Vancouver City Council

0:00 (upbeat music)

0:31 - Yes, you're at Vancouver City Council meeting. Today is Monday, May 18th, 2026. This afternoon we had three workshops. The first one was on the Portland International Airport Master Plan that they are updating. Then we talked with staff about the Climate Action Framework that we're working off of. And we heard about the Fruit Valley for All action plan that is being updated also. So would you please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? - I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. - Thank you, Ms. Dollar, please call the roll. - Council Member Harless. - Present. - Perez. - Present. - Fox. - Here. - Paulson. - Here.

1:28 - Stover. - Here. - Hanson. - Present. - Mayor McNerney-Ogle. - Present. Thank you very much. Councilors, let's move into the approval of the minutes. You have the minutes of May 11th, 2026. Any corrections or changes? Hanson, seconded by? - Fox. - Fox. (laughs) Thank you. All those in favor say aye. - Aye. - Opposed? - Abstain, Paulson. - Paulson's abstention. A Perez abstention. Motion passes, thank you very much. And now we have proclamations. Let's start with our Taiwanese American Heritage Week. We have all sorts of people here. Easton and Angela. And the Formosa Association of Student Cultural Ambassadors from Greater Portland.

2:27 Are, is that all of you? And you crossed the river and the bridge was down and you came over easily. - Yeah, yes, actually they are from Taiwan. - Oh, they are? - Oh, they're from Seoul. - Oh, how exciting. Let me read a little bit and then we'll do pictures and we'll hear from you. Whereas America has been continually renewed and enriched by the people from a diverse background, each bringing their unique heritage, which over time becomes a part of our common heritage. And whereas Taiwanese Americans have made indispensable contributions to the diversity and prosperity of American society. And this week recognizes the longstanding friendship between the United States and Taiwan. And during this special week, Taiwanese Americans can embrace America's diversity and celebrate our shared traditions

3:25 that make America a great nation. Whereas this year's celebration includes invited guests from National Taiwan University of Sport Dance Company, who will perform at the Winningstad Theater in Portland tomorrow night, May 19th, 7.30 to nine o'clock. Now therefore, I, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington do hereby proclaim and recognize the week of May 10 through 16, 2026 as Taiwanese American Heritage Week in the city of Vancouver and encourage all community members to join in celebrating the diverse character of our community. And you probably don't know this, but during our COVID in May of, oh my gosh, 2020, the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce brought us 15,000 masks

4:24 so that we would have them for that pandemic. So we thank you so very much here. (audience applauding)

4:49 (indistinct chatter)

5:19 - We're fine, thank you. - We're good, okay. (indistinct chatter) - Thank you. - Do you wanna say a few words? - Yes, yes. - On the microphone.

5:49 (indistinct chatter) - Oh, just a moment. There's a microphone and if you press down on the little head, there you go, perfect. - Okay, thank you to Mayor Anne for continuing to recognize Taiwanese American Heritage Week. We feel truly included and honored. My name is Tan Lee, president of the Taiwanese Association of Greater Poland, a nonprofit of volunteer organizations dedicated to promoting Taiwanese culture and strengthening our community connections. For our community, this week is about both heritage and values, sharing our culture while recognizing the value

6:47 we share with the United States, democracy and freedom. Recently, the documentary "Invisible Nation," now future on PBS during Taiwanese American Heritage Week, has helped more people understand Taiwan, ever to safeguard its democracy and freedom, told through the story of its first female president. As Taiwanese American in this area, we are proud to call the Vancouver United States home. While caring deeply about Taiwan, we are grateful for the strong U.S.-Taiwan partnership and the continuing support for Taiwan's self-defense have ensured peace and stability in the region. To celebrate this special week locally, we invite you to join us for "We Are Taiwan" by National Taiwan University of the Sports tomorrow at Winning State Theater in Portland,

7:46 a performance that showcase the richness and the vibrancy of Taiwanese culture through dance and storytelling. We are honored that the mayor will be attending. Thank you. And we are also very especially pleased to have these performers from Taiwan with us here tonight to witness this meaningful moment. Thank you. (audience applauding) - Good evening, everyone. My name is Angela Liao, and I'm currently a sophomore at International School of Beaverton. At the same time, I serve as the president of SALFASCA, the Formosa Association of Student Culture Ambassadors. Through this role, I have the opportunity to work with other Taiwanese youth while living around here, sharing our identities and introducing Taiwanese culture to others. It is an honor to be here today for Taiwanese American Heritage Week, a celebration of identity, culture, and the stories that continue to shape who we are.

