February 2009 City Happenings Newsletter - City of Mountlake ...

CityHappeningsMountlake TerraceFEBRUARY 2009Observation DeckSpray FountainCivic CenterExisting Fire StationCommunity &Senior Activity CenterPolice StationEmergency OpsCenter(Existing PoliceStation)Civic GreenAmphitheaterExisting LibraryFuture Civic CampusRecommended toCity CouncilAfter six months of meetings and open houses, an 11-member citizenTask Force appointed by the City Council to evaluate options on replacingthe community’s aging public facilities presented their findings andconceptual design recommendation for a new Civic Campus to the Councilon December 18. The Task Force also recommended that the Council seekvoter-approval to build the new Civic Campus.The proposed Civic Campus, built on our existing site (located at 58 thAvenue West and 232 nd Street) and projected to cost $37.7 million, wouldincorporate our sustainable design standards and retain the library andfire station while integrating new public spaces to include city offices,public meeting spaces, observation deck, enhanced streetscapes, greenroofs and walls, police station, emergency operation center, communitycenter, senior activity center, civic green that would connect to VeteransMemorial Park, spray fountain, ornamental garden, and amphitheater.Year-round events could include farmers’ markets, public safety fairs,cityofmlt.com> Continued on page 4Grant Awarded for 230 th Sidewalksand ReconstructionIn November, Mountlake Terrace was selected by WashingtonState’s Transportation Improvement Board to receive a $245,995grant to fund sidewalk construction on 230 th Street SW, from 56 thto 61 st . One of three bridges within the city that crosses Interstate 5,230 th Street provides a direct connection between 56 th Avenue Westand the 228 th /230 th Street bridge. It is a crucial, centrally locatedtransportation link between the western half of the city and TownCenter businesses, Recreation Pavilion, and Mountlake Terrace CivicCenter. A two-lane street with gravel shoulders, 230 th Street SW ison bus routes for both Community Transit and the Edmonds SchoolDistrict. It is also a preferred pedestrian access across I-5.In addition to sidewalks, the 230 th Street SW ReconstructionProject will include a new street that provides two vehicletravel lanes, two bike lanes, intermittent parking lanes, drainageimprovements, and a new water main. The project will featuresidewalk ramps, a revised street profile at 61 st Avenue to improvesight distance, new pavement markings, and street trees. The grantamounts to about one-sixth of the street reconstruction project cost.Construction is scheduled to take place in the late summer and fallof this year. The completed project will increase safety and providea convenient, attractive route for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, andtransit patrons.

CouncilConnectionsMayor Mayor Pro Tem CouncilmemberJerry Smith Laura Sonmore Michelle Angrick(425) 774-7335 (425) 231-9176 (425) 280-13632CouncilmemberKyoko MatsumotoWright(425) 776-6846CouncilmemberMichelle Robles(425) 308-0127CouncilmemberRick Ryan(425) 771-7068The Importance ofEconomic DevelopmentBy Mayor Jerry SmithCouncilmemberJohn Zambrano(425) 744-0174I’m proud to report that our community is strong and we are moving forward toachieve our vision for the future. Our community is poised for some of our greatestaccomplishments in decades. With strong finances, capital investments proceeding,and an economic development strategy in place to revitalize our downtown, the comingyears will be some of our best ever, despite the current downturn in the economy.The centerpiece of our economic development strategy will be in our downtownwhere we have pulled together to attract private investment and developpublic facilities, bringing new relevance and vitality to our community. Forexample, several property owners have expressed interest in redevelopingtheir properties that will result in $85-$100 million in private investmentthat will generate new tax revenue as well as new jobs that in turn willallow the city to continue providing a high level of municipal services.Why is economic development important? It is important to residentsbecause it lessens your tax burden. Mountlake Terrace’s