MLT Council votes to approve development fee increase, hears Sno-Isle Libraries update

Key takeaways:

• City Council votes unanimously to approve a 9% increase of development fees, which includes building permits and inspections.

• Sno-Isle Libraries staff updated Council on their activities and funding issues.

• Council makes a proclamation for Public Works Week.

The Mountlake Terrace City Council at its May 21 meeting voted 7-0 to approve a 9% development fee increase. Community Development Director Brooke Eidem said the fee hike is expected to increase city revenue by about $200,000 a year. She noted that the \increase will have “slight fluctuations” because permit fees are calculated based on project valuation.

Eidem added that the increase does not apply to land use development and engineering service fees. Despite the increase, she said the fees are still “competitive” with nearby jurisdictions.

According to the City, the increase would apply to fees for inspections for building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire protection as well as plan checks and building permits.

The increase is part of the plan to close the City’s $4.2 million budget gap, based on an adopted proposal from City staff. 

Councilmember Laura Sonmore asked if the general fund would subsidize the development fees.

“The Community Development Department is already [completing] cost recovery through permit fees, so the general fund is not subsidizing it,” Eidem said.

In response to Councilmember William Paige, Jr.’s question on whether it is an “equitable increase,” Eidem said the fee hike is structured as a percentage-based building permit increase tied to project value, which scales by project size and type and applies across all fees. 

“It’s scaled for the cost of the job, so the small jobs…are not going to have as big of an increase,” she said.

Building Official Matthew Gisle said his staff reviewed other cities’ fee schedules and considered options like raising rates only on mixed‑use buildings and not on residential, but they didn’t think that process would be equitable. 

“A 9% increase on a minor residential remodel permit is substantially less than 9% on, say, a mixed‑use building,” he said. 

Sno-Isle Libraries

During a presentation to the Council, Sno-Isle Libraries Executive Director Eric Howard said the 23-branch library system provides early learning programs that cater to infants and children up to age 5. He said Sno-Isle Libraries partnered with the state to provide free childcare accreditation support and provides a bookmobile service to about 300 childcare and senior centers. 

“For every dollar invested, you get about $7 to $12 to society, and you get more the earlier you start,” he said.

Howard also said the library district is nearing the end of a levy approved in 2018 and faces financial pressure because Washington law limits annual budget growth to 1% even as operating costs continue to rise. With 91% of its funding coming from property taxes, he said Sno-Isle Libraries plans to ask voters on the Aug. 4 ballot to restore the levy in order to maintain and expand services, including new facilities and air-conditioning upgrades. 

He added that Sno-Isle Libraries issued a record number of library cards and circulated more than 10 million items in 2025.

“We really are pulling the community together in ways that most other institutions just aren’t able to do, and it’s free, and it’s available to everyone,” Howard said.

Mountlake Terrace Community Library Manager Kristin Piepho highlighted several upcoming events, including the Juneteenth celebration on June 14 and the World Cup. She added that the Mountlake Terrace Library had more than 188,00 visits and 128,000 checkouts in 2025, with a 30% increase in summer reading participation. Piepho connected that growth to the City’s rising population and increasing community engagement.

Piepho included stories about the library’s impact on residents. She shared  the story of Kathy and her autistic adult son, Matt, who travel from Seattle to use the Mountlake Terrace Library because – according to Kathy – “they don’t have anything like this” near their home. Piepho said Matt first became involved after attending a letter-writing program with one of his caregivers.

“His mother then asked for suggestions for books about U.S. history that would be at about a fifth-grade reading level,” Piepho said. “Matt can read, but he doesn’t really want to do so on his own unless there’s somebody with him. So [a library staff member] told him  [and] the mother about the Who HQ series and suggested a book about the Panama Canal and the Gold Rush. Well, that has sparked such interest that now they are planning their vacation around the American Revolution because they’re going back to visit the Freedom Trail.”

Piepho said Kathy and Matt also viewed displays on Arab American history because Matt’s caregivers are Arab Americans. In addition, they explored autism awareness materials and the library’s Friendship Club, a social program for neurodiverse adults, people with disabilities and those with dementia. 

