Showing posts with label city of lake forest park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city of lake forest park. Show all posts

Status of engineering projects in Lake Forest Park

Friday, June 26, 2020

Design for SR 104/40th Place NE Roundabout

The City of Lake Forest Park is in the middle of an ambitious slate of public works projects.

Here is a list of the projects and their current status.

Engineering Department Update 6/17/20
  • Lyon Creek Culvert L60 Replacement Project: Project construction contract documents with Redtail, LLC have been fully executed. A preconstruction conference is planned for on or about June 24 with construction to begin in late June.
  • Lyon Creek Culverts L80-90 Replacement Project: Design work for the LFP culverts continues apace.
  • Animal Acres Picnic Shelter Project construction contract documents with Accord Contractors have been fully executed. A preconstruction conference will be scheduled for next week with construction anticipated to begin in late June.
  • SR 104/40th Place NE Roundabout Staff are creating a Request for Qualifications advertisement to begin the design consultant selection phase. Construction is scheduled for 2022.
  • Sound Transit 3 Staff continues to participate in ST’s organizational meetings as they meet with residents whose homes are likely to be affected by ST3 and participate in various topics concerning design constraints, utilities, and land use. ST is evaluating their program budget and it is not known at this time if the SR 522 BRT project will be affected. If there are any questions or concerns with ST’s project, those can be forwarded to the City Engineer and discussed with the ST project team.
  • PSRC Federal Funding The nonmotorized project applications submitted for federal transportation funding were unsuccessful in being funded this year. The two projects are (1) 37th Ave. NE from 165th-178th fronting Brookside Elementary, and (2) 37th Ave. NE/NE 187th Street fronting LFP Elementary. We will try again by applying for Safe Routes to School funding through WSDOT.
  • WSDOT Safe Routes to School Funding WSDOT has issued their Call for Projects for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety and Safe Routes to School grant programs. SRTS applications are due on July 20, 2020. 
  • Lake Forest Park Town Center/Burke-Gilman Trail Connector Test hole installation for soil character and water table investigation began Monday 5/4. This will be completed 5/7 and will resume in late June for four more test holes. A test hole is planned for the Town Center property adjacent to the Bank of America drive-through. There has been a delay due to Merlone Geier’s concerns about the restrictive covenant that exists concerning previous environmental contamination of the property.


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Phased opening of LFP Parks and amenities

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

SAFE START PLAN - LFP

With the announcement of King County moving into a Modified Phase - 1.5, the City of Lake Forest Park would like to release its Safe Start Plan for our Parks and Amenities.

The City will follow what the Governor has approved before moving to the next stage. In the Modified Phase 1.5, fields and courts will open.

Standard precautions are still in place: Abide by social distancing recommendations, wash your hands/use hand sanitizer, and wear your masks.


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Lake Forest Park: update on May/June 2020 sewer utility payments during COVID-19 response

Saturday, June 6, 2020

From the City of Lake Forest Park

We know that many residents and members of our local business community are financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. With this in mind, the City of Lake Forest Park has continued a grace period for sewer payments and will not assess late fees for the May/June 2020 billing period. Customers should pay what they can to avoid accumulating a large balance that will be harder to pay off later.

We also want to encourage customers to utilize an online payment system to pay their sewer bills. This can be set up with many banks and credit unions or by using the City’s online payment system.

If you have questions, staff can be reached via Sewer Bills email, or you can leave a message at 206-957-2826. We will return your email or call as soon as we can.



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City of Lake Forest Park: A renewed call for compassion

Friday, June 5, 2020

Lyons Creek Park
Photo by Carl Dinse


A Renewed Call for Compassion

Three years ago, in March of 2017, the City Council of Lake Forest Park passed a resolution declaring our city a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community. The resolution was passed during a time when some of our neighbors faced the fear of harassment, deportation, and the breaking up of their families.

This resolution was brought to us by caring residents – PTA members who were concerned for the immigrant families they had come to know in the schools – and designed to give comfort and alleviate the fear faced by our neighbors and their children.

It was based on an earlier resolution passed by the city council in October 2012, affirming the Charter for Compassion – a world-wide effort inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and brought to our city by our beloved neighbor, Ann Stadler.

As with breaking hearts we remember the tragic deaths of George Floyd and so many others, and look out across our nation and see the understandable rage and anguish of people in communities near and far, we are compelled to revisit the words of these resolutions to again affirm our core values and commit to them anew.