8:45 I moved from Taiwan not too long ago, and to be honest, I really thought my English was going to be fine until I realized very quickly that it was absolutely not. When I first got here, I struggled a lot with adjusting to school and life here, and often feel confused and overwhelmed by simple things. But at the same time, I was really supported by teachers, classmates, and people around here who were patient and willing to help me step by step. Over time, I realized that while adjusting to a new language environment is challenging, it has helped me see myself from a different perspective, and sometimes it allows me to understand my own culture and my identity better. Being Taiwanese American, to me, is more like carrying parts of both identities and seeing how they appear in everyday life. I used to think culture was just something that is part of my background, but now I notice that culture and identity show up in many different ways. How people talk, how I react to things, and even things I never thought about before. I also want receiving a lot of support when I first moved here, and now I've slowly started

9:43 to become someone who can support others as well. It made me realize that Taiwanese American communities are built through people supporting and helping each other across generations. When thinking about Taiwanese American contributions, people often think of figures like Jason Huang, the co-founder of NVIDIA, or Lisa Su, who is the CEO of company AMD, who have both made major impact in technology and leadership around the world. Beyond that, what's also meaningful to me are the smaller, everyday things, such as Taiwanese American students teaching Mandarin to younger kids, or sharing Taiwanese culture to others who didn't grow up with it, passing it on to the next generation. It's not always about something big or visible, but together, those moments are about keep culture alive. To me, Taiwanese American Heritage Week is an important reminder that isn't something only exists when we look back on. It shows that in our everyday lives, in the way we think, the way we connect with others, it's not about choosing one identity over the other,

10:42 but about finding a way to live with both. And I think that's what makes events like this meaningful. Not just celebrating culture, but continuing it, sharing it, and allowing more people to understand it through everyday experiences and connections. I'm really grateful to be a part of this community, and even more grateful to have this opportunity to share a small part of my story, and what being a Taiwanese American means to me. Thank you for listening. - Thank you, Angela, nice job. (audience applauds) - Hello, Mayor McEnerny, distinguished council members, and a friend of Vancouver. Thank you for this profound honor. Taiwan and United States were not born from the same soil, but we were forged from the same spirit. A spirit that believe freedom is worth defending, that democracy is worth nurturing, and that every human being deserves dignity.

11:39 Taiwan is an island of acquired giants. We produce over 90% of the world's most advanced semiconductor, the most precise machinery that actually making all the fabric we wear every day. Our craft behind these are the craftsmanship in Taiwanese people's mind, that just want to share the best to the world. And when the world need a mask during the pandemic, Taiwan sent 51 million of them to allies without hesitation. It's not just a transaction, it's not a transaction. It's a great gesture of solidarity, and also compassion and altruism. But Taiwan's greatest export has never been a product, it has been its people. Taiwanese-American bring with them a culture

12:37 of deep craftsmanship, where a bowl of noodles is made with the same devotion as a microchip. A culture of inclusion, where diverse face, languages, tradition share the same table. A culture of kindness, where a stranger is never truly a stranger for long. We share your love of innovation, we share your belief in the rule of law, and we share your conviction that the government must answer to its people, not the other way around. Vancouver has always been a city that opens its own wide. Today we are proud to call this community home. On behalf of all Taiwanese-Americans, xie xie, thank you for valuing our community. May the friendship among we peoples here together,

13:34 we grow as strong, as enduring as mountains that watch over this beautiful city. Thank you. - Thank you so very much. (audience applauds) All right. Let's move on to the Chuukese Heritage and Unity Day. Tanya? - I think I see, oh yes. Whereas the city of Vancouver recognizes the rich cultural heritage and invaluable contributions of the Chuukese community to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of our diverse city, and where it is essential to honor, preserve, and educate others about the rich history and cultural contributions of the Chuukese people, and the city of Vancouver is committed

