City of Lake Forest Park

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

December 2020

Mayor Jeff Johnson

Mayor's Corner - Goodbye to 2020

I think it’s safe to say we are all glad to say farewell to 2020. This was a year of challenges—fiscal and personal—and too many have been individually touched by loss of one kind or another.

Throughout this difficult time, I have been encouraged by the resilience of both our community and my staff at the City. When City Hall closed to the public in March, there was a successful transition of many positions to a work-from-home situation. The staff’s dedication to serving the Lake Forest Park community is evident by how well services continue to be provided and maintained.

Many staff positions, though, are designated as essential, and are required to be on-site for the performance of their job duties. To those of you who have continued to work on-site in the Police Department, general City offices, and Public Works shop, my sincere thank you.

Next year will also bring challenges, as we are not out of the woods yet with the virus; but, there are reasons to be hopeful. Our LFP community continues to be active in civic affairs and supportive of local businesses, and City staff continues to be dedicated to serving our residents.

As we celebrate the December holidays, let’s please remember this guide to gathering: Fewer. Shorter. Smaller. Safer.

In closing, I wish you all a happy, healthy New Year.

---Mayor Johnson

Winter Holidays during COVID Snowman Wearing a Mask

City Council Adopts 2021-2022 Biennial Budget

The 2021-2022 Biennial Budget was adopted at the Regular City Council meeting on November 12, 2020. The version of the Budget that was adopted is the same as the Proposed 2021-2022 Biennial Budget and can be found on the Finance Department page of the City website here, under City Budgets. The approved budget is lean during these challenging times and includes a proviso, consisting of a non-prioritized list of future discussion items and topics that will be addressed during the Mid-Biennial Budget Adjustment in fall 2021, once more financial information is known. The Administration thanks all that were involved in the creation of the budget. The final 2021-2022 Biennial Budget will be posted on the website once the document has been fully completed.

Council Corner - LFP Town Center Redevelopment Regulations – Updated Council Meeting Calendar

Following recent council meetings and consultation with City staff, we have revised the upcoming council calendar. This will allow more time for both council and the public to review the proposed revisions to the municipal code regulating development of new buildings, or redevelopment of existing buildings, at the LFP Town Center site.

In 2019, the Lake Forest Park City Council voted to institute a moratorium on accepting permit applications for any new buildings, or redevelopment of existing buildings, at the LFP Town Center site. The moratorium will expire on March 10, 2021.

The revised meeting schedule meets both the State-mandated deadlines for holding a Public Hearing on the proposed revisions, and allows council and the public significant time to review the draft code.

Thursday 1/7 6:00 p.m. Special Committee of the Whole – Proposed new code chapter re: Affordable Housing
Saturday 1/9 9:00 a.m. Special Committee of the Whole – Line-by-Line review of the draft code and Design Guidelines for the Town Center (potential all-day session – public comment at beginning and end of session)
Thursday 1/14 6:00 p.m. Council Work Session -continued discussion of TC code if needed
Thursday 1/14 7:00 p.m. City Council Regular Business Meeting
Thursday 1/21 7:00 p.m. PUBLIC HEARING on the proposed Town Center code revisions
Monday 1/25 6:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole – review public comments re: TC code
Thursday 1/28 7:00 p.m. City Council Regular Business Meeting (potential Town Center discussion)
Thursday 2/11 6:00 p.m. Council Work Session – Staff presentation re: final code revisions
Thursday 2/11 7:00 p.m. City Council Regular Business Meeting (potential Town Center discussion)
Monday 2/22 6:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole – Final TC code discussions
Thursday 2/25 7:00 p.m. Council Business Meeting – Adopt Town Center Code and Design Guideline revisions
(Thursday 3/4 7:00 p.m. Potential Special Council Meeting – if required to adopt TC Code and Design Guidelines)
3/10 Moratorium expires

Members of the community are invited and welcome to attend every meeting to learn more about the proposed changes to the code. Community members can submit written comments at any time, or make live comments during the time reserved for Public Comment at all these virtual meetings, except the Work Sessions.

Instructions for submitting written comments, or making live comments, are on the city website and in the agendas for each meeting. Please know that the Council considers public input vitally important as it helps the Council adopt policies that reflect our community values.

You can sign up for meeting notices here.

---Deputy Mayor Phillippa Kassover

LFP Municipal Court Bench Warrant Amnesty Program

The Lake Forest Park Municipal Court is announcing a Bench Warrant Amnesty from December 1, 2020 to March 30, 2021. If you have an outstanding bench warrant with this court and would like to have it quashed or set for a warrant quash hearing before the Judge, please contact the court at 206-364-7711 or go to the Court webpage for further instructions. All hearings will be held via Zoom. Note, there is NO FEE to quash a warrant.

