WAS A TALK ABOUT PERMITTING. I HAVE HAD, AMONGST ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE OPEN BUSINESSES IN SEATTLE, JUST ONE CHALLENGE AFTER ANOTHER. THAT HAS BECOME THE NORMAL, THE NORM TO OPEN A BUSINESS. IF YOU GO THROUGH THE GAUNTLET AND MAYBE MAKE IT OUT YOU CAN OPEN A BUSINESS. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH OPENING BUSINESS. HEY, IT'S GOING TO BE THE WORST THING POSSIBLE AND YOU MAY END UP LOSING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT. BUT THAT IS JUST THE WAY SEATTLE DOES BUSINESS. UNFORTUNATELY I THINK THAT HAS SHIED AWAY A LOT OF NEW TALENT. I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW WHO ARE CHEFS AND TALENTED PEOPLE OR NOT WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK OF OPENING A BUSINESS. WHEN TYPICALLY, I AM AGING OUT OF OPENING NEW BUSINESSES. TYPICALLY 20'S AND 30'S NEW GENERATIONS TAKE RISKS WITH THAT. THEY ARE STEPPING BACK. A BIG PART IS THE PERMITTING. JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK SYNOPSIS, ALL THE PERMITS YOU NEED, OBVIOUSLY THE MAJOR ONES, HEALTH AND BUILDING AND FIRE, YOU ALSO NEED A CANDLE PERMIT, ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU CALL CIC, MOST OF THE TIME IF YOU CALL THEM THEY ARE NOT CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE THEY'VE NEVER OPENED A BUSINESS ORBIT IN FOOD. THEY ARE READING A MANUSCRIPT AND TELLING YOU WHAT THE MANUSCRIPT SAYS. THE CAN'T GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR EXACT REQUIREMENTS. YOU ARE SIGNING A LEASE BEFORE YOU GET A PERMIT. >> THANK YOU. NEXT I HAVE DAVID HAYNES. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. >> THANK YOU. WE NEED A LAW TO TAKE AWAY THE RESTRICTIONS AND PROVIDE PERMITS FOR FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPERS TO LET THEM BUILD 12 AND 20 STORIES HIGH ON THE WATERFRONT, VACANT LOTS, PIONEER SQUARE AND ELSEWHERE TO REDEVELOP 21st CENTURY FIRST WORLD QUALITY ROBUST. YOU CAN EVEN HAVE THREE AND FOUR STORIES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITHIN THAT. ANYWAY, I REALLY THINK COUNCIL NEEDS TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THE BAD POLICIES THAT TAINTED THE INTEGRITY OF GOVERNMENT THAT ORIGINATED FROM OTHER COUNCIL WHO HAD TO QUIT BECAUSE I HAD MENTAL PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY KEPT DOING THE DEVIL ADVOCATES BIDDING. THE CONFERENCE OF PLAN, IT COULD BE SAID, IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL WITH THIS RACIST, TAINTED PRIORITIES AND POLICIES. THE WATER DOWN INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING CODES THAT ARE PUTTING RESTRICTIONS ON QUALITY, LIVABLE AMENITIES, AND ALLOWING THESE UNQUALIFIED NONPROFITS TO HIRE EIGHT FOR-PROFIT TO USE THE MHA FUND MONEY THAT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MADE A LOT TO CHANGE THE FEE FUND THAT NO FOR-PROFIT COULD GET ACCESS TO IT TO COMPETBUILT HOUSING. NOW ALL OF THESE UNQUALIFIED NONPROFITS GET ACCESS TO OVER $1 BILLION AND WE HAVE WHAT SEEMS TO BE A LOW-LEVEL LOW-QUALITY RESTRICTED WAREHOUSE SLUM DEVELOPMENT THAT UNDERMINES THE INTEGRITY OF DESIGN AND QUALITY BUILDS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. AND THEY ARE GOING TO SPREAD A BAD BUSINESS PLAN , THROUGHOUT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD EXCEPT MAPLE LEAF. I THINK WE NEED TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THE KING COUNTY REGIONAL HOMES AUTHORITY BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE A RACIST AGENDA THAT PURPOSELY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST INNOCENT PEOPLE ALL THE CITY COUNCILS POLICE REFORM THAT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL IS STILL PRIORITIZING REPEAT OFFENDING CRIMINALS CONNECTED TO THE UNDERWORLD BECAUSE [ INDISCERNIBLE ] THE HIRES THE WRONG CHIEF TO IMPLEMENT UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICE REFORM. >> THANK YOU. AND FOR THE ONE IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT OR, WE HAVE MATT. APOLOGIES IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME. >> I RECENTLY SIGNED A LEASE TO REFURBISH A RESTAURANT THAT HAS BEEN A RESTAURANT FOR 50 YEARS. SIGNING A LEASE FOR A RESTAURANT THAT SEEMS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD , ALL THESE THINGS THAT WERE SCARY, UNFORTUNATELY THE ISSUE WE WERE NOT AWARE OF, WHICH I THINK OUR LANDLORD MIGHT'VE BEEN, HE HAD A LOT OF STEPS IN THE LEASE THAT PROTECTED HIMSELF AGAINST THIS ISSUE FOR REINFORCEMENT SEISMICALLY. IT IS FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING. I SIGNED A 30% PORTION OF THE BUILDING AND NOW I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR UPGRADING THE ENTIRE BUILDING. WHICH PUTS ME IN A SITUATION WHERE I EITHER GO DEFAULT ON THE LEASE OR BEING GROPED PERSONALLY. THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO IS BEEN IN THE CITY SUCCESSFULLY FOR TWO RESTAURANTS AND WORKED MY BUTT TO GET THERE AND I'M AT A PLACE WHERE THE LANDLORD WHO TOOK THE RISK BUYING THE BUILDING KNOWING IT IS A URM BUILDING , INVESTING FOR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT IS NOW PUTTING THE BURDEN BACK ON ME. IN THE CITY, BECAUSE I PULLED A PERMIT FOR A BATHROOM, UPGRADE, IT TRIGGERED THIS RESPONSE , NOW HOLDING MY PERMITS IN PERPETUITY UNTIL THIS RESOLUTION IS FOUND FOR THE ISSUE WHICH IS FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING. ANOTHER BUSINESS NEXT TO ME IS 5000 SQUARE FEET, IT IS AN ACTIVE RESTAURANT, LIABILITY AND LONG-TERM EXPOSURE OF ME DOING ANY WORK TO THAT RETAIL LOCATION WOULD BE UNIMAGINABLE FOR ME PERSONALLY. AND SO I AM ASKING THE CITY TO FIND A BETTER WAY FOR THEM TO FIND A WAY FOR THE BUILDING OWNERS TO THEN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SEISMIC UPGRADES. RATHER THAN TRIGGERING IT ON TI IMPROVEMENTS FOR A TENANT. >> IS THAT THE LAST PERSON? >> THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHICH IS NOW CLOSED. I DO WANT TO REMARK THAT THE COMMENTS WE JUST HEARD I BELIEVE WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE BODY OF THE PRESENTATION, ACCORDING TO MY ADVANCED READ BEFORE THIS MEETING. ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, BEFORE GETTING INTO THE MEAT OF THE DISCUSSION, AND WHILE I'M TALKING, I'M GOING TO GET SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. BEFORE GETTING INTO THE ACTUAL PRESENTATION, I WANT TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT. YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, ONE OF COUNCIL'S MAIN FUNCTIONS IS AS THE CITIES OVERSIGHT BODY. BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO WE PASS LAWS AND PRODUCE A BUDGET EVERY YEAR, WE ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO OVERSEE THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS. AND SO THIS DISCUSSION TODAY IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR IS THE CITY'S ACCOUNTABILITY WATCHDOG. IN 2023 AT THE REQUEST OF THE THEN LAND-USE CHAIR COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, THEY PUBLISHED AN AUDIT ON CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING AND TITLED, "CITY CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING NEEDS MORE CUSTOMER FOCUS AND CONSISTENCY." SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR TODAY WILL ECHO SOME OF THE STATEMENTS THAT THE AUDITORS HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDERS EXPRESSED WHEN THEY WERE DOING RESEARCH AND INFORMING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. SO SOME OF THIS WILL NOT BE NEW AT ALL AND HAS BEEN PUT BEFORE COUNCIL WHEN THAT REPORT WAS PRESENTED, I BELIEVE IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2023. OF THOSE THINGS THAT SURFACED IN A SURVEY THE AUDITOR CONDUCTED AMONGST STAKEHOLDERS OF PERMITTING PROCESSES, THEY PRODUCED FINDINGS SUCH AS, EVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN SATISFIED, NEUTRAL OR DISSATISFIED, 66% SAID THEY WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE PROCESS OF GETTING A PERMIT WITH THE CITY. NOW I UNDERSTAND THEY SENT THE SURVEY TO 117 PEOPLE. 38 RESPONDED. SO 66% IS 25 PEOPLE. ANOTHER FINDING, 82% OF THE RESPONDENTS DISAGREED WITH THE STATEMENT, THE TIMELINE TO GET MY PERMITS WAS REASONABLE. IN ADDITION, 61% SAID IT'S NOT CLEAR WHO TO CONTACT IN THE CITY IF THEY HAD A QUESTION. 42% SAID REVIEWERS DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTIONS IN A TIMELY FASHION WHEN THEY DID CONTACT THEM. I DON'T KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS HAS BEEN TRACKING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT AUDIT. BUT FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION, I REACHED OUT TO THE AUDITOR TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF SOME OF THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND AS OF NOW THEY ARE STILL ON THE TO DO LIST. