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Lake Forest Park council and planning commission prioritize mandatory code updates, PSRC certification and shoreline plan
Summary
At a Jan. 13 joint session, the Lake Forest Park Planning Commission told the City Council its top near-term tasks are PSRC transportation certification, a mandatory critical areas ordinance update and a shoreline master plan update due under state law in 2027; commissioners warned staff bandwidth and vacancies limit what can be added without consultants or funding.
Lake Forest Park's City Council and Planning Commission met jointly on Jan. 13 to align on the commission's 2026 work plan, with commissioners urging the council to prioritize a short list of mandatory and time-sensitive items.
Chair Kastick told council members the commission has identified three core priorities: pursuing Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) transportation certification to preserve eligibility for transportation grants; completing a mandatory update to the city's critical areas ordinance; and sequencing a shoreline master plan update that the commission said must be completed by June 2027 under state law. Chair Kastick said the critical areas ordinance update had been due earlier and that the commission "didn't meet that deadline given the other workload."
Council members and commissioners discussed practical constraints. The commission noted it may need outside consultants to complete the critical areas and shoreline updates and asked the council and administration to clarify what leftover planning funds might be available from 2025 for consultant work. Commissioners and staff repeatedly flagged staff bandwidth as a limiting factor: Mark (city staff) was described as providing "terrific support," but commissioners said additional consultant or staffing resources would be required if the commission met more frequently or took on a larger scope.
On sequencing, the commission said it views the PSRC certification, the critical areas ordinance update and the shoreline master plan as interconnected in places and that doing the critical areas work first could inform the shoreline work. Council members pressed for clearer timelines and for the commission to estimate the staff and consultant time required to meet legal deadlines and grant-related opportunities.
Commissioners also raised technical needs: a council member asked whether the city's GIS was adequate to map critical areas and whether improved mapping should be included in the work plan. Chair Kastick agreed more exploration was needed and said the commission would work with the city GIS vendor as projects proceed.
The mayor and deputy mayor said the administration is prepared to look for staffing, consultants and funding to help the commission meet statutory obligations without overburdening volunteers or staff and committed to improving application intake and communication so commissioners know when land-use applications are pending.
The council and commission did not take formal votes on any new ordinances or budget appropriations during the joint session; the only formal actions in the first portion of the meeting were adoption of the meeting agenda by unanimous consent and the meeting's timely adjournment to the commission's separate session.
What happens next: the commission will return to its regular meeting to further refine timelines, scope and consultant needs and will provide the council with recommended sequencing and budget estimates. The administration said it would follow up on potential 2025 leftover funds and on the GIS question.