14:32 to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment where all individuals feel valued and understood. And recognizing the importance of solidarity and support for all communities, especially those that have faced historical and systemic barriers, align with our city's broader goals of equity, inclusion, and social justice, and whereas today marks an occasion to celebrate the strength, resilience, and cultural heritage of the Chuukese community, now therefore I, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington, do hereby proclaim the 13th of May as Chuukese Heritage and Unity Day in the city of Vancouver. Call upon the people of Vancouver to join in this celebration. Let us recognize, honor, and uplift the Chuukese community and their contributions, fostering a community of mutual respect, understanding, and unity.

15:32 (audience applauding)

15:58 (people chattering) (people laughing)

16:28 (people chattering) - Phone photo first. Okay, this is a video, so just act happy for 10 seconds. (people laughing) (people chattering) Awesome, thank you. (people chattering) (people applauding)

17:28 (people chattering) - Good evening, Mayor. - Good evening. - And City Council members. On behalf of Sakura 39ers, our church and community leaders here with me today, and our Chuukese community in Vancouver, I want to extend our deepest gratitude for presenting us with the true heritage and proclamation, and unity proclamation. This recognition means more than words can express. It is a powerful acknowledgement of our ability of the Chuukese community, our culture, our history, and the contributions our people continue to make

18:26 here in Vancouver and throughout the Pacific Northwest. We are honored that the city has taken the time to celebrate unity, diversity, and cultural heritage. Proclamations like this remind our community that when communities come together with respect and understanding, we become stronger together. To you city leaders, you council members, all the people who organized this proclamation, and everyone involved, thank you for seeing the value in our people. Your support encourages future generations to remain proud of who they are while continuing to build bridges across cultures. The Sakura 39ers team here are committed to continuing the spirit of unity through our service, leadership, fostering our youth, our cultural pride,

19:26 and our community involvement. We proudly accept this proclamation not only for ourselves, but all of our Chuukese families, our elders, our youth, and supporters who have helped us and kept our heritage alive every day. We will be celebrating this proclamation in July with a track and field day that brings together over 1,200 Chuukese community members in the Pacific Northwest. (speaking in foreign language) Thank you very much for this incredible honor. May we continue working together in unity, respect, and friendship for many years to come. Thank you and (speaking in foreign language) (audience applauding)

20:19 - That track and field day is absolutely wonderful. Dania, do you know if it'll be held at Skyview or Columbia River? - It'll be in the Evergreen School District. - Oh, okay, all right. We can travel over that far. (audience laughing) Thank you so much. We have one more proclamation this evening, and that is to Public Works. Is Rob here with us? Hi, Rob. - Hello.

20:47 - Whereas Public Works professionals focus on infrastructure facilities and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life, and well-being of the people of Vancouver. And whereas these services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of Public Works professionals who are responsible for rebuilding, improving, and protecting our nation's transportation, water supply, water treatment, and solid waste systems, public buildings and other structures and facilities essential for our community. And whereas it is in the public interest for community members, civic leaders, and children in Vancouver to understand the importance of Public Works and Public Works programs in their respective communities. And whereas 2026 marks the 66th annual

21:47 National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association. Now therefore, I, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, Mayor of Vancouver, Washington, do hereby proclaim the week of May 17 through 23, 2026, as National Public Works Week in the city of Vancouver, and call upon the people of Vancouver to join in activities, events, and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our public works professionals, engineers, managers, and employees, and to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our national health, safety, and advancing quality of life for all. Okay, Rob, this is yours. (audience applauding)

22:38 (people chattering) - My name is Rob Summerall. I'm a Survey Specialist in the Public Works Department here at the city of Vancouver.

