[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6249705,"mediaKeyId","3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99","parentId",3204900,"title","Council reviews draft housing cooperation agreement for Trailhead transit-oriented project; no vote tonight","audioSeconds",2273,"startMs",2807000,"endMs",5080000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99&start=2807&end=5080","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99/thumbnail_2807000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6249705/Issaquah/King-County/Washington/Council-reviews-draft-housing-cooperation-agreement-for-Trailhead-transit-oriented-project-no-vote-tonight","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249705-7db9d9f2732d2c71992981985a0016f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450703&Signature=MvrEF-~Exoe-ugeUtdA9OJFwfqCND1q29gSpKNCDBnWr6FgHvymIBuYU~oWmAWeVKhnwMlDrcFM4PMquiiZ4Yyzb0W6K60yknI8DkLgBM7-ayLIxt5dLZ6D7fvgMvLxbAvZYgM5a9ufNiMbMO-Rwr4EAmUD8sS2RXpB3RAJGDGWlKTQ8Q1YqrK4CoAS-EnJiyXEkFF8hb6APWHmAI~~xS3EOE2CXfkZE74tWk2kLzjN2BSQ7C4dlRoON87GRivKrVDKjKqDPnmug9uPD1rSoTpHHicXEZgMY4H8hGb-KWBDpHb6OGJLXewBOK2-W3u6D9HgBkQyDDDMcHxP6mBsTwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Issaquah City, WA","date","2025-05-07T00:51:52.5Z","article","The Issaquah City Council on May 5 reviewed a draft Housing Cooperation Agreement (HCA) between the City and the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) for the Trailhead Transit-Oriented Development, a two-building project that would include an affordable housing building and a market-rate building, a public plaza and a city-owned Opportunity Center.

City staff and KCHA representatives asked the council for guidance on five code waivers they say are needed to preserve the affordable building’s financial viability: exemption from the step-back requirement above the fifth floor, relief from ground‑floor parking-separation and transparency rules on certain frontages, flexibility in how private versus shared outdoor amenity area is provided, and allowing the affordable building to meet Washington’s Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard (ESDS) instead of LEED Platinum.

Andrea Snyder, deputy city administrator, told the council they were not asking for adoption tonight. “We’re here for you tonight not for a decision on the HCA, but rather your feedback and guidance,” she said. Pending council feedback, staff plans to return with the HCA for possible adoption in June.

Dan Landis, vice president of development for the King County Housing Authority, reviewed the project history and the changes that have reduced the site’s development capacity. He said the team first proposed a TOD here in 2016 and later acquired the CenturyLink (now Lumen) parcel in 2022. “We acquired the site in 2022 but at a cost over 5 times higher than what we had originally hoped,” Landis said, noting that construction costs and financing conditions have changed markedly since the original proposal.

KCHA’s current schematic calls for roughly 54 low-income housing tax‑credit units (targeted to 40–60% of area median income), about 200 market-rate units, a 10,000-square-foot Opportunity Center the city would own, and 3,600 square feet of housing for six people with developmental disabilities that would be owned by a nonprofit partner. The schematic and the HCA request also reflect a reduced buildable width after an historic short plat and new wetland buffer rules reduced the developable area; the presentation showed the developable width falling from 228 feet to about 178 feet — a roughly 28% reduction.

Maggie Carson, the project architect with Weber Thompson, explained the strongest technical argument for the step‑back waiver: the code requirement that buildings above five stories “step back” at that level would force a structural transition through the wood-framed portion of the building. Carson said that change would raise structural complexity and cost, and could remove family-sized units. “The loss of space renders the apartments unusable,” she said, adding that complying with the step‑back above the wood frame would cost roughly $1.2 million and could eliminate about six units and several three‑bedroom apartments the team is trying to preserve.

KCHA asked the city to allow the affordable building to substitute ESDS — a state sustainability standard required by many public funders — in place of LEED Platinum because duplicative certification would add cost without measurable public benefit, Landis said. KCHA and staff also requested leniency on ground-level transparency where the building fronts a mid‑block connection, the public plaza or other required frontages; the design team said necessary utilities and parking access must sit on some of those frontages.

