Showing posts with label city council LFP. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city council LFP. Show all posts

LFP council passes resolution Prohibiting City Resources For Out-of-State Abortion Investigations

Friday, July 22, 2022

This past Thursday, July 14, 2022, the City Council of Lake Forest Park unanimously passed Resolution 1852, Prohibiting City Resources For Out-of-State Abortion Investigations. 

This resolution was sponsored by CM Furutani and Deputy Mayor Tom French.

CM Tracy Furutani presented the motion, 

Prohibiting Use of City Resources to aid out-of-state investigations, prosecutions, or other legal action against WA health care providers and clinics providing lawful abortion services and patients receiving those services

saying that it is a statement of community values "I'd like to think that our community believes in bodily autonomy, that women should not be subjected to laws from another state." 

The resolution was in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling which overturned the 50 year old Roe v Wade decision which legalized abortion and the laws passed in a dozen states which provide punitive measures for women, their helpers, and medical personnel, no matter what state they go to for medical services.

Furutani pointed out that both the governor and the county executive had made similar rulings, forbidding the Washington State Patrol and the King County Sheriff's Office from assisting in out of state investigations of abortions.

Deputy Mayor French stated that "many of us were stunned at the proceedings of the supreme court." He said that the resolution "may be symbolic but we as a community believe very strongly in women's reproductive rights and we will not sit by idly while their rights are infringed."

Another council member pointed out that this protects the many health care workers who live in Lake Forest Park. 

Several expressed concern that other states could impose their laws and values upon our residents.

"It is about a woman's right to her body - all decisions should be made by the woman and her medical provider."

The resolution was approved unanimously.

The final resolution as amended:

Section 1.  POLICY  . No City resources, including, but not limited to, facilities; supplies; and on duty time of employees, officers, contractors, or subcontractors shall be utilized for: a) investigating or detaining persons for performing or aiding in the support or the performance of an abortion within this state, or in procuring an abortion in this state, if the abortion is performed in accordance with the provisions of RCW 9.02.110 or any other applicable Washington State law, or b) cooperating with or providing information to any individual or out-of-state agency or department regarding the provision of a lawful abortion performed in the state. Provided, however, the above prohibition shall not apply if state statute requires the City to respond to inquiries from out-of-state entities or persons such as under Chapter 42.56 RCW, the Public records act


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LFP Council Thursday

Wednesday, July 13, 2022


The LFP council will meet in a work session at 6pm on Thursday, July 14, 2022. Both work session and regular meeting are hybrid - in person and online. Link to full agenda, Zoom link, and comment instructions here.

Meeting Location: 17425 Ballinger Way NE Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

The LFP council regular meeting Thursday, July 14, 2022 7pm begins with a public hearing. 

Public Hearing on Ordinance 1241 – Code Amendments for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Source Control Program Creation and Stormwater Design Manual Updates.

Following the hearing, the council will consider the following ordinances and resolutions

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION / REFERRAL

A. Ordinance 1245 - amending chapter 16.14 of the Lake Forest Park Municipal Code, Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement

B. Ordinance 1246 - creating a salary commission to set the salaries and benefits for Lake Forest Park elected officials.

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION

Ordinance 1242 Authorizing the Mayor to Sign a non-exclusive Franchise Agreement with Puget Sound Energy, Inc. for providing electric and natural gas service.

Ordinance 1243 granting XO Communications, LLC, a Master Use Permit in the public right-of- way of Lake Forest Park for a telecommunications system

Ordinance 1244 granting MCImetro Access Transmission Services Corporation a Master Use Permit in the public right-of-way of Lake Forest Park for a telecommunications system


ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS FOR ACTION

Resolution 1850 – Interagency Reimbursement Agreement between Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts and Lake Forest Park Municipal Court for reimbursement costs related to the Blake decision

Resolution 1851 – Memorandum of Understanding regarding Municipal Court Security



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LFP city council meetings Thursday 6pm and 7pm

Wednesday, June 22, 2022


The Lake Forest Park city council will hold a study session at 6pm Thursday, June 23, 2022 to discuss the budget and a regular meeting at 7pm

Meetings are hybrid, in person at City Hall and virtually. For up-to-date information on agendas, please visit the City’s website at www.cityoflfp.com

Meetings are shown on the city’s website and on Comcast channel 21 for subscribers within the Lake Forest Park city limits.


