City Legislative Committee

The City of Mill Creek established priorities for the 2024 State legislative agenda. The legislative committee consists of Mayor Pro Tem Vignal, Councilmember Melissa Duque, and Councilmember Connie Allison. The City has prioritized projects to include funding for infrastructure planning and improvements, public safety, land use, public records reform, and transportation.


2024 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

FUNDING FOR OPERATIONS, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE ANDPDF CAPITAL PROJECTS

Supports funding for projects that improve city operations, financing basic city infrastructure capital projects, and planning for land development and infrastructure improvements.

 Continued advocacy for post-concept engineering and construction stage of the Dobson, Remillard, Church, & Cook (DRCC) project.
 Support for funding of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and walkability/bikeability assessments.

PUBLIC SAFETY
Supports legislation and funding that ensures a safe community for Mill Creek residents, businesses, and visitors.

 Clarification of the ability to conduct vehicular pursuits using a reasonable suspicion standard specifically as it relates to auto-theft and property crimes.
 Additional regional training centers for law enforcement.
 Funding for encampment cleanup on public and private properties.
 Funding opportunities to offset increases in jail service payments.
 Direct funding to offset City’s cost for implementing Senate Bill 5536, which includes therapeutic courts, diversion programs, and other related costs.
 Funding for crosswalk/sidewalk improvements and lighting for parks and facilities.
 Funding on ADA accessible study upgrades.
 Funding on ADA accessible study upgrades.

LAND USE/GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT (GMA)
Asks legislators to respect local discretion on how to best accommodate density and to refrain from mandates that do not make sense for all communities and allow for maintaining consistency with local needs. We also ask to allow time to implement recent zoning and planning changes from the 2023 legislative session into our comprehensive plan before making further changes.

 Pursue an amendment to E2SHB1110 to provide the city discretion to determine which forms of ‘middle housing’ should allowed to meet the city’s obligation under the bill to provide for two dwelling units per lot on properties zoned predominantly for residential use.

 Clarification regarding our obligation under ESB 1337 to allow two accessory dwelling units per lot on residentially zoned properties and the obligations under E2SHB 1110 to provide for two dwelling units of ‘middle housing’ per lot on such properties.

PUBLIC RECORDS REFORM
Supports legislation that will address the problem of potential misuse of current laws where the City incurs unnecessary costs. Per the public records act (PRA) RCW 42.56, Washington State law requires that members of the public have access to records and materials from state and local agencies.

TRANSPORTATION
Supports regional transportation projects that would improve future travel to and from the City of Mill Creek. The City also urges legislators to allow us to participate in plans for upcoming projects including those outside of city limits that impact residents and local businesses.

 Support funding for road and transportation improvements. 
 Support for transportation studies that focus on speed reduction and traffic impacts. • Support for review of transit-oriented development requirements that are not a one-size-fits-all for cities.