Committee confirms multiple preservation and Pike Place Market appointments; public comment praises Market—s car closure

The Library's Education and Neighborhoods Committee on July 24 moved unanimously to recommend several appointments and reappointments to Historic Seattle, the Pike Place Market Historical Commission, the Landmarks Preservation Board and the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority; recommendations will be forwarded to the full City Council on July 29 for final confirmation. The committee recorded the clerk—s agenda entries and biographical summaries and then voted 4-0 to forward the nominations. Council Chair Maritza Rivera moved the first confirmation motions; a second was recorded but not identified by name in the transcript. Roll-call votes were: Council Member Hollingsworth Yes; Council Member Solomon Aye; Vice Chair Rink Yes; Chair Rivera Aye. Appointments read into the record included (as clerk announced): Alastair Soretti, Jonathan Moore and Grama D Wong to the Historic Seattle Preservation and Development Authority Governing Council for terms to Nov. 30, 2027. The committee then moved and voted to recommend confirmation and forwarded the recommendation to the July 29 council meeting. The clerk also read appointments to the Pike Place Market Historical Commission (items 4—6): Alex Apostolopoulos, Pfeiffer Blecker and Olivia Vermaque (terms to Dec. 1, 2026) and reappointments including two nominees to terms ending Dec. 1, 2027. The committee again voted 4-0 to forward those recommendations. The committee recommended confirmation of two reappointments to the Landmarks Preservation Board (Becca Pheasant Reese and Catherine Bridal) for terms to Aug. 14, 2028, and recommended confirmation of the reappointment of Sujan Bertram to the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority Governing Council for a term to June 30, 2027; all recommendations were forwarded to the July 29 City Council meeting. During the hybrid public comment period the committee heard two remote speakers. Remote speaker Alberto Alvarez praised a recent closure of a Pike Place Market parking well to vehicular traffic, saying the change has increased pedestrian activity and that many business owners— early objections proved overstated. Alvarez said, “So that's really worked out. There's been a lot more foot traffic activity, and even people just be able to get off the bus and, you know, it's like you've seen pictures, you've seen videos.” He suggested the Market—s pedestrian-first design could inform similar changes in other neighborhoods. Another remote speaker, David Haines, criticized public-safety conditions near the University District and in libraries and used the public-comment time to challenge elected officials— responses to safety and homeless encampments; the clerk reminded him that comments should relate to the committee—s purview. The committeeclosed the public comment period before proceeding to business. No policy votes or ordinance actions related to preservation or market management were taken at the committee; the items were confirmation recommendations that will be considered by the full City Council on July 29.