These are not empty words, but continue to provide guidance and meaning to all that we do as elected officials and city staff in our interactions with each other and our neighbors. They are values we ask our city staff and police officers to live out every day and we hold them accountable to these principles.

We hope that all will join us in reflecting on these core values and how each of us can make them real, so that everyone can live their daily lives without fear. We hope to stop the tragic loss of the joy and quality of life – and of life itself – in our diverse communities to bias, prejudice, and hate.

We all have work to do.

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION 

The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. 

Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect. 

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others-even our enemies-is a denial of our common humanity.

We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion. We therefore call upon all men and women
  • to restore compassion to the center of morality and religion
  • to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate
  • to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures
  • to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity
  • to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings-even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. 

Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community

Sincerely and with the deepest compassion,

Jeff Johnson, Mayor
Phillippa Kassover, Deputy Mayor and Council Chair
Tom French, Council Vice-Chair
Mike Harden, Chief of Police

City of Lake Forest Park



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Lake Forest Park cancels summer events

Thursday, May 28, 2020

LFP Summer events like the Pet Pawrade
will not be held this year
Photo by John Wright


The City of Lake Forest Park regrets to announce the annual array of citywide summer celebrations and neighborhood events for the current 2020 summer will be cancelled this year in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic and health precautions regarding COVID-19 to assure the safety of the community.

This was not an easy decision. Residents, the Mayor, City Council, and staff all look forward to these events. Keep your eyes open for other special opportunities with our partner organizations around LFP later this summer.


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LFP budget and finance committee meets virtually Thursday 6pm

Thursday, May 21, 2020


City of Lake Forest Park
City Council Budget and Finance Committee 
May 21, 2020
6 - 7:30pm

This meeting will be held virtually. City Hall is currently closed to the public.

AGENDA

Committee Members: John Resha (Chair), Tom French, and Semra Riddle

COVID-19 Fiscal Impact Discussion

Budget Calendar for the 2021/2022 Biennial Budget

Director’s Report

Reading of Written Citizen Comments

Click here for instructions on how to submit written comments

Committee Discussion Documents and Attachments - see pages 3-4

1. April 2020 Budget Monitoring Dashboard
2. Budget Calendar for the 2021/2022 Biennial Budget

Instructions for participating in this meeting virtually:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92475531448

Meeting ID: 924 7553 1448



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Budget briefing from LFP City Administrator

Friday, May 1, 2020

Lake Forest Park Town Center
Photo by Steven H. Robinson


From City Administrator Phillip Hill

While the Administration continues working to understand the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on City finances, the following steps were taken early on to keep the City in the best financial position possible:
  • Any vacant positions will not be filled until further notice.
  • All travel and training are suspended until further notice, unless this would impact critical services or required certifications.
  • All discretionary spending is suspended until further notice.
  • Seasonal workers will not be hired until further notice.
  • Contracted work will be evaluated and may be suspended as appropriate.

Additionally, the Administration is continually monitoring revenue sources and evaluating the impacts to the City budget. It is anticipated that the City could realize as much as a 12% impact to General Fund revenues and we will be working with the Budget and Finance Committee to identify opportunities to offset these losses while continuing to provide exemplary services to the community.

This summer, the City will begin work on the 2021-2022 biennial budget. Many challenges lay ahead, with the loss of road maintenance funds resulting from the passage of Initiative 976 and an economic future heavily impacted by current events. The Council and Administration are dedicated to delivering a budget balanced within these constraints during these uncertain times.

--Phillip Hill, City Administrator

There are several ways to stay informed about City meetings, events, and news. Click here for subscription options from the City of Lake Forest Park



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LFP Public Works will be digging test holes for new pedestrian bridge

Different types of pedestrian crossings
under consideration in LFP

Beginning Monday, May 4, 2020, construction crews will be in Lake Forest Park to drill test holes in various locations between City Hall and Beach Drive.

These holes will be used to assess soil and groundwater conditions in conjunction with a type, size and location study the City of Lake Forest Park has commissioned for a grade-separated pedestrian crossing structure between the Burke-Gilman Trail and the Town Center at Lake Forest Park.

Two test holes will be drilled in Beach Drive to the west and east of the Civic Club driveway. One roadway lane with flagging will remain open during the work. Two other test holes will be drilled within the City Hall property.

In the next few weeks, additional test holes will be placed in the Town Center parking lot, the south side of SR 522, and the Burke-Gilman Trail.

