| Bryce James |
| Bryce James, Position 1, Lake Forest Park |
| Semra Riddle |
| Semra Riddle, City of Lake Forest Park Councilmember Position 1 |
| Bryce James |
| The truth is our city faces extreme physical, environmental, and financial constraints that make significant new development nearly impossible. 1. Built-Out Environment Lake Forest Park is already largely developed, with steep slopes, ravines, salmon-bearing streams, and a fragile tree canopy. Unlike Bothell or Shoreline, our city has virtually no flat, buildable land. What We Need to Do: • Advocate to Olympia and King County for recognition of our physical and environmental constraints. • Use the Growth Management Act’s flexibility to request reduced housing allocations consistent with our unique topography. • Focus on small-scale housing options like ADUs and DADUs that fit into existing neighborhoods without large environmental impacts. 2. Limited Capacity Numbers The city’s 2023 Land Capacity and Housing Needs Study shows only 59 parcels citywide have realistic potential for additional housing. Even under optimistic scenarios, these parcels could yield fewer than 500 units—a fraction of the thousands expected by Olympia. What We Need to Do: • Set clear expectations with residents and the State: our capacity is in the hundreds, not thousands. • Direct staff and commissions to prioritize housing policies that maximize the few parcels we do have (e.g., flexible design standards, duplexes/triplexes where feasible). • Oppose mandates that assume growth levels impossible in our environment. 3. Town Center Restrictions The largest single redevelopment area, Town Center, is privately owned. The City cannot compel redevelopment; it can only respond to what the owner proposes. That means relying on Town Center to meet growth goals is speculative at best. What We Need to Do: • Continue dialogue with the property owner, but avoid making unrealistic promises to Olympia. • Encourage mixed-use redevelopment only if the owner is willing, but protect space for retail to avoid further eroding our sales-tax base. • Explore incentives that align owner and community interests, rather than relying on mandates. 4. Business Displacement on Bothell Way Most other “available” parcels are on Bothell Way. Converting these into housing would displace small businesses, shrinking the city’s already-limited sales-tax base. Since property taxes only slightly outpace sales taxes, this risks a net fiscal loss for the city. What We Need to Do: • Protect the commercial core along Bothell Way to maintain tax diversity. • Allow housing above retail where appropriate, but not at the expense of eliminating businesses. • Work with neighboring cities to push back on unrealistic regional growth targets that would force trade-offs between housing and economic health. 5. Tree Canopy & Environmental Damage Sound Transit’s Stride-3 plan already calls for cutting 400 mature trees along Bothell Way. Additional development pressure could further reduce our canopy, worsen heat islands, and increase stormwater runoff into Lake Washington. What We Need to Do: • Strengthen our tree protection ordinance and mitigate canopy loss through 1:1 or greater replacement ratios. • Demand Sound Transit re-evaluate its design to minimize tree loss. • Explicitly frame canopy protection as essential to meeting climate resilience goals (cooling, carbon absorption, stormwater control). 6. State Housing Targets vs. Reality Even if every identified parcel were developed, Lake Forest Park would fall far short of Olympia’s housing mandates. The city’s study shows capacity for fewer than 500 new units, while the State expects 1,400–1,600 units. That leaves us 900–1,100 units short—roughly 70% below Olympia’s demand. What We Need to Do: • Build a coalition of similarly constrained cities to push back on one-size-fits-all housing laws. • Document our constraints in a clear report to the State, showing why mandates cannot be met without environmental damage and fiscal harm. • Focus on incremental housing growth that matches our real capacity while protecting community character. Bottom Line Lake Forest Park cannot realistically meet state housing expectations without sacrificing its fragile environment, losing businesses, and permanently altering the city’s character. The responsible path is to pursue hundreds of units where possible, not thousands, while protecting the city’s environmental, fiscal, and community integrity. |
| Semra Riddle |
| Within primarily single family zones, I believe that cities should regulate the 'envelope' for development - setbacks, heights, street frontage - and any relevant parking needs - onsite vs offsite - and let development drive what occurs within - single-family, accessory dwelling units, middle housing. |
| Bryce James |
