[{"_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",6536680,"mediaKeyId","3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984","parentId",3736723,"title","Lynnwood residents press council over pride flag visibility; council members defend staff","audioSeconds",2169,"startMs",1171000,"endMs",3340000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984&start=1171&end=3340","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984/thumbnail_1171000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6536680/Lynnwood/Snohomish-County/Washington/Lynnwood-residents-press-council-over-pride-flag-visibility-council-members-defend-staff","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536680-737ac4cd1d01ca28ddcb4e9af17fc77c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177721&Signature=Ck~zmaZIyNCEQgNtlnoqQsKiWPeBqasjcPdVqkvRdPFKt~rlIOBFEi8yB9d94i4YGgax~YMpVexYgiM80Vo8sq7WU~qgdMzJKUQgYNCja3Pp17LXlBDsRTqVgznz8n5x8fZTgOLcPQk7TE2X0wGZUYufPdBLoy1ReUjpEVIeDCY52Ns8mtnD42CW~tz-kBYui97ZUWOdISMQZJeBJaa-a~Vvmr27sxNmfF33VCv~u3f6iTqowSUAsuuMzFdPZ0uKs-cCr5zpqTCD~zxKy9jhknvBwGFeUTkVL5mXzt-mXOgYjCEdvjt5yWv22y6ASYGNboaG8c5TM9TJUYK8uFEo4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lynnwood","date","2025-06-09T00:00:00Z","article","Community members urged the Lynnwood City Council on June 9 to allow a visible Pride flag at Wilcox Park and to adopt a clearer, more equitable flag-raising policy.

The request came during the public-comment period, when several speakers said they were disappointed city staff had not approved a Pride flag-raising at Wilcox Park. Philip Lipson, who identified himself as a Lynnwood resident (98036), told the council, “Displaying flags that represent marginalized or under represented group does not diminish the honor of the American flag. It enhances it by living out the core values of flag stands for liberty, justice, and equality for all.” Charlotte Lafevre also raised concerns about the city’s process, saying she and others were “dismayed” by how the request was handled.

The exchange prompted several council members to explain the city’s actions. Mayor Christine Frizzell told the room the city had a flag raising at City Hall the previous week that drew roughly 50 people: “We did have a flag raising and it was here at City Hall. It was a week ago and there was about 50 people here.” Councilmember Decker publicly thanked Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Director Joel Faber for applying the city’s law and code at Wilcox Park and defended the city’s police response to an incident at that event: “He did an admirable job of professionally representing the city in a very difficult situation and has been unfairly attacked by Linwood Pride over his conduct.”

Councilmembers and staff clarified logistics that affected where flags can be raised. City staff said Wilcox Park lacks a permanent pole that can be used for additional flags without bringing in a boom truck; the mayor described the recent City Hall flag-raising as an event that required on-site setup. Councilmember Hurst suggested the city consider adding a proclamation flagpole at the 40 Fourth location so approved proclamations could be publicly recognized there.

Speakers from local advocacy groups asked the city for a policy that would allow timely, visible flag raisings for community observances year-round, not only as an employee-only activity. “We’re not asking you to replace anything, just add a pride flag, not just for June, but year round,” said Isabel Mata (98036).

Councilmembers said they hear the community’s concerns and offered next steps. Councilmember Escamilla said council and city staff support Pride and described the change from employee-only events to ones open to the public as “baby steps.” Councilmember Hurst said he supported both staff and a visible proclamation pole and proposed city staff bring proposals back for where and how to site a permanent proclamation flagpole so groups with approved proclamations could have a visible location.

The council also issued a formal proclamation recognizing Juneteenth during the meeting; Mayor Frizzell signed the proclamation on June 9. The mayor and several councilmembers encouraged the public to attend upcoming Juneteenth events in Lynnwood.

The council did not take formal legislative action on a new flag policy at the June 9 meeting. Instead, members asked staff to return with options for a visible proclamation flagpole and said they would continue discussion on flag policy and event procedures.

