Council reviews staging of strategic priorities; requests adjustments to DRCC timeline

Mill Creek City Councilmembers reviewed staff—s proposed schedule for advancing the council—s three top strategic priorities following the Jan. 28 strategic retreat: (1) South Town Center sub-area planning, (2) a plan for the DRCC community facility, and (3) financial viability measures. The Feb. 11 session presented a staff staging spreadsheet and a list of tasks staff proposed to complete in 2025.

City Manager Yamamoto summarized next steps: an RFQ for South Town Center master-planning consultants (selection anticipated in March), follow-up work on annexation financial impacts, benchmarking of utility and fee structures, and targeted consultant work on financial viability. Staff also identified near-term items such as a potential post-office relocation inquiry and planned legislative outreach to seek funding for DRCC design work already budgeted.

Several councilmembers urged that the analysis of City Hall site developability and the production of two-to-three concrete options for the DRCC be moved up from the late-year slot on the draft timeline. They argued earlier analysis would let the council see whether relocating City Hall is feasible and how that choice would affect the sub-area plan and funding strategies. Staff agreed the tasks are related and offered to bring back a revised, staggered schedule that sequences the developability assessment earlier and then follows with refined DRCC options.

Other items discussed or underway included: consultant selection for tax-district/utility-tax feasibility; continued work on code and fee benchmarking; a planned outreach to federal and state legislators for potential DRCC funding; and a request that staff present clearer dependencies so council can see which studies drive later decisions. Council directed staff to return with a revised timeline showing adjusted sequencing and clearer linkages among annexation, sub-area master planning and DRCC option development.