23:37 Thank you, Mayor, council people, for the opportunity to accept the proclamation for National Public Works Week. It is an honor to represent our department and the work public works staff do every day to serve our community. Over the past few years, you've heard about several different public work divisions during these proclamations. Today, I would like to highlight surveying. I've worked in the survey, as a Survey Specialist for the city for about four years, but I've worked as a surveyor in the Clark County, Vancouver area for over 30 years. I also teach at Clark College, a Survey and Engineering Department, and I have many students that now hold jobs with the city, with the county, with the state, and many private survey companies in the Pacific Northwest. Surveying is one of those professions that most people don't think about. Honestly, when I tell people what I do for a living, they think I stand in the mall with a clipboard

24:36 and ask questions that you don't wanna answer. But we do supply a critical role in nearly every public project. Before a road is built, sidewalk improvements, utilities are installed, survey crews are often the first people on site. They provide inaccurate information for engineers and construction teams to design and build safely public works projects. Surveying also makes sure projects stay within the public boundaries, comply with regulations, and avoid costly surprise overruns during construction. Good survey data can identify issues early, whether it's drainage concerns, underground utilities, or terrain changes which help both,

25:35 or which save both time and taxpayers' dollars. It also supports transparency in the public trust. Survey information and visualization help communicate projects to the community and demonstrate how improvements will function safely and responsible. And once the construction is complete, we return again to make sure that the money was well spent, to make sure it was built according to plan, and to support future maintenance. National Public Work Week is a great opportunity to recognize the many people working behind the scenes to keep our cities operating every day. I appreciate the chance to highlight the surveying profession and the dedicated public work employees to help, excuse me, to help make these projects possible. Thank you. - Thank you, Rob. (audience applauding)

26:34 - Great job, Rob. Very well done. Thank you, Mayor, Council, good evening. I'm Steve Wall, the Public Works Director for the city. I would wanna just first say it's an honor to be up here and be recognized on the same evening as the prior two proclamations. It's a tough act to follow, so thank you for that recognition. But I wanted to take a minute and say thank you for the proclamation, but also recognize and thank all of the staff in Public Works. Their dedication and service in supporting the community goes a long way to continue to make things run the way they do in the city. And I know sometimes there's good with that, and sometimes there might be bad, but we do what we can and we support throughout. And though not widely recognized, Public Works members are first responders, and staff is available 24/7 to make sure that our infrastructure

27:33 is able to serve our residences and our businesses. And I can say that everybody takes pride in that, whether they will tell you that or not. I also thought it was a great time to inform Council of a recent recognition that we received, or some members of our department at least. The Pacific Northwest Section of the American Water Works Association presented an award to the city of Vancouver at their recent conference. So I'll just briefly state that the award is for outstanding leadership and support by an organization. It's in recognition of outstanding support and leadership by generously sharing our staff expertise and consistently providing professionalism, cooperation, and the advancement of the goals of the American Water Works Association. So that was just recently presented to staff. I just would say that we have a caring, devoted staff,

28:29 and the employees in Vancouver care about our systems, and personally I'm proud to be part of the Public Works Department. And again, thank you for the proclamation. - Thank you. Steve, before you go, that particular award, sharing information, does that mean that your staff would do a workshop, for example, at a state conference and share the knowledge that they had learned? - Yes, that would be a part of it, and attending conferences and providing the expertise and knowledge of our staff to share with others, other agencies and services that maybe don't have the same level of expertise or resources that we have. - And what a great opportunity, especially sharing that information with, as you said, our sister cities throughout the state, whether we're looking at PFAs in our water or all of that. Thank you so much, and please give the staff our best. - Great, thank you. - Thank you. (audience applauding)

29:28 That concludes our proclamations. We're just going to get down to the very awful, boring stuff now. So if you would like to stay, you're more than welcome. But if you want to go walk the waterfront and enjoy the beautiful evening, this would be a great time for you to excuse yourself. So thank you so very much for joining us this evening. Council, this is be our community communication. I do not have any pre-registered signups. I do not have any yellow cards, Ms. Dollar. Is that accurate? So we'll go ahead and close the communications, bring it to the consent agenda. Councilors, would you like to pull any of the items? You have five items here. Item number two. Okay, any others? All right, I'll entertain a motion

30:25 to approve items one, three, four, and five. - To approve Paulson. - Paulson, seconded by Hansen. All those in favor say aye. - Aye. - Opposed? Motion passes, thank you very much. To be written to the record, an ordinance amending Vancouver Municipal Code, Section 7.04.020, Pedestrian Interference. An ordinance of the City of Vancouver amending Vancouver Municipal Code, Section 4.04.020, Pedestrian Interference, providing for severability and setting an effective date. And we have Erin Landy online, is that correct? And we have an assistant city attorney with us, and we have Tyler Chavers with us. Anyone else?

