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Council directs staff to start Lake Hills and Westlake Sammamish neighborhood plans
Summary
Council voted to initiate comprehensive plan amendments under the Great Neighborhoods program to update Lake Hills and Westlake Sammamish area plans in 2026–27 and to schedule Bridal Trails for 2028–29; staff outlined outreach, equity tool use, and a 'workshop in a box' train‑the‑trainer approach.
City planning staff presented the Great Neighborhoods program and requested direction to start comprehensive‑plan amendments for two neighborhood area plans.
Planning Director Tara Johnson and Senior Planner Zachary Lukin described the program's four phases (discover, define, refine, adopt) and the scope areas (neighborhood identity, mixed‑use/mid‑centers, gathering spaces, mobility and environment). Luke/Zachary said Lake Hills is the city’s largest neighborhood area by population and has the highest share of Spanish‑speaking residents, while Westlake Sammamish is primarily single‑family with an older population.
Staff outlined engagement strategies to reach underrepresented groups: cultural outreach assistance, partnerships with nonprofit organizations (HopeLink, Jubilee Reach), school and youth partnerships, business walks, and a new 'workshop in a box' and train‑the‑trainer approach to scale community workshops. Staff said they will use a racial equity toolkit to identify missing stakeholder groups and will document community input in matrices returned to the Planning Commission and council.
Deputy Mayor Hamilton moved to direct staff to initiate plan updates for Lake Hills and Westlake Sammamish (2026–27) and confirm Bridal Trails for 2028–29; the motion passed. Council asked staff to track metrics and outcomes, produce a dashboard of deliverables by neighborhood, and ensure engagement is accessible and multimodal.
