HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Committees - Economic and Community Development Committee - 10/08/2018
Unless otherwise noted, the Economic and Community Development Committee meets at 5
p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the Kent City Hall, Council Chambers East,
220 Fourth Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032.
For additional information please contact Rhonda Bylin at 253-856-5457 or via email at
RBylin@KentWA.gov.
Any person requiring a disability accommodation should contact the City Clerk’s Office at
253-856-5725 in advance. For TDD relay service call Washington Telecommunications Relay
Service at 7-1-1.
Economic and Community
Development Committee
Agenda
Chair - Bill Boyce
Satwinder Kaur– Marli Larimer
Rhonda Bylin, Committee Secretary
Monday, October 8, 2018
5:00 p.m.
Item Description Action Speaker Time
1. Call to Order Chair 01 MIN.
2. Roll Call Chair 01 MIN.
3. Changes to the Agenda Chair 01 MIN.
4. Approval of September 10, 2018
Minutes
YES Chair 05 MIN.
5. Economic Development Activity
Update
Bill Ellis 05 MIN.
5. Approval of Sept. 10. 2018
Minutes
YES Bill Boyce
7. 2018 Annual Docket Items YES Hayley Bonsteel 10 MIN.
8. Meet Me on Meeker - Kent
Elementary School Vision
NO Hayley Bonsteel 20 MIN.
9. Adjournment Chair 01 MIN.
Page 1 of 3
Pending Approval
Economic and Community
Development Committee
CC ECDC Regular Meeting
Minutes
September 10, 2018
Date: September 10, 2018
Time: 5:00 PM
Place: Chambers East
Attending: Bill Boyce, Committee Chair
Satwinder Kaur, Councilmember
Marli Larimer, Councilmember
Agenda:
1. Call to Order 5:00 PM
2. Roll Call
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Bill Boyce Committee Chair Present
Satwinder Kaur Councilmember Present
Marli Larimer Councilmember Present
3. Changes to the Agenda
No changes
4. Approval of Minutes dated July 9, 2018
MOTION: Move to approve the Minutes dated July 9, 2018
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember
SECONDER: Satwinder Kaur, Councilmember
AYES: Boyce, Kaur, Larimer
5. Economic Development Activity Update
Bill Ellis discussed efforts getting underway to define the Kent Valleys Unique
characteristics and identify what will be needed going forward to set the table
for the types of employers we want to reinvigorate the valley and brand Kent
as a center for innovation.
Bill also discussed the outreach efforts by Michelle Wilmot to publicize the
availability of LTAC grant dollars to organizations and groups whose events
and projects would spotlight Kent as a center for innovation.
6. Urban Separators Alternatives
MOTION: Recommend to the full City Council no action regarding Urban
Separators, as recommended by the Land Use and Planning Board.
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Economic and Community Development
Committee CC ECDC Regular Meeting
Minutes
September 10, 2018
Kent, Washington
Page 2 of 3
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Satwinder Kaur, Councilmember
SECONDER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember
AYES: Boyce, Kaur, Larimer
7. Small Cell Wireless Facilities Zoning Code Amendment ZCA-2018-2
Erin George discussed the proposal to amend KCC in order to exempt small
cell equipment from requiring a landuse permit. The rationale is to reduce
the amount of staff time required for review of these applications, and
address the relatively minor concerns about visual impacts through the
adoption of a single set of design standards which are part of the franchise
agreements Public Works and the legal department develop with the cell
carriers. LUPB previously recommended the amendments be adopted as
written by council.
MOTION: Recommend to the City Council
approval/denial/modification of proposed amendments to 15.08.035
of the Kent City Code, related to small cell wireless facilities as
presented by staff.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Marli Larimer, Councilmember
SECONDER: Satwinder Kaur, Councilmember
AYES: Boyce, Kaur, Larimer
8. Shoreline Master Program (SMP) Grant and Scope of Work
Danielle Butsick summarized both the requirement and the need to update
the Cities Shoreline Master program prior to a deadline coming in 2019, and
detailed the process of requesting and receiving a grant to fund an outside
consultant to review our program and recommend any needed changes due
to new regulations and the acquisition of additional shoreline areas into the
city since the implementation of the current SMP.
