MUKILTEO, Wash., March 1, 2022 – The Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce held its first speaker series of the year, Thursday, February 24, discussing topics such as waterfront development, beautification, annexation, and business within the city. 

Held at Rosehill Community Center, Thursday’s event was one of four speaker series sponsored by Community Transit, Matt Martin State Farm of Mukilteo, and Waste Management Inc. (WM), where attendees could enjoy lunch while hearing and participating in important updates on the state of the city. 

Attending the event were recently appointed Councilmember Jason Moon, County Councilmember Meghan Dunn, Councilmember Dr. Richard Emery, and Councilmember Tom Jordal. 

Matt Martin, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, opened the event before calling Kandace Barnes, CEO of the Chamber, to the stage to say a few words about the importance of business within Mukilteo. 

“As we all know, Mukilteo is a wonderful place to live, but it’s also a really wonderful place to do business. We’re fortunate to have a vibrant business community, which the chamber supports through advocacy, education, and opportunities; this support is the primary purpose of the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce,” Barnes said in her opening remarks. 

Mayor Joe Marine then took the stage, noting that this year is the 75th anniversary of the incorporation of the city of Mukilteo, which was incorporated by voters on April 29, 1947. 

Marine mentioned he looks forward to celebrating the anniversary at the Mukilteo Light House Festival later this year and plans to issue a formal proclamation in April. 

At the time of the city’s incorporation, the population was a humble 775 people. To this day, that population has grown to a diversified 21,000. The city’s council, Marine mentioned, is also one of the most diverse councils in the county. 

“It’s a new year with lots of new beginnings and opportunities in Mukilteo,” Marine said. “I’m committed to Mukilteo roadways, neighborhoods, the waterfront, and other public spaces, [while] helping Mukilteo businesses thrive and exploring all avenues for preserving Mukilteo’s beauty and making sure everyone is able to enjoy it.”

Marine proceeded to discuss the future of the waterfront, working with the Port of Everett on the promenade, Edgewater beach Park, Japanese Gulch and Mukilteo Lane. 

Lisa Lefeber, CEO of the Port of Everett, was called to the stage to give an update on the waterfront’s development status. 

Lefeber mentioned one of the challenges about building on the waterfront is there are so many property owners on such a small waterfront with 11 landowners within just 26 acres including the State of Washington, the Port of Everett, municipal, and private owners. 

Lefeber said she is assembling a group to assess what the community wants to see at the waterfront and what they do not want to see and will hold a meeting on those findings on May 5.

With the current property owners and zoning restrictions at the Waterfront, Lefeber mentioned it would consist of small building and parking lots that “nobody wants to see, so that’s what the city is trying to avoid.” 

When Marine returned to the stage, he echoed Lefeber’s statement by saying the city will not be gaining any waterfront (that he knows of), so he would prefer to use the available space for businesses instead of parking lots. 

In the last two years, Mukilteo has had over 495 general home occupation businesses and 1,147 non-residential businesses join Mukilteo. There is now a total of over 2500 businesses in the city. Marine hopes to add to this with the annexation of the businesses on the east side of the speedway, such as Tapped Mukilteo, which currently lies outside city limits. 

Marine encouraged those who own a business in Mukilteo, or are considering opening one, to pursue membership within the Chamber.

In addition to waterfront and business expansion, Marine also hopes to prioritize cleaning up the streets and neighborhoods to put pride back into Mukilteo through improved signage, landscaping, and beautification that makes residents proud of where they live and visitors want to return. 

After the speakers presented, the event was open for residents to ask questions. 

The next speaker series event will be on April 28 at 11:30 a.m. at Rosehill Community Center, featuring Lisa Lefeber with a more detailed update on the status of the waterfront redevelopment. Tickets range from $30 to $35 and are available for purchase on the Chamber’s website. 

For more information on the Chamber events, click here.