Somerset Sun March 2022

Somerset Community Association Board of Directors - responsibilities

Charles Bofferding

President, CRC

Yiyi Guo Vice President

Marie Vieth Treasurer

Sue Sander Secretary

Gary Albert Landscaping Francis Brito Pride

Diane Fern CRC

Johannes Grad Website, Social Media Kristen Iversen Membership, CRC

Pete Mansfield Emergency Preparedness

Muriel Mittelstrass Welcome, School Liaison

Allan Yeung Member-at-Large

Directors are elected at our annual general meeting and serve a 3-year term. Our officers of President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer are chosen after election to the Board. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at somerset98006@gmail.com.

Somerset Sun Advertising deadlines:

May 13, 2022 – Summer issue

August 12, 2022 – Fall issue

November 11, 2022 – Winter issue

February 10, 2023 – Spring issue

Sizes and Rates per issue (same for color or black & white):

Business Card (3"w x 2"h) $25

Quarter Page (4"w x 5¼"h) $140

Half Page Horizontal (8"w x 5¼“"h) $300

Half Page Vertical (4"w x 10½"h) $300

Full Page (8"w x 10½" h) $550

There is a 10% discount for Somerset residents.

Thank you for your interest in advertising in the Somerset Sun.

Together, we are neighbors helping neighbors.

Somerset Babysitters

Are you looking for a local babysitter or interested in offering your services as one? Please contact us at Somerset98006@gmail.com and we will share information between verified Somerset residents. We already have a few interested babysitters, so email us soon to make plans for your next evening out.

Happy New Year –

Together Let’s Make 2022 A Great One

The Somerset Community Association board elected new officers at our February 10th meeting. I am honored and excited to have been selected by the board to be this year’s President. My wife Diana and I moved to Somerset in 2010. We were attracted by the look, feel, location, and views of the community and have come to love the diverse and engaging people. I joined the board a year ago as a way to give back to the community we are happy to call home.

WOW – it feels great to be at your best – and we just experienced it. Thank you, Somerset.

SCA PRESIDENT S MESSAGE

Did you join in the February 6th Lunar New Year celebration? It was at our January 20th annual meeting that resident Angela Cheung suggested we celebrate the Lunar New Year. The board jumped at the idea and on February 6th about 400 Somerset residents and friends celebrated the Lunar New Year. It was a reminder of what is possible when we work together to make good things happen.

Following our last meeting the board reviewed the Lunar New Year event. We all agreed it was a great event and, while we loved it, we also learned from it.

We learned that it is better to be proactive than reactive. We learned that a big part of Somerset’s success and our residents’ desire is for our community to be connected and energized. We learned that community involvement is a force multiplier. And, while we provide specific functions, we agreed our role as a board is not to “do for the community,” our role is to help the community “do for themselves” – empowering volunteers creates success. And we all want more community events.

We are in the process of defining our roles and responsibilities as board members. A big part of this, given that we are a volunteer organization, is to understand each person’s passion and figure out ways to let each pursue their passions in a way that helps the community. We also realized that this is also what we should do for community members – create ways for those who want to follow their passions to connect and work with others (who share that passion), to help good things happen for our community.

The board’s top-level focus this year is to connect and energize the community. As a first step we will re-energize block groups and affinity groups to connect neighbors and people sharing common interests. This will encourage people to talk and plan with others to achieve shared goals. (A block group is defined by where people live – neighbors connecting and knowing each other. An affinity group is defined by a common interest and can connect people from across the neighborhood.)

If you’d like to be part of this, visit our website somerset98006.org to explore volunteer opportunities, especially if you’re interested in joining or leading a block or affinity group.

The Lunar New Year was a wonderful event. Let’s learn from it and work together to make 2022 the best year possible.

Charles Bofferding SCA President

Report of the Financial Review Committee

The Financial Review Committee on February 23, 2022 completed its review of the financial records of the Somerset Community Association for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2021.

The Committee found that the Treasurer followed good financial procedures and practices, and that the books and financial records of the SCA are being kept in a well-organized and appropriate manner. It found that the funds of the SCA were administered properly and the Board of Directors acted

responsibly and in the best interests of the members in all financial business conducted.