The work occurring as part of this study is paid for by a grant from the State of Washington’s capital budget.



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Lake Forest Park imposes a hiring freeze

Monday, April 20, 2020

Revenues are down
from traffic cams


By Tracy Furutani

The city of Lake Forest Park will not be filling any vacant positions, nor will they be hiring any seasonal workers this year, according to city administrator Phillip Hill.

This action was taken in anticipation of a significant reduction in the city’s revenue due to the effects of the pandemic, he said, “the passport office has been closed since early March, sales tax is anticipated to be reduced by at least 20% and gas tax revenue by up to 80% while we all stay home.”

The business and occupation tax revenue, traffic safety camera payments and construction permit fees are expected to significantly decrease, according to city finance director Lindsey Vaughn at a City Council Budget and Finance Committee meeting last Thursday.

There were some bright spots.

“Cash flow [from property tax] is coming as normal to date,” said Vaughn, adding “as far as the real estate excise tax…we are pretty confident that we will meet that [revenue goal] by the end of the year.”

“We have made a tactical choice as a council that this is not the right time to seek new revenues,” said committee chair and council member John Resha. He cautioned between that and the loss of revenue, that the city’s paving and street management would be affected.

In addition to the hiring freeze, all city travel and training are suspended, unless it is needed for required certifications or would impact critical services. Further, previously contracted work may be suspended pending evaluation by the city.




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Culvert replacement to be more “fish-friendly”

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Outflow of the creek on the downstream side of the culvert
(you can see part of the steel box of the culvert).
Photo by Tracy Furutani

By Tracy Furutani

Culvert replacement in Lake Forest Park will begin with the “L60” culvert on Lyon Creek near the intersection of NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE.

This action was decided by a unanimous LFP City Council vote at their meeting March 26.

The construction is set to begin in June and be completed by September, according to the council’s resolution. 

The governor’s “stay at home” order is not expected to delay the timeline, said city engineer Neil Jensen.

Following a 2017 recommendation of the engineering firm Gray and Osborne, Inc., the city approved replacement of the existing culvert, which city resolutions have described as “structurally deficient” and “undersized.” 

The L60 culvert is the first to be replaced along Lyon Creek because of its adjacency to previously-replaced culverts, and it also being the furthest downstream culvert that was not “fish-friendly,” according to Jensen.

In an agreement with the city, the Lake Forest Park Water District is replacing one of its aging water mains during the culvert replacement, confirmed Alan Kerley, the general manager of the water district.

The L60 culvert is near the intersection of
NE 178th St and 44th Ave NE.
Photo by Tracy Furutani 


The L60 culvert is currently made of steel and quite narrow, whereas the replacement structure will be pre-cast concrete and 24 feet wide, specifically made to be passable by fish. 

The original design proposed the removal of some trees in order to improve the stream itself, but that would have required heavy equipment to do excavations in the stream, which would violate the city’s tree protection ordinance.

“So we’re a community that likes our trees and likes our streams,” said councilmember Mark Phillips, “and in this case [this project] illuminated the possibility there may sometimes be conflicts between the two.”

Redtail, LLC, of Snohomish will perform the construction at a cost of about $1.2 million, which was under the engineers’ estimate. The city obtained King County Flood Control District grants totaling $341,000 towards project construction. The balance is being paid for by the city.



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Lake Forest Park: Update on March/April 2020 Sewer Utility Payments during COVID-19 response

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

From the City of Lake Forest Park

We know that many residents and members of our local business community are financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 

With this in mind, the City of Lake Forest Park is instituting a grace period for sewer payments and will not assess late fees for the March/April 2020 billing period. 

Customers should pay what they can to avoid accumulating a large balance that will be harder to pay off later.

We also want to encourage customers to utilize an online payment system to pay their sewer bills. This can be set up with many banks and credit unions or by using the City’s online payment system.

If you have questions, staff can be reached via email, or you can leave a message at 206-957-2826. We will return your email or call as soon as we can.



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Community is generous for the NEMCo food drive

Monday, March 30, 2020

LFP Police Chief Mike Hardan and NEMCo volunteers
Photo courtesy LFP Police Dept

NEMCo volunteers are delighted with the amount of food and paper goods donated by community members during the drive-thru food drive on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Drive thru food donations
Photo courtesy LFP Police Dept.
The Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo) is a partnership among the cities of Kenmore and Lake Forest Park (LFP), the Northshore Fire Department (NSFD) and the Northshore Utility District (NUD).

