City of Lake Forest Park

17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
www.cityoflfp.com
206-368-5440

March 2020

Mayor Jeff Johnson

Statement by Mayor Johnson to the LFP Community

As we all go through this difficult time together, I wanted to reassure all the citizens of LFP that even though City Hall is closed to the public and most of City staff, we are up and running. First responders, Police, Fire, and Public Works are all out doing whatever they are called upon to do. Many City staff members are working from home, helping support as many normal functions of the city as is possible during this time. As with all areas of life today, our staff is going through the same things as you, lack of child-care, underlying health conditions, elderly parents, etc.

The City Council is working hard and will have ongoing meetings, with safety being their primary concern. We all need to support the families with children and the school districts to get through this unprecedented time. As a small business owner, my heart goes out to all those whose livelihoods have been greatly affected and we will support you. Finally, we, as the family of LFP, must do everything in our power to stop the spread of this virus, support each other any way we can and always keep those on the medical front lines in our thoughts and prayers. Please take care of yourselves, family and friends. We will get through this!

Weekend update:
As your Mayor, my priority is the safety and health of the Lake Forest Park community. I drove through the community on Saturday and Sunday, March 21 and 22, and was very pleased to see our residents responding to the request from the Governor to shelter in place as much as possible and, if it was necessary to go out, practicing very good social distancing.

Thank you very much for your help in keeping our community safe. I am grateful that we are working together to combat the spread of COVID-19 throughout our nation, state, and local communities. Stay well, be safe, shelter at home as much as possible, practice social distancing if you must go out, and remember to wash your hands.

Deputy Mayor Phillippa Kassover

City Council Corner

In these uncertain and challenging times, your City Council is committed to serving the community and remaining in compliance with the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act. We are also committed to making the best decisions for the health and safety of our community and our own families. To this end, we are exploring online tools that allow us to meet virtually. We are also determining how we can keep you, our citizens, involved and participating in city government.

As we discover the best tools and practices, we will establish a regular meeting schedule and engage in robust public outreach to inform the community about our meetings and how you can participate. You can help by sharing this newsletter with friends and family, and encouraging them to sign up.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost family members or friends, or who are ill and, with all the first-responders and health-care workers in our broader community who face great risks as they care for us. We are also concerned for those in our city whose jobs and livelihoods are affected and encourage you to access the state unemployment and support resources at: https://dfi.wa.gov/coronavirus-financial-resources

Please do your part to help contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. And please do what you can to support local businesses now struggling to survive. Most of our local restaurants now have delivery or pick-up options and I hope you will give this a try.

As Mayor Johnson has said, we will get through this!

Please be safe and well and look out for each other.

Phillippa Kassover, Deputy Mayor

City Hall Update

Due to evolving Public Health Seattle & King County recommendations and the new Stay Home, Stay Healthy order from Governor Jay Inslee, all City of Lake Forest Park staff are being mandated to work from home, unless they are needed to provide essential services, through April 6, 2020.

Effective immediately, the City will operate under the following changes to accommodate these orders:

City Hall will be closed to public and most City employees through April 6. Phone calls to 206-368-5440 will be answered remotely between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Community members are encouraged to contact the City through the website for updates and general information: www.cityoflfp.com
For emergencies, please call 9-1-1
Public records requests should be filed electronically online
Mechanical and Plumbing permit requests can be made online through the Permit Portal. Information on other types of permit request is available at that link as well.
All park play structures and sports courts and restrooms are currently closed. Trails and open spaces remain open to the public; however, social distancing and excellent hygiene is required while using park facilities.
The City Council meetings on March 26 and April 9 will be held fully online

Some examples of essential services that will continue to operate normally are:

Police services
Fire and EMS services (provided by the Northshore Fire District)
Roadway safety, including traffic signal maintenance
Limited parks maintenance to empty garbage cans and perform safety checks

The City remains focused on keeping essential operations up and running while making employee and public safety the top priority. Many services are available online. City employees who can work remotely will continue to serve the community, will be available by email, and are on standby to be called in during this time.
Stay up to date with Lake Forest Park response to COVID-19.

Contact Us During City Hall Closure

With City Hall currently closed to the public and most City staff due to the COVID-19 situation, following is information about how to contact us during this time. Please also check the City of LFP COVID-19 Response page for ongoing updates.

