Bothell — Five-Minute Read

Bothell Way Multimodal Improvements — three actions, three 6-1 votes

What happened: Council took three separate actions on the Bothell Way Multimodal Improvements Project, which runs from Reader Way to 240th Street SE in three phases: phase 1 (Reader Way to NE 192nd St), phase 2 (King/Snohomish county line to 240th St SE), and phase 3 (NE 192nd to the county line). All three actions relate to completing phases 1 and 2. First, a resolution approving Offer Package 8 — right-of-way acquisitions and easements on two parcels in phase 2. This is the eighth such package in nine months. Second, a resolution approving negotiated settlements with property owners whose parcels had been in condemnation; the City had filed condemnation petitions against seven phase-one parcels following the eminent domain ordinance Council adopted in September 2025, and negotiations produced settlements that take those parcels out of condemnation. Third, an ordinance amending the 2025-26 budget. With these approvals, 33 of 37 parcels for phases 1 and 2 are complete, leaving four. Each item passed 6-1, with Councilmember Angulari voting no on all three; he stated for the record only that he "needed more time," not opposition to the substance. 

Why it matters: The budget amendment is the headline. The adopted 2025-26 budget anticipated roughly $9.3 million of spending on this project; projected actual spending is $29.3 million, a $20 million increase. Staff attributed roughly $15 million to right-of-way acquisition and relocation and about $5 million to design, and said about half the total increase is covered by grants. Staff were candid that the original right-of-way estimate was simply too low, and that design costs rose because the corridor is difficult — a fish-bearing stream, wetlands, steep slopes, and three Horse Creek culvert crossings, all of which add regulatory requirements. The design spend also reflects active cost-reduction work: maximizing reuse of existing pavement, testing different culvert types, and modifying cross-sections to reduce eventual construction cost. 

Who is most affected: Property and business owners in the Bothell Way corridor, several of whom are mid-relocation and depend on City reimbursement to complete their moves; contractors and vendors on the project; taxpayers absorbing the non-grant share. 

Decision status: All three adopted, 6-1. 

Timing and next milestone: The budget amendment moves $3 million forward from 2027 into 2026 to close properties this year rather than between January and June 2027, when the City must obligate construction funding and go out to bid. Four parcels remain. 

What to do now: Corridor businesses still negotiating should note the City's stated intent to close quickly and keep relocation reimbursements flowing. 

Unknown — watch for: The specific dollar amounts per parcel in Offer Package 8 and the settlements — these are in the agenda packet, which wasn't retrievable for this recap. The full project cost and remaining funding gap also weren't stated in a single figure on the record.

Budget Status Report — sales tax the soft spot

What happened: Deputy Finance Director Andrew Wong presented financial results through May 2026. Citywide revenues and expenditures are both under projection, largely from capital project timing — spending hasn't happened as expected, so grant reimbursements haven't come in either. General fund revenues and expenditures are both about 2% below expectations, described as on target. The general fund is roughly $2.5-3 million under, mostly salary savings from vacancies. Sales tax is the exception and the concern: about $1.8 million below expectations. The City ended 2025 down 1.2% on sales tax against a projected 5.4% increase; through May 2026 it was down another 6% year-over-year against a projected 8.7% increase. June receipts, received the week before the meeting, came in slightly up. Business and utility taxes are running higher than expected, particularly electric and gas, and investment interest is above forecast. Staff flagged June inflation at 3.8%, which by contract sets the cost-of-living adjustment for salaries. 

Why it matters: Sales tax is a core general fund revenue and it has now missed two years running. The City Manager framed this briefing as directly informing the 2027-28 budget, with first review of the preliminary budget the following week and a substantial study session September 15 — and noted Council should expect finance discussions nearly every week through at least November. 

Who is most affected: Anyone tracking Bothell's fiscal capacity for services, capital projects, or new programs in 2027-28; retail businesses, whose performance drives the number. 

Decision status: Informational; no action. 

Timing and next milestone: Preliminary budget first review week of September 8; budget study session September 15. 

What to do now: Chamber members with an interest in the 2027-28 budget should engage early — the study session calendar is dense from September through year-end. 

