Showing posts with label sidewalks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sidewalks. Show all posts

Election updates Wednesday November 3, 2021 - Lake Forest Park City Council and Prop 1

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Goldman (left) and Sanford (right) are within 76 votes of each other as of Wednesday
for Lake Forest Park Council Position No. 7

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

One council race was never in contention as Semra Riddle ran for another term. Council Position No. 7 is a nail-biter with Larry Goldman leading Paul Sanford by 76 votes.

Furutani leads Larson and Lebo leads Angelis.

Prop. 1 for parks and sidewalks, is failing badly.

City of Lake Forest Park
Registered Voters: 10,364

Council Position No. 1
  • Semra Riddle - winner*

Council Position No. 3
  • Stephanie Angelis  983
  • Jon Lebo              1884

Council Position No. 5
  • Tracy Furutani    1,605
  • Maddy Larson    1,281

Council Position No. 7
  • Larry Goldman   1,477
  • Paul Sanford       1,401

Proposition No. 1 (Parks and Sidewalks)
  • YES                  1,041
  • NO                    2,119

*running unopposed



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With Prop 1, voters decide the future of sustainable funding for walkways, safe connections, parks, and recreation in LFP

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

On Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 1pm, Third Place Commons invites you to the Lake Forest Park Prop 1 Pros and Cons Forum. More information here. Register here

~~~~~~~~~

By Luanne Brown

Voters in Lake Forest Park (LFP) will be voting on Proposition 1 in the upcoming election on November 2, 2021. The ballot measure says:

November 2, 2021 General and Special Election


The full wording of Resolution No. 1810 can be found here.

What are the main points of Resolution No 1810?

The issues surrounding Prop 1 are complex, but when distilled to its essence, it can be summarized as follows:

The City wants to permanently increase that portion of our property taxes that is paid to Lake Forest Park, which is 9 percent of your total King County tax bill. These additional funds will add up to $2 million dollars yearly which will give the city the ability to pay the debt on $20 million worth of Bonds used to raise money to fund projects identified by the City through the Safe Streets study and the PROST Plan (Parks, Recreation, Open Spaces, Trails) as well from citizen input.

Who determines how this money will be used?

The Council is setting the rules for that now and will discuss and vote on this question at the Thursday, October 14th meeting.

The Parks Board, under the rules the Council is developing, will provide citizen input on priorities and there is also opportunity for public comment at Park Board meetings and City Council meetings.

Why is this issue coming up now?

According to Deputy Mayor and Councilmember Phillippa Kassover, the City Council began discussing the need for a new source of revenue, prior to the pandemic, to fulfill the Safe Streets and PROST plans.

“We were not able to follow through in 2020, as the Governor’s emergency orders required cities to prioritize essential services for several months. Council began discussing these needs again in Spring of 2021, following our completion of the Town Center code. 
"Due to inflation and the Bond market variabilities, the longer the city waits to secure a new stream of revenue to accomplish the priorities in the Safe Streets and PROST plan, the more expensive these projects will become, and the less the city will be able to accomplish.”

Why not do a bond without a levy lid lift?


According to Kassover, the City administration has warned that simply selling bonds to cover construction costs is not a feasible option, as under the current budget the city would not have the resources to pay the interest on the bonds, hire additional staff to develop the detailed plans and estimates required for the bond sale, nor operate and maintain new facilities if they were built. That is why the 2021 Council discussions focused on a levy lid lift as the best option.

Why are additional property taxes necessary to pay for these improvements?

Unlike many surrounding cities, LFP does not have a significant commercial tax base to rely on for money to fund these improvement projects. So, if residents of LFP want better roads, sidewalks, and parks, we will have to pay more in property taxes to fund and maintain these improvements.

Why not write grants or use REET (real estate excise tax) funds to pay for these improvements?

Kassover says that the City has had some success writing grants and has raised money for culverts but was not successful in finding funding for sidewalks. 

“If we look at all the letters and emails that we get from citizens, setting aside the town center issues, the number one thing we hear about from our citizens is safety. The fact that someone could lose their life because our streets are unsafe affected us deeply as council members. 
"We have also applied to the U. S. Department of Transportation, Safe Routes to School program but there we compete with other cities. Also, for some grants, you must have matching funds which we don’t. And our REET funds are already spoken for.”

Why does this levy lid lift have to be permanent?

This aspect of the resolution has strong convictions on both sides, making it the most contentious point of argument.

The Pro

