As mentioned in previous blogs, we applied for a new land use designation through the City of Mercer Island with our neighbors, the French American School of Puget Sound and Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation. This step would ultimately lead to a new zone with building and use standards more consistent with the programs and services our organizations deliver. It would also allow us to work toward our future development with an eye on master planning, key elements of modern development, and continued respect for our neighborhood.
The first step of this process was completed on November 21, 2018, when the City Council approved the Community Facilities land use designation. On December 13, the City of MI hosted a community meeting to capture neighbor and broader-MI resident concerns and interests related to this land use designation and subsequent zone. On January 23, 2019, the city issued the first draft of the code and hosted another community meeting on January 24, to capture responses to that draft. The broader effort is still marching toward a reading of the zone guidelines at the April City Council meeting. Discussion and an approval/rejection voting process will follow that.