Councilmembers asked detailed questions about financing, timeline and tradeoffs. Councilmember Kelly Jang said she supported the administration continuing to work with KCHA on sustainability “even if there’s not a specific certification” and that the step‑back alternative “looks better than the code‑minimum design” in the team’s renderings.

Several councilmembers urged attention to preserving three‑bedroom units, and multiple members raised concerns about whether similar waivers should apply to the market‑rate building so the two buildings read as compatible. Councilmember Joe and others pressed KCHA on the market‑rate partner situation: the market-side development partner left the project in 2020 and KCHA said it has not yet secured a market-rate developer; KCHA said it could hold the market-rate portion or attempt to develop it itself if necessary.

Andrea Snyder summarized next steps: staff will continue negotiations with KCHA, finalize outstanding technical and sustainability details, and return to council for possible adoption of an HCA in June. The team also said the site development permit application has been submitted and the current schedule anticipates building permits in August, construction starting in June 2026 and project completion in mid‑2028 if approvals and financing proceed.

Councilmembers praised the level of work but flagged a few continuing issues — including the potential loss of commercial space in the Opportunity Center, the risk that the market-rate building might never be built, and whether some of the requested code flexibility should be applied to both buildings — and asked staff and KCHA to return with refinements.

Notes on status and scope: no council motion or vote was taken on the HCA at the May 5 meeting; staff asked for council feedback and will return later for a formal action if directed. The council did approve the meeting’s consent calendar earlier in the evening by a single motion (vote recorded as 7–0).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Issaquah City Council Regular Meeting - May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Issaquah City Council on May 5 reviewed a draft Housing Cooperation Agreement (HCA) between the City and the King County Housing Authority for the Trailhead Transit-Oriented Development and gave staff feedback on requested code waivers; no adoption was requested or taken tonight.","taxTitle","Issaquah, King County, Washington","taxId",53186,"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},6249694,"Resident urges prosecutors to act after incident he says involved police and a camera; council accepts public comment",298,2391000,2689000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99&start=2391&end=2689","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99/thumbnail_2391000.jpg","/articles/6249694/Issaquah/King-County/Washington/Resident-urges-prosecutors-to-act-after-incident-he-says-involved-police-and-a-camera-council-accepts-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249694-11ce3a2d9571a648428a0be0b3b70072/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450703&Signature=R9D7e2kAZA~iPaFgM20z5YqN52belOxl0osQL8QZxCFkIghwpksbeVANAM~c5WjS2x2p862O0xOdnZyYhIah~F~4GDHGI~SPLsTxcT-lJq3Q2anaSCkA9~qiukjeb20UCzSwb~VYDrh3bMPwtMDJ6M~m6Pm1nwmBpQoFN1ydGKqMrNM5rFKuWrgT91cYa5u7GqE-DDkoj~R9xgGMmIrp0NgQGQ0r7fCN1ruFEZWGFZLrRjFro-hDuZCuSwL2L4kkRPvRLz-Ap6V401LDSWBijAjqLKFhDE3f1jzSxXBycVep~r7An4CsgQ4MYU0nKAti7QwQ0Xp-kShKZgm34ik44A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the general audience comments at the May 5 meeting, resident Kai Han addressed the City Council about a policing and camera‑funding dispute that he said remained unresolved. Han said he has raised the matter repeatedly with police commanders and prosecutors and urged authorities to pursue criminal charges against an unnamed individual he said was improperly using police resources.

Han told the council he had spoken with police commanders earlier and planned to visit the police station after the meeting. He described viewing video evidence that, in his view, contained inconsistent statements by different people, including what he said were contradictory accounts recorded on separate tapes. \"I talked to the police commanders, and I told him, please charge him,\" Han said from the lectern.

Han also raised questions about the city's purchase or use of cameras and whether public funds were used appropriately. He offered to volunteer his time to help the city and said he would provide credentials and background information to assist an investigation. He also complained about a prosecutor’s proposed sanction in his own case — a $150 fine and anger‑management plus volunteer hours — which he described to the council as unfair.

Mayor Mary Lou Polley and city staff thanked Han for his comments and noted the city accepts written public comments at any time via the council email address. No council member proposed or made a motion based on the public comment; staff said they would follow up through appropriate administrative channels where additional information, evidence or formal complaints are provided.