This link works for both the Special Work Session (6pm) and Regular Meeting (7pm).



Call into Webinar: 253-215-8782 | Webinar ID: 837 4924

The regular meeting at 7pm has two resolutions for action:

  • Resolution 1848/Authorizing the Mayor to Sign American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreement with Two Trading Tigers, LLC
  • Resolution 1849/Authorizing Mayor to Sign Interagency Agreement IAA22546 between Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts and the Lake Forest Park Municipal Court regarding Interpreter Reimbursement


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LFP council to discuss Speed Limit Reductions and Traffic Calming Methods at Tuesday meeting

Sunday, June 19, 2022


The Lake Forest Park City Council Committee of the Whole (CoW) will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 6pm to discuss Speed Limit Reductions and Traffic Calming Methods.

The meeting is hybrid - both in person at City Hall 17425 Ballinger Way NE Lake Forest Park, WA 98155 and on Zoom 



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LFP council work session to study revision to the Tree Code; regular meeting to approve funds for local business

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

LFP Council work session Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 6:00pm. Public Comment is not taken during the Work Session.

Council will review the budget calendar and discuss revisions to the Tree Code.

At the April 28, 2022 meeting, Council received a presentation from Tree Board Chair Richard Olmstead regarding the Tree Board's recommended changes to the current tree regulations.

These recommendations include reducing the threshold diameter for certain Exception Tree species and making the requirement for a geotechnical report discretionary when a tree on a steep slope is proposed for removal.

This work session will be the first opportunity for Councilmembers to discuss the recommendations and provide guidance to the Administration on the development of a draft ordinance for future Council adoption.

LFP Council regular session Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 7pm  
Meeting Location: In Person and Virtual / Zoom

On the agenda:
  • Resolution 1847/City Recognition of Juneteenth Holiday
  • Resolution 1848/Authorizing the Mayor to Sign American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreement between the City and Two Trading Tigers, LLC
Please note, the link works for both the Work Session (6:00pm) and Regular Meeting (7:00pm).

Join Zoom Webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89256100684
Call into Webinar: 253-215-8782 | Webinar ID: 892 5610 0684

As allowed by law, the Council may add items not listed on the agenda.

For up-to-date information on agendas, visit the Council’s agenda website https://lakeforestpark-wa.municodemeetings.com/ You will also find information about participating in the meeting, including comments.

Meetings are shown on the city’s website; and on Comcast channel 21 for subscribers within the Lake Forest Park city limits.



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Lake Forest Park has a new webpage for City Council Agendas and Minutes

Bookmark this!

As part of the recent upgrades to the city hall and council chambers audiovisual system, the City has a new page for agendas and minutes

Beginning with the June meetings, this page is where you will find agendas and minutes for Council work sessions, regular business meetings, and committee of the whole meetings.

In the coming months, we will begin the process of moving agendas and minutes for all City advisory bodies to this page.

Please contact the City Clerk if you have questions.



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LFP Council Corner - Upcoming Council Business

Friday, May 27, 2022

LFP Deputy Mayor Tom French
By Deputy Mayor Tom French

As I write this column, the temperatures outside have returned to somewhat normal levels after one of the coldest and wettest springs on record. While our weather is improving, it appears that the pandemic is going to continue to challenge us for some time to come. 

Despite this, after months of incredible work by the City Administration and contractors, and with proper safeguards and technology in place, the City Council was finally able to enjoy meeting in person three times in the past several weeks. I encourage you all to attend a Council Meeting in person or virtual utilizing the City’s advanced hybrid meeting technology.

For the returning Councilmembers it had been more than 26 months since we had met in person; for the three new Councilmembers the first time for us to all be together in person was at our retreat in early May. It is a real pleasure for all of us to sit around a table as a group and enjoy very productive conversations. We have even had a visitor in the Council chambers on two of the occasions!

The months ahead are busy ones for the City Council. Our calendars are going to be filled with the usual business of the City and other important topics:

Minor updates to the tree ordinance –The Council will be considering recommendations made by the Tree Board in a continuing effort to simplify and improve the regulations.

Pedestrian and multimodal safety and lowering speed limits - The Council will be continuing to discuss this topic which was first presented at a recent Committee of the Whole Meeting. In our recent retreat, this topic was clearly at the top of nearly all of each of our lists for near-term improvements in our community. Lowering speed limits, traffic calming, separated walking routes and a neighborhood Healthy Streets program (similar to Seattle’s) are all under consideration by the Council.