Our Bylaws call for an annual audit of the previous year’s financial activities to make sure that the corporation’s funds are being spent appropriately and managed wisely. We welcome non-Board members participating and becoming familiar with our financial needs and activities. If you are interested in participating in next year’s review, please contact us at somerset98006@gmail.com.

By Councilmember Conrad Lee

Some news of interest to the community

Happy Lunar New Year of the Tiger!Have you been following the Winter

COUNCIL CORNER

Main Street in both directions for a weekend. Depending on the weather, the week-end closure could be as early as early March.

New Wireless Water Meters - New meters and transmitters are being installed to replace existing ones. They will allow customers to access their water use information on a daily basis, track usage and identify leaks and potential problems readily and quickly.

King County METRO Service - METRO and Sound Transit are preparing to restructure bus service on the Eastside in preparation for East Link Light Rail. For Somerset, this includes elimination of Route 246.

Olympics? I am so proud to see the spirit of camaraderie and excellence – “Do Your Best” - by people regardless of their age, origin and background. What a contrast to the division and polarization around the world!

City Council Election - A big “Thanks” for electing me to an eighth term on the Council. All incumbents were re-elected. Mayor and Deputy Mayor were re-elected by their colleagues. Please stay engaged and guide us for the next four years.

Body-worn Cameras - Public Safety is most important and the top priority for our community and for City Council. At a recent Police Department community meeting, 94% of people attending were in favor of body-worn camera for police officers. The City Council unanimously approved a resolution for its use.

Supportive Housing for Domestic Violence Survivors - Several non-profits were awarded funds to provide housing for domestic violence survivors. This includes 25 affordable units primarily focusing on households earning 0-30% of the area’s Average Medium Income (AMI), with on-site supportive services. City of Bellevue has planned to allocate a tax approved by State Legislature - one tenth of 1% sales tax increase - (HB 1590) for behavior health and housing related services.

I-405 Closure - As part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue widening and express lanes project, I-405 will be closed near

NEP for Somerset – The Neighborhood Enhancement Program Is coming to Somerset in April. This program provides you opportunities to propose and vote for City funded small capital projects for our neighborhood. $217,000 is available for the Somerset area. For more information, contact Theresa Cuthill at tcuthill@bellevuewa.gov

On a separate note, there have been intense community interest and many inquiries on Homeless Housing projects in our neighboring cities of Redmond and Kirkland. The City of Bellevue has no jurisdiction over those decisions. Bellevue has taking exemplary steps toward this issue as part of our Affordable Housing program. Much progress has been made including the projects in Eastgate where the first project has just broken ground and many additional affordable housing units are projected to be built by developers. The recent projects in Redmond and Kirkland are collaborations with King County Bellevue will make sure we can ensure our residents’ interests are protected. This is a complicated and challenging issue for Bellevue. It will continue to require thoughtful deliberation and diligent process to make sure it is done right. We must thoroughly involve the public in this process - the “Bellevue Way”!

Born in China, Conrad grew up in Hong Kong and has lived in Bellevue since 1967. He and his wife Winnie live in Somerset, where they raised their children, Christopher and Jennifer. He can be reached at clee@bellevuewa.gov

Mountain to Sound Greenway Trail

The latest segment of the Mountain to Sound Greenway Trail has been completed in Eastgate/Factoria. This pedestrian and bicycle extension paralleling Interstate 90 extends the trail from 132nd Ave SE to 142nd Pl SE, and makes it safer and more convenient for people to walk, ride, and roll to and through Factoria. Bellevue City Councilmembers and congressional representatives took part in a ribbon-cutting event on January 7th to mark the segment’s completion.

The Greenway Trail is part of the Mountains to Sound Greenway National Heritage Area, which stretches from the Seattle waterfront to Ellensburg in Central Washington. Design and construction funding to complete the remaining part of the trail within Bellevue, from 142nd Pl SE to Lakemont Boulevard and into Issaquah, has not yet been secured.

More information on the Bellevue trail construction projects is available at bellevuewa.gov/mts-greenway, and to learn more about the trail being part of a National Heritage Area, see https://mtsgreenway.org.