Danielle promised to keep the committee up to date on the progress of the
work until such time as any recommended changes are presented to the
Committee in advance of presentation to the full council for adoption.
9. Kent Industrial Valley Subarea Plan
Danielle Butsick also presented a summary of the scope of work for the Kent
Industrial Valley Subarea Plan, for which ECD is seeking budget approval for
2019.
The scope identifies 6 tasks or areas of focus per the attached Powerpoint,
and will serve to shape the planning and economic development efforts
required to reposition the KIV for long term viability as a generator of
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Economic and Community Development
Committee CC ECDC Regular Meeting
Minutes
September 10, 2018
Kent, Washington
Page 3 of 3
revenue for our city as well as amenities employers and employees require to
make the Valley attractive to the sectors that will drive new economy.
10. Adjournment 5:50 AM
Committee Secretary
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ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Kurt Hanson, Economic and Community Development Director
220 Fourth Avenue S,
Kent, WA 98032
253-856-5454
DATE: October 8, 2018
TO: Economic and Community Development Committee
SUBJECT: 2018 Annual Docket Items
MOTION: Approve/Deny/Modify the staff recommendation to move
forward to the City Council the 2018 Annual Docket.
SUMMARY: In accordance with 12.02.025 Kent City Code (KCC), Planning staff
coordinates on an annual basis a list (“docket”) of changes suggested by the public
or staff to the comprehensive plan and development regulations. The 2018 Annual
Docket lists three site-specific requests that will be forwarded to the City Council for
action in 2019 and also provides a list of other code amendment projects that ECD
staff propose to pursue in 2019.
BUDGET IMPACT: n/a
SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL:
Thriving City, Innovative Government, Sustainable Services
RECOMMENDED BY: Kurt Hanson
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2018 Annual Docket Proposal (PDF)
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2018 Annual Docket Proposal
Project Type Comment
Zoning Code Amendments
Sign Ordinance Compliance (Reed v Gilbert 2015) ECD staff - 2019
Noise Ordinance and Code
Enforcement Code Cleanup
Housekeeping and clarifying related to
violation charges, noise measurement
and junk vehicles
ECD staff - 2019
Accessory Building
Heights/Accessory Dwelling Unit
Regulations (includes one request
from the public)
Code reform to allow taller/larger
accessory buildings
Regulations were updated in 2015;
propose no action at this time
(reconsider in 2020 or as part of
next Comp Plan update)
Residential Building Height Clarify how height is measured ECD staff - 2019
Residential Building Height in SR-8
Zone
Code reform to standardize height in
single-family zones
ECD staff - 2019
Recreation Facilities Standards for
Subdivisions
Code reform to improve quality of
neighborhood park equipment
ECD and Parks staff - 2019
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Map Amendments
104th Ave SE at 245th St – two
parcels, SF-8 to MU
Public Request
ECD staff – 2019 (addressed
concurrently)
12218 SE 288th Pl – four parcels, US
to MU
Public Request
24700 Military Road (36th Ave S) –
one parcel, C to MU
Public Request
Resolve split designation at 10860
SE 196th St (currently MU, LDMF and
MDMF)
Housekeeping to resolve ambiguous land
use designation
Economic Development Amendments (Zoning Code, Land Use Map)
Naden Ave Assemblage Explore possible uses ECD staff (with Econ Dev) Highlands Property Explore possible uses
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ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Kurt Hanson, Economic and Community Development Director
220 Fourth Avenue S,
Kent, WA 98032
253-856-5454
DATE: October 8, 2018
TO: Economic and Community Development Committee
SUBJECT: Meet Me on Meeker - Kent Elementary School Vision
INFORMATION ONLY: The City of Kent’s “Meet Me on Meeker” project seeks to
re-imagine Meeker Street into somewhere people want to be. This project redesigns
a key gateway to our city to make it more livable, walkable and friendly. The City
wants to ensure that change comes with an inviting and safe streetscape
environment, particularly for the 687 students of Kent Elementary School, 60% of
whom walk to school. While the school’s primary access is off of 64th Avenue South,
the property abuts Meeker Street for approximately 500 feet. With no
redevelopment plans, the property represents a unique situation for the Meeker
plans, and city staff have worked hard to collaborate with the school and district to
discuss how the Meet Me on Meeker project can be of mutual benefit to the school
and city at this location.
