[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6107217,"mediaKeyId","2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823","parentId",2777188,"title","Council members report on Olympia visits; lakefront park funding uncertain amid tight state budgets","audioSeconds",470,"startMs",3496000,"endMs",3966000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823&start=3496&end=3966","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823/thumbnail_3496000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6107217/Lake-Forest-Park/King-County/Washington/Council-members-report-on-Olympia-visits-lakefront-park-funding-uncertain-amid-tight-state-budgets","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107217-0ad95f036d4087e903c27f8c13b51452/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232512&Signature=hbBnb7JrvN~jIWyBxRJjcMN83P6Wttep3lOT8VGNYpNlyRyoVtVvlY1ucv8BZAby9gNi7a6OiU~McXv0nDkglJiDopR1ekTggJrPGdt0Z8IPxjjLYoFXK7jIfz0kfT5Mg1Ml-F0drz~Pc6gKxNNhE0tIBibYDpHWRiHag74ah2tAmslPqz6SSU7jrFz6Tcx4U8Rl5wdueOGbZPaCek6jYeDgy8PulAyWoATIZtQcQUP0gFuf7lOw2w9fKIGuALqhSlZoL6bomOb2zpVGGhnhqr-PRotCXO22u~ICWnz4-z-f4JX85yDmxCKph8kS3v0xdenYvBtwE0jbimKRgSwwhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lake Forest Park, WA","date","2025-03-25T16:56:32Z","article","Council members Samra Riddle and Goldman reported March 24 on a series of face‑to‑face meetings in Olympia with the city’s three legislators and the city’s lobbyist to press requests from Lake Forest Park’s legislative agenda.

They said their primary ask was funding for the Lakefront Park construction project; all three legislators expressed general support but cautioned that the state’s tight budget made inclusion of a $1 million capital request unlikely this session. “It’s a very tight budget season. We should not get our hopes up,” council members said reporting legislators’ reactions.

Why it matters: The lakefront park is a multi‑year construction project the city seeks state help to fund. State capital budget decisions affect the timing of major local projects; legislators’ tentative opposition this session means the city may need to pursue funding in future cycles or other funding partners.

Other topics discussed

- Roundabout and SR‑104: Councilors said the roundabout ask did not appear in recent transportation proposals, and the complete‑streets multimodal funding request for SR‑104 was unlikely to be funded as a large capital item this session. Because the state is prioritizing maintenance, councilors said they asked legislators to consider smaller maintenance and preservation investments or partnerships (for example, WSDOT pavement maintenance paired with city‑led pedestrian or crosswalk improvements).

- Local levy limit changes: Council members reported both the Washington House and Senate have proposals to increase the standard local property tax levy limit (now generally 1%); the house proposal ties increases to inflation (up to 3%) and the senate proposal ties increases to inflation plus population growth. Council members indicated state legislators asked for local jurisdiction support on this controversial change and that the council had an email request in the meeting packet about signing on to a letter in support; councilors discussed the timing and implications.

Council response and next steps

Deputy Mayor Bodie and other councilors thanked Riddle and Goldman for the face‑to‑face meetings and suggested continuing outreach outside the legislative session so the city can build stronger relationships in advance of the next budget cycle. No formal council action was taken March 24.

Ending

Riddle and Goldman said they will continue follow‑up with legislators and the city’s lobbyist and will return with updates to the council as the session proceeds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 24, 2025 Committee of the Whole","oneSentenceSummary","Council members who met legislators in Olympia reported support for Lake Forest Park priorities but low odds of securing capital funding this session; they also discussed transportation priorities and state proposals to increase local property tax levy limits.","taxTitle","Lake Forest Park, King County, Washington","taxId",71686,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6107223,"Resident group outlines Climate Hub events and Solarize Kenmore partnership",246,129000,375000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823&start=129&end=375","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823/thumbnail_129000.jpg","/articles/6107223/Lake-Forest-Park/King-County/Washington/Resident-group-outlines-Climate-Hub-events-and-Solarize-Kenmore-partnership","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107223-c47d46cfa1de12ef29a8de3b847b1327/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232512&Signature=npTmXpCcPUy2gc8uQJH6SQVKesQKtJxk5j-W2i2cJuhbrmfbOMnNom-6uZtlEU25KczB6Xqk8XgY6nDpE1O4Qi0s~YYOi0i1JtjMk3l3MEakH--ushuLRKMezuTbR~GdNUkT3z-6K6FxfG77HsDqAzzB2KfKzZFZ~EagS6idPf8v1upQ1RTvC4BFNNCn8CI6LRFqjmzr4M8-C5EvzGcuHkgkfpRzPX0thepdIwVl2iW2PcD0nLkRxKN1BdYcFZPabgrjKpHdX41EJyEKZibKwCKWahHD~9FuMFfT1juMkfLBg5mYEBPSWpkijQE~MnWt3O9rgifbdTNwtZ3cWZpG3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public comment period March 24, a Lake Forest Park resident outlined upcoming Climate Hub events, community programs and a partnership with Solarize Kenmore to promote residential solar assessments.