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IS NOT UNUSUAL AT ALL. UNFORTUNATELY THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR CITY AUDITOR DO LIVE ON THEIR DASHBOARD FOR YEARS AND YEARS. I'M NOT SINGLING OUT SDCI AS AN ABERRATION, IT IS SIMPLY OUR JOB IS THE OVERSIGHT BODY AND AS REPRESENTATIVES WHEN WE ARE OUT THERE ENGAGING WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS, TO BACK UP THE WORK OF OUR ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNERS AND HELP HONE IN ON SOME OF THE ONGOING ISSUES. SO, AND JUST ON THAT NOTE, I WILL SAY , ANECDOTALLY, AS I GO OUT AND TALK TO SMALL BUSINESSES, RIGHT AFTER A CRIME, PROBLEMS WITH PERMITTING ARE THE NUMBER ONE COMPLAINT THAT I HEAR BEFORE ONE EVEN THINKS ABOUT ACCESS TO CAPITAL, ET CETERA. THIS IS A VERY REAL ISSUE. AM GLAD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THIS COMMITTEE WHICH IS CALLED THE GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC . ONE FINAL THOUGHT, I DID SPEAK WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE , THE COO OF THE CITY, AND MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE OF INNOVATION TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING RIGHT NOW. THERE IS GREAT WORK GOING ON TO TRACK HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET CERTAIN KINDS OF PERMITS. AND SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THERE IS A RECOGNITION IN THE PART OF THE EXECUTIVE THAT THINGS NEED ATTENTION. I WANT TO APPLAUD THAT GREAT WORK BECAUSE AS I HAVE SAID NOW, THIS IS HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES. IT'S IMPACTING THE PRICE OF HOUSING BECAUSE TIME IS THE GREATEST DRIVER OF COST OVERRUNS IN A PROJECT. THIS IS -- IMPROVED PERMITTING WILL HELP US MEET MANY POLICY GOALS AT THE SAME TIME. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS WHY WE ARE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE PRESENTERS TO PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND WE CAN GO ON WITH THE PRESENTATION. TAKE IT AWAY. >> YES. >> WE HAVE TO READ THIS INTO THE RECORD. >> ITEM NUMBER ONE, A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON IMPROVING THE BUILDING PERMITTING PROCESS BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION. >> THANK YOU. I WANT TO NOTE THE MAIN INSTIGATOR , MONTHS AND MONTHS AGO OF THIS DISCUSSION, IS NOT AT THE TABLE BUT IS JOINING US REMOTELY. PLEASE PROCEED WITH INTRODUCTIONS. >> MY NAME IS IAN BUTCHER. AN ARCHITECT. >> MY NAME IS FRANCESCA RENOUARD, A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER. >> MICHELLE LINDEN. ARCHITECT. >> GREG SHIFFLER, ARCHITECT. >> HEATHER POGUE. ARCHITECT. DON BLAKENEY U-DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR. >> MY NAME IS JIM GRAHAM, ARCHITECT IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I WILL LET THE FIRST PERSON WHO'S GOING TO SPEAK GO AHEAD AND FRAME THE DISCUSSION. GO AHEAD. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, MY NAME IS JIM GRAHAM, AN ARCHITECT IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THE SEEDS FOR THIS STARTED NOT JUST MONTHS AGO BUT YEARS AGO AS WE TALKED ABOUT. PERMITTING PROJECTS, OWNING SMALL BUSINESS AND ME FOR BEING AN ARCHITECT IN OVER 30 YEARS OF GOING THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS. WE ARE HERE TODAY WITH MY COLLEAGUES AT THE TABLE TO HOPEFULLY DAYLIGHT SOME OF THE ISSUES , SOME OF THE POSITIVE THINGS GOING ON. WITH IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN BE IMPROVED. AT THE END OF THE DAY PERMITTING IS PART OF THE PROCESS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT IS ONE STAGE IN THE PROCESS THAT AS ARCHITECTS WE BRING IDEAS TO CONSTRUCTION AND TO BUILD WORK THAT THEN BECOMES ECONOMIC ENGINES FOR THE CITY. THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT LIMITED TO STOREFRONTS, BUSINESSES THAT ARE RESTAURANTS, SHOPS. THIS IS RESIDENTIAL. THIS IS EVEN SCHOOLS. THE TIME IT TAKES TO PERMIT PROJECTS REALLY REDUCES THEIR ECONOMIC VIABILITY. I HEARD A BEEP. MI UP? -- WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT AS A POSITIVE. I THINK THERE ARE SOME GOOD THINGS GOING ON. I WILL TAKE IT TO MY TABLE. >> THANKS. >> MAKE SURE YOUR MICROPHONE IS CLOSE TO YOU AND TURNED ON. >> BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS OPERATED A FREE IN-PERSON SERVICE DESK OFFERING ASSISTANCE AND COACHING TO THE PUBLIC AND DESIGN PROFESSIONALS WITH QUESTIONS RELATED TO BUILDING CODES AND THE PERMIT PROCESS. THIS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH DESIGN PROFESSIONALS AND SDCI STAFF AND WAS AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR HOMEOWNERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, TRYING TO DO PROJECTS BUT WHO WERE NOT WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL. IS CONTRIBUTED TO A MORE EQUITABLE PROCESS FOR ALL. THIS IN PERSON SERVICE DESK WAS SHUT DOWN FOR THE PANDEMIC AND NEVER REOPENED. AT THIS POINT THE ONLY WAY TO REACH STAFF IS THROUGH THEIR ONLINE SYSTEM OR BYE ONLY IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW THE PERSON YOU WANT TO SPEAK WITH. WHILE THE ONLINE SERVICES HAVE BEEN NOTICEABLY INCREDIBLY IMPROVED SINCE THE CLOSURE OF THE SERVICE DESK, THEY ONLY WORK WITH THOSE OF US FAMILIAR WITH THE SYSTEM. IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING PERMITS AND NOT WORKING WITH A DESIGN PROFESSIONAL, THE ONLINE SERVICES ARE FAIRLY DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE. FURTHERMORE AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY TRUST DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, THE ONLINE Q&A RESOURCES DON'T ADEQUATELY ADDRESS NUANCED QUESTIONS ABOUT CODES AND PROCESSES. MANY QUESTIONS REQUIRE LOOKING AT DRAWINGS WITH BACK-AND-FORTH CONVERSATIONS. OFTEN, WHEN WE ARE AT THE SERVICE DESK, SDCI STAFF WOULD TAKE HER QUESTIONS BACK TO THEIR STAFF, DISCUSS WITH COLLEAGUES AND IN REAL-TIME PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO US PROFESSIONALS. WITH THAT MIND REOPENING THE SERVICE DESK FOR IN PERSON Q&A AND PERHAPS EXPANDING ONLINE SERVICES TO INCLUDE VIDEOCONFERENCE COACHING OR DRAWINGS COULD BE SHARED WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS IMPROVING RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY. >> STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS, WHEN WE WORK IN EXISTING BUILDINGS, WE RELY HEAVILY ON ANY AVAILABLE EXISTING DRAWINGS IN ORDER TO DO OUR JOB WELL. OUR PRIMARY SOURCE FOR EXISTING DRAWINGS IS THE CITY OF SEATTLE MICROFILM LIBRARY. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, WHEN THE HELPDESK WAS STILL OPEN, WE COULD GO TO THE LIBRARY IN PERSON AND REQUEST ALL DRYING RECORDS FOR A SPECIFIC ADDRESS. WE WOULD BE GIVEN A NICE TALL STACK OF MICROFILM CARDS THAT WE COULD QUICKLY FLIP THROUGH TO IDENTIFY ANY RELEVANT DRAWINGS TO US. OVER THE YEARS WE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM THAT ALLOWED US TO TAKE HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS OF THE MICROFILM CARDS THAT GAVE US A MUCH HIGHER LEGIBILITY THAN THE CITIES BATCH SCANNED PLANS. WE FOUND HAVING THESE HIGH-QUALITY PLANS ALLOWED US TO DO OUR JOB MORE ACCURATELY , EFFICIENTLY AND WITH LESS SURPRISES DURING CONSTRUCTION. YOU WILL SEE HERE IN THIS SLIDE, THERE IS AN EXAMPLHIGH-RESD TY SCANNED COPY OF A MICROFILM PLAN ABOVE. THE MICROFILM LIBRARY HAS NOW BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR CLOSE TO FIVE YEARS. THE PROCESS TO GET EXISTING DRAWINGS IS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING AND TIME INTENSIVE. THE WAY IT WORKS NOW IS YOU HAVE TO RESEARCH UP TO DOZENS OF PREVIOUS PERMIT NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDING. AND TAKE A GUESS AT WHICH ONE IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORIGINAL OR MAJOR RENOVATION PLANS THAT WILL HELP US TO OUR JOB. WE EMAIL THE STAFF AT THE LIBRARY BACK AND FORTH UNTIL THE DRAWINGS ARE FOUND. I WILL SAY THAT THE LIBRARY STAFF IS FANTASTIC. THEY ARE QUICK TO RESPOND AND VERY WILLING TO HELP US FIND WHAT WE NEED. BUT DESPITE THAT, THE PROCESS STILL TAKES MUCH MORE TIME THAN GOING IN PERSON , AND RESULTS IN LESS QUALITY SCANS AND ULTIMATELY MORE COST TO THE BUILDING OR BUSINESS OWNER. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THE MICROFILM LIBRARY REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC. IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, TO OPEN IT BY APPOINTMENT TO DESIGN PROFESSIONALS. >> BASED ON OUR SHARED EXPERIENCES, SDCI STAFF, WHO WORK FROM HOME, ARE OFTEN UNAVAILABLE DURING BUSINESS HOURS OR CAN'T ANSWER OUR PHONE CALLS. WHAT WE CAN OF COURSE EMAIL TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM, AS WITH ONLINE SERVICES, NOT ALL ORDINATION MAKES SENSE OVER EMAIL. WE WOULD HOPE AND IMPROVED RESPONSE PROTOCOL FOR CALLBACKS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. FURTHERMORE IT SEEMS SDCI STAFF ARE NOT REQUIRED TO ALERT THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY GO ON VACATION OR SABBATICAL. NOT KNOWING WHERE YOUR PLAN REVIEW IS CAN CAUSE DELAYS OF WEEKS OR MONTHS WHICH OF COURSE MEANS ADDED COST TO OUR CLIENTS, THE HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS. SDCI SHOULD IMPROVE THEIR OUT OF OFFICE PROTOCOLS WITH STAFF, THUS ALERTING APPLICANTS WHEN A PLAN'S REVIEWER IS OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND SOMETIMES ASSIGNED A NEW REVIEWER TO HELP PROJECTS MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS. >> WE ARE FINDING MORE AND MORE LAYERS ARE BEING ADDED TO THE PROCESS. WHICH IS EXTENDING EVERY PART OF OUR JOB . WE ARE FINDING MORE AND MORE REVIEWERS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO EVEN SMALL PROJECTS. AND THAT WHEN PROJECTS ARE BEING TAKEN IN, THAT REVIEWERS ARE REQUESTING INFORMATION THAT IS NOT EVEN MATERIAL TO THE PROJECT. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE HAD A HOMEOWNER WHO WANTED TO REMOVE A NONSTRUCTURAL TRELLIS FROM THEIR HOUSE WHICH DOES REQUIRE A PERMIT. THEY WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE AN ENERGY CODE CHECKLIST. THIS IS JUST A SCREENING ISSUE. MAYBE THAT ADDS TWO DAYS TO THE PROJECT. BUT THESE KINDS OF THINGS ADD UP. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS REQUIRING TREE REVIEW FOR AN INTERIOR REMODEL. THESE THINGS ARE EASILY CLEARED UP WITH A PHONE CALL OR EMAIL, BUT IT IS ONE MORE DESK THAT THE PROJECT PLANS ON THAT IT SHOULDN'T HAVE LANDED ON AND THESE ADD UP AND ACCRUE OVER TIME. SIMILARLY ADDRESSING IS A SEPARATE STOP IN THE REVIEW CYCLE. AND IT IS OFTEN THE LONGEST REVIEW. AND IT TENDS TO HOLD UP THE SHOW. AND THERE IS REALLY NO REASON. IN THE PAST, THESE THINGS COULD BE SORTED OUT IN PERSON AT THE SERVICE CENTER IF THERE WAS CONFUSION ABOUT AN ADDRESS FOR A PROJECT. THOSE THINGS COULD BE SORTED OUT AND THEN NOT LATER HOLD UP THE SHOW IS A SEPARATE REVIEW CYCLE. WE ALSO FIND THAT PERMIT ISSUANCES FREQUENTLY ARE DELAYED BECAUSE STAFF ARE ADDING ADDITIONAL CORRECTION COMMENTS WELL SEPARATE REVIEW COMMENTS ARE STILL UNDERGOING REVIEW. EVEN AFTER THE STAFF APPROVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN FOR PREVIOUS COMPONENTS. THIS RESULTS IN MORE CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONAL TIME. WE BELIEVE STAFF REVIEW SHOULD BE THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE AND ONCE APPROVED, SHOULD BE FINAL. UNLESS THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES TO THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT FROM OUR SIDE. PERMIT REVIEW TIMES, CORRECTION CYCLES, DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS, HAVE ALL INCREASED, EVEN FOR SMALL PROJECTS DUE TO THE EXPANDED NUMBER OF REVIEWERS REQUIRED. ARE USED TO BEAT THREE OR FOUR REVIEWERS ON A SMALL PROJECT ANOTHER MIGHT BE A DOZEN . AND WE FIND THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE JUST ADDS A LITTLE MORE TIME, A LITTLE MORE MONEY TO THE PROJECT. WE THINK THAT REVIEW TIMES COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED FOR SMALL, COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS BY MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF STAFF ASSIGNED AND STREAMLINE IT. WHICH IS THE WEIGHT USED TO BE. THE USED TO BE THAT MULTIPLE REVIEWERS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT A SINGLE REVIEWER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE ASPECTS ON PROJECTS OF A SMALL JOB. SOME EXAMPLES, WE HAD AN INTERIOR REMODEL TO A KITCHEN REQUIRING EXTENSIVE SITE PLAN AND ZONING RESEARCH INCLUDING DOCUMENTATION OF TREES AND ZONING ANALYSIS. IT WAS UNNECESSARY. WE WOULD JUST PROPOSE THAT ARCHITECTS CAN SIMPLY PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTES TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS RATHER THAN HAVING TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE DOCUMENTATIONS UNNECESSARY AND IMMATERIAL TO THE PROJECT. WE HAVE HAD A CLIENT WHO WANTED TO BUILD A HOUSE ON A STEEP SLOPE LOT THE REQUIRED FIVE ROUNDS OF MASTER USE PLAN REVIEW CORRECTIONS. AND ON THE FOURTH ROUND, AFTER THE GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER, REVIEWER AND LAND-USE REVIEWER DISAGREED AND PROVIDED CONFLICTING COMMENTS, THE CLIENT FINALLY GAVE UP. OUT OF FRUSTRATION AND AFTER HAVING SPENT NEARLY $20,000 ON THESE REVIEWS. WHEN WE ASKED THE GEOTECHNICAL REVIEWER ABOUT THIS, THEY REMARKED THAT IT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED IF WE HAD HAD A PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE BEFORE THE PROJECT. WHICH WE HAD DONE. BUT BECAUSE THE GEOTECHNICAL REVIEWER HAD BEEN REPLACED MID-PROJECT, HE HAD NOT READ THE RECORDED PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE NOTES WHICH HE HAD ACCESS TO. AND SO AGAIN, THIS COST THE CLIENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND ULTIMATELY THE PROJECT DID NOT PROCEED. SO WE WOULD SIMPLY ASK THAT REVIEWERS FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD COORDINATE WITH ONE ANOTHER INTERNALLY BEFORE REQUESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT COULD BE IN CONFLICT WITH OTHER REVIEWERS. AND THAT GOES FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE SDCI AND ALSO OTHER DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND UTILITIES AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING PROJECT. AND LASTLY, RELATED TO PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCES, WE THINK THOSE ARE ONLY VALUABLE SDCI VALUES INFORMATION RECORDED AND ENSURES CURRENT REVIEW TEAMS ARE AWARE OF THE HISTORY AND THOSE MEETINGS AND THAT THOSE MEETINGS ARE BINDING AND CAN BE COUNTED ON. >> BEFORE YOU GO ON, YOU ARE SAYING THAT THESE PRE-APPLICATION TONSIL TATIAN'S ARE REQUIRED, -- >> THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED. YOU CAN REQUEST THEM AND PAY TO ATTEND THEM. BUT THE RESULTS ARE NOT ALWAYS BINDING. AND NOT ALWAYS NOTICED. >> OKAY. WHEN YOU SAY PAY, ARE YOU PAYING THE COST OF A HOURLY REVIEWER? >> YES, THAT IS RIGHT. $270 PER HOUR . >> PLUS ANY ADDITIONAL HOURS THEY SPEND. THE USED TO BE BINDING. AND NOW THEY ARE USUALLY BUT NOT ALWAYS. IT IS THERE MOST OFTEN USED WHEN THE PROJECT IS COMPLICATED. AND YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE CODE IS GOING TO BE APPLIED, YOU CAN REQUEST A PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE FOR ZONING OR THE BUILDING CODE. SDCI HAS BEEN PUSHING MORE OFTEN FOR ZONING COACHING WHICH IS ALSO PAID BUT LESS BINDING. WHICH IS A BIGGER STRUGGLE FOR US BECAUSE IN WE HAVE LESS OF A LEG TO STAND ON LATER. >> AND I THINK WE ALL HAVE EXAMPLES OF BEING TOLD SOMETHING AT ONE OF THESE PRE-SUBMITTAL CONFERENCE MEETINGS, TAKING IT AS GOSPEL, AND THEN BEING TOLD, ONCE THE PROJECT IS SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW THAT THE REVIEWER HAS A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION. THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL OF US MULTIPLE TIMES. AND IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO SAY THE LEAST. >> I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. GO ON. SORRY FOR THE INTERRUPTION. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS UNDERSTANDING. >> MY DISCUSSION INVOLVES PERMITS FOR EXISTING SPACES THAT TRIGGER ADDITIONAL SCOPE FOR APPLICANTS. THERE HAS BEEN INCREASED SCRUTINY IN THE SIMPLE PERMIT APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE CREATED A BARRIER TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND A BARRIER TO THOSE WHO CAN START BRICK-AND-MORTAR BUSINESSES. AS THE UPGRADES EXTEND TO THE BUILDING BEYOND THEIR INTERIOR REMODEL. MY HOPE IS WE CAN BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS TO BOOST COMMUNITIES BY BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WANT TO RISK A LOT TO OPEN A SPACE WE ALL WANT TO ENJOY. THE FIRST SLIDE IS ON SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS. A DESIGNATION THAT CAN EASILY BE APPLIED TO AN EXISTING BUILDING PERMIT AND REQUIRE APPLICANTS TO UPGRADE SEISMIC STRUCTURAL ENERGY AND FIRE SAFETY MEASURES, BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE INTERIOR WORK. MANY TIMES WE GO TO A CLIENT TO MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME AND WE ARE UNABLE TO TELL THEM OF ANY LEVEL OF CERTAINTY WHETHER IT WILL BE TABLED A SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION. THIS CAN LOOK LIKE A SHOP TENANT WHO JUST LEASED THE SPACE AND THEY BEING ASKED TO INFLATE THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING, A LARGE BUILDING, OVER MULTIPLE TENANTS IN THE BUILDING THEY DON'T OWN. THIS PERMIT IS STALLED UNTIL THEY AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIRED UPGRADES AND THEY ARE HELD LIABLE FOR E ADDITIONAL SCOPE ON THE BUILDING THEY DO NOT OWN. THIS CREATES A SITUATION WHERE APPLICANTS CAN'T A PIDDLY BUDGET FOR THEIR PROJECTS, THEY CANNOT EFFECTIVELY NEGOTIATE THEIR LEASES AND IT GETS INTO LEGAL CHALLENGES AND MAKES THE PERMITTING PROCESS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND UNAPPROACHABLE FOR MANY PEOPLE TO START BUSINESSES IN OUR STOREFRONTS THAT DESPERATELY NEEDED. A SOLUTION WOULD BE TO BEING BRING MORE PREDICTABLE AT THE TWO PROJECTS IN THE SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION PROCESS AND MAKE THAT PROCESS MORE TRANSPARENT FOR THOSE BUSINESS OWNERS SO THEY CAN BE MORE SUCCESSFUL. IF WE LEAVE THE LANGUAGE AS IT IS NOW, TO EXTEND THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE BUILDING, THIS CREATES , THIS CAN APPLY TO ALMOST ANY PROJECT THAT GOES INTO AN EXISTING BUILDING. WE ARE HOPING THAT THIS CAN BE A MORE STEP APPROACH WITH INCREMENTAL CHANGE RATHER THAN THESE GIANT UPGRADES TO STRUCTURAL AND ENERGY . THE NEXT SLIDE IS SIMILAR TO SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS, IT INVOLVES ENERGY UPGRADES GETTING AGGRESSIVELY HARDER TO COMPLY WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS LEASING SPACES. WHETHER IT'S APPLIED THROUGH THE SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION DETERMINATION OR IT APPLIES BECAUSE YOU ARE TRYING TO DO AN INTERIOR REMODEL ON AN EXISTING BUILDING, OFTEN TIMES TENANTS ARE BEING ASKED TO UPGRADE FOR THE WHOLE BUILDING. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS WOULD BE A PROJECT WHERE AN INDOOR PICKLEBALL LEAGUE WANTED TO TAKE OVER AN EXISTING EMPTY WAREHOUSE SPACE. SDCI SAID THEY NEEDED TO INSULATE THE 3000 SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING AND ALSO CONDITION IT. THIS PICKLEBALL LEAGUE IS NOT ASKING FOR A CONDITIONED SPACE, THEY JUST WANT TO COVER FROM THE RAIN AND THE TENANT COULDN'T AFFORD TO INSULATE AND THE OWNER WASN'T INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUTING AND THEREFORE THE WAREHOUSE REMAINS EMPTY AND UNUSED. ONE SUGGESTION TO IMPROVE ON THE ENERGY UPGRADES WOULD BE ALSO INCREMENTAL OR STEPPED APPROACH. TO BALANCE OUT WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOLKS TO DO TO THEIR BUILDING. SIMILAR TO ADA UPGRADES, THERE IS A CAP ON THE PERCENTAGE OF BUDGET YOU CAN USE TOWARDS ADA UPGRADES. WE ARE HOPING THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO ENERGY UPGRADES SO THERE INCREMENTAL CHANGES AND THAT DOESN'T ALL FALL ON SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO COMPLETE FOR BUILDINGS THEY DON'T OWN. >> BEFORE I GET INTO THE CHANGE OF USE, I THOUGHT I WOULD EXPLAIN IT. YOU PROBABLY ARE NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH THE INTRICACIES OF THE BUILDING CODE. ESSENTIALLY, IN THE BUILDING CODE, WHEN YOU ARE CHANGING THE USE OF A SPACE YOU ARE DOING THAT, CHANGING HOW YOU'RE USING THE SPACE, WHETHER IT'S A SCHOOL OR YOU'RE USING IT AS A STORAGE FACILITY, INTO SOMETHING ELSE. FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, THIS CHANGE OF USED TERM CAN BE SCARY BECAUSE IT CAN TRIGGER THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT. AT ITS MOST BASIC, IT REALLY IS JUST HOW WE ARE USING THE SPACE AND CHANGING IT? IT DOES IMPACT THE BUILDING CODE BECAUSE THE WAY DIFFERENT USES HAVE OCCUPANCY RATINGS , HAZARD RATINGS, AFFECTS LIFE SAFETY OF THE BUILDING. OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT CODES AND REGULATIONS FOR A SCHOOL THAN THERE WOULD BE FOR AN APARTMENT BUILDING, FOR A FACTORY, FOR A RESTAURANT. RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY WHEN A BUILDING IS CHANGING THE USE SIGNIFICANT, LIKE CONVERTING A SCHOOL INTO HOUSING, THE LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS ARE PARAMOUNT AND MUST BE ADDRESSED AND IT'S COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD THIS GOES THROUGH FULL BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW. HOWEVER, THERE ARE ALSO MINOR CHANGES OF USE THAT CAN HAPPEN WITHIN THE SAME OCCUPANCY GROUP CLASSIFICATION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO OPEN A COFFEE SHOP IN A SPACE THAT USED TO BE A CORNER MARKET GROCER, THESE ARE BOTH TECHNICALLY A BUSINESS USE. BUT YOU ARE CHANGING FROM RETAIL TO A RESTAURANT. IN THIS CASE THE BUSINESS OWNER NOT ACTUALLY BE PLANNING TO DO ANY CONSTRUCTION AT ALL. PERHAPS THEY PLAN ON REMOVING THE SHELVES AND BRINGING IN TABLES AND CHAIRS. BUT AS THE CODE IS ENFORCED, FULL BUILDING PERMIT WOULD BE REQUIRED. THIS CAN HAD TIME TO THE PROCESS WILL THE BUSINESS OWNER IS PAYING RENT ON THE SPACE THEY CAN'T USE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHEN HE BUSINESS NEEDS TO MODIFY THEIR BUSINESS PLAN IN ORDER TO SURVIVE. WHICH COULD INVOLVE CHANGES TO THEIR FLOORPLAN. A BAR THAT IS CURRENTLY STORING BARRELS AND WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT STORAGE OFF SITE SO THEY CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SEATS IN THEIR SPACE WOULD BE CHANGING THE USE. AS WE KNOW, THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HARD-HIT BY COVID AND OTHER ECONOMIC CHANGES SINCE THEN. THEY NEED TO ADAPT TO SURVIVE. IN THIS CASE, THE CHANGE OF USE FOR JUST THE SEATING WITHIN AN EXISTING BAR TRIGGER A FULL REVIEW PERMIT. THE FULL REVIEW TRIGGER THE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL RESTROOM AND FIRE SPRINKLERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING. JUST WHEN THEY WANTED TO ADD SOME CHAIRS. IF WE WANT TO ACTIVATE OUR RETAIL AND BUSINESS WE NEED TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR THESE MINOR CHANGES OF USE. WE DON'T WANT BUSINESSES TO SIMPLY IGNORE THE PERMIT PROCESS, NOR DO WE WANT BUSINESSES PENALIZED BECAUSE THEY TRIED TO FOLLOW THE RULES. BUSINESSES SHOULD NOT BE SCARED AWAY FROM POTENTIAL SPACES DUE TO THE WORRY OF LONG REVIEWS AND ADDITIONAL UPGRADES TO THE BUILDING THEY DON'T OWN. ONE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO ALLOW CHANGES OF USE WITHIN THE SAME OCCUPANCY GROUP AND THEREFORE THE SAME LIFE SAFETY HAZARD RATING TO BE REVIEWED AS AN OVER-THE-COUNTER PERMIT. AS NEXT STEPS AND HOPEFULLY WITH THIS COMMITTEES SUPPORT AND SDCI'S MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU STANDING WORKGROUP THAT CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS. SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE TALKED ABOUT SUCH AS OPENING UP MICROFILM, SEEM LIKE THEY COULD BE DONE SOONER THAN LATER AND MAY NOT NEED GROUP DISCUSSION. BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THE CHANGES WE DISCUSSED, LIKE EVALUATING HOW SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATIONS ARE DETERMINED OR HOW WE IMPLEMENT THE ENERGY CODE, IS GOING TO TAKE CONCERTED EFFORT FROM ALL OF US. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE SDCI SUPPORT THIS WORKGROUP AND ASSIGN SOMEONE WHO HAS DECISION-MAKING POWERS TO LEAD IT. WE ARE ALSO SURE THE STAFF AT SDCI HAVE THEIR OWN THOUGHTS AND HOW THE SYSTEM COULD BE IMPROVED ON THEIR END. WE HAVE A COUPLE OTHER SPECIFIC ITEMS WE THINK COULD HELP IMPROVE THE PROCESS. ONE IS THAT WE ARE OFTEN TOLD DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS THERE IS AN INTERNAL POLICY FOR HOW SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE REVIEWED. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THESE INTERNAL POLICIES MADE PUBLIC, EVEN IF THEY ARE IN DRAFT FORM, THAT WAY WE CAN BE WORKING TOWARD THE SINGLES. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE TIP SHEETS, PARTICULARLY FOR AREAS OF REVIEW THE CONSISTENTLY EXCEED MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF REVIEW LIKE GEOTECH ENTRY. AND FINALLY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS, JUST LIKE THE DMV ASKED FOR REVIEWS AND YOUR EXPERIENCE ONCE YOU GET YOUR LICENSE, PERHAPS THERE COULD BE A LINK REVIEWS WHEN A PERMIT IS ISSUED. THIS COULD ALLOW FOR MORE REAL-TIME FEEDBACK AS WELL AS OF US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN THINGS GO WELL AND THANK THOSE STAFF MEMBERS. BEFORE HAND IT OVER TO DON BLAKENEY, WE WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR HEARING OUR COMER CONCERNS. WE ARE STEWARDS OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND LIKE YOU ALL WE ARE VERY INVESTED IN THE CONTINUED SUCCESS AND LIVABILITY OF OUR CITY. >> THANK YOU. AGAIN, I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE U-DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN. YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THRESHOLDS AND BUSINESSES AND YOU'VE GIVEN A LOT OF GREAT EXAMPLES. I THINK THE PANDEMIC REALLY OPEN UP OUR EYES AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FACING NEIGHBORHOODS ABOUT HOW A CONCENTRATION OF THESE ISSUES IN A DISTRICT KE TLE OR THE U-DISTRICT CAN PLAY OUT IN A PHYSICAL WAY EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC CAN SEE. WE LOVE BUSINESSES COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND OPENING AND WE SEE A LOT OF THE SAME ISSUES. WE HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY AS PART OF THE PANDEMIC TO RECEIVE A $5 MILLION GRANT FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO DO ON HUNDRED 40 STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENTS WITH SMALL BUSINESSES. SOME NEW AND SOME EXISTING. BRINGING THAT TO THE CITY ALL AT ONCE WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS HAD TO WEIGH IN AND THE TIMELINES WERE INCREDIBLE. I MEAN, THERE WAS ALSO THE PANDEMIC PROVIDED CHALLENGES TO THE CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO SAY, DURING THE PANDEMIC WE ALSO SAW THE CITY ADAPT AND ACTUALLY MAKE SOME INTERESTING IMPROVEMENTS. WITH OUTDOOR DINING PERMITS, AND THOSE STRUCTURES, THEY CREATED NEW TEAMS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE THAT FORWARD QUICKLY SO RESTAURANTS COULD SAFELY SERVE PEOPLE OUTSIDE IN A WAY THAT MET BUILDING CODE AND CUT PEOPLE SAFE IN TRAFFIC. WE SAW THIS ALSO WITH OUR GRANT FUND. OPCD PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL TEAM THE FOCUSED EVERY WEEK TO GET THESE 140 PERMITS THROUGH. IT WAS GREAT, IT HAD A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. 140 IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COURSE OF SIX MONTHS. I THINK ABOUT THAT, IF WE CAN DO IT FOR THAT, HOW CAN WE THINK ABOUT THE URGENCY AND TYPE OF COLLABORATION WHEN LOOKING AT DOWNTOWN SEATTLE? WHAT IS A, 527 VACANT STOREFRONTS? IF WE COULD PUT TOGETHER A TEAM THAT KNOCKED OUT THE PERMITS, TOOK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOWERING THE THRESHOLDS, WE WERE TOSSING AROUND IDEAS, LIKE COULD YOU HAVE A PERMIT HOLIDAY FOR SUBSTANTIAL ALTERATION OR REDUCED THRESHOLD, IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS. OR COULD WE HAVE THE CHANGE OF USE PAUSED FOR A FEW YEARS JUST TO GET SOME SPACES BACK UP AND RUNNING. WHEN YOU HAVE AN OLD BUILDING AND YOU HAVE A TENANT THAT IS EXISTING WHO NEEDS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS BUT THE LANDLORD IS SAYING, YOU CAN'T, WE DON'T WAY TOO BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO TRIGGER THIS WHOLE OTHER THING FOR OUR COSTS. KEEP YOUR BUSINESS THE WAY IT IS. TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. IT HAS A CUMULATIVE EFFECT ON THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. LASTLY I WOULD JUST SAY, WILL BE CALLED QUIET CRYING AT THE PERMIT COUNTER WHEN PEOPLE HAD REALLY CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES AND NOWHERE TO VENT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THERE WAS A WAY THE CITY COULD REALLY HEAR FROM PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, INTERNALIZE WHAT THEY ARE HEARING AND TRY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS. BECAUSE EVERY STORY, YOU LISTEN TO EACH ONE OF THESE 140 FOLKS WHO HAD A COMPELLING STORY, WE HAD SOMEONE LOSING CONTRACTORS BECAUSE THE TIMELINE GOT KICKED OUT. WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE STAFF GOING ON HOLIDAY BY SURPRISE, THAT WAS A HUGE PROBLEM. WE HAD A NEW PERMIT PERSON COME IN AND REWRITE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. THAN THE USE WAS GOING TO EXPIRE. THESE THINGS WERE SUCH SURPRISES THAT COULD'VE BEEN AVOIDED. I THINK THE CITY FOR THE STUFF THEY WERE ABLE TO DO TO HELP US. BUT ALSO THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS A GREAT FRONT DOOR TO THE CITY IN A MUCH BETTER PROCESS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM. ON THAT LAST POINT, I WANTED TO NOTE, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER SIX OF THE 2023 AUDIT DOES SAY THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE SHOULD LEAD A COORDINATE EFFORT TO DOCUMENT ALL RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE CONSTRUCTION PERMITTING PROCESS FROM CONSULTANT REPORTS AND INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS. THE DEPARTMENT SHOULD EVALUATE EACH RECOMMENDATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU INTEND TO IMPLEMENT IT AND WHY. AND SO, AND ELSEWHERE IN THIS THING THAT SAYS, WE NEED TO TAKE CUSTOMER FEEDBACK. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, CREATING A FEEDBACK LOOP . INFORMATION SHARING, AND A FEEDBACK LOOP. BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL PRACTITIONERS OF OUR PERMITTING PROCESS AND HAVE A LOT OF ON THE GROUND EXAMPLES YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE. BUT DOING THAT IN GETTING THAT FEEDBACK ON A REGULAR BASIS I THINK IS WHAT THIS AUDIT IS GEARED AT AND I WOULD HOPE THAT SDCI IS TAKING THAT ENTERING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT. SO, JIM GRAHAM, I SEE YOUR HAND UP. SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF THE CONVERSATION. >> I THINK I WOULD LEAN IN ON THE SAME COMMENT YOU HAD ABOUT THE FEEDBACK LOOP. WE KNOW THESE REVIEWERS ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND THE CODES AND FOLLOW THE CODES AND THE PROCESSES PUT IN FRONT OF THEM. IF THEY KNEW THE IMPACT THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL STEPS IN THAT PROCESS OR CORRECTIONS ROUNDS THAT THEY ASK FOR IT HAD ON INDIVIDUAL VISITS OWNERS, I AM SURE THEY WOULD BE MORE MOTIVATED TO FIND A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO SPEED THAT UP. THE FEEDBACK LOOP COULD BE ONE OF THEM. I WOULD IMPRESS UPON THE COMMITTEE, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THESE ISSUES ARE AT ITS CORE, AND ECONOMIC ISSUE. THERE ARE MANY OPERATORS POTENTIALLY THAT COULD HELP CHANGE THE FACE OF THE CITY. AND ACTIVATE STOREFRONTS. THAT SIMPLY ARE NOT COMING TO SEATTLE. THEY'RE GOING TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS IT'S MUCH EASIER. AND THE REPUTATION OF SEATTLE EXTENDS BEYOND THE STATE. THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS FLAWED AND TAKES WAY TOO LONG. THAT IS SAD TO HEAR. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. WAS SOME OF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT A SMALL PROJECT TRIGGERS BIGGER RENOVATIONS, IS THAT CONSISTENT, IS THAT WHAT ARE PUBLIC, THERE WAS TALKING ABOUT? THAT IS THE ISSUE? IS HER WAY OF SAYING THAT IS NOT AN INARTICULATE SENTENCE I UTTERED? >> YEAH, BASICALLY THESE ARE TENANTS GOING INTO THE EXISTING SPACE THAT OFTEN TIMES IT LOOKS ON PAPER TO BE SIMPLE. LIKE THEY'RE GOING INTO AN EXISTING RESTAURANT THAT IS ALREADY PERMITTED LEGALLY THAT WAY AND THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO NOW REINFORCE THE MASONRY OR INFLATE THE ENTIRE ROOF OF MULTIPLE TENANTS NEXT DOOR TO THEM. THOSE ARE EXAMPLES OF THAT KIND OF SCRUTINY. THOSE SMALLER, SIMPLE COMMERCIAL TENANT IMPROVEMENTS ARE NOW REQUIRING. >> AND I HAVE HEARD EXAMPLES OF THE CITY EXTERNALIZING THE COST OF FOR EXAMPLE, SIDEWALK REPAIR OR INSTALLING WATER METERS OR BETTER WATER MEANS WHEN ONE PROJECT IS GOING IN, IT TRIGGERS WORK THAT IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE INITIAL PROJECT. ANYWAY, I WILL STOP TALKING AND ASKING QUESTIONS AND OPEN THE FLOOR TO MY COLLEAGUES. COUNCILMEMBER MARK SOLOMON. >> THANK YOU. PERMITTING REFORM IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE SAYING, SALEM DOESN'T HAVE A HOUSING PROBLEM, IT HAS A PERMITTING PROBLEM. I'M GOING TO TELL THE SHED STORY. I WAS TRYING TO GET A PERMIT TO BUILD A 12 BY 16 SHED IN MY BACKYARD. IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS. AND THE REASON IT ONLY TOOK SEVEN MONTHS IS BECAUSE I KNEW SOMEBODY WHO KNEW SOMEBODY WHO TOLD SOMEBODY TO CALL ME. HAD I HAD SOMEONE THAT I COULD'VE TALKED TO UP FRONT, I'M NOT A BUILDER OR DEVELOPER OR ARCHITECT, IF I COULD'VE HAD SOMEONE WHO SAID, HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO DO, WHO COULD'VE WALKED ME THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING, SO I WOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVEN MONTHS OF CORRECTIONS ON THINGS THAT COULD'VE EASILY BEEN HANDLED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AND THEN SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS YOU MENTIONED. TO BE CLEAR, I HAVE SHARED THIS , THESE CONCERNS WITH SDCI MYSELF. ANTOL AS THE EXECUTIVE WHO ARE ALSO LOOKING AT PERMITTING REFORM, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO EASE THE BURDEN. BUT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET DONE, WHY WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD TO PROVIDE FOR A SHED, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF EACH ROOM OF MY EXISTING RESIDENTS? WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH THE SHED? I CAN UNDERSTAND, PLOTTING OUT WHERE THE TREES ARE THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SHED. AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE FLOOR AREA CALCULATIONS OR LOT AREA COVERAGE. BUT IT JUST SEEMED TO BE REALLY INFORMATION THAT WAS BEING ASKED THE HAD NO RELEVANCE TO THE PROJECT TRYING TO BE DONE. THAT IS WHY I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS . MAKE IT EASIER FOR SOMEBODY TO NAVIGATE. AGAIN, I KNEW SOMEBODY I COULD CALL. MISSES JENKINS DOWN THE BLOCK DOESN'T HAVE SOMEONE TO CALL. HAD WHEAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE REGULAR PERSON TO ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING DONE ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY? HOW CAN WE MAKE THE PROCESS LESS ONEROUS SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WANT TO BUILD IN SEATTLE AS OPPOSED TO GOING TO UNINCORPORATED KING COUNTY. I AM WITH YOU THERE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. LIKE I SAID, I AM COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH YOU, WITH THE PLANNING COMMITTEE DEVELOP AN, DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTIONS, WITH WHOEVER, TO EASE THE BURDEN SO WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY BUILD IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ALONG THOSE LINES I WILL JUST ADD, WHEN I WAS TRYING TO FIND A PLACE, WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO START MANUFACTURING AN ADULT BEVERAGE, WE LOCATED IN A PLACE WHERE THAT WAS A PERMITTED USE. IT WAS ALLOWED. IN THAT ZONING WE COULD'VE DONE THAT. BUT WE DID NOT KNOW WE WERE SUPPOSED TO OBTAIN A CHANGE OF USE PERMIT. AND SO WE HAD TO SORT OF, RETROACTIVELY REDUCE THE DRAWINGS , ET CETERA. DEFINITELY IT SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE, AT LEAST COMMUNICATION OR EDUCATION ABOUT THAT BEING A CENTRAL PART OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THEN CLARITY ON WHEN CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS TRIGGER SOMETHING BIGGER, THAT WOULD BE VARIABLE AS WELL. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR STORIES FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES TO INCLUDE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, TO REVITALIZE THIRD AVENUE WHICH IS IMPORTANT. A SHOUT OUT FOR NICK. AND I WILL BE MEETING ANOTHER CONSTITUENT, MY STAFF IS ALREADY MET HIM, REGARDING WHAT HE HAD SAID IN PUBLIC COMMENT. WHICH IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, BY THE WAY, THAT WE DO LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I DO WITH MY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND SO MY CHIEF OF STAFF HAS ALREADY CHECKED IN. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT AND WHAT THE DETAILS ARE. BUT I AM AWARE OF THESE ISSUES. WE SHOULD BE ENGAGING ON THOSE. I SEE WHAT SDCI IS LOOKING TO DO PARTLY WITH RESEARCH AND REALLY PERMIT COACHING. EXPEDITED PERMITTING SERVICES. BUT AS YOU NOTED IN YOUR TESTIMONY THERE ARE SOME HANGUPS WITH SPECIFIC PIECES OF THIS. SOME OF THIS IS NOT AIDED BY LEGACY OF COVID AND WORK FROM HOME AND THE LIKE. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CLEARLY WE SHOULD BE WORKING THROUGH, HIGHLIGHTING, AND AT SOME POINT BRING SDCI EITHER HERE OR IN LAND USE COMMITTEE, TO WALK THROUGH THESE THINGS. AND DO IT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY, NOT IN A POKER CHEST KIND OF WAY. BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN, I THINK WE WILL GET TO A BETTER OUTCOME IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY WITH SOME TYPE OF WORKGROUP OR WHATEVER THAT PROCESS MAY BE. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, AS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW, I LIKE TO TURN EVERYTHING INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, I HAVE SEEN THIS AS WELL IN QUEEN ANNE AND OTHER PLACES RELATED TO BUSINESSES WERE DEALING WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES. IS MY NEW COLLEAGUE KNOWS VERY WELL, THE DESIGN FEATURES CAN REALLY HELP WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. OFTEN TIMES IT IS THE PROPERTY OWNER OR PROPERTY MANAGER THAT HAS TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES. AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BECAUSE IT'S A COST. BUT THEY DON'T REALIZE THE IMPACT , THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF MAKING SOME SLIGHT CHANGES THAT CAN DO TO PUBLIC SAFETY POSTURE AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE BUSINESSES. BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THOSE BUSINESSES. THIS IS A MAJOR THINI KNOW YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE WORLD AND HAVE HEARD THROUGH MY PREVIOUS LIFE THESE CHALLENGES. I THINK THIS COULD BE ANOTHER PIECE TO THIS. HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE THIS IN ORDER TO INCREASE OUR PROFILE AS A RELATES TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES? OKAY. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ELEMENT OF THIS IS OVER. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ELSE? GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER RIVERA. >> THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU , FOR BEING HERE. DON BLAKENEY , YOUR BUSINESS OUR CONSTITUENTS. UNIVERSITY DISTRICT. I HAVE BEEN VERY FRUSTRATED BY THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND ALL THE ISSUES , PARTICULARLY THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT HAVE EXPERIENCED. AND DON, YOU TALKED ABOUT COVID AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED , PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED ESPECIALLY, THAT HAS NECESSITATED A PERMIT TO DO THINGS LIKE REPLACE THE WINDOW, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A VERY ONEROUS THING FOR A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER , WHO IS JUST TRAINED TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS, MAKE A LIVING, AND PROVIDE A SERVICE TO COMMUNITY. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE OUGHT NOT, IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, TO ENSURE THAT THESE PERMITS ARE DONE TIMELY SO THESE SMALLER PROJECTS CAN GET DONE. BECAUSE NO TWO PROJECTS ARE THE SAME AND WE KNOW SOME ARE HUGE AND SOME ARE JUST THESE MINOR THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T TAKE A LONG TIME. COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE, YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN IN TERMS OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CHANGES THEY SHOULD MAKE IN SUPPORT OF THEIR TENANTS, IF YOU WILL. THAT IS ONE ISSUE. IT TO ME, THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE SEEN EVEN MORE , NOT THAT THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT, THAT IS IMPORTANT IN A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION, BUT JUST THIS PIECE ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET PERMITS, FOR VERY MINOR THINGS, THAT HAVE HUGE IMPACTS ON A BUSINESSES ABILITY TO STAY OPEN. AND SO TO ME IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT PERMITTING ISSUES FOR YEARS NOW. AND I JUST FEEL LIKE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO A RESOLUTION ON THIS. MY FRUSTRATION STEMS WITH THE CONSTANT CHURN OF IDENTIFYING ISSUES AND NOT BEING ABLE TO FIX THESE ISSUES FOR CONSTITUENTS. AND CONSTITUENTS INCLUDE SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR CITY. I KNOW THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE DISTRICT I REPRESENT BUT TO ALL THE DISTRICTS WE REPRESENT ACROSS THE CITY. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY AND TALKING, YET AGAIN, ABOUT SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT FOR YEARS NOW. FROM WELL BEFORE I CAME TO THE CITY COUNCIL. