CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the University District Parking and Business Improvement Area; modifying the process for selecting a program manager; modifying the requirements governing the composition of the BIA Advisory Board; and amending Ordinance 126093.
body
WHEREAS, in 2020, through Ordinance 126093, the City established the current University District Parking and Business Improvement Area (PBIA) to provide services and amenities for ratepayers paid through a levy of special assessments; and
WHEREAS, the University District Partnership, the program manager of the PBIA, has proposed to amend its ordinance to: 1) remove the requirement that the Office of Economic Development conduct a competitive process to identify a new program manager every five years; and 2) revise certain criteria for the composition of the BIA Advisory Board so that they are more realistic for the organization to achieve while maintaining the intent for the Board to be representative of the ratepayers; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that removing the requirement for a competitive process to select the program manager and revising the criteria for the composition of the BIA Advisory Board is in the best interest of the PBIA’s ratepayers; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 6 of Ordinance 126093 is amended as follows:
Section 6. The Director of the Office of Economic Development (“OED Director”) is authorized to contract with any local non-profit entity to act as the Program Manager. The Program Manager’s duties, subject to the approval of the ratepayers at each annual meeting, will be to manage the day-to-day operations of the U. District BIA and to administer the projects and activities.
The OED Director shall contract with the U District Partnership or other local non-profit entity to serve as the initial Program Manager.
((The OED Director shall establish and follow a competitive process to select a Program Manager every five years. The selection process shall include outreach to viable candidates; publication of requests for proposals; and a selection process that takes into consideration criteria designed to find a qualified and effective Program Manager.))
Meetings of the Program Manager’s board or committee at which U. District BIA-funded activities are anticipated to be discussed shall be open to the public, with at least five days’ advance notice posted by the Program Manager(s) on its website and also disseminated by any other means that the Program Manager(s) generally uses to communicate.
Section 2. Section 13 of Ordinance 126093 is amended as follows:
Section 13. The OED Director shall, within 30 days of the effective date of this ordinance, appoint an interim BIA Advisory Board comprised of ratepayers representative of the entire geography and variety of sizes in the U. District BIA, and residents and business tenants from within the U. District BIA. The OED Director shall solicit recommendations from the ratepayers and shall appoint the interim board from that list. The interim BIA Advisory Board will, within 90 days of the effective date of this ordinance, recommend an inaugural BIA Advisory Board (“Board”). The composition of the Board shall be representative of the varying sizes and types of property owners, residents, and businesses tenants within the geographic area of the U. District BIA, and may include public agencies. ((For both the interim, inaugural, and permanent Boards:)) The BIA Board should strive to include the following representation:
1. ((No more than)) 35 percent ((of the members)) or five members, whichever number is lower, ((shall)) representing the University of Washington;
2. ((At least one member shall be a)) One resident (owner);
3. ((At least one member shall be a)) One resident (tenant);
4. ((At least three members shall be)) Three commercial tenants, including ((at least two)) tenants subject to a triple net lease; and
5. ((At least)) 80 percent ((of all the members shall be)) representing ratepayers((. At least one member shall be)) , including a ratepayer contributing less than 0.5 percent of the total assessment.
The OED Director shall appoint the inaugural Board members from the list recommended by the interim BIA Advisory Board. The OED Director may appoint additional members to the Board beyond those recommended by the interim BIA Advisory Board to ensure a broad representation of ratepayers, provided that the additional members so appointed do not exceed one-third of the entire membership of the Board.
As a prerequisite to serving on the Board, each member shall sign an acknowledgment, prepared by the OED Director, that they will abide by City ordinances related to business improvement areas and exercise fiduciary responsibility to collect and spend the special assessment revenues exclusively for the programs identified in Section 3 of this ordinance.
The Board shall be responsible for adopting bylaws and policy guidelines; recommending approval of budgets, expenditures, and programs; and providing advice and consultation to the OED and FAS Directors and to the Program Manager. The bylaws shall establish staggered terms for Board members, with no Board member serving more than two consecutive three-year terms. Any sitting Board member at the time of the 2020 reauthorization of the BIA shall be able to complete their term, then be allowed to be recommended and appointed to serve one additional term.
The Board shall meet at least once quarterly; recommend an annual work program and budget; address and discuss ratepayer concerns and questions regarding the U. District BIA programs; and sponsor an annual ratepayers’ meeting. Meetings of the Board shall be open to the public, with at least five days’ advance notice posted by the program manager on its website and also disseminated by any other means that the program manager generally uses to communicate.
At the annual ratepayers’ meeting, the Board shall present its proposed work plan and budget for the next year, and its recommendation regarding whether to continue with the current Program Manager. The work plan, budget, and recommendation regarding whether to continue with the current Program Manager must be approved by a vote of the ratepayers and submitted to the Office of Economic Development.
The Board and Program Manager shall work with the Office of Economic Development to evaluate the U. District BIA’s programs and services and shall report their findings to the City Council when a request to modify or renew the U. District BIA is proposed, or in five years from the time of formation, whichever is sooner.
Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2025, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
____________________________________
President ____________ of the City Council
|
|
Approved / |
|
returned unsigned / |
|
vetoed this _____ day of _________________, 2025. |
____________________________________
Bruce A. Harrell, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2025.
____________________________________
Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk
(Seal)