City staff have engaged in a series of outreach activities with the school over the
three years of the MMOM project; in spring of 2018, city staff and consultants held
two workshops at Kent Elementary for staff, students and families. The purpose of
these workshops was to dive deeper into the details of the Meeker plans and
identify which aspects of the design would work for the school property. The results
are collected in the attached report, which staff will discuss at the October 8th
meeting.
Initial meetings with Kent School District were positive; some elements in the vision
meet shared goals while others may present challenges in implementation. The
opportunity now is how to partner with the school and district to identify elements
to construct and jointly pursue funding.
RECOMMENDED BY: Aaron Dent
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 18_0815 Vision Meeker (PDF)
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VISION MEEKER
community vision for West Meeker Street at Kent Elementary School
schemata workshop | august 15, 2018
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vision meeker | kent elementary school 2
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schemata workshop inc | august 15, 2018 3
meet me on meeker
Meet Me on Meeker is a project by the City of Kent to
redesign Meeker Street into a vibrant multimodal, urban
corridor with a strong sense of place. The City of Kent
worked with urban design consultants to develop a
conceptual design for the corridor. The conceptual design
acts as the guiding vision or ideal for the entire corridor;
the Streetscape Standards refined this conceptual design
into engineering guidelines for use during the development
process.
vision meeker
Vision Meeker is a set of design recommendations for the
portion of Meeker Street along the Kent Elementary School
property. This vision is based on community feedback and
input from a series of workshops; it seeks to celebrate
the vibrant cultural diversity of the school, positively
activate the school frontage, and promote the health and
safety of students and staff. The vision takes the Meeker
Streetscape Standards as a starting place and adapts the
standard for the existing site and landscape. The vision is
the necessary first step to rebuilding this portion of Meeker
Street as a part of the bigger corridor rebuild.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
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vision meeker | kent elementary school 4
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04 03 02 01 08 15
DESIGN
northwest meeker street
enlarged school entry plan
school site plan along west meeker street
school fence and gate elevation along west meeker street
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DESIGN
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Existing Maple Trees & Buffer Zone
Flexible Porous Pavement Walk Zone
Mountable Curb
Multimodal Pathway
School Entry Plaza
Mid-Block Elevated Crosswalk
Welcome Walkway
School Fence & Accent Panels
Gate
Storage Shed
Bike Parking
Street Parking
Seating
Lighting
Existing Play Field
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north
ramp up
to plaza
ramp up
to plaza
ramp up to
crosswalk
ramp up to
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enlarged school entry planPerspective View - cover & page 3
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vision meeker | kent elementary school 6
01 | existing maple trees and buffer zone
existing condition
The North side of the Kent Elementary School site and
playfield is lined with a row a mature maple trees spaced
roughly thirty feet on center. They are located near the
school property line and adjacent chain link fence. With a
vertical branch structure, the trees create a tall and strong
visual front along Meeker Street and a sense of enclosure
for the playground. The trees do not provide a lot of shade
for the students, but they are a natural and green element
in the playground.
