Making plans for New Year’s Eve? Keep in mind that you can leave your car at home!
Across King County, Metro will help riders safely usher in 2020 with free bus rides from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve through 4 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Free rides on Metro service are sponsored in part by Seattle Center, which draws thousands of people for New Year’s Eve festivities. For details, see Metro's blog post.
No Water Taxi service on New Year's Day
The King County Water Taxi will not provide service to Vashon or West Seattle on Wednesday, Jan. 1. Find regular schedules and subscribe to service alerts on the Water Taxi website.
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In our last issue, we asked readers to fill out an online survey to tell us what you think of this monthly email newsletter. By Dec. 18, just over 3% of subscribers who had opened the December email had responded to the survey. Here are some things they told us.
Nearly all of them get the Unincorporated Area Community News via email subscription. But did you know that you can subscribe with your mobile phone number instead—or do both? When each new issue is published, a text goes to phone subscribers with a link to an online copy of the newsletter.
More than a third of respondents said they forward the newsletter to one or more people at least some of the time. (Thanks for sharing our content, which we hope is helpful to everyone who lives, works, etc. in unincorporated King County!)
Roughly two-thirds said they’ve been reading the newsletter for less than one year—to which we say, welcome aboard.
About 70% of respondents said that on average, they read at least half of each issue (see chart below), and 70% rated the amount of content in the newsletter as “about the right amount.”
Topics that scored high for reader interest included King County services, upcoming county projects, upcoming events, unincorporated area council reports and events, and opportunities to participate in county decision making.
If you haven’t weighed in yet, we’re keeping the survey open through January 15 and we’d love to know what you think.
(Problems with survey layout? Try this link.)
This chart summarizes responses to the question, "On average, about how much of each issue do you read?"
Permitting
Stay in the know…
…about legislation that affects permitting in unincorporated King County
King County’s Permitting Division regularly updates, modifies, and distributes public rules, legislation, and policies that affect permitting, land use, and development in unincorporated King County. To get emails about what’s open for public review and comments, visit the division’s website and subscribe.
Road Services
White Center has a new roundabout
Crews have wrapped up construction of a new roundabout at 8th Avenue SW and SW 102nd Street in White Center.
Roundabouts are installed at high-collision intersections to improve safety. They slow traffic, are easy to navigate, and create a smooth movement of vehicles into, around, and out of the intersection.
White Center's new addition is a mini-roundabout, which takes up less space than a traditional roundabout but offers similar benefits. Mini-roundabouts have no landscaping or artwork in the center island, which is only 8-18 inches above the circular roadway. This allows vehicles that are too large or long for all of their wheels to stay in the circular roadway to drive over the center island if needed.
Remember that all drivers must yield to any vehicle, large or small, that enters the mini-roundabout ahead of them. Use caution and leave extra room when you see a vehicle with wheels tracking on the center island—large vehicles often need more space to maneuver.
Follow King County Road Services on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kcroads
Local Services
Starting Jan. 6, King County Local Services will resume our schedule of weekly field office hours. Check our website to find out when you can get information, technical assistance, and other services in an unincorporated area near you. To comfirm a specific day or time, please email us or call 206-477-3800.
Regional Animal Services of King County
One more gift for your four-footed friend
Even if you showered your dog or cat with squeak toys and treats during the holiday season, we have another present to suggest—one that will last the whole year.
Your pet license is a gift in so many ways...
To your pet:
• Reunites lost pets with their people quickly – 24/7
• One free ride home for a lost pet
• Vacation Pet Alert
To your RASKC Shelter, where it supports:
• Care and adoption of shelter animals
• Resources for pet owners
• Saving pets' lives (over 90% live save rate)
To your community, where it helps:
• Protect the community, pets, and people
• Resolve animal complaints
• Support Animal Control emergency response – 24/7
Licenses are available online at kingcounty.gov/licensemypet
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Emergency Management
Free disaster skills training
King County Emergency Management will offer two free disaster skills training workshops in January:
-Thursday, Jan. 23, at Fairwood Library (17009 140th Ave SE, Renton)
-Thursday, Jan. 30 at Kent Panther Lake Library (20500 108th Ave SE, Kent)
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Registration is required and will be available soon, along with event details, on the county's website. You can also email or call 206-205-6545 for more info.