The remarks were offered during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; the council did not debate or act on specific allegations during the session. The city clerk confirmed other virtual attendees were present but not wishing to speak at that time.","A resident, Kai Han, used the general‑comment period to press the council and prosecutors about an incident he described involving police officers, camera funding and inconsistent accounts. He said he had spoken with police commanders and prosecutors and asked that charges be filed; city staff offered follow‑up avenues and the mayor reminded the公",{"_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},6249699,"Issaquah staff present draft plan to combat loneliness, bolster community ties; council broadly supportive",550,4976000,5526000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99&start=4976&end=5526","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3204900-4e12334ecf1b7ca20b8e25e8b4eedd99/thumbnail_4976000.jpg","/articles/6249699/Issaquah/King-County/Washington/Issaquah-staff-present-draft-plan-to-combat-loneliness-bolster-community-ties-council-broadly-supportive","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6249699-b948a3b262c17c390290e1c4b3d493d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770450703&Signature=eEfahEP4vKD3GOUiocViRHgnoKiRfrBEaS18DI56jAkmC3UNRbRieY4DdtziMyHoWWxsetad8E5FTtTZ5QfPXSfZJxTuYD7GDXo508-2wc5FfCvw6oVWNFslYDkWqQZHl7uXEOCGOfA2hzvGt~gzfp6VQp2ojbiy6gG1aT5FhAMLXrYUFwd~2OWc4Vojw-JmQ4aRQMPlOJejtppRJqqghSWj3j50TWHLvAiFOfBBMDMCMPB2SYycGo-j73Bl5cvv4YqkBjiaRDkaiiSNo-JjJSO-fsw4Pn29RkwWH2mp1lWQQCZz8-DYvhvoAmZTfSuiEwDwfO5vFFIx72pzWYVGsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Issaquah city staff presented a draft action plan on May 5 to address loneliness and strengthen community connections, a top city priority for 2025. The presentation described a multi‑year approach that pairs data collection with outreach and public‑space activation and asked the council for feedback on the mission, goals and near‑term actions.

Dale Markey Crimp, assistant to the city administrator, framed the work around the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on loneliness and isolation and staff’s reading of local signals. “The purpose of tonight's presentation is to provide the city council with an update on the 2025 citywide priority of nurturing connections and building strong community bonds,” Crimp said. He flagged survey data showing that while 77% of residents say they feel they belong in Issaquah, only about 55% say they feel connected to neighbors and 28% report feeling connected to the broader community.

The draft plan identifies four city goals: empower community leaders, enhance behavioral‑health supports, raise awareness and encourage engagement, and strengthen neighborhood ties. Near‑term work for 2025 focuses on forming a Community Connection Action Group, collecting behavioral‑health and community‑survey baselines, activating city‑owned public spaces, and supporting partner organizations’ programming. The plan does not request new biennial funding now; staff said the first year emphasizes organization, partnerships and baseline data collection.

Councilmembers responded with a mix of practical suggestions and endorsements. Several members urged the city to include businesses and volunteer organizations as partners, to prioritize activation of public spaces so they host repeat programming, and to consider “pathways” that lower barriers for residents who are not already connected to community groups. Councilmember Hall emphasized measurement and long‑term metrics, asking staff to track survey changes alongside behavioral‑health data. Deputy Council President DeMichele urged the inclusion of shared purpose in outreach so residents connect around tangible activities.

Mayor Mary Lou Polley said she welcomed the work and noted the plan’s alignment with community conversations the council hears frequently. “I think we have a wonderfully engaging community,” the mayor said, thanking staff for convening partners.

Staff will reconvene the newly formed Community Connection Action Group within weeks, finalize a charter, and return to council with an update late in 2025 or early 2026. Immediate next steps include a plan to collect baseline behavioral‑health data and pilot activation efforts at targeted public spaces such as the Senior Center plaza.","City staff presented a staff-developed action plan that treats “nurturing connections and building strong community bonds” as a 2025 priority. The plan centers on convening community partners, collecting baseline data, activating public spaces, and piloting outreach; councilmembers offered suggestions and voiced support.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council reviews draft housing cooperation agreement for Trailhead transit-oriented project; no vote tonight

Resident urges prosecutors to act after incident he says involved police and a camera; council accepts public comment

Issaquah staff present draft plan to combat loneliness, bolster community ties; council broadly supportive