commercialproperties generate a small amount of taxes, meaning residents haveto shoulder more responsibility than in most other communities. Thisis especially true with the loss of Comp USA who was the city’s leading sales taxprovider and most recently, the closure of the Silver Dollar Casino.The Council adopted an economic vitality strategy last fall to address our goal ofgenerating economic development. This goal will make our downtown come aliveand improve the quality of life for our citizens and, at the same time, attract newbusinesses to help lighten the tax load off of our residents. It will also give our residentsmore opportunities to shop and dine locally instead of in other communities.Community Transit and Sound Transit continue to move ahead with theirpublic investments. The new park and ride garage next to I-5 will open thismonth and in 2010, the long awaited Freeway “Flyer” Station will be constructed.Long-term, Mountlake Terrace will have the first light rail station in SnohomishCounty as it is extended from King County.Even though our nation has been hit hard by the recession, Mountlake Terraceis prepared and ready for the challenge. If we experience a slowdown in revenuecollections, we won’t spend what we don’t have. With the private investmentscoming into our city, we continue to proceed in realizing the vision and we areoptimistic for the future.UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGSMarch 12 & 16 – Review and Adoption of Water System Comprehensive PlanApril 2 & 6 – Review and Adoption of Recreation, Parks and Open Space Master PlanApril 30 & May 4 – Review and Adoption of Cultural Arts PlanTENTATIVE DATES:Please call the City Clerk at (425) 744-6206 to confi rm closer to the dates.cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.usTerraceCityHappeningseCityHappeningsMountlakeTerraceMove to a TemporaryCity HallBy Mayor Pro Tem Laura SonmoreLast month, the Council decided to lease officespace at the Redstone building beginning in May fora temporary City Hall until a permanent buildingcan be developed. (See story on page 8.)The move is in response to the ceiling collapse thatoccurred in the Civic Center in July. Fortunately, thebuilding was empty at the time and no one was injured.Only the quick and immediate actions by severalof our city employees prevented anyfurther impact to our employees andthe public who use our facilities.Shortly thereafter, the Council directedthat options be developed tomove to a safe and structurally soundbuilding. The concern is that if onesection of the building collapsed, othersections may too, especially sincewe have reports dating back over 20 years detailingmany safety, structural and code problems with ourCivic Center.Examples of the problems include: asbestos; doesnot meet fire code (no sprinkler system and lack ofan up-to-date fire alarm); the electrical system doesnot meet code and is barely adequate for current use(computers, copiers, printers); insufficient handicappedaccess; insufficient restrooms; poor energyefficiency; inefficient use of interior space due toplacement of the roof support columns; and most ofthe heating and ventilation system is at end-of-life.A 1991 study concluded that renovating the CivicCenter building was not cost effective and it shouldbe replaced. We have also known since 1993 that thestructure needs immediate reinforcement to mitigatelife-safety hazards due to earthquakes.The building, constructed in 1961 and at one timeaccommodated all city operations, was built to servea population of 5,000 people and to comply with the1958 building code. The need for additional facilitiessince that time has resulted in public works movingout in the 1980s, a new library being constructed in1988, followed by the police station in 1991 and thefire station in 2006.Next, the Council will determine whether or not toproceed with the Civic Campus recommendation providedby a citizen task force in December. Currently,the city does not have the financial capacity toconstruct this campus. For this project to moveforward, it will require voter approval sometime in thefuture. Although work on this project has spannedmany years, the Council will take its time to evaluatethe recommendation to determine what is appropriatebefore making any decision.