From the City Council’s point of view, leaving the levy lid lift open-ended ensures that the City can make and maintain street improvements and operate and maintain the new park the City creates. They see it as a positive and responsible decision that means they won’t have to defer maintenance or ask citizens for more money down the line to pay to keep these improvements in good condition.

The YES FOR SIDEWALKS SAFE STREETS AND PARKS group says on their Facebook page that, 

“the reason the council decided to leave this levy open ended rather than suggest a specific number of years is to ensure that the funding would always be available for operations and maintenance of our new park improvements and new sidewalks and safe streets infrastructure.

"Council wants to avoid the burden incurred by taxpayers when cities do not plan for maintenance of the assets. Deferred maintenance leads to significant decline in the function and value of physical assets and requires enormous amounts of money to eventually repair or rebuild.”

They compare what they've done to the actions of a responsible homeowner who must budget for maintenance and repairs as well as pay for the mortgage. In other words, not only do we have to pay for something, we must take care of what we pay for it. This obligation continues even after the bonds are paid for and this maintenance cost is expected to increase over time.

This group has gone with a ‘MINI Filer’ designation with the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) where no campaign reporting is required. However, Kassover, who serves as treasurer, says they have raised $3500. Their top four contributors have each contributed $500. Their names are Stacie Johnson, Semra Riddle, Lois Lee, and Francois Pondemer.

The Con

Jeff Snedden, the major contributor to the opposition group, says that if this permanent aspect of the levy lid lift were not there, that he would vote ‘yes’ on the proposition. Steven Plusch, Chair of this ‘vote no’ effort agrees. “If it had been a limited term, we (our group) wouldn’t be here.”

Plusch says their group supports safe streets and parks but there is a better way to go about getting them, which warrants more study. 

Sneddon adds, “This (proposition) shouldn’t have been put on the ballot. It should have been studied more. We should have had a better understanding of the priorities across three different very important things the city is facing: parks, streets, and the development downtown.”

However, on their website, this group states that “This type of permanent levy lift is unprecedented.” That is not true, according to Diann Locke, a Levies and Appeals Specialist with the Property Tax Division of the Washington State Department of Revenue. 

Instead, she says, “From my experience as an auditor, I have seen many taxing districts with voter approved permanent lid lifts.” The State allows the governing body to set those terms and red lights do not automatically flash when they encounter one in an audit.

The ‘vote no’ group, Neighbors for A Sustainable LFP 2021, according to the PDC has, as of 10/11/21 raised $13,774.06 from 18 individuals and three businesses, including $100 of small contributions from undesignated sources. Their top four donors include: Sneddon ($5000), Jack Tonkin ($3000), Donald Nibouar ($2000), Plusch ($1000).

​How much will our taxes increase if Prop 1 passes?

Currently the City gets 9 percent of our King County property taxes to pay for City services. The cost to the taxpayer will increase only on the part of their taxes that are paid to LFP, not their total King County tax bill. When the percentage increase is cited without the qualification, that it is 61 percent of 9 percent, it is an untrue statement.

The “vote no” group has, on more than one occasion, not properly qualified their use of the 61 percent figure. 

One of those times being in the Statement in opposition to the levy on the King County Election website, where it says, “There are better ways to fund them than permanently increasing property taxes 61 percent...” 

Another time they cited this figure without accurate qualification is on their homepage, under the headline "Excessive" where they say, “Prop 1's 61 percent increase is far and away the largest tax increase ever proposed in Lake Forest Park.” 

It is not clear that it is 61 percent of a much smaller number relative to the total amount paid of property tax paid by property owners in LFP. When this was brought to the attention of Sneddon and Plusch they say it was an unintentional error and cited the lack of time they had to prepare their opposition. These errors are exceptions as there are additional cases where they have properly qualified that figure.

Example of the impact of the levy lid lift on one household

In this example:
  • A homeowner has an assessed property value (according to the County Assessor) of $624,000.
  • In 2021, the King County Property Tax Bill for this property is $7055.
  • Of that amount 9 percent or $610 per year comes back to the City of LFP.
  • Under the new levy, that amount will increase $372 for a total property tax of $7427 ($7055 + $372)
  • If Prop 1 passes, $982 ($610 + $372) will be the new amount coming to the City.
  • Now the homeowner who used to pay 9 percent, will pay 13 percent for an increase of 4 percent in the tax that goes to LFP.

Additional pro and con statements

Pro: Council Member Lorri Bodi, on Nextdoor

“The ballot measure is complicated. It's capped to raise a flat $2M per year (permanently) with no adjustment for inflation, so as mentioned the revenue will decline in real spending power over time. The levy rate is not locked in, but will likely also decline over time, to raise just the $2M.

