The city has recently announced the creation of a Task Force to help create a draft version of the Central Issaquah Plan. If you were on that Task Force, what ideas would you promote to revitalize the city’s commercial center? Please be as specific as you can.

Mayor – unopposed

Ava Frisinger

The Advisory Task Force’s purpose is to continue broad-based community input into the preparation of the Central Issaquah Subarea Plan and related design standards and land use code amendments.

I created the task force to represent stakeholders whose input will build upon the guiding principles and planning concepts already defined by three community workshops and a tour of two nearby communities.

I am relying on the task force to help shape the plan for presentation to the Planning Policy Commission and the City Council.

I expect by September 2010 that the task force will recommend to me what changes, if any, should be made in the final draft of the Central Issaquah Plan, Design Standards, Street Standards, and Land Use Code Amendments.

In addition, the Task Force will have compared the consistency of the recommendations to the guiding principles.

Following the review and recommendation to me by the Task Force, the subarea plan will go before the public, the Committee of the Whole Council, the Planning Policy Commission, and the City Council, again, before the subarea plan is adopted.

I expect that the plan will be before the council for adoption next December.

Position 1 – unopposed

Mark Mullet

The goal is to find ideas that protect the environment while promoting new businesses in Issaquah (and supporting the existing businesses as well).

An important step in revitalizing the city’s commercial center would be the creation of a parking garage in the historic Front Street district.

During my Master’s in Public Affairs program we studied the positive impacts the Pike Place parking garage in downtown Seattle had on revitalizing the downtown retail district in the 1990s.

The second idea is the creation of a central storm water drainage system as part of the Central Issaquah Plan.

The biggest obstacle with new construction projects in Issaquah is mitigating the effects of storm water drainage.

By building a central system the cost for each individual business would fall dramatically.

That would protect our environment while making it possible for new construction to occur.

Position 3 – unopposed

Eileen Barber, incumbent and sole candidate, did not respond.

Position 5

Maureen McCarry

To promote revitalization of Issaquah’s commercial area, I would start with the need to link this area known as the Central Area with Old Town.

The “gem” of this link will be Cybil Madeline Park. Home to some of our most historic structures, it is located between Old Town and the Central Area and would draw from, and connect, both areas.

To create a pedestrian friendly Central Area, we need to focus on both Sound Transit and parking garages, preferably with retail fronts to limit vacant views of open garages.

In addition, I will ask businesses to help support destination amenities: aquatic center, turf fields, or additional parks.

In order to encourage development, we must streamline regulation by converting the Central Area to a master site plan.

This will provide development rights for the entire site and a framework for developers to buy into these rights and infrastructure.

Joan Probala

To build a sustainable future, Issaquah must focus on what it wants to become before the task force can look at specifics.

What lifestyle does the community demand and how do you create it while protecting our environment?

What type of business promotes that lifestyle and what are the incentives necessary to attract them?

Growth is coming, but we must pay attention to how much growth is possible without creating gridlock.

Infrastructure is critical. Easy access throughout the city is paramount.

Plans must be formalized now to ensure the right of way for any future transportation system including walkways and trails.

The Central Area Plan cannot be created in a vacuum.

Revitalization of the downtown corridor must be considered. New businesses must be sited as an extension of the existing downtown with easy access from all areas in order for all businesses to succeed. Permitting processes must be considered.

Position 7

Tola Marts

The purpose of the Central Area Plan is not near-term commercial revitalization, which will come naturally as the global recession lifts, but to provide a long-term roadmap for the central area at the heart of Issaquah – improving the city while maintaining what makes us unique – to developers, homeowners, and concerned organizations.

The central area needs living wage employers co-located with a breadth of medium-density housing, so starting out teachers, firefighters and police officers can afford to live in Issaquah.

With walking and bicycling paths and mass transit to supplement and mitigate vehicle traffic.

And parks to provide destinations as well as protect our critical wetlands and tree canopy.

If done right, this will add capability and capacity to our city, while preserving the character of our existing neighborhoods.

When I’m on the council, I’ll make sure the Central Area Plan supports the vision we have for a strong, healthy, livable Issaquah long into the future.

Nathan Perea

The Puget Sound Regional Council forecasts that by 2040 King County will add roughly 700,000 people and 400,000 households.

Issaquah will undoubtedly be the recipient of some of that growth.

The Central Issaquah Plan is essential in order to accommodate for this influx to our city.

I believe this task force must first plan for transportation.

We must be sure people can move to, from, and within the city with ease.

Second, we need to be sure that Issaquah retains much of our historic look and feel, because charm, character and natural beauty are irreplaceable. Third, we will need a mixture of housing types so that there is a wide array of price ranges for all income levels.

There is also room for creativity.

A trolley ride through town, rooftop gardens, locally owned restaurants, outdoor entertainment, pocket parks and community gardens would all add to the distinction of Issaquah.