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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-04 Hazelnut Newsletter - Volume 46 No. 4Seawolves Rugby at Starfire Sports in Tukwila Aie r e Hazelnut A City of Tukwila publication for our residential and business communities APRIL 2026 VOLUME 46, NUMBER 4 42nd Avenue South bridge replacement update The 42nd Ave S Bridge Replacement project recently achieved several important milestones. The design team has finalized the complete set of design drawings, analysis reports, and an updated construction cost estimate. City staff and utility companies are currently reviewing these documents and will provide final comments to be incorporated into the construction bid package next year. Another key milestone is the completion of a Memorandum of Agreement for historic preservation, required under state and federal regulations. The Washington State Department of Transportation, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and local tribes have all approved the City's commitment to document the history of the existing bridge and to avoid disturbing important cultural resources within the project area. This agreement, which took more than a year to complete, clears the way for the next steps in the environmental permitting process. On the funding front, the 2026 Supplemental Washington State Transportation Budget includes $17 million from the Move Ahead Washington program for the 2027- 2029 budget cycle. This funding aligns with the City's anticipated construction schedule and strengthens our ability to pursue additional federal funding needed to fully finance the project. Please use this QR code to access the project webpage, where you will find the latest updates and additional resources. Rendering of the proposed 42nd Avenue South bridge, looking north Tukwila: The City of Opportunity, the Community of Choice 2D2 STATE HE CITY EVENT SCHEDULE 5:00PM - Doors open 6:00PM - Presentation 7:15PM - Reception Foster Performing Arts Center Location: 4242 South 144th Street All participants are welcome. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please call 206-433-1850 or email Mayor@TukwilaWA.gov. at least seven days before the event. TukwilaWA.gov/StateofCity I invite you to join me for my annual State of the City address to be held on Wednesday, April 29 at 6:00PM at the Foster High School Performing Arts Center. This is an opportunity to hear about what the City of Tukwila has accomplished in the past year and highlights about the vision for 2026. The event will include informational tables, providing you with opportunities to meet City staff and community partners. Learn more about services and programs available to members of the Tukwila community. Light refreshments will be served. I am looking forward to this event and hope you can join me. Sincerely, (*Ma' 4 Thomas McLeod, ayor COME TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RESOURCE TABLES SET UP AT THIS EVENT Get information and answers from the City and our community partners CITY DEPARTMENTS Community Development Finance Mayor's Office Municipal Court Parks & Recreation Police Public Works COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECU Greater Seattle Korean Association HealthPoint Highline College King County Elections King County Library King County Metro Northwest Education Access Partners in Employment Puget Sound Energy Puget Sound Fire Recology Seattle City Light Sokh Hoops Sound Health Sound Transit Tukwila Historical Society Tukwila Pool 2 The Hazelnut - April 2026 Surface Water Management Plan comment period is OPEN A healthy community depends on well -maintained stormwater systems and surface water environments. Flooded streets, polluted streams and lakes, landslides, and degrading plant and animal habitats affect everyone. Tukwila's Storm and Surface Water System Plan is updated every year to account for growth and development in the City, changing climate conditions, evolving state and federal stormwater regulations, and updates to the City's Comprehensive Plan. Some benefits of effective storm and surface water management include: Reduced flooding and damage to businesses and homes from storms Clean water in lakes and streams for safe recreation, such as fishing and swimming Improved and restored plant, animal, and aquatic habitats Minimized erosion and landslide occurrences Did you know YOU can comment on Tukwila's Surface Water Management Plan? The comment period is open now. Residents have an opportunity to shape surface water policy. Think about what the water quality in your community means to you. What stewardship opportunities would YOU participate in? Adopt A Drain: care for a drain