Neighborhood Enhancement coming to Somerset!

Somerset residents - mark your calendars to join your neighbors and City of Bellevue staff to learn about the Neighborhood Enhancement Program coming to Somerset! Information will arrive in your mail this spring with information about a virtual Zoom Kickoff Meeting in early April. At the meeting, City staff will provide attendees with a brief overview of the program guidelines and schedule, answer questions, and invite folks to share, discuss, and submit project ideas.

The Neighborhood Enhancement Program empowers residents to propose and select modest, city funded capital projects to enhance their neighborhoods. The program rotates through the city’s 14 NEP neighborhood areas over the course of seven years, serving two areas each year. The $5 million program allocation is distributed among each of the neighborhood areas, according to the number of households in each area. Somerset has been allocated $217,000.

When NEP comes to a neighborhood area, it follows a sequence that includes the following steps:

· Solicitation: Residents submit project ideas (mail, website or kick-off meeting).

· Scoping: Staff review project ideas using screening criteria and generate ballot projects.

· Preview: Residents review ballot projects at public open house.

· Voting: Households receive ballots in the mail to vote for three projects of their choice.

· Implementation: The city implements projects that receive the most votes within five years.

Previous projects in Somerset include updating the entrance island water feature, installation of entry rocks, and replacing the playground equipment at Somerset Elementary. Start thinking about ideas and brainstorm about projects you'd like to see funded with the $217,000 in funds available to our neighborhood. Questions? Please contact Theresa Cuthill at tcuthill@bellevuewa.gov.

FlashAlert: flashalert.net/id/BellevueSD

BSD Newsline: (425) 456-4111

Local TV/Radio Stations

SCA 2022 Annual Meeting

On Thursday, January 20th, the annual general membership meeting was held in a hybrid format, with approximately 20 members attending in person at Forest Ridge’s Ackerly Room, and approximately 80 more joining virtually through Zoom. A quorum was present as proxies representing more than 10% of our 2021 membership were received prior to the meeting.

Business matters were dealt with first -- community members reviewed and voted to approve the 2021 minutes and the proposed 2022 budget. Directors Francis Brito and Muriel Mittelstrass were both reelected for another 3-year term, and committee chairs reported on the landscaping, CRC and community activities of the past year. Guest Speakers next made presentations, including Carl Lunak of the Bellevue Office of Emergency Manag CENSE, Michael Ketchum from the Somerset Rec Club, and Melissa deVita on behalf of Bellevue Quality Schools. Incoming

President Charles Bofferding addressed the group and presented his goals for the year

After the meeting was officially adjourned, representatives from the City of Bellevue made a presentation and answered questions relating to the water main break and recent landslide on 139th Place SE. Attending were Nathan McCommon - Deputy City Manager, Mark Heilman - Neighborhood Services Manager, Gregg SchraderBuilding Official, Alycia McKinneyBPD Somerset Sector Captain, and Linda DeBoldt - Utilities Assistant Director, Engineering.

The SCA Board was pleased that attendance was higher than it has been for many years. We look forward to connecting with each of gizing our community in new ways. Thank you for your continued support of the Somerset Community Association!

una r ne w ye a r -the ye a r of the tige r

!On a surprisingly sunny afternoon In early February, over 400 children and adults gathered at Somerset Elementary to take part in a Lunar New Year celebration put on by the Somerset Community Association. Lunar New Year is the holiday celebrated by the most people on the planet and was a welcome community celebration as evidenced by the surpsing turn out with only a few weeks’ notice. After greetings from President Francis Brito and Event Coordinator Yiyi Guo, the International Lion Dance Team performed an amazing lion dance and dragon dance. Children enjoyed feeding the dragons with red envelopes for good luck and prosperity. After that, students and teachers from the Seattle Shaolin Kung Fu Academy performed martial arts and taught some kung fu moves to the spectators. After the show, the performers all stayed to pose for photos with the crowd.

Attendees were encouraged to enter photos for the “Lunar New Year Photo Contest.” We are happy to announce that there were many photos submitted and it was impossible to pick a single winner. Instead, three of the very best are being recognized as “winners” and they are Lisa Merrill, John Roper and Demi Wang.

