Executive Somers recently signed a County Executive Order focused on future expansion for commercial service at Paine Field. This Executive Order builds on work that had been done to establish the framework for an expansion through the Airport Master Plan which is planning ahead through 2040. Paine Field is unique as it’s one of the few public-private partnerships for an airport, and anyone who has flown through Paine Field knows how lucky we are to have this award-winning airfield in our backyard. While Paine Field is planning to expand, it’s expansion will carry a fraction of the travelers that go through SeaTac. SeaTac is projecting a passenger volume of 60 million people over the next ten years, but even with this expansion, Paine Field will be closer to 4 million over a similar timeline. The Executive Order directs relevant county departments to start working toward turning the Airport Master Plan into action and I look forward to what the future holds for this work to plan for future growth that minimizes any negative impacts to the surrounding communities.
https://www.painefield.com/
As I shared in previous newsletters, Council and staff have been going through the process to update our county’s Critical Area Regulations (CAR). County staff have been working for 18+ months to update our Critical Area Regulations (CAR) in response to our Comprehensive Plan changes and new best practice recommendations from state agencies. This update is also required under the Washington State Growth Management Act. During these past months, staff from the county’s Planning and Development Services (PDS) division identified areas that may be impacted by changes to our county’s comprehensive plan and updated scientific research, and then used this information to develop a proposal that would work to protect and preserve CARs across Snohomish County.
A previous Amendment proposed by Councilmembers Mead and Nehring would re-instate previous regulations, in effect denying stronger protections on environmentally sensitive areas in our county. After considerable public input and council deliberations, this amendment was pulled. Recently, a new amendment, “Amendment 3”, was presented by Councilmember Mead as a compromise. While it increased buffering requirements from the originally proposed amendment and proposed performative changes for streams it still fell short from the protections outlined in the underlying ordinance as proposed by staff.
At the May 14 Public Hearing, we heard almost two additional hours of public comment regarding the importance of ensuring that we keep CAR buffers and wetland protections as robust as possible. I also recently toured a housing development site next to a critical area to hear directly from builders about constraints that they face to build housing in these areas. As an elected official I never take a vote lightly and this one was no different. After due diligence to weigh all sides of the issue, I ultimately voted no on both Amendment 3, and then since this amended the language in the underlying Ordinance, I voted against the final Amended Ordinance. Unfortunately, the Amendment and the underlying Ordinance were both passed on a 3-2 vote, with myself and Councilmember Peterson as the lone dissent votes.
I appreciate the input from over 600 concerned residents who emailed comments or provided public testimony, and thank you to the staff and local environmental partners, including local tribal nations, who shared concerns with Amendment 3. It was disappointing that councilmembers were not able to bridge the gap between our county’s housing needs and environmental protections. I pledge to continue working towards thoughtful policy changes that address our housing affordability crisis without jeopardizing our environment.
The 2025 legislatives session wrapped up late last month and I was glad to be a part of efforts to help advocate for state-level changes that positively impact our county. I serve on the legislative steering committee for both our county legislative team and also as the representative for the county on our Washington State Association of Counties’ committee. I testified on a number of bills and followed session closely. This year’s session was difficult on a number of levels - including the grief and hardship of losing State Senator Bill Ramos, former Speaker of the House Frank Chopp and other family members to other state leaders
This year was a “long session” to set the operating budget which included $1.3M to maintain the STI Clinic with the Department of Health, grant funding to support crisis care facilities, like the Lynnwood Crisis Care Center, $2M for the operational support of the 211 network, and funding for classes at the regional basic law enforcement training academy in Snohomish County. Separate from the operating budget is the transportation budget which included a series of funding elements supporting the Sustainable Aviation Fuel research and development sites near Paine Field. The state’s capital budget included over $10M for the county’s Floodplains By Design work and $5M for the Compass Health Broadway facility.
A Bill that I followed closely was SHB 1261, sponsored by Representatives April Berg and Sam Low, which provided tax relief for certain uses on open space land. This Bill was requested by our agriculture team to help correct a designation in state law to allow for certain agrotourism activities to take place on classified open space farm. The bill will support our local agrotourism industry and provide tax relief to farmers who participate in agrotourism. Paula and I joined our county lobbying team, Linda Neunzig our Agriculture Coordinator, local farmers, and State Representatives April Berg and Sam Low for the bill signing – pic below!
