Dear Colleagues:

One of the advantages of my term on the AIA Seattle Board of Directors has been the chance to gain a broader perspective on issues that affect our profession, at the state and national levels of the AIA.

As the Washington legislative session gets under way, those in the know predict that issues will include tort reform and interior design licensing - with tort reform adopted as a top lobbying priority this year at the AIA Washington Council Annual Meeting in November. The exponential increase in professional liability and project insurance for developers and contractors has reached a point where it seriously impacts the pace and cost of development in our communities. The AIA Washington Council, in conjunction with the Washington Construction Industry Council (WCIC), the Liability Reform Coalition (LRF), and the Architects and Engineers Legislative Council, is reviewing proposed amendments to the omnibus tort reform bill being prepared for the 2004 session. You'll find the various proposals summarized on the AIA Washington Council web site, and/or watch for reports from the GA action team, including Steven Arai AIA, an AIA Seattle representative on the AIA Washington Council Board of Directors. Strategic elements will address ways to protect immunity for design professionals and their employees from injured workers' claims, as well as clarification of a section of the Civil Procedure laws that attempts to differentiate between construction activities and manufacturing. Issues of mold and condominium liability are relevant as well - all in all, several groups have good reasons to seek tort reform, which makes for strong and effective coalitions.

Interior Designers: Licensure? The issue of licensure for interior designers appears on the horizon in Washington and several other states. The Interior Design Coalition of Washington (IDCWA) was formed to "build a grassroots campaign to develop, support and encourage the enactment of statewide legislation that legally recognizes the profession of interior design and protects the interior designers' right to practice." Watch the web site for updates on a bill this session and the effort to mobilize professional and public support for its passage. [CLICK HERE to review AIA national policy relevant to this issue.]

As the legislative session develops, look for more info from AIA Washington on key issues - and learn how you might be affected or get involved at the Council's annual Capitol Connections event, February 19th in Olympia, which includes a Legislative receptive. This is our chance to communicate directly with our elected representatives on issues important to us and our communities. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

On a national level, AIA is diving into the issue of building permit, learning from ways that jurisdictions around the US manage their development process to create a system that is quick and efficient while still upholding the health, safety and quality of the built environment. As I write this letter, President-elect Peter Greaves AIA and Director of the City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development Diane Sugimura head to Washington DC to participate in a two-day Summit with counterpart leaders from across the country. This Summit came about as one outcome of an October meeting of the AIA large urban components (Big Sibs) which Peter and Marga and I attended. The expert assembly will discuss these matters, identify potential solutions to the ever-increasing length of time and expense incurred in acquiring a building permit, and determine a course of action and advocacy. The local-national partnership to address critical community-building issues has great promise, and we look forward to sharing the outcomes of this Summit as they emerge, possibly in the forum of the AIA Seattle Codes Committee and elsewhere.

Finally, a moment to celebrate four national AIA 2004 Honor Awards to three local firms, among 16 given this year – an impressive showing by our home team! Let's look forward to celebrating with Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, and NBBJ at the AIA Convention in Chicago this June!

Regards,

Kristen M. Scott AIA
President

PS Space Race: The AIA Seattle Young Architects/Emerging Professionals Forum has accepted the charge to bring new energy into AIA Seattle's spatial future. In a recent meeting with AIA Seattle President-elect Peter Greaves AIA and Treasurer Teresa Rodriguez AIA, CoChairs Kjell Anderson Associate AIA and Chris Davidson Associate AIA proposed a plan for involving the group in considering immediate adjustments to the existing storefront facility at 1911 First Avenue in downtown Seattle occupied by AIA Seattle since 1981 - where a growing function and increased staff have substantially outgrown the workspace. Long-term plans, as the current lease expires in a few years, will follow. The group will host a charrette on February 7, details forthcoming.