June 8, 2016 | Vol. 11 | No. 23
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 Town Center Visioning Concludes With Council's Code Approval
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Click to learn more about the Town Center Visioning Process
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At its Monday, June 6 meeting, the City Council voted 4-2 to approve an updated ordinance guiding development in the Island's Town Center business district. The passage of Ordinance 16C-06 represents the culmination of more than two years of work by community members, elected officials, City staff, and consultants.
The process was one of the most lengthy public engagement efforts ever undertaken by the City and Islanders were able to take advantage of more opportunities for community input than any other policy update in recent memory. By refreshing the 20-year vision for Town Center, the updated ordinance strikes a compromise that helps maintain a high quality of life for all Islanders, while preparing for changes coming to the region.
"I believe this refreshed version of the City's Town Center Code marks a big step forward for today's residents and future generations. The code will emphasize architectural quality, incorporate a variety of new attributes at the human-scale, protect the environment, and offer a more noticeable sense of place," said Mayor Bruce Bassett.
"This isn't going to change Town Center overnight, but as time passes, we'll start to see the components that mattered most to the stakeholders who weighed in during this process," said Mayor Bassett. "These include: lower building heights in some blocks; larger, more-accessible open spaces; additional daylight at street level; larger sidewalks; and other mandatory public amenities."
Read the full press release to learn more.
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Save the Date for Summer Celebration 2016!
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Click for more information
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In just one month, Mercer Island's annual Summer Celebration! Festival will be here again, with the 2016 theme Symphony of Summer...
For two weekend days, July 9 and 10, the festivities unfold at Mercerdale and Luther Burbank Parks, offering events for all ages and interests, as well as music, a street fair, a parade, and of course, the fireworks show starting at approximately 10:15pm on Saturday night.
Some events, such as the boat rides, require registration in advance; check the Summer Celebration webpage for more information. The City thanks the many sponsors and volunteers who help make this event a success.
Special note for 2016: this year, access to the Island from Seattle during the Summer Celebration weekend will be slowed by a WSDOT Eastbound I-90 detour. Click here to learn more and plan ahead.
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$100 Rebate for Water-Saving Irrigation Timers
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Click to learn more about irrigation rebates
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Are you considering replacing or upgrading your garden's irrigation system? You could be eligible for a $100 rebate for installing a WaterSense certified irrigation timer.
The City of Mercer Island is part of the Saving Water Partnership, a regional group that focuses on conserving water across King County and that often offers financial incentives for efficiency upgrades. This summer, the Partnership has launched an irrigation system program; even larger rebates are available for landscaped areas greater than one acre.
Click here to learn more, or call (206) 684-5955.
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Help Support the MI Sister City Association, June 24
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Click to learn more about the
Sister City Association
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On June 24, come help support the Mercer Island Sister City Association (MISCA), at a special, gourmet bistro dinner from 6:00-9:30pm at the Phat12 Island Broiler on Mercer Island (2707 78th Avenue SE).
MISCA is a nonprofit, community based organization promoting educational, cultural and other exchanges between the citizens of Thonon-les-Bains, France, and the City of Mercer Island.
Founded in 2000, it has organized numerous student exchanges, adult delegations, and various French-related events and activities for the benefit of all Mercer Island citizens.
The fundraiser dinner supports the scholarship program and will offer
French dinner, French and Washington wines, French music, a silent auction and a raffle. Tickets available online here. For contact information, visit the Association's webpage.
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'Rock and Roll' Seattle Marathon: Saturday June 18
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Click here for a course map
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Residents are advised that the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Marathon will be held Saturday, June 18, with a course similar to previous years. Road closures on the Island will be limited to the I-90 express lanes between 4:00am and 2:00pm. Click here for a course map. |
Survey Work Begins for 2019 Sewer Line Upgrade Project
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Click for more information and a larger project map
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King County Wastewater Treatment Division is designing a project to upgrade the county's aging sewer pipelines on North Mercer Island and Southwest Bellevue. Installed during the 1970's, these pipelines are aging and reaching capacity.
The project team starts design by investigating what already exists underground, which helps define a final location for the pipeline. Currently, survey crews are mapping the area and installing small markers as control points. Utility crews will mark locations of underground gas, water, power, sewer and communications lines, and a boat-based crew will carry out a survey of the lake bottom traveling east from about 97th Avenue SE on Mercer Island to the Enatai shoreline.
Later this summer, crews will use drill rigs to look at soil and groundwater conditions, and will install equipment to measure groundwater in some locations. Survey crews will be working on some streets, along the I-90 Trail, in Enatai Beach Park, and in residential areas along the pipeline route.
Construction is expected to begin in 2019 and extend until 2022. King County is the lead agency on this project, but is working in close contact with City of Mercer Island engineering staff. For more information and a project area map, visit King County's project webpage or contact Monica Van der Vieren at (206) 477-5502, or Monica.VanderVieren@kingcounty.gov
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