Unknown — watch for: Whether the June uptick becomes a trend; exact fund-by-fund figures are in the presentation materials.

Development Activity Update — pipeline stronger than the headline numbers

What happened: Deputy Community Development Director Christian Gats delivered the third semi-annual development activity report, a commitment made after the 2024 Comprehensive Plan update so Council could track whether the new policies are producing results. Through June, most metrics were running at roughly half of prior-year annual totals — about what you'd expect at mid-year, described as "just okay." Staff then flagged something not in the written materials: two large projects filed after the report was compiled pushed the value of building permits applied from about $110 million to roughly $205 million. Those are the P South project and an apartment project on 120th near Home Depot. The broader pipeline includes detached single family, duplexes, townhomes, and stacked apartments ranging from 12 to 320 units, with concentrations downtown and emerging activity in Kenyon Park. Commercial and non-residential activity is modest, which staff said matches the regional norm, but tenant improvements and business-to-business changeovers are "holding" and "pretty strong." Projects under construction include 102 Main (visible by its crane) and the bus base project. 

Why it matters: Two projects nearly doubling permit valuation is a meaningful signal about near-term construction activity, and the tenant-improvement volume is a direct indicator of small business turnover and investment. 

Who is most affected: Developers, contractors, commercial brokers, and businesses tracking new rooftops and neighborhood activity. 

Decision status: Informational; no action. 

Timing and next milestone: Next semi-annual report. 

What to do now: No action needed. 

Unknown — watch for: Unit counts and timelines for the P South and 120th projects specifically.

Consent Agenda — Waynita Creek funding, Wayne Golf Course demolition

What happened: Council approved a consent agenda 7-0 that the City Manager described as "fairly stacked" after several weeks off: four sets of minutes, June and July vouchers and payroll, a sidewalk construction item, continued funding agreements for the Sammamish River and Waynita Creek restoration project (which had a groundbreaking the prior week), and a contract authorizing demolition and associated actions for structures at the former Wayne Golf Course and North Creek Forest. Both of the latter are identified in the 2025-26 portion of the capital facilities plan. Deputy Mayor Alderks pulled the Waynita Creek item out for positive comment before the vote. 

Why it matters: The Waynita Creek restoration is now physically underway, and the Wayne Golf Course and North Creek Forest demolitions clear the way for those properties' next phase. 

Who is most affected: Neighbors and trail users near Waynita Creek, the former Wayne Golf Course, and North Creek Forest. 

Decision status: Adopted, 7-0. 

Timing and next milestone: Construction on the creek restoration runs into 2028. 

What to do now: No action needed. 

Unknown — watch for: Demolition scheduling and any site access impacts.

Bothell — Changes to Note

A low-power FM radio station is asking the City to partner. During public comment, the manager of UWave Radio at UW Bothell said the student organization holds an FCC construction permit for 80 watts on 105.7 FM, covering Bothell out to Mill Creek, Woodinville, and Kenmore. They're seeking a City partnership — including staff support and a possible license transfer to the City in three years — and said the signal must be on the air by December or the permit expires. They pitched emergency alert capability, community PSAs, and local programming. No Council action was taken. This is a live opportunity with a hard deadline and potential Chamber relevance for local business programming.

Election-season public comment restrictions are in effect. The Mayor read a notice that state law bars using public meetings to speak for or against ballot measures. With Bothell's RFA annexation measure and Kenmore's Proposition 1 both on the November 3 ballot, expect this constraint at every meeting through the election.

Joint Fire and Medical Advisory Board meeting being scheduled. Under the interlocal agreement with Fire District 10, two councilmembers join two of the district's three commissioners for an annual meeting each September. Three councilmembers volunteered; staff will finalize participants and a date. No vote was required.

Three proclamations issued: National Suicide Prevention Week (September 13-19), National Preparedness Month, and Bernadette Bascom Day (October 11), recognizing the Bothell musician and founder of Speak Music as Language.

