Residents, environmental advocates urge caution as Land Use Committee holds SEPA threshold and transportation code hearings

The Land Use Committee held a public hearing on council bill 121093 and companion code changes related to transportation management. Public commenters urged the committee to retain strong SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) review thresholds for stormwater, trees, archaeological resources and listed species, while SDCI staff described the proposal as a state‑directed effort to align local SEPA thresholds and consolidate transportation rules.

Multiple in‑person speakers raised environmental and cultural‑resource concerns. Sandy Schettler told the committee the proposal would weaken protections, saying, “the bill before you today more than doubles the number of parking spaces exempt from environmental review from 40 to 90” and warned the city could trade its tree canopy for increased paved surfaces. Dave Glover said the environmental impact statement (EIS) relied on for the city—s comprehensive plan is out of date and noted specific omissions, saying the EIS "does not mention the killer whales of Puget Sound" and questioned how groundwater and toxic contaminants were addressed. Martha Brown asked the committee to preserve SEPA review for impervious‑surface increases, tribal…