near your home, work or school; name it, report online (get a yard sign and welcome package). Adopt a Spot: care for a trail or park near your home or work. Green Tukwila Partnership: participate in environment restoration planting, weeding and other projects on City owned properties. Pollution enforcement: What escalating policies do YOU support? (All choices require polluters to clean up their pollution at their expense or be billed for City services.) Technical assistance until compliance Technical assistance until compliance, with a fine Issuance of Notice of Violation and Order to comply, with fines and penalties Is your priority of clean water for: You Tukwila M Puget Sound Scan the table of contents to see what is covered in this plan at TukwilaWA.gov/SWMP2026. Have thoughts to share? Please send your comments to SWMP@TukwilaWA.gov. Questions? Please email SWMP@Tu wl aWA.gov Got something that needs fixing? We're back! KING COUNTY REPAIR EVENT - FREE Tuesday, April 28 - 3:00 to 6:00PM Tukwila Community Center At King County's free community repair events, skilled volunteers strive to fix and mend electronics, small kitchen appliances, small furniture, toys, tools, clothing and other textiles. At last year's repair event at Tukwila Community Center, they worked on about 80 items, successfully fixing or mending 75% of them. For the others, the volunteers provided helpful advice. For more info, visit KingCounty.gov/repair-events, contact repair events coordinator Tom at 206-477-4481, or email Tom.Watson@KingCounty.gov. The Hazelnut - April 2026 3 Recognizing sustainable transportation leaders The City of Tukwila proudly celebrates these employers. Collectively, they reduce 300,000 1 driving trips per year on our roads! The Boeing Company ♦ BECU CellNetix ♦ City of Tukwila Harnish Group, Inc. ♦ Hartung Agalite Glass Company King County Housing Authority ♦ Metro South Base The Krusteaz Company ♦ The Museum of Flight Olympic Heritage Behavioral Health ♦ USPS _: u o Employer Commute Trip Reduction Programs play a critical role in reducing traffic congestion and pollution by promoting transit, carpooling, teleworking, biking, and walking. These efforts resulted in the following environmental and financial benefits: Cleaner Air -15,000,000 pounds of CO2 emissions avoided annually Cleaner Water - 88 pounds of airborne particulate 0 matter from brake wear and 44 pounds of airborne particulate matter from tire wear avoided annually Gas Savings - 800,000 gallons of gasoline and $2,000,000 consumer dollars saved on gasoline Data comes from the 2023-2025 CTR survey of employees at 15 worksites Smoke Alarms Save Lives! ; ed z oss SOUND THE ALARM Salve a Life Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death from home fires in half. That's why we're rallying volunteers, fire departments and partners to Sound the Alarm. Together, we're installing FREE smoke alarms in your community. Request a smoke alarm installation today! Saturday, April 25 1 O:OOAM — 3:OOPM Request alarms at tinyurl.com/munckyt or email kinghfc@redcross.org with questions. Scan to learn more The Red Cross provides help, regardless of citizenship status. We do not share client information with any external entities. Volunteers are clearly branded with the Red Cross emblem. O 00 State Farm 4 The Hazelnut - April 2026 COUNCIL CORNER Stay informed, get involved by Armen Papyan, 2026 Council President Spring has arrived and the transition of seasons feels like a fresh start in many ways. This month I'd like to share our new group Council portrait for those that may not know members by face or name. We have had a lot of turnover the last couple of years, and so it feels grounding to be on this team pictured here: As I write this, we are gearing up for our annual retreat, where we will focus on effective group dynamics and a cohesive approach to our role as legislators. While we work toward those goals, I would like to invite you, the community, to engage with us and share your views. Here are some ways to stay informed and connected: • Visit Tukwila's meeting and community calendar at TukwilaWA.gov/events. • Attend a Council meeting in person, online, on Channel 21, or via MS Teams. • Subscribe to email delivery of meeting agendas at TukwilaWA.gov/city-clerk. )) Email the entire Council at CityCouncil@TukwilaWA.gov, or individual councilmembers via the info on the back cover. • Provide your public comment on any topic for up to five minutes at a Regular Meeting or Committee of the Whole. )) Read minutes of Council and Committee meetings online. • Apply to serve on a City board, commission, or committee. • Review summaries of recent City Council actions in the Hazelnut, then go online