Biennial budget – June will begin the kickoff of our very busy full budget season. Look for an upcoming calendar of Budget and Finance Committee meetings where the public is always welcome. With the excellent guidance of the Administration and city staff, our community has weathered the pandemic well, despite very uncertain times and challenging economic stresses. However, this budget will be a lean one, with very little room for additional programs or policies and the community will have to make some tough choices and compromises.

These are just a few of the topics we will be discussing over the coming months, and we all look forward to seeing you in person or virtually at a future meeting.

As always, be well and be gentle on yourselves.

--Deputy Mayor Tom French



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LFP council study session and regular meeting Thursday - contract with police guild on the agenda

Tuesday, May 10, 2022


The Lake Forest Park city council will use their study meeting Thursday, May 12, 2022 from 6-7pm to continue the discussion of goals and priorities from their Saturday morning retreat.

At the 7pm regular meeting they will consider a resolution:

For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Resolution 1846/Authorizing the Mayor to Sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and the Lake Forest Park Police Guild
The meetings will be hybrid, held remotely on Zoom and in person at City Hall

Zoom link

May 12, 2022 06:00 PM and 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
City Council Work Session
(6:00 p.m.) and Regular Meeting (7:00 p.m.)

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87870406484

In response to the pandemic, the City of Lake Forest Park suspended all in person public meetings in favor of an online format. The silver lining of this effort has been the acknowledgment that all future public meetings should be “hybrid” allowing for in-person and online attendance and participation.

While public meetings were closed to in-person attendance, the Administration engaged outside services to provide a hybrid opportunity in the city council chambers when City Council meetings reopen to in-person attendance. 

Beginning with the May 12, 2022 City Council work session at 6:00pm and regular meeting at 7:00pm, the Council Chambers will again be open to in-person attendance. The public may also continue to participate in the meetings remotely, via Zoom.




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LFP Council retreat Saturday May 7, 2022

Saturday, May 7, 2022


City Council Special Meeting – Council Retreat Saturday, May 7, 2022, 9:00am – 1:30pm, at The Lodge at St. Edward State Park, 14477 Juanita Drive NE Kenmore, WA 98028

The meeting will also be available to watch via Zoom:

Please click the link to join the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85029508542
Webinar ID: 850 2950 8542
  • Or One tap mobile :US: +12532158782,,85029508542# or +13462487799,,85029508542#
  • Or Telephone: Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US:+12532158782 or+13462487799 or+14086380968 or+16699006833 or+13017158592 or+13126266799 or+16468769923
  • International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/keDA1E5i1v 
Agenda for City Council Special Meeting – Retreat on May 7, 2022

SPEAKER
  • Mayor Johnson Deputy Mayor French City Administrator Hill City Administrator Hill
  • City Administrator Hill Finance Director Vaughn
  • Deputy Mayor French
Welcome
  • Setting the stage
  • 2016 Strategic Plan recap
  • Regional Initiatives
Break
  • Project Financing | Financial Resiliency
Break
  • Working lunch | Council Goals and Priorities Adjournment


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One Question, One Point, One Action - conversations with LFP councilmember Tracy Furutani about involving youth in civic actions

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Our local youth spoke at This year’s LFP Climate Town Hall
Pictured (right to left top to bottom): Isabella Tancreti and Noah Singleton, Shorecrest High School; Anna Cote, Bishop Blanchet High School; and Elise Foot Puchalski - ORCA High School

One Question, One Point, One Action

By Sally Yamasaki

One Question, One Point, One Action is a monthly article where a Lake Forest Park resident asks LFP Councilmember Tracy Furutani one question, and councilmember Tracy will answer the question and then highlight one point from a recent council meeting, and one action we as a community can take.

If you have a question you would like to ask Tracy, email your questions here: resident.of.lfp@gmail.com

This month, Lake Forest Park resident, Sarah Phillips, has a question for Tracy.

One Question

Sarah Phillips:

Hi Tracy, I know as a teacher, you work with young people. What do you see them bringing to the civic discussions in the future?

Tracy Furutani:

Hope! I see them bringing hope! My students, who range from high school age to the mid-twenties, engage with civic institutions, everything from campus clubs to national interest groups. 

