Mukilteo residents urge action on state shelter bills, suggest marina relocation and support local paper

Several Mukilteo residents used the public‑comment period at the Jan. 20 council meeting to raise a range of local and state concerns, from proposed state housing legislation to a marina location and tree‑ordinance enforcement.

Sharon Damoff of Mukilteo criticized the council’s routine reading of a land‑acknowledgment statement as "divisive" and urged it be limited to an annual proclamation. She told the council about two Washington House bills she said would affect local control: House Bill 2266, she said, would require cities to allow permanent supportive housing broadly, and House Bill 2489 would, she said, require cities to allow homeless camping on public land if shelter beds are not available. Damoff urged residents and the council to submit comments to leg.wa.gov while the comment period was open. (Sharon Damoff)

Resident George Baron suggested the Port of Everett consider placing a new marina at the shallower Edgewater site rather than adjacent to the ferry T dock, arguing the T dock approach is a preferred ferry path and that bottom topography near the T dock drops quickly to roughly 130 feet, making marina construction more difficult. He said the dive community and crab habitat make the Edgewater area preferable for a marina and noted the federal transfer of NOAA property to the port may be forthcoming.

Longtime resident Elaine Knapp asked the council to invite Olympus Terrace neighbors to describe landslide danger and called for clearer signage and enforcement of the city’s tree ordinance after a recent local case in which a property owner reportedly girdled more than 20 trees and was fined roughly $13,000. Knapp said better public guidance would help prevent such violations.

Paul Archplay, owner of Beacon Publishing, urged the city to consider publishing legal notices in a local paper rather than relying exclusively on the Everett Herald, noting community news organizations' tight finances and arguing the city can publish urgent notices in larger daily papers on an as‑needed basis.

Councilmembers acknowledged the comments; several encouraged public input on state bills and noted staff would follow up where appropriate. The council did not adopt a legislative position on the bills during the meeting.