Park Funds Being Used for the Town Center

The Sammamish City Council recently made a controversial decision to redirect funds originally intended for park improvements. This move has raised concerns among residents about the city's priorities and the impact on local infrastructure.

Read more about the decision and its implications in this article from the new Sammamish Local News website: Sammamish City Council Redirects Parks Funds to Town Center Project.

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📣 The Votes Are In on the Sammamish Town Center Plan — What’s Next?

The Votes Are In on the Sammamish Town Center Plan City Council Passes Action Alternative (4,000 units, 85’ buildings) Before the final vote was accepted, Councilmember Kent Treen presented three alternative motions: 1. A hybrid option that would keep the 2,000-unit cap. Councilmember Lam seconded the motion. After discussion, the Council voted 6–1 against approving it. 2. Two additional alternatives were also introduced by Councilmember Treen but did not receive a second and therefore did not move forward. At the July 15, 2025 Sammamish City Council meeting, the Council voted on the future of the Town Center. They were asked to select one of three proposed alternatives: Proposed Options: 1. No Action Alternative Keeps the current cap of 2,000 housing units. Likely results in mostly townhomes and fewer community amenities such as retail, restaurants, and civic spaces. 2. Action Alternative Allows up to 4,000 units with a mix of apartments and condos, plus retail, restaurant, and...

A Dearth of Public Transit

The supporters of the supersized Town center hope that it will attract transit serving the Link station in Marymoor as well as a future Link station in Issaquah. This proposal has been part of the Town Center plan for some time now. However, when it comes to transit, the realities are quite different from what was initially proposed. Sammamish is considered a transit desert due to its limited public transportation options. There is only one Metro line with service at 30-minute intervals, which runs along 228th Street and goes to Overlake. The Metro development plan does not show any increase in service to the Sammamish area until 2029. Sound Transit operates under a 20-year plan that stretches until 2045, but it includes no service to Sammamish. However, there is a proposed Park and Ride facility located on 228th or Sahale Way, which will be built by 2045. The Sound Transit plan never starts new projects between ballot measures, and it has a history of missing its project timelines and...

Senior Citizens and the Sammamish Town Center Vision

Will our Town Center be a vibrant place for seniors--with “affordable housing,” other diverse housing options, walkability, accessible transit, and convenient shopping? As a Sammamish senior citizen, I hope so, but questions keep popping up. Senior citizen facilities—yes, but affordable? Merrill Gardens and Aegis are expected in the Town Center. But how many senior citizens would call these facilities “affordable?” And not all seniors need or want these types of facilities. “Affordable Housing”—how will seniors qualify? “Affordable housing” is the term for subsidized housing for those with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income. Our Town Center will have some affordable housing town homes and apartments. Many seniors who sell their homes are likely to have home equity income that could disqualify them from affordable housing. Those with less income might qualify, but will they want to live in apartment buildings with younger singles and young families? Maybe they would ...

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