Welcome to Community News! You can find the newsletter online with links to program details, at the
UA News website. To see previous versions of the Unincorporated Area Community Newsletter visit the
archives.
Engage with King County
Opportunity for unincorporated area grants now open
King County Executive Dow Constantine invites you to apply for a
2015 Community Service Area Grant
that could be worth up to $5,000. The deadline for applications from unincorporated area residents for projects in their community is Dec. 8. Awards will be announced in March. Past grantees include homeowner associations, senior centers and community councils.
Long-term planning effort to reduce flood risks on the lower Green River
On Sept. 30, the King County Flood Control District (FCD) presents a variety of
flood protection solutions for the lower Green River valley
that satisfy the multiple and often competing federal mandates and legal requirements that apply to levee systems. The meeting will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the Kent Courthouse Rotunda, 401 4th Ave. N, Kent. Please plan to arrive early at the Kent Courthouse, as you will need to go through building security screening.
Long-term planning effort to reduce flood risks on the South Fork Snoqualmie River
On Oct. 15, the FCD will host an evening to present information about
flood risk reduction efforts being planned for the South Fork Snoqualmie River
at the Mt. Si Senior Center, 411 Main Ave S, North Bend, from 6:30-8 p.m.
Cedar Hills Regional Landfill community meeting
On Oct. 22, from 7-9 p.m., Solid Waste Division staff will host a
community meeting
at the King County Library Service Center, 960 Newport Way NW, in Issaquah, to discuss conditions and activities at the
landfill.
Cedar Hills Regional Landfill annual landfill tour
Want to see where your garbage goes? Join us on a
tour of the landfill
on Oct. 25, from 9-10:30 a.m. Reservations are required. To RSVP for the tour or to request accommodations, please call 206-263-1000, TTY Relay: 711.
News
Executive proposes first-ever biennial budget
King County Executive Dow Constantine presented his proposed
2015/2016 county budget
to the King County Council this week. The Council will be reviewing the budget between now and late November. Among the items of interest to residents of unincorporated King County:
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No increase in fees for solid waste or surface water management;
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Maintaining current numbers of Sheriff’s deputies and sergeants, and continued support for Sheriff’s storefront offices in West Hill, North Highline and Maple Valley;
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Investments in upgraded play structures at Five Mile Lake Park, Maplewood Park, Lakewood Park and Skyway Park;
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The Department of Permitting and Environmental Review will provide support for Skyway, Vashon Island and other local subareas to update strategic plans;
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Through innovative partnerships the Executive has saved the Greenbridge Public Health clinic from closure, so that it can continue to provide Women, Infant and Children and Maternity Support Services; and
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Community-building grant opportunities will continue to be offered by the Unincorporated Community Service Area Program.
Reforms and efficiencies help King County save 150,000 hours of Metro bus service
Executive Constantine’s new biennial budget proposal for Metro Transit calls for smaller-than-anticipated service reductions, thanks to reforms, efficiencies, and a decline in fuel prices.
These efficiencies and other actions will allow Metro Transit to sustain more service than previously projected. For more details, see Metro Transit's financial reforms
and
budget fact sheet.
First round of Metro Transit bus cuts start Sept. 27
To match service levels with actual revenues, King County Metro Transit must move forward with a first round of difficult and unprecedented
service cuts
Sept. 27, canceling, reducing and revising dozens of bus routes. Service will be canceled on 28 routes and another 13 will be reduced or revised. Riders should visit the Metro Transit website
to review the cuts and reductions and begin to assess daily travel plans for this fall.
Are you ready to vote?
The deadline to
register online
or to update your address, name or signature for the November general election is Oct. 6. Be sure you’re ready to vote – ballots go out Oct. 15! Watch your mailbox.
Free Fair Housing Workshop
The King County Office of Civil Rights and Open Government will offer “Fair Housing 101 for Nonprofit Transitional and Shelter Providers” on Oct. 21 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. at the Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Ave., room 121/123, in Seattle. Extensive free fair housing materials included. For details and directions, visit the
website. Please pre-register by
emailing
or calling 206-263-2446.
