Template revised September 22, 2016.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
6c
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
February 27, 2018
DATE: February 8, 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: Approval of 2018 Local and Regional Government Relations Policy Priorities
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission approval of the Port’s 2018 local and regional government relations
priorities and for staff to engage with local and regional officials in support of these priorities.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Since the start of this year, Port of Seattle government relations staff worked with
Commissioners, executive team members and other stakeholders across the Port to develop
local and regional policy priorities to guide Port advocacy efforts. The priorities outlined in this
document match those that were briefed for the Commission at their February 13 meeting.
DETAILS
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
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Meeting Date: February 27, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
regional voice on immigration policies that ensure the Port, our partners and our customers
have the workforce to succeed.
• 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.
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Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
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 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,
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Meeting Date: February 27, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
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.
• 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.
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
February 13, 2018 – The Commission was briefed on 2018 local and regional policy priorities
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.