If you would like to be involved in next year’s Lunar New Year celebration, or have ideas for other community events, please contact us at somerset98006@gmail.com.

Please join us in thanking those who partnered with us to present this community event. We so appreciate their continued support of Somerset:

Ann Pierson

Angela Cheung & Matthew Sekits

Lynn Eng-Lei

Mary Lee / Keller Williams Luxury International

Tanya Franzen-Garrett w/ Marketplace Sotheby’s Int’l Realty

John Roper

Demi Wang

Lisa Merrill

Thanks to everyone who attended and shared their photos from the event!

Preparing for and Responding to Emergencies

In January we were witness to, and a few of us unfortunately directly involved with, a catastrophic landslide in our neighborhood. Our thoughts have been with those directly impacted. We are thankful no one was seriously hurt. It was remarkable to see how quickly emergency services sprang into action to manage the situation. Also remarkable was the outpouring of support from the neighborhood. We live in a great community!

During the aftermath and recovery, several residents were left wondering if a similar event could happen to them. The SCA is determined to stay informed of the city’s progress in determining the root cause(s) of this event. Once the investigation is concluded and report is completed, we’ll be sure to communicate identified potential hazards that residents should be aware of or inspections the city recommends.

This is a good time to reflect on just how you would respond in an emergency and how prepared you are to deal with it. This event was not widespread. Professional emergency services were able to focus their attention on this specific issue for as long as it took to get people to safety and stabilize the situation. A widespread event, such as a significant earthquake, has the potential to create similarly disruptive scenarios all over our region. Emergency services arriving to Somerset may be delayed by days or weeks. Electric power, water supply and communications may all be disrupted. How would you and we, as a community, deal with this?

The SCA promotes block groups as an organizational structure to help our community deal with potential widespread events during which our normally reliable professional emergency services are unavailable to us. Groups of neighbors get to know each other, understand who has what skills and who needs special help. They hold annual picnics or other casual meetings among themselves to socialize and learn about disaster preparation and response. Block groups also are valuable in fighting neighborhood criminal activity. It can be a

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

lot of fun! It just takes a few neighbors in a group of 10-30 homes to get things going.

Give it some thought, grab a neighbor or two and contact somersetprepares@gmail.com when you are ready to take the next step. See the preparedness pages on somerset98006.org for additional information.

Pete Mansfield SCA Preparedness Chair

2022 Summer Membership is now open!

Everyone is welcome – you do not have to live in Somerset to join the Somerset Rec Club – so please refer friends who live in neighboring communities. Beat the rush and sign up today at somersetrec.org.

2022 Membership Pricing:

Family membership: $695

Adult couple membership: $395

Adult single membership: $225 Jr. membership: $200

Somerset Rec Club offers members a 4-lane outdoor heated swimming pool, summer swim team, swim lessons, toddler pool, tennis lessons, and a newly surfaced pickleball, tennis and basketball courts. We also enjoy fun social events for the whole family including pizza and bingo nights, movie nights, and more! Poolside decks and grills are available to members who can reserve one of our three amazing decks to host summer BBQs, birthday parties, or other events with friends and family (guest fees apply for non-members).

Please make sure to follow us on Facebook (somersetrecclub) to keep updated on SRC news! Email somersetrecclub@gmail.com with any questions.

SRC Opening Day

Saturday May 14, 1-4 pm

Join us for our annual Open House and Opening Day of the Pool! Bring your swimsuit and come check out our 4-lane outdoor pool and amazing views from the pool deck. You can learn about SRC summer membership, swim team, swim lessons, Sharkies (our pre-swim team designed for ages 5-7), as well as our tennis and social programs. See you there!

