04-05-2022 Council Minutes - SpecialCITY OF
Federal Way
CITY COUNCIL
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
City Hall — Council Chambers*
*remote attendance available via zoom
April 5, 2022 — 5:00 p.m.
1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Mayor Ferrell called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
City officials in attendance: Mayor Jim Ferrell, Council President Linda Kochmar, Deputy Susan
Mayor Honda, Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson, Councilmember Erica Norton,
Councilmember Hoang Tran, Councilmember Jack Walsh, and Councilmember Jack Dovey.
City staff in attendance: Interim City Administrator Brian Davis, City Attorney Ryan Call, and
City Clerk Stephanie Courtney.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Ferrell led the flag salute.
3. STUDY SESSION — FEDERAL WAY TRANSIT CENTER LIGHT RAIL STATION
SURPLUS PROPERTY
Ryan Medlen, City Liaison to Sound Transit, provided a background regarding the Federal Way
station and outlined the topics which would be covered. He provided an introduction of Jordan
Rash, Senior Project Manager who would be providing the bulk of the presentation.
Senior Project Manager Jordan Rash acknowledged his colleagues he anticipates to be in
attendance including Mara D'Angelo, Transit -Oriented Development Manager; Thatcher
Imboden, Land Use Planning & Development Director; Jemae Hoffman, Manager — Light Rail
Development; Nathan Galer, Construction Manager — FWLE; and Katie Drewel, Government
and Community Relations Officer.
Mr. Rash provided an explanation of surplus property and how it relates to Transit -Oriented
Development (TOD). He noted Sound Transit acquires property to stage equipment during the
construction. Once construction is completed and the excess property is no longer needed the
Sound Transit Board can designate it as surplus property.
Transit -Oriented Development refers to high density, pedestrian and cyclist -friendly
development with a mix of uses to meet daily needs. He provided definitions for Operations
Footprint, Construction Footprint and Community TOD and explained how they intersect. Mr.
Rash also provided the state statute regarding surplus property (RCW 81.112.350) which
relates to affordable housing requirements, and further outlined the Sound Transit Equitable
TOD Policy and Goals.
Federal Way City Council Special Minutes Page 1 of 2
April 5, 2022
Mr. Rash provided multiple examples including Senior City in Federal Way located adjacent to
the Federal Way Transit Center garage. This was Sound Transit's first TOD project and
included 62 units of affordable senior housing.
Mr. Imboden and Mr. Rash lead a discussion on the TOD opportunities at the Federal Way
Transit Center, noting the 2019 agreement between the city and Sound Transit outlines
coordination on redevelopment of future surplus property at FWTC with a mixed-use/mixed-
income approach consistent with Sound Transit Equitable TOD Policy and City vision for
compact, mixed income, and walkable urban center.
The 2021 updated design and layout includes between five to six acres of surplus property, four
to five pad sites, and additional surplus may provide additional opportunities. Mr. Rash noted
the next steps include the traffic study targeted for completion in May and a TOD feasibility
study and community engagement to follow.
Council thanked Mr. Rash and Mr. Imboden for the presentation and information. Clarifying
questions were asked regarding height of development, likelihood of including condominiums
in the housing mix, and if developers or tenants have been identified. Additional questions were
asked regarding the Spring District example, in particular with the mix of office, market rate
residential and affordable residential. Council further inquired if the properties will go back on
the tax records once they are sold and if the affordable housing requirement for TOD was
system -wide or per station.
Council, noting Federal Way is a different market than other areas such as the eastside,
explained their concern that the redevelopment is approached smartly rather than quickly
redeveloping the property as all affordable housing and restated their desire for all types of
housing including market -rate.
Mayor Ferrell and the Council thanked Sound Transit for the briefing and also thanked Ryan
Medlen, the city liaison to Sound Transit for his work.
4. EXECUTIVE SESSION
a. Sale or Lease of Property Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(c)
At 5:50 p.m. Mayor Ferrell announced the Council would recess to Executive Session for the
purpose of evaluating -Sale or Lease of Property Pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(c) for
approximately 30 minutes.
5. ADJOURNMENT
There being nothing further on the agenda; the special meeting was adjourned at 6:13 p.m.
Attest:
phanie Courtney, M
City Clerk
Approved by Council Dq-IJ-20t1-
Federal Way City Council Special Minutes Page 2 of 2
April 5, 2022