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King County planning news
King County invites public comment on draft Comprehensive Plan updates to increase social equity, affordable housing, and climate resilience
From June 1-July 15, King County residents have a once-a-decade opportunity to provide input and make significant changes to proposed updates for the Comprehensive Plan, a document that guides where people live, work, and play in communities outside city limits.
The Comprehensive Plan drives county decisions and planning for services in unincorporated areas, such as where homes, offices, or stores can be built; how roads, buildings, and trees contribute to the look and feel of neighborhoods; investments in transit, sewers, and parks; protection of working farms and forests; and access to clean water, clean air, and a healthy environment.
The Comprehensive Plan draft update contains a number of proposals designed to prevent displacement, improve access to parks and green spaces, support climate-resilient neighborhoods, expand housing options, and help people live and prosper in their communities.
You can read the proposals and share your thoughts on the interactive website. You can also connect with planners at two upcoming events:
• Thursday, June 8, 6:30-8 pm – Virtual town hall (register to participate)
• Thursday, June 22, 4-8 pm – In-person open house at the Southgate Roller Rink
Questions? Send email to CompPlan@kingcounty.gov or visit the King County website for more information.
The Comprehensive Plan also includes individual subarea plans for individual Community Service Areas in unincorporated King County. Two of those plans (Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County and Vashon-Maury Island) are also open for public comment (see articles below).
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Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County residents are invited to comment on draft subarea plan through July 15
If you live in the Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Community Service Area, county planners would like your input on the just-released public review draft of the subarea plan for your community. Please visit, review, and comment on the plan via the interactive website, and/or join a hybrid kickoff event on June 12 (6-8 pm). The event will be held in person at the Preston Community Center (8625 310th Avenue SE), and you can also join online (find Zoom information on the website).
The 20-year subarea plan outlines a vision for the community and policies to help achieve that vision. Topics covered include land use and zoning, housing and human services, transportation, environment, open space and parks, services and utilities, and economic development.
The finished subarea plan will become part of the King County Comprehensive Plan (see above).
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County considers zoning changes for Vashon-Maury Island
Comments will be accepted through July 15
King County is reviewing zoning conditions on several Vashon-Maury Island land parcels and would like input from community members.
Some* of the potential changes
● Allow more uses on several commercial and industrial-zoned parcels in Vashon Town, and on several rural-zoned parcels
● Remove several design requirements for buildings in Vashon Town
● Remove the Vashon Affordable Housing Special District Overlay and apply voluntary inclusionary housing provisions
● Allow more density in Vashon Town when mixed-use development includes affordable housing
● Remove the two-story limit on commercial development in Vashon Town while setting height limits for commercial development, including mixed-use development
Amendments to a Groundwater Protection Special District Overlay are also under review. County planners welcome your thoughts on changes you would like them to consider.
*Learn more, see all potential changes, find a link to a July 10 public meeting, and share your thoughts on the interactive website.
Any proposed amendments to zoning conditions will be considered for action by the King County Council in 2024, when it is expected to hold a public hearing and take action on the 2024 Comprehensive Plan Update, which will include any zoning amendments for Vashon-Maury Island.
Questions? Email CompPlan@kingcounty.gov or call 206-477-3800.
Road Services
NE Woodinville-Duvall Road will be fully closed for 30 days for culvert replacement
King County Road Services will close NE Woodinville-Duvall Road in both directions at NE 172nd Street (near NE Old Woodinville-Duvall Road) for 30 days this summer for culvert replacement work.
Road crews will need to dig a large pit across both lanes of NE Woodinville-Duvall Road just east of NE 172nd Street in order to remove and replace a rusted culvert. Unfortunately, there is no room for a bypass lane around the work zone.
Local access on NE Woodinville-Duvall Road will be available east and west of the construction pit, between Avondale Road NE and Old NE Woodinville-Duvall Road and between NE 172nd Street and W Snoqualmie Valley Road. Through traffic will have to use a posted detour route.