Pet Care – Winter Safety Tips from Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC)

Just like people, your pets have to be prepared for winter weather too. It's important to make sure your pet is kept safe and warm no matter the conditions outside.

As always, the best thing to do is to keep your pet inside when it's cold and wet outside. Of course, dogs do have to go out to do their "business," but limit the time they spend in the elements.
Provide outdoor animals with a warm, dry, secure shelter out of the wind, such as a garage, barn, or insulated pet house. Always have fresh, clean, unfrozen water available for pets. Your dog or cat is just as likely to get dehydrated in the winter as in the summer. Snow is not a satisfactory substitute for water.
Ice melting chemicals can injure your pet's paws. They could also get sick from licking the residue off their feet or the floor. After pets have been outside, clean their paws well, making sure to check between the pads for clumps of ice, snow, or ice melting chemicals. Wipe up any melted snow or ice you may have tracked indoors.
Gently towel or blow-dry your dog or cat if they get wet.
Cats and kittens often nap on warm car engines and hoods. Knock on the hood or honk the car horn before starting the engine.
Pets like the smell and taste of antifreeze, but even a small amount can kill them. Clean up spills at once, and store antifreeze securely away from pets.
Groom your pets. Pets need well-groomed coats to keep them properly insulated.
If you do suspect your pet has become sick or injured, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you see an animal in distress due to the cold, call 9-1-1 or your area's animal control agency. To reach RASKC, call 206-296-7387 (PETS).

Stay up to date! For wellness, holiday, and weather-related pet safety tips, visit the RASKC blog Tails from RASKC.

PSE Offers New Energy Efficiency Program

Puget Sound Energy recently launched Efficiency Boost, an energy efficiency program designed to expand access for moderate-income families.

The new program makes it more affordable to install home energy efficiency upgrades so more customers can lower their energy bills while staying comfortable. Sliding scale rebates of up to $2,000 are available for home weatherization, windows, and water and space heating upgrades. Customers can contact a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482 or visit pse.com to learn more about the program, including income eligibility. No-cost assistance is also available to low-income customers through PSE's Weatherization Assistance Program.

Sewer Rate Increase for 2021

Your sewer bill is made up of two parts. King County assesses a fee for the cost of the disposal of the sewage – the operation of sewage treatment plants and the maintenance of the facilities. The county portion is the largest part of the bill. In 2021, the county charge will increase from $45.33 to $47.37 per month; the City portion will remain the same for 2021, at $19.02 per month for single family residences. As a result of the increase by King County, a residential bill will increase from $128.70 every two months to $132.78.

For more information, visit the City website: https://www.cityoflfp.com/276/Sewer-Rates

Det. Amy Troxell

Holiday with Heroes, Shop with a Cop

Every December, for the last several years, the Lake Forest Park Police Department partners with surrounding police agencies to participate in the annual Holiday with Heroes, Shop with a Cop event. Up to 15 students from the Shoreline School District participate in a fun shopping spree at Target. This event is funded through generous donations by the LFP Rotary, LFP Police Officers Guild, and LFP Albertsons.

Out of an abundance of caution, it was decided to not hold the event in person this year. The LFP Police Department did not want deserving children to go without this year—especially considering how hard the year has been on local families who may already be struggling. With the help of the school district counselor, members of the Department personally shopped for 10 families who provided a wish list. The gifts were wrapped and delivered to the families with best wishes for a happy holiday season and a better new year.

Rx Disposal Program

On November 21, the Washington State Department of Health launched the statewide Safe Medication Return Program that allows for free, easy, and environmentally responsible disposal of expired or unwanted medications. Many are aware of the drop-box in the Lake Forest Park Police Department lobby. Unfortunately, it is currently unavailable due to COVID-19 restrictions. MED-Project, the program operator, will accept most all medication and has only a small list of exceptions that can be found on their website. Until City Hall is able to reopen, MED-Project offers some alternatives to our location.

Convenient drop off sites. Nearby locations include:

Bartell Drugs at Gateway Plaza: 18420 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, 98133
Bartell Drugs at Cedar Plaza: 22803 44th Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, 98043
Ostroms Drug & Gift: 6414 NE Bothell Way, Kenmore 98028

You can also search by ZIP code for all participating locations.

Request a free pre-paid envelope. Are you unable to get to a drop off site? Or are you choosing to shelter in place to limit virus exposure? Request a pre-paid envelope to return your medications for disposal.

It’s important to dispose of expired or unwanted medications responsibly. Keeping the medication in the home poses a threat of poisoning or overdose to household members, guests and pets. Alternately, improper disposal has negative environmental impacts. When medications are flushed down the drain or thrown in the trash, those chemical compounds can end up back in the water supply and soil. Think of our salmon-bearing lakes and streams and award winning, aquifer fed, drinking water (for those of you in Lake Forest Park Water District) that can be impacted by improper disposal!

