Councils discuss proposed amendments to streamline administrative burdens related to settlement funds.

Council debated a proposed procedural rule to prohibit reading prepared speeches without prior permission. Supporters said it would improve deliberation and align with parliamentary practice; opponents raised ADA, representation and freedom-of-speech concerns. Council ultimately agreed to take the matter to the Jan. 30 retreat for further discussion.

City Administrator Brian Davis updated the council on the downtown tax-increment financing area, explained the 25-year horizon through 2049, and outlined three options to satisfy an ordinance deadline tied to 2029: pursue a lower-cost quick project, dissolve the TIF, or extend the deadline with trade-offs to long-term yield.

Council members discuss the Arts Commission's influence on public art funding decisions.

City of Federal Way focuses on reforestation after O and M facility construction.

The Parks, Recreation, Human Services & Public Safety Committee forwarded multiple items to the Feb. 17 consent agenda, including a $121,813 allocation from Federal Way to a South King County pooled housing fund for a 20-unit project, authorization to solicit bids for Community Center pool repairs funded by a $1.525 million King County grant, a DSHS interlocal for respite services, a 4Culture equipment grant and a conceptual downtown civic plaza update; public commenters urged applying a 2% public-art requirement to capital projects.

Senior planner Evan Lewis outlined the moratorium and staff work plan; public commenters urged a permanent ban on large data centers citing energy, water and noise impacts. The moratorium defines a data center as >1 megawatt or >4,000 sq ft; staff will study impacts and return policy options.

Staff recommended and the committee forwarded a SEPA response letter raising city concerns about runway-raising, noise and particulate impacts, and specifics for 31 projects (including 19 gates) in the Sea-Tac Airport master-plan package; the city will present its views during a Port open meeting and expects more detailed responses from the Port.

Port of Seattle presenters described near-term projects intended to improve airfield efficiency and fuel capacity and outlined noise and greenhouse-gas modeling at a Federal Way open house; Mayor Jim Farrell urged residents to submit comments during the public comment period, and Port staff explained how comments will be handled.

Staff told the committee the ordinance adopts state parking mandates for select city-center zones (multifamily 0.5 spaces/unit; senior and some affordable housing 0 required) while preserving the city's ability to require structured parking for spaces above the minimum. Councilmembers raised questions about ADA parking, treatment of religious institutions, and how senior housing needs will be handled.

Port of Seattle staff previewed the SEPA draft environmental impact statement for the SEA Sustainable Airport Master Plan and urged Federal Way residents to review the document and attend a local open house; the Port said it will invest about $40 million to mitigate surface-transportation impacts from near-term airport projects.

Mayor Farrell presented a balanced biennial budget that avoids new taxes, funds reserves, includes market adjustments and 2% COLAs for nonrepresented staff, while flagging a $2.5M annual debt service for a new maintenance facility, $500K loss from Wild Waves closure, lower REET and insurance increases.

Sen. Tina Orwell briefed the council on SB 5936, which would let survivors keep identifying information sealed and add civil/penal exposure for businesses that knowingly facilitate trafficking. She urged the city to add the policy objective to its legislative agenda and partner on survivor supports.

Staff presented a resolution to transfer Hyper Fiber of Washington's franchise (Federal Way Ordinance 25-1011) to Eaton Fiber; legal counsel said transfers require council approval when ownership changes exceed 50 percent. The committee unanimously forwarded the resolution to the Oct. 6 consent agenda.

Staff reported recurring settlement and pipe shearing at the Lakota berm over peat soils and recommended authorizing design and bidding of a permanent fix that includes piles to structural bearing and a sheet-pile cutoff wall; project design and construction costs are currently estimated at about $2.5 million from the SWIM fund.

Federal Way police described proposed 2027 increases at SCORE — roughly 9% for daily bed rates and about 5% on other fees — and council members pressed for details on medical costs tied to the opioid crisis. The committee moved the amendment to the Sept. 15 consent agenda by a voice vote.

During public comment residents raised public‑health concerns over sharps disposal, reported growing encampments and drug use in parks, urged a moratorium or ban on data centers, and celebrated nonprofit fundraising and community events.

Council members welcomed Sound Transit's commitment to more than 600 permanent skilled, living-wage jobs and pre-apprenticeship pathways but asked for assurances that jobs will be new opportunities for Federal Way residents and for ongoing reporting.

Sound Transit representatives told the council that OMF South construction will require mitigation under federal and state permits and that options include on-site impacts avoidance, off-site wetland creation or preservation and enhancement; council members requested clearer explanation of which creeks and ratios will be used.

King County and the Urban League told City Council the Booker House permanent supportive housing site is nearly full (82 of 86 units), uses a housing‑first model with on‑site nursing and 24/7 staffing, and prioritizes 65% local referrals. Staff said there have been no reported overdoses at the site so far.

Metro told the council that the South Link Connections project (approved March 2026) increases service hours by roughly 28% over fall 2025, adds weekend trips, improves east-west frequency and launches two MetroFlex pilot demand-response zones and a DART route subcontracted to Hopelink.

Sound Transit and city staff said closing 20th Avenue South depends on completion and acceptance of a new 18th Place extension and a temporary 21st Avenue to avoid dead-ends; staff said the new public road will include a shared-use pedestrian path.

Sound Transit told the Federal Way City Council that OMF South will be a 24/7 operations and maintenance facility with capacity for up to 144 light-rail vehicles, a one-mile test track and compatibility with next-generation Series 3 trains; project representatives said construction will create both short-term construction work and more than 600 permanent jobs.

Deputy Public Works Director Desiree Winkler reported the city maintains 238 miles of streets with a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of 73. With current annual overlay funding (~$4.3M including typical grants) the PCI is projected to fall to about 68 in five years; maintaining today's PCI would require ~$11.67M annually, Winkler said.

Staff proposed advertising design and bidding for a roundabout at SR-99 & South 373rd Street to address a history of fatal and serious-injury collisions. John Cole presented an engineer's estimate of $7,150,000 total and said advertising costs typically run $1,000–$2,000; the committee moved to include the item with advertising estimate for the Aug. 11 consent agenda.