City of Lake Forest Park
17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
www.cityoflfp.gov
206-368-5440 February 2024 |
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Mayor's Corner - Opportunities for Public Comment
Hello friends- It is my privilege and honor to be serving you as the tenth Mayor of Lake Forest Park. 2024 has arrived with a tremendous amount of optimism here in our little green corner of the Puget Sound Region. We have a lot to accomplish this year and it would not be possible without the hard-working members of our staff and our selfless community volunteers.
The dedicated members of our boards and commissions are working very hard on all of our behalf to improve our community and we are looking forward to seeing the results of their efforts. We have much to look forward to—the continuation of the great work of the Planning Commission on the Comprehensive Plan Update; the delivery to our Council of the Climate Action Committee’s draft plan on recommendations for our community to reduce the impacts of climate change; the arrival of a detailed tree inventory from our Tree Board; and the delivery of design recommendations for our Lakefront Property from our Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. There will be many opportunities for public input and comment on each of these important bodies of work. Please sign up for alerts on our website and check the City calendar for the latest word on upcoming events. We are always looking for additional volunteers for our Boards and Commissions. Please see the related article in this issue for openings on our advisory bodies. A quick final note- we will be starting Coffee with the Mayor on a Saturday morning in late February. Please check the City meetings calendar for the specific date. Many thanks once again to all our dedicated city staff and community volunteers! With appreciation,
Mayor Tom French
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 Image credit: PRSC 2050 Vision |
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Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update
The City’s Planning Commission is currently in the process of updating the city’s comprehensive plan as required every ten years under the WA State Growth Management Act. This plan is the visioning and guidance document for the city and contains goals and policies to support regulations and future decision-making for the City of Lake Forest Park. The Planning Commission meets regularly on the second Tuesday of each month but will also hold several special meetings from now until June 2024 to discuss potential changes to the comprehensive plan. Each special meeting will be noticed separately. The Planning Commission is anticipated to make a formal update recommendation to the City Council this summer, for possible City Council action by December 2024. The goal of the periodic update is to incorporate mandates from the state, county, and regional agencies, as well as to include land use policy that the community would like to see implemented in Lake Forest Park. We hope to see you at a future meeting. There are two meetings currently scheduled for February: - Planning Commission Special Meeting on Tuesday, February 6, 7:00 p.m. (hybrid meeting)
- Planning Commission Regular Meeting on Tuesday, February 13, 7:00 p.m. (hybrid meeting)
Sign up to receive updates on the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update process.
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Welcome New Employees Tanya Baker and Mark Hofman
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 Finance Specialist Tanya Baker |
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 Community Development Director Mark Hofman |
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Tanya Baker joined the Finance team in January as the new Finance Specialist for Accounts Payable and Utility Billing. She will be responsible for administering the City’s sewer billing and payment processing program for utility billing and processing the City’s accounts payable. Most recently, Tanya worked in accounts payable with a local commercial property management company and has also worked in billing in the healthcare industry. Mark Hofman, AICP also joined the City of Lake Forest Park in January as the new Community Development Director. The Director oversees the functions and services of the newly reorganized Community Development Department, including planning, building, code enforcement, and elements of economic development. In addition to overseeing final implementation of the department's reorganization and the required periodic update of the city's Comprehensive Plan (see related article, above), Mark will be prioritizing working with the community, Planning Commission, and City Council. Mark brings extensive director-level experience in community development, working with the cities of Newcastle and Snoqualmie, Washington, as well as the City of Sun Valley, Idaho. Formative additional staff-level planning experience includes progressively responsible planning positions in small coastal towns in California. Mark has a B.A. in Economics from California State University, Sacramento, and an M.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from San Diego State University. Welcome Tanya and Mark!
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 Aerial view of lake front park location on Lake Washington |
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Council Corner - Help Design Our Lakefront Park
Greetings Neighbors. I am honored to serve again on City Council, and now as your new Deputy Mayor. For the last few years, I’ve also enjoyed being Council liaison to our citizen Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board is actively working on outreach and recommendations for our new Lakefront Park, located just north of the Civic Club and Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve. The design concept will include desired recreation, environmental preservation and restoration, multiple means of access including disabled access, and public safety. Our goal is to have a completed design concept in place in time for state biennial grant funding opportunities this spring. So far, the Board and the Administration have reached out to our community through an online survey and in a community workshop, both well attended, to receive suggestions. Based on the input to date, our community shares many goals for the park, including a focus on water-based recreation and all-age use, equitable waterfront access for all community members, seamless alignment with the Lyon Creek Waterfront Preserve conservation area, and security for nearby properties. We’d like to hear from you! Please come to the community workshop on February 21 at City Hall between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., where the Board and City team will share design alternatives for your consideration and input. The summaries will be shared with the Council and the Council will weigh in on a preferred design concept during its March meetings. For more information, please visit the project website. --Deputy Mayor Lorri Bodi
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 Police Officer Amanda Johnson |
LFP Police Department Hires New Entry-level Police Officer
The Police Department is pleased to introduce its newest entry-level police officer, Amanda Johnson. Before being hired for LFPPD, Amanda had a 17-year career in the health and fitness industry and is a seasoned professional deeply committed to fostering health and wellness. Amanda's passion for holistic well-being extends beyond her professional life, manifesting in her love for weightlifting and yoga. Her dedication to a comprehensive approach to health is evident in every aspect of her life.
In addition to her fitness journey, Amanda enjoys painting, music, and the culinary arts. Amanda joined the department in January and is scheduled to attend the academy in May. In the interim months, Amanda will be actively contributing to the PD, learning skills, and gaining valuable training until her academy date. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Amanda.