"The levy could provide a revenue stream for construction bonds if that’s the best bang for the buck. Once sidewalks and recreation facilities are built, the funds will be used for maintenance and repair of the new improvements. Even the initial priority list for sidewalks and recreation totals about $12-19M based on 2018 costs. Sidewalks and other improvements are expensive.

"We have tried but been unable to fund these community-recommended improvements for public enjoyment and safety through grants or other means. Even the sidewalks to schools which are "shovel ready" have been rejected more than once. Prop1 makes clear that the funds are absolutely dedicated and can’t be used for other purposes, even by a future Council. 

"There will be a public annual implementation plan to identify upcoming priority projects, timelines, and costs. The community Parks and Recreation Board will partner with the Council on setting these implementation plan priorities and public engagement. There will also be an annual report on what was accomplished, for accountability to the community."

What do people who oppose the resolution say?

On their website, opponents to the measure claim without supporting details that “there is a better way” to do this. “I’ve seen nothing about prioritizing the studies and making choices about what a city of 13,500 plus people can afford,” Sneddon says. He says it is, “a real serious issue that has not been addressed.” But Sneddon also wonders, “Are we overreaching? Are we spending too much money?” He also believes that “not in every case is government doing the right or best thing for the community."

And with regard to the new waterfront park, Sneddon indicates that people who aren’t eligible for membership in the two private waterfront parks that already exist currently have the option to go to Log Boom Park, Matthews Beach, or other beaches within easy commuting distance from Lake Forest Park.

What does the future hold for Lake Forest Park?

The City of Lake Forest Park wants to invest in their community long term for safer streets, more sidewalks, and improved parks, including a new waterfront park.

On November 2, 2021 voters in LFP will have the opportunity to choose whether they want to fund projects that will provide additional sidewalks for safer walking, calming methods to address increased traffic in and through the city, and improved park amenities. Or not.

Whatever your choice, make your voices heard and vote.



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Sidewalk project completed on 1st Ave NE in the Echo Lake Neighborhood - all trees protected

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

New sidewalk on 1st NE. Photo by Gidget Terpstra

Two blocks of sidewalk on 1st Ave NE, wide enough for pedestrians and bicyclists, has just been completed. 

The sidewalk runs between N 193rd Street and NE 195th St and replaces a ditch and a dirt path. 

If you are wondering why the two streets have different geographical designations it's because 1st NE is the dividing line between N and NE. NE 195th is a road to the east of 1st Ave and a trail only to the west.

The new sidewalk /trail meets the 195th trail behind Holyrood Cemetery.

Project improvements include:
  • Shared-use pedestrian and bicycle facilities with curbs and gutters
  • Curb ramps
  • Drainage improvements

These improvements are part of the 2018 voter-approved effort to build and repair sidewalks throughout Shoreline. Visit the Projects and Initiatives sidewalk webpage for information on current projects. 

Before construction started, the site was reviewed by an arborist who identified and evaluated each tree near the proposed sidewalk.


Based on the proposed plans for the site, all the assessed trees may be retained, and each of the trees will require tree protection measures during construction. An arborist shall be on site to monitor, document and assess any work within tree protection zones as outlined in this report.

No trees are planned for removal. One off-site tree, a Japanese maple below significant size will be transplanted by the property owner.  


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Parks and Pedestrian Connections community meeting videos available online

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Lake Forest Park citizens: 

If you were unable to attend the recent community meetings to discuss Parks and Pedestrian Connections, videos of the meetings are now available on the City’s website:

Community meeting on June 29, 2021

Community meeting on June 30, 2021



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Lake Forest Park needs more people for Wednesday's focus group on park and sidewalk projects

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Lake Forest Park Elementary
Call for More Focus Group Members for Wednesday, June 16 , 2021 – City of LFP Park and Sidewalk Projects

This is a call for volunteers to join a Zoom discussion about the City of Lake Forest Park’s park and sidewalk projects this Wednesday, June 16, 5:30-6:30pm. 

We have room for a few more city residents to participate in an interactive research session.

Share your interest in volunteering by emailing your responses to the following questions to the City by 4:00pm on Tuesday, June 15:
  • What is the grade school nearest you?
  • How long have you been a resident of Lake Forest Park?
  • How many people are in your household?
The City will then reach out to respondents with additional information prior to the Zoom discussion


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City to share information on options for parks, recreational facilities, sidewalks, walkways, and bicycle connections throughout Lake Forest Park

