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Mill Creek council backs Snohomish County regional growth center applications for Ash Way and Mariner
Summary
Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution supporting Snohomish County’s applications to designate the Ash Way and Mariner areas as regional growth centers, a step designed to help the county compete for regional and federal infrastructure funding tied to planned light-rail growth.
The Mill Creek City Council on June 24 unanimously adopted a resolution supporting Snohomish County’s applications to designate the Ash Way and Mariner areas as regional growth centers, a move staff said would help the county — and nearby cities — compete for transportation and infrastructure funding tied to planned light-rail investments.
Staff member Ryan briefed the council that regional growth-center designations are used by the Puget Sound Regional Council to focus metropolitan transportation investment and that the designations will help the county become more competitive for those funds. He said the Mariner and Ash Way applications are linked to planned light-rail stations and projected growth through 2037.
Ryan said the Mariner application would increase “activity units” in that area by about 96 percent and that the Ash Way application would increase activity units by roughly 256 percent (activity units being a planners’ term that can include homes and businesses). He described Ash Way as partly in a boundary area the county and Lynnwood are resolving and said Mill Creek controls a smaller portion there but still has territory that could be affected.
Council discussion was brief; one council member characterized the endorsement as “putting our toe in the water without having to jump all the way in.” Councilmember (unnamed in transcript) moved to adopt a resolution supporting the Ash Way and Mariner regional growth‑center applications; another councilmember seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Staff emphasized that the county is leading the application process and that Mill Creek’s letters of support are limited to staff briefings and formal letters; final decisions by the county council and the Puget Sound Regional Council are expected later in the summer and fall. Ryan said the county steering committee was meeting the day after Mill Creek’s meeting and that County Council and PSRC would consider the applications in September.