Shallow tree roots can be seen extending into the play
field and they have cracked and lifted portions of the
adjacent concrete walkway or “track” on the schoolyard
side of the fence, The sidewalk in the public right-of-way
does not appear to be impacted by root uplift.
Holly bushes and other medium height shrubs fill the space
between the trees. Students do not like the holly bushes
because when their balls get caught in the branches, it is
difficult and sometimes impossible to retrieve their balls
due to the prickly leaves. Teachers do not like the bushes
and shrubs because they create hiding spaces for the
students and the dense leaf structure obstructs views to
Meeker Street, inhibiting the teachers’ ability to monitor
public interaction with students.
vision
The Meeker Streetscape Standard Type A proposed for
this area includes a 25’ promenade along the South side
of the street, which would require removing all of the
existing trees for a 6’ walk zone at the edge. The design
recommendation is to preserve the trees and reconfigure
the promenade so an amenity/buffer zone is created under
the trees. The walk zone would be moved closer to the
multimodal pathway.
Preserving the existing trees allows the school to have
a “urban” front common to the streetscape standards of
the Meet Me on Meeker plan. Removing all of the holly
bushes and shrubs makes room for an active and safe
boundary and buffer zone so students do not interact with
strangers on the street during recess.
The buffer zone is created with low and dense, native and
adaptive plants that fill in the space between the trees. A
landscape architect should be hired to design a planting,
irrigation and maintenance plan.
One maple tree will need to be removed to make way for
the new school entry gate, storage shed and bike parking
area. The trunk of the removed tree can be cleaned up and
repurposed into benches and/or natural play forms.
Maple trees have a long life expectancy, however in an
urban environment it could be shortened due to compacted
soil. Before proceeding, hire an arborist to provide
guidance on tree health, tree maturity, expected life span
and approaches to adjacent construction. Also, ask the
arborist to evaluate the understory shrubs to determine if
they contribute to the root health of the trees.
The recommended design vision minimizes new
construction within the drip line radii. During construction
of the new fence and walkways, avoid excavating beneath
the tree canopies.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
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DESIGN ELEMENTS
02 | flexible porous pavement walk zone
Flexible porous paving is recommended for the five foot
wide walk zone to minimize harm to the existing maple
trees. The porous material allows water to get to the root
systems below and the recycled rubber content allows it
to flex in order to prevent root heave and cracking. It can
be poured with a minimal sub base layer and in some
instances can be poured directly over a problematic root.
The material can be poured right up to the base of the tree
trunk, however the design recommendation is to notch
the pathway at an angle consistent with the hexagonal
planting areas.
Flexible porous paving is used for nature trails, sidewalks,
driveways and tree wells. Examples include tree wells
in Seattle and Boston and sidewalks at the Arlington
National Cemetery. KB Industries makes a product called
Flexi Pave and Porous Pave makes a similar product called
Porous Pave XL.
The expected lifespan of this product is 10-15 years. It
requires periodic cleaning of the surface to fix and prevent
silting-over. This includes vacuuming and sweeping to
ensure the surface does not get plugged up and water
continues to pass through. If showing wear, the surface
can be cleaned, and a new coat of binder rolled or sprayed
onto the surface.
Porous paving is an alternative material to flexible porous
pavement since it allows water to get to the tree root
system, however it is susceptible to cracking and uplift. It
requires a deeper sub base layer. Traditional concrete is a
cost effective alternate material, but it blocks water from
getting to the tree roots and is susceptible to cracking and
uplift.
multimodal pathway
with typical concrete
flexible porous
pavement walk
zone
existing tree
and buffer zone
playfield
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vision meeker | kent elementary school 8
03 | mountable curb
By preserving the existing maple trees and moving the
amenity/buffer zone to the school side of the walk zone,
there is not a physical separation between the walk
zone and the multimodal pathway. While the multimodal
pathway is for pedestrians as well as bicyclists, the
walk zone is only for pedestrians and without a physical
barrier, bicyclists could easily drift into the walk zone.
