LFP Council to Take Up Final 2027–28 Budget, Property Taxes and Utility Rates At November 12 Regular Council Meeting

The Lake Forest Park City Council is scheduled to take up several major financial and policy decisions Thursday, November 12, including adoption of the city’s 2027–2028 biennial budget, 2027 property taxes, and sewer and surface water rates. The meeting also includes an amended letter to the King County Council regarding the elimination of Metro Route 372, a proposed withdrawal from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) Interlocal Agreement, and additional work on the city’s Lakefront Park improvements. A 6 p.m. work session will precede the regular 7 p.m. meeting. Both meetings will use the same Zoom connection.

Final decisions on the 2027–28 budget and 2027 taxes

The Council is scheduled to consider Ordinance 26-1325, which the amended agenda identifies as the ordinance adopting the 2027–2028 biennial budget. Other tax and budget-related measures include:

• Ordinance 26-1300: Establishing the city’s 2027 property tax levy.
• Ordinance 26-1321: Levying the general taxes for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2027.
• Resolution 26-2103: Setting sewer utility rates for 2027.
• Resolution 26-2104: Setting surface water rates for 2027.

The proposed budget has been under discussion for several months, with the city’s budgetary outlook presenting difficult choices about ongoing spending, revenue, and reserves. The Mayor’s preliminary budget presentation showed that General Fund revenues were approximately $4.5 million below projected expenditures for the 2027–28 biennium. The proposed budget would cover that difference by using approximately $4.5 million from unallocated fund balances, or savings. The presentation also warned that the General Fund’s ending balance would fall below the city’s 16% reserve target by the end of 2028.

What could residents see on their utility bills?

Earlier budget presentations proposed annual increases in utility operating rates:

• Sewer operations: 5% in 2027 and another 5% in 2028.
• Surface water operations: 10% in 2027 and another 10% in 2028.
• King County’s sewer treatment charge: 12.75% in 2027 and 10% in 2028.

The sewer bill includes both the city’s residential sewer charge and King County’s wastewater treatment charge. The city sets its portion, while King County determines the treatment charge. At the October 22 public hearing, staff estimated that the annual surface water charge for a single-family home would increase from $358.21 to $394.03 in 2027. The property tax figures presented at that hearing were also preliminary. 

Staff requested consideration of a 2027 regular property tax levy of $3,813,721, including a $200,000 allowance for adjustments to pending King County figures. Using a median assessed home value of approximately $963,000, staff estimated the city’s portion of the property tax bill would increase from $644.44 in 2026 to $677.80 in 2027. These were earlier estimates, not necessarily the final amounts the Council will adopt November 12.

Council returns to Route 372 issue with amended letter

Under Council Discussion and Action, the amended agenda includes a letter to the King County Council concerning Metro Route 372. The route, which connected Bothell, Kenmore and Lake Forest Park with Lake City and the University District, was discontinued as part of Metro’s Lynnwood Link Connections service changes on August 29, 2026. The King County Council had previously approved a service restructuring that identified Routes 72, 77, 322 and 331, along with Sound Transit’s Stride S3 service, as replacement service for portions of the former route. King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski introduced Ordinance 2026-0218 in August seeking to prevent the deletion of Route 372. The legislative record shows the measure was referred to the county’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee. Lake Forest Park has previously worked with neighboring cities and transit advocates to challenge the route change. The November 12 agenda identifies the communication as an amended letter addressed to the King County Council.

Withdrawal from regional homelessness agreement

The Council is also scheduled to take action on withdrawing from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority Interlocal Agreement. This is the third presentation of the proposal. The North King County agreement includes Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Kenmore, Shoreline, Woodinville, and KCRHA. The agreement established a regional framework to coordinate homelessness services and administer funding for local programs.KCRHA has notified participating cities that it will stop administering locally funded service contracts. The current agreement’s initial term runs through December 31, 2026. Lake Forest Park has previously indicated that it intends to continue supporting severe-weather shelter services in the north end after the agreement ends, working with neighboring cities on a replacement arrangement. The city’s earlier Council discussions indicated that the regional shelter is expected to continue operating at St. Dunstan’s Church in Shoreline. The withdrawal proposal would address the city’s participation in the current agreement. It does not, by itself, establish all the details of any replacement regional arrangement.