Ending

City staff and the council said they would follow up with concrete options: staff will clarify where permanent poles exist and what hardware would be required for year-round visibility, and councilmembers indicated they would consider placing a proclamation pole at the 40 Fourth site. No new ordinance or rule was adopted June 9; council members asked for further staff work and additional discussion at a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lynnwood - City Council Business Meeting - Jun 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Community members urged the Lynnwood City Council on June 9 to allow a visible Pride flag at Wilcox Park and to adopt a clearer, more equitable flag-raising policy.","taxTitle","Lynnwood, Snohomish County, Washington","taxId",58431,"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},6536676,"Lynnwood public hearing on Unified Development Code spotlights fire-sprinkler debate and housing trade-offs",1812,3398000,5210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984&start=3398&end=5210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984/thumbnail_3398000.jpg","/articles/6536676/Lynnwood/Snohomish-County/Washington/Lynnwood-public-hearing-on-Unified-Development-Code-spotlights-fire-sprinkler-debate-and-housing-trade-offs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536676-1fe033d8e1abe2c2234b006e072f7fcd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177721&Signature=ihUrvMXp1YWgXm0F15qVC5sLz-f9-2iKDJ~tBsnMwTFZ6WYIixriIRgG9Z50g2ePO2fS--0-oU1j5EDCYWijw9~ivwcn4ZAEGW~zZYtrCNubBEa6huz1VQ1-KcaYq07CYdXy3x9omxDpIMP7XC4FvQEBcKzsoF5TvdA1uEBvSOghCjfgTfdlpGWQEgmwbJ87d~SRKPjjMQLlkLnXlB2TMPXDYoWnQ~K~zTR0xLhEQfiBrJFnl9wA8VTD2FhzhwOs~V5O8yCOe33vS137Q1NKcKtcNZEJlXLRfNrHVmIUlz3mQc0uyVoCB-zRnGRuXAlgO2d7-BL51EZvPiIUUKsBlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lynnwood City Council held a public hearing on June 9 to consider a proposed Unified Development Code intended to implement the city’s housing-action objectives and ensure compliance with state laws. The draft code would consolidate land‑use chapters, adjust parking requirements and allow additional housing types including duplexes, triplexes and other “middle‑housing” options on single lots.

City planning manager Carl Omgren told the council the UDC aims to streamline review and support increased housing supply. “The unified development code is written to help support that,” Omgren said, and staff said the ordinance would also align Lynnwood with recent state bills (HB 1110 and HB 1337) and the Department of Commerce model ordinance.

A central, contested topic at the hearing was a proposed expansion of residential fire‑sprinkler requirements. Deputy Fire Marshal Dale Rodman of the Snohomish County Regional Fire Authority described the safety rationale: “They’re actually not meant to put fires out completely. They’re meant to save lives and keep people give people time to get out of the building,” he said, urging broader adoption as new housing types increase density.

Staff presented several threshold options for where sprinklers would be required, including: all new residences; thresholds as low as 800–1,200 square feet to capture ADUs and smaller units; or larger thresholds such as 3,000–4,000 square feet applied either per structure or aggregated per lot (Edmonds uses a 3,000-square-foot structure threshold; Mountlake Terrace uses 4,000). Omgren said the planning commission recommended revisiting sprinkler thresholds to balance life safety and housing affordability.

Speakers during public testimony included builders, trade groups and housing advocates. Natalie Reber of the Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties said the association strongly opposed a blanket sprinkler mandate and provided a cost estimate: “We show the impact and cost of installing sprinklers closer to 8 or 10000 and up for single family residences,” she told the council, and warned that higher construction costs could reduce housing affordability and deter ADU permitting. Brian Hader of the Snohomish County Association of Realtors similarly urged caution and recommended objective, less‑costly design standards.

Several council members asked clarifying questions about thresholds, the relationship to parking exemptions, and which lot configurations the rule would affect. Councilmember Parshall noted much of the “missing middle” housing already requires sprinklers under current rules for attached units, while Councilmember Escamilla asked staff to confirm how neighboring jurisdictions apply lot‑based versus per‑structure thresholds.