Kenmore — Five-Minute Read

Housing Strategy Plan — final Commission review, heading to hearing October 6

What happened: The Planning Commission held what staff described as a "last look" at the draft Housing Strategy Plan before setting a public hearing. The plan was kicked off earlier in 2026 and has been refined over several months of Commission discussion into near-, mid-, and longer-term phases. Staff recapped the four top-priority actions the Commission identified: manufactured home community preservation; faith-based and public surplus lands; MFTE and inclusionary zoning in the downtown and TOD areas; and a community housing outcomes report. Staff also confirmed they will strip target dates out of the final document, on the reasoning that timelines shift and the City shouldn't be pinned to specific ones — a Commissioner noted the phasing still communicates relative priority without them. Commissioners discussed whether a permit-ready ADU and middle housing plan catalog belonged in phase two or could slide to phase three, and staff noted that reviewing permitting and impact fees for ADUs sits in a later phase as well. Staff had originally proposed a September 15 hearing but flagged that the code's 14-day notice requirement made that infeasible, moving it to the Commission's first October meeting. The motion to take the draft to public hearing was made by Vice Chair Dorian, seconded by Commissioner Vanderland, and passed unanimously on a roll call. 

Why it matters: This is Kenmore's housing policy roadmap for the next several years, and two of the four near-term priorities — MFTE and inclusionary zoning downtown and in the TOD areas, and disposition of faith-based and public surplus land — bear directly on what gets built where and under what conditions. It also runs parallel to the Swamp Creek/SR-522 zoning work Council directed in July, which carries its own 25%-affordable-at-50%-AMI requirement. 

Who is most affected: Developers and property owners in downtown Kenmore and the TOD areas; manufactured home community residents and owners; faith-based organizations holding developable land; ADU builders. 

Decision status: Advanced to public hearing, unanimous. 

Timing and next milestone: Public hearing October 6, 2026. The Commission's next regular meeting is September 15. 

What to do now: Anyone with a stake in downtown or TOD-area development should review the draft and plan to comment October 6 — after the hearing, the plan moves toward Council adoption. 

Unknown — watch for: The full text of the final priority actions and outcome measures; the staff memo and draft plan are attachments on the September 1 agenda that weren't extracted for this recap.

Department reorganization — planning and permitting under one director

What happened: Before the main agenda item, Debbie Bent announced that the Community Development and Development Services departments have merged into a single Community Development department led by Samantha Loyuk as Director. Staff including Todd, Brittany, and Shannon moved into the new department, placing long-range planning, current planning, and permitting together. Bent has moved to the City Manager's office as Deputy City Manager, and said she will continue attending the next several Planning Commission meetings to finish out this year's work program before handing off entirely. Loyuk introduced herself to the Commission and said she has been meeting with commissioners individually. 

Why it matters: For businesses and developers, this consolidates policy-setting and permit review under one director — potentially smoother coordination, and a single point of accountability. It also means the staff lead on the Housing Strategy Plan and the Swamp Creek zoning work is changing mid-stream. 

Who is most affected: Anyone applying for permits in Kenmore or tracking long-range land use policy. 

Decision status: Informational; no action required. 

Timing and next milestone: Transition over the next several Planning Commission meetings. 

What to do now: Note the new reporting structure for any pending or planned Kenmore permit applications. 

Unknown — watch for: Whether the merger changes permit review timelines or processes in practice.

Kenmore — Changes to Note

City Council held a brief special meeting August 25 — vouchers only. During the recess, Council met at noon on Tuesday, August 25 solely to approve three voucher certifications covering July 3 through August 14: checks totaling roughly $1.33 million, $699,000, and $612,000 respectively, plus payroll deposits of about $357,000, $331,000, and $331,000. No policy items, no discussion agenda.

Council returns September 14 with a special and regular meeting starting at 5:30 PM; the agenda was posted September 4. Regular meetings are also scheduled September 21 and September 28. The September 14 meeting is the likely venue for the rescheduled park impact fee public hearing that was postponed indefinitely on July 20.

Planning Commission's next meeting is September 15, with the Housing Strategy Plan public hearing following October 6.

ARCH participated in the September 1 meeting, alongside the Housing Strategy Plan discussion — a reminder that Kenmore's affordable housing work runs partly through the regional A Regional Coalition for Housing partnership.