Their take on world, national, and local events is informed by their engagement with social media, which brings a different perspective, compared to me, a "traditional" media consumer. They are able to synthesize good arguments from disparate sources of information, from Twitter to Telegram. Sure, there is a danger in accepting information at face value, but we've always lived with that problem.

I think it would be a foolish decision on the part of any organization to not seek out and welcome young people. 

Not only do they have the energy, but they also have a very clear sense that a lot of decisions being made now by governments, and for-profit and non-profits corporations will have a profound effect on how they will live their lives, and they'd like some ownership in that. 

Thus, I see them talking directly to elected officials, CEOs and other decision-makers about their concerns, something that I did not do when I was younger. 

I'm proud of our city because we have specifically reserved one seat, at a minimum, on the Climate Action Committee for a high-school or college student to make sure we always at least have one youth representation and I encourage other organizations to do the same.


One Point


A few months ago, a Kellogg middle-schooler asked me about making LFP more walkable and bike friendly. I explained to him that I too am a bike and safe-walkway advocate, and the city was working on trying to find funding. I am now happy to say that the city has received three grants that brings us closer to realizing our safe walk/bikeway from the Town Center to the waterfront.

At present, there is no completion date, as there are still steps to take before actual building can go on, but keep your eyes out as the city will be welcoming community comments, and that is pretty exciting news!

One Action

For Earth Day, Lake Forest Park community members came together to hold their second annual Climate Town Hall through the Third Place Commons. 

It was well attended and had speakers that addressed how to balance the climate anxiety we may be feeling and how to climb out of those feelings to find actions we can take.

At the Town Hall was a Youth Panel of local students who are actively making a difference.

My one Action is if you have time, watch the recording of the Climate Town Hall. If you are limited on time, watch the Youth panel. I think their brilliance will impress you, and with that fill you with hope for our future.


You can access the 2022 LFP Climate Town Hall recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8R7HLUJ948



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LFP Council meeting Thursday 7pm on Zoom

Wednesday, April 27, 2022


City Council of Lake Forest Park regular meeting Thursday, April 28, 2022, 7:00pm to be held virtually

Agenda highlights

The meeting will begin with three proclamations
  • Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
  • Affordable Housing Week
  • Municipal Clerks Week
Then a presentation – Tree Board Work Plan

The council will consider the following Ordinances and Resolutions
  1. For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Ordinance 1239/Granting to Level 3 Communications, LLC a Master Permit for Five Years 
  2. For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Ordinance 1240/Amending the 2020- 2022 Budgeted Positions and Salary Schedule for the Public Works Department Reorganization
  3. For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Resolution 1844/Amending Resolution 1836 to increase the number of members on the Climate Action Committee, and Final Confirmation of Student Climate Action Committee Applicants
  4. For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Resolution 1845/One Washington Memorandum of Understanding between Washington municipalities relating to the allocation and use of settlement proceeds from litigation against pharmaceutical supply chain defendant 
  5. For consideration, discussion, and/or action on Resolution 1846/Authorizing the Mayor to Sign a Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City and the Lake Forest Park Police Guild 

Watch the livestream of the meeting, make comments, view staff documents, zoom link




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LFP Council meeting Thursday - work session followed by regular meeting

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Lake Forest Park City Council

Thursday, April 14, 2022 6pm LFP council work session and 7pm council regular meeting.

The topic for the 6pm work session:

Ordinance 1240/Amending the 2020-2022 Budgeted Positions and Salary Schedule for the Public Works Department to Eliminate the Positions of City Engineer and Community Volunteer Coordinator Positions and Add Positions for a Senior Project Manager and an Environmental and Sustainability Specialist

At the 7pm regular meeting, he council will consider four Ordinances / Resolution and one Action / Discussion item.