Lakefront Park Phase 2 design contract returns for another amendment

New Business includes Resolution 26-2112, authorizing the Mayor to sign Amendment No. 3 to the professional services agreement with Facet NW for Phase 2 Lakefront Improvements. The project concerns the city’s lakefront property at 17345 and 17347 Beach Drive NE, acquired in 2021 for future public park and open-space use, including recreation, public water access, and indoor and outdoor community gathering areas. The city entered into its Phase 2 design, engineering, environmental review, and permitting agreement with Facet in June 2024. An earlier amendment, approved in May 2026, added $93,332.65 for additional services related to administrative hearings and appeals for the project’s permits. That amendment increased the agreement’s total compensation ceiling from $1,109,805 to $1,203,137.65.The November 12 agenda lists another amendment, but does not provide its additional cost or detailed scope in the agenda description.

Other contracts and regional agreements

Several other items are scheduled for Council consideration. Public Works and Engineering: The Council will consider four previously presented items:

• Resolution 26-2107 would authorize an agreement with Ventilation Power Cleaning, Inc. for catch basin inspection services.
• Resolution 26-2108 would authorize a GeoEngineers task order for guardrail slope stabilization design support.
• Resolution 26-2109 would authorize a Water Quality Combined Financial Assistance Agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology for a Community Based Private-Public Partnership (CBP3) grant.
• Resolution 26-2110 would authorize a second task order with Otak, Inc. for design of the 37th Avenue NE Missing Link Project.

Public defense services: Resolution 26-2111 would authorize a second amendment to the city’s public defense services contract with Stewart MacNichols Harmell, Inc., P.S.The city previously amended the agreement in 2025 following changes to Washington’s public defense standards. The first amendment set compensation at $11,250 per month beginning January 1, 2026. The current agenda does not specify the proposed financial or contractual changes in the second amendment. 

Regional Emergency Management Resolution 26-2113 would authorize a second amendment to the Interlocal Agreement for Regional Emergency Management, known as the Northshore Emergency Management Coalition (NEMCo). NEMCo is a partnership involving Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and King County Fire District No. 16. A 2025 amendment provided a one-year extension to the agreement while the participating agencies explored the possibility of Shoreline joining the coalition. The November 12 agenda does not detail the changes proposed in the new amendment. 

The Emergency Manager pay scale noted in the LFP 2027 budget is $115,035 (Step 3) and $137,199 (Step 6). 

State legislative advocacy: The Council will receive its first presentation of a proposed 2027–2028 agreement with Gordon Thomas Honeywell Government Relations for state legislative advocacy services. The proposed 2027–2028 State Legislative Agenda will also receive its first presentation.

Police officer swearing-in and Planning Commission appointment

The meeting will begin with the swearing-in of Lake Forest Park Police Officer Dianna Lee Sumpter. The Council will also consider final confirmation of Zach Hill’s appointment to Planning Commission Position 6 for a partial term. A proclamation recognizing November 2026 as the month of Movember is also on the agenda.

Executive session concerning real estate

The agenda includes an executive session under RCW 42.30.110(1)(b) to consider the acquisition of real estate through purchase or lease. Executive sessions are closed to the public. The agenda does not identify the property or provide additional details about the potential acquisition.

Meeting and public participation

The Lake Forest Park City Council regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 12, at 7 p.m., preceded by a 6 p.m. work session. 

Location: Lake Forest Park City Hall
17425 Ballinger Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

Zoom connection (works for both meetings):
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89716009522

Telephone: 253-215-8782
Webinar ID: 897 1600 9522 

Oral public comments are limited to three minutes per speaker and are accepted only in person. The city is not accepting oral comments through Zoom. Written comments received by 5 p.m. on November 12 will be submitted to the Council for the meeting. Comments received after that deadline will be provided to Council the following day. The City Clerk will read the sender’s name and the subject matter into the public record.

City documents analyzed by AI.

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