Mountlake Terrace officials share the 2024 State of City

The City of Mountlake Terrace held its 2024  State of the City address last week, updating residents on the city’s goals and accomplishments.

Attendees included Hayden Jenkins, Northwest Washington Director for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray; State Rep. Lauren Davis and Lynnwood Mayor Christine Frizzell.

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene could not attend the May 7 event but sent a letter, read by Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto Wright, to recognize the city’s work in creating a transit-oriented Town Center through the Main Street Revitalization projects.

In March 2024, DelBene secured $850,000 in federal Community Project Funding (CPF) to support Phase II of Main Street, which assists in redeveloping 56th Avenue West between 236th and 230th Streets Southwest.

City Manager Jeff Niten reviewed the city’s accomplishments, starting with the updated tree code and creating a full urban forestry program.

Niten continued by explaining how the city is striving to create a premier workplace where team members can take ownership of the projects they work on. Further, the city has implemented remote work, hybrid work and alternative schedules.

“We’ve made significant strides, and we’re going to continue to work on that in the years to come,” Niten said.

On planning and growth topics, Niten explained that the city is addressing its aging utilities infrastructure through comprehensive utility planning programs undertaken as part of the Mountlake Terrace 2024 Comprehensive Plan update. 

“We’re also doing rate studies, which I know everybody is very excited about,” Niten said. “But we’re taking into account the sensitivity of those rates for our customers and residents and making sure that they’re [the rates are] predictable.”

Niten explained that the city promotes economic vitality through an economic development strategic plan and a long-range financial sustainability task force.

The economic development strategic plan will dovetail with the Comprehensive Plan’s economic element. At the same time, the long-range financial sustainability task force will be proactive in addressing potential economic issues before they become crises.

City Manager Jeff Niten reviewed the city’s progress over the last year, including family-friendly events like Movies in the Park.

Niten said the city council and staff have made great strides in making Mountlake Terrace a safe and welcoming community. This progress is partly thanks to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission (DEIC), which has helped the city incorporate the commission’s principles through the work the city does for the community.

One of those principles, he said, is accessibility for all, as seen in the improvements at the Hazel Miller Universally Accessible Playground.

“I think anybody, no matter what their ability level, should be able to enjoy a park in their community and enjoy playing outdoors,” Niten said.

This image shows the changes to be made on 66th Avenue West. Sidewalks and bike lanes will increase multimodal transit.

The city manager said that another critical aspect of the city’s progress in accessibility is centered around movement, such as improving sidewalks and crosswalks and increasing the number of languages in which residents can access information. 

According to Niten, the city’s arts, culture and events – such as the Tour de Terrace and National Night Out – are another piece of a safe and welcoming community. Further, the 2023 3rd of July event had more than 7,000 people attending.

Many across the region enjoy the Mountlake Terrace Recreation Pavilion, Niten said. The city council prioritized community access by providing American Rescue Plan Act dollars for scholarships so everybody can take advantage of that amenity. Also, the city partnered with Verdant Health to provide free swimming lessons for youth.

For police staffing, Niten said that Mountlake Terrace is one of the few cities in the region that is fully staffed.

“We are very lucky here in Mountlake Terrace that all of our positions are filled, but also that we are recruiting so that we can reflect the community that we serve,” Niten said.

He added that several officers in the department speak multiple languages, with one speaking a total of six.

In its efforts to provide a responsible government, Niten said that the city has improved Mountlake Terrace’s website, including giving customers the ability to make utility payments online.

Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto Wright reviewed future projects in city planning that increase growth of much-needed middle housing.

During the event, Mayor Matsumoto Wright pointed to upcoming city milestones, such as improved transit connections, Safe Routes to School and the reconstruction of 66th Avenue West. She also noted upcoming multifamily housing projects:

– Mountlake Village, north of Town Center, will add 323 new living spaces and nearly 6,000 square feet of service and retail space. 

– The Candela, just east of the new light rail station, will include 425 new living spaces and over 5,000 square feet of service and retail space.

– Terrace Station 4, south of the light rail station, will feature  174 new living spaces and over 8,000 square feet of service and space.

To see the State of the City video in its entirety, click here.

— By Rick Sinnett

  1. Excited for the changes coming. Here’s hoping those bike lanes are protected at the very least. I’m glad they’re being put in place, but having unprotected, painted bike lanes next to three lanes of car traffic is incredibly dangerous for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

    It’s good that the lanes are there, just please have some sort of physical barriers separating them from cars.

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