Citizens from the 2008 Academy Class posed for a picturefollowing their graduation in June.Police Citizens AcademySeeks ApplicantsThe Mountlake Terrace Police Department offers citizens the opportunityto participate in its Police Citizens Academy this spring. The 12-weekprogram is for community members who would like to learn about theoperations of a police department, city services and Fire District 1. Trainingsessions include K-9, SWAT, narcotics, records, evidence handling, and aride-along with an officer.Limited to 30 participants, the Citizens Academy classes begin onWednesday, March 25 and conclude with graduation on June 10. Classeswill be held at the Mountlake Terrace Library from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pmevery Wednesday. For more information about the academy, or to havean application mailed to you, contact Administrative Sergeant Steve Sheetsor Management Analyst Joie Worthen at (425) 670-8260. Applicationsare also available at the Police Department or on the city’s website atwww.cityofmlt.com on the City Services/Police Department page.Get UpandDance!The Recreation and ParksDepartment offers many differentand unique experiences. Onevery popular choice is our danceprogram that runs from September through June. Yearly dance studentscan register for the full year and participate in the spring recitalthat will be held on May 30 at the Edmonds Center for theArts. Quarterly dance programs are also available and each sessionruns for 13 weeks. This program is a great way to introduce newand continuing students to the joy of movement and fundamentaldance skills. There is a small, informal performance at the end ofeach quarter. For information on our dance program, contact DanceProgrammer Kristina Dillard at (425) 640-3107.CouncilHighlightsJANUARY• Adoption of Resolution Amending Timeline forCivic Facilities Task Force Work Plan• Appointed 2009 Lodging Tax Advisory Committee• Elected Mayor Pro Tem for 2009• Appointed Council Liaisons and Representatives forIntergovernmental Agency Boards/Commissions• Updated on Temporary City Hall Offi ce Lease• Updated on Recreation, Parks and Open SpaceMaster Plan• Reviewed Restoration of EMS Levy Options• Adopted Ordinance Authorizing Issuance ofLimited Tax GO Bond Anticipation Note• Approved Offi ce Lease for a Temporary City Hall• Reviewed Ordinance Amending MTMC Chapter6.05 for Off Leash Dog ParkDECEMBER• Approved Professional Services Contract with TheJohnston Group• Approved Agreement for Engineering DesignServices for 230 th Street Reconstruction• Public Hearing and Adopted Comprehensive Planand Zoning Map Ordinances• Updated by Waste Management District Manager• Reviewed Prosecuting Attorney and PublicDefender Contracts• Presentation on Lake Ballinger Lake Level Study• Updated on Regional Fire Authority (RFA)• Presentation and Recommendation from CivicFacilities Task Force• Approved Revised Fleet Purchase Plan for 2009• Approved Prosecuting Attorney and PublicDefender Contract• Approved Fuel Tax Grant Distribution Agreementfor 230 th Reconstruction Project• Adopted 2008 Budget Amendment Ordinance• Public Hearing on BC/D (downtown) ZoningUpdate Amendments• Public Hearing and Adopted Park Impact FeesMap Amendment Ordinance• Public Hearing and Adopted Transportation FeesMap Amendment Ordinancecityofmlt.com 3

Mountlake Terrace Measures Highfor Street MaintenanceIn 2006, we began a project tocompare Mountlake Terrace withsome of our neighboring andsimilar-sized cities in Washington.We periodically provide informationfrom the project, called “MeasuringMountlake Terrace,” in ournewsletter and on our website.We revisited the project in2008 to see how we compare withthese communities. In particular,we wanted to see areas where wehad improved or lost ground. Forexample, Mountlake Terrace spentabout $63 per capita on street maintenance,which is higher than theaverage of $41 per capita.We will share information fromthe 2008 project throughout 2009.Pictured here is the comparisonof street maintenance expendituresper capita.