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Volunteers Needed for LFP Boards, Commissions, and Committees
Would you like to help the LFP community by volunteering? If so, there are currently several vacancies on the City’s advisory bodies! If you would like to apply for any of these openings, please complete the online application. Civil Service Commission
Duties of the Civil Service Commission include establishing eligibility lists for hiring, reviewing candidate applications, and making hiring recommendations for the police department. Qualifications to serve as a commissioner: must be a resident of the city for at least three years immediately preceding appointment and be at least 25 years old. The commission meets as needed, usually in the morning. Terms are for six years and there is one full-term vacancy that expires February 28, 2030. Please email Human Resources Director Shannon Moore with questions. Climate Action Committee
The purpose of the Climate Action Committee is to gather and analyze climate information and draft a Climate Action Plan for recommendation to the City Council. Regular meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. and are held in a hybrid format with virtual attendance via Zoom and in-person attendance at City Hall. There are two college/high school student positions available on the Climate Action Committee. Both are partial terms that expire on February 28, 2025. Please email Environmental and Sustainability Specialist Cory Roche with questions. Library Advisory Committee
The Lake Forest Park Library Advisory Committee serves as a liaison between the Lake Forest Park Library, City Council, Mayor, the LFP community, and the King County Library System. Meetings are held quarterly in March, June, and September on the fourth Wednesday of the month and in December on the first Wednesday. Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. and are held at the Lake Forest Park Library. Terms are for three years and there is one full-term vacancy that expires on February 28, 2027. Please email Deputy City Clerk JoAnne Trudel with questions. Tree Board
The Tree Board provides advice to the City Council on policy and regulatory issues involving trees, provides outreach and education to the community on tree-related issues, and organizes and facilitates public events involving trees. The Tree Board meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Meetings are hybrid—on Zoom and in-person at City Hall. Board members must live within or own property within the city limits of Lake Forest Park. Terms are for three years and there is one partial term vacancy that expires February 28, 2026. Please email Assistant Planner Elizabeth Talavera with questions.
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NEMCo Partners with Police Departments to Institute Winter Weather Wellness Checks
As reported in last month’s eNews, this January the Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo) partnered with the police departments from Kenmore and Lake Forest Park to institute a new Winter Weather Wellness Check program. This program is designed to target the at-risk and vulnerable populations within our community and provide them assistance in the event of extreme cold weather, unexpected cold snaps, significant power outages, or other weather-related emergencies.
Modeled after the existing LFP vacant house check program, interested persons will be able to register with the city here to receive wellness check phone calls or in-person visits, depending on anticipated weather conditions. For anyone without access to the internet, signup forms are also available at City Hall. While the in-person visits will mostly be conducted by police officers, NEMCo volunteers will be tasked with making phone calls checking on the health and wellbeing of registered community members. Additionally, we are asking that you please share this information with any family members or neighbors who you think may benefit from this program. Based on the responses to this program, we will most likely offer a similar program for the summer season. If you would like to sign up for the program, click here.
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Save February 21 for the Second Community Workshop of the Future Public Lakefront Park
The second community workshop for the lakefront improvement project is in the Council Chambers at Lake Forest Park City Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. The workshop will be presented in an open house format with activities for all ages.
The future of the City’s community lakefront public park is beginning to take shape! The team will share options for the design of the lakefront park. Plan to attend the workshop to learn about what is being proposed, discuss ideas, share feedback, and select your favorite options. Be sure to view the project website for more information on the project, sign up to receive email updates, and go on a virtual tour of the park!
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Only Rain Down the Drain – Puget Sound Starts Here
Together, our collective small actions can make a BIG difference to help keep pollutants out of waterways.
Simple things like stopping the use of pesticides in your yard, using a commercial car wash rather than your driveway to wash your car, properly inflating tires, and scooping your dog's poop every time all help keep only rain flowing down storm drains and into waterways. Learn more tips to keep us all healthier and happier at pugetsoundstartshere.org!
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The Shoreline Tool Library is Now Open
In partnership with the City of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park has teamed up with nonprofit Seattle REconomy to open a Shoreline Tool Library to make tools and knowledge accessible to everyone! Just like a book library, the Shoreline Tool Library lends tools and other useful items to residents. It offers everything you don't want to buy or store—pressure washers, power tools, catering supplies, tables, chairs, party tents, lawnmowers, board games, seeds, toys, and thousands of other items. In addition to lending items, it also offers discounted used building supplies such as lumber, flooring, hardware, and painting supplies, as well as classes like sewing basics, intro to power tools, and general home maintenance.
By sharing, reusing, and repairing tools and materials, the Shoreline Tool Library helps our community reduce overall consumption and send less to the landfill. It also creates a welcoming space for you to access affordable tools, materials, and knowledge to repair and maintain your home and household items. The Shoreline Tool Library is now open for all your lending needs! It is located at the Evergreen RV building (16610 Aurora Avenue NE). Memberships are on a self-selecting sliding scale donation starting at $0/year. All donations are 100% optional, and loans cost nothing. Learn more at www.SeattleREconomy.org or stop in during open hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m.-noon. The Shoreline Tool Library also welcomes individuals of all skill levels to volunteer. If you’re interested in learning more about tools, sustainability and DIY projects, volunteers are needed! Funding for the Shoreline Tool Library is provided in part by the cities of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park through a King County Re+ City Grant.
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Check out the Community Van webpage for updates about the program, regional news, transportation resources, and much more!
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Stay Current on City News
Want to keep up with what’s going on at the City? There are several ways to stay informed. Subscription options include notices of city meetings and events, planning announcements, emergency alerts, city newsflashes, and more! Click here for the full list of available subscriptions.
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