Sarah Phillips, speaking as a resident and community organizer, said the city is partnering with Solarize Kenmore; she reported that when the program ran last year, “22 households in Lake Forest Park had an assessment done.” Phillips described two Solarize events planned for April 21 and in May, and said Kenmore vets contractors and conducts home assessments as part of the program.

Phillips also described Climate Hub programming and community events planned or being developed: a tentative Earth Day mural and community paint‑in developed with local artists and urban arts groups; an Arbor Day guided walk tied to the city’s garden tour and a clay bench model installation; a “Get Ready for Fire Season” Saturday workshop featuring a pulmonologist addressing smoke and health effects, local emergency‑management speakers and the fire department; an ongoing climate book club; and a planned Octavia Butler commemoration tied to the late author’s connection with Lake Forest Park.

Why it matters: These events aim to raise local awareness about climate and environmental resilience, connect residents with technical resources such as solar assessments, and expand community engagement around emergency preparedness and cultural programming.

Council response and next steps

Council members thanked Phillips for the update; no formal city action resulted from the public comment. Phillips said the Climate Hub is preparing newsletter material and encouraged city staff to coordinate on event promotion where appropriate.","A Lake Forest Park resident group gave public comment describing a local Climate Hub’s planned events, Solarize Kenmore partnership for residential solar assessments, and community activities including an Octavia Butler commemoration and a garden tour.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6107228,"Council receives preview of King County Public Benefit Rating System application for 'Hudson' parcels",539,2396000,2935000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823&start=2396&end=2935","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823/thumbnail_2396000.jpg","/articles/6107228/Lake-Forest-Park/King-County/Washington/Council-receives-preview-of-King-County-Public-Benefit-Rating-System-application-for-Hudson-parcels","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107228-745dac502523d29c681a08c9e230c055/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232512&Signature=bFrysXCNpdcR7xQpvaTgoPV-GdW2my2U8Ro105EO0PRYA9QQkL9Ik7naltUc2UUfvsLHmARrCAig93WP9JH2zShw9UU~Nw97R517HpQZLlqzUTcEKJDWbOBJ~qYfQVIHs6XlYWVKzYDMEdTO4BSlz6gUfpjEaOlmMBEkP~ORz6aEe6KKoX8U9sOtqDjdVtgQjZ0Z-k6C7vS0Vk4oRQSeQbNBdiNur9BpDbi05I~dB5pjXa~T3cdelYTuUNRIfSq0ixEyc6hdFgaXqpgxkT0Ywi-V-wJJLj9LK9a8N96gKT51aMcNmlLlz5-4aQOThlMqnCz13-0TsSTyIKWe-9G6Mw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planners gave Lake Forest Park councilors a primer March 24 on the King County Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS) and previewed an upcoming PBRS application known in staff materials as the “Hudson” application.

David Greetham, temporary senior planner with the city’s Community Development Department, introduced the PBRS process and said the application the city will consider later seeks to enroll about 1 acre of roughly 1.5 acres across three parcels at 3021 Northeast 805th Street under PBRS; the application packet and staff report will be presented at a future public hearing. “This first touch is really a either a refresher if you already are familiar with the system or a introduction if you haven’t dealt with the public benefit rating system before,” Greetham said.

