MI Weekly
    A weekly update from the City of Mercer Island


Table of Contents
Like us on Facebook

 Calendar
(For event details, visit the City's online calendar or click on a specific event)

June 3

June 4

June 5

June 9


June 10

June 12

June 16

June 17

Your City Council
MAYOR

DEPUTY MAYOR
COUNCILMEMBERS 

Quick Links



Volunteer Opportunities 
City of
Mercer Island
City Hall Address
9611 SE 36th Street
Mercer Island, WA 98040
[Currently not open to the public due to COVID-19]

Phone
(206) 275-7600

Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30am to 5:00pm


Donations Requested 
The Mercer Island Food Pantry relies on your donations - during the COVID-19 pandemic we are accepting only grocery store gift cards for distribution -
Click for more info.
June 3, 2020 | Vol. 15 | No. 23
CurfewOvernight Curfew in Place
Click to read the curfew language

After peaceful protests against race-based policing began to be infiltrated by looters and vandals, significant nighttime random violence has occurred across many cities in the region. In response, on Tuesday, June 2, Mayor Benson Wong and City Manager Jessi Bon declared an extension of the City's overnight curfew first established on June 1. 

 

The extended curfew is currently in place each night from 8:00pm to 5:00am until Friday morning, June 5. This may be subject to change or cancellation; please check the City's homepage news, or social media, for the latest update.
 
"We understand the inconvenience this may bring to residents, but I remain concerned about the information our Police Detectives are gathering regarding future unrest in the region and am recommending these actions to help us protect the Mercer Island community," said Police Chief Ed Holmes. "I believe extending the curfew is a prudent measure given the random criminal acts we've seen occurring in neighboring communities."

 

The curfew applies to all persons on Mercer Island except law enforcement, emergency and government personnel - traveling to/from employment is permitted. All residents are asked to cooperate by staying home and forwarding credible leads to the police by calling 9-1-1.

 
Earlier this week, Mayor Wong spoke at length about this community's support for peaceful free speech and demonstrations of profound grievances. At the same time, he condemned the simultaneous occurrence of looting and violence in neighboring cities. Read his remarks here. 
Interchange_ Bus/Rail Interchange Open House
Sound Transit's postcard; click to read more about the open house
This week, Sound Transit mailed a postcard (see image) to all Mercer Island addresses, announcing an upcoming online open house, slated for June 8-19.

The open house covers the design of the Sound Transit Bus/Rail Interchange which will facilitate bus riders transferring to and from light rail when it opens in 2023. 

The City encourages all interested residents to weigh in on the design of a proposed roundabout, as well as plans for the un-built 80th Avenue station entry plaza, and sidewalk and curb cut adjustments along North Mercer Way. Please also share any other concerns you may have with proposed operations.

The City's engineering and building staff recently reviewed the 60% design and provided comments on the technical aspects of construction, such as  materials to be used, necessary excavation, landscaping, and other details of the roundabout .

Learn more about the Sound Transit Open House, and don't forget to comment between June 8-19.
Town_CenterTemporary Moratorium on Town Center Development
Click to learn about the most recent (2016) code update for the Town Center Zone
At last night's Meeting, the City Council adopted unanimously a six-month moratorium on the acceptance of permit applications for "major new construction" in the portion of Mercer Island's Town Center Zone south of SE 29th Street. 

The temporary moratorium (click for full text), which does not include single-family development, takes effect immediately and a public hearing will be held by the City Council no later than August 1.

City Manager Jessi Bon indicated that the City will likely need to retain an outside consultant to support the Town Center code work and she will plan for a future discussion with the City Council regarding the selection process and the proposed scope of work.

In adopting the moratorium, the City Council indicated, as one of their concerns, that new developments in the area south of SE 29th Street may not provide adequate retail space, and they would like to review this component of the current code.

The moratorium does not apply to any development applications that have already been deemed complete, as they are vested under existing regulations.

Learn more about the Town Center Zone here.
BoardsNew Boards and Commissions Appointees
business_conference_meeting
Click to view list of new or continuing assignments
Earlier this spring, the City invited residents to apply for positions on several volunteer advisory boards. These  boards and commissions  rely on community involvement to help improve the overall livability of Mercer Island. Appointments to six boards and commissions were made by the City Council at its June 2 meeting. View list of appointees here.

Board members typically spend approximately ten hours a month on various duties Twelve new or continuing assignments were made for the following roles:
Note : There is still one unfilled vacancy on the Arts Council (4-year term) that the City Council wishes to fill. Applications can be made via this  online form.
Mercer Island Goes Green
GardenSavvy Gardener Classes
Click to learn more
Planting the right plant in the right place is essential to growing successful plants with less maintenance and less watering!

Get your yard in shape and learn more this spring/summer with free online gardening classes offered by the Saving Water Partnership.

The City of Mercer Island is a member of the Saving Water Partnership, a regional group that focuses on conserving water across King County through education, rebates, programs, and other measures.

 

  
For questions and comments on the MI Weekly, contact
communications@mercergov.org