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE MAYOR'S ASSESSMENT, THE PERMITTING, THAT HOPEFULLY IT WILL GET TO SOME ACTUAL RESOLVE ON HOW TO GET THESE PERMITS DONE QUICKER . AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, TO ME, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE MORE COMPLEX, WILL TAKE LONGER TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE PERMITTING DONE QUICKER, OR MORE QUICKLY, BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER PERMITTING THINGS I THINK -- I MEAN TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE A NO-BRAINER THAT SOME OF THE OTHER PERMITTING STUFF SHOULD TAKE NOT VERY MUCH TIME AT ALL. SO HOW DO WE GET THERE? WHAT IS NEEDED? HOW DO WE REALLY SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES? >> I THINK THAT IS WHY I LIKE TO REITERATE THAT ONE OF THE BIG ASKS WE HAVE IS THAT WE HAVE A CONTINUED WORKING GROUP WITH PROFESSIONALS AND SDCI STAFF SO WE CAN COLLABORATE AND BRING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO A LOT OF THIS AND HAVE THAT CONTINUAL WORKING COLLABORATIVE MODEL . IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT IF WE START THAT I THINK THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO BEGIN. >> TO SECOND THAT, ALSO, REOPENING THE SERVICE CENTER IS THE SAME ISSUE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS AN ARCHITECT HERE SINCE WE WERE AT THE ACLU, AND HAVE BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AT THE CITY. AND NOW WE ARE JUST SORT OF FACELESS TO ONE ANOTHER. I THINK THAT HAS IMPACTS THAT ARE REALLY, I FEEL THEM. CAN'T PROVE THEM. BUT I THINK IT IS A LOT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO HELP EACH OTHER AND SORT OF HAVE THAT MUTUAL RESPECT WHEN THEY ARE NOT FACE-TO-FACE WITH EACH OTHER DAY AFTER DAY. AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. AND SO, I THINK REOPENING THE SERVICE CENTER IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE SHORT TERM THAT I THINK WOULD REESTABLISH THE LINKS OF ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER AS HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE HOMES, HAVE PROBLEMS, HAVE MONEY ISSUES. WE CAN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER WHEN WE ARE NOT THROWING QUESTIONS OVER THE FENCE WITH A CHATBOT OR SOMETHING . THAT STUFF IS EFFECTIVE SOMETIMES AT GETTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED. BUT IT CAN ONLY GO SO FAR. I THINK WE ALL REALLY FEEL STRONGLY THAT IF WE COULD REESTABLISH THOSE LINKS IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. >> AGREED. MY COLLEAGUES KNOW SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN HERE IN JANUARY, I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WE SHOULD BE BACK TO WORK IN PERSON , EVERYONE, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, BECAUSE WE ARE IN SERVICE TO COMMUNITY AND WE CAN'T BE IN SERVICE TO OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY IF WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY IN PERSON. I UNDERSTAND THAT COVID TAUGHT US WE CAN DO SOME THINGS IN THIS HYBRID FASHION OR REMOTE FASHION. AND WE ALWAYS DID THAT BEFORE. THE TRUTH IS, THERE WERE SOME FOLKS WORKING REMOTELY BEFORE COVID. BECAUSE THEY WOULD WORK THAT OUT WITH A SUPERVISOR AND THERE WERE SOME FOLKS THAT ONE DAY PER WEEK WERE WORKING REMOTELY, ET CETERA. I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS. WITH SUPERVISORS. BUT IN GENERAL WE KNOW THIS WORK IS BETTER DONE WHEN WE CAN BE IN PERSON AND PEOPLE CAN BE FACE-TO-FACE, AS YOU SAY, ENGAGE IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET TO THESE THINGS MORE QUICKLY. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE. THANK YOU. >> TO ADD TO THAT, TO WHAT GREG SAID, AND ALSO TO ADDRESS WHAT COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE AND COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON SAID, WHEN I WOULD BE AT THE SERVICE DESK AND WAIT MY TURN I WOULD OFTEN SEE HOMEOWNERS COME IN WITH QUESTIONS . THE SDCI STAFF, I GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO DBD, THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL. I WOULD OFTEN TELL CLIENTS, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE CITY, THEY ARE TOUGH ON ME AS AN ARCHITECT, I SHOULD KNOW BETTER, BUT THE HOMEOWNER GOING IN, THE SDCI WAS WONDERFUL TO WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GO YOU NEED TO GO TO THIS DESK AND THIS DESK , MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THIS PAPERWORK. WE DON'T NEED THAT AS DESIGN PROFESSIONALS BUT THE PUBLIC NEEDS THAT. THEY CAN'T ALL AFFORD TO HIRE US. >> SORRY. THEY CAN ALSO, AND THEY DID, OFTEN, IF YOU ARE MISSING A NOTE OR THEY WANTED YOU TO ADD SQUARE FOOTAGE, THEY COULD TELL YOU THAT IN PERSON WILL YOU HAVE YOUR DRAWINGS WITH YOU. YOU COULD MAKE THE NOTE AND HEADED BACK, IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE A LONG PROCESS. THEY WOULD HELP ADVOCATE FOR YOUR PROJECT WHILE YOU'RE THERE IN PERSON. I THINK A LOT OF THAT COMMUNICATION, ESPECIALLY FOR SMALL PROJECTS, AS OWNERS OR HOMEOWNERS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING SMALL, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HIRE AN ARCHITECT NECESSARILY, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO, BUT THEY NEED A LITTLE GUIDANCE AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF CORRECTIONS TO ADD A NOTE WHEN YOU COULD SIMPLY BE TOLD ABOUT IT. >> I SEE JIM, GO AHEAD. >> I WANT TO REINFORCE ONE THING. RELATIVE TO GETTING BACK INTO THE OFFICE, GETTING BACK TO WORK, THAT WE SEE IN OUR INDUSTRY, REMOTE WORKING EXIT VERY DIFFICULT FOR MENTORING TO TAKE PLACE TWEEN OLDER EXPERIENCED STAFF AND YOUNGER STAFF THAT ARE NEW. THAT MENTORING IN PERSON TAKES PLACE INSTANTLY WITH SHORT CONVERSATIONS, QUICK QUESTIONS. AND IT TEACHES FOR FASTER. ANSWERS ARE GARNERED IMMEDIATELY. I THINK THE SDCI, I GO BACK ALL THE WAY, STAFF IS SUFFERING FROM SOME ATTRITION, OR TO LEAK THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. BUT THAT THE UNDER STAFF IS NOT HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROPER MENTORSHIP. BEING BACK IN THE OFFICE CAN SOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AS WELL. >> YOU TOLD ME THE STORY ONE TIME, JIM, OF SOMEBODY WHO BASICALLY WAS 20 INLAND THE BUILDING CODE IN A CREATIVE WAY AND WAS HAVING A HARD TIME EXPLAINING TO THE PERSON , WHOEVER THEY WERE TALKING TO, THAT IN FACT THIS IS IN COMPLIANCE, IT'S JUST WE ARE DOING THIS IN THIS. AND THEN THAT PERSON, THE STAFF THAT PERSON WAS TALKING TO WENT DOWN THE HALL WERE ASKED SOMEBODY ELSE AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. BUT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, THE VALUE OF MENTORSHIP AND ACCESS TO PEOPLE WHEN YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THE SPOT. DON, GO AHEAD. SORRY. >> THESE ARE GREAT COMMENTS. I THINK STEPPING BACK AND LOOKING BACK AT THE PROJECTS WE WERE LOOKING AT AT LEAST IN THE U-DISTRICT, HAVING A CONTINUUM OF CARE OF PEOPLE, SOMEONE GUIDING YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THAT THERE ARE NO SURPRISES. THAT IS THE THING. A COMMITMENT TO NO SURPRISES. YOU SHOULD NOT GET A $100,000 SURPRISE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROCESS OR AT THE END, HEAVEN FORBID. THAT IS WHAT KEEPS HAPPENING. IF WE CAN EVEN SAY THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AND WORK FROM THERE BACK TO HOW WE GET THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEIR POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THERE SHOULD BE MORE PROTECT ABILITY AND TIMELINE, COSTS, ACTUAL THINGS REQUIRED. >> ARE THERE OTHER CITIES, I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HIS CORRECTIONS THAT COME UP THE END UP CREATING PROBLEMS, ARE THERE CITIES THAT HAVE TIME LIMITS FOR CERTAIN LEVEL OF PROJECT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS A SMALL BUSINESS TYPE PROJECT. BUT, ARE THERE LIKE, 100 DAY PERMITTING RULES THAT SOME CITIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED? OR, ONCE YOU HAVE THE SIGN OFF, NO MORE CORRECTIONS. IT IS SET IN STONE. WHAT ARE SOME BEST PRACTICES YOU HAVE SEEN IN OTHER CITIES? >> I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE TIMELINE, I AM SURE THERE ARE CITIES THAT HAVE GUIDELINES. BUT THERE CITIES LIKE CHICAGO THAT LET ARCHITECTS SELF CERTIFY ESSENTIALLY. AND SO YOU DON'T, FOR SMALL PROJECTS, THINGS OF A CERTAIN SIZE, IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO TO REVIEW AT THE CITY. USED TO GET THE FEES AND PERMIT, IT'S NOT A LOSS OF INCOME FOR SDCI, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, BECAUSE HONESTLY WE ARE THE ONES LIABLE IN THE END ANYWAY. WE CERTIFY IT IS PER THE CODE AND MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS AND CAN GET THE PERMIT. IF A CITY LIKE CHICAGO CAN DO IT, I WOULD THINK SEATTLE COULD. >> OTHER CITIES COUNT THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS YOU HAVE FOR A PROJECT OR OPENING A BUSINESS. SOME CITIES REQUIRE 95 TOUCH POINTS ANOTHER