On the agenda: Longview City Council Special Meeting/Workshop - 2027 Legislative Policy Document and Projects — PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERA (Sep 24)

City of Longview

1525 Broadway
Longview, WA 98632
www.ci.longview.wa.us

Agenda

City Council
Mayor Erik Halvorson
Mayor Pro Tem Keith Young
Council Member Chris Bryant
Council Member Mike Claxton
Council Member Ruth Kendall
Council Member Kalei LaFave
Council Member Wayne Nichols

Thursday, September 24, 2026

4:30 PM

2nd Floor, City Hall

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, in accordance with RCW Chapter 42.30, that the City Council of the City of Longview,
Washington, will conduct a special meeting/workshop in the Longview City Hall Training Room, 1525 Broadway, Longview, on
Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. The topic of discussion follows. No final disposition shall be taken.

The City Hall is accessible for persons with disabilities. Special equipment to assist the hearing impaired is
also available. Please contact the City Executive Office at 360.442.5004 at least 48 hours in advance if you
require special accommodations to attend the meeting.

1.

CALL TO ORDER

2.

FLAG SALUTE

3.

ROLL CALL

4.

WORKSHOP
26-00846

5.

2027 LEGISLATIVE POLICY DOCUMENT AND PROJECTS

ADJOURNMENT

* Any invocation that may be offered at the Council meeting shall be the voluntary offering
of a private citizen, to and for the benefit of the Council. The views or beliefs expressed by
the invocation speaker have not been previously reviewed or approved by the Council,
and the Council does not endorse the religious beliefs or views of this, or any other
speaker.

City of Longview

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City Council

City of Longview

September 24, 2026

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LEGISLATIVE POLICY DOCUMENT
09.24.2027 - Draft
PUBLIC SAFETY & JUSTICE
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PUBLIC DEFENSE/PROSECUTION BURDEN
Washington’s reduced caseload standards for public defenders (RCW 10.101) create an
unfunded mandate on cities. A statewide solution is needed as limits drop and hiring shortages
continue to worsen.
ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
Increase support for non-police response programs tied to behavioral health (RCW 71.24), which
reduce pressure on jails, emergency rooms, and law enforcement.

FISCAL TOOLS & INFRASTRUCTURE
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PUBLIC WORKS SELF-PERFORMANCE AUTHORITY
Raise the cap on project size that city crews can complete without competitive bidding (RCW
35.23.352). Current limits are outdated and inefficient.
PRIVATE BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC PROJECTS
Revise laws such as prevailing wage (RCW 39.12) and nonprofit exemptions (RCW 82.04.3651) to
allow private businesses to invest directly in public projects when no city funds are used,
unlocking private support for community facilities and reduce reliance on limited public dollars.
IMPROVE CONTRACTING, BIDDING & PROCUREMENT
Modernize RCW 39.04 to reflect today’s costs and simplify processes. Higher thresholds will
reduce delays and administrative burden.
UNFUNDED MANDATES
Refrain from imposing new unfunded or underfunded mandates on cities and pair any new
requirement with the revenue needed to meet it. Each new mandate absorbs staff capacity that
mid-sized cities cannot backfill.
STATE TAX CHANGES & CITY FISCAL HEALTH
Address all impacts on city budgets from sales and use tax exemptions included in the
Millionaire’s Tax by fully funding the City and County Fiscal Health Account, including covering
unfunded areas that significantly impact cities, such as the technology services sales tax, and
ensuring that revenues in the account grow over time.
LEOFF 1 SURPLUS
Direct surplus LEOFF 1 dollars, including the possible assumption of over $1 billion in medical
liabilities, toward relieving local government obligations before other general fund purposes.

TRANSPORTATION
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TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT AUTHORITY
Raise the maximum vehicle weight on which a transportation benefit district may levy a license
fee from 6,000 to 9,000 pounds and increase to 0.2% the transportation benefit district sales tax
available through councilmanic authority (RCW 36.73; RCW 82.14.0455).