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Blue Heron Park photo by Mary Jo Heller
The City of Lake Forest Park will hold community sessions June 29 and June 30, 6-8pm on zoom to share information on options being considered for parks, recreational facilities, sidewalks, walkways, and bicycle connections throughout the City. 

You will hear about potential projects and funding options including:

  • Sidewalk and walkway projects that improve safety and connections throughout the City, which were rated highest by residents during the previous Safe Streets project community discussions (particularly walkways for our 3 elementary schools).
  • Improvements and recreation facilities at existing parks, including projects identified with community input that are in the City’s recent Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan.
  • A public process resulting in the development of a Master Plan, identifying future improvements and recreational facilities at our new lakefront park just north of Lyon Creek Park.

"We want to hear from you and your neighbors! Please come and share your feedback at one of two scheduled community meetings. We’ll meet via Zoom Tuesday, June 29, and again Wednesday, June 30, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

"The meetings will be webinar-style, with your feedback invited using an interactive online tool. Please have a second device such as a smartphone connected to the internet to use to share your comments.

"Choose the session that works best for you and invite a neighbor. Your input is important to help guide your City Administration and City Council as we plan for the next 5-10 years of community improvements and amenities."

Save your preferred date:
  • Tuesday, June 29, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., or
  • Wednesday, June 30, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

The Zoom link will be sent via a City Newsflash the week of June 21.

--City of Lake Forest Park



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Sidewalk improvements along N 200th St

Tuesday, November 3, 2020


Photos courtesy City of Shoreline

Shoreline Public Works recently completed sidewalk improvements along N 200th St between Ashworth Ave N and Meridian Ave N. 

Repairs and improvements were necessary due to damage to the existing sidewalks by tree roots.


In order to prevent future damage to the sidewalk, 11 trees were removed and replaced with tree varieties less likely to cause root damage to sidewalks and roads.

The transit center and Aurora Village are on N 200th as well as Echo Lake Park, the Compass Veterans' Center and medical offices.

The main goals for this project were to increase safety and accessibility in our community and provide easy access to public transportation.


Funding for this project came from Transportation Benefit District funds (vehicle license fees and voter approved sales and use taxes) and general funds.

For more information about this and other sidewalk projects in Shoreline, visit shorelinewa.gov/sidewalks.



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Echo Lake Neighborhood Association to hear presentations on new sidewalks and the 185th corridor at Tuesday meeting

Tuesday, October 20, 2020


The Echo Lake Neighborhood Association (ELNA) will meet on zoom for their regular meeting Tuesday October 20, 2020 from 7-9pm.

Speakers from a contractor, City Planning and City Public Works will discuss some of the changes to the neighborhood and be available to answer questions and concerns.

ELNA skipped some meetings during the shut down but has now regrouped on zoom. They have ceased to publish their monthly paper newsletter but will communicate via their email list and Facebook page.

Echo Lake neighborhood is bounded by N/NE 205th, I-5, N/NE 185th, and Aurora Ave N. They can be contacted via email: ELNABoard@gmail.com




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Update on Dayton Ave trees

Thursday, September 3, 2020

Tall evergreens line the street on Dayton Ave N, bordering the WSDOT headquarters


By Jamie Holter

For several months, there has been a back-and-forth discussion about the 104 trees slated to be cut as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation building remodel on Dayton Avenue North, just east of Shoreline Community College.

The City-permitted remodel requires WSDOT to build out sidewalks (and also drainage) on Dayton Avenue North, 160th Street and 155th Street. The challenge has been how to meet the requirements of the permit and limit the number of trees cut. The Save our Trees group has been very active in their effort to save as many of the 104 trees as possible. WSDOT, as well, wants to preserve as many trees as possible at the Regional Headquarters.

The news is that the two sides are very close to an agreement that could change the type of sidewalk – away from the traditional concrete sidewalk on Dayton - to a boardwalk-style walkway to preserve the root systems and therefore reduce the number of trees that need to come down.

If the boardwalk concept is approved, it would reduce the number of Dayton trees removed down to 24 – five are dead already. The City, for its part, is comfortable with the boardwalk concept and confirmed it’s just a matter of details to get the project permitted and moving forward.

There are still more sidewalks to be added - 155th Street gets a five-foot sidewalk on the south side with two trees removed and 160th Street would get an eight-foot sidewalk with 30 trees removed.

There is no published timetable for construction.



