Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION

AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No.

BRIEFING ITEM

Date of Meeting

February 13, 2018

DATE: February 5, 2018

TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director

FROM: Pearse Edwards, Government Relations Director

Lindsay Pasternak Wolpa, Regional Government Relations Manager

Katie Kuciemba Halse, Local Government Relations Manager

SUBJECT: 2018 Local and Regional Government Relations Priorities

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Port of Seattle government relations staff worked with Commissioners, executive team

members, internal subject matter experts, and external stakeholders to develop local and

regional policy priorities to guide Port advocacy efforts.

While many of the 2017 agenda items remain as part of the proposed 2018 agenda, a number

of items have been reprioritized in reaction to local, state and federal activity.

2018 Local and Regional Government Relations Priorities

Top Priorities

Port-wide

• Workforce Development and Priority Hire: Support proposals to enhance local and regional

investments in workforce development and career connected learning through direct

program coordination with other public agencies and school boards, while collaborating

with industry partners and private sector outreach. Work with other jurisdictions to

implement regional priority hire policies through a Memorandum of Understanding

between the Regional Public Owner participants and an Interlocal Agreement between the

Port, the City of Seattle and King County.

• Economic Opportunity: Support the jurisdictions and residents in King County to promote

economic diversity and healthy, livable communities.

• Equity and Inclusion: Support an inclusive economy where opportunity and prosperity are

widely shared regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Be a leading

regional voice on immigration policies that ensure the Port, our partners and our customers

have the workforce to succeed.

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• Regional Mobility: Actively partner with relevant public agencies on critical infrastructure

projects throughout the region with focus on access to port facilities, key freight corridors

and funding strategies. Engage regional transit agencies on airport transit access, protecting

industrial lands and freight mobility and growing regional capacity. Work to improve

sustainable transportation options and mobility.

• Climate, Energy and Sustainability: Support proposals that reduce the Port’s carbon

emissions and promote energy-efficient operation of transportation infrastructure and

policies that promote renewable energy generation, and collaborate with other jurisdictions

on climate resiliency, including Seattle City Light, the King County Climate Change

Collaboration (K4C) and the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC).

Maritime/Seattle

• Maritime and Manufacturing Stewardship: Support local land use and transportation

policies, as well as mechanisms that maintain or enhance maritime and manufacturing

lands, and the critical road and rail infrastructure required for freight mobility. Collaborate

with Washington Maritime Blue and the Governor’s Maritime Innovation Advisory Council

as appropriate. The goals being to preserve industrial lands, freight mobility, allow for the

anticipated development of marine cargo facilities and support the growth of related living

wage jobs.

• Terminal 5 Modernization Project: Continue work to secure the necessary permits for the

project. Continue to educate and engage communities, elected officials, public agencies and

all relevant stakeholders on the environmental highlights and economic benefits of the

project, including, but not limited to the Air Quality Management Program and T5 Rail Quiet

Zone.

• Sound Transit 3, West Seattle and Ballard Extensions: Advocate Port and NWSA properties

and operations, as Sound Transit analyzes alternative alignments and schedules; and

coordinate Port project goals with representatives of the fishing fleet and supporting

industries, as well as other key maritime and manufacturing partners.

• City of Seattle, Memorandum of Understanding: Work collaboratively with the City of

Seattle towards an overarching Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that builds off of

the Safe and Swift Program MOU passed in 2017 and further strengthens our working

relationship, formalizes our partnership in key areas of joint interest and establishes regular

engagement between Port and City elected officials.

Aviation/Airport Communities

• Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP): Continue to educate and engage communities,

elected officials, public agencies and stakeholders on the development, public review and

execution of the SAMP to address regional demand. Work with local communities and other

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 9a Page 3 of 4

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Template revised September 22, 2016.

public agencies on the Port’s commitment to sustainability in all three areas: economic,

environmental and equity. Position the SAMP, together with other Port-wide initiatives, to

support future growth and economic opportunity to the communities near the airport and

across the region.

• Enhanced Community Engagement: Foster a shared understanding with communities and

local jurisdictions throughout King County that promotes good will and respect; supports

collaborative public dialogue on key aviation projects and programs; and provide

opportunities for the community to help inform airport-related decision making.

Demonstrate Port leadership through the Highline Forum, the Sea-Tac Stakeholder Advisory

Round Table (StART) and the Soundside Alliance.

• Natural Resources Management: Reflect the Port’s commitment to environmental

stewardship, including the Airport Communities Ecology Fund, Flight Corridor Safety

Program implementation, Salmon Safe certification, improving water quality, and wildlife

management programs such as honeybee boxes and raptor relocation.

• City of SeaTac, Interlocal Agreement: Continue working collaboratively with the City of

SeaTac to implement the recently adopted Interlocal Agreement (ILA) concerning issues

such as planning, land use and zoning, transportation, surface water management, critical

environmental areas and public safety.

Additional Priority Issues

• State and Federal Legislative Agendas: Work in coordination and enhance activities related

to implementing the 2018 state and federal legislative agendas, including transportation

projects and funding requests, efforts to study future regional air capacity, noise insulation

grant funding for airport-area public schools, ongoing support for studying the relationship

between aviation activity and ultrafine particulate emissions, and coordination on anti-

human trafficking efforts.

• Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC): Advocate for regional ports’ perspectives and

priorities with respect to relevant grant applications, the Regional Centers Framework

Update, the Amazing Place Regional Economic Strategy, the development of VISION 2050

and other key PSRC efforts in 2018. Engage regional and local leaders regarding to the

Regional Aviation Baseline Study.

• Economic Development Grant Programs: Work with the Economic Development Division to

promote statewide economic development through partnerships with cities, ports and

nonprofit agencies, including the Port’s Economic Development Partnership Grant and the

Tourism Grant programs.

• Emergency Preparedness: Continue to strengthen the Port’s partnerships with local and

regional agencies for mutual aid, coordination and communication.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No. 9a Page 4 of 4

Meeting Date: February 13, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

• Taxes and Bonds: Monitor proposed local measures which may increase taxes and fees to

users of Port-owned facilities.

• Seattle Local Improvement District (LID): Monitor the City of Seattle’s process around a

new waterfront LID which could result in fees from the Port of Seattle with respect to

several Port properties, including Bell Harbor Conference Center, Pier 66 and the World

Trade Center.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING

(1) Presentation slides

(2) 2018 State Legislative Agenda

(3) 2018 Federal Legislative Agenda

PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS

January 9, 2018 – The Commission adopted the 2018 federal legislative agenda.

October 24, 2017 – The Commission adopted the 2018 state legislative agenda.

January 17, 2017 – The Commission adopted the 2017 local and regional policy priorities.

December 13, 2016 – The Commission was briefed on 2017 local and regional policy

priorities.

November 8, 2016 – The Commission authorized staff to pursue legislative priorities during

the 2017 state legislative session.

October 25, 2016 – The Commission was briefed on 2017 state legislative priorities.

December 8, 2015 – The Commission was briefed on expected significant public policy

legislation at all levels of government for 2016.