Why it matters: PBRS provides a property tax reduction for private landowners who maintain qualifying open‑space values on enrolled land. The program is intended to preserve natural resources on private land through a recorded open‑space taxation agreement; the city and county must both approve an application before an agreement is recorded.

Key points covered

- Program basics: PBRS is a points‑based system administered under King County Code (KCC 20.30.6) and relevant state law (Open Space Taxation Act). Properties can receive up to a 90% reduction on the enrolled portion of assessed value if they score sufficiently on qualifying categories (forestry, habitat, watershed protection, public access, etc.). An owner needs at least five points to qualify.

- Process steps and timing: Applicants apply to King County; if the property is within a city, the county distributes the application to the city for review. King County conducts a site visit, resource evaluation and issues a staff report; the county hearing examiner commonly conducts the public hearing and the county council takes final action. Greetham said the Hudson packet will include King County’s staff report, recommended points and the city will entertain a public hearing and resolution.

- Financial and legal effects: Greetham and Megan Kim (King County PBRS lead, present for Q&A) said the county charges a one‑time $620 application fee. PBRS reduces property taxes on the enrolled acreage; there is a potential tax revenue impact for local jurisdictions. Greetham provided a simple example: if a property’s total taxes are $12,000, “the city might see a thousand of that for its percentage,” depending on the assessed value share and taxing district splits.

Questions from councilors

Councilors asked whether PBRS requires public access (it does not) and whether homeowners can combine adjacent parcels; Megan Kim said contiguous properties under separate ownership can apply together and may increase total savings under certain conditions. The council asked whether conservation easements and PBRS are mutually exclusive; Kim explained owners may hold both — a recorded conservation easement often increases PBRS points — and PBRS specifically reduces the property tax assessment on enrolled acreage.

Limitations and removal

Kim explained restrictions vary by how a parcel qualifies: parcels with an approved forest stewardship or restoration plan can carry out management work described in those plans, while parcels that qualify only by habitat or other categories may face tighter limits on tree removal or clearing for views. If an enrolled property exits PBRS within 10 years, the owner must pay compensating taxes equal to up to seven years of unpaid taxes plus interest and typically a 20% penalty (the penalty may be waived for properties in compliance). The program typically sees low attrition (about 5% historically), Kim said.

Next steps

Greetham said the Hudson application has already paid the $620 fee and staff will forward the full packet, recommended points and a draft resolution in advance of a public hearing. No council vote or formal action was taken March 24.","City staff presented an overview of the King County Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS) and previewed an upcoming PBRS application for a three‑parcel property (the 'Hudson' application); councilors posed procedural questions and no action was taken.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6107233,"City hears update on WRIA 8 Chinook conservation plan as interlocal agreement renewal approaches",1903,429000,2332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823&start=429&end=2332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2777188-3d8c738b28b1d40b7379f834e03c1823/thumbnail_429000.jpg","/articles/6107233/Lake-Forest-Park/King-County/Washington/City-hears-update-on-WRIA-8-Chinook-conservation-plan-as-interlocal-agreement-renewal-approaches","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6107233-375a1c1291ff9737a47981091127e5ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1776232512&Signature=MlgNdcQIB4qzyt1FDY5CQYmZJqxYXMsZp4pZfkx8RHITU0CZ3q13zRRxglwrvXlFZITXIUFpNA~T0-~Dny9kQPF8J0yd7hBCPhXLuOB3lDreVnqqwSPXU1zlTjaqEX-t3KlMwCtEH4VQAi4fE0TkpxEeNkkA9Lx-9~GHpeUBUgf3niXWgYMkv5qBfhuEmVrqXMvPZNYQRjs-NJVcgtCfinrXlwVGUcys22I7y58N6heyoxqOejVLaWgL86fMhxt7iABw~c~t8r81tK6VjgWs8qn9Pa33gDGAaqkdRY2xoVO2rlR1jMRc8ZsFYhDI3mzkncq4oIK4biHodiNy30GvPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lake Forest Park councilors received a briefing March 24 on salmon recovery work in the Lake Washington–Cedar–Sammamish watershed (WRIA 8) and the interlocal agreement (ILA) that funds and governs regional recovery efforts.

