You're invited to join me and Economic Alliance Snohomish County (EASC) at Boeing Future of Flight on May 20 for the annual Snohomish County Update. A panel of local experts will be talking about economic trends and innovations shaping the county’s future.
With a dynamic economy, a growing population, and a strategic position in the Puget Sound region, Snohomish County is at a pivotal moment. Panelists will discuss key issues such what's next for business and travel at Snohomish County's Paine Field Airport, environmental sustainability in the key county industry of aerospace and aviation, transportation infrastructure and a regional approach to addressing transportation challenges and expanding workforce opportunities.
I hope to see you there. Unable to attend in person? The Snohomish County Update will be livestreamed on EASC's YouTube channel beginning at 11:30 a.m. and will be available for later viewing.
The annual report is a chance to reflect on the work of your county government last year. Every year brings unique opportunities and challenges for Snohomish County. I believe it is important to have a county government that works for the good of all residents and does so responsibly, efficiently, and with a service mindset.
In 2024, we celebrated award-winning projects in technology, planning, courts, conservation, and more. We’ve been recognized on a national level for our work investing in community. Those investments included support for housing and shelter, behavioral health and recovery, child care, workforce development, broadband access, and small businesses. We welcomed new services and infrastructure, including the arrival of light rail in the county. We also marked milestones likes the 25th anniversaries of the Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary and of Adult Recovery Court, reminding us that the work we do for our communities now can have impacts decades into the future. Employees from throughout the county were active all year long with health and safety education at community events, opportunities to provide input on county plans, and a quick and compassionate response when there were urgent needs, such as the severe windstorm in November.
I hope you will take some time to look through the accomplishments and updates from county departments in this report. We are proud to serve the people of Snohomish County, and I am committed to a county government that continues to provide the best possible service for all who live, work, and play here.
In recognition of work done on the latest Comprehensive Plan update, Snohomish County has been awarded the Planning Association of Washington (PAW) and American Planning Association of Washington’s (APA WA) 2025 Annual Award for Excellence in Planning in the category of Comprehensive Planning for Large Cities and Counties.
This is a credit to all staff involved, which included planning and support staff from Planning and Development Services (PDS), Department of Conservation and Natural Resources including Parks and Surface Water Management, and Public Works including the Transportation and Environmental Services divisions. Kudos to all involved with this important planning project.
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Snohomish County is developing a Communitywide Climate Resiliency Plan (CwCRP) to help our communities better prepare for and recover from the impacts of climate change. Climate resilience refers to a community's ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from climate impacts and the effects of climate-related hazards—such as heat waves, flooding, and landslides—while maintaining the well-being of people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
We want your input to help shape a community plan for addressing extreme weather, climate vulnerabilities, and building resilience. The survey closes May 23, 2025. You can take the survey online at this link.
A pair of open house-style meetings in May will offer opportunities to learn more about Snohomish County’s first-ever Community Wildfire Protection Plan as well as strategies for living safer amid the trees.
The meetings are designed to make it easy to talk with first responders, land managers and conservation agencies about options for better preparing homes, property and people for wildfire risks. Residents are encouraged to show up anytime between 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the locations and dates below:
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Thursday, May 15, Stillaguamish Conference Room, City of Arlington Public Works Office, 154 W Cox Ave., Arlington, WA 98223
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Thursday, May 22, Startup Event Center, 14315 366th Ave. SE, Startup, WA 98293
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