Council to consider impact fees for parks and transportation | City briefs

Published 10:50 am Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Council to consider impact fees for parks and transportation

Following the school district’s lead in switching from school SEPA mitigation fees to school impact fees, the city will look at imposing impact fees for parks and transportation.

The City Council and public will hear a presentation on parks fees from Development Services Group (DSG) Director Scott Greenberg and Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Fletcher on Monday, July 20, and one on transportation fees from Greenberg on Monday, Aug. 3, with potential adoption on Dec. 7.

Water certification information for shoreline residents

The 725 shoreline residents on the Island will receive a letter from the City water utility with information and questions about their connections to the City water supply. Response to the letter is required by each recipient within 30 days. In the fall, all other residents will also receive a similar survey.

The letter explains the “cross-connection control program,” which helps protect the drinkable water in the City’s water delivery system from unintended contamination.

Since E. coli was discovered in Mercer Island’s drinking water in September 2014, the City has been working hard to prevent a recurrence. Part of the response required by the Washington State Department of Health involves a more thorough inventory of all high-risk plumbing connections that could potentially allow dirty water to enter the clean side of the water system. These plumbing connections must be protected by a backflow prevention device, which must be tested annually.

For more information about the letter, the certification requirement, or the cross-connection program, click here, or contact City Water Specialist Sandy Love at 206-275-7782.

Mercer Island’s National Night Out is Aug. 4

National Night Out is an organized annual event held this year from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, designed to bring neighbors together not only to improve crime prevention awareness and family emergency preparedness, but also to strengthen neighborhood spirit and community partnerships. Neighbors get reintroduced to one another, connect names with faces and get acquainted with City officials.

Residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors, or come join the Mercer Island Police at the Sculpture Park (along Sunset Highway between 77th Avenue S.E. and 80th Avenue S.E.) for a free hotdog cookout.

Come meet your neighbors and your local police officers.

If you would like to register your neighborhood for National Night Out, please contact Police Department Emergency Manager Jennifer Franklin at 206-275-7905.

Comprehensive Plan work still underway

The Council will discuss the Capital Facilities and Utilities Element at its July 20 meeting.

The city decided to delay adopting its Comprehensive Plan Update, which was due on June 30, until after the Town Center code revision is complete.

Every city and County in Washington is required to adopt a Comprehensive Plan that addresses five key areas: land use, housing, transportation, utilities and capital facilities. The Shoreline Master Program, which the city adopted earlier this year, is the sixth element of the Comprehensive Plan.

Pie baking contest at Farmers Market

Register for the Mercer Island Farmers Market Berry Pie Bake Contest by Aug. 1.

The Aug. 9 contest is open to all amateur bakers. Pastries, crust and fillings must be homemade, and each pie must include a bottom and side crust.

A registration form must be filled out for each entry and include a donation of $5. The contest is limited to 2 entries per person. Proceeds will be donated to the YFS Food Pantry.

There will be cash and prizes for first, second and third places. The contest will include the following age categories: up to 12 years old, 13 years to 17 years old, and 18 years old and above.

Register online, or mail in your form and fee to MIFM, PO Box 71, Mercer Island, WA 98040. Make checks payable to MIFM.