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Pavement project for five blocks of 15th NE will start this month

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

15th NE by Fircrest
Construction will begin March 2020 for five blocks of 15th Ave NE and is expected to go through the fall of 2020. 

Due to federal funding limits and time constraints, improvements to the west sidewalk will be deferred to a separate project and scheduled for completion in mid to late 2020.

As part of the City's pavement preservation program, this project will provide pavement rehabilitation along 15th Ave NE between NE 155th St and NE 160th St.

The existing asphalt roadway will be milled down and resurfaced with asphalt overlay.

In addition to work in the roadway, sidewalk repairs, curb ramp upgrades, and pedestrian push buttons modifications will be completed to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

The area east of the curb line will not be impacted.



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2019 November election results and the impacts to Shoreline: Shoreline Proposition 1 and I-976

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

From the City of Shoreline

Over the next several months, the City will discuss how the results of the November election will affect our community.

Passage of Initiative 976 (I-976) will place a significant strain on our transportation programs and the wider City budget as we search for ways to absorb the annual loss of more than $1.6 million from the City’s street and sidewalk maintenance and preservation programs. 

Failure of Shoreline Proposition 1 will require the Council and the community to have tough discussions about aquatics programming offered by the City and future investments in parks and City recreation facilities.

Shoreline Proposition 1

With an approval vote of 54%, Shoreline Proposition 1 failed. Because Prop. 1 was a bond measure, it required a 60% approval rate to pass. Over the past several years, hundreds of Shoreline residents have contributed to the discussion on developing the proposed Shoreline Aquatics, Recreation, and Community Center and on making improvements to our parks.

Whether you voted to approve or reject the proposition, we want to thank Shoreline residents for taking the time to learn about the issue, provide their input, and vote. As we work to identify a new path forward that will meet the needs of our growing community, we hope that those who supported and opposed the Proposition stay engaged and continue to contribute to the discussion.

Using the extensive input from the public and taking all the different community needs and interests into account, the Council felt it put the best option forward. Council will now begin to evaluate the results of the election and determine what next steps, if any, they should take regarding future investments in park improvements and the City’s recreation facilities.

Council will need to make some tough decisions regarding the Shoreline Pool. The repairs we made to the Pool in 2015 were meant to be temporary and not last much more than five to seven years.

Even with the $750,000 investment in 2015, the City has been experiencing increasing maintenance costs at the pool as it is over 50 years old and the pool systems and building structure are nearing the end of their useful lives. 

In 2019 alone, the City has seen pool repair costs exceed $125,000. Council will need to evaluate whether it makes economic sense to put further investment into the existing pool, refine options for a new facility, or decide not to provide aquatic programs in the long-term.

Until the School District decides to use the Spartan Recreation Center for other purposes, it will continue to operate as it does today. As the need for repairs arise, Council will have to determine how much to invest in an aging facility we do not own.

State, regional, and local transportation funding face cuts under I-976

Passage of I-976 eliminates Shoreline’s ability to charge a vehicle license fee (VLF) for transportation purposes.


  • In 2009, City Council adopted a $20 VLF to help fund the maintenance of Shoreline streets on a regular schedule. Over time, this has helped us preserve our streets and avoid more costly road replacements that can be the result of deferred maintenance. 
  • Council passed the other $20 VLF in 2018 for the repair and maintenance of our existing sidewalk network. 

I-976 does not affect the new sidewalk sales tax measure approved by Shoreline voters in 2018. The new sidewalk program will be able to move ahead as expected.


The combined fees generated approximately $1.6 million per year. The loss of that funding affects the entire transportation program, as well as other City programs and services, as we will need to find that funding elsewhere in the budget or reduce or eliminate these maintenance programs.

The City Council is already considering nearly $1.3 million in budget holds including delaying equipment purchases, redirecting funds for park improvements, and reallocating projected budget savings towards the City’s annual road surface maintenance program.

Passage of I-976 will also significantly affect State transportation funding, particularly for transit and paratransit. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), working with the State Legislature, will need to make decisions about how to maintain state highways, provide transportation options for individuals with disabilities, and more. State funding for local transportation projects, including ones in Shoreline, may be called into question in the coming months.

I-976 will also cut King County Metro funding, which in turn could affect routes serving Shoreline.

