Bonney Lake and Sumner Courier-Herald, May 02, 2012

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SEE INSIDE: Police get the boat ready for another summer season on the lake, Page 3 . . . . Local legislators work the phones to save money for the Rainier School improvements, Page 5 . . . Spartans, Panthers prepare for playoffs, Page 10

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

What’s Inside Classified ...................... Page 14 Views..................................Page 6 Sports ............................ Page 10 Community Click ..... Page 19 Feature...............................Page 8 Traveling with children takes some extra planning time.

WEBSITE | Check the website for breaking news and weather updates. www.blscourierherald.com

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Deal with Sound Transit keeps route open New ST 596 replaces PT 496; Bonney Lake will take over maintenance of Park and Ride lot By Brian Beckley Staff Writer

It’s official: The bus between the Bonney Lake Park and Ride lot and the Sumner Sounder station will keep on rolling. First announced last week, the Sound Transit board on Thursday

unanimously approved a plan to create a new Sound Transit route to replace Pierce Transit route 496, which will be discontinued June 8. The new service, ST Express Route 596, begins operation June 11. The new route was championed by Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow,

who serves on the Sound Transit board of directors, and County Executive Pat McCarthy, who serves as chair of the board. “I am pleased that the Board has approved funding for this critical feeder service,” Enslow said in a press release. “This is a great solution for everyone. Commuters get a convenient connection to excellent regional bus and train service while Sumner avoids getting more cars trying to park in lots that are already over capacity. And, we all

benefit from a few hundred cars remaining off our freeways every day.” According to the press release from Sound Transit, the route serves 290 boardings each day and will be timed to meet morning and afternoon Sounder trains. “We are thrilled by the Board’s action to save this much-needed connector service for Sounder riders from Bonney Lake, Buckley and

See bus, Page 5

City Council changes fees to spur building

Weather Showers are likely again today, Wednesday, with highs in the mid-50s. Overnight lows will reach into the mid-40s. The pattern repeats through the weekend until Sunday when partly sunny skies reappear with a high in the low 60s. For details go to: www.blscourierherald.com click on weather

By Brian Beckley Staff Writer

Coming Up Bonney Lake’s first-ever Parks Summit is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Justice Center. The summit is designed to gain public comment on the city’s park system. For details go to: www.blscourierherald.com

A skateboarder uses Allan Yorke Park’s skating facility Friday. The Bonney Lake Parks Plan calls for an expansion of the existing park infrastructure, to include a possible BMX course. Photo by Daniel Nash/To view or buy photos go to www.blscourierherald.com.

Would you pitch in for parks?

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City seeks citizen input as it considers funding options for Parks Plan

Main Desk 253-825-2555

By Daniel Nash

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Staff Writer

How much would you pitch in to keep park services in Bonney Lake? The city of Bonney Lake’s Park Board will host a Parks Summit Monday to ascertain the ways citizens would be willing to fund more than $38 million in service needs. Whether potential taxes go to a ballot vote could depend on the number of

people who attend. “The amount and type of participation we have on May 7 will play into whether the council decides to put a funding measure on the ballot for next spring,” Facilities and Special Projects Manager Gary Leaf said. “It costs $15,000$20,000 to put a voter measure on the ballot. So the council wants to be certain parks is something voters care about.” A voluntary survey conducted in 2010 gauged 450 responses to find that the most wanted services in Bonney Lake parks were also the most wanting in terms of funding.

See Parks, Page 4

After months of discussion and several false starts and changes, the Bonney Lake City Council Tuesday night passed a pair of ordinances designed to spur building by reducing impact fees and charges for construction. The Council first passed a measure to limit to three the number of times the city will collect sewer system development charges for tenant improvements and changes to an existing space. The city will now only collect the charges for the initial business and two subsequent changes. After that, no additional charges will be collected. The measure passed 6-0 (Councilwoman Katrina Minton Davis, who supported the measure throughout the process, was absent). Mayor Neil Johnson, who proposed and supported the ordinance, called it “the right thing to do.” “You can only collect a sewer impact so many times,” Johnson said. Johnson said the change should allow the city to better retain local

See fees, Page 4


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