Deisgn Alternatives to be Presented to Residents
The City of Edmonds and its design consultant, Blueline, Inc, have been collecting user data and generating design alternatives for installation of bicycle lanes at various locations within Edmonds. The design team will be presenting this information to residents in various formats including an interactive web-based map and a public meeting to be held by video conference on Wednesday, February 24.
The interactive map and public meeting details can be accessed at the project website: bikelanes.edmondswa.gov.
The interactive project map is based on the City’s GIS platform. Anyone interested in the project can navigate to any spot and toggle the various design options to see how each one would impact accessibility and parking. Users can then submit feedback via the website to let City staff know which option they prefer and why.
City engineering staff and Blueline representatives will be on hand to answer questions and take comment from anyone with an interest in the project during a public meeting that will held on Wednesday, February 24th at 6:00PM. Interested parties are encouraged to submit questions ahead of time by emailing bikelanes@edmondswa.gov. Questions submitted ahead of time will be given priority during the public meeting.
Please contact Ryan Hague by calling (425)771-0220 or by e-mail at ryan.hague@edmondswa.gov for the following:
1. If you have questions about the project.
2. If you are unable to access the on-line information or attend the on-line public meeting
3. If you have difficulty understanding English, you may, free of charge, request language assistance services for this project information
(Edmonds – WA) The City of Edmonds is seeking applications to fill the positions of Landscape Architect and Planner on the Architectural Design Board. The Landscape Architect is a professional working in the field of landscape architecture with the ability to understand and review landscape plans for multifamily and commercial development projects. The Planner position is one who works in the field of urban planning with the ability to deal with land use and design issues in the built environment.
This is a volunteer position and requires the appointed board member to attend up to two evening meetings a month, normally occurring on the first or third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Public Safety Complex. The ADB is an advisory board to the City on proposed multiple-family and commercial developments including for site, landscape, and building design. The appointed board member does not need to reside within city limits.
Applications may be obtained online at: http://www.edmondswa.gov/images/COE/Government/Boards_and_Commissions/PDF/BC_App_fillable.pdf or by calling the Mayor’s Office at 425.771.0247.
Applications are due Thursday, March 11 by 4:30 pm.
(Edmonds - WA) Edmonds residents interested in serving on the Edmonds Planning Board are encouraged to apply for one or more openings this year.
The Planning Board advises the Mayor and City Council on comprehensive planning, rezones, development code amendments, and other land use issues. The Planning Board, with support from City staff, normally meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 7 p.m.
Applications may be obtained by contacting the Mayor’s Office at 425.771.0247 or by visiting the city website at: http://www.edmondswa.gov/images/COE/Government/Boards_and_Commissions/PDF/BC_App_fillable.pdf.
Applications are due by 4:30 pm Tuesday, March 2nd.
The City encourages women, people of color, and other minorities to apply for service on this Board.
Qualified candidates will be interviewed by the Mayor who will make the appointment with City Council confirmation.
For more information about the Planning Board’s work, contact key City staff at planning@edmondswa.gov.
Today we honor Bill Anderson and his tremendous contributions to our community. Bill was heavily involved with our Discovery Program and with BirdFest for many years. Bill and his son Daren were frequently found photographing the wildlife of many Edmonds' parks. Bill's photos, patience and environmental leadership will be greatly missed.
Learn more about Bill’s dedication to photography and protecting our local wildlife here.
Bill Anderson Proclamation
Photo credit: Bob Sears
Photo credit: Bill Anderson
(Edmonds, WA) The Mayor’s Equity and Social Justice Task Force has submitted their report on Public Safety and Policing which includes several findings and recommendations. The full report can be found in its entirety online at http://report.edmondswa.gov.
The Task Force’s findings included:
• The Police Department, while intentionally working to hire a more diverse force, does not currently have, yet should have consistent, on-going training in working with marginalized populations, specifically communities of color.
• The department has not sought out input or insights from the community at large when developing their plans for cultural assessments
• There is a lack of insight into the perspectives and concerns of many in the community that they serve, especially communities of color.
• There is a lack of training in community outreach and community engagement that would help the Police Department in serving the citizens of Edmonds.
• A lack of training in police, dealing with the social services needs of citizens, was evident. Police are being asked to provide social services without adequate training, which makes it challenging for a social worker to follow up after the fact.
• Many residents of color do not feel safe in Edmonds.
• Accountability and transparency are two terms that came up repeatedly throughout the Task Force process and there are differences in how the police and the community understand those terms as they relate to public safety.