Piepho shared a story about a woman who credited a small business class at the library before the COVID-19 pandemic with helping her and her husband launch a business that was successful for three years. 

“We just wanted to share how valuable that information was,” Piepho said.

Councilmember Sonmore thanked the library and highlighted its diverse programming, pointing out the Repair Café where people could bring electronics and gadgets to be fixed.

“I never heard of that before, and I was so excited to see that,” she said.

Piepho said the Repair Café is run by a Washington State University Extension College, which rotates the event among multiple communities and can usually bring it to Mountlake Terrace only once a year. She said the Mountlake Terrace Library is WSU’s “favorite location” because it has two meeting rooms, where one is used as the bike repair place and the other for everything else

Piepho noted that in the Repair Café’s first year, the library staff “didn’t even think about crowd control.” Eventually, they managed long lines with a snake-like queue. She said staff also tracked how much material is diverted from the landfill and observed seasonal patterns like how many lamps were brought when it gets dark earlier.

Councilmember Erin Murray said the Mountlake Terrace Library was one of the reasons why she chose my current home because her kids can walk there. She recalled a 4‑H Club event with llamas. “You never know what you will find at your local library,” she said.

Councilmember Sam Doyle said she was “impressed” with the library’s accessibility, where if someone looks for a resource, there are audiobooks, printed books, Kindle and other options. She said libraries offered a space where children could learn, read and simply be kids, especially on rainy days.

“You serve all people here,” she said.

Mayor Pro Tem Bryan Wahl thanked U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene and Sen. Maria Cantwell for delivering state and federal funds to the libraries, noting that Cantwell “came from this community” and helped secure the current library, which is now due for some restoration work.

Mayor Steve Woodard said he served as a Mountlake Terrace Library Board member when he started out as a councilmember. He recommended learning more on Sno‑Isle Libraries’ levy lid lift information page.

“You’ve done a lot of work on [users’] behalf [so they don’t] have to sort through this on their own,” Woodard said. “We need more and more now in this society.”

Public comments and proclamation

The City Council made a proclamation of Public Works Week, which honors public works staff for their services. Councilmember Paige shared a story about how public works handled a water leak at his home in 2020. 

“Not only did they come, but he came,” Paige said, pointing to Public Works Supervisor Sean Hjert. “They took care of the problem, and now we’re forever grateful because it happens like that.”

Mountlake Terrace resident Amir Mohammed, who is a board member of Masjid Umar Al-Farooq mosque, provided the City Council with more information about the San Diego mosque shooting on May 18 that killed three people in the San Diego Islamic Center. The two gunmen later shot themselves and died in their vehicle.

He said there are about 400 to 500 Muslims in Mountlake Terrace who live within five to 10 minutes away from the mosque and more than 200 people – including women, children and the elderly – attend worship on certain days. Mohammed said many are in “panic” about the possibility of a similar incident and asked what the City can do. He also requested extra patrols in the area during worship days.

Woodard said that City Manager Jeff Niten will be working with Police Chief Pete Caw on this matter. “I’m sorry you had to come to City Council for this reason,” Woodard said. 

During public comments, Mountlake Terrace resident Victor Eskenazi criticized the City’s lack of promotion for last week’s State of the City address, calling the limited‑space explanation “a great big cop-out.” He told the City to better publicize future events and, if needed, use a larger venue so more residents can attend in person.

Mountlake Terrace resident Corey Cross said speeding drivers around the streets of Terrace Park Elementary force staff and students to leave school early so they can act like traffic guards.

“Since 85% of drivers drive less than 5 miles per hour over the speed limit, nothing will be done, and this policy isn’t compatible with our Comprehensive Plan,” Cross said. “You can’t meet transportation goal [number] one – enhance safety and connectivity of Mountlake Terrace’s transportation system for all users, regardless of mobility – when 15% of hundreds of cars are allowed to go 30 to 45 miles per hour, right on our little side streets. 

“Our traffic engineering policy needs to be about more than that. It needs to be about getting everyone with every mode safely to their destination,” he continued. “Our traffic engineer is capable and could do that if the budget prioritized priorities and policy lines.”