31:23 Tyler, are you handling this all by your lonesome? - I think that's the case. - All right, you can do it. Councilor Fox, go ahead. - Sure, I pulled this item because I received a few folks that had fielded some questions to me about this, particular amendment, and so I figured others might have the same question. And the question, so the change to the code, for those that might not be aware, is it adds a section to an already existing section of code, but it prohibits standing, sitting, remains upon, or otherwise occupies a traffic median, traffic island, or roadway divider, and it goes on. But this area is supposed to not really be where pedestrians are. And the question that I have been fielding are from folks that are currently running for office. I'm not running for office, so I'll just freely say that. But they're confused because they're thinking

32:23 they didn't know that they aren't allowed to be in the medians installing campaign signs, and wondering if this would apply to them, this change to the law. And so I sent this off to staff to weigh in, and just to share a couple back and forths, we're basically showing me our VMC, our municipal code that clearly says that we shouldn't be installing any kind of signs in the medians. And that's been a law for a while. But then I also shared materials that the Clark County Elections Office gives to every candidate, which is really interesting, 'cause they put together a whole packet for candidates to try to make it easy for them to understand all the rules in every single city, where they might wanna be installing signs. And those regulations appear to be in conflict with our code

33:19 because those regulations actually say they can put up a sign in a median as long as it's not obstructing vision clearance areas, and that it's removed timely after an election. So with all of that premise, I'm wondering how staff could address perhaps two things. One is how are we enforcing our own rule about signage, even temporary signage being put up in a median? And secondly, maybe we should also be addressing what the Clark County Elections Office distributes because they are actually getting it straight from the city of Vancouver. So two questions. - Wow, I'm not sure that was the intent of this, nor if Tyler Chavers has that answer, Nina. - I told you I was gonna put you on the spot, Nina. (laughs)

34:16 - I could generally speak to enforcement of city code. So our city code enjoys the ability to either, not in every single case, but throughout the code, either enforce the civil penalty, so citations to property owners or the persons who are actually engaged in the prohibited behaviors, and those fines can add up. Or much of the code is also covered where it can be enforced criminally. I think it's Title 22, it's been a little while. In any case, so if code enforcement would need to ask for a police officer to help them out or whatever, then that can happen for enforcement. It's been a long time, I think it was 2008, '09, '10-ish. Drew Russell was a neighborhood police officer

35:15 in District 1, and myself and some others helped him at times with removing signs as part of his MPO duties as he kind of explored some of the complaints about the, they were really sandwich boards like blocking sidewalks, it wasn't so much median signs, although he would remove them from the medians as well because that's how the code read and contact either the printers or often the person whose name was on it, like hey, we have your signs and you're welcome to come and collect them, but please don't place them where they're not supposed to be there's plenty of places to place them where they can be. So that's generally how the code has been, at least historically, enforced. This ordinance was more for person safety because of the location than it was about behavior, had nothing to do with whether or not somebody was engaged in any special behavior like planting a sign in a median versus just occupying that space and being in a place

36:14 that was unsafe because of motorist traffic. - And is this occupying of the median more of something like that occurs over a certain period of time? Is that more of the concern or is it just any occupation? If you're a concerned resident of the area and you see someone just kind of standing in the middle of the median or doing some maybe behavior that's distracting to drivers or something, is there a time limit that we're concerned about? - I would say it's implied, it's not specific, it's not written into the statute, but to stand or lie would take some time. It wouldn't happen in an instant. The rest of Title VII where it comes to blocking of a sidewalk actually requires an officer to give warning so that somebody can then come into compliance with the code without enforcement. So much like trespassing where someone's been given notice