Current plans are for this work to be done in July and August, but this could change due to several factors. The exact dates of the closure will be posted on the project website at least two weeks before the closure begins.
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Metro Transit
Metro will adjust schedules on Sept. 2 to improve trip reliability
King County Metro will increase service reliability with its fall update to transit schedules. The agency currently is delivering 95% of more than 11,200 daily bus trips while facing challenges with canceled trips.
The changes beginning in September will allow riders to have confidence that Metro will be there when promised, no matter where they need to go.
To keep transit services in sync with fleet and workforce availability, Metro will focus upcoming service changes on 20 low-ridership routes. Most (92%) boardings will not be directly affected by these cuts, which will help prevent last-minute cancellations and improve reliability for riders.
Learn more on this Metro blog post.
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Natural Resources and Parks
Join Cemetery Pond work party and help restore wetland habitat
You're invited to the Cemetery Pond Protection and Restoration community work party on Saturday, June 10, from 9 am to 1 pm.
Come for the Chuck's donuts and coffee and stay to make a difference! County staffers will share weed control dos and don'ts, gloves, and tools so everyone can dig in.
Follow event signs to SE 128th Street and 165th Avenue SE in Renton (see map). For more information, email project manager Matt McNair, call him at 206-477-4861, or visit the Cemetery Pond website.
Photo: Lisa Danielski demonstrates solid technique at a Cemetery Pond work party last December (photo by Tamie Kellogg).
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County breaks ground for new South County Recycling and Transfer Station
Last month, King County broke ground on the site of a new state-of-the-art recycling and transfer station south of Auburn.
The new facility will make it safer and easier to recycle and dispose of hazardous materials, contributing to the Re+ initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions by reinventing the region's waste system.
The new station's green design includes a solar array that will provide almost half the energy needed to operate the station. It will also feature charging stations for electric vehicles and habitat enhancements.
Image: This still from a video rendering of the new station shows its solar array. Watch the video on YouTube.
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Free training to become a lake weed watcher
Learn how to identify water plants and ways to save a lake from dense weed infestations at the King County Noxious Weed Control Program’s FREE annual Lake Weed Watcher training event.
This in-person event will be held at the Beaver Lake Lodge on Monday, June 26, from 6 to 8 pm.
The program trains volunteers to watch for aquatic weeds in small King County lakes. Detecting these weeds early allows us to stop them before they get too entrenched to remove.
Spots are filling up fast, so register now. If you have questions or comments, email the program's aquatic weed specialist. To learn more about the county's Noxious Weed Control Program, visit the website or follow them on Instagram @kingcountyweeds.
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Your voice makes a difference! Come to a workshop and help King County make its flood management plan
No one should be left behind when a flood happens. King County is developing a plan that will shape flood-related programs and policies for years to come. You don’t need to be a flooding expert to join the conversation.
The county is hosting virtual and in-person workshops to share progress on the plan and hear what's important to community members.
June workshop dates will be announced soon. To learn about workshop dates, sign up to receive flood plan updates or check the meetings and events page.
Learn more at kingcounty.gov/FloodPlan.
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Executive Services
Be prepared to beat the heat
Records are already being broken for extreme heat in King County. Are you ready?
Take steps to educate yourself and prepare.
Know your risk. Certain groups are more sensitive to heat, including older adults and young children, people with chronic health conditions or mental illnesses, and people taking certain medications; people who work or exercise outdoors; and people living unsheltered or homeless.
Know what to do on hot days: check on friends, family and neighbors; stay cool and stay hydrated; never leave children or pets in parked cars, even with the windows cracked; and learn the signs and watch for heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Use caution around local rivers, lakes, and the Puget Sound, and wear a life jacket.
Monitor your local weather forecasts and conditions.
Learn more at KingCounty.gov/heat and KingCounty.gov/BeatTheHeat.
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Love your pets? License them!