Community Service Days / Pre-Season Spring Volunteer Cleanup Parties

Somerset Rec Club needs volunteers o get ready for the season! As a non-profit 501(c)3, your volunteer hours can be used to satisfy school volunteer requirements* or turned in for monetary donations for the pool if you work for a company that will match your donation of time to non-profits. Mark our calendar for Sunday April 24, 9am-2pm and Saturday April 30, 9am2pm and get ready to volunteer for a few hours at SRC help the club get ready for another summer season. We will have a SignUpGenius for volunteers to ensure we adhere to any capacity limits required. The type of work typically needed at clean up parties includes but is not limited to pressure washing, weeding, landscaping, cleaning, and painting. Children are welcome if they can work productively cleaning and/or landscaping. Please follow us on Facebook for updates on the volunteer work parties.

*We will have projects identified for high schoolers. Be ready to work and you can get community service hours. If you are interested, dates for high school volunteer clean-up hours will be posted on Facebook and you will be able to sign up on Naviance. Questions, please contact Emilie Castle at emiliecastle@gmail.com.

2022 Season Facility Improvements:

The SRC continually works to improve the club for our members and community at large. Prior to the 2022 summer season opening and due to the City of Bellevue’s Somerset Reservoir Decommissioning Project, SRC is planning to redo the pool coping (the pool edge) and update the pool surface tiles while the pool is closed for the project construction. As part of the project, most of the entire vault and cement wall on the east side of the pool will be replaced with a new landscaped hillside. We are hopeful we will be able to add additional decking on this hill for even more opportunities for members to take in the incredible panoramic vistas of Lake Washington!

Last year SRC topped trees to improve pool deck views, overhauled the pumphouse electrical system, and resurfaced the courts so they can be used for tennis, pickleball, badminton and a half-court basketball court. Our new multipurpose courts will be open when our summer season begins, and all will be available to be reserved with our new Membership and Reservation website that has just been launched this month. This new online reservation system will make reserving decks and courts easier for our members.

Summer Swim Team at SRC:

Registration for our Summer Swim Team Division II Somerset Stingrays is now open. (SRC membership is required to participate in the summer swim teams.) Please join us in welcoming back our amazing summer coaching team of Megan and Katie Lowell! They will be sharing responsibilities across the Sharkies and the full swim team. We’re excited to have them and looking forward to another great year!

Summer Swim Team - Ages 7-18

The Somerset Stringrays look forward to another competitive yet fun season for boys and girls ages 7-18. The summer swim team is a spirited, family-based team committed to providing a well-rounded swim experience balancing community, sportsmanship, and overall enjoyment with high quality instruction, individual skill development, and a competitive team-oriented environment.

Sharkies Pre-Swim Team - Ages 5-7

If you have kids who aren’t quite ready for summer swim team, check out our Sharkies program. Sharkies is a fun program designed specifically for boys and girls ages 5-7 to introduce them to the SRC Stringrays. We only have room for 20 Sharkies so make sure to register early.

For the full schedule of swim team practice times and swim meets, or for more information on any of our programs, please see our website at somersetrec.org. Please contact our Swim Team Coordinators with any swim team questions: Shannon Gregory-Lowe and Liane Harnar at SRCswimteam@gmail.com

Summer Group Swim Lessons:

SRC also offers group summer swim lessons ideal for children ages 5-12. Group lessons are on weekdays for 30 minutes, and each session runs for two weeks. Kids are grouped according to ability with a very low coach-to-student ratio. See our swim lesson schedule listed above or on our website.

Join us this year and make SRC your summer home! We’d love to have you!

Important Dates

Pre-Season Spring Volunteer Cleanup Parties

Sunday April 24, 9am-2pm @SRC

Saturday April 30, 9am-2pm @SRC

Opening Day

Saturday May 14, 1-4pm @SRC

Group Swim Lessons

12:30-1pm and 1-1:30pm, Monday-Friday

Session 1: June 27- July 8

Session 2: July 11-July 22

Session 3: July 25-August 5

Reminder: SRC closes early one weekday per week for 6 weeks during the summer swim team season to allow kids the opportunity to compete in a swim meet.

Closures are posted in the office, FB and on the website.

GOOD READS

The Last Flight by Julie Clark

290 pages (2020)

Claire Cook is at the airport, poised to run from her abusive marriage. A chance meeting in the airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together, they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets. When the flight she was supposed to be on crashes, Claire realizes she has an opportunity for a new life.