REQUIRE 14. THERE OTHER METRICS TO LOOK AT, HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE TO COME BACK HAVE THINGS LOOKED AT OR HOW MANY CONVERSATIONS DO YOU NEED? >> THERE HAS ALSO BEEN AN INCREASED CULTURE OF, IF WE WRITE SOMETHING ON PAPER FOR A CORRECTION CYCLE WE ARE ALLOWED TO CHANGE IT AT ANY TIME. THAT USED TO NOT BE. IT USED TO BE A LOT MORE BINDING. WHEN THERE IS A CORRECTION CYCLE IT WAS LOOKED AT MORE PRINCIPALLY AND THERE WAS NO OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT FURTHER. THAT HAS BECOME MORE OF A NORMAL PRACTICE. I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT CAN BE SOMETHING THAT CAN GO BACK TO THAT BEING A MORE PRINCE OF LOOK AT SOMETHING AND THAT IS THE LAST TIME YOU CAN LOOK AT X ON THAT'S GO. >> IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE SIGN OFF, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO PLAN FOR THAT FOR PREDICTABILITY SAKE. COST AND TIME ET CETERA. >> I THINK TOO, THE INSPECTION PROCESS HELPS THAT IN THE FIELD. RIGHT? THERE IS THE DOUBLE CHECK, IT'S NOT ON THE PLAN REVIEW. THERE IS FIELD INSPECTION WORK AS WELL. >> CPI TALKED A LOT ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT IS HOMEOWNERS ALSO, SMALL PROJECTS. EVEN A TOOLSHED, COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS UP, IN TERMS OF DOING A TOOLSHED IN THE BACK OF YOUR HOME. AND IT TOOK , I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG FOR YOU TO GET A PERMIT TO DO SOMETHING AS MINOR AS THAT. I KNOW I WAS FOCUSED ON SMALL BUSINESSES, BECAUSE DON IS HERE, BUT JUST HOMEOWNERS IN GENERAL. AGAIN, A LOT OF THESE BEING SMALL PROJECTS. >> RIGHT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO LOWER THE COST OF HOUSING. LOWER THE COST OF HOUSING IN PART BY LOWERING THE TIME AND REVIEW AND CORRECTION CYCLES DURING PERMITTING. AS I SAID BEFORE. BECAUSE THOSE TOUCH POINTS WITH SDCI STAFF DO COST MONEY AS WELL AS THE BILLABLE HOURS OF THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS TABLE PROBABLY. I DO WANT TO READ A COMBINATION NUMBER ONE WHICH IS BASICALLY VALIDATING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING OF THIS 2023 AUDIT WHICH SAYS, THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTION SHOULD DEVELOP METRICS BY CONSTRUCTION PERMIT TYPE FOR TOTAL REVIEW TIME IN TRACKING PROCESS TO SUPPORT MEETING THOSE METRICS. THE METRICS IN SDCI'S PROCESS AND BEING THOSE METRICS ALONG WITH METHODOLOGY AND DATA LIMITATIONS SHOULD BE DISPLAYED ON SDCI'S WEBSITE AND UPDATED REGULARLY. MORE CERTAINTY AND PRETTY DEBILITY. ULTIMATELY I AM TALKING ABOUT A CULTURE OF STARTING WITH YES. YES WE WANT MORE HOUSING. YES WE WANT TO LOWER THE COST OF HOUSING BY LOWERING CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES. AND PERMITTING'S. YES, WE WANT TO LIMIT DISPLACEMENT . AND A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS BUT NEED TENANT IMPROVEMENTS TO DO SO, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO. KEEP THEM HERE. THE SAME THING WITH , I HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOUSING AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY EMPTY STOREFRONTS THAT NEED FILLING. IF WE CREATED A MORE ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH SOME CHANGES TO CULTURE AND DAY TO DAY PRACTICES, PERHAPS SEATTLE WOULD BE A MORE ATTRACTIVE CITY TO LOCATE IN PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OTHERWISE THAT THERE ARE SOME BARRIERS THAT THEY MIGHT NOT ENCOUNTER ELSEWHERE. I WILL LET YOU SAY THE FINAL WORDS, IF YOU HAVE ANY FINAL THOUGHTS, GIVEN THAT, ONE OF YOUR ASKS IS A WORKGROUP, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPECIFIC CHANGES YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ON THE RECORD HAVE US FOLLOW THROUGH ON OR GET INFORMATION ON BEFORE THE DISCUSSION CLOSES. >> OPENING THE MICROFICHE. OPENING THE FRONT DESK. WE TALKED ABOUT -- TO ME THOSE DON'T NEED A WORKGROUP. THAT IS JUST SDCI TO DO IT. THE HOW ARE WE DOING FUNCTIONALITY? THE ABILITY FOR US TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO THE PROCESS, THAT ALSO DOESN'T NEED A WORKGROUP. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE INTERNAL POLICIES MADE PUBLIC . >> EVENTUALLY, ALSO A CONSIDERATION FOR COMMERCIAL IS A GEOGRAPHIC AREA WHERE THERE IS MAYBE A SWAT TEAM THAT WORKS WITHIN THE PERMITTING TO GET THESE DISTRICTS MORE FUNCTIONAL AND LESS VACANCIES, I THINK THINKING ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES MAY BE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION. >> SO INSERT NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF A PARTICULAR KIND OF BUSINESS ALL GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE SAME PERMITTING ISSUES, THAT THERE COULD BE A WAY OF ADDRESSING THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME. OR FOCUSING ON THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS. I HAVE HEARD THE CID BEING MENTIONED. OKAY, FINAL THOUGHTS ? MR. GRAHAM OR ANYONE ELSE? >> AT LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT FOR LISTENING. THIS IS JUST ONE MEETING AND I HOPE ALL THESE WORDS ARE TAKEN INTO ACTION. AND ANYTHING WE CAN DO IS PROFESSIONALS TO DO SO AND AIDEN THAT WE ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT NOTE. BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST, THIS IS JUST AN OPENING CONVERSATION. I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH IN MY COMMITTEE TO TAKE THE LEAD ON WHATEVER CHANGES MIGHT BE REQUIRED WITH LEGISLATION GOING FORWARD. BUT THIS IS A BEGINNING CONVERSATION SO THE CITY CAN BENEFIT FROM YOUR EXPERTISE AND INCORPORATE YOUR FEEDBACK INTO THEIR ONGOING WORK TO ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2023 AND BUILD OUT THE WORK THAT IS GOING ON NOW WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET IT. SOME OF THESE SOLUTIONS DO NOT REQUIRE LEGISLATION, ZONING CHANGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO, HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, START WITH YES, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? IS ALWAYS MY POSITION. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. >> CHAIR, CAN I SAY ONE LAST THING? I APPRECIATE ALL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME OF THESE DO NOT REQUIRE LEGISLATION, THERE ARE THINGS THE DEPARTMENT CAN DO WHICH MEANS IT'S SOMETHING, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING TO THE EXECUTIVE ABOUT AS WELL. BECAUSE, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE EXECUTIVE . WE CAN'T TELL DEPARTMENTS WHAT TO DO. WE CAN DRAFT LEGISLATION. WE CAN MAKE SURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THE WORK. BUT WE CAN'T ACTUALLY REC DEPARTMENTS TO DO THE WORK. AND HOW TO DO IT. SO I AM ENCOURAGED YOU'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS , COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON THIS IN PARTICULAR. AM HOPING YOU ARE ALL HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS WELL. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ON THAT PIECE A BIT. >> I WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT COUNCILMEMBER SOLOMON, ONE OF HIS TOP PRIORITIES IS ADDRESSING PERMITTING. I'M GOING TO DEFER TO YOU TO DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST -- YOU LOVE IT. TO ADVANCE WHAT HAS BEEN SAID TODAY AND REALLY IN SHORT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE IN SEEING THAT HAPPENS. IT'S NOT LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO REDO DESIGN REVIEW. FOR GOODNESS SAKE. THERE IS THAT. IN ANY CASE, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING TO THE TABLE AND SPENDING TIME HELPING US HELP YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO BE CONTINUED. >> THANK YOU. >> AGAIN, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING HERE. THIS DOES HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY NEXUS. ANYBODY IS WELCOME TO CONTINUE AND ADVANCE SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WERE EXPRESSED IN TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING. LET'S SEE, WHETHER ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR ISSUES YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS BEFORE WE CLOSED TODAY? NO. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING, THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING ON 24 FEBRUARY , BUT THAT IS ON THE HOUSING IN THE STADIUM AREA. AND OUR NEXT REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETING IS FEBRUARY 27. THIS CONCLUDES THE FEBRUARY 13 MEETING OF THE GOVERNANCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ECONOMIC . IT IS 3:17 PM. THERE IS NO BUSINESS. THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.