[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6164631,"mediaKeyId","5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2","parentId",5427937,"title","Council asks for more information after Housing Authority of Snohomish County seeks authority to operate and buy Lake Apartments","audioSeconds",1083,"startMs",4394000,"endMs",5477000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2&start=4394&end=5477","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2/thumbnail_4394000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6164631/Monroe-City/Snohomish-County/Washington/Council-asks-for-more-information-after-Housing-Authority-of-Snohomish-County-seeks-authority-to-operate-and-buy-Lake-Apartments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164631-f9fcd2c826cdd36b4202ae429ce97c3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051811&Signature=YpFg2XDaka0kAuOXvFV16PdIJPTKvguvGQX0XcTL5hcThEuj2P4ECOw1PU4Jxl7zNl34U94pPkUyvyhxUZcQLqWNldPTznfb2lWK-Y~ByugFuxj~AasjQm07ruNZsuqLNuUNsJb6nRq1okeyzsyKT9TUlc8pB~xNfhrEf~lFZlMBeh4-RKAXaYE1ogGh8ikqhIfUqC5GUGSL7Q0P4Oz8f8ErrwfCmnK5AJ7B5WNoUEJIoFFjyvrjgdkBBJK4RuUA4aSM~VXFVz6YlHzfcSiMCOEsxWNRRCkvAhr9CsaPjJEjt0OV5hDQMNiBx3xv47GSS12OtKQYmWjwpQvclss-DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Monroe City, WA","date","2025-07-18T19:45:58Z","article","City Administrator Deborah Knight briefed the Monroe City Council on July 15 about a request from the Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) to be authorized to operate within Monroe city limits in order to acquire a multi‑building apartment property on Blueberry Lane (identified in HASCO materials as the Lake Apartments or Lakeview Apartments).

Knight said HASCO is an independent housing authority organized under RCW 35.82; the authority’s request requires that the city adopt a declaration of need under RCW 35.82.070 (subsection cited in the packet) to allow HASCO to exercise its powers for acquisition and management in Monroe. The property under a purchase‑and‑sale agreement is described in HASCO’s materials as roughly 10.33 acres with 112 multifamily units built in 2019; unit sizes range from one‑bedroom (~630 sq. ft.) to three‑bedroom (about 1,000+ sq. ft.), and HASCO materials cited advertised rents of roughly $1,850 to $2,500 per month.

Knight said HASCO’s stated objectives are to preserve current affordability (targeting that at least 50 percent of units be for households earning less than 80 percent of area median income), limit rent increases to inflation and operating costs, preserve existing tenants in place and, as vacancies occur, move toward the 50 percent‑at‑≤80% AMI target. HASCO also mentioned the possibility of future on‑site development, management offices and community amenities; Knight said any future development could require separate legislative or land‑use approvals such as comp‑plan or zoning amendments or SEPA review depending on scope.

Council members asked several follow‑up questions and asked staff to return with additional information before any authorization. Council Member Beaumont asked whether authorization could be limited only to the Lake Apartments parcel rather than granting broad operating authority in Monroe; staff committed to research whether the resolution could be tailored. Beaumont and others also raised traffic and neighborhood impact concerns at the Blueberry Lane/Kelsey area, noting the site is a busy corner and that any future development of roughly 50 additional units (a scenario cited in HASCO materials) could affect circulation.

Council Member Walker and Member Fisher expressed concern about ceding long‑term authority to an outside agency and asked for details about vouchers and who would be eligible; Administrator Knight clarified HASCO administers housing vouchers (Section 8 style rental assistance) countywide but that the current request was an operating/ownership authorization to acquire this property and not a separate proposal to start a new voucher program in Monroe. Council members asked staff to return with vacancy and turnover data for the property, the terms of HASCO’s purchase agreement, whether the city could limit authorization to the single property, and the traffic/transportation implications of potential future development.

Ending: Staff said it will follow up with the council, supplying comparative examples, vacancy/turnover statistics, the proposed purchase‑and‑sale terms as available in the due‑diligence period, and a recommendation on whether a site‑specific authorization is feasible. No formal action or vote was taken on July 15.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","20250715 MCC Meeting Video","oneSentenceSummary","The Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) requested city authorization to operate inside Monroe to acquire the Lake Apartments (112 units on Blueberry Lane); council members asked for more data about vacancy, traffic impacts, potential future development and whether authorization could be limited to this parcel.","taxTitle","Monroe City, Snohomish County, Washington","taxId",71110,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164636,"Monroe staff warns council of looming public‑defense cost increases tied to new caseload standards",513,3589000,4102000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2&start=3589&end=4102","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2/thumbnail_3589000.jpg","/articles/6164636/Monroe-City/Snohomish-County/Washington/Monroe-staff-warns-council-of-looming-publicdefense-cost-increases-tied-to-new-caseload-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164636-fd15a6cd95e3399553674e1791f68a7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051811&Signature=Fux~ql1NDIBwUZWvt6khTLhwwhutuvToxj8Sj2zjSEEJq62QNUmlvOFKWdOuXOitLq~nfnkXwAum-6jXJ1EqlfKgdpwkVd2XnOu1hsQIA4lLI2FW~rc1JFQi9SQ-sDQIbbBrFDSAzlz0Sd21q6p9GayIBr3G9wL5nEWfbOR-gU8bvmHEz~aEiZ3GKRMAQvVhT~Z6zT2d9oKS072aJ-bvvx5ZqLNoKh0y9LlRl~8eZUH1hErwakQpLdUEFjVWSD0l~FX5Jp4kH5Cq6kdadYTctgnyEfAFrAoYeoe5AvT4p5xiBpQqsflyGs0CKjukcxrqK3cIOnO4bSyCI3VH9F3TvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Liam McCorkle briefed the Monroe City Council on July 15 about recent developments in state public‑defense caseload standards and the potential budgetary impacts for the city, urging council members to consider the issue in the city’s legislative priorities and upcoming contract negotiations.