to read more. • Follow the City of Tukwila on social media at Facebook.com/City0fTukwila Your Tukwila City Council (From left to right) Verna Seal, Joe Torres Camacho, Kate Kruller, Jane Ho, Dennis Martinez, Hannah Hedrick, and Armen Papyan. Open House on update of Critical Area regulations Wednesday April 15 - between 5:30-8:00PM Sullivan Center - 14350 Tukwila International Blvd. You are invited to a City open house regarding an update of the City's regulations on critical areas, such as streams, wetlands and steep slopes. Critical areas provide ecosystem services to the City, filtering water, cleaning the air, providing habitat for animals and recreation opportunities for the community. Updating regulations requires integrating best available science (BAS) and balancing City goals to protect and enhance the environment, while ensuring adequate capacity for the City to grow. In this process, regulations - such as the distance required between construction and critical areas - will be evaluated. Interested? You are invited to drop in at any point during this time to speak with staff, learn more about the process, and provide your opinions. Light food and beverages will be provided. Please reach out to Planning @TukwilaWA.gov with any questions or if you'd like to sign up for updates. Hope to see you there! Watch a video and learn more about Critical Areas in Tukwila at TukwilaWA.gov/CriticalAreas. The Hazelnut - April 2026 5 Keeping our Tukwila clean — how we're tackling litter and how you can help Eittei- isn't just unsightly, it affects our neighborhoods, natual spaces, transportation corridors, and overall quality of life. In 2025, the City of Tukwila dedicated substantial time and resources to responding to litter concerns across the community. Thanks to both City crews and residents who report issues, we continue working together to keep Tukwila clean, safe, and welcoming. Our 2025 litter response, by the numbers Between the internal City work orders and community - submitted Tukwila Works requests, our crews completed a significant amount of litter -related work last year: Total work orders: 188 ▪ Total labor hours: 1,268 Total cost: $89,000.27 These totals reflect the time, effort, and funding required to address litter across the City. By reducing the amount of debris that accumulates in the first place, we can redirect - these resources toward other essential public services. 1 A cleaner City starts with all of us Thank you to everyone who reports issues, volunteers their time, or takes simple steps each day to prevent litter. Your efforts make Tukwila a cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant community for all. 6 How you can be part of the solution Small everyday habits, combined with community involvement, go a long way toward keeping litter off our streets and out of our waterways. • Use a litter bag in your vehicle to avoid accidental • or intentional littering. • • Secure your load when transporting items — unsecured loads are a major source of roadside debris. e • Don't overfill your curbside carts; overflowing lids allow trash to escape. If you need a larger cart, contact Recology at 206-944-3900 or visit Recology.com/Tukwila. • Bag your trash before placing it in your curbside cart to prevent loose items from blowing away. • Volunteer to support ongoing litter reduction efforts: • Participate in the City's Adopt -a -Spot program to maintain a local area you care about: TukwilaWA.gov/adopt-a-spot •Attend special litter clean-up events hosted throughout the year. • Join the State's Adopt -a -Highway program: wsdot.wa.gov/business-wsdot/hig,hway-signs4 adopt -highway • Report litter so crews can respond quickly: •n • For issues on public streets within Tukwila, report to the City of Tukwila, intruding via Tukwila Works: TukwilaWA.gov/residents/engage/tukwila-worksa • For interstates, state routes, and on/off ramps, report to the WA Department of Ecology at ecology. wa.gov/waste-toxics/solid-waste-litter/litter Annual street improvement program resumes Tukwila's annual Overlay and Repair Program preserves and maintains the City's street structure in a safe and usable condition. This year's street overlay project resumes on April 1, weather permitting. 