This book starts off a little slowly but then takes off, in alternating chapters telling the story of the two women, both on the run from their past. There are a number of unexpected twists that keep the reader guessing until the end.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 588 pages (2021)

It is 1954, and 18-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served time for involuntary manslaughter. His parents deceased, Emmett's plan is to pick up his 8year-old brother and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the car and have hatched an altogether different plan that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction—to the City of New York.

Towles’s third novel spans just ten days and is told from multiple points of view. His multi-layered literary styling provides the reader with an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes. Amazon Editor’s pick for Best Book of 2021.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

396 pages (2020)

Linus Baker is a caseworker in the Department of Magical Youth who is assigned to investigate an orphanage to determine whether the magical children there are being mistreated. From the moment he arrives, Linus is surprised by what he finds and amazed by the home’s unique inhabitants.

This Young Adult novel is an enchanting love story about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place.

Confessions of a Somerset Housewife: a Somerset Sunshine-induced Shout-out

You may have noticed a glowing orb in the sky last week. I did too, and I felt myself pulled outside towards it, almost against my will, desperate to have some Vitamin D that didn’t come from a bottle. As I squinted up at the foreign object, I saw other Somerset neighbors doing the very same thing, with the very same glazed-over look in their eyes. Could winter be over? Could this be the first sign of spring? There was hope.

Since I’d spent the winter hiding from the rain and eating more than my fair share of ice cream Snickers bars (yes, that’s a thing but no, you shouldn’t try them), I decided to put on my walking shoes (wait, where are they?) and get my exercise-deprived posterior out the door. With my 17-month-old, Finn, in a stroller and a dog at each side, my crazy-looking caravan set out to brave the Somerset hills. Walking around Somerset reminds me of how lucky I am to live in this area. With that in mind, I’ve decided to give you my first (and probably not last) neighborhood shout-out!

A shout-out to the two Somerset families who have stone lions outside their houses. Whenever we walk by, Finn and I greet them (well, he says “ah” which means hello and how do you do), have a short conversation, growl at them, and bid them farewell.

A shout-out to the neighbor who has a beautiful stone donkey that we have named Tingalayo. And I’m so sorry that every morning, as we walk past, I sing the only verse from that song

that I can remember (me donkey hee, me donkey haw, etc). As we leave, my son yells “ba” (which means bye, bus, and a word that I can’t share in this column because, as he only yells it when he’s angry, I’m pretty sure it’s not very polite).

A shout-out to the neighbor with the little library. As we walk past, Finn yells “ah” (which means “open” and “get me a book”). If you see my son reading How to be Less Awkward at Parties or the latest Danielle Steel novel as we roll past you, now you know where he got it.

A shout-out to our neighbor who decorates for every single occasion. Epic Halloween decorations, beautiful Christmas scenes, and recently, a sweet Valentine’s Day set-up. You bring a smile to our faces and my son often yells “Ah” as we stroll by (which also means “seriously? These people are amazing!”).

And last, but not least, a shout-out to all the neighbors who smile warmly and wave or even say hello as we meet on the street. My son waves madly, yelling “ah” (which means “it’s so nice to be acknowledged”), and your salutations put a spring in my step.

Renee Kip lives in Somerset with her husband and four children, and is kind enough to occasionally share her musings with the community.

Vegetation Management is Year Round!

Winter has passed, and spring is here (or almost here)! Our plants and trees are coming out of the dormant cycle and into their growth spurt. We have the responsibility to control this growth since the vegetation cannot! Pruning for height, health and safety should be part of every Somerset resident’s ANNUAL maintenance.

COVENANT CORNER

Sidewalks -

The City of Bellevue requires the sidewalk to be 100% clear of any weeds, grass, protruding shrubs or trees which could limit the use of sidewalks. Such vegetation is considered a hazard and could cause a pedestrian to trip or have to walk into the street to pass by. The vertical height clearance over sidewalks is a 7-foot minimum. Please prune all plants far enough back so that they do not grow to encroach onto the sidewalk’s edge. Be aware - you could be held legally liable should someone be injured on your sidewalk due to lack of proper maintenance.