McCorkle described the background: a 2012 Washington Supreme Court rule set an unweighted misdemeanor caseload at 400 per attorney. The Washington State Bar Association proposed a weighted system and much lower limits (phase reductions from 280 to 225 to 120 misdemeanor case credits). \"Those standards were set at 400 unweighted misdemeanor cases per year,\" McCorkle said, adding that the WSBA's later proposal would have cut that limit and introduced case weighting.

In June 2025 the state Supreme Court issued an interim order that modified the WSBA proposal in three key ways that provide more time for cities: it delayed implementation to Jan. 1, 2026; it allowed municipalities a 10‑year phased reduction (roughly 10% per year) toward the most stringent standard rather than a three‑year cutover; and it declined to impose the WSBA’s case‑weighting system as mandatory while encouraging jurisdictions to consider weighting locally. McCorkle said the interim order still poses fiscal and staffing challenges for municipalities.

Using local contract data, McCorkle said Monroe’s primary public‑defense contractor, Monroe Law (represented by Mr. Suiso under the current contract), carried about 240 misdemeanor cases in 2024 on an unweighted basis (about 280 if weighted). The city currently pays Monroe Law about $200,000 annually; McCorkle said a next‑year contract negotiation could raise that annual cost to roughly $240,000–$260,000 (an increase of $40,000–$60,000), and over the full 10‑year implementation horizon the city should budget for substantially higher costs — staff estimated the city’s annual public‑defense expense could grow to between approximately $480,000 and $780,000 if additional full‑time defenders are needed or weighting is adopted.

McCorkle and council members emphasized two near‑term concerns: (1) even if Monroe’s caseloads likely will not breach the new limits immediately, other jurisdictions will begin to hire more defenders and demand will drive up compensation, and (2) a scarcer defender labor market could push contract prices up when Monroe negotiates next year. \"Some cities like SeaTac have estimated as much as a 66% increase in public defense starting in 2026,\" McCorkle said, and \"we might expect between a 20% to 30% increase in public defense spending\" in the nearer term.

Mayor Thomas and several council members framed the issue as a legislative and budgeting problem, not only a judicial one, and asked staff to prepare materials for the council's legislative agenda and to identify which statutes or state processes would need amendment or advocacy. Council members also noted that local ordinances and enforcement choices affect court workload and public‑defense demand, creating interdependencies between municipal code enforcement and public‑defense budgets.

Ending: Staff will include public‑defense cost projections in the city’s upcoming budget discussions, prepare materials for possible legislative advocacy, and bring contract negotiation priorities and risk assessments to council during the next budget and contracting cycle.","City staff briefed the council on a state Supreme Court interim order adopting new public‑defense caseload standards; staff outlined potential near‑term contract cost increases and long‑term staffing needs and recommended the council consider legislative advocacy and budgeting for higher public‑defense costs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":78,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6164641,"Monroe Council reviews broad revisions to park code, directs staff to tighten camping, exclusions and boat-launch language",709000,1222000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2&start=709&end=1222","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5427937-caa5f6f60799d9bf267620abe526f7d2/thumbnail_709000.jpg","/articles/6164641/Monroe-City/Snohomish-County/Washington/Monroe-Council-reviews-broad-revisions-to-park-code-directs-staff-to-tighten-camping-exclusions-and-boat-launch-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164641-70373dbd3ee0200bda9c49a63ca77701/orig.mp4?Expires=1771051811&Signature=POv6HIzWFvUsyqPUwDR36pUNEdWRgVBuMJ~AL1nChppz~l~3Sg8DYPoVAj3Ko47l2NUvyEKCUXHZeo775-Am7WbCWOSHDUDtqZOqBLRw-6e835bf~4Ekg0K-XU0BbfHnz9PrtB0gg1nq4BO5oEy3iHzMBFVPx9gHtp4vfEMhhCe97TZQv8IxjRqcDsH9FG8wSgR3hd2mNy5MYC8TYHR3OrVKjIdj8FhNapav-evzQLVIDkelkytMh7wjNjNP-BTH2Zax-jB6bFe1BSdvo1ksAdphG2BtaskQfQcNlNWgHm1XZNotpCoo7E55RpIJBvNtlIOCprhf4JzwiVuqgwxXLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Monroe City Council members spent the bulk of their July 15 study session on proposed revisions to Monroe Municipal Code Title 9 governing city parks, hearing a presentation from Jacob Roberts and Interim Parks Manager Mike Thomas before asking staff to refine several provisions and return with legal and operational clarifications.

