Department News

• Police and Public Safety Levy Headed to November Ballot
• Join the Lake Forest Park Community Police Academy 
• Lake Forest Park Climate Element is Open for Public Comment
  
  

Police and Public Safety Levy Headed to November Ballot

The Lake Forest Park City Council has voted to place a six-year police and public safety levy on the November 2025 general election ballot. If approved by voters, the measure would fund essential services, including:

• Police staffing and training
• 911 dispatch
• Jail, prosecution, and public defense services
• Mental health diversion and crisis intervention programs

The proposed levy rate is $0.24 per $1,000 of assessed property value and would appear on tax bills beginning in 2026. It would remain in effect for six years and include annual inflation adjustments capped at five percent.

Like many cities across the region, Lake Forest Park is experiencing rising costs for police operations, dispatch, jail services, and court-related expenses. These challenges have been compounded by a 24% increase in inflation over the past four years and state law that limits the City’s annual property tax revenue growth to just 1%.

To balance the current budget, the City relied on one-time funding and made more than $455,000 in spending reductions. These measures helped maintain services temporarily but are not a lasting solution.

“This proposal is about sustainability—making sure we can continue to deliver critical services today and into the future,” said City Administrator Phillip Hill.

The levy includes property tax exemptions for qualifying low-income seniors, disabled veterans, and other residents with disabilities, as defined by state law. 

To learn more about the proposed levy and its impact on public safety services, visit cityoflfp.gov/lid-lift-info or email questions to City Administrator Phillip Hill at phill@cityoflfp.gov.

National Night Out

Tuesday, August 5

Lake Forest Park Police Department would like to remind our community that this special event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5th, 2025. National Night Out is a community-building event that strengthens police-community partnerships and neighborhood connections to help make our community safer and an even better place to live.

Registration is free and required each year. Please note: The deadline to register a neighborhood event has passed (Friday, July 25), but you're still encouraged to attend and enjoy the evening with your neighbors!

Learn more about the event at: www.cityoflfp.gov/429/National-Night-Out

Family Day at the LFP Farmers Market

Sunday, August 24

Mark your calendars — Sunday, August 24 (10 AM-2 PM) — and bring the whole crew for a day packed with fresh produce, sweet and savory treats, and kid-friendly fun!

🎶 Live Music Lineup:
10 - 11:45 AM – Milner Family Fiddles
12 - 2 PM – Ray Skjelbred on the one-of-a-kind dolceola

🌟 Plus:
✨ Bubbles, balloons & bean bag toss
🚗 Zucchini races
🎨 Coloring fun & giveaways
🚒 A real big rig from the City of LFP to climb and explore

Picnic at the Park!

Saturday, September 6

Picnic in the Park is around the Corner! Help the City celebrate our LFP community Saturday, September 6, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Pfingst Animal Acres Park! Bring family and friends to enjoy your neighbors, educational community booths, a petting zoo, live music, kids’ attractions and activities, food trucks, Public Works “big rigs,” and more! 

Mark Your Calendars - Exciting Events Coming Soon!

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

• LFP Early Registration for Fall Recreation Programs with the City of Shoreline
• Clear the Shelters: Adopt a Pet This August!
• A Cleaner Car Shouldn’t Mean Dirtier Water
• Back-to-School Recycling
• FREE Senior Medical Appointments

Clear the Shelters: Adopt a Pet This August!

Adopting a shelter animal is a rewarding experience! Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) provides sustainable, cost-effective services that protect both people and animals while ensuring compassionate, humane care.

RASKC has joined NBCUniversal Local and hundreds of shelters across the country for the Clear the Shelters campaign, running throughout August. During this special month-long event, you can adopt any cat or dog from RASKC for just $30 - the cost of a pet license.

You can make a difference - help give a pet their forever home. Learn more at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet.

A Cleaner Car Shouldn’t Mean Dirtier Water

Summertime brings sunny days to the Pacific Northwest! This means Lake Forest Park residents will be spending more time enjoying outdoor activities. For some, that includes washing their vehicles at home.

While keeping your car shiny and clean is a good thing, washing it in your driveway or on a public street is not. Wastewater from car washing is a form of pollution, and allowing it to enter a city storm drain is not permitted in Lake Forest Park.

All of our city’s storm drains connect to a stream or lake, which eventually flows into Puget Sound. The storm drain system does not treat this water—it carries the pollution downstream as runoff. Runoff like this is the single largest source of pollutants entering Puget Sound.

Any release of car wash wastewater to the city’s storm drain system is considered an illicit discharge and does not comply with City Code.

For more information, residents can review the Lake Forest Park Municipal Code (16.24.270) or visit PugetSoundStartsHere.org.

Back-to-School Recycling

MEETING INFORMATION