Sidewalk Strips – With the exception of the median islands on Highland Drive, all planter strips bordering the sidewalk and vegetated areas behind the sidewalk are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner, including whether it abuts your property, borders a back yard, or is outside of a fence line. (Just because you cannot see it from your window doesn’t

THE CRC NEEDS YOU!

mean that you don’t have to take care of it.) More details are available in Bellevue City Code Section 14.06.110. Please take care of the planter strips by your property and do not allow them to become overgrown or full of weeds.

Streets - The clearance of vegetation over the street is a minimum of 14 feet. If any tree on your property hangs over the street, it must be trimmed to at least this height. Keep in mind that trees will continue to grow so should be trimmed to a height such that they will stay at least 14 feet above the street. Vegetation management requirements are set forth in Bellevue Code Section 14.06.010 and serve the purpose of allowing taller trucks to stay in their lane while driving by your property. Your overhanging tree could cause a truck driver to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid driving through your foliage. Please trim trees annually to avoid them hanging over or into the roadway

Trees/Views – Pruning trees for both height and width should be done annually to make sure they do not grow into a neighbor’s Covenant-protected View. Even if your tree is below the 20-foot limit, or you consider it “grandfathered” in, you have the responsibility to make sure that you do not allow it to grow into the View of a neighbor whose View was not previously affected. This is part of what being a “good neighbor” means in Somerset. We have a few homeowners who now have trees that have grown into their neighbors’ views due to their unwillingness to properly maintain them. This causes much distress and ill will that could have been avoided. Please view annual trimming as the responsibility we all shouldered when we moved into this beautiful View neighborhood. Each homeowner should do it without having to be reminded – but consider this your reminder if you need one.

Please look over your property to see what needs to be trimmed to eliminate any detrimental conditions that affect safety, or could be affecting the Views from another home. And thank you to those who already understand our maintenance obligations and are willing to fulfill them. You help keep Somerset a beautiful neighborhood!

Diane Fern CRC Chair

The Covenant Review Committee is seeking neighborhood members interested in helping interpret and enforce the Somerset Covenants. Non-board positions on the CRC are for one-year terms and we meet once a month. Over 60 cases were resolved in 2021 and we need your help! Please contact us at Somerset98006@gmail.com if you are interested or know someone who might be.

Vegetation that needs to be trimmed back from the sidewalk.

In case you’ve forgotten

Please pay your 2022 Somerset Community Association membership dues!

The nominal annual fee of $75 provides the benefits that make Somerset the wonderful community in which we live. Your dues pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the entrance island on Newport Way as well as the various areas of landscaping throughout the neighborhood. They also help to support the quarterly publication of the Somerset Sun, our biennial Membership Directory, and our website. Your membership is critical as we continue our efforts to build Emergency Preparedness programs within our neighborhood, and our Covenant Review Committee works tirelessly to support the adherence of all Somerset residents to our established community Covenants that protect our property values.

You may pay online (without additional fee) by using the QR Code or going to our website Somerset98006.org, or mail your check (made out to Somerset Community Association or SCA) with the invoice below to

Somerset Community Association

P O. Box 40531 Bellevue, WA 98015

Please note your Property ID Number on your check if you know it.

Name: Address: Phone: Email:

(For SCA use only, not published in Directory)

Please do not include my telephone number in the Directory. Dues for the property located at:

Association 2022 Dues

want to provide an additional donation to support community projects including landscaping, neighborhood events, and improvements.

I want to direct a separate donation to the non-profit organization CENSE to help stop PSE’s “Energize Eastside” transmission line.

Neighborhoods Conference

This event will consist of 24 interactive workshops inside City Hall and outside at sites around Bellevue and its neighborhoods. “Experience Bellevue!” will have walking tours, site visits, neighborhood tours, park tours and more, at multiple locations around town. At City Hall you will enjoy a range of skills workshops, demonstrations and community engagement opportunities throughout the day. Mix and match, inside or outside, all within King County public health covid guidelines.

Visit www.bellevuewa.gov/neighborhoodsconference for Catalog and Registration beginning April 1st.

For more information or to get on the list to receive registration materials, email Julie Ellenhorn, Conference Manager, jellenhorn@bellevuewa.gov.