At the Bill Signing with Governor Ferguson for SHB 1261
Council has been receiving monthly updates on the progress and I’m happy to share an update on this critical resource.
Both the Everett and Edmonds sites have completed the remediation and abatement processes to clear contaminants from the walls and other surfaces. The next step in the process is to obtain permits to move forward with the final stages of construction.
For the Everett location, The Salvation Army will be the site operator for the program and a management plan has been established. The timeline is showing a late-fall date for opening of the Everett site, and early fall for the Edmonds site. When completed, the Everett site will house 75 individuals who were previously homeless, and the Edmonds site will house 48 individuals.
If you’re interested, council was recently briefed on this matter and this link can take you to the slideshow presentation if you’d like to browse through. I’ll continue to follow this closely and am hopeful that both sites will be open before the next cold weather season to help house those in need.
Snohomish County Human Services Department now has their own Facebook page that you can like and follow. Please check it periodically for updates on programs at the county, funding opportunities, and upcoming events to support those in need of resources. It’s also a great way to know more about support services that the county provides to the community. The link to their Facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572416592086
And double check that you’re also following my Facebook page for all of my latest updates!
Sun Bucks is Washington’s Summer EBT program that provides $120 per eligible child to help families buy groceries during summer break. Even if your school offers free meals to all students, some families must still apply and qualify based on income or other eligibility criteria. Families receiving state nutrition benefits are automatically enrolled. The deadline to apply is May 31. Click here to apply and learn more.
The City of Mukilteo’s summer recreation guide is now available online and has a comprehensive listing of the classes, festivals, camps, and events in Mukilteo through the summer. Mukilteo has a number of signature events over the summer including the Great Mukilteo Dog Show and the Lighthouse Festival. Thumb through the online or printed version for more information and to also check out the listing of trails and parks in Mukilteo.
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Washington Recovery Alliance is hosting the Spring into Recovery 2 resource fair, taking place on Friday, June 13th at Funko Field. This community event, is hosted by the Snohomish County Recovery Coalitions, will run from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with a pro recovery baseball game from 6:30 PM – 9:00PM. The event will feature over 80 organizations offering FREE services including walk-in dental care, veterinary services, eyeglass assistance, ID support, food and more. I attended the fair last year and was inspired by the caring people and organizations who are working hard to meet people where they are at in their recovery journey and am glad to see that it’s happening again this year. Many thanks to all who are working hard to put it together!
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We can all agree that there’s no where more beautiful in summer than on the shores of Puget Sound and now with the beach access mat at Meadowdale Beach, beach goers of all ability levels will be able to enjoy the shoreline. Beach access mats are made of a synthetic mesh that provides a firmer surface for those who need it to cross the sand, such as people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids. It is approximately 50’ long x 5’ wide and will be removed in late September. It must be removed seasonally due to WDFW marine habitat requirements. The mat meets all ADA design guidelines, including width and turnaround space. Many thanks to the county’s Parks & Recreation Department for their thoughtful work! For more information on ADA accessibility in our parks, please visit https://snocoparks.info/accessibility.
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The Snohomish and Island County Labor Council recently hosted the Workers Memorial Ceremony at the Mission Building Courtyard near the workers memorial statue. It was a somber event where we remembered and honored the lives of workers across the state who were lost in the last year to workplace violence, accidents, and illness. It was a good turnout and a moving ceremony and I’m grateful to everyone who works to keep our worksites safe for every worker. Thank you too to the SICLC for putting on this event each year.
With local labor leaders and supporters at the Workers Memorial Event
It’s been a busy month doing tours and joining for community events. Here’s some pics!
At Housing Hope's Stone Soup event with local housing advocates and supporters. What an inspiring event! |
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With Paula, and Christina and Mike from Courage to Change Recovery Services after a tour of their space. To learn more or support their work, please visit: https://ctcrecovery.org/. |
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At the EASC County Update with Representative Donaghy and Paula in her Everett City Council hat. |
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With members of the County’s Art Commission at the Inspire Washington update with Executive Director Manny Cawaling and Deputy Director Jessi Wasson |
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With Charlotte Murray and Dr. Janice Greene at the WorkSource Offices ribbon cutting event. Both Charlotte and Dr. Greene serve on the Snohomish County Future Workforce Alliance. |
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