Finally, Sound Transit (ST) has indicated that the impacts to funding from I-976 will be significant as well.

While it is unlikely to impact the 2024 opening of light rail in Shoreline, other ST projects or programs, such as Bus Rapid Transit that is planned to serve our Shoreline South/145th Station, may be affected.

There is yet much to be determined about the impacts of this Initiative. Shoreline staff will be keeping an eye on developments and providing updated Shoreline-related information as we learn it.



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Statement from Council Chair Dembowski, Transit Union President, Kenmore Mayor on Passage of Tim Eyman’s I-976

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Rob Dembowski is the county rep for
north end cities including Shoreline, Kenmore,
and Lake Forest Park

King County Council Chair Rod Dembowski, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 President Ken Price, and Kenmore Mayor and Sound Transit Boardmember David Baker issued the following statements on Tim Eyman’s I-976, which though passing statewide in early results, was rejected by King County voters:

King County Council Chair Rod Dembowski:

“King County voters sent a clear message that they want to continue investments in transit and critical local transportation infrastructure. At a time of record demands for service, we can’t afford to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in transit and transportation projects in King County.
“At King County we stand ready to consider all options to prevent Metro service bus cuts that will cause further congestion on our roadways, diminish service to our most vulnerable riders on Access paratransit, and delay the electrification of Metro’s fleet. 
Further, I believe as a regional government, we should work closely with our city partners to look at restoring funding for critical infrastructure projects like sidewalks, pothole repair, and streets. While I-976 is a roadblock, I am committed to immediately going to work to mitigate the worst of its impacts.”

ATU Local 587 President Ken Price

“The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587 is proud to be on the front lines of the nation’s top transit system, delivering excellent customer service to the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on Metro each day to get them to work, school, and their doctor’s appointments. 
We are ready and willing to work to prevent harm to our transit system, our riders, and our dedicated employees, caused by the passage of I-976.”

Kenmore Mayor and Sound Transit Boardmember David Baker:

“Cities in King County are now facing significant holes in our roads and sidewalk budgets. I welcome Councilmember Dembowski’s offer to work regionally with city partners to address this challenge and look forward to working together to explore all options consistent with local voters’ desire to avoid decimating our transit and transportation budgets.”

Background:

Councilmember Dembowski was the author and prime sponsor of King County Ordinance 2013‑0527.2, which created King County’s Transportation Benefit District. The District offers one path to mitigate the lost revenues from I-976, with voter approval of any revenue proposal recommended by the District. The governing board for the District is comprised of the members of the Metropolitan King County Council.



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I-976 would severely limit Shoreline and Lake Forest Park's road maintenance projects and Shoreline sidewalks

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

LFP Public Works conducting proactive street repair
cutting out alligator cracking and asphalting the patch.
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park


Initiative Measure No. 976 concerns motor vehicle taxes and fees. This measure would repeal, reduce, or remove authority to impose certain vehicle taxes and fees; limit annual motor-vehicle license fees to $30 and base vehicles taxes on Kelley Blue Book value.

According to Ballotpedia, "Tim Eyman has proposed, has sponsored, or was otherwise involved with initiatives every year since at least 1998. Most of all, his initiatives concerned two subjects: taxes and transportation. A recurrent initiative sponsored by Eyman through the years concerns $30 car tabs (vehicle license fees)." This year he has I-976.

What are the taxes on the license fees?

The taxes included in the license fees are related to transportation - road maintenance and reconstruction in LFP, and pavement maintenance and sidewalk repairs in Shoreline. There are funds for Sound Transit and Metro Transit.

What happens if I-976 passes?

If the initiative passes, the result would be a loss of $430,000 per year to Lake Forest Park's Transportation Capital Fund. This loss would represent a 52% reduction in revenue for this fund, a loss the City could not absorb and would have to find funding elsewhere. It would severely limit the City’s ability to maintain roads.

In Shoreline, passage of I-976 would significantly impact funding for street and sidewalk preservation and maintenance projects.

In 2009, Council implemented a $20 VLF to fund pavement preservation of our streets. In 2018, they implemented an additional $20 VLF to pay for the repair and maintenance of our sidewalk network. That money would disappear.

In 2020, the combined VLFs are estimated to generate approximately $1,660,000. However, while the VLFs currently only fund those two programs, the loss of $1,660,000 per year would impact the entire transportation program as Shoreline would need to find that funding elsewhere in the budget.