Roberts and Thomas said the rewrite is intended to modernize language adopted mostly in the 1990s and early 2000s, add definitions (department, director, camping), align the code with First Amendment protections, and create a clearer enforcement path. “We wanted to establish the purpose and construction section here, establish general regulations in effect for all city parks,” Jacob Roberts said during the presentation. The draft sets park hours by U.S. Weather Service dawn/dusk times and narrows after‑hours access to law enforcement, fire, authorized city employees and contractors.

The draft would also: expand definitions for off‑leash areas; limit parking to designated lots to protect turf and sports fields; add pickleball and skateboarding to a list of sports that are restricted to their designated facilities; restrict boat launching to designated ramps (with carve‑outs for licensed concessionaires and permitted special events); permit gas‑powered vessels for maintenance; prohibit certain speed endurance vehicle competitions (including drift‑style racing); revise fire and barbecue rules to list prohibited devices outside designated fire‑pit/shelter areas; add cannabis to the list of prohibited open‑container substances; and create a civil‑infraction penalty for open containers or public consumption in parks.

Council members raised a range of operational and equity questions. Several asked staff to explicitly exempt common family activities — tabletop grills, portable camp stoves or shade canopies — from a broad definition of \"camping\" intended to target long‑term habitation. \"The intent was not to ... not allow for diapers or things of that nature to be thrown in the trash,\" Mike Thomas said when council members asked whether ordinary diaper disposal would be prohibited. Council member Hanford pressed staff to bring back clearer language to allow ordinary family use of small portable cooking devices while blocking larger open fires in undeveloped areas.

Several council members asked staff to clarify whether paddleboards and kayaks would be treated as vessels under the revised boat‑launch rule. \"If it's considered a vessel, we're not,\" Thomas said; staff agreed to confirm and return with clarified wording. Members also asked whether skating on paved paths around Lake Tai — not trick skating in the skate park — would remain allowed, and staff agreed to verify acceptable uses and return with precise examples.

Exclusion periods drew sustained attention. The draft increases the first exclusion for trespass from seven days to 90 days and the second exclusion from 90 days to 365 days, and it links Alborlin, Lewis Street and Sky River as one contiguous park for exclusion purposes. Staff said appeals of exclusions would be heard by the Hearing Examiner, and if upheld the appeals would then proceed to Snohomish County Superior Court. Multiple council members urged a stronger single exclusion: after discussion staff agreed to revise the draft ordinance to a single exclusion of one year for violations the council determines warrant that sanction and to apply that across parks; staff will bring the revised language back to council.

Council members also asked staff to evaluate operational responses to erosion and shoreline impacts from frequent shoreline fishing, including signage, vegetation stabilization, or other lower‑impact measures before considering prohibitions. On parking and blocked ramps, council members supported tighter enforcement of parking in designated areas to keep ramps open for users.

Roberts told council the code revision schedule anticipates a first reading of the ordinance on July 22 and a targeted adoption date of Sept. 9; staff said that timeline could shift as they incorporate the council's requested changes and legal review. Staff also said they would research and report back on public outreach conducted when prior updates were considered by the parks board and would bring sample language for shelter reservations, barbecue/tabletop exemptions, and paddlecraft definitions.

What happens next: staff will return with clarified language addressing camping, portable stoves and grills, paddleboard and kayak launches, fire and garbage definitions (including diaper disposal), the updated exclusion structure (one‑year proposal), a legal review of exclusion options, and options for gate locking/operational changes at Alborlin to reduce illegal dumping and encampments. The council did not take a final vote on the ordinance at the July 15 study session.

Ending: The council asked staff to also assemble comparative examples from other Snohomish County cities and to include a summary of the legal risks and alternatives when the revised ordinance returns for the public hearing and first reading.","City staff presented comprehensive updates to Monroe Municipal Code Title 9 (park code) including new definitions, revised hours, camping limits, restrictions on launches and exclusions; council asked staff to clarify language on skateboarding, paddleboards, fires, diapers and to return with legal review and a single one‑year exclusion option.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council asks for more information after Housing Authority of Snohomish County seeks authority to operate and buy Lake Apartments

Monroe staff warns council of looming public‑defense cost increases tied to new caseload standards

Monroe Council reviews broad revisions to park code, directs staff to tighten camping, exclusions and boat-launch language