Police Department

Emergency: 9-1-1
Dispatch: 425-486-1254
Other: Black call box on west side of building (near the King County ballot drop box)

City Hall (including Planning & Building)

206-368-5440
General Questions: cityhall@cityoflfp.com
Planning: aplanner@cityoflfp.com

Sewer Accounts & Payments

Online payment tools (credit cards or EFT)
Payment drop box on west side of building (near the King County ballot drop box)
sewerbills@cityoflfp.com

Business Tax & License

Municipal Court

206-364-7711
Court Payments:
- www.LFPtix.com (credit cards)
- 1-800-701-9560 (credit cards)
- Payment drop box on west side of building (near the King County ballot drop box)

Please also check the City website calendar for updates on meeting and event cancelations or rescheduled dates.

Sign up for notifications from the City here.

Sculpture at City Hall

Service Updates

Passport Services is Currently Closed
Check www.travel.state.gov to search by ZIP code for other nearby locations for passport services that may still be open. We are still able to offer assistance by phone, at 206-368-5440.

Permit Center Update
For the latest information on what is going on with the Permit Center during the COVID-19 situation, please check the Permit Center webpage.

Police Update
Due to the developing COVID-19 situation, police response to non-emergency calls has changed. Most non-emergent calls will be handled via telephone. In person contact during other types of calls will include several medical questions and use of protective equipment by the officers. There will be no vacation house checks, crime watch, fingerprinting, visitors inside the PD, or ride-alongs. These procedures will be in place through April 30, 2020, when they will be reassessed.

Springtime Gardening

Spring is just around the corner and, during this time of social distancing along with the great weather we have been having, you might be considering getting some yard work done. If you are planning to get things going with the use of any fertilizer-type product, be careful! Pay close attention to the recommended amounts for application and overspray. Excess fertilizer can be washed down driveways, roadways, and sidewalks. Sweep all fertilizer granules from a hard surface to prevent pollutant runoff from entering the storm drains.

In whatever way you plan to nourish your gardens or lawns, always keep in mind the nearby waterways that could be affected by your activities. Here is a helpful link to information from the City of Seattle: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/environment-and-conservation/lawn-and-garden.

Do You Have Household Hazardous Waste in Need of Disposal?

King County provides two ways to dispose of hazardous material at a drop off site or to the Wastemobile. The Wastemobile will be in Bothell/Woodinville, Friday, April 10 through Sunday, April 12, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., at McMurtrey's Red-Wood Christmas Tree Farm, 13925 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE, Redmond 98052.

You may drop off items such as antifreeze, batteries, gasoline, fluorescent lights, and pesticides. To view the full list of what you can and cannot bring, and learn some safety tips, click here or call the King County Household Hazards Line at 206-296-4692.

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many public events are being postponed or canceled. To stay up-to-date with the current status of the King County waste operations click here.

Earth Day is Around the Corner!

Did you know there is no filtration system between your outdoor drains and our streams, Lake Washington, or Puget Sound? Where you wash your car, not picking up dog poop, leaky vehicles, improper application of yard care products, and more all contribute to the water quality in Lake Forest Park and around the Sound.

Now is a good time and reminder to do a little something extra to help the earth and our LFP environment. A few examples of things you could do at home are:

Wash your vehicles at a commercial car wash where they treat the dirty water properly.
Pick up your dog's poop—remember to always have a bag with you and put it in the trash. Going on a walk? Pick up the extra pile you pass by.
Fix that leaking car to improve its longevity and our environment.
Properly apply yard care products and learn some natural yard care techniques. For advice check out the Garden Hotline or call them at 206-633-0224.
Use and dispose of chemicals properly. King County provides some great options and resources.
Maintain your septic system, don't let that waste water into our groundwater!

Click on the link for more information on these topics or other options of what you can do to help the environment, We know it's not easy, but do what you can to help water quality and bring salmon back to our streams, lakes, and sound.

Next King County Election

This year is a busy election year! However, there will not be a Special Election held in April. For King County, no resolutions were submitted by jurisdictions to place a measure on the ballot. Next up is the Primary Election on August 4, 2020. We will keep you posted later in the year about when the ballots will be mailed and when the ballot box by City Hall will open.

Clogged grinder pump

Clog in a grinder pump

More material from a clogged grinder pump

Save the Pipes, Do Not Flush Wipes

Flushable wipes are clogging sewer pipes! Although they are advertised as flushable, no wipes dissolve in the sewer system. Even if you just flush one, the wipes collect in pumps and valves, causing clogs. These clogs in sewer pipes can lead to dangerous sewage spills into our community and Puget Sound. Help us avoid sewer rate increases caused by unnecessary repairs and maintenance.

You can help by remembering this simple phrase: No Wipes in the Pipes. Put trash where it belongs, in the trash.

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