The proposed design includes raising the elevation
of the walk zone so it is a few inches higher than the
multimodal pathway and transitions between the two with
a mountable curb. The mountable curb is an angled, rather
than vertical concrete transition that prevents bikes from
easily drifting over. There is an example of this in use at
the University of Washington segment of the Burke Gilman
Trail.
04 | multimodal pathway and ramp
The multimodal pathway should be constructed per the
Meeker Streetscape Standards with special attention
given during demolition of the existing sidewalk and
excavation to prevent damage to the maple tree roots.
As the multimodal pathway nears the midblock crosswalk
and school entry plaza, it ramps up in elevation. This gives
cyclists and pedestrians an indication to slow down and
watch out for students crossing. Pedestrian crossing signs
or pavement markings are an option for an additional
indicator.
05 | school entry plaza
Modes of movement along and across Meeker Street
converge at a plaza central to the design. Material joints
and patterns intersect to create an elevated ground where
students, parents, elders from the community across
the street and visitors gather, wait, or just pass through
cautiously. Concrete benches and bollards per the Meeker
Streetscape Standards create a sense of enclosure on
the north side of the plaza, while the school entry gate
envelopes the south.
13 | Seating
Seating is clustered around the entry of the school and
creates a welcoming environment for seniors from the
development across the street to sit and chat in groups.
Also, it allows for students to wait for parent pick up in a
safe zone away from traffic. The concentration of seating
near the entrance also allows the school staff to have one
area to monitor and maintain instead of having seating
spaced along the length of Meeker Street. Seating was
intentionally kept away from the amenity zone under
the trees to prevent people from interacting with the
youth through the fence during school hours. If seating
at additional locations along Meeker Street is desired, it
can be added to the buffer zone between the multimodal
pathway and street parking area, away from the school
fence.
The standard concrete angle seats from the Meeker
Streetscape Standards works well with the angled alcove
of the entry gate area. At the mid block crosswalk curb
bulbs, the benches can be flipped from the city standard
orientation so visitors can sit facing each other in small
groups. The standard linear bench from the Meeker
Streetscape Standards could also be used, particularly the
one with arm rests, to help seniors and other visitors have
help getting up.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
07 | welcome walkway
To celebrate the cultural diversity of Kent Elementary
School, an 8’ wide concrete pathway from the gate to
the school has “Welcome” in different languages in
each panel. The walkway also creates a clear separation
between the grass and gravel play fields. Methods for
putting text into concrete include cast metal, sandblasting,
cast plaques, stamping and lithomosaics.
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schemata workshop inc | august 15, 2018 9
DESIGN ELEMENTS
08 | school fence and accent panels
fence
A 6’ tall fence runs the entire length of the school property
and is located behind the existing row of maple trees. The
height is slightly higher than the current chain link fence to
keep balls from leaving the playfield, while staying clear of
the lower branches of the maple trees.
The 4x4 steel fence posts are set away from the base
of the trees to avoid conflicts with major roots. 7’ and 8’
wide double walled welded wire mesh panels (ecomesh)
provide a durable, sturdy, yet transparent, enclosure that
allows teachers to easily monitor activity on the street side
of the fence. It supports trellising plants that replace the
prickly holly bushes at the base of the maple trees. Native
and adaptive species that do not require a lot of water
or maintenance is preferred. Also, the plants should not
obstruct sight lines through the fence. Locating them on
the north side of the fence prevents damage from soccer
balls from the adjacent playfield.
Each fence post requires a small footing. The holes for
these posts should be dug by hand and attention given
to the tree roots. If a root is encountered, the post shall
be moved over slightly to avoid the root. Due to the
unpredictably of the post locations due to tree roots, the
welded wire mesh panels should not be fabricated until
the footings for the posts are located.
accent panels
6’ tall metal panels in bright colors are clustered at
the gate and located every thirty feet along the fence,
between the maple tree trunks. Agriculture, music and
dance inspired images are laser cut into the panels to
create perforations that allow the artwork to be enjoyed
from both sides of the fence. Enough area is cut out to
allow teachers to see activity on the other side, but not too
much so the panel is conducive for climbing.
