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The Love Where You Live Project Community Engagement: Phase II
The next phase of Kenmore’s year-long Love Where You Live (LWYL) community engagement project has begun. After compiling and categorizing the data collected from the first phase, which took place last summer and fall, over 1,100 ideas from our residents have been distilled to two main themes: 1) Community Spaces, with the Lakepointe site as a prominent recurring location we heard within that theme, and 2) Economic Development, with our downtown around the Hangar, City Hall, and along Bothell Way as the canvas for more economic vibrancy, including more restaurants and businesses.
Phase 2 of LWYL will include four in-person workshops on these two themes. The City will also launch an online interactive platform for people to share their ideas, get answers to questions, and see what others have to say. The dates, times, and locations of the four workshops are as follows:
- Tuesday, February 27: Kenmore Middle School 6 - 7:30 p.m.
- Thursday, February 29: Kenmore Community Club 7- 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, March 9: The Hangar in Town Square 10 a.m. -12 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 13: Moorlands Elementary 6 - 7:30 p.m.
“We’re looking forward to taking these conversations on the road and into our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Nigel Herbig. “I have no doubt we’ll see a lot of good ideas and creative energy.”
Given the public’s interest in these two main themes and the City Council’s matching priorities in economic development and downtown, City staff have obtained a grant to have a panel of experts from the Urban Land Institute examine Kenmore’s downtown and its possibilities. This panel will work with local business owners over a two-day workshop in early March.
Given similar public and City Council interest in the Lakepointe property, City staff recently applied for a King County Conservation Futures grant that would help the City acquire the shoreline, including a 100-150 foot wide buffer, around the Lakepointe property. This grant application is a placeholder pending what public input comes out of phase 2 of LWYL.
“I’m excited that we’re setting the table and holding our place in line for both economic development and fish and wildlife habitat restoration opportunities,” said City Manager Rob Karlinsey. “Both the ULI panel for downtown and the Conservation Futures grant application for the Lakepointe shoreline should position us for future possibilities, should our community choose to pursue them.”
The online interactive platform for the downtown and Lakepointe conversations will launch on or around February 27, so stay tuned. In the meantime, visit kenmorewa.gov/lovewhereyoulive for more information.
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