King County Council adopts ordinance creating Lake Geneva Lake Management District

February 1, 2016

Summary

"Throughout this process, and through several steps, neighbors developed a funding mechanism and a strategic plan to address current issues and future activities."

Story

The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously adopted the Lake Geneva Management Plan and called for an election to form Lake Management District No. 2 in the Lake Geneva watershed.

“This is a great example of neighbors coming together to protect the quality of their lives,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. “Throughout this process, and through several steps, neighbors developed a funding mechanism and a strategic plan to address current issues and future activities.”

Lake Geneva is a nearly 30-acre lake within a 170-acre watershed between the cities of Federal Way and Auburn. Most of the lakeshore is single-family residential development. The lake has several state-listed noxious weeds, high water episodes due to lake outlet maintenance issues, and has recently experienced a decline in water clarity due to increased phosphorus input and algae growth.

To address these issues, the Lake Geneva Property Owners’ Association received a grant from the King County Flood District’s Reduction Fund to create a Lake Management Plan, with the goal of forming a Lake Management District.

The adopted legislation sets the date of the election on the formation of the Lake Management District. Ballots would be mailed out on March 1, 2016, and would be required to be mailed back by March 31, 2016. The Clerk of the Council would run the election.