Get Ready to ShakeOut on Oct. 16
Join millions of people worldwide to practice
Drop, Cover, and Hold On
at 10:16 a.m. on Oct. 16 during the Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill.
Register
your family or organization – participation is a great way to be prepared to survive and recover from a big earthquake. Learn more
recommended earthquake safety actions.
Ebb & Flow roller disco!
Join 4Culture and King County Parks for a
roller disco
to celebrate the completion of
Ebb & Flow, by artist
Kristen Ramirez
on Oct. 5 from 4-6 p.m. in the Wayne Tunnel on the Burke-Gilman Trail under 96th Avenue Northeast in Bothell. This free event will offer music and dancing, and costumes are encouraged. If you have any questions, contact
Jordan Howland.
Register for the first-annual Cedars Dead Run
The
event
on Oct. 18 benefits King County Parks and the Greater Maple Valley Community Center youth program, and includes 5K and 15K runs around Lake Wilderness. Click
here
to register online or download and fill out the
registration form
and send to Maple Valley Community Center.
Ciscoe Morris gets a surprise household hazardous waste inspection
Watch this
short video
to see what an expert from the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program finds throughout Ciscoe’s house, and how to safely dispose of these items.
Animal Shelter Open House
Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) is joining dozens of other animal organizations around Washington for the third-annual
Statewide Shelter Open House
on Oct. 4, sponsored by Pawsitive Alliance. To celebrate, RASKC will waive pet adoption fees at both the King County Pet Adoption Center in Kent and at the Eastside Pet Adoption Center in Kirkland. See all of our adoptable pets
online.
Alder marketing seminar for woodland owners
Washington State University (WSU) Extension hosts a speaker from Northwest Hardwoods to talk about their manufacturing process and finished products, the types of logs they buy, the log-buying process, and marketing alder and other hardwoods from your property. The
seminar
is set for Sept. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center in Bellevue. Pre-registration required; cost is $8 per person and includes dinner.
Specialty wood markets seminar for woodland owners
WSU Extension will host a
seminar about niche wood markets
such as poles and alder veneer that can pay premium prices to landowners. The seminar is set for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 2 at Lewis Creek Park Visitor Center in Bellevue. Pre-registration required; cost is $8 per person and includes dinner.
‘Healthy woodlands to healthy homes’ Vashon field tour
This
tour, hosted by WSU Extension, will showcase examples of locally grown, milled, and marketed wood, looking at the whole cycle from the forest to the finished building. The event on Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Vashon High School is free, and pre-registration is required.
Community Service Area news
This item submitted by Greater Maple Valley UAC, Four Creeks UAC, and Upper Bear Creek UAC) and the Green Valley/Lake Holm Association.
Transportation Forum
The three rural area UACs (Greater Maple Valley UAC, Four Creeks UAC, and Upper Bear Creek UAC) and the Green Valley/Lake Holm Association sponsored a special meeting with local state representatives, King County Councilmembers, King County Department of Transportation officials, and the Puget Sound Regional Council on Sept. 16 in Issaquah. The meeting was an open discussion of King County unincorporated area transportation issues and potential solutions. Four specific issues were addressed: usage/funding imbalance, adequacy of transportation concurrency, assessing requirements accurately, and annexation debt transfer. The four unincorporated organizations provided the culmination of 15 months of research into these issues and offered several potential state legislative policy solution paths to each. Participants agreed to continue to discuss promising solutions and look for opportunities for potential implementation. More specifics are available on the
GMVUAC website.
Bear Creek/Sammamish Area
Upper Bear Creek Community Council
For more information visit
the
Upper Bear Creek Community Council website.
Four Creeks/Tiger Mountain Area
Community Alliance to Reach Out and Engage
Oct. 27, 6:30 - 8 p.m., at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church at 12819 160th Ave. SE, in Renton. For more information, visit the
website.