Staff highlighted that the state deadline for parts of the code is July 1 and that the full UDC is scheduled for council final consideration on June 23. Omgren said staff will provide additional materials and options for sprinkler thresholds to help the council weigh safety and affordability trade‑offs. He also noted the city must adopt changes needed to remain compliant with state law or accept the state model ordinance.

Ending

The public hearing closed at the conclusion of testimony and clarifying questions. No final action was taken June 9; the council will consider adopting the consolidated UDC, including the fire‑sprinkler chapter, at a future council meeting (scheduled for June 23). Staff said they would provide additional data and threshold comparisons (Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and others) to inform council deliberations.","The Lynnwood City Council held a public hearing June 9 on a proposed Unified Development Code to implement state housing laws and streamline land‑use review; the meeting focused on whether to expand residential fire‑sprinkler requirements for new housing.",{"_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},6536671,"At-a-glance: key votes and procedural approvals at Lynnwood City Council, June 9, 2025",390,10275000,10665000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984&start=10275&end=10665","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3736723-46b1b73f5325d8916a5a91b883aa2984/thumbnail_10275000.jpg","/articles/6536671/Lynnwood/Snohomish-County/Washington/At-a-glance-key-votes-and-procedural-approvals-at-Lynnwood-City-Council-June-9-2025","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6536671-2c080cd24544c138898c6379e27c9fe6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177721&Signature=SvCBYx3l5JiFXTiuEhc4RT1HOuh40D8MJ9NN~nN5P-2OL0CGLX0Vzq0dCpWPu4CoBwtQpA9QVKhQTAmrTjZ~2Zg-p4FB7OYQbKr1x1v3Ea2U6T9~WO-846uUKpKwwtTSQ49V~PmAhG9~VPLMUKzh5Tl2LUgJtdVu3Dez2LoaRc-cYUvZrSYCmqomgKOMAF1oqIYO1hbrYAYhXi~L180~nYiWIdaUzIQvQ6c3b70Cq7MJIyx-LUhnBZG6IF~PFflO7ugZjYp6ZO1HzzLnWGsT3qkVCdVz5H~ifcvxnYAebvDlisEfNXIYAwD7dgp2Y1qyb3xirKGWZiLT1ISKNNqLjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","This summary lists formal motions and recorded votes from the Lynnwood City Council business meeting on June 9, 2025.

Minutes and unanimous-consent items

- Approval of minutes: The council approved the minutes for the May 27, 2025 business meeting; May 28, 2025 finance committee; and the June 2, 2025 work session by voice vote; the motion carried.

- Unanimous-consent agenda: By unanimous consent the council approved claims totaling $1,775,116.73 dated May 30, 2025, and authorized the mayor to execute a construction management contract for the 2025 paving project with a not-to-exceed amount of $281,000.

Opioid settlement funds — retail-theft diversion program (roll call)

Councilmember Hurst moved to allocate $271,330 from the city’s opioid‑settlement fund (Fund 147) to continue the WAW/ORCA retail‑theft diversion program. The funding split in the motion was $183,330 to Zackerstock & Krebs (ZSK) and $88,000 to LEAD, to continue the program from June 15, 2025 through January 15, 2026.

The council conducted a roll‑call vote. Council vice president Bridal voted no; Councilmember Hurst voted yes; Councilmember Escamilla voted yes; Councilmember Parshall voted no; Councilmember Lewyler voted no; Councilmember Decker voted no; Council president Coelho voted no. The motion failed, 2–5.

Notes

- Council discussion on the opioid funds included procedural questions about the nature of the one‑time settlement dollars and requests from several members for more comprehensive strategy and data before committing the funds.

Ending

No other final budget adjustments were adopted June 9. The failed motion leaves the opioid‑settlement funds (Fund 147) available for future council consideration.","The council approved routine minutes and unanimous-consent items and rejected a motion to allocate opioid-settlement funds to extend a retail-theft diversion program. This roundup lists the formal actions and their outcomes recorded during the meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lynnwood residents press council over pride flag visibility; council members defend staff

Lynnwood public hearing on Unified Development Code spotlights fire-sprinkler debate and housing trade-offs

At-a-glance: key votes and procedural approvals at Lynnwood City Council, June 9, 2025