The Task Force’s recommendations included:
• Community engagement training for the Edmonds Police Department
• Integration of social services, including training in the best use of a social services staff person
• Establishing an implicit bias training program for the Police Department
• Continued use of the Task Force in developing an ongoing equity work plan
The Equity and Social Justice Task Force was formed “for the purpose of providing advisement to the Mayor on issues of equity and justice.” The Task Force began meeting in August of 2020 to study equity-related issues within city government and create an Equity Toolkit, as well as an Equity Work Plan for the City. The first priority was Police Department practices as they relate to Public Safety/Policing. They wish to continue to provide support and evaluate progress made on the recommendations for the Police Department.
The Task Force consists of thirteen members, including a combination of civic and business community members, as well as representatives from regional equity and inclusion organizations.
Over the last six months the Task Force has worked independently under the guidance of a consultant who specializes in equity and justice work, Armstead Consulting. While the consultant assisted the task force in providing information on best practices for this process, the work of the Task Force was entirely driven and completed by the Task Force members.
Mayor Nelson stated, “This report found problems in how we police and gives solutions to do a better job of supporting Black residents and other marginalized populations. I am sharing this report with our police performance audit firm and our Police Chief selection organization to help inform expectations for our next Police Chief moving forward. I want to thank the citizen Task Force members who dedicated themselves to help address equity and social justice issues facing our community. As I am committed to be as transparent as possible with actions to be taken in regards to our Police Department, I am releasing the Equity and Justice Task Force report in its entirety.”
Equity Toolkit
The Task Force also created an Equity Toolkit that provides a set of questions to help decision-makers focus on equity in both their processes and outcomes. The questions are designed to create a more inclusive perspective, drawing attention to how a decision may create the potential to affect marginalized groups.
Additional resource agencies will be added, as well as programming, such as webinars, tutorials, etc.
“This new online resource gives access to free resources that can help our local businesses grow and thrive during these times of economic stress,” stated Mayor Mike Nelson.
Economic Development & Community Services Director Patrick Doherty adds, “While these resources have been serving local businesses for years, it’s likely that most local small business owners have not known about the free services they offer that can really make a difference. Bringing them together in one place and making a concerted PR push should help drive more Edmonds businesses to these services.”
The website also offers an e-subscribe service to enable notification about updates and new offerings.
For more information, please contact Patrick Doherty at patrick.doherty@edmondswa.gov or 425-771-0251.
Resulting from this analysis, the study will create a short- and long-term strategic plan which will help the City to determine its future service levels, including performance management and the department’s basic ability to carry out its mission.
Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM)
The Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM) was launched by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) to provide support to local governments in the areas of police, fire, and emergency medical services.
The Center also represents local governments at the federal level and has been involved in numerous projects with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. In 2014 as part of a restructuring at ICMA, the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM) spun out as a separate company and is now the exclusive provider of public safety technical assistance for ICMA.
CPSM’s local government technical assistance experience includes workload and deployment analysis, using a unique methodology and subject matter experts to examine department organizational structure and culture, identify workload and staffing needs, as well as industry best practices.
CPSM has conducted over 346 such studies in 43 states and provinces and 246 communities, ranging in population from 8,000 (Boone, IA) to 800,000 (Indianapolis, IN).
International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
The ICMA is a 103-year old, non-profit professional association of local government administrators and managers, with approximately 13,000 members located in 32 countries. ICMA advances the knowledge of local government best practices with its website, www.icma.org, publications, research, professional development, and membership.
Lastly, now more than ever, the legacy of Dr King must be remembered and acted upon, not just this one day, but it must serve as a source of continued work throughout the year.
In our city I am pursuing systemic change within City government to eliminate institutional bias and discrimination, aided by a series of upcoming recommendations from my Equity and Justice Task Force. The City’s Diversity Commission is also doing important work to help address issues of equity and inclusion throughout our community.
In closing I wish you all a safe and memorable Martin Luther King holiday and encourage us all to continue to engage in collective efforts to fulfill Dr King’s legacy every day.
The City of Edmonds Arts Commission (EAC) is offering two, single opportunity grants in 2021 for artists and nonprofit arts and culture organizations based in Edmonds. Applications are now available. The application deadline is January 28, 2021. Projects must be completed in 2021.
The Small Grant Program will have a total of $5,000 available for small grants of $100 - $1,000 for arts-based projects to support creativity, diversity and access to arts in Edmonds through literary, visual or performing arts. Applicants must be residents of Edmonds or organizations located in Edmonds.
"Creating a Future" Large Grant Program has a total of $50,000 available for awards up to $10,000. The purpose of the grant opportunity is to help build and reinforce a diverse and equitable cultural community in Edmonds, recognizing the uncertainty and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the necessity of changing strategies to create access for all to the arts. Both individual artists and arts and culture organizations based in Edmonds are eligible if they have not-for-profit status either solely or through a partnership or umbrella relationship. Collaborations are encouraged.