| Lake Forest Park's Current Homelessness Policy: In December 2022, the City of LFP passed Resolution 1876 to partner with the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (the Interlocal "Authority") in order to coordinate the provision of services within an equitable operational framework to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of experiencing homelessness in King County. This agency is an independent governmental agency pursuant to chapter 39.34 RCW of The City of Seattle and King County. Separately, Lake Forest Park is currently addressing homelessness through various community initiatives and city planning efforts. The city has recognized the need for improved safety and support in local parks, which have been affected by issues such as vagrancy and vandalism. Key Initiatives • Park Safety Enhancements: The Community Services Commission is focusing on park upgrades to enhance safety and address homelessness. This includes hiring specialists in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design to mitigate safety concerns. • Affordable Housing Development: The city is under pressure to increase affordable housing options. Current zoning barriers limit the construction of new affordable units, which is critical for addressing homelessness. Housing Needs • Targeted Units: Lake Forest Park needs to build 760 new affordable housing units over the next 20 years, including 164 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) and 166 units of emergency housing. • Barriers to Development: Zoning laws, such as minimum lot sizes and parking requirements, hinder the development of affordable housing. These regulations make it challenging to create the necessary housing to support those experiencing homelessness. The city is working on a Comprehensive Plan to align with state laws regarding affordable housing. The Regional Crisis Response Agency Often times, people suffering from homeliness could use physical, emotional, and mental health support. The Regional Crisis Response (RCR, pronounced ‘racer’) Agency is a newly formed, collaborative effort among the north King County cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline that will provide consolidated and standardized regional mobile crisis response services for the five-city region. The regional mobile crisis services provided by RCR begin with a person-centered approach focusing on compassionate and immediate crisis response, de-escalation, resource referral, and follow-up tailored to the specific needs of those experiencing behavioral health challenges. Lake Forest Park is a unique community—home to highly educated residents (two-thirds with advanced degrees) and high-income levels. Combined with strong police-community relations, this has resulted in minimal visible homelessness in our area. I think LFP is doing its part to address these challenges in our city. |
| Semra Riddle |
| LFP needs to finish updating our zoning codes to accommodate emergency shelters and transitional housing. We deferred our code revisions pending Dept. of Commerce target numbers but have yet to complete this task. In addition to needing to update our zoning code, we provide financial support for service providers in our area and can continue to increase our contributions as requested. |
| Bryce James |
| Police, fire, and emergency services are our priority in Lake Forest Park. Our Police Department is highly respected, efficient and fully funded. I spent a few hours last month with Chief Harden, he was pleased with the support he receives from the city and the support from the community. The Justice Department needs some additional support as crime across the state, and LFP has increased. This is currently being addressed by the city and I believe they are on the correct path to solving any potential shortfalls in support and funding. Note: our fire and emergency services are now managed by the Northshore Fire Department. Public Safety is Number One. Police, Fire & Emergency Services, and the Justice System is the foundation of this city and is our top priority. |
| Semra Riddle |
| Our city has our own police department. This ensures we can monitor and enforce a culture that respects all people and swiftly addresses concerns that arise. Our Municipal Court offers a youth court and is sensitive to financial hardships when levying fines and making appropriate reductions. I don't feel we should make significant changes at this time but I am always willing to look into our culture and processes if anything changes for the worse. |
| Bryce James |
| "As stated above, we are part of the Regional Crisis Response Agency. The Regional Crisis Response (RCR, pronounced ‘racer’) Agency is a newly formed, collaborative effort among the north King County cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, and Shoreline that will provide consolidated and standardized regional mobile crisis response services for the five-city region. The regional mobile crisis services provided by RCR begin with a person-centered approach focusing on compassionate and immediate crisis response, de-escalation, resource referral, and follow-up tailored to the specific needs of those experiencing behavioral health challenges. Lake Forest Park is a unique community—home to highly educated residents (two-thirds with advanced degrees) and high-income levels. Combined with strong police-community relations, this has resulted in minimal visible homelessness in our area. I think LFP is doing its part to address these challenges in our city." |
| Semra Riddle |
| LFP is one of the original partner cities that founded what is now called RCR, Regional Crisis Response. This service has been an invaluable service for those in our community with needs and for our offices as a escalation tool. I want to continue supporting this program and am willing to look into other human services as opportunities arise. |