Other impacts

There is potential loss to other projects that may rely on state funding. Cities may lose other general state transportation funding as the state tries to make up its loss in funding by limiting funding to local jurisdictions.

--Diane Hettrick



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Street trees on Meridian coming down for sidewalk replacement project

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Meridian street trees coming down
Photo by Janet Way


By Diane Hettrick

On Thursday and Friday the street trees on Meridian between N 170 and N 175 were removed. 

Like all the old street trees in Shoreline, these were planted in the 1970s, funded by the Forward Thrust bonds.

All the the trees were the wrong variety, and now, 50 years later, the roots are raising and cracking the sidewalks and the branches are growing into the power lines.

The trees between N 170th and N 175th were removed
Photo by Janet Way


Seattle City Light has been pruning the street trees away from the wires and the City of Shoreline has been faced with repairing and then eventually replacing the sidewalks.

The work now on Meridian is being funded by the Shoreline School District.

As part of the construction permitting process for the Edwin Pratt Early Learning Center, the Shoreline Public Schools was required to provide frontage improvements along Meridian, as well as adding sidewalks along 170th.

The trees were pruned out of the wires
 by Seattle City Light
Photo by Steve Fiske

The work occurring right now is to replace the sidewalk along Meridian from 170th to 175th. This required the removal of the trees in order to complete the work. 

As part of the process and requirements, those trees will be replaced with at least the same number that had to be taken down.

The new trees will be planted in the same general location. Some will be planted between the sidewalk and street and others clustered on the Meridian Park campus near the corner of 175th and Meridian. 

Another cluster will be planted between 175th and the entrance to Meridian Park’s parking lot.

The trees that will be planted between the sidewalk and street are a type with roots that do not cause issues by pushing up sidewalks.



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Who clears the sidewalks?

Monday, February 18, 2019

Cleared, partially cleared
not cleared
Photo by Lee Lageschulte
By Diane Hettrick

If, like most of Shoreline and nearly all of Lake Forest Park, there is no sidewalk by your property, you can stop reading this article now.

However, if your home - or business - in Shoreline has a sidewalk along your property line, the person you are waiting for to clean off your sidewalk ... is you.

Shoreline property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks along their property lines. That includes clearing snow and ice, sweeping leaves, and keeping the "amenity zone" mowed.

City regulations also state that property owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalk itself - a gift from one of the first city councils - but fortunately for us, that provision has never been enforced.

I saw more than one person out Sunday with a snow shovel, clearing off their sidewalk. I don't know if they know the regulation or if they are just tidy.

I also had to swerve around a jogger on the street who was avoiding the ice covered sidewalk.

If you are physically able, I'd suggest you clear your sidewalk.


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Sidewalks: 195th Trail linked to Interurban Trail

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Looking east to Ashworth on N 195th
Photo by Dennis Terpstra
A recently completed one block sidewalk in Shoreline connected two major trails.

The Interurban Trail, completed several years ago, runs diagonally through the entire city of Shoreline, from Seattle to Snohomish county.

The newer 195th Trail is planned to connect the Interurban Trail to the Burke Gilman Trail in Lake Forest Park. It will also tie in to the planned trail along I-5 and the Sound Transit stations.

Recently, a one block section was created which links the 195th Trail to the Interurban Trail on the east side of Echo Lake.

The section is on N 195th and runs from Ashworth west to Stone Ave and the Interurban Trail.



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Sidewalks Prop 1 still hanging on for passage

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Thursday's numbers

Shoreline's Prop 1 for new sidewalks is still holding on the Approved side in numbers released Thursday.

Another 7000 votes have been counted since Election Night and the Approved:Rejected percentages Thursday are within .02% of those reported Tuesday.

The Approved vote is at 51.89%. The requirement to pass is a Simple Majority, which is 50% plus 1 vote. (RCW 36.73.065)

The Proposition would raise the sales tax by .02 % and the money would be spent on new sidewalks. A list of 12 projects would be funded first.

Interestingly, a similar ballot measure on Bainbridge Island is failing. Critics were uncomfortable with the fact that there was no list of how the money would be spent.

In Shoreline, many people criticized the project list, with some complaining about the prioritization on high traffic areas instead of neighborhoods and others complaining that their neighborhood had been left out.

Apparently a list that is not universally applauded is better than no list at all.

DKH

11-9-18 Updated definition of Simple Majority

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N 195th sidewalk under construction

