Almost every week this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review. I don't cover everything, so if you want the full rundown, read the packet and agenda yourself.

A couple of weeks ago chad360 asked whether there was a city advisory committee that dealt only with traffic issues.

Now, the city is putting together a new a new advisory committee that deals only with transportation issues? Either Chad is incredibly influential or physic.

Actually probably neither, the new committee was first mentioned last summer and will probably start recruiting soon. The council's land use and environment committee will talk about forming the ad-hoc citizen's advisory committee on Monday, February 11 at 4 p.m.

What will be the purpose of the ad-hoc transportation committee? The staff report gives us an idea:

The Purpose of the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) is to advise City Council on the development of the Transportation Mobility Strategy. Specifically, the TAC will assist in:

• Establishing clear success measures for the Transportation Mobility Strategy work effort from the community’s perspective, given the vision as articulated in the Olympia Comprehensive Plan and Strategy Sketch (see Attachment 1);

• Assist in reviewing and commenting on consultants’ work products;

• Make recommendations on the final plan to the City Council; and

• Serve as ambassadors for the project.

Transportation Mobility Stakeholders:

Staff is recommending the TAC be made up of 11 to 15 members representing the full spectrum of transportation system users (bicyclist, walkers, transit users, and motorized vehicle users). The following list of potentially affected stakeholders has been developed as a starting place for establishing the committee:

• City Council Member(s)
• Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee Member(s)
• Intercity Transit
• Citizen(s) at Large
• Coalition of Neighborhood Associations
• Past Parking Advisory Committee Member(s)
• Thurston Regional Planning Council
• Planning Commission
• State Government
    o General Administration
• Downtown Interests
    o Olympia Downtown Association
    oParking Business Improvement Area Rep(s)
• ADA – Representation
• Schools Interests
    o School Board
    o School District Staff
    o Parent Teacher Association
• Environmental Interests

2. Staff is also asking for more money (up to $150,000) to look at the issue of taller buildings along the waterfront:

Staff is requesting additional resources because this is a complex proposal with the potential for extensive public involvement. In addition to amending the Olympia Municipal Code and Comprehensive Plan, the proposal involves amending the Regional Shoreline Master Program to accommodate increased building height limits. Changing maximum building heights from 35 feet to between 65 and 90 feet along a prominent section of City shoreline represents change from a height limitation that has been in place since about 1982. In 2002, the isthmus properties were subject to a similar proposal; at that time, City Council decided to retain Urban Waterfront zoning and the 35-foot height limit.