Ordinances and Resolutions
  1. For consideration, discussion and/or action on Resolution 1841/Authorizing the Mayor to execute the Washington Public Agency Contract with Municipal Research and Services Center for hosting of small works, consultant, and vendor rosters
  2. For consideration, discussion and/or action on Resolution 1842/Authorizing the Mayor to sign American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreement between the City and Lake Forest Bar & Grill, LLC
  3. For consideration, discussion and/or action on Resolution 1843/Authorizing the Mayor to sign a Public Works contract agreement with Agostino Construction, Inc. for accessible curb ramps construction
  4. For consideration, and discussion on Ordinance 1239/Granting to Level 3 Communications, LLC a Master Permit for Five Years
Action / Discussion
  1. Consideration of Climate Action Committee membership structure



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Agenda for LFP council meeting Thursday, March 24, 2022

Tuesday, March 22, 2022


City of Lake Forest Park
CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 7:00pm

Ordinances and Resolutions

For consideration, discussion and/or action on Ordinance 1238/Amending the 2021- 2022 Budget Established by Ordinance No. 1213

For consideration, and discussion on Ordinance 1239/Granting to Level 3 Communications, LLC a Master Permit for Five Years

For consideration and discussion on Resolution 1842/Authorizing the Mayor to sign American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreement between the City and Lake Forest Bar and Grill, LLC

Attend meeting, see documents and/or submit comments: 

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One Question, One Point, One Action

Thursday, March 17, 2022

One Question, One Point, One Action - March 2022

By Sally Yamasaki

-- a monthly article where a Lake Forest Park resident asks LFP Councilmember Tracy Furutani one question, and councilmember Tracy will answer the question and then highlight one point from a recent council meeting and one action we as a community can take.

If you have a question you would like to ask Tracy, email your question here: resident.of.lfp@gmail.com


Armand's cedar tree showing a LOT of brown…
result of heat and drought 2021
Photo by Armand Micheline
This month avid LFP gardener Armand Micheline has a question for Tracy.

Armand:

Hi Tracy,

Having worked with you on your campaign for City Council I became aware of your great interest in climate change and how it affects Lake Forest Park.

As a gardener of 40 plus years I have seen a great deal of change in our weather patterns and its effect on our landscapes. Last summer, the heat dome causing temperatures climbing to 108+ degrees, was brutal on me as well as on my garden!

Though I've heard your climate talks and heard you on the campaign trail, I'd like to know more about what is happening now in LFP regarding climate issues. Is this heat dome really a “once in a millennium” occurrence? 

What other climate shifts might we see here in LFP?

Home weather station. On June 28, 2021- the left number is the outdoor temperature and the right number is the indoor temperature. Photo by Tracy Furutani

Tracy:


I hear you, Armand! I lost a few rhodies in my backyard last summer myself - I'd watered and watered them, but that didn't keep the leaves themselves from burning. I've never seen that.

And that's a harbinger for future summers; I'm afraid that the "once in a millennium" heat dome isn't going to be all that rare. According to Crosscut, University of Washington "researchers have learned that short bursts of high temperatures can pose a greater threat to plants and animals than long-term warming, and may even increase the risk of extinction." Couple that with more extreme storms in the winter, and you see the scope of the problem.

One Point:

I am grateful that we in LFP had such interest in forming the Climate Action Committee, and that nine members of our community volunteered to come up with a plan to guide how city operations (like the city's vehicle fleet) can cut down on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG - you will see this abbreviation a lot in the next decade).

Because "climate despair" - the feeling that individuals tackling the changing climate is hopeless - is a real feeling, the Committee will also include what LFP residents can do not only to cut their own GHG emissions, but also to adapt to our hotter summers and our more extreme storms, which may include what plants you might consider for your landscaping in these times.

One Action:

The one action you can take is to participate in the outreach activities this Committee will put together. Sure, we have nine (or ten, once we have the student member in place) great minds working on the plan, but there's a lot of things to think about and bring to the Committee's attention. 

Our neighbors the city of Seattle and the city of Shoreline both have Climate Action Plans that have been around for the better part of a decade. The Wednesday night Climate Conversations that Shoreline is holding are especially relevant. Sure, they're not us, but that doesn't mean that some of their ideas wouldn't work here. 

So, I encourage LFP residents to take a look at these plans and join in on the Climate Conversations to see what makes sense for our community. And keep an eye out for LFP’s newly formed Climate Committee's outreach efforts, starting sometime in spring!

NOTE: In this interview, Tracy is speaking on behalf of himself, not on behalf of the LFP City Council or the city of LFP.

Next Virtual Regular-Business LFP City Council meeting: Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 7pm

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Lake Forest Park Mayor and City Council create Climate Action Committee

Saturday, March 5, 2022

LFP has a robust tree ordinance
Photo by Dan Short
The Mayor and Council of the City of Lake Forest Park have long recognized the need to address climate change and support the efforts of the People for Climate Action Coalition that works with local governments to help achieve King County Cities Climate Collaboration goals. 