37:12 and then refuses to leave the area where they're trespassing, the word remains is the legal word that they have had a warning, they've now remained in that space, they've refused to comply. At that point they're subject to arrest, whether by citation or physical arrest. I would imagine on a low level misdemeanor, such as this in the city code, officers would likely use their discretion and ultimately it would be the people who are frequent violators who are known to have already been warned that that's the city code and they're not supposed to be in that space. More than likely those would be the folks who would end up having some sort of appropriate enforcement if any, but as of right now with the gap in the state law and city code that doesn't prohibit occupation for any reason of these spaces that are unsafe, officers don't actually have any kind of legal standing

38:12 to even suggest other than just a social contact with folks that they should move and if they don't, there's no recourse other than to leave them there. It's been proven to be dangerous for both motorists and the pedestrians. That was the intent for this one. - Nina, you wanna add to this? - Thank you, Mayor. As it relates to the current VMC, so not the ordinance that's before council, Mr. Chavarz is correct, there's two laws currently on the books that prohibit signs. That's VMC 20.960.030 sub J which does not allow signs in the public right of way. And 090E6 which specifically states that no portable sign

39:07 should be placed on traffic islands, medians or circles. So currently on the books, we have two laws that would prohibit campaign signs in the median. But getting to Pro Tem, Mayor Pro Tem Fox's comment, it is true that Clark County Elections Office hands out or prepares a guidebook for those who are running for office that as she says, allows campaign signs in these very areas as long as they're taken down within a certain number of days and they don't block vision. So that provision in the Clark County Elections guidebook directly contradicts the current laws we have on the books.

40:03 And what I would say is the guidebook is just that, it's a guidebook and in the preface to the guidebook, it has a disclaimer that says this guide should be used in conjunction with state and local laws, not in place of them. So while super confusing and I'm sure candidates rely on the guidebook, it's good and I appreciate the Mayor Pro Tem's comment that we have a few of our council members who are running for office. We currently have laws on our books that would prohibit signs in these areas. So that's what's already there. What's before you tonight or actually what's first reading and next time would be the public hearing is, as Mr. Chaver said, closing this loop in state law and there is a question I guess, if somebody just runs up there and places a sign and runs down, the whole point of this provision

41:03 and this ordinance is because that's dangerous activity. But I would say that the language of the ordinance includes sit standing or remaining upon. So even if somebody races across, puts their campaign sign and then leaves, they're still standing. So I think Mr. Chavish is a former officer is correct. There would be a warning or request not to do that again and the officer would use his or her discretion as it relates to this new law. - Thank you. Additional questions or comments? - Yes, Councillor. - Thank you, Mayor and I brought this-- - I'm sorry, Councillor Ty Stover. - Council Member Ty Stover, I had raised this as an issue when we had our workshop on this. Just wanted to make sure there was clarity through this process. So it sounds like there is and there still isn't

42:03 good clarity here and so I guess I would ask and generally I think what I'm hearing is no. But if somehow that could be made more clear, more definitive in its statement, I think that would be helpful. - Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Stover. This is Nina Cook, City Attorney. The answer is no. Currently on the books, the answer is clearly no in at least two places, no. The only thing that is unclear is the Clark County Elections Guidebook, which I would be happy to contact the Elections Office and have a discussion with the folks in charge. - Please do.

43:03 Thank you, Nina. Any other questions or comments? Oh, yes, Councillor. Yes, Diana. Councillor Perez, go ahead. - Yes, thank you. Just to go back to the intent of this and it would be good to see some actual data included in here, there's no data to show the safety aspect of this. And then the question for Nina, our City Attorney, is whether she has reviewed the language to see whether it's appropriately scoped to its intent or does it sweep in people who have no other reasonable alternative? For example, a motorist with a car that's broken down and they need to go to the median or a cyclist for safety reasons