Protect your family and friends, neighbors and nature with proper medication disposal. Lucky for us, the Safe Medication Return Program has made that a little bit easier. To maintain your privacy, remember to remove any personally identifying information from labels or packaging before disposal.

Planning Commission at work

Planning Commission Recruitment

The City is currently seeking volunteers to fill two vacancies on the City's Planning Commission. The Planning Commission is a nine-person board made up of Lake Forest Park residents who review and make recommendations to the City Council regarding the City’s land use policy and updates to development codes. The Planning Commission meets on the second Tuesday of the month, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Commission’s workload will occasionally require a second or third meeting per month.

Recently, the Planning Commission has recommended revisions to the City's Town Center zoning and design guideline provisions. In the coming year, it is anticipated that the Commission will consider recommending an update to the City's Shoreline Master Program and zoning code updates pertaining to accessory dwelling units.

While there are no formal qualifications required to be a Planning Commissioner, citizens with a background or strong interest in city planning, architectural design, or environmental systems often find the work of the Commission rewarding. The primary qualifications are to be open to perspectives other than your own and be willing to learn about and work collaboratively with your fellow Commissioners on complex issues.

If you are interested, please contact Planning Director Steve Bennett by email or phone, 206-957-2812.

Our Forest “Wood-wide Web”

Timothy Hohn, Chair, LFP Tree Board

Something incredible is happening underground in our community forest. Scientists have discovered that forest trees and understory plants are all linked together in a “wood-wide web,” a mutually supportive network of fungal threads and plant roots. The network is anchored by large “mother” trees that act as network hubs, doling out surplus resources to smaller trees and plants. In effect, these networked groves of monarch trees and their lesser green mortals are one symbiotic association.

With this in mind, I met with the Lake Forest Park City Council on behalf of the Tree Board to pass along Board recommendations on how the city code might better support our community forest wood-wide web. These recommendations included code references to tree “groves” and how they are defined, as well as new dimensions for important “exceptional” trees—what we now know are grove “mother” trees—that form the foundation of our community forest and its wood-wide web. We also discussed prioritizing native trees as replacements for those that are removed, in order to retain the ecological integrity of our community forest. The City Council is likely to ask the Planning Commission to review these suggestions early next year. To view the recording of my presentation and the Council’s discussion, click here.

Protect Pipes during Freezing Temps

When temperatures stay below freezing, give pipes a hand:

For pipes running through cabinets or vanities, open the door to let in warmer room temperatures
Follow Seattle Public Utilities how-to videos to protect outdoor spigots with foam faucet covers.
Cover your pipes with inexpensive pipe wrap insulation found at hardware stores.

Keep water working:

Allow a small trickle of water to run. The cost of extra water is typically lower than the cost of repairing a broken pipe. Catch the water in a bowl or pitcher to water plants and wash produce.

If your pipes freeze, shut off water immediately:

Do not attempt to thaw pipes without turning off the main shut-off valve.

Thaw pipes with warm air:

Melt frozen water in the pipe by warming the air around it with a hair dryer or space heater.
Do not leave space heaters unattended.
Do not use kerosene heaters or open flames.

Use care when turning water back on:

Once pipes thaw, slowly turn the water back on
Check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks caused by freezing.

City of Shoreline Remote Learning Camps for LFP Residents

Lake Forest Park residents have the opportunity for early registration with an 8% discount on the City of Shoreline’s Remote Learning Camps. Lake Forest Park early registration date starts 8:00 a.m. on December 29, 2020. To receive timely notice of the early registration dates, sign up for reminders through the City’s website, Facebook and Twitter.

You can also find more information on how to register, scholarship opportunities, or the partnership with City of Shoreline at: http://www.cityoflfp.com/index.aspx?NID=396 or call City Hall, 206-368-5440.

Clean Yards/Parks = Clean Shoes/Paws = Clean Waters!

Picking up after your pet isn’t just the law, it’s the healthy thing to do. Leaving dog poop in your backyard, parks and trails allows you, your kids, and your pets to track it indoors, inviting a whole army of nasty bacteria into your house and washed into our waterways. The water quality of our rivers, lakes and Puget Sound is impacted when fecal matter is left on the ground. When it rains, rain/stormwater has the potential to wash pet waste into our natural waterways that generates harmful levels of fecal coliform making them unsafe for recreational use. Landfills are designed to safely handle substances like dog waste. Always remember to scoop the poop, bag it, and place it in the trash!

Recycle Styrofoam for free, January 10, 9am-1pm, LFP City Hall

Free Styrofoam Recycling Event!

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