| Bryce James |
| Crime and store profitability are the largest drivers challenging the continuation of local pharmacy and grocery stores. Many pharmacies are closing due to the increased crime rates. Having an effective police force and behavioral health support team reduces the risk to the stores and shoppers. Currently, LFP has at minimum four major nearby stores, including grocery and Pharmacy stores at both ends of LFP on Highway 104 (Ballinger Way & 205th and Ballinger Way & Bothell Way), and to both sides, North City (15th Ave) and Kenmore (Bothell way); all on major highways with bus access. Again, LFP is already largely developed, with steep slopes, ravines, salmon-bearing streams, and a fragile tree canopy. This challenges the additions of additional bus routes, which the city does not control. All in all, the city does not have a lot of room to expand commerce with only 59 parcels which are suitable for development. The best solution for LFP is to focus on small businesses in selected areas where it makes sense for the neighborhood, and for the entrepreneur. Growth should be managed intelligently within our ecosystem. The most important thing to consider is our parking mandates. Our city’s environment is not conducive to template driven parking policies or the removal of current parking mandates in a full brush stroke. Most streets in LFP are highly sensitive to parking density and excess traffic. Street parking on many of our roads with prevent Fire and Emergency vehicles from accessing homes. What we need is to re-establish the Citizen Transportation Committee that my opponent voted to remove in 2019 (Ordinance 1134). We needed a process to manage the growth in LFP and we need to listen to the input from our citizens. |
| Semra Riddle |
| LFP is small and but we have BRT coming in the coming years that will increase access to the Link. This will improve access to the 148th Link Station. To further improve access, we need safe crosswalks across 104 and full BRT lanes on 145th. With the bankruptcy of RiteAid we will no longer have a pharmacy in our community. I will continue to advocate for more and varied services in the Town Center. |
| Bryce James |
| The Problem Lake Forest Park faces another tax levy largely due to mismanagement and lack of citizen oversight. By law (City Municipal Code 2.22.020), long-term projects require citizen commissions. Yet in 2016, my opponent, Councilmember Riddle, and others voted to dismantle key citizen committees (Ordinance 1134), including the Budget and Transportation Committees. Without these checks, taxpayers now face higher costs and unnecessary levies. Transportation Issue The Ballinger Way Roundabout began seven years ago with the promise of grant and reserve funding, no new taxes. Due to delays and poor oversight, the project’s cost ballooned. It was listed as a $4.3M liability in the 2025–2026 budget, only to be bid a month later at $5.3M. Council had just three days to decide, without a citizen committee review—violating the code and leaving taxpayers on the hook. Tax Levy Issue The proposed levy asks for more than is needed, despite record reserves. Again, no citizen committee was formed, even though the levy spans a six-year forecast. Taxpayers are being asked to cover optional, not mandatory, spending. • LFP has a history of oversized levy asks, with two prior failures (2010, 2021) rejected by wide margins. • Proposition 1 repeats these mistakes—too large, no citizen review, eroding public trust. Voters worry levy funds will be shifted to unrelated projects (a bait-and-switch via fungibility). • Two of three Budget Subcommittee members, both highly experienced in financial budgeting, opposed this levy. My opponent was the lone supporter, consistently favoring the highest tax rates and optional spending, while giving incorrect answers about fund use during council meetings. Why It Matters • Without citizen commissions, levy proposals lack transparency. • Oversized asks lead to voter rejection and declining trust. • Residents shoulder unnecessary tax burdens while efficiencies go unexplored. The Solution I bring 40+ years of financial budgeting experience and would re-establish structured citizen oversight: Create a Citizens Fiscal Sustainability Commission to: • Review city spending and identify savings. • Model realistic levy rates and timelines. • Protect reserves while avoiding overtaxing. • Explore less regressive revenue options. • Ensure early, meaningful resident input. This process restores accountability, prevents overspending, and ensures taxation is both fair and necessary—never excessive. |
| Semra Riddle |
| I prefer to tax my community in the most progressive method allowed. I prefer voter-approved taxes over councilmanic taxes. I believe the voters should have a choice. I believe we should roll back our latest councilmanic taxes as soon as we can and we are proposing a levy lid lift to the community this Nov that will ensure our public safety functions are fully funded for the duration of the levy. |
| Bryce James |