44:01 or a utility worker or such. - And I think Mr. Chavers did provide, sorry, this is Nina Cook, City Attorney. I think, Tyler, you'll correct me, you provided some data last time you were here at a workshop with statistics for people who had been injured or killed in the State of Washington. - I didn't see it in the ordinance or in the documents and I'm sorry, I was having something at the last. - Apologize. - No, I did not include in the staff report the specific numbers and I would be going off the top of my head but I do know that the state said that Clark County, so I know that that's more than just the city of Vancouver but the bulk of the pedestrian or bicycle collisions happened within the city limits. In 2024, if I remember, there was an all-time high

44:57 of 17 either serious injury and that's defined by law. So it was either serious injury or fatality. This particular ordinance was actually born out of the Vancouver Police Department investigating a fatality in one of these spaces in 2021 and then realizing as part of that investigation that there was no clear state or city ordinance for people being in spaces that they would have to commit a violation to get to by common term would be jaywalking, running across traffic 'cause these are areas where they're not supposed to be pedestrian or bicycling. Clearly, there would be exceptions for emergent circumstances like any other law. That's law enforcement discretion is understanding that if it's a broken down car or motorist, I believe the code, rest of the code

45:55 actually talks about otherwise directed by a police officer or an effort to leave an area or something like that. So again, this is more intended for those who go to those spaces who shouldn't be in those spaces and remain and stay in those spaces even after being asked not to be in them because they're posing a danger. And last, I would say that besides the Vancouver Police Department in 2021, it was in 2022, so not long later, that separately or independently, it was our Public Works Department who actually brought this issue to the Police Department and said that their road workers were having issues because people were standing in the medians and when they were closing down lanes of travel and multiple lane roads, that if somebody was standing in that median traffic approaching, that person would naturally wanna move away from them into or towards the workers who were out there flagging or otherwise working. And so they brought it to the Police Department

46:55 and said, what can we do about having people vacate these areas without creating this issue for the road crews? So it was an interesting take that once again, the department looked into what pedestrian rules apply and almost all of them have to do with being alongside of a road, essentially where a sidewalk or a curb would be, or crossing a road but not stopping in that median space. So once you got there, it was sort of like golly, golly, home free and then law enforcement didn't have anything on the books that they could actually utilize to ask those folks to vacate that area. - And my follow up to that, the data is important because the justification of the safety record, is it really a reflection of a dangerous road design

47:53 rather than the pedestrian behavior? So that was just one quick follow up question, if that assessment has been made for those sites. - Yeah, that would be outside of my current purview. - Okay. Okay, thank you. Any other comments? I have a motion from Hanson seconded by Paulson. Motion to approve seconded, any other comments? All those in favor say aye. - Aye. - Aye. - Opposed? Motion passes, we'll see you on June one to do this all over again. Thank you, Tyler. All right, that concludes our business. Now move into communications from the council. Councilor Harless.

48:50 - Yeah, I was looking through those codes for the signs and Nina, if you could bring up 20.960.020B. It says, it is not intended for this chapter to regulate public sector siting, political campaign signs. I'm sorry, 20.960.020, it's the scope section. That's the same chapter we were talking about, right? Okay. - Can I review that and get back to council? - Yeah. - Thank you. - Thanks. - Okay. Any other comments? Councilor Silbert. - I'm gonna pass. - Councilor Hanson, Councilor Paulson. Councilor Paulson, welcome back from your trip. Councilor Fox. Quick note, thank you to the big Rotary group

49:49 that did a cleanup in West Vancouver this last weekend. And next Monday, we will not be here because we will be on Memorial Day holiday serving a thousand hot dogs at the parade grounds. So bring your apron and join us at 11 o'clock to do all of that. And then when we do come back together, it'll be upstairs. June one, we'll be up in the council chambers. So thank you to the staff for setting this up every Monday for quite some time and all the cameras and the whole kit and caboodle. Sarah, thank you for leading the charge on all of that. City manager, communications? - Nothing tonight, Mayor. - Okay, Diana, did you have anything? No, okay. Nina, anything? - Nothing, Mayor, thank you. - Okay, so we'll close the communications.

50:47 What we'll do is go into community forum testimony and then we'll come back in because we have a transportation benefit district meeting after community forum. So for community forum, we turn off the cameras for CVTV. We tape it for public records and such, but let's go ahead and turn off the cameras.