51st Avenue South, which becomes Macadam Road South, has been selected for a pavement overlay due to its fair -to - marginal condition. The project also includes some paving near Klickitat Drive and the 1-5 South onramp.. Crews will get boots back on the ground once the weather forecast shows ideal paving conditions (not weeks of rain). Project website: TukwilaWA.gov/Annua10verlay Macadam Road South ARE YOU AWESOME? WE'RE HIRING 09jIN ouaTEAM The City of Tukwila is hiring for a variety of exciting opportunities, including full-time and seasonal positions across multiple departments. This is a great time to join a team dedicated to serving one of the most diverse and vibrant communities in the region. We offer highly competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits designed to support you and your family. Applications are reviewed daily. Don't wait - explore our current openings and apply today at GovernmentJobs.com/careers/TukwilaWA COME WORK WITH US! TUKWILA UNITED! Celebrate the world's game —together! 4W TUKWILAZ6 Follow all the excitement of the tournament — and everything Happening in Tukwila — at Tukwila26.com The world's largest soccer tournament is coming to the Seattle region. Tukwila will be a destination location for a variety of great experiences, including: A tournament viewing lounge at Westfield Southcenter A block party with live viewing, live music, and fun activities Community events at the Sullivan Center on Tukwila International Boulevard For dates, times, and other information, please visit Tukwila26.com to learn more. The Hazelnut - April 2026 7 THE HAZELNUT City of Tukwila 6200 Southcenter Blvd. Tukwila, WA 98188 PRESORT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 12698 GREEN TUKWILA EARTH MONTH Have you noticed more litter in your favorite park or along the Green River Trail? You can help! Tukwila Parks and Recreation invites residents, community groups, and businesses to join the Adopt -A -Spot program. This year-round partnership helps keep parks and trails clean, green & welcoming for all. Visit us online to learn how it works, what to expect, about your commitment, and what we provide: TukwilaWA.gov/Adopt-A-Spot adopt a spot Hands-on for Earth Month - Work Parties! Local Forest Stewards need help removing noxious weeds in our parks to create healthy habitats for wildlife and a cleaner watershed for all. All work parties provide tools & training onsite; all identities are welcome. See all the dates and locations on our website and please SIGN UP: TukwilaWA.gov/GreenTukwila Eco-Art: Come Paint Lupine with Green Tukwila Beginner Adult Watercolor Class - Free & open to the public! April 27 - 6:30-8:00PM - Tukwila Community Center Join us for a relaxing and creative beginner watercolor! In each class, you'll learn about a Pacific Northwest nature topic while practicing simple watercolor techniques in a supportive, step-by-step environment. All materials are provided No experience needed w Free and open to the public 1),0 Registration is required Sign up: Tukwila.GreenCityPartnerships.org/event/571 TUKWILA CITY HALL 6200 Southcenter Boulevard City Hall campus in -person hours: Monday —Thursday, 8:30AM-4:00PM Phone: 206-433-1800 Fax: 206-433-1833 Email: Tukwila@TukwilaWA.gov Website: TukwilaWA.gov MAYOR Thomas McLeod 206-433-1850 Mayor's Office Administration Offices 206-433-1850 Marty Wine, CityAdministrator 206-433-1851 Brandon Miles, Director, Strategic Initiatives/ Government Relations 206-431-3684 City Clerk's Office 206-433-1800 Community Engagement206-454-7564 Economic Development 206-433-1832 Human Resources - Personnel206-433-1831 Human Services 206-433-7181 Emergency Management206-971-8750 Technology Services 206-454-7575 Community Development Dept. Nora Gierloff, Director 206-431-3670 Code Enforcement 206-431-3682 Finance Department Aaron BeMiller, Director 206-433-1835 Parks/Recreation Department Pete Mayer, Director and Deputy City Administrator 206-767-2342 Police Department Eric Dreyer, Chief 206-433-7175 Public Works Department Jen Tetatzin, Director 206-433-0179 Emergency - Fire, Police 911 MUNICIPAL COURT 15005 Tukwila International Blvd206-433-1840 TUKWILA COMMUNITY CENTER 12424 - 42nd Avenue South Recreation Division 206-768-2822 Senior Center/Services 206-767-2321 Facility Rentals 206-767-2323 FOSTER GOLF LINKS 13500 Interurban Avenue South Pro Shop 206-242-4221 PUGET SOUND REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY All fire -related services 253-856-4300 PugetSoundFire.org 2026 TUKWILA CITY COUNCIL Armen Papyan, Council Pres.206-888-3380 Armen.Papyan@TukwilaWA.gov Verna Seal 206-724-4548 Verna.Seal@TukwilaWAgov Kate Kruller 206-678-2863 Mohamed.Abdi@TukwilaWA.gov Dennis Martinez 206-960-1607 Dennis.Martinez@TukwilaWA.gov Hannah Hedrick 206-580-8123 Hannah.Hedrick@TukwilaWA.gov Joe Torres Camacho 206-351-3378 Joe.Camacho@TukwilaWA.gov Jane Ho 206-640-8837 Jane.Ho@TukwilaWA.gov To email the entire Council at once: CityCouncil@TukwilaWA.gov Laurel Humphrey,Analyst206-433-8993 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS 7:00PM in Council Chambers Regular Meetings lst/3rd Mondays Committee of the Whole2nd/4th Mondays