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HOMELESSNESS & TRANSPARENCY
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TRANSPARENCY & ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOMELESSNESS FUNDING
Require providers receiving state funds to notify local governments and share outcome metrics.
Standardized reporting (RCW 43.185C; RCW 43.330) would improve transparency and alignment
with local strategies.
UNHOUSED BILL OF RIGHTS PROPOSALS
Statewide proposals that establish rights or standards related to homelessness should preserve
local authority to maintain the health, safety, and intended public use of streets, parks, and other
public property. The City asks that any new standard be paired with the shelter and behavioral
health capacity needed to meet it, and that new obligations not be enforced through litigation
against cities.

HOUSING & GROWTH
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HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BARRIERS & ENERGY CODE FLEXIBILITY
Streamline permitting and reduce regulatory costs under the Building Code (RCW 19.27) and
SEPA (RCW 43.21C) that deter housing construction. Allow smaller and low-income homes to use
earlier State Energy Code standards (RCW 19.27A), lowering costs by $30–60k per unit.
INDUSTRIAL PERMITTING REFORM
Streamline state and local permitting for industrial development by reforming SEPA (RCW 43.21C)
and clarifying agency authority, timelines, and scope. Large projects have been stalled by state
inaction, and smaller projects need a checklist matched to their scope.
PRESERVE MANUFACTURED HOME PARKS & INFILL INCENTIVES
Protect manufactured housing (RCW 59.20) and create incentives for infill housing on
underutilized parking lots. Both strategies expand affordable housing options.
ANNEXATION FLEXIBILITY – “ISLANDS”
Current law (RCW 35.13.182) restricts annexations over 185 acres without a major vote, even
when areas are fully surrounded by city limits. Raising this threshold would allow cities to
efficiently annex islands, improve service delivery, and reduce jurisdictional confusion.
STORMWATER REGULATION FLEXIBILITY
Adjust stormwater engineering requirements (RCW 90.48; Ecology NPDES) to scale with project
size, and recognize areas served by leveed, pumped drainage systems. Most of Longview lies
within Consolidated Diking Improvement District No. 1, where runoff reaches the Columbia River
only through flood control pump stations, and standards written for natural stream channels add
cost without a corresponding water quality benefit.

GOVERNANCE & LIABILITY
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PUBLIC RECORDS REFORM & BURDEN REDUCTION
Update the Public Records Act (RCW 42.56) to allow reasonable cost recovery and tools to
manage excessive or vexatious requests. Washington agencies face a growing disparity compared
to Oregon, with many requests now being used by private entities to generate profit. Publicly
funded agencies are footing the bill, diverting resources away from services. Cities need relief
while maintaining transparency for Washington residents.
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PRIVACY & RECORDS RETENTION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERAS
Clarify requirements under the PRA (RCW 42.56) and retention rules (RCW 40.14) for police body
and fixed cameras. Ambiguity creates liability and rising costs.
REDUCE CITY LIABILITY & VEXATIOUS LITIGATION
Reform RCW 4.96 to limit frivolous lawsuits that divert resources away from community services.

POWER AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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AVAILABLE POWER CAPACITY FOR JOBS & INVESTMENT
Longview has low-cost power, industrial land, port and rail access, and a skilled workforce, but
limited available electric capacity to commit to new large customers. Firm generation is retiring
faster than replacement resources are coming online, with E3 projecting a regional gap of roughly
9 GW by 2030, and the City encourages the Legislature to consider extending or otherwise
adjusting the CETA compliance timeline.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Ensure that any statewide economic development council includes formal representation from
local governments, which are on the front lines of project siting, infrastructure planning, and
community-level economic impacts.
ADVANCED NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT (SMRs)
Support advancement of small modular nuclear reactors, including House Bill 2120 (2024) and
bipartisan federal efforts, as a pathway to reliable baseload power.
BUSINESS ATTRACTION IN EMERGING ENERGY SECTORS
Expand programs, funding, and incentives that support business growth in advanced power,
clean-energy manufacturing, and innovation-cluster industries.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PRIORITIES
The City supports increasing, maintaining, and protecting state funding for the following:
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Public Safety, Crime Reduction, and Fire Services
Ground Emergency Medical Transport Funding (RCW 74.09.5223; WAC 182-546)
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Municipal Criminal Justice Assistance Account (RCW 82.14.320) expanded uses.
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Public Works Assistance Account (RCW 43.155).
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State-shared revenues, including liquor, motor vehicle excise, fuel, and criminal justice
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distributions.
Local street preservation, maintenance, and operations, with direct distributions.
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Connecting Housing and Infrastructure Program, with expanded eligible costs.
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Local Clean Air Agencies
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LEGISLATIVE PROJECTS 2027
Beech Street Culvert Replacement | $1.5 Million

