Kent Reporter, December 26, 2014

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REPORTER

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KENT

Sports | Wrestlers look for another state opportunity [8]

Inside | Kent Fire earns $606,000 grant for solar energy system [3]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2014

City rezones downtown to emphasize commercial use BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com

A mother and son embrace as she waits to receive her PASA diploma during graduation ceremonies at the Kent-Meridian gym on Dec. 16. Forziya Abdul Aziz, below, second from right, waits in line to graduate

with fellow PASA classmates. Abdul Aziz said that the skills she’s learned through PASA will help her keep a better eye on her children’s progress through the school system. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter

Graduating with confidence, community BY ROSS COYLE rcoyle@kentreporter.com

Forziya Abdul Aziz had never worn a mortar board in her life – until last week when the Somalian woman basked in the glow of a special ceremony. Abdul Aziz, a Somali immigrant and mother of seven, was among the 300 parent graduates on hand who received their diplomas from the Kent School District’s PASA (Parent Academy for Student Achievement) commencement at the Kent-Meridian

High School gymnasium Dec. 16. All told, more than 500 parent graduates composed the district’s third PASA graduating class. So far, the program has reached nearly a thousand parents. PASA, a nine-week course, has shed its experimental phase to emerge as a standout program in the district. PASA provides parents with critical information to help navigate their child’s school experience and guide their child’s path to college, a career and a successful future.

Kent city officials recently reversed a zoning change for downtown general commercial mixed-use (GCMU) developments in an effort to emphasize retail over residential, including any future uses at the current Kmart property. The City Council voted 6-0 on Dec. 9 to increase the minimum commercial requirement for mixed-use developments to 25 percent from 5 percent of the total square footage, as recommended by city staff. The council in 2013 had reduced the commercial minimum from 25 percent to 5 percent because city officials expected the commercial zones to be built out by developers with primarily commercial or retail uses and some residential use. But over the last year city staff found out developers are more interested in residential than commercial developments. “We are now seeing the housing market where multifamily housing development could actually outbid commercial for certain larger properties within our downtown and to the west,” said Ben Wolters, city economic and community [ more REZONE page 4 ]

Kent signs off on new emergency radio network BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com

PASA has become so successful that other school districts, including Renton

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and Auburn, are working to emulate the service. [ more PASA page 2 ]

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King County voters are expected to be asked next spring to approve a property tax increase to fund a new emergency radio network for police of-

ficers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. The Kent City Council unanimously approved an inter-local agreement on Dec. 9 for Mayor Suzette Cooke [ more NETWORK page 4 ]

2014

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