Councilmember Nehring's 2022 Year In Review

In January, we received news that Snohomish County was awarded a $16.7 million grant from the Washington State Broadband Office for broadband expansion along SR 530 in North County. This infrastructure project was a priority of our Broadband Action Team and is being built through a partnership between Snohomish County and Ziply Fiber to bring high speed internet to over 5,000 homes and businesses along SR 530 between Arlington and Darrington.  

The Russian war in Ukraine has had global implications and affected Ukrainians all over the world, including some of our neighbors here in Snohomish County. To show support and solidarity with our Ukrainian neighbors in Snohomish County, I drafted a resolution which was passed by the County Council on February 28th, 2023. The resolution states, in part: 

“THAT, the Snohomish County Council stands in solidarity with our Ukrainian neighbors; and 

THAT, the Snohomish County Council sends thoughts and prayers for peace in Ukraine; and  

THAT, the Snohomish County Council stands ready to welcome and support any refugees which may arrive in our county and state as a result of the invasion.” 

You can read the resolution in full at this link. 

March

Unanimous Passage of Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) Ordinance

In March, the County Council unanimously adopted my proposed ordinance 22-006, revising accessory dwelling unit regulations. Specifically, the ordinance amends Snohomish County Code to allow DADUs on substandard lots and changes distance requirements from the main structure, creating more flexibility for the placement of DADUs in rural areas. 

With housing becoming less and less attainable in our region, unique housing options like accessory dwelling units, commonly referred to as “mother-in-law apartments”, are a great option for young adult or aging family members. They can also be an opportunity to generate supplemental income to help with mortgage payments.  

Learn more about the ordinance and read the Lynnwood Times’ coverage here. 

April

$1.7m Strawberry Fields Renovation Announcement

In April, we announced a partnership between Snohomish County, the City of Marysville, and Amazon to renovate the Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex in Marysville. The improvements at Strawberry Fields include the conversion of one of the grass soccer fields to synthetic turf, a new children’s playground, and trail improvements to the off-leash dog park. 

These improvements will benefit a diverse group of recreational users including athletes, families, and dog-owners. The total cost of the improvements are $1.7 million. Snohomish County is investing $1 million into the project, the City is investing $500,000, and Amazon contributed a $140,000 grant to finish the playground improvements.  

Read more about this project in my commentary in the North County Outlook here. 

May

“Girls Build” at the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program 

In May, I had the opportunity to join the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Program for their “Girls Build” event. This annual event brings together high school girls and tradeswomen from the various building and construction trades for a day of education and engagement. The goal of the event is to breakdown stereotypes of the trades being exclusive to men and encourage more young women to join the trades.  

At the event, the tradeswomen led the girls in the construction of a small wood-working project and talked about their experiences and pathways into the trades. The hope is that the girls attending this event have a better understanding of the trades and that some of them will consider joining the RAP Program to help launch their careers into the trades.  

June

Overturning Burdensome Coffee Stand Regulations 

Earlier this year, the Washington Department of Health released new regulations on independent coffee stands which would require them to install plumbing and wastewater connections in order to continue operating. This would have forced many of these local stands out of business. The stands already had agreements with other nearby businesses and arrangements to dispose of their grey water.  

After a number of coffee stand owners reached out to me about this state rule change, I convened a number of meetings with local business owners, officials from the Snohomish Health District, and the WA State Department of Health. We made public statements regarding the negative impact of this rule and urged the Department to reverse the rule. In a win for coffee stands, the rule was reversed and these existing stands can continue to provide their local products to customers and create jobs in our communities.  

MyNorthwest covered our efforts in this article. 

July

Braver Angels Event 

During my time on the County Council, I have looked for ways to bridge the political divide and find solutions to community problems regardless of the politics of those I am working with. I think it is critical that we lower the temperature of political discourse in our nation, and we can start that at the local level.  

In July, I had the opportunity to join the Braver Angels organization for a discussion with other elected and community leaders from both political parties. During the event, participants discussed policy issues ranging from housing affordability to public safety to environmental sustainability. The goal was to find ways that we can have civil discussions on important topics event when we might disagree on the solution. The event will be featured in an upcoming documentary on political discourse. 

To learn more about the work of Braver Angels, please visit their website at this link.   

August

Larson Road Nuisance Property Clean-Up 

Our County nuisance properties team made up of personnel from the Sheriff’s Office, Code Enforcement, Human Servies, Public Works, and Health District had been working on abatement efforts for years on this property. Thanks to the great work of this team and the local community, the property was cleaned up, squatters removed, and the property was sold and flipped and is now a beautiful part of the community.  

To read more about nuisance property efforts, visit the public safety page of my website linked here. 

September

Providing Middle School Sports Opportunities in Marysville 

Following budget cuts, the Marysville School District suspended middle school sports for this school year. As a former student athlete and coach, I recognize the importance of athletic opportunities for students to maintain their social well-being and focus their energy on productive pastimes. This is particularly relevant now in light of the increased isolation and mental health concerns for our youth following the COVID shutdowns.  

In September, I worked with the YMCA of Snohomish County, Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County, and the Marysville School District to provide alternative opportunities for middle school students to participate in non-school sponsored sports programs throughout the school year. The club sports are supported by grant dollars through Snohomish County.  

I am thankful that all of these community partners came together to fill a void and give these kids a chance to participate in athletics this school year.  

October

WA State House Education Committee Visits the RAP Program 

On Tuesday, October 11th, the Washington State House Education Committee held its interim committee workshop at the Regional Apprenticeship Pathways (RAP) Center in Marysville. The agenda of their meeting focused on career readiness programs and ways that we can better prepare students for life after high school, specifically workforce development.   

We had great discussions about the creation and success of the RAP Program and ways that the state can encourage more programs like RAP across the state. There was broad consensus that programs like RAP can help students who may not be interested in the traditional 4-year college route find success following high school.   

In the upcoming legislative session, we will be working with members of the House Education Committee to develop language that enshrines programs like RAP in the state’s budget and allows for the creation of more programs like it across the state.  

November

Adoption of the 2023 Snohomish County Budget 

In November, the Snohomish County Council adopted our budget for the 2023 calendar year. The budget process began in September and took the better part of 2 months to complete. While this year’s budget did include an increase to the general property tax levy (passed on a 3-2 vote, CM Low and I voted against), there were some great things included in the budget. Here are a couple of the items that I sponsored or supported: 

At the 2022 Awards Luncheon for the Snohomish County-Camano Association of Realtors, I was honored to receive their 2022 “Citizen of the Year” award. 

I appreciate the work of the Realtors Association to make housing more attainable and am thankful for the gracious recognition. I also have to extend a heartfelt “thank you” to the staff at the County Council and my fellow Councilmembers for their support and partnership as we work on issues surrounding housing affordability and home ownership opportunities at all income levels. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my 2022 year-in-review and revisiting some of the achievements of the County Council this year. I look forward to continuing this work next year. 

Sincerely,

Nate Nehring
Councilmember, District 1