The City of Longview is seeking $1.5 million as the final funding needed to replace the aging wooden box culvert
beneath the Beech Street corridor. Originally constructed in 1948, the culvert has exceeded its useful life and is
the most immediate infrastructure need within a larger planned reimagination of Beech Street. The City has
already secured a $4 million federal earmark toward the project.
This funding will allow the City to complete 100% design and construction of the culvert replacement, while
advancing the larger Beech Street corridor project to 30% design. Advancing the full corridor design is critical to
ensure the new culvert is constructed at the correct elevations and can be seamlessly integrated into future
roadway, stormwater, and corridor improvements. This approach addresses the immediate infrastructure need
now while ensuring today’s investment supports, rather than limits, the long-term vision for Beech Street.

Glenwood Drive Grind and Overlay | $1.5 Million

Glenwood Drive is a key connection between Ocean Beach Highway and the Columbia Heights area and is already
in poor condition, requiring repeated chip sealing to extend its life. During the upcoming Columbia Heights Road
construction, Glenwood is expected to carry increased traffic and additional wear for nearly two years before
rehabilitation can occur. This $2.5 million project is planned for 2028, immediately following the Columbia Heights
work. The City will contribute $1 million from its Transportation Benefit District, with this $1.5 million request
providing the remaining funding needed to rehabilitate this critical roadway.

Longview Police Department Parking Garage Repair | $340,000

The parking structure serving the Longview Police Department has experienced significant deterioration from age
and ongoing water intrusion. Without repair, continued exposure will further compromise the structure and result
in increasingly costly repairs and potential structural failure. The upper deck received a waterproof coating in 2018
with an anticipated five-to-eight-year service life and is now due for renewed protection. This project will repair
existing structural damage and recoat and seal the upper parking deck, protecting the facility from further water
intrusion and extending the useful life of critical infrastructure supporting police operations.

John Null Park Restroom Renovation | $750,000

John Null Park is one of Longview’s busiest community parks, serving as the home of Longview Youth Baseball and
the City’s only public pickleball courts. Its existing restrooms are outdated, increasingly difficult to maintain, and
no longer adequately serve the volume of year-round park users. This project will replace the failing facilities with a
modern, multi-user restroom designed for greater capacity, durability, accessibility, and ease of maintenance. The
investment will reduce ongoing repair needs while providing a safe, functional, and reliable amenity for the
thousands of residents, athletes, families, and visitors who use the park each year.

Fire Station #82 Backup Generator | $275,000

Fire Station #82 does not currently have a dedicated emergency generator capable of sustaining full station
operations during a power outage. As a critical public safety facility, the station must remain operational during
severe weather, natural disasters, and other emergencies when electrical service may be disrupted. A backup
generator will maintain essential systems including station alerting, communications, apparatus bay doors,
lighting, computers, and life-safety equipment, allowing firefighters to continue responding without delay. The
project already has $150,000 earmarked toward its completion, and this request would provide the remaining
funding necessary to complete the project and strengthen the resilience of the City’s emergency response system.

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LEGISLATIVE PROJECTS 2027
38th Avenue Grind and Overlay | $1.2 Million

38th Avenue is a key transportation route connecting Memorial Park Drive and Industrial Way, serving
Longview’s industrial area and supporting residents, businesses, employees, freight traffic, and
emergency services. This section of roadway is in very poor condition and requires pre-leveling and a
complete asphalt overlay to restore a safe, smooth, and durable driving surface. This $1.2 million
request will provide the funding needed to rehabilitate the roadway before it deteriorates to the point that
more extensive and costly reconstruction is necessary, extending its useful life and preserving this
important connection within Longview’s transportation system.

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