$100 –$90 –$80 –$70 –$70 –$60 –$50 –$40 –$30 –$20 –$10 –$0 –Street Maintenance Expenditures per Capita$87$62 $63$49 $52 $45 $46$41$35$14 $17 $18 $23 $23 $22$11SeatacMaple ValleyCovingtonMill CreekArlingtonAverageMount VernonMercer IslandKenmoreMountlake TerraceMoses LakeLake Forest ParkShorelineBrierLynnwoodEdmonds> Continued from page 4Citizen Task Force Recommends New Civic Campussenior activities, dance recitals, art shows,outdoor movies and concerts.With sustainability in mind for thefuture, the campus would be the civic heart ofour new Town Center and would serve as acatalyst for transformation and stimulateprivate reinvestment in our downtown. Theconstruction would incorporate energy-efficientand environmentally-friendly LEEDSilver building techniques to reduce long-termoperating costs of the facilities. Its form andscale are responsive to the park environs,surrounding neighborhoods, and the visionfor our Town Center.The recommendation, which incorporatesspace to accommodate both current andfuture uses, would allow for expansion ifnecessary and would serve the needs of thecommunity in the 21 st century. This wouldallow the city to address new services14 cities were selected that are similar to Mountlake Terrace, based on population, form of governmentand location. We also selected our five surrounding communities.or initiatives that may come about infuture years. For example, when thecurrent police station was built, it was notconstructed to take into account programssuch as domestic violence and code enforcement,new programs and services that arenow basic municipal services provided bythe city.The benefit to our community would beimmediate as both our Town Center andCivic Campus would become regional referencesfor a sustainable community and economicdevelopment, creating a place thatthe community can take pride and delightin visiting.The issue of a new Civic Campus has beenstudied by City Councils since the 1980sand the current Council has followed a verydeliberate and methodical process. Itincluded the appointment of a citizen TaskForce to provide a fresh perspective of thesituation, numerous opportunities for thepublic to provide input, and tours ofMountlake Terrace and regional civic facilities.Council’s next steps would be to review theTask Force’s recommendation and when toseek voter approval for the project.The Task Force continued meeting throughJanuary to complete work on a recommendationfor the Recreation Pavilion, LakeBallinger Golf Course Clubhouse and FireStation 18. These recommendations werepresented to the City Council in February.You can learn more about the workof the Task Force at the City’s websitehttp://www.cityofmlt.com and then clickon the “Civic Facilities Task Force” link atthe bottom of the home page under MostRequested Services.TerraceCityHappeningseCityHappeningsMountlake4TerraceCityHappenings

City CouncilEvaluatesEMS LevyRestorationIn 2003 Mountlake Terrace votersapproved a property tax levy of 50 centsper $1,000 of assessed valuation on theirhome to help pay the cost of EmergencyMedical Services (EMS). The 50-cent levyis the maximum allowed for EMS underWashington State law. The money fromthis levy pays for paramedics, ambulancesand medical supplies provided by FireDistrict 1.Approximately 80% of the District’s callsare for medical aid. Our citizens receive ahigh level of emergency medical servicesthrough our contract with Fire District 1since all of their firefighters are cross-trained as either Emergency MedicalTechnicians or Paramedics.Since the levy went into effect in 2004, it has dropped from50 cents to 35 cents. This drop is due to the one-percent annuallimit on tax growth. The result is that while the cost of providingemergency medical services has increased on average three to fourpercent a year, the EMS levy itself has increased by only one percenta year. The net effect is that the EMS levy no longer covers the costof emergency medical services.In 2008, EMS cost approximately $1,660,000. Insurance andother fees paid about $400,000 of this amount, and the EMS levyprovided $807,000. This shortfall left a funding gap of about$453,000 that the city paid from other general fund sources, whichmeant less of those funds were available for other communityservices such as parks and police.At a study session on January 15, the City Council began adiscussion on whether or not to take the issue of restoring the EMSlevy to voters later this year. Watch for more information in futurenewsletters and on the city’s website, www.cityofmlt.com. If you haveany questions, please contact Assistant City Manager/AdministrativeServices Director Scott Hugill at (425) 744-6208.Arts