Incorporated in 1983, the city of Mill Creek has enjoyed its youth and is now entering adulthood, according to Mayor Mike Todd.
“We’ve been fortunate that, like with a new home, there are not a lot of things that need maintenance yet. But we are getting to the point where that will start,” Todd said.
That will mean a need for more money for the repair and maintenance of infrastructure, according to Todd. Though the city has done well during the economic downturns of the past few years, he is cautious when planning ahead. “The economy continues to be lean, so things might be tougher in the coming years,” he said.
The city council held a series of community meetings and workshops in 2011 to learn the priorities of Mill Creek residents. Their input helped to determine the strategic plan the city will follow in years to come.
The meetings revealed that residents like Mill Creek the way it is and they don’t want it to get much bigger. The message, “Don’t mess with the look and feel of Mill Creek,” came through loud and clear, according to Todd.
That “look and feel” includes safety, serenity and beauty, and the city has strict codes to keep it that way, Todd said. More than half of the 18,000 residents of Mill Creek live in the Mill Creek Community Association, which surrounds the golf course. It has covenants for architectural style, yard maintenance and parking, among other things.
To meet the need for increased revenue, the council would like to increase the sales tax rather than the property tax. Because residents do not want annexation of adjacent land, the increased sales tax needs to come from the development of retail within the city’s boundaries.
With the development of the Mill Creek Town Center a decade ago, the city became a vibrant destination spot. “The Town Center has a very walkable environment. It has wonderful restaurants, and it’s fun to go there. People enjoy walking around, going to activities and concerts,” Todd said.
The council is looking at the northeast corner of Mill Creek for retail and residential development. Several owners of the 55-acre piece of land that will be called East Gateway Urban Village are in the process of evaluation and planning.
Community Development Director Tom Rogers hopes the result will be “something that is pedestrian-friendly and also an economic base to the city.”
Another area under development is Mill Creek Plaza, located on the corner of 164th Street and Bothell-Everett Highway. A new 5,250-square-foot multi-tenant building is currently under construction. A Starbucks and Qdoba Mexican Grill are slated to be among the tenants.
With the help of a state program called Local Revitalization Funding, the city will borrow money through a public works trust fund to build the infrastructure to support the East Gateway Urban Village. All that remains is for property owners to decide exactly what they will do with the last portion of Mill Creek left to be developed.