All cats and dogs living in unincorporated areas of King County are required to be licensed with Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC).
If you've let your pet's license expire, or if you've never licensed them at all, now's your chance! Through June 30, you can license your cat or dog with RASKC and all late fees will be waived.
Learn more or license online
kingcounty.gov/LicenseMyPet
Or call 206-296-2712
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Hot dogs are not cool
Animals can't sweat like humans, and they are vulnerable to overheating quickly—especially when the temperature rises above 80 degrees.
Even on a mild day, the temperature inside a parked car can quickly rise to 100 degrees or more. Never leave a pet in a locked car. Be kind and leave your pets at home in hot weather. Be sure your pets are ready for the summer heat with these safety tips from Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC).
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Third Avenue entrance to King County Courthouse
will reopen June 15
The Third Avenue entrance to the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle will reopen as the primary public access point to the building on Thursday, June 15.
Sheriff's deputies will be posted at the Third Avenue entrance to provide security screening. Jurors, visitors, and others coming to the courthouse should allow themselves time to gain access and be cleared. Temporary signs will be placed around the building to provide directions.
At the same time, the Fourth Avenue entrance to the building will close for repairs. In the future, this entrance will be used as a secondary access point only when resources allow. However, all courthouse users will still be able to exit the building through these doors after the repairs are done in August.
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Community and Human Services
Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy open houses begin this month
The Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy has been hosting a series of in-person open houses across King County where community members can learn more about the levy and the services it funds in their communities. These events are open to all King County residents, and registration is not required to attend. If you haven't been able to attend one of these events, there's still one more coming in June:
• Wednesday, June 7, 5:30 to 7 pm at Kent Memorial Park Building
Learn more on this Community and Human Services blog post.
WSU Extension
Upcoming learning opportunities for King County forest owners
Registration is now open for three upcoming programs from WSU (Washington State University) Extension for owners of forested and wooded property in King County.
Western Washington Forest Owners’ Field Day (June 10 at UW Pack Forest in Eatonville) Learn about current forest health issues, drought and climate impacts, fire risk reduction, wildlife, making your own maple syrup, new forestry research, and much more in an out-in-the-woods setting with local experts. Pre-registration is required by June 8.
Cost Share Opportunities for King and Pierce County Forest Owners (Free webinar on July 11) Cost sharing is financial assistance available to landowners to implement best land management practices that benefit both private landowners and public resources. This webinar will introduce property owners to federal, state, and local cost share programs available in King and Pierce counties.
Preston Forest Stewardship Coached Planning course (starts September 5 at the Preston Community Center) Learn everything you need to know about caring for your forest, including how to write your own personalized forest stewardship plan that could help qualifying landowners save money on property taxes through King County's Public Benefit Rating System (PBRS) program. Participants will receive a site visit to their property by a professional forester. Cost: $175; pre-registration is required.
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Skyway news
Skyway residents are invited to a virtual meeting to discuss Brooks Village on Saturday, June 3
King County's departments of Community and Human Services, Executive Services, and Local Services invite members of the Skyway community to a virtual meeting on Saturday, June 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to discuss Brooks Village, an undeveloped parcel owned by King County in Skyway-West Hill.
This parcel has long been of interest to Skyway advocates as a possible site for affordable housing and open space conservation. In 2021, King County hosted two community meetings (recordings are available on YouTube) to gather feedback from the community about their affordable housing goals and how best to achieve a community-driven outcome at Brooks Village.
At the June 3 meeting, King County will provide an update about Brooks Village, including information about an upcoming request for proposals (RFP) to explore affordable housing development and ways in which the county is incorporating feedback received in 2021. Skyway residents are invited to comment on the RFP process and scope to make sure that outcomes align with the community's priorities.
Attendees must register in advance for this meeting. Online registration has closed, but you can still register by emailing your name and contact information to Melissa Aguilar. If you have questions, send email to Yasmeen Perez.
4Culture
Get funding so you can do what you do best!
