LYNNWOOD—The Lynnwood City Council passed a temporary paid parking ordinance, renewed its Transportation Benefit District sales tax, amended its municipal code to allow an interim Finance Director position, and continued its discussion on updating its commemorative flag policy at their Business Meeting on Tuesday, May 26.
Paid Parking Ordinance
This Business Item was regarding allowing paid parking in the City Center for a temporary time, mainly to absorb the projected influx in commuter traffic during the FIFA World Cup.
According to City Staff, Lynnwood has focused on redevelopment of City Center for office, retail, and housing uses but there have been concerns that paid surface parking lots could stall vertical construction and redevelopment. This has been the primary reason Staff has not recommended paid surface parking in the past. However, given the unique event of World Cup and increased attendance at other large sporting events (the most recent Seahawks parade and the Mariners entering the playoffs for example), the city believes it is reasonable to use an interim parking condition to determine utilization and demand.
As Council had previously discussed this ordinance in detail, at its May 11 meeting, there was little further discussion before the vote.
“We’ve talked about this the past couple of weeks, I think it’s a well thought out ordinance, it allows us to ideally work with the local business community and solve some pinch points in the parking situation near the light rail and collect some information,” said Council President Coelho to his motion. “I’m excited to see what data points come out of it but like a commenter said a couple of weeks ago ‘let’s not pay paradise.’”
Coelho motioned to approve the ordinance, which was seconded by Councilwoman Isabel Mata. The motion passed unanimously.
Transportation Benefit District Sales Tax Renewal
Council approved renewing its Transportation Benefit District (TBD) sales tax which will be used to fund major transportation projects for the next 10 years.
The Lynnwood TBD receives 0.1% sales tax within the city, but this tax is set to expire March 31st, 2027.
This tax currently generates $3.2 million per year. The city’s street operations/maintenance, traffic signal team, traffic engineering, and capital projects heavily rely on this funding.
“We have a proven track record of delivering quality projects and having this local money is key to that success,” said Public Works Director Jared Bond.
Just some examples of historic transportation projects in Lynnwood that were made possible by TBD funds include:
- 36th Avenue West (Maple to 164th Street)
- 196th Street Southwest (48th to 36th)
- Poplar Way Bridge
- Street pavement overlays/reconstruction
- 48th sidewalks (183rd to 180th)
- Concrete sidewalk curb ramp ADA upgrades
- Traffic signal rebuild/reconstruction (196th Scriber Lake Road, 196th/64th, and 196th/76th)
“I think Director Bond tonight, and his team in the past, has done a great job explaining where the money is going to. We’re not adding a tax, we’re just renewing a tax that was previously put in place by the voters. This is a fundamental step we need to take to keep Lynnwood moving and is really the start of a longer conversation of what Lynnwood is doing to make the city safer and more accessible,” said Leutwyler.
As the renewal of the TBD tax has been previously discussed by council in detail, members moved forward with a vote without any further discussion or questions with Councilman Robert Leutwyler motioning to approve the ordinance, which was seconded by Councilwoman Isabel Mata. The motion passed unanimously.
Amending the municipal code to allow for an interim Finance Director
Council approved amending the city’s Municipal Code to allow the appointment of an interim Finance Director, following the resignation of Michell Meyer with her last day being June 5. This being a budget year, and with all new council members at that, having a Finance Director role is paramount, Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst said.
“The role of a Finance Director is crucial to our budget process as we formulate our 2026-2027 budget,” said Mayor Hurst Tuesday. “My staff and I have been moving forward regarding an interim appointment, and it came to our attention that LMC 2.12.035 is limiting our ability to take immediate action in filling the Finance Director position on an interim basis.”
Mayor Hurst also asked that the interim position be extended to six months, from the typical 90-day term limit, to account for the budget process. He also wished to strike the requirement codified in the LMC, that would limit the position to a city employee to open the process up to more qualified candidates in the region, especially given the recent layoffs at the city’s Finance Department severely limiting the candidacy pool.
The idea was brought forward by Lynnwood Mayor George Hurst at council’s last Business Meeting. While serving on council in 2024 Hurst brought forward a change in the LMC regarding the appointments of interim positions (with a six-month term limit), however he missed the fact that the Finance Director position had special requirements regarding interim appointments.
Without discussion, Council member David Parshall moved to approve the ordinance which was seconded by Council member Leutwyler. The motion passed unanimously.
Revisions to flag policy
The most contentious Business Item Tuesday was on revisiting how and where flags can be displayed across the city, as ongoing debate over Pride flag requests at Wilcox Park exposed gaps in policy and authority.
The city’s current flag policy was put in place in September of 2025 – by former Mayor Christine Frizzell through an Executive Order which doesn’t require council input. In the newly proposed revisions to the Executive Order, Mayor Hurst added the definition of a city council proclamation to the order, that other flags and banners may be displayed upon an issuance of a city council proclamation, deleted the display of flags in recognition of awards, flags from visiting groups, and flags from events and accomplishments – as these are not included in the proclamation.
“My intent is to limit the display of flags or banners to an issuance of a federal, state, or a Mayoral/City Council proclamation,” said Mayor Hurst. “I have made it the policy that commemorative flags and banners are not to be flown in city parks. I believe that the flag poles on the City Hall campus demonstrates best the support of any other flag that is being flown due to a federal, state, or Mayoral/City Council proclamation.”
Mayor Hurst added that it is his intention to set aside funds to move the flag poles at City Hall to the grassy area adjacent to 44th Avenue next to the main entrance to the administrative campus, which he said will increase visibility.
Councilwoman Mata, who received public backlash on her comments concerning the American flag (she has since apologized), while appreciative of the mayor’s willingness to revisit the city’s flag policy, still disagreed that commemorative flags could not be displayed at city parks.
“I don’t want to diminish the progress that has come by asking for more but I’m strongly urging the mayor to amend the policy to allow commemorative flags to be displayed in our public parks,” said Mata.
As part of the meeting’s New Business, Mata introduced an ordinance that would establish a comprehensive commemorative flag display policy on all city property, including city parks, to ensure the city’s “most visible and widely used spaces” represent the city’s diversity. However, her draft ordinance would need to be reviewed by the City Attorney and City Council before it goes to a vote.
Consent Agenda
During the meeting’s consent agenda, a contract was approved that would enter agreements with Sound Pathways and YWCA Seattle-King-Snohomish to award $500,000 (or $250,000 each) of the One Washington Settlement funds to address the opioid crises in Lynnwood.
Council also unanimously approved a contract authorizing David Evans and Associates, Inc. (DEA) to provide planning and engineering services for Phase 1 of the 33rd Ave W Ring Road Project, approved the creation of a Building Division Manager position, and approved a contract agreement with KBA Inc. to utilize $430,810 for major upgrades to the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Lynnwood Pride Proclamation
Lynnwood City Councilwoman Isabel Mata read a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month prior to the consent agenda and business items and other matters.
Prefacing the reading of the proclamation she told the history of the Stone Wall Riots in 1960’s New York City, of which the Proclamation references.
Several members of the public shared their appreciation for Lynnwood celebrating diversity, including Mountlake Terrace Council member Sam Doyle who chimed in remotely to remind people that to “ally” is a verb, it’s not just a noun.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
