A strong turnout of 55 citizens attended the first community meeting with the City Hall Advisory Committee and ARC Architects on Tuesday, March 28.
ARC Architect Rex Bond and Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen spoke about the key project goal of developing an affordable concept design and cost estimate in support of a new City Hall at the Civic Center. Some attendees shared why they voted for and against previous proposals with total project cost, square footage cost, “just a city hall”, and clearer explanation of the actual cost for homeowners stated as reasons.
Bond asked attendees about their vision for City Hall at the Civic Center in downtown and how the location of the building on the site can facilitate the vision and goals of the project. The most popular vision words were welcoming, common, functional, family, and community. A vision statement will be drafted for consideration at the next community meeting on April 20.
There was also discussion on a preferred site location comparing thoughts about siting a new City Hall closer to the corner of 232nd Street SW and 58th Avenue W or further back and closer to the Police and Fire Stations and Veterans Memorial Park. The consensus was for the building to be located away from the corner.
ARC is currently preparing the results from space planning meetings in preparation for discussion with the City Hall Advisory Committee at their April 6 meeting. The space needs assessment along with input from the committee and community will determine the size of the project. From that, concepts and a preliminary layout will be developed and cost estimating will be done to form a recommendation for community input and eventually City Council consideration.
The next community meetings will be held on April 20 at the Mountlake Terrace Library and May 10 at Cedar Way Elementary with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. and the program beginning at 6:30 p.m. On June 5, the committee and ARC will make a recommendation to the City Council during their meeting and hold an open house from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Interim City Hall.
The committee is hosting neighborhood chats to talk to individuals and small groups in casual settings. The next neighborhood meeting will be Saturday, April 1 at Countryside Donut House from 9-11 a.m. and April 12 at Coffee with the City from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at the Pavilion.
For residents who cannot attend meetings this month, more are being scheduled for April and May as the project develops. In addition, an online comment form is available on our City Hall Advisory Committee webpage.
More neighborhood meetings are in the works and will be posted on the city Facebook page (City of Mountlake Terrace Government) and project webpage, www.cityofmlt.com/1899. The April issue of City Happenings also has the dates of upcoming meetings.
For more information, please email cityhall2017@ci.mlt.wa.us or call Community Relations Director Virginia Olsen at (425) 744-6206.