Thursday, October 25, 2018

New sidewalk under construction on N 195th. The Interurban
Trail is at the foot of the hill, Echo Lake can be seen between the trees.
The Greek Orthodox parking lot is to the left.
Photo by Dennis Terpstra


A section of sidewalk is under construction on the south side of N 195th St to fill the gap between Stone Ave N (Interurban Trail) and Ashworth Ave N.

It runs in front of the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, which is on the corner of Ashworth Ave N and N 195th. 

Looking up (east) N 195th.
Photo by Dennis Terpstra


The sidewalk will connect the Interurban Trail to Ashworth Ave N, Echo Lake Elementary, east to the 195th Trail behind Ballinger Commons and Holyrood Cemetery, and continuing on to the I-5 pedestrian bridge.

Eventually, a trail will continue to the 185th Shoreline North light rail station and the planned trail along I-5.



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Commentary: Sidewalks in Shoreline

Friday, October 19, 2018

Priority list for new sidewalks


By Diane Hettrick


On the ballot: Sidewalks - Shoreline only

Earlier this year, the Shoreline City Council added a $20 fee to vehicle licenses to create additional funds for repair of sidewalks. What's driving this in particular is the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Our sidewalks lack curb cuts and the street trees (wrong variety thanks to well-meaning King county action 50 years ago) are cracking and pushing up sections of the sidewalk. In many areas it's safer to walk in the street.

But what about new sidewalks where none currently exist?
  • Yes, the city budgets a modest amount each year for new sidewalks.
  • Yes, developers pay for sidewalks at their developments.
  • Yes, the city gets grant money, particularly through the Safe Routes to School funds.

Candidates for city council have said for years that the one issue they hear when talking to citizens is "sidewalks." Everybody wants them, but nobody wants to pay for them. And a lot of people who think they want them aren't so excited when they find out they will lose 2 - 12 feet of what they thought was their front yard.

City councils have talked about sidewalks since Shoreline was incorporated, so kudos to this council for actually trying to do something about it.

They tried to get a broad cross-section of opinion on how to proceed by forming a citizen's committee, with staff guidance. The large committee met a couple of times a month for an entire year. They took numerous field trips to look at places recommended for immediate action and they debated how to pay for increasing the number of new sidewalks built every year.

In setting priorities for where sidewalks should be built they considered things like access to business areas, and filling gaps in areas with existing sidewalks. They recommended sidewalks leading to trails, bus stops, and parks. The 12 sites on the priority list are designed to serve the largest number of people.

They built in criteria so that less affluent areas, and areas with minority populations would get as much consideration as more politically active areas.

The funding would come from an increase in the sales tax which would bring Shoreline's tax to mid-point for surrounding communities. Remember there is no sales tax on food, by state law.

And now that it's on the ballot, all the knee jerk "No New Taxes" people are screaming. Many people are complaining because they assumed that new sidewalks meant their block.

Other people have qualms. Last year's property tax hike was pretty shocking financially and there's the prospect of funding the Community / Aquatics Center for next year. Tax fatigue is a very real thing.

Some civically involved people are campaigning against the proposition. A spokesperson from the sidewalk committee is now oppositing the proposition. People who campaigned for previous tax measures are opposing this one. Not because they are against sidewalks, but because of the way the finances are structured in the proposition.

City council members are basically shrugging their shoulders. Their attitude is - people said they wanted sidewalks - we figured out how to get sidewalks - now they have to decide.

Flawed or not, I doubt there is much political will to go back to the drawing board if this proposition fails.


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Reminder: Meridian Park NA meeting on sidewalks

Monday, October 15, 2018

Deep Dive into Prop 1 at MPNA Meeting Tuesday October 16th – Find out more!

On Tuesday, October 16th, Meridian Park Neighborhood Association will host an evening all about Shoreline’s Proposition 1 Ballot Initiative which residents will vote on this November during the mid-terms.

Meeting agenda: First - a brief explanation of the ballot measure by City Staff (with diagrams and numbers!), then a forum including a panel of “Pro Prop 1 ” and “No Prop 1” residents of Meridian Park Neighborhood and Shoreline discussing with meeting attendees how the measure could possibly impact them geographically/safety and convenience-wise, and financially if enacted into law.

Questions welcome!

As in all past years, elections have consequences – if passed, this plan and funding (taxes) will be in place for 20 years, and any funded installed/repaired sidewalks will last longer than that.

MPNA meetings take place on the third Tuesday of the month, 7pm-8:30pm in Room 301 at Shoreline City Hall located at 17500 Midvale Ave. N. Light refreshments served and all ages welcome. For more info email meridianparkna@gmail.com or call Cynthia Knox at 206-218-3302.


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