| The Challenge Lake Forest Park faces two undercurrents of underrepresentation. 1. Annexed vs. Original LFP: Residents from annexed areas often vote less and feel less connected to city life, creating a sense of exclusion from the original LFP footprint. 2. Neighborhood Dynamics: Some neighborhoods are deeply rooted in environmental priorities (trees, streams, narrow roads), while others—such as Brookside Triangle, Briercrest, and Turtle Rock—have the physical capacity for small businesses, density, and sidewalks. Current engagement methods (polls, questionnaires, surveys) often fail to bridge these divides. Instead, they produce biased results driven by: • Neighborhood overrepresentation • Topic-specific bias (parks, trees, transit, etc.) • Small, non-random samples that don’t reflect all citizens • Low response rates and high non-response bias • Poorly designed questions, lacking clarity or balance • Weak reliability and no proper error controls In short, the data has not been statistically valid, making it difficult for City leaders to fairly weigh the views of all residents. My Approach • To ensure every voice is represented—especially those less connected or more at risk of policy impacts—I would: • Reform polling practices: Require large, representative samples, stratified by neighborhood and demographics. • Ensure fairness in design: Use neutral, unbiased questions with clear scales and consistency. • Increase engagement in annexed areas: Target outreach through neighborhood meetings, civic groups, and tailored communication. • Build trust in results: Commit to surveys that meet statistical standards (power, reliability, validity), so residents know outcomes are real, not skewed. Why It Matters When engagement is representative and trustworthy, residents who feel disconnected become included, policy decisions are better informed, and trust in City government grows. Every neighborhood deserves to know their voice counts. |
| Semra Riddle |
| I take account of geographic, economic, and racial biases when I make decisions. It's important to ensure the loudest voices do not drown out those in need in our community |
| Bryce James |
| Lake Forest Park is known for its environmental values, and we have numerous committees and resources already dedicated to environmental protection (such as our: Tree Committee, Parks Committee, Stewardship Foundation). However, one of the most significant current threats lies outside our direct control: Sound Transit’s Stride 3 project. This project proposes: • Removal of over 400 mature trees • Construction of a massive retaining wall • Encroachment into slide-prone zones and sensitive creek habitats The City Council recently sent a letter urging Sound Transit to modify a small stretch of Bothell Way to prevent these ecological harms. Unfortunately, not all Councilmembers supported this vital change—the only member who chose not to sign was my opponent, Semra Riddle. Another Councilmember had to recuse himself due to employment with Sound Transit. Lake Forest Park must defend its environment and protect both its natural beauty and resident safety. Saving 90 seconds is not worth killing 400 trees and removing 5,000 truckloads of dirt, or placing a fragile creek and slide zone at more risk. We need to keep LFP policies in place that make it harder for Sound -Transit to destoy the sensitive 12 block section most at risk. My role will be to advocate fiercely for responsible, community-centered alternatives. |
| Semra Riddle |
| I believe we have robust policies in place to react to areas within our city that have lower access to tree cover, etc. For example, tree replacement from the Sound Transit BRT project will first go to the areas within the project, then adjacent to the project, and then to areas of low canopy coverage across the city. |
| Bryce James |
| My vision is simple: Preserve the character of Lake Forest Park while responsibly achieving state and county obligations, such as housing density mandates. Lake Forest Park was founded by Ole Hanson in 1910 as a community that would live in harmony with nature. We are not meant to become another densely urbanized corridor like Lake City to the south. One size doesn’t fit all. I want to honor Ole’s vision - a community where people and nature thrive side by side, just as it has been for over a century. That said, it’s up to the people to decide, not some politician with a personal agenda. My job is to strengthen the financials, listen to the people, protect the environment, and ensure all people are treated fairly. It’s my responsibility to follow the rules and process outlined in our Municipal codes and seek wisdom from others if needed. Two-thirds of our citizens have advanced degrees, One-fourth have either a PhD, MD or MBA, its time to involve the community – it takes a village. Just as every person is different, so is every household, neighborhood, and city. We need to honor our differences while working together collectively, with our neighboring cities, to protect what we love. My family has lived in LFP since the 1940’s and Bothell since the 1920's. We are deeply vested in the community and provide excellent stewardship of the land. We honor those who came before us, the Salish people, and hope that those who follow will respect the land – the living earth, plants, trees, wildlife, waters and air. We are all connected. |
| Semra Riddle |
| I have and will always advocate for the voices we don't usually hear. I want my time on Council to represent all people in LFP. I know we are stronger together by building coalitions within our border and across cities. |