Jason Mulvihill‑Coontz, the WRIA 8 salmon recovery manager, told the committee that the watershed’s conservation work is driven by a local plan that is a chapter of the federal Puget Sound Chinook recovery plan and that the partners are proposing a new interlocal agreement covering 2026–2035. “The main goal here is to provide you with some more context about salmon recovery in the watershed, Lake Forest Park’s participation in the interlocal agreement partnership, that supports salmon recovery work, and we’re renewing that partnership for another 10‑year period this year,” Mulvihill‑Coontz said.

Why it matters: WRIA 8 covers the most populated watershed in the state and includes many urban shorelines and streams that provide juvenile salmon habitat. The interlocal agreement structures governance, technical coordination, and the locally managed grant rounds that fund on‑the‑ground restoration projects. Lake Forest Park is a member and pays an annual cost share; the city’s 2025 share is $5,409.

Key details

- Background and plan: WRIA 8 partners adopted a local Chinook conservation plan in 2005; that plan was incorporated into the Puget Sound federal recovery plan adopted in 2007. The local plan was updated in 2017 and operates on 10‑year horizons; the current planning horizon ends this year, and partners plan another update.

- Governance and funding: The ILA convenes elected representatives from 28 local governments to form the Salmon Recovery Council and supports a small staff team that coordinates technical committees, annual grant rounds and reporting. Mulvihill‑Coontz said the partnership manages roughly $5–7 million a year in grant funds, supplied mainly by the King County Flood Control District ($4.2 million/year), the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Fund (~$1.5 million every two years) and Salmon Recovery Funding Board grants (~$530,000).

- Accomplishments and scale: Mulvihill‑Coontz said the partnership has awarded about $38 million to on‑the‑ground projects across the watershed and maintains a prioritized capital project list by stream and lake.

Discussion and questions

Council members asked how the ILA funds are used and whether the proposed renewal changes the agreement materially. Mulvihill‑Coontz said the cost‑share portion of the ILA funds the program’s administrative functions — staff coordination, grant management, scientific coordination and outreach — but does not directly fund capital restoration work, which comes from grant programs.

On changes to the ILA, Mulvihill‑Coontz said the 2026–2035 ILA is a “pretty simple update” that aligns language across three King County watershed ILAs, tightens clerical provisions (for example, moving the date the annual budget is provided from September to October) and reflects current practice; he said there were no substantive policy changes highlighted to the council.

Council members also asked about trend data and the major challenges facing recovery. Mulvihill‑Coontz said Chinook returns have “basically stopped the bleeding” over the past two decades — a stabilization but not a rebound — and cautioned that long life cycles and ocean conditions mean it can take a decade or more to show durable trends. He flagged several major bottlenecks facing recovery in the watershed: elevated water temperatures in the Lake Washington Ship Canal, predation on juvenile and adult salmon (including marine mammals at the Ballard Locks and invasive predatory fish in lakes), disease exacerbated by warming, and effects of artificial light on predation.

Next steps and city role

Mulvihill‑Coontz said partners are preparing a progress report on the 2017 plan goals and will ask member jurisdictions to consider the 2026–2035 interlocal agreement; Lake Forest Park staff indicated the council would see the ILA for formal consideration in a future meeting cycle. Council member Faritani was identified as Lake Forest Park’s voting member to the Salmon Recovery Council and Deputy Mayor Lori Bodie as an alternate. Resident Jeff Jensen was noted as returning to the recovery board in a different capacity.

Ending

Mulvihill‑Coontz closed by offering WRIA 8 staff support for project planning and said the partnership will continue to refine project priorities, monitoring, and outreach to broaden community involvement in recovery work.","King County’s WRIA 8 salmon recovery manager briefed Lake Forest Park councilors on the watershed-based salmon recovery plan, funding sources, and a proposed 2026–2035 interlocal agreement that will continue regional coordination; no formal city action was taken at the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council members report on Olympia visits; lakefront park funding uncertain amid tight state budgets

Resident group outlines Climate Hub events and Solarize Kenmore partnership

Council receives preview of King County Public Benefit Rating System application for 'Hudson' parcels

City hears update on WRIA 8 Chinook conservation plan as interlocal agreement renewal approaches