Grant program Guidelines and applications for both grants are available on the Arts Commission website http://www.edmondswa.gov/workshops-a-grants.html. For questions contact frances.chapin@edmondswa.gov .
Contact the City to get on the first-come, first-served list for distribution
(Edmonds, WA) With more restaurants turning to take-out as the only means of financial survival during COVID-19 restrictions, they are using more compostable to-go containers and gloves which can be costly. Using Federal CARES Act funds, the City has been able to buy various-sized compostable containers and boxes of gloves to distribute to restaurants. These compostable containers are fully approved by Cedar Grove Composting for acceptance at their facility.
“We heard from the restaurant community, which has been among the most impacted by the COVID restrictions, about the challenges of only offering takeout at this time,” stated Mayor Nelson. “This is one way we can help ease the financial strain, promote take out dining from our restaurants, and help meet our environmental goals of encouraging compostable waste.”
The City will distribute up to 7,350 compostable to-go containers and over 12,000 gloves in prepackaged bundles at the first of two drive-up events. The first will be held on Dec. 7 between 10 am and 1 pm at the Public Works Building north parking lot at 7110 210th St. SW.
A second distribution event, with an even greater number of items, will take place Dec. 21.
Two selections of packages are available:
Package One will contain:
· two bags of 9 X 9 food containers for a total of 100 containers,
· two bags of 6 X 6 containers for a total of 150 containers, and
· four boxes of gloves for a total of 200 pairs.
Package Two will contain:
· three bags of 9 X 9 containers for a total of 150 containers, and
· four boxes of gloves for a total of 200 pairs.
Quantities are limited so please register in advance for a package of containers and gloves, by contacting Megan Luttrell at megan.luttrell@edmondswa.gov by Noon Friday, Dec. 4. Please indicate whether you wish to sign up for Package One or Package Two. She will respond to confirm your space on the list for the 12/7/20 event. If you cannot be accommodated on that day, you will be placed on the list for the 12/21/20 event. Media Release
In the on-going effort to connect with residents during these difficult times, Edmonds Mayor Mike Nelson will host his second Neighborhood Zoom Meeting Dec. 7 at 6:30 pm for the Highway 99 and Lake Ballinger areas.
Here is the Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/93277848512
It can also be found on the Edmonds Communications Page at www.edmondswa.gov/communications. (more)
The November 9, 2020 Public Forum with Edmonds' Police Chief Candidates Sherman Pruitt and Jim Lawless can be viewed here.
Sherman Pruitt Jim Lawless
A Community Embracing our Heritage Together
Today, Oct. 12, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and the City wants recognize all Indigenous people and draw special attention to the Coast Salish peoples, including Tulalip, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, Lummi, and other tribes who have inhabited the Puget Sound region that encompasses the shorelands and uplands of Edmonds.
Mayor Mike Nelson offers the following remarks: For thousands of years the Indigenous Coast Salish peoples have used the area now known as Edmonds to harvest salmon, shellfish, and land-based resources.
The rich, diverse culture and enduring spirit of the Indigenous Peoples of Puget Sound region live on in Edmonds, not just through the acts of a few, but through the intentional efforts of many.
I am honored to draw attention to the ArtWalk mural program that has recently completed two murals depicting Coast Salish culture in our area at the time of contact. Thank you, Andy Eccleshall (muralist) and Coast Salish artist Ty Juvenil, for your collaborative effort to create these images.
I want to thank the leadership at the new Waterfront Center who are seeking to partner with the local tribes to incorporate Coast Salish artwork as a part of the new center set for completion in November.
Finally, I am very excited to see the carved cedar panel created by Coast Salish artist Ty Juvenil that depicts traditional Coast Salish activities on the shores of Puget Sound and will be placed across from City Hall at the Historical Museum later this year.
These are just a few of the countless examples where, in a year filled with uncertainties and in the midst of a pandemic, the community of Edmonds continues to inspire and lead by example. Thank you to the community for your efforts to ensure we continue to embrace our heritage, not just today, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but every day.
Development Services
- Building Division
- Planning Division
- Engineering Division
Second Floor City Hall
121 5th Ave N
Phone: 425-771-0220 daily
Hours: M,T,Th,F 8am-4:30pm;
Wednesday by appt. only
Municipal Court
250 5th Ave N
425-771-0210
Hours: M-F, 8:30am-4:30pm
Closed: Noon-1pm for Lunch
Passport Service
Hours: M 9:30am-11:45am
T,Th,F 9:30am-11:45am and
1:00pm-2:30pm