By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor
Future changes and improvements from King County was the overarching theme of tonight’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting, facilitated by NHUAC’s Barbara Dobkin. at the NH Fire Station.
IN MEMORY: Scott Davis, longtime attendee and White Center Kiwanis member, died last Saturday, Dobkin announced. “It’s a big loss for the community.” He had been fighting cancer.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The 2029 “midpoint update” process has begun, said King County’s Erin Auzins. “This is the first of many opportunities in the next two years to share feedback with the county.” The “scope of work” will be recommended to the King County Council in November and the county will finalize it in February.
The comp plan is a state requirement, under the Growth Management Act. This is an “Urban Unincorporated Area.” The plan is supposed to “set policies for growth for the next 20 years.” But “the legacy of annexation hasdisconnected” neighborhoods like this.
Once there’s a plan, it’s implemented by adopting development reulations, and via budgeting.
This is the second “midpoint update,” meant to “address time-sensitive issues that can’t wait until the next 10-year update.”
The scope’s three main areas of focus are Climate Change & Resiliency, including tree canopy, which dovetails with the county’s new Urban Forestry work; Shorelines, which includes streamlining habitat-restoration permitting and review, plus sea-level rise; Housing, including compliance with state-required aspects such as permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indooremergency housing, and indoor emergency shelters.
Other updates include updating policies regarding surface-water management, open space, road safety, and more, plus work plans dating back to 2024, such as coastal hazards, wildfire risk, communications facilities, and possible map amendments (none in NH, she said).
In Q&A, Dobkin mentioned previous upzones but the lack of some urban features such as good roads, streetlights, etc. “We’re living with rural type standards in an urban area,” including a lack of mandatory trash pickup. An attendee talked about the difficulty of getting from point A to point B.
Another question: Where’s the money for any and all of these changes coming from? The county budget, she said.
Next: The Port continues flying like nothing has changed. But it’s part of the county, right? Yes, she said, but ot mostly does its own thing.
What about housing in cities? Yes,the county and its cities are working together. What about trees – “we can’t just have them in parks?” She replied that the state keeps handing down mandates “and we don’t get to do what we want.”
Another attendee brought up parking shortages. And Dobkin mentioned a need for traffic calming.
Somebody else asked about specific development plans, such as data centers. She said she wasn’t sure about specifics but she hasn’t heard much about interest in those.
Then there was yet another comment about the lack of traffic calming, especially just west of 16th. There was some comparison of notes about neighborhoods, 18th vs. 21st, for example. Daylighting intersections would be helpful too.
Speeding on 26th to get away from newly calmed 16th seems to be common. Lots of complaints about various streets ensued; Dobkin says she’s seen development that doesn’t seem well-planned.
Then there was a question about the next round of “participatory budgeting” (more on that shortly) – the explanation was that the county learned in the previous round that some proposals didn’t work out for a variety of reasons such as the grant-recipient organizations had some changes.
Is the funding from cannabis taxing? Not entirely – it’s from the county’s general fund, and that money is one source for the general fund.
Airport noise came up, and the county rep mentioned that the Port of Seattle is in its own planning-feedback process.
Questions about the comp plan. eauzins@kingcounty.gov or CompPlan@kingcounty.gov
DEPARTMENT OF LOCAL SERVICES: Director Leon Richardson was the other major guest. Road Services is part of his portfolio, and he reiterated its funding challenges, limiting them to only “the most critical things.” He’s hopeful that the new source of funding – $100 million to be raised by a sales-tax increase -will lead to some paving, sidewalks, streetlights in unincorporated areas like this one. “We haven’t been ignoring it; we’ve been limited in our resources.”
Another topic, brought up by an attendee – dealing with dumping. Richardson said they’ve been analyzing the problem to be sure that conditions leading to it can be reduced.
Bong Santo Domingo, who also was there, is Local Services’ rep to this community – you can find him at White Center Library 2-5 pm Thursdays. “I deal with issues, community issues.”
Got a road/sidewalk problem that needs urgent attention? Call Road Services’ 24/7 hotline: 206-377-8100.
Got an issue for sheriff’s deputies – tougher to address now that White Center no longer has a storefront deputy? You might find one at the Log Cabin at Steve Cox Memorial Park.
Dobkin mentioned trying to getsomeone to address an urgent problem in a park and having trouble getting past a voicemail tree; that’s where Local Services might be able to cut through the bureaucracy, Richardson said.
No update on getting WC a dedicated deputy again, though.
An attendee said it’s hard to get onto 16th SW since the recent channelization changes. Richardson said they could have an engineer come out and check the timing among other concerns. 16th at 100th and 102nd are among the spots that need a look.
Phillip from Local Services’ economic development team then ran through some upcoming events, including the White Center Food Bank‘s October 9th event. He also said North Shorewood is organizing a community group.
LIQUOR AND CANNABIS BOARD: The local officer, Erick Thomas, had a few updates (while mentioning his coverage area has expanded further): There’s a new application for a new restaurant/bar on 15th. Quiet summer for complaints until a few weeks ago when four emerged – there’s allege “substitution,” which he explained involving refilling smaller bottles from a large one, which is not allowed; also unlicensed places selling alcohol, and a complaint that an employee was ingesting on the job. He was asked about Whateke, and said they’re changing their business plan to be more family-friendly, which might mean some interior changes. Another establishment – too soon to name, he said – is considering something similar.
NEXT MEETING: First Thursday in November (which will be the 5th).