NEMCo was created to provide the communities it serves with efficient emergency management resources.

With so many staying home and unable to work, local food banks are in need of donations as well.

NEMCo set up this one-day, four hour opportunity to collect donations. It was a drive-thru setup, with vehicles driving in to hand off items to a volunteer.



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New eNewsletter from City of Lake Forest Park

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Just one item from the new e-newsletter from
the City of Lake Forest Park


By Diane Hettrick

The City of Lake Forest Park has a new, monthly e-newsletter which you can receive by email. It's in an attractive, very readable format.

The first edition had a message from Mayor Johnson and an update from Deputy Mayor Phillippa Kassover. There were updates about city services during the pandemic, environmental and gardening notices, and all kinds of useful tips like the notice about elections above.

You don't have to be a resident of LFP to subscribe or to enjoy this communication.

Sign up on the city's webpage, which includes all the other notices you might want to receive from the city.

Also included is an option to be notified when the print newsletter has been posted to the city webpage. It is mailed to all LFP residents - but sometimes it's easier to find things online - especially if you have a cat who helps you file.

Remember to set your spam blocker to allow mail from listserv@civicplus.com. Or just add the address to your address book.



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Lake Forest Park earns WellCity Award

Friday, March 27, 2020

The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) recently released a list of the cities, towns, and other local governments that have earned the distinguished WellCity designation. 

City of Lake Forest Park is among this year’s recipients. This recognition is bestowed to entities that meet the AWC Employee Benefit Trust’s stringent WellCity standards and demonstrate a commitment to employee health.

When an employer meets the WellCity standards, they earn a 2% discount on their medical premiums. This is the tenth year in a row that the City of Lake Forest Park has earned this award.

WellCity recipients are all part of the AWC Employee Benefit Trust (Trust), Washington State’s largest local government employee health benefit pool for cities, towns, and other local governments.

Celebrating its 50-year anniversary, the Trust provides health benefits to more than 260 public entities and more than 36,000 employees and family members across the state.



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COVID-19 Update: City of Lake Forest Park

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

City Hall Lake Forest Park
Photo by Steven H. Robinson
From the City of Lake Forest Park

City of Lake Forest Park staff mandated to work from home until April 6

Due to evolving Public Health – Seattle and King County recommendations and the new “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order from Governor Jay Inslee’s office, all City of Lake Forest Park staff are being mandated to work from home, unless they are needed to provide essential services, through April 6, 2020.

Effective immediately, the City will operate under the following changes to accommodate these orders:
  • City Hall will be closed to public and most City employees through April 6. Phone calls to 206- 368-5440 will be answered remotely between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Community members are encouraged to contact the City through the website for updates and general information: 
  • For emergencies, please call 9-1-1
  • Public records requests should be filed electronically online
  • Mechanical and Plumbing permit requests can be made online through the Permit Portal (Information on other types of permit request is available at that link as well.) 
All park play structures and sports courts and restrooms are currently closed. Trails and open spaces remain open to the public; however, social distancing and excellent hygiene is required while using park facilities.
The City Council meetings on March 26 and April 9 will be held fully online 

Some examples of essential services that will continue to operate normally are:
  • Police services
  • Fire and EMS services (provided by the Northshore Fire District) 
  • Roadway safety, including traffic signal maintenance
  • Limited parks maintenance to empty garbage cans and perform safety checks 

The City remains focused on keeping essential operations up and running while making employee and public safety the top priority. Many services are available online. City employees who can work remotely will continue to serve the community, will be available by email, and are on standby to be called in during this time.

Stay up to date with Lake Forest Park’s response to COVID-19 by visiting the response webpage


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Statement by Mayor Johnson to the LFP Community

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Mayor Jeff Johnson
City of Lake Forest Park
Statement by Mayor Johnson to the LFP Community

As we all go through this difficult time together, I wanted to reassure all the citizens of LFP that even though City Hall is closed to the public, we are up and running. 

First responders, Police, Fire, and Public Works are all out doing whatever they are called upon to do. 

City staff is in, helping support all normal functions of the city. As with all areas of life today, our staff is going through the same things as you, lack of child-care, underlying health conditions, elderly parents, etc.

The City Council is working hard and will have ongoing meetings, with safety being their primary concern. 

We all need to support the families with children and the school districts to get through this unprecedented time. 

As a small business owner, my heart goes out to all those whose livelihoods have been greatly affected and we will support you. Finally, we, as the family of LFP, must do everything in our power to stop the spread of this virus, support each other any way we can and always keep those on the medical front lines in our thoughts and prayers. 

