Seattle Council advances Sound Transit bill as tensions simmer over permitting rules
(The Center Square) – The Seattle City Council is set to vote on legislation intended to speed up the permitting process for Sound Transit light rail projects with an edited amendment that critics believe could delay projects and increase costs.
Council Bill 120975 intends to streamline the permitting and development of Sound Transit’s Link light rail expansion projects in West Seattle and Ballard. Last week, Seattle City Councilmember Maritza Rivera proposed an amendment that would have required Sound Transit to submit a community outreach plan that would need to be approved by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections prior to permit applications.
Findings from the outreach plan would have to be included in the permit application, with the SDCI director required to explain how public comment was included in a permit application.
Following a previous committee meeting on May 29 that saw backlash from members of the public, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Office and the Sound Transit 3 team worked with Rivera to revise the amendment’s language to only require a report at application by Sound Transit on the outreach that they have undertaken.
“This is an opportunity for Sound Transit to show their work to the city and show us the public outreach that they’re doing–it was never intended to cause any delays or costs,” Rivera said during Wednesday’s Land Use Committee meeting.
Public commenters said Rivera’s original amendment would slow down light rail development and increase project costs by creating extra steps.
Seattle City Councilmember Cathy Moore, who is resigning next month, called out public commenters for personal attacks against Rivera regarding her amendment.
“It’s just more hate because people don’t agree with the particular positions that we’re taking, and this attempt to make it sound like we don’t give a flying ‘f’ about anybody that we disagree with,” Moore said.
Seattle City Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes-Rinck and Dan Strauss abstained from voting on the amendment. Strauss, who serves on the Sound Transit Board of Directors, questioned the benefits and consequences of the amendment, adding that it could create more red tape for Sound Transit projects.
Strauss also mentioned Sound Transit’s budget is not sustainable in the 2040s without substantive changes made, adding that “the alarm bells are ringing and they are ringing loud.”
He added, “The full implications of the budget being out of balance in the 2040s is bigger than any of us realize.
Rivera doubled down on the amendment’s intention to make Sound Transit show its public outreach and not delay projects and increase costs, and accused Strauss and Rinck’s decision to abstain to be “strictly political and not policy.”
The amendment received three votes in favor and the two abstentions. The underlying Council Bill 120975 was given a do-pass recommendation by all five committee members. It will now be discussed and voted on by the full city council on June 10.