and Cultural Planning is UnderwayThe City of Mountlake Terrace is inthe process of developing an Arts andCultural Plan. The planning processencouraged public involvement in avariety of ways, including educatingand surveying the community aboutthe future of our cultural services andpublic art programs. The plan will be aworking document that guides both dayto-dayand long-range decision-making.The Arts and Cultural Plan will lreflect our city’s vision of a vibrant artscommunity that responds to the needsand desires of our residents, friends,and visitors for art shows, opportunities,and classes, as well as arts in the parksand throughout our city. This plan canalso enhance downtown redevelopmentefforts through arts and cultural eventsand programs. It is visionary because itlooks at where we are now, what theanticipated needs are for the future, andhow we can improve and upgrade ourcurrent art programs.The plan is a comprehensive, longrangeplan that will provide a foundationfor strategic actions that will shapeMountlake Terrace’s arts programs andart within the city over the next twentyyears. For more information, pleasecontact Recreation and Parks DirectorDon Sarcletti at (425) 640-3104 or visitour website at www.cityofmlt.com under“How do I . . .” and click on Find Artsand Cultural Plan Info?cityofmlt.com 7

CityDirectoryANIMAL CONTROL(425) 670-8260BUILDING PERMITS(425) 744-6267BUSINESS LICENSES(425) 744-6211CITY INFORMATION(425) 776-1161CITY MANAGER(425) 744-6205CODE COMPLIANCE(425) 670-8260ENGINEERING(425) 744-6273FIRE BUSINESS LINE(425) 551-1200LIBRARY(425) 776-8722PASSPORTS(425) 776-1161PET LICENSES(425) 744-6210PLANNING(425) 744-6266POLICE BUSINESS(425) 670-8260PUBLIC WORKS(425) 670-8264PAVILION & POOL(425) 776-9173RECYCLING & TRANSFER STATION(425) 388-3425STREET LIGHTS OUT(425) 670-8264TRAFFIC TICKET INFO(425) 744-6211UTILITY BILLING(425) 744-6214 (425) 775-0420 faxCALL 911FOR FIRE, MEDICAL ANDPOLICE EMERGENCIEScityhall@ci.mlt.wa.uscodeenforcement@ci.mlt.wa.usmltpd@ci.mlt.wa.usutilitybilling@ci.mlt.wa.usCity Hall ServicesMovingAt their January 20 meeting,the City Council approveda 5-year lease agreement with theRedstone Corporate Center toserve as a temporary home for cityservices. Located at 6100 219 thStreet SW, on 220 th Street and justwest of I-5, the Redstone currentlyhouses Golf Savings Bank andPrudential Insurance as well as a number ofother businesses.In July, the City Council Chambersceiling collapsed in City Hall, renderingthat part of the building unusable and anasbestos abatement company was calledin to clean up the collapse. Due to anumber of safety hazards including thatother parts of the City Hall have the sameencapsulated asbestos that fell during the Julyincident, the Council felt the need to moveforward in locating a temporary City Hall.MeetingScheduleCity Council MeetingsFirst and third Mondays at7 p.m. at the LibraryArts Advisory CommissionThird Tuesday of each monthat 7 p.m. at City HallCommunity PolicingAdvisory BoardLast Tuesday of eachmonth at 6:30 p.m. atthe Police StationLibrary BoardThird Wednesday of eachmonth at 5:30 p.m.at the LibraryPlanning CommissionSecond and fourth Mondaysat 7 p.m. at the LibraryRecreation and ParkAdvisory CommissionSecond Tuesday of eachmonth at 7 p.m. at the PavilionCityNewsOffice improvements are currentlyunderway on the second floor toaccommodate City Hall operations and aCouncil Chambers. City Hall services willmove to the Redstone building, likely inMay of this year, and will remain there untilconstruction of a future Civic Campus isdetermined. The Civic Facilities AdvisoryTask Force recently recommended that afuture Civic Campus be built on the currentsite and that the Council seek voter approvalat a time that has not yet been determined.SWIMILESSONIREGISTRATIONLessons that begin Feb. 20-24:Mountlake Terrace Resident Registration: 2/16 – Open Registration: 2/17Lessons that begin April 6-19:Mountlake Terrace Resident Registration: 3/30 – Open Registration: 3/31Summer Camp Registration – 3/16Coffee withthe CityTHURSDAYMarch 5, 2009, 6 pmWEDNESDAYApril 8, 2009, 8 amWEDNESDAYMay 13, 2009, 6 pmRecreation Pavilion5303 228th Street SW(425) 776-9173PLEASE RECYCLETHIS NEWSLETTER. PRINTED WITH SOY BASED INKS.23204 58th Avenue WestMountlake Terrace, WA 98043ECRWSSPOSTAL CUSTOMERPRESORTEDSTANDARDUS POSTAGE PAIDCITY OF MOUNTLAKETERRACE