Engage a local artist experienced with paper cutting
and laser cutting to work with students and teachers to
design panels that reflect the rich cultural diversity of the
Kent Elementary School student body. Since the panels
are enjoyed from both sides of the fence, directional
imagery such as text, should be avoided. Contact a local
laser cutting company early in the process for pricing.
The complexity of the design and number of perforations
impacts the cost of fabrication.
09 | gate
At the center of the fence line, a cluster of vibrant accent
panels catches the attention of people passing by. In a
recessed alcove, a blue gate door opens 90 degrees and is
backed by a small storage shed.
Work with the school district to determine the school’s
expectations around the hours the gate will remain open,
staffing capacity for operating the gate regularly, and
keying preferences.
10 | storage shed
A lockable storage shed is constructed out of the
perforated metal accent panels, but with a finer
perforation pattern for security. A simple roof keeps
contents dry. This is an optional design element.
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vision meeker | kent elementary school 10
community engagement
The Vision Meeker design recommendations are based on
input from Kent Elementary school stakeholders gathered
through one school wide drawing activity and two evening
workshops. School stakeholders included students,
parents, teachers and staff.
school drawings | february 2018
Teachers worked with their students to complete a
drawing exercise to illustrate and describe a “dream
recess.” First to fifth graders submitted a total of 198
colorful and creative dream recess drawings, which
inspired the following themes in the Vision Meeker design
recommendations:
• student/school artwork to activate Meeker street
• vibrant colors
• a taller fence to keep balls in the play field
• removal of holly bushes
• additional greenery/plants
evening workshop | march 6, 2018
Teachers, staff, parents and students gathered for a two
hour evening workshop to learn about the Meet Me on
Meeker project and the school’s opportunity to redefine
the intersection of the existing play field and Meeker
Street. Through a series of post-it note exercises and
case studies, participants shared their pride in the cultural
diversity of the school, preferences for activities along
Meeker Street as well as design elements. The following
ideas from the workshop are reflected in the Vision
Meeker design recommendations:
• vibrant colors
• a gate and fence
• seating for seniors from across the street
• culturally relevant artwork
COMMUNITY VISIONING PROCESS
evening workshop | march 27, 2018
Teachers, staff, parents and students gathered for a
second evening workshop to discuss and define concepts
such as culturally relevant art, safety and color. In addition,
they reviewed and commented on two design concepts in
model form. Key takeaways from the workshop include:
• existing tree preservation
• many colors
• planted buffer zone along the fence
• storage shed
• multilingual “welcome” walkway
• no student/public interaction during school hours
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schemata workshop inc | august 15, 2018 11
NEXT STEPS
community engagement
Community engagement is a important aspect to the
design and project development process to be continued
all the way through construction and operations. Increase
the number of people invested in Vision Meeker through
thoughtful engagement. The following are suggested next
steps:
• Create a Spanish version of the Vision Meeker
design recommendations. At a minimum, translate
the list of design elements on page 5.
• Share the Vision Meeker design recommendations
with evening workshop participants, school staff,
and the school district.
• Identify community champions who are excited
about the design and can help build momentum
within the community.
• Discuss the potential location of the school fence,
gate, public right-of-way and crosswalk with the
school district.
• Hire an arborist to determine if the existing trees
can be preserved.
• Contact porous paving companies for samples,
references, specifications, and additional
information the City needs to be comfortable with
an unfamiliar material. Visit local sites where it is
installed.
• Bring community champions to visit the Burke
Gilman Trail in Seattle along the University of
Washington campus to see a mountable curb along
a multimodal pathway.
• Engage a local artist experienced with community
based design processes and paper cutting/laser
cutting.
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