The City has also taken initial steps to lessen its impact on the environment through a robust tree ordinance, code adoption to allow increased density at Town Center and near transit, City-sponsored recycling and composting efforts, installation of LED lighting in City-owned facilities, water bottle filling stations in city hall, and a model plastics ordinance.

The purpose of the Climate Action Committee is to gather and analyze climate information and draft a Climate Action Plan for recommendation to the City Council. 

As established in the approving resolution, the following considerations are part of the first-year work plan development process: 
  • review and use of existing municipal climate action plans, recommended changes to City operations, additions and amendments to legislation, community projects, interaction with City commissions and task forces, the financial needs for creating the Climate Action Plan, and 
  • how to achieve the Climate Action Plan goals financially.

At its meeting on February 10, 2022, the Council introduced the enacting resolution and, on February 24, 2022, took action to create the City’s Climate Action Committee and appoint nine of the established ten members. The high school/college student position has yet to be filled. 

The committee will meet once a month at 7:00pm on either the first or third Tuesday; or second or third Wednesday of the month. The committee will be supported by a member of staff from the Public Works Department, who will have the support of the Planning Department.

The following Lake Forest Park community members were appointed by the Council: 
  • Julian Andersen
  • Miriam Bertram
  • Dana Campbell
  • Jessica Cote
  • Tamara Erickson
  • Linda Holman
  • Sarah Phillips
  • Brian Saunders
  • Anne Udaloy

At its first meeting, the Committee is charged with electing a chair and vice chair, and the first work product will be an annual work plan to be approved by Council. Following approval of the work plan, the Committee will next draft a Climate Action Plan for consideration by the Council.



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LFP City Council to hold Public Hearing on Renewal of Interim Housing Regs – March 10

Thursday, March 3, 2022

Notice of Virtual Public Hearing
Thursday, March 10, 2022 - 7:00pm

Renewal of Interim Regulations Related to Indoor Emergency Shelters, Emergency Housing, Transitional Housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing

The City of Lake Forest Park City Council passed Ordinance Number 1227 on September 9, 2021, with an effective date of September 23, 2021, related to interim regulations for indoor emergency shelters, emergency housing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing. 

The ordinance is scheduled to expire on March 23, 2022. The City Council will consider renewing the interim regulations in Ordinance 1227 for another six months. The public hearing is intended to provide an opportunity for public testimony regarding the proposed renewal. The proposed renewal can be found in the agenda packet for the hearing.

  • The public hearing will be conducted during the City Council’s regular meeting on March 10, 2022.
  • The meeting will begin at 7:00pm, and the public hearing will commence thereafter. 
  • The public hearing will be held virtually. Instructions for how to participate in the virtual public hearing may be found on the agenda for the meeting. 
  • Written testimony will be accepted prior to the meeting and distributed to the City Council, and verbal testimony will be accepted during the public hearing.

Written comments should be submitted to City Clerk Matt McLean at mmclean@cityoflfp.com no later than 5:00pm local time on the date of the hearing. Any person wishing to provide oral testimony at the hearing is encouraged to register via the Remote Public Comment Sign-in Form on the City’s Virtual Meetings During COVID-19 webpage (https://www.cityoflfp.com/615/Virtual-Meetings-during-COVID-19) by 5:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting. 

Persons who have not signed up on the online public hearing sign-in sheet will be called upon to raise their hand through the Zoom meeting webinar feature and will be added to the speakers’ queue by the City Clerk, to be called upon by the Meeting Chair or designee. A request to speak can also be made by phone directly to the City Clerk at 206-368-5540 prior to 5:00pm on the date of the meeting.

The agenda for this meeting will be available here on Monday, March 7, 2022.



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LFP Council adopts changes to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) regulations

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

An apartment over a garage will now be allowed in LFP
Image courtesy City of Lake Forest Park
As part of its effort to the increase housing diversity and affordability in LFP, the City Council adopted changes to the City’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Accessory Building regulations on February 24, 2022. 

The Council took action after a public hearing on the matter in which a majority of speakers spoke in favor of the changes.

The adopted changes are very similar to those recommended by the City’s Planning Commission last October. 

