The hearing will be on May 9.
Council to hold public hearing on Town Center
The work of the city’s Joint Planning-Design Commission on the Town Center development code is wrapping up.
The council will discuss proposed changes to the code and recommendations from the Joint Commission on the code and related Comprehensive Plan policies at its May 2 meeting. It will also hold a public hearing on Town Center issues from 6-9 p.m. on May 9 at City Hall.
The agenda will be posted at www.mercergov.org/councilmeetings. Information about the Town Center Visioning and Development Code Update can be found online at www.mercergov.org/towncenter.
The main issue that emerged over the course of the Town Center work so far has been building height and density. The Joint Commission was considering a plan to cap building heights at three stories south of Southeast 27th Street.
County assessor to speak at next Chamber lunch
The May 5 Chamber of Commerce luncheon will feature new King County Assessor John Wilson. Wilson was elected in 2015.
Wilson served as Chief Deputy Assessor for four years, gaining a “reputation for savvy development of mobile technology and public-facing solutions that enhance customer service while driving down costs,” according to the county website, including developing an iPad application and an online property tax appeals platform.
Property taxes are determined by the cost of state and local government and by the levies that have been approved for services such as schools, parks, water districts, emergency medical service and fire protection, among others.
Luncheons are held at noon at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. Call the Chamber office at 232-3404 for more.
The cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members and members without reservations, and the deadline for reservations is at 4 p.m. on May 3. Call the Chamber to reserve your space and to pay by credit card, or email your reservation to info@mercerislandchamberofcommerce.org.
Citizen survey results are in
The City Council discussed the 2016 biennial citizen survey results, the Madrona Crest West project and the 2015 construction code updates at its April 18 meeting.
This year’s questions “focused mostly on special issues,” said Dominick Martin of EMC Research.
Topics included a potential levy lid lift, which had 59 percent support in the community, concern around neighborhood growth and development, fireworks and dog leash requirements.
Though questions about Town Center were asked in the 2014 survey, they were left off this year.
Other questions asked about the direction of the city and if the city uses tax dollars responsibly. Sixty-six percent of citizens surveyed said the city was heading in the “right direction,” down 8 percent from 2014. “Wrong track” responses went up 9 percent from 2014, from 11 percent to 20 percent.
Overdevelopment and traffic/transportation/parking were the top two reponses to the “most important problem” facing the city, followed by school funding and high taxes/high cost of living.
“A strong majority of residents give positive ratings for the job Mercer Island City government does overall and for using tax dollars responsibly,” according to the survey results, which showed net positive reactions to those types of questions.
The council also decided to delay awarding the bid for the Madrona Crest West project (which is a combination of four projects in the neighborhood, including water system improvements and Safe Routes to School) until its next meeting.
The project budget is $2,009,153. The council also voted 6-0 to adopt the 2015 construction codes. Mayor Bruce Bassett was absent.
‘Char Fox Girl Forward’ scholarship launched
A new scholarship is available through Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS) to Island girls and women planning advanced academic or vocational education. The Char Fox Girl Forward Award will help women and girls who demonstrate a positive attitude and strong commitment to learning get a solid start in their academic careers by financing tuition, books or housing.
All applicants must be female, a resident of Mercer Island, and enrolled in either a vocational or academic program. Paper applications are available at the MIYFS offices in the Luther Burbank Administrative Building; the deadline is May 15, 2016.
For questions or applications, contact Cheryl Manriquez, Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Coordinator, at (206) 275-7869 or cheryl.manriquez@mercergov.org.
