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A MOTION approving a memorandum of understanding to restructure the Eastside Rail Corridor regional advisory committee.

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                     WHEREAS, the Eastside Rail Corridor ("the ERC") is a forty-two-mile corridor that extends from Renton to Snohomish and from Woodinville to Redmond, and

                     WHEREAS, the ERC creates a direct and contiguous land use and transportation connection through the communities of Renton, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Snohomish county and King County, and

                     WHEREAS, King County has established policy emphasizing the critical importance of transportation dual-usage, transit and nonmotorized trail usage, to link the centers and cities of the Puget Sound region, and

                     WHEREAS, the ERC provides a regional opportunity to connect historically disadvantaged and geographically disparate communities and centers, and

                     WHEREAS, through a series of property transactions, King County, Snohomish county, the cities of Redmond and Kirkland, Puget Sound Energy and Sound Transit now hold property interests in the corridor, and King County and Redmond are the interim trail users under federal law, and

                     WHEREAS, the King County council originally established the governance structure Eastside Rail Corridor regional advisory council ("the RAC") on December 11, 2012, in accordance with Motion 13801, to create a collaborative group to carry out a regional planning process to ensure effective use of the southern portion of the ERC and the Redmond Spur, and

                     WHEREAS, the King County council approved the original membership of the RAC in accordance with Motion 12834 on February 11, 2013, and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC's original membership was comprised of owner jurisdictions and included:  three King County councilmembers; the King County executive or the executive's designee; one representative from the city of Redmond; one representative from the city of Kirkland; one representative from Puget Sound Energy; and one representative from Sound Transit, and

                     WHEREAS, on June 6, 2016, and in accordance with Motion 14654, the King County council approved the 2016 work plan for the RAC, which called for redesign of the governance structure previously adopted in Motion 13801, and

                     WHEREAS, the King County council approved the Eastside Rail Corridor Regional Trail Final Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement on February 13, 2017, in accordance with Motion 14805, and

                     WHEREAS, on June 7, 2017, the RAC membership unanimously voted to amend its administrative procedures and expand its membership to include members from jurisdictions through which sections of the corridor pass and a group representing nonprofit and private sector voices to support the development of the vision of the corridor and surrounding land uses pursuant to the 2016 work plan adopted by the King County council in accordance with Motion 14654, and

                     WHEREAS, each member of the expanded RAC must approve a memorandum of understanding to include in its membership King County, Snohomish county, the city of Kirkland, the city of Redmond, the city of Woodinville, the city of Bellevue, the city of Renton, Puget Sound Energy, Sound Transit and the Eastside Greenway Alliance, and

                     WHEREAS, the King County council wishes to advance the council's previously adopted policies for the ERC by expanding RAC membership by approving the memorandum of understanding which is found in Attachment A to this motion, and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC will be restructured to include:

                       1.  Three members from the King County council;

                       2.  The King County executive, or the executive's designee;

                       3.  A representative from Snohomish county;

                       4.  A representative from the city of Kirkland;

                       5.  A representative from the city of Redmond;

                       6.  A representative from the city of Bellevue;

                       7.  A representative from the city of Renton;

                       8.  A representative from the city of Woodinville;

                       9.  A representative from Sound Transit;

                       10.  A representative from Puget Sound Energy; and

                       11.  A representative from the Eastside Greenway Alliance, and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC will add or remove members, membership agencies and jurisdictions based on a consensus agreement of the current RAC membership or by a signed letter of interest by all parties acknowledging the change to the membership structure, and

                     WHEREAS, the chair of the RAC will be selected from among the four King County representatives and the vice chair will be an elected representative from a jurisdiction who has an ownership interest along the ERC and the staff team originally established by the RAC will continue to support the work of the advisory council, and

                     WHEREAS, the purpose of the RAC will be consistent with the owner and easement holder uses and plans for the corridor to:

                       1.  Set and advance the multiple use vision of the ERC, as initially set forth in the RAC's Creating Connections report, which emphasized the transportation mobility, utility, recreational and equity benefits of the corridor; and

                       2.  Support the implementation of the ERC Regional Trail as identified in the King County Trail Master Plan and in corresponding plans developed by certain RAC member jurisdictions, and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC will also serve as a venue for coordinating efforts of member jurisdictions to advance common goals such as advocating for the funding and implementation of Trail Master Plan improvements and collaborating to develop a brand identity for the corridor, compatible with existing identities in several RAC member jurisdictions; and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC will also serve as a venue to jointly:

                       1.  Coordinate the planning, development, public engagement, and communications and marketing activities to the extent possible to ensure effective use of the railbanked portion of the corridor;

                       2.  Coordinate the partner planning process for the trail, high-capacity transit and utility uses in the ERC;

                       3.  Coordinate with affected cities around local planning and development;

                       4.  Address both near-term and long-term recommendations;

                       5.  Recommend any needed changes to the county's countywide planning policies relative to the corridor;

                       6.  Coordinate on funding capital projects and potentially operations;

                       7.  Develop legislative agendas and lobbying as it pertains to ERC projects and issues; and

                       8.  Weigh in on Sound Transit and Metro long-range plans as related to the ERC, and

                     WHEREAS, the RAC will approve a work plan and corresponding budget every year that sets out the work for the RAC for the year;

                     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:

                     The Memorandum of understanding regarding the organization of the Eastside

Rail Corridor regional advisory council, Attachment A to this motion, is hereby approved.