More than a dozen community members attended a special City Council meeting Monday, July 22, 2019 to hear an introduction on the draft Town Center Subarea Plan and 2018 Comprehensive Plan Amendments following a recommendation from the Planning Commission last week.
Beginning in April of 2018, an eleven member Economic Vitality and Town Center Task Force hosted 11 public meetings; two open houses and a public Economic Opportunities Panel Discussion meeting; conducted an in-person visual preference survey; and participated in a joint meeting with the Council and Planning Commission where the Task Force’s recommendation was presented.
The Planning Commission began review and consideration of the Task Force’s recommended draft Town Center Subarea Plan on January 14, 2019. The commission met 12 times, including a public hearing on July 10, 2019. Following deliberation during the July 16, 2019 meeting, the Planning Commission moved to recommend several documents, e.g., draft Town Center Subarea Plan, new Zoning Code and Design Standards, and an amended Economic Vitality Element, to the City Council.
In addition to holding open houses and public meetings, notifications have included ten news releases on the Plan and Task Force’s work, seven articles in City Happenings and a number of weekly updates and social media posts.
At the July 22 meeting, the Council emphasized the desire to receive community input on the Plan and to contact the city with questions. The city will have a booth at the Tour de Terrace street fair from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday where the community can ask questions. To provide input, you may either attend a meeting and provide public comment, write a letter to the City Council or email cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us.
Additional opportunities to get information on the Plan include the city’s National Night Out Against Crime event on Tuesday, August 6 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Evergreen Playfield and the August 14 Coffee with the City event from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Recreation Pavilion.
A Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) has been prepared as part of the Plan. The Draft SEIS can be reviewed at City Hall and on the city website www.cityofmlt.com/338. The 30-day comment period on the Draft SEIS runs from July 19 – August 19, 2019. The EIS will supplement the Mountlake Terrace Town Center Planned Action and Zoning Regulations Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS), published in August 2007, and the Town Center Planned Action Final EIS Addendum, published in April 2013.
Tentative meeting dates for City Council discussion include a study session with the Planning Commission on the SEIS on Thursday, August 1 and a public hearing on the SEIS Monday, August 5, 2019 both beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Interim City Hall. Public comment on the SEIS will be taken at both meetings.
The Council will be reviewing and discussing the Plan for the next nine weeks before anticipated final action. Additional meetings to discuss the Plan and gather public input from the community are tentatively scheduled for August 15 (City Council work/study session), September 16 (Public Hearing for Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations) and September 26 (Public Hearing and City Council action.)
Meeting dates are tentative and subject to change, so please check with the City Clerk’s Office (425) 744-6206 or cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us to confirm closer to the dates. The meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Interim City Hall Council Chambers, 6100 219th Street SW #220, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043. Input may be provided by email to cityhall@ci.mlt.wa.us, handwritten letter to the address above, or in person at one or more of the public hearings.
For more information or to provide comments on the Draft SEIS or Town Center Subarea Plan, contact Christy Osborn, Community and Economic Development Director, City of Mountlake Terrace, 6100 219th Street SW, Suite 200, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 at cosborn@ci.mlt.wa.us or at (425) 744-6207.
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