They include: 
  • removal of the rear-yard restriction, 
  • raising the height restriction to 25 feet to allow building an apartment on top of a garage or other structure, and 
  • allowing both an ADU and a detached ADU on lots of one acre or more. 
  • The minimum lot size for a detached ADUs was also lowered from 15,000 square feet to 10,000. This change alone makes an additional 1600 lots eligible for a detached ADU. 
Email the Planning Department for additional information: APlanner@ci.lake-forest-park.wa.us


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LFP Council Corner – Communicating with Your Council

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

LFP Deputy Mayor Tom French
From LFP Deputy Mayor Tom French

I hope this finds all of you safe and staying healthy during these difficult times. I thought it timely to provide a brief overview of the variety of methods that you, the citizens of our community, can utilize to effectively communicate with your City Council.

Direct Email: The City Council pages on the city website have each Council Member’s individual email listed as well as an option to email the Council collectively. This is a very effective and efficient means of reaching out to your policy makers.

Sign up for city emails and newsflashes: This is a great way to remain informed. The City website has a signup area for citizens to subscribe to all city emails and newsflashes or just to the topics that interest them.

Public comment: Comment is always welcome at city meetings. Our rules allow each speaker 3 minutes to make their comments.

A couple of very important things to keep in mind when making public comment:
  • First, our rules do not allow us to respond directly to questions or inquiries at the time of public comment. This is to protect everyone from getting into an unproductive “back and forth” dialogue.
However, in the case of a specific issue or concern, staff will make a note of the topic and may ask for additional contact information for a follow up.
  • Second, please keep it civil and respectful. We all are neighbors who care about each other but occasionally may have a difference of opinion. Our Council prides itself on sometimes disagreeing with each other and members of the community but doing so with respect and civility. Please be kind to your neighbors!
Opportunities for public comment include:
  • Regular City Council Meetings (second and fourth Thursdays of the month) early in the agenda
  • Council Committee of the Whole Meetings (Monday before the fourth Thursday of the month) at the end of the agenda
  • Budget and Finance Committee Meetings (third Thursday of the month) at the end of the agenda
  • Public Hearings (held during regular Council Meetings or as necessary) during the hearing
  • Town Halls/Open Houses (held as opportunity allows) during the meeting
Other meetings at which public comment is taken:
  • Planning Commission Meetings (second Tuesday of the month) near the beginning and at the end of the agenda
  • Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meetings (third Wednesday of the month) at the end of the agenda
  • Tree Board Meetings (first Wednesday of the month) at the end of the agenda
Keeping informed with social media: The City utilizes several social media platforms to inform the public of what’s going on in the City. Keep in mind that this is for information only and Council Members and staff won’t directly respond to citizen posts or replies to posts by the City.

Other methods of communicating with your City Council: You may use regular mail and send in your comments or call us directly at 206-368-5440.

We represent all of you in the City and it is our privilege to hear what you have to say! Please reach out to us anytime.


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Lake Forest Park council meeting Thursday - Public Hearing on Accessory Dwelling Unit code amendments

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Lake Forest Park City Council public hearing and regular meeting Thursday, February 24, 2022, 7pm. Both are virtual meetings.

Public Hearing and Action on: 
  • Ordinance 1235/Amending Chapters 18.08, Definitions; and 
  • Sections 18.50.050, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) and 
  • 18.50.060, Accessory Structures and Buildings, of the Lake Forest Park Municipal Code
Process for Hearing
  • Staff presentation
  • Questions from Council
  • Open the public hearing for comments (3 minutes per speaker)
  • Staff address questions that may have been presented during public comments and from Council

The Planning Commission has recommended reducing the lot size eligible for a detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) from 15,000 sf to 10,000 square feet. It is estimated that this would increase the percentage of DADU-eligible lots from 28% to 64% of single family lots. 

Reducing the minimum lot size to 9,600 square feet would increase the percentage to approximately 70% of single family lots being DADU-eligible. 