The 4Culture Arc Artist Fellowship is open for applications. This year, 4Culture is inviting Indigenous artists from diverse ancestral lands who live in King County to apply for this unrestricted funding. Lots of support materials are available, including a new option to schedule one-on-one time with Arc grant manager Melissa Newbill. Applications are due June 27. Learn more and apply on the 4Culture website,
Rural area news
2024 King County Comprehensive Plan major update
As part of its work on the current major update to the county's Comprehensive Plan, the joint team of unincorporated area councils, associations, and organizations made the following submissions to the King County Growth Management Planning Council (GMPC), which is conducting a review of the 4:1 Program: 1. Joint Team–Comments on 4:1 Pgm Rev–IJT Recommendations–KCCP 2024 Major Update and UGA Expansion Recommended Amendments to IJT (submitted on May 3) and 2. Joint Team–Comments on 4:1 Pgm Rev–Member Amendments–KCCP 2024 Major Update (submitted on May 16). Please see: Joint Team 2024 KCCP Update Activities for all work on the Update.
—Submitted by Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary, Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
Greater Maple Valley news
Reserve Silica site
In early 2023 due to concerns about potential unpermitted activities on the Reserve Silica site south of Ravensdale, including a ~40-acre clearcut, the Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council began a dialogue with the King County Department of Local Services–Permitting Division. That dialogue has led to two letters from the council to King County: Clearcut (submitted April 17) and Questions (submitted April 30) and a thorough investigation by the Division.
—Submitted by Peter Rimbos, Corresponding Secretary, Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
:: Community Alliance to Reach Out and Engage
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
12819 160th Avenue SE, Renton
See blog for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
:: Enumclaw Plateau Community Association
Third Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
Muckleshoot Library (King County Library branch)
39917 Auburn Enumclaw Road SE, Auburn
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information email Nancy Merrill.
:: Fall City Community Association
First Tuesdays – Virtual meeting (7-8:30 pm)
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. Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month, and are open to the public. For more information, visit fallcity.org or email send email.
:: Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council
Second Tuesdays – Virtual meeting via Zoom
Visit the website for the latest information and to confirm meeting dates and locations.
:: Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council
Monday, June 5, 7-9:30 pm – in person or via Zoom
Maple Valley Fire Station
22225 SE 231st St (across from the King County Sheriff’s Precinct #3)
Guest speakers include Puget Sound Fire District #43 Chief to discuss future facility moves and the Mayor and City Manager of Maple Valley to discuss interactions with the Rural Area. Visit the website for the agenda and Zoom information, which will be posted several days before the meeting.
:: Green Valley/Lake Holm Association
The Green Valley/Lake Holm Association advocates for those who live in unincorporated southeast King County. Primary goals are to maintain the community’s unique historic, agricultural, and rural character; protect the environment; and sustain quality of life in the area. They engage regularly with local government agencies to address concerns and influence policies on topics of mutual interest, such as growth and development, transportation, public safety, and flood control. Stay connected by visiting their Facebook page.
:: North Highline Unincorporated Area Council
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.
:: Skywest Tool Library
Working to start a new tool library in Skyway. The purpose of the library will be to share ideas, teach, learn, and borrow tools and more. To learn more, email HNA71@msn.com.
:: Upper Bear Creek Community Council
For information, call Nancy Stafford at 425-788-5841 or visit the Facebook page.
:: Vashon Chamber of Commerce
Send email or visit the website.
:: Vashon-Maury Community Council
Thursday, June 15, 7:30-9:30 pm – in person or via Zoom
Vashon Land Trust
10014 SW Bank Road, Vashon
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information visit the website.
:: West Hill Community Association
Wednesday, June 14, 7-8:30 pm – in person or via Zoom
Skyway Fire District 20 Admin Building
12424 76th Avenue S, Seattle
Monthly board meetings are open to the public, and often feature guest speakers in addition to community reports and information from a variety of local organizations. For more information, send email or visit the website.
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