FEMA Region 10 is calling on students ages 14 to 17 from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska to apply for its second annual Youth Preparedness Camp to be held in summer 2020 near Anchorage. The 40 teens chosen to attend the all-expense-paid camp will come away with skills that could save lives in their homes and communities during a disaster – all while making new friends and having fun! The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. PST on Jan. 19, 2020.
Learn more
Community and Human Services
Behavioral health grants available
King County's 0.1% MIDD (Mental Illness and Drug Dependency) sales tax supports programs and services for people living with, or at risk of, behavioral health conditions.
The MIDD Team* is accepting proposals through Jan. 27 to support behavioral health services in King County. There are both small and medium-sized grants available. The medium-sized grants are only for services in rural, unincorporated King County, but the small grants are available throughout the county's seven Community Service Areas.
Jan. 6 is the final day to submit questions for both grants. Learn more on the Community and Human Services website.
*MIDD is managed and operated by the King County Department of Community and Human Services' Behavioral Health and Recovery Division.
Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River news
King County Comprehensive Plan—docket requests
On Dec. 7, the Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council submitted two Docket Requests to the King County Executive’s Office:
(1) Site-Specific Zoning--A request to amend King County Code so that any “site-specific land use amendment coupled with zone reclassification” cannot not be reviewed and considered as part of the annual King County Comprehensive Plan docket process or any comprehensive plan update process, but rather should go through the Type 4 permit review process before the Hearing Examiner. Such zoning changes also should not be added as a last-minute amendment by the King County Council during its consideration of a comprehensive plan update.
(2) Public Participation Program--A request that the King County Council prepare and publish responses to public comments it receives on proposed comprehensive plan updates, much like those currently prepared and published by King County Executive’s Office on the Public Review Drafts, which have proven helpful to the public. The King County Council should review these responses before finalizing and approving the comprehensive plan update by June 30 of the following year—a nine-month review period. This would better close the cycle and meet the council's obligations under the State Growth Management Act.
—Submitted by Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary
Community Alliance to Reach Out and Engage
Monday, Jan. 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
12819 160th Avenue SE, Renton
See website for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
Enumclaw Plateau Community Association
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Enumclaw Library
1700 1st Street, Enumclaw
Check the website for the latest meeting information.
Fall City Community Association
Tuesday, Jan. 7, 7-8:30 p.m.
Fall City Fire Station
4301 334th Place SE, Fall City
The Fall City Community Association promotes building of community, proactively communicates on local issues, and takes action on selected issues that affect the Fall City community. Open to the public. For more information, visit fallcity.org or email Ashley Glennon.
Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council
Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7-9 p.m.
Eastside Fire & Rescue Station 78
20720 SE May Valley Road, Issaquah
Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meeting dates and locations.
Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
Monday, Jan. 6, 7-9:30 p.m.
Maple Valley Fire Station
Southeast corner of SE 231st Street and SR-169 intersection
Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
Green Valley/Lake Holm Association Meeting
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mountain View Fire and Rescue, Station 95
32316 148th Avenue SE, Auburn
Regular meeting agenda items include committee updates on transportation, environment, and safety. Questions, concerns, or comments are always welcome and can be submitted to gvlhassn@gmail.com. For association updates and information, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
North Highline Unincorporated Area Council
No meeting in January
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from local organizations. For more information, email Liz Giba.
Upper Bear Creek Community Council
No meeting scheduled for January.
Visit the website or Facebook page for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
West Hill Community Association
Board meeting
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 7-9 p.m.
Skyway Fire District 20
12424 76th Avenue S, Seattle
Monthly board meetings are open to the public and often feature guest speakers as well as community reports and information from local organizations. For more information, visit the website or send email to contact@mywesthill.org.
Quarterly meeting
Tuesday, Jan. 21, 7-9 p.m.
Skyway VFW
7421 S 126th Street, Seattle
Quarterly meeting of the association, open to the public. Scheduled speaker is John Taylor, Director of King County Local Services. For more information contact contact@mywesthill.org.
Contact King County Local Services
Unincorporated Area Community News is published monthly by the King County Department of Local Services. Please direct questions or comments to Anna Clemenger, anna.clemenger@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-3839.
View online at https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAKING/bulletins/2723d2f
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