Four Creeks Unincorporated Area Council meetings
Oct. 15, 7 - 9 p.m., at the May Valley Alliance Church, 16431 SE Renton-Issaquah Rd. in Renton. Visit the
Four Creeks UAC website
for the latest information and to confirm meetings.
Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Area
Greater Maple Valley Unincorporated Area Council meetings
Oct. 6 and Nov.3, 7 - 9:30 p.m., at the Fire Station, 231st St and SR-169 in Maple Valley. Check
the
Greater Maple Valley UAC website
for details.
Annual Maple Valley Operating Model Train Show
The train show will be held on Oct. 18 and 19, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Gracie Hansen Community Center, 27132 SE Ravensdale Way, in Ravensdale. For more information on this fun family-friendly event, visit the
GMVUAC website.
This item submitted by the
GMVUAC.
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GMVUAC discusses Industrial Permitting
Over 40 residents attended the GMVUAC’s September meeting to raise concerns with two proposed 20,000 square foot warehouses to produce and process marijuana in their rural area neighborhood just north of Covington and west of Maple Valley. Ty Peterson of King County’s Department of Permitting and Environmental Review (DPER) provided an overview of the permitting process for the potential project and responded to questions regarding the application. DPER expects to release its “technical review” of the applicant’s SEPA checklist and related documents in mid- to late-September. More specifics on this issue are available on
GMVUAC website.
Snoqualmie Valley/Northeast King County Area
Fall City Community Association meeting
Oct. 10, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Fall City Fire Station, 33415 SE 42nd Place in Fall City. For more information visit the
Fall City Community Association website.
Southeast King County Area
Green Valley/Lake Holm Association meeting
The Green Valley/Lake Holm Association will address the issue of Public Safety in the Unincorporated Area at a special meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. Wine and Roses Country Estates, 17444 SE Lake Moneysmith Road in Auburn
Speakers are King County’s Alan Painter, Director of the Community Service Area program; King County Sheriff’s Precinct 3 Commander, Brad Thompson; and a spokesperson from King County Fire District #44. Please RSVP by Oct. 4. For more information, visit us on
Facebook
and follow us on
Twitter.
Pacific Raceways annual public meeting
Community invited to discuss current and future operations and conditional use permit compliance concerning
Pacific Raceways
on Oct. 14 from 6 – 8 p.m. at Green River Community College in the Lind Bloom Student Center Building, Glacier Conference Room, 12401 SE 320th Street, Auburn. For more information, contact Ty Peterson or call 206-477-0449.
Vashon/Maury Island Area
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council General meeting
Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m., McMurray Middle School, Multi-purpose room, 9329 Southwest Cemetery Road, Vashon. Monthly general meeting of the council, open to the public. King County Department of Permitting and Environmental Review Director John Starbard is scheduled to attend along with staff to talk with islanders about the town plan. For more information, visit the
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council website.
West King County Area
Skyway Solutions Community Meeting
Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Skyway Water and Sewer District, 6723 South 124th St. in Seattle. Check the
Skyway Solutions website
for details.
North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting
Oct. 2, 7 p.m., North Highline Fire District Office, 1243 SW 112th St. in Seattle. Monthly meeting open to the public. Agenda will includes 34th District Legislative Representative Joe Fitzgibbon discussing legislative decisions in Olympia and Valerie Kendall to discuss the King County Consortium-Consolidated Plan. Check the
North Highline UAC website
for details.
West Hill Community Association Board meeting
Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Skyway Fire District #20, 12424 76th Ave S. in Seattle. Check the
West Hill Community Association website
for details.
West Hill Community Association Quarterly meeting
Oct. 21, 7 p.m., Campbell Hill Elementary, 6418 S. 124th St. in Skyway. Quarterly meeting of the association, open to the public. On the agenda is a candidates' forum with Pramila Jayapal and Louis Watanabe. Special guests are Morgan Wells, new Executive Director of RAYS, and Michael Davie of Youth Source. Check the
West Hill Community Association website
for details.
If you have comments or suggestions about future content, please contact
Alan Painter
or call 206-477-4521.