Please take care of yourselves, family and friends. We will get through this!



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Lake Forest Park response to Coronavirus

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park
From City Administrator Phillip Hill

On March 5, 2020, Mayor Johnson signed a local proclamation for the existence of a Public Health Emergency, with respect to the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

This emergency proclamation is not a cause for alarm, but a formal step in a process that facilitates the City’s coordination with other agencies, including the State Department of Health and Public Health-Seattle and King County, and grants the City access to additional resources if needed. 

The issuance of the proclamation provides for the preparation and carrying out of plans for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in response to the situation, per Lake Forest Park Municipal Code Chapter 8.15. Currently, the City of Lake Forest Park is:
  • Continuing to work closely with lead agencies and the King County Public Health District, to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Staff continues to work closely with our health districts and is now meeting regularly to streamline communication and prepare, should conditions change here in our community.
  • First responders play an important role in response to the virus and our first responders are taking appropriate safety measures to protect personnel and the public while responding to medical emergencies. For additional information on what fire agencies across King County are doing in response to COVID-19, visit the King County Fire Chiefs Association website

As a member of the Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo), the administration is meeting at least twice a week with the City of Kenmore, Northshore Utility District, and Northshore Fire to coordinate information and efforts in response to the Public Health Emergency with respect to the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The NEMCo Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is not currently operating, but may in the future should the response require more frequent coordination among the agencies.



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Lake Forest Park council meetings will happen as planned

Friday, March 6, 2020

Update on City Meetings – Week of March 9

Lake Forest Park currently anticipates holding City Council meetings the week of March 9.

The LFP Planning Commission meeting Mar 12 will take place.

General advice:
  • We urge anyone who is sick to not attend.
  • We encourage those who are at higher risk for Coronavirus (COVID-19) to not attend.
  • If you do choose to attend, as much as possible, please give each other more physical space, so that you are not in close contact with each other.
  • Maintain good healthy habits, such as frequent hand washing.
Other Options for Lake Forest Park:

There will be no Shoreline City Council meeting March 9 because Councilmembers will be attending the National League of Cities Conference in Washington DC. The next Council meeting will be Monday March 16, 2020.



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Mayor Johnson issues Proclamation regarding novel coronavirus

On March 5, 2020, Lake Forest Park Mayor Johnson signed a local proclamation for the existence of a Public Health Emergency, with respect to the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

This emergency proclamation is not a cause for alarm, but a formal step in a process that facilitates the City’s coordination with other agencies, including the State Department of Health and Public Health-Seattle and King County, and grants the City access to additional resources if needed. 

The issuance of the proclamation provides for the preparation and carrying out of plans for mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery in response to the situation, per Lake Forest Park Municipal Code Chapter 8.15.

Currently, the City of Lake Forest Park is:
  • Continuing to work closely with lead agencies and the King County Public Health District, to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Staff continues to work closely with our health districts and is now meeting regularly to streamline communication and prepare, should conditions change here in our community.
  • First responders play an important role in response to the virus and our first responders are taking appropriate safety measures to protect personnel and the public while responding to medical emergencies. 
  • For additional information on what fire agencies across King County are doing in response to COVID-19, visit the King County Fire Chief’s Association website.
For continued updates on the virus itself, please visit the Washington State Department of Health website.

Read the proclamation here.



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New electronic newsletter for Lake Forest Park in 2020

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Communications team for the City of Lake Forest Park reports that in January 2020, the City will begin sending a monthly electronic newsletter!

In addition to the newsletter, the team also reviewed and updated the listserv topics available through the City’s website.

Information in the eNewsletter will supplement the quarterly print newsletter that is mailed to all Lake Forest Park addresses.

Lake Forest Park residents and others interested in the City’s meetings and updates may now sign up for notifications for events and meetings, City Council agendas, the eNewsletter, planning announcements, and emergency alerts as well as the City eNewsletter.

To see all of the available categories and sign up, click here.
  • Once you’ve done that, enter your email address and click on “Sign In.” 
  • From there, choose whether you want to receive notifications by email or text. 
    • If text, you will also need to provide your cell phone number. 
  • Below the sign-in section, select the topics of interest to you. 
  • After you’ve registered, you will receive an automated message from CivicPlus with a link. 
    • Click on the link to activate your subscriptions.

If you have questions or encounter difficulty registering, contact City Hall 206-368-5440


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