Meet the Candidate: LFP City Council Pos. 1 - Semra Riddle

Semra Riddle

Councilmember Semra Riddle is running for her third term on LFP Council

My vision for LFP is simple: a vibrant community for all. This means a community where you, your children, and your grandchildren can afford to make LFP their home. Where you can meet with friends and neighbors at more Third Places. Where you can get to school or a well-maintained park by trails and safe streets. Where you can walk to a cozy coffee shop to meet with friends. Where you can find art in obvious and not-so-obvious places. Where you continue to be proud to call LFP home. A vision that is not just mine, but a vision shared by many in Lake Forest Park.

This vision may seem simple but achieving it comes with many challenges. I have never shied away from a challenge. I believe housing can accommodate more than 1 family and still look like a single-family home on the outside. New housing options need to be able to be purchased so first-time home buyers and downsizing seniors can build wealth instead of losing money on rent.

I heard from many residents that we need safer streets now. With the new traffic camera fines, we can begin to improve safety on our streets. I will create a city-wide safety map that will build on the Safe Streets study, based on what I heard from the community. Once we have safer streets, more people will be out walking. When more people are out walking, there should be more places to visit. In addition to parks and parklets, we should support small-scale businesses in areas that are convenient for nearby neighbors to walk to. By funding our 1% art program, walks around LFP can highlight local achievements, dreams, humor, remembrances, and more. I see the city becoming a place for art and artists and maybe even developing an art district to attract shoppers.

These are big ideas and big goals. But they are achievable. I know, because I have been part of solving many challenges over the last 9 years, like:

• Created the Healthy Streets traffic calming option with Councilmember Goldman
• Created the Locking Mailbox program to reduce theft, at wholesale cost
• Advocated strongly for financial stability without losing services
• Worked on multiple updates to the Tree code
• Supported lowering speed limits
• Successfully lobbied our State reps on City Legislative Priorities
• Supported better Active Transportation infrastructure for pedestrians, bikes, scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers
• Supported testing Perkins Way as a one lane road with a wide multi-use trail adjacent to the creek and hope we can do a trial run for Bike to Work Month in May.

Together we will make LFP vibrant for all.

Thank you for supporting and challenging me these last 9 years. I would be honored to have your vote as ballots arrive in your mailboxes so to keep my integrity, honesty, drive, and compassion working for you on Council.

Kindly, Semra Riddle
Position 1, City of Lake Forest Park