BREAKING NEWS :

This should be an easy one. Sign an agreement and get nearly $110,000 in federal money to help shore up the city’s defenses against natural disasters. That’s the decision facing the City Council Monday night (Aug. 10). Council members will vote on authorizing Mayor Denis Law to sign the contract with the Washington State Military Department and the Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management Performance Grant (whew!) for the federal dollars.

The city has major plans to revitalize two areas in north Renton – and use state funds to help do so. At Monday’s City Council meeting (Aug. 10), the public will have a chance to testify about establishing “revitalization areas” so it can use the state funds for those multimillion-dollar projects. I’ll let city officials explain the details of how all that would work. The meeting is at 7 p.m. in council chambers, seventh floor, City Hall, 1055 S. Grady Way. This is what the city has planned for two areas, with preliminary costs:

SOUTH LAKE WASHINGTON
• Extend Park Avenue north from The Landing to the Southport development, $5 million
• channelization and other improvements on Garden Avenue South at Park Avenue, $3 million
• Highlands to The Landing Trail, $2 million
• Lake Washington Boulevard Corridor improvements, $5 million
• Water and sewer system upgrades, $2.5 million
• Bus Rapid Transit facilities and $700-stall, transit-related parking garage, $35 million

PORT QUENDALL
• Reconstruction and improving signals on Lake Washington Boulevard and Northeast 44th Street, $7 million
• Frontage improvements along Seahawks Way and Lake Washington Boulevard, including an extension of the May Creek Trail, $5 million
• New reservoir and water and sewer system improvements, $9 million
• Reclaimed water facility, $6 million
• Public amenities, including waterfront habitat restoration, public open space, trails and potential plazas, along with maintenance, $40 million.

These state dollars are only one source of money to pay for these public improvements. Other sources are project developers, grants and other public and private sources. Of course, all of these projects could take years or decades to complete.
Later in the meeting, the council will consider the two revitalization areas in what’s known as a first reading. Typically, such ordinances require a second and final reading at a later meeting.

Likely, next year, Renton residents will vote on whether to annex to the King County Library System. It would mean the end of a highly regarded municipal library system that is now in need of an infusion of cash for much-needed improvements. Monday night (7 p.m., chambers, City Hall) the City Council will take its final vote on an ordinance that asks the King County Council to place the issue on the ballot in February.  The same request must come from the KCLS Board of Trustees, which will meet on the matter later. The council seems highly inclined to annex. Council member Marcie Palmer has grave doubts about the idea. The political  battle will be fought starting this fall.  In the end, it’s up to Renton’s voters. Now, it’s important that the City Council and the KCLS board give voters their chance to make the final decision.

If it’s feeling a bit crowded around town, well in a way it is, if you count some of those folks as having a real Renton address. Renton’s official population is now 83,650, mostly due to adding people from some recent annexations. But it’s a whopping 23,000-soul increase from the  April 1 number in 2007.  Yakima is just ahead of Renton at No. 10, with 84,850, followed up the list by Kent at 88,350. Bellevue is No. 5 at 120,600. That Eastside city hasn’t seen the same explosive growth as Renton, mostly because there’s little, if any land left for Bellevue to annex. In fact, since 200o, Bellevue has only grown by about 11,000 people. In that same time period Renton jumped from 14th to 11th on the state’s list of city populations. No surprise that Seattle is the biggest city, with 602,000 residents.

There are a lot of Seahawks’ fans out there and a whole bunch of them are going to land on Renton’s doorsteps come Monday for the first team practice at the wonderful Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Just to make sure those fans feel welcome, the City Council will undoubtedly adopt Mayor Denis Law’s proclamation marking August as “Renton Welcomes Seahaw Fans to Training Camp Month”  Monday night. Fans: Enjoy the day Monday and many more throughout the summer. And next Friday read our special section called The Meaning of 12.