Major Accomplishments, 2002-2009

 

While Serving as Council President and Leading Special Council Committees:

• Led Council’s approval of the Parks for All Levy and helped secure voter support for its passage. The levy commits $140 million to new parks and open spaces for Seattle neighborhoods.

• Developed an Economic Recovery plan with specific actions to aid small businesses, provide tax relief and incentives to green businesses, and promote Federal Stimulus Package funding opportunities.

• Created Special Committee on Open Government to increase transparency and improve communication between government and constituents.

• Created a plan, adopted by the City and State, to meet the immediate safety needs for replacement/repair/renovation of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Spokane Street Viaduct.

• As a member of the Sound Transit Board, fought for the success of Sound Transit to get light rail to Northgate and Redmond.

While Leading the City Council’s Environment, Emergency Management and Utilities Committee:

• Spearheaded adoption of the Zero Waste Strategy, to reduce garbage through innovative waste reduction, recycling, and product stewardship strategies, including a ban on Styrofoam and expanded food waste recycling.

• Cut tens of millions of dollars out of proposed rate increases for solid waste, water, sewer, and drainage utilities.

• Secured approval of a new drainage rate design that allocates costs based on actual impacts to the drainage system and emphasizes the benefits of natural drainage, with credits for homeowners who implement natural drainage measures.

• Developed a solution to flooding problems in Madison Valley secured mitigation for flood victims.

 

While Preserving Our Neighborhoods:

• Secured passage of legislation limiting the size of megahouses to protect neighborhood character.

• Secured funding for community acquisition of the Phinney Neighborhood Center, the University Heights building, the Hall at Fauntleroy and the Crown Hill surplus school.

• Got funding for sidewalks and other improvements along Linden Avenue, a key priority in the Bitter Lake Neighborhood Plan.

• Wrote the Arterial Traffic Calming Resolution to reduce pedestrian-auto conflicts on arterial streets.

• Protected the Georgetown neighborhood from construction of a planned transfer station.

 

While Protecting and Improving the Environment:

• Strengthened protection of our urban forest by protecting groves of trees, limiting arbitrary tree removal, and championing a more comprehensive tree protection and restoration strategy.

• Amended the Critical Areas Ordinance to facilitate daylighting streams, expand protection for stream corridors, and reduce pesticide use on private property.

• Succeeded in getting a superfund site in South Park cleaned to a level safe for residential development, opposing the City/Port staff proposal for a lower level of cleanup.

• Launched a program to prepare for the impacts of climate change by increasing the capacity the storm water/drainage systems.

• Fought for restoration of Hamm Creek wetlands that were damaged during construction of the Joint Training Facility.

While Developing Seattle’s Economic and Community Resources:

• Championed land use policies to protect manufacturing sector and ensure high-quality development.

• Fought for the passage of the Bridging the Gap levy to fund street maintenance and pedestrian, bicycle, and transit improvements; this levy was based on recommendations of an advisory panel established by Conlin when Chair of the Transportation Committee.

• Brokered and implemented the agreement between the Northgate community and developers to develop the mall’s South Parking Lot; daylight Thornton Creek; build a new Community Center and Library, and achieve Northgate growth management goals.

 

While Working for Health, Education, Public Safety, and Human Services:

• Increased funding for domestic violence programs and received an award for this work from the King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

• Won passage of the Local Food Action Initiative to create a more sustainable and secure food system for Seattle by supporting farmers’ markets, and developing new p-patches.

• Focused on reducing hunger by expanding human services programs in Seattle’s budgets, including $1 million for food banks and home food delivery in the 2009-2010 budget process.

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