Regular meeting

Following the hearing the council will hold its regular meeting with these on the agenda:
  1. Resolution 1839/Authorizing Mayor to Sign Amendment No. 1 to Professional Services Agreement AG 21-020 with PACE Engineers, Inc. for Accessible Curb Ramp
  2. Design and Construction Management Services
  3. Resolution 1836/Creating a Climate Committee
  4. Resolution 1837/Authorizing the Mayor to Enter into American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreements with ShoreLake Arts and Glacial Cryotherapy, LLC
  5. Resolution 1840/Purchasing Policies and Procedures for Federal Award Standards

Staff documents can be viewed via links here, as well as information about commenting

Viewing the meeting:

When: Feb 24, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) 
Topic: City Council Regular Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87965871806



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One Question, One Point, One Action: Bike lanes in Lake Forest Park

One Question, One Point, One Action
-- a monthly article where a Lake Forest Park resident asks LFP Councilmember Tracy Furutani one question, and councilmember Tracy will highlight one point from a recent council meeting and one action we as a community can take.

If you have a question you would like to ask Tracy, email your question here: resident.of.lfp@gmail.com

This month we are lucky to hear from a 6th-Grader at Kellogg Middle School who lives in Lake Forest Park and likes to bike.

One Question

LFP- Kellogg- 6th Grader: Hi Tracy, I was wondering if the council was in the process of doing anything addressing the lack of bike lanes in Lake Forest Park. 

Bike lanes are very important because they encourage biking, skating, skateboarding and other climate friendly activities, but there aren't that many in LFP. Thanks!

Tracy: Thanks for the question! I like to bike too and try to bike whenever I can. I work at North Seattle College, and I try to ebike to work once a month, but it is not easy because you have to be a little brave and comfortable with a certain amount of risk to try to get to the intersection of NE 145th and 15th NE (Goodwill Corner). There are not many bike boulevards between Town Center and there!

This feeds into the narrative of LFP needing a “real” Interurban Trail to Burke-Gilman Trail connector for non-motorized vehicles and walkers.

To answer your question about more bike lanes in LFP, that issue is one of the council's priorities this year. LFP residents have expressed their desire for safer options for walking, running, biking, skating and so forth because, as you point out, they are climate-friendly and encourage good health (both physical and mental).

With the voters not approving Proposition 1 last November, the challenge will be to pay for these improvements. For instance, a quarter-mile of sidewalk costs approximate a million dollars to build.

Thus, the council will be exploring how safe areas for pedestrians and bicyclists and skaters can be paid for using ideas generated by the Parks Board and the newly-forming Climate Committee. 

Both of those bodies are comprised of volunteer LFP residents who want to make the city a better place. They come from every corner of the city, and from every walk of life. So I'm hoping that we will come up with the money needed to get this city the sidewalks, walkways, cycle lanes and other improvements that will make all residents' lives better and help fight climate change!

We can certainly chat about this more if you want.

Take care, Tracy

One Point:

I promised to work to build a Climate Action Plan for Lake Forest Park during my campaign. At the last Council meeting, we introduced and interviewed five people who applied to serve on a proposed Climate Committee. 

They were Sarah Phillips, Julian Anderson, Brian Saunders, Anne Udaloy, and Tamara Erickson. At our next Council meeting on Thursday, four more community members will be introduced and interviewed: Miriam Bertram, Dana Campbell, Jessica Cote and Linda Holman. 

If the Climate Committee resolution passes the Council, the committee members will decide on a meeting schedule, which will be publicized through the city website. I hope when the date is set, many of you will attend the inaugural meeting!

One Action:

In order for the city and residents of Lake Forest Park to do our part in helping King County reach its greenhouse gas reduction goal of 50% by 2030*, it will mean that all of us will need to work together. 

Of course, corporations and other large institutions shoulder the most in terms of needing to reduce their carbon usage, but we as individuals have a role as well. The "one action," then, would be to do something - big or small. 

For example, stop driving one day during the week, or call your state representatives and tell them your climate concerns. Turn your thermostat down by a degree or two, or wash your clothes in cold water. 

These simple actions do make a difference because, in addition to any greenhouse gas reduction, it focuses your attention on the positive difference you can make in reducing our city's total carbon footprint. * (50% off a 2007 baseline)

NOTE: In this interview, Tracy is speaking on behalf of himself, not on behalf of the LFP City Council or the city of LFP.

Next Virtual Regular-Business City Council meeting:

Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7pm

https://www.cityoflfp.com/calendar.aspx?CID=14

Zoom Link to the City Calendar. When the agenda packet has been posted, there will be an agenda link on the calendar item:

https://www.cityoflfp.com/Calendar.aspx?EID=2205&month=2&year=2022&day=24&calType=0


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