.com
PLAYGROUND | Steel Lake Park ‘Funland’ structure will undergo renovation [2]
VOL. 15, NO. 28
Mirror
F E D E R A L WAY
division of Sound Publishing
OPINION | Roegner: Closer look at city council races [6] Johnson: Gay in Federal Way? We still have a long way to go [6] CRIME NEWS | 2 women rob gas station; animal doc caught with bestiality video [3] MR. FEDERAL WAY | Q&A delivers the scoop on dog poop along the BPA Trail [7]
SPORTS | Update on Little League action. CALENDAR OF EVENTS | Get your tickets FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2013 | 50¢ Plus: Ode to summer sports parents [13] for the annual Kiwanis Salmon Bake [9]
Here’s why you might pay more for water By ANDY HOBBS editor@fedwaymirror.com
Do all Lakehaven Utility District customers pay the same price for water? Yes and no. Joe Stumbo, a resident of unincorporated King County, contacted The Mirror out of frustration over the difference in water bills between his own residence and a rental house. Lakehaven customers pay for water by the cubic foot. According to Stumbo’s recent bimonthly billing statement, his rental property used 16 cubic feet of water at a cost of $45.48. For the same billing period, his own residence used 5 cubic feet of water at a cost of $53.35. Stumbo said the setup is unfair, especially when he used less than one-third of the water than his rental property. “It’s not like people really have a choice,” said Stumbo, who lives near Thomas Jefferson High School on the Federal Way-Auburn border. As it turns out, size matters. The bigger your house and water meter, the more you’ll pay for water. [ more WATER, page 20 ] NEWSPAPER RACKS: To see a list of rack locations for the print edition of The Mirror, visit federalwaymirror.com/about_us.
City scrutinizes application process Questions are raised after controversial board appointment By GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Federal Way staff have been reviewing the application process for the city’s
various volunteer boards and commissions, following some issues regarding the North Lake Management District Advisory Board and an applicant who was approved but later rescinded. “Council had asked to look at the application process for the commissions
and boards,” said city attorney Pat Richardson during the July 9 Parks, Recreation, Human Services and Public Safety Commission Meeting. In comparing application requirements, the only city that requires a criminal background check is SeaTac, Richardson said.
The original issue arose last month when the council unanimously approved the appointment of Greg Summers, an embattled chiropractor facing sexual misconduct charges in relation to his chiropractic practice. Outside of that, a special city council meeting also found that other
members of the North Lake Management District Advisory Board had attempted to submit information regarding Summers’ apparent disregard for North Lake, which ultimately led to the council rescinding Summers’ commission appointment. [ more PROCESS, page 20 ]
Twin Lakes road project shifts hours to reduce impact From staff reports
The Celebration Senior Living Apartments are slated for a vacant site at Pacific Highway S. and S. 328th Street (across from Econo Lodge and Burger Express). Construction is slated to begin this fall. No official opening date has been set. MORGAN DESIGN GROUP
Coming soon: 3 apartment complexes By ANDY HOBBS editor@fedwaymirror.com
Construction is expected to begin this year on three apartment complexes in Federal Way with a combined total of nearly 900 units. The Celebration Senior Living Apartments are slated for a vacant site at Pacific Highway S. and S. 328th Street (across from Econo Lodge and Burger Express). The proposed project consists of about 380 affordable independent rental units, housed in two 65-foot towers joined by a skybridge. Each tower will have its own ground level parking. There will also be a “social building” and common open space.
This is a community headed by the Senior Housing Assistance Group (SHAG), a non-profit organization that provides affordable rental apartments for low- and moderate-income seniors in the region. Construction is slated to begin this fall on the east building, with construction beginning on the west building in the third quarter of 2014, according to a SHAG spokesman. No official opening date has been set. Another project titled Park 16 Multifamily Development, with 293 midto low-income housing units, is slated for 16th Avenue S. and S. 356th St. The project will include a recreation center and open space. According to a city report, the
complex is expected to generate a significant number of new students at Rainer View Elementary, Sequoyah Middle School and Todd Beamer High School. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with plans to open by the spring or summer 2014. A 208-unit multifamily apartment complex is slated for the land at S. 336th Street and Pacific Highway S., also known as Kitts Corner (previously known as Federal Way Village). The 46-acre parcel has been rezoned, with 19 acres designated as community business and 27 acres as multifamily. The site has undergone a series of rezoning approvals dating back to 2005, when the developer originally [ more APARTMENTS, page 9 ]
Beginning July 15, work on the SW 336th/21st Ave. SW project will begin and end earlier, with work scheduled from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekdays. The new hours will last until the end of August, according to the city. The project is expected to be completed in December 2013. “We’re making these changes to try to reduce the delays to drivers and impacts to businesses from the ongoing work,” said Chris Carrel, city spokesman. With the previous hours, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., significant backups had been occurring. The project began on May 3. The shift in hours is expected to reduce traffic congestion, and may shorten the project’s construction time because the contractor’s suppliers can avoid the congestion issues. Night work is not an option because of the contractor’s need to receive shipments of materials during the day.
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